Another afternoon, before Bo Jinghuai left the house, Su Jingsheng was still curled up on the sofa, sleeping soundly.
He walked over to the sofa and looked down at her.
She was lying on her side, her face buried in a cushion, her long hair cascading around her. She was wearing his white shirt, loose and oversized, the hem only reaching the top of her thighs. Her ankles were slender, her toes slightly curled.
Bo Jinghuai watched for a few seconds, then bent down, pulled a nearby thin blanket, and draped it over her legs.
Su Jingsheng stirred, half-opened her eyes, and seeing it was him, her eyes curved into a smile.
"Jinghuai." Her voice was soft, sticky with sleep. "Are you going out?"
Bo Jinghuai nodded. "I'll be back tonight."
"If you get hungry, ask the housekeeper to cook for you."
Su Jingsheng nodded, propped herself up, leaned over, and kissed him on the lips.
"Come back early," she murmured softly. "I'll miss you."
Bo Jinghuai's Adam's apple bobbed. He didn't speak, turned, and left.
The door closed.
Su Jingsheng lay on the sofa a little longer before slowly getting up.
She walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, watching Bo Jinghuai's car drive out of the underground garage, merge into the traffic, and then disappear from view.
The apartment suddenly fell quiet.
Su Jingsheng stood for a moment, pulling the white shirt she was wearing—which carried his scent—a little tighter around her.
Away from Bo Jinghuai, her pheromone imbalance disorder began to stir faintly.
Her body felt weak, dizzy, breathless.
She walked back to the sofa, curled up, and lay down, pulling the blanket Bo Jinghuai had just touched tightly around herself.
His scent still lingered on the blanket.
Su Jingsheng took a deep breath, feeling the discomfort ease slightly.
She reached for her phone and glanced at it.
Over a dozen missed calls, all from Father Su.
Su Jingsheng frowned, ignored it, and tossed the phone aside.
She turned on the TV, randomly switching to a news channel.
The anchor was solemnly reporting financial news, talking about which project the Four Great Noble Families had secured, how many points the stock market had risen.
Su Jingsheng found it boring and was about to change the channel when the news segment ended.
The next program was a personality interview.
The camera cut to a woman in a white dress appearing on the screen.
She looked gentle and graceful, with long hair flowing over her shoulders and a smile on her face.
The host's voice was enthusiastic: "Today, we are honored to have with us the daughter of the Shen Group, Miss Shen Qingyue."
"Miss Qingyue is not only from a prestigious family but also a talented musician, hailed as S Country's rising musical genius..."
Su Jingsheng's movements froze. She stared at the woman on the screen.
Shen Qingyue.
She had seen this name in the memories given by the world's consciousness.
Bo Jinghuai's childhood friend.
Also the one who poisoned the original host, causing her death.
Su Jingsheng's fingers tightened slightly.
On TV, Shen Qingyue was elegantly playing the piano.
The melody of the piece was simple, the technique ordinary, even somewhat naive to Su Jingsheng's ear.
But the host looked enraptured: "So beautiful! Miss Qingyue's 'Moonlight Dream' is truly lingering and intoxicating."
Su Jingsheng's lips twitched.
This?
A genius?
She came from a world where music was highly developed. Hailed as a prodigy since childhood, she had heard and played countless pieces.
At this level, Shen Qingyue wouldn't even meet the entry requirements for a music conservatory in her original world.
But in this world...
Su Jingsheng recalled the world history from the original host's memories.
In this world, earlier years were marked by intense power struggles and constant warfare.
Ultimately, the Alpha-led group, with their superior physical and intellectual abilities, secured over ninety percent of the power, laying the foundation for the current ruling structure.
During those centuries, art was abandoned, and music nearly became extinct.
Now, with the stable rule of S Country's Four Great Noble Families, societal peace, and advanced networks, people have looked back and realized the scarcity of art and music.
Scarcity increases value.
Music has become synonymous with high society elegance.
All Omegas learn music, treating it as a passport to marrying into wealthy families.
Those with some accomplishment are praised as geniuses.
Someone of Shen Qingyue's level can be hyped up like this.
Su Jingsheng looked at the woman speaking confidently on screen, her eyes turning cold.
This was the person who, out of jealousy over the original host's past with Bo Jinghuai, poisoned her with a gene-disrupting toxin.
Causing the original host's miserable death.
And also causing her, after transmigrating, to have a weak body and pheromone imbalance, nearly unable to survive a few days away from Bo Jinghuai.
Su Jingsheng bit her lip.
Just then, her phone rang again.
Still Father Su.
Su Jingsheng stared at the flashing name on the screen for a few seconds, then answered.
"Hello."
"Su Jingsheng!" Father Su's voice sounded calmer than before but still simmering with anger. "You finally decided to answer?"
Su Jingsheng didn't speak.
Father Su paused, his tone softening. "Jingsheng, Dad was harsh before, I apologize."
"But Dad has no choice, you know the situation the Su family is in."
Su Jingsheng interrupted him. "I don't know."
Father Su was taken aback, then continued. "Dad heard you're staying with Young Master Bo now?"
"Yes."
Father Su's voice held a probing note. "Young Master Bo treats you quite well, doesn't he?"
Su Jingsheng's lips twitched. "Quite well."
Father Su immediately said, "Good, that's good."
"Jingsheng, look, now that you've climbed to a high branch, can you help the family?"
Su Jingsheng remained silent.
Father Su went on. "Dad isn't asking for much. Just say a word to Young Master Bo, ask him to give the Su family a hand."
"Just a little, a tiny bit is enough. The Su family could not only clear its debts but soar to new heights."
Su Jingsheng spoke softly. "Dad."
"Yes, go on."
"Didn't you always say, 'A married daughter is like spilled water'?"
Father Su was momentarily stunned. "That... that's different! You're not married yet!"
"Oh, regardless." Su Jingsheng replied.
"I'll mention to Jinghuai that he absolutely must not help the Su family. After all, I'm the water spilled from the Su family."
"You—" Father Su's voice suddenly rose, then he forced it down.
"Jingsheng, stop this nonsense! That's not what I meant!"
Su Jingsheng didn't respond.
Father Su took a deep breath, his tone softening again. "Jingsheng, Dad knows I've treated you poorly in the past, but we are family after all. Blood is thicker than water."
"Just help Dad, help the Su family, okay?"
Su Jingsheng was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Okay."
Father Su was delighted. "Really? You agree?"
"Yes." Su Jingsheng's voice was soft. "But I have a condition."
"What condition? Name it! Dad agrees to anything!"
Su Jingsheng spoke slowly. "Transfer fifty-one percent of the Su Group's shares to my name."
Dead silence on the other end of the line for several seconds.
Then Father Su's furious voice almost blasted through the receiver.
"Su Jingsheng! Have you lost your mind?! That's the Su family's business! Why should I transfer it to you?!"
Su Jingsheng's voice remained soft. "No transfer? Then forget it."
"You—!" Father Su's voice trembled with anger.
"Do you think just because you've latched onto Young Master Bo, your wings have hardened?"
"I'm telling you, someone of Young Master Bo's status is just toying with you!"
"When he gets bored, he'll kick you to the curb, and you won't even have a place to cry."
Su Jingsheng gave an indifferent "Oh," her tone utterly dismissive.
"Then we'll talk about it when he gets bored. For now, he isn't bored yet."
"You—!" Father Su was so angry he could barely catch his breath.
"Su Jingsheng, you ungrateful daughter! After all I've done for you!"
