Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Ning Yuyi could feel the piercing sunlight drenching his body. The damp sweat on his skin roused him from his slumber.

Due to oversleeping, the harsh light pouring in from the window made it difficult for Ning Yuyi to open his eyes. He raised an arm to shield himself from the majority of the brightness, only lowering it when his eyes adjusted. He then began to survey his surroundings.

"Huh, isn't this a hospital?" Contrary to his expectation of pristine white everywhere, the room was awash with shades of light grey and blue.

Ning Yuyi's eyes widened in surprise.

Having fallen from such a great height on the wire harness, did they not even bother to admit me to a hospital? Is the production team really that stingy?

Seriously? They could afford to pay that second-rate actor with terrible acting skills, who relies solely on editing, tens of millions, but they couldn't spare a few ten thousands to get me to a hospital?

Frustrated, Ning Yuyi clenched his fists and thumped the mattress before hastily getting up to examine the room. "This isn't my house either. Is it a hotel? Wait, something's off... have I gotten shorter??"

Eager to confirm his suspicion, Ning Yuyi pushed open the bathroom door and rushed to the mirror. However, he froze upon seeing his reflection.

Is... is this my face?

Although the features were largely similar to his own, the porcelain, smooth skin, a more perfect facial structure, and fluttering lashes - due to his agitated state - made him look more like a refined young master.

Ning Yuyi remained rooted in front of the mirror for a long time before finally snapping back to reality. He scoured the bedroom, trying to find some clues, eventually fixing his gaze on a piece of paper on the bedside table.

Written on the white paper in bold black letters was - "You will find the parallel version of yourself."

Parallel version of myself?

Ning Yuyi picked up the note, only to discover an ID card underneath it.

The ID card was issued three years ago, and the face on it appeared even more youthful than the one he'd just seen in the mirror.

Gazing at the face that resembled his yet seemed superior in every way, and noticing the identical birth date, Ning Yuyi fell into deep contemplation, eventually pinching his own cheek.

"Ouch, it hurts. This isn't a dream."

"So, I've... transferred to a parallel"

"dimension,"

"inhabiting another version of myself?"

"What happened to the original me? Did I die falling from the harness?"

Ning Yuyi closed his eyes, and, in an attempt to calm his racing heart, lay back on the bed.

……

The next morning, as the first light of dawn streamed into the room, Ning Yuyi, with his hair tousled, looked up blankly at the window.

After collapsing onto the bed yesterday afternoon, memories began to flood his mind. He spent the entire night organizing them, realizing that much of what he remembered was strangely familiar.

To be more precise, he had encountered these memories in written form.

It was a novel he had been following in his original world. Due to sharing the same name with a minor character in the story, Ning Yuyi had even left a supportive comment for the author. Unexpectedly, this minor character was written off in a comical manner by Chapter 5, merely serving as a stepping stone to accentuate the protagonist.

Comical

in its absurdity.

Out of indignation, Ning Yuyi removed the novel from his reading list. However, after stewing for a few days, he let it go. It was only later, during a random social media scroll, that he realized the protagonist, Yu Sihan, had successfully shed his nouveau riche image, entered the elite circles of Haimarket, and rose to the top of the entertainment industry, all while becoming a tycoon.

Seeing this outcome, especially given the mindless disparaging of characters in the first five chapters, Ning Yuyi was so nauseated he couldn't even eat dinner.

Yet, now he found himself transmigrated into this novel. Judging by the timeline, he hadn't yet encountered the grown-up protagonist.

"Thankfully, all is not lost. I'll be sure to keep a safe distance this time." After some contemplation, Ning Yuyi decided to leave the entertainment industry and abandon the acting skills he had honed over the years.

No choice really; self-preservation was paramount. While the protagonist had the protective aura of being the chosen one, Ning Yuyi wasn't willing to take blows with his vulnerable self.

Having made up his mind, Ning Yuyi straightened out his clothes, headed to the bathroom for a bath, changed into pajamas, and then ordered some takeaway.

While waiting for his food, he recalled the details leading up to his death.

The harnesses used by the production team were repeatedly checked for safety. Both the director and producer were apprehensive about accidents; it wasn't likely they had plotted against him, and it was too coincidental for the equipment to malfunction.

However, that co-star from his agency, who had always been disdainful of him, once sarcastically remarked during a makeup session, "What's the use of all that acting skill when you're just playing a minor character with barely 10 minutes of screen time in the whole production?"

He hadn't taken that comment seriously at the time. But now, recalling that co-star's smug expression before he went on the harness, everything clicked.

Damn it! He identified the culprit but couldn't

exact revenge.

！

Annoyed, Ning Yuyi ended up devouring two bowls of rice that evening.

The next morning, while Ning Yuyi was still groggily brushing his teeth, his manager's call came through.

"Ning Yuyi, did you see the message I sent you?!!" The moment Ning Yuyi answered, Zhou Erhe's furious voice blasted from the other end.

Startled, Ning Yuyi moved the phone away and waited for the yelling to subside. "What message? I just woke up."

"When are you going on set?!" Zhou Erhe's newly regained composure exploded once more after Ning Yuyi's response.

