When my boyfriend's "Golden Boy" returned, I, his mere stand-in, faced immediate unemployment. They decided to crash my world to show off: "Baby, I'm here to take you home~" Ethan’s face darkened instantly: "This isn't a place for you." His friends started jeering: "Your little canary isn't very obedient, is he? Provoking the real deal right to his face." Amidst the mocking laughter, the Golden Boy sitting in the deepest part of the booth suddenly stood up, walked over, pulled me into his arms, and spat pure venom: "Overconfident much?" "His 'baby' is right here. Who the hell are you replying to?" 1. Once I realized I was just a stand-in, I immediately adjusted my attitude. Whatever the Golden Boy did, I did too. Oliver bought a new car? I bought one too! Oliver bought a new watch? I bought one too! Oliver ordered male escorts? I ordered them too! ...Wait a minute, those handsome guys in the booth over there are Oliver's friends. No wonder. I waved my hand expressionlessly, telling the row of male escorts in front of me to get lost. They were all so ugly; if I ate a single grape from the fruit platter they offered, I’d have to call the cops. Looking at the elegant and aristocratic man not far away, I chugged my drink while my mental defenses crumbled. Waaaaah— He’s taller than me, richer than me, and more handsome than me. No wonder he’s the Golden Boy. I can't compete. I really can't compete. Clutching my bottle, I stood up, my eyes blurry from the alcohol. Huh? Where did Oliver go? Why can't I see him? I stumbled around trying to find him. Just as I turned a corner, a strong force suddenly yanked me, and I was pinned against the wall with my arms behind my back. Oliver looked down, a playful smirk on his lips: "You've been following me for a while now. Got a crush on me?" So close. His semi-long hair brushed against my face, carrying a clean, cool scent. Staring blankly at his meticulously sculpted face, I muttered instinctively: "You're so beautiful..." A low, pleased chuckle escaped Oliver's throat. "Sweet talker." Without warning, he gripped my chin and kissed me. The music outside was deafening, the lights psychedelic. My brain felt deprived of oxygen. Wasn't I learning from the Golden Boy? What is the Golden Boy doing right now? Oh. The Golden Boy is sleeping with me. So, I struggled and flipped us over so I was on top. I wanted to sleep with him too. Oliver paused for a second, then smoothly wrapped his arms around my waist to help me balance. He buried his face in my neck, took a deep breath, and chuckled hoarsely: "Baby, you're really good at this." 2. I woke up in a hotel room the next day. I was completely disoriented. Wait—Ethan is my boyfriend, and Oliver is Ethan's Golden Boy. How did I end up rolling in the sheets with my rival?! What kind of mess is this!! And why is this beautiful, stunning man the top?! I quietly grabbed my clothes from the floor, trying to sneak away on trembling legs, but I was snatched back into his arms. Oliver leaned lazily against the headboard, looking thoroughly satisfied. He rubbed my waist gently: "Morning, boyfriend." What boyfriend? How did I suddenly become his boyfriend?! My waist went weak, and my bravado vanished: "Wh-what boyfriend..." Seeing my eyelashes fluttering wildly and my stuttering, Oliver narrowed his eyes and pinched my cheek in dissatisfaction: "What? You took my first time, and now you want to dine and dash?" "Who was it that praised my looks last night, hugging me and kissing me non-stop?" "Who was it that didn't care if I was going too fast or too slow, and got mad and left marks all over me?" "And who was it that said they were almost done but then wanted more? Insisted on being on top, got tired after a few thrusts, and started whining and scratching me?" He casually pulled open his bathrobe to show off the scratch marks. Yep, from his collarbone to his chest, it looked alarming. It looked like a wild night. I was so mortified I wanted to die. I reached out to cover his mouth: "But I have a boyfriend..." Oliver suddenly leaned in, trapping me in his arms. His eyes turned dangerous, and his tone was filled with disbelief. "Are you saying," he enunciated each word, "that I am the side piece?" "You made me the side piece?" "A guy like me—6'6", eight-pack abs, Ivy League grad, net worth in the hundreds of millions, highly service-oriented—with specs like these, you make me the side piece?" He pinched my chin, a competitive fire burning in his eyes: "Come on, tell me. What kind of angelic being is this 'main guy' of yours?" 