Outwardly cold but inwardly soft-hearted beauty with social anxiety (receptive) x possessive and obsessive tyrannical dog-like aggressive (dominant)

Cen Wu accidentally transmigrates into a power-up fantasy novel, becoming the fake young master, a cannon fodder character who occupies a place that doesn’t belong to him.

The cannon fodder, knowing he is a fake, behaves arrogantly and spoiled, fighting with his CEO brother over the family inheritance, nearly causing the death of his wealthy parents, and preventing the real young master from being acknowledged.

In the end, when everything is exposed, the entire wealthy family seeks revenge on him, and the male lead breaks his arms and legs, sinking him into the sea, leaving no trace of his body.

When Cen Wu transmigrates into this moment, the male lead is being humiliated by him. His mouth opens uncontrollably into a cold laugh, and he uses the tip of his shoe to lift the male lead’s chin, saying, “Xie Guilan, a bastard like you who lives in the shadows isn’t even worthy of carrying my shoes.”

The young man kneels on the ground, his hands firmly held behind his back, his eyes dark and cold, exuding an especially sinister aura.

Cen Wu: “…”

Is there still any chance to salvage this situation?

START

In the countryside, at a private horse ranch.

A torrential downpour slashed through the gray night sky. Cold rainwater splashed everywhere, and the scene was gloomy and dim. Only the clubhouse next to the ranch remained brilliantly lit.

In the VIP lounge, Cen Wu had been sitting silently on an expensive leather sofa for several minutes.

The people around him glanced at each other, afraid to make a sound, not daring to anger this young master.

"Second Young Master," a young man with red hair cautiously approached Cen Wu and called out, "What's wrong, Second Young Master?"

Cen Wu had a very striking face. His pale skin made his lips appear even redder. His beautiful, liquid eyes had an almond shape, with long, thick lashes that curled at the ends.

His deep under-eye area, combined with his youth, gave him a soft, ethereal look.

Now, there was no anger or defiance on his face, his eyes vacant and lost. His fingers anxiously clutched the corner of his clothes as he pressed into the corner of the sofa, looking inexplicably helpless and pitiful.

As the red-haired man approached, Cen Wu dodged. When the red-haired man approached again, Cen Wu dodged once more, almost falling off the sofa. He hurriedly steadied himself, suddenly coming to his senses.

And then he was startled, his breath catching.

！？

What's going on?

Cen Wu realized there was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy kneeling beside his feet. The boy's head was lowered, his hands tightly held behind his back, and blood mixed with rain trickled down his cold, pale jawline.

There wasn't a single uninjured part of his body.

Large, bluish-purple bruises marked the side of his neck, still bleeding. His clothes were crumpled and soaked with blood.

The scene was so brutal that Cen Wu didn't know whether he should call the police first or help the boy up.

"Xie Guilan," at that moment, the red-haired man suddenly kicked the boy hard on the shoulder, saying impatiently, "Be smart and apologize to the Second Young Master!"

"Who the hell do you think you are, daring to fight with the Second Young Master? What's with the attitude?!"

……

Xie Guilan?

Cen Wu suddenly shivered. Wasn't that the name of the protagonist in the novel he had read before going to bed last night?

It was an upgrade-style power fantasy novel, where the male lead, Xie Guilan, was the true young master of a wealthy family, but was deliberately swapped at birth. The original owner, who shared the same name, was the fake young master who had taken the place of the rightful one.

The woman who took Xie Guilan away was a hostess who had been kept by Xie's father. She thought she could marry into the wealthy family, but Xie's father married the eldest daughter of the Zhou family. She was pregnant at the time and returned to her mountain hometown in bitterness, planning to threaten Xie's father after the child was born.

But on the day of the birth, she encountered Guan Xingxue, who was filming in the mountains and went into premature labor.

The Cen family was an old, prestigious family in the capital Huai Jing. Guan Xingxue was a popular actress at the time, with a prominent family background. Their child was born into wealth and fame.

A heavy rainstorm hit the mountains that day, and the ambulance couldn't make it up. The film crew was stranded on the mountainside.

Guan Xingxue only had an assistant with her.

The assistant went to fetch medicine, and she took the opportunity to swap the two babies while Guan Xingxue was unconscious. Then she fled in a hurry.

She felt no guilt; after all, every mother wants to secure a future for her child. But Xie Guilan just wasn’t cut out to be a rich kid.

However, she didn’t dare to look for Mr. Xie again, fearing he would discover Xie Guilan wasn’t his biological son.

She lived with Xie Guilan in the slums for many years, and it wasn’t until she fell seriously ill and was desperate for money that she took the risk to approach Mr. Xie again.

Mr. Xie was willing to pay for her medical treatment, but that didn’t mean he cared about this illegitimate son. Xie Shangjing, the eldest son, had a terrible temper, and from then on, Xie Guilan became the punching bag for the spoiled brats in Huaijing’s elite circles.

In short, it was a case of a scumbag father, a deranged mother, a vicious older brother, and a broken him. Anyone who had a beef with him could take a swing.

The original Xie Guilan had long known he was an imposter. But he had been arrogant and domineering for so long, notorious in Huaijing’s upper-class circles as a drama queen. He constantly sabotaged Xie Guilan, trying to prevent the real heir from reclaiming his place in the family.

He even foolishly tried to compete with his elder brother for the family inheritance, nearly getting his wealthy parents killed.

