Morning sunlight slipped through the tall curtains, slowly filling the bedroom with pale golden light.
Lu Bolin woke up naturally.
For a moment, he didn't move.
He simply stared at the ceiling.
The quiet was… different from the hospital.
No machines.
No faint beeping sounds.
No nurses checking his condition.
Just silence.
Real silence.
Lu Bolin slowly raised one hand and examined it in the sunlight.
The body still felt weak, but the constant headache that had haunted him for ten years was gone.
That alone was fascinating.
He sat up.
The blanket slipped down to his waist, revealing the thin silk pajamas he wore.
His hair was slightly messy from sleep, soft black strands falling over his pale forehead.
Lu Bolin looked around the room carefully.
Large bedroom.
Minimalist design.
Everything was extremely clean and organized.
But it also felt cold.
Like a hotel room instead of a home.
He stepped out of bed.
The marble floor felt cool beneath his feet.
Lu Bolin paused.
Then he frowned slightly.
"Dust."
The system appeared immediately.
[Host has obsessive cleanliness tendencies.]
Lu Bolin stared at the floor again.
A tiny speck near the corner.
Barely visible.
But once he noticed it…
It became impossible to ignore.
He looked around.
There were cleaning tools near the bathroom.
Five minutes later—
The bedroom floor was completely spotless.
Lu Bolin stood in the middle of the room and observed the result.
"Better."
The system was silent for a moment.
[Host cleaning behavior exceeds normal standards.]
Lu Bolin tilted his head.
"Clean environments reduce bacteria and improve mental clarity."
[...Understood.]
Just as he finished speaking—
A knock came from the door.
"Young Master?"
Lu Bolin turned.
The door opened slowly.
An older woman walked in carrying a tray.
She froze immediately.
"You're awake?!"
Her eyes widened in shock.
This was Auntie Zhang, the housekeeper who had worked for the Gu family for over twenty years.
Lu Bolin searched the memory fragments.
Yes.
She was the only person in the house who had ever shown kindness to the original host.
Auntie Zhang quickly set the tray down.
"You collapsed yesterday! The doctor said you should rest for at least three days!"
Lu Bolin looked at the food.
Porridge.
Simple vegetables.
Warm tea.
His stomach suddenly felt strange.
Hunger.
He had read about it many times, but experiencing it was still unusual.
"I am fine."
Auntie Zhang shook her head.
"You're too thin. You work too hard."
Lu Bolin sat down at the table.
He picked up the spoon and studied the porridge carefully.
Then he took a small bite.
Warm.
Soft.
Very mild flavor.
But somehow…
Comforting.
Auntie Zhang watched him with relief.
"Eat slowly."
Lu Bolin nodded.
Then he asked,
"Did Gu Yichen leave?"
Auntie Zhang blinked in surprise.
This was the first time Lu Bolin had ever asked about him so casually.
"Yes… President Gu left early for the company."
Lu Bolin nodded again.
That was expected.
He continued eating quietly.
The system appeared again.
[Host behavioral change detected.]
Lu Bolin swallowed another spoonful.
"Yes."
[Host has stopped pursuing the villain.]
"Correct."
[Prediction: villain curiosity will increase.]
Lu Bolin set the spoon down.
"That is the objective."
Curiosity was the first stage of attachment.
He had studied that theory many times.
Meanwhile—
Across the city.
Inside the top floor office of Gu Corporation.
Gu Yichen sat behind his large desk.
Documents were neatly arranged in front of him.
His assistant stood nearby reporting the schedule.
"President Gu, the board meeting is at ten. After that—"
"Stop."
The assistant froze.
Gu Yichen leaned back in his chair.
For some reason—
He kept thinking about last night.
Lu Bolin's calm expression.
His strange logic.
And that simple answer.
No.
Gu Yichen tapped his fingers lightly on the desk.
"Did the doctor say anything else yesterday?"
The assistant blinked.
"About… Young Master Lu?"
"Yes."
"The doctor said exhaustion and stress caused the collapse."
Gu Yichen frowned slightly.
That wasn't surprising.
The original Lu Bolin had been pushing himself too hard for months.
Trying to prove his worth in the company.
Trying to earn Gu Yichen's approval.
Pathetic.
At least… that's what Gu Yichen used to think.
But last night—
Lu Bolin looked completely different.
Cold.
Logical.
Detached.
Almost like he had suddenly become a stranger.
Gu Yichen asked again.
"How is he this morning?"
The assistant looked confused.
"I… haven't received any updates."
Gu Yichen didn't say anything for several seconds.
Then he spoke again.
"Call the house."
The assistant quickly obeyed.
A moment later—
Auntie Zhang answered.
