Category: Green Tea Villainess Fails

Chapter 101: Bonus – Parental Visits

555 stared forlornly at the small garden outside the window, sighing repeatedly.

When would its Little Frog come back? If it didn’t return soon, 555 would be played to death.

With a playful squeal, little Zuo Ling chomped on 555’s bunny ears.

555 calmly pulled its ears back and told Zuo Ling that it wasn’t food.

Zuo Ling grabbed 555’s hand, her eyes bright. “Five Five, come play with us!”

Play? It was more like torture!

But 555 couldn’t resist the little one’s charm and was dragged off to “play.”

In the living room, Zuo Bian was holding Qin Long, singing and making her laugh. Qin Long giggled uncontrollably.

Zuo Ling, clutching the bunny plushie that was almost as big as her, waddled over like a penguin. Half a meter away, she launched herself at Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian effortlessly caught her with one hand, lifting her onto her lap.

The two little ones looked up at Zuo Bian, their big, grape-like eyes sparkling. Just looking at them made Zuo Bian’s heart melt with sweetness.

“Have some fruit.” Qin Ai emerged from the kitchen, carrying a plate of cut fruit. She placed it on the coffee table in front of the sofa and sat down beside Zuo Bian.

She reached out and scooped up Qin Long, settling her on her lap.

“I want melon!” Little Qin Long tugged at Zuo Bian’s sleeve.

Zuo Bian smiled. “Long Long, do you want cantaloupe or watermelon?”

Qin Long pondered the question seriously, her tiny brows furrowing, then declared, “Both!”

“Okay, both it is.” Zuo Bian picked up a small plastic fork and fed Qin Long.

Metal forks were dangerous for children. All sharp objects in the house had been carefully put away, in case the children found them while exploring.

Zuo Bian and Qin Ai, although first-time mothers, had done their research and taken all necessary precautions.

As the two little ones were eating fruit, the doorbell rang. Zuo Bian handed Qin Long to Qin Ai and went to open the door.

She saw her parents, Zuo Yan and Du Yundong, smiling at her. “Xiao Bian, we came to see Ling Ling and Long Long.”

“Mom, Dad, why didn’t you call me beforehand? Ling Ling and Long Long are eating fruit. They’ll be so happy to see you.”

Du Yundong chuckled. “I think they’ll be happier to see the gifts we brought.”

Zuo Bian looked down and noticed the two gift boxes in her father’s hands. They must be for the little ones.

The three of them entered the house. Before even seeing her granddaughters, Du Yundong called out their names.

“My precious Ling Ling and Long Long, Grandma and Grandpa are here to see you.”

Little Qin Long, her cheeks stuffed with fruit like a hamster, looked around curiously. Little Zuo Ling, oblivious, was still asking Qin Ai to feed her kiwi.

It didn’t take long for them to appear in the living room.

“Grandma!” Qin Long was the first to crawl off the sofa. Unfortunately, she tripped and fell after taking a few steps. But she didn’t cry. Instead, she looked up at Du Yundong with a sweet smile.

Du Yundong adored children. Seeing such a cute little girl smiling at her melted her heart. She immediately went over and picked up Qin Long.

Qin Long was delighted to see her grandmother and gave her two big kisses on the cheeks. Du Yundong beamed with joy.

Qin Ai, who was feeding Zuo Ling on the sofa, stopped and patted Zuo Ling’s back. “Ling Ling, stop eating, your grandparents are here to see you.”

“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Ling’s mouth was full of fruit, she was still focused on eating, oblivious to what her mother was saying.

Du Yundong and Zuo Yan didn’t mind. They were amused by the children’s antics.

After finishing her mouthful of fruit, Zuo Ling rushed into her grandparents’ arms. Zuo Yan and Du Yundong opened the gifts they had brought and showered the two little ones with kisses.

With the grandparents there to entertain the children, Zuo Bian and Qin Ai finally had some alone time.

They went out on a date, leaving Du Yundong and Zuo Yan to play with the children. 555, feeling lonely, had already snuck away.

After getting married, Zuo Bian and Qin Ai had moved into a new house. In the new house, there was a small room specially designed for 555. The door was low, perfect for its small stature.

Having completed its mission, 555 hadn’t returned to the system world. Zuo Bian’s happiness had earned it 100,000 points. With so many points, it didn’t plan to take on a new mission so soon. It wanted to stay in this world for a few more years, to be with Zuo Bian.

Back in its room, 555 climbed onto its little bed, sighed, and took out its diary from under the pillow.

After the public humiliation incident, 555’s diary not only had a password, but it was also hidden under the pillow.

Self-praise was 555’s daily routine, but now its diary contained something else: longing for Little Frog.

As it wrote about its longing, it started to scold Little Frog. “Bad frog, leaving without saying goodbye, do you know how much I miss you?”

555 drew a frog head covered in bumps on the diary page. Just as it finished drawing, it heard a croak.

“Ribbit? Didn’t I tell you I was going to find you a body, ribbit?”

555, who had been half-asleep at that time, had mumbled a response and gone back to sleep. It had probably forgotten.

“Little Frog!” 555 immediately looked up, its bunny ears perked up.

Little Frog hopped towards 555 and dropped a child’s body, about five years old.

“I found you a body, ribbit. You’ll have a body now, ribbit.”

“Little Frog, I love you so much!” 555 hugged Little Frog’s tiny body.

Little Frog, trapped in the plush embrace, struggled and mumbled, “I know, ribbit.”

555 had always wanted a new body. It couldn’t fully experience this world while inhabiting a plushie, but with a real body, it would be different.

After its initial excitement, 555 released Little Frog and entered the new body. The moment it opened its eyes, the world changed.

It could hear the cicadas chirping and the birds singing outside the window. The wind rustled the leaves, carrying a faint fragrance. Even the feel of the blanket beneath its hand was different.

As the Heavenly Dao had said, a system, a mere data stream, couldn’t compare to a real life.

“Froggy, I have a body now, and I’m rich. Will you marry me?” The first thing 555 did after getting a body was to take out the flower ring it had made.

Little Frog replied, “Maybe, ribbit. Let’s talk about it when you grow up, ribbit.”

“Yay!” 555 wanted to put the flower ring on Little Frog’s finger, but Little Frog’s arms were too short. It couldn’t even find its palms, let alone its fingers.

After a moment of silence, 555 put the ring around Little Frog’s nonexistent neck. “I’ll marry you when I grow up.”

However, 555 never expected that the body Little Frog had found wouldn’t grow. At first, it was the older sister of little Zuo Ling and Qin Long, but as the two little ones grew bigger, 555 remained the same size, becoming their younger sister instead.

Even as a younger sister, 555 couldn’t escape its fate of being played with. Zuo Ling and Qin Long would braid its hair and dress it up in little dresses.

Little Frog’s return didn’t alleviate 555’s suffering. It was small and could easily hop away, leaving 555 to be tormented by the two little girls.

Finally, Little Frog, feeling guilty, found a teenage girl’s body for both itself and 555. Only then did the system and the frog finally get married.

But that’s a story for another time.

Chapter 100: Bonus – Adorable Creatures Take Over

At the age of twenty-five, Zuo Bian married Qin Ai. Three years later, they each gave birth to a baby girl.

Qin Ai’s daughter took Zuo Bian’s surname and was named Zuo Ling. Zuo Bian’s daughter took Qin Ai’s surname and was named Qin Long. Together, their names formed the word “Linglong” (exquisite).

Same-sex marriage was legal now, and same-sex parenting was also possible with enough money. So it wasn’t uncommon for siblings to have different surnames even though they were registered under the same household.

However, Zuo Ling and Qin Long were still young and hadn’t reached school age yet, so they didn’t have to worry about other children asking why they had different surnames despite being sisters.

Zuo Ling was a bit older, the elder sister, already one and a half years old. She looked like a soft and adorable little rice dumpling, giggling as she grabbed 555’s head. 555 lay listlessly in her arms, its spirit crushed.

555 still didn’t have its own body and could only inhabit plushies. Today, it was a pink bunny, about the same size as Zuo Ling, perfect for cuddling.

Qin Long, on the other hand, seemed much more aloof. She sat at a small table, scribbling on a piece of paper. She was also a fair-skinned little dumpling, but her expression was serious, her round features resembling Qin Ai’s.

“Xiao Bian! Xiao Bian! Ah! Someone save me!” 555 had been in a chokehold for over an hour, and Zuo Ling still hadn’t let go. The little girl carried 555 everywhere she went, like a conjoined twin.

Unfortunately, Zuo Bian wasn’t home today. No matter how loud 555 screamed, no one would come to its rescue.

“😘😘(Jiujiu), here’s Qin Qin. Don’t cry, Five Five.” Zuo Ling gave 555 two kisses, her big eyes blinking innocently as she tried to comfort it.

555 couldn’t resist her cuteness and surrendered to the chokehold.

Previously, 555 could return to Zuo Bian’s mind as a data stream. But now that Zuo Bian and Qin Ai were married, its mission in this world was complete, and it could no longer exist as data within Zuo Bian. It could only inhabit physical objects.

Holding 555 made it difficult to play with blocks, so Zuo Ling instinctively let go. 555 smiled the moment it was free.

However, before it could even laugh, a small shadow loomed over it.

“You’re my model now.” Qin Long, usually a silent and aloof little dumpling, spoke in a childish voice, ruining her cool image.

555: “???”

Qin Long picked up 555 and placed it on the small table. It struggled to get up, but Qin Long pushed it back down with her tiny hand.

Despite her adorable appearance, Qin Long had surprising strength. 555 could only lie there helplessly.

Qin Long picked up a crayon. She held 555 down with one hand and traced its outline with the other. Holding the crayon made her hand look like a tiny ball with five little dimples, incredibly cute and pinchable.

Before leaving, Zuo Bian had given the two little ones a task. Zuo Ling was supposed to build a small house with blocks, and Qin Long was supposed to draw a picture.

And now, little Qin Long had set her sights on 555.

Her tiny face was filled with concentration, her brows furrowed as she struggled to draw straight lines.

“So hard.” Although she complained, she didn’t give up. This was a task assigned by her mommy.

The two little ones played on the carpet in the living room.

Actually, Zuo Bian didn’t expect them to complete the tasks. She had just given them small goals based on their interests.

By evening, Zuo Ling’s small house was complete. Or rather, she had built an entire street. Most of the living room floor was covered in her creation.

As for Qin Long, she had meticulously recreated 555’s appearance.

“Mommy! Mommy!” Zuo Ling clapped her hands, sitting in front of her block creation, eager for praise.

Qin Long also puffed out her chest, her eyes darting around, searching for her mommy.

Seeing that the two little ones were about to cry, 555 panicked and called Zuo Bian.

“Ling Ling, Long Long, don’t cry, I’ll call your mommy right now.”

Beep, beep, beep—

The phone rang several times before it was answered. 555 heard noise in the background, Zuo Bian seemed to be on set.

“Hello, 555. Do Ling Ling and Long Long miss me?” Zuo Bian’s voice was gentle. She walked towards a quieter area.

555’s eyes welled up with tears. The two little ones were very attached to Zuo Bian, and they were about to cry.

“Yes, they miss you so much. Xiao Bian, when are you coming home?” After helping Zuo Bian complete her mission, 555 no longer called her “Host” but “Xiao Bian.”

Zuo Bian said, “I’ll be home as soon as possible.”

“You have to come home quickly, Xiao Bian! Ow!” 555’s bunny ear was being bitten by little Zuo Ling.

“What’s wrong?” Zuo Bian asked.

“Ling Ling bit me.” 555’s voice was as soft and childish as the two little ones, with a hint of a whine. It was heartbreaking.

Zuo Bian pursed her lips. “Give the phone to Ling Ling.”

“Wuwuwu, okay.” 555 tearfully moved the phone to Zuo Ling’s ear, who was still biting its ear.

“Ling Ling, don’t put everything in your mouth. Do you want to sleep with Mommy tonight?”

Hearing Zuo Bian’s voice, Zuo Ling immediately let go, sniffled, and said obediently, “Ling Ling was super good today, waiting for Mommy to come home.”

“Good girl. Mommy will ask Big Mommy to come home and play with you first.”

“Mm-hmm!” Zuo Ling nodded vigorously, almost bumping into little Qin Long, who had quietly come over to eavesdrop.

Someone called Zuo Bian’s name, so she quickly said a few words and hung up the phone.

555 held its saliva-soaked ear, looking pitiful.

The culprit sat there obediently, her grape-like eyes wide with anticipation.

Qin Long also sat quietly, waiting for her mommy to come home.

Of course, Zuo Bian wouldn’t be home so soon. She had recently accepted a new role. Because of the two little ones at home, she didn’t take on a leading role, but a supporting role with a significant amount of screen time.

However, acting wasn’t like other jobs with fixed hours. Sometimes, filming could take longer than expected.

So Zuo Bian called Qin Ai, asking her to go home early and keep the two little ones company. Zuo Ling and Qin Long waited for Qin Ai.

As soon as Qin Ai got home, she saw the two well-behaved little ones. She crouched down and patted their heads.

Little Zuo Ling and little Qin Long greeted her sweetly. If Zuo Bian had been the one who came home, they would have jumped on her, but since it was Qin Ai, they were more reserved.

It wasn’t that they didn’t like Qin Ai, it was just that Qin Ai was more imposing than Zuo Bian, and they were more attached to Zuo Bian.

“Your mommy is still busy today. Big Mommy will have dinner with you tonight.”

“Okay.”

“Okay!”

The two little ones nodded eagerly, then swayed slightly, their tiny hands supporting their heads. They looked incredibly adorable.

Qin Ai smiled, her gaze softening as she looked at them.

Having children had changed her personality, she had become more gentle.

But this gentleness was only reserved for her loved ones. In the business world, when dealing with competitors, she wasn’t any softer, her methods were even more ruthless.

Her reputation in the business world was now even more formidable. Many people would rather lose money than offend Qin Ai.

“Come here, Big Mommy will put your bibs on.”

The two little ones lined up obediently to have their bibs put on, even though there were only two of them.

Qin Ai patiently tied their bibs, then picked up their bowls and started feeding them porridge.

“Big Mommy, I want shrimp.” Little Zuo Ling opened her mouth wide.

