Chi Qiushui had grown up reading plenty of domineering CEO novels and watching similar videos. Every time she heard those kinds of lines, her toes would uncontrollably curl, digging out several mansions in the ground.
Especially when paired with Duanmu Xiu's expression—a crooked eye and a slanted smile—Chi Qiushui really couldn't hold back.
She made a gagging sound. Duanmu Xiu's wicked smile faded. Zhuge Mo'er's mouth fell open. Ouyang Xiuming and Zhuge Shan also lost their previously languid demeanors. The second male lead, Ouyang Xiuming, looked at Chi Qiushui with a glint in his eyes.
But immediately, when his gaze met Zhuge Mo'er's, that glint vanished, replaced by a look of soul-consuming tenderness.
Chi Qiushui, having just finished gagging, happened to see this and felt nauseated again. She thought Ouyang Xiuming's tenderness was far too tangible.
Just like Duanmu Xiu's wicked smile, it gave people goosebumps.
Duanmu Xiu's face turned cold. "Let's go."
He took the lead and strode away. Zhuge Mo'er opened her mouth, then hurriedly followed Duanmu Xiu. Ouyang Xiuming shoved his hands into his pockets and left too.
"Please, Princess Zhuge, go back and settle the wages. Otherwise, if the esteemed Princess Zhuge has money for sports cars and luxury goods but no money to pay her assistant, it might just spread all over the internet." Chi Qiushui was determined to seek justice for the original owner of this body.
In this world, the reason Zhuge Mo'er was beloved by everyone was because she was completely different from other wealthy heiresses. It was her pure kindness and approachability that won her so much support.
So here came the question: how would the general public feel if they found out the beloved heiress they supported had "borrowed" her assistant's salary in name only?
The scene would be too beautiful; Chi Qiushui really wanted to see it.
Zhuge Mo'er's steps faltered. Biting her lip, tears silently streamed down her face. She felt Chi Qiushui had changed so much, no longer the Chi Qiushui who always put her first.
She found it hard to believe, couldn't accept it. For such a trivial amount of money, how could Chi Qiushui turn against her like this! She had clearly promised to follow her, take care of her, love her forever.
Zhuge Shan, hands in pockets, walked up to Chi Qiushui. His usually expressionless face now wore a faint, mocking smile, his gaze holding seven parts derision.
"Money-crazed? Is that pitiful salary of yours even worth demanding? Letting you eat and live at our Zhuge family's place was already giving you face." Zhuge Shan's expression suddenly turned icy.
Chi Qiushui faced Zhuge Shan fearlessly. As the third male lead with the most detailed backstory in the novel, Zhuge Shan's nature was gloomy and ruthless.
His childhood was inevitably dark and unfortunate. The female lead was a ray of sunlight shining into his life, so he shouldered that forbidden affection alone, secretly clearing all obstacles for her.
The original owner was one of the obstacles Zhuge Shan cleared. Why did the original owner die? As the female lead's assistant, why was she bullied by those Mary Sues? Because the order to bully her came from Zhuge Shan!
"Why wouldn't it be worth it? If you really think money is unimportant, why do you insist on staying in the Zhuge family, huh?" Zhuge Shan was Zhuge Mo'er's cousin, but his position in the Zhuge family was awkward.
He was the illegitimate son of Zhuge Mo'er's uncle, Zhuge Xiong. To celebrate his birthday, Zhuge Xiong died in a car accident on the way to see him. Zhuge Shan's biological mother died in the same crash.
When the two were pulled from the car, their lower bodies were naked. Because of this incident, the Zhuge family became a laughingstock among the upper class and gossip fodder for the masses. For the sake of their reputation, the family took Zhuge Shan in but paid him little regard.
Looked down upon, treated coldly by servants, bullied by peers—it was Zhuge Mo'er who rescued him from that vortex.
He became Zhuge Mo'er's blade. He infiltrated the circle of heirs from the four major families. Now he was a leading figure in high society circles, admired by ordinary people. He had long had the ability to leave the Zhuge family and live independently.
So why didn't he leave?
