Why Is This Host Such a Schemer?

"You... you..." The system scratched its head in panic. "How about you apologize to the protagonist? Bring him some medicine, tell him you didn't mean it, and beg him to forgive you..."

"Huh? Do I have to be that humble?"

"It's for your life! What's wrong with being a little humble? Before things get so bad they can't be fixed, Host, hurry up and go!"

"I don't want to."

"No! You have to go! You can't disobey me, or you'll die!"

"I want to ask you another question."

"Go ahead."

Xia Yu lazily turned over. His eyes, hidden in the darkness, gleamed with a gloomy light. "What rank of system are you?"

"Rank three," the system blurted out. Then it grew a little embarrassed. "I just came off the production line. This is my first mission, but I'll level up later."

"Rank three? The lowest rank."

"I'll level up!"

"Then how did you dare make me a supporting character?"

"Huh???" It froze. What did that mean?

Xia Yu yawned and closed his eyes. "Stop making noise. I'm going to sleep."

"But, Host, you still haven't apologized to the protagonist."

"Keep talking and I'll kill myself."

"..." The system fell silent. The Spacetime Administration had regulations: once the host died, the system would be erased immediately as well. It couldn't die right after starting its first mission!

At this point, it still could not understand why Xia Yu could use suicide to control it. It cowered in his sea of consciousness, plotting how to persuade the host to apologize to the protagonist.

The next day, Xia Yu got up early. Just as he was eating breakfast, the family of three came downstairs together.

"Xiaoyu." When Xia Lang saw him, his eyes filled with a smile. "Why didn't you tell Dad when you came back? I could've picked you up from the airport."

He raised his eyes, his gaze landing on Zhao Jie's somewhat pale face. "And this is?"

"Uh... she's... Her name is Zhao Jie. Just call her Aunt Zhao..." He stammered, looking very guilty.

Zhao Jie gave him a gentle, motherly smile. "Hello, Xiaoyu."

"Hello. Sit down and have breakfast with us."

Xia Wanqing, who had remained silent, was a little surprised by his relatively friendly attitude. He gave Xia Yu a few extra looks before Zhao Jie pulled him over to sit down.

"Meow..." Tangerine appeared out of nowhere, scampering onto the dining table. It leisurely strutted along, deliberately heading toward Xia Wanqing.

"Ah!" He pushed his chair backward in fright. "Can you make it stay away from me?"

Xia Yu looked at him in surprise. "You're afraid of cats? Cats are so cute. Why are you scared of them?"

Zhao Jie's heart ached for her son, whose face had gone pale from fright. "Xiaoyu, could you carry the cat away? Qingqing was bitten by a cat when he was little, so he's a little scared."

"Really? Tangerine doesn't bite people. It feels very guilty about making you fall down the stairs yesterday. It came up to you because it wanted to apologize."

After saying that, Tangerine took another few steps and stood at the edge of the table, pretending it was about to leap into Xia Wanqing's arms.

"Ah! Don't come over!" Xia Wanqing hurriedly got to his feet and ran far away. "I don't want its apology! Make it stay away from me!"

"Meow..."

Another cat's cry sounded behind him. He stiffened, then turned around and met Pomelo's pale gray eyes.

Xia Yu softly reminded him, "That's Pomelo. It was just neutered, so it has quite a temper. It might bite people."

Xia Wanqing was practically about to cry. "Mom..."

"Brother Lang..." Zhao Jie bit her lip and looked pleadingly at Xia Lang.

"Xiaoyu, keep your cats under control. Don't scare your brother," Xia Lang finally said.

Xia Yu blinked his beautiful eyes. "Little brother, did they scare you?"

"Host! What are you doing?!" the system shrieked. "Why are you deliberately scaring him? It's over, it's over! The old grudge hasn't even been resolved, and now you've made a new enemy! Are you trying to die?!"

The system was giving Xia Yu a headache. He silently said, Mute.

"???" The system could no longer speak. A stream of question marks popped up. Why was this host so good at controlling it???

"Why are you shouting so early in the morning?" Liu Ling came out of the kitchen and walked straight over to pick up Pomelo. "Can't you have some manners and self-restraint?"

Xia Wanqing clenched his teeth. Even a servant dared to humiliate him again and again?!

"Aunt Ling, carry them back to my room. Don't let them scare my little brother."

"Yes, Young Master."

Once the two cats were carried away, Zhao Jie breathed a sigh of relief and called, "Qingqing, come over and eat breakfast."

With his head lowered, he walked over and silently sat down.

"I'm sorry." Xia Yu handed him a glass of milk, his face full of guilt. "They scared you. They're usually very well-behaved..."

Smack!

Clatter!

The glass was knocked over. Warm milk spilled all over the table, with quite a bit splashing onto the back of Xia Yu's hand.

Everyone at the table froze.

Xia Yu pressed his lips together, lowered his eyes, and pulled out a tissue to wipe his hand. "Sorry..."

"Wanqing!" Xia Lang's face darkened as he barked, "What are you doing?! Causing trouble first thing in the morning!"

Zhao Jie's heart raced. "No... Brother Lang, Qingqing doesn't like drinking milk..."

"Does he have hands but no mouth?!"

Xia Wanqing stared blankly at his own hand for two seconds, then suddenly looked up and glared at Xia Yu in disbelief. "You..."

Xia Yu forced a smile. "I wanted to apologize to you on their behalf. I didn't know you didn't like milk..."

"Wanqing, apologize to your brother!"

He was so angry he almost laughed. "I didn't touch the glass!"

"Mm, I was the one who didn't hold it properly."

If he had not held the glass properly, could it have tipped in Xia Wanqing's direction? Xia Lang, who already felt guilty toward him, looked even worse. He growled, "Wanqing, I'll say it one more time. Apologize to your brother!"

Xia Wanqing's eyes reddened as he stubbornly denied it. "I said I didn't touch the glass! He deliberately framed me!"

Xia Yu lowered his head. "It was my fault."

Bang! Xia Lang slammed his palm heavily onto the table. "Xia Wanqing, apologize! Otherwise, don't ever perform with that group of yours again!"

Zhao Jie was frightened. She tugged at Xia Wanqing's sleeve. "Qingqing, apologize to your brother."

His tears fell at once. He bit down hard on his lip, refusing to say anything.

"Qingqing, apologize!"

Seeing the plea in his mother's eyes, he wiped away his tears and said hoarsely, "I'm sorry!"

Xia Yu curved his lips. "It's okay. I know my little brother didn't do it on purpose."

"..." The muted system was truly going insane. Why was this host such a schemer? And he was quite skilled at it too. Help—he was so good at courting death. Was he in such a hurry to get himself killed?!

The morning had become so unpleasant that Xia Lang's face was black when he left the house. Xia Wanqing had angered him badly, and Zhao Jie did not escape his cold attitude either. She could only apologize repeatedly, forgetting entirely about taking Xia Wanqing to the hospital as she followed Xia Lang out to coax him.

After breakfast, Xia Yu grew a little drowsy. He curled up on the living room sofa with the two cats in his arms, half asleep.

"You did it on purpose." Xia Wanqing, with a bruised forehead and reddened eyes, glared at him resentfully. "You deliberately knocked over the milk to frame me!"

Xia Yu's eyes were half-closed. "Mm. I did it on purpose."

He had not expected him to admit it so readily. Xia Wanqing froze for a moment, then quickly came back to himself. His hand, hidden in his pocket, tightened around the recording pen as he coldly demanded, "Why did you do that?!"