Qin Ai scooped up a spoonful of porridge with a pink shrimp on top, blew on it, and fed it to Zuo Ling.

As she pulled the spoon back, she felt resistance.

Zuo Ling’s cheeks were puffed out, her eyes curved into crescents as she looked at Qin Ai, her gaze melting Qin Ai’s heart.

Qin Ai tapped Zuo Ling’s forehead with her finger, chuckling. “Just like your mommy when she’s drunk, taking advantage of your cuteness. Open your mouth, your sister is waiting to eat.”

“Mm %￥*…” Zuo Ling mumbled something, then reluctantly released the spoon.

Little Qin Long, who hadn’t been fed for a while, was feeling a bit neglected. She climbed onto Qin Ai’s lap, like a clingy puppy. Qin Ai supported her little bottom, helping her climb up.

Qin Long wrapped her tiny arms around Qin Ai’s neck and gave her a big kiss on the cheek, leaving a wet mark.

“Big Mommy, Sister is being bad, don’t feed her.”

Qin Long’s act of coquetry made Zuo Ling feel threatened. She grabbed Qin Ai’s leg, looking up at her, wanting a hug and a kiss.

Even during mealtime, they were competing for attention. But Qin Ai didn’t mind at all, she seemed to be enjoying it.

She put down the bowl and picked up both children, one in each arm. They each occupied half of Qin Ai’s face, showering her with kisses, neither willing to yield.

Qin Ai hadn’t been particularly fond of children before, but after having children with Zuo Bian, she had grown to love them, especially her own two little ones.

However, she couldn’t indulge them for too long. Her main task now was to feed them before the porridge got cold.

“Alright, come down now. You won’t grow tall if you don’t eat. And if you don’t grow tall, how will you go out and play with Mommy? Hmm?”

Hearing that they could go out and play with Mommy if they grew taller, Zuo Ling and Qin Long immediately climbed down from Qin Ai’s lap obediently.

Qin Ai finished feeding them and carefully wiped their mouths.

They might be well-behaved now, but if Zuo Bian came home any later, they would be impossible to handle.

Knowing this, Qin Ai called Zuo Bian after feeding the children.

Thankfully, Zuo Bian was done with work and was on her way home.

“I’ll be home soon. Did Ling Ling and Long Long cry?” Zuo Bian asked, looking out the car window. She was still quite far from home and wished she could fly there instantly.

Qin Ai glanced at the two little ones, who were now tormenting 555. “Not yet.”

Zuo Bian sighed in relief. “That’s good. I should be home in twenty minutes. Qin Ai, can you play with them for a while?”

“Okay.”

555 lay limp on the floor, like a rag doll that had been played with too roughly. It wished Little Frog were here to share the burden. But for some reason, Little Frog had disappeared recently, leaving 555 to endure the torture alone.

555 lay motionless on the floor. Little Zuo Ling, thinking it was asleep, crawled over to Qin Ai’s feet and started chewing on her leg.

Qin Long, thinking it was something delicious, also crawled over and started chewing. Or rather, she rolled over because her short legs kept tripping over each other.

Since the arrival of the two little ones, thick carpets had been laid out throughout the house, and all sharp corners were covered. Everyone was worried about the children getting hurt.

Qin Ai, with both her legs being chewed on, bent down and picked up the two children, gently telling them that her legs weren’t edible.

“Then Big Mommy, play with us!” Little Zuo Ling was a master of cuteness, her big, watery eyes making it impossible to refuse her requests.

Of course, Qin Ai wouldn’t refuse her daughter. She smiled. “Okay.”

When Zuo Bian arrived home, she saw a heartwarming scene. Qin Ai was shaking a small bell in front of the two little ones, their heads following the bell’s movement.

“Jingle, jingle~” Qin Ai smiled, drawing out the sound.

She wasn’t playing with children, she was playing with kittens.

“I’m home.” Zuo Bian took off her bag and walked towards them.

The sound of her voice was more effective than anything else. The two little ones turned their heads towards her, excitedly calling out “Mommy.”

They stumbled towards Zuo Bian. She crouched down and opened her arms, and the two little ones, like chubby birds that couldn’t fly yet, threw themselves into her embrace.

Zuo Bian hugged them both. They nuzzled her chest, then looked up, wanting kisses.

She kissed their cheeks, and they giggled happily.

Qin Ai walked over, pretending to be annoyed. “It seems they still like you more.”

Zuo Bian patted their heads. “They like you too, they’re just clingy.”

“Are you hungry? I’ll heat up the food for you.”

Zuo Bian had eaten a bread roll in the car to stave off her hunger, but she wasn’t full, so she nodded.

Qin Ai went to the kitchen, and Zuo Bian was once again surrounded by the two little ones.

Soon, the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen. The two little ones, already full from dinner, weren’t tempted. They had played too hard during the day and were now sleepy. Their heads bobbed, and then they collapsed onto the floor, like soft, deflated rice dumplings.

The smaller rice dumpling had fallen first, and the bigger one didn’t last much longer.

Zuo Bian chuckled. She picked them up, carried them to the bed, and tucked them in. Only then did she come out.

Qin Ai had already set the table, waiting for Zuo Bian to eat.

She had been busy playing with the children and hadn’t eaten yet, so she would have dinner with Zuo Bian.

Some people might think that taking care of children and playing with them could be left to others, but Zuo Bian and Qin Ai disagreed. If they had the time and energy, they wouldn’t delegate this responsibility. They would regret it later.

Although it was tiring, they both agreed that it was worth it.

After dinner and their evening routines, it was time for bed.

However, they had just entered their room when they heard a knock on the door.

“Mommy, Mommy! Your little cuties want to see you!” Two childish voices called out from behind the door, their tone clearly imitating Qin Tian’s.

Zuo Bian, already in her pajamas, opened the door. The two little ones rushed towards her.

Qin Ai chuckled and helped Zuo Bian carry them to the bed.

The bed was large, but the two little ones were energetic and somehow managed to occupy the entire space with their tiny bodies.

They rolled around, eventually rolling off the bed and onto the floor. Thankfully, thick carpets had also been laid out in Zuo Bian and Qin Ai’s room. Otherwise, they would be crying now.

Zuo Bian and Qin Ai each picked up a little one and told them it was time to sleep. If they didn’t sleep, they wouldn’t grow tall.

“Sleep.” Little Qin Long, who seemed less energetic than Zuo Ling, was actually quite clever. Hearing her mother’s words, she immediately burrowed under the blanket.

The blanket bulged slightly, then a small head popped out. Qin Long smiled innocently at Zuo Bian and Qin Ai.

Seeing her sister trying to win their mothers’ favor, Zuo Ling also got under the blanket, her arms and legs neatly arranged, her eyes pleading for praise.

Zuo Bian smiled. “Ling Ling and Long Long are so good. Mommy will take you out to play this weekend.”

Zuo Ling and Qin Long both cheered.

However, no matter how well-behaved they were, they were still children, full of energy. They started asking for a bedtime story.

Zuo Bian’s throat was sore from filming and reciting lines all day, so Qin Ai offered to tell them a story instead.

Acting was tiring. Zuo Bian leaned against the headboard, her eyes half-closed, nodding drowsily as she listened to Qin Ai’s voice.

Qin Ai’s voice was beautiful, but her storytelling skills were lacking. It was like listening to a boring history lecture.

Before she could even finish the story, all three of them had fallen asleep.

Zuo Bian, still leaning against the headboard, half her body uncovered, was fast asleep.

Qin Ai gently laid her down and tucked them all in before turning off the lights and going to bed herself.

Chapter 99: Bonus – Starry Splendor

The filming for “Twins” went smoothly. Zuo Bian flawlessly portrayed both Lin Ling and Lin Zero, leaving Director Li beaming with joy, as if he had won the lottery.

Zuo Bian was also happy to receive such recognition. She was eager to see the audience’s reaction to the movie, but she had to wait.

The promotion for “Twins” had already begun during filming. Many viewers who had enjoyed “Ascending to Immortality” were looking forward to the movie, knowing that Zuo Bian was the lead actress.

Zuo Bian was a talented actress, and Director Li was renowned for his high-quality films. There hadn’t been a single bad movie from him.

Of course, there were still a few people who weren’t optimistic about “Twins.” They claimed that Director Li had lost his touch, that he couldn’t create good content anymore, and that he was resorting to using popular actors like other directors.

This group wasn’t small, and most of them were young people who had only heard of Director Li’s name but hadn’t seen his classic films.

If they were asked to watch them, they would say they weren’t interested. They believed that Director Li’s style was outdated and didn’t fit the current trends, which was why he had chosen Zuo Bian, who had become popular last year, as the female lead.

Before the movie’s release, many people online were predicting that “Twins” would flop, including many professional haters.

Coincidentally, “Twins” was scheduled to be released on the same day as a famous movie franchise, “Fleeting Time 5: Migratory Birds in the South.”

The “Fleeting Time” series was very popular and had a distinct style: The titles sounded artistic but had little to do with the actual content. The main actors were all variety show regulars who had good looks but questionable acting skills.

The movies promoted seemingly reasonable but unrealistic values, and they were popular among young audiences who hadn’t fully matured.

The target audience for “Fleeting Time” overlapped with those who looked down on Director Li’s works. Plus, the “Fleeting Time” series was known for its aggressive marketing tactics, which they considered normal. They had done it many times before without any repercussions, so they decided to do the same this time, hiring trolls and professional haters to slander “Twins” and manipulate public opinion.

“Twins” and “Fleeting Time 5” were scheduled to be released in a week, and the negative press releases were already piling up.

They praised “Fleeting Time 5” excessively, questioned the quality of “Twins,” and predicted that “Twins,” a serious and depressing movie, wouldn’t be well-received by the market.

After finishing filming for “Twins,” Zuo Bian started university. She was busy catching up on the knowledge she had missed, struggling to keep up with her classmates.

It took her a month to adjust. “Twins” was about to be released, and she would occasionally go online to check the news.

The “Twins” team and some industry insiders who had seen the preview screenings all praised the movie, predicting it would be both a critical and commercial success. However, the online sentiment was completely different.

【Host, aren’t you angry?】

Zuo Bian closed the webpage and said to 555, ‘I’m not angry. And I’ve learned how the “slapped in the face” trope works. The more they criticize “Twins” now, the more popular it will be when it’s released. People have expectations, and if the actual product exceeds their low expectations, they’ll be pleasantly surprised. But if their expectations are too high, they’ll be disappointed if the product isn’t as amazing as they imagined.’

【That’s true.】

‘So I’m not going to pay attention to these comments. Oh, I need to tell my parents and brother not to suppress these topics.’

Zuo Bian chose to major in psychology. First, she was interested in the subject. Second, she planned to continue acting, and knowledge of psychology would help her understand characters and scripts better.

As for 555, although the hidden danger had been eliminated, it hadn’t left yet. It claimed that it would stay until Zuo Bian and Qin Ai got married.

Time flew by, and the day of “Twins’” premiere arrived. Qin Ai came to pick up Zuo Bian as usual. She wasn’t flashy, but her car was too luxurious, and she was too beautiful, it was hard to be low-key.

They were already engaged, a loving couple in the public eye. Qin Ai picking up Zuo Bian wasn’t anything unusual. However, beautiful people always attracted attention, and some students couldn’t help but stare at them.

Qin Ai opened the car door for Zuo Bian, and Zuo Bian got in.

As she was fastening her seatbelt, she heard Qin Ai say, “Your movie is being released today. Do you want to watch it?”

Zuo Bian looked up and smiled. “Of course I do. I was just thinking about that.”

“I already bought the tickets, we’re just missing you.”

When they arrived at the theater, Zuo Bian realized that Qin Ai had booked the entire theater.

Zuo Bian was too popular now, and she was the lead actress in the movie. If she was recognized by fans in the theater, it would definitely cause a commotion.

They sat in the best seats in the theater. The movie had already started.

Zuo Bian had watched her own dramas before, but this was her first time watching a movie she starred in. She had been too busy to attend the preview screenings, so this was her first time seeing the finished product.

She instinctively glanced at Qin Ai, wanting to see her reaction, and their eyes met.

Qin Ai smiled and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you nervous?”

Zuo Bian pursed her lips and nodded honestly. “Mm, a little bit. What if my performance is bad and you laugh at me? I heard movies are different from dramas. Movies magnify flaws, and with such a big screen, any mistakes I made would be obvious.”

Qin Ai held Zuo Bian’s hand, gently stroking the back of it. “Don’t worry, and believe in yourself. If Director Li, who’s so picky, praised you, then you’re fine. Let’s watch the movie.”

The opening credits ended, and the movie began.

Zuo Bian turned her attention back to the screen, her breathing unconsciously shallowing. Soon, she forgot about her nervousness, her focus entirely on the movie.

The visuals and music in “Twins” were perfectly synchronized, quickly drawing the audience into the story.

The first character to appear wasn’t Zuo Bian, but Xia Ruyun, who played the rich heiress.

Xia Ruyun flawlessly portrayed the spoiled, arrogant, and condescending character. She might have some flaws in her personality, but her acting skills were undeniable.

At first, Zuo Bian’s character, Lin Ling, seemed like an innocent victim who had been caught up in a murder case. She was almost raped and was even suspected of being the murderer by the police.

Lin Ling’s past was gradually revealed, and the audience felt both pity and frustration for this weak and beautiful woman.

By the middle of the movie, most viewers were cursing the police in their minds. Lin Ling was clearly innocent, why were they still harassing her and disrupting her life?

But soon, their attitude changed. The police found a crucial clue, and everything seemed to point to the middle-aged man. Lin Ling’s smile as she walked out of the police station sent chills down everyone’s spines, making them gasp.

However, the second personality wasn’t fully revealed yet. The movie continued to mislead the audience, making them think that Lin Ling was a complex and mysterious character.

But her actions were contradictory. She still seemed like a timid and introverted woman.

Then a crucial character, the orphanage director, appeared, and the plot took another turn.

There were two young police officers who didn’t believe that the middle-aged man was the murderer. Although the evidence was solid, and the man had no alibi, everything felt off.

From the orphanage director, they learned a crucial piece of information: Lin Ling sometimes experienced personality changes, becoming gloomy and even torturing small animals. But these incidents were rare, and they had stopped after the director intervened.

