"Xiangyi, why did you suddenly bump into me?" Muning looked helpless, but she didn't seem to realize what Xiangyi was really after. She assumed Xiangyi had simply bumped into her by accident.
"I saw you looking down and worried you might suddenly fall, so I leaned over. Who knew you'd suddenly look up?" Xiangyi stayed perfectly calm, smiling as she explained her innocence.
Thinking it over calmly, she realized the plan had little chance of succeeding in public. Muning was introverted but not repressed, reserved but not conservative. Even so, she wouldn't agree to such an outrageous request. Xiangyi reflected on her own impatience, slipped her right hand into her pocket to steady herself, and considered what to do next.
"I just looked down because I saw something. But getting bumped like that actually felt pretty nice." Muning smiled as she replied, though her words carried a hidden meaning. Xiangyi had suddenly bumped the sadness right out of her, which really wasn't good for Xiangyi's plans.
Xiangyi could only sigh. Muning's mood had already recovered, and she had no chance to get close to her now. Muning also didn't mention that she was about to leave, so Xiangyi figured she simply hadn't worked up enough emotion. Besides, there were so many people in Muning's home that they couldn't possibly keep kissing for three minutes without anyone noticing.
Xiangyi thought it over. It was already nine at night, so she decided she'd better leave first.
"Muning, I think I'll head back for now. I just remembered I haven't finished my summer homework." It was their summer break after their second year of high school, but since they were transferring schools, the homework hardly mattered. Still, Xiangyi came up with that ridiculous excuse. Muning looked a little disappointed, but chose to respect Xiangyi's wishes.
"All right. Should I ask Sister Shuxuan to come pick you up?" Though she said that, Muning held on to Xiangyi's hand, reluctant to let her go.
She'd thought she and Xiangyi would talk for a long time that night. She hadn't expected that one bump would bring everything to an end.
Muning thought about it for a few days, but couldn't find anything she'd done wrong. She could only assume that Xiangyi didn't like sleeping with other people, or perhaps she still wasn't used to being around a crowd.
In Xiangyi's eyes, Muning was so pitiful and endearing. But while Xiangyi's circumstances had improved, she still had her own troubles. They understood each other and had been best friends since their first year of high school. Seeing Xiangyi act this way, Muning felt she could understand.
But...
Muning still couldn't bear to part with Xiangyi. She reached out, wanting to ask once more whether Xiangyi would stay, but after weighing everything, she ultimately said nothing.
"It'd be too much trouble to ask Sister Shuxuan to come get me. It's only nine, so there are still buses. I can just take one home." Xiangyi smiled as she answered, though she had no intention of going home.
Compared to something as boring as sleeping, cultivation mattered far more. Xiangyi planned to use staying at Muning's home as a cover, then find a suitable spot and enter the Flower God Ring to continue cultivating.
Otherwise, she was worried she might run into that mysterious and dangerous woman again.
As for Muning, tonight clearly wasn't going to work out. Shaoyao and Hua Nu's help had been next to useless. They'd need to learn more about modern human culture and knowledge before they could help Xiangyi's relationship with Muning progress.
Once she'd settled everything in her mind, Xiangyi smiled and said, "Don't look so reluctant. It's not like I won't come back."
Hearing that, Muning almost blurted out that she was going to Heaven City soon. But she held back, forcing a faint smile. "I'm not. I just think that since you've already tried so hard to step outside your comfort zone, why not take one more step?"
Muning seemed unable to understand Xiangyi's reasoning. She clung to Xiangyi's hand, making her reluctance clear.
Xiangyi smiled easily and said, "Think about it. If we stayed together tonight, we'd keep talking. And if we kept talking, we'd disturb everyone else. Your grandmother needs to go to bed early, and your brother has to work. Wouldn't it be even crueler of us to do that?"
Xiangyi's explanation seemed to convince Muning. She nodded, though she still felt a little unhappy. But she wasn't unhappy because Xiangyi was leaving. It was because her family's circumstances wouldn't let the two of them talk, laugh, and play together as they normally would.
