"Did I time-travel?"
"Yes, host."
"And I traveled into a cliché novel?"
"Yes, host."
"More importantly, I'm actually the villain?!"
"Yes, host."
Inside a red Ferrari, Jiang Hao murmured to himself, staring into the rearview mirror.
Every question he asked was met with a mechanical voice.
The person in the mirror was still himself, proving his body hadn't changed. But it was undeniable—Jiang Hao had time-traveled.
Moments ago, he had been taking a leisurely walk in his neighborhood when an unidentified object fell from the sky.
Before he could even see what it was, he lost consciousness. When he woke up, he found himself here, with memories in his mind that clearly didn't belong to him.
"System?" Jiang Hao called out again.
"Hello, host."
"Explain your function in detail."
"This system's role is to help the rich, arrogant characters in cliché novels achieve their counterattacks. As everyone knows, these characters are usually portrayed as villains, existing solely to make the protagonist look good. This portrayal severely insults their intelligence..."
The system spoke mechanically, yet passionately.
Jiang Hao couldn't help but feel that the system sounded slightly agitated, even disdainful, when it mentioned cliché novels and rich, arrogant characters.
In summary, Jiang Hao concluded:
This was a system that despised cliché novels and sought justice for all rich, arrogant characters!
"In short, your goal, host, is to crush the protagonist underfoot, seizing their luck and everything they possess! Begin your path to ultimate success!" the system concluded its introduction.
Jiang Hao nodded, then fell into deep thought.
He had read this novel before.
The story revolved around Ye Feng, the protagonist who returned to urban life after a disgraceful stint in the military.
In the original plot, the first villain to appear was none other than Jiang Hao himself—a wealthy second-generation heir.
In the book, Jiang Hao clashed with the protagonist over a woman, was repeatedly humiliated, and ultimately met a tragic end.
Recalling this, Jiang Hao shuddered.
No way was he going to let himself meet that fate!
"The plot is beginning. Please prepare, host," the system's prompt interrupted his thoughts.
Exiting the car, Jiang Hao found himself standing in front of a luxurious office building.
This was the company of Xia Siyu, the novel's first female lead. The company specialized in women's fashion and luxury bags and was even publicly listed.
Before long, a woman dressed in an office outfit, her black hair cascading over her shoulders, stepped out.
Her delicate features and perfect figure drew gasps of admiration from passersby.
Were it not for the two imposing bodyguards behind her, many would have approached her to strike up a conversation.
This was Xia Siyu—a strong-willed businesswoman who secretly longed for someone to protect her.
"Young Master Jiang!"
"Young Master Jiang!"
As Jiang Hao approached, the bodyguards bowed and greeted him respectfully.
Xia Siyu's expression, however, was one of visible disdain.
"Jiang Hao, tell your bodyguards to leave! They're like two flies buzzing around me. It's disgusting!" Xia Siyu frowned, her tone icy.
In the original story, Jiang Hao had a strong possessive streak. The Jiang and Xia families had long considered a union through marriage, and Jiang Hao used the excuse of protecting Xia Siyu from harassment to have his bodyguards shadow her, essentially declaring his claim over her.
Naturally, Xia Siyu detested this. However, her parents approved of the arrangement, leaving her with no choice but to endure it.
"Alright," Jiang Hao agreed readily, signaling to the bodyguards to leave.
The bodyguards hesitated, clearly confused by Jiang Hao's uncharacteristic compliance, but eventually left after triple-checking.
Even Xia Siyu seemed surprised. Jiang Hao had never been this agreeable before.
"Counterattack points +5!"
The system's notification echoed in Jiang Hao's mind.
Counterattack points? What were those?
Jiang Hao was puzzled, but this wasn't the time to question the system.
Although the story had begun, the protagonist, Ye Feng, wouldn't appear for a while. Jiang Hao's priority now was to change his fate.
"Let's go to your house," Jiang Hao said, his tone indifferent, before turning to leave.
Walking to his Ferrari, he noticed Xia Siyu still rooted in place, seemingly in shock.
Annoyed, he started the engine and drove off alone.
???
Watching the Ferrari speed away, Xia Siyu was dumbfounded.
She had been preparing numerous excuses to reject sharing a ride with Jiang Hao, but he left without even giving her a chance to speak.
And what was with that cold look he gave her before leaving?
Was this really the same Jiang Hao who used to go out of his way to flatter her every day?
"Did he eat something weird today?" Xia Siyu muttered to herself.
The area is prime real estate, with every inch of land being worth a fortune. A red Ferrari and a white Maserati drove in one after the other.
After entering the villa, Jiang Hao didn't wait for Xia Siyu and instead went inside by himself.
So what if she's a female CEO?
So what if she's a beautiful woman?
Now, he's at least a second-generation rich kid. If you don't appreciate me, then I won't appreciate you either!
Anyway, in this life, I will never be a simp. A simp ends up with nothing. The original Jiang Hao's fate is the best example of this!
Upon entering the living room, two men and two women, all nearing middle age, were chatting on the sofa. They were Jiang Hao and Xia Siyu's parents.
The Jiang family and the Xia family had a good relationship. It wasn't the first time they gathered together at home for a meal.
Seeing Jiang Hao come in, Xia Siyu's father, Xia Guodong, smiled and said, "Xiao Hao, you're finally back! Just now, I was talking to your parents about you and Siyu!"
"Yes, you're not young anymore, we were just thinking..." Jiang Hao's mother smiled in agreement.
But before she could finish her sentence, her voice suddenly trailed off.
The four people on the sofa all turned to look behind Jiang Hao, asking, "Where's Siyu?"
Jiang Hao didn't answer. After sitting down, he expressionlessly said, "It's good that you're all here. Today, I have an announcement to make... I think it's better for me and Miss Siyu to keep some distance from each other!"
"What?"
"Xiao Hao, have you been triggered by something?"
Xia Siyu's parents were so shocked they jumped up, while Jiang Hao's parents were left in a daze.
At this moment, Xia Siyu happened to enter the villa.
She stood at the door, blinking, feeling as if she had heard wrong.
Usually, Jiang Hao would relentlessly chase after her, no matter how much she showed her dislike. Yet now, he was voluntarily saying that he wanted to keep his distance from her?!