And most children in the orphanage had some psychological issues, so the director hadn’t thought much of it.

In the movie, the young police officers had only found a clue, but the audience, with their omniscient perspective, knew more. If they still didn’t understand the meaning of “Twins” at this point, they had wasted their time watching the movie.

Previous questions were answered, and new ones were raised: How did Lin Ling perfectly frame the middle-aged man?

The plot was tight, the pacing fast, keeping the audience engaged throughout.

“Twins” and “Fleeting Time 5” were released on the same day, with an equal number of screenings. At first, there was no significant difference in their box office performance, but problems started to emerge from the second day onwards.

The attendance rate for “Twins” was at least 80%, while “Fleeting Time 5” only had 50%.

Even without any manipulation, the theaters could see which movie was more profitable. It was inevitable that “Twins” would get more screenings.

The audience who had watched the premiere couldn’t wait to discuss the movie online. Their discussions resonated with those who weren’t initially interested in this genre, piquing their curiosity.

That night, “Twins” trended on Weibo. “Fleeting Time 5” tried to compete, but one was organically trending, while the other was relying on paid promotion.

With good marketing, there would always be people following the trend. That was how the “Fleeting Time” series had always operated. But this time, they had met their match. The trending topic for “Twins” remained firmly above “Fleeting Time 5.”

This wasn’t a coincidence, it was intentional. Zuo Bian had told her family not to interfere with the haters and trolls who were trying to sabotage “Twins,” but they weren’t happy about it. Now that “Twins” was officially released, they were retaliating, slapping “Fleeting Time 5” in the face.

The marketing for “Fleeting Time 5” hadn’t stopped. It was fine to hype up the movie before its release, since no one knew what the content was like. But now that the movie was out, and its quality was average at best, the excessive praise became problematic.

They had boasted about surpassing “Twins” in every aspect, but now their movie was inferior in both quality and popularity. Many people who had high expectations for “Fleeting Time 5” were disappointed, feeling like they had wasted their money.

By the third day, the gap widened even further. “Twins,” with its quality and popularity, had already earned 1.43 billion yuan at the box office. Many viewers watched it multiple times and recommended it to their friends and family.

Those who watched it again weren’t disappointed. Instead, they discovered details they had missed the first time.

【OMG, this movie is amazing! Every character’s every expression is worth analyzing!】

【Don’t even get me started, it’s so creepy! I think the original personality, Lin Ling, is already dead. The one in that body now is Lin Zero, right?】

【I wonder if Lin Ling even knew that there was another person inside her. If it weren’t for that seemingly coincidental clue, would those two young police officers have been able to arrest Lin Zero?】

【And the music and cinematography are incredible! I hope they release the soundtrack, I’m willing to pay for it!】

Most of the online reviews for “Twins” were positive. Everyone who had seen it praised it.

Of course, those who had predicted its failure hadn’t given up, especially those who were fans of “Fleeting Time.”

The actors in “Fleeting Time” were all young and popular idols, relying on their fanbase for success. Now that their movie’s popularity was lower than a movie released on the same day, they started posting vague Weibo messages, playing the victim.

This tactic of manipulating fans’ emotions was common in the entertainment industry. The fans who were easily swayed were either young or deeply invested in their idols, seeing them as gods.

When their idols were sad, they would fight for them, driven by their collective emotions, not realizing that they were being manipulated.

By the fifth day of “Twins’” release, its rating had dropped to 7.9, thanks to the fans of “Fleeting Time 5.”

Not satisfied with lowering the rating, they started attacking Zuo Bian.

A bunch of “neutral bystanders” emerged, claiming that they had watched both “Twins” and “Fleeting Time 5” and that “Fleeting Time 5” was clearly better. They said “Twins” was confusing and poorly made.

These fans were too much. At first, no one paid attention to them, but then they started causing trouble in Zuo Bian’s forum, escalating the conflict.

They had come to their doorstep and pissed on their territory, it would be cowardly not to fight back.

Zuo Bian’s fans, having learned from the Ma Songxue incident, were now battle-hardened. They attacked every troll who dared to show their face.

Many ordinary moviegoers who had genuinely enjoyed “Twins” and wanted to rate it and read other people’s reviews were shocked to see the low rating.

“Twins” had been out for almost a week and had already earned 4 billion yuan at the box office. Many people had seen it, and there were many positive reviews. “Fleeting Time 5” wasn’t that good, they had released so many negative press releases, and now they were trying to lower its rating?

Not only were Zuo Bian’s fans angry, but ordinary people were also angry. If they could lower the rating, then they could raise it. Within half a day, “Twins’” rating climbed to 8.8.

Ordinary people didn’t understand the intricacies of fandom culture. They only knew one simple logic: You’re criticizing “Twins” and saying it’s inferior to “Fleeting Time 5”? Then let the data speak for itself.

By the time “Twins” was taken off the screens, its rating was 9.0, and its box office revenue was 6.57 billion yuan. “Fleeting Time 5” had a rating of 6.9 and a box office revenue of 1.03 billion yuan. It was a complete flop.

“Twins” had crushed “Fleeting Time 5” with its quality. Times had changed. A few years ago, popular idols could still rely on marketing and packaging to attract fans.

But now, the market was more mature, and people weren’t easily fooled. They could tell the difference between a good movie and a bad one. So it was only natural that “Twins” was a success.

After watching her own movie, Zuo Bian finally felt confident. She was happy with its success. The little incident with “Fleeting Time 5” hadn’t affected her mood at all.

She had already received the script for her next project, but filming wouldn’t start until next year. This was actually good for Zuo Bian. She wasn’t pursuing fame, she wanted to be known for her work. She didn’t need to constantly promote herself and maintain her popularity. And she was in university now, she wanted to focus on her studies in her first year.

Three months after “Twins’” release, as expected, it was nominated for Best Picture of the Year, and Zuo Bian was nominated for Best Actress of the Year.

She hadn’t attended the awards ceremony last year to receive the Best Newcomer Award, but this year, she was determined to receive the award from Qin Ai.

On the day of the awards ceremony, Zuo Bian put on her dress and rode with Qin Ai to the venue.

“Qin Ai, I’m definitely going to win the award from you this year.”

Qin Ai was also dressed in a gown, a deep V-neck purple velvet dress that accentuated her figure perfectly. She tapped her cheek with her slender finger, a playful smile in her eyes.

“You’re so confident. What if you don’t win?”

Zuo Bian was stunned. She hadn’t even considered the possibility of losing.

Seeing her reaction, Qin Ai chuckled. “It’s okay if you don’t win at the ceremony, I can give you a special award on behalf of myself.”

“Qin Ai, I’m starting to feel nervous now.” Zuo Bian had lost her confidence. “Qin Ai, can you tell me, am I the Best Actress of the Year?”

Qin Ai pretended to think for a moment. “Hmm… I don’t know.”

But she didn’t look like she didn’t know. Zuo Bian tried everything she could in the car, but she couldn’t get an answer from Qin Ai.

When they arrived at the venue, Zuo Bian felt even more nervous. Her palms were sweating as the host announced the nominees for Best Actress.

“Who will be our Best Actress this year? That’s right, it’s the talented actress who debuted last year, with few works but each one a masterpiece—”

“Zuo Bian!”

The moment she heard her name, Zuo Bian looked at Qin Ai with joy. Qin Ai patted her hand, signaling her to go on stage.

Zuo Bian, snapping out of her daze, walked onto the stage, Qin Ai following closely behind.

The golden trophy was in Qin Ai’s hand, but Zuo Bian’s eyes were fixed on her face.

She took the trophy and was speechless for a moment. Then she said into the microphone, “Qin Ai, I’m so happy to be able to share this joy with you.”

Her gaze met Qin Ai’s, their smiles mirroring each other.

There were many days, many years ahead of them. They would be together, year after year.

Chapter 98

Zuo Bian remembered that 555 had repeatedly said that she and Qin Ai would live a long and happy life together. It must be because of this.

【Those who are meant to die will die, those who aren’t won’t, unless they use special methods to defy fate. But defying fate will have negative consequences for the world and alert the Heavenly Dao. If the Heavenly Dao intervenes, everything will be set right.】

Then 555 added, 【And the price of destruction and creation is never equal. It’s easy to die, but to come back to life requires a much greater sacrifice than just one life.】

Zuo Bian suddenly remembered something. When she had mentioned the pointlessness of immortality without loved ones, her master’s expression had changed instantly.

Little Frog didn’t say anything more, or rather, it couldn’t say anything more.

Late at night, Zuo Bian lay alone in bed, unable to sleep. She kept replaying the past in her mind.

Memories flashed through her mind, and she realized there were so many things that didn’t make sense. But the old Zuo Bian had never questioned them.

Because her master had appeared when she needed help the most, she had always trusted her unconditionally.

She had already known that her master wasn’t as simple as she had imagined, but she hadn’t expected even her personality to be fake.

Nothing was real. Zuo Bian thought she should be angry, but she mostly felt lost.

Her master’s gentleness was fake, her personality was fake, her memories were fake, maybe even their encounter was fake.

Even if her personality was fake, some things wouldn’t change. Zuo Bian knew that Meng Zhen was a meticulous person who never made mistakes and never did anything unnecessary.

Now that she thought about it, her memories before meeting her master were blurry, so blurry that she wasn’t even sure if they were real.

She wanted to ask her master if there was anything real about her, or if everything was a lie.

Zuo Bian’s mind was filled with worries. She didn’t know what time it was when she finally drifted off to sleep.

=================================

The next day, she woke up late. But she had already experienced most of what she needed to experience. She wasn’t a real employee at the restaurant, so she didn’t have to go to work.

She had made plans to have lunch with Qin Ai, but during their meal, she seemed distracted and listless.

Qin Ai noticed her unusual behavior and asked if something was wrong.

Zuo Bian hesitated for a moment, then briefly explained her suspicions about her master.

The elder she had always relied on wasn’t as kind as she had thought. She might even be trying to kill her.

Qin Ai placed her hand on Zuo Bian’s, her thumb gently stroking her skin. She smiled. “Don’t be too sad, we’re here for you.”

“Mm.” Zuo Bian smiled back, but her smile was weak.

How could she let go so easily? Humans weren’t machines. Deleting a memory wasn’t as simple as pressing a button.

That afternoon, Zuo Bian’s agent called, her voice brimming with excitement. She told Zuo Bian that she had been nominated for the Best Newcomer Award at the Golden Dove Awards.

Among this year’s newcomers, Zuo Bian was undoubtedly the most promising. “Ascending to Immortality” had become a phenomenal hit, and Zuo Bian had gained a considerable fanbase. Plus, with the backing of two powerful families, there was no way she would be robbed of the award.

Of course, some people were inherently prejudiced against those from wealthy families. Even though Zuo Bian’s performance in “Ascending to Immortality” was outstanding, and there was no other newcomer who could surpass her this year, they still believed that she had only gotten this far because of her family’s resources, not her talent.

However, this wouldn’t affect Zuo Bian winning the award. The award belonged to whoever deserved it.

The award ceremony was in three days, right before the filming for “Twins” began.

The day before the Golden Dove Awards, Zuo Bian helped Tao Zi prepare a surprise for her brother. Everyone except for Zuo Yuan knew about the proposal plan.

Everyone around Zuo Yuan was busy, even his usually doting sister could only spare a few words for him before rushing off to do something.

Zuo Yuan was confused. He thought they were preparing a surprise for him, but it wasn’t his birthday, and there weren’t any special occasions coming up.

That night, he received a call from his secretary, who said there was an emergency at the company and asked him to come over.

Hearing the urgency in his secretary’s voice, Zuo Yuan didn’t think much of it. He grabbed his coat and drove to the company.

However, when he arrived, the company was empty. It was eerily quiet, and the lights were off.

He called out a few times, but there was no response. He took out his phone and started calling as he walked inside.

Beep, beep, beep—

The sound echoed through the empty hallway. Zuo Yuan frowned and hung up the phone. He pushed open the door to his office.

Click! The lights suddenly turned on.

The bright light made him squint. Before he could open his eyes, he heard Tao Zi’s voice.

“Zuo Yuan, let’s get married!” Tao Zi held a bouquet of paper rabbits, a smile on her face.

Only then did Zuo Yuan notice his family and friends standing around him, their eyes filled with blessings. On the table behind Tao Zi was a large cake shaped like a house.

He had thought he would be the one proposing to Tao Zi, but she had beaten him to it.

He took the bouquet of paper rabbits, hearing Tao Zi say, “We’ll have our own little home now.”

“Okay, let’s get married.” Zuo Yuan smiled.

Everyone cheered and applauded. Qin Tian, hiding behind Qin Ai, shouted, “Kiss her, kiss her!” Then Qin Ai knocked him on the head, and he finally quieted down.

“Ring…”

“Ring.”

Tao Zi and Zuo Yuan both took out rings, then smiled at each other and exchanged them.

Zuo Bian, who had helped set up the proposal, was happy for her brother and Tao Zi, seeing their happy smiles.

The proposal was a success, and the house-shaped cake was “divided” among everyone—smeared on Zuo Yuan’s face.

Zuo Yuan was stunned for a moment, then retaliated, scooping up a handful of cream.

Perhaps they were all too happy and let loose, becoming childish and engaging in a cake fight.

The only ones who were actually interested in the cake itself were Zuo Bian and Qin Tian. They were huddled in a corner, eating cake and analyzing the “battle situation.”

“Brother only has his eyes left. Ah, he’s been ambushed again.”

Qin Tian, his mouth full of cake, said, “Delicious, but even Mom got hit.”

“Having fun hiding in the corner and eating cake?” A playful voice came from behind them.

“Mm-hmm, having fun.” The sweet taste of the cake filled Zuo Bian’s mouth. She loved it.

Qin Tian, focused on eating, mumbled a response.

But they quickly realized it was Qin Ai’s voice. Qin Tian chuckled nervously, cake crumbs clinging to his lips. “Sister, do you want some cake?”

Qin Ai sat down beside Zuo Bian. The sofa was large enough for three people, but Qin Tian still instinctively scooted over, giving them more space.

“Why are you so messy?” Qin Ai looked at the corner of Zuo Bian’s lips.

