Fiction is full of popular character types. Whether it's a wickedly charming, domineering CEO, a cool and aloof heir from the capital's elite, or a gentle childhood friend next door, readers can easily see their appeal.
Yet there's one kind of character who's the ultimate workaholic, the manliest of men, a whole reinforced company of tank soldiers, and yet he's always overlooked and forgotten.
The loyal dog.
Quiet and devoted, this kind of person always steps up first when there's trouble and gives others the benefits first. Whether his efforts go unappreciated or not, he's also the first to sacrifice himself when things get tough.
After being struck down by divine retribution, Qi Cen transmigrated into a novel about two men falling in love. He became a loyal-dog cannon fodder character who deceived the male lead about his feelings, only to be brutally punished by him.
Why would a loyal dog be brutally punished? Because the person he was devoted to was the male lead's uncle, an ambitious, disabled man.
"I'm sorry, honey. I love you, but I love your uncle more."
Qi Cen: This sinful thrill is going to be the death of me.
The uncle was the novel's ultimate villain, a vicious, sinister man as cruel as a snake. Late in the story, he dealt the male lead a devastating blow, nearly killing him in an "accident."
When the original Qi Cen was exposed and made the scapegoat, his fate was miserable and humiliating.
But Qi Cen's mission wasn't to change his tragic fate. It was to join the ranks of the main and supporting characters, make his loyal-dog persona readers' favorite, and add more color to the vibrant world of the novel.
Having died once, Qi Cen treasured this chance to be reborn.
In public, he was cold and gloomy, both ruthless and unhinged. He pretended to have no feelings, blowing hot and cold with the male lead and leading him around by the nose.
In private, he was gentle and tender. The cold, hard iceberg melted into warm, rich honey. He often leaned against the sinister older man's knee, a sweet smile on his lips as he let the man stroke his soft hair.
Qi Cen was both cold and passionate, inspiring love and hatred in equal measure, yet impossible to dislike.
So when he finished playing out the plot and planned to retire after a job well done...
The male lead, who should have despised him, begged him to stay. When his pleas failed, he became deranged and so obsessive he nearly lost his mind.
The villainous uncle who had used him from the start sent men to drag him to the estate, shackling him in chains. Storm clouds gathered in the man's eyes. "Why are you running away? Don't you love me?"
Qi Cen: ...Two lunatics.
A top-tier actor with a spectacular contrast between his cold-hearted public persona and his true self, gong × a rich young master turned tycoon, a hopelessly lovestruck shou.
One-on-one, gong-focused, the shou dotes on the gong. The gong is weak in bed. No switching, no splitting them up, no reversals.
Theme: Either be ordinary, or be lonely.
