The piercing sound of the heart monitor flatlining was the last thing Lin Yu heard.
It was cold. A bone-deep cold that seemed to freeze his very soul.
He died alone in a shabby, smelling hospital ward. His reputation was ruined, his legs were crippled, and his face—once hailed by the media as "God's Gift to the Screen"—was disfigured by a suspicious fire accident.
On the small television mounted on the wall, the news was playing. It showed a grand engagement party. The man on the screen, holding a champagne glass and smiling gently at his new fiancée, was Su Hao.
The man Lin Yu had loved for ten years. The man Lin Yu had sacrificed everything for.
"I was so stupid," Lin Yu thought, a tear sliding down his scarred cheek as darkness finally swallowed him. "If there is a next life... I will never be this pathetic again."
...
"Lin Yu? Are you listening to me?"
A familiar, impatient voice snapped him back to reality.
Lin Yu gasped, his eyes flying open. The air in his lungs felt fresh and sweet, not like the stale disinfectant of the hospital.
He blinked rapidly. He was not in a hospital bed. He was sitting in a brightly lit dressing room. The smell of hairspray and expensive cologne filled the air.
He looked up. Directly in front of him was a large mirror.
In the reflection, he saw a face that was young, flawless, and stunningly beautiful. His skin was like porcelain, his eyes were bright and clear, and there were no burn scars. No wrinkles of despair.
"Stop spacing out."
The man standing next to him frowned, tapping his finger on the document on the table. "The press conference is in ten minutes. Sign the contract, Lin. It's for your own good. My agency will take care of you."
Lin Yu slowly turned his head.
Standing there was Su Hao. He looked younger than the man on the TV screen, wearing that hypocritical gentle smile that had once fooled Lin Yu completely.
Lin Yu's heart didn't race with love this time. It beat with a cold, heavy hatred. He glanced at the digital calendar on the wall: September 12, 2023.
Three years ago.
This was the day he signed the Slave Contract that gave Su Hao full control over his life, his finances, and his freedom. This was the day his nightmare began.
"Sign it," Su Hao urged, pushing a golden fountain pen into Lin Yu's hand. "Don't you trust me? I'm doing this because I love you. Once you sign this, we can be together openly in the future."
Lin Yu took the pen. He felt the cold metal against his fingertips. It felt real.
He looked at the thick stack of papers titled "Exclusive Artist Management Agreement," then looked up at Su Hao's expectant face.
Suddenly, Lin Yu smiled.
It wasn't his usual shy, submissive smile. It was a smile that didn't reach his eyes—cold, sharp, and dangerous.
"You want me to sign this?" Lin Yu asked softly.
"Of course," Su Hao said, checking his watch. "Hurry up, the reporters are waiting."
Lin Yu lifted the contract.
Rip.
With a clean, decisive motion, Lin Yu tore the contract down the middle.
The sound was incredibly loud in the quiet room.
Su Hao froze. His eyes widened in shock as he watched the papers fall to the floor. "Lin... what are you doing?"
"I changed my mind," Lin Yu said casually. He stood up, dropping the pieces of the contract into the trash can next to the makeup table.
"Are you crazy?" Su Hao's voice rose an octave, his gentle mask cracking. "Do you know how much effort I put into this? You're just a rookie! Without my agency, you are nothing in this industry!"
"We'll see about that," Lin Yu replied. He adjusted his collar in the mirror, ensuring he looked perfect.
"You can't leave! We have a verbal agreement!" Su Hao stepped forward to grab his arm.
Lin Yu side-stepped smoothly, causing Su Hao to stumble. He looked at his ex-lover with eyes full of mockery.
"Su Hao, stop acting. It makes me sick."
Lin Yu walked toward the door. Hand on the handle, he paused and looked back.
"The contract is trash. And so are you."
"Where do you think you're going?" Su Hao yelled, his face turning red with humiliation.
Lin Yu opened the door, letting the flash of cameras from the hallway spill in. He didn't look back again.
"I'm going to find a better boss," Lin Yu whispered to himself, a smirk playing on his lips. "And perhaps... a better husband."
He walked out, leaving the scumbag and the shredded paper behind. It was time to meet the real king of this city.
Here is the full first chapter in English, formatted cleanly without any asterisks so you can copy and paste it directly.
