CEFYMA: Chapter 1

TL: Hi everyone, welcome to the first of four new projects that I have been preparing! A lot of my current novels are close to finishing, so I’ve been working to get new novels translated for everyone to read. This is the first one I’m releasing, and its another modern one, but there is a range of genres among the other three, be sure to check them out when they are released in the next few weeks or so.

For this one, I’ve been working on it with a close translator friend of mine, Rainbow Turtle, whom I’m sure most of you know. For those of you who don’t know her, be sure to check out her site, Rainbow Reads. It has a lot of people’s favorite danmei on it.  It’s a pleasure to have her helping me with this one.

—“It’s on fire! Call the firefighters!”

The crackling sound of tongues of fire was heard in his ears. The fire was rampantly devouring all combustible objects, approaching step by step.

You Mian’s sight was covered by thick smoke, and tears fell uncontrollably. The irritating smell rushed into his nasal cavity along with the lingering smoke. He felt a sense of suffocation.

Death was so near.

Fate grabbed him by the throat, slammed him into the ground, and mocked him wantonly.

You Mian suddenly felt bored and tired when recalling what he wanted in this life.

The family and friendship he once longed for were finally revealed at the moment of death.

It turned out to be such a cheap and disguised thing.

You Mian closed his eyes and thought indifferently, ‘I don’t want it any longer.’

The gorgeous and extravagant villa of the You family collapsed in an accidental fire. There were no serious injuries and only one death.

Breathe.

Take a deep breath.

You Mian frowned tightly. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and he saw his chest rise and fall violently. The clean and elegant air was inhaled into his nose. Suddenly, the young man opened his eyes.

The dark red furniture of a study came into view. The fragrance of orchids wafted in the air, warm and peaceful.

The noisy screams of the crowd and the terrifying sound of the countdown to death in the fire disappeared in an instant. There was no dancing fire in front of him, let alone the choking, thick smoke.

This was actually the You family’s study that hadn’t been engulfed by the fire.

The fear of death still echoed in You Mian’s heart. But before he could come to his senses, You Jiyuan’s serious voice entered his ears.

“Do you agree to help Xiao Lin?”

The silent and rigid atmosphere of the study was broken by the man.

“I have read the variety show script. It is also good for young people to enter a relationship. The main thing is that Xiao Lin wants to go. Go accompany him.”

You Jiyuan sat behind the two-meter-long Siamese rosewood desk with a stern face. His expression when he looked at You Mian was very cold. He wasn’t so much a father as a selfish and exploitative boss.

You Mian clenched the arm of the wooden chair and was silent. He was stunned for a few seconds before trying his best to calm his emotions. He wondered what was going on.

He was obviously dead… but now he went back in time and sat in the study of the You family.

The accidental fire occurred after You Mian refused You Jiyuan’s conditions. It also swallowed all his future.

But in the few seconds when he was on the verge of death, You Mian discovered that the world in which he existed was just a book.

The protagonist of the novel was the real young master, Bai Lin, who was taken back to the You family on the day of his coming-of-age. Meanwhile, he was the jumping clown who set off the protagonist everywhere.

All those You Mian thought were his family and friends turned against him the night Bai Lin was brought back. The speed in their change of attitude was shocking.

Everyone started to accuse You Mian of occupying the magpie’s nest and taking away Bai Lin’s happy life.

The content of the book also revolved around Bai Lin. You Mian hurriedly looked through it and found that he didn’t die in the fire in the original novel. He disappeared without a trace after participating in a romance variety show and being squeezed out of his last bit of value.

Then at this moment, You Mian found that he had actually returned back in time, returned to this place that he was extremely disgusted with.

The boy sat silently in the study with downcast eyebrows and eyes. His curly black hair mixed with a bit of chestnut brown fell on his fair forehead. His nose was turned up, and his lips were thin. He had a very eye-catching appearance.

After all, it was a child he had raised for over ten years. Seeing You Mian’s shocked expression, You Jiyuan thought that the conditions were too harsh. He rarely opened his mouth to explain it. “The You family’s things originally belonged to Xiao Lin. Now that he has returned, returning all the equity under your name to Xiao Lin is…”

Before You Jiyuan could finish speaking, the distracted You Mian suddenly looked up. He stared directly at the old man behind the desk and said coldly, “It is as it should be.”

