Arc 3: The Rich Boss’s White Moonlight
Chapters 82-119
Li Shu woke up to a sudden burst of palpitations, feeling as if his heart was tightly gripped by invisible hands. He sat up abruptly, clutching his chest and gasping for air.
A wave of dizziness washed over him, and Li Shu barely managed to hold himself up by grabbing the edge of the bed.
As the palpitations slowly subsided, he sat quietly for a moment, waiting for the discomfort to fade away before surveying his surroundings.
He found himself in a luxurious European-style bedroom. The curtains were tightly drawn, allowing faint light to filter in. He reached for the remote control by the bedside, and as his fingers pressed down, the closed curtains opened to let in the eager sunlight in, brightening the room.
Li Shu remained seated on the bed. Just a moment ago, he was discussing with Mo Yanzhi in the apartment, discussing where to travel after retirement. The next second, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar place. Lifting his arm, his dark silk robe slid down, revealing a slender arm.
The arm was an unhealthy white, with visible blue veins. This wasn’t his original body. In an instant, Li Shu came to this conclusion. His original body had fair skin, but it was a healthy fair, unlike the current sickly pallor. Just from the state of his skin, one could tell that his current physical condition was not good.
There was a throbbing pain in his temples. Li Shu grabbed a pillow from behind and leaned against the headboard and called out to the system, [1314, what’s going on?]
A cold mechanical system voice rang out, [Matchmaking System 1314 at your service, host. This is the second mission world. Please wait as the world information loads.]
The second task world? Li Shu frowned. Shouldn’t it be the third world? Why did he suddenly appear in this world? What happened in the previous world?
Despite his doubts, Li Shu didn’t show them in front of the system. The previous world was already full of doubts, and now it seemed like the system didn’t remember those memories…
Suppressing the various thoughts in his mind, Li Shu closed his eyes to receive the world information transmitted by the system.
The background of this world was similar to the previous one, with similar technological development. It should be the second world that 1314 had chosen before.
The original plot of this world is about an urban upgrade flow from the perspective of the male protagonist. The male protagonist grew up in an orphanage and was adopted by the original owner of Li Shu’s current body, embarking on his legendary life.
The original owner was the current head of the Li family, born with a heart disease inherited from the womb. Despite searching for renowned doctors worldwide, the child couldn’t be cured. As he grew older, instead of showing signs of improvement, his condition worsened.
At the age of 35, the original owner’s condition deteriorated rapidly. Doctors asserted that at the current rate of deterioration, the original owner could only last for three more years at most. In other words, if a treatment method wasn’t found, this shell could only hold out until the age of 38 at most.
This was a huge blow to a man with a strong ambition. Unwilling to die like this, the original owner increased investment in the laboratory, abandoned conscience, and tacitly allowed those in the laboratory to conduct experiments on living people, all for a slim chance.
It was at this time that the original owner met the male protagonist.
Was adopting the male protagonist just an act of kindness? Of course not. Influenced by his illness, the original owner had a difficult and violent personality. In desperation, he even resorted to harming innocent people for his own survival. How could it be purely out of kindness to adopt the male protagonist? The reason for his actions was only one: the male protagonist had something that could help him get rid of the disease.
Naturally, he didn’t succeed. The male protagonist saw through his scheme, turned the tables, and the original owner became the first stepping stone on the male protagonist’s path to the top.
“Knock, knock—”
The bedroom door was knocked rhythmically, and Li Shu slowly opened his eyes. “Come in.”
The door was pushed open, and a handsome man in a black tailcoat entered, carrying a tray. The floor was covered with thick wool carpet, and the man walked on it without making a sound.
After walking to Li Shu, the man bent down. “Sir, breakfast is ready.”
“Okay,” Li Shu responded lazily.
The man set the tray aside and took out the clothes that had already been prepared, stepping forward to help Li Shu put them on one by one.
“Klaus, how’s the investigation I asked you to do?” Li Shu tilted his head slightly, revealing his fragile neck. Due to illness, he was thinner than the average man, like a fragile doll that could break with just a little force.
Klaus subconsciously lightened his grip. His fingers were long and agile, weaving through the tie. With his eyes cast down, he didn’t dare to meet Li Shu’s gaze. “There’s progress. The child you’re looking for is in S City, at the Hong’an Orphanage.”
“In that case, let’s go take a look.” Li Shu raised his right hand, the sapphire cufflink on his wrist shimmering with dazzling light.
“Sir, are you going there in person? But sir, your health…” Klaus adjusted Li Shu’s sleeve and couldn’t help but speak up.
“It’s not far. It’s just a matter of time. I’ll go take a look. I’m not dead yet. Some people just can’t sit still.” Li Shu mocked lightly.
