Su Nian slowly woke up in a soft, enveloping embrace.

As consciousness gradually returned, the first thing to assault her senses wasn't sight, but a dreamlike tactile sensation. The mattress beneath her was so soft it felt like it could melt her, as if she were lying on a cloud. A cool, luxurious woody scent filled her nostrils, like a clear spring, soothing and refreshing. She suddenly opened her eyes, and the sight that met her left her speechless with astonishment.

A crystal chandelier hangs from the enormous, breathtakingly large domed ceiling, sparkling like a glittering galaxy. As far as the eye can see, there is a bedroom far beyond imagination; it's less a bedroom and more a magnificent, opulent palace. Exquisite European-style furniture appears insignificant in this vast space, like a drop in the ocean. In the distance, a huge floor-to-ceiling window is mostly obscured by heavy velvet curtains, letting in only a few faint rays of light, like golden rays of the afterglow from the distant sky, outlining the ethereal dust particles in the air—a dreamlike scene.

Is this her doghouse?

How could she not stay up all night in front of the computer to finish her manuscript? How could she not be overwhelmed with the ending of the novel that she had been stuck on for three days?

Just then, a strange memory, like a raging flood, forcefully broke through the dam of her mind, overflowing like a tide. The intense pain made her groan and curl up into a ball.

Lin Nuannuan, a girl of similar age to Xie Chen, is like the heartbreakingly tragic female supporting character in a novel titled "The Cold-Blooded CEO's Contractual Captive." Simply because she bears a seven-tenths resemblance to the male lead Xie Chen's unrequited love, she is forcibly abducted and forced to become his substitute. The original owner, timid as a lamb, unwilling to be imprisoned, repeatedly tries to escape like a bird, only to be mercilessly dragged back like a fallen angel, enduring increasingly cruel punishments from the cold-blooded CEO, ultimately withering away like a flower in the abyss of despair.

Xie Chen… the man in my memory, with a face as handsome as a masterpiece sculpted by a master, possessed astonishing wealth, yet was as obsessive as a weed in a storm, as sinister as a ghost in the dark, and had a control urge so strong it was chilling. He treated the original owner of this body as his own canary, trapping her firmly in a golden cage, as if he wanted to imprison her forever in this magnificent prison.

Su Nian, a sweet romance novelist with a "bright" future, unexpectedly transmigrated into the body of Lin Nuannuan, a character destined for tragedy!

She subconsciously moved her wrist, feeling a cool metallic touch accompanied by a soft tinkling sound. Looking down, she saw an exquisitely crafted silver chain, even inlaid with tiny diamonds, one end fastened to her slender wrist, the other winding its way to the massive bedpost.

The chains were carefully calculated to allow her to move freely within the bedroom and the adjoining bathroom, but with absolutely no chance of reaching the door to freedom.

"..." Su Nian stared blankly at the blinding "shackles," her heart numb. Is this the quirk of the rich? Even their imprisonment equipment looks like a limited edition Tiffany.

"Ding—Host consciousness has been detected to have awakened. The [Yandere Rescue System] has been officially activated and bound!" A slightly mechanical yet strangely cheerful voice rang in her mind.

"Who?" Su Nian was startled and looked around, but there was no one there.

"Hello host, I am System 088! Congratulations on being chosen as one of the lucky few, shouldering the glorious mission of saving the yandere male protagonists on the verge of collapse in countless novel worlds and guiding them towards a healthy view of love!"

Su Nian's lips twitched: "...Can I refuse?"

"I'm sorry, but that's not possible. The host suffered a heart attack and passed away in the original world due to consecutive all-night writing sessions. Only by successfully completing all the missions and collecting enough energy can you be resurrected."

Su Nian recalled the blank document on her screen before she collapsed, and a wave of grief and indignation washed over her. So she...died from overwork?

"Mission Objective: Heal the yandere male protagonist of this world, [Xie Chen]. Core Mission: [Gain his trust with a kiss]. Mission Success: Reward points, unlock the next world. Mission Failure..." 088 paused, a hint of malicious amusement in his voice, "...and his soul energy will be obliterated, completely disappearing."

A kiss of trust? Make that pervert who locked her up trust her and even kiss her? Su Nian thought this system must be an idiot.

