I Really Am a Scumbag Bottom [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 4

With that, Zhou Hetian stomped off in a rage. Chi Zhao watched his retreating back, feeling utterly perplexed.

The next period was Ideology and Ethics. The teacher arrived, but few students were actually paying attention. Having already taken this course in his previous life, Chi Zhao wasn’t in the mood to listen either.

He sought some sympathy from the System.

“He has such an explosive temper. I didn’t even do anything wrong, so why is he cursing me?”

System: “…”

【He’s not cursing you; he’s telling the truth. That senior, Duan Bo, is the crown prince of the Duan family—their future heir. The Duan family’s power is on par with the Li family’s. Offending him never ends well.】

Chi Zhao remained unfazed. “So what? I’m the heir to the Li family too.”

【Brother, you’re a fake; he’s the real deal.】

Chi Zhao fell silent for a moment. “Then what do you think I should do?”

【Don’t keep asking me. This is your mission. You are Qi Yuan now; you need to roleplay him properly. Think about what his personality is like and what choices he would make.】

Chi Zhao recalled Qi Yuan’s life story. After a moment of contemplation, he answered: “He wouldn’t have rejected Duan Bo’s invitation at all. He would have played both sides—maintaining a facade of being a good, obedient boy in front of Li Yihan while flirting shamelessly with Duan Bo.”

【There you go, kid. You’re getting the hang of this!】

Chi Zhao nodded thoughtfully. “Should I give him another call, then?”

Though Chi Zhao personally disliked those hedonistic venues, he was on a mission. Thinking of the 10 Success Points waiting for him, he felt a bit of sacrifice was necessary.

【No need. After you hung up, Duan Bo let out three cold sneers. He’s currently plotting exactly how to ‘teach you a lesson.’】

Hearing this, Chi Zhao imagined a scene straight out of a TV drama where the school bully drags him into the bathroom, snaps a finger, and has his lackeys shove Chi Zhao’s head into the toilet.

The reality was that until school let out, no one came to pick a fight with him.

The contract between Li Yihan and Qi Yuan spanned five years. During this time, the Li family covered Qi Yuan’s room and board, and Li Yihan provided a monthly salary. Once the contract ended, Li Yihan would pay him a large lump sum, and they would go their separate ways.

In the meantime, Qi Yuan only needed to attend certain functions required of an heir—shareholder meetings, charity galas, press conferences, and the like. For the rest of the time, he was free to do whatever he pleased.

Currently, Qi Yuan had only appeared within the Li household and at a few small gatherings. Most people knew Li Yihan had adopted an heir, but few knew the boy’s name or what he looked like.

Chi Zhao emerged from the subway and strolled leisurely toward the villa. While someone drove him to school, he took public transport back since his dismissal times varied.

This area was a district of luxury vacation villas, bordered by a park. As Chi Zhao walked along the sidewalk near the park, he suddenly stopped.

He stood still, listening intently to a faint sound. Following the noise, he soon pulled a tiny, orange ginger kitten out from the bushes.

Chi Zhao was shocked. “So small! How did you get in there? Where’s your mommy?”

He searched the area but found no other cats. Squatting on the ground, Chi Zhao felt torn. The weather was getting colder; a kitten this small wouldn’t survive out here. But if he took it home, what if Li Yihan refused to let him keep it?

Remarkably, the kitten wasn’t afraid of humans. It was after 5:00 PM, and a cool evening breeze was picking up. Fearing the cold, the kitten huddled closer to Chi Zhao’s hand. Sensing the warmth of his fingers, it tilted its head and rubbed its ears against him.

Chi Zhao’s heart was instantly captured by that soft, fuzzy sensation. He checked his surroundings to ensure no one was watching, then steeled his resolve and scooped the kitten up.

Cradling it carefully in his arms, he smoothed down its ginger fur and whispered, “Be good. Big Brother is taking you home. There’s another Big Brother there, so you have to be extra cute when we get back. That’s the only way you’ll get to stay.”

The kitten obviously couldn’t understand him, but hearing Chi Zhao’s voice, it let out a tiny, obliging squeak. Hearing that weak meow, Chi Zhao beamed. “That’s a ‘yes,’ right? Let’s go, let’s go. I’ll get you some milk when we get home.”

