Category: I Don’t Want to Be Reborn With You

Chapter 30: The New Deskmate

When Lu Li and the pubescent boy returned to the classroom with the new chair, Class 1 of the second-year liberal arts program was in an uproar. Lu Li saw the Class Monitor at the podium, busily taking notes, as the students below enthusiastically signed up for events, one after another. What was going on? Weren’t these privileged kids usually trying to avoid the sports meet like the plague?

Wen Hupo sat at Lu Li’s desk, casually flipping through his notes, while An Baili glared at her back, her cheeks puffed out like an angry pufferfish. Of course, glaring was all she could do.

“What’s going on? Why is everyone so excited?” Lu Li placed the chair at the back of the first row, far away from him and An Baili. Although he wanted to be closer to Wen Hupo, considering the feelings of his silly and clueless girlfriends, he decided to keep his distance for now.

Hearing Lu Li’s voice, Wen Hupo turned around, her deep eyes filled with curiosity. “Did you write this story in your notes? Is there a sequel? What happened to Xiaoguo in the end?”

She was holding a notebook with a plastic cover, the one where Lu Li jotted down his script outlines during his free time.

Reading other people’s private belongings without permission wasn’t a good habit. Lu Li frowned slightly. “Xiaoguo regained her memories in the end.”

“And then?”

“There’s no ‘and then’.”

“After she regained her memories, did Qiangzi come back? They must have had a happy ending, right?”

“Qiangzi died at sea. Xiaoguo remarried later, but she wasn’t happy.” Lu Li shrugged. Wen Hupo’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. “Then what about all the hardships they endured? Were they all meaningless?”

“Yes. The theme of the story is the impermanence of life, that good and evil aren’t always rewarded accordingly.”

Wen Hupo was silent for a moment, then closed the notebook. “You’re horrible.”

“Thank you for the compliment.” Lu Li pointed at the new chair. The boy with acne was standing next to the empty seat, obsequiously wiping it for Wen Hupo. Whether male or female, those in a disadvantaged position in a relationship were always experts at self-deception, thinking, “I’ve given so much, endured so much, why don’t they love me?” Wasn’t this a form of emotional manipulation?

Just as Lu Li believed, life was unpredictable, good and evil weren’t always rewarded, and effort didn’t always pay off. Staying true to yourself and respecting yourself was the only meaning of existence. If you didn’t even love yourself, how could you love others?

He glanced at An Baili discreetly.

“Miss Wen Hupo, your seat is here, please return to your own desk.” Whenever he talked to Wen Hupo, a dozen pairs of eyes would be on them. There had been rumors about Lu Li and Wen Hupo before. Her unusual behavior today would inevitably lead to speculation. Did they really kiss at the New Year’s Eve party? Did Wen Hupo fall in love with Lu Li because of that kiss? And now there was a complicated love quadrangle between Lu Li, An Baili, Chu Jingyi, and Wen Hupo?

Gossip was human nature. Primitive humans learned about the natural world by watching others, increasing their chances of survival. The students of Chuanhai No. 1 High School learned about the upper class through gossip, improving their own status in the school. There wasn’t much difference between them.

“No need, I discussed it with your deskmate. She moved to a new seat. From now on, I’ll be your deskmate, Outstanding Representative.” Wen Hupo smiled faintly, a very fake smile.

An Baili grumbled at her desk, but no one could understand what she was mumbling about. In front of Wen Hupo, she was as timid and sneaky as a mouse.

Lu Li paused, then realized that his unknown deskmate had already moved to the new seat with her backpack. She waved at him with a wry smile, a silent farewell. He had been her deskmate for a semester and a half, and he didn’t even remember her name. He was a terrible deskmate.

Lu Li hummed in acknowledgement and sat down next to Wen Hupo, his expression carefully neutral.

“Baili, why is the class so noisy? I could hear them from the corridor. The disciplinary teacher has been pacing outside our classroom.”

An Baili whispered in Lu Li’s ear, “It’s all Wen Hupo’s fault.”

“?”

“Wen Hupo said she wants to participate in the sports meet.”

So that’s why. Lu Li suddenly understood. Wen Hupo’s influence in this school was greater than he had imagined. He had even heard that some girls were imitating her clothing and mannerisms, creating a trend. She had a strong appeal among both boys and girls. What would others think when a girl like her said she wanted to participate in the sports meet? The boys would be eager to show off in front of her, wouldn’t they? And the girls, out of admiration or jealousy, probably wouldn’t want to be outdone.

