I Became the Darling of the Wealthy Through Gossip - Chapter 1

“Thud!”

With a dull sound, Qi Beichen rubbed the back of his aching head. He peered outward; it was pitch black, with only a sliver of light leaking through a gap in the center.

Damn, where is this?

He reached out to touch the surface. It was icy cold—and “hiss…” his fingertip felt a sharp sting. Following the dim light, he saw a fruit knife lying on the floor.

Just moments ago, he had been asleep in bed. How could he have rolled over and ended up inside a wardrobe? Could he possess some kind of earth-escaping superpower?

Through the gap in the wardrobe doors, he saw someone on the bed.

There is actually a person here.

The lighting was insufficient, casting dark grey shadows across the room. This was definitely not his bedroom. As his fingertip touched the wardrobe door, he recoiled, but peeked out again through the slit.

He slowly slid the wardrobe door “Shhh…” a subtle sound and, stooping, picked up the fruit knife. He crept out on tiptoe. The person on the bed was breathing steadily and hadn’t even turned over. He moved inch by inch along the edge of the wardrobe. Just as his fingers were about to touch the doorknob, a wave of unease washed over him, and a deep, low voice sounded in his ear: “Qi Beichen, you’re dead.”

He was startled, turning just in time to lock eyes with the man on the bed.

In that instant, his hair stood on end, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. When did this man wake up?

The man rolled out of bed and walked toward him, saying, “At this hour, do you think anyone will pass by?”

“Qi Beichen, Father may have recognized you and brought you home, but he hasn’t kicked me out. You may be the ‘true young master,’ but so what? After twenty-four years, you’re no match for me. It’s best you stop struggling.”

Qi Beichen froze in place. True young master? What does that mean?

“There is a kind of love that transcends blood relations.”

A scene suddenly flashed through his mind: several days ago, while working the night shift at the hospital, he had passed the time by reading a “true vs. fake young master” novel on his phone. He had only flipped through a few pages. Could it be that he had transmigrated after reading just that?

The bedroom door had been left ajar, and it creaked open a little wider.

“Click, click.”

“Brother Beichen, I don’t need the title of young master. I didn’t mean to compete with you.”

A man grabbed his sleeve, pulling a distinct crease into the fabric, and managed to force out a few tears. “The guest room is a bit small, and Mom and Dad are just finishing up your room. Besides, we aren’t real brothers. You… you shouldn’t be in my bedroom, especially not dressed like this.”

Qi Beichen looked down at his attire: a cool white T-shirt that barely covered his thighs, leaving his long, fair legs exposed as he stood barefoot on the floor.

Footsteps approached from outside. Qi Beichen tried to slip away, but the man grabbed him even tighter. “Brother Beichen, you’re holding a fruit knife. You wouldn’t be… Brother Beichen, I can leave this house, just please give me a way to survive. I just can’t bear to leave this family, to leave Mom and Dad.”

Qi Beichen was confused. What is this, a hallucination from lack of sleep? He closed his eyes and waited, but when he opened them, the surroundings remained unchanged. He looked at the man before him: tall, half a head taller than him, with sharp, regular features—he looked like a popular young idol.

“Listen, stay calm. I was just passing by and wanted to see what you were doing…”

“Then the fruit knife in your hand… and your clothes—this is hardly ‘just passing by’…”

The man’s hands trembled slightly, and he threw the fruit knife to the floor. It landed with a “clang” right by the door.

“What is going on? Why all the noise?”

“Beixing, it’s early morning be quiet.” The voice of a middle-aged woman drifted into the room.

The man smiled triumphantly at him, then opened the door. Like an actor changing masks, he immediately looked aggrieved, his head hanging low. “Mom, look—Brother Beichen appeared in my room early this morning. He’s improperly dressed and is holding a knife. Isn’t it obvious he can’t stand the sight of me and wants to…”

Qi Beichen’s brain raced. He observed the middle-aged woman: chestnut-colored wavy hair, impeccably groomed, wearing a luxurious purple silk robe.

“Beichen, what is the meaning of this?”

Qi Beichen’s mouth twitched. The original owner’s memories provided a prompt, and he quickly fabricated a reasonable excuse. “Beixing likes apples and eats one every morning. I came over specifically to cut one for him.” He pointed to the knife on the floor. “A kitchen knife is much sharper for cutting fruit than a bone-carving one.” He shrugged helplessly.

“That’s impossible! I locked my door last night. Besides, he… he climbed out of the wardrobe! He must have been lying in ambush there all night.”

