Bai Jiao stood in the second floor corridor, his long, elegant phoenix eyes gazing down at the scene unfolding below.
He was a task taker who had transmigrated into this world just two days ago. At present, his adoptive mother, Zhang Huijun, was clutching a young man in her arms and sobbing uncontrollably, repeating over and over, “My son, you’ve suffered so much.”
His adoptive father, Bai Yongchang, sat silently nearby, smoking a cigar. His moist eyes were filled with affection and guilt.
Meanwhile, the protagonist of this novel…
Dressed in a wrinkled white T shirt that had clearly never seen an iron and a pair of light blue jeans that had been washed until they had faded, he stood there barefoot, looking utterly uncomfortable. The old canvas shoes he had worn, patched so many times that they were practically falling apart, had already been discarded by the servant who had brought him here.
Now, he looked so awkward and embarrassed that he seemed ready to find a hole in the ground and crawl into it. His head remained lowered the entire time, as though he desperately wished he could disappear from everyone’s sight.
In the extravagantly luxurious hall, they truly looked like a “harmonious” family of three.
After watching the scene for a while, Bai Jiao began to feel sleepy. He was just about to return to his room and get some rest when a mature, mechanical female voice inside his mind started chattering incessantly.
[Host, this is the opening scene of the original novel! As an important character, how can you not even show your face?]
[Host, you have to follow your assigned character setting for the first three days, okay? Otherwise, you’ll be punished!]
[Host, host, host…]
For the first time, Bai Jiao found his system genuinely noisy. Rather amused, he remarked, “886, do you enjoy doing missions for the Male Virtue Group that much? This is the first time I’ve seen you so enthusiastic.”
[…]
886 was at a loss for words. [Host, this is also the first time I’ve seen you slack off so shamelessly! Hurry up and finish acting out the plot for the character setting period!]
His thick, raven feather like eyelashes lowered, concealing the boredom in his eyes. Bai Jiao leaned lazily against the railing, propping himself up with one arm, and let out a soft, disinterested click of his tongue. Then, in a cool, indifferent voice, he asked the people below, “Who is this?”
His voice was clear and pleasant, carrying a solitary elegance, its gentle, cool tone as soothing as flowing water. The moment he spoke, all three people in the hall turned to look at him in unison.
The young man who had been held tightly in Zhang Huijun’s arms finally managed to catch his breath. However, he was too slow to react, and all he could do was stare blankly up at Bai Jiao.
Bai Jiao’s navy blue silk pajamas made his skin look as white as snow. Under the warm yellow lighting, his exquisitely handsome features were so flawless that the young man found himself momentarily dazzled. All he could focus on was that pair of thin, vermilion lips as they parted slightly.
“Mom, Dad, why aren’t you saying anything?”
The awkward atmosphere in the hall had practically solidified into something tangible. Bai Jiao began descending the grand spiral staircase at an unhurried pace. His slender, fair fingers moved lightly along the dark brown handrail, mimicking the tiny steps of a little figure walking along it. Each delicate tap seemed to land directly on the hearts of the Bai couple, making their guilt all the more difficult to bear.
It was only when Bai Jiao had descended the stairs and stood before them, his tall, slender figure clearly visible, that Zhang Huijun finally managed to compose her expression.
“Baby, didn’t you go out to have fun with your friends today? Why are you home?”
Just moments ago, she had been embracing the young man with genuine emotion, her grief and affection seemingly overflowing. Now, she immediately reached for Bai Jiao’s hand, her voice turning so gentle and tender that it practically dripped with sweetness.
“Mm, I wasn’t feeling very well today, so I’ve been resting at home the whole time.”
“Where do you feel unwell? I’ll drive you to the hospital right now.”
Bai Yongchang sprang anxiously to his feet. He hurriedly took out his car keys, already preparing to take Bai Jiao to the hospital without wasting another second.
“Dad, there’s no need,” Bai Jiao said, turning his gaze toward the young man. “Who is this?”
Only then did he get a clear look at the young man’s face. He had deep set brows that shadowed his eyes, a straight, well defined nose, and full, beautiful lips. His strikingly handsome features seemed to have been formed by selecting the very best traits from the Bai couple’s appearances. There was no need for a paternity test. Anyone who took one look at him could immediately tell that he was the Bai couple’s biological son, the real young master of the Bai family.
Bai Yongchang rubbed his hands together awkwardly and gave Zhang Huijun a meaningful look, silently urging her to explain the situation.
Zhang Huijun shot Bai Yongchang a discreet glare before turning to Bai Jiao with an awkward smile. “Jiaojiao, he’s the one Mommy told you about before, Bai Jingzhuo…”
Bai Jingzhuo quietly hid behind Zhang Huijun, his fingers gripping the hem of his clothes so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. Looking rather ill at ease, he asked softly, “Mom, is this the younger brother you told me about? He looks like he doesn’t particularly like me.”
“…” Bai Jiao narrowed his eyes.
Hmm?
That unmistakable air of affected innocence…
Why did Bai Jingzhuo seem so different from what he was supposed to be?
