Male lead, you're acting out of character!

Xu Shi had transmigrated into a smut novel as its vicious beauty.

The book was called "Six Mere Roots!"

The good news: he was a bottom, and all the top love interests were his type.

The bad news: he wasn't the bottom protagonist.

He was just a drama queen of a cannon-fodder character who didn't have long to live.

"I have another meeting tonight. The butler said you were sick and wanted me to come home?"

A man's clear, cool, pleasant voice came through the phone.

Xu Shi still hadn't recovered from the shock of dying suddenly and transmigrating into a book. He glanced over impatiently, but when he saw the contact name, his heart began to pound.

!

Xie Yanci.

Twenty-seven, an S-class Alpha, and the CEO of Xie Corporation, one of Hong Kong City's wealthiest elite families.

His husband through an arranged marriage.

And the sixth top love interest to appear in this pick-your-endgame novel.

The only top-tier Alpha, a highly intelligent daddy type whose distinguished status stood in a class of its own. Unfortunately, he was so abstinent that readers had once suspected he couldn't perform.

In over a year of serialization, he'd received just one pitiful vote.

Xu Shi had cast it by mistake while voting for someone else.

Xie Yanci's actual plotline only began after cannon fodder Xu Shi died.

At his wife's funeral, the bottom protagonist fell in love with him at first sight and won him over after aggressively pursuing him.

The taboo appeal of a married man was this pairing's selling point, but his popularity was so low that the author had only written his character synopsis. He had never appeared in the main text.

That was how vicious cannon fodder Xu Shi had managed to survive until now.

Remembering his own perfunctory ending, Xu Shi sucked in a cold breath.

No-

Even if he could only be short-lived cannon fodder, he had to enjoy himself properly!

He lived in a luxurious mansion, had housekeepers to do the chores, and more money than he could spend. Why should he care about a husband who was saving himself for the bottom protagonist?

There were plenty of male models waiting for his affection!

"The meeting's starting. If you don't feel well, have the butler take you to the hospital."

Xie Yanci couldn't wait for him. The international meeting was on a tight schedule and concerned a project worth billions.

He knew his arranged spouse's temper: endlessly making a fuss, inventing every possible excuse to trick him into coming home, only for nothing to be wrong every time.

"Okay!" Xu Shi's sweet voice came through.

"Just focus on work, hubby. I'm fine. Don't wear yourself out. Mwah~"

?

At last, a reaction appeared on Xie Yanci's usually indifferent face. His hand paused around his fountain pen.

So obedient today?

The next second, a string of Xu Shi's words crowded into his head.

[Hmm~ Which nightclub has better-looking male models?]

[I want one who's six foot three with bigger muscles. Pretty boys aren't my thing.]

[How can you tell whether a man's xx works properly? What if he's old and impotent like my husband?]

Who was he calling old and incapable?

And he wanted to hire male models?

With a crack, the fountain pen's nib snapped in two.

Xie Yanci's refined brows drew tightly together. "Do you know what you're saying?"

Even if theirs was only a loveless business marriage, he had some nerve saying that to his face!

"I didn't say anything." Xu Shi's voice was still sweet, without that hollow quality from a moment ago.

"Don't worry about anything but work, hubby. I won't cause you trouble at home. Kisses~"

[This old man talks so much. Why hasn't he hung up yet?]

[This muscular guy looks good. That bulge in his pants looks huge. I wonder how much he charges a night.]

[It's fine. My husband's rich!]

"?"

Could that hollow voice be Xu Shi's thoughts?

Xie Yanci had no interest in supernatural incidents like this. He stood, closed the documents on his desk, and a sentence slipped from his thin lips:

"I'm coming home now."

His voice was cold enough to brook no refusal.

"Huh?"

So sudden...

Xu Shi's beautiful fantasy shattered on the spot.

He sprang upright in bed and stared at the disconnected call. Why had something perfectly bad suddenly turned good?

What happened to the rich husband who barely spoke and never liked coming home?

Male lead, you're acting out of character!

Knock, knock, knock-

A long while later, knocking sounded at the door.

Xu Shi groggily climbed up in bed and wiped away his drool. His situation flashed through his mind, and he instantly woke up.

"I'm screwed, I'm screwed..."

Could his husband-by-default be back?

Xu Shi really didn't have a good impression of Xie Yanci.

The original novel hadn't described Xie Yanci's appearance at all. He was probably hideous!

He'd forgotten his original wife after the slightest seduction from the bottom protagonist. Utterly heartless!

Setting himself up as some abstinent, saintly figure in a smut novel-what a poser!

In short: old, ugly, and impotent.

Please don't touch me.

Xu Shi prayed inwardly.

The next second, the bedroom door opened.

The man wore an exquisite bespoke suit. At six foot three, he had broad shoulders, long legs, and refined, handsome features.

The blazing bedroom lights made him instinctively narrow his eyes. His sharply defined features seemed coated in frost, and an enduring air of distance and indifference surrounded him.

From afar, he looked young and distinguished.

[Holy shit?]

[Holy shit!]

[Holy shit...]

So handsome.

So handsome his mind went blank.

So handsome he was speechless.

So handsome he drooled onto the covers.

With a slurp, Xu Shi awkwardly wiped his mouth. "Y-you're back."

The original novel's description of Xie Yanci amounted to just "not to be trifled with."

Xu Shi had initially thought that was exaggerated. Only now did he understand the innate oppressive presence of someone accustomed to being in charge.

"Mm."

Xie Yanci wasn't a man of many words.

His appraising gaze swept over the Beta in bed. Only after finding no strange marks did his brows relax.

But his face still showed little emotion.

He turned and entered the walk-in closet.

It was a business marriage. He had no feelings for this wife of his, and apart from giving him money, the two exchanged fewer than a hundred sentences a year.

Keeping himself clean was his only gesture of sincerity.

He hoped Xu Shi would do the same.

Rustling came from the bed as Xu Shi rolled around, seemingly very excited.

Xie Yanci felt no particular curiosity. Not interfering with each other was also part of their marriage contract. Except-

[This man is divine!]

Who?

[If I could sleep with him once, even dying would be worth it!]

Who?

[This humble believer has only one wish in this life. Heaven, I beg you, let me have a taste of an Alpha!]

[Even a male escort will do. As long as he's good in bed, I'm not picky.]

Noisy.

Xie Yanci strode into the bedroom, pushing the door open with a bang.

Xu Shi startled.

His hands were still pressed together in prayer.

He silently glanced at Xie Yanci, then shut his eyes again and quickly added inwardly:

[Not my husband, though. He's all looks and no function. He can't perform, so don't let him get saliva all over me.]

"..."

Who had started that rumor!

He didn't touch Xu Shi because their marriage contract would end next year. He didn't love him, so there was no need to ruin his chastity.

"Did you need anything else?" Xu Shi blinked his innocent eyes.

[Why aren't you leaving? What do you want?]

[Honestly, I really am good-looking. It's only human nature to want to sleep with me.]

"?"

Want to what?

Xie Yanci's entire worldview shattered. He'd received an elite education all his life, practicing self-restraint and propriety and always suppressing his emotions. This was the first time he'd heard anything so blunt.

His Adam's apple bobbed. Inwardly shaken, he still showed little expression. "I'm going to shower."

[I want to watch!]