3. I was almost scared out of my wits by Oliver's "side piece" comment. Golden Boy, you are so out of character! Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Ollie? Are you awake? I brought you dim sum from The Imperial, your favorite from before—" It was a deliberately gentle voice, tinged with cautious eagerness to please. —It was actually Ethan! Ollie. Ollie. So, every time he got drunk and called out passionately for "Ollie," it was never me. I mean, I already knew, but hearing Ethan gently calling out for someone else still made my heart ache. What "aloof boyfriend"? He wasn't naturally cold and distant. It's just that his gentleness was never meant for me. My blood ran cold, and a wave of panic washed over me, like I had been caught cheating. I scrambled frantically to roll out of bed. Oliver, however, pushed me firmly back under the covers, gave me a reassuring kiss, and mouthed silently: "Don't panic." The knocking outside grew more urgent. "Ollie? Are you in there? Ollie?" Oliver casually pulled his bathrobe tighter, carrying the ambiguous marks I had left on him, and leisurely went to answer the door. He opened it just a crack, leaned against the frame, and spoke with the languidness of someone just waking up, heavily laced with undisguised displeasure: "Ethan, which hotel I stay in is my private business. Showing up like this shows a real lack of boundaries." "Boundaries?" Ethan sounded like he’d heard a joke, his voice rising a few octaves. "We've known each other for over a decade. Since when did we care about boundaries?" "You finally came back, I just missed you so much!" He sounded so self-righteous. I remembered once accidentally opening his phone's photo album and being coldly scolded for half an hour. He had warned me, "People need boundaries." Damn it, such blatant double standards. While they were talking, the door opened a bit wider, and Ethan's expression instantly froze. His gaze was nailed to the exposed V of Oliver's bathrobe. Ethan's face went from eager to please, to shock, to an ugly, disbelieving shade of pale. He could vaguely see the blanket bunched up into a small mound. There was definitely someone in there! His throat tightened, and his voice trembled: "Ollie, you... on your body... who exactly is in your room?!" Ethan tried to push his way in to get a better look. But Oliver blocked him firmly. Instead of panicking, Oliver glanced back at the trembling lump under the covers. When he looked back at Ethan, a boastful smirk played on his lips, his tone airy: "Oh, him?" "My future partner." "Tsk, he's feisty. Scratches hard." To add insult to injury, Oliver took the bag from Ethan's hand. "Perfect timing, my baby is hungry. Thanks for the breakfast." The door slammed shut with a loud bang, and the world finally fell into a dead silence. The breathing under the covers finally resumed its shaky rhythm. 4. Oliver unpacked the breakfast, picked up a shrimp dumpling with chopsticks, and held it to my mouth: "Try it. The shrimp dumplings from The Imperial really are quite good." I opened my mouth mechanically and chewed. This was the first time I had ever eaten breakfast delivered by my boyfriend, and it was in this bizarre manner. I really had to thank my rival for this. My heart felt like it had been soaking in lemon water—sour and astringent, almost bursting out of my chest. ... "Full?" "Mhm." Oliver stood to the side with his arms crossed, sharply observing my state: "Why are you so scared?" "Are you afraid of him?" "I am not," I mumbled, burying my face in my knees. Afraid of him? Maybe just a little bit. Mostly, it was just chilling disappointment. But for a split second earlier, I actually wanted Oliver to let him in. A twisted sense of satisfaction flared up inside me. The unattainable flower you secretly loved for over a decade? I picked it. Ethan, you must be dying of jealousy, right? "If you're not, then why do you look like a bullied little wife?" Oliver pinched my chin, forcing me to look up. He examined me from left to right, suddenly realizing something. "I've seen you before." "At State U's graduation ceremony... State U... You know Ethan?" Oliver's mind worked fast, and his eyes suddenly grew sharp: "No wonder you were following me." "...I heard Ethan found a stand-in for me. Looks like it's true?" My eyes dimmed: "So you all knew... I'm just a pathetic stand-in." "I know Ethan was planning to break up with me." My voice was a bit dry: "At first, I wanted to see the gap between you and me..." "But after seeing you, I felt Ethan was aiming too high." "I... if I learn to be a bit more like you, maybe Ethan won't