Chapter 1: “You’re Drunk”
“Since you’ve managed to suck up to Young Master Lu, I should toast you with this glass of wine.”
The cold red wine splashed onto his face, chilling him.
The deep red liquid slid down, tracing the curve of his cheek, flowing over the arch of his brow, his high nose bridge, and finally lingering on his thin lips.
It was a messy, awkward sight, but it didn’t diminish his striking appearance. Beneath the stain of wine, his sharp features appeared even more defined—his eyes deep and clean, his expression transcendently handsome. The room full of gilded decadence became mere backdrop, with him standing out in a breathtakingly captivating way.
Chen Zemian wiped his face with the back of his hand, his consciousness gradually returning.
He felt a bit dizzy, and the air was thick with the smell of alcohol.
His mind was cloudy, as though he’d had too much to drink, but the sensation felt real, not like a dream.
He scanned his surroundings, confused.
What was happening? Wasn’t he… wasn’t he supposed to have died from overworking?
This was a luxurious hotel suite.
Gleaming crystal chandeliers, a lavish gold-trimmed background wall.
The round table was half-empty, with stacked plates and bowls, and a few bottles of expensive red wine nearby.
Around a dozen or so guests were scattered around, all watching him. Some were watching him, others were looking at the unfamiliar man in front of him, holding an empty wine glass, all with expressions of casual amusement.
And here he was, drenched in alcohol, trapped in this clearly hostile drinking session.
A terrible start.
Before Chen Zemian could observe further, a hand suddenly grabbed his collar, yanking him up.
“Stop playing dead. Weren’t you all high and mighty among those young masters earlier?”
The unfamiliar man narrowed his eyes at him, his expression cold and harsh: “I can’t touch Lu Zhuonian, but you think I can’t deal with you?”
Chen Zemian’s eyebrows twitched, and his heartbeat quickened.
Lu Zhuonian?
Wasn’t that the name of the protagonist in the novel he’d been reading recently?
The unfamiliar man, seeing Chen Zemian raise his eyebrows, took it as a provocation. His temper, fueled by alcohol, flared, and with gritted teeth, he swung his fist at him.
Seeing the situation getting out of control, a young man wearing glasses quickly stood up and grabbed the arm of the aggressive man, shouting, “Wu Xu, let’s talk it out, no need to get physical.”
Upon hearing the name “Wu Xu,” Chen Zemian held his breath, his pupils unconsciously narrowing for a split second.
Wu Xu—this was also a character from that novel.
It could have been a coincidence that the name “Lu Zhuonian” popped up, but now “Wu Xu” appeared as well? It couldn’t just be a coincidence.
Moreover, Wu Xu’s appearance and personality matched the description in the book.
He was a burly, strong man with a face full of acne, impulsive, and hot-tempered—he was a loyal henchman to a minor villain in the story.
As more and more characters from the book appeared, Chen Zemian couldn’t help but grow more suspicious.
According to his memory, he had clearly died, yet here he was, sitting alive and well. And now, more and more characters from the novel were appearing before him. All the signs led to one strange conclusion that naturally surfaced in his mind.
He had transmigrated.
He might have transmigrated, or rather, he had entered the world of the novel.
Before his sudden death, Chen Zemian had been the chief planner at a game company, deeply in tune with market trends, and well-versed in the popular games, anime, novels, and TV shows over the years. Naturally, he was no stranger to concepts like transmigration or “entering a book.”
Lu Zhuonian was a character from the novel The Rich Young Masters of Beijing—a nearly seven-million-character work. With its tight plot and overwhelming satisfaction points, it had become a hit in the male-oriented genre this year.
Chen Zemian had been staying up late, analyzing the structure of the novel, and had just reached the fifth chapter. He was thoroughly familiar with the early plot developments and could recall them clearly.
But the real question was: who had he transmigrated into?
From the way Wu Xu spoke, it seemed like he was part of Lu Zhuonian’s circle.
This was good news.
Lu Zhuonian came from an illustrious family, with a powerful background. Among the young masters in the Beijing Circle who held power and influence, he was practically the crown prince.
He was the center of attention, surrounded by admirers. From his college years when he started his business, his luck had soared, and he marched forward with unstoppable momentum. Eventually, he reached the heights of fame and fortune. Other rich young masters either bowed to his charisma and willingly became his loyal followers, or were defeated by his intelligence and strategies, ending up as mere cannon fodder, providing experience points and acting as background for his success.
Chen Zemian, though still adjusting to his new situation, felt he was quite lucky. Being a subordinate of Lu Zhuonian was far better than becoming some insignificant side character.