"So I was thinking: in a few days, you can come to the place where I'm staying now. We can do our homework together, and we'll have time to talk properly. Besides, I really want to eat your cooking again." Xiangyi sounded sincere. She felt a little bad about imposing on Sister Shuxuan, but she'd do whatever it took to get a second kiss from Muning.
Of course, once they went to Heaven City, her situation would gradually improve. There would be more opportunities there, and Xiangyi would have a space of her own, where she could plan her approach more carefully.
"But... won't I be bothering Sister Shuxuan?" Muning was tempted. Thinking about the conditions at home, she realized it really wasn't suitable for two girls to whisper together. She was the sort who didn't like to inconvenience others. Even when she was hurt, she cried in secret and kept everything bottled up. Now she was still uneasy, worried that going to Xiangyi's place might upset the woman named Shuxuan.
"I checked her schedule. She's going on a business trip the day after tomorrow," Xiangyi said offhandedly, making up a lie. She'd worry about how to make it convincing later.
If all else failed, she'd have Hua Nu pull a few strings and make Sister Shuxuan really go on a "business trip."
Even so, Muning wasn't convinced. She thought that since Xiangyi was living in someone else's home, she ought to be even more considerate. Xiangyi could only keep talking until she finally managed to persuade Muning.
"What... you're leaving right now? Did you leave anything at my house?" As the time crept from nine to half past nine, Muning grew anxious. She was afraid Xiangyi would miss the last bus, leaving her with nowhere to stay and no way to get home.
"No, I didn't bring anything. It's already half past nine, so I'll head to the bus stop."
"Then I'll walk you there."
Muning finally gave in and decided to accompany Xiangyi to the bus stop, but Xiangyi stopped her.
"What's wrong?"
"You can't go to the bus stop. I'll worry about you on the way back. I'll walk you home first, then go to the bus stop by myself," Xiangyi reminded her. Her heroine always seemed to have a knack for stumbling into trouble wherever she went.
She might get extorted or kidnapped, or accidentally get caught up in a fight. Xiangyi was exactly the sort of author who loved putting her characters in danger. In her outline, Muning had gone through countless disasters before she finally opened up.
Now, Xiangyi was worried that changing the plot would cause a butterfly effect and put Muning in danger on the way.
"But..."
"See the wrist guard I'm wearing? I've awakened as a Chosen One." Xiangyi cut Muning off, then took her hand and led her toward her home.
Xiangyi didn't leave until she'd watched Muning reach her front door. But when Xiangyi went downstairs, she could still see Muning leaning out the window to watch her. Her gaze was full of worry, as if even the title of Chosen One couldn't ease her concern.
Xiangyi smiled, feeling more and more that Muning was a wonderful girl.
"Flower Master, where are we going now?"
Shaoyao and Hua Nu emerged from the Flower God Ring, one on either side of Xiangyi. Even though she'd long since gotten used to the flower people appearing out of nowhere, Xiangyi still jumped.
In the end, she decided not to say anything. She looked up the library's location on her phone, planning to spend the night there in a rather unusual way.
After finding the library, Xiangyi set her cultivation level as the destination in her navigation app and began racing down the road. Half an hour passed, and she reached the site of Ocean City's largest library.
The library was already closed. Xiangyi went into the Flower God Ring and changed into black clothes, trying to make herself less noticeable. Then she avoided the cameras and had Shaoyao, who could walk through walls, open a third-floor window.
"Remember, keep an eye out for red dots. If you see one, cover it with a book," Xiangyi said, worried that the cameras might catch her since she couldn't turn invisible. She explained exactly what Shaoyao should do.
Shaoyao seemed to understand. Even if Xiangyi explained what a camera was, she probably wouldn't know what it meant, so she simply followed instructions. She found the camera on the wall and covered it with a book. When she was done, she called Hua Nu, who immediately passed the message on to Xiangyi.
Xiangyi nodded, put on the gloves she'd bought at a convenience store, then leapt up to the third floor and slipped through the window into the library.
