Another Handout!? / We're Finally Leaving the Starting Village~

She looked puzzled, unable to figure out what the documentary was about. When she pulled out her phone to look it up, she learned that survival livestreams were the most popular thing lately.

Not only that, livestreams featuring haunted-house explorations and various kinds of survival games were also hugely popular. If Earth was in the age of esports, then people in this world were playing games with their lives on the line.

Scrolling further, she found all kinds of rankings for Chosen Ones, competitions in various categories, and even special industries that prioritized hiring Chosen Ones.

Of course, the most captivating of all were the Chosen One competitions hosted by the Chosen One Alliance.

She scrolled down and found Zhen Xian'er's name. She was currently ranked somewhere in the one-hundreds, and was also one of the few cultivators.

The more Xiangyi read, the more alert she became. She was just as full of anticipation for everything that would begin tomorrow...

At last, morning came. Seeing that it was already past six, Xiangyi got up and went out to buy breakfast for Zhang Mou and Xia Shang.

By the time she got back, Zhang Mou and Xia Shang were both up and eating. Zhang Mou looked as usual, as if she'd completely forgotten yesterday's fear. When she saw Xiangyi come back with breakfast, she smiled, hugged her, and kissed her on the cheek.

"Darling, you're so sweet." Hearing Zhang Mou's overly affectionate endearment, Xiangyi forced a smile and pointed to the breakfast. "I didn't know what you two liked, so I bought a little of everything."

Xia Shang, who had been looking at her phone, looked up and politely thanked Xiangyi.

Zhang Mou was even happier, but didn't hurry to eat. Instead, she took Xiangyi by the hand and said, "By the way, darling, would you like to come with me to Heaven City for a few days?"

Xiangyi immediately shook her head. "No, I still have to work, and school starts in a few days."

Zhang Mou looked disappointed, but still brushed Xiangyi's hair aside. "That's a shame... Wait, you're still a student?" It seemed she'd only just realized that she'd never asked Xiangyi's age. Since people's ages were impossible to tell just by looking at them these days, Zhang Mou had assumed Xiangyi had at least graduated from college.

"Yeah. I'm a senior in high school this year." Xiangyi honestly admitted she was still a student, planning to put her studies first and use that as an excuse to distance herself from Zhang Mou and make a quick escape.

Zhang Mou's expression turned even more complicated. She looked Xiangyi up and down again. "You're the same age as my adopted daughter... Good grief, what have I done?"

Zhang Mou grew even more unsettled and took a few steps back, as if the age gap between them suddenly seemed too large.

Zhang Mou was forty this year. If Xiangyi was a senior in high school, she was probably seventeen or eighteen.

Xia Shang also seemed surprised and looked Xiangyi over again. Xiangyi had no idea what she was looking at, but her main concern was still Zhang Mou.

"I'm sorry. I never made it clear, and I let you misunderstand. If you think I'm too young and it wouldn't be appropriate, I can..."

Seeing Zhang Mou on the verge of a breakdown, Xiangyi hid her glee. Of course, she'd never use this kind of trick to get a kiss again. The price had been far too steep, and she'd hurt Zhang Mou too much.

Even if Zhang Mou had only been playing around with her, Xiangyi couldn't live with herself.

"It's fine. As long as you don't mind how old I am." But things never went according to the script Xiangyi wanted. Zhang Mou took her hand and told her she didn't care about any of that.

"You make me feel good. If you're willing, I hope we can keep in touch." As if words alone weren't enough, Zhang Mou took a card from her bag and said, "This is an additional card on my account. You can use it if you need to."

Xiangyi froze in place. She watched Zhang Mou press the card into her hand, as if announcing that she was now someone's kept woman.

"You really don't have to, ma'am. I'm not with you for your money. I can earn my own." Xiangyi hurriedly pushed the card back. Turning her head slightly, she saw Xia Shang watching the scene play out with an amused expression, as if she found it very entertaining.

Zhang Mou didn't care at all. She was single, and Xiangyi's independent, kitten-like nature only made her like her more.

"Then... let's keep in touch for now. If you need help later, just call me." As if still worried, she handed Xiangyi a few hundred yuan, telling her to buy herself some good food.

When Xiangyi still refused, Zhang Mou insisted, "You're too skinny. Make sure you eat well."