"If you have the guts, leave the Zhuge family. Like me, take only your ID documents, bring nothing else." Chi Qiushui said calmly, then added, "You can't bear to leave, can you? Even though you know your parents' car accident was orchestrated by your father's legal wife, you don't dare seek revenge or speak up."
Chi Qiushui's words tore off Zhuge Shan's mask. His gaze towards her was filled with killing intent.
"I underestimated you, Chi Qiushui." Zhuge Shan's voice was low, carrying an indescribable chill.
"No need for that. Whether you underestimate or overestimate me has nothing to do with me. Now get lost." After saying this, Chi Qiushui kicked Zhuge Shan away.
Zhuge Shan stumbled back two steps. He looked at the door that had slammed shut with a bang, felt the pain in his leg, and licked the corner of his mouth with his tongue.
Chi Qiushui took out her phone and vented in a group chat about the four lunatics who had just come, only putting her phone down when the food delivery arrived.
Everyone's reaction was the same as Chi Qiushui's—all too grossed out by Duanmu Xiu's line to eat. Starting from that line, the conversation evolved, and they began talking about people they had encountered in their respective worlds recently.
As she opened the takeout container, she saw a message from Lin Xi in the group.
[Earth Girl Lin Xi: @Mary Sue Cannon Fodder Chi Qiushui, what are you planning to do?]
Chi Qiushui used her teeth to tear open the plastic wrapper on the chopsticks, typing rapidly in the group chat with her other hand.
[Mary Sue Cannon Fodder Chi Qiushui: Get back the original owner's salary, tear off that man Zhuge Shan's hypocritical mask.]
Chi Qiushui didn't mention the original owner's parents. The original owner's parents didn't value her. Every time they met, the conversation was filled with instructions for her to serve Zhuge Mo'er well.
They knew about her lack of salary, but they were always stingy about giving her even a cent.
The original owner's thirty thousand yuan savings were earned by taking summer jobs or setting up stalls during Zhuge Mo'er's vacations and trips.
Just thinking about it made her head explode.
Seeing Chi Qiushui's reply, Lin Xi took out her laptop. The software on the computer dedicated to contacting the Transmigration Bureau was still running, but there were no new messages.
Lin Xi looked around and saw many women wearing the watches given by the state on Women's Day.
Previously, she hadn't thought about contacting the Transmigration Bureau, but now that they were connected, she could finally ask the questions on her mind.
Lin Xi typed on the keyboard: "Excuse me, may I ask, will the watches distributed to all female comrades on Women's Day automatically collect the wearer's information?"
In Beijing's □□, the secretary on duty at the computer immediately reported the message upon seeing it, and the top leader personally replied.
"No, they will not. These watches utilize the technology provided by your side, but we have made upgrades to this technology. The watches have an automatic detection function activated. This means that after judging the wearer to be in danger, they will automatically report the location, and a positioning needle hidden within the watch will automatically inject into the person's body."
"After a period of experimentation and upgrades, this type of positioning needle will be dissolved by the human body. Furthermore, accessing the location data requires visiting a special website. Unlocking this website requires very high-level authorization." Regarding how to use the positioning watches, the leaders held numerous meetings for discussion.
"Once the watches are distributed to individuals, except for primary and secondary school students, we do not force them to wear them." Three pieces of information were sent one after another to Lin Xi's computer screen. After replying with an "Okay," she reached out, closed the laptop, and placed it in her computer bag.
The airport loudspeaker announced the boarding call. Lin Xi picked up her bag and, holding her boarding pass, headed towards the gate.
There were no direct flights from their city to Liaoning Province. Lin Xi needed to transfer during the journey, with the total estimated travel time from Yunnan Province to Liaoning Province being ten hours.
In the Mary Sue dimension, Chi Qiushui, having eaten and drunk her fill and finished cleaning the house, went to a nearby market to buy groceries.
She possessed the original body's memories and had also inherited its skills. After preparing the meal, she divided it into many portions according to the number of people in the group chat and requested Lin Xi's help with delivery.
Lin Xi helped send them out while on the plane.
Just as Chi Qiushui was about to eat dinner, her phone rang.
