As a disposable side character, Yu Ling has a very simple mission in each small world.
Meet the male lead, then fake his own death.
It’s practically assembly-line work, until the System pulls him back into the small worlds he has already experienced.
Yu Ling doesn’t understand. Why?
The System complains gloomily: Because the male leads are secretly in love with you. When you died, they did too.
Yu Ling is silent for a long while. I didn’t notice at all.
What’s done is done. There’s no point saying more. We should think of a way to fix it.
The System sighs. The only option is to make the male leads hate you.
World One: The Scheming Fake Young Master
In his previous life, Yu Ling learned he was a fake young master. He hurriedly met the real young master once, then went to a sanatorium to recover from an illness. Half a year later, he died without ever speaking to the real young master.
This time, Yu Ling refuses to follow his adoptive parents’ arrangements. He insists on staying so he can make up for what he owes the real young master, and even transfers into his class. On the surface, he tries to get along with the real young master. Behind the scenes, he urges his adoptive parents to send him away.
Yu Ling waits for the real young master to see through his true nature.
But the real young master grits his teeth, his eyes frighteningly red. “Did you know I liked you all along? Do you think I’m disgusting, so you’re trying to get rid of me?”
Yu Ling feels like he can’t breathe. Weren’t you just supposed to have a secret crush and never confess?
World Two: The Greedy CEO in a Marriage of Convenience
In his previous life, Yu Ling entered a marriage of convenience with a rising business tycoon to save his declining family. They hardly ever saw each other at home. After ending the marriage amicably, Yu Ling died in a car accident.
This time, Yu Ling uses the marriage to conceal the truth and moves into the protagonist’s home. He acts like a loving husband in front of the media and behaves affectionately at the company, while secretly stealing the protagonist’s business proposal and leaking it.
Watching the protagonist’s company lose tens of millions every day, Yu Ling thinks, This time, I’ve got it in the bag.
But the rising tycoon stands there with a rigid expression, his voice so dry and trembling it’s barely recognizable. “I swear, the only thing I did was steal a kiss while we were on that business trip. You didn’t want me to, so I’ll never touch you again. Take revenge on me however you like, just please don’t divorce me. I’d even be happy to stay in a marriage that’s only a marriage in name.”
Yu Ling is baffled. When did that happen? How come he doesn’t know?
World Three: The Grasping Little Internet Celebrity
In his previous life, Yu Ling found the protagonist unconscious and gravely wounded in an alley. He took him to the hospital, paid the medical bills, and left. Not long afterward, Yu Ling was hounded online on a massive scale and died of depression.
This time, Yu Ling stays. When the protagonist wakes up, Yu Ling deliberately takes him home, pretending he has amnesia, and films sweet couple videos with him. In reality, Yu Ling recognized him long ago as the son of a major shareholder in the video platform and is using him to attract traffic.
Yu Ling watches the once imperious young master circle around him like a dog, patiently waiting for him to regain his memories.
But the young master, dressed in a ridiculous apron and drained of color, says, “You knew I hadn’t lost my memory? I wasn’t pretending so I could take advantage of you and be your boyfriend. Can you forgive me?”
Yu Ling’s expression goes blank. Is this some kind of inception?
Reader’s Guide
1. Both leads are each other’s first and only.
2. The seme is split into multiple incarnations.
3. The small-world order is undecided. If there’s a world you especially like, leave a comment and I’ll give it extra consideration.
4. There are countless great novels out there. If this one isn’t for you, just pick another. Keep your spirits up and enjoy reading!
Theme: I love you, but I can’t say it