Chapter 1

Today was a beautiful, sunny day. Even while lying in bed, Jian Anmian was bathed in the sun’s warmth. A faint flush colored his pale face, almost like the final burst of vitality before death. Only his eyes remained vacant as he gazed out the window, as though he were waiting for something—or perhaps simply lost in a daze.

The nurse changed his IV bag. After hesitating repeatedly, she still couldn’t help comforting him. “Xiao Jian, your parents are probably just too busy with work. They didn’t forget your birthday on purpose. Maybe you’ll wake up to a surprise tomorrow.”

Jian Anmian paused and came back to his senses. His thick, dark lashes fluttered and lowered as he responded very softly.

He had always been slow by nature and afraid of people. Although he had already spent several weeks with the nurse, he still became nervous whenever he spoke to her.

He knew she was only trying to comfort him. The last time his parents had visited with his younger sister, they had mentioned that they would be going to Disneyland around this time.

They had thought he was asleep and couldn’t hear them, but he hadn’t been asleep at all. Because of the pain, he rarely managed to fall asleep.

Not a single one of them had realized that the date they chose was actually his birthday.

The nurse glanced at him, sighed, and quietly closed the door behind her as she left.

Never mind today. During read the original at bailiantales.comthe several weeks she had been looking after him, his parents hadn’t visited him even once.

It was as if… they had completely forgotten they had such a quiet child, one whose presence was so faint he practically didn’t exist.

Once the room was empty, Jian Anmian finally relaxed. He quietly basked in the sunlight for a while, then opened his phone and began writing today’s update.

He couldn’t sit upright for long, so he had specifically downloaded iFlytek and used its voice input function to write on his phone.

Every time he dictated a sentence, he tapped at the typos and corrected any awkward phrasing with his finger.

He used double pinyin input, which was slightly faster than full pinyin, but he still worked at his usual unhurried pace, devoting his full attention to it. He was doing what he enjoyed most.

He wrote very slowly. After every one or two thousand characters, he had to stop and rest for a while, or his head would begin to ache terribly.

For some reason, however, his head seemed to hurt far more than usual today.

By the time he finally finished today’s update, the sky had already turned dark.

Jian Anmian first previewed it in the author dashboard. After making sure there weren’t any garbled boxes, he clicked publish. Unfortunately, Little Green suddenly froze. He was already used to it, though. Little Green always lagged for a while every evening.

Jian Anmian backed out and opened the comments section instead. So many little angels with gold-ingot badges were waiting hungrily for their meal that Jian Anmian couldn’t help smiling.

Although his doctor was always warning him not to overwork his mind, Jian Anmian knew that without writing, he would never have survived this long.

Only while creating something did he truly feel alive.

Jian Anmian ignored the unpleasant comments and carefully answered his little angels’ questions.

【Author, when is today’s update coming? My legs have gone numb from squatting here waiting, boohoohoo!】

Author’s reply: 【I’m feeling a little unwell today, so I wrote more slowly than usual. Sorry for making you babies wait so long (＞人＜；) Today’s update is already finished, but Little Green crashed. I’ll go back and try again. Everyone who leaves a comment on the new chapter later will get a red packet~~ Hugs and kisses~~ (づ￣3￣)づ】

Jian Anmian returned to the author dashboard and was just about to click publish when a heart-piercing pain suddenly stabbed through his brain like a sharp sword. Violent ringing erupted in his ears, and his throat felt as though it had been seized by a huge hand, leaving him unable to breathe.

In the stillness of the night, the hospital room was suddenly filled with the shrill alarm of medical equipment.

During the final second before his death, Jian Anmian thought—

He was sorry. His little angels would never receive today’s update or their red packets. In the end, he had still broken his promise.

…

“Move a little closer together, please. Hold that pose. Yes, exactly—smile!”

When Jian Anmian regained consciousness, a flash of white light appeared before him, followed by the click of a camera. A beat too late, Jian Anmian blinked and looked around. His expression could only be described as vacant and foolish.

What was going on? Hadn’t he already died? Why had he suddenly appeared in a photography studio?

At the same time, Yan Zhimo, who was sitting beside Jian Anmian, also looked dazed for a moment.

