THE SYSTEM THAT CHOSE HER

Chapter 10: When Reality Interrupts Power

Lin Xinyi left the building with her mind still heavy.

The contract wasn't in her hands anymore but it was inside her thoughts. Every clause, every silence between Gu Yichen's sentences.

You always have a choice.

That line bothered her most. It didn't feel like comfort. It felt like certainty.

By the time she reached the hospital again, the sky had already shifted into late afternoon light warm outside, cold inside her chest.

She was about to step into the ward when

"LIN XINYI!!"

The voice hit her before the person did. Too loud, too fast, too familiar. Before she could react, someone grabbed her arm and spun her around.

A girl stood there breathing hard, eyes wide, expression caught somewhere between panic and fury.

"Do you want me to die of stress or what?!" she blurted.

Lin Xinyi blinked. "Su Ruan?"

Su Ruan immediately scanned her head to toe, then narrowed her eyes. "Why do you look like you've been kidnapped by a billionaire cult?"

Silence. "What?"

"I've been calling you since yesterday. You didn't answer. Didn't reply. Didn't send a single message." She pointed. "And now you show up looking like you've signed your life away."

"I've been busy."

Su Ruan laughed once. "Busy doing what? Becoming someone's luxury experiment?"

Lin Xinyi immediately covered her mouth. "Lower your voice!"

"OH SO IT'S TRUE "

"Su Ruan!"

The corridor went silent. A passing nurse glanced at them before walking faster.

Lin Xinyi pulled her aside. "Can you not shout that in a hospital?"

Su Ruan folded her arms. "I can shout it in a restaurant if you'd prefer."

"I missed your peace, actually."

"Good," Su Ruan said instantly. "Because you're about to explain everything."

Lin Xinyi hesitated. That pause was enough.

Su Ruan's eyes narrowed. "You didn't borrow money again, did you?"

More silence. Then Su Ruan grabbed her shoulders. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"Stop attracting attention!"

Su Ruan lowered her voice, but the panic stayed at full volume. "I leave you for a few days and suddenly you're living inside a rich-man drama."

"That's exactly what it feels like," Lin Xinyi muttered.

Su Ruan froze. "Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

But Su Ruan wasn't letting it go. "Xinyi," she said, tone shifting completely serious now. "You better not be involved with someone dangerous."

Lin Xinyi looked away.

That silence was enough. Su Ruan stepped back slowly. "Oh no." Then she pointed. "You ARE involved with someone dangerous."

"Su Ruan "

"Is he rich?"

"That's not "

"Is he rich AND emotionally unavailable?"

"Why would you assume that?!"

"BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THAT IN REAL LIFE!"

Lin Xinyi covered her face with one hand. "This is exactly why I didn't tell you anything."

Su Ruan leaned in. "Okay. Listen. This is serious now."

"I am serious," Lin Xinyi said quietly.

"Did you sign something?"

Silence.

Su Ruan stepped back slowly. "Oh my God."

"It's not what you think."

"It NEVER is what I think and it's ALWAYS worse!"

A nurse passed by, staring. Su Ruan immediately straightened and smiled politely at her. "Hello! Perfectly normal conversation happening here, thank you!"

The nurse walked faster.

Lin Xinyi exhaled. "You're making this worse."

"You made it worse yourself." Su Ruan lowered her voice. "Okay. Start from the beginning. Who is he?"

Lin Xinyi hesitated. Just slightly. Then answered softly.

"Gu Yichen."

Silence.

Su Ruan blinked once. Twice.

Then slowly: "That sounds like a villain name."

Lin Xinyi closed her eyes. "I know."

And somewhere in the fluorescent-lit hospital corridor, the real chaos was only just beginning.