The grand Li Estate was never truly quiet.
Even at night, footsteps echoed down marble hallways. Maids whispered behind closed doors. Security men moved like shadows at the edges of the vast mansion.
Li Wen lay in his crib, swaddled in silk, eyes half-lidded like a sleepy newborn. But his mind… fully alert.
He had heard the argument hours ago.
Two voices — low, sharp, dangerous.
His uncle, Li Jianyu.
And his father, Li Zhonghai.
It was subtle, hidden beneath polite language. But to someone who'd lived through the Li family's power games before… it was as clear as a gun to the head.
The old struggle continues, Li Wen thought bitterly.
His uncle — ambitious, charming on the surface, but quietly scheming for control of the family's business empire.
His father — cold, ruthless, but already overstretched managing the Li Conglomerate's global affairs.
In his first life, he'd been too young, too stupid, too drunk on privilege to notice these cracks. By the time he did, it was too late.
But now?
Even as a helpless infant, he saw it.
And this time… he'd exploit it.
---
The Next Morning — The Grandfather's Visit
The nursery door opened quietly. Heavy, deliberate footsteps approached.
Li Wen's small body remained still, eyes shut, soft breaths steady.
Playing the part.
A harmless, sleeping newborn.
But the presence in the room made the air heavier.
Li Cheng.
The true head of the Li family.
Old, thin, but sharper than any of them — a king beneath the quiet mask of an aging patriarch.
For a long moment, Li Cheng said nothing.
Then, in a voice low and unreadable, he spoke to the silent room:
"You won't fool me as easily as the others, little one."
Li Wen's heart skipped.
Had he… noticed?
Impossible. His performance was flawless.
The old man chuckled softly, turning to leave.
"But I welcome the challenge," Li Cheng muttered as he stepped away. "Let's see what you're made of… when the time comes."
The door clicked shut.
Li Wen's eyes slowly opened — blank, innocent, baby-like on the outside.
Inside?
The game had already begun.