The library was pitch-dark, but it didn't bother Xiangyi much. During the month she'd spent at the sanatorium, she'd devoted all her time to improving her physique and hadn't learned any moves.
Seeing Xiangyi enter so easily, moving with such agility and precision, Hua Nu stared at her in disbelief. She couldn't understand how Xiangyi had improved when Hua Nu hadn't taught her anything.
But Xiangyi had no intention of explaining just then. She looked around, checking for cameras in every corner. Then she had Shaoyao memorize the location of every book.
Shaoyao seemed surprised that Xiangyi knew she had a good memory, but she still nodded and spent half an hour memorizing where all the books were.
Xiangyi: All right. Now let's take the books into the Flower God Ring. Before the library opens at six tomorrow morning, we'll put them all back.
Xiangyi pointed at the clock, reminding everyone what they needed to do.
The books on the third floor were mostly specialized works, with plenty on history and culture. They'd be very useful for helping the flower people understand this world.
Hua Nu and Shaoyao nodded, then started gathering books at a frantic pace. Xiangyi kept using books to block the cameras so they wouldn't capture anything strange.
Another half hour passed. The third floor had been completely cleared out. Xiangyi put up a few sheets of paper to cover the cameras, then followed Shaoyao and Hua Nu into the Flower God Ring.
Shaoyao and Hua Nu began reading and studying at a frantic pace, while Xiangyi practiced her cultivation. She was still illiterate by this world's standards, but she could at least muddle through.
Strength was another matter. If she didn't work twice as hard at cultivation, she might get beaten to death before she even made it out of Ocean City...
Morning arrived as expected. Before six, Xiangyi had already led everyone out of the Flower God Ring. Hua Nu and Shaoyao began putting the books back while Xiangyi checked the scene, wiping away the traces she'd left behind the night before.
Once she was done, Xiangyi climbed out through the window again. She yawned, then went to a nearby place to buy breakfast and enjoy the sunshine.
It was her third day out of the sanatorium, but time seemed to drag on endlessly. Seeing Shaoyao eye the steamed buns from the sidelines, Xiangyi bought some more and tossed them into the Flower God Ring for her to eat.
Xiangyi continued wandering around, familiarizing herself with the library's layout and checking whether anyone had noticed anything unusual on the third floor.
She waited until eight. Several people nearby were already eager to enter the library with their laptops. Xiangyi went in too, planning to buy some basic children's books to teach Shaoyao and the others more.
There weren't many people there that morning, but everyone seemed focused. Xiangyi glanced around and noticed someone who seemed to be writing a novel. Since she was an author herself, she felt an instant kinship and wanted to approach him. But just then, she heard the system alert.
System: Flower Fairy detected—Xia Shang.
Xiangyi was thrilled. She'd never dreamed she'd run into another Flower Fairy at a time like this. What's more, this Flower Fairy could create Top-tier Flower People.
She couldn't help looking around for the woman she'd described as gentle and beautiful, refined and elegant.
She went from the first floor to the second, then made her way to the third. She'd barely stepped inside when she saw the beautiful, elegant woman.
Her brown hair was twisted up, and she wore simple clothes. Even so, nothing could hide her curvaceous figure. Her skin was so well cared for that it looked almost unnaturally fair. Xia Shang wore a pair of plain glasses and was engrossed in a foreign-language book. She read with such intense concentration that it seemed as if she'd forgotten the world around her.
Xiangyi sat a few seats away, holding a book in her hands and sneaking glances at Xia Shang from the corner of her eye.
Shaoyao: Flower Master, is there something unusual about this person?
At that, Hua Nu grinned.
Hua Nu: The Flower Master really has a keen eye. She's found another Flower Fairy so quickly.
Shaoyao's eyes widened. She couldn't believe Xiangyi found Flower Fairies even faster than they did.
Hua Nu: What, did you think the Flower Master ran from the first floor to the third just because she was taken with this woman's beauty and was searching blindly?
Hua Nu teased her again. Shaoyao was left speechless. Seeing the two of them at odds and chatting again, Xiangyi sighed and spoke up.