This time, Xiangyi stopped refusing. She looked at Zhang Mou, thought it over, then added, "If you ever need my help, ma'am, I'll do everything I can."

It was rare for Xiangyi to make a promise like that. Zhang Mou just smiled without taking it to heart, then took a few packs of expensive-looking snacks from a nearby cabinet and handed them to her.

Xiangyi suddenly felt a little ashamed, as if she'd taken advantage of Zhang Mou's loneliness.

"Don't look at me so pitifully. We're both getting what we want. Neither of us owes the other anything." Zhang Mou seemed to realize how Xiangyi felt and reminded her not to dwell on it.

"Yes, ma'am... Well, I should get going."

"Mm. We'll meet again when I get back from Heaven City. This time, you won't get away." Zhang Mou's teasing reminder made Xiangyi smile awkwardly. She nodded to humor her and then left. Zhang Mou walked her to the door and watched her go.

Xiangyi didn't look back. She was afraid her conscience would hurt.

Hua Nu: Isn't this great? You're both getting what you want.

Hua Nu couldn't understand Xiangyi's feelings and asked in confusion.

Xiangyi: It is, but I got out, while she got caught up in it.

Hua Nu: Flower Master, you really are narcissistic. Humans aren't that complicated. It's only been a few days, and she's already completely forgotten about what you did.

Xiangyi: I hope that's true, but Zhang Mou's still going to Heaven City with me. After all, she's my adoptive mother.

Hua Nu: Heh. That's Flower Master's problem. As long as you don't harm our own interests, we won't interfere with what you choose to do.

Xiangyi didn't respond. She was already standing in the security booth.

"Please place your finger on the scanner." Xiangyi agreed and appeared to put her finger on the panel. In reality, where the guard couldn't see, Hua Nu covered the scanner and supplied a fake fingerprint for her.

"Okay, verification successful. We look forward to seeing you again." The guard breathed a sigh of relief when the fingerprint was confirmed. Xiangyi turned to leave, but the guard called after her uneasily.

"By the way, miss, there have been some murders nearby lately. Be careful."

"Murders?"

"Yeah. Two thugs died." The guard lowered his voice as he spoke, staring at Xiangyi's extraordinarily pretty face. It seemed her looks were what had prompted him to share the gossip.

Xiangyi thought of the two thugs she'd encountered with Muning. At the time, she'd told Hua Nu to stick them with a few needles and cripple them. But now the news wasn't about them being crippled. They'd been murdered. Xiangyi couldn't help but feel a little unsettled.

"They died? Do you know how?" Xiangyi's expression turned strange. Hua Nu seemed just as confused and insisted in her mind that she'd only crippled them.

"I heard the flesh and bones had been sucked dry, leaving nothing but their skin. Someone out walking nearby found them and called the police." The guard discreetly told her, while also trying to move closer to Xiangyi.

Xiangyi stepped away to keep a safe distance, finding the whole thing unbelievable. She thought of Xia Shang, who had come to the neighborhood. Her position and status might have given her access to strange cases like this. But when Xia Shang saw her, she hadn't mentioned it.

Given Xia Shang's personality, it was almost impossible that she hadn't heard about it. That meant Xia Shang probably believed Xiangyi was a bad person, but not bad to the core, so she hadn't connected her to the murders.

On the other hand, if she judged by the time of death, Xiangyi and Muning had become suspects before the thugs died. And with Xiangyi's troubled past, she even suspected that when she saw Xia Shang again, Xia Shang would definitely ask her about the case.

"Thank you for the warning. I'll be careful." Seeing how expectantly the guard was looking at her, Xiangyi thanked him. He smiled happily and kept watching her as she walked away.

Xiangyi continued on. When she reached a quieter spot nearby, she put on her glasses. Her clothes changed automatically. She stepped onto her skateboard and sped down the road.

She couldn't understand the truth behind the two thugs' deaths, but she had something even more urgent to deal with. She had to get home quickly and make it look as though she'd been there last night.

With that thought, Xiangyi picked up speed and raced along on her skateboard. The figure that had flashed by behind her vanished, as if it had never been there at all...

At seven thirty-five and forty-three seconds, Xiangyi arrived at Shuxuan's home. Shuxuan was still wearing yesterday's clothes, her arms crossed and her expression grim. Little Grass filled Xiangyi in on the details of how she'd kept Shuxuan busy last night.

