Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Melting Ice"

Li Wei strolled out of the building with a smug grin plastered across his face. The cold dismissal from Song Xue wasn't a defeat-it was a challenge.

"You won't break me," huh? Li Wei thought, chuckling to himself. We'll see about that.

The system buzzed into his mind, breaking his thoughts.

"Host, I must remind you: antagonizing Song Xue may delay your progress."

Li Wei stretched lazily as he walked, the streetlights casting long shadows on the pavement. "Antagonizing? Please, I'm just having a little fun. You know, fox spirits are good at that."

"You're also good at getting into trouble," the system replied dryly.

Li Wei laughed. "Trouble is my middle name! Now, tell me more about this guy. What's his deal? Why is he so damn... frosty?"

The system hesitated before responding. "Song Xue, 28 years old, CEO of Xue Corporation, specializing in luxury real estate and high-tech innovation. Known for his ruthless efficiency and unwavering discipline. Family background... complicated."

Li Wei's ears perked up. "Complicated? Oh, do tell."

There was a long pause before the system continued. "His family is one of the wealthiest in the country, but his childhood was marred by internal conflict. His mother passed away when he was young, and his father remarried shortly after. The stepmother-"

"A white lotus?" Li Wei interrupted, smirking.

"Yes," the system confirmed. "Kind on the outside, rotten on the inside. She manipulated the family for her own gain, isolating Song Xue and ensuring he grew up emotionally distant and distrustful."

Li Wei's smile faltered for a moment. "That explains the iceberg vibes. Poor guy must've had it rough."

"Indeed. His trust is hard to earn, and his heart even harder to reach. But that is your mission, Host."

Li Wei sighed, his playful demeanor slipping for just a moment. "Fine, fine. What about this body I'm in? Xu Chen? What's the story there?"

"Xu Chen was a junior employee at Xue Corporation. Ambitious but lacking skills, he tried to climb the ladder by leveraging personal connections. Unfortunately, he overstepped and offended Song Xue, leading to his dismissal. Your current appearance resembles Xu Chen closely enough to pass as him."

Li Wei frowned. "So I'm starting in the negative. Great."

"Precisely. Song Xue views you as a nuisance, if not an outright pest."

Li Wei chuckled, his fox-like grin returning. "A pest, huh? Perfect. I've always been good at being annoying."

The system didn't respond, and Li Wei took that as permission to continue his antics.

The next day, Li Wei found himself lingering near Song Xue's office building again. He wasn't exactly sure why he'd returned so soon-maybe it was the thrill of the challenge, or maybe it was the lingering sadness he'd seen in Song Xue's eyes the day before.

He leaned casually against a lamppost, watching employees bustle in and out of the grand entrance. His sharp eyes caught sight of Song Xue stepping out, flanked by a group of assistants and bodyguards. The man was a picture of perfection in his tailored suit, his cold gaze fixed straight ahead.

Li Wei's heart gave an unexpected little lurch. Why does he have to look so damn good being so damn untouchable?

As Song Xue passed, Li Wei called out, "Good morning, CEO Song! Did you miss me?"

Song Xue stopped in his tracks, his icy gaze turning toward Li Wei. The group around him froze, their eyes darting nervously between the two men.

"What are you doing here?" Song Xue asked, his tone as frigid as ever.

Li Wei shrugged, his grin wide. "Just thought I'd stop by to brighten your day. You looked like you needed some sunshine."

Song Xue's eyes narrowed. "Leave. Now."

Li Wei took a step closer, ignoring the alarmed looks from the bodyguards. "Come on, don't be like that. I'm really not as bad as you think."

Song Xue didn't reply. Instead, he turned and continued walking, leaving Li Wei standing there with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Challenge accepted, Li Wei thought, already planning his next move.

.

That evening, Li Wei sat on the edge of his tiny apartment's bed, flipping through the file the system had provided on Song Xue's background. The details were sparse but telling.

"Raised in a mansion but treated like an outsider. Surrounded by wealth but deprived of love. No wonder he's such a frozen block of jade," Li Wei muttered to himself.

The system spoke up. "Your task is to melt that ice, Host. But remember, his heart is not easily won. You must tread carefully."

"Tread carefully?" Li Wei scoffed. "Where's the fun in that?"

"Fun is not the goal. The goal is completion of the task and your eventual revenge."

At the mention of revenge, Li Wei's expression darkened. The playful glint in his eyes was replaced by something sharper, more dangerous.

"I haven't forgotten," he said quietly. "I'll do whatever it takes to get back to my past life. And if winning over that ice cube is the price I have to pay, so be it."

The system didn't respond, and Li Wei closed the file with a snap.

"Alright, Song Xue," he said to himself, a sly smile creeping back onto his face. "Let's see how long you can resist me."

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I will leave this work with this much chapters, to test the waters, and to see if any of yall actually like this work 👺 thankyou.

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