["What a pity…"] The system's voice came through with an almost theatrical sigh.
"What's there to pity?" Zhao Yan shot back mentally. "I don't want to spend my life living in fear!"
Competing against the protagonist, playing the jealous villain in endless rivalry games—whoever wanted that could have it. He certainly didn't.
Lying lazily in bed, he reflected on how he'd initially thought he'd simply transmigrated to another world.
He never imagined he'd landed inside a damn novel.
Tsk tsk…
[…]
*My host is truly… one of a kind,* the system thought silently.
Most hosts who received systems dreamed only of staying in their new world forever—scheming against protagonists, stealing female leads, building harems.
This one? Completely different.
Though he'd only started playing the villain role today, there was no denying his performance had been flawless.
He'd grasped the situation and slipped into character in mere hours.
He slept soundly through the night.
But in elite circles—especially among extended families—even the smallest ripple could spread like wildfire.
By morning, the rumor that he'd "forced" Gu Yufei had already circulated widely.
The entire upper-class industry likely knew by now.
His reputation was about to take a nosedive.
There was an old saying: A good person who does one bad thing is branded a hypocrite for life.
A bad person who does one good thing is hailed as reformed.
These days, the bar for being "good" was impossibly high, while the consequences for being "bad" were laughably low.
No wonder no one wanted to be good anymore.
Zhao Yan woke refreshed, feeling surprisingly energized.
He went downstairs to the dining room, where his parents were already seated.
"Come eat!" The Zhao family's dining table stretched ten meters long—a blatant symbol of their wealth and status.
Zhao Dongfu sat at the head, the seat of absolute power.
Lin Ya and Zhao Yue sat on either side.
The Zhao family had always been small. With only four people at such an enormous table, the space felt emptier than ever—almost desolate.
Zhao Yue stood quickly, pulling out the chair beside her with an expectant smile.
Zhao Yan frowned slightly.
Instead of taking the offered seat, he walked to his mother's side and sat down next to Lin Ya.
Zhao Yue's smile froze. A flicker of sadness crossed her face as she quietly pushed the chair back into place.
Zhao Dongfu watched the exchange with mild confusion but said nothing. His gentle gaze settled on his son.
"Son… I heard you weren't feeling well yesterday?" Lin Ya asked, concern etching her features.
He'd come home early from the company, and rumors had reached even her ears.
She hadn't slept all night worrying. Only after her husband persuaded her had she refrained from waking him in the middle of the night to ask if the stories were true.
"Yeah, just a little dizzy. I came back to rest." Zhao Yan nodded indifferently. "Besides, Zhao Yue handled everything fine at the company. It doesn't matter whether I'm there or not."
The words landed like stones.
Both Zhao Dongfu and Lin Ya's expressions darkened.
Lin Ya opened her mouth to speak, but Zhao Yue beat her to it.
"Brother, how can you say that?" she protested quickly. "The company is yours. I was just helping out yesterday."
She looked at him with worry, knowing he was trying to shift credit to her in front of their parents.
But she didn't want it.
She had never once dreamed of competing with him for anything.
"Heh…" Zhao Yan shrugged, neither confirming nor denying.
Zhao Dongfu and Lin Ya exchanged a glance—quietly approving of the adopted daughter's self-awareness.
Though she was adopted, they would never allow her to claim what rightfully belonged to their biological son.
The company, the family fortune, the future—it all belonged to Zhao Yan.
To put it bluntly, they had never truly treated Zhao Yue as a daughter.
If not for their son's genuine affection for his "little sister," they would have found an excuse to send her away years ago.
They already had a son. They had no need for a blood-unrelated daughter.
Adopting Zhao Yue had been little more than a convenient pretext for establishing a charitable foundation.
Large families were pragmatic: they used everything, discarded everything without hesitation.
Of course, they still doted on Zhao Yan unconditionally—lavishing him with care that touched him deeply, even now.
He tested the waters tentatively.
But after learning the full plot, he kept his true feelings to himself.
"Ahem…" Zhao Dongfu cleared his throat. He and Lin Ya shared another look before he spoke.
"Son, I heard there was a little… trouble with one of the maids in the house."
"Yes," Zhao Yan confirmed calmly, not bothering to hide it. "I took a liking to her, but she refused. So I had her daughter locked in the pigsty to teach her a lesson."
Zhao Yue's eyes widened. She nearly blurted out, *That's not what happened!*
It was clearly that woman who had seduced her brother—she'd even admitted it herself!
Zhao Dongfu and Lin Ya exchanged stunned glances.
This was *not* what they'd heard.
Their son—the gentle, sensible boy they'd raised—couldn't possibly be the type to force a woman.
Wasn't it Gu Yufei who had seduced *him*? Hadn't she manipulated him into building a childish "pigsty" playground for her daughter?
Last night, the couple had privately discussed how unusual it was that their son had never shown interest in women.
They'd even worried he might prefer men.
While an affair with a household maid wasn't ideal, the fact that Gu Yufei had successfully "seduced" him at least proved their son was… normal.
That was a relief.
But now he was openly taking the blame—protecting her reputation?
Could he have genuinely fallen for her?
Zhao Dongfu and Lin Ya exchanged worried looks.
They wouldn't have objected if Gu Yufei were childless.
But bringing another man's daughter into the family? Absolutely unacceptable.
"Ahem, son…" Lin Ya began, then glanced meaningfully at her husband.
Some things were easier said by a father.
Zhao Dongfu opened his mouth, hesitated, then—under his wife's threatening stare—gritted his teeth and forced the words out.
"Like your mother said… you're sensible. We won't interfere in your private life. You've always been mature; you don't need us hovering.
Just… be mindful of your actions."
Lin Ya glared at him. "Is that *all* you have to say?"
"Ahem…" Zhao Dongfu awkwardly looked away, face reddening.
How was a father supposed to lecture his son on how to be a proper scumbag?
"I know, Mom, Dad. Don't worry."
A gentle smile crossed Zhao Yan's face—genuine, for once.
Even after all these years, he still appreciated their concern.