CHAPTER 15: Persona Collapse Rate: 15%

◎ First Update ◎

After the amusement park event ended, Ji Jingxiu didn’t go home. Once he recovered a bit, he dragged his ghost-pale face to the office, saying there was an important meeting he absolutely couldn’t miss.

The black umbrella was nowhere to be found, so the assistant had to pull out a brand-new folding umbrella from the bag and hold it over Ji Jingxiu’s head as he hurried into the car.

That deathly pale face paired with his quick strides made him look beautifully tragic and hardworking.

Other CEOs waste time flirting every day, all about the romance. Ji Jingxiu, on the other hand, acted like he was on some main mission to dominate the business world—nonstop meetings, endless work, out early and home late.

No wonder he was so rich.

Qin Yangyang pulled herself together. She decided to take a page from the CEO’s book. Since her shift had just ended, she might as well go ask the manager for today’s wages.

The manager was being extra enthusiastic now, grinning from ear to ear.

“I just had someone do a quick survey—95% of customers said they were really happy with today’s event! The mascot merch is selling like crazy!”

Qin Yangyang smiled lightly.

“As long as everyone’s happy. If you ever need part-timers for events like this again, feel free to call me.”

“Yes! Of course!”

The manager nodded repeatedly, then stealthily pulled out a red envelope and said sneakily,
“I secretly gave you a little bonus. You’re President Ji’s wife, after all—only you get this kind of treatment!”

Qin Yangyang was secretly delighted, though she felt a bit embarrassed at first.

But when she opened the red envelope and peeked inside… it was just ten yuan more.

“……”

So being President Ji’s wife is only worth an extra ten yuan to you?

Clearly, President Ji doesn’t rank that high in your eyes either.

The manager might be stingy, but he was great at flattery. As he escorted Qin Yangyang out, he kept praising the deep love between her and Ji Jingxiu.

“If it weren’t for you, President Ji wouldn’t have come today at all. He was obviously here for you!”

Qin Yangyang: Wrong.

“The moment he saw you, he went looking for you right away—he really cares about you!”

Qin Yangyang: Also wrong. He came to settle a score with me.

“You two really have such a great relationship.”

Qin Yangyang finally couldn’t hold it in.

“Manager, I think you’ve misunderstood. Ji Jingxiu and I have a business marriage. There are no feelings involved. You really shouldn’t say things like that—if Ji Jingxiu hears it, it won’t be good for your money future.”

The manager had been talking so much his mouth was dry, but the second he heard “money future,” it was like he’d been stabbed in the heart—he went dead silent.

His smile froze on his face… then migrated straight onto Qin Yangyang’s.

“Thanks for seeing me off. Bye.”

With that, she got in the car and left.

The manager stood there in place, carefully mulling over what Qin Yangyang had just said.

If that was true… he was starting to feel a bit sorry for the ten yuan he’d added from his own pocket.

Just as he was thinking about it, his phone suddenly rang.

It was Ji Jingxiu calling.

The manager picked up immediately. They didn’t talk long before Ji Jingxiu’s hesitant voice came through the line.

“Um… the amusement park mascot. Can you send one over?”

The manager perked up. Though a little confused, he quickly replied, “You mean the lotus leaf frog? No problem! I’ll have someone deliver a full set right away.”

Ji Jingxiu paused for two seconds, then added in a very low voice:

“I want the exact headpiece I wore today.”

“Ah? Uh… sure, okay.”

“That’s all.”

He hung up right after.

The manager was baffled. What did the CEO want that thing for?

But a second later, it dawned on him.

Aha!

Young couples these days… so shy.

….

Qin Yangyang got home by herself. The sun hadn’t gone down yet.

The late-summer evening sun was still scorching, slanting in from the horizon.

She suddenly remembered Ji Jingxiu’s odd reaction today. She couldn’t help but reach out her hand, letting the sunlight fall into her palm and cast a sharp shadow on the ground.

The sun was strong, yes—but far from strong enough to actually burn someone.

Qin Yangyang called the system back out.

“Can I reread the original Runaway Sweet Wife novel?”

【You can.】

With the system’s reply, a book instantly opened in her mind.

This time, she read it carefully, not missing a single detail. But by the end, she still hadn’t found any explanation for Ji Jingxiu’s strange reaction.

Qin Yangyang asked, puzzled, “At the amusement park today, Ji Jingxiu lost his umbrella and started acting really weird. What’s going on?”

The system’s voice was gentle:
【That’s something you’ll have to discover on your own.】

Qin Yangyang: “Then forget it. Some secrets are better left unknown.”

The more you know, the faster you die.

【……】

Qin Yangyang had a rough guess—it was probably some kind of mental illness.

A CEO with a tragic past was practically a requirement in CEO fiction.

Besides, she’d be leaving in six months anyway. Let the female lead handle it later. She could use love to heal him.

While thinking, Qin Yangyang pushed the book out of her mind and quickly stepped inside.

That same night, Ji Jingxiu didn’t return until very late.

The butler, possibly having heard some rumors, was anxiously waiting at the door. As soon as he saw Ji Jingxiu enter, he rushed over, full of concern.

“President Ji, are you feeling alright?”

“I’m fine.”

