[Uh, what are you on about, host?]
[Did you conveniently forget that ever since our little chat yesterday, you’ve been too busy reveling in the family drama to even think about giving me a shout?]
Everly felt like she was caught in a hailstorm of “stupid” and “forgetful” arrows.
It had just dawned on her that she’d been so wrapped up in the chaos around her that she hadn’t made the slightest effort to call System 006 until now.
“I kind of assumed you’d pop up whenever you felt like it, without me having to do the whole calling thing…”
[Host, I only make an appearance when you’ve got something important on your mind.
So, please do me a favor and give me a ring first!]
“So, you’re saying you’re available 24/7?
Even if I call you…
in the middle of, you know, committing murder or during some steamy R18 scenes?”
System 006 already knew its host had a few screws loose,but hearing such absurd questions was still enough to make it want to pull out its non-existent hair.
[Host, my goal is to help you achieve a happy ending, not land you in jail.
So please, for the love of all things good, don’t go around killing people!]
[And regarding those R18…
ahem…]
[You can reach out to me anytime, host…
it’s just for…
research, you know, to understand human biological urges…]
This time, Everly was left completely speechless.
She never would have guessed that the system could be so…
well, perverted.
“Well…
let’s put a pin in that for now.
I’ll get back to you when I find a guy who’s drop-dead gorgeous, has a body to die for, is as strong as an ox, actually serves a purpose, can go toe-to-toe with me in a fight to the death, has a mind so out there it’s like he’s from another planet, is super fertile and can knock me up with a whole litter of babies, loves reading those cheesy novels so we can have epic debates about them, and is up for roleplaying as a trash CEO.”
Everly said all this with a straight face, nodding as if she was just describing the perfect flavor of ice cream.
System 006 started off enthusiastically, muttering “yup yup” like an eager parrot when Everly began listing her ideal man’s traits – handsome, great body.
But as she kept going, the system was left as speechless as a goldfish out of water.
Everly’s taste in men…
well, it was like trying to find a unicorn in a haystack – completely unique and a bit out there.
System 006, sensing that this conversation was about to veer off into uncharted, and potentially regretful, territory, decided it was time to get back on track.
[Host…
so, what was it you wanted to ask?]
Everly, who had been daydreaming about her perfect man, snapped back to reality.
She suddenly remembered the burning question that had been bugging her.
“About that side effect!
Can you please, pretty please, tell me what my random side effect is?
Every time I see that side effect notification screen saying ‘off,’ I’m left scratching my head, wondering what on earth just happened that I didn’t even realize!”
[Regarding the side effect, I’m really sorry, host.
But I’m not allowed to tell you.
It’s one of those rules that all hosts have to follow.
You’re supposed to figure out the consequences on your own after you activate the system and start using its abilities.]
Everly’s face fell like a deflating balloon when she heard this answer.
But System 006, ever the optimist, quickly jumped in to cheer her up.
[But but but…
I’ve got some great news for you, host!
The exp percentage for leveling up your gossip system has skyrocketed by 30% towards the next level!
Every time your words turn into juicy gossip, it’s like giving the system a turbo boost!]
[This afternoon, you were the talk of the town, especially with all those rumors about you being Sylvia, Jeremy, and Alan’s sugar baby, and them fighting over you!
If Jeremy hadn’t taken down that social media post, you might have already reached 100%!]
“….??”
Everly’s eyes widened like saucers.
“Hold your horses!
Why on earth is there such a wacky rumor floating around?
When Mom spilled the beans that I’m her real daughter, shouldn’t people be scratching their heads, wondering where I popped up from all of a sudden?
Or at least arguing over who the real Tang family daughter is – me or Sylvia?
But no, instead, they’re painting me as some vixen who’s got Sylvia, Jeremy, and Alan wrapped around her little finger!”
Everly couldn’t help but be in awe.
Once again, she was reminded that the rich and elite had imaginations that were wilder than a rodeo bull.
But then, even back in her humble orphanage in that small city, she’d heard some doozies.
