SFBF CH1

When Shen Qing regained consciousness, it was noisy.

There was the sound of a TV, and also the crying of a child.

Blurry and indistinct, yet clearly audible.

But strange, hadn’t he fainted from overwork and fallen down the stairs? Even if it was noisy, shouldn’t it be the sound of rescue…

Could he have already been sent to the hospital?

Shen Qing subconsciously touched the back of his head. It hurt.

It hurt abnormally…

Wait.

As his consciousness cleared further, Shen Qing realized he wasn’t in a hospital.

On the contrary, he was currently sprawled on his back, legs splayed, on a stretch of marble tile.

The surroundings were spacious.

Though clearly indoors, there were no superfluous decorations. A complete monochrome palette; the marble floor before him was polished to a shine, spotless, even a bit glaring.

At the same time, some unfamiliar memories flooded into his mind.

Combining these memories, Shen Qing had a wondrous conjecture: perhaps, maybe, possibly, he had time-traveled.

Otherwise, what was with those memories?

And why did he know these two kids in front of him?!

…That’s right, standing opposite him were two children, one tall and thin, one short and chubby.

But they probably didn’t even reach his waist.

At this moment, the short, chubby little bean was crying his heart out, tears falling like free beans. He looked about four years old.

The taller one, overly thin and frail, looked about six or seven. He was shielding the little fatty while glaring fiercely in Shen Qing’s direction…

Needless to say, the person he was glaring at was Shen Qing himself.

Shen Qing: “…”

As an adult who, while not exactly a model citizen and occasionally mischievous, would absolutely never bully children, Shen Qing felt he didn’t deserve such a gaze.

But just as those waking up usually remember their last dream, Shen Qing’s mind was replaying some scenes:

Just a moment ago, “he” had been standing with hands on hips, roaring at these two kids in a particularly arrogant manner: “The doctors said your uncle will never recover, he’s a cripple!”

“So do you understand? From now on, I call the shots in this house!”

“You all have to listen to me!”

…

Shen Qing: ?

What kind of person would say such cruel things to two children?

Even more amazing was that the two kids opposite him weren’t pushovers.

Hearing those words, they quickly started grappling with “Shen Qing.”

Of course, even if two little beans attacked together, one thin and one short, logically they couldn’t beat an adult.

But the “self” in the memories was obviously weak too.

— “Shen Qing” was careless for a moment and got rammed by the three-or-four-year-old fatty like a little cannonball, sent flying backwards to smash the back of his head directly onto the marble tiles.

…

Then it seemed, he had transmigrated over.

Shen Qing rubbed the back of his head, feeling only more pain.

Physical pain was secondary.

Mainly, he had figured out that he hadn’t just time-traveled, but transmigrated into a book!

Transmigrated into a book as an important little cannon fodder with the same name, Shen Qing.

As an important ‘little’ cannon fodder, the character “Shen Qing” had very few scenes in the book.

…Few but crucial.

It could be said that without “Shen Qing’s” push, the second part of this book called New World couldn’t have been written.

New World was an old-school Danmei business war romance novel, telling the love-hate entanglements and conflicts of interest across several generations.

The protagonists of the first part were the current main Gong and Shou, while the villains were the Gu family, who had always been in commercial competition and cooperation with them.

The plot was currently at the point where the protagonist Shou, Shen Yuan’s family, the Shen family, wanted to send Shen Yuan to the Gu family for a commercial marriage to ensure the family’s survival.

But Shen Yuan had already secretly hooked up with the protagonist Gong; how could he abandon his true love to marry someone else?

For this, he sighed all day, depressed and unhappy, visibly haggard.

So, the lick-dog Shen Qing, who couldn’t bear to see his crush in such pain, volunteered to battle, replacing Shen Yuan to marry into the Gu family.

…

Standing from a reader’s perspective, Shen Qing had almost choked on his water when reading this part.

The ultimate love-brained lick-dog Shen Qing imagined: buying a gift for the goddess on Valentine’s Day and buying her boyfriend’s portion too.

That was the limit.

It couldn’t be more exaggerated.

Unexpectedly, there are always taller mountains and bigger dogs.

…There was actually someone who, so their crush could smoothly harvest love with someone else, volunteered to marry in their place and give themselves away!

…

Anyway, as a young man from a side branch of the Shen family, Shen Qing certainly couldn’t compare to Shen Yuan, but after raising his status a bit, the marriage could still be justified.

Seeing Shen Yuan really unwilling, the head of the Shen family finally agreed to let Shen Qing marry.

But the Gu family agreeing to marry the Shen family was a scheme in itself; the Gu family wouldn’t push out a highly competitive youth from the main family to unite with someone from the Shen family.

So the Gu family chose Gu Huaiyu.

—A young talent, yes, but one full of rebellion, extremely hard to control, and now on his last breath, a dying cripple.