The System, watching the whole thing: “…”

Carrying the kitten, Chi Zhao’s steps were notably lighter and more cheerful. He didn’t notice a car parked by the roadside behind him. Only after he had walked a fair distance ahead did the car start its engine again.

Li Yihan had another property near his company where he usually stayed. However, remembering Qi Yuan’s request from the day before, he figured that since his workload was light today, he might as well head back. Who would have thought he’d witness this exact scene on the way home?

The black Rolls-Royce soon overtook Chi Zhao. Watching the boy grow smaller in the rearview mirror, Li Yihan’s expression became increasingly unreadable.

Before entering the house, Chi Zhao tucked the kitten into his backpack. His plan was to smuggle it upstairs and care for it secretly for a while before asking Li Yihan for permission. However, he had barely taken two steps inside when he saw Li Yihan leaning against the bar, drinking water.

Chi Zhao froze, immediately starting to stammer. “M-M-Mr. Li! Why are you back?”

Li Yihan arched an eyebrow. “This is my house. Am I not allowed to be here?”

“Haha,” Chi Zhao laughed dryly. “Of course you are. You’re busy, so I’ll head upstairs now.”

He tried to make a run for it, but just as he was about to pass, Li Yihan reached out with practiced ease and snagged his backpack. Forced to a halt, Chi Zhao heard Li Yihan ask before he could even turn around, “Why is your bag moving?”

Failure at the first hurdle.

Chi Zhao engaged in some somber self-reflection while pulling the impatient kitten out of the bag. After a pause, he whispered, “I found it on the side of the road. It was trapped in the bushes. I think it lost its mother.”

Finished, he looked up, pursing his lips as he gazed at Li Yihan.

Chi Zhao and the kitten had almost identical expressions—pitiful, “if-you-don’t-want-me-you’re-a-big-meany” looks. Li Yihan held his water glass, his fingers twitching slightly, yet his face remained unmoved. “You want to keep a cat?”

Chi Zhao’s eyes lit up instantly. “Yes! Don’t worry, I’ll take full responsibility for its food and cleaning. I won’t cause you any trouble at all!”

Li Yihan’s gaze finally shifted from Chi Zhao’s face to the tiny kitten. After a long silence, he flicked his eyes back to Chi Zhao. “I let you keep the cat—so what do I get out of it?”

Chi Zhao was stunned. “There has to be a benefit?”

“Naturally,” Li Yihan’s voice was as clear and cold as spring water. “I am a businessman. You’ve heard the saying: ‘A merchant never rises early without a profit in sight.'”

Chi Zhao thought for a moment. “It can play with you.”

“I don’t like playing.”

“You can pet it.”

“I have no interest in furry creatures.”

A cat only has so many uses. Chi Zhao wanted to say it could increase Li Yihan’s sense of happiness, but looking at the man, he suspected the retort would be “I don’t need happiness.” After a long silence, Chi Zhao asked tentatively, “Then what do you want? Just say it—I’ll do anything within my power.”

Li Yihan lacked for nothing. Anything he actually wanted, Qi Yuan couldn’t possibly provide. Uncle Zhang, polishing silverware nearby, felt Qi Yuan was just wasting his breath.

But Li Yihan looked Chi Zhao up and down and spoke leisurely: “Rank first in your year.”

Chi Zhao didn’t catch on at first. “What?”

“Rank first in your overall end-of-term grades. A GPA of 4.0 or higher, and you can keep the cat.”

Chi Zhao was stunned for a long time. “But finals aren’t until January. What about until then?”

Li Yihan set his glass on the bar. “You can keep it for now. But if you don’t achieve those grades, you can say goodbye to it.”

With that, Li Yihan gave a small smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll have Uncle Zhang find it a good home.”

Chi Zhao: “…”

How ruthless. After raising it for months, he’d definitely be attached. If it were sent away then, wouldn’t his heart break?

Li Yihan walked away with long, effortless strides. Chi Zhao turned dazed toward Uncle Zhang, who was pretending to polish the silver. His expression was small, pitiful, and helpless.

Uncle Zhang set down his work and walked over. After racking his brain for a long while, he finally managed a word of comfort: “It’s alright, Young Master. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. If the worst happens, I’ll just take the cat to my house. That way, if you miss it, you can visit anytime.”

Wait a minute. Can no one have a little confidence in my IQ and my ability to study?