"Friendly reminder: According to the original timeline, Xie Chen will arrive like a ghost for his 'routine inspection' in ten minutes. Please prepare yourself as if facing a formidable enemy, and showcase your brilliant wisdom and charm! Good luck, dear~"

The system voice vanished without a trace, leaving Su Nian like a lonely lamb, bewildered in the wind in the empty, echoing bedroom.

Ten minutes? Her eyes, as large as saucers, stared at the chains on her wrists that felt like demonic shackles. She felt the deep-seated fear of that man from the original owner's memories, and her heart pounded uncontrollably like a runaway horse. Panic surged over her like a tidal wave, instantly engulfing her, and like cold vines, tightly binding her limbs and bones.

Run? Where to run? These chains are as strong as a fortress of bronze and iron, strong enough to restrain a ferocious elephant.

Cry? Beg for mercy? The original owner's memories rang like alarm bells in her mind, clearly telling her that this approach was like casting pearls before swine to Xie Chen. Not only was it ineffective, it would only provoke more of his violence and desire for control.

Waiting to die? That's just wishful thinking! Su Nian went through countless hardships (though she wasn't really willing) to be reborn, not to be a tragic supporting character!

A powerful will to survive, like a raging fire, forcefully suppressed the surging fear. The writer's rational mind, like a high-speed machine, began to operate at breakneck speed.

She quickly reviewed the original plot and memories in her mind like lightning.

Xie Chen, the ruler of the Xie Empire, is ruthless and feared in the business world from a young age. He harbors an almost pathological obsession with Bai Yueguang and Gu Weiwei; unable to possess her, he seeks a substitute to fill the void in his heart. His imprisonment of Lin Nuannuan is less a matter of love and more a manifestation of absolute possession. He will not allow "his things" to have any thought or action that deviates from his control.

The original owner of this body, Lin Nuannuan, committed this major taboo. Every time she cried out or ran away, Xie Chen saw it as a challenge to "ownership," thus incurring even harsher treatment.

So, what if we do the opposite?

A vague idea rose in Su Nian's mind. Since crying and running away didn't work, then... what about compliance? No, it wasn't just compliance, it had to go a step further, to make him feel "surprised" and "novel".

Xie Chen, a person who controls everything, finds the feeling of being out of control the most intolerable. What she needs to do is to subtly and continuously create this subtle sense of being out of control for him without crossing his bottom line, making him develop an unexpected curiosity about her as his "possession".

After all, an owner will quickly get bored with a toy that operates entirely according to a program. But a toy that occasionally does something unexpected can hold an owner's attention for a long time.

Just as Su Nian was thinking rapidly, a soft click came from the doorway.

The voice was extremely soft, yet it struck Su Nian's heart like a heavy hammer.

Her breath caught in her throat, and all the muscles in her body tensed instantly.

The heavy solid wood door was pushed open silently. A tall, slender figure stood in the doorway, backlit by the light from the corridor outside. The light outlined his broad shoulders and narrow waist, and the well-tailored black suit made him appear even more aloof and distant.

He walked in slowly, his footsteps clearly audible in the quiet space, each step seeming to be on the beat of Su Nian's heart.

As he approached, his appearance came into clear view of Su Nian. He had sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and thin, tightly pressed lips, all combined to create a handsome face that could be described as a gift from the Creator. But what was most startling were his eyes, deep as a cold pool, devoid of any warmth, only a deep, unyielding ink color, which looked at her with a cold and indifferent gaze, as if scrutinizing an object.

This is Xie Chen. A presence more impactful than written descriptions or fragmented memories.

He walked to the bedside, looking down at her. His gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then slowly slid over the chain on her wrist, like a king surveying his territory to make sure everything was alright.

An invisible pressure filled the air, almost suffocating Su Nian. She could feel the lingering instinctive fear of the original owner screaming within her.

Xie Chen didn't speak, he just watched her quietly, as if waiting for her to show a fearful expression as usual, and start crying and begging for mercy.

Su Nian took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the tremor in her throat. She knew that first impressions were crucial; they would determine whether she would have room to maneuver or be trampled into the dust.

She looked up, meeting his cold gaze, trying to make her eyes appear calm, even... a little dazed from just waking up. She gently moved her locked wrists, the chains making a crisp sound.

Then, in a soft, slightly hoarse voice, as if she had just woken up, and with a deliberately drawn-out tone, she uttered her first words since transmigrating:

"Sir, the bed here is too soft; it's making my back hurt."

