Chapter 297: The Plot is Wrong!?

Shen Tian noticed immediately.

His hand moved.

Quietly.

He placed it against the small of Rose’s back.

Nothing dramatic.

Just reassurance.

Rose looked toward him.

Her expression softened.

Qin Hao saw that too.

Everything about Shen Tian contradicted the normal villain archetype.

He wasn’t desperately showing off.

Wasn’t insulting Qin Hao.

Wasn’t treating the women around him as trophies.

Wasn’t trying to establish dominance for no reason.

Yet...

There was something about him.

Something Qin Hao couldn’t identify.

Danger.

Not loud danger.

The worse kind.

Qin Hao smiled.

"I’ve heard quite a bit about Young Master Shen."

Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.

"Good things?"

"Depends who you ask."

"Then probably accurate."

Qin Hao laughed softly.

"You don’t seem particularly concerned with reputation."

"No."

"Interesting."

"Is it?"

"For someone in our position."

Shen Tian’s eyes sharpened slightly.

There.

Our position.

Xu Ning noticed too.

[He’s probing.]

Obviously.

Qin Hao continued.

"People like us tend to attract stories."

Shen Tian smiled.

"People like us?"

"Young masters."

Qin Hao lifted his glass slightly.

"Too much money."

"Too much attention."

"Too many people waiting for us to make mistakes."

Shen Tian nodded.

"True."

Qin Hao watched him carefully.

Then...

"Sometimes it almost feels like we’re villains in someone else’s story."

Silence.

Rose didn’t react.

Gu Qingya didn’t understand the deeper meaning.

Tang Meilin simply looked curious.

Chi Lingxi glanced between the men.

But Shen Tian...

Stared directly at Qin Hao.

Qin Hao’s heartbeat accelerated.

Xu Ning’s panel changed.

Suspicion toward Host: 49%

Shen Tian smiled.

"Maybe."

One word.

Qin Hao’s fingers tightened slightly around his glass.

"Maybe?"

Shen Tian leaned closer.

Not enough for anyone else to hear easily.

"Depends who the protagonist is."

Qin Hao froze.

For one second...

His expression broke.

Barely.

But Shen Tian saw it.

Xu Ning saw it.

Suspicion toward Host: 71%

Xu Ning’s eyes widened.

[Host!]

Shen Tian leaned back.

Qin Hao stared.

His system screamed.

[WARNING!]

Destiny Anomaly reaction detected.

Probability target possesses abnormal narrative awareness has increased.

Qin Hao’s mind raced.

Impossible.

Another transmigrator?

A regressor?

A system user?

Someone awakened?

Or...

Was Shen Tian simply clever?

He needed information.

Immediately.

But...

Before he could continue...

The ballroom lights dimmed.

Music changed.

Guests turned toward the stage.

A host stepped forward.

"Ladies and gentlemen..."

Applause began.

"Our next guest needs very little introduction."

A familiar figure appeared behind the curtain.

Chu Zijin.

Long dark hair.

Elegant silver evening dress.

Beautiful.

Confident.

The moment she stepped into the light...

Cameras flashed.

Applause increased.

Shen Tian smiled.

Chu Zijin scanned the ballroom.

Then...

Her eyes found him.

Immediately.

Her professional smile changed.

Just slightly.

Warmer.

Shen Tian raised his glass.

Chu Zijin’s cheeks became faintly pink.

She looked away.

Rose noticed.

"Did she just blush from across the room?"

Gu Qingya sighed.

"Apparently."

Tang Meilin smiled.

Chi Lingxi looked at Shen Tian.

"You didn’t even do anything."

Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.

"Exactly."

Rose stared.

"Don’t look proud."

He smiled.

"Too late."

Qin Hao watched.

Again...

Something was wrong.

Chu Zijin.

Another woman who, according to fragments of original plot knowledge,

should eventually have a major connection to Chen Mo.

Yet she was looking at Shen Tian.

His system suddenly activated.

[Plot deviation detected.]

Qin Hao’s eyes sharpened.

Show me.

Original Heroine Route: Chu Zijin

Original affinity target: Chen Mo

Current Route: Severed

Current Affinity Target: Unknown

Qin Hao slowly looked toward Shen Tian.

Unknown?

Seriously?

Chu Zijin began singing.

The ballroom quieted.

Her voice filled the room.

Beautiful.

Clear.

Controlled.

Shen Tian watched.

Chu Zijin caught his eyes again during the first song.

Then...

Smiled.

Qin Hao stared.

Unknown my ass.

. . .

Twenty minutes later...

Chu Zijin finished her final song.

Applause filled the ballroom.

She bowed.

Then...

Instead of disappearing backstage...

She came down.

Directly into the ballroom.

People approached immediately.

Executives.

Fans.

Young heirs.

She handled them professionally.

Smiles.

Greetings.

Photographs.

Then...

She saw Shen Tian.

Her pace changed.

Slightly faster.

Qin Hao noticed.

Of course he did.

Chu Zijin finally reached them.

"How was it?"

She looked directly at Shen Tian.

Not the group.

Shen Tian.

He smiled.

"Good."

Chu Zijin stared.

"Good?"

"Very good."

Her cheeks warmed.

"Better."

Rose smiled.

Chu Zijin looked toward her.

Then...

Gu Qingya.

Tang Meilin.

Chi Lingxi.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"So many."

Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.

"So many what?"

Chu Zijin smiled sweetly.

"People."

Rose laughed.

Gu Qingya looked away.

Tang Meilin covered her mouth.

Chi Lingxi stared.

Then...

Shen Tian leaned slightly closer to Chu Zijin.

She froze.

"You jealous?"

Her face turned red.

"No."

Too fast.

Shen Tian smiled.

"Okay."

Chu Zijin’s eyes narrowed.

"Don’t say it like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you don’t believe me."

"I don’t."

Her cheeks became crimson.

Qin Hao stared.

This man was flirting with heroines in front of each other.

And nobody was throwing wine.

Nobody was slapping him.

Nobody was storming away.

What kind of broken harem route was this?

His system suddenly displayed another warning.

[Major plot deviation confirmed.]

Multiple original heroine routes have been severed.

Qin Hao’s expression became serious.

How many?

The system calculated.

Then...

Unable to determine full count.

Estimate.

Pause.

At least eleven.

Qin Hao nearly dropped his glass.

Eleven?!

He slowly turned toward Shen Tian.

Who the hell was this guy?

. . .

Then...

The ballroom entrance opened again.

No announcement.

No reporters screaming.

No enormous family entourage.

A young man entered alone.

Simple black suit.

No luxury watch.

No bodyguards.

Short black hair.

Calm eyes.

Average appearance at first glance.

But...

The moment he entered...

Two systems reacted.

At once.

Xu Ning’s eyes widened.

[Host.]

Qin Hao’s system flashed.

[Original Protagonist detected.]

Shen Tian looked toward the entrance.

Qin Hao did the same.

Chen Mo.

Twenty-four years old.

The original protagonist connected to Qin Hao’s story.

His clothes were inexpensive.

But clean.

His posture relaxed.

He ignored the judgmental glances from several wealthy guests.

No nervousness.

No embarrassment.

Classic.

Xu Ning opened his panel.

Chen Mo

Luck: 720

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(Author’s Note: IMPORTANT!)

SEND POWESTONES!!!

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