“Give me your hand,” Athena said as she turned her owl-like head toward Meng Chuwu.
“Why?”
A sudden spring breeze brushed past, momentarily blurring Meng Chuwu’s eyes. At that moment, she felt once again like a fish laid out on a chopping board.
Out of nowhere, she recalled how Xi Xiaoyan had called her “Mermaid Sister” in bed just the night before. The memory made her smile.
“To sign the contract, of course. Are you planning to back out now?”
“Before signing anything, shouldn’t I at least be allowed to review the full details of the ‘Save the Doomed Scumbag Alpha System’?”
Despite her frustration, Meng Chuwu’s naturally cautious personality still held strong. The contract name itself was annoying enough. But in this novel world, she was now the Alpha, and everything that once belonged to the Alpha now belonged to her.
“Sure thing. I’ll send it over to you now.”
As soon as Athena’s voice faded from Meng Chuwu’s mind, the details of the “Save the Doomed Scumbag Alpha System” appeared clearly in her consciousness.
Contract: Save the Doomed Scumbag Alpha System
Party A: Galactic Book Transmigration Bureau, Yuri Division
Party B: Meng Chuwu
Through equal and mutual agreement, both parties have decided to establish a cooperative relationship to purify the novel Film Empress Meng Chuwu.
This cooperation follows the guidelines of the Book Transmigration General Law and Contract Law set by the Galactic Bureau. Based on the principles of mutual respect, voluntariness, and good faith, both parties agree to the following terms:
Article One: Rights and Responsibilities of Party A
Party A appoints Party B as the main character of the novel Film Empress Meng Chuwu and sends her into the novel world to purify its tone and storyline. Party B must ensure that the official couple, Meng Chuwu and Xi Xiaoyan, maintain a healthy marriage and avoid repeating a tragic ending.
The contract becomes effective upon signing and remains valid until the end of Meng Chuwu’s life.
Party A assigns Contract Ambassador Athena to accompany Party B in the novel world and assist her in the purification process.
(Additional clauses omitted)
Article Two: Rights and Responsibilities of Party B
During the contract period, Party B will be granted a second life, receive ten times her former wealth, and gain the opportunity to create new value in life.
Party B must do everything she can to prevent the selected character Meng Chuwu from repeating the fate of a background character.
Party B must protect the other main character, Xi Xiaoyan, from experiencing emotionally or physically abusive storylines.
The more harmonious and loving the marriage between Meng Chuwu and Xi Xiaoyan is, the longer Party B will live within the novel.
Party B’s lifespan may be extended based on actions such as mutual love, spoiling her wife, being spoiled, raising children, gaining respect from family and society, and making meaningful contributions to the world.
(Additional clauses omitted)
Article Three: Breach of Contract
If Party B violates her duties while Party A fulfills theirs, consequences will follow.
If Party A observes any behavior that contradicts the novel’s purified tone such as divorce, domestic abuse, infidelity, or separation, the result may be shortened lifespan or even termination.
(Additional clauses omitted)
Article Four: Confidentiality
Both parties are forbidden from leaking the contents of this contract.
Article Five: (Omitted)
After reading the contract, Meng Chuwu thought to herself that there truly was no such thing as a free lunch. The contract, in simple terms, meant one thing: if she wanted to survive, she had to love and cherish her wife. She really had no other choice.
“Any questions? If not, we can go ahead and sign,” Athena said with a soft meow.
“Axi, do you seriously think this is a fair contract?” Meng Chuwu asked, feeling helpless.
“That depends on your choices. Even though this is a fictional world, it is very much alive. People here are born and die, fall in love and get hurt, come together and fall apart. Time flows here just like in the real world, second by second, year by year. You’ve been given a real second chance at life.”
“How will I know if I’ve truly escaped the fate of a doomed character?”
“That depends on whether your marriage with Xi Xiaoyan is happy. If you’re still alive, that already means you’re winning. Keep going, our hardworking film empress.”
“But what if I can’t fall in love with Xi Xiaoyan?”
Even though Xi Xiaoyan was completely her type and had that natural charm that drew everyone in, even though she was soft, adorable, and deeply in love with the scumbag Alpha, making it easy to spoil her, Meng Chuwu still wasn’t sure if she could return that love the way Xi Xiaoyan had once loved the original Alpha.
Love is something that cannot be forced.
If she really could not love her, then even if they lived in comfort and grew old together, Meng Chuwu feared she might become a bitter and harsh old woman. And that, she would never allow herself to become.
