A loud splash rang out as Yin Shan crashed into the water.
Coughing violently, she sputtered from the lake:
“Sheng Xia! You bastard!”
Su Youtian leaned over the edge.
“Bah!”
Since everyone wanted to enjoy themselves fully, none of them were wearing life jackets. Yin Shan bobbed up and down in the water, swallowing several huge mouthfuls of lake water. The employees were so stunned by this sudden turn of events that they froze in place.
Su Youtian glared at them.
“What are you staring at? Hurry up and save her!”
Miss, you were the one who pushed her in!
One employee wiped his face and hurriedly jumped into the water to rescue her.
The commotion on this side was loud enough that Shen Haolin frowned. In that instant, a sharp pain exploded across his left cheek, like a massive hammer smashing into his face. His head buzzed, his vision blackened, and he collapsed to the ground.
Rolling across the deck, he cried out uncontrollably in pain.
Tears burst out involuntarily as he struggled to open his eyes. He saw Yuan Wei casually shaking out his hand while looking down at him expressionlessly.
That gaze was so indifferent, as though he were looking at nothing more than an ant.
Shen Haolin’s heart tightened, and immediately afterward, overwhelming fury surged up inside him.
“You actually dared to hit me?!”
Yuan Wei lowered his lashes slightly and said nothing.
That silence only made Shen Haolin burn with even greater humiliation and rage. Struggling to his feet, he shouted behind him:
“Fang Cheng!”
Fang Cheng’s expression changed. Exchanging looks with the rest of the guys, they cracked their knuckles and charged forward with vicious expressions.
The resort owner waved a hand, forcing the remaining two employees to grit their teeth and rush forward as well.
Yin Shan had just been pulled out of the water when the chaos frightened her so badly that she trembled all over. Letting out a scream, she scrambled into a corner of the boat.
Su Youtian was completely dumbfounded by this insane development.
“System, what the hell is going on? Did I write it like this?”
System: 【…If you’re asking me, who am I supposed to ask?】
Yuan Wei had spent four years in prison. What kind of suffering had he not endured there? How could he possibly fear weaklings like these spoiled rich boys who could neither carry heavy loads nor withstand hardship?
Fang Cheng and the others charged forward aggressively. Their battle cries had barely left their throats before Yuan Wei kicked one of them straight to the ground.
Su Youtian watched helplessly as Yuan Wei knocked those rich second-generation brats down with just a few punches and kicks. From beginning to end, his expression never changed, as though he were playing whack-a-mole, slamming them one by one onto the deck.
A few of them were kicked so hard they could only lie there groaning, unable to get back up.
The employees simply collapsed onto the floor and pretended to be dead.
Yin Shan hid behind Su Youtian, trembling in fear.
Shen Haolin’s teeth had been loosened from the beating. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he snarled:
“Do you know what happens when you mess with us?”
Yuan Wei had suffered quite a few injuries himself. Bruises had formed at the corners of his mouth, and his breathing was slightly uneven.
He punched Shen Haolin again.
That punch was his answer.
He knew, but he did not care.
Shen Haolin failed to dodge the punch, and pain exploded around his eye socket.
He cried out and opened one swollen eye to exchange a glance with Fang Cheng. They both realized they had run into someone dangerous today. But neither of them was willing to accept defeat. Once they got ashore and called more people over, they refused to believe they could not deal with him!
The resort owner finally could not sit still anymore. Loosening his tie, he shrugged off his jacket, revealing lean, well-defined muscles.
In the novel, the owner had only been a moving background character with barely any description. But after arriving in this world, Su Youtian realized that everyone here was flesh-and-blood people. The resort owner might not be the useless fool he appeared to be.
Shen Haolin let out a sigh of relief.
“Qiu Li, you’re finally stepping in.”
Qiu Li was nothing like these spoiled weaklings. He had truly grown up in a military compound and undergone strict training since childhood. Even the way he walked carried force and confidence, the muscles beneath his shirt sharply defined.