Klaus became anxious. “Sir, please don’t say such things. You’ll be fine! Those people are not worth your concern. If you want that child, I…”
Li Shu looked at Klaus. His gaze was indifferent but light, lacking any sense of pressure, yet it silenced Klaus automatically. Having served by Li Shu’s side for so many years, he knew that he had committed a taboo by saying such things. But before he could apologize, Li Shu interrupted him.
Li Shu’s tone was plain. “Go make the arrangements.”
“Yes, sir.”
Klaus worked efficiently. After Li Shu finished breakfast and dealt with some business in the study, he came to report, “Sir, everything has been arranged.”
On the plane, Li Shu closed his eyes. His current body was very weak, and he couldn’t bear working for half a morning. No wonder the original owner’s personality had become so twisted in the last three years.
For ordinary people, the process of awaiting death like a condemned prisoner was a great torment.
The turning point in the original owner’s life came at the age of thirty-five. Before the age of thirty-five, although he was in poor health, living like an ordinary person was not difficult. Otherwise, he couldn’t have become the head of the Li family. Even though he was the only child of the previous head of the family, the head of the Li family couldn’t be a sickly person.
To reach where he was today, the original owner had exerted far more effort than ordinary people. But he knew that this wasn’t the end. Just because he had taken this position didn’t mean he could keep it. The Li family adhered to a wolf-like education. If one day he was pulled down from this position by others, he could only blame himself for not being as capable.
The original owner was an extremely proud person. The education he received since childhood told him to strive for the best, and he had always done so. Therefore, after his father stepped down, he became the new head of the Li family.
In his lifetime, he couldn’t allow himself to fail in any way. He couldn’t bear to watch others take away the power of the Li family that he had finally grasped, especially those who were once his subordinates. He couldn’t do it.
The Li family made its fortune overseas and shifted its focus to the domestic market twenty years ago. This time, the original owner went abroad for a major project, but also because he had discovered that there was something wrong with his body. He had invested in a laboratory abroad specifically for his condition. The original owner knew that once his physical condition leaked out, the Li family would be in great turmoil, and the situation would be very unfavorable for him.
As he rested with his eyes closed, Li Shu heard 1314’s excited voice.
[Host, the rewards for the last world’s mission are out, and they’re really generous! It’s worthy of completing a super S-level mission!] 1314 was thrilled, spinning around the mission panel. [Host, look, there are one billion points. Not to mention other rewards, there’s even a blessing from the world consciousness!]
This was the 1314 system that Li Shu was familiar with. He blinked his eyelashes and asked calmly, [How did I suddenly come to this world?]”
[Huh? The new world consciousness sent us out. It apologized for forcibly pulling us into its world, so it sent us to the mission world we should have entered originally. Speaking of which, the host’s age in this world is the same as in the last world.]
The memory aligned. He left the previous world after his thirty-fifth birthday and entered this world, coincidentally, also after the original owner’s 35th birthday. Li Shu asked, [Why did you say this is the second mission world when we first entered this world?]
[Did I?] 1314 checked the data and explained, [That’s the default automatic response that comes with the system. Did the voice sound cold to the host?]
Li Shu nodded. [Why didn’t we first return to the system space this time?]
[Because we were forcibly pulled into the last world halfway through. The system defaults to this world as the second mission world, so we entered this world directly. After completing the mission in this world, we’ll return to the system space. If the host wants to return, you can exchange for the opportunity with points.] 1314 looked at the long string of zeros at the point balance and felt excited. This was probably what it felt like to become rich overnight.
Who would have thought that just by completing two missions, the host could accumulate such a large number of points.
[By the way, host, the ‘blessing from the world consciousness’ obtained in the last world can repair injuries to the body and soul. Would the host like to use it now?] 1314 presented a warm-colored light in front of Li Shu as if offering a treasure.
[No rush. Let’s wait until we return to the system space. Since this world was chosen by you, tell me about it.]
[Yes, this world was specifically chosen by me.] 1314 boasted, [The time limit for this world is three years. During these three years, as long as the host adopts the male protagonist according to the original plot, shows him care, and prevents him from blackening like in the original plot, it will suffice.]
This world was different from the previous two worlds because the plot revolved around the male protagonist. Female characters just played a supporting role and didn’t need much attention. The focus of this mission was mainly on the male protagonist.
The current male protagonist was still at the orphanage.
With his energy depleted, Li Shu rested for a few days after returning to the country, dealt with some company matters, and then prepared to pick up the male protagonist.
His current physical condition had not been revealed, and he hadn’t encountered the subsequent crises yet. He firmly held the power of the Li family, and those people in the Li family didn’t dare to act rashly. However, this seemingly calm situation would not continue for long.
Klaus was a very competent butler, and handled everything in an orderly manner, both in life and work. The original owner trusted him a lot, and he didn’t betray that trust. No matter how tempting the conditions offered by the Li family were, he never betrayed him.
Li Shu gave him the same trust.
The orphanage where the male protagonist was located was quite remote. It would take about three hours to drive from the city center. Klaus had already prepared the necessary procedures, and the orphanage had been contacted. They could go and pick up the person.