At the instant the photograph was taken, a vast amount of information seemed to suddenly flood into his mind. But it was all enclosed within some kind of shell that he couldn’t open, making it impossible to see clearly. He quickly returned to normal, however. Perhaps he had simply been under too much pressure at work.

“All right. Please come over and take a look at the photo.”

Jian Anmian walked over as if sleepwalking. The moment he [stolen content]looked at the camera, his pupils abruptly widened, and his ears began to ring.

That wasn’t his face.

Although this person’s appearance resembled his by seventy or eighty percent, it definitely wasn’t him.

“What are you thinking about? Snap out of it.” A deep male voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

Jian Anmian instinctively raised his head and met Yan Zhimo’s unfamiliar eyes. His breathing quickened as he clutched the hem of his clothes and nervously asked, “May I ask who you are…?”

“Have you gone stupid?” Yan Zhimo laughed, not taking it too seriously. “I’m Yan Zhimo. Or, to put it another way, I’m about to become your husband.”

“Husband…” Jian Anmian was dumbfounded.

Since when had same-sex marriage been legal in Hua?

Wait. Yan Zhimo… Wasn’t that the name of the gong protagonist from the novel he had read two days ago?

He had… transmigrated into a book.

It was an old-fashioned, melodramatic angst novel, and its protagonist was a sickly shou who shared his name.

In the novel, the protagonist entered a contractual marriage with the gong, then suffered physical and emotional torment at the hands of the gong’s stepmother, white moonlight, childhood friend, friends, nephew, secretary, white lotus, green tea, and others. In the end, he died of illness in the gong’s arms.

Overcome with remorse, the gong followed him in death, resulting in a double-death BE.

And right now, they were at the beginning of the novel. The protagonist and the gong had come to the Civil Affairs Bureau to register their marriage, officially setting their tragic romance in motion.

Yan Zhimo finally sensed that something was wrong. He frowned and scrutinized Jian Anmian before asking in a deep voice, “I’ll ask you one last time. Are you sure you’re marrying me of your own free will?”

Jian Anmian trembled in fear. The man was simply too tall, and when his expression turned serious, the pressure he exuded was particularly intense. His muscular physique stood before Jian Anmian like a mountain, frightening him into nodding hurriedly. Even if it hadn’t been voluntary before, it was voluntary now.

He had no intention of escaping the plot, nor did he have any particular thoughts about the possibility of dying from illness again. He only wanted to lie flat and give up, becoming a salted fish that drifted wherever the current took him, then die quietly, just as he had in his previous life.

Yan Zhimo nodded in satisfaction. It was best that Jian Anmian remained obedient. Yan Zhimo didn’t want to waste time on pointless entanglements either, so he led Jian Anmian next door to register their marriage.

…

Half an hour later, outside the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Holding their freshly issued marriage certificate, Yan Zhimo extended a hand toward Jian Anmian. “Starting today, I’m legally your husband. Our contract has officially taken effect. I hope we can get along amicably in the future.”

Although his lips were curved into a smile, his slightly lowered eyes revealed an innate coldness and detachment. His tone was strictly businesslike. Despite holding the title of husband, he genuinely didn’t regard a minor figure like Jian Anmian as important.

Jian Anmian extended a finger, quickly touched Yan Zhimo’s fingertips, and immediately withdrew it. His small, fair fingertips, pale as bamboo-shoot tips, anxiously twisted together.

Yan Zhimo grasped a handful of empty air. “…Here’s to a pleasant partnership.”

Without even looking at him, Jian Anmian said, “Mm.”

Yan Zhimo: “…”

Yan Zhimo withdrew his hand and said without changing his expression, “Then I’ll drive you home.”

Jian Anmian happened to have no idea where he was supposed to go, so he quickly agreed.

The original Jian Anmian had severe allergies. Despite the summer heat, he wore a long-sleeved jacket and a mask. His slender body was completely covered, leaving only two delicate eyebrows and a pair of timid eyes exposed.

But Jian Anmian was afraid of people, so this outfit gave him a strong sense of security instead. He accepted it without the slightest difficulty.

Aside from Uncle Chen, the driver, Yan Zhimo’s accompanying secretary, Liu Yuanxiang, was also in the car. Secretary Liu had helped handle some of the procedures earlier.

Secretary Liu was stunningly beautiful. When she saw Jian Anmian, she smiled politely and inclined her head. “Madam.”

