I Can’t Be This Protagonist

“Close progress notification.”

Having everything go beep-boop every time something happened would affect his performance too much. 

“Acknowledged.”

Yan Shuang picked up the menu. “Mr. Wei, I haven’t had lunch yet. Do you mind?”

It’s way too much of a waste to just talk in a high-end restaurant. He’ll take a free meal when he sees one.

Wei Yichen’s expression was complicated. 

The harmless and naive university student turned out to just be an act. It seemed like he and Qin Yubai both made an error in judgment this time.

Yan Shuang ordered a steak like he was the only one here.

“Medium-rare, thank you.”

The youth’s movements were elegant, as if he had received special training in Western dining etiquette. He used both knife and fork with ease, calmly eating bit after bite of still blood-stained steak. Gradually, his plump lips were dyed closer and closer to the colour of blood.

This person was no simple character. Wei Yichen stood up decisively. “Wait a moment, please.”

Yan Shuang smiled, “You have until I finish dessert.”

Wei Yichen called Qin Yubai to explain the situation in the corridor outside of the compartment.

“He thinks it’s not enough?” 

Qin Yubai sneered. “The audacity of this counterfeit to raise the price.”

He made no secret of his intention to use Yan Shuang as a substitute.

“Tell him that he’s free to not sign. Have him wait to collect the body of his adoptive father then.”

The phone call ended. 

Wei Yichen returned to the compartment.

A thin figure was hunched over, eating his dessert with his head down.

“Mr. Yan,” Wei Yichen finally acknowledged that Yan Shuang had a name. He retook his seat opposite Yan Shuang and conveyed Qin Yubai’s intentions. “I’m afraid your adoptive father most likely doesn’t have enough time left for you to bargain.”

The debt Qin Yubai was holding against Yan Shuang was not his own, but his adoptive gambler father Yan Guofu’s. 

Of course, Qin Yubai’s own contributions to this state of affairs was indispensable.

Yan Guofu usually gambled small sums. He’s won and lost thousands of times.

After Qin Yubai set his sights on Yan Shuang, he immediately took advantage of the fact that his adoptive father was a gambler once he found out.

The gambling round that made Yan Guofu owe a million dollars was orchestrated by Qin Yubai from beginning to end. 

And since Yan Shuang was going to use the money he received to pay off his adoptive father’s debt, it was a matter of moving assets between his own accounts for Qin Yubai. He didn’t have to pay a cent to receive a substitute so remarkably similar to Qin Qing.

Sure enough, there was no doing business without evil. 

Now this is how you freeload. 

Taking notes. 

Yan Shuang licked the ice cream spoon once before setting it down. He stood up and swung the broken canvas bag nearby over his shoulder. “Thanks for the meal. I’m full.”

What did this adoptive father mean to him? He was a gambling addict. He could go off and get hit by a car for all Yan Shuang cared.

Yan Shuang walked towards the door of the compartment without hesitation. Pulling the door open a fraction, he turned back to flash a pure and innocent smile at Wei Yichen. “Give me a call anytime you change your mind. My door’s open for either Mr. Qin or you, Mr. Wei.”

Blowing a kiss to Wei Yichen, Yan Shuang winked mischievously. “I’m still a virgin, oh.” 

Yeah, right. 

After being in the business of transmigration for so long, Yan Shuang, with his rich and fulfilling sex life, had nothing to fear.

Don’t think a taste of the archaic was enough to scare him. No siree.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Mbg atf rjxf bo gfalgfwfca, fnfgs qgbyifw yfmjwf cb qgbyifw! 

Coafg fjalcu jcv vglcxlcu tlr olii, Tjc Vtejcu gfaegcfv ab atf mbcnfclfcmf rabgf ab mbcalcef kbgxlcu.

Ktf wbcfs fjgcfv lc wlrrlbc kbgivr mbeiv yf fzmtjcufv obg qfcrlbc wbcfs, rb qjga-alwf kbgx kjr j wera. Ycis ys vlilufcais fjgclcu wbcfs mbeiv sbe fcpbs j kbcvfgoei gfalgfv ilof.

Yan Shuang had long ago taken a fancy to Planet GKD43. The climate and average temperature there were very suitable, and transportation was also very convenient. He had almost saved enough money already to buy the planet.

After he retired, he would drink fruit juice while enjoying the fresh sea breeze on Planet 43, enjoying every moment of his life. 

“What are you giggling for?”

A colleague teased Yan Shuang, who was stocking the shelves.

Yan Shuang smiled slightly. “Of course I’m happy, it’s payday today.”