In the original novel, “Shen Qing,” this love-brain, was infinitely gentle to the legitimate young master Shen Yuan, fawning and licking in various ways, but was not actually a good person with upright character.

Knowing the person he was marrying from the Gu family was dying, he was full of disdain inside, yet took advantage of the other’s serious illness to throw his weight around in their home.

During Mr. Gu’s serious illness, “Shen Qing” not only ordered servants around arrogantly as the young madam and spent the other’s money, but also secretly bullied and abused the two children in the house.

After Gu Huaiyu died of illness, “Shen Qing” completely let loose—frequently beating, scolding, physically punishing, and humiliating the two kids, and occasionally locking them in a small dark room in the name of discipline, starving them, not letting them go to school…

The goal was to drive the kids crazy before they came of age and send them to a mental hospital, then swallow Gu Huaiyu’s inheritance alone.

In the sarcastic words of a reader: Although lick-dog Shen Qing lost his love, he embarked on a career path!

Yes, that’s right, for “Shen Qing,” abusing children was his main job for the next few years.

“Brother, did he… um, call scam corpse?”

Just as he was breaking down while sorting through the memories and plot in his head, Shen Qing suddenly heard a soft, milky voice.

The questioner was the future Long Aotian villain.

At this time, he was only three and a half years old, at an age where he didn’t understand anything and couldn’t speak clearly.

But judging by his act of knocking over the original host single-handedly just now, causing his death, Shen Qing knew that although this was a little bun, he was a ruthless bun.

However, looking at the child whose big eyes were still tear-stained, blinking at him, clearly afraid but pretending to be strong, Shen Qing, even though he didn’t like children much, was charmed at this moment.

Speaking of which, this future little Long Aotian’s face was really round, and his eyes were really big.

Quite cute!

“Uncle didn’t scam corpse.” (Note: The child likely meant “zhàshī” – corpse reanimation/fake death, mispronouncing it as “zhàsī”.)

Remembering that Long Aotian kid didn’t cry in the face of the original host’s curses and humiliation, and just cried because he thought he had killed someone, Shen Qing’s impression of this kid wasn’t bad.

He comforted the kid: “Uncle is fine.”

To show he was fine, Shen Qing stopped rubbing his head and struggled to stand up from the ground.

On the other side.

On the third floor of the villa, Gu Huaiyu suddenly opened his eyes from the hospital bed.

Although only 26 this year, he was terminally ill.

The last time he was pushed into the emergency room was the week before last, and Gu Huaiyu had just come out of the hospital’s ICU not long ago.

Seeing him awake, the male nurse monitoring the instrument data immediately asked him: “Mr. Gu, you’re awake. How do you feel now?”

“What time is it?” Gu Huaiyu asked.

Being bedridden for a long time made his voice hoarse, but not unpleasant.

The nurse heard his question clearly, so while recording various instrument data, he answered: “It’s twelve noon now, sir.”

Hearing this, Gu Huaiyu raised his hand: “Help me… up.”

The person on the bed had a face as pale as paper, but a pair of eyes as black as ink, bottomless.

The nurse slowly turned the crank at the bottom of the bed, changing the person from a lying position to sitting up leaning back.

Gu Huaiyu pointed to the wheelchair in the corner again.

Meaning he wanted to get out of bed.

This made the nurse show obvious hesitation: “…Your current physical condition is not suitable for getting out of bed, besides this bottle of water hasn’t finished dripping yet…”

Gu Huaiyu’s answer was to directly pull out the IV drip from his hand.

Nurse: “…”

Gu Huaiyu looked handsome, but his expression and demeanor were consistently gloomy and cold.

No matter how you described him, he couldn’t be considered amiable.

Even those top domestic experts had to be careful with their tone and attitude when giving advice. Naturally, the nurse dared not say more, only carefully helping his employer out of bed and into the wheelchair.

Even though he was emaciated, Mr. Gu was still very tall, sitting exceptionally upright even in a wheelchair.

If not for his terribly pale complexion and lips, probably no one would view him as a patient.

No matter how you looked at it, he was still that imposing big CEO.

“Go to the first floor,” Gu Huaiyu said.

He didn’t talk much to begin with, and now enduring heart-wrenching pain in his chest and side, he naturally wouldn’t say much.

“…Yes.”

The nurse wondered inwardly, Mr. Gu was weak in body and spirit, forcing a discharge was already wrong, why go downstairs again? …

Finally, he draped a coat over his employer, then pushed him towards the elevator.

Along the way, Gu Huaiyu looked down in thought.

He was thinking about the person arranged by the Gu family to marry him.

That Shen Qing.

Gu Huaiyu had a withdrawn and eccentric personality, poor health, and would never form a family with anyone.

Back then, it was because the Gu family sent that youth named Shen Qing to him. The other party claimed how helpless and pitiful he was as a sacrifice for family interests, so he asked for nothing else for the rest of his life, only to live peacefully, while also claiming he liked children very much and was very willing to take care of and accompany Gu Duo and the others.

