'The Grumpy CEO Chases After His Glamorous Wife'
It was a popular CEO romance novel. Leslie's colleague, Teacher Sang lent it to her a few weeks ago. She hadn't read much of it.
Leslie remembered who Charlene Li was. The latter was a side character, being in a comatose state.
Despite falling into a long coma, Charlene would be married to the handsome male lead's friend. Of course, the friend was also a young and rich CEO surnamed Xu.
In the story, CEO Xu's grandmother kept nagging him because of his unwillingness to get married. He skillfully dodged the blind dates arranged by his grandmother yet, he failed when his grandmother used her secret weapon.
"Second Uncle, Mia wants a new auntie~ Can't you bring her to me?"
"Mia is so pitiful ah~ My friends have aunties but, Mia doesn't."
"Second Uncle doesn't love Mia anymore?"
CEO Xu's hardened resolve shattered in front of his beloved niece. In the end, he picked Charlene among the many candidates.
CEO Xu's reason was simple.
Charlene Li was in a coma. She wouldn't be able to pester the young CEO for love yet, she could deter other women from approaching him.
As the second most eligible bachelor after the male lead, CEO Xu was always targeted by the young ladies and the madams who had daughters of marriageable age.
In Leslie's opinion, the young CEO's character was funny. He was not the same cold one as the male lead, his best friend.
Leslie hadn't finished the book. She had just reached the part when CEO Xu told his personal assistant to contact Charlene's father. They would discuss the marriage soon.
So...
Was the woman standing opposite her the comatose lady, Charlene Li?
In a daze, Leslie stared at the young woman. In her eyes, the latter was much alive as if she was not merely a character inside a book.
"What do you mean... by giving your body to me?"
Leslie's question was met with a faint smile from Charlene.
"It's the literal meaning. Take my body, use it to find your child and live a new life with her."
"...what? Do you really want my soul to occupy your body?"
Charlene nodded. When she spoke again, firmness laced her tone.
"I want to be free. You need to get into a body if you want to find your daughter. Why don't you just transmigrate into my body and live my life? Of course, I won't take it back from you."
Perplexed, Leslie's brain stopped working for a moment. Wide-eyed in surprise, she couldn't take her eyes off Charlene.
Was this woman tricking her?
Why did she talk as if she didn't want to live anymore?
Even though it was a world of a book, shouldn't her life still be precious to her?
Leslie shook her head, forcing herself to face the current situation. Even though she was deadly worried about Calliope, she needed to solve this problem first.
"What do you mean by that? Are you serious? Do you really want me to live your life? Perhaps, changing it altogether?"
Charlene smiled faintly at the sight of Leslie panicking. She nodded once but, enough to convey her wish.
"I'm tired of everything. I don't mind what you want to do with my body and your new life. Use it to look for your child."
The mention of Calliope struck Leslie with a sense of helplessness. She needed to get the best way possible to find her dear daughter.
Leslie shifted her gaze toward Mimo. Yet, before she was able to ask anything, the fox toy already had the answer.
|You either transmigrate into her body or vanish into nothingness. I'm sorry. Anything else is beyond my ability.|
"But..."
Charlene reached out for both of Leslie's hands. The former's coldness seeped under her skin. A jolt of enlightenment shook her mind.
"I want to be free," whispered Charlene, her tone laced with sorrow, "So, live a beautiful one for my sake, will you? Enjoy the future with your daughter."
Leslie shivered. Out of nowhere, a tear rolled down her face.
This young lady didn't need to persuade Leslie with more words. The sadness exuded from her voice and eyes was enough to convince her. The coldness of the former's touch brought along despair.
"You... do you have any wishes? I'll fulfill them for you."
Charlene nodded.
"I have two wishes. First, please look for my lost pendant. The one who pushed me down the stairs have it. And, please find my..."
As she heard the end of the woman's request, Leslie's eyes flickered with recognition.
No wonder...
"Yes. I'll find them. I promise."
Charlene's graceful smile carried her appreciation.
"I wish you well. Farewell."
A gust of wind came out of nowhere. Leslie instinctively closed her eyes, faintly hearing Charlene thanking her.
**********
When Leslie opened her eyes again, she saw none of the white void. Charlene also had disappeared. Her surrounding was changed into a bedroom, a pristine and opulent one.
The bedroom seemed to come straight out of a magazine. But, that was not Leslie's main priority right now.
Leslie was floating next to the bed. Disbelief flickered in her eyes as she looked at the young lady lying on the mattress.
Wasn't that Charlene's body?
"Hey, Mimo... why am I here instead of inside that body?"
