The Ultimate Glow-Up Guide for Straight Men - Chapter 1

“Hey, do you know Shen Zhinan?”

“Shen Zhinan? The one who’s always chasing after the school hunk, the legendary ‘ultimate licking dog’?”

“That is him, that is him! He is a regular guest on the ‘licking dog’ bot, and his legendary exploits have spread throughout A University. Alphas fall silent and Omegas weep when they hear them. He makes all of Gu Yunshen’s other pursuers look like amateurs.”

“I heard he even stole Gu Yunshen’s underwear. He is a total creep!”

“Holy crap! That actually happened? Tell me more, tell me more!”

“I also heard it from someone else. It was that day…”

At this point, the hand Shen Zhinan was using to shake a cup of milk tea came to a halt.

The voices of the two girls grew quieter as they gave up their loud conspiring. They pressed their ears together and began whispering in low voices.

“Sigh, is that for real?” he thought. Did the “Shen Zhinan” of this world really do those things?

As the “licking dog” himself in these gossip stories, Shen Zhinan found everything these girls were saying to be incredibly foreign. This was because he was not the original “Shen Zhinan” of this world at all.

About two months ago, Shen Zhinan arrived in this world due to a car accident. At first glance, this world seemed very similar to his original one, but upon closer inspection, there were many differences.

For instance, the concentration of gay men in this world was a bit too high, and there seemed to be quite a few lesbians as well. He could not help but wonder where the army of heterosexuals had gone. Had he landed at “Bent Man’s Wharf”?

Later, he gradually figured out how things worked. The gender system in this world was very different from his original world. There were six genders here. Besides the primary genders of male and female, there were secondary genders: Alpha, Beta, and Omega.

The “Shen Zhinan” of this world was a male Omega. He looked exactly like the original Shen Zhinan, and their life circumstances were also very similar. Both were orphans, both were sophomores, both were computer science majors, and both had almost no friends.

What broke Shen Zhinan’s composure the most was that they were both poor.

When he saw the 532 dollars and 48 cents in the original Shen Zhinan’s bank account, his temples throbbed. He immediately went out to find a part-time job at a milk tea shop. He wondered if he had come to this world, perhaps the original “Shen Zhinan” had gone to his world. He had 38,652 dollars left in his account, so that “love-brain” version of himself would at least not starve to death. The rest would depend on his own luck.

Over the past two months, he had tried his best to blend into this world discreetly, learning about “Shen Zhinan” from various sources. Unfortunately, “Shen Zhinan” was not a low-profile person at this school.

He liked the school hunk, Gu Yunshen, and was his number one simp. He started “licking” shortly after entering the university, continuing from freshman to sophomore year, from the Hundred Flower Garden to the March Bookstore. Shen Zhinan had heard so many glorious stories that his ears were growing callouses.

Listening to these stories, he did not know what was true and what was fake. Many things get distorted as they are passed around, and only the people involved know the truth. The current “involved person” knew nothing and was just as shocked by the gossip as any bystander.

Regardless, the fact that “Shen Zhinan” liked Gu Yunshen was likely true. Shen Zhinan felt quite helpless about this. It turned out the original “Shen Zhinan” was also gay.

“One Mango Pomelo Sago and one Matcha Four Seasons Spring. Please enjoy,” Shen Zhinan said as he placed the milk tea on the girls’ table with his eyes cast down.

The two girls glanced at him and politely said, “Thank you.”

Shen Zhinan thought to himself: “I should be the one thanking you for letting me hear such juicy gossip.”

He pulled at his mask, making sure his face was carefully covered. This face of his carried too many stories.

As twilight fell, the afterglow of the setting sun shone into the back row of the No. 857 bus. Shen Zhinan’s profile was plated with a faint golden hue. He pulled out a stack of test papers from his backpack and began grading them.

This was his second part-time job. He had found work as a tutor, and these were the papers he had assigned to his student last week. He had to explain them to the student tomorrow morning. He was relieved that the mathematics and physics systems were the same in both worlds.

Shen Zhinan finished grading the papers very efficiently, just as the bus reached his stop. As soon as he got off, he started jogging. His destination was a private club.

This was his third part-time job. Having grown up as an orphan, Shen Zhinan was used to planning for a rainy day. In his previous world, he also worked many jobs. He once accidentally overheard his roommate giving him a nickname: The Legendary Part-Time King.

In Shen Zhinan’s view, no matter which world you are in, having no money is a terrifying thing. Only the cold numbers in his bank account could give him a sense of warmth.

Shen Zhinan entered the staff changing room through the back door of the club. Opening his locker, he took off his plaid shirt. A full-length mirror was stuck to the locker door.

In the mirror, Shen Zhinan’s skin was as white and delicate as fine mutton-fat jade. Because he had arrived at a run, sweat dripped from his chin, hit his collarbone, and continued to slide down his lean waist before disappearing.

Shen Zhinan changed into the uniform, a deep purple satin shirt. The deep purple color made his already pale skin look almost dazzlingly white. A small nameplate was pinned to the left side of the chest.

