Shu Yu blinked slowly, feeling a bit flustered, and instinctively looked toward Butler Qin.
Butler Qin said, "Miss, don’t worry. It’s someone who’ll make you happy."
Shu Yu asked, "Is it Big Brother?"
If she could see Song Wenzhao, she would be happy.
Her memories had returned, and Song Wenzhao no longer felt like a distant stranger.
She truly recalled the care he had shown her.
Butler Qin replied, "It’s a gift from the Young Master."
Shu Yu blinked slowly. A gift?
She said nothing more, waiting as Butler Qin let someone in. She saw a tall young man loaded with bags and packages, pockets bulging with all kinds of snacks.
Shu Yu thought, "Huh?"
Had Big Brother sent her food all this way?
She didn’t quite understand, but she figured Song Wenzhao must have his reasons.
Butler Qin asked, "Miss, do you like the gift? Are you feeling a little happier now?"
Shu Yu smiled at Butler Qin. "Uncle Qin, I really like Big Brother’s gift."
Butler Qin thought, "!"
The miss liked it.
The Young Master’s efforts hadn’t been in vain.
Standing in the yard, Si Jingwen was dazed as he watched Shu Yu smile at Butler Qin, and he grinned stupidly along with her.
Si Jingwen’s ears turned red as he hurriedly handed over the delicious treats he had gathered. "Here, eat some."
"When you’re upset, eat something."
"When you eat well, you’ll feel better."
Si Jingwen suddenly leaned closer, making Shu Yu a little tense.
Shu Yu tilted her face up and gave a soft smile. "Thank you. You can drop off the things and go rest now."
Si Jingwen nodded hastily. "Oh, okay."
After agreeing, Si Jingwen turned and left immediately.
Butler Qin thought, "?"
What happened to the flirty moves the Young Master mentioned? He just dropped the stuff and ran off.
Like a total fool.
So now stand-ins didn’t even get training before starting work?
No professional standards at all.
Full of confusion, Butler Qin opened the snacks Si Jingwen had brought and found some osmanthus rice cakes suitable for Shu Yu after her illness.
Butler Qin asked, "Miss, would you like to try some?"
Shu Yu ate the osmanthus rice cakes with her congee, letting the fragrance of rice and osmanthus linger on her tongue.
The subtle sweetness was just right.
Her eyes lit up slightly, and Butler Qin knew she liked them.
Fool or not, the guy clearly knew his food—everything he brought looked and smelled delicious.
Butler Qin said, "Miss, tomorrow we’ll have Si Jingwen find some more good things to eat."
Shu Yu only then noticed Butler Qin’s choice of name. Si Jingwen?
Why did he share the same surname as Si Yiheng?
Si Jingwen ran all the way to the entrance before it slowly dawned on him what had happened.
How had he left so quickly?
He hadn’t even properly comforted Shu Yu.
Si Jingwen thought, "Butler Qin, did I do terribly? Will she still see me tomorrow?"
Butler Qin replied, "Keep bringing the miss food tomorrow."
"Since the miss has just recovered from her illness, bring things suitable for her."
Si Jingwen instantly perked up.
Si Jingwen said, "Butler Qin, I’ll do better."
With a big grin, he happily left.
Shu Yu ate a little and then sat under a tree in the yard.
Shu Yu said, "Iron Egg, do you remember? I disappeared in a flash."
Iron Egg responded, "I remember."
Shu Yu murmured, "What about the original Shu Yu? She also vanished from home all of a sudden. So did we just swap places across time?"
They had even been born at the same time.
Iron Egg thought seriously, "That’s very possible. I can go back and check."
Maybe this time when it returned, Shu Yu’s file would be unlocked.
After all, it had already accompanied her through all her past memories.
Shu Yu propped her chin on her hand. "Alright, go ahead."
Iron Egg said, "Yu Bao, I’ll come back to you before the mission settles. It’s only two days left. Even if Si Yiheng comes looking for you, you have to stay hidden. Make sure you absolutely don’t meet him."
Shu Yu nodded firmly. "I know."