Hong’an Orphanage.
The director was a slightly plump middle-aged woman. Knowing that a big boss was coming, she got up early to organize the staff and the children to clean up. After cleaning, she let the children wash up and change into clean clothes to gather in the front yard.
Looking at the clean yard, the director nodded in satisfaction. The person had said that besides taking away a child today, the big boss would also provide some financial assistance. They hadn’t received any sponsorship for a long time.
The director straightened her clothes, caught a glimpse of the boy from the corner of her eyes and waved him over.
The boy lowered his head, his expression unclear, but obediently walked over.
He understood better than anyone the consequences of disobedience. The woman in front of him had a kind looking face, but her heart was darker than anyone else’s. She often scolded and beat the children in the orphanage, picking on those “bad children” who wouldn’t be adopted. He happened to be one of them.
As the boy walked towards her, the director’s eyes flashed with a trace of disgust. The boy was handsome, but he had a gloomy personality and was unlovable. For such children who were destined not to find a family, the director’s attitude was consistent—exploit their labor while using them as punching bags.
The boy walked very slowly, but even so, one could tell that something was off about his gait.
—The boy’s leg was lame.
That was also why he had never been adopted. After all, who would adopt a lame child as their son?
As he got closer, the director roughly pulled the boy. “Hurry up, what are you dawdling for?”
The boy stumbled and clenched the fist at his side tightly. His long hair covered his eyes, along with the hostility in them. “I’m sorry, Director.”
“Forget it.” Thinking of the impending big boss, the director waved her hand, not bothering with him. “A big shot is coming today. Tidy yourself up, at least look presentable. Even if you can’t be taken away, leave a good impression.”
“I understand, Director.” Hearing these words, the boy felt no ripple in his heart. He had long been accustomed to such outcomes. When he was a child, he used to feel sad and resentful because of the director’s words, but now he had recognized the truth. Not expecting meant not being disappointed.
“Go, go.” The director was in a good mood and let him go.
The boy walked to his room. He had walked this path countless times. All the children were running towards the front yard, but he was the only one walking against the flow.
—-
“Sir, we’re here.”
The man who had been resting with his eyes closed opened them, his eyes cold.
Klaus got out of the car first and went to open the door for Li Shu. “Sir, this is it.”
Li Shu looked up and surveyed the fifty-year-old orphanage. The orphanage was dilapidated. Green vines climbed up the walls, conveniently covering the cracks, giving it a desolate feeling.
Having been informed of their arrival, the director waited at the door. Seeing Li Shu and his party, she awkwardly adjusted her clothes and stepped forward to greet them. “Gentlemen, this is Hong’an Orphanage…”
The director had never seen such a distinguished figure in real life, so she stumbled over her words for a while, stuttering as she invited them inside.
Klaus lagged behind Li Shu, intentionally or unintentionally protecting him.
The yard had been noisy, but after Li Shu and his group arrived, it was as if someone had pressed the pause button. There was silence.
The children were even more excited. When had they ever seen such a handsome and majestic person before? Their eyes fell on the man, unable to move away.
Li Shu glanced over them one by one and did not see the child who was suspected to be the male protagonist. He frowned. Could it be that the system had given the wrong address, and the male protagonist wasn’t in this orphanage?
Li Shu gestured, and Klaus stepped forward. “Our sir came mainly to take a child back. Are all the children in the orphanage here?”
They were standing a bit far from the children, and Klaus deliberately lowered his voice so that the children couldn’t hear.
The director looked in the direction of the children, counted them, and indeed, one was missing. Thinking of the boy who had just been sent back to change his clothes, her expression changed.
“Mr. Li, all the well-behaved children are here. Some of them are handsome and smart. Shall I call them over for you to see?” Unsure of the man’s attitude, the director asked cautiously.
“The type of child to adopt is for our sir to decide.” Klaus stopped the director from launching into a long speech.
The director’s eyes darted around. “There’s one more child, but he’s not young. He has a bad leg and a strange temper. I don’t know why, but he refuses to come out today. You can go to my office and wait for a while. I’ll go get him.”
The autumn sun was fierce, and Klaus was worried about Li Shu’s health. “Sir, let’s go inside and rest for a while.”
Li Shu felt dizzy from the sun and nodded in agreement.
As the group left, the front yard became lively. The children chattered excitedly, wondering who would be lucky enough to be taken away by this god-like uncle.
Just as they turned around, the boy who had finally changed his clothes came to the front yard, only to see Li Shu’s departing figure.
The boy’s heart pounded fiercely, and he couldn’t help but step forward.
Sensing something, Li Shu turned his head and met the boy’s gaze.
———————-
Author’s Note: This world focuses on nurturing.
A little spoiler: The rich boss is the future gong, and the “white moonlight” refers to the shou and the shou will have a different identity in the future.
