A Guide to Getting Back to Work as a Devoted Backup Lover

Blurb

*

As the kept lover of Top 1, a young master from Beijing's elite circle, Chen Chu has always known his limits, understood honor and shame, and known when to advance or retreat.

Top 1 is cold by nature and has never known what love is. Chen Chu, however, is perfectly willing to give everything for him, risking life and limb until he has nothing left.

But just when Chen Chu thinks his devotion might earn him a little warmth, the two of them are celebrating Chen Chu's birthday when Top gets news that his white moonlight has returned. Chen Chu watches his retreating back and begs him not to leave.

All he gets in return is wine splashed in his face and a cold voice: "Get lost. Stay away from me."

Chen Chu stares after him through tears. "I love you! When are you ever going to turn around and look at me?"

System: "You're overdoing it, Host. The crying scene is at the next plot point. Time for the next scene."

Chen Chu stops crying in an instant and rushes off to his next devoted-suitor gig. "You got it, boss! Let's go!"

Chen Chu's next mission target is Top 2, a newly crowned Best Actor.

Top 2 seems flirtatious and romantic on the surface, but is actually cold and cruel.

Before this, Chen Chu has already gone through plenty of melodramatic plotlines and reached the point where the scummy Top dumps him.

In the pouring rain, dressed in thin clothes, Chen Chu clutches the hem of Best Actor Top 2's clothes just before he gets into his car, weeping as he pleads: "All these years... what did our child and I mean to you?"

System: "Wait, Host, where did you and he get a child? You mixed him up with Mission Target 4308!!"

Chen Chu: "?!!"

Then Top 2 grabs him by the wrist.

His eyes bloodshot, the other man stares at him and asks with deliberate emphasis: "Our... child?"

*

As a veteran backup lover, Chen Chu spends every day going back and forth among n mission targets.

He never expected to mess up at a moment like this.

Now, the two male leads are already on their way.

Top 1 corners him against the wall, eyes red, gripping him by the waist. Top 2 would tear out his heart and gouge out his own corneas for him, his voice trembling as he carefully asks, "I love you... I love you. Tell me, did you ever love me?"

"I did," Chen Chu says, trembling. "Uh... one of them?"

*

1. Top 1 is Huo Xizhou, a cold and heartless type. Top 2 is Bai Li, a flirtatious playboy type.

2. No betting on love interests; 1v1. They're both adults, so I want both, which means splitting him in two. (And I say that with complete confidence.)

3. Melodramatic and silly, short, and completely self-indulgent.

4. [Very important, please take a look, dear readers] The blurb was revised and refined on 2023-6-24. It is entirely original. If something seems similar, please bring receipts in the comments. I won't go looking for similarities myself, now or in the future. Please don't derail the comments. No personal attacks, insults, or baseless rumors. No unsupported plagiarism accusations or throwing around labels. Love you all!

Theme: Be brave, keep striving, and seek your own happiness.