Mimo was sitting on top of Leslie's head. Its attention was also on the body.
|Seems like... an error has occurred. You can't enter the body yet.|
"What?" Leslie was appalled, "Do you mean... I'm a ghost now?"
A soul without a body... wasn't it the same with a ghost?
|...yes. But! Only because the original host's body is recuperating. You'll be able to enter it once she heals further.|
Mimo's sudden enthusiasm was met with a skeptical look from Leslie. Shaking her head, she told herself not to panic, fearing losing her main goal.
"Mimo, didn't you say I need to find Poppy? Can you... can you sense where she is? How about her condition?"
The bloody image of Calliope's body impaled by the rod still frightened Leslie. She failed to protect her precious child in their previous life. How could she bear repeating the same thing again?
Mimo jumped from Leslie's head. She quickly caught the fox toy. Her eyes met the latter's beady ones.
|I'm sorry. I want to meet Poppy too. I don't know where she is but, I know she's in good condition. She's not suffering! I assure you!|
Leslie's lips curled up, smiling in relief. Strangely enough, Mimo's words managed to calm her erratic heart.
"So, what should I do now? What's my first step?"
A chuckle came from Mimo. He playfully replied, |Use the CEO to the fullest! Let him find Poppy!|
"...what?"
A thought struck Leslie's mind. She needed to know if there were dos and don'ts as a soul. If she knew what her abilities were, it would be easier to make plans.
"Mimo, what can... eh?!"
Leslie's ears caught the faint sound of people approaching the room.
"We need to hide!"
|Ack! L-Leslie!|
Out of reflex, Leslie quickly hid behind the nearest wooden shelf. She covered Mimo's face as if afraid it would speak.
In the next second, the door was opened from the outside. Two young men entered the bedroom, seemingly to be in a conversation.
"...won't keep quiet. So, what? I've registered my marriage with her. Isn't that what she wants, right, Edward?"
A tall man in a light gray suit and a pastel blue shirt exhaled a deep sigh. Lifting up one hand, he ran his fingers through his dark hair.
"The old madam is just worried about you, Boss Xu. The list of the blind dates is still long."
The second man addressed as Edward was almost as tall as the first one. He suddenly stopped when the man called Boss Xu paused from walking.
He was Calix Xu, the male lead's best friend!
Grinning, Calix threw a meaningful look at Edward. He pointed at his face.
"What a pity. I have a wife now. Blind dates are no-no. Do you think this is the look of an adulterer?"
"...no, Boss Xu."
Still hiding next to the shelf, Leslie was dumbstruck by what she saw now.
Was that really the CEO Xu?
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According to the book, CEO Xu; Calix Xu was the male lead's closest friend and the heir to Xu International.
They still had two other male friends in their inner circle. Yet, Calix was the one the male lead trusted the most.
Oh, the male lead's name was Xander Qin. He was the CEO and the heir to the Qindom Group[1]. In their small group of four, he was the de facto leader.
If the male lead Xander was a walking ice statue, exuding coldness and aloofness to everyone, Calix was a ball of playful sunshine. The stark contrast in their personalities was not an obstacle to deepening their relationship.
"Mimo... is this the first day CEO Xu got married to Charlene?"
With her eyes still on the two handsome men, Leslie whispered to Mimo. She kept the fox toy in her arms.
|Yes. Leslie, CEO Xu can see you once he makes the first skin contact with you. He can hear your voice too.|
"W-what?"
Eyes widened in disbelief, Leslie looked down at Mimo. The crochet toy also stared at her back.
|CEO Xu can't see or hear me. Leslie, if you don't want him to think you're weird, you can just speak telepathically with me.|
Leslie narrowed her eyes skeptically. She gently tapped a finger on Mimo's black nose.
"I'm being a soul is weird enough. Won't he faint once he sees me?"
|About that... let's wait and see.|
Leslie exhaled a soft sigh. Her attention was drawn to Calix again. In the short moment of seeing him for the first time, she admitted that CEO Xu's beauty was enchanting enough.
Well, he was described as a devilishly handsome man with a fox-like charm. Leslie had to say that the descriptions didn't fully explain his physical attractiveness.
Oblivious to the fact that a soul and a fox toy were secretly looking at him, Calix sat on the edge of the mattress. Edward Zhang, his chief personal assistant continued standing by the bedside.
With a hand cupping his chin, Calix looked at the unconscious Charlene. His peach blossom eyes carefully took in the young lady's appearance.
"Hurm... My wife is pretty. Is this what people call a delicate and soft beauty? Not the striking and glamorous one. Like spring water? Or, like the moonlight?"