Like the time they spread rumors about a 30-year-old bachelor in the neighborhood.
They said he was some kind of perverted playboy who lured in women of all ages – from 7, 20s, 30s, 50s, and 80!
Turns out, it was just his niece, sisters, mother, and grandmother coming over for a visit.
Although, the plot twist was that the “grandmother” was actually his real girlfriend.
Talk about a family drama!
[Oh, that’s because when folks caught wind that Sylvia had a sugar baby, everyone in the store whipped out their phones faster than a kid on Christmas morning and started spreading the gossip like wildfire in their group chats.
Your big reveal as the Tang family’s biological daughter just didn’t have the same…
oomph, I guess.]
“…..”
Should she be offended?
Or should she just roll with the punches and embrace her newfound status as the capital’s most notorious vixen?
[And then, to make matters worse, Jeremy swooped in and carried you off to his office, right in front of everyone!
Not just the people in the store, but the whole mall seemed to be watching.
And then, an hour later, you were holding hands with Alan and having a cozy little dinner with him.
No wonder they think you’ve got three lovers fighting over you!]
“Well…
at least that crazy rumor did one good thing – it boosted my percentage level, right?
Tsk, I should have pulled a fast one and borrowed some random baby from a mom, then gone running up to Jeremy with the little one bawling, screaming, ‘This is your baby!’ in front of a whole crowd.
[…..]
Not just Alan, but even System 006 felt a twinge of pity for Jeremy today.
Everly seemed dead set on making him the father of her children, whether he liked it or not.
As the conversation turned to Jeremy, Everly’s mind started to race.
She remembered the mysterious locked gold screen and the strange relationship status between them.
“I caught a glimpse of the locked gold screen on Jeremy earlier.
Does that mean the secret behind it is some earth-shattering bombshell?”
[You bet, host!
There are different secret levels – blue, silver, gold, and diamond.
Blue is level 1, silver is level 3, gold is level 5, and diamond is level 8.]
[Oh, I almost forgot to tell you something good.
For random people who seem like NPCs or just random passersby in your life, the system will always automatically unlock their big secrets, like that Sophie Xie, the stalker chick.
Unless, of course, the secret is a diamond-level one.]
Everly’s eyes narrowed into slits, like a cat sizing up its prey.
”So, what you’re saying is, I get a free pass to peek into the juicy gossip of people who should’ve stayed out of my life?
That’s…
kind of awesome, actually.”
[That’s the gist of it!]
[Host, you’re just two more levels away from unlocking the silver screen.
So, go out there and stir up some even bigger rumors!
The more scandalous, the better!]
Everly nodded enthusiastically, shifting her position on the bed to get more comfortable.
It was like she was a general planning her next battle – and this time, the battlefield was the gossip world.
“Alright, but what about the relationship status?
Why is Jeremy’s showing up as: !!!.
What on earth does that mean?”
System 006 paused for a moment, as if gathering its digital thoughts, before continuing in a worried tone.
[It’s…
a warning, host.
Anyone with a !!!
sign means that if you manage to befriend them, or become their partner or lover, they’ll be like a superhero sidekick, always there to save the day and help you out.
But if those same people with the !!!
sign turn into your enemies…
well, let’s just say the road to a very bad ending, especially one involving death, will be a lot shorter…]
“What the actual…???!!”
Everly’s heart skipped a beat.
Was she incredibly lucky that, even without knowing all this, Jeremy had already made her his friend?
It was like dodging a bullet without even realizing it was coming.
From now on, if she ever saw someone dangerous with a relationship status of: !!!, she’d be sure to give them a wide berth.
After all, she didn’t want to end up in a situation where the only way out was a one-way ticket to the great beyond.
Even though Everly was itching to ask more questions, she couldn’t stop yawning.
It was like someone had sprinkled sleep dust all over her.
She found it weird – back at the orphanage, she, Olivia, and Maria could stay up for two whole days straight just to devour a good book.
But now, in this fancy mansion, she felt like she could doze off at the drop of a hat.
Was there some kind of magical sleep-inducing power in the walls?
