A Scumbag's Survival Guide

Canary is a super-short, dark romance about obsession. It starts with a deranged villainous top falling in love at first sight with a poor, innocent bottom, and ends with the bottom stabbing the top to death, then getting struck by lightning while fleeing. The middle is all about coercive romance and a game of cat and mouse. Pei Shuhuai picked it up for the explicit content, never expecting to reach the end and find that the two leads had missed the train to the edge of the city! The culprit was the original story's cannon fodder, who shared his name: the top's rival in love and the bottom's second older brother. A professional at stopping the leads from boarding trains, and an expert in physical castration. Pei Shuhuai never thought he'd transmigrate into the body of that cannon fodder. What he really never expected was to open his eyes and find a man sleeping beside him, none other than the deranged male lead, Qi Muting! They were covered in signs of passion, but Pei Shuhuai felt nothing. Qi Muting, on the other hand, looked pale, exhausted, and delicate. So he'd topped the male lead...? As a born top, he was pleased, but in an unfamiliar place and under these circumstances, it was a nightmare. Pei Shuhuai grabbed his beach shorts and tried to make a heartless escape, only for his calf to cramp, forcing him to drop to his knees and bonk his head against Qi Muting's belly. Before he could get back up, a hand settled on his neck, its thumb pressing against his Adam's apple. Qi Muting's voice was low and hoarse. "Since you like kneeling so much, you can stay on your knees from now on." Images of unbroadcastable content flashed through Pei Shuhuai's mind. He kindly warned him, "Don't get any ideas. We've moved from the flower market to the grass market!" * In his previous life, Qi Muting died because he was "tired of living." The knife that stabbed him was one he'd handed over himself. He never expected Heaven to refuse to let him go and send him back for another round. He also never expected to sleep with that once-unbeatable loser of a "rival," then make him beg for mercy with his forehead against the floor. What the hell. Qi Muting was thoroughly disgusted. But he never expected that later, he'd pin the man against a desk and paint a snake holding a rose on his beautiful skin, claiming it was to cultivate his character, while knowing full well that he was lost in him and couldn't bear to let go. "Our Yuanyuan needs a little taming before he'll behave." Once the painting was done and he'd set his brush aside, Pei Shuhuai turned around and bit a bloody mark into Qi Muting's face. "Damn it, I'll bite you to death." [A long-haired, gorgeous top with a seductive air who thinks life is pointless but is always inspired to keep living by the bottom x a pretty, hot-tempered, cocky bottom who comes up with one new way to court death every day, but has a rebellious streak and can adapt on the fly: hard as a diamond, soft as cotton candy] Reading tips: 1. The protagonist transmigrates into the book in his own body. 2. A partly imaginary setting. Please don't nitpick or compare it to real life. 3. Writing is fun, reading is fun. --Coming soon: No Breaking Up!-- After transferring schools, Gu Yi moved in with his grandmother and met Ruan Xuzhi, who seemed to be getting bullied by delinquents. The boy was in the middle of a growth spurt, so refined and handsome that it was hard to look away. Gu Yi was a wimp pretending to be a hero, trying to save the beauty, and falling for him at first sight. "What's your name?" "Ruan Xuzhi. It means 'done intentionally.'" "I'm Gu Yi. It means 'don't let me down' and 'a thousand pieces of affection.'" A brief summer break and a hurried year later, they became each other's first love. Their countless sweet and affectionate moments across spring, summer, autumn, and winter became a thing of the past after one breakup at graduation. The next seven years weren't long, but each day and night was hard to endure. The once elegant, aloof boy became a treasure in the hands of a famous director. Sitting in front of the screen, Gu Yi watched every film connected to Ruan Xuzhi again and again. At last, he understood: it wasn't love at first sight because of good looks. It was true love at first sight. He'd been fooling himself, but seven years hadn't changed his feelings. That July, a famous director arranged a gathering. Gu Yi attended as an author and screenwriter, and unexpectedly reunited with Ruan Xuzhi. The boy from his memories was gone. The movie star before him held himself at a distance and greeted him coolly. "Which Gu? Which Yi?" [A pure-hearted, proud, direct puppy / an introverted, naturally alluring manga artist x a cool, top-student tea-milk lover / a scheming, seductive movie star] [Bonus Scene] --A sweet-stalking fan's diary, recording major trending topics and moments to swoon over-- #Ruan Xuzhi and Gu Yi kiss in the rain# Profiles of the people involved: Ruan Xuzhi: A genius movie star, a treasure of the industry. Very handsome and tall, with a difficult temperament. He charms young men and women onscreen, but has no romantic sense whatsoever in real life. A classic beauty on a high mountain. Gu Yi: A popular manga artist with both looks and talent. Reserved and aloof, with an ex who was the love of his life. Rumored to have come out with a top-tier star, and now in a scandal with a movie star. This guy has something going on. Reaction to the trending topic: Ruan Xuzhi fans: Not interested, don't bring him up. The star getting a partner? That'll happen when the sun rises in the west. Looks-ship fans: They look good together, they're a good age match, and since they're both single, why not get together? The supporting cast: They provide an amazing compilation of the two of them. Come and eat! The variety show: It sends out two invitations. Come and ship them! Some time later. #The Xuzhi ship seems to be dating on the company's dime# Evidence: Watch the show clips and behind-the-scenes footage, where their public personas are completely reversed. Reactions: Ruan Xuzhi fans: Still denying it.jpg Ship fans: Hard as hell.gif Some time later. #Old photos of the Xuzhi ship surface, revealing the real couple broke up seven years ago# The old photos: Gu Yi playing the ruan beneath a pomegranate tree *1; Gu Yi's profile as he watches the rain at dusk *1; the birthday cake Ruan Xuzhi made for Gu Yi *1; Gu Yi dozing with his head in Ruan Xuzhi's lap *1... Spring and summer, autumn and winter, youth and first love. Reaction to the trending topic: Ruan Xuzhi fans (speechless.jpg): Besides Ruan "the photographer" Xuzhi, who else would have these photos? He always looks so cold and uninterested in love, but behind the scenes he's been biting his blanket and thinking about his first love every night! Xuzhi ship fans (wishing they were dead.jpg): We were just shipping them for their looks, and it turns out they're a real couple who broke up. These expired sweets hit like poison! Both sides agree: Break up, my ass. Get back together right now. If you won't get back together, then just get married. Whatever you do, no tragic ending! Theme: Stay optimistic and keep moving forward.