Lu Zhuonian was always surrounded by other young masters, so that meant… he, too, must be a young master.
After sorting out his thoughts, Chen Zemian found a sense of clarity.
In the novel, Wu Xu was a henchman of Xu Shaoyang, the second young master of the Xu family.
Since Wu Xu, the henchman, was here provoking him, it was certain that the big boss was also present.
Chen Zemian raised his gaze, scanning through the crowd, and his eyes directly landed on the main seat.
On the main seat sat a young man, probably around twenty years old. He wore a deep blue Gucci sweater with floral embroidery, and had a woman in a rose-colored short skirt draped over his arm. His manner was casual, and his demeanor arrogant.
Chen Zemian immediately understood.
This must be Xu Shaoyang, the second young master of the Xu family.
Xu Shaoyang was enjoying the scene, clearly amused. He met Chen Zemian’s eyes for a moment, then straightened his back and mocked, “Forget it, Wu Xu, when you b*at a dog, you have to look at the owner.”
“Right, you also have to look at the owner when b*ating a dog,” Wu Xu narrowed his eyes at Chen Zemian, sneering coldly, “Are you a dog?”
Chen Zemian casually looked away and responded flatly, “I’m your father.”
Wu Xu’s eyes widened, veins bulging on his forehead. In a split second, he swung his fist toward Chen Zemian.
Chen Zemian slightly tilted his head, his feet pushing off the chair, swiftly springing to his feet. In one fluid motion, he grabbed the wine bottle on the table, weighing it in his hand, and then swung it at Wu Xu.
The wine bottle flew through the air, crashing into Wu Xu’s head.
There was a loud crash!
Glass shattered, and red wine splattered everywhere.
A streak of deep red ran down Wu Xu’s forehead, and it was hard to tell whether it was blood or wine.
Wu Xu shook his head, reaching up to touch his damp forehead. With a curse, he shoved the people around him aside and charged straight at Chen Zemian.
Although Chen Zemian was drunk, his reflexes remained sharp.
His father had been a special forces officer, and since he could walk, Chen Zemian had been learning various martial arts techniques from him. After twenty years of practice, these techniques had become second nature to him. Even when drunk and his mind a bit foggy, he could still sense the direction of an attack. He didn’t need to see—he could hear the movements and react.
When it came to fighting, he had never been afraid of anyone.
As Wu Xu suddenly lunged at him, Chen Zemian didn’t dodge. Instead, he bent his knee and kicked up, delivering a swift blow to Wu Xu’s chest, sending him flying.
There was no hesitation or mercy in the kick—it sent Wu Xu hurtling across the room, and he only stopped when he crashed into a table.
In his panic, Wu Xu yanked at the tablecloth, pulling plates, bowls, spoons, and chopsticks to the ground in a noisy tumble.
A mix of half-warm leftovers splashed onto him, soup and sauce splattering all over, leaving him in a mess.
Xu Shaoyang’s face turned pale.
‘Even when b*ating a dog, you need to consider the owner,’ he thought to himself. Chen Zemian had just publicly humiliated Wu Xu, and this was an insult to him, Xu Shaoyang, the second young master of the Xu family!
No one expected things to escalate so quickly. Everyone was stunned, frozen in place, while the bodyguards outside the door rushed in and surrounded Chen Zemian, closing in on him from all sides.
“Are you crazy?” Xu Shaoyang’s anger flared as the bodyguards arrived. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up. “Who do you think you are? How dare you be so audacious in front of me?”
Chen Zemian remained expressionless. “I am being audacious. What are you going to do about it?”
Xu Shaoyang had never been spoken to so bluntly. His hands trembled with rage. “You… you bastard, a bastard child with a lowly background. Do you really think Lu Zhuonian will protect you?”
The mention of the words “bastard child” caused a wave of dizziness to wash over Chen Zemian.
What?
He hadn’t transmigrated into a young master after all! That was a blow to his ego.
The story of The Rich Young Masters of Beijing revolves around the second-generation elites of the capital, Beijing, with very few characters from humble backgrounds. Even Wu Xu, the ultimate cannon fodder in the story, comes from a family involved in the real estate business. Although his background is insignificant compared to Lu Zhuonian and Xu Shaoyang, in other places, people still address him respectfully as “Young Master Wu.”
In a novel where the likelihood of being born into a rich family is as high as 99%, Chen Zemian found himself transmigrated into a powerless, illegitimate child!
What bad luck.
Who did I actually transmigrate into?
