Half-Mountain Manor, true to its name, spans half a mountain, covering an area of 3,229 square kilometers.

A collection of century-old architectural treasures, now under the ownership of Guan Ciyan, the second son of the Guan family. The manor is closed to the public and is used exclusively for entertaining Guan Ciyan’s private guests.

“Guan Ciyan is nothing more than a dog in front of Grandpa Guan, the emperor’s chief eunuch. He preaches morality but is rotten to the core. Grandpa Guan is merely blinded by him.”

The words slipped uncontrollably from Jian Yang’s mouth.

Tonight, this hedonistic banquet, a stage for fame and fortune, was nothing more than a personal execution ground for Jian Yang.

Everyone around suddenly became deaf, blind, and mute, their only response was to lower their heads and drink.

“No matter how much my family pressures me, I will never submit like Guan Ciyan. Jingyu, in my heart, there is only you.” Jian Yang’s mind was blank, but his lips kept moving. “You are the most beautiful sculpture I have ever seen, the one I encountered in my past life in a foreign land. As long as I have you, I can survive in this city.”

—yue.

Jian Yang felt sick to his stomach, covering his mouth tightly, unable to believe such disgusting words had just come out of his own mouth.

What was going on?

Wasn’t he already dead?

Guan Ciyan.

Guan Jingyu.

Weren’t these two the scum gong (scumbag top) and the ultimate big boss from that dog-blood novel he read before his death? And weren’t they… uncle and nephew?

Why were they standing right in front of him?

The author had put so much effort into describing the small scar on Guan Ciyan’s brow arch, portraying it as a man’s battle mark, but to Jian Yang, it was like a piercing thorn in his eyes.

——He had transmigrated into a novel.

Jian Yang had lived a balanced life, both indulgent and refined. He had finally won the Best Supporting Actor award, only to die on his way to accept it.

And now—

WHY!!!

Even in transmigration, he was still just a supporting character!!

Jian Yang’s entire existence was meant to serve as a stepping stone for the pathetic shou (bottom). Born with liver damage and golden eyes, he was treated as a cursed star by his family. To make the most of him, they spent their days trying to send him into powerful men’s beds. In the end, they succeeded—he was sent to the bed of the ultimate villain, Guan Ciyan.

With his low IQ and a brain filled with romantic delusions, Jian Yang was easily manipulated by the scum gong, tricked into attempting to steal Guan Ciyan’s business secrets. Predictably, he failed.

Not only did he fail to retrieve any information, but his blunder only served to highlight the irresistible charm of the pathetic shou.

Guan Ciyan, utterly bewitched by the shou, ended up handing over everything Jian Yang had tried to steal on a silver platter.

Meanwhile, Jian Yang was discarded by the scum gong. To appease Guan Ciyan’s fury, the Jian family locked him away in a dark attic, where he was left to rot—blind and helpless.

Even in death, he had to contribute to the tragic love story of the scum gong and the pathetic shou.

——One night, he escaped by climbing out of the attic window, only to fall and cripple himself.

In his final moments, he stumbled to Guan Ciyan, who had been defeated by the scum gong’s protagonist halo, and with his last ounce of strength, kicked over Guan Ciyan’s wheelchair. The villain cracked his skull open and died on the spot.

Jian Yang died with him.

From then on, the scum gong and the pathetic shou lived happily ever after.

He hadn’t even gotten to finish the novel, but he heard that in the extras, the scum gong ended up cheating again.

Jian Yang clutched his chest, his hand sliding from his lips to his wildly pounding heart.

On the outside, he was frozen stiff.

On the inside, he was screaming like a rubber chicken on steroids.

WHY? WHY?

He had grown up with his sister, never daring to acknowledge his own doomed love life, hiding his sexuality in fear of being disowned. The most he could do was secretly read danmei (BL) novels to satisfy his fantasies.

If he had to transmigrate, couldn’t it at least be into one of those sweet romance novels?

Jian Yang’s gaze unconsciously sought out Guan Ciyan. The moment their eyes met, his knees nearly buckled. The fragile hope in his heart was officially dead.

This scene—

It was the night the original owner was sent to Guan Ciyan’s bed.

To highlight the scum gong’s protagonist status, the original Jian Yang had publicly confessed to him at Guan Ciyan’s S+ project gala.

In front of celebrities, directors, and producers, he accused Guan Ciyan of forcing himself on a helpless virgin man.

The “kind-hearted” scum gong had bravely stood up against the powerful villain to rescue the original Jian Yang—his moment of glory.