Looking at the string of un-saved digits that the original host had memorized by heart, she chose to answer.
"Qiushui? It's Situ Ying." As soon as the call connected, a voice as gentle as water came from the other end.
It was laughable, really. The original host had both parents alive, yet in this world, the person who treated her the best was the mother of the one who enslaved her the most harshly.
She stood up, standing by the window of the self-built building in the urban village, gazing at the mountain not far away. Within that mountain was the residential area of the Four Great Families. That mountain was like a barrier, separating the people of the Mary Sue world from those of the real world.
"Mrs. Zhuge." Chi Qiushui's voice was very soft, just like it always was whenever the original host met Situ Ying.
"Qiushui, I already know what Mo'er did. What she did was wrong. I apologize to you on her behalf. I've had the housekeeper recalculate your wages, and they've been transferred to your card. Please check later to see if you've received them." Situ Ying's voice remained gentle.
Chi Qiushui suddenly felt difficulty breathing, her heart aching as if squeezed by a hand, the pain unbearable. She couldn't help but press a hand to her chest.
The voice on the other end continued: "Mo'er just came back and told me everything. She hopes you won't take it to heart and won't make this matter public. What do you think?"
Situ Ying's voice hadn't even changed its tone, but the meaning conveyed in her words was unquestionable.
Chi Qiushui didn't know why tears were falling. Looking at her own blurry reflection in the windowpane, she heard herself answer.
"Okay."
The other party very politely said goodbye and then promptly hung up the phone.
The pain in Chi Qiushui's heart intensified. Her expression changed drastically. Holding her phone, she wanted to send a message in the transmigrators' group chat, but her vision went dark and she collapsed.
Chi Qiushui felt herself walking through a state of chaos.
"Qiushui, why did you fall? Here, let me help you up." A gentle voice sounded. Chi Qiushui felt herself uncontrollably drifting towards that voice.
The lavish manor was planted with many roses everywhere. A woman wearing a white high-end dress slightly crouched down and helped a child who had fallen by the fountain to her feet.
The child was holding a bunch of red roses. Due to the fall, the thorns had pricked her hands, covering them in blood.
The woman gently removed the thorns and applied medicine. Chi Qiushui saw the child watching the woman the entire time.
The scene shifted. The little girl whose hands had been pricked by rose thorns followed a girl in a princess dress into the house.
She was carrying two schoolbags on her back and holding a large bag of things that looked taller than she was.
In the living room, a woman in a pink dress walked over, gently hugged the girl in the princess dress, and then reached out to take the things from the hands of the little girl behind her.
"Thank you, Qiushui. Our Qiushui is truly amazing, able to carry such heavy things. Come on, I asked the kitchen auntie to save you some mung bean soup. It's been chilled in the fridge for a long time, very cool and sweet." The woman held Zhuge Mo'er with one hand and Chi Qiushui with the other.
Little Chi Qiushui stole glances at her. Occasionally, when caught, the woman would give a very gentle smile.
Before they even reached the living room, the scene changed again.
Little Chi Qiushui, because she failed to take good care of Zhuge Mo'er, causing her to get hurt, was scolded upon returning home and pushed out of the servants' quarters of the Chi family. She crouched crying by the flower bed. The woman appeared at some point, gently pulled her up, took her for a meal, and arranged for her to sleep in a guest room in the main building.
Chi Qiushui was thus forced to watch as Situ Ying appeared again and again during her moments of distress, treating her with gentleness.
Someone who has never been treated well can remember a person for a lifetime for giving them a single piece of candy.
Chi Qiushui slowly opened her eyes. She was still lying by the window. Night had fallen, and her phone beside her was blinking with notifications.
She got up from the floor and looked at her phone. It was a call from Lin Xi.
Lin Xi had already arrived at the airport in Liaoning Province and was pulling her suitcase out of the terminal.
Seeing the video call get answered, Lin Xi heaved a sigh of relief: "Qiushui, what happened? The friends in the group said you haven't been speaking in the chat at all."
Chi Qiushui looked at Lin Xi's backdrop. It was also night there, with neon lights flashing. The electronic screen behind her read "Welcome to Liaoning."