When the truth came out, the original Xie Guilan faced brutal revenge from the entire family and was eventually killed by the male lead. The male lead broke his arms and legs and threw him into the deep sea to feed the sharks, not even leaving a trace behind.

Cen Wu: "..."

He really wanted to escape, but he couldn’t.

Xie Guilan’s mother needed surgery, and Mr. Xie gave Xie Guilan 30,000 yuan for the medical expenses. Xie Shangjing couldn’t stand this illegitimate son, and when he saw that Xie Guilan had taken money from the Xie family, he decided to make trouble for him, forcing him to come to the Xie family’s private horse ranch to serve them that night.

In other words, he was there to get beaten up.

The original Xie Guilan had a guilty conscience. He feared that the truth would be exposed and Xie Guilan would seek revenge. But at the same time, he was jealous of Xie Guilan. Why should Xie Guilan be the biological child of the wealthy parents?

What did this poor wretch have that he didn’t?!

Xie Guilan silently took several lashes without fighting back, but the original Xie Guilan was still insanely resentful. He ran to Xie Shangjing to tattle, falsely accusing Xie Guilan of hitting him.

Xie Shangjing didn’t care about the truth. Since the original Xie Guilan said so, he blamed Xie Guilan.

He ordered Xie Guilan to be dragged out and beaten, then had his men hold Xie Guilan by the shoulders and force him to kneel in the pouring rain for three hours before bringing him back.

Cen Wu: "..."

Cen Wu didn’t dare to provoke the male lead. What benefit would it bring him to offend the male lead? Besides, he didn’t want to bully someone for no reason.

He just wanted to return the identity of the real young master to Xie Guilan, then beg for forgiveness and leave obediently. Maybe then Xie Guilan would spare him.

There was still hope, still hope, Cen Wu tried to reassure himself.

But first, he needed to get Xie Guilan out of there and stop the male lead from being humiliated any further.

Cen Wu took a deep breath, his throat tightening, and instinctively swallowed.

There were more than a dozen people in the box, and at that moment, all eyes were fixed on him. Cen Wu’s body stiffened, and his instinct was to hide backward.

Cen Wu was a director who had become famous at a young age, but he had severe social anxiety. He needed his assistant director to accept awards on his behalf. He was fine on set, but as soon as he left, his social anxiety would kick in.

The symptoms had become increasingly severe. He hadn’t filmed a movie or gone out in more than half a year, and he would blush and stutter when talking to people. When someone approached him, his hands and feet would turn ice-cold and start shaking.

This unfamiliar place was a nightmare for someone with social anxiety like him...

But the next moment, Cen Wu realized he hadn’t been able to escape, and his mouth opened uncontrollably, letting out a cold laugh.

???!!

"Xie Guilan," Cen Wu watched as he lifted the tip of his shoe, arrogantly raising Xie Guilan's chin in a humiliating gesture, and sneered, "A lowly bastard like you isn't fit to tie my shoes, yet you dare to touch me?"

Xie Guilan was forced to raise his head, his face covered in bruises, his skin as pale as mountain snow.

His sharp features were accentuated by deep-set eyes and a high, straight nose. His dark almond-shaped eyes were cold and sinister, like a vicious dog lurking on a stormy night.

A simmering hatred and barely contained rage simmered beneath the surface, well hidden. Another person wouldn't have noticed.

But Cen Wu was a director.

"What have I done? This is going too far."

Cen Wu's back was drenched in cold sweat, wishing he could cover his own mouth, but he couldn't move. He could only act like a puppet, unable to control himself.

He was still wearing the black riding boots from earlier, and Xie Guilan's long, straight legs were wrapped inside them, sharp and beautiful.

The black toe of his shoe pressed coldly against Xie Guilan's snow-pale throat, the posture extremely vicious.

Xie Guilan's hands, held behind him, were clenched into fists, the palms bleeding from the force. His throat convulsed suddenly.

"Why are you glaring at me?" Cen Wu said coldly, putting force on his foot as if trampling on a piece of trash, his tone arrogant and vicious, "If you glare at me again, I'll gouge out your eyes."

He pressed down hard on Xie Guilan's neck, grinding it repeatedly until the cold white skin turned red and bled.

He even leaned down, looking down at Xie Guilan's cheek, the slap not hard but all the more humiliating, "In the future, when you see me, know your place!"

Cen Wu: "..."

Never mind, it'll be over in a lifetime. 🙂

Cen Wu's calves trembled. Humiliating Xie Guilan like this made him extremely uncomfortable, and he didn't even dare to look directly into Xie Guilan's eyes.

The original owner really knew how to attract hatred. A gentleman would rather be killed than insulted, especially in this cliché early-era novel.

Did they even understand "Don't underestimate the youth"?

The onlookers stood by, arms crossed, watching the spectacle unfold. No one dared to interfere, nor did anyone want to. Xie Guilan had offended someone he shouldn't have—the ancestor of the Cen family.

Even if Cen Wu were to kill him tonight, the Cen family would cover it up.

Cen Wu thought of the upcoming plot and felt numb. It was exactly the part he had read last night, buried under his blanket.

"The original text reads:

Xie Guilan neither resisted nor bowed his head, his body covered in crisscrossing whip marks and shoe prints from being kicked, yet his eyes remained cold, like unmoving snow.

He knelt but didn't truly kneel, successfully infuriating everyone present.

'Do you think I really wouldn't dare?' The young man in front of him was furious, his excessively handsome face distorted by rage as he began to kick Xie Guilan viciously, shouting at the people beside him, 'Drag him out!'"