Qi Beichen’s mind went blank for a second. Lying in a wardrobe all night? Did the original owner have some strange fetish?

“I was by the wardrobe because I admire your taste in clothes. They are very beautiful, and I wanted to learn from you. As you know, I grew up in an orphanage and have never seen so many nice things…”

“Your clothes even have a pleasant scent that I really like. Besides, we are brothers; it’s impossible that I would have any improper intentions toward you.” He shook his head.

Qi Beixing clung to the woman’s arm, his cheeks still pink from sleep, and he shot an unsatisfied glare at Qi Beichen. “Mom, look—Brother Beichen… the way he’s acting, it’s clearly intentional, Mom…” He looked wronged, his eyes rimmed with red as he sniffled.

Qi Mother glanced at the fruit knife on the floor and then at Qi Beichen’s disheveled state. She frowned slightly and patted Qi Beixing’s back. “Beixing, Beichen has already explained. You two must get along.”

Qi Beixing pouted and rolled his eyes at Qi Beichen.

“Alright, Beixing. It’s just a small misunderstanding; let it be. Your elder brother has just returned to the family and doesn’t know the rules yet. It’s normal. Don’t be so hot-tempered early in the morning.”

“I understand, Mom.”

“Beichen, go tidy yourself up. It really isn’t appropriate to be dressed like that. The designer will be here soon to customize suits for both of you for your homecoming banquet.”

Qi Beichen nodded. “Yes, Mom, I understand. I’ll go change immediately. And Beixing, I’m truly sorry for the misunderstanding.”

Qi Beichen picked up the fruit knife from the floor to take it with him. As he walked past Qi Beixing, he saw the murderous look in his eyes and heard him whisper a threat: “Qi Beichen, don’t get too smug. This is only the beginning.”

Qi Beichen finally exhaled once he stepped out the door. What was this? Other people transmigrate with golden fingers, but I transmigrate with a stainless steel kitchen knife. Truly authentic.

Following the original owner’s memories, he arrived at his room.

Wow. It was truly different. Qi Beixing’s room had been spacious, simple, and elegant. His own room, however, smelled damp as soon as he opened the door. The lights flickered and buzzed with a “crackle.” There was a 1.8-meter bed by the window connected to a small bathroom, and a full-length mirror. It looked like a storage closet that hadn’t been used in years.

Qi Beichen stood before the mirror and looked at the unfamiliar face: red lips, white teeth—the classic “pretty boy” look. He sat on the bed and realized the full story. As a surgical intern, he had developed a phobia of surgery after witnessing a professor perform an operation—he actually had blood-phobia! He had fainted right beside the operating table. Upon returning home, he had decided to sleep off his misery, never expecting to wake up here.

A few days ago, he had read a “dog-blooded” novel titled I Became the Darling of the Wealthy Through Gossip. He had hated how the fake young master had thrived while the true young master who shared his exact name had been miserable. And now, he had been snatched and dragged into this book.

He stretched his limbs. Hiding in that wardrobe really hadn’t been comfortable. There was a cross-shaped scar on his ankle; in the book, the true young master had used that mark to prove his identity.

If he followed the plot: the original owner had planned to frame the fake young master, but lacked the intelligence to do so. The fake young master was a master green tea, and at the banquet, he would push the “green tea” down the stairs, only to be kicked out of the Qi family. Bad ending. Full stop.

Memories flooded his brain, and an inexplicable chill crawled up his spine. What is this? Transmigrating into a cannon fodder character?

He remembered he had to get his suit customized, so he hurriedly rummaged through the travel suitcase on the floor.

“Bang…” The latch snapped, and round buttons rolled across the floor with a clatter.

Speechless. He was absolutely speechless. What kind of ancestor had he transmigrated into? So messy and brainless.

Qi Beichen crouched down to examine the clothes inside: flashy short-sleeved shirts, T-shirts with cartoon cat patterns. He had to admit, the original owner’s taste was… hard to describe.

He was just an empty vessel with a pretty face.

He dug to the bottom and found a white shirt that looked decent enough. He put it on and stood before the mirror. He had to admit, the boy’s figure was excellent—lean, muscular, and long legs. Since he was here, he wouldn’t just give up and be cannon fodder.

He would fight for everything that belonged to him, including the family fortune.

“Beichen, are you ready?” Qi Mother’s voice came from outside the door.

Qi Beichen shoved the suitcase hard under the bed. “Yes, Mom, I’ll be out in a second!”