Hearing someone enter so soon, Wu Fan impatiently tossed his cigarette aside and turned his head. He was about to shout for the new nurse to sit beside him when he saw her lock the ward door behind her.

Mu Yue Ran turned back to face Wu Fan on the hospital bed, his expression bewildered. Without hesitation, she removed her mask and flashed him a radiant smile.

Wu Fan, usually fond of beautiful women, felt no trace of desire now. A bone-chilling fear crept into his marrow. His face twisted in terror as he pointed a trembling finger at Mu Yue Ran. "Y-you! How did you find this place? Help! Someone help!!"

"Don’t bother shouting. This ward has excellent soundproofing."

Wu Fan fell silent. Only now did he understand the saying: *the stone he lifted had fallen squarely on his own foot*. After all, he’d personally insisted on this very soundproof room. Now, he was the one trapped with no one to hear his cries.

Mu Yue Ran shrugged off the ill-fitting nurse’s coat, revealing plain long sleeves and trousers beneath. Wu Fan’s face turned ashen as he glared at her. Arrogant as she was, he was utterly powerless against her in his current state. His eyes darted to the call button behind her—his last hope blocked. All he could do was stall for time, praying someone would rescue him.

"You’re probably hoping someone will save you."

Mu Yue Ran exhaled a plume of smoke, savoring the rare comfort. Her mood was decent, so she didn’t mind wasting a little more time on Wu Fan.

"What did I ever do to you?!" Wu Fan roared. He couldn’t fathom why this woman kept interfering. They’d never even crossed paths! Suddenly, Ji Yueyi came to mind. He curled his lip in disgust. "Are you infatuated with Ji Yueyi?"

"It’s just one girl. Is it really worth this?" He leaned forward urgently. "Walk out that door right now, and I swear I’ll have Ji Yueyi delivered to your doorstep tonight."

Wu Fan babbled on, terrified this formidable woman might cripple him on impulse. Unbeknownst to him, he’d already stopped seeing Mu Yue Ran as merely a woman.

To him, girls were disposable bargaining chips—never worth genuine regard. Ji Yueyi? Just a fleeting whim.

Mu Yue Ran listened impassively until Wu Fan’s voice rasped dry. Only then did she crush her cigarette and ask quietly, "So... Ji Yueyi. No—*all* girls are just playthings to you?"

Wu Fan caught the lethal edge in her words. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. "N-no! Don’t put it so harshly! It’s just... business. Mutual benefit. Perfectly harmonious!" He thought his defense flawless—after all, she had no retort.

*Damn it. Wait till I recover. I’ll have both you and Ji Yueyi locked up.*

"Honestly," Mu Yue Ran rubbed her temples, weariness in her eyes. Something had shifted within her moments ago. "When I was thrown into this world and dumped with endless tasks, I was lost too. At first, I only sought out Ji Yueyi as an experiment."

"But after meeting her... learning how she blushes easily, how she cares for her family. She’d wake early to cook breakfast for me. She’d hesitate to ask for a goodbye hug."

Mu Yue Ran sighed deeply. Her hand stretched out slowly. Her gaze held no hatred—only a chilling indifference, as if she saw past Wu Fan’s rotten soul to a distant future.

"Just thinking about someone like you ruining her life... I couldn’t stand it."

Her arm shot out. Five fingers clamped onto Wu Fan’s face, slamming him back onto the bed. He thrashed wildly, but her grip was iron.

Consciousness blurred. His struggles weakened. He felt his soul plummeting, dragged by unseen hands into another world.

"Is this enough?" Mu Yue Ran asked silently.

The System replied instantly: 【Sufficient. His consciousness will linger in dreams for a long time. When he awakens, he won’t be himself anymore.】

Relief washed over Mu Yue Ran. She’d agonized over a permanent solution—System files labeled Wu Fan vindictive, obsessed with what he couldn’t have. His family’s influence in education meant Ji Yueyi could never advance with him lurking.

Just as she’d considered eliminating him outright, the System offered a better path.

【For your prior performance, I grant a one-time ability: Brainwashing. Forcefully rewrite his will, reshape his nature. But this can only be used once. Confirm usage on Wu Fan?】

"Absolutely. Zero regrets."

After washing her hands in the restroom, Mu Yue Ran glanced back at Wu Fan’s peacefully sleeping form. "What did you implant in him?"

A pleasant chuckle echoed in her mind. The System replied mysteriously:

【Classified.】

Wu Fan opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. He turned his head—still in the hospital bed. *Mu Yue Ran must be gone. I’m safe.*

Then came the sound of a knife peeling an apple.

Slowly, stiffly, he turned his head. A burly man sat by his bedside.

The man reached out, stroking Wu Fan’s hair with tender eyes. His voice, soft and gentle despite his rugged appearance, made Wu Fan shudder.

"Xiao Fanfan, you’re awake. You’ve slept so long."

"You! Stay back!!" Wu Fan scrambled backward, nearly falling off the bed. The man caught him effortlessly, cradling him close. He gently patted Wu Fan’s back, as if soothing a misshapen flower.

"Just a nightmare. It’s alright. Everything’s alright."

Unimaginable tenderness blurred Wu Fan’s grasp on reality. He couldn’t recall how he got here. The world grew hazy. His thoughts twisted, reshaping themselves...

It was merely a fleeting dream. Yet for the dreamer, three hours in the real world stretched into ten years within the illusion.

When someone entered with a meal tray, they found Wu Fan awake on the bed, staring vacantly ahead as if unable to distinguish reality from delusion.

Hearing his name called, he turned. Seeing his male subordinate, his face flushed crimson.

"Thank you," he whispered.