Observation Chapter 15
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Observation Chapter 15: Actor
“Are you absolutely sure?”
“Yes, and not just once – I’ve seen him multiple times already.”
“…”
Lin Qian’s eyes narrowed instinctively, his gaze sharpening.
She had run into him while shopping, and a few times at that…
It might be nothing more than a coincidence in real life… But if they were truly in the world of his novels…
…that was not a good sign at all.
Lin Qian’s mind flashed back to his previous interaction with the man, his vivid imagination conjuring every moment in perfect detail.
If he were to put it into words…
His description would go something like this: a red baseball cap, a purple face mask, white sneakers caked with mud, a clown tattoo on his arm, and a meek voice— all belonging to a figure less than 160 centimeters in height…
Those details instantly came together, forming a clear image in his mind.
‘Wait… Is that…’
“Zhang Qian!”
Lin Qian yelled a name while instantly pulling the nearby An Lan into his embrace.
“W-What are you doing…”
His sudden gesture caught her completely off-guard.
“Shhh. Sorry, but I need you to stay quiet for now.”
He whispered, leaning close to her ear. To any onlookers, they looked like lovers locked in a passionate embrace.
At the name ‘Zhang Qian’, the man in the convenience store flinched visibly. Adjusting the brim of his hat, his narrow eyes incessantly scanned the street, searching for the source of the voice.
But West Serenity Way was even livelier at night than during the day, and the sound quickly faded into the crowd.
After searching fruitlessly for a long time, Zhang Qian quickly left the store.
As soon as he saw what was happening, Lin Qian immediately let go of An Lan. He moved to follow the man, only to realize it was already too late.
The figure had moved with remarkable speed, vanishing among the sea of people in just a matter of seconds.
“…”
Lin Qian propped his chin on his hand, his eyebrows drawn together in a deep frown.
“Zhang Qian? Who’s that? Was it that man just now? Do you know him, Lin Qian?”
“I suppose so. I know him, just not in the way you think.”
An Lan was left bewildered by his response. “Not in the way that I think?”
“Yes. It’s complicated.”
As he stared at the scarlet moon glowing overhead, a deep sigh escaped his lips.
‘Things… have really changed.’
Zhang Qian… he was just one of the numerous minor characters Lin Qian had created.
While some characters had faded from his memory, there were others he remembered vividly.
“T-Then what should we do about Ye Li…? S-Should I notify the counselor right away?”
“Mhm.”
He responded in a faint, indifferent tone.
By now, he was almost certain that Ye Li’s sudden disappearance and Zhang Qian… were undeniably connected.
As Lin Qian anxiously racked his brain about the character he had once created, he felt himself slipping back into the zone — It was as if he was back at his computer again, writing with the perspective of an all-seeing god.
Even with the knowledge that Zhang Qian was involved, most people would be powerless in this situation.
But he, on the other hand, knew exactly what he was dealing with.
After all, this character was a product of his own imagination.
As long as it wasn’t the woman from his dream, or those eccentric female leads from [In the Library]…
He could handle anything.
“Lin Qian…” An Lan choked, her voice thick with tears after the call. “Ye Li’s missing… Her family can’t get ahold of her… What if she’s been kidnapped…?”
“She…”
“An Lan.”
“Hm?”
“Got any cash on you?”
“..?” Briefly taken aback, she nodded. “I do.”
“Great. That makes things easier,” Lin Qian said, a smile suddenly flashing across his lips. “It’s 10:10 pm now. I’ll have Ye Li back to you, safe and sound, before midnight.”
“…”
An Lan suddenly noticed a dramatic shift in his presence. She found herself staring at him in amazement.
“So, do you believe me?” He effortlessly reached over to give her a brief, gentle pat on the head.
“…Mhm!”
After a moment’s hesitation, An Lan nodded resolutely. At this point, he was her only hope.
“Then, consider it done.”
……..
Night, 11 pm.
Lin Qian strode out of a lavishly decorated salon.
He had changed out of his old shorts and slippers.
A gleaming silver cross hung against his chest, accenting his white T-shirt. His hair was expertly styled, and he wore a pair of perfectly fitted jeans and jacket. A pair of white canvas shoes finished off his look.
He looked every bit the elegant and handsome young heir of a wealthy family.
In the last few moments, he had already been the target of countless flirtatious glances.
Lin Qian toyed with the gold-rimmed glasses in his hand, a look of satisfaction on his face as he looked at himself in the mirror.
He was now fully in character.
It was as though he was back at his computer, crafting his story with the full plot in mind, while witnessing it firsthand as its protagonist.
From this perspective, he was practically…
…omnipotent.
He was unstoppable, as long as he did not encounter any of the invincible heroines he had written.
Everything was going smoothly, except…
He was starving!
‘…Man, I’m hungry…!’
‘This is taking so much out of me…’
“S-…S-… So handsome!”
An Lan’s eyes sparkled with admiration, completely captivated by Lin Qian.
She had only thought he was somewhat good-looking when they first met…
How could he possibly… be THIS handsome!!
And to top it all off, he was overflowing with confidence and charisma!
It was totally worth the money! If she could get a selfie with him and post it on social media… every girl would die of envy!
Lin Qian adjusted his collar and put on his glasses.
“Gulp…”
An Lan felt her throat go dry as she instinctively reached for her phone.
Then, it hit her — Her best friend, Ye Li, was still missing.
“Lin Qian, what should we do now?”
“Find a cafe and wait for me there. I won’t take long.”
“Do you mind if I tag along? I might be able to lend you a hand.”
An Lan asked, sneaking a glance at his face.
“You want to come along?”
“Mhm.”
“…Sure, come on then.” Lin Qian beckoned to her. “Here’s what I need you to do …”
When creating his characters, he had made sure that none of the extras were invincible.
Everyone had their weaknesses, and Zhang Qian was no exception.
His appearance meant that…
…his girlfriend, Liu Jing, was here as well.
‘That woman… She was something else indeed…’
Lin Qian slowly followed the path where the other man had last appeared.
He had only walked for a few minutes before he was stopped by someone outside a bar.
“Hey handsome~ Why don’t you come here and have a drink with me?”
He raised his head slightly and gave the person a once-over.
She had a purple butterfly tattoo on her collarbone and a silver cross bracelet on her wrist.
Sensing the intensity of her gaze, a smile involuntarily touched his lips.
‘Found her.‘
Lin Qian raised his hand, gently brushing the hair beside her ear before speaking in a rich, alluring voice. “The pleasure’s all mine, darling.”
For a moment, Liu Jing forgot to breathe.
Tonight was bound to be a sleepless one.
11:20 pm.
In the bar’s private room.
“Sigh…”
Lin Qian swirled his glass and sighed softly.
“Zi Qian, what’s troubling you?” Liu Jing asked tenderly as she gently took his wrist in her hand.
“It’s nothing much. I just got dumped. My girlfriend broke up with me. We were… really good together, you know?”
Lin Qian shook his head and took a sip from his wine glass. His expression was the picture of heartbreak.
He was going to pull out all the stops for this performance.