Chapter 1: Close Your Eyes, Inherit Ten Billion

“Young Master, are you certain you wish to choose love and forgo the ten billion?”

The man’s left hand rested on the solid wood table before him, his right index finger loosely hooked around the coffee cup’s handle. His expression was etched with frustration at wasted potential. “Foolish!”

Jian Ruochen’s mind felt foggy. “Huh?”

What’s going on? Wasn’t I just asleep in my dorm at the National Criminal Police Academy? Where is this place?

The man’s tone was calm yet cold. “Your father, Jiang Minghan, is vicious and domineering, yet he dotes on his adopted son, Jiang Hanyu, indulging his every whim. Jiang Hanyu only looks gentle. If he were truly willing to accept you back home, he would surely have spent the last few years maneuvering with your father on your behalf, not leaving you unable even to get your name onto the Jiang family register!” He paused. “It’s been three years since they acknowledged you, yet you’re still forced to rent housing outside the family home.”

Jian Ruochen frowned, rubbing his fingers together. Father? My family served the nation for three generations, dying in the line of duty. I was raised by the state. Since when did I have a father?

However, the name Jiang Hanyu did ring a bell.

Yesterday, he’d accompanied his roommate to an antique market to browse for beaded bracelets. Not being interested in the hobby of polishing walnuts, he’d killed time by squatting beside a used book stall and reading a novel.

The novel he’d casually grabbed was titled Giants. It was an urban alternate-universe Danmei novel, and Jiang Hanyu was its main character. The book depicted a ‘sweet indulgence’ love story between the sickly, universally beloved protagonist shou, Jiang Hanyu, and the protagonist gong, Lu Qian, set against the backdrop of 1990s Hong Kong.

Sweet indulgence on the surface, perhaps, but underneath it was bloody, violent, and utterly depraved. Organ trafficking seemed as common as high-speed trains, and a single chapter could manage to break three different laws. It made your fists clench just reading it, making you wish you could personally arrest the author. He managed a few chapters before he couldn’t take it anymore. Employing some kind of quantum speed-reading technique, he scanned ten lines at a glance, flipping straight to the end.

And in the end? Despite having broken over a dozen laws, this ‘perfect couple’ somehow evaded justice entirely and lived happily ever after.

Jian Ruochen was profoundly shocked right then and there.

As luck would have it, the book featured a universally loathed cannon fodder character—there only to make the protagonist look good—who was also named Jian Ruochen. This character, in a bid to get together with the protagonist gong, had voluntarily renounced a ten-billion inheritance to remain with the Jiang family… Huh? Wait a minute!

Jian Ruochen abruptly dropped his gaze to his hands.

He’d been at the police academy for almost four years; his hands had long since developed thin calluses from firearms practice and physical training. And since he liked to dabble in magic tricks during his downtime, he always kept his nails impeccably trimmed and clean.

But the hands before him now were slender and long, delicate and weak. The nails were meticulously shaped into smooth rounds, showing perfect pale lunulae, and even coated in a nude protective polish. The polish seemed cheap, emitting a faint, almost undetectable chemical smell.

These definitely weren’t his hands.

An utterly preposterous suspicion took root in Jian Ruochen’s mind. He looked up, studying the man across the table.

The man was about fifty, with touches of grey at his temples. He had a refined, scholarly appearance and wore rimless glasses. Behind the lenses were classic, elegant ‘phoenix eyes’. He was dressed in a sharp, tailored indigo suit, complete with a waistcoat from which a gold watch chain emerged at the third buttonhole. The chain ran into the waistcoat pocket, hanging heavily inside. The faint circular outline visible on the fabric made it clear that an expensive pocket watch was attached.

Jian Ruochen stared intently at him, pulling the name of this British-style butler from the depths of his memory. “Luo Binwen… Butler Luo?”

“Mm,” Luo Binwen acknowledged. “My Chinese name.”

Jian Ruochen pinched the fleshy web between his thumb and index finger—hard. Pain shot through it.

Bad news: I’ve transmigrated.

