Chapter 1: “Rotating Love and Devotion”
Jin Yanliu had a dream.
In the dream, he found himself possessed, with his soul feeling displaced and helpless. He could only watch as someone else took over his body, enjoying his life and squandering his wealth. His loved ones became the impostor’s loved ones, his friends became the impostor’s friends, and the men in his bed kept changing one after another.
In the final moments of the dream, he found himself climbing onto the bed of a young man.
The man had a narrow waist, broad shoulders, a strong and well-defined back, and an exquisite muscular physique. The impostor climbed on top and turned the man over, revealing a cold and handsome face with a faint scar visible above his right eyebrow.
“Damn!”
Jin Yanliu suddenly opened his eyes and sat up from the sofa.
It was still raining outside, an unexpected summer downpour. The strong wind pressed against the heat, causing the flowers outside the floor-to-ceiling windows to sway and tremble.
The once flourishing flowers were instantly disfigured and ruined.
He felt that his current situation was similar to the fate of those flowers outside.
Jin Yanliu, known for his divine looks and immense wealth, had become a sensation at the young age of twenty. His life as a prodigy had just begun when he received a shocking notification from something called the “Love and Harmony System,” informing him that he was actually living inside a novel.
“Rotating Affections,” a boys’ love stock market novel that sounded quite discordant just from its name.
A stock market novel, as the name suggests, allows readers to speculate on any male character in the story, as there is no predetermined couple.
Such stories usually possess two characteristics:
Firstly, the protagonist must be a heartthrob, loved by everyone.
Secondly, there will be highly dramatic and exhilarating conflicts.
“Rotating Love and Devotion” was precisely such a novel.
This story has gained immense popularity among readers. The male lead was described as beautiful, pure, and seemingly fragile. Despite supposedly being “pure and innocent,” he unknowingly seduced all the influential figures in the story, who competed to engage in explicit scenes with him. Forced encounters in secret rooms became a recurring theme, where one relationship ended and another began.
The comment section was filled with avid readers: “Ah, it’s so twisted and thrilling, but I love it!”
“Sob, what should I do? I like this suitor, and it seems like I like that suitor too!”
“Only children need to choose one. I can have them all. Dear author, should I let them all be together?”
Jin Yanliu: “…”
If discovering that he was living in some sort of novel wasn’t tragic enough, the even more unfortunate part was that it was a transmigration novel. And to make matters worse, Jin Yanliu was the pitiful protagonist who had been transmigrated.
“Darling,” the Love and Harmony System’s Xiao AI called out softly, “Darling…”
“Shut up,” Jin Yanliu snapped.
“Darling, getting angry won’t solve anything,” Xiao AI continued, “It has been two days already. It’s time to accept reality! In the harmonious socialist society, there are certain explicit things we can’t discuss. Therefore, our Love and Harmony System has initiated a transformation project. Let’s turn this disharmonious stock market novel into a story of socialist brotherhood!”
“Can you change my fate of being transmigrated?” Jin Yanliu furrowed his brow and asked.
“…No, we can’t,” the small AI responded.
“Then why are you wasting your breath?” Jin Yanliu retorted.
“Don’t you care about yourself being manipulated like this? Have you not considered the well-being of your loved ones? Given the later degenerate personality of the impostor, do you think your elegant and virtuous younger brother, your good friend, can escape unscathed? You may not be aware of the purpose of this novel, which is to ensnare all outstanding men in the clutches of an irresistible heartthrob!”
Jin Yanliu fell silent, feeling a surge of frustration.
“Darling, there’s still half a year before you are transmigrated, so you still have a chance to put a stop to all of this,” Xiao AI offered, “But it seems you need more time to process this information. I will go offline for now. If you need anything, simply say ‘Hello, Xiao AI,’ and I will be back online to assist you!”
With a “beep,” the annoying voice disappeared from Jin Yanliu’s mind.
He tilted his head back and downed the remaining liquor in his hand, tossing the bottle to the ground before slumping back onto the sofa.
The storm outside continued to rage, causing the plants and trees in the courtyard to sway. Amidst the fluttering flower petals, raindrops splattered against the window, quickly obscuring the view and leaving behind a damp, reddish haze.
Jin Yanliu remained on the sofa for a while, lost in his thoughts. Suddenly, a cough could be heard from outside, followed by the sound of the door being pushed open. The gusts of wind and rain swept into the room as his assistant, Xiao Pangzi, entered, panting heavily. He closed the door behind him.
“The rain outside is really heavy,” Xiao Pangzi remarked, wiping his glasses and putting them back on. He glanced at the scattered bottles and cans on the floor. “Yanliu Ge… How much alcohol have you consumed?” he asked with concern.
Jin Yanliu, who normally abstained from alcohol and tobacco, had been secluding himself indoors and consuming one bottle after another these past couple of days.
He set down the food he had bought and tidied up the table. Jin Yanliu sat up, his hair jet black, his slender and strong body fair-skinned. Due to his posture, his scapula protruded, and he turned his head with a slight furrow in his brows. His face, tainted by the color of alcohol, had an unnatural flush, adding a touch of enchantment to his features.
