When he thought he was about to die, a voice whispered: [Continue living your true young master’s life.]

Opening his eyes, he found himself back at the moment he learned he was the real young master—in a new world.

People die, but novels are eternal.

His greatest fortune wasn’t just being the protagonist of a novel but possessing the “true young master halo.” In any setting, he would become the true young master, drawing the novel to reignite and unfold once more.

In this world, he had set his sights on the Ji family—an elite, happy, and impressive household. He wanted to join them.

Here, Gu Yongsheng would transform into Ji Yongsheng.

With his script, he knew that when he first entered the wealthy family, most members would favor the fake son they had raised. They would look down on him initially, but eventually, they would love and spoil him unconditionally.

What he hadn’t expected was for the first expression of disdain to come from someone like this woman.

Displeased, Gu Yongsheng had no interest in winning her over. In a cold tone, he replied, “No.”

Xu Xue visibly relaxed and even smiled slightly.

Gu Yongsheng: ???

Seeing Xu Xue’s question, Wang De couldn’t help but get competitive. Studying Gu Yongsheng, Wang De concluded he resembled the stepping-stone character in harem novels—the perfect sidekick for the male lead to humiliate.

Praying that his male protagonist halo would overpower this “pretty boy,” Wang De shouted, “I think that paternity test is flawed!”

Gu Yongsheng showed no reaction. From the moment he saw Wang De, he had pegged him as cannon fodder^[1]Secondary or minor characters whose purpose is to highlight the protagonist’s superiority, often through being proven wrong or defeated..

Returning to a wealthy family often starts with being doubted.

Disdain typically comes from family members with some status, while doubts come from roadblock characters like this. A momentary foil used to reinforce his legitimacy through face-slapping.

Their eyes met, tension crackling between them.

“Who says the paternity test is flawed?”

A couple emerged from the living room. The man, in his fifties, exuded authority, while the woman, about a decade younger, wore loose white clothing and a jade bracelet on her wrist. Her demeanor was gentle and classical.

Although the Ji family was supposedly in chaos over the “true and false young master” sharing a bed, their composure betrayed no signs of panic. This was the true mark of an elite family accustomed to maintaining calm in any situation.

The woman’s face lit up with a smile upon seeing Duan Chunshui. “Chunshui, you’re here!”

The man’s stern expression softened as he turned to look at him.

Duan Chunshui greeted them, “Uncle, aunt.”

Both parents looked at him first, not at their eldest son. Noticing this detail, Gu Yongsheng mentally elevated Duan Chunshui’s status. He then shifted his attention back to himself. 

Pointing at Wang De, he said, “Dad, he’s the one questioning the paternity test.”

Small fry like this didn’t require him to act; someone else would take care of it effortlessly.

Gu Yongsheng knew the paternity test was accurate—not because he had faked it, but because it had been conducted by a reputable organization hired by the Ji family.

At first, he had been a bit nervous, as he truly had no biological connection to the Ji family. But his halo was stronger than he had imagined.

After confirming he was their biological son, the Ji family didn’t bother testing Ji Chunhua’s relationship to them. It was clear they had already decided Chunhua wasn’t their real son but cherished the boy they had raised and didn’t want to damage the emotional bonds further.

Even if they did test, Gu Yongsheng wasn’t worried. His protagonist halo could make him the Ji family’s biological son just as easily as it could make Ji Chunhua a non-biological foster child.

Sure enough, Ji Mingkun frowned as he looked at Wang De.

Leaning casually against the veranda, Gu Yongsheng assumed a relaxed position, ready to watch Ji Mingkun handle the small fry.

“This young man…” Ji Mingkun walked toward Wang De, studying him intently.

“This dignified young man—do you know something we don’t?”

Gu Yongsheng: ???

“Dignified?”

He immediately stood upright, glancing again at Wang De. The small eyes, the chubby face, and the bruised eyes from being punched recently.

He began to doubt Ji Mingkun, the father he had chosen.

“A business magnate who built the Ji family empire—this was his ability to judge people?”

And it wasn’t over.

Ren Xi, the mother he had chosen, also approached Wang De. She looked at him as though appraising a future son-in-law, her satisfaction growing. 

“This young man seems reliable. Do you have a girlfriend? If not, I can introduce you to someone. Such a pity I don’t have a daughter!”

Gu Yongsheng: ??????

Wang De, emboldened, raised his chin at Gu Yongsheng, then instinctively looked at Duan Chunshui. 

Duan Chunshui chuckled lightly, which energized Wang De even more. “I’m telling you, that paternity test must be flawed. I suggest you get more tests done.”

Ji Mingkun shook his head and smiled. “There’s no mistake.”

The tension in Gu Yongsheng eased. Of course, his halo wouldn’t fail.

“Maybe… maybe this world just had a peculiar sense of aesthetics, explaining why these two saw Wang De differently.”

Wang De, undeterred, remained motivated by Duan Chunshui’s earlier acknowledgment.

Meanwhile, Ren Xi’s attention shifted to an unfamiliar face. She turned to Xu Xue and asked, “And who might this be?”

The butler quickly stepped in, smiling. “Madam, this is the first woman the young master has ever brought home.”

Ren Xi fell silent for a few seconds.

Xu Xue felt an ominous sense of foreboding.

Gu Yongsheng frowned. He hadn’t expected the woman who despised him to potentially become his sister-in-law. If his older brother had such a sister-in-law, he might not continue spoiling his younger brother unconditionally.

Ren Xi disappeared into the house briefly and then returned, handing Xu Xue a bank card. “There’s 50 million yuan on this. Leave my son.”

“……”

Gu Yongsheng: ???

“Why was something so tacky happening in this house?”

“Wait, why was this trope occurring with Ren Xi of all people?”

The Ji family he had chosen at first sight, the one he thought was perfect in every way—“how could this happen?”

Ren Xi, though part of a wealthy family, rarely attended elite social gatherings. She didn’t care about social class or cliques.

Coming from a family of scholars, she was a professor at the best university in Shangcheng City, known for sponsoring underprivileged students. She was gentle, generous, and widely respected.

Still shaken by her actions, Gu Yongsheng then heard the composed and dignified eldest brother, Ji Chunshan, frown at the silent Xu Xue and say irritably, “Woman, you would leave me for a mere 50 million yuan?”

Gu Yongsheng: ?????????

Ji Chunshan, raised with a prestigious education, combined his father’s capabilities with his mother’s grace, particularly his mother’s respect for women. He had always been dignified and courteous.

“What was he saying just now?”

Gu Yongsheng glanced at the father, who was sizing up a chubby young man with admiration. 

The mother, who threw out a bank card to drive off an ordinary girl.

The eldest brother, whose eyes held a mix of indifference, resentment, anger, and pain as he made his greasy, domineering CEO remark to the same girl.

The cousin, tilting his head back as if about to doze off, indifferent to the chaos. 

These were the family members he had chosen at first sight.

Gu Yongsheng felt utterly dazed.