want to break up." "After all, we've been together for four years. It's still a bit sad..." "You actually want to win him back?!" Oliver exploded like a lit firecracker: "Is this it?! This is your 'main guy'?! Well, color me shocked!" "Is a cheap bastard who looks for stand-ins worth saving?" He laughed out of pure anger and pinned me to the mattress. A warm hand gently covered my lower abdomen, his voice dangerously husky: "Is he better than me?" "...What?" "Has he ever gotten this deep inside you?" His palm pressed down slightly, an undeniable assertion of dominance. My cheeks burned instantly, my toes curling in shame: "I... I don't know." Then, giving up on any pretense, I added: "He's still saving his virginity for you." The air instantly froze. Oliver's expression looked like he had swallowed a fly. He squeezed two words through his teeth: "Disgusting." As coincidence would have it, my phone rang abruptly. The name flashing on the screen was exactly Ethan's. I instinctively went to hang up, but Oliver beat me to it and answered the call. "Leo, where are you? Come out and meet me." On the other end of the line, Ethan's voice carried unconcealed annoyance. I opened my mouth, but couldn't make a sound. Because Oliver leaned down at that exact moment and bit my earlobe almost vengefully, his hot breath pouring into my ear: "Baby." "Ravish me." "And then, go get your revenge." 5. On the other end of the phone, Ethan's voice was clearly displeased, "Leo, is someone with you?" I bit my lower lip hard, not daring to make a sound. Oliver's fingertips, as if carrying an electric current, slowly traced circles on my waist. He smiled silently, like a seductive male fox spirit, gently grinding his lips against mine. "Speak," Ethan's tone had already taken on his usual commanding edge. "I'm in a very bad mood right now. Don't make me repeat myself." I spoke almost in a whisper: "I'm... busy." "Busy with what?" Ethan sneered, "Busy figuring out how to be a better stand-in?" I jolted, "You..." "You bought so many things that are exactly the same as Ollie's recently. I'm not blind." His voice carried undisguised mockery. "Since you already know, I'll just lay it all out." "You are nothing compared to Ollie. The only reason you had the luck to be with me for a few years is because your eyes look a bit like his." "But your clumsy imitations only make people think—" "You're a cheap knockoff." "Leo, consider this a warning. I'm going to officially start pursuing Ollie soon. You'd better know your place." "Don't go embarrassing yourself in front of Ollie using my boyfriend's name, to avoid causing Ollie any unnecessary misunderstandings about me." "Watch yourself." Ethan hung up the phone decisively. The dial tone echoed in my ear. I stood frozen, feeling the awkwardness and helplessness of being stripped bare in front of Oliver. "A cheap knockoff?" Oliver tossed the phone aside, his disdainful voice ringing in my ear. He cupped my cheeks and looked at me, "Listen, all beautiful people look somewhat alike." "Only an ugly person like him would like such bizarre imitations." A spot in my heart suddenly softened, and that tiny bit of sadness evaporated. I could even joke back at him: "Oh, so because you look like me, you don't need to feel inferior." Oliver reached out and wiped away the tears that had unknowingly slipped down my face. His movements were gentle, but his tone was resolute: "Leo." "You are exceptional. You shouldn't waste tears on a guy like that." I blinked. "If you still have time to be sad over those words, it means I haven't done enough. It means you still have the energy to think about someone else..." I couldn't help but block his rambling mouth. ... I don't know how we ended up in front of the mirror. I turned my head away in shame. Oliver's strong arm tightly gripped my waist, his other hand pinched my chin, forcing me to look up. "Look closely." "Who is holding you right now." "And who is the one hiding behind a phone call, slandering you." I was forced to look up, physiological tears streaming down my face. Oliver bit my earlobe, his breathing erratic, but his tone softened. "Baby, from now on, tears should only fall in situations like this..." "Whose baby looks this pretty when they cry?" "Some people just have no taste. You're much prettier than I am." Oliver kissed the side of my neck continuously, as if mesmerized, yet he wanted to pin me firmly in place. "Leo, look at yourself now." "Tell me, the pathetic little thing in the mirror, and the little brat who dared to order a whole row of male escorts at the bar