Working at the convenience store netted him $900 a month. 

By being frugal, Yan Shuang could stretch that out to 2-3 months worth of food expenses.

Yan Shuang held the nine bills with great care.

His colleague knew about his home situation and kindly reminded him, “You should keep that money for yourself instead of giving it to your dad again. He’s a bottomless pit you can never hope to fill.”

Yan Guofu was addicted to gambling, meaning he would ask Yan Shuang for more money if he lost everything on him. 

This colleague even saw with their own eyes, Yan Shuang sobbing in the alleyway, begging his dad to stop going to gamble while handing him money.

Poor Yan Shuang was such an honest and kind-hearted child. How did he end up with a dad like that?

Yan Shuang smiled sweetly at his colleague. “I won’t.”

No one could hope to steal a cent from him. 

Before getting off work in the evening, Yan Shuang went to the alley to take out the trash. Next, a dark shadow suddenly sprang out from the darkness and hugged Yan Shuang’s thigh tightly.

“Little Shuang, Dad’s begging you.” Yan Guofu knelt on the ground, crying bitterly. “I swear this will be the last time, so please agree to President Qin’s terms. If they don’t get money soon, they’ll hack me to death! Little Shuang, I’m beg-begging you. Save Dad one last time… I’ll never gamble ever again!”

Yin Shuang carried a garbage bag half as tall as he was with one hand. His frail figure seemed like it was about to collapse, weighed down by the trash bag and the trash human.

Not far away, inside a luxury car, Qin Baiyu sneered while smoking a cigarette. “He acts hard to get.” 

But what’s the point?

He would obediently kneel in the end anyway.

Weak-willed in nature, and having endless tolerance for a gambling addicted father… This kind of person only lived to be used and exploited.

He was far from Qin Qing’s ice-cold insight that made everything clear. 

Forget it, he was just a substitute. Looking alike was better than nothing.

And Qin Yubai was nearing the limits of what he could endure.

He didn’t want to hurt Qin Qing, so he needed to find a place to vent his desires.

Qin Yubai took a drag of his cigarette with a dark expression. “Go.” 

Wei Yichen got out of the car and opened the door for Qin Yubai. He glanced around the corner at Yan Shuang, who was being weighed down by his adoptive father.

Was he truly just acting hard to get?

It’s a pity that small tricks like these just didn’t pass muster in the adult world.

“Dad.” Yan Shuang finally spoke. He put down the trash bag and took out the $900 from his pocket. “This is the paycheck I just received. $900 in total.” 

Qin Yubai silently scoffed. In the face of a million dollar debt, $900 was like a drop in the bucket.

He really was laughably naive.

Yan Guofu flushed anxiously. “Little Shuang, it’s not a matter of hundreds of dollars this time, it’s…”

Yan Shuang shook the nine bills in Yan Guofu’s face, creating crisp sounds. “This is mine.” He faintly smiled. “Not for you.” 

See this here $900? Mine, not for you. 

Ripping his thigh from the other person’s grasp, Yan Shuang dragged the garbage bag towards the dumpster. He laboriously tossed the bag into the dumpster, which was almost as tall as he was. Dusting off both hands, Yan Shuang turned back around.

Qin Yubai stood at the end of the alley, Yan Guofu kowtowing at his feet.

“President Qin, I’m his dad, his guardian! I’ll sign on his behalf so please…please help…” 

The man’s howling cries echoed in the quiet alley.

Yan Shuang alone faced a group of people.

When Yan Guofu went to hug Qin Yubai’s thigh, he was quickly kicked aside by a bodyguard.

Yan Guofu wailed and cried even more miserably. Unwilling to give up, he turned to reach a shaky hand in Yan Shuang’s direction. “Little Shuang…save Dad…” 

Qin Yubai slowly strode forward, coming to a stop before Yan Shuang. He withdrew a hand from his pocket and grasped Yan Shuang’s chin, teasingly saying, “Do you really want to see him die?”

Yan Shuang was watching Qin Yubai.

Qin Yubai’s features were severe, with high eyebrows and deep eyes. The bridge of his nose was tall and straight, and the contours of his face were sharp, suggesting a hint of foreign blood.

Handsome.  

9.5 out of 10. 

Deducting 0.5 points for being too much of a cheapskate, which really damages his male charm. 

Overall, Qin Yubai was qualified to do the [redacted] plot with him.

Qin Yubai was also watching Yan Shuang. 

His bowl-like haircut and his ugly, big-framed glasses sealed the beauty of his face. However, any who witnessed his appearance with glasses off would never forget his stunning visage.

What’s more, he was so remarkably similar to Qin Qing.