But…

Was Wen Hupo even good at sports? Wasn’t she a klutz?

Among the girls he knew, Wen Hupo was definitely the most clumsy. All brains and no brawn. In his past life, when they went swimming together, she didn’t even dare to get into the water, just sat by the pool with a glass of orange juice, staring blankly. In Lu Li’s mind, it would probably take twenty Wen Hupos to equal one Zou Yameng.

Today was truly bizarre. Wen Hupo must have a fever. Lu Li looked at the blonde girl’s profile. Her skin was flawless, without the large pores common among Westerners. It was as smooth and delicate as cream.

An Baili said hatefully, “She’s doing this on purpose! She definitely remembers the past life!”

“What past life?” Wen Hupo turned around, startling An Baili.

An Baili hiccuped in fright. “Hic-no-nothing—”

Wen Hupo tilted her head and let out an “oh,” not asking further. Lu Li quickly handed An Baili a glass of water. “Count to four, then drink the water. It’ll stop the hiccups. Why are you so easily scared?”

An Baili looked like she was about to cry. “Don’t scold me. Hic.”

“Okay, okay, good girl, drink some water.”

“Okay…”

Wen Hupo silently observed their interaction, a faint, fake smile on her face. Was it because Lu Li had taught her, “When you don’t know what expression to make, just smile”? That smile made Lu Li feel uneasy.

With Wen Hupo taking the lead, almost everyone in Class 1 of the second-year liberal arts program signed up for an event. Wen Hupo was even more outrageous. She signed up for seven events. If it weren’t for scheduling conflicts, Lu Li suspected she would have signed up for every single event.

Sensing Lu Li’s scrutiny, Wen Hupo smiled and met his gaze. They didn’t say anything, as if communicating silently through their eyes. In the end, it was the shameless Lu Li who looked away, unable to hold her gaze… Wen Hupo puffed out her chest slightly, like a victor. Lu Li even saw her put his notebook into her bag. Hey, didn’t anyone teach you not to take other people’s things without permission?…

“Outstanding Representative, aren’t you signing up for any events? Why don’t you team up with me for the three-legged race?” Wen Hupo said with a smile.

An Baili bristled like a wary black cat. Fortunately, Lu Li shook his head. “No, I’m not participating.”

“Oh? That’s a pity.” Wen Hupo said casually.

“Hic—”

Chapter 29: The Sports Meet

During the class meeting, the homeroom teacher, wearing a polo shirt and a jangling keychain at his waist, announced that the Chuanhai No. 1 High School spring sports meet would be held in mid-April, and each class was required to participate in at least seven events. Chu Jingyi was in charge of the arrangements.

Lu Li listened with disinterest. He hated two things: large, noisy crowds, and the sweaty smell of the sports field – except for Sister Yameng’s competitions, of course. Asking him to participate in the sports meet was like asking him to walk into an execution ground. Perhaps sensing Lu Li’s reluctance, the lovely Class Monitor called out the names of several boys, but spared Lu Li. There were already few boys in the liberal arts classes, and now they practically had to participate in every event. They weren’t athletes, they were beasts of burden.

Just as the boys were groaning, an unexpected figure appeared at the classroom door.

The blonde girl wasn’t wearing her usual white dress today. Instead, she was dressed like an ordinary student, in a dark green blazer and a dark blue plaid pleated skirt. Her usually flowing platinum blonde hair was neatly tied up. She wasn’t wearing any makeup, but her skin was radiant.

“My goddess…” a boy murmured.

Why was Wen Hupo here?

Chu Jingyi asked, “Miss Hupo, is there something I can help you with? We’re in the middle of a class meeting.”

“I’m here for class,” Wen Hupo replied.

For, for class?

Silly Goose’s brain short-circuited for a moment. She suddenly remembered that Wen Hupo was, indeed, a student in their class. She had even won the Best Actress award for their class at the New Year’s Eve party.

“Uh… please come in then.”

Wen Hupo glanced at the class indifferently, her gaze lingering on Lu Li for a moment, then asked, “Where do I sit?”

Attending school for a whole semester and not even knowing where your seat is, only you could pull that off. Lu Li thought teasingly.

Chu Jingyi was also stumped. It seemed they had never assigned a seat to Wen Hupo or requested a new chair from the logistics department. So where should she sit?

