"So when you say 'go back,' you mean… back to the exact moment I transmigrated?"
Zhao Yan had spent over twenty years in this world. The question of *when* he would return mattered far more than *whether* he would return.
If it meant rewinding to day one, then those twenty hard-earned years would vanish. That would be disastrous.
**[Correct. Upon completion and return, the host will receive sufficient wealth to live comfortably for the rest of your life.]**
The System answered instantly.
Zhao Yan fell silent, weighing the two paths.
One led back to his original world: no ridiculous wealth, but also no suffocating protagonist halo turning everyone around him into idiots. No need to tiptoe around some chosen one's plot armor, no risk of your future wife suddenly developing brain damage because she stood too close to the male lead. Life would be… normal. Satisfying, even.
The other path? This ridiculous novel world, where everything revolved around one man. Where you had to scheme, plunder destiny points, constantly outmaneuver fate itself—and if you failed, you might even be forced to *forgive* the protagonist like some pathetic side character.
The choice was obvious.
"System," Zhao Yan said calmly, "I choose to stay and complete the storyline before returning."
No hesitation. A life of scheming and danger might be thrilling in theory, but the risks were unacceptable—especially the kind no sane man would stomach.
Besides, with his current abilities and connections, he could already live well here without any extra "rewards."
**[Beep. Host selection confirmed. The 'Luck Plunder' module and 'System Shop' will remain permanently locked.]**
Zhao Yan grinned.
*Big deal.*
Those two features were basically useless anyway. He had never relied on them and never would.
Decision made, a weight lifted from his chest. Even if the protagonist came swaggering back and tried to slap him in the face with destiny, Zhao Yan no longer cared.
Finish the plot. Go home. Make even more money. Track down the author of *The Return of the Dragon King*. Buy the rights to the book…
Heh heh heh.
Rewrite whatever he wanted. Change the ending. Do *anything*. It would all be his call.
"System," he asked, straightening his suit jacket, "have we entered the main storyline yet?"
**[The main plot begins in two days. Protagonist Ye Chen returns to the country. Story officially commences.]**
"Two days…" Zhao Yan frowned. "That's cutting it close. In the original plot, I lock the protagonist's daughter in a pigsty for over two months. If I only do it for a day or two now, won't that break canon?"
**[No need to worry, Host. The Heavenly Dao of this novel world only activates fully after the protagonist's official return. Any preparatory actions completed beforehand will count as fulfilling the required beats. Duration prior to plot start is irrelevant.]**
Zhao Yan nodded in understanding.
So whether he tormented the little girl for one day or three months—as long as it happened *before* Ye Chen's return—it would register. Same logic applied to being a simp, a bully, whatever. The clock only started ticking when the male lead stepped onto the stage.
Simple. Ruthlessly efficient.
With a decisive thud, Zhao Yan dropped the stack of documents on his desk and stood.
From this moment forward, he was no longer the serious, workaholic young master of the Zhao family.
He was Zhao Yan: spoiled, lecherous, brain-dead second-generation rich kid.
Zhao Liumeng's loyal lapdog.
The scumbag who would lock a little girl in a pigsty just to get closer to her beautiful mother.
Perfect. Villains didn't need to clock in.
He strode out of the company without a word.
The employees stared in stunned silence.
"President Zhao? Are you… feeling unwell? It's only three in the afternoon."
"Maybe he's sick. I heard Manager Zhao is handling trading today."
"Manager Zhao is his sister, right? The adopted one."
"Yeah. President Zhao is really generous, letting an adopted daughter into such a high position."
"Right? Most big families guard against that kind of thing. Blood ties matter."
Zhao Yan had always been known as strict but fair—hard on himself, lenient with capable subordinates. Seeing him leave early for no apparent reason left everyone whispering.
They respected him, even if they kept their distance. Especially because he had willingly given his non-blood-related sister real authority in the company. In most wealthy clans, that would be unthinkable—practically inviting a future usurper.
Zhao Yan ignored the murmurs and headed straight home.
The Zhao family estate, Evergrande Manor, sprawled across land the size of half a residential district. Exotic flowers lined the roadsides; hundreds of species bloomed in carefully orchestrated waves. It looked like something ripped from a European royal garden—except bigger, gaudier, and very fictional.
