Over the next few days Yao Shen keeps to himself as he tries to make sense of his own thoughts, shooting his scenes to the best of his ability, but ignoring all invitations to hang out from the other actors. He doesn't even start any fights with Xin Hulei.
He's too busy trying to understand Xin Hulei to be annoyed at his existence.
On the one hand, he did dismiss the fact that demons make a large part of 'Shizun' -- but the System itself said that was fiction, and to focus on Xin Hulei who is a real demon.
Did the System lie to him, or did it just not know? It has been oddly quiet.
On the other hand, if even half of the events of the novel actually happened Yao Shen might be compelled to feel a little bit of sympathy towards Xin Hulei -- just a smidge.
And if the events of the novel are even a little bit true, then it poses the question of who exactly Xin Hulei is? Just a bystander to all of it...or one of the protagonists?
With the way he speaks about Yan Shuyi, Yao Shen is tempted to believe he's Xie Huan -- but he can't really wrap his mind around the change in personality. Xie Huan is so fiery, temperamental and explosive that it's hard to see any resemblance between him and the cool and collected Xin Hulei.
If he is Xie Huan, then there's an even bigger question: where is Yan Shuyi?
It's obvious the two of them were in love, and the novel has a happy ending. After a tortuous series of events with several death fakeouts, Xie Huan and Yan Shuyi get their 'together forever'.
So if Xin Hulei is Xie Huan why is he playing at being an actor instead of living happily ever after with Yan Shuyi?
Unless that isn't true either?
The more Yao Shen thinks about these matters the more his head hurts.
He's having lunch on his own in the dining hall, lost in the confusion of his own thoughts, when a tray rattles down in front of him.
Ye Fang sits down across from him with a pinched expression, a knot of worry twisting her fine eyebrows.
"We're worried about you, ge," she says, picking at her food. "You've been really anti-social lately, this is the first time you've had a meal outside of your trailer in three days."
That's because he was hoping to catch a glimpse of Xin Hulei, and observe him from afar. Yao Shen is convinced if he just pays close enough attention to him he might learn something useful.
"Sorry, there's a lot on my mind," Yao Shen says, shooting her what he hopes is a reassuring smile.
She sucks her lower lip into her mouth and reaches across the table to pat the back of his hand. "Is this about Xin laoshi?"
It takes him a moment to connect the dots, and remember Ye Fang is convinced he and Xin Hulei are in a relationship, and by then she has already launched into a tirade.
"Gege shouldn't pay attention to what people online say. I'm sure Xin laoshi's feelings are sincere."
Yao Shen hasn't paid attention to anything lately except his quest to gather as much information as possible on Shishi and 'Shizun, this disciple will have to kill you'.
It has mostly led him into a pit of fan speculation, and +18 fanfiction in which Xie Huan gets Yan Shuyi pregnant with the power of his 'demonic seed' -- surprisingly well written, but clearly not the source of any valid information.
Other than that, he has been trying not to drown in existential dread.
He just wanted to have a decent acting job, he didn't ask for any of this.
"Right, it's fine, everything is fine," Yao Shen says, hoping to be convincing enough for Ye Fang to drop the matter.
She nods, and the two of them eat their food in stilted silence.
"Is this seat taken?" a crisp voice asks.
Yao Shen looks up and sees Xin Hulei standing beside him with a tray in his hands.
The seat is very much not taken.
Especially after Ye Fang jumps up to her feet and leaves the table. "I was just leaving," she says, walking away without another word.
Xin Hulei watches her go with an unreadable expression. "She didn't even finish her food."
"Yes, well," Yao Shen wipes his mouth and balls up the napkin he was using before throwing it down on the tray, "she's under the impression we're having a workplace romance and doesn't want to intrude."
"How kind of her," Xin Hulei says, loading his rice bowl with sesame seeds.
Yao Shen absolutely can't tell if he's being factitious or not.
"We aren't in a relationship," Yao Shen says, his eyes very wide and unblinking.
Xin Hulei nods. "I noticed. Hard to, since you've been avoiding me."
Yao Shen goes very still. He has an opportunity here to learn more about Xin Hulei, if he's smart about it.
He just needs to be discreet and slowly inch around the issue until the right time.
"What do you know about the author of 'Shizun, this disciple will have to kill you'?"
Ah, failed step one.
A rare flash of emotion crosses Xin Hulei's eyes before being brutally snuffed out as he schools his features into the perfect mask of neutrality once again. "Why do you ask?"
"Uh, I've been doing some research to try and get more into Yan Shuyi's character, you know?" he says, sipping tea to buy himself time to come up with something else to say. "I just thought it was odd, how little information there is about the author of such a popular novel."
Even if he doesn't believe him, at least Xin Hulei makes a passable effort to pretend he does, humming quietly at the end of Yao Shen's explanation.
"To answer your question: I don't know much, but I would love to learn more."
His words almost sound like a threat, but Yao Shen doesn't have the time to ponder the implications behind them, before he's hearing a familiar voice.
[Congratulations Host, for growing 15% closer to the Demon King. Third reward unlocked: Night Vision]
No sooner is the System finished speaking than Yao Shen sees a mass of undulating golden spikes on Xin Hulei's shoulder, where he's sure there was nothing moments ago.
He lets out a startled yelp and recoils in revulsion, wildly overestimating the stability of the plastic chair he's sitting on.
He can only try to cling to the edge of the table as he begins to fall backwards, all the while Xin Hulei and the creature on his shoulder look in his direction.