This was a world derived from a popular danmei novel in the Source World titled After the Real Young Master Died, They All Regretted It. The protagonist shou of the original novel was none other than the real young master, Bai Jingzhuo.
In the original story, Bai Jingzhuo was insecure, timid, and kindhearted. He had a people pleasing personality and was easily touched by even the smallest acts of kindness, often responding by treating others with wholehearted sincerity and giving them everything he had. As a result, everyone bullied and oppressed him.
It was only after he died that the truth finally came to light and his grievances were cleared, leaving everyone who had mistreated him consumed by regret. They subsequently turned their attention toward Bai Jiao, the original host, who had initially been the cherished white moonlight adored by everyone, only for his true face to be exposed later and for him to become a vicious antagonist.
Looking at the person hiding behind Zhang Huijun, Bai Jiao noticed that although Bai Jingzhuo was pretending to be timid and frightened, there was a bone chilling trace of mockery concealed deep in his eyes. Clearly, his personality was nothing like the one described in the book.
Bai Jiao suddenly found the situation interesting again.
The corners of his thin lips curved upward as he met Bai Jingzhuo’s gaze with an unhurried, almost leisurely expression. “Brother, you’ve misunderstood. I don’t dislike you.”
Those words did not exactly violate the original host’s false white moonlight persona. However, unlike the Bai Jiao in the original novel, the current Bai Jiao had clear, bright eyes that reflected Bai Jingzhuo’s figure. There was no trace of affectation in his expression; his gaze was filled with nothing but genuine sincerity.
Bai Jingzhuo was momentarily stunned by it.
“Our Jiaojiao is a good child. Bai Jingzhuo, you mustn’t misunderstand him. You two brothers need to get along well from now on.” Zhang Huijun took their hands and placed them together, her expression full of expectation. “Especially you, Bai Jingzhuo. Jiaojiao has always been physically frail, so as his older brother, you need to take good care of him.”
As someone who had suffered untold hardships and endured endless humiliation outside, only to finally return to his real family after all these years, Bai Jingzhuo furrowed his brows deeply. He looked as though he were struggling to suppress his discomfort, yet the moment the Bai couple turned their attention toward him, he concealed his true feelings remarkably well. Only a trace of disdain remained hidden in the depths of his eyes.
He forced a fake smile and said, “Mom, Dad, I’ll take good care of my younger brother.”
He placed particular emphasis on the final words.
Bai Jiao raised an eyebrow. Just as Bai Jingzhuo was about to withdraw his hand, Bai Jiao suddenly clasped it firmly.
The pads of Bai Jingzhuo’s fingers were covered with calluses left behind by years of manual labor. His fingers were slender yet rough, and the sensation was far from pleasant.
Bai Jiao gave his hand a light squeeze before finally releasing it. “I’ll take good care of my older brother, too.”
“…”
In Bai Jingzhuo’s eyes, Bai Jiao’s actions looked almost as though he were deliberately teasing him right under their parents’ noses. He was both shocked and bewildered, utterly unable to understand what kind of game Bai Jiao was playing.
Ironically, however, this very gesture immediately put Zhang Huijun and Bai Yongchang at ease. Their faces lit up with relief and satisfaction as they exchanged pleased looks, both thinking the same thing.
How wonderful that the brothers were getting along so well! This was exactly how it should be!
Just then, it was time for dinner. A servant came to inform them that the meal was ready, and Zhang Huijun promptly invited everyone to sit down and eat first, suggesting that they could take their time talking about anything else over dinner.
“Wait a moment, Brother. Why aren’t you wearing any shoes? What if you catch a chill?”
As they were taking their seats, Bai Jiao seemed to have only just noticed the problem. He immediately offered to help, his tone eager and concerned. “Sit down first. I’ll go get you a pair.”
Everyone’s gaze instantly shifted toward Bai Jingzhuo’s bare feet.
His face flushed bright red. The carefully maintained air of affected innocence he had been projecting just moments ago crumbled completely, and he instinctively curled his toes inward, wishing he could somehow hide his feet from everyone’s view.
Having successfully embarrassed his target, Bai Jiao was in an excellent mood. He personally went to the shoe cabinet, took out a brand new pair of slippers, and walked over to Bai Jingzhuo. Then, to everyone’s astonishment, he crouched down in front of him.
“You, you… What are you…”
Bai Jingzhuo had not even finished speaking when he suddenly felt a cool sensation around his ankle.
“I just said I’d take good care of you, didn’t I? I’m simply keeping my promise.”
Like his hands, Bai Jingzhuo’s ankles had smooth, elegant contours. They were remarkably fair and slender, and Bai Jiao could easily encircle one with a single hand. However, the sensation was different from before. His ankle was even smoother and more delicate to the touch, like a piece of warm, lustrous jade.
Bai Jiao gave it another gentle squeeze before slipping the slippers onto Bai Jingzhuo’s feet. As he rose to his feet, he steadied himself against the back of the other man’s chair and leaned forward slightly. Then, bending down just enough to bring his lips close to Bai Jingzhuo’s ear, he chuckled softly and murmured, “Feels nice.”