In just one short day, Chi Qiushui missed it terribly.
She gazed greedily at the scene, touched the hair on her head, and replied: "I received a phone call. After finishing it, I fainted and had a dream. I just got up now."
"Then how are you physically? Are you okay?" The flight Lin Xi had taken was quite rushed. After landing, her layover time was also tight. She had slept on the plane, and after getting off, she saw the messages in the group chat. She tried contacting Chi Qiushui but hadn't gotten a reply.
So, she started a video call. Lin Xi remembered the last time she made this call was when Gu Nuanyang joined the group.
Lin Xi examined Chi Qiushui carefully and, seeing her complexion looked fairly good, let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm fine. That heart-wrenching feeling is gone." After a pause, Chi Qiushui asked, "Xiao Xi, has a situation like mine happened before?"
"Yes, you can ask Su Yuan."
After hanging up the video call, Chi Qiushui asked Qin Suyuan about it in the group. Qin Suyuan wasn't sure if her own experience was exactly the same as Chi Qiushui's, so the two began analyzing it in the group.
Lin Xi got into a taxi at the airport entrance and headed to a nearby hotel.
Early the next morning, after having a local breakfast, Lin Xi hired a car to go to Chi Qiushui's hometown.
It was already noon on Chi Qiushui's end. She hadn't slept well the previous night, only drifting off fitfully as dawn was breaking. In her dream, she relived the original owner's life from an observer's perspective.
She didn't wake up until noon.
She had just washed her face when Lin Xi arrived by taxi at the address she had given.
It was mid-March, but the area still looked utterly bleak. The wind was strong, whipping up clouds of yellow sand all around.
Just then, an older woman came speeding over on a tricycle. Seeing Lin Xi, an unfamiliar face, the woman stopped. "Young lady, what are you doing here?"
Lin Xi adjusted the hat on her head. "Auntie, I'm a friend of Chi Qiushui's. I'm here to see her."
Hearing this, the woman's eyes widened even more. "You're a friend of Chi Qiushui's?"
"Yes, we had an appointment to get our nails done at her shop. She hasn't been home, so I thought she might be at her boyfriend's place and came looking."
The woman nodded, making an understanding sound. "Oh, then you should go to the city hospital to find her. She had a fall the day before yesterday and was taken to the hospital. Her boyfriend's family and her parents are all over there. That girl is really down on her luck. Who would have thought she'd be so unlucky, stepping on the one patch of ice left in the whole yard?"
The woman looked genuinely regretful.
Hearing this, Lin Xi immediately asked anxiously about Chi Qiushui's injuries. Upon learning she had hit her head and it was unclear when she would wake up, both Lin Xi and Chi Qiushui, who was still on the video call, sighed with relief.
Lin Xi was relieved because Chi Qiushui could still be saved. As long as she wasn't medically declared dead in the modern world, there was still a chance for her to return from the world she had crossed into.
Chi Qiushui was relieved because she was her parents' only daughter. As long as she was still alive, even if unconscious, the blow to her elderly parents wouldn't be as severe.
Coming back to her senses, Lin Xi thanked the woman, asked for the details of the hospital where Chi Qiushui was, and then used a ride-hailing app to call a car.
At the county hospital's emergency department, she found Chi Qiushui's parents.
[Mary Sue Minor Character Chi Qiushui: Xiao Xi, find a spot to sit first. Let me hear what they're saying.]
Chi Qiushui's parents were sitting on a bench near the entrance of the inpatient department. On the other side sat the family of Chi Qiushui's fiancé.
Both families looked grim.
After replying to Chi Qiushui, Lin Xi found a seat close to them and sat down.
"He Jiantao, what are you thinking?" Chi Qiushui's mother, Dong Xiulian, couldn't hold back any longer and asked the clean-cut young man standing opposite them.
The young man glanced at Dong Xiulian, then at his own mother. "Auntie, you know our family isn't well-off. Once Qiushui is hospitalized, the costs will be endless. We paid for the emergency visit and these two days of hospitalization, but beyond that, there's nothing more we can do."
