Jiang Yumo, an illegitimate son adopted by the wealthy Jiang family, awakens in a luxury hotel suite to find himself drugged and sold by his own father to the Qian brothers, two corrupt entertainment industry figures. In his previous life, Jiang Yumo had discovered that his world was a novel where he was merely cannon fodder for the protagonist, Gu Yu. After awakening, he ruthlessly eliminated Gu Yu's allies and rose to power, only to be betrayed and killed by the woman he loved. Reborn back to the moment of his original humiliation, Jiang Yumo retains his memories and cunning. He quickly overpowers the Qian brothers, knocking them unconscious, but is interrupted by the sudden arrival of a system known as the Helping Others for Fun System. This system binds him to a mandate of performing good deeds, threatening electric shocks and random punishments if he fails. The system's first mission forces him to shake hands with Gu Yu, the very protagonist he despises, but Jiang Yumo refuses, choosing instead to flee the hotel after leaking the Qian brothers' scandal to reporters.
While evading capture, Jiang Yumo witnesses Gu Yu's younger sister, Gu Youyou, being harassed by thugs in an alley. Despite his initial reluctance and dark amusement at the prospect of Gu Yu suffering, Jiang Yumo intervenes, brutally beating the attackers with a stone. He encounters Gu Yu shortly after, who thanks him for saving his sister. Jiang Yumo maintains a polite facade while harboring intense murderous intent, which the system detects and punishes. As part of the punishment for failing his handshake mission, Jiang Yumo is forced to perform a series of heroic acts, including saving a child from a skateboard accident and rescuing a suicide jumper from a river. His actions are livestreamed, turning him into an anonymous internet sensation known for his handsomeness and selflessness. Meanwhile, Gu Yu watches the livestream with suspicion, interpreting Jiang Yumo's heroism as a calculated disguise and ordering his public relations team to suppress the trending topic.
Jiang Yumo returns to his dilapidated home, suffering from a fever caused by the cold river water. His half-brother, Jiang Chongyuan, arrives to force him back to the Jiang family to appease the Qian brothers, but Jiang Yumo outsmarts him, causing Jiang Chongyuan to injure himself in a failed attempt to break down the door. Jiang Yumo then escapes the Jiang estate, leaving his family in chaos. During his escape, he receives a message from Gu Youyou, who invites him to her birthday party and sends him a substantial sum of money. Jiang Yumo accepts the invitation and the money, not out of gratitude, but to use Gu Youyou as a pawn to psychologically torment Gu Yu. Unbeknownst to him, Gu Yu has also taken an interest in Jiang Yumo, ordering his friend Xu Feiyao to keep watch on him. The story sets the stage for a complex battle of wits between the reborn villain and the suspicious protagonist, with Jiang Yumo navigating the constraints of his moral system while plotting revenge against the world that wronged him.