Deeply moved, the original had latched onto the scum gong, ultimately becoming his spy.

Jian Yang, seeing Guan Ciyan’s unchanging expression and firm lips, slowly closed his eyes.

It would be better if that bear-like bodyguard behind Guan Ciyan just punched him to death right now.

Maybe then he could transmigrate into a sweet romance novel.

“Xiao Yang, I’m sorry. I never realized you had feelings for me,” Guan Jingyu said, placing a hand on Jian Yang’s arm, his face full of guilt and pity.

Jian Yang recoiled as if burned, jerking his arm away.

“There’s no need to apologize. Just let me finish my words first.” Jian Yang took a deep breath and put on the best performance of his life.

“In the past, yes, I thought that way. But now, I’ve grown. I’ve matured. The reason I liked you before was simply because I was young and naive.”

“My feelings had nothing to do with you. They were just a testament to my own imagination.”

“Unlike Uncle Guan Ciyan!”

Jian Yang paused, reminding himself: A great actor never breaks the fourth wall (never looks into Guan Ciyan’s eyes).

“Standing before me now, my admiration and respect for him have only deepened. That is the charm of a mature man, the aura of a natural ruler. Guan Jingyu, do you understand?”

Jian Yang gave a bashful, adoring smile.

“You wouldn’t understand. When you were still wearing diapers, Uncle Guan Ciyan was already moving mountains. He was born ten years before you, and that is a gap you can never close. He will always be ten steps ahead of you. You, Guan Jingyu, will only ever be left staring at his back.”

He delivered the entire monologue in one breath. Then, instinctively, he reached out to grab a glass of water—only to realize there was no assistant around to place it in his hand.

His hand awkwardly froze midair—directly in Guan Ciyan’s line of sight.

Guan Jingyu’s expression stiffened, like he was about to laugh.

“Xiao Yang, what are you—?”

Jian Yang, too preoccupied with his own awkward hand, finally looked in Guan Ciyan’s direction.

And then, very weakly, he made a tiny heart gesture over his chest.

A second later, he snapped his hand back.

He stole a shy, flustered glance at Guan Ciyan, stomped his foot like an embarrassed young maiden, and bolted for the exit.

His feet were practically spinning like a Looney Tunes character.

What kind of idiot would stick around and get eaten?!

After sprinting for two minutes, he finally reached the banquet hall’s entrance—

Only to be blocked by Guan Ciyan’s bear-like bodyguard.

“Mr. Jian, it’s still raining outside.”

Screeeeeech—Jian Yang came to a sudden halt, quickly switching gears.

“Oh? Uncle Guan Ciyan cares about me that much, huh?”

[insert forced smile emoji]

Halfway across the hall, Guan Ciyan stood under a massive hand-painted ceiling, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs. The medieval chandelier from southern France cast a soft glow on his sharp outline, his skin flawless, eyes narrow with sharply defined brows, and his striking, bold facial features giving off the air of a powerful nation—someone suited to be a diplomat, able to make others sign humiliating treaties with just his presence.

Guan Ciyan effortlessly caught Jian Yang’s glance, his eyes locking on Jian Yang’s, his sharp features breaking into a smile.

That gaze was like a net, tightly binding Jian Yang. He reminded himself: breathe, it’s okay to breathe now.

He instinctively raised his hands to his ears.

— Surrender immediately!

Guan Jingyu quickly walked over and grabbed Jian Yang’s hand, halting Jian Yang’s surrender. He brought Jian Yang to stand in front of Guan Ciyan, his voice righteous. “Uncle, our Guan family has a spotless reputation. No matter what agreement you have with the Jian family, you shouldn’t force Jian Yang to follow you. You know how much Grandpa despises anyone who tarnishes the Guan family’s name. If Jian Yang doesn’t like you, then just leave him with me.”

This moment marked the first time Guan Jingyu outshined Guan Ciyan, heroically saving both Jian Yang and the reputation of the Guan family. Soon, a secretary from Grandpa Guan would arrive at the banquet and reprimand Guan Ciyan while praising Guan Jingyu.

Jian Yang bravely took the number one spot on Guan Ciyan’s death list.

“Xiao Yang, don’t be afraid, I’m here for you,” Guan Jingyu solemnly nodded at Jian Yang.

Jian Yang: Thanks, I really want to die.

Guan Ciyan gently raised his hand, and the butler bent down to take the wine glass from his hand. “Tell Lin Bo not to come tomorrow. The wine preparations made him drunk before he even had a sip.”

