The Fake Young Master of a Wealthy Family's Typical Day

[A short story. The whole thing costs less than a dollar. Thanks for supporting the official release! You can find and save my next novel, The Background Character's Little Crybaby Can Read Minds, in my author page. Blurb below.] Blurb: At eighteen, Song Ting learned that he'd been switched at birth. His biological parents were already dead, and he had nowhere to go. Anxious late one night, he posted online to ask what he should do. The top reply was clearly a joke: "Kneel in front of your family and bang your head on the floor to show them how much you love them and can't bear to leave. Then bawl and beg them to let you stay." But Song Ting didn't realize it was a joke. He decided to do it right away. He pushed open the door to his older brother Song Lingshen's room, dropped to his knees with a thump, and struck a pleading pose. It went horribly wrong. The person inside was Lu Peichao, the moody young master of the Lu family, and Song Ting's longtime rival. They'd been at each other's throats for years. The room fell unusually quiet. His rival propped his cheek on one hand and said lazily, "Kneeling and kowtowing before the New Year? I haven't prepared a red envelope, but I can send you money on your phone." A moment later, Song Ting's phone announced that 250 yuan had arrived. Lu Peichao smiled. "Go ahead and start kowtowing." Song Ting, with his knees aching: "..." You'd better not sleep too soundly tonight. * After the real young master returned home, Song Ting practiced what he was going to say in a corner of the hallway: "As long as you don't make me leave, I'll do anything." Footsteps sounded. Song Ting turned his head, but before he could make out who it was, he was shrouded in shadow. "Anything?" His tall, slender rival stared at him and spoke slowly. "You can choose someone else. I can do a better job of making sure you stay than they can." Later, Song Ting hid beneath the covers, whimpering as he cursed out loud with every filthy word he knew. Lu Peichao sat on the edge of the bed, lifted the blanket, and gently pinched the back of Song Ting's reddened neck. His gaze was deep. "You said you'd do anything." [The logic is flimsy, and most of the plot won't hold up to close scrutiny. It's a short story, so please don't read it if that bothers you. Thanks for your support.] Blurb for The Background Character's Little Crybaby Can Read Minds: Xu Tian is a background character with almost no presence. When the main couple grows closer, he's part of the atmosphere squad. When supporting characters get into a fight, he gets caught in the middle and takes a couple of punches. Because he's so easy to overlook, people often step on his feet, and he secretly cries. Until he awakens his memories and learns he's a background character in a novel. The System appears and offers him a chance to turn his life around, gifting him a golden finger: mind reading. Xu Tian accepts. He doesn't want people stepping on his feet anymore. QAQ. From that day on, whenever the aloof protagonist passes by and automatically ignores him, his inner thoughts grow restless: He's so cute. I can barely control myself. Xu Tian tries reading someone's mind for the first time, anxious and confused: What can't the protagonist control? The taciturn villain still stares at him coldly, but his thoughts are strangely obsessive: Would you look at me if I locked you up? Xu Tian, avoiding his gaze out of fear: "?!" He thinks the villain has gone off the rails and calls on the System to protect him. Fortunately, his top student desk mate still acts like he doesn't exist and never talks to him. Xu Tian tries reading his mind and discovers: 'I really want to kiss Xu Tian. Would he run away?' Something's wrong. Everything's wrong. Xu Tian clutches his head in despair, wanting only to escape. He begs the System to make things go back to the way they were, and the System readily agrees. Things do go back to how they were, and the story reaches its ending just as planned. But after the ending, Xu Tian is blindfolded and locked up. Xu Tian is bewildered. "System, what's going on?" The System replies, "Actually, they all like you, but they were forced to keep their distance and follow the plot. Now that the story's over, they've gone dark. Hehe." Xu Tian: "...?!" The door opens. Someone stops in front of him. Their gentle voice carries a faint hint of madness. "Xu Tian, who am I? Guess right and I'll let you go." Xu Tian is tormented as he uses mind reading to pick between three choices. The result: 'I wonder if he'll cry if I kiss him now.' Xu Tian forces himself to cry, only to hear: 'I can't make him cry. It would excite me even more.' He holds back his tears and tries to negotiate, but the moment he opens his mouth, he's kissed. "You only get one chance." "Who am I?" Theme: Wait for the right moment, then turn the tide.