Inside the house.
Gu Yan opened the file and began browsing the information related to Xiao Lin.
The very first line caught his attention:
[There are 33 individuals named Xiao Lin in Jianghai City. Only one Xiao Lin has entered the city within the past week.]
Below it were multiple entries:
[Xiao Lin (32) – Expand]
[Xiao Lin (1) – Expand]
Gu Yan skimmed through the other thirty-two profiles. None of them matched the image of the original male protagonist.
Then, he clicked on the lone remaining name.
A photo appeared on the screen.
The young man in the picture looked… ordinary. Completely unremarkable at first glance.
But his eyes were different—sharp, resolute, burning with an almost naïve passion.
Gu Yan's gaze lingered.
The profile continued:
[Xiao Lin, male, 24 years old. Arrived in Jianghai City by ship at 18:10 today.]
[Born in Jianghai Hospital. Parents deceased at age five. Raised in an orphanage.]
[At age fourteen, Xiao Lin disappeared from the orphanage. All records lost thereafter.]
That was it.
No work history.
No residence record.
No trace for over ten years.
Gu Yan closed the file slowly.
A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.
The less information there was—
The more suspicious it became.
If he had only been uncertain before, now he was absolutely sure.
In the original novel, Xiao Lin was abducted at fourteen by the master of the Dragon King Palace and taken to Dragon King Mountain to cultivate.
So this man—
Was without question Xiao Lin.
Gu Yan immediately sent a message to Lao Gao:
"Keep an eye on Xiao Lin who arrived today."
"Find out where he is now."
A few minutes later—
Buzz. Buzz.
Lao Gao called.
Gu Yan answered.
"Young Master," Lao Gao reported calmly, "Xiao Lin arrived today and already rescued a woman who was being harassed by gangsters."
"When he mentioned he had nowhere to stay, the woman lent him her attic."
"Address: Yulin Community, Building 7, Room 602."
Gu Yan's eyes narrowed slightly.
So it had begun.
In the original story, Xiao Lin's first appearance involved saving the second female lead. Grateful, she offered him a place to stay.
Then, the very next day—
He would go job hunting.
And by pure 'coincidence,' he'd see the security recruitment notice for Shen Wan'er's company.
That was where the gears of fate officially started turning.
Gu Yan exhaled softly.
He was also a little surprised by Lao Gao's efficiency.
"…You didn't personally tail him, did you?"
On the other end of the call—
Lao Gao stood perched in a tree, binoculars in hand, eyes fixed on Yulin Community.
"Yes, Young Master."
"I have people watching the other thirty-two Xiao Lins."
"But this one—missing for over ten years—stood out. I followed him the moment he entered the city."
Gu Yan replied immediately, "Call back the others. Focus only on Xiao Lin."
Then his tone turned serious.
"Old Gao—listen carefully."
"If you're discovered, run."
"Run as fast as you can."
Lao Gao frowned slightly. He didn't think that young man posed any real threat to him.
But if the Young Master said so—
"Understood."
Click.
The call ended.
Gu Yan put away his phone and lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
In the original novel, the woman Xiao Lin saved would later become part of his harem.
The so-called heroic rescue left a deep impression on her.
But that alone wasn't enough for true emotional bonding.
That would come later—
Through a critical plot point.
Gu Yan's expression turned subtle.
Xiao Lin had many women around him.
But the one he loved most… was Shen Wan'er.
Still—
Those other women were far from insignificant.
In the later stages, they became powerful allies.
It could even be said that without them—
Leng Qingqiu would never have exhausted herself fighting Xiao Lin to mutual destruction.
Gu Yan's fingers slowly curled into a fist.
If the heroines were the fuel—
Then cutting them off would weaken Xiao Lin at the source.
And with Shen Wan'er already positioned as a hidden chess piece—
Layer upon layer of preparation.
Gu Yan didn't believe he couldn't survive to the very end.
"…Good."
"Sleep."
Yulin Community.
In the attic.
A young man with thick brows, sunburned skin, and worn-out clothes lay sprawled on a thin mattress.
His legs were crossed. Hands behind his head.
He looked around the small space with bright curiosity and laughed.
"Damn, that beautiful sister is way too nice."
"Even found me a place to stay."
"Master really was right—women in the city are amazing!"
"Oh, right… didn't I have some kind of marriage contract?"
"With the eldest daughter of the Bai family, I think?"
"…Nah."
"I already have a beautiful sister."
Just then, a gentle voice floated up from downstairs.
"Xiao Lin, are you cold? Do you need another quilt?"
Xiao Lin's face instantly lit up with a foolish grin.
"It's fine! This is perfect!"
"Beautiful sister, you should go to sleep too!"
"Alright. You should rest early."
The footsteps downstairs faded.
Xiao Lin wiped his nose and laughed quietly.
"Living under the same roof as a beautiful sister… this feels like a dream."
"For ten years I was stuck on that damned mountain, staring at old men and ugly faces every day."
"Now this—this is life."
"But I can't keep freeloading."
"I'll find a job tomorrow."
With that, he closed his eyes contentedly.
Downstairs.
A woman in pajamas sat silently at the table.
The warm yellow light from a corner lamp illuminated her tired face.
She clutched several hospital bills in her hands.
Twenty-six years old.
Exhaustion weighed heavily in her eyes.
Her long hair hung loosely over her shoulders, unkempt.
Medical reports, prescriptions, and folded notices were scattered across the table.
The room was quiet—broken only by the soft rustle of paper and her shallow breathing.
"…Mom."
Wang Yulan's brows were tightly knitted.
She closed her eyes, resting her forehead on the table.
Tears quietly gathered at the corners.
Her father had passed away early.
Half a year ago, her mother was severely injured in a traffic accident and had been hospitalized ever since.
The medical expenses—
Were crushing her.
Every day was nothing but work, debt, and exhaustion.
Almost nothing good ever happened.
…Almost.
She lifted her head slightly.
A trace of warmth surfaced in her eyes.
Earlier today, after visiting her mother at the hospital, she'd been harassed on her way home.
And Xiao Lin—
Had appeared.
His straightforwardness, his calm strength—it left an impression.
That was why she offered him a place to stay.
But even that small kindness—
Couldn't solve her real problem.
The hospital bills kept piling up.
If she couldn't pay soon…
Then her mother—
"…Mom…"
Wang Yulan whispered again.
Her strength finally gave out.
She slumped forward onto the table and fell asleep, tears still clinging to her lashes.