WORLD 1: THE SICKLY CEO

CHAPTER 1

The grand reception hall was lavishly decorated, with every brick meticulously designed. Centuries-old antiques blended seamlessly with modern masterpieces, making even the air seem more valuable.

Shi Li glanced at the sofa, then at her mud-stained pants. In the end, she chose not to sit down. Instead, she obediently stood in an empty spot, careful not to dirty anything in the room.

She looked at the man sitting on the opposite sofa, feeling somewhat uneasy. Compared to before, he had matured significantly—his high-bridged nose, narrow and slightly upturned eyes, and pale yet thin lips gave him a sharp, striking appearance that was cold but not feminine. He had also grown much taller, his legs long and straight, though his frame remained thin. The loose fit of his casual clothes made him seem even more slender.

Shi Li caught the distinct scent of medicine in the air and immediately understood that his health hadn’t improved. Pressing her lips together, she carefully spoke: “Shen Jingyan.”

Shen Jingyan remained expressionless, silent.

Shi Li let out an awkward chuckle as a notification appeared in her mind—

Male Lead Hatred Value: 100%

Yes, the man in front of her, Shen Jingyan, was a supporting male character in a novel. The notification in her mind displayed his level of hatred toward her.

A long time ago, Shi Li had fallen into a temporal rift and began traveling through different novel worlds, playing various roles in the lives of supporting male characters. She had always followed the plot diligently, interacting with them according to the script. However, every time a crucial moment arrived, she would be forcibly controlled by the “heartless woman” script, causing her to betray and hurt the male leads, completely undoing any goodwill she had built.

Just ten days ago, she had finally broken free from the script and returned to the real world. However, she hadn’t even stayed there for two hours before the resentment of the male leads dragged her back into the novel worlds. This time, she could only leave after earning their forgiveness and reducing their hatred values to zero.

The world she was currently in was from the first novel she had ever entered—Devoted to You. The man she had to win over was right in front of her.

In her previous mission, Shen Jingyan had been frail and sickly since childhood, surviving only through constant medication. He never attended school or had normal social interactions, which made him withdrawn and sullen.

When he was eighteen, his mother fell seriously ill. Fearing that no one would take care of him after her death, she hired a caretaker for him—Shi Li’s role at the time.

To return home, Shi Li had carefully followed the plot, looking after Shen Jingyan and gaining his trust. She stayed by his side when his mother passed away, never leaving him for two years as he endured the most painful period of his life.

But just when he had grown dependent on her, the heartless woman script took over. Right in front of him, she cruelly mocked him for being a “dying man,” saying that her affection for him had always been fake. Then, she turned around and left, successfully completing her mission and jumping to the next world.

Since her role only lasted until that point, she never saw what happened afterward. When she returned this time, she had assumed that Shen Jingyan, still plagued by illness, would have lived a miserable life, struggling to survive. She thought she could redeem herself by saving him from hardship.

What she hadn’t expected was that his biological father was actually the richest man in City B.

After she left, Shen Jingyan was taken back by his father. With an exceptional talent for business, he quickly adapted to the corporate world under his father’s guidance. Following his father’s death in a car accident, he officially inherited a hundred-billion-dollar empire.

Now that she had returned, five years had passed. Shen Jingyan was twenty-five and had already established himself in the business world, becoming a formidable tycoon.

Meanwhile, her situation was the exact opposite—she was destitute and struggling to survive. She had spent all her savings, had been evicted by her landlord, and was left with nothing but a single change of clothes. To make matters worse, even that spare outfit had been stolen two days ago.

She had been wearing the same clothes for two days now. In this sweltering weather, the faint odor on her body made her feel deeply humiliated as she stood inside this mansion belonging to one of the world’s wealthiest men.

Clearing her throat, Shi Li cautiously said, “I saw in the news that you’ve been overworking yourself and fell ill, so I came to check on you. How are you feeling now?”

Shen Jingyan looked at her with an indifferent gaze.

“I really just wanted to see you—” Before she could finish, the hatred value on her notification panel increased from 100% to 101%. She quickly changed the subject. “I came to apologize! And also… to ask if you could give me a job. Any job! As long as I can stay by your side!”

Male Lead Hatred Value: 102%

Shi Li’s heart clenched. “I’m not trying to pester you—”

Male Lead Hatred Value: 103%

“…Actually, I am pestering you… No, wait, that’s not it. What I mean is…” Shi Li stumbled over her words, struggling to phrase things correctly. “I just want to make it up to you. I don’t want you to hate me anymore.”

