The days that followed his rebirth were slow — painfully so.
Li Wen's body was weak, helpless, limited by biology. But his mind? Sharp. Alert. Burning with quiet defiance.
From the outside, he was nothing more than a fragile infant:
Small fists waving aimlessly.
Soft cries at irregular intervals.
Occasional hiccups and gurgles.
Sleep. Eat. Cry. Repeat.
But beneath that flawless act…
Li Wen observed everything.
---
In the Arms of Li Zhonghai
His father held him stiffly, unfamiliar with the fragile weight in his arms. Li Wen's eyes fluttered, unfocused — the perfect newborn performance.
But in his mind, he studied his father's face.
The faint lines of stress near the eyes.
The sharp, impatient glance at his watch.
The tension in his jaw.
"Same as before," Li Wen thought coldly.
"Always too busy building an empire to notice his own son crumbling."
This time, he'd play his role — the perfect, ordinary baby.
No mistakes.
No premature signs of intelligence to alarm them.
No arrogant slip-ups like in his first life.
---
Madam Chen's Touch
His mother inspected him like a delicate ornament.
"Good features," she commented to the attending nurse. "The Li blood shows… at least in appearance."
Li Wen cooed softly, blinking with false innocence.
Inwardly?
Her pride means nothing, he reminded himself.
In his first life, he'd wasted years chasing her approval — only to realize she cared more for appearances than the boy himself.
Not again.
---
Learning to Wait
The passing days blurred together — feedings, naps, check-ups — but Li Wen used every second.
He memorized voices.
Noted patterns in the staff's behavior.
Mapped out the mansion layout as much as his limited perspective allowed.
Tracked his grandfather's rare appearances.
Calculated when to smile, when to cry, when to act fussy — never too much, never too little.
It was a game of patience.
Of deception.
Of long-term strategy.
They see a normal baby, he thought, a small yawn escaping his lips as a nurse gently rocked him.
Good. Let them.
Because the moment I walk… the moment I talk… the real game begins.