Chapter 1

What the fuck!

Ji Qingzhou looked at the people coming and going far below his feet and forcibly pulled back his left foot, which had been flirting with death.

Crouching on the bay window ledge, he glanced down and patted his chest, thanking his lucky stars he hadn't fallen. Otherwise, he'd probably be on UD Headlines tomorrow morning: 'Shocking! Young Man Leaps from Building in Full Public View—Moral Decay or the Twisting of Human Nature?'

Ji Qingzhou couldn't help letting out a relieved breath, but then he quickly caught himself. Wait, how had he gotten here? Hadn't he been asleep at home? How had he suddenly ended up on a bay window ledge, poised to jump? Was he dreaming?

Ji Qingzhou pinched his arm and hissed. That actually hurt a little. So this wasn't a dream. Then what was this...?

He turned to look around the room and saw a young man sitting on the sofa in the hotel room, watching him with his arms folded. The man was strikingly handsome, with sharply angled brows and bright eyes, and looked quite young. When he saw Ji Qingzhou looking over, he gave a snort and said with a smile, "Go on, jump. Jump, and I'll at least respect you for having some backbone. Don't worry. Not only will I wipe out everything you owe me, I'll take good care of your mother too. Go on."

Ji Qingzhou: '???' What the hell was going on?? Who was this guy?

"Knew you wouldn't dare," the man sneered. "How could you bear to leave Fang Yaoxuan behind?"

Fang Yaoxuan. Why did that name sound a little familiar? He felt as though he'd heard it somewhere before.

"What are you still crouching up there for? Come down," the man spoke again. "Still planning to put me through the whole routine—crying, making a scene, then threatening to hang yourself? Ji Qingzhou, you might not be tired of it, but I am."

The instant he heard his own name, everything clicked. Ji Qingzhou understood why Fang Yaoxuan sounded so familiar. Holy shit. Ji Qingzhou + Fang Yaoxuan—weren't those the names of the gong and shou, the top and bottom, in The Voyage of the Sun, the novel he'd dropped just a little while ago? Precisely because the shou had the same name as him, he'd put up with its maddening nonsense and made it halfway through before he simply couldn't take any more and dropped it. So what was happening now was...

He pointed at himself. "Me? Ji Qingzhou?"

"What, you'd rather jump off a building and die out there than pay me back, Ji Qingzhou?" The man made an inviting gesture. "Be my guest."

Ji Qingzhou: ...

Ji Qingzhou silently climbed down from the bay window ledge, walked over to the man, and sat stiffly beside him, obligingly supplying the punch line: "Eating my words already."

He quickly sifted through the key plot points in his head. If he wasn't mistaken, the person in front of him was...

"Chu Cheng," he ventured.

The other man looked at him and murmured an acknowledgment.

Ji Qingzhou instantly felt a headache coming on. Transmigration wasn't scary; transmigrating into a book was. Transmigrating into a book wasn't scary; transmigrating into a melodramatic angstfest about an asshole and his doormat was!

That's right. Never mind how respectable a title like The Voyage of the Sun might sound. This was a fucking angstfest about an asshole and his doormat, through and through.

In the original novel, 'Ji Qingzhou,' who shared his full name, was a Z-list celebrity. His mother was ill, and as the protagonist, he naturally had a benefactor come to his aid. That benefactor was Chu Cheng. But Chu Cheng hadn't been handed the script for the true romantic lead—the top. He'd been handed the script for an early-stage minor boss instead.

Born into a wealthy family, Chu Cheng was the youngest son of the head of 'Ji Qingzhou's' talent agency, as well as the CEO of New Culture Communications Group. A tall, handsome, rich man through and through, he'd seen all the beauties the entertainment industry had to offer, yet somehow he'd taken a fancy to 'Ji Qingzhou' of all people and was absolutely set on sleeping with him.

