After the One Everyone Hated Became Rich and Kept Their Archrival

He Qin, founder of a well-known tech company, made a graceful exit and faded from the industry after his company was acquired for a high price by a hardware giant. He returned to China to lie flat.

After returning, he opened a modern Chinese-style teahouse in a third-tier city. Every day, he played games, fed strays, and regularly donated to the local stray cat and dog rescue center.

He had everything he needed and enjoyed a quiet, carefree life.

Just as he was enjoying the laid-back life he had always dreamed of,

someone unexpected showed up at his door.

Wei Yetang, his high school classmate, a top student and rich second-generation heir,

had once been his sworn enemy.

Back in school, He Qin was universally disliked.

Everyone's favorite thing was to use him as a foil for Wei Yetang.

He was the poor kid who could barely afford school without financial aid,

sensitive and insecure,

while Wei Yetang was the tall, rich, and handsome top student, adored by everyone,

easygoing and flamboyant.

He and Wei Yetang were worlds apart, one in heaven and the other on earth.

But fortunes change.

Now He Qin had built a successful career and achieved financial freedom,

while Wei Yetang had been cut off by his family for refusing an arranged marriage.

He had fallen so far that he came to the once-disliked, universally loathed rival he'd looked down on, just to get by.

Looking at the still-annoying, yet undeniably handsome face before him,

He Qin had a sudden idea.

He looked at the down-and-out man and raised an eyebrow with a smile.

"Forget the interview. How about I hire you as my kept man?"

"Room and board included, fifty thousand a month. Is that acceptable?"

*

He Qin had thought the fallen young master would be so humiliated that he'd turn and leave,

but who could have guessed the other man would accept?

Not only did he happily take the job, he was also extremely enthusiastic about it. In fact, maybe a little too enthusiastic.

*

The capital's social circles were abuzz lately. Wei Yetang, the disfavored younger son of the Wei family, had refused an arranged marriage and cut ties with his family. He had somehow become the chairman of the biggest competitor to the Wei family's company, and had publicly come out, announcing that he was going to register his marriage to a man.

*

"Wei Yetang!"

He Qin clutched his aching lower back and glared at the busy figure in the kitchen. "You're fired!"

The tall, handsome man untied his apron and carried a steaming bowl of nourishing seafood congee to the bedside. His beautiful, smiling eyes were full of tenderness and affection.

"All right, all right, you're firing me." He bent down and kissed his forehead. "Don't be mad, darling. Drink your congee first."

"Once you've finished, we'll go register our marriage~"

Financially free, lie-flat bottom X scheming, clingy, tea-green top

Theme: Happiness always comes when you least expect it