After dying unexpectedly, Lian Qi was bound to a cannon-fodder villain System.
In this world, every chosen Host would play the cannon-fodder fake young master in a story about a real and fake young master. They were expected to live by the supreme motto of "Never stop living, never stop courting death," and to recklessly bring about their own downfall until they became stepping stones on the protagonist's path to glory.
On his first day in the System's space, Lian Qi found a book left behind by a previous user: The Fake Young Master's Survival Guide.
He opened it to the first page, where the first rule read:
The protagonist is the heavens! The protagonist is the earth! The protagonist can do no wrong! Even the protagonist's farts smell good!! Rule one for surviving as a fake young master: Make sure to cling to the protagonist's leg!
"..." Lian Qi's mouth twitched. He muttered to himself, "Is this a survival guide or a guide to being a simp?"
"It's all garbage left behind by those failures." The System scoffed disdainfully. "Submitting to the protagonist is your fate. I'll give you some friendly advice, Host: stop taking these crooked paths and accept your lot. Just follow the plot."
*
In the first world, he was a pampered fake young master, born with a silver spoon. The protagonist was a mech pilot earning tuition money in an underground fighting ring.
Everyone knew that the young master of the Lian family, born into wealth and privilege, had recently taken a fancy to a young woman and had even picked a fight with a rising mech pilot at an underground casino.
The young master spent a fortune at every match, just to put the new champion mech pilot in his place.
But nobody knew that, while the fighting ring roared with excitement, Lian Qi was lazily leaning against the bar in the casino's back room, reaching out to push the other man's head away. "Not today. It's my eldest brother's birthday, so I have to go back to the old house tonight."
The damp, heated kisses did not stop, instead falling in scattered touches along his neck. The arms around him showed no sign of letting go. A moment later, the protagonist's hoarse, desire-laden voice sounded beside Lian Qi's ear:
"...What if I don't want you to go?"
*
In the second world, he was the exceptionally gifted son of a sect leader, a paragon of grace and serenity. The protagonist, however, had been sold by a child trafficker to a wealthy merchant's estate as a young boy, where he suffered endless abuse.
Ghosts had been haunting Ankang County for months, and an immortal came to drive them away.
On the second day after arriving at the Zhao residence, Magistrate Zhao hosted a banquet for the immortal. A young servant was carrying wine when a pebble struck him in the knee. In full view of everyone, he fell to the ground, wine and all.
Magistrate Zhao flew into a rage and immediately ordered his men to beat the clumsy servant to death.
The immortal fanned himself, smiling as he spoke. "He does have a handsome face. What a shame to kill him. Why not give him to me, Master?"
The tall servant curled up on the ground abruptly lifted his head, staring intently at the "immortal" seated at the table, so serene and refined.
Years later, their true identities came to light. The former servant had become a revered sect leader, while the once-glorious senior brother had become a "stray dog" everyone avoided.
Lian Qi pressed a hand to the sword wound on his shoulder and leaned against the wall of a dilapidated hut. He turned toward the figure blocking the light and smiled. "Have you come to take revenge?"
The newcomer was still dusted with autumn frost. He knelt on one knee before him and, after a long pause, gave a quiet laugh.
"Jiang Heng, disciple of Qingxian Sect, have admired you for years, Senior Brother. I've come today to ask for your hand in marriage."
*
The third world.
The System gleefully held up the script. "This time, the protagonist is different."
Lian Qi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?"
System: "He's a saint."
After a moment, the System added with glee, "And everyone agrees he's a saint. His kindness will move his brother and parents, making them resent you, the fake young master, more and more, until they throw you, a useless lump, out on the street."
So, on the first day of school, Lian Qi hobbled on his injured left leg and calmly enjoyed the protagonist bringing him lunch.
On the second day of school, Lian Qi wiggled his right leg, now in a cast, and calmly waited for the protagonist to help him get dressed.
A month into the school year, Lian Qi opened a folder labeled "Studies" and turned to look for the protagonist.
The System finally couldn't take it anymore. "Don't push it!"
Lian Qi spread his hands innocently. "A saint needs a wicked cannon-fodder villain to play off. I'm just helping him out."
Neither the man nor the System knew that, in the dead of night, the protagonist would bend down and kiss the corner of Lian Qi's lips.
At such times, the protagonist's eyes held a feeling unlike anything before, and his voice was gentle but utterly devoid of warmth. "If you're no longer a young master high above everyone else, but an ordinary person with nothing, would I be the only one by your side?"
Theme: Equality first, then love
