Huo Zheng has a beloved he’s never forgotten. Qi Runzhi is just a substitute.
The entire entertainment industry knows it, and Qi Runzhi knows it better than anyone. Born into poverty, he was kept by S-rank Alpha CEO Huo Zheng for three years thanks to their 97% pheromone match. Huo Zheng gave him connections, money, and a place to stay. Qi Runzhi never dared ask for even a little affection. He thought he could keep his head clear forever: as a substitute, he just had to do his part and quietly leave when the beloved returned.
But when Shen Xuanyan really does come back, Qi Runzhi realizes that he has learned how to please his benefactor, but never how to make himself let go.
He leaves with dignity.
The whole internet mocks him for being “a returned substitute,” and his career opportunities vanish overnight. Everyone thinks Qi Runzhi will sink back into the gutter. No one expects him to risk his life for his performances and ultimately claim the Best Actor award.
As for Huo Zheng, what he thought was mere discomfort turns out to be a profound love he doesn’t even dare admit to himself.
By the time he finally tries to win Qi Runzhi back, there’s someone else by his side.
The Huo family’s internal power struggle intensifies, with the Third and Fourth Branches joining forces to seize control.
Once, he was a substitute, a shadow, a peach blossom casually kept by an Alpha who smelled of strong liquor. Later, he climbed over that mountain and became the light everyone talked about.
Huo Zheng (seme) x Qi Runzhi (uke)
A cold, slow-to-understand Alpha x A clear-eyed, self-possessed Omega
The substitute wakes up, and the ex’s quest to win him back burns more than just himself.
One-on-one romance, happy ending, both leads grow stronger, and an underdog comeback in the entertainment industry.
The beloved leaves with dignity, and the whole family gets its comeuppance in the power struggle. The seme desperately pursues the uke, who becomes a legendary Best Actor. Ms. Su Yingxue is the MVP of the entire story.
The writing is smooth and restrained, and the characters are three-dimensional and believable. It's worth reading.