World 1: Gloomy Third-Gen Retiree X Original FL’s Pitiable Coworker (Part 06)

Chen Manzi loved Gu Huai’s sweet talk the most.

In her previous life, Huo Hanting didn’t understand romance—he only used money to coax her, to buy her love.

But Gu Huai was different. He cared for her, paid attention to the tiniest shifts in her mood, could sense her little tantrums and outbursts.

Though he always kept a respectful distance and never crossed the line.

This made Chen Manzi feel even more respected.

“You don’t need to ask questions like that to test how I feel about you.”

“Tch, you’re just sweet-talking me again.”

“I mean every word.”

Chen Manzi pouted playfully.

Suddenly, Gu Huai’s phone rang. He glanced at it, then silently turned it face down on the table.

“What’s wrong?”

“Something at work. Oh right, you said Yu is at Huo Corp now. Is she free lately? I have a project…”

“She’s not free.”

In her last life, Gu Huai and Fu Yu never even crossed paths. Clearly, in this life, working closely gave Fu Yu an opening.

She had to snuff out even the tiniest spark—cut off all possible interactions between them.

Gu Huai was hers. No one else could take him.

Chen Manzi’s lips curved into a meaningful smile.

“Right now, I bet all of Fu Yu’s attention is on Huo Hanting. She doesn’t have time for you.”

“Huh? Fu Yu and President Huo…? Come on, Zizi, don’t joke like that.”

A plain-looking woman with no background like Fu Yu? How could she land someone like Huo Hanting—the golden boy of Deep City?

“Well, you never know.”

Chen Manzi glanced at the time on her phone and slipped her arm around Gu Huai’s.

“Babe, the movie’s about to start. Let’s head to the theater.”

And without caring whether Gu Huai had eaten, she dragged him up to the rooftop cinema.

---

After taking a shower, Fu Yu finally saw the message from Chen Manzi:

“Sorry! I’ve been super busy lately and couldn’t call you back. Once your business trip’s over, dinner’s on me~ ❤️”

Chen Manzi was clearly in a good mood—probably thinking Fu Yu was her perfect scapegoat and that she could finally be rid of Huo Hanting.

Should she remind her?

Gu Huai wasn’t as easy to control as he seemed…

After reading the original body’s memories, Fu Yu discovered some very interesting things.

She subconsciously reached for the 18-bead bracelet she bought at the temple today.

Huh?

Gone?

Meanwhile, in the next room, Huo Hanting was gripping the sandalwood-scented bracelet in his hand.

His veins bulged from how hard he was clutching it. The smooth beads pressed deep into his skin.

It didn’t hurt. In fact, he felt a twisted sense of pleasure.

Something in him had broken.

He found the bracelet Fu Yu had accidentally dropped but didn’t return it right away. Instead, he kept it for himself.

What he wanted wasn’t just the bracelet.

He wanted everything related to Fu Yu.

He was obsessed—desperate to barge into her life and become a part of it.

That’s why he salvaged the drone expo that was about to be canceled due to funding issues.

Why he deliberately listed only their names on the business trip project.

Why he arrived early in Yao City—just to visit the most spiritual temple with Fu Yu.

His assistant said: couples who prayed there always ended up together.

As Fu Yu held three sticks of incense and prayed sincerely, Huo Hanting didn’t even look at the towering statue of the Bodhisattva.

Nor did he light his incense.

His dark red eyes were fixed solely on Fu Yu.

He didn’t believe in superstition.

He just wanted to—right there, amidst the noisy crowd and unnoticed by all—blaspheme his god in the most twisted, safest way possible.

He had lost his mind.

He must have.

His phone buzzed non-stop, Fu Yu’s voice flowed into his heart like a clear spring:

“President Huo, I lost my bracelet. Did you happen to…?”

Today, her original plan was to stick close to increase his affection meter.

But when she checked the stats, she noticed that just being near Huo Hanting made his favorability skyrocket.

Wait, this wasn’t how it was supposed to go!

An SSS-tier capture target’s affection should be hard to raise, right?

Fu Yu was confused, but continued getting closer.

She’d bought the bracelet because Huo Hanting had glanced at it.

She thought giving it to him could give her a huge affection boost.

“I’ve got it. I’ll return it to you.”

Huo Hanting tightened his grip on the bracelet, as if by holding it, he could hold onto her wrist too.

Once, he didn’t believe in love at first sight—or even love itself.

But before she died, his mother had taken his hand and used the last of her strength to say:

“One day, you’ll meet a girl who haunts your dreams, who takes over your soul… If that day comes, never let her go.”

He didn’t believe her.

Until now.

The door opened.

Fu Yu stood there, and Huo Hanting was right outside—deep, unreadable eyes locked onto hers.

“President Huo.”

He opened his palm—the 18-bead bracelet lay inside.

The imprint of the beads was still visible on his skin, flushed red like little rubies.

Fu Yu reached out instinctively, but he grabbed her hand instead.

And didn’t let go.

“Let’s get married.”

The man who could discuss deals worth tens of billions without flinching…

At this moment, looked like a lovestruck teenage boy.

Skipping flirtation, dating, intimacy—he wanted her as his wife.

The only woman in his life.

He didn’t know what “love” or “liking” meant.

All he knew was that from the moment he saw Fu Yu, she occupied his soul, his mind, his body.

He shamelessly dreamed of them tangled up together.

He secretly pulled surveillance footage from her apartment building.

Watched the recordings of her daily routine over and over—memorizing her outfits and habits.

She was left-handed but liked to carry things with her right. She loved chocolate milk and Portuguese egg tarts…

He was addicted—to a drug named Fu Yu.

He knew his obsession would scare her.

So he had to act normal. Approach her like a regular man.

As a husband.

There was no identity more legitimate than that.

His clever mind spun rapidly, coming up with all kinds of strategies to convince her.

Coercion, temptation, or even… seduction…

But then Fu Yu stepped back and said, “Come in and we’ll talk.”

“I’ll marry you. But you’ll have to agree to a few conditions.”

“Okay.”

Huo Hanting didn’t even hesitate.

“You don’t want to hear the conditions first?”

“I never haggle in business.”

“That’s condition one: you must let me finish before making decisions for me.”

He swallowed hard.

He thought she’d ask for money or power.

“What else?”

“Second: You belong to me. Everything must prioritize my feelings and experiences.”

“Third…”

Fu Yu hooked a finger under his chin.

“In our relationship, I make the rules.”

Fu Yu knew nothing about love.

In her last mission, she was a cyber dog-trainer.

Men and dogs… probably followed the same basic logic.