Yuan Wei stared at him expressionlessly, his entire body taut like a drawn bow ready to fire.
“Kid.” Qiu Li grinned. “I can tell you’re somebody special. How about this, if you can beat me, I’ll let you leave.”
Shen Haolin frowned.
“Qiu Li?”
Qiu Li waved him off.
“Listen to me.”
Shen Haolin and Fang Cheng exchanged glances. They knew Qiu Li called the shots here. With Qiu Li’s background, no one dared question his decisions. Gritting his teeth unwillingly, Shen Haolin said:
“I’ll give you face this time.”
Qiu Li clearly did not care about that “face” at all. Casually cracking his knuckles, he crooked a finger at Yuan Wei.
Yuan Wei’s expression turned serious. He clearly understood that Qiu Li would not be easy to handle.
Lowering his brows, he charged forward first.
Su Youtian stared wide-eyed as the two men exchanged punches and kicks back and forth before her eyes.
“I clearly wrote a romance novel, so when did this turn into an action movie?”
【Then I guess… it’s a romantic action movie?】
Su Youtian fell silent for a moment.
“System, you’ve changed. You’re no longer the cold, humorless system I first met.”
【Host, have you heard the saying, ‘Those who stay near vermilion turn red, those near ink turn black’?】
“…… Suddenly I’ve realized you still have many shining qualities. System baby, you’re still just as adorable as before.”
【……】
Bang!
Qiu Li kicked Yuan Wei hard in the stomach. Yuan Wei let out a muffled grunt but immediately returned a punch straight to Qiu Li’s face.
Qiu Li pushed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, feeling the pain in his flesh, but instead of anger, excitement lit up his expression.
“Kid, not bad. Ever consider following me?”
Yuan Wei’s breathing grew heavier. Blood from his forehead slid past his eyes and gathered at his chin like a tear.
Pressing his lips together, he wiped the blood from his face and raised his hands into an attacking stance toward Qiu Li.
Qiu Li smiled with amusement.
“Good kid. You’ve got more guts than those idiots combined.”
The expressions on Shen Haolin and the others instantly darkened. Their faces flushed red as murderous glares shot toward Yuan Wei, as though they wanted to tear him apart with their eyes.
Faced with Qiu Li’s humiliation, they dared not vent their anger at him, so naturally all of it shifted toward Yuan Wei.
Su Youtian quietly moved behind them. Seeing the increasing number of injuries on Yuan Wei’s body made her heart ache terribly.
“System, don’t you have some kind of cheat ability or something? Isn’t this how novels usually work? Complete tasks and get rewards. Don’t you have some item that could help Yuan Wei?”
【Sorry, host. I’m just an ordinary plot-task system. The ones who hand out rewards are my superiors.】
“…Trash system, ruining my feelings!”
Over there, Qiu Li was slammed onto the ground by Yuan Wei with an over-the-shoulder throw. Coughing a few times, he burst into loud laughter.
“No one’s ever managed to throw me before…”
Yuan Wei staggered to his feet shakily. He could not stop himself from coughing either, and a mouthful of blood spilled from his lips.
“You’re pretty impressive too.”
His voice was hoarse. It was the first time he had spoken, as though among everyone present, only Qiu Li was worth speaking to.
Seeing the blood at the corner of Yuan Wei’s mouth, Su Youtian’s heart clenched. She was so anxious she nearly spun in circles, but she had no idea what to do.
Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she saw Shen Haolin and Fang Cheng exchange glances. Fang Cheng pulled a wrench out from a toolbox near the bow and handed it to Shen Haolin.
Shen Haolin quietly took it and weighed it in his hand.
Looking at Yuan Wei, a cold sneer curled across his lips.
Su Youtian instinctively held her breath.
Had these two gone insane? Using a wrench against Yuan Wei, what if someone died?!
Qiu Li braced himself against the railing and stood up. The admiration in his eyes toward Yuan Wei was completely undisguised.
“This round counts as my loss. You can…”
Before he could finish, a strange shout rang out. Right before everyone’s eyes, a girl suddenly charged forward. Shen Haolin was shoved violently, losing his grip on the wrench as it slipped from his hand.
Relief flooded Su Youtian’s heart.
Then she realized…
She could not stop herself anymore.
Yuan Wei frowned and looked up, only to see Su Youtian charging toward him with a fierce expression.
Her fox-like eyes were wide open. She rushed at him so quickly that Yuan Wei had no time to react.
He watched as Su Youtian’s face drew closer and closer, so close that even the tiny hairs on her skin became visible. Under the sunlight, her face was as pale and smooth as a peeled egg.
For the first time, Yuan Wei froze for a brief moment.
Then he felt a soft body crash into his chest.
The two of them were so close that a strand of her silky hair tangled itself around his neck.
Yuan Wei’s eyelashes trembled.
Then, right before his eyes, Su Youtian’s face grew farther and farther away. Her eyes reflected his stunned expression. A streak of blue sky swept across his vision as his body lost control and fell backward.
Splash!!!
Yuan Wei entered the water perfectly.
Su Youtian: “……”
…..
“Aaaaah!!!!”
“Aaaah!!!”
“Aaaah!!!”
“System, system!!! I knocked Yuan Wei into the water! He fell in!”
“Do you think he’ll misunderstand and think I did it on purpose?”
“Is it still too late for me to jump in and save him? But I don’t even know doggy paddle!”
【Congratulations, host. You’ve now mastered the art of courting death without a teacher. Great, now the plot has perfectly reconnected!】
Su Youtian roared, “Get lost!!!”
Shen Haolin and the others all leaned over to look. The water surface was perfectly calm, so still it was frightening.
Walking over, Shen Haolin’s eyes looked slightly moist as he patted Su Youtian’s shoulder.
“I’m really touched, Sheng Xia. Truly. I never thought you’d go this far for me.”
Su Youtian answered woodenly, “Heh heh.”
Shen Haolin: “?”
Splash!
Yuan Wei suddenly surfaced from the water.
Everyone on the boat jumped in shock.
Lake water mixed with blood streamed down Yuan Wei’s face. His black hair clung tightly to his skin. Under the sunlight, his pale eyes resembled a frozen lake, turning silvery white and even colder than before.
His gaze swept across everyone’s faces like a blade. Shen Haolin and the others still wore mocking expressions, but inwardly they shuddered.
Finally, his gaze settled on Su Youtian.
Su Youtian felt as though her face had been slashed by a knife, burning painfully. Yet even more than the pain, what overwhelmed her was grievance.
An inexplicable sense of grievance.
Lowering her head, she scratched at the side of the boat with her fingers.
She really had not done it on purpose…
In the end, Yuan Wei gave the group one deep look before flipping over in the water and swimming away like a fish, cutting through the lake’s surface.
Shen Haolin frowned.
“We can’t let him leave!”
“Forget it.” Qiu Li walked out from behind. “Since we already promised him, we should accept the result of the bet. Besides, what hurts him most isn’t physical punches, but a knife through the heart.”
After speaking, he gave Su Youtian a meaningful glance.
What are you looking at, damn it?!
Su Youtian knew she had been misunderstood, yet she could not explain herself. She only felt a lump of frustration stuck in her chest, making her eyes redden.
【Host, don’t be angry anymore. If you really can’t hold it in, chopping off your own claws to vent would work too.】
“…Can you get lost?”
With Qiu Li’s words, Shen Haolin unwillingly nodded, though inwardly he swore viciously that he would make Yuan Wei pay back today’s humiliation.
After this whole incident, no one had any mood left for fun. Su Youtian returned to her room to pack her things. But just as she reached the door, she noticed something lying on the floor.
Frowning, she picked it up and realized it was a ring.