The situation was escalating quickly, just as described in the original text. The people in the box, observing Cen Wu's expression, had already started to fan the flames.

"You can't let him get away with this, Young Master Cen! He had the nerve to fight back against you!"

"Young Master Cen, why not hang him up and lock him away for three days and nights! He won't last without breaking!"

"Second Young Master..."

"...everyone shut up!" Cen Wu's palms were slick with cold sweat, and his legs felt like they weren’t under his control as he was forced to walk toward Xie Guilan. He said violently, "You think I really wouldn't dare?"

The tension in the private room was thick. These rich brats had been born into elite families, carrying a sense of entitlement and malice from being overly indulged. They got a kick out of watching people squirm in desperation.

Especially someone like Xie Guilan, a bastard son. While Xie Shangjing looked down on everyone, why did Xie Guilan think he could stand up to them?

But after all, he was still Xie's father’s son. If something really happened to him, Xie's father might not let them off the hook.

Everyone wanted to wait for Cen Wu to lose his temper first, then join in with a few kicks, so the blame wouldn’t fall on them.

They waited, continued waiting, waited some more, until Cen Wu’s remaining arrogance dissipated completely, leaving a dead silence in the room that was almost awkward.

Cen Wu suddenly stopped in his tracks, still standing stiffly in place.

Everyone was speechless.

Everyone was confused.

Cen Wu's expression turned wooden, not daring to lift his head. His toes curled tightly against the floor, and his pale ears flushed with embarrassment.

Oh God, save me.

Maybe he should just die instead.

Cen Wu didn’t know what was going on. He had braced himself for the worst, expecting to be thrown to the sharks, but suddenly he could move again, as if fate had decided to mess with him, saying, 'Haha, go ahead.'

Angry.

Cen Wu was quite scared, his already pale skin losing even more color, his eyelashes fluttering non-stop.

He hesitantly knelt in front of Xie Guilan, his voice trembling as he asked, "C-can you... stand up?"

The young man crouched very cautiously, his hands placed on his knees, unconsciously gripping the fabric of his pants, making it all wrinkled. His voice was small and trembling, filled with concern.

Xie Guilan's thin lips pressed tightly together, his dark and cold eyes like nails piercing into him, sending chills down his spine.

Cen Wu shivered, lowering his head even more. The dim yellow light in the private room cast a shadow on his snow-white neck, so thin that the vertebrae were tightly strained, like a small animal whose scruff had been grabbed.

The people around looked increasingly puzzled, even the red-haired guy scratching his head in confusion. What was this ancestor playing at?

Seeing Cen Wu’s pale face and trembling eyelashes, the red-haired guy felt an even deeper disgust toward Xie Guilan.

Look how angry he made their Cen Ge. He was shaking from anger.

As a loyal henchman, he had a sudden realization—this had to be sarcasm.

High, really high. Only his Cen Ge could be this high.

"What are you pretending to be pitiful for?" The red-haired guy, thinking he had understood his brother’s thoughts, confidently stepped forward and kicked Xie Guilan's shoulder again. "Can't even stand up after a few hits?"

Cen Wu: "..."

Cen Wu: !!!

Xie Guilan fell to the ground, his dark bangs falling down to cover his eyes, half of his face hidden in the shadows, breathing heavily, his body tense with pain.

The last flicker of emotion in his eyes vanished, replaced by a cold, simmering rage.

The red-haired guy, completely unaware that his kick had pushed his brother toward a dead end, wore a fawning expression as he spoke to Cen Wu, "Second Young Master, you don't know, he's just asking for a beating. If you don't get tough, he'll just pretend to be dead."

Cen Wu: "..."

Thanks, I guess.

Cen Wu's palms were drenched in cold sweat. With so many people in the box, he was already on the verge of suffocation, and to make matters worse, Xie Guilan was staring at him with an indifferent and icy gaze. His mind went blank.

It wasn't until the heavy, carved door of the box was suddenly pushed open that the eerie silence was broken.

Xie Shangjing stood in the doorway. He wore a silver cartilage piercing in his ear, and a half-smoked cigarette dangled from his teeth. The hazy smoke curled around his handsome but dangerous face, giving off an air of menace and indolence.

"Xie," everyone rose to their feet.

Xie Shangjing didn't spare them a glance. He toyed with a lighter in his hand, the soft click echoing as he walked over and sat down on the sofa. He looked at Cen Wu and asked with a smirk, "So, have you cooled off yet?"

Tonight, they had been horse riding at the racecourse, but a sudden downpour had brought them to the clubhouse, another property of the Xie family attached to the racecourse, where only members were allowed entry.

Xie Shangjing often brought the original owner and the others here to hang out.

Just a while ago, Xie's father had called the racecourse. Xie Shangjing had stepped out for a few minutes, and by the time he returned, Cen Wu had changed.

Cen Wu was worried that Xie Shangjing would drag Xie Guilan outside for another beating. He pursed his lips and obediently nodded, "...Yes."

"Good," Xie Shangjing turned his head towards Xie Guilan and said coldly and mockingly, "The young master has forgiven you. Why don't you thank him and clean the mud off his shoes?"

Cen Wu was stunned. Only then did he notice his wet and muddy shoes, the boot tops stained and sticky.

Blood... Cen Wu's scalp tingled. It was Xie Guilan's blood.

To bully someone and then make them clean the blood off your shoes? That's sick.

You're something else, aren't you, brother?

