Liang was preoccupied, his mind cycling through the absurdity of the last few months. His possessiveness, the strange rage over Zhang Min, the constant battles—it was all illogical, yet undeniably real. He found himself thinking about Xiao Mei constantly, even when she wasn't actively plotting chaos.
He was sitting in his office when Ms. Chen, his chief secretary, approached his desk with a grim expression, holding a thin manila envelope.
"Mr. Liang, this was delivered by a private courier. It's... from Mrs. Liang's legal counsel."
Liang took the envelope, a sudden cold dread seizing him. He opened it. Inside was a fully processed, officially filed Divorce Application, signed with Xiao Mei's handwriting.
He looked up at Ms. Chen. "What is this? Is this another one of her games?"
Ms. Chen hesitated. "Mr. Liang, the courier said Mrs. Liang requested this be processed quickly. I... I saw Li Wei waiting outside the law office earlier today. She looked quite pleased."
Liang's blood ran cold. He knew it wasn't Xiao Mei's hand, but Li Wei's manipulation. Li Wei had somehow convinced Xiao Mei to sign the papers, likely twisting the truth about his 'anger.' His sudden rush of pure, paralyzing despair confirmed something he had tried hard to ignore: He didn't want her to leave.
He grabbed his jacket and rushed out of the office, the application clutched tightly in his hand.
Xiao Mei was at home, enjoying the peace after her $100 Million reward.
[Cupid 5000: Warning! Subject's emotional state is critical: 'Despair mixed with Ownership Crisis'. Last Chance Quest Activated.]
[Final Quest: The Confession of Choice. Goal: Raise Love Rating to 100%. Task: Confess genuine, emotional love to the subject, forsaking all logical reasons and system incentives. You must state that you choose to stay with him, even if the System allows you to return to your real life. Reward: Successful system completion and the ability to choose your reality. Penalty: Permanent retention in this novel world.]
Xiao Mei felt a sudden, heavy pressure in her chest. This was it. No more flirting, no more logic, just the truth. Had she actually fallen for the cold CEO she was originally supposed to leave?
Just as she absorbed the gravity of the mission, the front door burst open. Liang stood there, his hair slightly disheveled, his eyes wild.
"Xiao Mei! Explain this! The Divorce Application! You—you lied about caring, about the affection, it was all a game to leave me, wasn't it? After everything, you were planning the exit!" he shouted, throwing the papers onto the coffee table.
Xiao Mei looked at the papers, then at his genuinely shattered face. This wasn't the CEO in the novel anymore; this was just a man who was afraid of being abandoned. She realized she couldn't lie, not this time.
She walked towards him, ignoring the system warnings telling her to use a flirting tactic.
"No, Liang, it wasn't a game to leave you," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "It was a game to stay with you."
She took his hands, which were shaking slightly. "When I first came here, I was a programmer. I saw you as an objective, a target, a code I needed to fix to escape. Every kiss, every flirtation, every ridiculous public scene was a task to me."
Liang's eyes were cold and hard. "Then what changed?"
"You did. I looked at you when you were furious, I saw your confusion, your possessiveness, your strange, angry care—and the logic broke. I stopped seeing lines of code and started seeing a husband." Tears welled up in her eyes. "I realized that the penalty of losing you, Liang, is far greater than the penalty of losing my kitchen access or my coding project."
She leaned in, her voice raw with emotion. "I don't need the system reward anymore. I don't need the money. I don't even need my old life. I choose you. I choose this illogical, absurd, messy life with you. I love you, Liang. I truly do. Not because of a system, but because you made me feel something real."
Liang stood absolutely still, his entire body rigid. He looked at her confession, the genuine, unscripted emotion pouring out of her.
[Love Rating: 100%]
A blinding light flashed above his head. The 100% notification was colossal.
Liang pulled her into a crushing hug, burying his face in her hair. "Don't you ever, ever joke about leaving me again, Xiao Mei! I'll never let you go!"
[Cupid 5000: Congratulations! The Host has successfully reached the final Love Rating of 100%. Core Mission Complete. Host now has the option to return to the original reality or remain in the current novel reality.]
Xiao Mei felt the System's voice in her mind, detached and purely objective. [Return to Reality (Y/N)]
She leaned back in Liang's strong arms, looking up into his face, which was finally free of anger and pure with relief and affection.
She smiled, a genuine, joyful smile. "Cupid 5000," she thought. "N. I choose N. Delete the return protocol."
[Cupid 5000: Selection Registered. All System functions deactivated. Host is now free.]
The notification above Liang's head vanished.
Liang kissed her—a long, deep, non-protocol kiss. "So," he murmured against her lips, "now that the divorce papers are filed, I guess we need to plan a proper wedding, my illogical wife."
Xiao Mei laughed, resting her head on his shoulder. "Sounds perfect, Hubby."