Good news: the cannon fodder hasn’t rejected the inheritance yet. I arrived just in the nick of time.

Jian Ruochen remained silent for a rather long moment. Luo Binwen took out his pocket watch and glanced at it. 8:00 PM. He’d been trying to persuade the young man in this coffee shop for over seven hours now, and his patience was wearing thin.

“Young Master,” Luo Binwen sighed. “I really didn’t want to bring this up… but Jiang Hanyu was diagnosed with myelofibrosis yesterday. It’s a condition that requires ongoing blood transfusions until a successful hematopoietic stem cell transplant is possible. Both of you have RH-negative blood. If you insist on staying with the Jiang family, you’ll almost certainly end up serving as his personal, mobile blood bank… Do you grasp my meaning?”

Of course, Jian Ruochen understood. The cannon fodder in the novel, however, hadn’t. Upon hearing the news, the original Jian Ruochen had actually believed that helping Jiang Hanyu recover was the key—the way to finally win his father’s acceptance and marry the man he loved. He had shown everyone nothing but sincere devotion, yet all he got in return was endless betrayal, exploitation, abandonment, and humiliation.

In Giants, Jiang Hanyu was constantly falling ill. Towards the end, almost all of his vital organs had been replaced… with Jian Ruochen’s. Right up until he needed a new heart. In the end, the original “Jian Ruochen,” a body full of scars and wounds inside and out, died on a winter night at the age of 22. Someone wrapped his body in a straw mat and dumped it into the harbor off Pier 8 of Stonecutters Island.

The entire plotline was utterly ridiculous. It defied logic not only legally but medically as well.

Sensing a slight softening in Jian Ruochen’s demeanor, Luo Binwen immediately pressed his advantage. “Just accept the inheritance, and I’ll get you away from the Jiang family right away.”

Jian Ruochen was just opening his mouth to agree when a hand gripped his shoulder. The icy coldness radiating from the touch sent an involuntary shiver down his spine.

“Jian Ruochen, come with me.”

Jian Ruochen turned towards the voice and found himself looking into a pair of urgent eyes.

Luo Binwen inhaled sharply, resisting the urge to jump up and curse. Clenching his jaw, he demanded, “Lu Qian, what is the meaning of this? Are you trying to poach him right under my nose?”

Hearing the confrontation, other patrons in the coffee shop began craning their necks to watch.

Lu Qian ignored them, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Jian Ruochen.

Just moments before, Jiang Hanyu had called him in tears, explaining his need for continuous blood transfusions. But where in all of Hong Kong could they secure a steady supply of RH-negative blood?

Faced with this shortage, Lu Qian’s thoughts had immediately turned to Jian Ruochen, who possessed the same rare blood type. He hadn’t expected to walk in and overhear talk of taking Jian Ruochen away from the Jiangs.

Unacceptable! If Jian Ruochen claimed that enormous inheritance, he’d undoubtedly be completely beyond their influence. And what would become of Jiang Hanyu then?

Lu Qian’s breath hitched. He lowered his gaze to Jian Ruochen’s profile, rendered pale and almost luminous by the cafe’s dim lighting. Thin, yes, frail even, but the lines of his face held a subtle resemblance to Jiang Hanyu’s.

Doesn’t Jian Ruochen like me? Lu Qian thought. Enough that he doesn’t even mind being Jiang Hanyu’s stand-in. If I just act a little gentle, he’s bound to agree.

Lu Qian reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair from Jian Ruochen’s cheek behind his ear. Then, he crouched down, gazing up at him. “Come home,” he said softly. “I’ll persuade Jiang Minghan to honor our engagement.”

Jian Ruochen let out a snort of laughter.

When it came to criminal psychology, Jian Ruochen had been the top student at the academy. And Lu Qian’s acting? It was painfully amateurish.

He called him out immediately. “Your eyes darted away as you said that. It shows you have absolutely no confidence in that promise. You’re just putting on an act.” He continued, “And while you put on a gentle front, one corner of your mouth dipped slightly, and the muscles under your eyes tightened.” He paused, savoring the sight of Lu Qian struggling to contain his anger, before adding, “It shows you hold me in contempt. You can’t even manage to fake a proper smile.”