The room burst into laughter, and someone even grabbed Xie Guilan's hair, forcing his head down to Cen Wu's feet.

"Young Master Xie is right!"

"Make him lick it! Make him lick it! Young Master, make him kneel and lick your shoes clean!"

Xie Guilan lay disheveled at Cen Wu's feet, his hot breath almost brushing against Cen Wu's ankles.

Cen Wu was so frightened that he quickly stepped back. This scene wasn't in the original novel. Could they stop piling on the enemies?

"I never said anything about licking!" Cen Wu's throat tightened. Remembering the original's tough attitude, he said angrily, "How disgusting. Let go of him. Why are you holding him down?!"

No one expected Cen Wu to suddenly lose his temper. They all stopped, bewildered, and looked up.

"Young Master Xie told you to let go," Xie Shangjing didn't insist. "Then let go."

Cen Wu breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Indeed disgusting," Xie Shangjing glanced at Xie Guilan's blood-stained body and waved his hand at the nearby bodyguards. The mockery on his face vanished, replaced by a cold tone, "Take him away. I'll handle the rest later. Get him out of here before he ruins everything."

The bodyguards didn't dare to disobey and immediately acted, "Yes, young master!"

Cen Wu's heart sank again.

Xie Shangjing was handsome, from a prestigious family, and even ranked in the top three of his grade. He was just a month older than Xie Guilan and, like Xie Guilan and the original owner, was in his second year of high school.

The entire upper-class circle of Huai Jing regarded Xie Shangjing as a true heavenly prodigy.

But Cen Wu knew better—he had read the original novel. He knew Xie Shangjing was secretly dark, ruthless, and insane.

Whenever Xie Shijing provides medical fees, he never lets Xie Guilan off easily. Tonight was no exception.

In the original story, after everyone had left the racecourse, Xie Shijing had someone break Xie Guilan's right wrist and finger bones, and made him kneel for half the night before calling a doctor.

He even placed his riding boot on the protagonist's broken finger bones, leisurely grinding it in as he humiliated him, saying, "Since you can't control your hands, I'll do it for you."

"Aren't you interested in the medical fee?"

"Is it enough?"

Xie Guilan wasn't completely crippled, but his right hand was left with a chronic issue. Because of the injury, he missed the provincial chemistry competition.

In the original story, Xie Guilan was cold and indifferent. Even after being taken back by his wealthy parents to the Cen family, he wasn't close to them. He was like an isolated snow-covered mountain, and the only thing that made him seem human was his deep grudges—he was vengeful and repaid every slight a thousandfold.

After his hand injury, Xie Guilan often wore black gloves. Even when he became a rising business tycoon in Huai Jing, he never took them off. No one knew how much blood was stained on them.

"Wait..." Just as Xie Guilan was about to be taken away, Cen Wu's lips moved, his heartbeat quickening and thumping in his chest. He mustered the courage to speak, "Wait!"

Cen Wu's voice wasn't loud but clear and crisp, even overpowering the faint sound of the heavy rain.

The box became much quieter in an instant.

Cen Wu had given up on relying on Xie Guilan; he just wanted to gain some goodwill for a chance to escape.

"What now?" Having been stopped again, Xie Shijing's expression darkened, his eyes narrowing as he stared at him. The cigarette in his fingers burned quickly, the bluish smoke making his eyes seem deep and unpredictable.

Cen Wu didn't dare to help Xie Guilan up, fearing that Xie Shijing might sense something and stop them from leaving. After all, Xie Guilan was still considered an illegitimate child by the Xie family.

Cen Wu took a step forward. Though he wasn't an actor, after years in the circle, he had some acting skills.

He roughly grabbed Xie Guilan's collar, trying to yank him up, but couldn't budge him.

Cen Wu glanced down at his own pale, slender wrist.

"..."

Puny.

Cen Wu's face was quite deceptive. His black, messy hair framed his face, making his skin appear even whiter and his lips redder. His beautiful eyes, like mountain birds, looked cold and misty, giving off an air of misty clouds.

Without the original owner's hysteria, his expressionless face made it seem like he was genuinely angry.

Even the red-haired guy fell silent. It wasn’t until he felt a chill and met Xie Shijing’s cold gaze that he realized he had been lost in thought, staring at Cen Wu.

The red-haired guy shrank back, quickly averting his eyes, not daring to look again.

The atmosphere in the box had been tense, but at that moment, everyone fell completely silent. The youth’s icy, strikingly beautiful face was like a night-blooming flower.

Did Cen Wu always look like this?

Xie Shijing’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he flicked off the ash from his nearly burnt-out cigarette. His tone softened when he spoke again, "What is it?"

Fortunately, the protagonist of an overpowered story is hard to kill. Even after being beaten like this, Xie Guilan could still stand up on his own, though his knees wobbled from kneeling for so long.

"I find this disgusting, but... I didn’t say I’d let him off," Cen Wu grabbed Xie Guilan again, subtly shielding him. In a spoiled tone, he said to Xie Shijing, "Brother Shijing, I want him. Let me teach him a lesson."

Xie Guilan's dark eyes, hidden beneath his messy bangs, had a cold, pale complexion and an unnatural calm and gloom for someone his age. As he lowered his gaze, his eyes met the top of Cen Wu’s head.

Cen Wu’s face was a mask of icy disdain, but his pale ears, peeking out from under his dark hair, were flushed scarlet from the tremors running through him. His ears twitched backward, and the hand pressed against Xie GuiLAN's chest was also trembling.