The butler handed over a handkerchief, and Guan Ciyan delicately wiped his fingers after holding the wine glass. His long, distinct fingers looked like jade.

To Jian Yang’s eyes, the scene looked like sharpening a knife.

Lin Bo had been with Guan Ciyan for seven years, and Guan Ciyan was very pleased with his cooking. He wasn’t the type to hold back, showing no personal affection. Jian Yang knew he couldn’t offend Guan Ciyan tonight.

Splash—

A full glass of wine splashed over Guan Jingyu’s head.

Jian Yang still held up his wine glass. “Didn’t you hear me? I said I like Uncle Guan Ciyan, not you. Who wants to go with you?”

After saying this, Jian Yang continued to play the innocent role, watching the stars in Guan Ciyan’s eyes.

Guan Ciyan took a step forward, shortening the distance between them. Jian Yang resisted the urge to run and shyly looked down.

Guan Ciyan suddenly reached out and pinched Jian Yang’s cheek, forcing him to lift his head.

The entire hall fell into a heavy silence, followed by synchronized gasps.

“Could he really be interested in the Jian family?”

“Does the Jian family have such luck?”

“Is it his thick skin that attracted Guan Ciyan?”

You’ve got thick skin. Your whole family has thick skin.

Jian Yang winced, thinking it hurt. He wrestled internally, thinking about escaping, but where could he go? From the mansion gate to the foot of the mountain, Guan Ciyan could kill him a thousand times.

Guan Ciyan pinched Jian Yang’s soft cheek and pressed down hard, leaving two finger marks when he released.

“Really?” Guan Ciyan wiped his fingers after pinching Jian Yang’s cheek.

Jian Yang’s eyes reddened from the pain, and he only realized after a pause that Guan Ciyan was asking something, “Of course.”

Guan Ciyan didn’t reply, and Jian Yang rubbed his cheek, tears welling up in his eyes. “I even prepared a gift for you at the Qingri Hotel before I came here.”

“Really?” Guan Ciyan seemed a bit interested.

“Really. Otherwise, I’ll chop off my head and give it to you.” Jian Yang swore.

“Alright.”

Jian Yang froze, wondering why he wanted his head.

Guan Ciyan dropped the conversation and walked out, his long legs moving swiftly. Jian Yang, trying to save his head, quickly followed.

Once they exited the banquet hall, time seemed to resume, and Jian Yang could hear the gossip from afar.

“Jian Yang got so lucky, how did Guan Ciyan notice him?”

“Isn’t he the one the Jian family raised, the one meant as a gift?”

“Does this mean Guan Ciyan is taking the Jian family under his wing?”

“Impossible, have you ever seen Guan Ciyan help anyone?”

“Didn’t he help the Zhang family when their funds collapsed, out of loyalty to an old partner? He’s pretty trustworthy in business.”

“Is that so? But who ended up with Zhang’s company? It fell into Guan Ciyan’s hands, and the CEO ended up jumping off a building.”

“No way! I heard he did a lot of charity work. He’s one of the rare capitalists with a conscience, and he’s very humble.”

…

As they moved further away, the rest of the conversation faded.

Jian Yang sighed. Guan Ciyan was a mystery. No one could understand what was really going on in his mind. When reading novels, he once thought the author didn’t know how to portray such a deep and complex character, as Guan Ciyan’s personality kept changing.

As they passed through the front hall, a cool breeze from the autumn rain swept in through the open door, tickling Jian Yang’s nose and throat.

“Achoo—”

Jian Yang sneezed as soon as the wind hit him.

Guan Ciyan’s steps didn’t falter, as he was escorted by a butler holding an umbrella toward the Bentley parked on the stairs.

With every breath Jian Yang took, his throat grew more uncomfortable, and he couldn’t stop coughing. In this kind of weather, his sister wouldn’t let him go out. He was a preterm baby with a weak body, always catching a cold when the seasons changed. His sister had been taking care of him with herbal medicine for years, and only now, as an adult, did his health improve.

He had transmigrated into a novel, becoming a minor character, and he was also a sickly one.

He knew this cough too well—getting soaked in the rain always led to a cold. His sister would be heartbroken if she knew. Clenching his teeth, Jian Yang dashed under Guan Ciyan’s umbrella, squeezing up next to him, smiling brightly. “This umbrella is big enough for two.”

Looking up, Jian Yang inwardly screamed—this man was so much taller than him. He could really punch him to death.

To keep Jian Yang’s body as slender as possible, the Jian family imposed strict dietary restrictions, so he only grew to 178 cm, with a small frame. Standing next to the 188 cm tall Guan Ciyan, he looked two sizes smaller.