The entertainment industry was never short of handsome men, but it was rare to come across someone with divine looks like Jin Yanliu.
Xiao Pangzi still vividly remembered the shock of seeing Jin Yanliu in person for the first time.
It happened in the hallway of the company when he went for an interview. Just as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw a group of people surrounding Jin Yanliu, who was walking towards him. Clad in a black suit, he seemed ethereal and otherworldly, casually rolling up his sleeves while lifting his brows to give Xiao Pangzi a faint glance. The real-life beauty of that noble and graceful appearance seemed to pierce through him more forcefully than on the screen, leaving him speechless and stunned.
With his majestic bearing and elegant countenance, Jin Yanliu became the face for all male leads in romantic novels from that day forward.
“Yanliu Ge, stop drinking. We have an event tonight,” Xiao Pangzi advised.
Tonight, Love and Style Magazine was hosting a charity banquet, and a significant number of celebrities from the entertainment industry would be attending. With his soaring popularity, Jin Yanliu was set to walk the red carpet alongside the magazine’s chief editor.
But Jin Yanliu was in no mood to attend any event now. “Tell them I’m sick and can’t go out.”
Xiao Pangzi had already anticipated this.
Jin Yanliu had been visibly off these past few days.
However, despite asking several times, Jin Yanliu hadn’t revealed what had happened. Xiao Pangzi knew about Jin Yanliu’s temper and didn’t dare to pry at such a time. He simply said, “Alright, I’ll inform Fei Ge and the others. Rest well and stop drinking.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Jin Yanliu opened another bottle of liquor with a loud “pop.”
Love and Style Magazine was the top fashion magazine in the country, and their charity banquet had become the annual grand event of the entertainment industry. Even before the red carpet began, various entertainment news outlets were already buzzing. Once news broke that Jin Yanliu would be absent from the charity banquet, it immediately became the hottest topic online.
Four years ago, during the summer, the twenty-year-old Jin Yanliu shot to stardom with a campus drama. Riding a bicycle under lush flowering trees, he became the “chosen beautiful boy” in the hearts of netizens. He was like a shooting star, becoming immensely popular overnight. His popularity reached its peak in the past two years, and his fans covered half of the entertainment industry. Every move he made caused a tremendous uproar.
While this man, who was trending due to his absence from the charity banquet, was the subject of intense online discussion, he was already completely intoxicated.
Xiao Pangzi gently closed the bedroom door.
Jin Yanliu was in such a state of drunkenness that Xiao Pangzi couldn’t help but worry. He planned to stay the night here.
Just as he was about to call his family to let them know, he saw a light shining directly through the French windows in the courtyard. Soon after, he spotted a car slowly pulling in.
He paused for a moment, then hurried over. It was still raining outside, and as he pushed open the
A black Bentley came to a stop in the center of the courtyard, its headlights shining brightly, illuminating the fine raindrops falling. The driver, dressed in a black suit, was the first to step out of the car. He hurriedly ran to the back and opened the rear door, holding an umbrella.
A young man emerged from the car, dressed in gray suit pants and a white shirt. His figure was remarkably cool and upright, as if enveloped in a mist of pine trees. The dim light under the black umbrella made his fair and superior features stand out.
Xiao Pangzi immediately shouted, “Yang Ge!”
Zhou Beiyang, the younger brother brought by one of Jin Yanliu’s stepmothers, was a young man in his early twenties who had just made his debut this year. He was the new rising star with extraordinary momentum this summer.
Zhou Beiyang walked straight over and asked, “Where’s my brother?”
“He’s in the bedroom, just went to sleep,” Xiao Pangzi replied.
“What did the doctor say?”
Xiao Pangzi hesitated for a moment, then suddenly understood the meaning behind the question and hastily said, “Yanliu Ge isn’t sick, he’s just in a bad mood and drank too much.”
Zhou Beiyang furrowed his brows slightly. “What’s wrong with him?”
Zhou Beiyang’s voice sounded particularly cold, and Xiao Pangzi was a little afraid of him. “I’m not sure, he didn’t tell me…”
Zhou Beiyang glanced at him, his eyes sharp and majestic. Without asking anything else, he went straight inside. Xiao Pangzi turned his head and glanced at the driver outside, nervously scratching his neck.
Jin Yanliu and Zhou Beiyang, the two brothers were like precious flowers and jade trees.
However, the two of them were completely different types. If Jin Yanliu was a dazzling and handsome man, then Zhou Beiyang was a different kind of handsome—a true scion of an entertainment industry aristocratic family. He had a cold, pale complexion, was tall and thin with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. There was a hint of aloofness and severity about him.
Zhou Beiyang had a peculiar temperament. He was famously cold, like a white poplar standing tall in the northern wind. With his privileged background, no one dared to provoke him, further cultivating an aura that kept people at a distance.
But that was in front of others. In front of Jin Yanliu, he was an entirely different person—gentle and considerate, capable of extreme tenderness.
