“The next day, I met Ji Chunshan,” Xu Xue said.

Her boss, a man obsessed with appearances, had arranged to host an important client at one of the most expensive fine-dining restaurants in Shangcheng City.

He loved asserting his authority by belittling others. That day, in front of the client, he humiliated her in the middle of the restaurant lobby.

Everyone who frequented that restaurant was either wealthy or influential. What expressions must they have had, seeing someone like her, dressed plainly, looking so pitiful?

Xu Xue nearly broke down in tears but held them back with sheer willpower.

Suddenly, the lobby went silent for a moment. Xu Xue looked up and saw someone she had recognized online—Ji Chunshan.

She had seen him trending on social media before. In those posts, Ji Chunshan wore silver-framed glasses, his faint smile effortlessly silencing foreign representatives at a negotiation table.

There was even a time when she had imagined his face while reading CEO novels. She thought that the shallowly written CEOs in the stories weren’t worthy of someone like Ji Chunshan—his calm demeanor, his commanding presence.

She never imagined she would see him in person.

Ji Chunshan in real life was even more charismatic than his online persona. She instantly understood why the lobby had fallen silent. Looking at him, she found herself at a loss for words, especially when Ji Chunshan turned his gaze toward her.

When he saw her, he raised his hand slightly. The assistants and secretaries behind him immediately stopped walking. Then, Ji Chunshan walked toward her.

Under the gaze of so many people, Ji Chunshan handed her a handkerchief with impeccable politeness. She could hear her own heart pounding, and she froze, completely unsure of how to respond.

Then, she heard Ji Chunshan say: “Woman, you’ve successfully caught my attention^[1]A cliché line from CEO novels, signaling the beginning of a romantic, or chaotic storyline..”

Xu Xue: ???

Xu Xue: ??????

“Since then, he… he…” Xu Xue squatted under the tree on the small path.

She covered her face as she said, “He’s been madly in love with me, just like the domineering CEOs in those novels.”

At first, Xu Xue was overjoyed! After all, it was Ji Chunshan!

He gave her everything she had ever longed for, even better than she imagined.

He bought the company that she was working for, and her arrogant, self-centered boss didn’t dare raise his voice at her anymore. Every coworker greeted her with a careful, polite smile.

He gifted her a private jet and a luxury yacht. Cars and houses were so insignificant to him they didn’t even warrant mentioning.

But soon, she began to retreat.

The arrogant boss who had insulted her saw his company face serious trouble within days, leaving many employees on the verge of unemployment. One of them was her acquaintance, a driver whose wife was paralyzed and whose son had autism. His family depended entirely on his income. If he lost his job, his family wouldn’t survive.

What about the families of those she didn’t know? What were their situations like?

Once, a man slapped her on the back, and the next day, the man’s father personally came to apologize. The elderly man, nearly in tears, almost knelt before her, explaining that their family had worked for generations to achieve their current success. His tears sank into the deep wrinkles on his weathered face.

That evening, Ji Chunshan took her to dinner and gave her a diamond necklace.

Under the bright lights, the enormous diamond sparkled brilliantly, dazzlingly beautiful.

When Ji Chunshan had given her planes and yachts, she didn’t feel much—those things were too far removed from her daily life. But this diamond necklace felt connected to her reality.

It was likely worth twenty years of her salary—a necklace casually presented over dinner, unworthy even of being saved for a holiday.

She glanced around the restaurant, realizing that some people were eating meals worth three months of her salary. They wore shoes equivalent to four or five months of her pay, carrying bags priced at her annual income, or sporting watches worth her entire lifetime’s earnings.

The diamond’s brilliance flashed before her eyes—it was an illusionary light.

A dazzling, illusory light that scared her, causing her to pull back. So beautiful, yet it was slowly peeling her away from the real world.

“I proposed breaking up. He went crazy, red-eyed, blocking me and locking me in a dark room,” Xu Xue said. 

“That scared me even more, so I called the police.”

Already panicked and afraid, and with a series of stalking and confinement incidents following, what else could she do but report him?

After hearing this, Duan Chunshui concluded, “This is a case of a domineering CEO romance novel invasion. You’ve received the female protagonist’s halo, which influences the CEOs you encounter to fall in love with you.”

At the police station, Xu Xue had overheard Jiang Nian mention this, and Xiao Xu had also explained it earlier. But hearing Duan Chunshui confirm it still surprised her. “A novel chose me to be its protagonist? Why me? That’s so bizarre!”

“It’s not bizarre,” Jiang Nian said, tilting her chin toward Wang De. “Novels have also chosen him as a protagonist.”

Curious, Xu Xue turned to Wang De. “What kind of novel?”

Even though she knew others had been chosen as protagonists, she was still curious about the specifics, finding the intersection of fiction and reality fascinating. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Wang De.

Jiang Nian answered, “A harem novel.”

“Oh.” Xu Xue’s excitement deflated instantly, and she pursed her lips. “A harem novel, huh.”

“Hey, what’s wrong with a harem novel? You’re a Mary Sue heroine, and you’re looking down on me, the male lead?” Wang De, feeling insulted by her shift in attitude, voiced his dissatisfaction.

“What’s wrong with a harem novel? It’s just men fantasizing about every woman being obsessed with them,” Xu Xue said, standing up and glaring at him. “You guys are just driven by lust!”

“And your novel’s any different? You’re an ordinary-looking girl, yet handsome, wealthy CEOs are all madly in love with you,” Wang De retorted, stepping forward. “Isn’t that just wish fulfillment?”

Just as the two were about to argue, two pieces of paper with bold, printed text appeared between them, held by Duan Chunshui’s slender fingers.

“Mutual Non-Mockery Contract Between Novels”

“……”

Duan Chunshui: “Sign it.”

The two protagonists quickly complied.

Duan Chunshui then turned his attention to Ji Chunshan. The once-dignified CEO now slumped lifelessly, leaning against a tree, as though he would never move again.

“I recorded everything,” Duan Chunshui said.

Ji Chunshan’s body trembled.

[Oh no.]

“……”

“President Ji! We’re here!” At that moment, a convoy of luxury cars pulled up to the nearby road, loudly reinforcing their CEO’s presence.

Ji Chunshan forced out a few words through gritted teeth. “Go away!”

Duan Chunshui: “Don’t go. Take us to the Ji family estate.”

Xiao Xu, ever diligent, gave them a brief explanation of the Ji family’s situation, adding the latest update: 

“The stranger claiming to be the Ji family’s young master has no verifiable identity. He’s likely an original protagonist from a novel, which means his influence will be greater, and the novel’s invasion speed will increase. We need to hurry.”

The most excited reaction came from Xu Xue. “A true and false young master story! I’ve read that kind of novel. Can I go with you?”

After seeing Duan Chunshui subdue Ji Chunshan, her fear had subsided significantly. Now, she was eager to see how a novel protagonist would behave in real life.

Duan Chunshui: “Sure. That young master might also be a CEO from a novel.”

Xu Xue: “……”

Wang De, seemingly competitive with Xu Xue, asked, “Captain Duan, can I go too?”

Duan Chunshui: “Yes. That young master is probably the perfect example of a harem novel male lead, the type who serves as a stepping stone for someone like you. Who knows, you might end up smacking him down and turning him into your lackey.”

Wang De: “……”