yesterday, which one is the real you?" I stared blankly at the flushed person in the mirror. "I... I don't know." "You don't know?" His tone carried a hint of punishment. With every question, the arm around my waist tightened a bit more. "Then I'll help you figure it out." "Baby, forget Ethan. Forget me." "Do you prefer being a passenger or driving?" I trembled, trying to get my brain working, my fingernails digging into his arm. My voice was broken. "I don't like... driving..." "Do you prefer digital watches or mechanical watches?" "Mechanical..." "Do you like quiet or noise?" "Qui...et... slow down..." "Good boy." He gave me a rewarding kiss, landing softly between my brows. "Never lose yourself." "The way to get back at him is to become an even better version of yourself than before." Oliver took my hand and placed it on his cheek, letting me feel the most genuine heat radiating from his skin. "You can treat me as your trophy..." "Baby, tell me, sleeping with the Golden Boy Ethan has secretly loved for years." "Does it feel good?" My cheeks burned. Thinking about how furious Ethan's face might be, I felt a mix of shame and exhilaration, and instinctively nodded. "Louder." "...It feels good." "Excellent," Oliver smirked in satisfaction, pulling me even closer, kissing away the tears at the corners of my eyes. "Remember this feeling." "You didn't imitate this. You won this." "Leo, he doesn't want you, that's his loss. He doesn't get to define your worth." "And I chose you..." He paused, burying his face deep into my neck, "Simply because I have great taste." "I found this unique, precious treasure." ... 6. Damn, I think I'm tangled up with a male fox spirit. Since that day, Oliver stopped going home, stopped hanging out with his friends, abandoned his parents... He shamelessly camped out at my house, demanding a title. "Hmph, if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad will go to the mountain. You won't move in with me, so I can only come crash with you." Oliver placed his electric toothbrush next to mine, looked at it closely, and nodded in satisfaction. I leaned against the doorframe, looking up at him, unable to resist saying: "You were the one who told me, don't let men get what they want too easily, and especially don't let them push their luck." Oliver paused, feeling like he had just shot himself in the foot. After a moment of frustration, he turned to face my serious gaze, putting on an expression like he was overwhelmed by my cuteness, even speaking with the proud tone of a doting father: "You're right." "When dating, you should be a bit more assertive and take the initiative." In the end, he couldn't resist giving me a kiss. "I'll keep pursuing you until you're satisfied." I mumbled, "But you're already pushing your luck way too much." I pushed his face away. "Mr. Suitor, please mind your behavior." As soon as the words left my mouth, this guy planted a loud "mwah" on my cheek with lightning speed. "If you won't give me a title, at least give me some perks." I just watched him smugly organize his little suitcase. "How strange, you only brought this little stuff?" Oliver said self-righteously: "I was afraid bringing too much at once would make my intentions too obvious." "I need to take it slow." Me: ... Are your intentions not obvious right now? You're practically forcing my hand. Oliver was an interesting guy. The first time we interacted was at the hotel, and it was like lightning striking the ground. We did everything we should have, shouldn't have, and tried all the tricks. Now he wants to start acting like we're in a pure, innocent romance. Isn't that backward? But I found that I didn't dislike this feeling. Oliver often acted unreliable and goofy on the surface, but as long as he was there, the little bit of gloom in my heart caused by Ethan would slowly dissipate. Oliver forcefully barged into my world, yet quietly and gradually permeated every corner of my life. Watching him hang his silk pajamas in my closet. My heart felt like it was soaking in warm water, soft and tender. So I suppressed my smile and deliberately kept a straight face: "We'll see how you perform." "Okay!" His eyes suddenly lit up. The fox turned into a puppy. But the next second, Oliver deliberately rummaged through his suitcase, putting on a troubled expression, looking at me with puppy dog eyes, "But baby..." "I forgot to bring underwear." "Can you... come buy some with me?" Me again: ... Heh. Your true colors are finally showing. You cunning male fox spirit, you couldn't hide your tail after all! 7. In the end, I was