Chapter 1: Transmigration

During the rainy season, bean-sized raindrops pelted the dry ground, kicking up a thin layer of dust that quickly vanished into the air with the downpour.

Tang Tian clutched the last of the duvet covers in her arms and dashed into the villa through the heavy rain.

The sudden storm had given her no time to grab an umbrella. She’d rushed out first to rescue the bedding left hanging outside. After carefully setting down the duvet, she stood there, her clothes and hair damp from the rain.

Gazing at the torrent outside, she let out a long breath, still finding it hard to believe she had actually transmigrated.

Just yesterday, she had crossed over—into the body of the malicious supporting actress in a popular idol romance novel. By the time she arrived, the original host had already died suddenly in her room.

In the novel, the female lead worked as a live-in housekeeper for a top-tier boy band, using her kind and beautiful soul to heal the emotional wounds of the four aloof idols and ultimately becoming their most beloved darling.

The villainous supporting actress, by contrast, held the same role in the household, but she constantly tried to seduce the band members, which only served to disgust them.

Driven by jealousy over the female lead’s ability to capture their affection, the villainess repeatedly schemed against her, only to deepen the men’s sympathy for the lead. In the end, she was thrown out of the villa, her misdeeds exposed and condemned by the public, turning her into a pariah hated by all.

Tang Tian had wanted to leave this place immediately, to stay far away from the boy band and the female lead. But according to the memories of the original host, there were still six months left on the contract she had signed—she could only resign and leave once it expired.

Otherwise, she’d have to pay a hefty penalty for breach of contract. The original host wasn’t from a wealthy family and had no means to afford such a sum.

Though Tang Tian was generally easygoing and laid-back by nature, one glance at that penalty amount on the contract made her feel that dying once more might be preferable than paying it.

Left with no other choice, she had to continue doing the job. Her plan was to keep her distance from the members of the boy band and the female lead, avoid unnecessary interaction, and speak as little as possible. If all went well, she might be able to quietly survive the next six months.

Outside, the Courtyard was drenched in rain. Fierce winds slanted the sheets of rain as they swept through. Though it was midday, the sky was dark and ominous, as if thunder and lightning might strike at any moment.

Footsteps sounded behind Tang Tian. Just as she turned around, a young woman dressed in identical housekeeper attire walked past her, carrying the folded duvet. Without even glancing at her, she headed straight into the villa.

It was as if saying even a single word to Tang Tian would be a complete waste of time.

Tang Tian knew all too well that the original host hadn’t been welcomed by anyone in the villa. She gave a faint glance at the figure walking away, then lowered her head to inspect her slightly damp work uniform.

The black-and-white uniform, soaked nearly through, clung to her skin in some places. The fabric clung to her snow-pale, smooth skin like frost on jade, while her long, slender legs glowed with a soft radiance against the light.

She reached down to tug at the wet hem of her skirt. It looked like she’d need to return to her room to change into a dry uniform—there was no way to work properly like this.

She had just taken a few steps toward the right side of the first floor when hurried footsteps echoed from the entrance, followed closely by the voice of Manager Wu.

“Tang Tian, come help me for a moment.” Without waiting for a reply, the manager quickly turned and rushed back outside, her every movement tinged with urgency.

Tang Tian had no choice but to follow, still wearing her half-soaked uniform, trailing behind the manager.

Outside the villa, the storm that had raged moments ago had eased into a gentle drizzle. The Courtyard was lush with greenery, and under the misty veil of rain, the flowerbeds looked like a painting come to life.

Tang Tian had no time to admire the scenery. A nanny van was parked at the villa’s entrance, its door swung open by the manager. Two assistants stepped out first, their expressions tense with worry.

They carefully helped a drunken man out of the car. But the two of them struggled to steady him—he was tall and lean, at least 187 centimeters—and swayed unsteadily with every movement. The manager grew anxious at the sight and quickly called out to Tang Tian for help.

“Don’t just stand there! Help get Yan Li back to his room,” the manager ordered with a wave.

Though Tang Tian would have preferred not to lay a finger on Shen Yanli, she had no choice but to step forward and help support him into the villa.

Seeing that the others were already holding onto the man’s arms, Tang Tian hurried around to the back of Shen Yanli. But for a moment, she didn’t know where to place her hands—how exactly was she supposed to help?

