A wrist suspended in the air twitched as if electrified, the sound of metal chains clinking faintly in the silence.
Where is this?
Li Shuang opened her eyes. There wasn't a trace of light around her, only the raw sting of skin rubbed sore at her wrists and neck.
[This is Shen Ji's basement!] A childlike voice flashed through her mind.
Li Shuang froze for a few seconds.
What was that voice? And who was Shen Ji?
The voice in her head spoke again: [Hello, Host. I am the "Better to Live Poorly Than Die Well" System. In your previous life, you were poisoned and couldn't be revived. Now you've been reborn into a fictional character who shares your name and appearance. Currently, you're locked up here because you tried to drug and seduce Shen Ji.]
Li Shuang: "?"
Same name was one thing, but same appearance?
She was a celebrity with tens of millions of fans—gorgeous enough to be worshipped. And she had to drug a man to climb into his bed?
These days, fake men were legally sold online.
With enough money, fresh-faced boys who could rival celebrities would come knocking at your door.
Begging to share a bed? This had to be written by a hater…
The system kindly reminded her: [Host, the real issue here seems to be—if you don't figure something out soon, you're going to die again.]
Li Shuang frowned. The darkness was absolute.
"Is anyone…"
Her voice came out hoarse, like the weak, drawn-out gasp of an eighty-year-old on their deathbed.
This was premeditated murder!
Once she got out, she'd sue him into oblivion!
The system: [Host, you still don't understand the situation. In this fictional world, the law is the last thing that can protect you. If you want to survive, you'll have to rely on yourself.]
This time, it also fed her a chunk of the plot.
The original Li Shuang was a cannon-fodder character in the story—a catalyst, beautiful but doomed. She was the heiress of the Li family, the most prominent clan in Jiangcheng.
But the Li family had long been rotten at the core, drowning in debt and desperate.
Raised as a "luxury commodity" from childhood, this mindset had taken root in the original Li Shuang's heart. When Shen Ji rose to the top of Jiangcheng's power structure, the Li family failed to secure a marriage alliance and resorted to drugging him instead.
As for Shen Ji, he was the youngest son of the Shen family patriarch—a late-born child, but also an illegitimate one brought home from the outside.
Li Shuang's father, Li Zeshou, was close to the Shen family. As a child, the original Li Shuang had even affectionately called Shen Ji "Uncle."
Li Zeshou had been tight with Shen Ji's half-brother, convinced that the Li and Shen families would unite through marriage.
That was why, less than six months after Shen Ji returned to the Shen family, Li Zeshou teamed up with Shen Ji's half-brother to frame him, getting him kicked out and eliminating any threat to the family inheritance.
But fate had other plans. The first thing Shen Ji did upon his return was crush the Shen family in revenge. Li Zeshou's schemes had backfired, and in desperation, he hatched this new plot.
The Shen Ji of today was no longer the weak, bullied boy of the past—
Now, he was cold, ruthless, and utterly dangerous.
"…" Li Shuang took a moment to process all this. A cry for help lodged in her throat as she slumped against the wall, kneeling weakly.
Then, a faint glimmer of light pierced the darkness.
Li Shuang lifted her head weakly, trying to follow it.
In the dim light, the man's features were indistinct, a silhouette exuding menace. Every step he took was predatory, like Death itself closing in.
"Water…"
Her raspy whisper was drowned out by the sound of his footsteps.
Soon, the basement lights flickered on, blinding her. Before she could adjust, a cup of ice-cold liquid was poured over her head.
Li Shuang gasped. The liquid was strong alcohol mixed with ice.
"Cough—cough—!"
After going so long without water, her senses were dulled. The sudden burn in her throat sent her into a fit of coughing, her pale face flushing slightly.
"Enjoy it?"
The man's voice was frigid, like a winter wind slipping under her collar. Li Shuang shivered.
The system—a small electronic screen about the size of a palm—chimed in helpfully.
(｣╹□╹)｣: [Shen Ji's here. In the original story, you're already dead. Whether you live or die now is up to you!]
Li Shuang slowly raised her head, her face dripping with alcohol, a faint pink tinge spreading at the corners of her eyes.