He had no courage, just fear.

Cen Wu wondered if he had hallucinated from eating something strange before bed—why else would there be so many people around him?

His head spun, and his vision blurred.

To keep from fainting, he subtly leaned on Xie GuiLAN’s arm for support. The moment his palm touched Xie GuiLAN, the other’s arm tensed up immediately, the muscles hard to the touch.

The lighting in the compartment shifted constantly, and now only a few gilded vintage wall lamps were lit, casting a vague and dim glow.

The others were standing far away, so even though Cen Wu’s voice was strained, they didn’t notice anything amiss.

Xie GuiLAN glanced away in disgust, clearly not trusting Cen Wu’s motives. He didn’t know what tricks Cen Wu was hiding, but it certainly wasn’t to save him.

He remained silent, his face unreadable, as if the humiliation and abuse weren’t happening to him at all.

"Brother Shangjing?"

Xie Shangjing didn’t respond, and Cen Wu’s heart tightened. The male lead was too handsome, and he feared that Xie Shangjing might be jealous.

The original owner had a complicated, unresolved relationship with Xie Shangjing. Xie Shangjing was a cold-blooded snake. He might not have genuinely liked the original owner that much, but after Xie GuiLAN was brought into the Xie family, any possibility of being with the original owner vanished.

It was the unattainable that kept one yearning.

The heir of the Xie family couldn’t possibly be a homosexual. If he were the only son, it might have been different, but he was no longer Father Xie’s sole choice.

The original owner didn’t have feelings for Xie Shangjing. The Cen family was an elite family in HuaiJing, and when Guan Xingxue gave birth, the conditions in the mountainous area were poor. Coincidentally, the original owner had been sickly since childhood, and the family had always believed it was due to his premature birth, so they doted on him excessively.

No one ever suspected that the child had been switched.

If he wanted to, he could marry eight men at the same time and sleep with eight male models every night!!!

Only someone out of their mind would cater to the young master.

But he didn’t dare refuse Xie Shangjing’s advances, knowing that angering him could mean disaster. His fate would be worse than Xie GuiLAN’s if he were found out to be a fake.

After all, he couldn’t get pregnant. At worst, Xie Shangjing might sleep with him a few times. If Xie Shangjing didn’t say anything, neither would he. Who would know?

Cen Wu couldn’t understand and was greatly shocked. What kind of lunatic was this?

Even more lunatic was the fact that in the original story, Xie Shangjing and the original owner actually ended up in bed together. When the truth of the usurpation was discovered, the original owner, having no way out, decided to gamble on Xie Shangjing.

At that time, the Xie family was being retaliated against by the Cen family, and Father Xie was overwhelmed with anxiety, while Xie Shangjing was filled with pent-up anger.

He held down the original owner and began to act out of spite. The original owner, still hoping that Xie Shangjing would save him, didn’t dare to struggle and spent the entire night entangled in bitterness with Xie Shangjing, growing more resentful by the moment.

Xie Shangjing realized that his beloved was nothing more than that, not even as good as sleeping with an 18-line small star.

Xie Shangjing’s gaze was icy and menacing as he pinched the original owner’s chin and said, "I must have been blind to fall for someone like you."

The original owner, raised with utmost care, even when fallen from grace, had no awareness of serving others, and Xie Shangjing certainly wasn’t going to serve him. In short, the experience that night was extremely unpleasant.

Afterward, Xie Shangjing left the original owner without a second thought, too preoccupied with his own troubles to care, leaving him to be captured by Xie GuiLAN and fed to the sharks.

Cen Wu: "…………"

Your heart may be dead, but your mouth isn't. You still force kisses on others; how terrifying.

Fortunately, he arrived at the beginning of the original story, where nothing has happened yet. Otherwise, this dirty bottom might as well be discarded.

"Uncle Xie never acknowledged him, just a bastard," Cen Wu pinched his palm, trying hard to remain calm, "He has the nerve to take the Xie family's money. I'll cripple his hands tonight."

Stealing the villain's lines, leaving the villain with no way out.

Cen Wu had thin lips, a soft shade of red, with a misty look in his eyes. He had a delicate and weak appearance, but his words were sharp and cruel, creating an extreme contrast.

Everyone present felt a chill.

Since the little master of the Cen family dared to say such things, it definitely wasn't a joke. Xie Guiluan was as good as finished.

Originally, some people were fanning the flames, wanting to teach Xie Guiluan a lesson, but now they didn't dare to raise their heads, fearing Cen Wu's wrath.

Xie Shangjing paused.

If Cen Wu had phrased it differently, he might not have agreed. But he hadn't expected Cen Wu to align with his thoughts so perfectly, and even more, to say it outright in public.

So stupid and evil... Xie Shangjing smiled with amusement, a cigarette dangling from his lips, the crimson and cold tip still burning.

He knew Cen Wu was a fool.

But tonight, this fool was especially beautiful, and he was more than willing to indulge his little temper.

"Alright, whatever you say," Xie Shangjing agreed, "Punish him however you see fit."

Cen Wu feigned dawdling for a few more minutes to avoid appearing too eager, then took the opportunity when Xie Shangjing went to play snooker to quickly say his goodbyes and pulled the male lead away.

A black Bentley from the Xie family was parked at the entrance of the club, its body washed by the rain and illuminated by the night lights under the rainy sky.

"Second Young Master! Wait for me!" The rain was still pouring down as Red Hair hurried over, bowing and scraping. "Second Young Master, let me hold the umbrella for you. This way, it's closer to the car."

