Dazzling Suìsuì

Xie Tingsi shot back, "Little Pear Blossom sounds nice."

Xie Chengyue said, "...How old are you two?"

Xie Tingsi shut his mouth, then exaggerated each word: "Little. Pear. Blossom. Sounds. Nice."

Xie Zhiyu ignored him. "I'm done eating. Dad, I'm off to work."

Xie Tingsi stuffed a piece of toast into his mouth. "I'm going to your company to sign a contract, bro. Give me a ride on your way."

Xie Zhiyu didn't slow down. Xie Tingsi hurried after him.

Xie Chengyue watched their retreating figures, his gaze full of affection.

Those boys were both taller than him now.

As the car drove down the tree-lined avenue, Shen Wan and Shen Baili watched the scenery go by.

"Are we nearly there, Suìsuì?" Shen Wan sounded a little nervous.

Shen Baili spotted the building ahead. "Yes."

The car stopped by the road, and she said goodbye to Shen Wan. "Mom, I'm going. Remember to catch up on your sleep when you get home."

Shen Wan was more nervous than the person actually starting school. "Suìsuì, do you have everything?"

Shen Baili said, "Don't worry, I brought it all."

"We're just collecting books and choosing class officers today. I'll be back this afternoon."

Still worried, Shen Wan kept reminding her, "Study hard at school. If anyone bullies you, come home and tell me..."

Shen Baili hugged Shen Wan. "I know. If anyone bullies me, I'll tell you so you can beat them up."

"Be good and wait at home for me, Mom," Shen Baili coaxed softly.

"All right." Shen Wan hugged her back. "Go on, or you'll be late for school."

"I'll come pick you up when school lets out."

"Okay~"

Shen Baili got out of the car and headed toward the

campus.

Sitting in the car, Shen Wan watched her walk away. For a moment, she saw the little girl who used to cry for her mother, and her eyes grew moist.

Shen Baili knew her mother was watching. She held back from turning around, but when she reached the school gate, she looked back after all. Her smile was radiant, as bright as a sunflower.

"Mom, wait for me to come home!" she called.

Shen Wan answered, "I will."

The moment Shen Baili turned away, Shen Wan nearly burst into tears.

She waited until Shen Baili was out of sight before saying, "Let's go home."

"Wait. Drive around the campus first."

Xiao Lin said, "You and your daughter are so close, ma'am."

Shen Wan smiled.

As Shen Baili entered the campus, she heard a familiar electronic voice.

"So this is a school in the human world?"

"It's beautiful."

Shen Baili kept walking. "It is. It's beautiful."

The system was back online.

Her lingering wish really was connected to studying.

The next second, a piercing shriek rang through Shen Baili's mind, making her vision go black.

"Aaaaaah, host!!!!"

"My energy's up to 10%! And you've fulfilled two lingering wishes!!!"

"How did you do it? Aaaaaah!"

Dazzling Suìsuì

Seeing stars, Shen Baili braced herself against a pillar and ground out, "A-Deng, shut up."

Her ears were going to burst. It was so loud her head hurt.

A-Deng immediately muted itself. A few seconds later, it asked cautiously, "Host, are you okay?"

"I'm not dead," Shen Baili snapped.

She rubbed her temples, then immediately asked, "What did you mean when you said my mom and I would die?"

She waited tensely for the system's answer, not even noticing her nails digging into her palms.

The system said, "In the original story, you both die. If I don't have enough power to resist the original plot, that will be your fate."

"Why do we die? When? How?" Shen Baili desperately needed more details.

Why should they have to die? Because of some damned plot?

Shen Baili refused to accept it.

"I don't know! Not enough energy to unlock the chap—beep, beep, beep? Energy level above 10% detected. Automatic repair initiated."

After several beeps, the system went offline. Shen Baili's expression darkened.

It was unreliable beyond belief, vanishing without a word.

At the same time, Shen Baili gained a clearer idea of just how badly damaged the system was.

"Hey, are you okay? Do you need me to help you to the Infirmary?" a husky female voice asked beside her.

Shen Baili looked up and saw a striking, handsome face. "My blood sugar's a little low."

She took a piece of chocolate from her bag and ate it. Once she felt a little better, she asked, "Thanks for checking on me. Would you like some chocolate?"

Qiao Yi shook her head. "Thanks, but I don't like sweets."

Instead of leaving right away, she supported Shen Baili to a chair and helped her sit down.

After chatting briefly, they discovered they were both in Class One, so they went to the classroom together.

Halfway there, Shen Baili remembered that she had forgotten to introduce herself.

"I'm Shen Baili. Baili as in 'white pear blossoms.' What's your name?"

"I'm Qiao Yi," she said. "Qiao as in 'tall tree,' and Yi as in 'the one I long for stands across the water.' It's nice to meet you."

"I'm happy to meet you too, Qiao Yi. Your name sounds lovely."

Qiao Yi's ears turned red. "Thank you. Your name is lovely too. Just like you—it's beautiful."

"Hahaha, your ears are red!"

"I'm shy," Qiao Yi admitted.

"Hahaha, you're so honest. Cute and honest."

"Let's be good friends." When Shen Baili made friends, she trusted her first impression.

She had no particular reason. She just wanted to be friends with the girl in front of her.

"Really?" Qiao Yi asked.

"Sure."

They reached the door of Class One together. When Shen Baili entered, the classroom fell quiet for a moment. Some students stole glances at her, and she caught fragments of whispers: "So pretty," "What a beauty," and the like.