Ning Yuyi pondered how to break his decision of quitting to Zhou Erhe.

Sensing Ning Yuyi's prolonged silence, Zhou Erhe's anger began to wane, replaced by concern. "Look, I know it's hard, especially after your sudden fall from the harness. It's clear someone tampered with it. And Director Zhang refuses to pursue it, while the agency isn't backing you up."

Zhou Erhe grew more agitated as he spoke, "I blame myself for not being able to do more. If not for a few branches breaking your fall, you would've been bedridden for at least a month. I'll find the saboteur responsible."

"What are you doing with your hair?" Ning Yuyi finished brushing his teeth, wet his hand and ran it through his hair. "Director Zhang isn't acting on it, probably because he doesn’t want me stirring up issues on set. If we keep digging, he’ll definitely deal with us first."

After hearing Ning Yuyi's words, Zhou Erhe opened and closed his mouth, unsure of what to say. In the end, he was so frustrated he nearly cursed.

"By the way, Brother Zhou, how much longer is left on my contract with the company?"

"Two years. Why?" Zhou Erhe replied, slightly confused.

"Just wondering," Ning Yuyi paused thoughtfully, then casually added, "How much is the penalty for breach of contract? I've forgotten most of the details from when I signed it."

"Why are you asking about the penalty?" Zhou Erhe became instantly alert. "Are you thinking of breaking the contract?"

"I... I was just asking," Ning Yuyi answered awkwardly, trying to quickly steer the conversation elsewhere. "What did the production team say?"

"Don't change the subject on me," Zhou Erhe, noticing Ning Yuyi's unease, initially wanted to reprimand him, but considering Ning Yuyi's recent entrance into the entertainment industry and the issues he's faced, he softened. "Your penalty is 6 million, as your contract isn't of a high tier, so that's the minimum penalty."

Ning Yuyi calculated how long it would take him to earn 6 million if he left the entertainment industry. After finishing, he leaned on the sink, "Brother Zhou, trust me, I was just curious."

"When are we going back to the set?" Zhou Erhe tactfully moved past the topic. "Director Zhang gave you a week off, and it's only been three days."

"Let’s go back tomorrow," Ning Yuyi said, watching the water slowly drain in the sink, storing away the issue Zhou Erhe mentioned in his mental notebook.

"Alright, I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Get some rest. We don’t need to rush back to the set if you’re not feeling well."

"Mm." Ning Yuyi felt the genuine concern Zhou Erhe had for him. It felt foreign yet warm to him, having grown up in an orphanage.

After hanging up, Ning Yuyi returned to his room and took the note from his bedside table into the bathroom. He carefully wet it, making sure the words were completely blurred, before leaving.

Regardless of whether his actions were driven by the note’s message, he wouldn't let it divert the direction of his life.

It's just a change of environment.

The early summer breeze in Haimo City was a bit chilly. Wearing only a short-sleeved shirt, Ning Yuyi felt goosebumps as the wind brushed against him.

Sneezing again, Ning Yuyi finally stopped in front of a coffee shop and went inside.

"A latte, please," he ordered, then found a corner seat and began scrolling through his phone.

If he couldn't afford the penalty, then leaving the entertainment world wasn’t an option. He’d need to plan his future in the industry carefully.

Ning Yuyi stayed in the coffee shop all day, only leaving when the night fully set in.

Walking under the neon lights that stretch across the city, I head towards the house labeled "Ning Yuyi."

A word from the author:

I'd like to recommend a preview from my buddy!

"Inheriting a Mansion After Being Reborn as Cannon Fodder" — by Shan Se Youwu.

Yan Jing had always considered himself fortunate.

Having been accepted into his dream university with excellent grades, and despite the early loss of his mother, he was warmly welcomed by his stepmother after being taken back home.

But it wasn't until his father's death, when his stepmother revealed her true nature and destroyed all he held dear, that Yan Jing realized it had all been an illusion.

On the brink of death, he was miraculously saved by an old college friend, Lu Bingyou, who sacrificed his own life in the process.

After managing the affairs of Lu Bingyou's untimely death, Yan Jing found himself reborn.

He was back to being sixteen, just starting college, newly accepted into his father's house. His stepmother had yet to show her true colors, and Lu Bingyou was still alive.

Yan Jing then devised a plan:

First: Maintain his disguise while waiting for the right opportunity to expose his stepmother.

Second: Lu Bingyou was his dearest friend. He would cherish him, treasure him, and do right by him at every turn.

The first plan progressed smoothly, but the second took an unexpected turn: something was off with Lu Bingyou.

After waking from a car accident, Lu Bingyou found himself back to when he was eighteen, the year he first met Yan Jing.

That year, he had fallen for Yan Jing at first sight, but due to Yan Jing's reserved nature, he had chosen to silently watch over him from the shadows.

Now, he recognized the Yan Jing before him as the man who, years later, would cradle a severely injured Lu Bingyou in his arms.

And to Lu Bingyou's surprise, this Yan Jing, far from his usual shy demeanor, approached him and casually remarked, "Long time no see."