You Jiyuan looked at You Mian in surprise. He wasn’t annoyed that he was interrupted halfway through his words. Instead, he felt a bit surprised.

There was silence in the study for a few seconds. Then You Jiyuan controlled his expression and said lightly, “It’s good that you know it.”

“You have to think about the variety show and the competition.” You Jiyuan coughed a few times before continuing, “Don’t be too jealous. What is yours is yours. You can’t grab something that doesn’t belong to you.”

You Mian sat on the chair and felt extremely complicated when he heard these words. Why did everyone think he was going to snatch things?

In his previous life, You Mian apologized to Bai Lin under the explicit or implicit accusations of others, retreating step by step and giving way step by step.

It wasn’t until You Jiyuan proposed to let Bai Lin replace You Mian in the art competition that You Mian realized how absurd it was.

However, the last straw that crushed You Mian was the truth behind the You family’s adoption of him which was mentioned in the novel.

It turned out that from beginning to end, he was just a dispensable choice. The people he called his parents for over ten years regarded him as a pawn.

A pawn that protected Bai Lin from the outside world.

No wonder why he had been kidnapped countless times as a child and had brushed shoulders with death many times.

When You Jiyuan and Bai Peilan rescued him by paying the ransom, was the joy in their eyes due to You Mian’s safe return, or were they thinking it was fortunate that Bai Lin wasn’t kidnapped?

You Mian closed his eyes and slowly exhaled. Maybe it was excitement, or maybe it was surprise, but his fingers were trembling.

After being reborn, he didn’t want to dwell on these things any longer.

“I agree to your conditions.” You Mian opened his eyes and stood up. He stared straight at You Jiyuan, but there was no envy or longing for his father’s recognition in his eyes.

You Jiyuan was stabbed by You Mian’s gaze. For some reason, the muscles of his face trembled, and his eyelids twitched.

The words he originally wanted to say couldn’t be spoken. You Jiyuan was stunned for a few seconds before saying, “That is just right.”

Meanwhile, You Mian deliberately stood there and waited for a while after he had finished speaking his previous words.

The situation of You Jiyuan slamming the door angrily after being refuted by him in his previous life didn’t happen, so even the fire a few minutes later didn’t appear.

The copper-colored hour hand on the glass cabinet of the study was passing minute by minute. The choice led to the result, and the last trace of anxiety in You Mian’s heart completely disappeared.

“I can agree to all the conditions you promised,” You Mian said calmly as he walked to the desk. He no longer called You Jiyuan by ‘Father.’

Due to his posture, You Jiyuan sitting behind the desk had to raise his head to look directly into You Mian’s eyes.

The You Mian at this moment wasn’t the same as before. You Jiyuan was puzzled, but if he really thought about it seriously, he couldn’t pick out what was different.

You Jiyuan narrowed his eyes and waited for You Mian’s follow-up.

You Mian raised his hand to open the contract in front of You Jiyuan. Without waiting for You Jiyuan’s reaction, the young man immediately pulled out a pen from the pen holder and signed his name on the equity transfer contract.

It was without hesitation.

“I will leave here and leave the You house.”

There was a soft click, and the gilded pen lid was placed back over the nib. You Jiyuan couldn’t help his heart skip a beat when he heard this sound.

“What do you mean by that?” You Jiyuan frowned and asked.

You Mian closed the contract folder and smiled very softly. There wasn’t the slightest bit of aggression, but it was enough to make You Mian stunned.

“I mean that I know you have tampered with the adoption process in the beginning.”

“We won’t have anything to do with each other any longer.”

You Mian’s eyes curved very shallowly, and he said, “Goodbye, Mr You.”

You Jiyuan’s eyes widened, and he wanted to hit the table. However, for some unknown reason, he could only hold the equity transfer contract with shaking arms while remaining motionless. His expression was overly surprised and annoyed. Then he returned to his senses.

“You…! Stop!” You Jiyuan shouted at the top of his voice.

You Mian took a few steps to the door of the study. He opened the door before turning around and saying softly, “I never owed Bai Lin an apology, but he owes me a thank you.”

