"The villainess quick-transmigration system host—Liuyue is entering a small world."
"Loading storyline…"
[Your name is Qiao Liuyue, a girl with very ordinary looks.]
[This is something your good friend Dong Jiaoyan has always drilled into you. You two have been deskmates since elementary school, best friends all the way through middle school, high school, and college.]
[Of course, this is just what you think.]
[Your friendship wasn't flawless. The first crack appeared in middle school when Jiaoyan found a closer friend, Zhang Anqi.]
[What used to be a two-person lunch in the cafeteria became three. Later, they started sneaking off to shop and hang out without you.]
[Then in high school, both of them ended up liking the same guy. You're not sure exactly what happened, but they fell out.]
[In the end, Dong Jiaoyan came back to you, becoming your best friend once again.]
[But was that really the truth?]
[Dong Jiaoyan is sweet and adorable, while you're plain-looking. Standing next to her, you're like a modest weed setting off a beautiful flower.]
[At first, you didn't get it, but certain things slowly made you realize this friendship was actually plastic.]
[In college, Dong Jiaoyan said she was worried because you'd never been in a relationship.]
[She signed you up for a mixer, claiming she wanted to set you up with a guy. But the senior she introduced you to ended up becoming her boyfriend.]
[Her explanation was: "Liuyue, I didn't expect him to fall for me at first sight, and I didn't realize we'd have so much in common. Don't worry, I'll find you an even better guy!"] [You once again felt betrayed, and picked up on a hint of your 'good friend's' hypocrisy.]
[Later, you watched Dong Jiaoyan hop through relationships in college, breaking up and getting back together multiple times. Then one day, she mysteriously told you she'd found an online boyfriend.]
[Her online boyfriend was a junior from Northern University, a third-year. They met through gaming and started dating online, only video-calling. Dong Jiaoyan was scared he might lose feelings over time.]
[So, looking at you, who seemed 'very safe,' she asked you to help test her online boyfriend.]
[A plan formed in your mind.]
[Since Dong Jiaoyan had always been using you for entertainment, it'd only be fair if you stole her online boyfriend, right?]
…
"Liuyue, where's my lunch?"
When Qiao Liuyue pushed open the dorm door, Dong Jiaoyan was lying comfortably in her bed.
Her chestnut hair was spread across the white pillowcase, making her sweet, pretty face look even more delicate.
Her focus was entirely on her phone screen, fingers tapping away, probably messaging someone in a chat box.
Hearing the door, she lazily lifted her eyes and glanced over, a dismissive shrug in her look.
"Sorry, the cafeteria was way too crowded. How about ordering takeout?" Qiao Liuyue carried a stack of textbooks toward her own bed.
Her hair had never been dyed or permed. Thick bangs heavily covered her brows, and she wore a pair of black-framed glasses.
The eyes behind the lenses weren't small, but they were completely trapped in the frames.
Her medium-short black hair fell to her shoulders, with frizzy ends curling up, like long-untended dry grass.
She wore a mustard-yellow hoodie paired with an old-fashioned pair of dark blue jeans.
Standing there, she was the kind of girl you wouldn't look twice at on campus.
No—more accurately, she was blatantly plain.
Dong Jiaoyan had skipped that morning's class again. When names were called, Liuyue had barely saved her by covering for her attendance, only avoiding the teacher's reprimand.
Liuyue was on edge until the class bell rang, and her phone buzzed.
Jiaoyan asked her to go to the second cafeteria to grab a portion of braised pork rice.
Liuyue had no choice but to hold her books and run to the cafeteria. She had just fought her way into an endless line when she took over her own consciousness.
"Ah! But the braised pork rice at the second cafeteria is really that good! Takeout just doesn't have the same flavor." Dong Jiaoyan whined.
Her face had that look of "the whole world should just spoil me."
"Liuyue, you texted me back saying you'd get it. How can you mess with me like this?" Her tone dripped with grievance.
Like Liuyue had committed some unforgivable crime.
Right then, another roommate pushed open the door.
Probably catching a bit of the conversation, she dropped her stuff on the desk and bluntly threw out a fair comment.
"Jiaoyan, if you want to eat it, just get up and buy it yourself. Qiao Liuyue isn't your servant."
The words were to the point. The room fell silent for two seconds.
The sweet look on Dong Jiaoyan's face visibly paled. Flustered, she scrambled out of her bed.
Her voice carried a hint of panic.
"That's not what I meant!"
She grabbed Liuyue's hand, her fingers pressing lightly, softening her tone to backpedal.
"Liuyue, we're best friends. I just wanted my closest girl to treat me to something nice. I didn't mean anything else."
As she spoke, she nuzzled her head against Liuyue's shoulder.
After that, she pulled out her phone, waved it, and smiled, eyes curved.
"Since you didn't buy it, that works. Let me take you out for a nice meal instead."
Liuyue hesitated for a few seconds, then finally nodded.
But in her head, she was wondering: Jiaoyan had the same fixed monthly allowance as her—about 1,500 yuan, barely enough for daily expenses.
The city their university was in was notoriously expensive, and even a half-decent meal cost at least 200 yuan per person.
Where'd she get the money?
Fifteen minutes later, Liuyue froze in place at the sight of a black Mercedes parked neatly by the campus entrance.
Dong Jiaoyan wasn't the slightest bit intimidated. She walked up with light steps.
Knocking on the car window, she shook her phone at the person inside, tilting her head with a sweet tone.
"Are you 'Sui Feng'?"
The window rolled down slowly, revealing an ordinary-looking man.
Around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, his features were neither unattractive nor striking—the type that'd blend into a crowd easily.
Still, his suit and tie were neatly arranged, perfectly matched, sitting in the driver's seat like a polished urban professional.
He smiled and nodded, saying "Jiaojiao" softly.
The tone was steady, unhurried.
Dong Jiaoyan responded happily and turned to tug Liuyue into the car.
Liuyue didn't move, lowering her voice. "Jiaojiao, who is he? Is it safe?"
Jiaoyan patted her on the shoulder and leaned in, also lowering her voice. "Don't worry, I've been chatting with him for a month, a friend online. He's reliable."
