Choosing to Be a Mascot Between a Workaholic and a Deadweight

[Recommending a friend's novel: The Young Master of a Wealthy Family's Adopted Son Is Carrying His Big Brother's Baby, by Tian Yi]

[Everyone's Beloved Darling of an Aristocratic Clan x The Jealous, Possessive Crown Prince]

Tao Zui looked at his short arms and legs and felt like crying. "Damn heaven, I dreamed of transmigrating back to kindergarten, lying flat while dominating everyone as a child prodigy, but not kindergarten in ancient times!"

...Never mind whether his double degree in mathematics and finance, overseas education, and Wall Street work experience would be useful.

He was now a desperate illiterate!

Tao Zui was low on energy. In the brilliant twenty-first century, he had worked himself to the bone and finally achieved a little success, only to lose everything in an instant. He figured he might as well become a useless little pastry.

After growing up happily, Tao Zui couldn't suppress his strong sense of responsibility. He wanted to be a child his parents could be proud of.

To his surprise, his kind parents comforted him: "Our son need only live a peaceful life. If the sky falls, your younger brother will hold it up."

Everyone looked at his little brother, who wasn't even as tall as a doorstep. He patted his chest like a little man and said in a babyish voice, "That's right, Brother. I'll hold it up!"

Tao Zui: ...

At the entrance to the Imperial Study, Tao Zui had returned from vacation without finishing his lessons. Too guilty to go inside, he muttered, "The teachers at the Imperial College can't bear to hit me, but the tutor in the Imperial Study doesn't care which high-ranking official my father is."

The Crown Prince stifled a laugh and dragged his little study companion inside.

Tao Zui watched as the princes obediently lined up to have their palms smacked. When it was his turn, he tremblingly held out his hand. The old man stroked his long beard and glared at him. "Don't let it happen again."

Tao Zui: ?

"By the way, does the mascot even know he's the mascot?"

(Copy written on September 15, 2025)

[Before You Read]

1. Sweet and satisfying, doted on by everyone, beloved by all later on, and the protagonist is wholeheartedly affirmed by everyone.

2. The recipient mistakes the aggressor for his cousin, but they are not related.

3. The logic is a mess, so please don't scrutinize it.

It's a story about a shameless emperor pursuing a proud, reserved minister who is as aloof as a mountain peak!

Wenren Jin rubbed his temples, anxiously thinking that perhaps he was imagining things. Ever since the palace examination, he had sensed that the emperor treated him quite differently.

Did the emperor want to promote him? It didn't seem so. The emperor was domineering in all he did and chose people without regard for convention. If he really wanted to promote Wenren Jin, why go about it so indirectly?

Later, Wenren Jin finally realized that the tyrant had no need to be so ambiguous and cautious with his ministers.

He clearly wanted to find himself a wife!

The emperor bestowed rewards on his ministers as a way of managing them, but what did it mean that he had secretly prepared an extra reward in a hidden compartment, one unlike the others? They had an upright and honorable ruler-minister relationship. What was His Majesty up to?!

Wenren Jin refused again and again. He came from a distinguished family and a noble background, and had studied the classics since childhood. Though he had studied hard to serve the emperor, he had not done so in order to offer himself to the emperor!

The emperor said he understood and finally stopped.

Unexpectedly...

Wenren Jin blushed, humiliated, as he stared at the lewd romance novels forcibly delivered to his residence:

The stories' protagonists were not only himself, but His Majesty as well!

In the books, when he pushed the emperor away, he was only pretending to resist, while the emperor gazed at him tenderly and indulged his attempts to escape. The two were intimately entwined, until the valiant man finally coaxed the beauty into agreeing...

Wenren Jin was so angry he couldn't even eat. This was utterly shameless! What would become of the royal family's reputation? He should submit a formal accusation against the author of those books...

But what if the one committing this treasonous act was His Majesty himself?

What if the ambiguous scenes in the books came true one by one the following day?

Long Aotian had been a force to be reckoned with in the modern world. When he transmigrated into a book and became an emperor, he thought he had reached the pinnacle of life. He never expected that ruling in the harsh ancient world would mean facing treacherous officials and intrigue in the harem. He didn't have to conquer the realm, but he did have to defend it and guard against the original male lead's rebellion.

Still, the original male lead's love interest was simply too wonderful. Anything was worth it for him!

He coaxed Wenren Jin, watching him grow more and more indulgent toward him without even realizing it. Every so often, he could even steal a kiss.

Tsk, a beauty in his arms and power in his hands.

Oh, and remember to send the original male lead far away.

Before You Read:

1. One-on-one romance, both devoted to each other, and both strong.

2. The aggressor is a Long Aotian who transmigrated into a book. The romance novels are this sneaky guy assigning all the original male lead's scenes to himself.

3. Domineering, shameless, high-attack and high-defense emperor x reserved, thin-skinned minister who is as aloof as a mountain peak.

4. The romance novels are stories within stories within stories.

5. Please don't scrutinize the details.

Theme: May we all work hard and have good luck!