You Jiyuan’s voice was very loud in the study, and it soon attracted the housekeeper, Wang Mao.

The middle-aged man with the hooked nose rushed over quickly with small steps. After seeing You Mian, Wang Mao’s expression was extremely indifferent. It was as if he was looking at a spare part for the You family.

The other person’s annoyed expression was so obvious that in the past, You Mian always avoided having too much contact with this housekeeper.

Now everything was different.

You Mian didn’t stop at all and walked straight down the stairs.

You Jiyuan behind him was shouting at Wang Mao. “Stop him! Everything is turned upside down!”

Once Wang Mao heard this, he changed directions from the study. He turned around and caught up with You Mian.

You Mian walked down to the first floor and saw Bai Lin and Yan Tingxuan sitting in the dining room and eating.

The atmosphere was quiet. It seemed that the sound of the argument upstairs hadn’t reached here.

A thin man in a haute couture white shirt sat on a soft high stool, holding a knife and fork and elegantly cutting a steak. Next to him was a handsome, noble man in a black suit.

After hearing the sound of footsteps, Bai Lin looked up. Yan Tingxuan, who was eating with him, also turned his head when he heard the sound. Then his gaze paused.

Bai Lin’s voice was very deliberate. It was surprised and contrived.

“You Mian, you’re home as well.” Bai Lin looked at Wang Mao anxiously standing behind You Mian. He frowned and said at a loss, “Uncle Wang is too busy and might’ve forgotten you. He only prepared one portion for lunch. Haven’t you eaten yet?”

Yan Tingxuan didn’t say a word. He sat next to Bai Lin with his chin propped up. The boredom in his eyes was fully displayed, while the black eyes under his thick eyebrows were slightly focused. It was as if he was thinking about how to refuse if You Mian stepped forward to talk to him.

Yan Tingxuan was the most dissolute young master among their group of friends. He was often ridiculed as a well-dressed beast.

If he took on cases for his law firm, Yan Tingxuan was always sure to win. He was a rich and noble son with a sharp edge. But it was a mess once people delved into his love life.

However, that was already the past. Now Yan Tingxuan followed Bai Lin step by step, as if he was infatuated. Even so, no one would say anything when they saw it.

You Mian didn’t understand why outsiders always distorted the relationship between him and Yan Tingxuan into ambiguity and a scandal. He had also tried to explain it to Yan Tingxuan.

But once a rift occurred, it was difficult to recover.

Now You Mian didn’t want to save this friendship.

So facing Bai Lin’s deliberate provocation, You Mian just lowered his eyes casually. His expression was calm.

You Mian’s overly beautiful appearance spread as early as when he was in school. It was a time when he and Yan Tingxuan were still good friends.

The young man avoided Wang Mao’s attempt to pull his hand. His eyes narrowed and his sparkling eyes lifted as he spoke indifferently and distantly, “Don’t touch me.”

This sound not only stunned Wang Mao, but also made Yan Tingxuan and Bai Lin feel a bit surprised.

You Mian had always been gentle and smiled at everyone. There were rarely such cold words.

After Bai Lin returned, everyone discovered You Mian’s jealousy and scheming. They hadn’t expected that You Mian would even discard this last degree of politeness.

Seeing this, Yan Tingxuan lowered his eyes and said coldly, “You Mian, Uncle Wang isn’t someone you can throw tantrums with at will.”

Bai Lin added timidly, “Uncle Wang, You Mian might just be in a bad mood. He didn’t mean it.”

Wang Mao had been the housekeeper of the You family for half his life. He was called an uncle in terms of seniority, and he put on the airs of an elder.

He hadn’t expected You Mian to dare be so arrogant today.

Before Wang Mao could frown, You Mian changed his shoes and said while looking sideways, “I am in a bad mood, but it is also intentional.”

The atmosphere instantly froze.

Yan Tingxuan frowned. The tall and strong man got up impatiently and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

You Mian’s amber eyes blinked. The coldness dissipated a bit as the young man put on his familiar soft smile of the past. However, his words were still cold.

You Mian didn’t even look at Yan Tingxuan as his eyes swept over the figure in white.

“Bai Lin.” You Mian smiled very calmly and said, “I won’t play with you.”

TL: Rainbow Turtle.

White Lily

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