"That is my decision. Now leave."

Ling Shuangxue waved her hand dismissively, her tone cold and absolute.

"You’re fired. I’ll tell my father to give you a check for ten thousand."

Ye Chen’s expression instantly darkened.

His fists clenched tightly.

[This bitch...]

[I literally saved her and this is how she repays me?]

[Just wait until I get her into bed someday.]

[Then she’ll be begging for me.]

Ling Shuangxue’s beautiful face grew even colder.

The disgust in her eyes became almost tangible.

"What are you still standing there for?" she snapped. "Get out."

Ye Chen’s face twitched slightly.

However, seeing her icy expression, he swallowed his anger and forced himself to maintain his cool image.

Without another word, he turned around, stepped back toward the shattered window—

And jumped out.

The room instantly became quiet again.

. . .

Meanwhile, several streets away—

Ye Chen landed on the sidewalk before spotting a nearby group of thugs loitering near an alleyway.

Still furious, he immediately walked over and started beating them senseless to vent his frustration.

After several screams and the sound of fists slamming into flesh, Ye Chen finally exhaled and calmed down.

"It’s fine... these things take time..."

He shoved his hands into his pockets while consoling himself.

"Sooner or later, that ice-cold goddess will fall for me."

A cocky grin slowly returned to his face.

"All women eventually do."

With that thought, his mood instantly improved as he walked off into the night.

. . .

Back inside the hotel room—

Ling Shuangxue took a slow breath before finally speaking.

"You know... I can hear your inner voice."

The moment those words entered his ears.

Shen Tian closed his eyes.

"...That explains why the plot completely derailed."

He rubbed his temple tiredly before walking over to a chair in the corner and sitting down heavily.

At this point, he completely dropped the arrogant young-master act.

No exaggerated sneers.

No fake villain laughter.

Just exhaustion.

Ling Shuangxue quietly observed him.

The difference between his outward act earlier and his current demeanor was almost absurd.

"Can you explain what you meant earlier?" she asked calmly.

Her sharp eyes narrowed slightly.

"From what I can tell... you aren’t actually Shen Tian."

Shen Tian let out a weak laugh.

"Wow."

He leaned back into the chair.

"You’re way smarter than the novel made you seem. Not so bitchy..."

Ling Shuangxue frowned slightly.

"Enough avoiding the question."

Then after a short pause, she added coldly:

"And you should know calling me a bitch is incredibly rude."

Shen Tian shrugged.

"You do come off that way sometimes."

"You—!"

Ling Shuangxue instantly stood up.

Shen Tian also rose from his seat.

At his full height, he towered over her easily.

Then his expression became serious.

"You’re a heroine."

Ling Shuangxue froze slightly.

"A heroine in a trashy urban webnovel I was reading before I suddenly transmigrated into this body."

Shen Tian pointed at himself.

"I got thrown into the role of a cannon-fodder villain and given a system."

"My job was simple."

"Act like an arrogant idiot."

"Get face-slapped by the protagonist."

"Get beaten up repeatedly."

"Eventually die."

"Then return to my original world with rewards."

Shen Tian exhaled slowly.

"But now the plot’s changing."

His eyes met hers directly.

"And I doubt you’re interested in playing your role anymore."

Ling Shuangxue quietly sat back down onto the bed.

For the first time in years, genuine confusion appeared on her face.

"So..."

She looked downward slightly.

"I’m just a heroine in some webnovel?"

Shen Tian didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he simply crossed his legs and gave her time to process everything.

Several moments later, Ling Shuangxue slowly looked back up.

"If what you’re saying is true..."

Her voice became quieter.

"Then that means you know the future of this world?"

Shen Tian nodded once.

A faint smile suddenly appeared on Ling Shuangxue’s face.

It was small.

Subtle.

Yet breathtakingly beautiful.

"So..." she said softly, "what was supposed to happen to me?"

As she spoke, she lightly stretched one leg forward until it brushed against Shen Tian’s.

Shen Tian glanced downward briefly before answering honestly.

"If the plot stayed the same?"

"You would’ve respected Ye Chen after he ’saved’ you tonight."

"You wouldn’t complain about him becoming your bodyguard."

"Then he’d keep saving you over and over while constantly face-slapping people."

"Eventually you’d fall in love with him."

Shen Tian paused.

Then laughed dryly.

"And after that? You’d basically become background decoration while he went around collecting more women for his harem."

"..."

Ling Shuangxue remained silent for several moments.

Then quietly asked:

"Can you kill him?"

Shen Tian blinked.

Honestly, hearing such cold words from the mouth of the webnovel’s "iceberg business goddess" felt strangely surreal.

He thought about it seriously for a moment before shrugging.

"Well... that’d be pretty difficult. He’s basically the fated child of this world. The protagonist."

Shen Tian rubbed the back of his neck tiredly.

"People like him usually survive getting hit by trucks, explosions, poison, assassinations, and probably nuclear weapons. It honestly depends on whether my system is useful or not."

At this point, Shen Tian already understood something important.

Trying to continue acting like the original villain was pointless.

If Ling Shuangxue could hear his inner thoughts.

Then there was a high chance the other heroines eventually could as well.

Which meant his "evil young master" act was fundamentally broken from the start.

Instead of following the plot...

He might genuinely have to go against it now.

Ling Shuangxue narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly.

"This system of yours... can it strengthen you? Cultivation? Abilities? Something that lets you fight back?"

Shen Tian shrugged again.

"I honestly don’t know yet. Worst-case scenario..."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I abuse my future knowledge."

"I know all of Ye Chen’s opportunities, encounters, connections, hidden treasures, and the people who help him rise."

"If I really wanted to ruin him, there are plenty of ways."

Ling Shuangxue quietly listened.

For some reason...

The more casually Shen Tian spoke about altering fate itself, the more reliable he seemed.

Looking down at his watch, Shen Tian stood up before lazily cracking his neck.

"Well, it’s getting late. I’ll head back for tonight."

As he walked toward the door, his expression became slightly more serious.

"But whatever you do... Stay away from Ye Chen."

Ling Shuangxue blinked slightly.

Shen Tian opened the door halfway before glancing back.

"Bad things happen to women around protagonists."

The room became quiet.

Ling Shuangxue slowly stood up and followed him toward the entrance.

"Then..."

She hesitated briefly.

"Can I contact you tomorrow? I’d like to discuss this more."

Shen Tian waved dismissively without even turning around.

"Sure, sure. Fine with me."

Ling Shuangxue quietly looked at his back.

Then...

A faint blush slowly appeared on her normally icy face.

"If you can truly change my fate..."

Her voice became softer.

"...then I’ll marry you."

Shen Tian’s footsteps instantly paused.

Silence filled the hallway for several seconds.

Shen Tian glanced over his shoulder.

[Holy shit. Why are heroines this easy in urban novels?]

Ling Shuangxue’s face turned so red it looked like steam might start coming out of her ears.

"I heard that, you shameless bastard!"