The most memorable moment was when he had just become Jin Yanliu’s assistant. On one occasion, he came here to deliver some documents and saw Zhou Beiyang sitting in the courtyard, talking to someone. The other person, dressed in formal attire, seemed like a junior executive, but they stood there with lowered brows and a submissive posture. Zhou Beiyang had a gloomy expression, and his tone and expression were quite intimidating.
But everything changed when Jin Yanliu came out. Zhou Beiyang immediately stood up from his chair and smiled at the sleepy Jin Yanliu, saying, “Awake already? Did we disturb you?”
He transformed into a refined and elegant person, like a glacier melting into clear spring water, completely different from his previous demeanor.
They were like the legendary two-faced people and chameleons!
He later discovered that this was the norm—Zhou Beiyang appeared cold in front of others but was equally warm towards Jin Yanliu.
Jin Yanliu was a young master with little self-care ability, while Zhou Beiyang perfectly complemented him with a maturity beyond his years. They privately referred to him as the “spoiling brother fanatic.” It was said that Zhou Beiyang even squeezed toothpaste for Jin Yanliu every day, showcasing an astonishing level of attentiveness.
With Zhou Beiyang by his side, Jin Yanliu didn’t need any assistants.
Since Zhou Beiyang had returned, Xiao Pangzi planned to leave. Before departing, he took another glance at Jin Yanliu in the bedroom. Jin Yanliu had a terrible sleeping posture, often kicking off the covers and sprawling at the head of the bed. Meanwhile, Zhou Beiyang was currently covering him with a blanket.
“Well, Yang Ge, I’ll go back now,” Xiao Pangzi whispered.
Zhou Beiyang nodded in response.
Xiao Pangzi quickly left the room, not wanting to stay in the same place as Zhou Beiyang.
The wind blew so fiercely that he could barely hold his umbrella, while Zhou Beiyang’s driver continued to shield him with the umbrella, standing tall and composed in the courtyard. Xiao Pangzi nodded at him and hurriedly made his way to his own car, wiping off the rainwater. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind—shouldn’t Zhou Beiyang be preparing for his concert right now?
He had heard that Zhou Beiyang rushed back from across half the city because Jin Yanliu was sick, right?
Glancing at the terrible weather outside, he once again marveled at the deep bond between the two brothers.
Jin Yanliu woke up drowsily, realizing it was already the late hours of the night. A full moon hung in the window, casting its gentle light into the room.
He noticed someone crouching at the bedside, and when that person saw him awake, they abruptly stood up, displaying a hint of panic.
Looking from bottom to top, he observed a white collar, a prominent Adam’s apple, and then a very familiar face.
It was Zhou Beiyang.
The moonlight blurred their figures slightly, and in his groggy state, Jin Yanliu felt as if he was dreaming.
Immediately, he dropped his gaze, reaching out to grasp Zhou Beiyang’s collar. “Xiao Yang, big brother is in such a miserable state, damn it!”
Zhou Beiyang’s features appeared slightly blurred as he asked, “What happened?”
His voice remained as deep and gentle as ever.
Jin Yanliu felt that everything about the novel “Rotating Love and Devotion” must be false.
The novel depicted his younger brother’s character as “a sickly, paranoid, and repressed lunatic.”
Where was his younger brother sickly? Where did he resemble a lunatic?
He was clearly the most gentle and sensible person.
Jin Yanliu mumbled hesitantly in his heart, “Hello, Xiao Ai.”
Just then, a “ding dong” sounded, and Xiao Ai came online, saying, “Hey, darling!”
Damn it!
It wasn’t a joke.
Jin Yanliu instantly felt a surge of sadness. Zhou Beiyang turned on the bedside lamp, and the sudden brightness made him squint slightly as he reached out his hand towards Zhou Beiyang.
Over the past few years, Zhou Beiyang had grown to 186 centimeters, tall and robust. Even when crouching down, he still had to tilt his head slightly. They were so close that Jin Yanliu could even see the scar on Zhou Beiyang’s eyebrow clearly.
Jin Yanliu grabbed the back of Zhou Beiyang’s neck, as if confessing his last words, and said with a heavy tone, “Xiao Yang, if in the future…”
Jin Yanliu found it hard to express his thoughts.
If I were to seduce you, please hold yourself back and scold me for being shameless.
Just the mere thought of it made him feel like he was about to be struck by lightning!
Jin Yanliu’s gaze turned blank, and he said sorrowfully, yet vaguely, “I will always be your older brother, and you… you should always be my good little brother, okay?”
His slender and warm fingers tightened slightly as he held onto Zhou Beiyang’s neck.
Author’s Note:
This story shares a similar style with its sister piece, “The Love Rival Becomes Beautiful Every Day,” but the plot and characters here will be more intense and extreme. Expect a mix of drama and sweetness, with the story becoming progressively more serious as it unfolds.
The protagonist is a stunning beauty with exceptional acting skills, shining brightly throughout. Their carefree and dazzling presence will lead to great success in both their career and love life!
Let’s embark on this new journey together. XOXO.