Chen Zemian was completely confused. He just wanted to quickly figure out his identity and had no intention of engaging with Xu Shaoyang any longer.
He brushed past a few bodyguards that Xu Shaoyang sent to stop him, and quickly exited the private room.
To Xu Shaoyang and his group, it seemed as though Chen Zemian had been possessed by the spirit of a martial god. With each kick, he sent their people flying, cutting through the encirclement with ease, and leaving with an air of confidence.
Inside the private room, there was an eerie silence.
The crowd silently thought to themselves, The Lu family sure is impressive. Even their dog is so arrogant… and can fight like that!
Xu Shaoyang’s face alternated between shades of blue and white. After a long pause, he angrily smashed his wine glass. “Lu Zhuonian, you wait! You and I cannot coexist!”
*
Meanwhile, in the corridor, Chen Zemian was still unaware that he had unintentionally brought great hatred to the male protagonist.
He was struggling to figure out the way.
He was slightly lost.
The high-end private kitchen was designed in a traditional, antique style, with strong privacy. Bamboo groves shielded the space, small bridges crossed ponds, and the corridors twisted and turned. The signposts were also elegantly designed, with clues written not in the usual east, west, south, and north, but using the Eight Trigrams symbols like Gen, Li, Dui, and Kan.
It wasn’t just words—it was the kind of direction where one had to figure it out like solving a puzzle.
These fancy, pretentious things—at a glance, the place was clearly the high-end private kitchen described at length in the original novel. It was a “membership system” that required reservations two months in advance, costing at least 3,000 per person. Only eight tables were served per day, and the best rooms were always reserved for Lu Zhuonian, with no other mere mortals allowed access.
The Lushui Pavilion.
If the original owner hadn’t drunk so much, Chen Zemian might have been able to decipher which direction each of these fancy symbols pointed to, successfully find the restroom, and maybe even guess who he had transmigrated into based on his appearance.
But unfortunately, he couldn’t even find his way around right now.
Back in the private room, during the fight, the situation had been urgent, and adrenaline had surged, suppressing the effects of the alcohol. Now that the danger had passed, the alcohol was hitting him hard, leaving him dizzy and muddled.
Chen Zemian couldn’t find a mirror anywhere, so he wandered around and finally spotted a koi pond. He squatted down and used the water’s surface as a mirror to check his appearance.
A handsome face reflected in the water.
As soon as he saw his reflection, Chen Zemian was slightly startled.
This face resembled his own, but it wasn’t quite his.
The person in the water was younger, more radiant, with a fair and cool profile. The facial features were more delicate, the lines softer and less sharp than his own—exuding a kind of refined elegance.
At first glance, it seemed like it could be him, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that it belonged to someone else.
It was almost too beautiful.
Chen Zemian touched his hair, realizing it had been dyed a light golden color, like some young idol.
Wait, wait—something didn’t seem right.
He leaned in closer, turned his head, and saw a small red mole on the side of his neck.
The mole was placed perfectly, neither too high nor too low, adding a finishing touch to the face—a feature that invited many daydreams and fantasies.
As soon as he saw that mole, Chen Zemian finally understood who he had become.
Lu Zhuonian’s loyal little follower, Chen Zhe!
If Lu Zhuonian is the most handsome and carefree male character in the whole novel, then Chen Zhe is the most beautiful — and the most tragic — male character.
The original text gives a lot of description about Chen Zhe’s appearance. To capture his beauty, the author even quoted an ancient phrase: “His red silk is as splendid as flowers; his enchanting face is like jade.”
Chen Zhe was born into a very low status — an illegitimate child who could never appear openly in society. He suffered endless b*llying from a young age. However, because he was good-looking and had a knack for reading people and knowing how to behave, he was able to charm the young masters and eventually worked his way into Lu Zhuonian’s circle.
He knew the young masters looked down on him, so he worked twice as hard to please them, being diligent, obedient, and always at their beck and call. But the young masters never truly regarded him as one of their own.
They ordered him around, made fun of him, mocked him, and humiliated him.
The reason Chen Zhe suffered all this in the story was, incredibly, because he was too good-looking, which triggered dissatisfaction among some readers.
In the chapters where Chen Zhe appeared, readers left a flood of comments:
[The male lead’s followers should either have power, influence, or wealth. Why is this Chen Zhe allowed into the prince’s circle just because he’s good-looking? Totally messed-up values, reporting this.]
[The stupid author is promoting appearance anxiety. Disgusting.]