As the protagonist, how could 'Ji Qingzhou' readily agree to take a drive between the sheets with someone who wasn't the story's designated top? Naturally, he refused. But as an early-stage minor boss, Chu Cheng dutifully fulfilled his obligations as an early villain to keep the plot moving. He used neither threats nor inducements, nor did he force himself on 'Ji Qingzhou.' He simply discussed it with him, perfectly politely, texting him at the same time every day to ask, 'Can I have sleep with you today? If not, I'll ask again tomorrow.'

At last, when Ji Qingzhou's mother needed surgery and money was urgently needed, Chu Cheng's luck turned. For the money, 'Ji Qingzhou' agreed to his transactional arrangement. They agreed on a term of one year. For that year, 'Ji Qingzhou' would stay with Chu Cheng, develop no feelings for anyone else, and have sex with no one else. In exchange, Chu Cheng would cover his mother's medical bills and give him career opportunities and money.

Chu Cheng was very generous. That very day, he gave 'Ji Qingzhou' a sum of money, moved his mother into a VIP hospital room, and contacted renowned doctors, successfully prolonging her life.

Having paid, he wanted to inspect the goods. But how could someone as high-minded as 'Ji Qingzhou' willingly accept such a transactional relationship? He lied to Chu Cheng, saying he needed to leave X City to join a production and film. As it happened, Chu Cheng had work to attend to and needed to go out of town on business for a while. He didn't give him a hard time, figuring they could get to it once they were both free.

Little did Chu Cheng know that no sooner would he leave than Fang Yaoxuan would make his dazzling entrance, glittering with golden light and equipped with a built-in 'likes Ji Qingzhou' buff, and start flirting with 'Ji Qingzhou,' whether deliberately or not. After a few encounters, the two fell for each other. 'Ji Qingzhou' concealed Chu Cheng's existence, while Fang Yaoxuan concealed his intention to use 'Ji Qingzhou' as a stand-in. They hit it off instantly, stopping just short of outright collusion.

At this critical juncture, 'Ji Qingzhou's' mother went back into the operating room for a second major surgery. 'Ji Qingzhou' didn't want to touch the money Chu Cheng had given him, so he called Chu Cheng and told him about it. Naturally, Chu Cheng told him not to worry; he would take care of it.

Worried that 'Ji Qingzhou' was under too much emotional strain, he finished the work at hand and took an overnight flight back to keep him company. Little did he expect to arrive at the hospital and find the poor little thing he had been worrying about sniffling in Fang Yaoxuan's arms.

Could Chu Cheng put up with that? Of course not. To keep himself from being cuckolded, he strode over and yanked 'Ji Qingzhou' to his feet.

Fang Yaoxuan was still comforting his little stand-in when a man suddenly hauled him up. He immediately bellowed, and just like that, the two men started arguing.

"Who are you to Xiao Zhou? What gives you the right to come here and boss him around?" Fang Yaoxuan demanded angrily.

"I'm his..." Chu Cheng snapped.

"There's nothing between us." Not wanting Fang Yaoxuan to know about his financial arrangement with Chu Cheng, 'Ji Qingzhou' hastily cut him off.

Chu Cheng was stunned. "What did you say? There's nothing between us? Ji Qingzhou, say that again. I dare you."

"You forced me! I didn't want to! You forced me—I had no choice!" "Ji Qingzhou" shouted. He felt terribly wronged. He had been at the end of his rope when Chu Cheng happened to extend a helping hand. He hadn't wanted this either. He didn't even like Chu Cheng.

Seeing 'Ji Qingzhou' on the verge of tears, Fang Yaoxuan's heart ached so badly that he started arguing with Chu Cheng again. The argument turned into a fistfight, and in the end, it took the hospital's nurses to pull them apart.

Looking at the two cheating bastards in front of him, Chu Cheng didn't drag things out. He simply spat out two words: "Pay up!"

