Page 24

Xiang Changge yawned, feeling a bit worried: "It won't rain for the next few days, will it?"

The system didn't answer directly, instead reciting the original text.

[In an instant, a dazzling white light flashed across the sky, its blinding brilliance illuminating Shangguan Min's face, which was as gloomy as the rain.]

[The deafening thunder that followed the lightning seemed to explode in Chu Keke's mind. The next second, she felt a warm sensation on her lips. She stared blankly at the scene before her; behind Shangguan Min's handsome face was the shocked expression of the neighbor brother who had helped her so many times.]

[The moment she thought about what they were doing, Chu Keke wished she could find a hole to crawl into. How could they? How could they do this in front of Brother Wei—]

[Chu Keke struggled desperately to break free from Shangguan Min's shackles, but he only increased his grip in response to her resistance. Finally, Chu Keke hardened her heart and bit down hard, the taste of blood spreading between their lips and teeth—]

[Yet, even so, Shangguan Min did not let go, and fresh blood trickled down from the corners of their mouths.]

[Wei Quan left in despair, and the torrential rain that had been brewing for so long slammed into them with painful force. The rainwater flowed down their cheeks and into their mouths, bringing with it a bitter taste...]

Xiang Changge: "Stop."

She squeezed her eyes shut, wanting to say something but holding back.

After a long while, she only left the system with one sentence: "Send me the time and location in advance when the time comes."

The system, which had been reciting the original text with an emotional electronic voice, was confused after being cut off: "...8802, what are you trying to do?"

"Let me tell you, this is a society with good order; murder is against the law!"

Xiang Changge turned a deaf ear, walking briskly into the staff cafeteria on the first floor.

She could already smell the seafood; tonight, she had the seafood feast she had pre-ordered with the chef last night!

Scallion-braised baby octopus, typhoon shelter-style fried shrimp, salt-baked sea snails, and a winter melon soup with flower crab and pork ribs—Xiang Changge almost shed tears of joy while eating.

Perfect, absolutely perfect. She couldn't even remember how long it had been since she tasted food like this.

This was a three-dish-and-one-soup meal she had specially ordered the kitchen to make for her, using a bit of her unpaid salary in advance. Besides that, there was also the standard staff meal provided by the kitchen for the evening.

Xiang Changge ate to her heart's content, feeling as though her strength had returned.

"What is Yu Qing doing?"

Xiang Changge asked the system while wiping her hands.

Having enjoyed the happiness brought by the other party, Xiang Changge intended to continue working hard on her mission.

The system: "Sleeping."

"..."

At this time, in this weather, sleeping? What a waste.

She had slept for three hours last night and was woken up after sleeping for another two or three hours in the morning. Finally, at around three in the afternoon, Yu Qing felt sleepy.

She hadn't eaten lunch either, having only had a few pieces of fruit before falling asleep.

It seemed she found it difficult to get a long night's sleep anymore, only able to sleep for longer periods during the day.

However, the consequence of having her days and nights reversed was a loss of appetite, memory decline, and a dulled perception of time.

Yu Qing remembered having a dream, but she couldn't remember what it was about.

When the heavy curtains were pulled open again, the piercing light and the swish sound forced her to wake from her slumber.

Squinting toward the source of the light, her eyes, unaccustomed to the brightness, ached unbearably, and involuntary tears welled up.

In the blur, a tall, slender figure stood not far from her bedside, with the brilliant orange-red sky behind her; her silhouette was woven between light and shadow.

"...Xiang Changge?"

The name spoken subconsciously made the figure freeze for a moment.

Xiang Changge lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the person lying in the white bedding patterned with green leaves.

With black hair scattered across the pillow, the delicate person squinted, raising her hand to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes incessantly. The voice she let out was muffled and soft, still carrying the hazy hoarseness of someone just waking up.

She looked like a soft, fluffy little rabbit.

Especially with those red-rimmed eyes.

Xiang Changge didn't make a sound; she was thinking.

Was she being too harsh? She was just waking Yu Qing up; why, why would she cry like this?

And she was calling her name while crying, as if she were accusing her, or perhaps questioning her with a sense of grievance.

While Yu Qing was still wondering why this person had come to wake her up only to remain silent, a soft tissue suddenly covered the corner of her eye.

Yu Qing moved her hand away instinctively.

Her aching, stinging eyes only felt better when closed, but the price was losing her vision.