half-coaxed, half-carried by Oliver to the mall. He was as excited as a mouse in a rice bin, holding up one black and one white pair of underwear, asking me: "Baby, how are these two?" I tugged on his sleeve, telling him to keep his voice down: "Is your face made of titanium? The sales ladies are laughing at you." Oliver raised an eyebrow: "So what? We're being open and honest." "Only people like Ethan who buy size S need to sneak around afraid of being laughed at." Why do you still have to throw shade at a time like this?! I facepalmed helplessly: "You've seen Ethan's?" Oliver snorted, "Saw it in the bathroom back in college..." "Stop, stop, stop!" Blushing furiously, I rushed to cover Oliver's mouth, pointing randomly, "Just this one, buy it and let's go home." Oliver looked in the direction I pointed, the lightbulbs in his eyes clicking on: "Baby, you're so spicy. I didn't know you liked this kind." I finally saw clearly how special the style I had randomly pointed at was. My eyes widened slowly: "No, I..." Oliver gave me an "I understand" look, "Bowknot style, ready to eat... I'm looking forward to it." Great, now I can't explain myself. Oliver didn't make me choose; he excitedly grabbed all the styles we looked at and went to pay. Just stepping out of the underwear store, Oliver pulled me into another store. "Since we're here, let's buy some matching outfits." ...So this was his real goal. On one hand, pretending to be generous and saying he wasn't in a hurry for a title, while on the other, secretly plotting all these little schemes. When I was imitating Oliver before, I figured out his preferences. He usually likes low-key styles that emphasize cut and fabric. I pointed to a cashmere overcoat, imagining how he would look in it—definitely very classy. "Pick what you like," Oliver insisted. What I like? My gaze unconsciously drifted to another wall, where several well-designed bomber jackets were hanging. I whispered, "I like this one." Oliver nodded in agreement: "Very cool." Without hesitation, he picked up two and paid quickly, "We'll take these." "You didn't even try them on..." I was just about to complain when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted someone I absolutely did not want to see— Ethan! He was just coming off the mall escalator, walking in our direction! "Let's go, let's go!" I quickly ducked my head, grabbed Oliver's arm, and tried to pull him away. Seeing this, Oliver didn't move; instead, he let out a low chuckle. Under my terrified gaze, he suddenly bent down and effortlessly scooped me up into a bridal carry. He smoothly threw the newly purchased jacket over my head, blocking my vision. My world went dark. I froze in his arms, not daring to move an inch. "Don't be afraid." He comforted me softly. I had fantasized countless times in my head that if I ever saw Ethan again, I would definitely show him that he shouldn't underestimate me. But the reality was, my mind went completely blank! Too disappointing. I silently despised myself internally. Through the coat, Ethan's voice grew closer: "Ollie! The sales rep at Brand X said you were here, so I rushed right over! Where have you been these past few days?" I muttered softly: "Blacklisting Brand X..." Oliver chuckled softly at me, not looking Ethan in the eye. "Shopping with my boyfriend. He got tired." Ethan's smile froze, his attention finally landing on me. "Ollie, he is..." "Ollie, stop joking around," Ethan's voice deepened. "I asked the friends you went to the bar with that day. You didn't have a boyfriend then at all." Ethan narrowed his eyes: "But this build looks a bit familiar..." I nervously gripped the hem of Oliver's shirt. ...Am I going to be discovered? "It's the guy from the hotel, isn't it!" Ethan looked at Oliver with sudden realization: "This guy is just a cheap male escort, isn't he? It's only been a few days, and he's already clinging to you to buy him things at the mall?" As soon as he finished speaking, I felt the air pressure around us drop. "Ethan," Oliver's voice was calm but laced with coldness. "Are you investigating me? And insulting my boyfriend?" Ethan was still talking to himself: "Ollie, I don't mind. You're definitely just playing around... I just wanted to say, this weekend a few of us organized a welcome home party for you, to officially welcome you back. You have to come." He even turned and glared viciously through the coat at me: "Don't make me find out which club you work at!" Oliver had no intention of arguing further. He held me securely and turned to leave. "I'll go to the welcome party, but right