The system woke me at 5:47 AM with a notification that felt suspiciously like a drill sergeant's whisper: [Beauty Sleep: COMPLETE. Side Effect: Host drooled. Disgusting but endearing. Charisma +1.]
I sat up on Lily's couch, wiping my mouth. The studio loft was dark, but my phone screen glowed with my new daily stats:
[Morning Status Report]
Charisma: 43 (Well-Rested Glow)
Energy: 78/100 (Neural Stabilizer: Active)
Confidence: 55/100 (Spite-Fueled, But Make It Fashion)
Warning: Interview in 4 hours. Recommend immediate preparation sequence.]
Lily's "emergency revenge" dress hung on her wardrobe like a promise in midnight-blue silk. Beside it, a new addition—a shoebox I'd never seen before. I opened it. Inside: heels that looked like they could kill a man, labeled [System-Provided: +5 Intimidation, +3 Elegance].
"Thought you might need those," Lily mumbled from her bed. "Delivery guy came at 3 AM. I signed for it and threatened his life if he woke you."
"These cost more than my severance," I whispered, running a finger over the leather.
"Consider it investment therapy." She rolled over. "Now stop staring at shoes and tell your magic hexagon what you're wearing so I can go back to sleep."
"The what?"
She pointed to the air above my head, where the system had projected a holographic outfit grid. "That. It's been hovering there since 3 AM. Gave me nightmares about Excel spreadsheets."
[Security Breach: Non-Host can see projection. Recalibrating...] The system flickered, then added: [Lily's Perception: 89/100. Recommend recruitment as System Ally. Official Role: Emotional Support/Best Friend. Y/N?]
I selected Y. The system chimed: [Lily (Li Meihua) added to Party. Loyalty: 999/100 (Overflow Error). Skill: [Unshakeable Faith in Host]. Passive Bonus: Host Confidence +10 when within 10 meters.]
"Recruited," I said to the air.
"Cool," Lily yawned. "Now does that come with a 401k?"
---
The interview outfit the system assembled was a power suit in blush pink—a color I'd always avoided because Gu Chenyu said it made me look "too soft." The system disagreed:
[Outfit Analysis: Power Blush]
Effect: Subverts expectations. Suggests approachability with backbone.
Warning: Gu Chenyu would hate it. Excellent. Wear it.]
I did. The heels clicked on Lily's hardwood with the sound of judgment being delivered. My reflection in the full-length mirror wasn't the girl from 48 hours ago. She'd been blurry at the edges, worn down by accommodation. This version—sharp lines, brighter eyes, a posture that said I cost more than you can afford—was someone else entirely.
[Charisma: 43 → 45 (Polished and Dangerous).]
Starlight Tech's headquarters was a glass tower in Lujiazui that reflected the Huangpu River like a vertical mirror. I'd walked past it a hundred times, never daring to dream I'd work there. Now I marched through its revolving doors like I owned the mortgage.
The receptionist didn't look up immediately. Then she did—a double-take that made the system purr: [First Impression: Bonus Points. Receptionist's internal monologue: "She's either somebody or about to be."]
"Miss Song for Project Manager interview," I said, voice steady.
She checked her tablet. "Conference Room 27B. They're ready for you."
The elevator ride was a system tutorial in real-time: [Interview Protocol: Engage]
1. Eye Contact: 70% (Intense, Not Creepy)
2. Smile Frequency: Every 30 seconds. Show teeth.
3. When Asked "Tell Me About Yourself," Do Not Mention Ex. I Repeat: Do. Not. Mention. Ex.]
The conference room had a glass wall overlooking the river. Inside: three interviewers. Two were standard HR—middle-aged women with the weary look of having seen every corporate desperation tactic. The third was a man in his early thirties with the sharp, expensive suit of someone who'd never needed to ask permission.
[Entity Scanning...]
[HR Manager Zhang: Impressionable. Flatter her shoes.]
[HR Director Wu: Skeptical. Show her numbers.]
[COO Lin: Dangerous. He wrote the job description. He knows what he wants. And he wants... someone like his ex-wife. Interesting. Exploit this.]
The system provided three talking points, tailored to each. I delivered them flawlessly. When Zhang asked, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" I complimented her Louboutins first. When Wu questioned my gap in employment, I talked analytics—citing market trends I'd memorized from the system's [Business Acumen Package] at 3 AM. When Lin leaned back and said, "Convince me you're not just another pretty face with a résumé," the system flashed: [Use Line 7. Now.]
I smiled. "Sir, I can read a room, a dataset, and a man's insecurity in 30 seconds. Right now, you're wondering if hiring me will make your board respect you more, or if I'll be a distraction. I can be both. But I'll make you profitable first."
Lin's eyebrows shot up. The other two women went very still. The system erupted: [CRITICAL HIT! COO Lin's Interest: +50. He sees his younger, hungrier self. Hire probability: 87%.]
"Impressive," Lin said. "But can you start Monday? We have a launch in three weeks."
Translation: We need someone desperate enough to say yes without negotiating.
The system gave me a dialogue option: [Option A: "Of course! I'm just grateful for the opportunity!" (Weak. Hire probability: 40% but you'll hate yourself.)] [Option B: "Monday works. My salary requirement is ¥30,000 monthly, plus bonuses tied to launch success." (Strong. Hire probability: 85%. Self-respect: +100. Ex's future Regret: +10%)]
I selected B.
Lin laughed—a sharp, surprised sound. "¥25,000. Bonuses at 15%."
"¥28,000. Bonuses at 20%."
"Done." He stood, extending his hand. "Welcome to Starlight, Miss Song."