Zuo Bian didn’t react immediately. She looked at Qin Ai blankly, then Qin Ai’s face moved closer.

Qin Ai’s soft lips brushed against Zuo Bian’s, wiping away the cream. Zuo Bian’s face flushed red, her lips trembling as she struggled to speak.

“Oh my god, I can’t watch this.” Qin Tian exclaimed dramatically, pretending to cover his eyes, but the gaps between his fingers were wide open.

“You have cream on your lips.” Qin Ai pointed at her own lips.

“Oh, okay.” Zuo Bian licked her lips, savoring the lingering sensation, then scooped up a small piece of cake with her fork and offered it to Qin Ai. “Qin Ai, do you want to try some?”

Qin Ai opened her mouth and ate the cake. “It’s delicious.”

Zuo Bian smiled happily.

==============================

Tao Zi’s proposal was a success, and Zuo Yuan was in high spirits. Everything seemed perfect. Zuo Bian was going to the awards ceremony, and Zuo Yuan even helped her with her makeup.

The makeup perfectly accentuated her features, making her even more captivating. His skills were on par with professional makeup artists. Zuo Bian had never known her brother had this hidden talent.

“Brother, how are you so good at makeup?” Zuo Bian’s eyes sparkled with admiration. She had also practiced makeup before, but her skills were nowhere near as good as a professional’s.

Zuo Yuan’s expression turned awkward. He quickly changed the subject. “Xiao Bian, are you happy that you look so beautiful today? Brother already got the news, you’re going to win the Best Newcomer Award at the Golden Dove Awards, and Qin Ai is the special guest presenter.”

“Of course, I’m happy.” Zuo Bian smiled brightly at her reflection in the mirror.

Everything was ready, and it was time for her to leave for the awards ceremony. The stylist noticed the engagement ring on Zuo Bian’s left middle finger and asked if she wanted to take it off because it didn’t match her outfit for the ceremony.

Zuo Bian shook her head. She didn’t want to take off her engagement ring. She would only take it off when she married Qin Ai and replace it with a wedding ring.

Then she got into the car, the scenery outside blurring past. She rolled down the window slightly, and the cool breeze ruffled her hair, carrying a faint fragrance that quickly disappeared.

The bodyguards opened the car door for her. Zuo Bian stepped out, holding her dress. On both sides were reporters with cameras, the flashing lights blinding.

She smiled and waved at them, the engagement ring on her right middle finger sparkling.

Zuo Bian walked down the red carpet, her posture elegant, her gaze clear. Unlike other celebrities who lingered on the red carpet, stretching a one-minute walk into ten minutes, she walked briskly.

The media wanted to capture more photos of her. After all, she was a rising star with a powerful family background. If she was serious about her acting career, she would definitely become a superstar. Unfortunately, she was too quick. In less than a minute, she was gone.

Entering the venue, Zuo Bian found her seat, which was near the front. Coincidentally, Chang Wensi and Lu Letian were sitting beside her.

“Congratulations in advance, Best Newcomer of the Year.” Chang Wensi’s tone was slightly sour.

When she had debuted, she had also been popular, but the drama she starred in wasn’t as successful as “Ascending to Immortality,” so she hadn’t won the Best Newcomer Award that year.

This year, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, but not winning the Best Newcomer Award still left her feeling a bit regretful.

“Thank you,” Zuo Bian said with a smile.

Chang Wensi muttered, “You’re still as annoying as ever. Forget it, I’m not talking to you anymore.”

Lu Letian gave Zuo Bian an apologetic look, as if saying, “Don’t mind her, she’s just like that, she doesn’t mean any harm.”

Zuo Bian had known Chang Wensi for a while now and understood her personality. She didn’t take it to heart.

The host on stage, with a sweet smile, read the script, trying to liven up the atmosphere. She announced the nominees for the first award.

When she reached the winner’s name, she paused for dramatic effect, the images on the big screen behind her flashing between the nominees.

After a moment of suspense, she finally announced the winner. The audience applauded as the winner walked onto the stage. As usual, the acceptance speech was boring and predictable.

Although it was Zuo Bian’s first time attending an awards ceremony, she wasn’t particularly excited about it. What she was looking forward to was receiving the award from Qin Ai.

This was her first award, and the feeling of being recognized was truly gratifying, especially since she could share this joy with Qin Ai.

She didn’t have to wait long. Shortly after Chang Wensi received the Best Supporting Actress Award, it was time for the Best Newcomer Award.

Although Zuo Bian was confident she would win, her heart still raced.

Only when the host announced her name did she finally relax. Qin Ai had said she would present the award to her, it would be awkward if someone else won.

As she walked onto the stage, Zuo Bian felt a bit dizzy. She instinctively glanced in a certain direction, her eyes meeting Qin Ai’s.

Qin Ai was wearing a dark blue dress, her long hair cascading down her shoulders. She smiled at Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian quickened her steps, eager to reach Qin Ai’s side.

“Now, let’s welcome our special guest presenter, President Qin, the CEO of Qin Group, to present the Best Newcomer Award. President Qin is also the fiancée of our Best Newcomer, Zuo Bian. Even at an awards ceremony, they’re still showing off their love. So sweet!” The host said into the microphone.

Qin Ai walked towards Zuo Bian, holding the trophy. There was a faint creaking sound, as if something was about to collapse, but Zuo Bian was too happy to notice it.

Just as Qin Ai was about to reach her, the giant chandelier above them suddenly fell, Zuo Bian’s pupils constricting, the smile freezing on her face.

The deafening crash made her ears ring. She looked down in a daze and saw blood pooling beneath the shattered chandelier.

The bright red blood bloomed like a flower on the floor. The host screamed, and the audience erupted in chaos.

Zuo Bian felt like her world was shrouded in a dark veil. The scene blurred, the sounds muffled.

Someone seemed to be comforting her, but she couldn’t hear their words. In her daze, she received a phone call. The person on the other end said,

—”Excuse me, is this Miss Zuo? Your parents and brother’s bodies are at the hospital. Please come and identify them.”

Zuo Bian gripped her phone tightly, her knuckles turning white.

The air around her thinned, and darkness slowly consumed her vision. She gasped for breath, but it was useless. The suffocating pain overwhelmed her, and she lost consciousness.

She didn’t know how much time had passed. She woke up in darkness, a hand slowly emerging from the soil. She crawled out of the damp earth, her body covered in dried blood and dirt, her skin so filthy that she was almost unrecognizable.

Her head throbbed, fragmented memories colliding in her mind, impossible to grasp.

Finally free from the dirt, she looked up at the sky. The gray sky was thick with dark clouds, the air heavy with the metallic scent of blood and the stench of rotting corpses.

She looked around, her gaze falling upon countless mangled and disfigured bodies.

Only then did she remember fragments of what had happened. She had descended the mountain to complete a mission, but something had gone wrong. She had been killed by the Demon Lord while saving a child.

Was she still alive?

She had to go back, maybe her master was still waiting for her on Mount Feimeng.

She tried to absorb the spiritual energy from the world, but her body was empty, like a sieve. The energy passed through her without leaving a trace.

Her meridians were severed, her dantian shattered, and even her spiritual platform was cracked. She was now weaker than an ordinary mortal.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t disappointed. Years of cultivation had vanished overnight, leaving her a cripple. But no matter what the future held, she wanted to see her master and fellow disciples again, at least to let them know she was still alive, so they wouldn’t worry.

Dragging her heavy body, she walked through the mass grave. She had lost track of time when she finally saw the sect’s gate. Reaching her limit, she collapsed in front of it.

When she woke up again, she was back at the sect. Her master was treating her injuries. Her body was severely damaged, and if she wanted to cultivate again, she would have to start from scratch.

Her master then presented her with a path.

“—The Path of Heartlessness.”

“Strength comes from detachment. Without desires, there are no weaknesses, and one can advance fearlessly.”

Even with her current crippled body, Zuo Bian’s cultivation in the Path of Heartlessness progressed much faster than her previous cultivation in swordsmanship.

Not long after she started cultivating the Path of Heartlessness, her master brought back a junior sister named Qin Ai.

Hearing that name, Zuo Bian frowned. She felt like she had forgotten something important.

Her master told her that this girl was the child she had saved, a child with great potential, a good seedling, which was why she had brought her back.

Time flew by for cultivators. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years had passed. Zuo Bian and Qin Ai had grown close and developed feelings for each other. They had recently become Dao companions.

Zuo Bian had also reached the peak of the Unity Realm, just a step away from breaking through and ascending to immortality.

Qin Ai was also talented and had reached the early stage of the Unity Realm. Zuo Bian had thought they would be together forever, but on the day of her ascension tribulation, she heard her master say,

—”Kill Qin Ai, and you can become immortal.”

Zuo Bian held the Soul-Extinguishing Dagger her master had given her. “Master, are you asking me to kill my wife to achieve enlightenment?”

“If you don’t kill her, you’ll be the one who dies during the ascension tribulation. Xiao Bian, you cultivate the Path of Heartlessness. If your heart has feelings, your path is destined to fail. I’m doing this for your own good. Go, Qin Ai is waiting for you outside the hall.”

Zuo Bian put away the dagger and walked out of the hall. As expected, she saw Qin Ai.

Qin Ai, standing under a tree, smiled when she saw Zuo Bian. Zuo Bian wanted to smile back, but she couldn’t.

She glanced back and saw her master standing in the hall, looking at them. She couldn’t see her master’s expression clearly, but she had a feeling that her master wasn’t looking at them, but at something beyond them.

The sky suddenly darkened, thick black clouds gathering, lightning flashing within them. A moment later, thunder roared, as if the heavens were splitting open.

Her ascension tribulation had arrived. She heard Qin Ai offering to protect her. The Soul-Extinguishing Dagger, as if it had a life of its own, tried to fly out of her storage pouch and pierce Qin Ai’s heart.

Zuo Bian pushed Qin Ai away, and the lightning bolt struck her directly. The excruciating pain felt like countless blades scraping her bones, her flesh burning.

Enduring the pain, she questioned, “Master, if cultivating the Path of Heartlessness requires me to kill my wife to achieve enlightenment, I would rather be an ordinary cultivator and never become immortal. Are you truly doing this for my own good?”

Raindrops fell like stones, accompanied by the rumbling thunder, drowning out all other sounds. But Zuo Bian could still hear Meng Zhen’s voice.

“A Pure Soul is indeed a Pure Soul, pure and innocent. You’ll never make the same choice I did.”

As Zuo Bian chose to abandon the path of killing her wife to achieve enlightenment, something invisible shattered. The voices in her head grew louder, something cracked, and she clearly heard several voices.

Meng Zhen had used illusions to shake Zuo Bian’s mind, pulling her into a deeper illusion. But Zuo Bian’s choice and her questioning of Meng Zhen had broken the illusion, creating a crack that connected to reality.

—”Zuo Bian, wake up!”

—”Xiao Bian, are you okay? Don’t scare Mom!”

—”Xiao Bian! Xiao Bian!”

—”Xiao Bian, Dad and Mom are waiting for you to wake up.”

These familiar voices shattered the illusion, and Zuo Bian’s memories came flooding back. She remembered being killed by the Demon Lord and transmigrating to another world, a world where she had been happy.

Everything around her dissipated like smoke. Thunder roared, and a giant crack appeared in the sky, a massive eye peering through it, gazing upon Meng Zhen and Zuo Bian.

A self-deprecating smile appeared on Meng Zhen’s face. “Defying fate always comes with a price, I’ve always known that. But to resurrect her, I was willing to pay any price, I only cared about the result.”

“Zuo Bian, you asked what I had lied to you about? I did lie to you. I killed your senior sister myself. The baby girl she gave birth to was you. I tampered with your memories before you turned seven, I arranged your identity, all to become your benefactor. Oh, and your mother’s name was Du Yundong, the same name as your mother in this world.”

Zuo Bian’s eyes widened. She remembered a dream she had had, a dream where she was being held by her mother, her embrace warm, her words muffled.

She looked Meng Zhen in the eye. “Master, no matter what your wish is, you shouldn’t sacrifice other people’s lives to achieve it. Was my death also part of your plan?”

“Yes, but unfortunately, your soul was taken by the Heavenly Dao and sent to this world to continue living. So I followed you here. But it seems I’ve been discovered.” Meng Zhen looked up at the giant eye in the crack, the eye of the Heavenly Dao.

Zuo Bian’s heart was heavy. Meng Zhen’s words had revealed that she had killed her wife to achieve enlightenment. If she truly loved her, how could she have let her die?

But if she didn’t love her, why would she go to such lengths to resurrect her?

“Did you love her?” Zuo Bian asked, as if speaking for someone who could no longer ask this question.

Meng Zhen chuckled. Before being completely obliterated by the Heavenly Dao, she said, “Of course, I love myself the most.”

But Zuo Bian didn’t believe her.

The crack widened, and a finger descended, as if the sky was collapsing. Meng Zhen’s body vanished under the overwhelming power, her soul scattered, erased from existence.

Wrongdoings always had consequences. This was Meng Zhen’s deserved fate.

If Zuo Bian had chosen the other path, she would have become Meng Zhen’s hundredth sacrifice. But she hadn’t. She had broken through Meng Zhen’s manipulative illusion.

Even if Zuo Bian had made the wrong choice, Meng Zhen, who had already altered the fate of so many people, had been targeted by the Heavenly Dao. It was only a matter of time before she was found.

But Zuo Bian would never have made that choice. In her heart, the people she loved were the most precious treasures in her life.

With Meng Zhen’s death, the illusion that had trapped Zuo Bian vanished.

In her daze, she opened her eyes, her vision filled with worried faces.

As soon as Zuo Bian woke up, Qin Ai hugged her tightly, as if trying to merge their bodies. Zuo Bian had been like an empty shell, unresponsive to any attempts to wake her.

“You’re finally awake.” Qin Ai’s furrowed brows relaxed.

“Mm, I’m awake. I’m sorry for worrying you.” Zuo Bian felt guilty.

Zuo Yan gently stroked her head. “Don’t apologize, it’s good that you’re awake.”

“Mom is relieved to see that you’re okay, Xiao Bian.” Du Yundong said through her tears.