Red Hair, whose real name was Chu Zijian, was the nephew of a small manager at a shipping company under the Xie family. He wouldn’t have had the chance to get close to these young masters otherwise, but he had found ways to cause trouble for Xie Guilan to gain favor with the original protagonist, eventually becoming the original owner's top lackey.

Xie Shangjing was very controlling and had sent a car for Cen Wu. Even if he let Cen Wu go now, he would definitely be watching from somewhere. Cen Wu didn’t refuse and let Red Hair hold the umbrella.

Then he glanced at the male lead from the corner of his eye.

Xie Guilan's wounds were bleeding, his lips were pale, and his schoolbag was covered in dirty footprints. The umbrella was also dirty, and when he opened it on the steps, he found several of the ribs were broken.

Xie Guilan lowered his eyes; his lashes were long but not curled, making his icy gaze even colder.

Cen Wu turned his head just in time to see Xie Guilan close the broken umbrella and walk straight into the rain curtain, instantly soaking wet.

Cen Wu's eyelid twitched.

It felt like the tension between them was growing.

"Get lost," Cen Wu put on a cold face and snatched the umbrella from Red Hair, imitating the original owner's tone. "Who asked you to follow?"

Then, with an overbearing attitude, he lifted his chin towards Xie Guilan. "You... come here and hold the umbrella for me."

It was supposed to be a domineering tone, but Cen Wu stammered, losing half of his dominance.

Xie Guilan didn’t resist. He came over and opened the black umbrella, tilting it towards Cen Wu, though the heavy rain still soaked half of his shoulder and back; it was still better than before.

In the pouring rain, Xie Guilan's posture was very low, like a submissive dog, though his face was cold, his eyes clouded with gloom under the cover of the rain and umbrella.

Cen Wu was close enough to see the tight, bulging veins on Xie Guilan's arm under the cold white streetlight.

He was lean and strong, on the cusp between boy and man.

One punch could easily take down three of Cen Wu.

Cen Wu: "..."

It was never going to get better.

"Second Young Master, please," the driver, seeing Cen Wu approach, respectfully opened the car door but immediately wrinkled his nose in disgust when he saw Xie Guilan's dirty, dripping school uniform.

Needless to say, the male lead had the lowest status in the Xie family.

Cen Wu’s hands were already cold and stiff from the tension of being around so many people. His pale skin made the dark circles under his eyes stand out even more, and his long lashes couldn’t stop trembling.

But he couldn’t show fear. Xie Guilan was just a high school student now and couldn’t resist the Xie family.

If he showed fear, Xie Guilan would be bullied, and according to the original story, Cen Wu would be doomed.

"You," Cen Wu leaned into the car, then called out to Xie Guilan. "Come sit in the back with me."

"...Second Young Master," the driver hesitated, trying to dissuade him. "This isn’t appropriate, and he’s covered in dirt..."

But before he could finish, he was interrupted by Cen Wu. Cen Wu's fingertips, cold and white, rested on the edge of the car door. His tone was equally cold as he said irritably, "Since when do you get to control me?"

The driver immediately fell silent, not daring to say more.

"..." Xie Guilan's pale, thin lips pressed together as he lowered his head and followed Cen Wu into the car.

Chu Zijian, still sporting his red hair, stood frozen in place, only snapping out of it once the car had driven away.

Shit!

Something felt off about Cen Wu tonight. Like, was he seriously protecting Xie Guilan?

Who did Xie Guilan think he was? Was he really worthy of having Cen Wu hold an umbrella for him? Was he trying to replace me?!

"Don't let me catch you!" Chu Zijian raged impotently, before turning back to the lounge in frustration.

Cen Wu had originally intended to take Xie Guilan to the hospital, but since the driver was also from the Xie family, he would definitely report back to Xie Shangjing. So, he pulled out the original owner's phone and sent a message to the Cen family's butler.

He asked the butler to bring a family doctor over.

As soon as he hit send, the phone died, leaving Cen Wu helpless as he put it down. His hands were ice-cold as he clutched them together, rubbing the hem of his clothes. He then turned to stare out the window at the pouring rain.

"..."

How awkward.

The Xie family's extended Bentley provided some privacy thanks to the partition separating them from the driver. Even if they were closer, the driver wouldn't dare speak, just driving obediently.

The atmosphere in the car was silent and oppressive.

Halfway through the ride, Cen Wu noticed Xie Guilan had kept his eyes closed, seemingly asleep, and finally relaxed his sweat-drenched hands.

Cen Wu knew Xie Guilan must hate him, but he wasn't sure just how much. There was no progress bar over his head, after all.

In a best-case scenario, wouldn't he have a system?

Cen Wu didn't dare move, afraid of disturbing Xie Guilan's sleep. He kept his hands on his knees, nervously waiting in silence. After three minutes, his system still hadn't appeared.

"..."

Cen Wu shrugged it off. Whatever, no system, no problem.

Honestly, maybe it was for the best. A system in his head 24/7 would just give him anxiety.

At least he had memorized the entire novel, every line, backward and forward.

Xie Guilan wasn't really asleep. Once the cold from the rain started to wear off, he opened his eyes to see Cen Wu, like a dimming light bulb, his eyelashes drooping.

The backseat of the Bentley was huge, but Cen Wu was huddled by the door, holding onto his bag like it was a lifeline. His pale, slender fingers fiddled with the seatbelt, keeping a distance of at least three people between them.

