The next morning arrived quietly.
Sunlight filtered through the tall windows of the mansion, casting pale golden light across the living room.
Lu Bolin was already awake.
He sat at the dining table with a cup of tea, reading another psychology book.
His posture was relaxed.
Calm.
Across the room, Auntie Zhang watched him again with a complicated expression.
"Young Master woke up very early today."
Lu Bolin looked up slightly.
"Yes."
"What time did you sleep?"
"Eleven."
"That's good," she said with relief. "You used to stay up until two in the morning working."
Lu Bolin considered that information.
"Yes."
"But that behavior was inefficient."
Auntie Zhang smiled helplessly.
The way he spoke had changed a lot recently.
Still polite.
But very… logical.
Just then—
Footsteps came down the stairs.
Gu Yichen appeared in the dining room.
He was already dressed for work.
Dark suit.
Perfectly arranged tie.
His presence instantly changed the atmosphere.
Auntie Zhang greeted him quickly.
"Good morning, President Gu."
Gu Yichen nodded slightly.
Then his gaze shifted toward the dining table.
Lu Bolin was sitting there drinking tea.
Reading.
Completely absorbed.
He didn't look nervous.
Didn't immediately stand up.
Didn't rush to greet him like before.
Gu Yichen paused.
"Good morning."
Lu Bolin looked up.
"Good morning."
Then he returned to reading.
That was it.
Gu Yichen felt a faint sense of irritation again.
He sat down across from him.
Breakfast was served.
For several minutes, neither of them spoke.
Only the quiet sound of utensils touching plates.
Finally, Gu Yichen broke the silence.
"What are you reading today?"
Lu Bolin turned the book slightly so he could see.
"Cognitive response patterns."
Gu Yichen raised an eyebrow.
"Still studying emotions?"
"Yes."
Gu Yichen took a sip of coffee.
"And what have you discovered so far?"
Lu Bolin answered calmly.
"Emotional responses often become stronger when people feel their control decreasing."
Gu Yichen's hand paused slightly on the cup.
"Explain."
Lu Bolin spoke casually.
"For example, when someone loses something they previously ignored."
Gu Yichen stared at him.
"Are you talking about yourself?"
Lu Bolin thought for a moment.
"That is one possible application."
Gu Yichen set the coffee cup down slowly.
"You're saying I'm reacting because you stopped chasing me."
Lu Bolin blinked.
"That is a hypothesis."
Gu Yichen leaned back slightly in his chair.
"And you're testing it."
"Yes."
Gu Yichen laughed quietly.
"You really are unbelievable."
Lu Bolin nodded politely again.
"Thank you."
Gu Yichen shook his head.
"That still isn't a compliment."
"Oh."
Breakfast continued in silence again.
But the air between them felt heavier.
Gu Yichen was watching him now.
More carefully.
Every movement.
Every expression.
And Lu Bolin didn't seem to notice—or care.
After breakfast, Gu Yichen stood up.
"I'm going to the company."
Lu Bolin nodded.
"Have a good day."
Gu Yichen paused slightly.
"You're not coming today?"
Lu Bolin shook his head.
"No."
"Why?"
"I want to continue studying."
Gu Yichen frowned faintly.
"You used to insist on helping at the company."
"That was inefficient."
Gu Yichen felt that word again.
Inefficient.
It sounded strangely dismissive.
"Do whatever you want."
He turned and walked toward the door.
But halfway there—
He stopped.
Then he looked back again.
Lu Bolin had already opened another book.
Reading quietly.
Gu Yichen narrowed his eyes slightly.
Then he left.
The door closed.
The system appeared immediately.
[Villain emotional fluctuation detected.]
Lu Bolin turned another page.
"Results?"
[Interest Level: 29%]
Lu Bolin nodded slightly.
"Stable progress."
The system hesitated.
[Host behavior appears passive.]
Lu Bolin looked up.
"Passive strategies often produce stronger emotional responses."
[Explain.]
Lu Bolin spoke calmly.