She looked up at him.
He was tall, dressed entirely in black. She had to crane her neck just to see his face.
One glance was enough to make her narrow her eyes cautiously.
She'd seen plenty of handsome men, but this kind of raw, unfiltered superiority—this natural aura of dominance—was a first.
Especially the way his dark eyes looked down at her, disdainful and dangerous. His features were aggressively striking, radiating intimidation.
Li Shuang coughed again.
[Figures. Every man who fits my taste turns out to be terrible.]
As she lowered her head, the man bent slightly.
Li Shuang saw a well-defined hand reach toward her.
Before she could react, his fingers hooked around the chain around her neck, wrapping it around his palm before pulling it taut.
Li Shuang winced. "It hurts…"
"Hurts?" Shen Ji looked down at her, raising his wrist to force her head up. "Didn't think about how cheap you'd look when you crawled into my bed?"
"…" Li Shuang was speechless.
[Even if I've borrowed this body, I don't have to roll over and take it.]
Shen Ji's gaze on her deepened.
Li Shuang swallowed hard, her chapped lips parting.
"Uncle… I got the wrong bed."
"Uncle?" Shen Ji found this amusing.
Li Shuang nodded weakly. "Uncle, I was wrong… I won't dare do it again."
Recalling the plot: [At this point, Shen Ji doesn't know yet that Li Zeshou and his half-brother conspired against him. Sweet-talking and a good attitude might just save me.]
Shen Ji let out a soft laugh, his eyes icy.
So the Li family had a hand in it too. How careless of him to overlook that.
Earlier, in the living room, he'd heard her voice from afar and thought she'd escaped. He'd come to check, only to find her still here.
He tightened his grip on the chain, watching her face twist in pain with a flicker of satisfaction.
Li Shuang clenched her fists. [Chains? A basement? Is this some kind of dark captivity fantasy? What a twisted freak.]
Freak?
Shen Ji's smile widened at her assessment.
Watching a spoiled, high-born woman kneel at his feet like a pathetic stray—
It was a delightful sight.
Li Shuang lowered her damp lashes. Outwardly, she looked half-dead, but inside, she was frantic.
[Think, damn it! How do you soften up someone like this? Sing him a lullaby to awaken his conscience?]
Nah.
[With this voice, the moment I open my mouth, he might just shoot me.]
Shen Ji leaned closer, studying her face. As much as he didn't want to believe it, two things were undeniable.
First: For some reason, he could hear her inner thoughts.
Second: That reason likely stemmed from her occupying Li Shuang's body. She wasn't the original Li Shuang.
Li Shuang squinted at his face, now inches from hers. There was no admiration, only controlled breathing.
Locking eyes with him was more nerve-wracking than acting opposite seasoned actors.
She softened her gaze, looking up at him pitifully.
"Uncle, please let me go. I won't bother you again, and I'll never speak a word of this…"
When it came to handling men, Li Shuang was a seasoned pro.
With her acting skills, looks, and years of experience, she could tailor her approach to any type—
And she'd find the right one for him.
At her tender plea, Shen Ji dragged the back of his fingers down her cheek.
"Let you go? Fine."
Even though he agreed, Li Shuang tensed, her long lashes fluttering.
Shen Ji watched her.
This was… intriguing.
When she was the original Li Shuang, he'd loathed her. But knowing someone else lived inside that body now—
It was fascinating. Even her aura felt different.
A few metallic clicks later, the chains loosened.
Li Shuang slumped like a marionette with cut strings, barely keeping herself upright, her head bowed to hide a faint smile of relief.
[Good. He likes them soft and obedient.]
Shen Ji listened to her thoughts.
He hated this act from women the most.
Yet his thumb lifted her chin, his voice low and intrigued.
"I like women who know their place. Whether you got the wrong bed or not, some things—once you've done them, you own up."
His last words, heavy with emphasis, shattered the last of her strength.
[What does he mean… own up? Did the drug actually work?]
The system chimed in gloomily: [Almost. At the last second, he kicked you down here.]
Shen Ji raised a brow.
So she wasn't alone in this body—she had a strategist too.
How very… interesting.