Which led to today's showdown between Chu Cheng and 'Ji Qingzhou' at the hotel. Chu Cheng itemized the money he had given 'Ji Qingzhou' and what he had already spent on his mother, then said just one thing: "Pay me back, and stay out of my sight."

But where was 'Ji Qingzhou' supposed to get the money? All he had was the sum Chu Cheng had given him. Besides, if Chu Cheng stopped covering his mother's medical bills, what would happen to her treatment? Unwilling to pay him back, 'Ji Qingzhou' asked for a few years and said to consider it a loan. Chu Cheng refused. 'Ji Qingzhou' begged him to try to understand his situation. Chu Cheng shot back, "Why don't you try to understand mine?"

They argued for a long time, neither willing to give an inch. Chu Cheng laid it out: either pay me back or let me fuck you. 'Ji Qingzhou' wanted neither, so he resorted to his last trump card. He climbed onto the bay window, swung one leg outside, and shouted, "Keep pushing me, and I'll jump!"

Chu Cheng didn't believe for a second that he would jump. His mother was still seriously ill in bed, and he hadn't even gotten together with Fang Yaoxuan yet. There was no way he would kill himself so readily.

And that was how they had arrived at the opening scene: Chu Cheng standing with his arms folded, saying, "Go on, jump. Jump, and I'll at least respect you for having some backbone. Don't worry. Not only will I wipe out everything you owe me, I'll take good care of your mother too. Go on."

In the original novel, of course, 'Ji Qingzhou' hadn't jumped. He was only putting on a show; he was far too attached to life to actually die. But he had forgotten his fear of heights. When he looked down, a wave of dizziness swept over him, and he fell straight out. He didn't die, though, because Fang Yaoxuan happened to have arrived too and caught him in a textbook case of the hero rescuing a beauty.

When Ji Qingzhou read this part, he couldn't quite understand how a grown man could fall from the fifth floor, accelerate under gravity, and crash into Fang Yaoxuan's arms, only for Fang Yaoxuan to catch him steadily without so much as an injury. What kind of superhuman feat was that? Was he Astro Boy?! But that was what the book said, so all he could do was keep reading.

Seeing his little stand-in jump from the building gave Fang Yaoxuan a terrible fright. He asked what had happened, but 'Ji Qingzhou' wouldn't tell him. Then he spotted Chu Cheng leaning out of the bay window upstairs. Furious, he stormed up to confront him and declared that he would repay whatever the man he liked owed. 'Ji Qingzhou' was touched but reluctant to accept. At that point, having fulfilled his mission as the early-stage mini-boss, Chu Cheng exited the main story. Sir Fang had rescued Prince Ji, and the novel officially entered its scumbag-and-doormat phase.

His recollection ended there. Looking at the man in front of him, Ji Qingzhou felt that the problems he had inherited were rather serious. He was willing to pay the money back, but he could only return the sum Chu Cheng had given the body's original owner. He couldn't afford to repay what Chu Cheng had spent on Ji Qingzhou's mother's medical bills. Besides, if he gave Chu Cheng all the money, what would happen to her? Was she really supposed to lie in a hospital bed waiting to die?

That thought reminded Ji Qingzhou of his mother's fate in the original novel. Fang Yaoxuan and his white moonlight had, more or less, indirectly caused her death. After she died, 'Ji Qingzhou' and Fang Yaoxuan had a vicious argument. To defend his white moonlight and keep 'Ji Qingzhou' from leaving, Fang Yaoxuan hit him and locked him in the house. Afterward, he knelt at 'Ji Qingzhou's' feet and apologized, sobbing that he had been wrong and begging for forgiveness. 'Ji Qingzhou' couldn't bear it, and—He! Actually! Just! Went! And! Forgave! Him!

When Ji Qingzhou had read that part, he had been so furious he nearly threw his phone. He had grown up in a single-parent household himself, with only his mother to depend on and vice versa. A plot like that was enough to make him cough up blood. If this shou hadn't shared his name, Ji Qingzhou figured he would have dropped the novel back when 'Ji Qingzhou' was taking Chu Cheng's money while flirting with Fang Yaoxuan and flat-out refusing to pay Chu Cheng back.