Iron Egg went back to its department and immediately pulled up Shu Yu’s file.
It took a deep breath with its eyes closed, and the next second, the file unfolded before it.
Shu Yu’s records streamed into a data flow as Iron Egg received them.
It finally understood that a long time ago, a transmigrator’s system malfunctioned during a transition, causing a bug that simultaneously swapped Song Wenyu and Shu Yu.
When the next transmigration occurred, everyone was restored to their original paths.
Iron Egg took a deep breath.
Such a massive error had been hidden for all these years.
What about all the suffering Shu Yu had endured?
Damn that faulty system. It had to report this.
As Iron Egg fumed, Gousheng drifted over again.
Iron Egg vented angrily to Gousheng for a while.
System Gousheng reminded it, "Hold off on cursing for now. Try pulling up the male lead’s file too. Compile all the info, and maybe you’ll unlock the hidden script and reveal the secret plot."
Iron Egg, still furious, continued to complain as it pulled up Si Yiheng’s file.
This time, the file even opened for it.
But after one look, Iron Egg was stunned.
It saw a series of failed script runs and a string of death records.
—Script run failed, male lead Si Yiheng died by jumping off a building.
—Script run failed, male lead Si Yiheng died by suicide from emotional collapse.
—Script run failed, male lead Si Yiheng refused an online relationship, deviated from the script, and was eliminated.
—Script run failed, male lead Si Yiheng deviated from the plot and was eliminated.
—Script run failed, Si Yiheng died.
…
—Re-editing male lead Si Yiheng’s memories and initiating the final plan: transmigration. [Note: If failed again, character Si Yiheng will be permanently erased.]
—Script running…
Iron Egg’s mind was buzzing. So the plot line it and Shu Yu were on was the one Si Yiheng had cooperated with most.
In every other storyline, Si Yiheng hadn’t even survived to the start of the online relationship.
Gousheng was also shocked. "Your male lead keeps trampling all over the department’s rules."
His self-awareness was way too strong.
Iron Egg fumed, "I’m so angry. I’m filing an appeal for a full investigation. What kind of nonsense is this, having to tamper with memories just to carry out the mission?"
So that was why Si Yiheng had no memory of ever meeting Shu Yu.
Iron Egg said, "I’ll sue that faulty system until it’s done for."
It wrote a complaint and an appeal, then checked the time.
The mission settlement was near, and nothing could go wrong with Shu Yu.
It couldn’t let her end up like Si Yiheng, with those deaths making its skin crawl.
Seeing Iron Egg anxious, Gousheng offered, "Go on. I’ll keep an eye on the appeal process and notify you as soon as there’s a result."
Relieved, Iron Egg left. "Thanks, Gousheng."
Gousheng waved a hand. "Go on, go on. Your host is more important."
Si Yiheng waited at the end of the street near Butler Qin’s home, gathering information.
His face was cold and grim. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure.
Si Yiheng frowned. What was Si Jingwen doing here?
A bad feeling crept into his mind, and he signaled one of his men to follow quietly.
Soon, all the collected information was compiled and handed to Assistant Xiao Wang.
Assistant Xiao Wang was sweating profusely as he read through it.
Si Yiheng’s cold gaze swept over him. "What does it say?"
Assistant Xiao Wang steeled himself. “There really are a lot of people near Butler Qin’s home. If any stranger gets close, they’ll be spotted immediately—and there are quite a few of them. Acting rashly might alert the enemy.”
If the enemy is alerted, Miss Shu Yu might try to run away again.
“But Si Jingwen just went in carrying some soup.”
Si Yiheng’s expression turned even darker.
Si Jingwen?
Si Yiheng said, “Bring Si Jingwen to me.”
Si Jingwen had set down what he was carrying and left, recalling how Shu Yu had been painting in the yard. At the sound of someone approaching, she would peek out cautiously, tilting her head to look.
As soon as she saw who it was, she would quickly hide back again.
So adorable, really so adorable.
Si Jingwen was lost in that thought when suddenly someone covered his mouth and dragged him away.
Si Jingwen: “?”
