Transmigrating into a novel

It was evening at the Shen Family villa.

When Shen Zeyu came home, he sensed that something was different. Normally, no one in the Shen Family waited for him to return.

"What kept you out so late?" Before Shen Zeyu had even stepped fully through the door, a somewhat stern voice came from ahead.

"My graduation party was today. It ran a little late," Shen Zeyu said without looking up.

A flicker of embarrassment crossed his adoptive parents' faces. Neither of them had remembered that today was his graduation day.

But at the thought of what he was about to say, his father looked pleased again.

"Since you've graduated from university, it's time you started thinking about marriage."

"And what exactly do you mean by that, Dad...?" Shen Zeyu looked puzzled.

His father cleared his throat. "You know the Lu Family, right? I think you and their son would make a good match."

"Oh? If I remember correctly, wasn't he the one my younger brother was supposed to marry?" Shen Zeyu replied with a smile.

Hearing Shen Zeyu mention him, Shen Mo said condescendingly, as though handing out charity, "I already have someone I like. Lucky you."

"Oh? Just a few days ago, weren't you going on about how wonderful Lu Cizhou was? Now you suddenly like someone else? Is your affection really that cheap?" Shen Zeyu asked mockingly.

Humiliated, Shen Mo snapped, "You..."

Hearing Shen Zeyu speak that way about her biological son, his mother immediately said, "You're going through with this marriage, whether you like it or not. Get ready. The Lu Family will come to pick you up tomorrow."

"Even if I already have someone I like, you're still going to force me into this marriage?"

His father said, "What kind of impressive boyfriend could you possibly find? Break up with him right now."

Looking at the faces of the Shen Family, Shen Zeyu thought, How pathetic, Shen Zeyu. Is this the family love you kept hoping for? They don't even care whether you're willing.

That was right. He wasn't the real Shen Zeyu. The original owner of this body had already disappeared by the time he arrived.

Only after receiving the original owner's memories had he realized he had transmigrated into a novel. Before he died suddenly from overwork, a colleague had told him about a novel whose cannon-fodder character had exactly the same name as him. That character met a bad end. In a world where same-sex marriage was legal, his parents forced him to marry the comatose Lu Cizhou.

After marrying him, the original Shen Zeyu had intended to settle down and live a decent life. Instead, a scumbag sweet-talked him into losing his head, and he tried to elope with the man right in front of Lu Cizhou's son.

When they were caught, the scumbag simply walked away, leaving Shen Zeyu behind as a laughingstock.

Recalling the original owner's fate, Shen Zeyu's expression grew colder. The original owner had held out hope for his family, but he didn't. "I'll agree to the marriage, but I have one condition."

His father said angrily, "You ungrateful son! What kind of talk is that? We're doing all this for your own good."

"If it's for my own good, why are you forcing me into an arranged marriage? Don't spout things you don't mean just to ease your conscience. You might not find it disgusting, but I do."

His father clutched his chest. "You—you wretched son! Are you trying to anger me to death?"

Supporting his father, his mother looked at Shen Zeyu and asked, "What condition?"

Shen Zeyu said firmly, "I want to legally dissolve the adoption."

"What?" Both his parents were shocked.

Only Shen Mo looked delighted. He had always disliked his older brother. He was only adopted, yet he outdid Shen Mo in everything.

Whenever he asked his mother to cut ties with Shen Zeyu, she always said they couldn't, for the sake of the Shen Family's reputation.

Now that Shen Zeyu had brought it up himself, it was exactly what Shen Mo wanted. He wouldn't have to go through with the marriage, and Shen Zeyu would leave the Shen Family of his own accord. Nothing could be better.

"You heard me. I want to dissolve the adoption. You've resented me ever since Shen Mo was born anyway," Shen Zeyu repeated.

"No." That was his father's immediate response.

Shen Mo panicked and called out, "Dad!" He hadn't expected his father to refuse when Shen Zeyu himself had proposed it.

His father continued, "If people find out you're leaving the Shen Family, what will happen to our reputation?"

"I can keep it private, as long as you don't come looking for me afterward," Shen Zeyu said.

Shen Mo hurriedly told his father, "Dad, Haoxuan said he'd help with the company." Then he shot Shen Zeyu a vicious glare.

Shen Zeyu looked at Shen Mo with a faint, ambiguous smile. It seemed he had already met the novel's top protagonist. But Chen Haoxuan was no decent man either; he was merely stringing Shen Mo along. Shen Zeyu wasn't kind enough to warn him. He would let those two tear each other apart.

After hearing Shen Mo's words, his father's resolve wavered.

His father silently weighed his options. The Shen company had begun showing signs of decline, which was why he had thought of a marriage alliance with the Lu Family. Besides, if Lu Cizhou hadn't been in a coma, the Lu Family would never have agreed so quickly.

But with Lu Cizhou unconscious, the alliance wouldn't be as much help to the Shen company. Meanwhile, Mo was dating the Chen Family's son. Over the past two years, the Chen Family had been doing increasingly well and was already close to catching up with the Lu Family.

Having thought it through, his father was no longer as angry as before. Still, to save face, he couldn't agree too readily.

His voice softened slightly. "Zeyu, how could you think that way? We did raise you for eighteen years, after all."

Shen Zeyu felt sickened. "I'll repay you for those eighteen years of expenses. Write up a declaration dissolving the adoption. Once it's signed and stamped, we'll have nothing more to do with each other."

The original owner had kept a clear record of everything the Shen Family had spent on him and had worked hard to save money. Perhaps he had been preparing for the day he finally lost all hope in his family and severed those ties.

Over the past few days, Shen Zeyu had made up the shortfall. He now had enough to repay the full eighteen years of expenses spent raising the original owner.

His mother stood beside them, stunned. She had never expected things to turn out this way. Even though she had neglected Shen Zeyu after having her biological son, she had still raised him for eighteen years. It was impossible to feel nothing for him.

Only then did a trace of guilt rise in her heart. "Zeyu..."

Shen Zeyu glanced at her. "Mom, this is the last time I'll call you that. Please take care of yourself from now on."

Although his mother had neglected Shen Zeyu, unlike his father, who ignored him completely, she had occasionally expressed concern for the original owner. That was also why he had never left the Shen Family.

He would let those words serve as thanks for the concern she had shown the original owner.

Hearing that, Shen Mo muttered under his breath, "What a hypocrite."

His father continued his hollow act. "Since you're so determined to leave the Shen Family, I can only grant your wish. Children never understand their parents' painstaking efforts, after all. I only hope you won't regret it."

"Don't worry. I never will. I'll go through with the marriage, so there's no need to keep finding roundabout ways to remind me."

With that, Shen Zeyu handed his father the declaration dissolving the adoption that he had already prepared. Watching his father sign it, he let out a small breath of relief. He had thought it would take some time, but he had still given the Shen Family too much credit.

After signing, his father said, "As for the expenses, there's no need to repay them. The Shen Family doesn't need that little bit of money. The Lu Family will come to pick you up tomorrow. Stay here tonight."

"No need. I'll come back tomorrow myself. The air here is unpleasant. It's suffocating." With that, he turned and left.

He paid no attention to the fact that he had angered his father yet again.

After finding a hotel and lying down, Shen Zeyu thought, I wonder what Lu Cizhou looks like. If he's handsome and his personality suits me, it might be nice to try dating him once he wakes up. I am a little curious about what being in love feels like.

As his thoughts wandered, Shen Zeyu drifted off to sleep.