His inner thoughts laid bare, Lu Qian’s expression momentarily blanked.

Before he could form a rebuttal, Jian Ruochen nodded as if confirming his own analysis. “Ah, seems I hit the nail on the head.”

Luo Binwen couldn’t quite grasp Jian Ruochen’s current state of mind. Just half an hour ago, the young man had been utterly unresponsive, like a robot whose vocabulary was limited to “Mm,” “Oh,” and “No.”

But now, those slightly tilted amber eyes shone with an unprecedented light, clear and bright, yet sharp and assertive. It was the same face, yet the entire aura was transformed. It was as if a beautiful, lifeless doll had suddenly been infused with a vibrant soul, radiating the captivating, almost bewitching allure of a mountain spirit.

Lu Qian slowly straightened up, eyes narrowing as he looked down at Jian Ruochen. “Are you planning to break the engagement?”

Jian Ruochen glanced around, taking in the gawking faces in the cafe, then turned back to Lu Qian with something akin to sarcastic admiration for his methods. “You stand up—subconsciously trying to use your height to pressure me, since rational arguments aren’t working. You raise your voice—attempting to trigger social embarrassment in public, hoping I’ll cave under the perceived pressure and just give in for now?”

Master manipulator! A true PUA master!

Jian Ruochen rested his chin on his hand, shaking his head slightly. “Doesn’t work, Lu Qian. Stop trying to twist things. Your engagement is with the ‘Young Master of the Jiang family’. My official registration isn’t even with the Jiangs, and my surname is Jian. The one obligated to marry you is Jiang Hanyu, not me. You’ve got the wrong guy.”

The mocking eyes that had been anticipating Jian Ruochen’s humiliation now shifted their focus to Lu Qian. Social pressure and embarrassment don’t simply vanish; they merely find a new target.

Watching Lu Qian’s stormy expression, Luo Binwen felt the corners of his mouth lift slightly. Ah, deeply satisfying. The Young Master had finally woken up! Excellent!

Beaming, his eyes bright, Luo Binwen chimed in, “Exactly, Young Master! Marry eight men at once in the future if you wish! No need to hang yourself from a single rotten tree!”

Jian Ruochen: ? Hello? Bigamy is illegal.

Turns out the butler was quite the outlaw himself.

He muttered, “This world is utterly absurd.”

Potential cases are literally littering the ground. Where’s the criminal code? The police? Do they just not exist here?

Lu Qian’s face was impassive, his fists tightening at his sides. “You’ll regret this.”

Jian Ruochen simply smiled. The smile flashed briefly, like a night-blooming cereus, leaving Lu Qian momentarily stunned.

This sharp, assertive Jian Ruochen was incredibly beautiful, uniquely gifted. But Lu Qian still preferred Jiang Hanyu. Little Han was kind, soft, and knew how to act endearing, like a delicate, yielding mochi ball; you couldn’t bring yourself to speak harshly to him. Jian Ruochen’s face, though also beautiful in a fragile, almost pitiful way, was always hidden beneath layers of cheap clothing, rendering him plain and unmemorable.

Sullenly, Lu Qian averted his eyes, turned, and strode out of the cafe. Doesn’t matter if he’s unwilling right now, he thought. The Lu family has its ways. I’ll find a method to make Jian Ruochen submit. I won’t let Little Han suffer.

Once Lu Qian had disappeared, Jian Ruochen tapped the table, addressing the still somewhat spaced-out Luo Binwen. “Butler Luo. The inheritance contract.”

Luo Binwen snapped back to attention. “You… you’re giving up on Lu Qian?”

Jian Ruochen grunted in affirmation. “Love? To hell with that. I’m taking the ten billion.”

Nearly eight hours of painstaking effort had finally paid off! Luo Binwen felt like hiring a symphony orchestra to strike up “Ode to Joy” on the spot. He slid the contract and a fountain pen across the table to Jian Ruochen. “Young Master, here is the contract, please look it over. In addition to the ten billion in cash, the inheritance includes a manor estate and a multinational conglomerate with holdings in automotive, food and beverage, real estate, media, entertainment, and more. Everything is managed by professionals, so you have nothing to worry about. Just sit back and collect the dividends.”