"Yes, President Gu?"
The assistant asked,
"How is Young Master Lu this morning?"
Auntie Zhang sounded relieved.
"He woke up early and is eating breakfast now."
Gu Yichen frowned slightly.
"Eating?"
"Yes. He looks… much better."
The call ended.
Gu Yichen leaned back again.
Strange.
If it were the old Lu Bolin…
He would probably still be lying in bed trying to gain sympathy.
But now he was eating breakfast normally.
Gu Yichen suddenly asked another question.
"What time did he wake up?"
The assistant checked the message.
"Around seven."
Gu Yichen glanced at the clock.
It was already nine.
For some reason—
He imagined Lu Bolin sitting quietly at the table eating breakfast.
Calm.
Peaceful.
Completely unconcerned about him.
Gu Yichen frowned again.
Why was he thinking about this?
He picked up the documents again.
"Continue the report."
Meanwhile—
Back at the mansion.
Lu Bolin finished breakfast.
He wiped his hands carefully with a napkin.
Then he stood up.
Auntie Zhang looked worried.
"You should rest more."
Lu Bolin shook his head.
"I want to walk."
"Outside?"
"Yes."
Auntie Zhang hesitated.
But the doctor did say light activity was fine.
"Alright. Just don't overexert yourself."
Lu Bolin nodded.
Five minutes later—
He stepped outside.
The mansion garden was large and beautifully designed.
Green trees.
Stone paths.
Flower beds.
Lu Bolin walked slowly along the path.
The air felt fresh.
Cool.
Alive.
He stopped near a small pond.
Water rippled softly under the sunlight.
Lu Bolin crouched slightly and touched the surface.
Cold.
Real.
For a moment…
He simply watched the water move.
Ten years in a hospital.
Ten years watching life through windows.
And now—
He was finally inside it.
Lu Bolin whispered softly,
"This world is interesting."
The system appeared again.
[Host emotional state stable.]
Lu Bolin tilted his head.
"I feel curious."
[Curiosity detected.]
"Is that unusual?"
[Host emotional range historically limited.]
Lu Bolin considered that.
Perhaps these worlds would allow him to understand emotions better.
Meanwhile—
In the city.
Gu Yichen was finishing the board meeting.
Executives sat nervously around the table.
Everyone knew his reputation.
Cold.
Strict.
Merciless.
One executive finished presenting a report.
Gu Yichen didn't respond immediately.
His mind briefly wandered again.
For some reason—
He suddenly wondered what Lu Bolin was doing right now.
Was he still resting?
Reading?
Working again?
Gu Yichen frowned.
This was ridiculous.
Why was he thinking about him?
He looked up at the executive.
"Your numbers are wrong."
The man froze.
"P-President Gu?"
"Page sixteen. The projected profit margin calculation is inaccurate."
The room went silent.
Everyone quickly checked the documents.
And…
He was right.
Gu Yichen had noticed a small error instantly.
But even as the meeting continued—
A strange thought appeared again.
Last night.
Lu Bolin had said something strange.
Working to exhaustion for someone who hates you is inefficient.
Gu Yichen tapped his pen lightly.
So…
If he stopped working for the company…
Stopped chasing him…
Stopped trying to earn his approval…
What would Lu Bolin do instead?
For some reason—
Gu Yichen suddenly wanted to know the answer.
Meanwhile—
Back in the garden.
Lu Bolin had discovered something new.
There were koi fish in the pond.
Bright orange and white shapes moving slowly through the water.
Lu Bolin watched them with genuine fascination.
After several minutes—
He asked the system,
"Do villains always live nearby?"
[Yes.]
"Good."
The system paused.
[Host planning next action?]
Lu Bolin nodded slightly.
"Yes."
[Strategy?]
Lu Bolin looked back toward the mansion.
"Proximity increases observation opportunities."
[...Understood.]
At that moment—
A car entered the mansion gate.
Lu Bolin glanced toward the driveway.
The system suddenly beeped.
[Villain returning unexpectedly.]
Lu Bolin blinked.
Interesting.
He had expected Gu Yichen to return late at night.
The car door opened.
Gu Yichen stepped out.
His sharp eyes immediately scanned the area.
Then—
He saw him.
Lu Bolin standing beside the pond in the sunlight.
Wearing simple white clothes.
His black hair moved gently in the wind.
For a moment—
The scene looked almost unreal.
Gu Yichen froze slightly.
Lu Bolin noticed him too.
Their eyes met across the garden.
Neither of them spoke.
But something subtle shifted again.
Curiosity.
Interest.
And the faint beginning of something far more dangerous.
The system quietly updated the data.
Villain Interest Level: 7%
And the number…
Was rising faster than expected.