“Gu Qichi, are you even listening to me?! Are you deaf?”
The light overhead was blinding. Dappled shadows from the crystal ornaments fell on the young man, adding an unexpected touch of fragile beauty.
He was strikingly pale, like the first snow under moonlight in winter — pure and aloof. A faint blush spread across the corners of his eyes. His peach blossom eyes were slightly upturned, a glint of light at the corners, clear and piercing — like a poppy blooming silently in the dark, decadent yet pure.
The champagne in his glass swirled, white froth forming, its rich aroma wafting into his nostrils, a wave of heat washing over him.
Gu Qichi snapped out of his daze and lifted his eyelids. His amber eyes were cold, a mocking smile playing on his lips as he looked at the enraged middle-aged man before him.
Undoubtedly, he had transmigrated.
He had become the true young master of a wealthy family in a BL novel he had casually read long ago. A despised cannon-fodder character who shared his name.
The cannon-fodder Gu Qichi had been secretly switched at birth by a servant of the Gu family with her own son. If it weren’t for the fake young master, Gu Yuning, getting into a car accident at sixteen and needing an urgent blood transfusion, this sixteen-year deception would never have been exposed.
When the real Gu Qichi was brought back, full of expectation, his heart was shattered.
No one liked him. Everyone loved Gu Yuning. His biological parents despised him for his lack of education and coarse manners. His idolized older brother called him selfish and vain. His existence was like a thorn in this otherwise harmonious family.
Jealousy spread like wildfire. The original owner turned dark, acting recklessly and opposing Gu Yuning at every turn, but was only seen as a joke. His parents gave all their shares to Gu Yuning, his brother kicked him out, and his business was destroyed. On a snowy winter day, Gu Qichi died in a fire, burned to ashes.
Gu Qichi turned his head, his gaze falling on Gu Yuning, the center of the small talk. The mockery in his eyes was undisguised as he tossed his champagne glass aside.
It clinked against the table — not too loud, but enough to draw attention.
He loosened his tightly buttoned shirt and said casually, “Indeed, no. If there’s nothing else, Father, I must take my leave.”
He turned and left without looking back, leaving his father seething.
A surge of heat rose within him. His eyes glistened with tears, sweat beading on his forehead.
He had been trapped in this body for a long time — watching again and again as the original owner walked the predetermined path, went mad, caused chaos, and died. After dying in the fire, he would return to the day he entered the Gu family at sixteen, continuing the endless cycle.
But this time was different. For the first time, he could control this body. His fingertips curled — stiff, but his own.
A slight smile appeared on his lips. The timing wasn’t perfect, but he liked it.
The elevator dinged on the top floor. He fumbled for his pre-booked room when a tall, dark shadow loomed before him. He was pulled into a hot, hard embrace. The other person seemed to be in the same predicament, his burning breath brushing against the back of Gu Qichi’s neck.
Gu Qichi weakly tilted his head back, his long neck forming a sharp arc. Stunningly beautiful.
The door lock clicked behind him, and he was pressed against the door.
The man before him had a noble air, his long, narrow eyes burned dark red with desire, yet unable to conceal the sharp, aggressive quality within. Like an invisible, gigantic net, it silently enveloped Gu Qichi.
Gu Qichi frowned, suppressing the restlessness in his body. “Let’s talk—”
He couldn’t finish.
In Bo Yu’s eyes, the young man was breathtaking. His handsome features were tinged with desire, a fine layer of sweat on his delicate nose, his eyes misty, his lips reflecting a watery sheen under the light.
His shirt had ridden up, revealing smooth, dazzlingly white skin beneath Bo Yu’s palms — not soft, but covered with a thin layer of firm muscle.
Without a word, Bo Yu gripped the back of his neck and kissed him.
Gu Qichi whimpered softly, breathless, the cool scent of cologne filling his senses. The hands on his waist were burning hot.
He gripped Bo Yu’s clothes, trying to push the large man off, but his strength was like a tickle.
Unable to escape, he resigned himself. Since they’d both been tricked, helping each other out wouldn’t be a big deal. Besides — the man’s face was truly his dream type. Sleeping with him wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Noticing his distraction, the man nipped him in annoyance.
The light was blinding as Gu Qichi stumbled into the room. Dizzy, his legs weak, he sank onto the soft bed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the man deftly unbutton his shirt.
Gu Qichi blushed and looked away, his heart pounding.
Outside the window, it had started to rain. The rain pattered, growing heavier, thunder rumbling. Dongcheng hadn’t seen such heavy rain in many years. A purple lightning bolt tore through the sky, illuminating the entire night.
This false world, in its endless repetition, finally had its rules broken.
After an unknown amount of time, the rain gradually subsided.
For the first time, Gu Qichi felt a pang of regret. Damn it, a miscalculation.
The beauty was furious, his chest rising and falling as he coldly uttered two words —
“Get out.”
When he opened his eyes again, his head throbbed. The room was dim, blackout curtains drawn tight.
Every part of his body felt as if it had been disassembled and reassembled. Every movement brought sharp pain.
He blinked, gritting his teeth as he fixed his gaze on the man sleeping soundly on the large bed. His brow bone was sharp, his nose high and straight; even in sleep, his handsome face was still pleasing to the eye.
This led Gu Qichi to make a rare misjudgment.
Thinking of his miserable state last night when he had insisted on stopping but was refused, he could no longer maintain his good manners.
A loud thud. The tall man fell off the bed — thankfully the carpet was soft.
Gu Qichi withdrew his gaze, his ravaged lips clearly uttering three words:
“Bastard.”