Qin Yubai used a bit more force. “Talk.”

“I don’t want to.” Yan Shuang said. 

Qin Yubai smiled coldly. “If you don’t want to see him die, you should know what to do.”

“If you must hack him to death in front of me,” Yan Shuang said seriously, “then I can only close my eyes.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t want him to die, he just didn’t want to see him die.

Emphasis on see. 

Qin Yubai stared into Yan Shuang’s eyes. They were clean, transparent, and completely free of flaws, the feature that most resembled Qin Qing.

“Chop off one of his fingers.”

“No–”

The cries instantly intensified. 

Qin Yubai stared intently into Yan Shuang’s eyes. He didn’t believe that Yan Shuang would remain indifferent.

Sure enough, those eyes flickered.

If Yan Shuang knew what Qin Yubai was thinking now, he would definitely tell him: Fun fact. On average, people blink once every two seconds. 

Yan Shuang: “I have to get back to work.” 

“Little Shuang—”

Pei. Crying like a pig being slaughtered.

Yan Shuang turned his head to break the grip on his chin and walked past Qin Yubai. When he passed by Yan Guofu, who was being held down by the bodyguard, the man continued to struggle and cry for Yan Shuang to help him.

“Be sure to chop off his index finger.” Yan Shuang kindly suggested to Wei Yichen. “He likes to use it to rub pieces when playing mahjong.” 

Wei Yichen gave him an inscrutable glance. Yan Shuang simply winked in return.

Wei Yichen’s eye twitched as six untimely words came to mind.

–“I’m still a virgin, oh”. 

Sincere yet frivolous. Drenched in undisguised debauchery. 

Yan Guofu cried miserably. Yan Shuang could still vaguely hear his cries as he got off work and finished packing up.

Were they cutting off his index finger or his prick?

As Yan Shuang came out carrying his old bag, he was stopped by the luxury car.

“Get on.” 

Aside from the driver, Qin Yubai was the only one in the car. Wei Yichen had probably gone to deal with Yan Guofu.

Yan Shuang: Not going to turn down a free ride.

He had an inkling that Qin Yubai’s figured out how to negotiate with him by now.

Inside the car, Yan Shuang hugged his bag and sat as far away as possible from Qin Yubai. He was afraid that the scent of a pervert would get on him. 

“I’ll take care of Yan Guofu for you and give you an extra one million as compensation.”

That’s progress right there. 

At least he wasn’t working for free now.

“How are you planning to take care of Yan Guofu?” Yan Shuang asked, implicitly agreeing to Qin Yubai’s proposal. 

Since a million was all that was mentioned in the original plot line, that was probably all there was according to the Transmigration Bureau’s stingy nature. Yan Shuang was already making bank by getting this extra million.

Yan Shuang knew when to and when not to test his luck. He didn’t waste anymore time or effort.

“How do you want to take care of him?”

Having seen Yan Shuang’s decisiveness just now, Qin Yubai would be very disappointed if Yan Shuang begged him to let Yan Guofu go now. 

This meant that Yan Shuang was just acting before, pretending to be ruthless in order to save his human scumbag of an adoptive father.

Even if he was just a counterfeit, being a counterfeit of better quality meant that the game wouldn’t end too soon, right?

“I don’t care how he’s made to pay off his debt, whether it be cutting off his hands or feet. But please, spare his life.”

The debt had always been but a ruse. Qin Yubai said, “Don’t worry. He won’t die.” 

Qin Yubai was already growing disappointed with Yan Shuang inside.

He was nothing more than a paper tiger, unable to forsake his scummy adoptive father in the end.

Indecisive to the bone.

“Please also arrange a job for him.” 

This was part of the original plot.

Later on, in order to exert long-term control over Yan Shuang, Qin Yubai arranged a job in a warehouse for Yan Guofu. He had no need to fear Yan Shuang acting up with Yan Guofu in his hands.

Since the plot had to be followed anyway, Yan Shuang thought this was a very fine plot point! It absolutely should be moved up on the schedule.

Qin Yubai’s mouth twitched slightly. The light outside the window shone down for a second, illuminating the contempt hidden in his eyes. 

“Sure.” Qin Yubai said lightly, “I’ll arrange something for him.”

With a card like Yan Guofu in his hand, it would be difficult for Yan Shuang to escape his grasp. Still, it’s a pity that the quality of this substitute only amounted to this.

“I have another request.”

Qin Yubai smiled mockingly. What else could it be but something related to his gambling addict adoptive father? “Say it.” 

“When the time comes…please deposit his salary into my account.”