【…Host, your character setting is that of a fake young master who pretends to be the white moonlight, not a pervert!】
886 stared at the OOC value, which had nearly triggered a violation, and sternly warned him, 【What kind of fake young master would touch the real young master’s ankle, squeeze it repeatedly, and then compliment how it feels?】
How had it never realized that its host was so shameless before?
Bai Jingzhuo wanted to ask exactly the same question.
Just now, Bai Jiao had been standing far too close to him. The other man’s refreshing, intoxicating fragrance had left his mind in a daze. It was only when Bai Jiao uttered those words that sounded suspiciously like flirtation that he finally came back to his senses and realized that his ankle had been squeezed yet again.
His cheeks grew unbearably hot, and the tips of his ears turned so red they looked as though blood might drip from them at any moment. He stared at Bai Jiao in utter disbelief.
Meanwhile, Bai Jiao simply sat down beside him as though nothing at all had happened. He even turned his head and offered Bai Jingzhuo an innocent, harmless smile, giving him the bizarre impression that those two squeezes of his ankle had been nothing more than an illusion.
The Bai couple and the servants were all completely dumbfounded.
Bai Jiao had grown up as the pampered young master of the Bai family, accustomed to having everything done for him. Forget crouching down to help someone else put on their shoes; he had never even bent down to tie his own shoelaces. Whenever he went to school, a whole crowd of admirers would rush to serve him, competing with one another for the chance to do things on his behalf.
For a moment, they all wondered whether they were still dreaming and had somehow failed to wake up properly. Had Bai Jiao suffered some kind of shock? What else could possibly explain his sudden change in behavior?
Zhang Huijun and Bai Yongchang immediately put their vivid imaginations to work, coming up with all sorts of explanations.
They assumed that Bai Jiao was afraid that now that Bai Jingzhuo had returned, they would stop loving him and eventually throw him out of the house. Perhaps he had become so insecure that he felt compelled to behave this way toward Bai Jingzhuo, desperately trying to prove his worth and secure his place in the family.
The thought made their hearts ache with a thousand tiny pricks of pain. Their hearts ached for Bai Jiao so intensely that they could hardly bear it.
“Jiaojiao, no matter what happens, Mommy and Daddy will always love you. You will forever be our precious baby, and you will always be a young master of the Bai family.” Zhang Huijun gazed at Bai Jiao with deep concern, her voice filled with heartache. “Please don’t make yourself so humble, all right? You don’t need to try to please anyone, either. Mommy and Daddy still like the way you used to be.”
Bai Yongchang nodded in agreement.
Bai Jingzhuo immediately understood why Bai Jiao had behaved the way he did earlier, and the realization filled him with an overwhelming sense of ridicule.
He had actually tried to secure his position in the family by winning their sympathy! Bai Jingzhuo had known it! He had known that Bai Jiao’s kindness just now was nothing more than an act!
His mind raced as he tried to figure out how he could turn the situation around and regain the upper hand. Little did he know that Bai Jiao had already taken in every expression he believed he had concealed so well. A hint of teasing amusement surfaced in Bai Jiao’s eyes.
“Thank you, Mom and Dad. I understand.”
Bai Jiao accepted their misunderstanding without the slightest objection. However, it was not because he was still bound by the restrictions of the character setting period and had to play the role of a false white lotus. Rather, he had stumbled upon something interesting and encountered someone equally interesting, so he wanted to make the situation a little more entertaining.
He was wondering whether his habit of losing interest in things after only three minutes might last a little longer this time when, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed Bai Jingzhuo’s eyes turning red.
“That’s right, little brother. You don’t need to do this. Mom and Dad love you so much; of course they would never bear to let you suffer any grievances.” Bai Jingzhuo raised a hand to cover his face and spoke through choked sobs, deliberately exposing a section of his forearm, which was mottled with bluish purple bruises as though someone had pinched him repeatedly. “I was just so overwhelmed by the kindness earlier that it startled me. No one has ever treated me this well back at home before…”
Crystal clear tears rolled down his cheeks, falling onto the pristine white tablecloth and leaving damp, spreading circles behind.
Bai Jingzhuo was genuinely crying now. His voice was filled with grievances and distress that he could no longer suppress, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably.
His appearance fooled quite a few people, pushing the Bai couple’s guilt to its absolute peak. The moment their gazes landed on the bruises covering Bai Jingzhuo’s forearm, their expressions turned furious. They immediately demanded to know what had happened to his arm, their voices rising into angry shouts.
Of course, Bai Jiao was not among those who had been fooled.
Leaving aside whether Bai Jingzhuo had actually been abused before arriving at the Bai family home in the original novel, Bai Jiao only needed to consider the tone in which he had spoken just now.
Bai Jiao could clearly hear the sarcasm and veiled mockery hidden beneath those seemingly innocent words.
He reached out, grasped Bai Jingzhuo’s wrist, and pulled it toward himself. Lowering his eyes to conceal the amusement lurking in their depths, he adopted a gentle, concerned expression that made him look even more anxious than the Bai couple themselves.
“Brother, what happened to the bruises on your arm? Who bullied you?”
As he spoke, he quietly gave Bai Jingzhuo’s wrist another squeeze.
Bai Jingzhuo: “…”