Although Gu Huaiyu didn’t want to represent the Gu family in this marriage, because of the other’s rhetoric and attitude, he ultimately agreed to the marriage.

A year ago, his sister also had an accident, leaving two little nephews uncared for. No one in the huge Gu family was willing to look after them, and finally, it was Gu Huaiyu who took them to his side.

But by then his health was already too poor.

Bringing the children back to raise was fine, but it was hard to personally care for them, let alone accompany them.

He originally thought that marrying such a person, the other party could at least dutifully accompany the children in his place.

Of course, in return, he would give the other party enough remuneration and future security to ensure he could achieve the “peaceful life” he sought.

However, some recent events made Gu Huaiyu start to have misgivings.

— During his last coma, he had a long dream about how Shen Qing abused the two children when he wasn’t around.

Not giving them food, locking them in a small room, not letting them go to school, verbal insults, random beatings…

His two nephews grew up under such heavy pressure, and their temperaments changed.

The older one became gloomy and cruel, the younger one unruly and violent. Although talented, they lost people’s hearts due to obvious character flaws, ultimately falling at the hands of the Shen family descendants…

The Shen family. Shen Qing.

How dare they.

Thinking of this, Gu Huaiyu frowned heavily.

The Gu family people were cold by nature, and Gu Huaiyu was no exception.

And as the one with the most eccentric temper, Gu Huaiyu didn’t like interacting with people to begin with, let alone raising children.

But since the two children had become a responsibility that fell on him, he had the duty and necessity to handle it well.

While he still had strength.

Unfortunately, his two nephews were not close to him, even somewhat afraid of him.

Last time when he called Gu Duo and Gu Ao to the hospital alone for questioning, the children dared not say anything to him.

Asking the servants at home yielded nothing either.

That youth named Shen Qing had always looked gentle from beginning to end, calling them baby this and baby that, smiling at the children.

But Gu Huaiyu could see that the children were not affectionate with him.

So after thinking it over, he had to discharge himself early and return home secretly to investigate the situation personally.

And at this time, Shen Qing should have already returned home.

The person in the wheelchair suddenly opened his eyes. Though his frame was sick and bony, his eyes were black and white, flashing with sharp light.

“Wait for me in the elevator. Don’t make any sound.” A second before the elevator doors slid open silently, Gu Huaiyu said to the nurse.

Then he controlled the electric wheelchair, moving silently to the side hall on the first floor.

The first floor of the villa had a main hall and two side halls. In the distant main hall, the huge TV was playing this year’s sketch comedy, very loudly.

A fire burned in the fireplace, and snow drifted outside the window.

The Spring Festival had just passed.

And in Gu Huaiyu’s dream, when he died, it was the rainy season.

…

It seemed there was still some time before his death.

Without lingering on the view outside the window, he looked towards the other side hall. From the side, Gu Huaiyu saw the youth named Shen Qing standing there with hands on hips. Opposite him, two children were huddled tightly together, staring in Shen Qing’s direction.

That look, it seemed like they had some conflict.

Gu Huaiyu’s handsome and broad brows suddenly furrowed fiercely.

Controlling the electric wheelchair to move silently towards that side hall, at the same time, he gradually heard clearly some dialogue between his nephews and Shen Qing.

Over there, Shen Qing rubbed the back of his head, then deliberately shook his limbs to show he was still alive: “Uncle is really fine, just bumped a bit, don’t be afraid.”

The small Gu Ao looked dazed, seemingly stunned silly.

His brother Gu Duo still protected his brother’s small body without letting go, saying gloomily to Shen Qing: “What tricks are you playing again?”

The thin Gu Duo’s gaze inadvertently swept not far away, and his eyes suddenly lit up.

The next moment, his black eyes, very similar to Gu Huaiyu’s, reflected a dark light. He calmly looked back at Shen Qing opposite him: “…You just said my little uncle is crippled. Even if he gets up, he can only sit in a wheelchair. This family has to listen to you from now on.”

Shen Qing: “…”

Those words were indeed a bit arrogant.

Brainless, heartless, and rude.

The original host relied on the fact that one kid was three and a half and the other six and a half, having just lost their parents, to scare and abuse them.

He even threatened while their uncle was being rescued not to tell them the truth about their uncle. Whoever told, he would kill the other child, and the one who tattled would be the murderer…

What kind of pervert would control children like this!

Unable to resist holding the back of his head again, Shen Qing’s thoughts were also chaotic now, unable to find any reason to explain for a moment.

Coincidentally, the sketch on TV was nearing its end. As the lively background sound came up, Shen Qing suddenly had a brainstorm, saying with a smile: “Uncle means, Uncle can’t get out of bed now, even if he gets up he has to sit in a wheelchair, he is very tired. …So listen to me, let’s make dumplings for him together!”

Author’s note:

Little beans (stunned): …Huh? What?

Support me on Ko-fi