It was just an ordinary ring with no patterns on it at all. But Su Youtian recognized it immediately as the “hidden weapon” she had once thrown at Yuan Wei.
Back when the system forced her to complete a task, she had casually tossed out an item, never expecting it to be this ring.
Looking closely, she even spotted a trace of blood on it.
Su Youtian’s nose stung.
She could imagine Yuan Wei treasuring this “hidden weapon” like a precious keepsake, only to feel utterly heartbroken and return the ring after believing she had betrayed him.
Her eyes reddened as she carefully slipped the ring onto her finger. But accidentally, she touched a hidden switch. A tiny spike sprang out from the ring and pierced her fingertip sharply.
She hissed in pain as beads of blood dripped down onto the ring, mixing together with Yuan Wei’s blood.
Su Youtian stared blankly at it. The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. Suddenly, she let out a wail and burst into tears.
Seeing how miserable she was, the system unusually stayed silent and did not interrupt her.
After crying for a while, she wiped her tears away, carefully removed the ring, and treasured it by placing it into her pocket.
Her voice still choked with sobs as she hiccuped through her crying.
“System, do you think he’ll forgive me?”
【…As a system, I hope he doesn’t forgive you, because that would help you complete your tasks better. But as a friend, seeing how sad you are, I hope he does forgive you.】
Su Youtian froze. Sniffling, she spoke in a world-weary tone:
“A mother devotes everything she has to her son’s future, painstakingly worrying herself sick, only to end up misunderstood by her son. Do you understand this kind of bitterness?”
System: 【？】
Just then, a pair of beautiful high heels appeared before her eyes.
Looking up, she saw Yin Shan staring at her in surprise.
“What are you here for?”
Yin Shan replied, “I suddenly heard what sounded like a dog barking from inside my room, so I came over to check.”
Dog barking…
Su Youtian turned her face away.
“You’re not welcome here.”
Yin Shan crouched down.
“Don’t be like this, Sheng Xia. I really know I was wrong. I promise I’ll never play mind games with you again.”
Su Youtian spat, “Bah!”
Yin Shan: “…I’m serious! After this incident, I finally realized something. My jealousy toward you before was completely unreasonable.”
Su Youtian asked, “What do you mean?”
Yin Shan smiled.
“Look at you. Sure, you’re pretty, but your brain capacity is lacking. The only kind of admirers your looks attract are idiots like Shen Haolin. What exactly is there for me to envy?”
I really want to rub her face into the ground.
Yin Shan continued:
“And after everything that happened, I finally realized that men are completely unreliable. Only becoming stronger myself is true strength. One day, all those men I once begged and humbled myself before will kneel at my feet!”
Boss Yin, are you really awakening now?
Su Youtian looked at her with a strange mix of excitement, embarrassment, and secondhand cringe.
After delivering her passionate speech, Yin Shan patted Su Youtian on the shoulder.
“Anyway, you should work hard too. Stop relying so shallowly on your looks. Improving your inner qualities is the real key to keeping a man.”
…Get lost!
Yin Shan flicked her hair back, smiled at her, and walked away gracefully.
Su Youtian had just let out a sigh of relief when Yin Shan suddenly turned back around.
“Sheng Xia, there’s something I’m not sure if I should say… when you cry, you really sound like a dog.”
“System, don’t stop me, I’m going to kill her!!!”
Just as Su Youtian sprang to her feet, a dog bark suddenly came from outside the window.
She froze, then seemed to realize something and hurried downstairs.
Tuotuo was lying beside its doghouse, letting out weak little whimpers. There was only a bit of water left in its bowl.
The moment it saw Su Youtian, it tilted its head.
Su Youtian immediately scooped it into her arms with heartache.
【Are you going to raise it?】
Su Youtian grinned and planted two fierce kisses on Tuotuo’s big head.
“Good doggy, I’ll take you to find your daddy, okay?”
Tuotuo: “Awooo?”