“Yes, it’s good that you’re okay,” Zuo Yuan said.

He had been the first to notice something was wrong. Zuo Bian had suddenly “fallen asleep” in the car and wouldn’t wake up. They had taken her to the hospital, but the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong. Thankfully, she was awake now.

“It’s good that you’re all here. I just… dreamt that you were gone. Thankfully, it was just a dream.” The events in the illusion still chilled her to the bone. Thankfully, reality was the opposite.

The people she loved were all alive and well.

“Silly child, of course it was a dream. Mom and Dad still want to see you and your brother happily married,” Du Yundong said with a smile.

Zuo Bian suddenly remembered something. “I missed the awards ceremony, that’s a pity. I was looking forward to receiving the award from Qin Ai.”

Qin Ai squeezed her hand. “It’s not a pity, there’s always next year. Next year, the year after, and the year after that, you’ll have plenty of opportunities.”

Zuo Bian smiled brightly. “Okay, until we’re ninety-nine.”

(End of Main Story)

***

99 – “The wish for a couple to be together for long time” (Forever)

“9”means everlasting and unchanging.

Chapter 97

After hearing Tao Zi’s plan, Zuo Bian promised to cooperate.

“I’m not sure if he’ll be happy about it.”

“He’ll definitely be happy, Sao Sao(sister-in-law), don’t worry,” Zuo Bian assured her.

Tao Zi had mentioned her plan during Zuo Bian and Qin Ai’s engagement ceremony. The plan was to propose to Zuo Yuan.

The reason she had waited until now to execute it was because she had been busy folding 9,999 paper rabbits. Yes, Zuo Yuan, despite his tall and muscular build, loved bunnies.

Of course, the proposal wouldn’t just involve bunnies. They were just a part of it.

Every time Zuo Yuan brought up marriage, Tao Zi would tell him to wait. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to get married, she just wanted to surprise him.

“Sao Sao, my brother is actually quite easy to bully. After you marry him, you have to be good to him. If you’re not, I’ll make him… go back to his mother’s house.” Zuo Bian couldn’t come up with any harsh threats, and after struggling for a bit, she could only come up with “go back to his mother’s house.”

Tao Zi chuckled. “Zuo Zuo, that’s not how you use ‘go back to his mother’s house.’ And don’t worry, I swear I’ll be good to Zuo Yuan. He might seem shrewd, but he’s actually quite easy to deceive and coax.”

“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Bian nodded in agreement.

555 silently complained in her mind: The Zuo family was full of naive and innocent people, even the seemingly stern and taciturn Zuo Yan had a silly side.

Then Zuo Bian added, “Sao Sao, if Brother isn’t good to you, tell me.”

Tao Zi then explained her proposal plan in detail. Zuo Bian listened attentively, nodding and agreeing throughout.

They chatted outside for half an hour, while the three men inside were still engrossed in their card game.

Qin Ai occasionally made sarcastic remarks, as if she found playing cards with Qin Tian and Zuo Yuan boring. But if she was truly bored, she would have left already.

Qin Tian listlessly arranged his cards, while Zuo Yuan stared intently at the cards on the table, his posture suggesting that he was determined to win this round.

They were so focused on the game that they didn’t even notice two people were missing from the room.

When Zuo Bian and Tao Zi returned, the round had just ended. Zuo Yuan threw his cards on the table in frustration. “Is it even fun if you don’t let anyone win a single round?”

Qin Ai rested her chin on her hand, a smirk playing on her lips. “I only care about winning. If you can’t win, it just means you’re not good enough. Want to play another round?”

“Yes!” Zuo Yuan crossed his arms and leaned back, waiting for Qin Tian to shuffle the cards.

Qin Tian, being the worst player, was the one shuffling the cards most of the time. He had no talent for games, whether it was video games or card games. He would probably be crushed if he played against Zuo Bian.

After Zuo Bian returned, she pulled up a stool and sat beside Qin Ai, watching her play.

She observed for a few rounds and figured out the rules. She was eager to try it herself.

Seeing her interest, Qin Tian immediately volunteered to step down.

“Sister Zuo Bian, you play! I’m tired, I can’t play anymore.” He looked at Zuo Bian with pleading eyes.

Zuo Bian took his seat and picked up her cards, clumsily arranging them.

“This is my first time playing cards, I might be terrible at it.”

Qin Ai: “It’s okay, I’ll take care of you.”

Zuo Yuan: “It’s okay, I’ll take care of you.”

Before Zuo Bian could even respond, the two men, who couldn’t stand each other, locked eyes, their competitive spirit burning.

Of course, the scene where they both tried to help Zuo Bian, resulting in her winning by default, didn’t happen.

Zuo Bian held a large number of unplayed cards in her hand, confused. “It’s over already?”

Qin Tian, who was watching, couldn’t help but laugh. Tao Zi also struggled to suppress her laughter. “President Qin, Zuo Yuan, didn’t you say you were going to take care of Zuo Zuo? She didn’t even get a chance to play.”

Qin Ai said calmly, “Zuo Bian and I are one, it doesn’t matter if I win or she wins.”

Zuo Yuan shuffled the cards awkwardly. “Sorry, Brother got too carried away, I forgot.”

The next round went much better. Zuo Bian managed to play at least half of her cards. She was a fast learner, and by the fourth round, she was starting to surpass Zuo Yuan.

The clock on the bedside table ticked away, the hour hand pointing at nine.

Qin Tian yawned. Qin Ai glanced at the time. “It’s getting late, let’s call it a night.”

Zuo Yuan, who still hadn’t won a single round, reluctantly put down his cards, vowing to get his revenge next time.

They cleaned up the apartment together and then said their goodbyes.

Zuo Bian walked them downstairs. Zuo Yuan, like Du Yundong, gave her a long list of instructions, telling her to take care of herself, not to be too frugal, and reminding her that their family didn’t need her to earn money from acting.

Zuo Bian agreed to everything, and Zuo Yuan finally left with Tao Zi.

Qin Ai had wanted to say something, but Zuo Yuan had already said everything.

So she just said, “Let’s have lunch together tomorrow.”

Zuo Bian smiled and agreed.

“I’m leaving.”

Qin Ai patted Qin Tian’s shoulder. Qin Tian, who was almost asleep standing up, mumbled in response, not even fully awake as Qin Ai pushed him into the car.

======================

After Qin Ai’s car disappeared from sight, Zuo Bian slowly turned around and headed back upstairs.

Just as she turned, she caught a glimpse of a black figure out of the corner of her eye. But when she looked closely, there was nothing there.

Zuo Bian brushed aside her doubts and went upstairs. As soon as she entered the apartment, Little Frog jumped on her.

After meeting her master today, Zuo Bian had become wary. She wanted to ask 555 if it sensed anything unusual, but she had been distracted by the dinner with Qin Ai and her family.

Now that everyone was gone, she finally had time to talk to Little Frog.

But the first thing Little Frog said was, “Xiao Bianbian, ribbit, I can smell my master, ribbit.”

Bits of information she had previously ignored resurfaced: Little Frog saying it had been abandoned by its master and constantly mentioning “sacrifices.” The last time Little Frog had fallen into a coma and then suddenly woken up and tried to take her away was after she had discovered her master in this world.

She had met her master today, and now Little Frog was saying it could smell its master. Zuo Bian easily connected Little Frog’s master with Meng Zhen.

However, she remembered showing Meng Zhen’s photos to Little Frog before, and Little Frog had only said the face looked familiar. This puzzled Zuo Bian.

“Little Frog, what does your master look like?” She gently stroked Little Frog’s head, calming it down.

Little Frog’s trembling subsided. It rolled around in Zuo Bian’s palm. “I can’t describe her, ribbit, but I can draw her, ribbit.”

【Host, I have a feeling that Little Frog’s master is your master. Although we don’t have any concrete evidence, there aren’t many people who can act so freely in this incomplete world. I was censored when you met with your master, that’s very unusual.】

555 had disappeared for a while during the dinner with Qin Ai and her family. It had been contacting the higher-ups. They couldn’t find anything wrong in a short amount of time, but that was precisely why it was so concerning.

“I also have that feeling, but I’m not sure yet.”

Zuo Bian placed Little Frog on the table, took out a blank notebook and a pencil, and gave them to Little Frog, asking it to draw its master.

She sat beside Little Frog, watching it draw and chatting with 555. Of course, they couldn’t come up with any concrete plans. The enemy was in the dark, and they were in the light, putting them at a disadvantage.

Although they didn’t reach any conclusions, both 555 and Zuo Bian agreed that whoever the enemy was, they were definitely targeting Zuo Bian.

While they were chatting, Little Frog, holding the pencil, finally drew the outline of a woman’s face on the paper.

Its arms were short, so it had to stretch them out to draw its master.

The basic features were already on the paper, but the details were missing. Zuo Bian looked at the drawing, feeling like she had seen this face before.

The pencil scratched against the paper, and a complete face appeared before Zuo Bian’s eyes.

This face was all too familiar, yet there was a hint of strangeness.

Little Frog’s drawing skills were surprisingly good. It was just a face drawn on paper, but it felt like the woman was staring back at her.

The same face, but completely different eyes. In Zuo Bian’s memory, Meng Zhen had always been gentle and smiling, as if nothing could shake her composure.

But the woman in the drawing had sharp eyes, her ambition evident.

It was hard to believe that the same person, the same face, could have such a drastic difference. If Zuo Bian didn’t know Meng Zhen well, she wouldn’t have recognized her.

No wonder Little Frog had only said the face looked familiar when Zuo Bian showed it Meng Zhen’s photos.

Zuo Bian, being an actress herself, knew that acting could only deceive the camera. It was difficult to deceive the people around you for years.

She suddenly noticed the script lying on the edge of the table, the title “Twins” printed on the cover.

She picked up the script, flipped through the pages, and stopped at a certain page.

—To deceive others, you must first deceive yourself. Lin Ling created another self, bearing all the sins, deceiving everyone.

“This is my master, ribbit!” Little Frog put down the pencil and looked up at Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian remained silent for a moment, then placed the script back on the table. “Thank you, Little Frog. Your master is my master.”

“Xiao Bianbian, are you the hundredth sacrifice, ribbit?” Little Frog’s eyes widened.

When they first met, Little Frog had asked, “Do you want to be the hundredth one, ribbit?”

She hadn’t expected those casual words to come true. Zuo Bian was the hundredth sacrifice chosen by Meng Zhen.

She wasn’t surprised to hear the word “sacrifice” anymore. It was unexpected, yet not entirely unreasonable.

Was Meng Zhen’s story about her senior sister true? Zuo Bian couldn’t help but wonder if her senior sister had died because she had discovered the truth.

Zuo Bian stared at the drawing for a long time, then she folded it and tore it into pieces.

“Little Frog, can you tell me what’s going on?” She looked at Little Frog.

Little Frog hopped around anxiously on the table, its face flushed, but it couldn’t speak.

“Xiao Bianbian, ribbit, I can’t say some things, ribbit.”

Zuo Bian wiped away its sweat and said gently, “Little Frog, then tell me what you can.”

Little Frog tried to speak. At first, it couldn’t make any sound, but when it reached a certain topic, it finally spoke.

“Xiao Bianbian, ribbit, I actually had two masters, ribbit. The other master was very gentle, ribbit. She was very good to me, ribbit. But one day, she suddenly disappeared, ribbit. Wuwuwu, ribbit, I miss her, ribbit.”

Zuo Bian comforted Little Frog while encouraging it to continue.

“My master told me that the other master would come back, ribbit. But I know she won’t, ribbit. The dead can’t come back to life, ribbit. When your time is up, you’re gone, ribbit.”

555 also spoke up. 【Little Frog is right. Everyone has their own destiny, recorded by the Heavenly Dao. Many people struggle their entire lives, thinking they can defy fate, but that’s also part of fate. That’s why there’s a saying, ‘Even if the King of Hell wants you dead at midnight, you can’t live past dawn.’】

Chapter 96

Seeing that 555 didn’t respond for a long time, Zuo Bian said, ‘I’ll ask Little Frog when I get home.’

555: …

【Then ask Little Frog.】

It wasn’t that 555 was useless. It was still a rookie among systems, having completed only a few missions. It lacked experience and imagination and couldn’t fathom how someone could harm Zuo Bian with the protection of the super plug-in.

Why didn’t it consider the possibility that the person trying to harm Zuo Bian might be able to overcome the plug-in? Because plug-ins weren’t foolproof, they could be exploited.

The true power that could be considered a cheat code was the Heavenly Dao. It could destroy countless worlds with a wave of its hand and create countless worlds with a single thought. But the Heavenly Dao was busy and wouldn’t intervene unless someone tried to forcefully defy fate.

However, Zuo Bian wasn’t as worried about her safety as 555 thought. She was an optimist, believing that things would work out in the end.

Excessive worry wouldn’t solve anything, it would only cloud her judgment.

That was why she was able to put aside her emotions and label Meng Zhen as dangerous.

She still didn’t know what her master’s goal was or why she was doing this. The only thing she was certain of was that most of what she had believed in might be fake, fabricated lies by Meng Zhen.

Others might be devastated to learn that someone they had trusted might be trying to harm them, but Zuo Bian wasn’t.

Perhaps it was because she had already suspected this for a long time, she just hadn’t had any proof.

==================

On her way back, Zuo Bian bought fried rice for dinner. Cooking was out of the question, she could only survive on takeout.

In fact, the tiny kitchen in her apartment couldn’t handle her cooking. One attempt at cooking, and it might be unusable.

Carrying the bag of fried rice, she climbed the stairs, talking to 555 as she walked.

‘555, don’t you think that car parked in the neighborhood looks familiar?’

【Familiar? I don’t remember seeing it.】

Zuo Bian thought for a moment. ‘It looks like Qin Ai’s car.’

【Hahaha, Host, you must be mistaken. Doesn’t Qin Ai only drive white cars? And if she was coming to see you, she would have called you beforehand.】

As soon as 555 finished speaking, it froze. It suddenly remembered its passive skill: 100% chance of being slapped in the face. Whenever it said something with certainty, it would be proven wrong in a short amount of time.

【Host, you’re secretly cunning, aren’t you? How can you reverse jinx like this? It’s cheating!】

‘Hmm? What’s wrong with me?’ Zuo Bian didn’t understand what 555 was talking about.