The tears constantly overflowing from the corners of her eyes were wiped away bit by bit by the tissue. Xiang Changge knelt on one knee beside the bed, meticulously and gently helping Yu Qing wipe her tears.

Up close, everything about the other person became clearer.

The pale face, the ears flushed red from being pressed against the pillow, the long, damp eyelashes, the dry, slightly pursed lips, and the hot, scalding tears.

All of it was in Xiang Changge's eyes, and under her fingertips.

The bitter scent of mugwort grew increasingly pungent, and when she opened her mouth, Xiang Changge realized her own voice had gone hoarse.

"What are you crying for? Is it really that upsetting?"

She wasn't a child anymore; how could she be so fragile, even more brittle than a soap bubble?

It was just waking her up, yet she had already cried through two tissues.

Her eyes finally feeling a bit better, Yu Qing opened her still-reddened eyes and glanced to the side, only to see a blank face less than half an arm's length away.

She stared into those light, translucent eyes for a few seconds, as if loading the words she had just heard.

A few seconds later, Xiang Changge heard Yu Qing's cool voice, laced with disdain: "I have dry eye syndrome."

Who was crying? She was sick, for heaven's sake!

"..."

A silent stillness spread.

Two seconds later, Xiang Changge heard the system in her mind say: "I can vouch for that!"

The supporting character indeed had dry eye syndrome.

Staying up half the night reading literature or novels, and cooped up at home year-round with her vision limited to a small space—it was normal for her eyes to have issues.

Xiang Changge gritted her teeth and retorted to the system: "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

The system was puzzled: "Isn't it all in the files I gave you?"

Xiang Changge: "..."

Compared to issues with the heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, or mental state, a minor case of dry eye syndrome was truly easy to overlook.

Whatever, it wasn't a big deal.

Xiang Changge rose gracefully, tossed the tissue into the trash can nearby, and simply said: "Very well, then I shall go get your eye drops."

Yu Qing: "..."

She couldn't tell if she was genuinely unbothered or just pretending.

"Forget it."

Yu Qing sniffled. Perhaps because Xiang Changge had just wiped her tears, even though she had been woken up again, Yu Qing was too lazy to hold a grudge. She simply turned over, facing away from the window and Xiang Changge: "Don't bother me unless it's important."

Since she put it that way, there was definitely something important.

"It is time for you to get up and have dinner. If you keep sleeping, you won't be able to fall asleep tonight."

Still drowsy from her nap, Yu Qing rolled herself in the quilt, tucking herself further inside: "You are so annoying."

The annoying Xiang Changge persisted: "The weather is nice tonight, and there is a sunset now. Don't you want to go out for a walk?"

There was no response; the spring roll on the bed remained motionless.

Thinking of the other girl's literary—no, melancholic—inclinations, Xiang Changge, who was full and patient and planning to initiate a soft-touch policy, spoke carefully: "The sunset is infinite, but it is near dusk. Don't you think it is meaningful to watch the sunset fade as time passes, watching the glow vanish and the night descend?"

The system, witnessing everything, emitted a crackling static sound: "Host, that was so cringey."

Xiang Changge: "..."

What was wrong with her words?

Whether she was moved by Xiang Changge's persuasion or simply couldn't stand being bothered anymore, the spring roll on the bed suddenly flipped over on its own.

Wrapped in the quilt, Yu Qing's black hair was disheveled, and when her dead-fish eyes landed on Xiang Changge, they revealed a hint of disgust: "Your use of poetry is truly terrible."

Xiang Changge: "?"

-

Despite saying that, it was true that she hadn't seen the sun in a long time.

After Yu Qing got up, washed, drank a glass of water, and changed into a pair of comfortable flat shoes, she intended to head toward the garden.

Xiang Changge, who had pushed the wheelchair out, blocked her path: "Miss, the garden is undergoing maintenance. Let's go for a walk outside instead."

Yu Qing: "Maintenance?"

Xiang Changge changed her words without batting an eye: "Oh, pruning."

"..."

Giving the garden behind her a strange look, Yu Qing frowned: "Then walking around here is fine too."

The villa was huge, and there was a fountain, a lawn, and sweet osmanthus trees in the front; it wasn't strictly necessary to go for a stroll in the garden.

"Haven't you already memorized every blade of grass here?"

Xiang Changge was determined to take Yu Qing out for some fresh air.

To others, this villa was a dream mansion, but to Yu Qing, who had lived here for over twenty years, it felt more like a cage.

She needed to see more of the outside world, even if the mountains outside the villa were still part of her family's estate.