Shen Yanli’s handsome brows furrowed slightly in irritation. He tried to push the others away, clearly impatient. But his drunken body was unsteady, and he involuntarily staggered a step backward.

Just as Tang Tian was preparing to help push him forward from behind, the man suddenly stumbled into her. She quickly raised both hands to brace his firm lower back, keeping herself from being knocked to the ground.

The warmth of her soft palms seeped through the thin fabric of his clothes, pressing against the sensitive skin of his lower back. Shen Yanli lowered his head, and a muffled groan slipped from his throat.

The others were too preoccupied with keeping him upright to notice. Each one was frantic, worried he might fall.

Tang Tian certainly didn’t hear the sound either. Her heart was still pounding from the close call as she helped push Shen Yanli forward.

Thankfully, after much effort, they managed to get him safely into a room on the second floor without incident.

The manager let out a breath of relief and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. This man absolutely couldn’t afford to fall—if he were injured in any way, how would she ever explain it to the Shen family?

“Alright. Leave someone behind to take care of him,” the manager said, glancing at Tang Tian, who was panting from the exertion.

Tang Tian: “Huh?”

Still catching her breath, she was silently complaining to herself—Shen Yanli looked lean, but in truth he was tall, muscular, and heavy. Getting him up the stairs had been no easy task. She was completely exhausted.

“Me?” she asked in disbelief, pointing at herself.

The two assistants, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, were already heading out of the room. The manager suddenly remembered that someone had mentioned something to her a few days ago—something about Tang Tian being “a little too forward.”

She hesitated for a moment, then said, “You can’t handle this on your own. Go call Liu Xiaozhi to help take care of him.”

With two housemaids in the room, there would be no risk of anything improper happening.

Tang Tian agreed without hesitation. Liu Xiaozhi was the female lead. She pulled out her phone and quickly sent Liu Xiaozhi a message, asking her to come up to the second floor.

She made a mental note to find time later to go downstairs and change out of her work uniform. The clothes clinging to her body were still damp, and it was making her uncomfortable.

The manager was quietly observing Tang Tian. She had originally considered dismissing her, but now Tang Tian didn’t seem like she had any particular interest in Shen Yanli. When asked to take care of him earlier, her reaction had been surprise—not excitement. And when the manager changed her mind and told her to call Liu Xiaozhi instead, Tang Tian didn’t show even the slightest hint of disappointment. She immediately agreed and messaged Liu without delay, as if she couldn’t wait to pass off the responsibility.

The manager looked puzzled for a moment but ultimately decided to let it go for now. Hiring live-in housekeepers required multiple layers of vetting. They had just dismissed one recently and hadn’t yet found a replacement. Firing another one at this point simply wasn’t feasible—best to shelve the matter for the time being.

Soon, the manager and the two assistants left the room, leaving only Tang Tian and Shen Yanli, who was lying on the sofa.

Tang Tian glanced over at Shen Yanli. His shirt collar was slightly open as he reclined on the sofa, one long leg draped over the armrest while the other dangled loosely off the edge. His slightly tousled hair didn’t diminish his refined and handsome features; instead, it added a touch of effortless allure and sensuality.

Her brain short-circuited for a few seconds.

At that exact moment, Shen Yanli furrowed his elegant brows and slowly shifted his body—

When they had helped Shen Yanli into the room earlier, someone must have accidentally nudged the coffee table in front of the sofa. If he rolled off now, there was a high chance he’d hit his head directly on the edge of it.

Tang Tian: “!”

With quick reflexes, she shoved the coffee table aside, the sharp scrape cutting through the air, and reached out just in time to catch Shen Yanli as he nearly fell off the sofa.

Before she could even marvel at her own swift reaction, Shen Yanli’s heavy hand grabbed her wrist and yanked her down. Her body lost control, collapsing beneath the sofa with Shen Yanli’s lightly scented weight pressing heavily on her.

Tang Tian’s vision darkened, as if the air around her was being squeezed out. The man’s warm breath buried itself in the side of her neck, causing her skin there to flush rapidly.

Her ears and neck were extremely sensitive spots. She couldn’t help but let out a soft moan, raising her hand to push Shen Yanli off her. He was too heavy, and no matter how she pushed, she couldn’t budge him.

“Shen Yanli… get up, you’re crushing me.” Tang Tian struggled to catch her breath, but no matter how she tried, Shen Yanli seemed completely drunk and unresponsive.