His knees were obediently pressed together, his chin resting on the schoolbag while his cheeks squeezed out a small patch of snow-white flesh.

It was hard to say who was the bully here.

Xie Guilan sneered inwardly. He couldn't understand what this idiot was pretending to be. Wasn't he quite arrogant at the club just now?

But Xie Guilan didn't care.

He stared at his unusually pale hands in the rainy night, the whip marks and blood scabs on the backs of his hands. A few seconds later, his long, expressionless lashes drooped down, hiding the anger simmering in his eyes.

-

The Cen family's estate villa wasn't far from the horse ranch. The car's bright headlights cut through the late-night rain, and soon the vehicle stopped outside the villa.

As soon as Cen Wu got out of the car, he spotted a dark shadowy figure running towards the villa entrance. Startled, he nearly bolted back into the car like a scared rabbit.

It wasn’t until he calmed down that he realized it seemed to be the old butler.

"Young Master!" The seventy-year-old man in a black tailcoat ran through the pouring rain, calling out, "Young Master!"

Cen Wu: "..."

He was sure the old butler must have eaten some hallucinogenic mushrooms!

But before Cen Wu could ponder what kind of mushrooms the butler had eaten, the old man was already standing in front of him, holding an umbrella.

"Young Master, why did you come back so late?" The old butler asked anxiously, looking Cen Wu up and down. "With such heavy rain outside, why didn’t you answer your phone? How did you get injured?"

When messaging the butler earlier, Cen Wu had asked him to tell the doctor to bring extra bandages, along with medications for external injuries, anti-inflammatories, and fever reducers. The butler assumed Cen Wu was the one who was hurt.

"I... I'm fine," Cen Wu stammered, not daring to say he had been out fighting someone.

He turned his gaze towards Xie Guilan.

Xie Guilan had also gotten out of the car. His face was even paler than it had been at the ranch, his wounds had clotted, and his hand was a striking dark red, with a purplish bruise on his neck.

He had been brutally whipped and had his throat tightly squeezed by a horsewhip, then stomped on by Cen Wu, causing his swollen Adam's apple to ache with every swallow.

Seeing that it wasn’t Cen Wu who was injured, the old butler relaxed. His neatly combed white hair and respectful bow made it clear he was still on high alert as he led Cen Wu and Xie Guilan inside.

It was well past 1 a.m., but the villa's servants were still wide awake. With little to do in the evening, most of them had gathered in the hall. As the door opened, all eyes turned towards them.

"......"

Cen Wu felt suffocated and took a step back, nearly bumping into Xie Guilan. He forced himself to continue walking forward.

The Cen family didn’t have many strict rules, but the original owner had a bad temper. After discovering he was an imposter, his sense of security vanished completely. He became paranoid and suspicious.

If a servant didn’t meet his expectations, he would suspect they had discovered his secret and then find ways to pester his parents and older brother to have the servant dismissed.

At first, Cen Wu's parents indulged him, but after noticing something was off, the original owner dared not act out anymore.

Still, the servants remained cautious, afraid of angering the original owner. With the young master not yet home, no one dared to sleep.

The Cen family's villa was European in style, with a dazzling crystal chandelier and a lavish spiral staircase that made one dizzy.

Cen Wu’s head was spinning. He had no clue where the original owner’s bedroom was and had to find a servant. "Mrs. Wang," he said, "could you please help me take my backpack upstairs?"

When Mrs. Wang was called, she broke out in a cold sweat, thinking the little ancestor was displeased with her.

But when Cen Wu was so polite, she was utterly surprised.

"Yes, Young Master," Mrs. Wang bowed and took Cen Wu's backpack. "I'll go right away."

Cen Wu trailed behind Mrs. Wang, making sure not to give himself away.

He couldn’t risk the Cen family finding out he wasn’t who they thought he was. Who would believe something as crazy as switching bodies? They’d think he was losing it, and if they sent him to a hospital, he’d be done for.

Luckily, Cen Wu's parents weren’t home that night. The original owner had an older brother who was ten years older and ran the family business, rarely coming home.

Xie Guiluan followed him upstairs, his lips pressed into a cold line as he stopped beside Cen Wu’s cashmere carpet.

Rainwater dripped down from his hair and neck, and his school uniform, along with the bag he was carrying, were also soaked, forming a puddle on the floor.

The original owner’s room was a suite, astonishingly large. Cen Wu yanked open a door, revealing a study.

He yanked open another door, revealing a dressing room.

Another yank, and there was yet another dressing room.

Cen Wu：“……”

Damn it, I’m going to take on all you rich people.

Xie Guiluan was still standing there. Cen Wu was already embarrassed to the point of wanting to sink into the floor. All he wanted was to find a towel for Xie Guiluan to dry his hair, but why was it so hard?

With a blank expression, he kept pulling doors open, circling around Xie Guiluan several times. By the time he finally found the bathroom, his cheeks were flushed all the way to his ears.

Xie Guiluan：“……”

Xie Guiluan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as his dark peach blossom eyes fixed tightly on him. Cen Wu’s eyelashes fluttered, and his calves began to tremble. After all, nothing scared a socially anxious person more than making eye contact.

“Stop staring, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Y-you… just… wipe yourself off,” Cen Wu muddle-headedly shoved the towel into Xie Guiluan’s hands.

Xie Guiluan didn’t move, but the towel was thick, and even just holding it made the temperature, which had been extinguished by the rain, seem to revive.