Little Grass: Flower Master, I kept her occupied all night yesterday. I only let her go home after five this morning.

Xiangyi: Thanks.

Xiangyi thanked her briefly. Judging by Shuxuan's journey home and her current state, she'd probably spent about half an hour on the road. Although the bed was perfectly neat, Shuxuan had no proof that she'd been away all night.

With that thought, Xiangyi relaxed. As soon as she saw Shuxuan, she smiled.

"Sister Shuxuan, I knew you'd come back. Look, I bought you breakfast." Xiangyi rushed over with a fawning smile. She'd bought the breakfast near Zhang Mou's place earlier and kept it fresh inside the Flower God Ring.

When Xiangyi took it out, the buns were still warm.

Shuxuan touched them, and her expression softened considerably. Then she said, "You're leaving, so of course I had to see you off... But I was too tired last night to drive home, so I had your aunt come pick you up."

She looked exhausted and tugged at Xiangyi's hand, the reluctance in her eyes growing more obvious.

"Sister Shuxuan, you've really gone to a lot of trouble. You didn't have to take time off work for me." Xiangyi felt touched. It seemed all the women she'd met were so kind that she didn't know how to handle it.

"It's fine. It's not like this happens every day. Eat breakfast first. Then we'll check your luggage again, and your aunt should be here soon." Shuxuan patted Xiangyi's head. At last, her smile looked more natural. Her suspicions from the morning began to fade, and Xiangyi breathed a sigh of relief as she did her best to keep Shuxuan from realizing that she hadn't been home the night before.

Fortunately, Little Grass had already worn Shuxuan out the night before, and her attention was focused on Xiangyi. She helped check Xiangyi's luggage, repeatedly making sure nothing had been left behind. Unlike before, when she'd gone on and on, Shuxuan was quiet this time. Perhaps the looming parting had suddenly made her sad.

They packed in silence. Only after making sure everything was in order did Shuxuan say, "And keep this somewhere safe."

It looked like a card. Xiangyi took it, puzzled, and saw that it was a card holder much like the one Xia Shang used. But nearly all the slots were empty. Only one storage card, with a few bills drawn on it, remained.

"I... can't accept this..."

Storage cards weren't worth much these days, but the money inside was probably equal to a month of Shuxuan's salary. Xiangyi was mortified. All these people giving her money were starting to scare her.

If they hadn't been so kind, she could've kept going without a care. But their kindness made it impossible for her to ignore them. Even if they were just tools to her, they were living, breathing people in this world.

"Take it. You can't support yourself yet, and you're bound to need it." Shuxuan insisted again, placing the case firmly in Xiangyi's hand. Xiangyi had no choice but to accept it, feeling awkward about money.

But if she didn't talk about money, what could she do in a world where she needed it everywhere? Power and money—both were necessary to survive. Xiangyi put the case away and looked back at Shuxuan. Shuxuan didn't say anything. She just hugged Xiangyi gently, showing her reluctance in her own way.

"If you really can't make it, come back to Ocean City." Shuxuan tightened her embrace. Xiangyi murmured her agreement.

She didn't know how to respond. She also didn't know whether Shuxuan's reluctance was for the original Xiangyi, or for the bond they'd formed so quickly over the last seven days.

Luckily, the doorbell rang just then. Shuxuan wiped away the tears that were about to fall and said, "I'm going to wash my face. You answer the door."

Her eyes were red, and she seemed embarrassed to face Zhang Mou like that.

Xiangyi nodded and went to open the door, intending to greet Zhang Mou with a straight face. But when she opened it, she found that Xia Shang had come with Zhang Mou.

Xiangyi didn't have time to change her expression. She tried to look excited and starstruck at seeing her idol, but it wasn't easy. After thinking it over, she simply stood still and showed her excitement another way.

Although hugging Xia Shang would have expressed her feelings more strongly, Xia Shang looked like the kind of genius who was fussy about cleanliness.

"She's completely starstruck. See, Professor Xia? I told you she really likes you." Zhang Mou, who was watching from the side, teased her. For once, there was no sarcasm in her voice.

"Hello, Professor Xia. We... we meet again." Only then did Xiangyi pretend to come back to her senses. Flustered, she invited Xia Shang inside. Xia Shang smiled faintly and walked in, looking straight ahead. Whether she wasn't interested in the surroundings or was simply being polite, she didn't show any curiosity about the place.