But now the tables had turned. The body's original owner was gone, leaving him with this repayment mess. Ji Qingzhou rubbed his temples and tried hard to think of a solution.

He had no money himself. To repay Chu Cheng, his only option was to borrow from someone else. But 'Ji Qingzhou' had already borrowed from everyone he knew. None of them had the money to cover such a huge sum for him. The only one with money was Fang Yaoxuan. But a one-line synopsis of that scumbag would be: Want to date? The kind where your mom dies, you get beaten, you quit showbiz, and your explicit photos end up everywhere. So Ji Qingzhou passed. He wanted nothing to do with that piece of trash.

"What did you just say I could do if I don't have the money to pay you back?"

Chu Cheng chuckled. "Pay me back with yourself. My money was meant to buy you in the first place. But are you willing? Can you bear to give up Fang Yaoxuan?"

Ji Qingzhou smiled faintly. "I'll take that option," he said. "I'm more than happy to give up Fang Yaoxuan."

Chu Cheng looked at him with a sneer. "You think I believe that?"

"I think you've misunderstood me. I really just see him as my idol. You know, being a fan? He's so popular. What small-time actor like me wouldn't aspire to that?"

"Am I blind?" Chu Cheng asked him.

"Seriously, believe me."

"Believe that you're treating me like an ATM? One with a big green cuckold's hat on top, no less. What am I, the green-branded Postal Savings Bank of China?"

"You've got quite a sense of humor." Ji Qingzhou gave a couple of dry laughs, trying to ease the awkwardness between them.

But Chu Cheng wasn't interested in humoring him. "So you don't want to pay me back. Is that it?"

"The main problem is that I don't have any money," he said. "But I can promise you that back there on the windowsill, I took a long, hard look at myself. I know I was wrong. As of right now, I'm going from a Fang Yaoxuan fan to a nonfan—no, a hater. I'll never say another word to him."

Chu Cheng sneered, not believing a word of that bullshit. But it didn't matter. He'd only taken a fancy to that face and wanted to sleep with him anyway. As long as Ji Qingzhou behaved himself and didn't openly make a fool of him, he didn't care. It was a business transaction, after all. All they had to do was let each other save face. Who would actually develop feelings for the other person?

He stood up. "Then let's go. Time to go home and fulfill your obligations."

"Huh?"

"Not willing?" Chu Cheng looked back at him.

"No, no, that's not it." Ji Qingzhou hastily shook his head, thinking that this was moving way too fast. Couldn't he at least have a little time to prepare himself mentally?

Chu Cheng, however, didn't believe for a second that Ji Qingzhou would let him sleep with him. He simply wanted to see what tricks Ji Qingzhou had up his sleeve this time. He turned and walked out, and Ji Qingzhou hurried after him, frantically wondering what on earth he was going to do.

He followed Chu Cheng all the way to the elevator. He was just about to say something to him when the doors opened—and there, inside the elevator, was none other than Fang Yaoxuan.

Ji Qingzhou: !!! WTF!

A romantic showdown the second he transmigrated! Talk about the royal treatment!

Author's Note:

Chu Cheng: Me, a walking Postal Savings Bank. Thank you.

Ji Qingzhou: Me, utterly fucking bewildered. Thank you.

Fang Yaoxuan: Wanna date? The kind where your mom dies, you suffer domestic abuse, you quit showbiz, and your sex photos end up everywhere.

So you've figured out the pairing, right? Chu Cheng × Ji Qingzhou.

Ji Qingzhou in quotation marks refers to the original owner of the body; without quotation marks, it's the protagonist who's just transmigrated here. Chu Cheng has zero feelings for the original owner of the body. Per the original novel's setup, he just wants to sleep with him.