Xie Mi stopped in her tracks and instinctively looked toward the voice.
Her gaze met Xiao Jingxi's head-on as he stood on the deck, looking up with a dark expression.
Xie Mi frowned slightly.
If she hadn't misheard, the voice had indeed said, [Male lead awakening progress: 1%.]
The cold, mechanical voice was identical to the one she had previously heard from Xu Shuangrong.
After Xu Shuangrong, had Xiao Jingxi begun awakening too?
Would an awakened Xiao Jingxi also have a system like Xu Shuangrong and learn that he was living in a novel?
Or... would something different happen?
Xie Mi didn't linger on Xiao Jingxi. Their eyes met for only a second before she looked away and left the terrace with Shen Yeqing.
Elsewhere, Liu Woxing and Qiu Chengye sat at a quiet bar counter. The bartender mixed a cocktail for each of them, then left.
Liu Woxing picked up her cocktail and took a sip, her tone calm.
"Why did you invite me, Mr. Qiu? I don't think we have anything to discuss in a heart-to-heart."
"You..."
Qiu Chengye was momentarily speechless, looking angry but afraid to voice it. He picked up his glass and downed it before finally speaking indignantly.
"What exactly happened to you while we were off the show? Why have you been like a completely different person since we started filming the second phase? You were clearly such a gentle, virtuous young lady!"
"..."
Liu Woxing glanced at Qiu Chengye, her lips moving slightly as if she had said something.
Qiu Chengye hadn't caught it. "What did you say?"
"I said."
Liu Woxing raised her voice a little, her tone calm yet firm. "To hell with your gentle, virtuous young lady."
Qiu Chengye choked again, staring at Liu Woxing as though she were