"When someone actively pursues another person, the emotional control remains with the pursued."
The system processed the statement.
[Meaning?]
Lu Bolin closed the book gently.
"But when the pursuit stops…"
"The balance shifts."
Meanwhile—
Across the city.
Inside Gu Corporation.
Gu Yichen sat in his office.
His assistant stood nearby reviewing documents.
But Gu Yichen's attention wasn't fully on the report.
For some reason—
He kept remembering the breakfast conversation.
Emotional responses increase when control decreases.
Gu Yichen tapped his fingers lightly on the desk.
Was that what Lu Bolin was doing?
Trying to manipulate him psychologically?
If so—
It was working.
Gu Yichen suddenly realized something strange.
For the past two days…
He had thought about Lu Bolin more times than during the entire previous year.
That realization made his eyes darken slightly.
His assistant noticed the change in expression.
"President Gu?"
Gu Yichen looked up.
"What is Lu Bolin doing now?"
The assistant blinked.
"…At the mansion."
"I know that."
"I mean specifically."
The assistant quickly checked the house report again.
"He's in the library."
"Doing what?"
"Reading."
Gu Yichen leaned back slowly.
Reading again.
Of course.
Lu Bolin had always been intelligent.
But recently…
He seemed completely absorbed in studying human behavior.
Gu Yichen suddenly asked another question.
"Did he leave the mansion today?"
"No."
"Did he contact anyone?"
"No."
Gu Yichen frowned slightly.
So Lu Bolin really was just reading.
Studying.
Living quietly.
Not trying to get his attention at all.
That realization created the same strange feeling again.
Gu Yichen picked up his phone.
Then paused.
Why was he even checking?
This was ridiculous.
He put the phone down.
"Continue the report."
Meanwhile—
Back at the mansion.
Lu Bolin had moved to the library window.
Sunlight illuminated the wooden shelves filled with books.
He was reading again.
But this time, the system interrupted.
[Villain behavioral deviation detected.]
Lu Bolin looked up.
"What kind?"
[Villain requested updates about Host twice within the last hour.]
Lu Bolin blinked slightly.
"That is earlier than predicted."
[Interest Level rising.]
The system displayed the updated data.
Interest Level: 33%
Lu Bolin wrote the number down in his notebook.
Then he added another line.
Curiosity stage transitioning toward engagement.
The system asked,
[Next strategy?]
Lu Bolin looked out the window.
"I will do nothing."
[Clarify.]
"I will behave normally."
The system paused.
[Prediction: Villain curiosity will continue increasing.]
Lu Bolin nodded.
"That is the objective."
Meanwhile—
Inside Gu Yichen's office—
The meeting had ended.
Everyone had left.
But Gu Yichen was still sitting at his desk.
The room was quiet.
His phone was on the table.
He stared at it for a moment.
Then finally picked it up.
He opened the messaging app.
Scrolled down.
Stopped at Lu Bolin's name.
Three years of messages.
Almost all from Lu Bolin.
Good morning.
Did you eat?
Do you need help with the documents?
Are you coming home tonight?
And most of them…
Never received a reply.
Gu Yichen stared at the screen.
Then he noticed something else.
The last message from Lu Bolin was three days ago.
"Good night."
No messages after that.
None.
Gu Yichen frowned slightly.
That silence felt…
Strange.
For some reason—
He suddenly typed a message.
"What are you doing?"
He stared at the screen for a moment.
Then pressed send.
Back at the mansion—
Lu Bolin's phone buzzed softly on the table.
He glanced at the screen.
The system immediately appeared.
[Villain initiated communication.]
Lu Bolin looked at the message.
Then he replied simply.
"Reading."
Across the city—
Gu Yichen's phone buzzed again.
He looked at the reply.
Just one word.
Reading.
Nothing else.
No follow-up question.
No attempt to continue the conversation.
Gu Yichen stared at the screen for several seconds.
Then he suddenly smiled slightly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The game had officially begun.
And for the first time in three years—
Gu Yichen realized something unexpected.
He was the one chasing the conversation now.