Under the same umbrella as Guan Ciyan, it barely covered his head.

The rainwater slanted onto Jian Yang’s arm, and he squeezed even closer to Guan Ciyan, like a quail.

Guan Ciyan stopped on the stairs, and the first thing he saw when he looked down was Jian Yang’s hair part, which was a double swirl. The hair around it was slightly curled, unruly, and forcefully fixed with hairspray. Jian Yang’s apricot-shaped eyes reflected the lights of the estate, blinking intermittently.

“Leave.” Guan Ciyan’s single command shattered Jian Yang’s attempt to please him with a smile.

Jian Yang stood in the drizzle, watching Guan Ciyan’s dry back beneath the umbrella. “Bad guy.”

Just after muttering that, Guan Ciyan suddenly turned around while standing next to the car, lightly resting his hand on the door. His gaze was indifferent, his expensive, well-fitted suit and shoes showing a life of luxury and refined manners, but every look radiated an air of sharpness and disdain that made him unapproachable.

Jian Yang covered his mouth.

He had whispered so quietly!

Under the gaze of Guan Ciyan, Jian Yang quickly rushed into the car, inevitably getting a bit wet. The cold water clung to his skin, making him shiver with goosebumps. He said to the driver, “Master, please turn on the heat, don’t let Uncle Guan Ciyan catch a cold.”

The driver glanced at Guan Ciyan through the rearview mirror. Seeing that Guan had his eyes closed with no extra emotions, he turned on the heat.

Jian Yang watched the driver’s cautiousness and shifted his butt away from Guan Ciyan, shrinking into the corner. He reduced his presence as much as possible. At this point, Guan Ciyan was still the villain from the book, with absolute control over everything.

He knew that the Guan family wanted to join his entertainment company, Fuyu Sheng Tang, and divide the power. He was also aware of the unclear relationship between the original body and Guan Jingyu. Just now, he had been embarrassed in front of everyone, and there was no gift in the hotel room; the “gift” was actually him, a present sent by the Jian family to Guan Ciyan.

Looking at it, Guan Ciyan had every reason to kill him.

Tap—

Guan Ciyan’s fingers tapped on the car window, startling Jian Yang. His almond eyes widened in fear as he looked at him.

Guan Ciyan didn’t move, but his peripheral vision glanced over Jian Yang, letting out a light laugh.

It was full of disdain.

Jian Yang’s heart raced: Can he hear what I’m thinking?

Suddenly, Jian Yang understood. Guan Ciyan wasn’t here to see any so-called gift. He must have guessed that there was no gift in the hotel room and only wanted to solidify the accusation of him provoking and deceiving him. With Guan Jingyu making a scene in front of the Guan family’s grandfather, he wouldn’t lose face, and Guan Jingyu would also get a bad reputation for his actions. Meanwhile, it would ruin the Jian family’s image in front of the Guan family’s grandfather, forcing Guan Jingyu to not dare to collude with the Jian family.

This bad guy has too many tricks.

In just two sentences at the banquet, how did he think of so much?

Jian Yang cursed inwardly.

He had originally thought that being in the book meant he had an omniscient perspective, like an open-book exam. But now, Guan Ciyan had changed the exam paper, and his answers were useless.

So tonight, can he still get through this? Jian Yang thought about what had happened to the original body in this room, and his heart sank.

Guan Ciyan had captured the original body’s alliance with Guan Jingyu, drenched him, locked him in the bathroom for three days, with no light, no air conditioning, and complete silence around him. The original body had developed claustrophobia from the experience. His physical condition worsened, and since he was no longer of any use, the Jian family abandoned him.

Jian Yang felt a chill as his wet clothes clung to his shoulders, making him seem even more fragile.

Guan Ciyan tilted his body slightly, tapping the car window with interest. He could tell that Jian Yang was panicking. His posture straightened with each tap of Guan’s fingers. His long lashes drooped softly, hiding the light in his almond-shaped eyes. With every tap, his back straightened a little more. Until his posture was completely upright, like a well-behaved schoolboy.

The car reached the hotel entrance. Guan Ciyan still didn’t speak, continuing to tap the window. After a long while, Jian Yang snapped back to reality, quickly hiding his emotions, and put on his best acting face, giving Guan Ciyan a shy smile. “We’ve arrived, Uncle Guan.”

Guan Ciyan responded, “Already changing your tone to match Guan Jingyu before even entering the door?”