Chapter 1: The Contract and the Trash
The piercing sound of the heart monitor flatlining was the last thing Lin Yu heard.
It was cold. A bone-deep cold that seemed to freeze his very soul.
He died alone in a shabby, smelling hospital ward. His reputation was ruined, his legs were crippled, and his face—once hailed by the media as "God's Gift to the Screen"—was disfigured by a suspicious fire accident.
On the small television mounted on the wall, the news was playing. It showed a grand engagement party. The man on the screen, holding a champagne glass and smiling gently at his new fiancée, was Su Hao.
The man Lin Yu had loved for ten years. The man Lin Yu had sacrificed everything for.
"I was so stupid," Lin Yu thought, a tear sliding down his scarred cheek as darkness finally swallowed him. "If there is a next life... I will never be this pathetic again."
...
"Lin Yu? Are you listening to me?"
A familiar, impatient voice snapped him back to reality.
Lin Yu gasped, his eyes flying open. The air in his lungs felt fresh and sweet, not like the stale disinfectant of the hospital.
He blinked rapidly. He was not in a hospital bed. He was sitting in a brightly lit dressing room. The smell of hairspray and expensive cologne filled the air.
He looked up. Directly in front of him was a large mirror.
In the reflection, he saw a face that was young, flawless, and stunningly beautiful. His skin was like porcelain, his eyes were bright and clear, and there were no burn scars. No wrinkles of despair.
"Stop spacing out."
The man standing next to him frowned, tapping his finger on the document on the table. "The press conference is in ten minutes. Sign the contract, Lin. It's for your own good. My agency will take care of you."
Lin Yu slowly turned his head.
Standing there was Su Hao. He looked younger than the man on the TV screen, wearing that hypocritical gentle smile that had once fooled Lin Yu completely.
Lin Yu's heart didn't race with love this time. It beat with a cold, heavy hatred. He glanced at the digital calendar on the wall: September 12, 2023.
Three years ago.
This was the day he signed the Slave Contract that gave Su Hao full control over his life, his finances, and his freedom. This was the day his nightmare began.
"Sign it," Su Hao urged, pushing a golden fountain pen into Lin Yu's hand. "Don't you trust me? I'm doing this because I love you. Once you sign this, we can be together openly in the future."
Lin Yu took the pen. He felt the cold metal against his fingertips. It felt real.
He looked at the thick stack of papers titled "Exclusive Artist Management Agreement," then looked up at Su Hao's expectant face.
Suddenly, Lin Yu smiled.
It wasn't his usual shy, submissive smile. It was a smile that didn't reach his eyes—cold, sharp, and dangerous.
"You want me to sign this?" Lin Yu asked softly.
"Of course," Su Hao said, checking his watch. "Hurry up, the reporters are waiting."
Lin Yu lifted the contract.
Rip.
With a clean, decisive motion, Lin Yu tore the contract down the middle.
The sound was incredibly loud in the quiet room.
Su Hao froze. His eyes widened in shock as he watched the papers fall to the floor. "Lin... what are you doing?"
"I changed my mind," Lin Yu said casually. He stood up, dropping the pieces of the contract into the trash can next to the makeup table.
"Are you crazy?" Su Hao's voice rose an octave, his gentle mask cracking. "Do you know how much effort I put into this? You're just a rookie! Without my agency, you are nothing in this industry!"
"We'll see about that," Lin Yu replied. He adjusted his collar in the mirror, ensuring he looked perfect.
"You can't leave! We have a verbal agreement!" Su Hao stepped forward to grab his arm.
Lin Yu side-stepped smoothly, causing Su Hao to stumble. He looked at his ex-lover with eyes full of mockery.
"Su Hao, stop acting. It makes me sick."
Lin Yu walked toward the door. Hand on the handle, he paused and looked back.
"The contract is trash. And so are you."
"Where do you think you're going?" Su Hao yelled, his face turning red with humiliation.
Lin Yu opened the door, letting the flash of cameras from the hallway spill in. He didn't look back again.
"I'm going to find a better boss," Lin Yu whispered to himself, a smirk playing on his lips. "And perhaps... a better husband."
He walked out, leaving the scumbag and the shredded paper behind. It was time to meet the real king of this city.