“Please… don’t…” Jian Anmian immediately became flustered, and redness instantly crept up to the tips of his ears.

His skin was thin and exceptionally fair, so embarrassment showed on his face especially easily. A peach-blossom blush spread across his slender neck and up behind his ears, as though rouge had been spilled over him.

Yan Zhimo looked at him, then suddenly reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear. In a low voice, he said, “My wife is shy. Just call him Mr. Jian.”

He still had to keep up appearances in front of other people. However, Jian Anmian’s already red ears instantly became even redder.

A subtle light flickered [Read on BaiLianTales]through Secretary Liu’s eyes, but her smile remained unchanged. “Very well, Mr. Jian.”

After a while, the car arrived at their destination, and Yan Zhimo personally escorted Jian Anmian to the front door.

Yan Zhimo said, “Once you go inside, pack your things and move out as soon as possible. I sent the address to your phone. The door code is today’s date. Let me know once you arrive. After you get there, you can add your fingerprint yourself.”

Jian Anmian agreed and nodded to each instruction. The little whorl of hair on top of his head bobbed along with the movement, making him look exceptionally obedient, like some kind of fluffy little animal.

Yan Zhimo’s hand inexplicably began to itch. He extended it, intending to pat Jian Anmian on the head.

The man was so tall and imposing that it felt as though his shadow alone could swallow Jian Anmian whole. Jian Anmian was terrified of him and didn’t dare resist in the slightest. He stood stiffly in place, anxiously twisting the hem of his shirt between his fingers as he waited for the man to pat his head.

Seeing him like this, Yan Zhimo suddenly had a mischievous impulse. His arm changed direction midway through the air, and he slipped the mask strap from behind Jian Anmian’s ear instead. A small, palm-sized face, pale and bare, was revealed. His cheeks were flushed from being covered for so long, while his lips were moist, soft, and red, like the dewy center of a flower.

“You’re already home. There’s no need to keep wearing it, is there?” Yan Zhimo hooked a finger through the strap and held the limp mask in front of Jian Anmian so he could see it. “It’s soaked.”

An explosion seemed to go off inside Jian Anmian’s head. His breathing became disordered, and his lips trembled as he said, “Please… give it back to me.”

Yan Zhimo smiled. “It’s fine. I’ll throw it away for you. Just go inside.”

“…Whimper.” Jian Anmian looked at the mask in Yan Zhimo’s hand, then looked at Yan Zhimo himself. His eyes reddened.

He really was the scumbag gong protagonist. What a horrible personality! He had started bullying Jian Anmian the very first time they met!

But what could Jian Anmian possibly do? He was merely a half-dead, sickly shou. This man could poke him to death with a single finger.

“All right, I’ll give it back.” Having amused himself enough, Yan Zhimo knew when to stop and tossed the mask back to him. “Go inside.”

As though he had received a pardon, Jian Anmian hurriedly clutched the mask and fled.

Yan Zhimo crossed his arms and watched Jian Anmian’s retreating figure, smiling in amusement.

The little guy really couldn’t take any teasing.

…

Jian Anmian unlocked the door with his fingerprint. Xu Peiying ​read the original at bailiantales.com​glanced behind him and frowned. “Why are you alone? Didn’t Mr. Yan come back with you?”

Jian Anmian lowered his head. “He left.”

Xu Peiying said unhappily, “You child, how can you be so inconsiderate? It’s rare for Mr. Yan to come all this way, yet you didn’t even invite him inside for a cup of tea. Is this how I normally teach you to behave?”

Jian Anmian turned a deaf ear to her. With his head lowered, he hurried toward the elevator with quick little steps. The moment the doors opened, he nearly collided with his stepfather, Qin Bixian.

“You’re already an adult, yet you still have no respect for your elders. No matter how we teach you, you never learn.” Qin Bixian grumbled as he watched Jian Anmian slip into the elevator, then said disdainfully, “Ungrateful little brat.”

Following the descriptions from the original novel, Jian Anmian found his room on the second floor and began carefully packing his belongings one by one.

The protagonist’s mother, Xu Peiying, was a cold, selfish, career-driven woman who valued personal gain above everything else.

She and Qin Bixian had the protagonist’s older brother, Qin Luochen. Dissatisfied with Qin Bixian’s male chauvinism, she divorced him and later had the protagonist with her second husband.