“Then sir, would you accompany me to get the gift?” Jian Yang shifted his gaze, looking embarrassed as though he couldn’t face Guan Ciyan.

Guan Ciyan unconsciously curved the corner of his mouth. “Let’s go.”

Fortunately, there was really a gift. Jian Yang prayed that Guan Ciyan would believe him when he saw the room, and then dismissively say, “Do you think I would care about this?” and leave in style.

After all, in the book, Guan Ciyan was a pure love warrior, keeping himself clean for the protagonist.

However, once they were inside the room, Guan Ciyan remained suspicious. “Where’s the gift?”

Jian Yang:…

“Why don’t you take a shower first?” Jian Yang shyly tugged at his sleeve, trying to buy time. His heart raced, and he thought about just giving Guan Ciyan two hotel condoms as the gift.

Guan Ciyan raised an eyebrow and looked at Jian Yang with great interest. “The gift.”

Jian Yang’s smile nearly faded. “A gift is supposed to have a surprise, right? You take a shower first, and you’ll see it when you’re done. Look, your clothes are all covered in alcohol.”

When Jian Yang had splashed Guan Jingyu earlier, some alcohol splashed onto Guan Ciyan, but it had already evaporated by now. Guan Ciyan looked at his neat suit. “No need to rush, take the gift out first.”

As he spoke, he moved a step closer. The entryway was already narrow, and Jian Yang was pressed against the wall, feeling a chill down his spine. The hotel lights were dim, but Guan Ciyan’s eyes had the ability to pierce the darkness, making everything in Jian Yang’s mind impossible to hide.

His collar was yanked up, and cool fingers traced across his neck. Jian Yang looked down at Guan Ciyan’s hand, veins bulging, with distinctly strong knuckles. He swallowed nervously.

He could really kill me with one punch, right? Really?

“Jian Yang,” Guan Ciyan called his name, coaxing him, “Admit it, there’s no gift.”

His indifferent eyes were like the last rays of the setting sun, exuding a faint, almost imperceptible warmth. Jian Yang felt a false sense of security—if he just admitted there was no gift and apologized, maybe Guan Ciyan would let him go.

Just as he was about to admit it, a surge of boldness came over him. Taking advantage of Guan Ciyan’s momentary distraction, he shoved him into the bathroom, grabbed the shower head in the chaos, and sprayed him with water. “You should take a shower first.”

Guan Ciyan grabbed Jian Yang’s hand in three seconds. “I said, I’m not taking a shower.”

“You can shower now.” Jian Yang grabbed a towel and wiped Guan Ciyan’s face.

Maybe this was tit for tat.

Guan Ciyan had made him endure an autumn rain, so he returned the favor with a man-made shower.

Guan Ciyan’s high-end suit was now soaked, his hair dripping with water, and he grabbed Jian Yang’s face. “I want to see what kind of gift you have.”

“You won’t be disappointed! Take a good shower.”

Jian Yang kindly closed the door for him. After hearing the sound of water from the bathroom, he collapsed on the floor.

That was close.

He almost followed Guan Ciyan’s lead and admitted he hadn’t prepared a gift, just lying to him. This dog, he’s too good at acting. Thankfully, he realized at the last second.

Guan Ciyan doesn’t believe in the saying “A gentleman takes ten years to get revenge.” He exacts revenge on the spot.

Jian Yang was pacing frantically in the room, unable to escape or find a gift. The only thing in the room was a flirtation drug prepared by the Jian family. He couldn’t possibly give that to him.

Dizzy, Jian Yang bumped into the glass liquor cabinet.

Not being fully conscious, he thought, “This could be a gift too.”

Although the alcohol was from the hotel bar, it would be his once he drank it. And according to the novel, men can’t perform when they’re drunk.

When Guan Ciyan finished showering, wearing a hotel bathrobe, he opened the door. A thin figure appeared before him, hands spread open. “Ta-da!”

“What is this?”

“A little frog!” Jian Yang dragged Guan Ciyan’s hand, walked to the table, and placed a paper-folded frog there. He pressed lightly on its backside, and the frog jumped.

“See, isn’t it cute?”

Guan Ciyan smelled the faint scent of alcohol on Jian Yang as he spoke. He turned to look at his flushed face, and Jian Yang yawned. His almond eyes were misted with water, making the light in them blurry, but full of anticipation, as though waiting for his approval.

Guan Ciyan picked up the little frog, which was made from a wine card, “Is this your gift?”

Jian Yang yawned again, tears welling in his eyes, sleepily pulling Guan Ciyan’s hand toward his collar. “Sir, you can open the gift now.”