QT: I hijacked a harem system and now I'm ruining every plot(GL)-Chapter 20: Easier

The door clicked shut behind me with the soft finality of a secret being locked away.

The weight in my arms was light—too light.

I carried Jiang Yuxi effortlessly through the dim corridor, her head resting against my shoulder like she belonged there. The steady rhythm of her faint breathing was the only thing anchoring me to reality, the echo of it loud against the hollow ache in my chest.

Had she been eating?

The thought came unbidden, sharp and unwelcome.

I glanced down at her fragile frame, noting the hollowness of her cheeks, the sharp edges of her collarbones beneath the thin fabric of her gown.

She was all sharp angles and faded elegance, her body a testament to something brittle—like a glass sculpture slowly cracking under the weight of invisible pressure.

I gritted my teeth as I gently placed her onto the large bed in my room.

My sheets, pristine and cold, seemed too sterile for her warmth.

I hesitated for a second, my fingers lingering on the curve of her shoulder before I forced myself to move.

The evening gown she wore, once designed to dazzle under chandeliers, now looked like a prison of stitched silk. I carefully unzipped it, my fingers brushing against the warmth of her skin, and swapped it for something more comfortable—a loose, oversized cotton shirt that swallowed her frame entirely.

Better.

At least she didn't look like a porcelain doll anymore.

I picked up my phone with shaking fingers and called my personal doctor.

After a brief assessment, the doctor assured me that it wasn't anything life-threatening—a drug, nothing more.

She'd be fine by morning.

But the words barely registered.

My mind was already elsewhere.

---

If that man sees the light of day again...

I clenched my jaw.

No.

I'd make sure he didn't.

And if, by some cosmic twist of fate, I ended up six feet under before I got to him?

Well—I'd crawl out of my grave just to drag him to hell myself.

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I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her face.

She looked peaceful in her sleep, the tension gone from her features, leaving behind only the soft curve of her lips and the faintest crease between her brows—a habit, perhaps, from years of carrying burdens she never deserved.

I sighed, raking a hand through my hair.

This shouldn't be happening.She wasn't supposed to matter.

Well she was but not like this. I don't like not being control.

But as I sat there, in the silence of the room, the truth pressed against my ribs like a weight I couldn't shake off.

Without another word, I stood up and left the room, closing the door softly behind me—like leaving would somehow make it easier to forget.

**** ***

The world was heavy.

Thick.

Like I was trying to swim through molasses.

My body felt too warm, my limbs too heavy.

But slowly, the darkness began to peel away, and the edges of consciousness crept in like fragile rays of light after a storm.

My eyes fluttered open.

The ceiling above me was unfamiliar—white, with faint shadows dancing from the soft light filtering through blinds.

I frowned.

Where am I?

I turned my head slightly, scanning the room.

Minimalist. Sleek. The faint scent of expensive cologne lingered in the air.

Definitely not a place I recognize.

I tried to move, only to feel the tug of an IV drip attached to my arm.

Panic bubbled in my chest as I struggled to sit up.

But before I could make a proper mess of things, a voice cut through the haze—

> "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

I froze.

My eyes snapped to the doorway where someone leaned casually against the frame, her posture relaxed yet somehow radiating authority.

Han Li.

She stood there in a short-sleeved button-up, the first few buttons undone just enough to reveal a glimpse of her collarbone. The soft blue of the fabric contrasted sharply against her black khaki pants, and her short hair framed her face perfectly—like she'd just walked out of a magazine photoshoot without even trying.

She smiled at me like this was all normal.

Like I wasn't waking up in an unfamiliar place with an IV in my arm.

Like we hadn't gone years without speaking.

My throat felt dry, my voice a raspy croak as I tried to form words.

Han Li crossed the room in a few strides, pouring a glass of water and holding it out to me.

I took it, my fingers brushing against hers briefly—a spark of warmth where our skin met.

The water was cold, sliding down my throat like salvation.

I exhaled shakily, gathering the courage to speak again.

> "You're back?"

It wasn't what I meant to say.

I'd meant to ask where I was, what had happened, why she was here.

But instead—you're back.

Like those two words had been sitting quietly in the back of my mind for years, waiting for this moment to escape.

Han Li chuckled softly, placing the glass on the bedside table.

> "Yeah. You certainly have a knack for getting yourself into trouble."

Her voice was light, teasing, but her eyes betrayed her—shadows of worry still lingering there.

I shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, suddenly hyper-aware of how vulnerable I must look.

> "How long was I out?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

> "Two days."

Two days.

The words echoed in my mind, heavy and disorienting.

She reached over, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear—a simple gesture, but it sent a ripple of heat down my spine.

I swallowed hard, pretending it didn't affect me.

> "I should call my parents," I mumbled, glancing around for my phone.

Han Li shrugged, her face indifferent but her eyes sharp.

> "I didn't think about grabbing your purse when I whisked you away from that creep," she said nonchalantly. "But I did call the Jiang family home to let them know you're okay."

I blinked.

She called my family?

The realization hit harder than expected.

> "Thank you," I murmured, my voice softer this time.

The room fell into an awkward silence, thick with unspoken words.

I wanted to ask her—why didn't you keep in touch?

But I didn't.

She was acting like this was all normal, like the years of silence between us didn't exist.

So I played along.

Pretending was easier.

---

Meanwhile, in the System Core...

> SYSTEM 404: [CRITICAL ERROR.]

SYSTEM 404: [HOST REMAINS UNRESPONSIVE.]

SYSTEM404: [PLOT DEVIATION REACHING 55%.]

SYSTEM 404: [Jiang Yuxi and Han Li CONNECTION EXCEEDS PROJECTED BOUNDARIES.]

SYSTEM 404: [FATE THREADS UNSTABLE.]*

SYSTEM 404 HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY DISCONNECTED.