She kept glancing at the hatred value, which made her speech hesitant and awkward.

Shen Jingyan continued to stare at her, his expression unreadable. “I’m very busy. I don’t have time to hate a stranger.”

Male Lead Hatred Value: 104%

Shi Li witnessed firsthand what true denial looked like. But she couldn’t argue with him, so after a moment of silence, she cautiously said, “I’m sorry…”

Male Lead Hatred Value: 109%

Shi Li’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately shut her mouth, afraid to say another word.

The reception hall fell into a long, heavy silence. Eventually, the quiet was broken by Shen Jingyan’s faint coughing.

Shi Li watched as he suppressed his coughs. She wanted to step forward to help but didn’t dare get too close. So, she could only stand there and watch.

He only coughed for a little over a minute before stopping, but even in that short time, the corners of his eyes had turned slightly red. His lips were pale, but the inside of his mouth was a soft, peach-like shade, giving him a fragile, almost breakable beauty.

Seeing that he had stopped coughing, Shi Li let out a slight breath of relief and was about to speak when she noticed his lips moving. She quickly took a step forward. “What did you say?”

“Get out.”

Shi Li: “…”

After being thrown out of the estate, Shi Li let out a frustrated sigh and began pacing back and forth near the entrance, brainstorming a new plan.

After five years, his hatred toward her was still this intense. Clearly, she couldn’t rely on time to soften things. She had to stay by his side, let him vent his resentment, and give him the chance to take revenge—only then could she gradually lower his hatred value.

She stared at the steadily rising hatred value and felt a massive headache coming on.

“Young lady, Mr. Shen won’t see you again. You should just go back,” the security guard in the booth couldn’t help but say.

Shi Li gave a bitter smile and shook her head.

The guard sighed. “You young girls are always so unrealistic. Have you even thought about who you are? Do you really think someone like Mr. Shen is within your reach?”

Shi Li knew he had misunderstood but didn’t bother explaining. Instead, she simply flashed him a bright smile.

She was dressed simply in a T-shirt and jeans, her high ponytail neat and crisp. Her porcelain-like skin was flawless, and her eyes, lively and innocent, shimmered like a stream of melting snow in early spring, brimming with vitality.

From a distance, where he couldn’t catch a whiff of her current state, the guard only saw a fair, pretty girl. He sighed regretfully. “Such a pretty face, but why is your brain so useless?”

“…You’re overthinking it,” Shi Li muttered, speechless.

The guard chuckled but, seeing her persistence, didn’t try to persuade her further and returned to his post. Shi Li stood at the gate for a while, but exhaustion eventually took over. She simply sat down on the ground, looking as though she was prepared to squat there until she died of old age.

The scorching sun blazed overhead, and the ground itself seemed to radiate heat. She adjusted slightly, then let herself be drenched in sweat without any attempt to shield herself from the sun.

She wasn’t being foolish. She simply put herself in Shen Jingyan’s shoes—if she were him, she’d be delighted to see an enemy suffering. So she deliberately let herself suffer, knowing full well that Shen Jingyan’s people would report her actions to him. Hopefully, this would chip away at his hatred value.

The thought made her a little restless—she really wanted to check if his hatred had decreased. Unfortunately, the notification only appeared when they made eye contact. Right now, she couldn’t even see him, let alone meet his gaze.

Shi Li sighed regretfully. Just as she prepared to endure more suffering, the security guard suddenly stepped out of his booth, looking apologetic. “Sorry, miss. Orders just came from the house—they don’t want dirty things blocking the entrance.”

“…Who are you calling a dirty thing?” Shi Li asked.

The guard gave her an awkward smile. “Those were the exact words.”

A sudden, suffocating silence. They stared at each other for a moment before Shi Li wordlessly shifted over to the edge of the flower bed. “How about now?”

“Uh… I think that should be fine?” The guard seemed uncertain.

Shi Li sat down again, looking miserable. The guard, knowing the estate’s stance, refrained from further conversation. After some hesitation, he turned back to his booth, no longer interfering.

Shi Li sat under the sweltering sun until she was on the verge of passing out. Then, as if the heavens pitied her—or were simply playing a cruel joke—the previously clear skies suddenly darkened, and rain began pouring down.