She quickly tried to convince herself. If someone as wonderful as Xi Xiaoyan could fall for her, then surely she could learn to fall in love with her too. That awful future would never come to pass.
“If you can’t return Xi Xiaoyan’s feelings,” Athena said gently, “then try to use the original host’s love for her instead. Technically speaking, you do not have to fall in love with her but…”
“But I have to keep our marriage happy and our relationship sweet. Axi, are you basically saying I’d better fall in love with her anyway?” Meng Chuwu interrupted. She already knew what Athena was trying to say.
“Yes. That is exactly what I meant.”
“Axi, do you know who the person was that pulled out the scumbag Alpha’s oxygen tube in the original story?”
“Are you trying to find out what obstacles may lie ahead in your life?”
“Yes. I have this strange feeling that the person who helped Xi Xiaoyan might also be the one who ended the Alpha’s life.”
“The author left the story unfinished. That character was never fully written, and this plot point was never resolved. I really don’t know who it was. Your concern is understandable, considering your original fate as a background character. But remember, the Bureau has reset your life. As long as you don’t act recklessly, you are unlikely to trigger any life-threatening storylines.”
“But didn’t you say yesterday that I might have already triggered hard mode? In the last two days, several of the Alpha’s former lovers have come looking for me. Just because I don’t make trouble doesn’t mean they won’t. After all, the scumbag Alpha did plenty of horrible things in the past.”
“You are right to be careful. But there’s no need to be overly cautious. You have access to the original host’s memories. If something happens that doesn’t match what you remember, that is when you should raise your guard.”
“That should be enough.” Meng Chuwu lowered her gaze to Athena. “Let’s sign.”
“Give me your hand,” Athena repeated.
This time, Meng Chuwu didn’t ask any questions. She reached out her right hand toward Athena, who stood to her left.
Athena extended her right front paw and gently pressed it into the center of Meng Chuwu’s palm, like stamping a seal.
When she pulled her paw back, a faint green light appeared in Meng Chuwu’s palm.
“Only you and I can see this light,” Athena explained. “Right now, your marriage is slightly unstable. When things are healthy, the green light will deepen. If the light turns orange, it means your relationship is having problems. If it turns red, it means your marriage is on the verge of collapse.”
“Oh, I understand now,” Meng Chuwu said quietly as she stood up and looked toward the flowerbeds. She spoke to herself in a soft murmur, “I’ve been away a little too long.”
“Then you should hurry back and comfort your wife,” Athena said, now looking at Meng Chuwu with much more approval.
Earlier, she had truly been worried that Meng Chuwu might be one of those prideful and rigid women who would rather die than give in. Someone so stubborn that she would refuse to cooperate no matter what. It was not easy to find someone who had the same name as the original host, with matching qualities and a similar lifespan. The closer the match, the higher the chance of success.
“Axi, I look forward to working with you,” Meng Chuwu said firmly. Once she decided to do something, she always gave it her all.
That applied to loving her wife too.
Since she was lucky enough to be loved by Xi Xiaoyan, and since her task was to cherish her, then she would make sure Xi Xiaoyan became the happiest girl alive.
“I still really dislike this tacky name though,” Athena muttered.
“Aren’t you the ‘Save the Doomed Scumbag Alpha System’? What’s so bad about the abbreviation?”
Athena had no words. She was completely silenced by the response.
When Meng Chuwu returned to the bedroom, Xi Xiaoyan, who had said she wanted to take a nap, was already gone.
She had only been out for less than an hour. Could it be that she had only said she was tired just to avoid her?
That kind of behavior did not seem like something Xi Xiaoyan would normally do.
Meng Chuwu called her phone. Twice. No answer.
She went downstairs and asked, “Aunt Chao, have you seen Xiaoyan?”
“She said Miss Jiang suddenly invited her out for coffee. I thought the two of you were going together,” Aunt Chao replied.
“Which Miss Jiang?” Meng Chuwu’s heart was beginning to feel heavy. Xi Xiaoyan was not answering her phone. If she had not run into an accident, then she must be more upset than she had seemed earlier.
“I am not quite sure. Miss Meng, did something happen between you two?”
“No. I will go look for her now. If she comes back, please call me right away.”
Meng Chuwu quickly walked out the door.
Miss Jiang. If she guessed correctly, it was probably Jiang Tianyang, the woman she had seen the night before.
If Xi Xiaoyan did not like her, then why would she agree to meet her?
A strong feeling of unease rose in Meng Chuwu’s chest.