He Jiantao spoke very earnestly. The middle-aged woman sitting next to him, with a large mole on her cheek, saw her son had spoken and put on a pained expression, addressing Dong Xiulian, "Sister, you know me. I'm the most warm-hearted person. If the family had money, I'd give every last cent to treat Qiushui."
"But the family simply doesn't have the money. You know the grain prices were terrible last year. The corn was only ten cents a pound. Even if we sold all ten thousand pounds of our corn, it would barely cover Qiushui's medicine for two days."
He Jiantao's father, holding a cigarette butt that was almost finished, remained silent. Chi Qiushui's father stared blankly at the ground.
"Wang Jinzhi, don't give me that. I don't want to hear it. He Jiantao, I'm asking you, where are my daughter's phone and bank cards?" Dong Xiulian hadn't expected the He family to pay for her daughter's treatment.
Living in neighboring villages, and having married out from the same home village as Wang Jinzhi, Dong Xiulian knew exactly what Wang Jinzhi was like. After marrying into the He family, she had taken her stingy nature to the extreme.
Even if her daughter were Wang Jinzhi's daughter-in-law, she probably wouldn't save her, let alone the fact that her daughter and He Jiantao were only engaged.
When disaster strikes, even birds in the same forest fly off in different directions. Dong Xiulian had anticipated He Jiantao's stance. She couldn't afford to be angry or sad right now. Her immediate goal was to find her daughter's phone and bank cards.
She had a good relationship with her daughter. She knew whether her daughter had money and how much. As long as she could find her daughter's bank cards and access that money, her daughter could definitely be treated.
Dong Xiulian didn't want to waste a single moment. However, she had searched through all her daughter's clothes and pants. Not only were there no ID or bank cards, she couldn't even find her daughter's phone. Dong Xiulian refused to believe her daughter wasn't carrying her phone. How many times had she scolded her about being on that phone?
"How would I know that? When Qiushui fell, our whole family was worried sick. When the ambulance came, we just followed along. We really didn't see Qiushui's phone. As for bank cards, how would I, as her future mother-in-law, know about those?" Wang Jinzhi slapped her thigh, speaking with utter sincerity. Her expression and demeanor made it seem as if Dong Xiulian was truly wronging her.
After his mother finished speaking, He Jiantao added, "Qiushui was quite guarded with me. I never knew where she kept her bank cards or her phone password. Uncle just went with me to look, didn't he? They're really not there."
When He Jiantao said this, he kept his head down, not looking at anyone.
[Mary Sue Minor Character Chi Qiushui: Sounds so convincing. As if He Jiantao wouldn't know my phone password! If a senior from my university just said one word to me, he'd know the whole story within hours. As for my bank card PIN, that's my privacy, my secret. Why on earth should I tell him?]
Upon hearing He Jiantao's shameless words, Chi Qiushui from the Mary Sue dimension was so furious she nearly choked, slapping the sofa repeatedly as she sat on it.
["I knew that bastard was coveting my money."] Chi Qiushui was twenty-six years old. She and He Jiantao were high school classmates and had started dating during university.
After graduating, Chi Qiushui worked at a nail salon, while He Jiantao found a job as a salesperson at a company. Life was tough for them at first. Later, as Chi Qiushui's skills improved and she opened her own private studio, their situation finally got better.
Chi Qiushui was beautiful, and He Jiantao was always terrified she would cheat. He demanded to know every detail of who she chatted with. So when he now claimed not to know her phone password, who exactly was he trying to fool?
Dong Xiulian's face was pale. Unable to find her daughter's bank card or phone, she was truly at her wit's end. She had even reported it to the police, but no one in the entire village where He Jiantao's family lived had surveillance cameras installed. There was simply no way to trace them.
Wang Jinzhi glanced at Dong Xiulian's distraught state, a flicker of amusement passing through her eyes. She stood up: "Elder Sister, my husband He Dong and I will be heading back now. I've called the corn buyer to sell our ten thousand catties of corn. After all, Qiushui needs the money for her hospital stay, doesn't she?"
Wang Jinzhi tugged at He Dong, who had been sitting silently, and the couple stood up together. "Xiao Tao, you stay here and help out. Do whatever your aunt and uncle ask you to, understand?"