While she was talking to 555 in her mind, she reached the seventh floor. She stood in front of her door, took out her keys, and unlocked it.

Click. She pushed the door open. Bang! A shower of colorful confetti rained down on her.

“Long time no see, Sister Zuo Bian!” Qin Tian’s cheerful voice rang out.

Zuo Bian looked up and saw Qin Tian, beaming, Qin Ai behind him with a gentle smile, and Zuo Yuan and Tao Zi peeking out from behind them.

As expected, 555 had been slapped in the face.

“Qin Ai, Xiao Tian, Brother, Sao Sao, what are you doing here? Why didn’t you call me?” Zuo Bian took off her shoes and entered the apartment.

Qin Tian, the little chatterbox, immediately betrayed his sister. “Because Sister wanted to surprise you! So we came to make you a feast! And Brother and Sao Sao are here too, Sao Sao is an amazing cook. Don’t worry, Sister Zuo Bian, I didn’t help with the cooking, I just watched. You can eat these delicious dishes without worry.”

After Qin Tian’s explanation, Zuo Bian understood. Then she realized she was still holding the bag of fried rice.

“What should I do? I bought fried rice, it seems like it’s going to be wasted.” She hated wasting food.

Qin Tian’s eyes lit up. “Don’t worry, Sister Zuo Bian, I’m still growing, I can eat more. Leave it to me.”

Qin Ai ruffled his hair, then said to Zuo Bian, “Come in, don’t just stand by the door, you’ll get tired.”

“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Bian took a few steps inside.

Zuo Yuan said, “Is it uncomfortable living here, Xiao Bian? This apartment is too small. I should have protested to the director and asked for a bigger one.”

Tao Zi said, “I also feel bad for Zuo Zuo, but it’s for the sake of filming. Ah, no, I can’t talk about this, it makes me sad.”

Zuo Bian quickly comforted them. “Brother, Sao Sao, don’t worry about me, I’m fine. And the filming will start soon, I won’t be living here for much longer.”

The apartment wasn’t exactly cramped, it was just small and filled with furniture, making it seem crowded.

Since they were having dinner here, they had pushed the furniture against the walls, creating enough space for them to eat.

As for the table, Zuo Yuan had brought a folding table. The small table Zuo Bian and Qin Ai had used before could only accommodate two people, it wouldn’t be big enough for everyone.

The new table was already set with bowls, chopsticks, and a feast of delicious dishes. The aroma alone was mouthwatering.

The food had been prepared before Zuo Bian arrived. Everyone was waiting for her.

They all sat down. Zuo Bian and Qin Ai naturally sat together, and Zuo Yuan and Tao Zi, being a couple, sat together as well. Only Qin Tian was single, forced to endure not only the PDA but also the task of finishing Zuo Bian’s fried rice. He was truly pitiful.

But Qin Tian didn’t care. He was excited, glancing at Zuo Bian and Qin Ai from time to time. If they weren’t eating, he would be taking notes in his little notebook.

Halfway through the meal, Tao Zi took out a few bottles of wine. “Want some wine?”

Zuo Bian: “I…”

Qin Tian: “Yes, yes, yes!”

Qin Ai: “No.”

Zuo Yuan: “Absolutely not!”

Tao Zi, still holding the bottles: “…”

She silently put the wine away. “Maybe not.”

Zuo Bian’s eyes followed the bottles, her gaze lingering on them. After tasting wine twice, she was craving it. Red wine was good, but what about beer? Was it also good?

Qin Ai had two troublesome companions on either side of her, both craving alcohol.

“Have you forgotten what happened last time you got drunk? And you, do you even remember how old you are? You’re asking for alcohol right under my nose. What do you do when I’m not around?”

Qin Ai’s words made Zuo Bian look away immediately. She stared intently at the food on her plate, as if trying to find hidden patterns.

Qin Tian froze. He chuckled nervously. “Sister, you misunderstood. You know I talk a big game, but I’m actually a coward. I wouldn’t dare do anything.”

The awkward moment passed, and the “harmonious” atmosphere returned.

It seemed harmonious, but there was an invisible tension in the air. Zuo Yuan kept trying to start conversations with Qin Ai, asking questions about Zuo Bian.

It was a fact that his sister would marry Qin Ai in the future, but as her brother, he wanted to make sure that Qin Ai could truly make his sister happy.

Qin Ai, of course, could handle Zuo Yuan’s questions. She answered them patiently, her expression concerned.

Zuo Bian, however, was oblivious to the subtle battle between her brother and Qin Ai. She was talking to Tao Zi.

She felt that her brother and Tao Zi’s wedding might be approaching and wanted to make some preparations. So she told Tao Zi about Zuo Yuan’s habits, his hard work, and even conveyed his love for her.

Zuo Bian’s family all wanted her to be happy, and she wanted the same for them. She wanted her brother and Tao Zi to be happy together.

After dinner, they still had plenty of time. Qin Tian took out two decks of cards, saying he had learned a new card game and wanted to practice.

Zuo Yuan, seeing that they had time, agreed to be his sparring partner. Qin Ai raised an eyebrow. “Sounds interesting, I’ll join too.”

Qin Tian shuddered. He knew he was going to be crushed!

Tao Zi wasn’t interested in playing cards. She preferred to promote Zuo Bian online, so she declined.

Zuo Bian said, “I don’t know how to play cards, I’ll just watch. Qin Ai, are you good at playing cards?”

Qin Ai opened the plastic wrapping of the deck, the cards falling neatly into her palm. Her slender fingers shuffled the cards gracefully. Even a simple action like this looked elegant when she did it.

“I’m okay.”

“It seems like there’s no competition today. How boring.” Zuo Yuan was already feeling confident.

Qin Tian, opening the other deck of cards, didn’t share his brother’s confidence. His sister wasn’t an ordinary person. Before, she had been almost perfect, except for her lack of gentleness. It seemed like there was nothing she couldn’t do. Now that she was in love, she had become gentle, but only towards one person.

He didn’t believe Qin Ai’s claim that she was “okay” at playing cards. It must be her strategy!

Her heart must be black with all those strategies! Ugh, he wished he was also cunning, then he wouldn’t be so easily defeated.

Tao Zi shuffled the cards and dealt them. The first round began.

Three minutes later…

As expected, Qin Ai won.

She tossed the cards onto the table, a smirk on her lips. “It seems like there’s no competition today. How boring.”

Zuo Yuan: “…”

“One more round.” His competitive spirit was ignited. He gathered the cards and shuffled them.

The second round, the third round, Qin Ai still won.

Qin Tian was numb, while Zuo Yuan, refusing to accept defeat, demanded another round.

At this moment, someone tapped Zuo Bian’s shoulder. She turned around and met Tao Zi’s gaze.

“Zuo Zuo, I need to talk to you alone.”

Chapter 95

The voice was too familiar to Zuo Bian. It was the person she had been wanting to meet.

She hadn’t found a way to meet her, and now they had run into each other in the park. It was such a coincidence that Zuo Bian couldn’t believe it was real.

But whether it was real or not, she had to look up and confirm if she had heard correctly, although she knew it was unlikely that she had misheard.

A pair of long legs appeared in her vision first, then Zuo Bian met the woman’s gentle, smiling eyes.

“May I?”

For a moment, Zuo Bian felt like she was back in her previous life, but she quickly snapped out of her memories.

“Sure,” she said, her gaze settling on the woman.

The woman sat down beside Zuo Bian, crossing her legs, her hands resting on her knees, her head slightly tilted as she looked at Zuo Bian’s profile.

Zuo Bian looked at her face, her expression complex.

Now that she had finally met her, she didn’t know what to say.

Was this Meng Zhen just a look-alike? Or was she her master?

If she wasn’t her master, wouldn’t it be awkward to suddenly acknowledge their past relationship?

If she was, how should Zuo Bian approach her?

But before Zuo Bian could figure out what to say, the woman spoke first.

“How are you doing here?” Meng Zhen asked with a gentle smile, as if they were still on Mount Feimeng, and Zuo Bian wasn’t the Zuo Bian of this world.

Just one sentence, and Zuo Bian knew that this Meng Zhen was her master.

“Master, I’m doing well here.” She stopped after saying that.

Although she and her master hadn’t been very talkative before, the atmosphere hadn’t been this awkward.

There seemed to be an invisible barrier between them. Zuo Bian no longer trusted and relied on Meng Zhen as she had before.

“I’ve been in this world for a while now. Are you angry that I didn’t come to find you sooner?”

Meng Zhen was beautiful. Just sitting there, she was captivating.

Even with her baseball cap on, Zuo Bian’s stunning figure couldn’t be completely hidden. However, the passersby seemed oblivious to them, as if they were invisible. Zuo Bian was puzzled and instinctively tried to contact 555 in her mind, but there was no response.

She pushed aside her doubts and continued talking to Meng Zhen.

“I’m not angry, Master. Actually, I also wanted to see you, but I couldn’t find an opportunity. I didn’t expect to meet you here today. Master, I’ve learned so much about things I didn’t understand before since coming to this world.”

Meng Zhen nodded as she listened, her gentle smile unchanging.

It was a smile that could easily win people over, but having seen genuine smiles, Zuo Bian realized that Meng Zhen’s smile was too perfect.

The curve of her lips, the angle of her eyebrows, everything was flawless.

“Master, I’ve always wanted to ask. Why didn’t you let me interact with my fellow disciples? Why didn’t you let me descend the mountain alone?”

Meng Zhen said, “Xiao Bian, you should know that before you, I had another disciple. She was your senior sister, but you never met her. Do you know why?”

Zuo Bian shook her head.

“Your senior sister, like you, had exceptional talent in cultivation. Her mind was pure, and if she had continued her training, she would have definitely ascended to immortality.”

In Zuo Bian’s previous world, those who could ascend were rare. Meng Zhen’s praise indicated how talented her senior sister had been. But Zuo Bian had never met her, only hearing snippets of information from her fellow disciples.

She vaguely knew that she had a senior sister, but nothing more. If she asked, the only answer she would get was a sigh.

It was as if her senior sister’s existence was a taboo, not to be discussed.

Now, Meng Zhen was finally revealing the truth about this hidden past.

Meng Zhen had ascended a thousand years ago. Her strength was unfathomable, and her status as an elder in the human realm’s cultivation sect was unparalleled.

She didn’t take on disciples easily, but her disciples always had unlimited potential. Many people wanted their children to become her disciples, but a cultivator of her status wouldn’t stoop to such things for resources. She had rejected countless requests, choosing only those she deemed worthy.

Zuo Bian’s senior sister had been chosen by Meng Zhen from the mortal world. She had exceptional innate talent and a rare Heavenly Spiritual Body.

Those with a Heavenly Spiritual Body were blessed by the heavens. They possessed an incomprehensible cultivation speed and could communicate with the Heavenly Dao, surpassing countless others from the start.

So Meng Zhen’s claim that her senior sister could have ascended to immortality wasn’t an exaggeration.

But something must have happened.

As expected, Zuo Bian’s senior sister fell in love with an ordinary human man. Love clouded her mind. Her heart was no longer filled with the pursuit of the Dao and cultivation, but with romantic love.

Everyone thought she had gone astray, but she didn’t turn back. She even got pregnant with the human man’s child. Her Heavenly Spiritual Body was damaged by pregnancy and childbirth, her chances of ascension becoming slim. She became just like everyone else.

People lamented her wasted potential.

Seeing her disciple throwing away her future, Meng Zhen disagreed with her choices but didn’t expel her from the sect.

However, Zuo Bian’s senior sister stole Meng Zhen’s treasure and ran away with her baby daughter.

Meng Zhen’s treasure was recovered, and her senior sister, seeing that her plan had failed, committed suicide with her child.

The reason she stole the treasure was simple: She wanted to be with her lover forever. She wanted to use the treasure to help him cultivate. He was a mortal who had already reached adulthood, it was too late for him to start cultivating.

He needed external help, and that was why Zuo Bian’s senior sister had targeted Meng Zhen’s treasure.

After telling Zuo Bian everything, Meng Zhen looked at her with loving eyes. “That’s why I always restricted you and wouldn’t let you descend the mountain alone. There are too many temptations in the mortal world, they can corrupt one’s heart. I don’t want you to become like her. You have unlimited potential.”

Zuo Bian, however, asked, “But Master, how do you know that wasn’t her true desire? Maybe all she ever wanted was to live a simple life with the person she loved.”

Meng Zhen’s gaze shifted slightly. “Xiao Bian, you wouldn’t have thought about these things before.”

Zuo Bian frowned. “Is that bad? Master, everyone wants to achieve immortality, to live forever. But what’s the point of living forever if you have no one by your side?”

Zuo Bian saw the smile disappear from Meng Zhen’s face. Unlike the subtle change earlier, this sudden shift in expression surprised Zuo Bian. In her memory, her master had never lost her composure like this.

But the smile quickly returned, although it wasn’t as perfect as before.

“Xiao Bian, you shouldn’t have entered the entertainment industry. You’re not the same person anymore, you’ve changed.”

If it were the old Zuo Bian, hearing these words from her master would have made her reflect on herself, wondering if she had truly changed.

But after coming to this world, Zuo Bian had experienced many things she had never felt before. She had people who truly loved her, people who believed in her, people who gave her courage and confidence.

She could confidently say that she was a better person now than she had been before. She could feel herself becoming more capable as she learned new things and acquired new skills.

“Master, why do you think that? Actually, I’ve always had a question in my mind. Master, are you truly doing this for my own good?”

Meng Zhen smiled. “Why would you doubt that, Xiao Bian?”

Some things didn’t need evidence, intuition was enough. Human intuition was sharp, sometimes people just chose to deceive themselves, refusing to believe the truth.

Zuo Bian wasn’t the type to deceive herself. She trusted her intuition.

“I don’t know why, but I just feel that way.”

A knowing look flashed in Meng Zhen’s eyes. “Xiao Bian, you’ve grown up, you should have your own thoughts. It’s Master who’s still treating you like a child.”

Then Meng Zhen asked about Zuo Bian’s life, and they chatted for a while. Seeing that it was getting late, Zuo Bian said goodbye to Meng Zhen.