[Lu Zhuonian is supposed to be a decisive, cold, and steady man in power. Yet he lets a useless pretty face into his circle just because a friend brought him along? Serious logical flaw, totally contradictory character setup.]
[I can already imagine how this Chen Zhe will drag down the protagonist later. I really don’t see the point of writing such a frustrating plotline.]
[Chen Zhe, just because he’s a pretty boy, manages to climb the social ladder without any effort? Completely twisted values. Negative points.]
After receiving a large amount of criticism, the original author of the novel tried to appease the readers by adding a new chapter overnight, explaining that the young masters only found Chen Zhe amusing and never considered him a friend. The author also added scenes where the young masters looked down on Chen Zhe and teased him.
This chapter not only appeased the angry readers but also unexpectedly garnered many tips.
Thus, the author, seemingly having figured out the key to traffic, frequently used Chen Zhe as a punching bag in the following chapters.
Chen Zemian, now in the body of Chen Zhe, couldn’t understand why someone would endure so much unjust malice just for being good-looking.
When he was breaking down the structure of the novel, he had specifically marked this part with a question mark.
Later, during a meeting, his colleagues laughed and said, “Of course, Director Chen wouldn’t understand why those people would be triggered by it, given how handsome he is.”
Chen Zhe really didn’t understand. Even now, he still couldn’t grasp it.
The numerous benefits that come with high attractiveness are countless, but no one had ever b*llied him for his looks.
So why did Chen Zhe have to bear such treatment?
As Chen Zhe stared at his reflection in the water, he cursed all the young masters who had b*llied Chen Zhe in the novel.
He wasn’t as easy to b*lly as Chen Zhe. He had strength and methods to deal with things.
Just as Chen Zhe silently vowed, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from the end of the corridor and immediately turned to look.
It was a tall, handsome man.
Seeing that it wasn’t Xu Shaoyang and the others, Chen Zhe relaxed his guard and smiled friendly.
*
Lu Zhuonian took a step and turned around the corridor, seeing Chen Zhe squatting by the koi pond, looking up at him with a suspicious and uneasy expression, his eyes full of wariness.
He slowed his pace slightly, raised his hand, and signaled to the bodyguards behind him to stop following.
Chen Zhe hadn’t been in the elite circles for long; he was brought in by his friend, Xiao Kesong.
Xiao Kesong often went to a hotel to dine, and Chen Zhe worked there. Sometimes, they would run into each other, and Chen Zhe would help him park. Over time, they became familiar.
Xiao Kesong thought Chen Zhe was beautiful, clever, and interesting, but anyone with a discerning eye could tell that Chen Zhe was deliberately flattering him.
Someone had investigated and found that Chen Zhe had given the security guards benefits in advance. Every time Xiao Kesong’s car arrived, the guards would inform Chen Zhe, creating the illusion of a coincidence.
Xiao Kesong wasn’t bothered by it and said, “That’s why I say he’s clever.”
There were many people who approached others with ulterior motives. To be able to make Xiao Kesong willingly hang out with him was a skill in itself.
Lu Zhuonian hadn’t spoken much to Chen Zhe.
They weren’t familiar.
The prince circle of Beijing, with Lu Zhuonian at the helm, was famously difficult to enter. The same few people always circulated in and out, and suddenly, a new face appeared, which stood out.
Outsiders all assumed that Chen Zhe had attached himself to Lu Zhuonian. People like Xu Shaoyang were too troublesome to deal with, so they picked on Chen Zhe instead.
A person like Chen Zhe wasn’t worth Lu Zhuonian personally intervening, but Xu Shaoyang’s actions were truly despicable. If Lu Zhuonian didn’t show up today, others would imitate his behavior in the future, and Chen Zhe would never have a peaceful day again.
Although Lu Zhuonian wasn’t particularly kind-hearted, he couldn’t remain indifferent and watch someone suffer an unjust disaster because of him.
Especially Chen Zhe… he didn’t seem like the type who could handle being b*llied well.
He stood out a bit too much.
In the world of fame and fortune, beautiful faces were the least scarce thing.
Lu Zhuonian had seen many beauties, but compared to Chen Zhe before him, they still seemed a little inferior.
Perhaps it was because Chen Zhe was drunk, but he looked different from usual.
He seemed even more eye-catching.
He turned to look at himself, his back tense, his eyes bright and dazzling, yet his gaze was unfocused, like he was lost in a fog—dazed and distant, his cheeks and the corners of his eyes faintly flushed.
About half a second later, Chen Zhe suddenly smiled at him.
Lu Zhuonian’s Adam’s apple moved slightly.
Indeed, he was different.