After working overtime for half a day, Ji Jingxiu’s complexion had miraculously returned to normal. For him, working late was like recharging—completely absurd.

As soon as he walked in, he was surprised to find Qin Yangyang still awake.

“Why haven’t you gone to bed yet?”

Normally, she’d be fast asleep in her room by this hour.

“I was waiting for you.”

Ji Jingxiu was briefly stunned by her answer but slowly caught on.

“You’re not waiting for me—you’re waiting for something else, right?”

Qin Yangyang: ?

She was genuinely worried that Ji Jingxiu might not survive the six-month deadline and kick the bucket on her watch.

This afternoon, the way he left made it seem like he was on his deathbed. She couldn’t just sit back and watch her ATM machine break down, so even though she was yawning nonstop, she stayed up in the living room to see how he was doing.

“I really was waiting for you.”

Ji Jingxiu didn’t seem to care much. He took off his suit jacket and handed it to the butler, then waved at her.

“Since you’re still awake, perfect—come sign this contract.”

“What contract?”

“Regarding your living expenses and daily allowance during the duration of our marriage.”

Qin Yangyang shot up from the sofa like a carp flipping out of water, instantly wide awake, and walked over excitedly.

“You’re seriously giving me a living allowance?”

She had only casually brought it up at the amusement park, but he actually remembered!

“I was planning to discuss this with you after a while,” Ji Jingxiu said, glancing at her. “But I didn’t expect you to be so poor, so I figured we should confirm it sooner.”

Qin Yangyang sensed a trace of sympathy in his calm tone and couldn’t help but mutter, “I’m not that poor. I’ve got seven figures in savings now!”

Her eyes curved slightly as she smiled, full of secret joy.

The amusement park mascot design fee had already arrived in her account, and with the system rewards added in, her savings had reached a level she never dared to dream of in her past life.

Seven figures!

That definitely counted as middle-class, right?

But to her surprise, after hearing this, Ji Jingxiu’s gaze shifted from sympathetic to downright pitiful. Finally, he said, “Alright, stop trying to play the tragic card. I’ll add another 200,000 to your allowance.”

“?”

Qin Yangyang: So many things I want to say, but forget it.

Fine, you win.

She grabbed the contract on the table and quickly began flipping through it.

The more she read, the wider her eyes grew!

The terms Ji Jingxiu offered were outrageously generous.

One million yuan a month in living expenses, with daily costs reimbursable, a chauffeur available for transportation, and no interference in her work or personal life.

This was practically a fairy’s lifestyle!

“Ji Jingxiu!”

Qin Yangyang’s eyes were burning as she suddenly threw her arms around him.

“I think I might actually be falling for you a little!”

Ji Jingxiu froze, then stiffly pushed her away.

“Don’t act cute.”

Qin Yangyang twirled around in joy and quickly signed her name on the agreement.

Once the contract took effect, her gaze toward Ji Jingxiu carried a touch of sincere concern.

“You’re really okay now? Still not feeling unwell?”

Her enthusiastic tone made Ji Jingxiu feel a bit uncomfortable.

“Mm.”

Qin Yangyang quickly added, “Then you should go rest early. Don’t overwork yourself!”

She even thoughtfully poured him a glass of warm water before reluctantly leaving.

Ever since they got married, Qin Yangyang had always acted lukewarm toward him. It almost felt like her earlier affection had been an illusion. Now, this sudden burst of warmth caught him completely off guard.

Ji Jingxiu stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching her retreating figure.

“She looks very happy.”

The butler stood beside him, then turned to glance at the agreement on the table.

“President Ji, could it be that madam is happy because of the one million in living expenses?”

Ji Jingxiu shook his head.

“Impossible.”

The butler wanted to argue—Qin Yangyang practically had the word greedy tattooed on her forehead!

But seeing Ji Jingxiu’s confident tone, he simply asked, “Then what do you think it is?”

Ji Jingxiu turned around, staring straight at the butler, a faint light flickering in his eyes.

He didn’t speak, but the answer was written all over his face.

The butler: …

Sir, you haven’t even gone to bed yet—why are you already dreaming?

——

Two days later, the results of the voting on Qin Yangyang’s communication gadget were out.

A total of 8,000 people participated in the poll, and more than 5,000 expressed interest in buying it.

Qin Yangyang had previously calculated that the production cost for this gadget was quite low—if 3,000 people bought it, she’d break even. Now, the numbers had far exceeded her expectations. Not only would she recoup her costs, she’d earn a tidy profit.

The video introducing the “communication miracle” was still gaining views, now having surpassed ten million plays, with a barrage of comments demanding mass production completely covering the screen.

Qin Yangyang had always loved designing strange little gadgets. In her past life, she often made weird and quirky things during her downtime and posted them online, but the response had always been lackluster. People said all her designs were useless.

She never expected them to be so well-received here.

[This product is so fun! Sis, are you thinking about registering a trademark? I’ll be camping out for your next release!]

As she scrolled, this particular comment suddenly caught her eye.

Thump!

Qin Yangyang paused, as if something inside her had been split open—a surge of excitement flooding in.

Did she want to?

Desperately!

The moment the thought took hold, it grew wildly.

If she could realize the dream she never achieved in her past life here—wouldn’t that be incredible?