After Zuo Bian left, Meng Zhen remained seated on the bench. A man in black suddenly appeared beside her. “Master, are we not going to act? Time is running out.”

“I know, but we can’t be hasty. Zuo Bian is the last sacrifice, we can’t afford any mistakes. It’s almost time.” Meng Zhen opened her left hand, revealing a small, transparent sphere filled with white clouds.

The sphere was almost full. It had already absorbed ninety-nine pure souls, and Zuo Bian was the last one.

Most people’s souls had colors, representing their worldly desires. There were a few rare individuals whose souls were pure white from birth. Meng Zhen needed these souls as sacrifices to fulfill her wish.

However, even those born with pure white souls could be corrupted by the world. The mortal world was chaotic, and humans, despite their resilience, were also fragile, easily influenced by their surroundings.

That was why Meng Zhen had taken on one disciple after another, cultivating them as sacrifices.

Even someone like her, who had achieved a transcendent status and could travel between worlds, still had unfulfilled desires.

She closed her hand, and the sphere disappeared.

==========

After leaving the park, Zuo Bian tried to contact 555 again. Finally, she heard its faint response.

【Host, it was so dark just now. I tried to contact you, but you didn’t respond. It felt like I was being censored.】

Zuo Bian paused, then said, ‘It might be related to my master. 555, what do you think is the biggest danger I might encounter?’

This was a difficult question for 555 to answer, but it was certain that even someone as carefree as Zuo Bian wouldn’t be worried about something trivial.

Chapter 94

Xiao Liu chuckled, nudging Zuo Bian playfully.

“Who else could it be? Your fiancée. Zuo Zuo, you’re so lucky. It’s always sweeter to ship the official couple.” Xiao Liu was also a fan of Zuo Bian. She was outgoing and had quickly become friends with Zuo Bian after just two days. She spoke naturally, unlike those fans who were tongue-tied around their idols.

Zuo Bian immediately stood up, a smile spreading across her face. “Then let me serve her.”

“Go ahead, go ahead.” Xiao Liu patted Zuo Bian’s shoulder.

“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Bian nodded and walked out of the kitchen with a menu.

She saw Qin Ai sitting by the window, her head lowered as she looked at the menu. The midday sun cast a golden glow on her profile.

For some reason, Zuo Bian’s footsteps softened, as if she was afraid of disturbing Qin Ai.

However, before she could reach Qin Ai, Qin Ai looked up.

She smiled gently. “Is work tiring?”

Zuo Bian reached her side. “Not at all. But I didn’t expect to see you so soon. Qin Ai, shouldn’t you be at the company?”

Qin Ai’s fingers traced the edge of the menu. “Even if I’m working, I still need to eat. It’s lunchtime, so I stopped by for lunch and to see you.”

Zuo Bian fidgeted with the menu, her heart fluttering. But she said, “Your company is far from here, it’s not on the way at all.”

“When you want to see someone, any distance is within reach. Order me set A, it looks good.”

Zuo Bian smiled and said, “Okay.” She took the order and went to the kitchen.

Set A was the restaurant’s signature couple’s set. The ingredients were prepared in advance, and the chef had made it countless times, so it was ready within fifteen minutes.

Zuo Bian brought the set to Qin Ai’s table and heard her say, “Sit down and eat with me. I just talked to the owner.”

Zuo Bian was a bit hungry, and Qin Ai was here. She hesitated for a moment, then sat down across from Qin Ai and had lunch with her.

The food wasn’t exceptionally delicious, but Zuo Bian was happy. She had thought she wouldn’t be able to see Qin Ai today, but now, not only did she see her, but she was also having lunch with her. A smile spread across her face, making the food taste even better.

After lunch, Qin Ai didn’t linger. She chatted with Zuo Bian for a bit and then left. She had a meeting in the afternoon.

Even after Qin Ai left, the smile on Zuo Bian’s face didn’t fade.

Xiao Liu sighed. “People in love are different. By the way, Zuo Zuo, is the scene in that fanfiction real?”

“Fanfiction?” Zuo Bian blinked, confused. She knew what fanfiction was, but she hadn’t been online much lately and didn’t know which forum or fanfiction Xiao Liu was referring to.

It was 3 p.m., and the number of customers had dwindled. The restaurant staff was starting to relax. Xiao Liu took out her phone and opened the forum, showing Zuo Bian the fanfiction.

The plot wasn’t important. What mattered was the author’s name: Tiantian.

“Is this the same Tiantian who made the CP video of me and Qin Ai?”

Xiao Liu’s eyes sparkled at the mention of Editor Tiantian.

“Yes, it’s her! Editor Tiantian is so cute! Not only is she amazing at video editing, but her writing is also incredible. Just now, seeing you and President Qin together, I was reminded of her fanfiction. It’s exactly the same!”

Of course, it was the same because Editor Tiantian was Qin Tian. And Qin Tian was a frontline CP fan with firsthand information.

“I know Editor Tiantian.”

“Is she really cute in person?” In the eyes of many fans, Editor Tiantian must be an adorable girl.

Zuo Bian, seeing the anticipation in Xiao Liu’s eyes, nodded vaguely. “Mm, she’s quite cute.”

But not the kind of cute Xiao Liu was imagining.

======================

As evening approached, the restaurant got busy again.

Zuo Bian finished work at 8 p.m. Qin Ai called and asked if she needed a ride home.

Zuo Bian thought she could go back by herself. There was no need to trouble Qin Ai. The restaurant was quite far from Qin Ai’s company and home. If Qin Ai drove her back, she wouldn’t get home until 11 p.m.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t squeeze into her small bed, but Zuo Bian didn’t want Qin Ai to be uncomfortable, so she declined.

“No need, and I’m planning to try luosifen (snail rice noodles) tonight. You definitely shouldn’t come, I heard it smells very strong, I don’t want you to be bothered by the smell.”

Qin Ai chuckled softly on the other end of the line. “Okay, be careful when you go home.”

Zuo Bian smiled. “I know, I will.”

“Try to walk in crowded areas, and call me if there are any problems,” Qin Ai continued.

Zuo Bian nodded and hummed in response, a smile on her lips.

The sickening sweetness of their love made 555 feel incredibly sour. It wanted to complain. Was Zuo Bian the one who should be careful when encountering bad people? Well, she should be careful, but not to beat them up too badly.

After hanging up the phone, Zuo Bian didn’t go to eat luosifen as she had said. Luosifen was relatively expensive. She had a simple bowl of rice noodles and went home.

The next day, she woke up early and went to work. As lunchtime approached, she couldn’t help but anticipate Qin Ai’s arrival. She knew Qin Ai was busy and couldn’t come over for lunch every day, but she still hoped that Qin Ai would show up.

She kept checking her phone, hoping for a notification.

Seeing her anticipation, 555 said, 【Don’t worry, Host, Qin Ai will definitely come.】

As soon as it finished speaking, Zuo Bian’s phone vibrated.

【See? Qin Ai must be calling to tell you she’s on her way.】

Zuo Bian hummed in response and walked inside to answer the call.

“Hello, Qin Ai.”

“Is work tiring?”

“Not at all, it’s easy.”

“Mm, I won’t be coming over for lunch today. How about dinner?” Qin Ai said.

555’s passive skill, “100% chance of being slapped in the face,” was activated once again.

The smile on Zuo Bian’s face faded slightly, but she still said, “Mm-hmm, it’s okay. Focus on your work, Qin Ai.”

“I’m feeling tired. Maybe hearing someone call me ‘Ai Jiejie’ would make me feel better.” Qin Ai’s voice, slightly distorted by the phone, was still alluring.

Zuo Bian glanced around, making sure no one was nearby, then whispered into the phone, “Ai Jiejie.”

Qin Ai loved hearing Zuo Bian call her “Ai Jiejie.” Zuo Bian’s voice was always soft and sweet when she said those words, like a marshmallow waiting to be devoured.

Qin Ai wanted to pinch Zuo Bian’s cheeks and taste her lips, she must be as sweet as she imagined.

“Ai Jiejie, are you feeling better now?”

Qin Ai smiled. “Mm, I feel much better. I have to get back to work. See you tonight.”

“Mm, Ai Jiejie, see you tonight.”

After hanging up the phone, Zuo Bian stared at the dark screen, a smile on her lips.

‘555, I think it’s better if you don’t say anything next time. Whatever you say, the opposite happens.’ Zuo Bian meant no harm, she was just stating a fact.

However, her words struck a nerve with 555, reminding it of the time it had told Zuo Bian that it was better to stay silent if she couldn’t explain herself properly. Now Zuo Bian was returning the favor. It seemed like karma was real.

As promised, Qin Ai came to pick up Zuo Bian that evening.

The days passed, and the filming for the movie was approaching.

However, Zuo Bian still hadn’t met Meng Zhen, the woman who looked exactly like her master.

Three days before filming began, Zuo Bian, as a waitress, had become proficient at her job. After experiencing the character’s life, she had a deeper understanding of Lin Ling.

Lin Ling was an orphan who grew up in an orphanage. The orphanage couldn’t afford to send her to high school or university, so she was deeply insecure.

But she was also ambitious. She wanted to establish herself in this city, so she worked hard to improve herself, although her efforts were mostly in vain.

She was beautiful, but without family or education, she was seen as cheap and easy to manipulate. Men thought they could toy with her, and women were jealous of her looks.

The constant hardship and social ostracization gradually twisted her mind. One day, she was almost raped by the second female lead’s father. The intense fear and trauma awakened her alternate personality, Lin Zero, who killed the man to protect Lin Ling.

Lin Zero erased all traces of the crime and framed someone else. Lin Ling remained the same timid and insecure girl, unaware of what had happened.

The second personality was born out of self-preservation.

On the surface, Lin Ling seemed normal, no one could tell the difference. It wasn’t until later, when the second personality tried to take over completely, that cracks started to appear.

For Zuo Bian, it wasn’t just about playing two characters, there were subtle differences between Lin Ling and Lin Zero at different stages.

The early Lin Ling was like Zuo Bian herself. Later, Lin Ling was influenced by Lin Zero, her behavior gradually becoming more like Lin Zero’s.

One day, the owner gave Zuo Bian a day off. She sat in the park with a notebook, observing the passersby, occasionally jotting down notes.

She wasn’t on camera, there was no director to guide her. She didn’t know if her understanding of the character was accurate.

Staring at her notebook, she started to build the images of Lin Ling and Lin Zero in her mind.

“Excuse me, can I sit here?” A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

Zuo Bian didn’t look up immediately. She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination.

Chapter 93

After dinner, Zuo Bian asked Qin Ai if she wanted to go for a walk. Most of the residents in this neighborhood were elderly people, and the nearby park was rarely frequented by young people. They should be able to walk around without being recognized.

The sky had completely darkened. The streetlights in this old neighborhood flickered, as if they were about to go out at any moment.

However, the environment was pleasant. The landscaping was well-maintained, the trees and plants lush and green, the flowers blooming in abundance. The breeze carried the scent of flowers and fresh grass, washing away the hustle and bustle of the city.

They went downstairs. Through the trees, they saw a group of elderly people dancing in the small square, the music loud and nostalgic.

They strolled around the neighborhood, chatting as they walked.

Zuo Bian had been wanting to talk to someone about her master. Little Frog was too naive and couldn’t offer any advice. 555 didn’t think there was anything wrong with her master. Chang Wensi was busy with her new relationship, and her parents didn’t know about her past life.

The best person to talk to was Qin Ai. Zuo Bian wasn’t good at keeping secrets.

But she didn’t know how to bring it up.

“Is there something you want to say?” Qin Ai noticed Zuo Bian’s expression.

Zuo Bian nodded. After a moment of thought, she said, “Qin Ai, I mentioned my master to you before, right?”

“Mm, you did.”

Zuo Bian had casually mentioned her master during their conversations but hadn’t gone into detail.

She started talking about her past, a nostalgic look on her face.

Her early days at the sect weren’t exactly unpleasant, but she still yearned to train and go on missions with others.

“Qin Ai, do you think my master was truly good to me?”

She already had a vague answer in her mind, but her master was a special person to her.

Meng Zhen was like family to Zuo Bian. Because of their bond, her emotions clouded her judgment, preventing her from seeing the truth.

Qin Ai didn’t answer with a “yes” or “no.” Instead, she said, “Zuo Bian, trust your own judgment. And I trust you. You already have the answer in your heart, don’t you?”

Her words awakened Zuo Bian. She lowered her head, her toe kicking a small pebble. The pebble rolled forward, hitting the edge of a flower bed and coming to a stop.

“Mm, I understand,” she said.

They had reached the edge of the small square. The music was deafening, but the people dancing didn’t seem to mind the noise.

On one side of the square, elderly people were dancing to simple steps. On the other side were young children. The boys were playing basketball, or rather, taking turns shooting hoops. The girls were playing badminton, cheering when they hit the shuttlecock and groaning when they missed.

But they all had one thing in common: joy.

“Envious?” Qin Ai stood beside Zuo Bian, watching the children.

They were standing in the shadows. Qin Ai turned to look at Zuo Bian’s profile.

Zuo Bian was still looking at the energetic teenagers, her longing evident.

She nodded honestly. “Mm, I am envious.”

“You said you wanted to visit a school before. It wasn’t just to look around, was it?” Qin Ai said.

Qin Ai might seem aloof and unapproachable to outsiders, but she was actually very perceptive of other people’s emotions.

She often chose not to comment because she found it troublesome. Most people in the world were irrelevant to her.

Zuo Bian turned away from the teenagers and smiled, nodding. “Mm. But I can only envy them.”

“You don’t have to envy them. After filming this movie, go to university.”

Zuo Bian was stunned. She looked at Qin Ai in surprise, then her eyes lit up with joy. “Is that really possible?”

Qin Ai took Zuo Bian’s hand, her grip firm.

“There’s a saying, ‘Live and learn.’ And you’re still young, it’s not too late to go to university. Think about what you want to study, I’m sure your parents will support your decision.”

Qin Ai’s words made Zuo Bian imagine her future. What would her university life be like?

Seeing Zuo Bian lost in thought, Qin Ai squeezed her hand, bringing her back to reality.