He had long grown numb to the extravagance. Beauty lost its shine when you saw it every day.
In the rearview mirror, Zhao Yan caught his own reflection and practiced a malicious grin.
*Perfect villain smirk. Check.*
He stepped out of the car already in character.
Light-novel villains didn't require nuance. They just needed to be greedy, lustful, ruthless, and—above all—stupid.
Bonus points if your laugh was a properly sinister *hehehehe*.
Just hearing the name "Zhao Yan" should scream "this guy is bad news."
He hadn't even reached the main house when something small collided with his leg.
"Oof!"
A tiny figure tumbled backward with a startled yelp.
Zhao Yan looked down.
A beautiful little girl—maybe three or four—sat on the ground, clutching her forehead. Big, clear eyes blinked up at him curiously, as if wondering why this tall brother had suddenly appeared in her path.
"A little girl?" Zhao Yan muttered, confused. Since when was there a child running around the manor?
Before he could process it, a graceful figure rushed over in panic.
"Young Master! I'm so sorry—I wasn't watching her properly. She bumped into you!"
The woman froze when she saw his face clearly. Forgetting to help her daughter up, she bowed deeply.
"You… you're Gu Yufei?" Zhao Yan's expression shifted.
A young, beautiful woman + adorable daughter appearing inside the Zhao estate? Only one possibility fit the plot.
Gu Yufei's eyes lit up with surprise and tentative joy when he spoke her name.
"Yes! It's me, Young Master. I… I didn't expect you to still remember."
Her work-roughened hands clenched nervously. She stole a quick glance at him, then immediately dropped her gaze again.
Excitement. Hesitation. A flicker of hope.
Zhao Yan resisted the urge to give his own forehead a high-five.
*Why are you blushing like a schoolgirl meeting her idol?*
Four years ago, he had found her unconscious outside the estate wall. Out of basic decency, he stopped to check on her. She told him she'd been betrayed, abandoned while pregnant, disowned by her family. He had taken pity and offered her a job as a maid.
Then promptly forgot about her.
Looking back now, the pieces clicked into place with depressing familiarity.
Ruined by a scumbag. Pregnant. Abandoned. Miraculously gives birth anyway.
Classic light-novel heroine backstory.
And of course the child was protagonist Ye Chen's.
Gu Yufei wasn't just the female lead—she was Ye Chen's savior *and* the woman he felt most guilty toward.
In the original story: she rescues the down-on-his-luck Ye Chen → he loses control in a fit of grief/rage/lust → forces himself on her → immediately leaves the town and conveniently "forgets" the entire incident because it's "the mistake he least wants to remember."
Only the existence of a daughter forces him to eventually face it.
Zhao Yan stared at the woman in front of him and felt a familiar surge of disgust toward the original male lead.
*Your trauma is not other people's problem. Someone saves your life and you repay them with assault?*
Utter garbage.
He shook his head, refocusing.
No time to rant internally about plot logic. The villain had lines to deliver.
A cold, predatory smile curved his lips.
"You have ten minutes. Settle the brat down, then come to my room."
Even he had limits. He wasn't about to harass a mother in front of her own child. That was too vile, even for a cannon-fodder villain.
Gu Yufei froze. By the time she looked up, he was already walking away.
"Mommy…" The little girl tugged at her mother's skirt, still biting her finger. "Is that big brother… Xiaohan's daddy?"
Gu Yufei's expression stiffened. She crouched down, suddenly stern.
"Don't talk nonsense. You don't have a father."
She glanced around nervously, making sure no one had overheard.
The little girl immediately teared up, voice trembling with grievance.
"But… but Mommy's phone is full of pictures of that big brother…"
Gu Yufei's face went rigid.
Her secret had been discovered by her own four-year-old.
She felt a wave of embarrassment and heartache, but her tone stayed firm.
"Enough, Zihan. He's *not* your father. You're not allowed to say that again, or Mommy will be very unhappy. Understand?"
The child stared at her with big, wounded eyes.
Young Master Zhao Yan—father of her daughter?
She wasn't worthy. Her daughter was even less worthy.
They were nothing but charity cases who had once received a single act of kindness. Anything more was pure delusion.
Gu Xiaohan sniffled, still trying.
"But then… who *is* my daddy?"
---