TLSOTMTKOGAYWHTDI Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Death Countdown

Chapter 1: Death Countdown

The morning breeze fluttered the off-white curtains, and sunlight streamed through the French windows onto the floor.

“Ding-dong—Death countdown: 7 days remaining!”

Three years. Zhuo Huaimo still couldn’t stand being woken up by this disgusting method every morning.

The key point was that this wasn’t some prank alarm clock; it was the reality he had to face.

Zhuo Huaimo frowned slightly, kneading his brow in annoyance, unwilling to open his eyes.

Because as soon as he opened his eyes, he’d see that annoying, moronic electronic screen, forcing him to be in a relationship!

Yes, you heard right!

Who would have thought that Zhuo Huaimo, a top-tier idol with a face that could make gods and men weep, who controlled the most powerful agency in the country, would be troubled by “love”?

To be precise, he had to be in one, or he would die!

This “die” wasn’t a figure of speech; it was a verb, as in, he would really die!

“Ding-dong—Good morning, Host!”

“Don’t call me Host. I’m not your host!” Zhuo Huaimo said irritably.

The System weakly said “Oh,” sounding guilty, “Until we find my real Host, please just bear with it!”

“Bear with it? I’ve been bearing with it for three years! Were you blind when you chose me? Do I look like a love-starved loser?”

Every time he thought back to three years ago, Zhuo Huaimo felt a surge of anger and abruptly opened his eyes.

Sure enough, the electronic screen appeared out of nowhere before him, with the striking red words:

“Day-7,” accompanied by a skull!

Zhuo Huaimo could be considered a legend in the entertainment industry in recent years. In his debut year, he won the “Best Newcomer Award” with his strength and a face so handsome it was hailed as the “Nation’s Sweetheart.”

From then on, he was unstoppable, winning awards until his hands cramped, covered in countless high-end brands. Some brands even allowed competing products to co-exist just to get him as their spokesperson.

Three years ago, he won seven awards, including “Best Actor,” “Most Popular Actor,” and “Most Valuable Entertainer of the Year.”

That should have been the peak of Zhuo Huaimo’s career, but on the way home, a drunk driver crashed into their van.

To make matters worse, when he woke up in the hospital, he was bound to this idiotic System.

It was said that the System’s original host was an introverted, insecure loser who lacked everything and never dared to talk to women.

The potential for survival was infinite. The System was programmed to force him to be in a constant stream of relationships with women. If he was single for more than ten days, he would die!

Zhuo Huaimo was a Star of Calamity and Loneliness!

Apart from a grandmother he didn’t dare to associate with too much, all his relatives were dead.

Everyone who dated him would at best end up with a cut, and at worst, lose limbs. Anyone who dated him longer than three months would certainly die!

Yet Zhuo Huaimo had to deal with this bad luck: if he wasn’t in a relationship, he’d die; if he was, the other person would!

“Host, hurry up and get out of bed to choose a target! There are only seven days left!”

Zhuo Huaimo ruffled his hair irritably and walked into the closet in the bedroom, pulling open the blue velvet cloth to reveal a wall covered with women’s photos.

That was his hunting ground.

To be precise, it was a collection of photos of all the scumbags and sluts in the entertainment industry.

Zhuo Huaimo didn’t want to die, nor did he want innocent people to be involved.

He came up with a solution: to find a group of people who were vain and loved to play with emotions to help him survive for a while.

No more than three months, then a clean break. During this time, if there were any bumps or bruises, Zhuo Huaimo would even compensate them for work-related injuries.

Some said he had been body snatched; others said that he had seen through life after experiencing life and death.

In short, for the past three years, the whole country knew that since the car accident, Zhuo Huaimo had been changing partners as often as he changed clothes, and no ex had ever said a bad word about him.

“Come on, Host!”

“I said, don’t call me Host!”

“Okay, Handsome Zhuo!” The System changed its tune, flattering him. “Let’s see which lucky cutie it will be?”

Zhuo Huaimo threw a dart irritably, and it landed squarely on a bright and gaudy face full of technology.

He looked at the photo for a long time, feeling disgusted, as if stomach acid was about to come up!

This one was definitely a no-go!

“Forget it! I’ll think about it tomorrow!”

Zhuo Huaimo put the photo back on the wall.

“Handsome Zhuo, there’s also…”

The System was about to say something when Zhuo Huaimo’s phone rang. It was his secretary.

“CEO Zhuo, the talent show winner the company is planning to sign has a photoshoot today. She wants to reschedule the signing for the afternoon. Do you still want to come?”

“The one we just recruited?”

“Yes!”

“Find out where her photoshoot is this morning and send it to me. I’ll go check it out on-site!”

Zhuo Huaimo said, hanging up the phone and getting ready to go out.

“Handsome Zhuo, aren’t you going to approach a target?” the System said anxiously. “There are only seven days left!”

“I’m going to make money, or I won’t be able to pay the breakup fee next time!”

A Jian, the assistant, picked up Zhuo Huaimo and parked the car in the parking lot next to the North River University’s sports field.

Before getting out of the car, Zhuo Huaimo received a call from the company.

After giving a few brief instructions, he hung up. Just as he was about to get out of the car, he heard a muffled “thump.”

He looked over and saw a tall figure leaning against his car.

“Boss, let me get out and chase them away!”

“Wait!”

Zhuo Huaimo propped his face with one hand, carefully looking at the man leaning against his car window.

The man had a handsome face. The sunlight shone on his fair skin, making his already superior features seem to be covered in a layer of light.

That tight, well-defined jawline, the high bridge of his nose, and those lips with a distinct outline that looked so soft.

Every cell in his body aligned with Zhuo Huaimo’s aesthetic preferences.

The car window quickly fogged up, blurring Zhuo Huaimo’s vision.

His slender fingers traced the man’s outline on the glass, sliding to his lips. Zhuo Huaimo couldn’t help but swallow.

Damn, was this man custom-made to his tastes?

Zhuo Huaimo couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, so he asked the assistant in the front seat,

“Who is that person?”

“Boss, that woman is the talent show winner we’re planning to sign, Ning Xin!”

“No.”

Zhuo Huaimo frowned. “The other one, the guy next to her.”

“The guy?”

A Jian was a little surprised. “Boss, are you asking about Qi Yanwang? He’s just an insignificant 18th-tier actor, the male third lead in this drama!”

Zhuo Huaimo wiped the mist from the glass, watching the man’s long eyelashes flutter. He was casually holding a cigarette, looking with disdain at the woman’s clumsy acting in front of him, his eyes full of contempt and mockery.

“Yanwang! I like you! Would you like to date me?”

Ning Xin, standing opposite him, looked shy, desperately trying to suppress the sarcasm that was about to spill out from her eyes, but performing a seemingly affectionate confession.

Coming from a talent show, her acting was still a bit lacking.

Ning Xin’s acting was too clumsy. It was obvious she was making fun of him. The man curled his lips with disdain, desperately hiding the disgust in his eyes.

After all, they would have to be in the same crew for the next three months.

Moreover, it was said that Xingyue Media was preparing to sign her, and from then on, her future would be bright.

In this circle, it was always good to have one less enemy, especially for a little burnt coffee ground like him with no status or background.

Qi Yanwang looked down at her, his expression indifferent, saying unhurriedly,

“Miss Ning has a bright future; I wouldn’t dare delay it!”

With that, he turned and left.

Zhuo Huaimo watched that figure about to disappear from his sight, rubbing his fingers together, repeating the name, one word at a time,

“Qi, Yan, Wang!”