“You want to go to school that much? There are so many young girls and boys there. I’m starting to feel insecure. What if you get snatched away?” Qin Ai teased.

Zuo Bian said seriously, “That won’t happen. I only have you in my heart. And you’re so amazing, no one can compare to you.”

However, Qin Ai continued to tease her. “You never know what the future holds. People always get tired of the familiar and seek novelty. The flowers outside are always more appealing than the ones at home.”

If Zuo Bian had looked closely at Qin Ai’s expression, she would have realized she was joking. But they were standing in the shadows, and Zuo Bian couldn’t see Qin Ai’s face clearly, so she misunderstood.

She frantically tried to think of an explanation. In these situations, she was always clumsy with words. Her explanations often made things worse, and 555 would tell her it was better to just stay silent. So she pursed her lips, searching for the right words, afraid of saying something wrong.

“You—You smell good!” Zuo Bian blurted out, holding Qin Ai’s hand tightly, her eyes sincere, her expression worried, afraid of stepping on a landmine.

Since saying more words increased the chance of making a mistake, it was best to say as little as possible. Following this principle, Zuo Bian could only come up with this sentence.

Qin Ai suddenly burst into laughter, turning her head away, but her amusement was still evident.

Zuo Bian was stunned. “Qin Ai, are you feeling better now?”

Qin Ai composed herself, but the smile in her eyes remained. “Mm, I’m much better. How could someone as honest as you cheat on me?”

In the Green Tea Handbook, “honest” wasn’t exactly a compliment. It meant being gullible and foolish.

So Zuo Bian shook her head. “No, I’m not honest.”

“Oh? How are you dishonest?” Qin Ai looked at her with amusement, curious about her so-called dishonesty.

Zuo Bian’s mind raced. She discreetly placed her hand on Qin Ai’s waist, her hand slowly moving downwards.

She was the one teasing Qin Ai, but her face was the one that turned red. However, she couldn’t show weakness. Even if Qin Ai could see her embarrassment, she had to continue touching her, otherwise how could she prove her “dishonesty”?

Qin Ai chuckled and nodded. “Indeed, you’re quite dishonest, taking advantage of me in public.”

Qin Ai caught Zuo Bian’s hand, her fingers playfully intertwined with Zuo Bian’s. “Do you believe I’m dishonest now?”

“More than dishonest, you’re a hooligan. May I ask this little hooligan if I can stay the night?” Qin Ai looked at Zuo Bian with a smile.

Zuo Bian nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”

They strolled around the park for a while, then headed back to the apartment. It was getting late. After showering, they went to bed.

The bed was small, and they had to squeeze together.

However, the room didn’t have air conditioning, and the temperature was dropping. It was actually quite cozy to be huddled together in the small bed.

Zuo Bian loved to hug Qin Ai’s waist and bury her face in her chest. And after nuzzling her, she would even comment, “Qin Ai, your breasts are so soft and fragrant.”

Qin Ai stroked Zuo Bian’s hair, about to say something, when she noticed that the person snuggled against her chest was breathing evenly. She looked down and saw that Zuo Bian had fallen asleep.

She always fell asleep so quickly. Qin Ai smiled and closed her eyes.

It was a peaceful and heartwarming night. Zuo Bian slept soundly until morning.

She was awakened by two alarms: the pig-shaped alarm clock on the bedside table and Little Frog, who had started counting again.

Zuo Bian got out of bed feeling refreshed. Qin Ai was already awake and had even made breakfast.

Qin Ai took off her apron and smiled at Zuo Bian. “Come eat breakfast.”

“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Bian got out of bed, sniffed the air, and praised, “The breakfast smells so good, Qin Ai.”

“Then eat more. You’re starting work at the restaurant today, you need energy.”

Zuo Bian took a sip of soy milk, the rich and sweet flavor filling her mouth.

“It won’t be tiring, just serving dishes and washing dishes,” she said.

It was simple, yet not so simple. The work itself was easy, but the challenge lay in dealing with different kinds of customers. You never knew what kind of strange people you might encounter.

However, Zuo Bian didn’t want Qin Ai to worry, so she deliberately made it sound easy.

“Let me know if there are any problems.”

“Mm-hmm, I will.” Zuo Bian nodded, then added, “Qin Ai, you’re just like my parents.”

At that moment, Qin Ai did resemble Zuo Bian’s parents. In their eyes, Zuo Bian was naive and inexperienced, easily taken advantage of.

They were worried about her, but they also didn’t want to shelter her too much, making her unable to handle challenges in the future.

“People who love you are all alike,” Qin Ai said.

Zuo Bian smiled happily. “I love you too.”

“Eat up, I’ll drive you to work after breakfast.”

Zuo Bian finished the delicious breakfast with gusto. Qin Ai drove her to work.

After dropping Zuo Bian off, Qin Ai went to her own company. When Zuo Bian arrived at the restaurant, the owner gave her some instructions, telling her to observe how other employees worked before starting.

Zuo Bian was a fast learner. After observing for less than half an hour, she started trying to serve customers herself.

There weren’t many customers at this hour. The lunch rush wouldn’t start until later.

The workload wasn’t heavy, and Zuo Bian wasn’t tired. The owner knew she was an actress, not a real employee, so he didn’t dare to treat her like one. He told her to take a break.

Zuo Bian sat in the kitchen for a while. Then her colleague, Xiao Liu, walked in with a mysterious expression. “Guess who I just saw?”

Zuo Bian was curious. “Who?”

Chapter 92

While Qin Ai was in the cramped kitchen making hangover soup, Zuo Bian picked up the diary again.

555, who had thought it had escaped a disaster, now felt like it was truly dying, dying of embarrassment.

Zuo Bian flipped to the section where 555 had been praising itself and started reading aloud. Her pronunciation was clear, and she read with even more emotion than when she recited lines from the Green Tea Handbook.

“I was slapped in the face again today. No, I was just gently caressed by reality. I’m never wrong. If the truth is different from what I said, it must be because the heavens are jealous of my excellence.”

“Ah! This morning, I was awakened by a sense of mission. The sunlight shone on my chiseled face, and I looked in the mirror, amazed by my perfect beauty…” Zuo Bian read aloud with dramatic flair.

To 555, this was public execution. It wanted to scream like a groundhog.

Little Frog, who had been sleeping soundly, was awakened by the shameless words. It clicked its tongue, thinking that 555 was so narcissistic.

Qin Ai, who was making hangover soup in the kitchen, heard everything clearly. She glanced back and saw Zuo Bian reading the diary intently.

Her eyes were filled with amusement. Drunk Zuo Bian was clingy and demanding, a bit more difficult to handle than usual, but Qin Ai didn’t mind.

Zuo Bian didn’t read for long. After finishing one page, her eyelids started to droop.

The diary slipped from her hand and landed on the floor with a thud. Her eyes closed, and she fell asleep, half her body hanging off the bed.

She smacked her lips in her sleep, savoring the taste of the wine.

Qin Ai came out of the kitchen with the hangover soup and saw Zuo Bian sleeping soundly.

However, her posture was uncomfortable, with her lower body on the floor and her upper body on the bed. She must have been exhausted after all the commotion to fall asleep in such a position.

Qin Ai placed the soup on the small table and shook Zuo Bian’s shoulder.

Zuo Bian mumbled something and swatted Qin Ai’s hand away.

Qin Ai bent down and pinched Zuo Bian’s nose.

Suddenly unable to breathe, Zuo Bian didn’t open her eyes immediately. She groaned and shook her head, trying to get rid of whatever was covering her nose.

Qin Ai used her other hand to hold the back of Zuo Bian’s head, preventing her from moving.

Finally, Zuo Bian opened her eyes, but her gaze was hazy. She didn’t even recognize the person in front of her.

“I wanna sleep…” She rubbed her nose and tried to push Qin Ai’s hand away.

Qin Ai finally released her grip and helped her onto the bed.

“The floor is cold, get on the bed.”

As soon as she sat down, Zuo Bian’s body went limp, as if all her bones had turned to jelly. She closed her eyes contentedly. “Then I’ll sleep on the bed.”

Qin Ai held the bowl of hangover soup, her expression exasperated as she helped Zuo Bian sit up again. “Drink the soup first, then you can sleep.”

“No, no.” Zuo Bian buried her face in the pillow, her back facing Qin Ai.

Qin Ai coaxed her patiently, but Zuo Bian refused to drink, as if the bowl contained poison.

Sensing the direction the scene was heading, 555 quickly dragged Little Frog into censorship mode. It was best to leave the two lovebirds alone, even non-human entities shouldn’t be present.

“There’s a reward if you finish it. Don’t you want a reward?”

Hearing the word “reward,” Zuo Bian’s ears twitched. She finally lifted her head from the pillow.

“Reward?”

“Mm, a reward.”

Zuo Bian thought about it seriously, then smiled. “I want you to be my wife and sleep with me!”

“You’re such a handful.” Qin Ai chuckled.

But it wasn’t a burden, she was willing to do anything for Zuo Bian.

“Okay?” Zuo Bian looked at Qin Ai with pleading eyes, like a helpless puppy.

How could Qin Ai refuse her request? She brought the soup to Zuo Bian’s lips.

“I promise, just drink the soup, okay?”

“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Bian nodded obediently and drank the entire bowl of soup. After finishing it, she looked at Qin Ai expectantly, as if waiting for praise.

Qin Ai patted her head as a reward and was about to put the bowl away when Zuo Bian suddenly hugged her waist. This scene felt familiar.

Earlier, when Qin Ai had gone to the kitchen to make the soup, Zuo Bian had also hugged her, refusing to let her go, like a human piece of candy, impossible to shake off.

“Where are you going?” Zuo Bian rested her chin on Qin Ai’s shoulder, nuzzling her neck restlessly.

Her scent, a mix of her own fragrance and the aroma of wine, was intoxicating. Like a ripe peach, tempting and sweet. Qin Ai lifted her hand and cupped Zuo Bian’s cheek.

The skin beneath her fingers was soft and smooth. If she applied a little more pressure, she would leave a mark.

Her voice lowered, she said, “I’m not going anywhere, I’m just putting the bowl back in the kitchen. I’ll be right back.”

Zuo Bian, with her alcohol-addled brain, thought about it carefully, then nodded, reluctantly releasing her grip.

As promised, Qin Ai returned after putting the bowl away.

As soon as she approached the bed, Zuo Bian pulled her down eagerly.

But she was too hasty. She lost her balance and pulled Qin Ai down with her.

The world spun, and Zuo Bian found herself lying on the bed, Qin Ai’s hand supporting her head, her long black hair cascading down, obscuring most of her vision.

Their faces were close, their breaths mingling, the temperature rising.

Qin Ai’s eyes, hidden in the shadows, were bright, like burning embers.

Zuo Bian looked at Qin Ai with hazy eyes, sensing something was wrong, but she couldn’t process the information.

“Qin Ai…” She simply called out Qin Ai’s name, not even knowing why she did it.

Each time she called out her name, it was a declaration of her passionate love.

Qin Ai, who had been silent, chuckled softly. Her usually cold and aloof features softened, leaving only tenderness.

She lay down beside Zuo Bian and pulled the blanket over them.

Zuo Bian turned towards her, hugging her waist and burying her face in Qin Ai’s chest.

The soft and fragrant scent filled her senses. She nuzzled Qin Ai’s chest contentedly, a blissful expression on her face.

Qin Ai didn’t do anything else, she just lay there, holding Zuo Bian.

The bed was small. It was fine for one person, but it felt cramped with two people.

To avoid falling off, they were pressed close together. But this closeness also brought their hearts closer. Holding each other, it was as if they were holding the entire world.

They felt content and safe.

The pig-shaped alarm clock on the bedside table ticked away, time passing slowly. The sunlight streaming through the small window gradually lost its warmth.

The setting sun cast long shadows, stretching the shadow of the small pot of rain lilies by the window.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared below the horizon, the bustling city lit up, but the small apartment remained dark.

Qin Ai opened her eyes in the darkness. She turned her head and saw the faint light from the building across the street.

She had woken up alone in the darkness many times before.

Forced to shoulder the responsibility of reviving the Qin family at such a young age, she had to deal with the mess her father and grandfather had left behind, the bloodsucking relatives, and the people who wanted to devour the Qin family. She had to hide her vulnerability and fight back with an iron fist.

Qin Ai had always been willful, doing whatever she wanted. Her family, unlike other families, hadn’t opposed her hobbies, they had supported her.

But fate had been cruel, and she had to give up the things she loved, like playing the piano and racing.

Zuo Bian had barged into her life, seeing through her facade and recognizing the real her.

After all these years, she couldn’t go back and start over, she couldn’t become a professional pianist or a race car driver.

The piano and racing could only be hobbies now. But even though she had time, and wasn’t as busy as before, she had deliberately ignored her own desires.

It was Zuo Bian who had helped her rediscover those forgotten passions. Qin Ai was happy to be able to experience those feelings again.

At this moment, she heard Zuo Bian groan softly. She pressed the button on the bedside lamp, and the room was bathed in light.

Zuo Bian opened her eyes, her gaze still hazy. She smiled before even seeing Qin Ai’s face. “Qin Ai, good morning.”

“It’s not morning anymore, it’s evening.”

“Hmm?” It took Zuo Bian a moment to process this. Then she saw the lights in the building across the street. It wasn’t morning, it was evening.

Her stomach growled.

“Hungry?” Qin Ai asked, her voice laced with amusement.

Zuo Bian didn’t feel embarrassed. She nodded naturally. “Mm, I’m hungry.”

“I’ll make you something to eat.” Qin Ai got out of bed.

Zuo Bian rubbed her face, trying to wake herself up. She was sober now, but she still had a headache.

If it weren’t for the hangover soup Qin Ai had made, she would probably still be feeling groggy.

Looking at Qin Ai’s back as she went to the kitchen, Zuo Bian said apologetically, “Sorry, Qin Ai, I shouldn’t have drunk so much. I made you take care of me.”

Qin Ai turned to look at her. “You are a bit troublesome when you’re drunk, but I don’t mind. There’s not much food left in the kitchen. How about noodles for dinner?”

“Okay.” Zuo Bian smiled and nodded, her heart warm.

The noodles were quickly cooked, the aroma filling the small apartment. Zuo Bian felt even hungrier.