A Plan to Save the Paper-Cutout Male Lead

Blurb

[Remember to read the notes at the bottom]

The immense power of readers' affection for authors' novels brings those fictional worlds to life.

This should have been a good thing. But some protagonists endure one tragic ordeal after another, forcing these paper characters to suffer pain they should never have had to bear.

So Hosts are sent in to lower their corruption levels.

Story One: [The Male Lead of an Abuse Novel]

From childhood on, everyone around Du Qiunian drilled one idea into him: his body was born filthy and lewd.

At night, his father would peer through the crack in his door as he slept, his heavy breathing making his presence unmistakable. The next day, he would act as usual and ask whether Du Qiunian had slept comfortably.

His sunny, cheerful childhood friend from next door would take advantage of the times Du Qiunian was locked in a pitch-black classroom to grope him, trying to engineer an indirect kiss. His dark, sticky gaze was almost impossible to hide.

The gentle, refined senior would comfort Du Qiunian with an understanding look and shield him from everyone who approached with ill intentions. But behind his back, he would smugly call him a slut anyone could bully.

They all made demands of Du Qiunian for the same reason: his abnormal body.

When he finally came of age, the plot officially began, and the three of them joined forces to drag him through it.

Just as Du Qiunian waited in despair to fall completely into the abyss, someone different finally appeared by his side.

Story Two: [The Male Lead of a Xianxia Origin Story]

Pei Jinnian is a classic arrogant hero from a xianxia origin story. To make his later glory all the more impressive, the author gave him all sorts of tragic experiences early on.

With neither father nor mother, he lived as an orphan on the streets, never knowing whether he would have another meal, and routinely suffering bullying and beatings.

Fortunately, just as Pei Jinnian picked up an ant from the ground and was about to put it in his mouth, he met his master.

His master would prepare a warm bath for him, hand him a soft, dry towel, and give him clean, presentable clothes.

The master who brought Pei Jinnian back to the sect was the best person in the world.

So even though the other people in the sect often bullied him, he never bothered his master over such a small thing.

Then someone appeared, pointed a sword at his master, and spoke a cruel, naked truth.

"He only wants to take over your body."

Pei Jinnian's eyes trembled, but he still chose to cling to his delusion.

Until his master imprisoned him and tortured him at will, making him wish he were dead.

Story Three: [The Male Lead in an Insectoid World]

Pu Xingluan was a human who transmigrated into an insectoid society. Here, his name was Ulysses Raphael.

When he first arrived, war was everywhere. The insectoids were on the brink of extinction, their society teetering on the edge.

For the sake of survival, and to find a way home, Pu Xingluan fought his way to becoming an insectoid marshal and ultimately won a great victory.

But after the predetermined plot had played out, he felt more and more alone.

Far from the familiar planet, living in an alien world, he was left on his own to miss a homeland he could never return to.

Even though he had grown used to insectoid life, Pu Xingluan could not truly accept that he belonged here.

But sometimes even he would lose himself in doubt, wondering whether the blue planet in his memories had been nothing but an illusion.

Pu Xingluan gradually grew sick with longing. The insectoids around him had no idea what was wrong. Only he knew that every night he would log into the virtual world to look at the flowers, trees, and everything else recreated from his memories.

Then, one day, after an unknown number of years, Pu Xingluan heard that a traveler had arrived.

The traveler claimed to be from Blue Star.

Story Four: [The Male Lead of an Abandoned Novel]

The author abandoned the novel before writing its ending. So after the fictional world came to life, Shen Qunxi could only repeat his previous tragic experiences over and over again.

The cold, rejecting looks from his parents, the punishments that tore his flesh, and the betrayal of his closest friend all played out countless times.

He would never see a happy ending.

After hundreds of repetitions, Shen Qunxi awakened...

Notes

1. The blurb is told from the receiver's point of view, while the main story is told from the giver's point of view. One-on-one romance, both are sexually inexperienced.

2. The receiver in Story One is intersex. Please avoid if this isn't your thing.

3. The master in Story Two is the main villain, not the love interest.

Theme: See the world for what it is, and still love it