The resort’s longtime employees had initially assumed that the young heiress was only there to gain some experience and polish her résumé. But as they watched her personally handle every task, think through matters with care, and work with decisiveness and efficiency, they gradually came to respect this young person in charge.
The resort’s high-end members also developed an excellent impression of Ms. Zhang, whose work was dependable. Quite a few of them even took the initiative to introduce their friends to the resort. Even the businesspeople who came to discuss partnerships were impressed by the Zhang family’s eldest daughter, who was new to the field.
Time flew. Before long, all the resort’s details had been optimized, and the first phase of the agritainment project had been successfully completed.
Having finally found some free time, Zhang Yanyan did not return to the villa. Instead, she went straight to the detached courtyard beside the resort’s horse ranch. There, she brewed a pot of osmanthus tea, ate mooncakes, and sat in the courtyard admiring the moon. The evening breeze was cool, the view open and expansive, and her heart filled with a solid, comfortable sense of contentment.
Just then, Eighteen’s notification suddenly rang out in her mind.
[Host, today’s sign-in has triggered a critical hit. You have received a rare purple reward!]
“A purple reward? What is it?” Zhang Yanyan replied without a second thought.
[Host, you have received mastery of top-tier traditional Chinese medicine, mastery of acupuncture, and a set of top-tier standard silver needles! The rewards have been placed in the system inventory. Would you like to activate them now?]
“Activate them!”
A massive stream of information instantly surged into Zhang Yanyan’s mind. The four diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine—observation, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry, and palpation—as well as every acupuncture point and technique became crystal clear, as though she had spent decades studying them.
Her fingertips also seemed to gain the practiced sensation of holding and wielding needles out of nowhere. The cool texture of the top-tier silver needles felt as if the case were already resting in her palm. She knew every detail of the nine types of needles—their shapes, lengths, and applicable conditions—with perfect clarity.
“Holy crap, this medical knowledge and acupuncture mastery are incredibly useful! And this set of top-tier silver needles is the perfect finishing touch!”
Zhang Yanyan could not help swearing, her eyes gleaming with delight. These abilities were simply too wonderful. Even if she traveled to other small worlds in the future, they would still come in handy.
She immediately said to Eighteen, “Medicinal herbs can be grown in the Yunhua Space. Help me organize a list of everything we need. Make a separate list of the herbs that aren’t currently in the space. When I have time later, I’ll buy more and stock them in the space.”
[Understood, Host. I’ve compiled a list of Chinese medicinal herb seeds, including commonly used varieties as well as rare and valuable species, and sent it to your phone.]
Soon afterward, once she had finished explaining everything to Manager Wang at the resort, Zhang Yanyan took advantage of a free moment and drove alone to the agricultural products wholesale market in the city.
Following the list, she discreetly selected and ordered various medicinal herb seeds. After paying, she transferred the seeds into the space.
When she returned, she planned out the planting areas in the medicinal herb garden and sowed each type of seed one by one. With the space’s special environment, the herbs would be able to take root and grow rapidly.
She stored the set of top-tier standard silver needles separately in a brocade box and put them away carefully.
Just looking at them made her feel especially reassured.
During this period, she had not neglected her cultivation of the Soul Refining Formula, either. Her spiritual soul was growing stronger and stronger, and her perception had become extraordinarily sharp. Even from a great distance, she could clearly hear other people’s conversations.
After she finished dealing with matters concerning the resort and the agritainment project, she returned to school.
Zhang Yanyan was resting on a bench by the lake and reading. Several hundred meters away, beneath a parasol tree, the conversation between Song Ze and Tangtang reached her ears clearly, every word falling into place.
“Tangtang, don’t worry. I’ve already told Zhou Nian that we’re breaking up. She just refuses to accept it. But I’ll deal with it soon.”
Song Ze’s voice was gentle, and every word was filled with appeasement toward Tangtang. “It’s that woman Zhou Nian. She clings to me like a fly every single day and simply refuses to let go.”