Xiangyi: Instead of chatting, why don't you help me see if there's anything about this woman that could connect me to her?
Hua Nu and Shaoyao immediately fell silent and split up. As soon as they approached, Xia Shang seemed to sense something. She looked up slightly, puzzled, and glanced around, as if trying to find the source of the strange sensation.
But Xia Shang couldn't seem to see the flower people with her naked eyes. She lowered her head again and focused on her book.
Hua Nu: Flower Master.
Xiangyi: I can tell. Unlike the other Flower Fairies, she seems able to sense the presence of flower people. Don't do anything rash. I'll think of something myself.
Xiangyi assessed the situation. Hua Nu nodded, and she and Shaoyao kept a suitable distance so Xia Shang wouldn't sense anything unusual again. Xiangyi didn't hurry to approach her. Instead, as usual, she checked the information the system had provided.
Xiangyi: System, show me Xia Shang's information.
As she spoke, a translucent screen appeared before Xiangyi.
Name: Xia Shang Age: 30 Occupation: Criminal psychologist Constitution: Flower Fairy (can plant seeds) First kiss: No access to this information yet.
The rest of the information was still locked or unavailable, just like what she'd been able to see about Feng Yourou, the teacher she'd encountered at Baichi Sanatorium.
But Xia Shang's occupation caught Xiangyi's interest.
In this era, where Chosen Ones were filled with malice, the most sought-after profession for ordinary people was undoubtedly psychology. According to the world Xiangyi had created, every Chosen One had a powerful soul, and the soul was formless—it couldn't be identified or seen.
As a result, all the stimulation was concentrated in the brain, which governed consciousness. So the most fundamental requirement for a Chosen One was a strong will. If their consciousness wavered, they could end up controlled by their own power.
Psychologists in this world treated ordinary patients, but also dealt with Chosen Ones' various mental illnesses. They also analyzed and studied Chosen Ones whose minds had become unstable and who had developed antisocial personalities.
But at the very top of the psychology field, criminal profilers held a place of their own.
In simpler terms, Xia Shang was extremely capable.
She'd been written as a clever, perceptive character and was a specially appointed advisor to the Chosen One Alliance in Heaven City. She had excellent qualifications, and her family, the Xia family, also held an influential position in the turbulent city of Heaven City.
Ever since she'd gained Eidetic Memory, Xiangyi had been able to recall the things she'd written before. She now knew much more about things she'd written but had completely forgotten.
But why had a psychologist who should have been working in Heaven City suddenly come to Ocean City?
Xiangyi's doubts only grew. Faced with a woman who could practically read minds, she didn't dare approach her rashly.
Xiangyi didn't dare stare for too long, worried Xia Shang would notice and it would affect their interactions later. But she didn't want to waste such a good opportunity either. She considered whether she should do something to start a conversation with Xia Shang.
Her gaze shifted, and she spotted the author with the laptop again. Xiangyi looked closely and saw several professional books on his table.
Xiangyi: Shaoyao, go see what the person on the laptop is writing, then read it out to me.
Xiangyi called over Shaoyao, who had Eidetic Memory. After spending the previous night reading lots of popular science books in the Flower God Ring, Shaoyao seemed much more capable. She deliberately went around Xia Shang and walked up to the author.
Shaoyao: "You smell so good. You're so different from the others." The man's gaze grew feverish. He reached for his belt, but with only one hand, it was awkward to undo... Her show of weakness seemed to make the man feel even more satisfied... "Of course not. I'm going to eat you, then take your body apart. That way, there won't be anyone else who can have you." The man spoke of his obsessive love, which made XX's scalp tingle.
Shaoyao read the words on the laptop. From what she'd heard, it seemed to be a detective novel. Xiangyi searched the protagonist's name on her phone to find the author's name, planning to read some of his work later in the Flower God Ring. But after a moment's thought, she asked Shaoyao one more thing.
Xiangyi: Take another look at the covers of the books he has open on the table.
Shaoyao acknowledged her and carefully went over to inspect the books.
Before you continue