Change

Something about Han Li had changed.

Qin Zhen noticed it immediately—not because he paid particular attention to his employees, but because disruptions in his routine always caught his eye.

At first, he couldn't pinpoint it.

It wasn't as though Han Li had suddenly become unrecognizable. She was still his secretary, still meticulous, efficient, always two steps ahead of what he needed.

But there was something... off.

Something in the way she moved, spoke, held herself.

For the past month, she had begun carrying a different air about her.

A presence that hadn't been there before.

It wasn't just the change in wardrobe, though that was certainly noticeable.

Gone were the bland pencil skirts, the forgettable office blouses, the meek, neutral tones that let her blend into the background.

Now?

She strode into the office wearing perfectly tailored pantsuits, sharp lines hugging her figure, looking more like a corporate strategist than a secretary.

Deep navy one day. Black the next. A bold emerald green on Friday.

The transformation was subtle, but unmistakable.

And the hair.

She had cut it short.

Her once shoulder-length strands were gone, replaced with a sleek, angled bob that made her look more... refined. Confident.

For the first time since she started working for him, Han Li wasn't blending in.

She was standing out.

And that—that was the problem.

Qin Zhen watched her from his desk, pen tapping idly against a contract as she moved across the office.

Something was different.

It wasn't just her appearance.

It was the way she carried herself.

She walked with a kind of confidence that hadn't been there before.

Before, Han Li had been discreet, efficient, present but never imposing.

Now, when she entered a room, people noticed.

He noticed.

It was as if she had suddenly remembered that she was allowed to take up space.

She still handled his affairs with perfect precision, still anticipated his needs before he voiced them.

But now, she did it with an unshakable coolness.

Almost as if... she were his equal.

Something must have happened.Had she met someone?Had she gotten a job offer elsewhere?Was she planning to leave Zhen Entertainment?

The thought irked him.

Not because he particularly cared about her personal life—he had better things to worry about.

But because he didn't like uncertainty in his workforce.

Han Li had always been reliable, predictable.

Now, she wasn't.

And Qin Zhen disliked things he couldn't control.

Not that it mattered.

If Han Li wanted to reinvent herself, she was free to do so.

It wasn't his concern.

He had far bigger problems to deal with.

Like Jiang Wei.

Qin Zhen's jaw clenched as he skimmed through the latest industry reports, his mood souring with every paragraph.

There it was again.

Jiang Wei's name, printed everywhere.

"The New Rising Star of the Industry!"

"A Dark Horse in the Film World?"

"Jiang Wei Shocks Directors with His Talent!"

Ridiculous.

An illegitimate child, an embarrassment to the Qin family name, was now being praised like some kind of industry genius.

How dare he act this way?

Qin Zhen's grip on the pen tightened.

Jiang Wei had no place in this industry.

He had no business becoming popular.

His only claim to fame was the blood running in his veins.

And yet, people were treating him like he was destined for greatness.

Qin Zhen had spent years carving out his empire.

He had fought tooth and nail to ensure Zhen Entertainment stood at the top of the industry.

He had done everything necessary to cement his power.

And now, this nobody was acting as if he belonged on the same playing field?

Unacceptable.

Qin Zhen's gaze darkened.

This needed to end before it became a real problem.

Before Jiang Wei actually started believing his own hype.

He reached for his phone, dialing a familiar number.

> "Find me everything you can on Jiang Wei."

"I want to know who he's connected to, his past, his weaknesses—anything I can use."

"I don't care how small it is. Have the report on my desk by tomorrow morning."

A pause.

Then, without thinking, he added—

> "And keep an eye on Han Li."

There was a silence on the other end of the line.

> "Han Li, sir?"

Qin Zhen's brow furrowed.

Why had he said that?

Why had her name slipped out so easily?

> "Yes," he said smoothly, brushing away the thought. "Something about her has changed. I want to know why."

A moment later, he ended the call.

He leaned back in his chair, his mind drifting to Han Li once more.

She had been working for him for years.

Had always been capable, efficient, forgettable.

And now?

Now, she was something else.

Something more.

Something he hadn't quite figured out yet.

Qin Zhen didn't like uncertainties.

And both Jiang Wei and Han Li were starting to become uncertainties.

That wouldn't do.

That wouldn't do at all.

Meanwhile, in the System Core…

> System 404: [PLOTLINE STABILITY CHECK: PASS]

System 404: [MALE LEAD'S RIVALRY WITH QIN ZHEN HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.]

System 404: [QIN ZHEN IS STARTING TO PAY ATTENTION

TO HAN LI…]

System 404: [Wait. Why is he paying attention to Han Li?]

System 404: [That wasn't supposed to happen.]*

System 404: […Should I be worried?]

System 404: […Maybe it's nothing.]*