Chapter 1: This Time, I Choose Myself

Fourteen minutes ago, Sang Zhiyi confirmed her own death.

Three minutes ago, she signed a contract with the system, agreeing to travel to various small worlds as a cannon-fodder supporting character, change their originally tragic fates, and earn the chance to be resurrected and live again in the real world.

One minute ago, she received all the information for the first world from the system.

Now, as Sang Zhiyi opens her eyes, what she sees is the male lead of this world, Lou Yanchen, glaring at her with a fierce, disapproving expression.

They are standing in a corner of a villa.

Outside the villa, staff members in uniform bustle back and forth in the garden, setting up cameras, reflectors, and other equipment, checking and adjusting everything.

It’s not hard to tell that this is the set of some upcoming show.

“Know your place!”

Lou Yanchen keeps his voice low because of all the people around, but he can’t suppress the anger in his tone.

“You really think you’re something special?!”

“You’re nothing but a cheap substitute I keep around, and you actually expect me to fall for you?!”

“Now, get the hell back home this instant!”

Sang Zhiyi gives Lou Yanchen a casual once-over.

As expected of the male lead who follows the standard domineering CEO script, he’s decent-looking in a handsome, aristocratic sort of way.

The original character she’s transmigrated into in this world is named Ren Xiaoqian.

Ren Xiaoqian is a clinging vine kept by the domineering CEO because he couldn’t have his first love—a substitute.

To make the substitute more resemble the first love—a three-time Best Actress winner—Lou Yanchen went out of his way to try and make the original owner famous.

Lou Yanchen is the president of Starlight Entertainment, one of the biggest giants in the entertainment industry, and his resources are considerable.

He poured all of them onto the original owner.

But unfortunately, the original owner had no real acting talent.

After two whole years, she became notorious in the industry as a “shameful flop” and a “resource sponge,” attracting countless haters.

Lou Yanchen gradually became completely disappointed in her.

Recently, Lou Yanchen learned that his first love would be participating in a dating reality show.

He couldn’t wait to pull some strings and become a guest on the show.

The original owner, following the man she deeply loved, also found a way into the show’s cast.

Lou Yanchen had been neglecting the original owner too much, his mind entirely on how to get close to and win over his first love, so he didn’t pay attention to anything else.

Only when the first episode was about to start filming did he discover the original owner on set.

Then came the tirade that Sang Zhiyi just heard.

In the original plot development, the original owner was reduced to tears by her beloved’s scolding and obediently left.

Lou Yanchen successfully won his first love’s heart during the filming of this dating show, and the male and female leads lived happily ever after.

In an unnoticed corner, the original owner quickly withered away and died a miserable death.

Sang Zhiyi really doesn’t like this ending.

She’ll personally change it.

Noticing Sang Zhiyi’s distracted demeanor, Lou Yanchen grows even more resentful.

“Are you even listening to me?!”

Sang Zhiyi’s voice is sweet.

“No, I’m not.”

Lou Yanchen says, “If you heard me, then get lost!

Don’t—”

Lou Yanchen suddenly stops.

…What did he just hear?

Ren Xiaoqian said “no” to him?!

From the moment he asked that question, Lou Yanchen never imagined getting any answer other than affirmation.

After all, he knows very well how gentle and timid Ren Xiaoqian’s temperament is.

During the two years he’s kept Ren Xiaoqian, she has always obeyed his every word, extremely docile.

Lou Yanchen was already very surprised that Ren Xiaoqian dared to come on the dating show with him without permission.

And now Ren Xiaoqian actually dares to talk back to his face?!

Only then does Lou Yanchen belatedly look directly at Sang Zhiyi.

The clinging vine who always kept her head down, afraid to look at him, is now openly meeting his gaze.

In her eyes is obvious contempt and indifference.

This unfamiliar Ren Xiaoqian makes Lou Yanchen uneasy and uncertain.

Of course Lou Yanchen knows Ren Xiaoqian is good-looking.

How could a woman who resembles his long-cherished first love by forty or fifty percent in appearance be ugly?

But he never knew that such wooden, restrained features could be so vivid.

The slight curve of her lips creates a soft, beautiful smile.

Her moist eyes slant a glance at him, full of cold disdain, yet somehow radiating endless charm.

Lou Yanchen finds himself unable to stay angry for a moment.

Taking in Lou Yanchen’s reaction, Sang Zhiyi’s face shows a flicker of boredom.

She thought the men in this world might be special somehow, but they’re just like the ones she saw in the real world.

Even the male lead, who embodies the convergence of fortune, is this easily tiresome.

Sang Zhiyi lowers her eyelids.

Her already long and curled lashes look even thicker, trembling slightly, instinctively arousing sympathy.

