Are All Straight Men Like This?

During his junior year winter break, Ye Jia's father was diagnosed with stomach cancer during a check-up and reportedly had little time left. His final wish was to see Ye Jia settle down and start a family. Determined, Ye Jia met a blind date introduced by the neighborhood committee auntie. The blind date was handsome, gentle, and well-mannered. Though not a local, he owned a car and a home, had a stable job, and was ambitious. Ye's father was satisfied. Ye's mother was satisfied. Even the blind date was satisfied. The two hastily registered their marriage to fulfill Ye's father's dying wish. Three days later, Ye's father returned from a major hospital in the capital, beaming, and announced, "Haha, it was a misdiagnosis!" Already married·youthfully wedded·Ye Jia: "?" But I really did get married! --- Misdiagnosis aside, life went on for Ye Jia. His blind date was tender and attentive, excelling at household chores. Ye Jia fashionably experienced a post-marriage honeymoon phase. But as time passed, even someone as slow as Ye Jia began sensing something off. The supposedly budget-friendly ring his classmates claimed was worth millions, the VIP medical consultations during hospital visits, the overseas gifts arriving on holidays, the internal cleanup after workplace threats during his internship— Such incidents piled up. Ye Jia’s expression gradually darkened: "..." My supposedly ordinary, salaried, five-insurances-paying blind date… seems anything but simple? #Honey, how much tax do you pay every month?# #Am I actually a rich family’s young mistress???#

The protagonist transmigrated into a novel—a bedtime read packed with elements like a harem, NP, and male rivalry. The story follows a poor, downtrodden protagonist who enters an elite academy. Disgusted by the school’s classist hierarchy, he unintentionally clashes with several male leads. These leads, dubbed the "F4" by the school forum, are arrogant elites from illustrious families. By the story’s end, each faces their own downfall while becoming hopelessly obsessed with the protagonist’s unyielding optimism, sparking intense rivalry that leaves readers exhilarated. The protagonist transmigrates as the "rumored boyfriend" of F1—officially a lover, unofficially a sycophant. His character, also a scholarship student, was initially brilliant but quickly corrupted by the academy’s rigid social ladder. Realizing merit alone won’t elevate him, he clings to F1 for survival. F1 is a vile individual. Born into immense power, he scorns everyone. Besides the protagonist, he’s surrounded by six other sycophants locked in fierce competition. Unlike the protagonist, these rivals come from wealthy backgrounds and view his "rumored boyfriend" status with venomous envy. F1’s cruelty lies in his habit of "cultivating sycophants." He deliberately fosters this toxic ecosystem, having grown up in a cutthroat family where human ugliness amuses him. The academy’s drama is just a pastime. Initially, the protagonist plans to flee, but without F1’s "protection," the others would crush him. He’s forced to play along. F1 quickly notices his lack of enthusiasm. To stoke his desperation, F1 dangles rewards: - A key to his villa, so the protagonist can fetch meals three times a day. - Front-row tickets to the academy gala, for filming F1’s beauty from every angle. - A seat beside him on the annual study trip, to shield him from disturbances. Each "favor" pushes the protagonist closer to drowning himself. Then, on a rainy day, F1—suffering from the clichéd "wealthy heir’s stomach ailment"—orders the protagonist to fetch medicine. Braving the storm, the protagonist drags his feet, cursing F1’s diva antics. When he finally returns to the classroom— It’s empty. Rain streaks the windows, curtains billowing in the dim light. F1 lounges on the highest row of the lecture hall, chin propped on his hand. His gaze locks onto the protagonist before he smirks. "Hey, *boyfriend*." "Want to kiss?" * Beyond F1, the academy’s F2, F3, and F4 are equally formidable. They’d heard rumors of F1’s "redemption" but never met the one who tamed him— Until another rainy day. Entering the F4 lounge, they push open the door. Dust swirls in the faint light. Amid the storm’s whisper, F1—clad in a black tank top, muscles stark under the shadows—pins someone against the marble table, kissing them with shocking desperation. At the intrusion, he glares up, one hand gripping his lover’s head in possessive warning. "Ever heard of knocking?" F2 grins, raising his hands. "Didn’t realize we’d interrupt." F3 smirks, eyeing the slender figure in F1’s arms. "Keep it private." F4, silent as ever, turns to leave. Disgusted, the protagonist shoves F1 away and leaps off the table— Lips pressed tight, eyes dark and dull despite their lingering redness, his expression ices over as he brushes past the F4 without a glance. The room freezes. * —What the protagonist doesn’t know: his story *truly* begins now.