However, her second husband was merely an ordinary university professor, and Xu Peiying looked down on him. She continued working intensely, staying up late and attending social engagements throughout her pregnancy. This eventually caused the protagonist to be born prematurely and afflicted with numerous health problems from birth.

Xu Peiying couldn’t tolerate having an incompetent, weak, sickly child. At that point, read the original at bailiantales.com she suddenly decided that Qin Bixian had been her true love all along, so she swiftly divorced the university professor and reunited with him.

Even their first child, Qin Luochen, became the crystallization of their love.

The protagonist, meanwhile, became a major stain on Xu Peiying’s life.

The protagonist’s mother and stepfather treated him poorly, so Jian Anmian had no intention of treating them pleasantly either.

When faced with verbal abuse, he could simply ignore it. He had social anxiety and disliked communicating with people anyway, so he could just pretend he was both deaf and mute.

The original Jian Anmian had been frail and sickly since birth and rarely left the house. There were barely any clothes in his wardrobe, but his medicine filled an entire suitcase.

Jian Anmian dragged the suitcase into the hallway. As he approached the study, he heard Xu Peiying and Qin Bixian talking.

Qin Bixian said, “Chenchen really is something. Yan Zhimo has liked him for so many years. If he had married Yan Zhimo, just think how many benefits it would have brought our family! And what happened instead? At the last moment, he ran off overseas! Such a wonderful opportunity, and that sickly little brat ended up squandering it!”

Xu Peiying persuaded him, “Actually, I think this arrangement is quite good. Our Chenchen has been intelligent and capable since he was young. He has a bright future ahead of him, so how could he marry a man? What would become of his future? Anmian, on the other hand, has always been in poor health and can’t accomplish anything. It’s better for him to marry Yan Zhimo and obtain some benefits for our family. He can consider it repayment for raising him.”

“But if Chenchen comes back in the future, what will we do about Yan Zhimo?”

“By that time, Chenchen will have completed his studies and built a successful future. If the two children sincerely want to be together, there’s nothing we can do to stop them, is there? As for Anmian… Yan Zhimo was never his to begin with. He would merely be returning something he borrowed. I’m sure Anmian will understand. After all, Chenchen is his own older brother.”

This was a melodramatic novel, so naturally it contained plenty of melodramatic plot devices.

For example, the protagonist gong’s white moonlight was actually the protagonist shou’s maternal half brother.

The conversation in the study had also appeared in the original novel. From that moment onward, it left a thorn in the protagonist shou’s heart while foreshadowing the tormented romance that would unfold later.

Jian Anmian wasn’t the original protagonist and didn’t like Yan Zhimo, so naturally, this couldn’t hurt him.

As for whom Yan Zhimo liked, that had nothing to do with him either.

He merely found the situation incredibly awkward. He had accidentally overheard the villains bad-mouthing him.

Jian Anmian tugged at the hem of his clothes and carefully backed away with his suitcase.

Maybe he should… wait another two minutes before coming out.

…

At the same time, Yan Zhimo was sitting in the car with his eyes closed, resting while listening to his secretary give a brief report on recent developments at work.

His special assistant, Yuwen Chi, normally accompanied him. But for some unknown reason, Yuwen Chi had suddenly eaten something bad today and developed an upset stomach, so Secretary Liu from the secretarial department had been temporarily reassigned to accompany him.

Suddenly, a truck driving against traffic came speeding toward them.

Terrified, the driver hastily turned the steering wheel and narrowly avoided colliding with the truck. However, the car’s trajectory changed as a result, sending it rolling toward the side of the road.

“Watch out—”

Amid a succession of shattering glass, a slender figure threw herself toward Yan Zhimo without regard for her own safety and shielded him with her body.

The momentum slammed Yan Zhimo heavily against the roof of the car. The hard shell inside his mind shattered, and vast amounts of jumbled, chaotic information poured into his brain. Before Yan Zhimo could make sense of it, he instantly lost consciousness.

…

Elsewhere,

Jian Anmian had just been about to take his suitcase to his new home when he suddenly received a call from the hospital. He had no choice but to put down his luggage and rush there.

…

Half an hour later, Yan Zhimo, lying in a hospital bed, abruptly opened his sharp, dark eyes. They were filled with disbelief.

He had awakened.