After changing, he took a mask from the top of the locker and put it on. This was a feature of the club; both guests and servers wore masks. After all, the name of this club was “Mask.”

Shen Zhinan walked out of the dressing room and began his work for the day. He needed to work until 2:30 AM. Union University did not turn off the lights or lock the dorms at night, which made him very satisfied. At his previous university, the lights were turned off and the dorms were locked after midnight. He used to have to give many gifts to the dorm manager to get him to leave the door unlocked.

Shen Zhinan saw his colleagues gathered together discussing something in low voices. He pretended to pass by and pricked up his ears to listen.

“Do you know who that person in the center of booth K13 is?”

“Who?”

“Fu Yanshi!”

“The legendary founder of Fengyuan Technology?”

“That is him! He is incredibly generous. Tips start at four digits! He also bought a lot of wine!”

Shen Zhinan’s heart skipped a beat. He went to the top shelf of the wine cabinet and took down a very expensive bottle. He quickly searched for the basic information of the wine online.

“Rose Memories, produced in…” Shen Zhinan read through it once and had a general idea. This was a good opportunity to make money.

The manager had said that if they sold a bottle from the first row of the wine cabinet, they could get a 10% commission. Shen Zhinan did not truly expect to sell it, as a six-figure price tag for a single bottle made it a difficult sell. However, it was always worth a try. If you try, you might not succeed, but if you do not try, you definitely will not. You have to take a gamble to turn a bicycle into a motorcycle.

Shen Zhinan carried the wine to booth K13. About a dozen people were sitting on the sofa in the center of the room. It was not hard to see that the Alpha sitting in the very center was the highest-ranking person in the group. Even with a mask on, one could tell the Alpha was very handsome. This was likely Fu Yanshi.

Under the dim light of the room, the Alpha’s sharp jawline and straight nose were still clearly visible. Occasionally, colorful lights swept across his face, revealing a pair of deep eyes. The Alpha wore a well-tailored black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing an incredibly luxurious watch. He held a cigarette in his hand and was chatting nonchalantly with the people around him.

Shen Zhinan’s gaze lingered on Fu Yanshi’s watch for two seconds before he walked over to the sofa. He recited a series of formulaic sales pitches. Although his words were addressed to everyone in the room, his body naturally leaned toward the man in the center. His eyes were also fixed on him.

Fu Yanshi seemed to sense something. He looked up and met Shen Zhinan’s eyes. Meeting his gaze, Shen Zhinan immediately seized the opportunity and began to introduce “Rose Memories.” He recited every bit of information he had just read about the wine, word for word.

Having a photographic memory was Shen Zhinan’s talent.

Fu Yanshi casually looked Shen Zhinan up and down. The Omega in front of him was thin with long limbs. The collar of the deep purple shirt was slightly large, revealing a patch of dazzlingly white chest. The mask covered half of the Omega’s face, leaving only a gracefully lined chin and full lips visible. This “hiding behind a pipa” look actually added a bit of charm.

The Omega stood very straight while holding the wine. He spoke very quickly and introduced all the information about the wine in a serious, methodical manner. He did not even stop for a breath from beginning to end, sounding a bit like he was reciting a textbook.

Fu Yanshi’s fingers tapped on his leg in time with the rhythm of the Omega’s speech.

Finding the robot-like behavior of Shen Zhinan interesting, Fu Yanshi raised an eyebrow slightly. He looked at He Yanzhou, who was sitting to his right, and took a puff of his cigarette with a half-smile:

“Do you guys hire rappers here now?”

This club was actually co-owned by He Yanzhou and a few friends. Today’s gathering was held to welcome Fu Yanshi, who had just returned to the country.

“Why? Are you interested?” He Yanzhou glanced at the Omega and then back at Fu Yanshi with an ambiguous tone.

Fu Yanshi did not reply to that. However, when Shen Zhinan saw the two of them looking at him with mysterious smiles, he paused for a moment, looked at Fu Yanshi, and asked, “Did I explain something incorrectly?”

Shen Zhinan mentally reviewed his pitch, confirming he had introduced the wine exactly according to the data.

“No, you explained it quite well.” Fu Yanshi leaned back lazily on the sofa, looking up at Shen Zhinan. “You look quite young. Why are you working here?”

“I am working here because…” Shen Zhinan thought to himself that this was a perfect opportunity. He began to brew his emotions, projecting three parts bitterness, three parts desolation, and four parts grief. “My father is a hopeless gambler who lost all the family’s money. Recently, my mother fell seriously ill, and my younger sister is still in school. I had no choice but to drop out of school to find work.”

Shen Zhinan committed fully to the act, even managing a slight choke in his voice.

A gambling father, a sick mother, a student sister, and a broken version of himself. In this world, your identity is whatever you decide to give yourself.

After hearing this soulful self-narration of his life story, Fu Yanshi remained silent for a long time. Suddenly, he stood up and approached Shen Zhinan.

His tall figure loomed over Shen Zhinan, forcing the Omega to tilt his head back to maintain eye contact with the Alpha. At this distance, he could smell a very pleasant scent on the Alpha. It was a crisp, woody tone mixed with a hint of frost and snow. It was very unique, and Shen Zhinan found it quite comfortable.