Cen Wu’s breath tightened, staring at Xie Guiluan, who looked fine but felt like he had already died inside. Just then, the old butler knocked on the door, “Young Master, Doctor Lu has arrived.”

Cen Wu：！

Feeling immensely relieved, Cen Wu quickly went to let the doctor in.

Doctor Lu had been the family physician for the Cen family for over a decade, but this was the first time he had been called over in the middle of the night.

Experiencing the life of a family doctor in a tycoon novel.

Rich families often had troubled marriages, but Chairman Cen and his wife were an exception. Rich families also often had sibling rivalries, but unless Cen Wu went completely off the rails and cut ties with his family, even if he wanted the Cen family’s company, Chairman Cen would divide it with him without hesitation.

It was hard to imagine any tycoon drama.

Doctor Lu pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses and walked steadily into the Cen estate.

It turned out to be treating the illegitimate son of the Xie family.

Doctor Lu：“……”

The tycoon novel fantasy was shattered.

Today was just another day as a family doctor.

Of course, he didn’t want anything bad to happen to the Cen family. After all, Chairman Cen had been very generous with his salary, and the Cen family had always been kind to him.

He professionally and swiftly treated Xie Guiluan’s wounds.

Cen Wu assisted him by holding the gauze and the dirty clothes cut from Xie Guiluan’s body. The whip wounds were so deep that the fabric had stuck to the flesh, and they had to be cut off with scissors.

Cen Wu’s heart sank. Xie Guiluan would definitely not forgive him. Who could forgive something like this?

"Second Young Master," Dr. Lu turned his head, "Please hand me the antiseptic."

Cen Wu quickly handed it to him.

Xie Guilan's eyes darkened. He thought that guy was acting strange tonight.

He had expected Cen Wu to order someone to cripple his hands, but instead, Cen Wu brought him to the main house of the Cen family. His eyes were timid, filled with obvious guilt and struggle.

What’s wrong with him now?

"Young Master Xie, take this anti-inflammatory medication for a week," Dr. Lu handed the medicine to Xie Guilan, "I'll be staying at the main house tonight. If you develop a fever, come find me for an IV."

"Thank you," Xie Guilan spoke for the first time tonight.

His voice was naturally cold and clear, but it carried a bloody raspiness due to his injuries.

After confirming the wound care instructions with him, Dr. Lu packed up his medical kit and followed the old butler to the guest bedroom.

Cen Wu also quietly thanked him.

Dr. Lu: "..."

What the heck, when has this guy ever been so well-behaved? It scared the crap out of me.

-

The bedroom was left with only Cen Wu and Xie Guilan again.

"..." Cen Wu's lips moved, wanting to speak but unsure of what to say. At this point, he thought it best to just sleep. He muttered awkwardly, "Are... are you tired?"

"I'll go get you some blankets."

He stammered when nervous, and unless he consciously controlled it, he didn't do it well. Earlier at the racetrack, he didn’t dare speak too much at once for fear of giving himself away.

Xie Guilan's face was pale. His mother, Song Lingwei, had undergone surgery just a few days ago. He had been busy for half a month before the surgery and had stayed by her bedside for several nights after.

He was getting no more than three hours of sleep a night.

During the day, he had to attend classes, and tonight, he had been called to the racetrack. His body was already extremely exhausted.

He didn't know what kind of humiliation Cen Wu was planning, but he had no leverage against Cen Wu. Even if Cen Wu suddenly slapped him, he would have to take it without complaint.

"Second Young Master," Xie Guilan swallowed the metallic taste in his throat and rasped, "I was in the wrong tonight for fighting with you. I'll accept any apology you demand."

He needed to check on Song Lingwei during the hospital’s morning rounds. Tomorrow was also the last day to sign up for the chemistry competition.

He didn’t care about the rankings, but the first prize came with a bonus of 30,000 yuan, enough to hire a caregiver for Song Lingwei.

He could only hope that Cen Wu would let him go, even if it meant groveling like a dog.

Cen Wu: "..."

He knew Xie Guilan didn’t trust him, but he really didn’t dare let Xie Guilan leave tonight. Xie Guilan's injuries were severe, and he feared that Xie Guilan might be called away again by Xie Shangjing.

It would be better to keep Xie Guilan occupied to ensure his safety.

Cen Wu finally moved, and although Xie Guilan's face remained expressionless, a flash of sarcasm passed through his eyes.

He knew Cen Wu wasn’t going to let him off easy. So why was he pretending to be nice?

He braced himself for Cen Wu's outburst, only to see Cen Wu pace around the room and suddenly gather a stack of exercise books, slamming them down in front of him.

"Want to apologize, do you?" Cen Wu gave a chilling, villain-like laugh. "If you don't finish these, you're not allowed to leave."

Getting his hand worn out from writing would count as being 'worn out,' right? That should serve as an explanation for Xie Shangjing too.

Xie Guilan: "..."

Xie Guilan: ?

Xie Guilan's deep-set, almond-shaped eyes were black, always exuding a cold, brooding intensity. Cen Wu shivered.

What’s with the intensity? Is he going to hit me or something?

I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?

Cen Wu cautiously grabbed the thickest book from the pile, hoping this would be enough. But when he looked up, Xie Guilan’s fist still looked just as threatening.

Cen Wu: "Oh no!"

"No, it’s fine if you don’t write." Cen Wu swallowed, his voice trembling as he whispered.

Xie Guilan, bracing for punishment: “…?”