[Host, you look like you’re about to nod off.
Why don’t you catch some Z’s?]
“Hmmm…
I can’t think of anything else to ask right now…”
Everly mumbled as she snuggled into the plush pillows and closed her eyes.
[Oh, wait!
Host, I just remembered something about the side effect I should probably tell you!
Your side effect is active for 30 minutes at a time, and it keeps resetting every time you touch someone – even if it’s the same person.
Every little touch is like a trigger for the gossip system!]
[Uh, you didn’t hear that, did you?]
But it was too late.
Everly was already in dreamland, only catching the “30 minutes” part.
System 006 let out a digital sigh, trying to convince itself that what it had said wasn’t a big deal.
Then, it vanished from Everly’s mind, leaving its host to enjoy a well-deserved rest.
*
*
*
Four days flew by in a blur.
Anna was up to her elbows in birthday preparations for Everly, Sylas, and Sylvia.
Charles had jetted off abroad for some important business, Magnus was out of town working on a new project, Felix had been MIA for two days, buried in the hospital (Everly had only just found out he was a surgeon), and Nathan was knee-deep in work (Everly didn’t really care to know what he did, to be honest).
And then there was Sylvia.
The change in her was like night and day.
Instead of hissing at Everly like a venomous snake, she now ran away at the mere sight of her, as if Everly was a flesh-eating zombie straight out of a horror movie.
Meanwhile, Alan excitedly informed her that he’d cleared his schedule for the entire week, determined to show Everly the town.
It was like he’d transformed into her personal tour guide.
Besides his college escapades, he whisked Everly off to all sorts of places.
They went on a shopping spree that would make a fashionista’s head spin, buying every kind of clothes, shoes, and accessories you could imagine.
Alan was like a human credit card, ready to buy Everly whatever her heart desired.
When Anna caught wind of their shopping extravaganza, she slyly slipped a card into Alan’s pocket, whispering that he should use it when splurging on Everly.
Alan, being the stubborn mule that he is, insisted on using his own hard-earned cash.
But Everly, was just as insistent on using Anna’s card.
And thanks to all their times together, Everly and Alan’s relationship had blossomed like a flower in spring, as if Everly had never been missing for those 18 long years.
So, for the past four days, Everly lived in a state of blissful peace.
Well, mostly.
There was always the occasional disturbance in the form of Sylas, who was like a hyperactive dog, barking at her and now even at Alan.
According to Sylas, Alan was a traitor for siding with Everly.
But Everly, who considered herself a bit more mature (or so she thought), saw Sylas as nothing more than her cute, bad-tempered little chihuahua.
So, she just let his tantrums roll off her back like water off a duck’s back.
Not long after breakfast, out of the blue, Anna’s phone rang.
It was like a thunderclap in the middle of a sunny day.
Anna’s face turned as flat as a pancake as she listened to the caller.
A few minutes later, she was knocking on Everly’s door, interrupting Everly and Alan’s intense discussion about which restaurant to hit up next.
“We’re going to the Zhou family residence right now,” Anna announced, her voice as stern as a school teacher’s.
“Your grandfather wants to see you, his long-lost granddaughter.”
As Anna turned to leave the room, Everly caught a glimpse of the look on her face.
It was a mix of annoyance and resignation, like she was being forced to eat broccoli when she really wanted ice cream.
“Does mom hate grandpa or something?” Everly whispered to Alan as soon as Anna was out of earshot.
“Hmmm…
I’d say they had a huge falling-out ages ago, even before you were born,” Alan replied, scratching his chin thoughtfully.
“It’s a long story, but let’s just say there’s some bad blood between them.”
“So they’ve been at each other’s throats all this time?”
Everly probed once more, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Alan bobbed his head in agreement.
“Most likely because Mom didn’t want to take over the Zhou family business.
Uncle Zack took up Grandma’s family business, so Mom was left holding the bag.
And even though she doesn’t look like it, she’s actually got some serious skills…”
Just as Everly was about to fire off another question, Sylas burst through the door like a tornado, not even bothering to knock.