now I need to take my baby home." Due to the momentum of Oliver turning, I "accidentally" kicked my leg up, coincidentally leaving a shoe print on Ethan's coat. Ethan's eyes widened. He looked at the dusty mark and kept pestering: "Ollie! People from places like that don't deserve you!" 8. We didn't stop until we reached the emergency stairwell. I threw off the coat, furious, and threw a flurry of weak punches against his chest: "Ahhhhh! That was so annoying! It was too sudden! I didn't perform well!" "I just didn't have my lines ready!" "I wasn't afraid of that guy Ethan!" "I should have looked at him aloof and cold, and then said faintly, 'Mr. Ethan, long time no see.'" Oliver leaned against the wall, smiling at me with an encouraging look: "It's not too late to think of something now." "This weekend, want to go crash the party?" My eyes lit up, but then I hesitated: "Can... can I?" I pointed at myself uncertainly. "Sigh." Oliver sighed exaggeratedly, intentionally lowering his eyelashes in mock sadness: "It's really annoying being pestered by a clingy leech like him." "If only my boyfriend could declare his territory and make him give up completely..." "I'll go!! We're crashing Ethan's party!" I was instantly pumped up again! Full of fighting spirit! I was going to make a grand entrance! Like a fabulous makeover! I am the returning king! On the way back, I excitedly started planning: "I'm going to wear the coolest outfit and be the best-looking guy there!" "And I'm going to call you 'baby' in front of everyone!" Oliver held my hand, his beautiful eyes full of seriousness: "Yeah, and let him know that he didn't just lose his so-called 'Golden Boy'." "The most important thing is you, the one he once had but didn't know how to cherish." 9. The day of the welcome party. My phone kept pinging with messages from Oliver. "Ahhhhh, it's so boring, baby." "Everyone keeps looking at me and Ethan with these ambiguous looks." "I think I know what Ethan's planning to do next." "It's torture!! Crying face.jpg" "Baby, are you ready? Can you come get me now?" I stood in front of the full-length mirror, adjusted my hair, and replied, "Don't rush." Oliver: "Oh." "Pitiful fingers.jpg" In the banquet hall, Oliver sat expressionless, holding his phone, exuding an aura of "do not approach." "Ollie, why are you always on your phone? You're the guest of honor today." Several people exchanged glances for a while, and finally, one unlucky guy was pushed forward: "Oliver, Ethan seems to have something to say to you." Oliver didn't even bother lifting an eyelid, his voice cold, "What is it?" A flash of awkwardness crossed his friend's face. He subconsciously glanced at Ethan, who was holding a wine glass trying to look deep, let out two dry laughs, and attempted to ease the tension: "Nothing... just thinking you've changed a lot since you got back. This fashion style is also... pretty cool." Only then did Oliver deign to look up. He adjusted his collar and spoke nonchalantly: "Oh, this." "My boyfriend picked it out." "He has great taste. He said I look ten times more handsome in this than in those stuffy, old-fashioned tailored suits." "Boy... boyfriend?" The friends all swiveled their heads to look at Ethan, the atmosphere instantly freezing. "Ethan... did you know?" Ethan's composed facade stiffened. He gritted his teeth, trying hard to maintain his composure. "Ollie, we've known each other for over a decade. You know that deep down, for all these years, I've always—" "Stop, stop, stop!" Oliver looked like his ears were being soiled. "Know what?" "That you've been shamelessly pestering me all these years?" "Have I ever willingly hung out with you?" "Our interactions were strictly limited to unavoidable family obligations." "You decided to pull this stunt knowing full well I have a boyfriend." "What's the meaning of this? Are you trying to interfere in someone else's relationship? Or are you trying to be the other man?" "I hate homewreckers the most." Ethan's face changed colors, but he couldn't lash out in front of his Golden Boy: "Ollie, our families are of equal standing, and we understand each other. I'm the only one who can love you and protect you." "Don't get tricked by some random nobody." "Heh, you understand me?" Oliver's attack power remained undiminished as he calmly dropped a bombshell, "Let me tell you a little fun fact." "I'm a top." "Someone like you, I wouldn't want even if you offered yourself on a silver platter."
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "416988", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel