Bai Niao sat barefoot on the carpet, the moonlight spilling over her shoulders, making her look innocent and fragile. Her slender ankles shimmered with a faint, snowy light, as if carved from white jade.
She gripped her communication device tightly, her heart thumping so hard it felt like it might leap out of her chest. It was as if a little demon were whispering in her ear, urging her to press the call button, while the reason deep in her heart kept warning her not to.
This wasn’t because she had been kept in a “cage” for too long and was afraid to go out. It was because the lessons of the past were too deeply etched into her soul.
Bai Niao’s knuckles trembled violently, and her palms were covered in cold, clammy sweat. Her body almost lost control, wanting to light up that gray call button, but in the end, she deleted all 22 digits. Her finger bones turned white, and her chest rose and fell sharply. The communication device slipped from her fingers and fell onto the carpet.
At the same time, the closed door was opened from the outside. Bai Niao turned back like a startled bird, her voice rising: “Who is it?”
The shifting moonlight cast a dark glow over her face, making her long, curled lashes look exceptionally soft. He Youting’s expression was peaceful as he walked over and picked Bai Niao up from the floor. “Did you have a nightmare?”
Her face was pale, her forehead covered in a thin layer of sweat, and her breathing was a bit hurried. Once she saw clearly it was He Youting, Bai Niao breathed a long sigh of relief. She was very afraid of the dark; even with the bright moonlight and the nightlights, she was prone to “startling at the rustle of grass.”
“No, Mr. He,” Bai Niao said truthfully. “I haven’t been able to fall asleep.”
Resisting sleep is a very difficult thing. Today was the first time she discovered she could actually resist it, though mostly because her emotions were so agitated after seeing that number. Under normal circumstances, it would be almost impossible to fight her body’s instincts.
As He Youting picked Bai Niao up, he also retrieved her device. He kissed her forehead and asked softly, “Do you like it? It was designed based on your old model, and all the information inside is complete.”
Bai Niao had changed devices many times. This one was modeled after her last one—exquisite appearance and full functionality. Bai Niao’s voice was muffled: “I like it.”
She had wanted a communication device for a very long time; even if she didn’t have much use for it, she just wanted one. But at the thought that she only received it because of Zhuang Han, Bai Niao wasn’t that happy.
He Youting seemed to see through her thoughts, stroking her face. “It’s not for anyone else; it’s for you.” His voice was very light. “You’ve been unhappy lately.” He looked at her face illuminated by the moon, a hint of tenderness in his tone. Like coaxing a child, he said in a low voice, “I want to make you happier.”
Bai Niao was very afraid of He Youting, but she also had to admit that no one in the world was better at coaxing her than him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her forehead resting on his shoulder.
“Oh. I thought you gave it to that imposter,” Bai Niao buried her small face. “So it really was for me.” She was like a little bird at this moment, its wings drenched by rain; she was unhappy, but because she was vain, she refused to show her sadness.
He Youting supported the soft flesh at her bottom, holding her like one would hold a child. “Of course it’s for you,” he laughed softly. “Who else would I give it to?”
He Youting seemed to be talking about the device, but also about other things; Bai Niao couldn’t tell the difference, but her mood truly improved a lot. Being held in his arms, drowsiness slowly surged up. Bai Niao wasn’t used to staying up late; being able to hold out this long was already a feat of endurance. Now, being held so tenderly by He Youting, her taut nerves inexplicably relaxed.
She lay in his arms, her legs swinging slightly, as she complained to him in a low voice: “Cheng Yu was especially mean today. He took me out on purpose.” She said crossly, “Did he not tell you at all?” She was already very sleepy, but once she started complaining, she felt a bit more awake.
“Mm,” He Youting carried her back to the bed. “I’ve already revoked his access. He won’t be able to get past the front gate in the future.”
The few of them had been exceptionally busy lately because they wanted to start “elevating” Bai Niao’s status. It sounded simple, but because of her previous history as the Miss of the Zhong family, it had become a bit troublesome. Especially since they were acting out of selfish motives.
Bai Niao was so sleepy she could hardly keep her eyes open, but hearing He Youting’s words, her eyelids suddenly flew up. This was just too satisfying! She climbed onto his neck, her voice soft: “That’s wonderful.”
Bai Niao had been very angry, especially when Zhuang Han came out; she was so angry she wanted to complain to He Youting and try again the “great endeavor” of kicking Cheng Yu out of their game. She hadn’t expected He Youting to act so fast.
Bai Niao grew happy, nestling in He Youting’s arms, her eyes bright. He Youting was the person she feared most, yet he was also the one she relied on most. He tidied her messy hair, his voice low and soft: “Are you going to sleep, or should I kiss you?”
He said these words, yet his knuckles were already resting against her thigh, slowly prying it open. Bai Niao wanted to resist a little, but “kissing” and such things only brought her pleasure and wouldn’t tire her out; the fact that Gao Zhan loved kissing her was one of the reasons she liked being with him. She wanted to act reserved, but the moment He Youting’s lips pried hers open, she couldn’t resist.
Just a moment ago, her mind was full of that man. But right now, Bai Niao only wanted to hold He Youting tightly. Her dainty cries were fragmented, sounding like a warbling oriole in the dark night. She truly had zero resistance to temptation.
After it ended, Bai Niao fell asleep almost instantly. Her sleeping face was serene, her arms tightly clutching the teddy bear, and her face was still flushed; just looking at her would make one’s heart turn soft.
He Youting rinsed his mouth and then drank some water. Holding the glass, he nonchalantly drank the ice water while using his other hand to flip through Bai Niao’s device. No sent messages, no outgoing calls, and that extra number that had been added was proactively deleted.
Everything was peaceful, just like the quiet and calm years they had shared.
Zhuang Han was a person of great initiative. Although the male leads’ affection levels weren’t high yet, compared to the initial embarrassment and hardship, things were much better now. The communication device was in hand, so could the 400 affection points be far off?
Zhuang Han got up early, full of fighting spirit. Bai Niao’s enthusiasm was nowhere near as high; she was dying of sleepiness and could hardly open her eyes. When she discovered that the food being put in her mouth was green vegetables, she turned into a “bitter melon.”
Is this person a lunatic?
Bai Niao was full of resentment. When Zhuang Han changed into sportswear and went out for a run, her anger reached its peak. Are you kidding me? Running on a summer morning! Is this bastard imposter trying to kill me with exhaustion?
After the Main System upgrade, Zhuang Han’s pain shielding was further enhanced; now even minor sensations were blocked. This was why Bai Niao had been willing to be intimate with He Youting yesterday. But Bai Niao’s own senses were not blocked. Zhuang Han ran three laps around the garden without breaking a sweat, but Bai Niao was nearly dead from exhaustion. This was truly a case of the body running in front and the soul chasing behind.
The System clapped its hands, chirping: 【Host is truly amazing!】
After three laps, Bai Niao was completely withered. The key was that the weather was so hot; she was so annoyed she wanted to drag Zhuang Han and the noisy System out and give them a beating. It’s not you two who are suffering!
Bai Niao hadn’t been this tired in a long time. When they returned to the living room, she desperately sent thoughts to Zhuang Han to sit down and rest or eat an ice cream, but Zhuang Han actually just drank some water and went to read again. Looking at those thick tomes, Bai Niao’s vision went dark. Listening to Zhuang Han chat with the System would be better than reading these boring books.
Bai Niao was lazy; if He Youting wasn’t watching, she’d stay in her bedroom all day playing games. Wealthy life was extravagant, but after a long time, it was dull; it wasn’t as interesting as her game console. Bai Niao watched with Zhuang Han for less than ten minutes before she fell into a daze. She didn’t wake up until noon, feeling both sleepy and hungry, wanting to eat something good.
However, Zhuang Han actually skipped over everything she loved and started gnawing on the leaves in a salad. Bai Niao’s vision went black; she really was about to faint. The thing she hated most in her life was green vegetables, yet they were Zhuang Han’s favorite.
During her nap, Bai Niao couldn’t take it anymore. She dove into her soft bed, forcibly transmitting the drowsiness to Zhuang Han, and then started sleeping away while holding her blanket. She loved to sleep; even Zhuang Han getting up didn’t wake her.
As soon as 2:00 PM arrived, Zhuang Han got out of bed. She didn’t go back to reading but first checked her communication device. That “virus” number didn’t reappear. Zhuang Han breathed a sigh of relief. She had been here for a while and was still curious about this world, so she browsed some current events. This was an era of unprecedented technological development, and the standard of living had reached an astonishing height.
That strange doubt surfaced again: Why are there so few high-tech things in the place where the heroine lives? Is this just the ‘aristocratic’ way of doing things?
Zhuang Han couldn’t figure it out and didn’t think further. She tried opening the contacts and sent a simple emoji to all four men: A little white bird. Honestly, she still hadn’t figured out the mode of interaction between the heroine and these male leads, but since she had the device, she might as well use it. In her era, that’s how it was: when a boy and girl liked each other, they would find ways to message each other. The male leads were all “proud sons of heaven,” so she didn’t know if this would work.
Zhuang Han didn’t have time to think much because He Youting’s call came through. Seeing the name He Youting, her pupils constricted, and she nearly dropped the device. She answered in a hurry: “Mr. He.”
Zhuang Han didn’t consider herself someone easily flustered, but her previous successes in conquering male leads were achieved by “helping them when they were low.” Giving them warmth and being the “little sun” in their lives when they were down. But these people were born high above everyone else, with the cold indifference of the elite in their blood; not a single one had an easy personality. She had no bond with them and didn’t have the original host’s “thick skin,” so interacting was naturally full of difficulties.
He Youting’s voice was cold: “Your brother’s surgery was successful, and he’s about to be discharged. I’ll have someone send you over to see him.”
When Zhuang Han first arrived, she witnessed the intense conflict between the original host and her family, but she hadn’t met this younger brother yet. He seemed to be just a “cannon fodder” NPC who didn’t even have a name in the main plot. Zhuang Han said “Okay” and prepared to change to go out.
Bai Niao hadn’t slept well last night and had woken up very early this morning. She was exhausted; during the car ride, she simply didn’t wake up. Zhuang Han had met the Zhong family when she first arrived, but the only one she remembered was the “real” Miss Zhong, Zhong Ling. She had a strong dislike for the original host, but felt some sympathy for this supporting character, Zhong Ling, who was criticized so much in the original book. Zhong Ling was the true Eldest Miss, yet her place had been usurped for years, and she nearly lost her job and studies due to the heroine’s intense jealousy. Fortunately, the truth finally came out, and the original “fake” daughter who did all sorts of evil was kicked out.
Zhuang Han wasn’t idle in the car, reading through info on the Zhong family. She felt quite sympathetic toward this family that had been ruined by the heroine. The Zhong family were old aristocrats; though they had declined, their reputation remained. Half of the elite circles knew of the Zhong family’s good name. However, the family had fewer and fewer members as it developed. Although there were many girls, only one boy remained in this generation: Zhong Ling’s younger brother.
Furthermore, he seemed to be a “medicine jar”—frail and sickly, rarely meeting guests. He had just undergone another major surgery and needed a wheelchair to move. Having spent a long time in ancient settings, Zhuang Han naturally understood the importance of offspring. If a family has no man capable of carrying the burden, it will naturally decline. No wonder the Zhong family was struggling more and more, supported only by the father.
Zhuang Han felt more and more that the original host was truly heartless and malicious. The male leads were all top-tier elites; even a little “pillow talk” from the heroine could have reversed the Zhong family’s decline, but not only did she have no feelings for those who raised her, she worked hard to get away from them. Last time, Bai Niao had lost her temper for no reason just because she saw the Zhong family coming.
By the time Zhuang Han finished reading the info, the car had stopped in front of the sanatorium. Bai Niao had been sleeping the whole way. When the car stopped, she glanced at the scenery outside, thought Zhuang Han was just visiting a garden, and fell back asleep.
Thus, Bai Niao still hadn’t woken up by the time Zhuang Han met the Zhong family. Zhuang Han walked in holding flowers, a smile on her face as she greeted them: “Father, Mother, Sister, good afternoon.”
Taking care of a patient is hard work, especially after such major surgery. All three looked a bit haggard, but their smiles were sincere when they looked at Zhuang Han. The Zhong son’s surgery was successful and he was about to be discharged, so there were quite a few visitors today, yet Zhuang Han was the one everyone revolved around. She happened to be good at hospitality; her posture was graceful and composed, and even those who initially harbored hidden disdain toward her gradually changed their expressions.
After simple hospitality alongside Zhong Ling, Zhuang Han went to see her non-biological brother. She had just heard his name was Zhong Yu.
Zhong Ling. Zhong Yu.
If not for the fake daughter heroine’s interference, they would have been a very close pair of siblings. After passing the screen, she saw the youth sitting in the wheelchair. He was very young, looking seventeen or eighteen, with beauty like a girl, pale skin, and a face as exquisite as a delicate maiden’s—only those eyes held a concentrated darkness. The beauty of “blurred gender” was perfectly embodied in him.
The moment she met Zhong Yu’s gaze, Zhuang Han was also stunned for a moment. He sat in the wheelchair and called out word by word: “Long time no see, Sister.”
The youth’s face was as beautiful as a bright moon, but his voice was as raspy as a demon’s. Only then did Zhuang Han notice a special vocal device at Zhong Yu’s throat. His voice was hoarse yet carried a sense of tenderness and gentleness, but Zhuang Han suddenly felt a surge of fear. She instinctively took a half-step back.