“Ah, Brother Song, don’t say that.” Tangtang’s voice was soft, with an affected, coquettish tone as she pretended to be innocent. “Zhou Nian just likes you too much. Don’t stoop to her level. But… if she keeps making a scene, people will think I’m bullying her, and it’ll damage my reputation. I still want to take you to meet my father in the future. It would be so embarrassing if she kept hounding you.”
“Then what do you think we should do?” Song Ze’s voice grew darker, his tone full of impatience. “If it really comes down to it, I’ll get someone to scare her. Then she won’t dare cause any more trouble.”
“No, no, don’t do that. What if something happens?” Tangtang hurriedly objected, though there was not the slightest trace of concern in her tone. “Actually… it would be great if she could realize on her own that she should back off.”
Tangtang glanced at Song Ze beside her. He was indeed exactly her type, and she was deeply attracted to him. It would be even better if Zhou Nian did not exist.
As Zhang Yanyan listened to their conversation, a cold glint flashed through her eyes. She said to Eighteen, “Keep a close eye on those two. Zhou Nian has taken the place of the original protagonist in the plot. If possible, save her.”
[Don’t worry, Host. Real-time surveillance has been activated. Eighteen will notify you of any moves they make.]
“Good work.” Zhang Yanyan nodded and continued reading, though she knew perfectly well that these two were vicious. If one attempt failed, they would surely try again.
Sure enough, only a few days later, Eighteen sent her an update. Tangtang had begun sending Zhou Nian all kinds of provocative messages, bragging constantly about her relationship with Song Ze.
Every word was meant to provoke Zhou Nian, driving her into a furious rage.
In the end, Tangtang deliberately lured Zhou Nian to the school rooftop to meet her.
When Zhang Yanyan saw the synchronized chat history from Eighteen, she had a bad feeling. She immediately got to her feet and headed toward the school rooftop, while also ordering Eighteen to monitor the rooftop in real time and record everything that happened.
She had just reached the third floor of the teaching building, and the building where Tangtang and the others were located was still some distance away.
A heated argument and struggle were already taking place on the rooftop where Tangtang and the others were. Eighteen’s notification suddenly began ringing urgently.
[Host! This is bad! Zhou Nian has rushed onto the rooftop. When she saw Song Ze and Tangtang acting intimately, she immediately lunged at Tangtang and began tearing at her. Song Ze protected Tangtang. Zhou Nian froze in a daze for a moment, then lunged at her again. Tangtang shoved her over the edge of the rooftop!]
Song Ze and Tangtang were standing beside the edge of the rooftop, their faces deathly pale, unconcealed terror filling their eyes.
A white canvas shoe belonging to Zhou Nian remained beside the rooftop railing.
“Quick… run! Don’t let anyone see us!” Song Ze was the first to recover. He grabbed Tangtang by the hand and hurried toward the rooftop’s emergency stairwell, his legs trembling. In a panic, he kept muttering, “Tangtang, what do we do? Zhou Nian… What are we going to do?”
Tangtang let Song Ze pull her along, her legs so weak she could barely stand. As she ran, she sobbed in panic and terror. “I didn’t do it on purpose… She lunged at me. I only pushed her once… Dad—yes, my dad will save me. He’ll definitely save me!”
She pulled out her phone and, with trembling hands, called her father, Tang Limin. The moment the call connected, she screamed through her tears, “Dad! Help me! Something happened!…
“Zhou Nian… She fell from the rooftop! We don’t know what condition she’s in right now. She rushed up and started tearing at me. I was forced against the railing, and in a moment of panic, I pushed her. Then she fell!”
“Otherwise, I’d be the one who fell. Dad, hurry and save me—I don’t want to go to prison!”
Hearing this over the phone, Tang Limin’s heart tightened. Although he had many women outside his marriage, he had only ever fathered two daughters.
No matter what mistake his daughter had made, she was still his daughter, and naturally he had to protect her.
What was more, Tang Xin was in poor health, so Tang Tang absolutely couldn’t get into trouble either.