"Understood," He Jiantao replied meekly. Wang Jinzhi and her husband left, their steps practically skipping with joy.
Lin Xi sent a message to Chi Qiushui: ["How much savings do you have in total?"]
["Mary Sue Minor Cannon Fodder Chi Qiushui: I have five hundred thousand."]
Five hundred thousand wasn't a huge sum to Lin Xi now, but for the Lin Xi of half a year ago, it would have been an absolute fortune.
She believed Chi Qiushui's injury was an accident, but she also believed He Jiantao wanted that money. Wealth stirs men's hearts. Chi Qiushui had mentioned that He Jiantao's current monthly salary was only three to five thousand.
In their county town, housing prices were just over three to four thousand per square meter. With five hundred thousand in his hands, He Jiantao could not only buy an apartment but also have a lavish wedding.
A nurse walked over, calling for the family of Chi Qiushui. He Jiantao sprang to his feet: "That's me, I am."
Without waiting for Dong Xiulian to speak, he followed the nurse.
As soon as they left, Dong Xiulian's tears began to fall. "I told you, you shouldn't marry into Wang Jinzhi's family, you shouldn't. But you wouldn't listen, saying the villages were close and just a short walk away."
Chi Hailong hung his head, enduring his wife's reproach without daring to utter a word of rebuttal.
Dong Xiulian said only that much before falling silent. After a couple of seconds of quiet, the couple spoke again. "I just called Qiushui's aunt. She said she'll wire two hundred thousand shortly for us to start treatment, and to contact her again if it's not enough."
Dong Xiulian finally broke down, wiping the tears from her face. "Thank goodness for her aunt. You go call her aunt again, ask her if there's anything we can do in this situation. If we can't find the bank card, we at least need to freeze it. I'd rather go into massive debt to treat Qiushui than let He Jiantao use that money for free."
She didn't believe a single word of He Jiantao's claim about not knowing her daughter's phone or bank card passwords.
Just looking at Wang Jinzhi's behavior made it clear she had taken her daughter's phone and bank card.
"Alright, I'll go make the call. You go keep an eye on our daughter. We'll head to the city hospital in a bit." Having said that, Chi Hailong stood up and left.
Amidst the bustling crowd, Dong Xiulian could no longer hold back. She covered her face with her hands and wept bitterly.
Watching the video of her crying mother, Chi Qiushui also began to cry. What did she fear most after crossing over? It was the thought of her parents being unable to accept the news of her disappearance.
Lin Xi walked over and sat down. "Auntie, hello. I'm a friend of Chi Qiushui's."
Dong Xiulian abruptly opened her eyes, staring blankly at Lin Xi. "A friend of Qiushui's?"
"Yes. Actually, I'm also her client, but we became very close. I had an appointment with her for a manicure today, but when she didn't show up, I came looking for her. How is she doing now?"
Dong Xiulian shook her head. "The doctor said she injured her head, possibly compressing some nerves, which is why she hasn't woken up. It's unclear when she might regain consciousness. The doctor suggested transferring her to a city hospital."
"We've decided to transfer. The county hospital ambulance is being prepared now; we'll leave shortly." Dong Xiulian took a deep breath.
Chi Hailong returned and beckoned to her. After exchanging a few polite words with Lin Xi, Dong Xiulian stood up and left. Lin Xi followed behind them, watching as they boarded the ambulance.
There was also a black van, with He Jiantao sitting in the passenger seat.
Lin Xi walked to the hospital entrance just as the two vehicles drove away one after the other.
Lin Xi hailed a taxi and followed them.
An hour later, the three vehicles parked successively in the city hospital's parking lot. Lin Xi trailed at a distance, watching as Chi Qiushui was taken to the ICU and Chi Hailong went to handle the payment.
After Chi Hailong finished paying and left, Lin Xi went to the payment window and deposited an additional three hundred thousand into Chi Qiushui's medical account.
After identifying herself as Chi Qiushui's friend, Lin Xi departed. Her mission was to visit Chi Qiushui's parents on her behalf and tell them her bank card password.
