“This kind of respiratory failure and asphyxiation only occurs when the young master ingests an excessive amount of sleeping pills. You must pay attention to his emotional state and try to keep him in a happy mood.”

The murmuring voices around him gradually became clearer, and his heartbeat steadied.

Yu Yan slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw were two enlarged faces. In the next moment, he was tightly embraced.

A woman dressed in a Suzhou-embroidered qipao spoke in a trembling voice, “Xiao Yan, what would Mama do if something happened to you?”

Beside her, a man with a serious expression suddenly spoke up as well. “Xiao Yan, your mom and I have already seriously considered your feelings. If you really don’t like Yu Chen, we’ll send him away. But please, no matter what, communicate with us first. Don’t ever do something so foolish again!”

Mom and Dad?

But he’s an orphan—where would he get a mom and dad?

Wait—

Yu Chen?

Yu Yan’s breathing hitched, and he clasped his hands together, palm over back, before slapping his forehead hard.

Ouch!

This wasn’t a dream—he’d transmigrated into a book!

He’d become the real young master in a novel about aristocratic family feuds. The original character was dumb and impulsive, driving away the fake young master to monopolize the family fortune. But since he had no actual abilities, he ultimately squandered everything and starved to death on the streets.

Reading novels comes with risks, especially novels where cannon fodder characters share your name.

Judging from the current situation, the plot had already reached the point where the original character took sleeping pills to force his parents into driving away the fake young master.

Next would come inheriting the company, angering his parents to death, and ending up as a penniless vagrant begging for food on the streets!

Yu Yan was utterly exasperated. Why would anyone give up being a carefree second-generation heir to go work like a laborer?

In just a moment, Yu Yan had fully accepted the reality of his transmigration.

Touching the cool, soft silk comforter, Yu Yan grinned foolishly.

By the bedside, Jiang Mo and Yu Lin exchanged worried glances. Was their son… mentally unwell?

Yu Lin cleared his throat and tried to soften his tone. “Xiao Yan, don’t worry. The entire family fortune will be left to you, and we’ll send him packing.”

Yu Yan’s eyes widened instantly. “Give it to him!”

“What?”

Yu Yan suddenly sprang up from the bed like a fish flipping out of water. “No! Give him the company! Give him the trust fund! Give him the shares! Even my allowance—give it all to him! Everything!”

Are you kidding me? If he could just lie back and collect dividends, never running out of money to spend, why on earth would he go to work?

The moment he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

Not only were Yu Lin and Jiang Mo astonished, but even Yu Chen, who was leaning against the doorframe, raised his eyes slightly.

Over the past year, Yu Yan had caused quite a bit of trouble trying to drive him out, even conspiring with Shen Muyang, an illegitimate son of the Shen family. How could he suddenly have a change of heart?

Chances were, he was plotting some new scheme against him.

Yu Chen’s gaze darkened as he stood at the doorway, refusing to step inside.

Seeing his parents’ bewildered expressions, Yu Yan was about to explain when Jiang Mo suddenly reached out to feel his forehead.

“No fever…”

“Could there be some other issue? Should we call Dr. Liu back for another checkup?”

“I’ll go make the call.”

Jiang Mo stood up and walked out with a stern expression.

“Mom—” Yu Yan immediately stopped her.

For the first time in both of his lives, he called someone by that title, and a strange feeling blossomed in his heart, as though a seed had sprouted in barren soil.

Jiang Mo immediately turned back. “Xiao Yan, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

Yu Yan shook his head and looked at them seriously.

“Mom, Dad, I’m not joking with you. I don’t know how to do anything, so I’m not going to the company. All those shares and assets can go to my brother. Even my allowance—he can help me manage it.”

“Xiao Yan, are you sure about this?” There was still some doubt in Jiang Mo’s tone.

“Of course. I’ve thought it through. Instead of causing trouble at the company and working 996 every day, I’d rather just live comfortably with my allowance.”

Yu Chen wasn’t the kind of person to forget kindness. In the original story, he had even given the protagonist money when he was destitute.

It was just that the original character had too much pride to accept charity and stubbornly refused.

“But…” Yu Yan’s tone shifted. “You’ll have to give me a bigger allowance.”

Everyone in the room finally relaxed. Yu Lin and Jiang Mo, seasoned veterans of the business world, had seen all kinds of people and could tell that Yu Yan wasn’t cut out for business.

Yu Lin didn’t push too hard. “Xiao Yan, if you ever change your mind, let me know.”

“Sure, no problem, Dad.”

Yu Yan smiled slightly, recalling the novel’s plot and thinking about his “lie flat” strategy.

To live a carefree life, the first priority was to stay away from Shen Yuming. The second was to prevent the Yu family from going bankrupt.

Shen Yuming was the novel’s protagonist. With ruthless tactics, he crushed ambitious illegitimate sons and brought down numerous companies, ultimately turning S.Y. into the country’s largest corporation.

This man was two-faced, cruel, and adept at dirty tricks, yet always left no evidence behind. Anyone who caught his attention never had a good ending!

The original host just wanted to scare their parents and didn’t put many sleeping pills.

There was an implicit description in the book suggesting that Shen Xiuming secretly increased the dosage, which led to the incident involving the original host. Now, he had crossed over.

Yu Yan hadn’t met Shen Xiuming yet. As long as he didn’t go to the company and stayed far away from Shen Xiuming, that illegitimate younger brother, there shouldn’t be any problems, right?

“Xiao Yan, yesterday, you said your brother’s Koenigsegg looked great. How about Dad takes you to get one? Or do you like another car? A Maybach or a Rolls-Royce?” Yu Lin, well aware of his son’s tastes, added, “You only pick the expensive ones, never the suitable ones.”

