The First Mecha Pilot in the Stars

Ongoing novel: The Comic Book Villain Becomes Everyone's Beloved is now out. One-line pitch: A big shot's helpless (pretending to be helpless and showing off) life. For the first twenty-two years of Zuo Si's life, everyone thought he was a lonely, helpless little white flower. Zuo Si certainly acted the part. He was unremarkable and transparent, his face always marked by the timidity and forbearance of the weak. That is to say, for the first twenty-two years of Zuo Si's life, at least on the surface, he seemed that way. So, who exactly is this mecha master in front of us, adored by the entire interstellar world? Zuo Si: Weak, pitiful, helpless, and very good at pretending. The Tang and Zuo families arranged a marriage alliance. That was nothing surprising. The surprise was that Tang Xiu's intended spouse wasn't Zuo Fei, the beloved younger son of the Zuo family, but Zuo Si, who had almost been forgotten. Outsiders didn't understand, but the secretary who had been at Tang Xiu's side since childhood knew all too well. Zuo Fei studied mecha engineering, a department full of the Alliance's elite. It was certainly prestigious, but to Tang Xiu, it was just a money pit. Zuo Si's mecha engineering program was so much better. The name alone made it obvious: not only would it save money, it could make money. Just think how much you could earn by selling a mecha. And if he became a mecha master, the money would just keep rolling in. Tang Xiu was delighted. Zuo Si looked at the long list of parts, patted his empty wallet, then looked at his future husband, the Alliance's number one tycoon! Zuo Si was delighted. Tang Xiu: You're a money pit! Zuo Si: You're the one who chose to marry me! What's wrong with giving me some money? I'm your wife! Tang Xiu: I want a divorce, I want a divorce! This isn't how it was supposed to be! Zuo Si: =W= Ever since Tang Xiu married a money-guzzling machine, he lost his appetite and couldn't sleep. The only thing that could make him smile was the spectacular performance of the club his company invested in at the mecha tournament. But why does this Master Youxiang look more and more familiar the longer I look at him? Miserly gong x Money-pit little white flower shou Ongoing novel: The Comic Book Villain Becomes Everyone's Beloved The interstellar pirate Ye Jia was infamous. Countless people were after him, and the Empire's citizens wished he would die that very day. A mysterious forum appeared on the Star Network. It was a place to discuss a comic, and when everyone took a closer look, they realized its protagonist was the marshal they had read about in history books, renowned far and wide. Everything in the comic matched reality, including countless little details they had never known. Just as the Empire's citizens had come to accept the idea that there were higher-dimensional worlds beyond their own, a spin-off starring the comic's great villain, Ye Jia, came out. It turned out Ye Jia was descended from Marshal Ye Lou Nian, who had been born a commoner and sacrificed for political reasons back in the day. After his father's death, Ye Jia lost faith in the Empire. Having drifted through the stars since childhood, Ye Jia endured countless hardships. His harsh circumstances forced him to grow up, and with nothing to his name, he relied on his own abilities to become the greatest space pirate. Even after becoming a pirate, Ye Jia had secretly helped many suffering commoners. Looking at the young man in the comic, smiling gently, mockingly, or boldly, then remembering the little boy from the earlier chapters, covered in grime but refusing to give up, the Empire's citizens felt both heartache and relief. Citizen A: Villain? If I'd been through what Ye Jia went through, I'd be an even bigger villain! Citizen B: Waaah, Ye Jia, Mommy's precious boy, go do whatever you want. Mommy will always support you! Citizen C: So it was Lord Ye Jia who saved my life on the abandoned planet back then. I even hated him because of the Empire's reports. I regret it so much. If Lord Ye Jia needs me, I'll become a space pirate and join his crew right away! Citizen D: So handsome, so handsome. Hah, hah! Citizen E: Ye Jia is righteous! The Empire wronged him. The Empire should apologize to Ye Jia! The Empire's prince looked at the comic. In the scene, a five-year-old Ye Jia crouched down and gazed gently at the lonely boy before him. The prince's long-dormant heart began to pound. So the gentle person in the memory he had searched for desperately and could never forget was Ye Jia. The Empire's marshal clenched his fists. He had once nearly died on an abandoned planet after being framed by his rival. Someone had reached out to help him in the darkness, but he had never imagined that person was Ye Jia. The mecha master flipped through the comic with interest. No wonder his attempts to track down the friend he'd met on the Star Network had gone nowhere. That friend was Ye Jia. Overnight, Ye Jia, the space pirate once hated by the entire interstellar world, became a superstar adored by millions, with fans in the billions. The Empire's prince, marshal, and mecha master all came looking for him in person. Ye Jia: "..." Ye Jia: I only want to be a villain, and a villain is all I ever want to be. Ye Jia: That happened eight hundred years ago. Do you really have to dig it up and bring it up again? I got revenge for myself and helped someone along the way. Have you people forgotten your internet manners? Do you have to dox people online? Theme: Frugality is a traditional Chinese virtue