Now that Chi Qiushui's bank cards weren't in her parents' possession, there was no need to give them the password. After all, He Jiantao was still lurking around, and she didn't want her efforts to end up benefiting someone else.
Another reason was that Lin Xi felt Chi Qiushui would likely be able to return. In that case, dealing with the scumbag would be her own task; Lin Xi needn't overstep.
Furthermore, Chi Qiushui's parents didn't seem like people without a plan. As a stranger, she didn't need to involve herself too deeply.
Chi Qiushui thought the same. Following the address Chi Qiushui provided, Lin Xi purchased a full set of manicure tools before booking her return flight ticket.
She still had to make a connecting flight. By the time she returned to Yunnan Province, it would probably be morning.
In the Mary Sue dimension, Chi Qiushui sat at the manicure table Lin Xi had delivered to her, quietly working on a manicure.
Her temper wasn't good. Whenever she was in a bad mood, her way of decompressing was doing nails.
Hand-painted nail art was an activity that required immense patience. By the time she finished one set, it was already evening.
Chi Qiushui took her wallet and phone downstairs to get something to eat. Her bank card already held two million, money from the Zhuge family as her salary and compensation.
Chi Qiushui was no longer short of money now.
She planned to go to the restaurant downstairs for a bowl of braised pork trotter rice.
Just as she stepped off the stairs, she saw a boy wearing the uniform of the Euroston School at the stairwell entrance.
Leaning against the window, his slender fingers held a cigarette. Hearing footsteps, he turned around. It was Ouyang Xiuming.
Chi Qiushui frowned and walked down the stairs past him.
"Classmate Chi." True to his role as the gentle second male lead, Ouyang Xiuming's voice was soft and magnetic.
Chi Qiushui was in a bad mood and walked around him, heading outside.
Ouyang Xiuming dropped his cigarette on the ground, crushed it underfoot, and followed behind her with his hands in his pockets.
Chi Qiushui knew but paid no attention. She sat in a tiny, cramped eatery, waiting for the owner to bring her food. Ouyang Xiuming sat down opposite her and ordered the same set meal.
Chi Qiushui took out her phone to browse, scrolling through messages in the transmigrators' group chat but with no intention of speaking.
The food arrived. She turned her phone face down on the table, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat.
Ouyang Xiuming, after all, was a spoiled young master from a wealthy family. He took one bite, then put down his chopsticks and didn't touch the food again. He seemed polite enough not to watch Chi Qiushui eat.
Chi Qiushui finished her meal as quickly as possible, grabbed her phone, and left.
As she was going upstairs, Ouyang Xiuming called out to her. Chi Qiushui let out a long, deep sigh and turned around.
"What the hell do you want, following me like this?" People in this world liked to sprinkle their speech with honorifics, making it feel like Japan or Korea, something Chi Qiushui found extremely grating.
She wasn't the original owner and had zero interest in using honorifics with Ouyang Xiuming. Right now, she just wanted to ball up her fist and knock his brains out.
Ouyang Xiuming strode up to her, his gaze filled with admiration. "I've reincarnated in this world several times now. You are the first anomaly."
His words caused Chi Qiushui's pupils to dilate for a moment before she quickly recovered. "What are you talking about? Is this some new prank you've all thought up to mess with me?"
Chi Qiushui frowned, looking around. Her heart pounded against her ribs, feeling as if it might leap out of her chest at any moment.
Her hand gripping the phone tightened unconsciously.
Ouyang Xiuming laughed heartily. "I have no need to prank you, you know that, Classmate Chi."
Ouyang Xiuming leaned down, his eyes practically gleaming as he looked at Chi Qiushui. "Classmate Chi, you've given me such a pleasant surprise. Do you know? In all my countless cycles through this world, every single time, Zhuge Mo'er, Duanmu Xiu, they all do the exact same things."
"And you, you've always been the unremarkable little sidekick trailing behind Zhuge Mo'er. But this time you've changed. Why have you changed?" Ouyang Xiuming's eyes were shining.
Chi Qiushui instinctively took a step back, putting distance between herself and this man who seemed like a madman.