“I’ll increase your allowance. How about ten million a month?” Jiang Mo followed closely behind.

Yu Chen handed over a black card. “No limit.”

Excited heart, trembling hands!

I’m rich!

“Bang—”

Yu Yan took a leap and did three backflips downstairs—not through the staircase or elevator but directly off the balcony in his excitement.

“Xiao Yan—” Jiang Mo’s vision darkened, and she fainted.

…

Second floor, master bedroom.

Dr. Liu, who had returned to check on Jiang Mo, hung an IV for her in light of her heart palpitations. “The patient’s emotions are unstable and can’t take any shocks.”

Everyone turned their gaze toward Yu Yan.

Yu Yan nodded fervently like a pecking chick.

Clearing his throat, Yu Yan explained, “Mom, I learned acrobatics during my time at the orphanage. I can perform dragon and lion dances too. Jumping from three stories? Child’s play. But above three stories…”

“Your body won’t even be intact.” Yu Chen glanced at him sideways, casually closing and locking the window.

Yu Yan: “…”

Jiang Mo, still shaken, said, “Xiao Yan, Mom has a weak heart. Promise me you won’t do such dangerous stunts again.”

“Alright.” Yu Yan nodded in agreement.

Accepting their parents’ limited tolerance is a lesson every child must learn.

“Xiao Yan, are you sure you don’t want the company?” Jiang Mo still felt skeptical.

“I can’t handle it.” Recalling how the original host starved to death on the streets, Yu Yan quickly shook his head.

“Then… how about going back to school?”

“I can’t afford it.” Yu Yan shook his head again.

The original host, much like him, had only received nine years of compulsory education. Going to school seemed less appealing than working like a mule at the company.

Yu Chen raised an eyebrow. “Planning to start a business with the money?”

“I can’t manage it.”

The Yu family: “…”

Yu Yan took a deep breath, fawning over Yu Chen. “Big Brother, only someone as elegant, wise, resourceful, and cunning as you can handle the company. I won’t intrude. Just give me a generous dividend when the company makes money.”

Yu Chen: “…”

Was that a compliment?

Not sure. Let’s observe further.

“How about…”

“How about I swear an oath to show my sincerity? I, Yu Yan, swear here and now that I have no intention of coveting the company in the slightest. If I do…” Yu Yan gritted his teeth, appearing grief-stricken. “Then let me be penniless, starving, and die on the streets!”

That’s a bit much.

Jiang Mo gently patted his shoulder. “Don’t say such things.”

“Pfft, pfft, pfft.” Yu Yan immediately complied, putting his hands together in a prayer-like gesture. “Wishing the family safety, health, and endless wealth!”

With complicated feelings, Yu Chen left the master bedroom and headed to the study.

Shen Xiuming closed the book he was reading, Thick Black Theory, stacking it on top of Capital.

“How’s Auntie?”

“She’s fine,” Yu Chen said, deep in thought. “Yu Yan said he won’t go to the company.”

It had been a year since Yu Yan returned home, during which he turned the house upside down and wreaked havoc at the company. How had he suddenly changed his personality?

In the past, his anger and vile curses had made Jiang Mo cry several times. He had practically demanded the stars and moon. How had he suddenly come to have such… modest ambitions?

Shen Xiuming shot him a sideways glance. “Do you believe him?”

Ugh!

Yu Chen shouldn’t have asked such an obvious question. This troublesome younger brother was likely plotting something big again.

“Last night, Yu Yan met Shen Muyang at a rooftop restaurant in the CBD,” Shen Xiuming said in a calm, deep voice.

Yu Chen suddenly understood. “Your brother egged on my brother to swallow pills?”

Jiang Mo needed rest to recover from her heart palpitations. Yu Lin stayed by her side in the room, and Yu Yan left shortly after, returning to his own room.

His room was the largest one on the third floor, with a balcony filled with various flowers that Jiang Mo had personally planted.

This used to be Yu Chen’s room, but the original host had relentlessly complained and swapped rooms with him. Now, Yu Chen had moved to a smaller room next to the study.

Yu Yan placed the black card back in his wallet, revealing a black postcard underneath.

General Manager of the Chaoxing Project Department—just one rank below Yu Chen. But while Yu Chen had climbed his way up from the bottom, the original host had secured the position through sheer tantrums.

Since he wasn’t going to the company anymore, he had to handle the handover properly. The company seal was still in his possession.

Gathering the seal and company materials, Yu Yan went to the study to find Yu Chen. Determined never to set foot in Chaoxing again, he figured Yu Chen was the best person to transfer these items to.

Just as he was about to knock, he overheard a stranger’s voice inside, discussing a robot development project from Chaoxing—the very one the original host had botched, losing billions.

Although it wasn’t his doing, Yu Yan couldn’t help feeling guilty. His hand hesitated mid-air for several seconds.

After a brief argument, another voice emerged from the room.

“Shen Xiuming, why don’t you blame yourself for failing to manage your brother?”

—It was his brother Yu Chen’s voice.

Shen Xiuming!!!

Danger!!!

Did he drug him and then stick around? A criminal observing the crime scene?

Yu Yan couldn’t bother with the handover anymore and turned to leave. Because he moved so quickly, the company seal and documents he was holding fell to the ground. The seal rolled to the end of the hallway, sparking and sliding along, and he couldn’t catch up even when he ran after it.

The study door suddenly opened, and Yu Chen glanced around, “No one’s here.”

Shen Yuming looked toward the end of the hallway and said flatly, “Then it’s a ghost.”

“You’re crazy,” Yu Chen rolled his eyes at him.

The study door closed again.

Pressing himself against the storage room door, Yu Yan let out a long sigh of relief, carefully picked up the seal from the corner, and went back to his room.