I shook it. The system chimed: [MISSION: Career Restart - COMPLETE!]
[Reward: ¥28,000/month, [Corporate Health Insurance], [Mom's Surgery: 100% Covered], [Office Politics: IMMINENT]]
---
Monday arrived with the speed of a bullet train. My first day, the system was in full micromanager mode:
[Arrival Time: 8:47 AM. Optimal: 8:45 AM. You're late. Charisma -1.]
[Correction: Early arrival reeks of desperation. Charisma +1. Net: 0. You're fine.]
The office was open-plan, all glass and exposed ducts. My desk was in Project Management—directly across from a woman who looked like she'd been carved from jade and resentment. Her nameplate: Bai Lianhua, Special Consultant.
[ANTAGONIST DETECTED!] The system blared like a fire alarm. [Bai Lianhua, 26, Professional Homewrecker (Certified). Current Target: Host's Ex (Secondary). Primary Target: Host's Career. Malice Level: 94% and rising.]
She looked up from her monitor. Her smile was a scalpel. "Miss Song! The new girl. How... resourceful of you to land this position."
The system translated: [She's surprised you got hired. She tried to block it. Lin overruled her.]
"Miss Bai," I said, returning a smile that felt like showing teeth to a wolf. "I admire your work. Truly."
Her eyes narrowed. "My work?"
"Consulting." I sat, booting up my computer. "It must be so fulfilling to advise without accountability."
The system cackled: [Psychological Damage: +50! Bai's Malice: 94% → 96%. She now wants you fired and run over. Progress!]
By lunch, I'd been given the worst project: coordinating a product launch with a vendor known for missing deadlines. Bai's doing, obviously. The system offered a mission:
[Mission: The Impossible Launch]
Objective: Deliver project 3 days early
Reward: [Office Credibility: +50], [Bai's Humiliation: +100]
Hidden Reward: [Gu Chenyu's Company is the Vendor. Regret Level: +15% when he sees your name on the emails.]
I accepted. Then I opened my email to find a message from an address I didn't recognize: J.Huai'[email protected].
Subject: System Security Reminder
Body: Your antagonist is scanning your terminal. Recommend activating [Stealth Mode]. Token required. —J
My hand went to the silver token in my bag. I placed it on my desk. The system interface shimmered, then split—one layer visible to me, another projected for prying eyes. To anyone else, my screen showed cat videos. To me, it showed Bai's reflection behind me, using her phone to photograph my monitor.
[Stealth Mode: Active. Bai's Data: Encrypted. Her Espionage: Useless.]
She huffed and walked away.
At 4:47 PM, my real phone buzzed. Not the system—Gu Chenyu. The system tried to block it: [Ex Contact: Not Recommended. Regret Level is climbing naturally. Direct contact may destabilize—]
I answered.
"Anran." His voice was rough, like he'd been yelling or drinking. Or both. "I heard you got a job at Starlight."
"News travels fast."
"Bai told me." Of course she did. "She says you're... different."
The system projected a stat screen I couldn't see but somehow felt: [Gu Chenyu's Regret Level: 22% (Confusion + Attraction)]
[Recommendation: Be vague. Be busy. Be unforgettable.]
"I am different," I said, and hung up.
The system exploded in approval: [PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE: CRITICAL! Regret Level: 22% → 28%!]
[New Skill Unlocked: [Power Play]! Use it wisely.]
Bai passed my desk, eyes narrowed. "Everything okay, Miss Song? You look... flushed."
"Just excited." I smiled. "My ex called. He sounds so small over the phone."
Her smile cracked. The system recorded it: [Antagonist's Facade: Cracking. Humiliation Protocol: 17% Complete.]
At 5:30 PM, a company-wide email landed: URGENT: CEO Jiang Huai'an will tour all departments tomorrow. Dress code: Impeccable.
The system went silent. Then, in tiny text: [Entity Jiang Huai'an: Romance Value is now visible to Host. Do you wish to view? Y/N]
I stared at the prompt. This was the man who'd killed his sister with code. Who'd drugged me with coffee. Who'd built a system that turned heartbreak into a game.
My finger hovered.
Then I pressed Y.
The number that appeared crushed the air from my lungs: [Romance Value: 999/100 (Overflow Error: System Cannot Compute Devotion)]
[Warning: Host heart rate critical. Recommend neural stabilizer.]
[Jiang Huai'an has entered the building.]
I looked up. Across the office, past the glass walls and the river of workers heading home, Jiang Huai'an stood in the CEO's private elevator. Our eyes met.
He was still wearing the black shirt from the café.
The elevator doors closed.
My phone buzzed with a final system message for the night:
[Mission: Survive First Day - COMPLETE!]
[Total Gains: Charisma +7, Office Credibility +25, Antagonist's Blood Pressure +40]
[New Quest: The CEO's Tour. Objective: Impress. Reward: [???]. Threat Level: Your heart might explode.]
Bai leaned over my desk, voice sweet as poison: "Sleep well, Miss Song. Tomorrow's a big day."
I smiled back. "I know. I'm bringing my A-game."
[Party Member Lily (via text): "Girl, bring your A-game and mace. That woman has 'push you down stairs' energy."]
The system added its own warning: [Arc 1 Boss Approaching. Recommend Level 10 minimum. Current Level: 3. Host's odds: Suboptimal. But entertaining.]
I shut down my computer, slipped the token into my bag, and walked out past Bai's desk. Her reflection in the darkened window watched me leave.
Tomorrow, the CEO tour.
Tomorrow, I would find out if Jiang Huai'an's devotion was a feature—or the system's most dangerous bug.