“President Lou…”

Her voice is sweet and soft, the final syllable playfully drawn out in a coquettish tone, bringing a tingling sensation like a feather’s tip brushing across a palm.

With that expression and voice, Sang Zhiyi softly speaks the unfinished words.

“Tell me, how can a man be so ordinary yet so confident, thinking I came to this show for him?”

“Is he even worthy?”

Lou Yanchen: “…?!”

Before Lou Yanchen can recover from that faint itch in his heart, he catches the thick sarcasm in Sang Zhiyi’s words.

The contrast is too sharp.

It takes Lou Yanchen several seconds to realize that Sang Zhiyi has toyed with him.

The thought that Sang Zhiyi easily manipulated his emotions makes Lou Yanchen fly into a humiliated rage.

She’s just a clinging vine he keeps casually—does she think she can climb over his head?!

“Ren Xiaoqian!”

Lou Yanchen’s voice is about to burst with fury.

“You—”

Not wanting to waste more time listening to the scumbag’s nonsense, Sang Zhiyi directly interrupts him.

“Let me remind you, today’s filming location is right behind us in that villa.

Sister Jiang Yingru is always punctual; she must already be here.”

Jiang Yingru—that’s the name of this world’s female lead, the first love in Lou Yanchen’s heart.

This first love lives up to her reputation.

She has both virtue and talent, outstanding acting skills, and is the embodiment of classical beauty in the entertainment industry.

Her personality is also gentle and kind.

Even after marrying Lou Yanchen, Jiang Yingru never knew that someone like Ren Xiaoqian existed.

Because Lou Yanchen knows very well that if Jiang Yingru ever found out he once kept a substitute lover, she would be furious.

Then he wouldn’t be able to win his first love over.

So Lou Yanchen has deliberately kept this matter hidden.

And conveniently, in the original plot development, Ren Xiaoqian quickly died silently, turning the secret into something buried forever.

But now, Sang Zhiyi doesn’t plan to let the scumbag get his wish so easily.

Sang Zhiyi tilts her head and blinks at Lou Yanchen.

“The villa is very close.

In less than a minute, I can walk right up to Sister Jiang Yingru.”

“President Lou, don’t you think Sister might be curious about me, since I look so much like her?”

Sang Zhiyi’s tone is innocent and naive, as if she’s simply asking a question.

But Lou Yanchen knows full well—Sang Zhiyi is threatening him!

If he tries anything against her, Sang Zhiyi can go straight to Jiang Yingru herself and tear apart all the false peace he wants to maintain.

After all, Sang Zhiyi’s face alone is the best evidence.

Without a doubt, Sang Zhiyi has precisely grabbed hold of his weak spot.

Only now does Lou Yanchen belatedly realize that his anger over Ren Xiaoqian joining the dating show on her own was too superficial.

There’s something even more critical!

Lou Yanchen practically grinds out the words through his teeth.

“What exactly do you want?!”

“I just want to do my job properly.”

Sang Zhiyi smiles, her eyes curving into crescents.

“Don’t make things hard for me, President Lou.

Let me participate normally in today’s show, and I won’t say anything unnecessary for now.”

Sang Zhiyi isn’t satisfied with merely avoiding the original owner’s miserable death.

You want me to die as lowly as dust?

Then I’ll live as dazzling as the sun.

The variety show titled Love of a Limited Season was relatively unknown during its pre-release promotion, but after it officially aired, it became a dark horse, exploding in popularity.

Every guest who participated gained a huge surge in followers.

With such a golden opportunity for stardom right in front of her, how could Sang Zhiyi miss it?

Having just transmigrated into this world, still too weak, Sang Zhiyi uses a slightly roundabout approach.

Being a substitute puts her at a disadvantage, but she doesn’t have to compete directly with the genuine first love.

Who says a disadvantage can’t be turned into a usable weapon?

Sang Zhiyi’s implication is also clear.

“For now” she won’t say anything—that doesn’t mean she won’t later.

It all depends on Lou Yanchen’s behavior.

Lou Yanchen: “…”

Lou Yanchen is so angry he can’t utter a single word.

Seeing this, Sang Zhiyi puts on a grateful expression and sincerely thanks him.

“President Lou, your silence means consent.

I knew you were the most reasonable person.”

Lou Yanchen: “…………”

Lou Yanchen’s face is almost as black as the bottom of a pot.

Sang Zhiyi steps forward and briskly walks around Lou Yanchen, heading toward the villa’s entrance.

This time, Lou Yanchen makes no move to stop her.

Since the scumbag is being cooperative, Sang Zhiyi doesn’t mind giving him a little sweetener after the beating.

“Don’t worry, President Lou,” Sang Zhiyi looks back and says softly, her voice low enough for only the two of them to hear.

“I have a way to temporarily keep Jiang Yingru from noticing that I look like her.”

Still, “temporarily.”