If you love stories about narrative deconstruction, emotionally stunted nerds falling upwards into love, and protagonists who are both victims and perpetrators of their own misery, this is for you.

The system (a snarky, video-game-like interface) forces him to follow the plot, but he tries to cheat. Instead of abusing the protagonist, he… accidentally shows him basic kindness. Instead of betraying him, he gives him a fan.

Oops. Now the protagonist thinks he’s in love with him. The title is a trap. Shen Qingqiu is called scum by the narrative, but our modern transmigrator is arguably the most ethical person in the room. He’s trying to avoid being evil.

In the original story, Shen Qingqiu is a jealous, cruel teacher who abuses the protagonist, Luo Binghe, until Luo Binghe inevitably returns from hell to torture him to death. Brutally.