"Auntie, sorry to make you come pick me up." Shuxuan returned after washing her face. She'd thought only Xiangyi and Zhang Mou would be there, but then she saw Xia Shang.

Shuxuan froze for a moment, realizing her outfit was far too casual. Beside Xia Shang, who was always impeccably put together, even the favored daughter of heaven felt a little self-conscious. She edged behind Xiangyi.

Xiangyi was a little puzzled, but after thinking about it, she understood.

They were both favored daughters of heaven. Even if Shuxuan couldn't outdo Xia Shang in other ways, she didn't want to leave her with an unseemly impression.

Xia Shang remained unruffled. Smiling, she said, "Sorry to intrude. I was already planning to return to Heaven City today. Then I heard you were going there too, so I thought I might as well go with you."

Xia Shang explained why she'd come, her gaze lingering more on Xiangyi than the others. Xiangyi wasn't sure whether Xia Shang felt more at ease speaking with her or had unconsciously marked her as someone worth observing.

"I see. I was wondering." Shuxuan exclaimed in realization, then pulled Xiangyi over. She seemed nervous, worried that Xia Shang would recognize Xiangyi as the person who'd fought at the hotel. Seeing Xia Shang focus on Xiangyi, Shuxuan hurriedly added, "Xiaoyi really likes you."

In that moment, Xiangyi, who'd been an uninvolved bystander, suddenly felt embarrassed. It seemed like everyone knew she was a fan of Xia Shang.

It made sense for her to admire Xia Shang as her idol, but saying it aloud all the time was a little strange.

"I was a little embarrassed when I heard Miss Xiangyi was my fan. I was curious, and I never expected we'd meet again like this." Xia Shang smiled and looked at Xiangyi again. Xiangyi wanted to act excited, but found she couldn't fake such an exaggerated reaction. She could only lower her head and fidget with her fingers, trying to get out of it with that little trick.

But the other woman was Xia Shang, a professor of psychology. Unless Xiangyi had acting skills worthy of an award-winning actor, there was no way to fool her about her physical reactions.

"Why has she stopped talking? She must be nervous to see you." Soon, everyone noticed that Xiangyi seemed to have gone mute, without realizing that she'd been so busy thinking about her acting that she'd forgotten to speak.

But that was exactly why her act worked.

"Maybe she really is nervous. Come to think of it, Xiangyi and I have quite a connection." Xia Shang tried to ease the tension for Xiangyi and seemed about to bring up what had happened a few days earlier. Xiangyi realized this was bad. She was worried Xia Shang would mention their meeting at the library.

Xia Shang didn't know that Xiangyi was also Flower Linglong, but if she mentioned the library, Shuxuan knew enough about Xiangyi's abilities to immediately think of the haunting there. Then she might even realize that Xiangyi had caused the things that happened at Zhang Mou's home, too.

If Shuxuan's expression changed, Xia Shang would notice. Then Xiangyi would lose her cover in the chain reaction that followed.

"Professor Xia, I really like you!" Sensing the danger closing in, Xiangyi acted decisively and reached out to take Xia Shang's hand.

Xia Shang noticed at once and gracefully dodged. Smiling, she said, "Sorry. I don't like being touched."

That stopped the conversation in its tracks. Xiangyi had been thinking about the library, while Xia Shang remembered meeting Xiangyi acting suspiciously at the hotel and taking her around the neighborhood.

The misunderstanding made Xia Shang smile knowingly, and she began to describe how she'd run into Xiangyi on the street.

"She was so cute. She just stood there watching me."

Xia Shang's lips curved as she described it, making the whole thing sound real. Watching her, Xiangyi realized Xia Shang showed no change in emotion when she lied. She was completely unruffled, revealing just how deep her composure ran.

And if she showed no physical signs of lying, her behavior would be even harder to read. Xiangyi watched Xia Shang closely and realized just how troublesome a heroine she'd created.

When the time seemed right, Zhang Mou interrupted them. "So you've met before. That's even better... It's about time. Xiangyi, Xiaoxuan, have you got everything packed?"

"Mm, it's all packed." Xiangyi nodded and pointed to the two suitcases. She didn't even know where she'd be staying in Heaven City, so she'd brought all her belongings with her.