Jian Ruochen leafed through the documents. All this money… There’s no way I could spend it all. Absolutely no way.

He signed his name on the contract and pressed his thumbprint beside the relevant dates and asset descriptions. It was done. The dust had settled.

Luo Binwen’s face was flushed with excitement. “Excellent! First, let’s head to your current place to pack. Your mother left you a hilltop villa at Regent’s Park International Garden. I’ll be managing your daily affairs from now on.”

“Okay,” Jian Ruochen agreed calmly. “How are we getting there?”

“I drove. We’ll stop by your old place first to collect your luggage.”

The butler paid the bill, then took a firm grip on Jian Ruochen’s arm, practically bundling him into a silver Porsche parked at the curb as if afraid he might bolt. Then, he drove off towards the Tai Sheung Tok Quarry area.

As they drove, Luo Binwen talked nonstop. “The Jiang family is truly outrageous! Not only refusing your registration, but forcing you to live next to a quarry! It’s remote, polluted… simply not fit for human habitation!” He continued, “If Jiang Hanyu hadn’t received that diagnosis, believe me, they never would have even thought about bringing you into the ancestral home.”

Jian Ruochen remained silent. In the novel, the original Jian Ruochen had actually lived in rented places the entire time, never once having a room to call his own within the Jiang ancestral mansion. Meanwhile, Jiang Hanyu, beneficiary of everything, had a bedroom where the bed alone probably took up ten square meters.

The original text hadn’t devoted many words to the cannon fodder. He wasn’t portrayed as an independent person, merely as a disposable puppet whose parts could be harvested as needed to further the plot and the romance between the main couple.

Jian Ruochen’s thoughts drifted for a moment. The Porsche’s leather seats were incredibly soft, and this body was exceedingly frail. He’d barely been awake in the car for five minutes before the exhaustion took over, and he slumped against the seatback, drifting off to sleep.

Ten billion is great, sure, he thought hazily, but I’d still rather go back and take my police academy entrance exam in a few days… Might as well treat this as one hell of a vivid dream. Settle old scores, take revenge… The brave get to experience the joy of sending criminals to jail first.

“Young Master, we’re here.”

Jian Ruochen groggily opened his eyes. He could feel the heat radiating from his own breath; it felt scorching hot.

Luo Binwen pressed the back of his hand against Jian Ruochen’s forehead, then quickly shrugged off his own suit jacket, draping it over the young man. He cranked up the car’s heater. “My apologies, this was poorly planned on my part. Perhaps we should return tomorrow?”

“No need. Since we’re already here,” Jian Ruochen said, sitting up. “It’s just a little cold.” Besides, he thought, there can’t be much worth packing. I probably just need to find my identification.

Next to the Tai Sheung Tok Quarry stood a row of makeshift houses built from shipping containers. Climbing the steel staircase produced heavy, echoing thuds. Jian Ruochen followed Luo Binwen to the second floor. They hadn’t even reached the door to his unit when they heard frantic knocking.

The containers had terrible soundproofing. Moments later, a light flicked on in a neighboring unit, and an irate voice yelled out, “What’s all the damn knocking for this late at night?!”

Cantonese? It took Jian Ruochen a second to recall that Giants was set in Hong Kong. Good thing I spoke Cantonese before I transmigrated, he thought with relief. Otherwise, I’d have a serious language barrier.

Jian Ruochen turned into the wind and sneezed. As he looked up, his gaze locked with that of a female police officer.

She held up her badge and ID. “You’re the tenant here?” she asked Jian Ruochen. “I’m Senior Inspector Chan Wanchuen, West Kowloon Regional Crime Unit, Sham Shui Po station. We’re investigating a homicide, and information suggests you may be connected. Please cooperate with our investigation.”

Jian Ruochen thought, Excellent. So this world does have police after all.