Edward's lips twitched. He replied monotonously, "Boss, Lady Charlene has been in a coma for two months. You possess really good eyes. You can see her beauty beyond her current condition."
Calix clicked his tongue. Narrowing his eyes in displeasure, he responded, "And you have a good mouth. I can perfectly hear your sarcasm, Edward."
Edward put a hand over his right chest, "I am pleased to be complimented by you, Boss Xu."
Calix made a face. He looked briefly at the comatose Leslie before he reached out for something inside the pocket of his suit. A small velvet box materialized on his palm.
"Well, no matter what's the reason I marry her, my wife still needs a wedding ring. I've picked a good one for her."
Once Calix opened the lid, the sparkle of a diamond ring entered his line of sight. The gemstone was square, the princess cut. Tiny round diamonds were inlaid in the platinum band.
Holding her breath, Leslie intently watched Calix taking the ring out of the box. His right hand reached for Charlene's left one. With a simple motion, the slim band was slid into her ring finger.
"...?"
When Calix touched Charlene's hand, a faint warmth emitted throughout Leslie's soul. The feeling quickly faded as if it was never there but, she thought it had something to do with the first skin contact.
"The ring suits Lady Charlene well," commented Edward. His good-looking face didn't show much expression.
Calix frowned. Tilting his chin up, he stared at Edward.
"What is it, Boss?" asked Edward, sensing disapproval in his boss' gaze.
"Young Madam Xu. She's the new mistress of the Xu household. Hurm, wait until you get closer to her. You can call her by name then."
Edward squinted his eyes, giving Calix a deadpan look, "Boss, how can I get closer to Young Madam when she's not even awake?"
"...get out."
"As you wish, Boss."
As if he was waiting for the chance, Edward swiftly left without looking back at all. He didn't forget to close the door.
"Tsk, that brat."
Calix shook his head. Pushing his annoyance away, once again he focused on his newly wedded wife.
Crossing one leg over the other, Calix supported his chin with the back of his right hand. When he spoke, the tone of his voice was lower than previously.
"Hey, you don't know you're married to me today. Your parents didn't even come here to see you, huh?"
At the mention of Charlene's parents, Leslie felt a pang of pain in her chest, reminding her of sorrow. Frowning, she wondered why sadness washed over her own feelings.
"Mimo, I can talk to him now, right?" asked Leslie while looking at Mimo.
This was not the time to be caught in this unfounded misery. She needed to get Calix to help her look for Calliope.
|You can. But, Leslie... didn't I tell you to speak telepathically to me?|
"...huh?"
A bad feeling crept into Leslie's heart.
|I think he heard you ah.|
"..."
Froze, Leslie stiffly lifted up her head. What fell in her line of sight was Calix whose face drained of any color. His easy-going expression changed instantly to the frightened one.
"Who... who are you? Why... why do you look..."
Pointing one finger at Leslie, Calix's widened eyes stared at her before he turned to look at the body lying on the bed.
"W-why do you look the same as her?!"
It was Leslie's turn to be shocked.
What did he mean?
|Your form now takes after the original host's appearance.|
Mimo's quiet voice answered Leslie's confusion. She was speechless.
"Mimo... didn't the info come too late?"
Mimo said nothing. He jumped out of Leslie's arms, settling on top of her head.
"W-why you're floating? Who are you? Are you a ghost?"
Leslie reached out a hand, at a loss on how to introduce herself.
"Mister... I just..."
Calix abruptly cut Leslie's words.
"Are you a ghost? Why..."
Calix's eyelids drooped.
"Mister!"
SLAP!
Leslie gasped. Covering her mouth, she didn't expect what had she just witnessed.
Calix seemed to be on the verge of fainting before out of nowhere, he slapped himself on the cheek. His action caught Leslie off guard.
"M-mister... are you alright?"
"Ow... It hurts... Why did I hit myself hard?"
Calix ran a palm over his stinging right cheek, mumbling under his breath. Yet, his words were still audible to Leslie.
Unsure of what should she do in this unexpected situation, Leslie quietly said, "Mister... can you please hear me first?"
"...are you really a ghost?"
Calix's eyes moved from Leslie's face which resembled the unconscious woman in bed before he looked down at her feet.
Her feet didn't touch the floor!
"Mister..."
"Haha... you're a ghost... a ghost..."
Dum.
"..."
Leslie stared at Calix's figure who was now lying on the floor.
The dignified CEO Xu fainted.
----------
Reference:
1 - I borrowed name from my friend's book. Check out Mr. CEO Chasing The Aloof Beauty by AleeqaC!
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