“Hurry up!
Mom’s waiting downstairs, you slowpoke barbarian girl!”
Everly and Alan scurried after Sylas, descending the stairs to find Anna and Sylvia already waiting.
But Sylvia looked like she was caught between a rock and a hard place.
Her eyes were glued to her phone screen, and she kept stealing glances at Anna.
Everly, being the nosy little ninja that she is, quietly peeked over Sylvia’s shoulder and managed to read the name on the screen.
Mateo.
Everly’s brain short-circuited for a moment.
Then, it hit her like a ton of bricks.
Mateo was her fiancé!
The one she didn’t even know existed!
These past few days, she had been so caught up in the thrill of shopping and stuffing her face with delicious food that she had completely forgotten about the burning question that had been nagging at the back of her mind.
“Let’s go,” Anna said, her voice cutting through the tension as she noticed that all four of her children were finally present.
But Sylvia grabbed Anna’s hand and whispered something in her ear.
Anna’s brows furrowed, and she let out a long sigh.
“Alright, you can go,” Anna said, her tone resigned.
Sylvia hesitated for a moment.
She knew this was a golden opportunity to trap Everly, but the temptation to meet Mateo was too strong.
So, with one of the drivers, she hopped into the car and drove off.
Everly felt a wave of relief wash over her, but at the same time, she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of chaos Sylvia would have caused if she had come along.
Thankfully, little stunt Sylvia pulled four days ago were about as sophisticated as a kindergartner’s attempt at a magic trick.
At least, everything was still somewhat under control.
But what Everly didn’t know was that Sylvia was seething with more anger and a burning desire for revenge like a supervillain in a cartoon.
The reason she had stolen and sold her brothers’ things wasn’t just for the money; it was to find a pawn that she could use to her advantage.
Sophie was always one of her go-to puppets.
Sylvia could sweet-talk her into doing anything, and a few of her brothers’ precious items were all it took to make Sophie dance to her tune.
During big events, many wealthy kids would shop for clothes at the luxury store where Sophie worked, and Sylvia often had Sophie sabotage the dresses worn by her rivals, causing some of them to have mortifying experiences like having their tops half off, getting a nasty rash, or finding rips in their dresses.
But now, one of her pawns was gone, thanks to Everly, and this only fueled Sylvia’s determination to find a way to destroy her.
Anna and Sylas had already climbed into the car, but just as Everly was about to get in, she remembered she wanted to ask Alan about Mateo.
And of course, she couldn’t do that with Anna and Sylas around.
So, she decided to come up with a plan to get Alan and herself out of the car with them.
She peered into the car and put on her best innocent expression.
“Mom, how about you and Sylas go in this car, and Alan and I take the other one?
Alan said his manager wanted to give him some stuff, and he told him to go pick it up for a while.
So, instead of you waiting, you and Sylas can go ahead.”
“….huh?”
Alan looked completely bewildered, but then he caught on and nodded, realizing that Everly didn’t want to be stuck in the car with Anna.
Anna let out another weary sigh and waved her hand dismissively.
“Alright, but don’t take too long.”
With that, she closed the door, and the driver pulled away from the Tang mansion gate.
Everly zipped straight to the garage without a peep, standing in front of Alan’s beloved car like a sentinel.
Alan couldn’t help but let out a little laugh.
He plucked the dangling car keys from their hook and hopped into the driver’s seat.
Once they were both settled in, Alan smoothly started the engine and pulled out onto the bustling road.
Alan’s driving style was as laid-back as a beach bum on a sunny day, but there was no denying the undeniable model aura that radiated from him.
It was as if he was in the middle of a high-fashion photoshoot, with the city streets serving as his backdrop.
“So, what’s the deal with us having to take a different car from Mom, Everly?” Alan asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Hehe, you know me too well, Alan.”
Everly let out a mischievous giggle, but then her expression turned serious.
“Alan, I’ve been thinking about my fiancé, Mateo.
Can you tell me more about him?”
Another male lead will appear soon~