Previously, Chen Zhe would often smile at them, but those smiles were cautious, flattering, beautiful but fake—nothing like the lively and genuine smile he wore now.
When Xiao Kesong talked about Chen Zhe, he often said this person was exceptionally beautiful and pleasant to look at.
Lu Zhuonian didn’t quite agree when he saw him later, thinking it was just so-so.
But seeing him again today, he had to admit that Xiao Kesong was right.
He really was a pleasure to look at.
Especially after just seeing those ugly things like Xu Shaoyang and Wu Xu, Lu Zhuonian found Chen Zhe much more pleasing to the eye.
Of course, Xu Shaoyang wouldn’t tell Lu Zhuonian that his bodyguards had been beaten to a pulp by Chen Zhe. He only gritted his teeth and said Chen Zhe ran away, then sarcastically muttered, “Young Master Lu really has a big hand, bringing so many people just to save a little lackey.”
Lu Zhuonian glanced at Wu Xu’s head, which was bleeding, and thought to himself: For someone as cautious and meek as Chen Zhe to be driven to smash a wine bottle over someone’s head — just how far must Xu Shaoyang have pushed him?
“They forced alcohol on you?” Lu Zhuonian’s voice was slightly cold as his gaze lingered on the wine stains on Chen Zhe’s shirt for two seconds. “Did they make a move?”
Chen Zemian slowly turned his eyes at the sound of someone speaking to him, but his gaze remained unfocused.
The man had patience and asked again, “Did they make a move?”
Chen Zemian was like a computer starting up slowly, and after a long pause, he finally spoke a single word: “No.”
Lu Zhuonian found it somewhat amusing and asked in a statement-like tone, “So Wu Xu smashed his own head open?”
Chen Zemian nodded forcefully, answering firmly, “Yes.”
“You’re drunk,” Lu Zhuonian concluded Chen Zhe’s state in two sentences, raising his hand to signal for the bodyguards behind him. “I’ll send someone to take you to the hospital for a check-up.”
Of course, Chen Zemian wasn’t going to go with strangers. After a moment’s pause, he stared at the tall and handsome man in front of him, and finally remembered to ask, “Handsome, who are you?”
Lu Zhuonian ignored Chen Zhe’s question and instructed the bodyguards, “Take him to the hospital.”
The bodyguard stepped forward, nodding, “Understood, Young Master Lu.”
Young Master Lu?
Hearing this title, Chen Zemian suddenly froze, sobering up quite a bit. “Lu Zhuonian?!”
He’s Lu Zhuonian?
Just then, a phone rang.
Lu Zhuonian glanced at his phone, turned, and walked through the corridor, finding a quiet spot to answer the call.
It was Xiao Kesong.
“Zhuonian, did you get him?” Xiao Kesong, having learned that Chen Zhe had been taken by Xu Shaoyang’s people, initially planned to come find him in person. But since he had something at home and couldn’t leave, he asked his friend Lu Zhuonian to handle it. After waiting for news, he became a bit anxious. “Is Chen Zhe okay?”
Lu Zhuonian replied, “He seems fine.”
Although Xiao Kesong had known Lu Zhuonian for a long time, it was still hard to judge Chen Zhe’s condition from just three words. “I just called him, but he didn’t pick up.”
“He’s drunk,” Lu Zhuonian paused before adding, “He’s completely out of it.”
“I’m not out of it.”
A beautiful face, still carrying the scent of alcohol, suddenly appeared, peeking over Lu Zhuonian’s shoulder.
Lu Zhuonian’s fingers tightened around the phone, his pupils slightly constricting in shock as he turned his face to look at Chen Zhe, whose head was almost pressed against his phone.
Chen Zemian squinted, trying to focus his eyes to meet Lu Zhuonian’s gaze, and repeated, somewhat displeased, “I’m not out of it.”
Lu Zhuonian: “…”
On the other end of the phone, Xiao Kesong heard Chen Zhe’s voice and called out, “Chen Zhe?”
Chen Zhe, a bit confused, hummed in response. He vaguely heard someone calling his name and continued to lean in closer to the phone, pressing his ear directly against Lu Zhuonian’s finger.
Lu Zhuonian felt like he had been burned, slightly shuddering, his back involuntarily stiffening as he didn’t know how to react.
No one had ever gotten this close before.
Lu Zhuonian disliked physical contact with others. People he was familiar with wouldn’t get this uncomfortably close, and those he wasn’t familiar with didn’t even have the chance to come near him.
So how did Chen Zhe get so close?
Where were the bodyguards?