Summer rain was fierce and icy, each drop striking her skin with a sharp sting.

Shi Li curled into herself, gritting her teeth as the cold seeped in. But she remained rooted in place. If Shen Jingyan was still the same as before—cold on the outside but soft at heart—then her suffering would surely have some effect.

The rain continued to fall mercilessly. Her vision blurred, but through the mist, she saw the Shen estate’s gates swing open. Several men carried out a collapsible canopy, with the security guard stepping forward to help.

Shi Li’s eyes lit up as she watched them approach.

But before she could let hope take root, the men walked right past her and set up the canopy over the flower bed, carefully shielding the delicate plants from the rain.

Shi Li: “…”

“Mr. Shen instructed us to protect these flowers. You’re welcome to take shelter here, though,” the guard said helpfully.

Shi Li clung to a final shred of hope. “Does he always have you cover the flowers when it rains?”

“Of course,” the guard answered immediately. “These are expensive breeds. They need proper care.”

Shi Li: “…Oh.”

Realizing she had read too much into it, she let out a bitter chuckle. After a moment of hesitation, she decided against stepping under the canopy. Since she had committed to this act of suffering, she had to see it through.

The rain showed no signs of stopping. She had already sweat buckets under the sun, and now the cold rain drenched her thoroughly. Her head felt foggy, each second dragging into eternity.

She prayed for the rain to stop.

Instead, the darkness swallowed her, and she lost consciousness.

She didn’t know how much time had passed when her dulled senses gradually stirred. Slowly, she regained awareness.

Her eyes remained shut, but she could tell she was lying on an incredibly soft bed. The fabric against her skin was smooth and luxurious—clearly not the cheap T-shirt she had worn before. Her body was warm and dry, cocooned in comfort aside from a lingering drowsiness.

“How long do you plan on pretending?”

A familiar voice cut through the haze.

Shi Li could no longer keep up the act. She slowly opened her eyes and, upon seeing the men’s sleepwear on her, cautiously asked, “Is this your clothing?”

She already knew the answer. The lingering scent of herbal medicine was unmistakable.

“Now that you’re awake, get lost.” Shen Jingyan’s expression remained unreadable.

Male Lead Hatred Value: 107%.

It dropped by two points.

So the suffering strategy worked.

Shi Li immediately perked up. “I won’t leave. I want to stay by your side.”

Male Lead Hatred Value: 106%.

Shi Li: “…”

What just happened? It actually went down?

Could it be that he wanted to keep her around so he could torment her?

Realizing she was on the right track, she spoke with even more determination. “I’m sure you’ve already investigated me. You must think I came back to cling to you because I have nowhere else to go. But please believe me, I didn’t return for that. After everything I’ve been through, I’ve done a lot of reflecting. I truly regret my past actions—that’s why I came to find you.”

Male Lead Hatred Value: 105%.

“…I know you don’t hate me, but please, give me a chance to atone. You can do whatever you want to me, I just ask to stay.”

As the hatred value continued to drop, Shi Li’s tone became even more earnest.

Shen Jingyan was silent for a long time before a trace of mockery flickered in his eyes. “You think I’d still believe you?”

“Time will prove everything,” Shi Li said firmly.

The room fell into silence once more. Shi Li met his gaze, her expression unwavering. The hatred value didn’t drop further, but at least it didn’t rise either. She took that as a sign that he would let her stay.

Sure enough, Shen Jingyan finally spoke. “Fine. Stay if you want. I’ll have the butler assign you a job.”

“Really?” Shi Li feigned surprise, secretly relieved that his personality hadn’t changed too drastically from before.

Shen Jingyan’s eyes turned a degree colder. “Don’t celebrate too soon. I can kick you out at any time.”

“…Got it,” Shi Li quickly wiped the smile off her face.

Shen Jingyan shot her one last indifferent glance, then turned to leave. Just as Shi Li relaxed, he suddenly paused at the doorway, gripping the handle as he looked back at her. “Now that you’re awake, get out. From now on, unless I allow it, don’t step foot in this room again.”

Shi Li: “…” Then why did you bring me here in the first place?

As she silently complained, the male lead hatred value dropped another point—104%.

Her mood instantly lifted. She beamed at Shen Jingyan. “Okay! Understood!”

Her smile was warm and radiant, identical to the one from five years ago.

Shen Jingyan stared at her, expressionless.

Male Hatred Value: 120%.

Shi Li: “???”