Bai Xiuya spoke softly, "Qingqing, what are you saying? Your father hasn't been drinking."
Xu Qingqing nodded in understanding, "If he's not drunk, then has he finally lost his mind as karma?"
Bai Youlan's expression darkened, "Qingqing, even if you disagree, there's no need to treat Dad like this. No matter how much you resent him, he’s still our father."
How naturally she called him "Dad." Anyone unaware of the truth would think they were blood-related father and daughter.
But then again, Xu Changshan treated Bai Youlan far better than he ever did Xu Qingqing—as if she were his real daughter.
Xu Qingqing glanced around, tossed her chopsticks aside, and declared, "Let me make one thing clear today—the Xu Family will only have one young mistress. Not a single one more."
Whatever the plot or the novel’s original storyline, if Xu Changshan planned to do something, she’d ruin it for him!
And for some reason, Xu Qingqing instinctively felt Bai Youlan’s "system" and missions were suspicious. Given her fate in the book, even if she didn’t know the details, she knew she couldn’t let the original plot unfold.
Seriously, if things went according to the story, she’d be finished!
Whether Bai Youlan was the female lead or not, Xu Qingqing refused to be a stepping stone for her love life or career.
Bai Yaxiu took a bite of food and said leisurely, "Qingqing, let me tell you, a girl shouldn’t be so aggressive. This ‘Xu Family young mistress’ talk is outdated—we live in a modern society now."
Xu Qingqing smirked, "Right, it’s only in modern times that someone like you can be a homewrecker. In the old days, a woman who climbed into her best friend’s husband’s bed would’ve had to kneel before my mother’s memorial tablet, serving tea and kowtowing every year."
Bai Yaxiu’s face twisted in fury, her hands trembling.
"Xu Qingqing, shut your mouth!" Xu Changshan, busy comforting his beloved wife, glared at her and snapped, "Do you even want to eat?!"
Xu Qingqing scoffed, "No, I don’t. You think I care about this lousy meal?" The table was full of spicy dishes—not a single one she could stomach.
Having gotten the information she wanted, Xu Qingqing was ready to go home and tattle. She stood up, picked up her bag, and walked out gracefully.
"Stop right there!!" Xu Changshan roared, his face red. Xu Qingqing pretended not to hear.
"This daughter—utterly shameless!!" He slammed his chopsticks down, muttering, "I always said she was selfish and greedy..."
At the door, Xu Qingqing suddenly paused and turned back. "Why haven’t you consulted Grandpa and Grandma about something as big as changing her surname?"
Changing Bai Youlan’s surname was no small matter. To truly become part of the Xu Family, she needed the grandparents’ approval. If they agreed, there’d be no issue.
Besides them, there was also Aunt Xu, the current head of the family. Yet Xu Changshan hadn’t discussed it with any of them—instead, he’d come to Xu Qingqing for help in pleading his case...
A realization struck her. "You’ve already asked Grandpa and Aunt Xu, haven’t you?!"
The answer was obvious—they must’ve refused. That was why Xu Changshan had turned to Xu Qingqing, hoping to force the matter through first and apologize later.
Ah, the boundless love of a parent. Xu Changshan and Xu Qingqing were like fire and water, always exchanging barbs, wishing the other would drop dead. Yet now, for Bai Youlan’s future, he was lowering himself to ask Xu Qingqing for help.
Wow. So this was what paternal love looked like!!
If Xu Qingqing weren’t his actual daughter, she might’ve been moved by this heartwarming father-daughter bond!
Then again, it made sense. Though Bai Youlan was Bai Yaxiu’s daughter from a previous marriage, Xu Changshan’s love for his "true love" ran so deep that he’d always doted on Bai Youlan—almost as much as he did on Xu Tianbao.
As for Xu Qingqing? Who? Never heard of her.
Xu Qingqing used to think Xu Changshan was just a complete scumbag, devoid of any paternal instinct. But then Xu Tianbao was born, and he transformed into the perfect doting father. And now, even Bai Youlan had earned a share of his so-called "love."
Though Xu Qingqing still despised Xu Changshan, sometimes she couldn’t help but feel wronged. After all, neither she nor her mother had done anything to deserve being cast aside like this.
Normally, before leaving, Xu Qingqing would’ve thrown one last sarcastic jab at Xu Changshan and his family. Seeing her enemies miserable always brightened her mood.
Today was no exception. She turned, ready to deliver a final cutting remark for a dramatic exit—when the words above Bai Youlan’s head suddenly changed before her eyes.
[Beauty Life System binding in progress]
[Fortune Points Obtained: 41]
[Mission Progress: 50/100]
—
[Mission Reward: Inherit billions, achieve a beautiful life]
Xu Qingqing was stunned: This thing can change?!!
All her melancholy vanished in an instant, replaced by sheer panic. She bolted out the door in her high heels, though to everyone else, it just looked like she’d shot Bai Youlan a disdainful glance before leaving.
The moment she stepped outside, she broke into a run, urgently telling the driver, "Hurry, hurry—let’s get out of here!"
