COTE : There is Something Wrong With Hikigaya - Chapter 115: The Ugly Duckling

As the youngest son of a top chaebol in the Blue Star entertainment circle, Lin Zhibai thought that his life was just to eat and wait to die.

Until that summer.

The system fell from the sky, and he awakened the memory of his previous life.

“So I’m from Earth?”

- Description from novelbuddy

As a gold medal manager, Li Xiwu is courted no matter where he goes in the circle.

As Mrs. Pei, anyone in the aristocratic circle had to greet her politely when they saw her.

She is a celebrity mentor and a wealthy wife, who doesn’t envy Li Xiwu?

Only Li Xiwu knows best: she is just a substitute for Bai Yueguang in Mr. Pei’s heart, and all the scenery has nothing to do with her.

…

After working as a double for a long time, it was boring and easy to lose herself. After realizing it, Li Xiwu began to think about how to get a lot of divorce property from Mr. Pei.

But when she was concentrating on earning divorce property, the mother-in-law who didn’t want to see her rushed to invite her to appear on the variety show of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and promised to give her a large sum of money.

Li Xiwu raised his chin: “Wealth and wealth are sought in danger, if you say it, you will do it!”

At the beginning, the mother-in-law tried every means to embarrass Li Xiwu on the show, and netizens called out: The worst daughter-in-law of a wealthy family!

Later, the mother-in-law was inseparable from Li Xiwu on the show, and she wanted to show off that her daughter-in-law was Li Xiwu to everyone. Netizens shouted: Li Xiwu’s mother-in-law is the one who really slaps her face!

Li Xiwu didn’t expect that she would become popular in the variety show of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

I thought I would be able to get a smooth divorce after returning from the show, but after the variety show was recorded, the mother-in-law called Mr. Pei: “If you dare to divorce my baby, I will not recognize you as a son and sever the relationship between mother and child!”

Mr. Pei:?

- Description from novelbuddy

When Astrid transmigrated into the fantasy webnovel she once read, she found herself in the shoes of the story's most hated villainess, a character destined for a tragic end.According to the original plot, the Main Protagonist is hell-bent on killing her at all costs, her cunning step-sister schemes to throw her into the dungeon and usurp the throne at the first opportunity, and even her loyal caretaker has abandoned her.With enemies on all sides and time running out, Astrid realizes her fate is sealed unless she takes matters into her own hands.Determined to survive, Astrid decides to fight back, but as she begins to navigate this world, something feels... off. Why is the Main Protagonist, now showing her unexpected kindness? Why is her step-sister, who should be plotting her downfall, suddenly seeking her favor?••••••It's a yuri harem novel.

For as long as he could remember, life had always been cruel.A young man in his early twenties—his name now lost to the past—was dealt a life filled with misfortunes.A cold, empty apartment, a soul-crushing job, and, finally, a terminal diagnosis.With nothing left to live for, his only comfort had been escaping into the fictional world of Path of the Elemental Sage, a story of heroes, magic, and survival.But fate had other plans.When death finally came for him, he didn’t fade into nothingness.Instead, he awoke in the world he had only read about—a world of chaos and danger where death lurked around every corner.The air smelled of magic, the sky was filled with possibilities.{«[Status Window]»}[Name: Lyrium Blackwood][Age: 16][Rank: D-][Skills: None][Elements: None}At first, confusion filled his mind.Who was Lyrium Blackwood?Why was he here?And why did this body feel so different?But as his memories returned, so did the realization: this wasn’t some blessing or second chance.He wasn’t reincarnated as the protagonist.No destined savior.No cheat abilities.No grand fate.He was just another mob, a face in the crowd meant to exist and die without leaving a mark.But this young man—the one who had left his old name and life behind—wasn’t the kind of person to roll over and accept his fate.“This world is dangerous. The protagonist isn’t the only one fighting for survival here,”he muttered, his red eyes deep and sharp.Unlike the naïve characters in the story, he knew the stakes.He’d read the web novel.He’d seen the carnage, the betrayals, the disasters that wiped out entire cities.And if there was one thing he refused to be, it was a pawn in someone else’s game.“I don’t care about glory. I don’t care about saving the world. All I care about is surviving—no matter what it takes.”Lyrium Blackwood wasn’t planning to live quietly or avoid danger.The only way to survive in this brutal world was to rise to the top.To be strong enough to stand above both heroes and villains.Using his knowledge of the story’s events and his iron will, Lyrium sets out on a relentless path to surpass the protagonist.Whether through clever manipulation, brutal training, or sheer desperation, he’ll climb higher and higher, leaving nothing to chance.But the deeper he gets, the more he realizes that this isn’t just the story he once read.As fate pushes him closer to the heart of the narrative, Lyrium begins to suspect that his reincarnation wasn’t an accident—and the world itself might be watching him.“I don’t care who or what stands in my way. If the story wants to kill me, I’ll rewrite the ending myself.”----------------------------------I apologize for any mistakes in this story, as it’s my first attempt at writing a novel.