“Hey, did you know? Just a moment ago, another Omega told me the exact same story,” Fu Yanshi whispered playfully into Shen Zhinan’s ear.

Shen Zhinan’s lip twitched slightly.

Dammit! A miscalculation! He had accidentally chosen a cliché persona!

Fu Yanshi noticed that Shen Zhinan’s ears were visibly turning bright red. He took the wine from Shen Zhinan’s hand and changed his tone. “I will take the wine.” Fu Yanshi patted Shen Zhinan on the shoulder with a faint, lingering smile. “Try a different script next time.”

Fu Yanshi sat back down on the sofa, returning to his lazy and leisurely posture.

“Ding!”

The crisp sound of clinking gold coins echoed in Shen Zhinan’s mind. A brilliant smile bloomed on his face. “Sir, thank you very much! I wish you a pleasant evening.”

He actually sold the wine! Shen Zhinan scurried away with light steps. His entire being was a vivid interpretation of the lyrics: “Today is a good day.”

“The servers here,” Fu Yanshi stared at Shen Zhinan’s departing back, rubbing his fingers twice against the wine bottle and laughing, “are quite lively.”

Seeing him like this, He Yanzhou propped his chin in thought. Suddenly, his expression shifted, and he stood up to leave the private room.

Because Shen Zhinan sold the “Rose Memories,” the manager was very happy. He specifically went to the staff breakroom to find him and transferred 20,000 dollars to him right then and there.

Shen Zhinan was somewhat surprised. This was not just 10%; it was 20%.

Since he had not earned the extra amount, and because the manager’s own rule was 10%, Shen Zhinan did not accept the full payment.

“Manager Zhu, this is not according to the rules,” Shen Zhinan said. “Just give me 10,000.”

However, the manager said to Shen Zhinan, “Xiao Ming, this little bit of money is nothing. You completed such a massive order; you deserve this.”

Wang Xiao Ming. This was the fake name Shen Zhinan used. When out and about, especially in a place like this, Shen Zhinan had no intention of revealing too much personal information.

He had claimed to be a high school dropout who couldn’t find a suitable job. When the manager hired him, he saw his good looks and put him to work immediately. At the time, Shen Zhinan already felt he would not stay here long.

“I really don’t need it.” Shen Zhinan instinctively felt something was wrong. This manager was usually stingy; why was he being so generous today?

He had already felt that he shouldn’t stay here, and since there is no time like the present, he planned to take the 10,000 he was owed and resign. Shen Zhinan transferred 10,000 back to the manager.

“Manager, I found a job hauling bricks at a construction site, so I won’t be coming here anymore,” Shen Zhinan said.

The smile on the manager’s face stiffened. He placed an overly familiar arm around Shen Zhinan’s shoulder. Shen Zhinan’s brow furrowed slightly. The manager was covered in fat and smelled heavily of tobacco. Shen Zhinan found it repulsive. He hated it when people touched him casually.

“Xiao Ming, I will be straight with you. a guest has taken a liking to you. He will give you this much per month.” The manager gestured a number.

Shen Zhinan’s frown deepened. As expected, how many good people could there be in a place like this? It was indeed a very substantial figure. He loved money, but that did not mean he liked “dirty” money. Besides, he could earn it himself; he did not need this.

“Manager Zhu.” Shen Zhinan slapped the manager’s hand away. He knew that if this deal went through, the manager would receive a hefty kickback. The manager was acting as a pimp.

“I will be straight with you as well,” Shen Zhinan’s voice turned cold. “I do not agree. You should find someone else.”

As soon as Shen Zhinan finished speaking, he tried to pull open the door of the staff breakroom to leave. However, just as he opened it a crack, a towel was suddenly pressed over his nose and mouth from behind.

Shen Zhinan struggled violently, but the towel was soaked with drugs. He quickly lost consciousness.

Fu Yanshi felt he had had enough to drink. He settled the bill and planned to head out first.

Seeing him about to leave, He Yanzhou suddenly tucked a room card into Fu Yanshi’s shirt pocket. “Old Fu, it is late, so don’t bother traveling. I have set up a room for you upstairs in the club. You can go straight up to rest.”

“So thoughtful?” Fu Yanshi said suspiciously. “Since when did you become so considerate?”

“Just get out of here!” He Yanzhou laughed and cursed.

“Fine, thanks.” Fu Yanshi did not decline. His villa in the suburbs was over an hour’s drive from here; it was indeed a bit of a hassle.

Inside the elevator, Fu Yanshi rubbed his temples. Since a moment ago, his right eyelid had been twitching. He wondered if he had stayed up too late and was just tired.

The elevator stopped at the top floor.

Beep.

He pushed open the door, and a heavy floral scent rushed toward him. Was it… Hibiscus?

The room was pitch black. It was very quiet eerily quiet, one might say.

Fu Yanshi inserted the room card into the slot. The moment the entire room lit up, he saw an ashtray flying toward his head.