The bodyguards: …Is there a dog chasing her?
Once in the car, Xu Qingqing immediately scooted to the far side, pressing against the window and biting her fingernails, as far from the Xu Family mansion as possible—terrified Bai Youlan and that system might come after her.
Xu Qingqing had been pampered her whole life. Aside from the disgusting incident with Bai Yaxiu, she’d never faced any real hardship. Handling this alone was too much for her.
At her core, she was just a spoiled brat—when trouble came, her first instinct was to run to her family.
Though she desperately wanted to report this immediately, Xu Qingqing hadn’t lost all sense. The car had bodyguards, and they’d just left the Xu Family. She didn’t know if the system could detect conversations within a certain range.
So she gritted her teeth and resisted calling anyone during the ride.
The second she got home, Xu Qingqing frantically pulled out her phone and dialed Aunt Xu without hesitation. She couldn’t calculate the time difference—who knew if Grandpa and Grandma were even awake?
Aunt Xu was in the middle of a deep "discussion" with a newly sponsored male college student when the call came in.
The boy obediently paused. Aunt Xu took a deep breath. "Xu Qingqing? This better be important..."
Before she could finish, Xu Qingqing shrieked, "Auntie! Help! There’s a monster!!" Her voice trembled on the other end, clearly terrified.
Aunt Xu’s dazed eyes sharpened instantly. She waved her companion away, sitting up straight. "What’s going on? Where are you? Is anyone with you?" Her first priority was confirming Xu Qingqing’s safety.
Xu Qingqing rushed to explain everything that had happened. "No, I’m home. I went to Xu Changshan’s place today—he’s lost it, you know? He wants to change Bai Youlan’s surname! Right, yes, what I meant to say is Bai Youlan..."
When she finished, Aunt Xu on the other end sounded impatient. "Xu Qingqing, what are you doing? Why did you suddenly stop talking?!"
Xu Qingqing froze. "Didn't you hear me? I spoke just now. I said Bai Youlan has a system..." She began repeating herself, this time more clearly since she'd already said it once.
"Hello? Xu Qingqing, what did you say? Why did you stop talking again?"
Still unaware of the gravity of the situation, Xu Qingqing assumed it was just poor signal. Annoyed, she quickly jumped off the bed and ran barefoot to the window. "Hello? Can you hear me now? I said I saw Bai Youlan—"
Aunt Xu's voice remained steady. "Everything after 'Bai Youlan' was silent." She pushed away the college boy trying to cling to her, calmly got dressed, and prepared to go find Xu Qingqing.
Finally, Xu Qingqing realized this wasn't a signal issue.
Goosebumps rose on her skin.
Clutching the phone, she stammered, "Then let me tell you about a dream I had... in the dream, we were living inside a book—"
"From 'we' onward, I couldn't hear anything," came Aunt Xu's composed voice through the receiver. "I'm coming home now. Go find Nanny Wang and the others. Stay put, don't be afraid. I'll be there soon."
Xu Qingqing's scalp prickled with terror.
Standing by the window, she watched the dark, swaying tree shadows outside that looked like ghosts wandering through the night. An unlatched window let in the evening breeze.
Suddenly shuddering, she scrambled downstairs in panic, shouting, "Nanny Wang!! Nanny Wang!!" The old house wasn't empty—there were still maids and the housekeeper present.
Minutes later, in the living room downstairs, Xu Qingqing sat curled into a ball on the sofa, wrapped tightly in a blanket and trembling uncontrollably.
Thunder rumbled outside. It struck Xu Qingqing then—the weather had been perfectly clear earlier, with people even posting photos of the cloudless, starry sky on social media.
Nanny Wang brought her a cup of ginger tea, muttering, "The weather changes so fast. It was fine just minutes ago, and now there's thunder and lightning..."
Minutes ago—exactly when Xu Qingqing had made that call to tell Aunt Xu.
Staring at the churning black clouds outside, Xu Qingqing felt paralyzed with fear.
For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that this thunder was a warning.
A warning not to speak the truth.
Of course. Whether it was that so-called system or the revelation that this world was just a novel—these seemed like secrets not meant to be known.
Aunt Xu didn't return. Two hours later, her secretary called to say she was occupied with urgent matters.
Gazing at the turbulent clouds outside, Xu Qingqing asked as if possessed, "Where is Aunt Xu now? What's she doing?"
It wasn't vanity—in the Xu Family's eyes, she was their one and only treasured jewel. Apart from Xu Changshan, her grandparents and Aunt Xu all doted on her like a child, prioritizing her above all else.
And among them all, Aunt Xu cherished her most. Even when Xu Qingqing caught a simple cold, the perpetually busy Aunt Xu would personally consult the family doctor and supervise her medication—let alone during such a significant incident tonight.
If something extremely serious hadn't happened, there was no way her aunt wouldn't come back to her.
Sure enough, the secretary hesitated before answering slowly, "Director Xu's car collided with a truck going the wrong way... She's in the hospital now..."