The moment the words left his mouth, the bedroom fell into a deathly silence.

You could hear a pin drop.

Su Nian could even hear the sound of her own blood flowing. She maintained a calm demeanor on the surface, even with a somewhat innocent expression, but her hands, hidden under the soft down comforter, were clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.

She was gambling. Gambling that Xie Chen would hesitate for a moment at this completely unexpected reaction.

A fleeting, almost imperceptible hint of surprise crossed Xie Chen's unfathomable eyes. Though brief, it was undeniably there. He had anticipated her various reactions: fear, hatred, pleading… but he hadn't considered the possibility of her complaining that the bed was too soft.

He didn't speak, his gaze still fixed on her face, as if examining a program that had suddenly developed a bug.

Su Nian's heart pounded in her chest, but she knew she couldn't back down. She furrowed her delicate brows slightly, as if she were genuinely troubled by her lower back discomfort, and continued to probe further in that soft tone: "Also... the curtains here are such a dark color. Every time I wake up, it feels like it's a cloudy day, which affects my mood."

As she spoke, she carefully observed Xie Chen's reaction.

The man's brow twitched almost imperceptibly, but he remained silent. However, there seemed to be an indescribable probing in his cold gaze.

He did not get angry, nor did he immediately punish her for any "improper" words or actions, as he remembered.

This small signal reassured Su Nian. She had made the right bet! Her unconventional approach was showing initial success!

She grew a little bolder and even tried to find a more comfortable sitting position. The chains made a continuous, soft tinkling sound with her movements, which sounded rather pleasant in the excessively quiet space.

Xie Chen's gaze followed the swaying chains, finally settling back on her face. He looked into her eyes, which were trying to hide their nervousness but remained clear and bright; the emotions within them were completely different from the fear and despair he was familiar with.

An extremely subtle, out-of-control feeling, like a tiny electric current, quietly passed through Xie Chen's heart.

He was used to her trembling and tears, used to her silent protest. Her overly "calm," even slightly "critical," attitude at this moment, actually gave him a sense of...novelty?

Just then, Su Nian's stomach let out a rumble. After the intense tension, her physical needs took over.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the silence.

Su Nian's cheeks instantly turned bright red. This was a purely physiological reaction, completely outside of her acting plan! She subconsciously raised her hand to cover her stomach, but was tripped by the chains, making her movements appear somewhat clumsy and awkward.

Xie Chen's gaze lingered for a moment on her reddened earlobes and her slender wrist bound by chains.

Finally, he spoke. His voice was deep and pleasant, yet carried a metallic, cold quality, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if the subtle ripples from before had never occurred.

What would you like to eat?

Su Nian was stunned. She had imagined all sorts of possible reactions from him, but none of them included... asking her what she wanted to eat.

Is this...concern? No, it's more like an inquiry into the state of ownership, ensuring it's functioning properly.

But in any case, this is a positive sign! It means that she has initially broken the original owner's behavior pattern and left a slightly different impression on him.

She quickly composed herself, deciding to stick to her "soft, cute, and slightly picky" persona. She raised her eyes, trying to make her gaze appear sincere and expectant, and cautiously asked:

"Um... could I add a macaron to today's afternoon tea? I'd like... almond flavored macarons."

After she finished speaking, she subconsciously pursed her lips, looking like she was both greedy and afraid of being rejected.

Xie Chen gazed at her with his deep eyes, without answering immediately. His handsome face remained expressionless, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

Time seemed to stretch out at that moment.

A few seconds later, he said nothing, simply turned away, turned, and walked out the door with his usual steady steps.

Just as his figure was about to disappear behind the door, he suddenly stopped.

He didn't turn around, but his cold and oppressive voice clearly echoed in every corner of the room, like the hammer of final judgment, striking Su Nian's heart heavily.

"Whoever you are, you'd better remember—"

"Here, I'm in charge."

"Bang." The door was gently closed, separating the two worlds.

Su Nian froze on the spot, a cold sweat breaking out on her back.

What did his last sentence mean?

"No matter who you are"...

Did he... realize something?

A tremendous sense of suspense and a deeper sense of crisis overwhelmed her like a tidal wave. Behind this seemingly victorious initial confrontation, perhaps lay a far more dangerous vortex than she had imagined.