I stared at Liu Qingyue, trying to reconcile the woman before me with the cold, untouchable ice queen from the novels. The truth was far more complicated—and far more human.
Liu Qingyue, as I had come to learn, was not born cold. When she was young, she had been a naughty and adventurous girl, spoiled rotten by her doting family. Her parents had indulged her every whim, showering her with love and freedom. But then tragedy struck—her parents were brutally murdered, leaving her an orphan and the sole heir to their vast empire. Suddenly, the carefree girl was thrust into a world of vultures, all circling to bite a piece of the steel cake that was her inheritance.
Her grandmother, the only family she had left, raised her with an iron fist, molding her into the successful businesswoman she was today. The pressure was immense. As the sole child of a powerful family, countless suitors courted her—not for love, but for her beauty and background. They saw her as a trophy, a prize to be won, a stepping stone to greater power.
But deep down, Liu Qingyue was still that adventurous girl who dreamed of seeing beautiful and amazing things. She yearned for a man who would see her—not her status, not her money, not her face—but her. A great man who could stand beside her, not beneath her.
In the original novel, Ye Fan had been that man—or rather, he was supposed to be. But the bumpkin from the mountains had barely bothered to conceal his lustful gaze. His eyes roamed over her like she was a piece of meat, and that alone disqualified him in her eyes. It wasn't until she was kidnapped and nearly died that he finally won her over—and that was the end of the novel.
But this wasn't the novel. This was real life. And I had no intention of letting fate dictate my future.
---
"No way. Money comes first, before beauty," I said firmly, crossing my arms. "If you don't want to pay, I'll find someone else to sell the formula to."
She stared at me, utterly dumbfounded. "YOU! If you marry me, you can take my whole company! Isn't that a buy-one-take-one deal?!"
Honestly, she had a point. But I wasn't stupid. If I agreed to marry her now, she would never actually give me the money. She'd dangle the marriage like a carrot, and I'd be stuck playing husband without any real benefit. Besides, if she was truly that easy to win over, she wouldn't be the main heroine.
"Deal or no deal?" I asked, my voice calm and unwavering.
She stared at me for a long moment, her eyes searching mine for any sign of weakness. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine. Then can I at least take the formula now?"
"Money first."
"YOU!" She looked like she was about to explode, but she caught herself, taking a deep breath. "Wait a minute."
She pulled out her phone, tapped a few buttons, and moments later, my phone chimed with a notification. I glanced at it—350 million yuan had been deposited into my account. Not the full 500 million she'd mentioned earlier, but enough to confirm she was serious. I traded the formula to her without further delay.
"Here," I said, placing the vial on her desk. "Now can I take my leave?"
"Wait! Marry me," she blurted out, her voice tinged with desperation.
I stared at her like she was a cat chasing a laser pointer—confused, amused, and slightly concerned. "Why?"
"I need you to be my scapegoat," she admitted, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Of course, I'll pay you."
Ah, there it was. A marriage of convenience, just as she'd said. But if I was going to be her scapegoat, I needed to make it worth my while.
"100 million for a year," I said. "And pay first."
She looked like she was about to explode again, her face turning a shade of red I hadn't thought possible. But after a long, tense moment, she ground out, "Fine."
And just like that, we were at the bureau, registering our marriage.
---
"This is my address. Live here from now on," Liu Qingyue ordered, handing me a key. "Clean the house, be my driver, and make me food."
"Hey, why does it feel like I've become a butler?" I protested.
She smirked, her eyes gleaming with mischievous triumph. "What? Do you think I'd waste money just to look at your face? Heh."
I honestly couldn't see the cold beauty anymore. The woman standing before me was a completely different person—petty, playful, and thoroughly enjoying my discomfort. Tsk, tsk. So much for the ice queen.
I returned to my tiny apartment to pack my belongings—which, admittedly, didn't take long. As I stuffed my meager possessions into a worn duffel bag, I couldn't help but think about the future. If I was going to survive in this world, I needed more than just money. I needed power.
"System, how much for cooking mastery on par with a five-star chef?" I asked.
[25 million yuan.]
I winced at the price but bought it anyway. If I was going to be Liu Qingyue's personal chef, I might as well do it properly. The knowledge flooded my mind—recipes, techniques, ingredient pairings, plating styles—all of it settling into my brain like I'd been cooking for decades.
That afternoon, I prepared a lunch that would make Michelin-starred chefs weep with envy and sent it to Liu Qingyue's office. She ate it with a carefully neutral expression, but I could see the truth in her eyes. She was enjoying every bite.
Hmph. Deny it all you want, but I know you loved it.
As I watched her eat, a thought struck me. This was a martial arts novel, which meant there were cultivators out there capable of destroying mountains with a single finger. I needed to be prepared.
"System, how much does strength cost?" I asked.
The system responded with a detailed list:
· Dark Early – 25 million yuan
· Dark Mid – 50 million yuan
· Dark Peak – 75 million yuan
· Dark Red Early – 100 million yuan
· Dark Red Mid – 200 million yuan
· Dark Red Peak – 300 million yuan
· Dark Gold Early – 500 million yuan
· Dark Gold Mid – 1 billion yuan
· Dark Gold Peak – 1.5 billion yuan
[Because the current setting only goes up to Dark Gold power, that is all that is available for now.]
I raised an eyebrow. "System, why does Dark Early strength cost the same as five-star chef cooking mastery?"
[Strength will make you powerful, but cooking can make you money. The value is equivalent. Do not doubt the system—doubt yourself.]
Ouch. Was I being narrow-minded? Maybe. But the system had a point. Raw power was useful, but practical skills could generate wealth, which in turn could buy more power. It was a delicate balance.
"System, buy Dark Red Early strength," I said. "And buy me a fighting mastery to go with it."
[Fighting mastery cost: 50 million yuan.]
[Purchase confirmed.]
Suddenly, a surge of energy flooded my body, hot and potent, like liquid fire rushing through my veins. I felt my muscles tighten, my bones strengthen, my senses sharpen. I clenched my fist, and I knew—with absolute certainty—that I could smash steel with my bare hands.
What power, I thought, a grin spreading across my face. Now I'm ready for whatever this world throws at me.