The atmosphere became awkward. An eager boy stood up and offered his seat with a bow. “If you don’t mind, you can take my seat. My back is a bit sore, standing for a while would be good.”

“I mind.” Wen Hupo said flatly.

Lu Li couldn’t help but chuckle. These people didn’t know Wen Hupo’s personality. She was the typical aloof and arrogant girl, with a rich inner world but an impassive expression, always critical of everything. Most ordinary girls were emotional creatures. As long as you treated them well, they would reciprocate. Wen Hupo was different. She was rational and never appreciated others’ pity, not even for herself. She was like a flower growing on a cliff, beautiful from afar, but untouchable. But if you could reach the cliff, this exquisite flower would bloom only for you.

“Outstanding Representative.” She raised her voice.

Who? Who was Wen Hupo calling?

The students looked around, confused, not knowing who the new school beauty was calling.

“Outstanding Representative.” She called again.

Lu Li forced himself to respond. “Is there something I can help you with?” He didn’t like being the center of attention. An Baili raised her eyebrows and looked at Wen Hupo thoughtfully. Even the usually serious Chu Jingyi couldn’t help but look at Lu Li nervously. She didn’t know why she was nervous, but she felt a pang of jealousy.

This feeling was strange. A girl who was prettier, smarter, and more talented than her, suddenly calling out to her crush with a nickname in public… The more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt.

She said quickly, “Hupo, you can take my seat. I’ll have someone bring a new chair after the meeting.”

“It’s fine, let the Outstanding Representative bring a chair. I’ll take his seat.” Wen Hupo said seriously, without a hint of jest.

“Is that okay?” The blonde girl looked at Lu Li, her delicate features dreamlike.

Are you crazy? Like Zhu Xi? Lu Li nodded helplessly. If they were alone, he would definitely tease Wen Hupo, but he didn’t want to embarrass her in front of so many people. He watched as Wen Hupo walked gracefully to his seat. Their eyes met briefly, and the girl’s gaze was complex, something Lu Li couldn’t quite decipher.

Zhu Xi was one thing. She had abandoned her persona as the Poison Princess and had been chatting with him online lately, talking about everything, even her personal life, making Lu Li want to turn himself in. He didn’t want to know when Zhu Xi had her period, what kind of fruit she liked, or the name of her first pet!

Wen Hupo was also acting strangely. Today, she was wearing the school uniform she used to despise and even barged into the classroom during the class meeting and declared that she wanted to attend class. What was she up to? Had she suddenly decided to become a good student, study hard, and contribute to the development of China after graduating from a Chinese university? Don’t be ridiculous, she wasn’t even Chinese.

Lu Li excused himself to the Class Monitor. “I’m going to the logistics department to get a new chair. Someone come with me.”

The boy who had offered his seat to Wen Hupo earlier volunteered and followed Lu Li out of the classroom.

As they walked to the logistics office, the boy spoke up. “Lu-dog—I mean, Brother Lu.” He was sweating profusely, having accidentally spoken his mind. He hoped Lu Li wouldn’t tell Chu Jingyi. A close friend of his had badmouthed Lu Li once, calling him a womanizer, and when Chu Jingyi heard about it, she gave him detention. He was still writing self-criticism essays every day.

“Hmm? What’s up?” Lu Li had heard him clearly, but he just smiled and pretended not to.

The boy breathed a sigh of relief. “Brother Lu, you already have two beautiful girls, An Baili and the Class Monitor. Can you spare some for the rest of us? At least let Wen Hupo escape your web? To be honest, I’ve liked her for a long time…”

Lu Li didn’t say anything. The boy, emboldened, continued, “Brother Lu, can you give me a chance?”

“If you like someone, then pursue her.” Lu Li said with a straight face. “Why are you asking me for permission? Are you a beggar? A man should do what he wants, why would he need to ask others? And Wen Hupo isn’t an object, I can’t just give her away.”

“But… but…” The boy was getting anxious.

“Indecisive and timid.” Lu Li looked at him. “Not just Wen Hupo, I doubt any girl in our class would be interested in you.”

“H-how did you know?” The boy blushed. “I’m not a scumbag like you, playing with girls’ feelings. I’m sincere!”

It was like talking to a brick wall. Lu Li curled his lip and didn’t bother saying anything more. It was a waste of time arguing with a teenager who still had acne. He would rather try to figure out what was going on with Wen Hupo.

Chapter 28: A Beautiful Morning

Not all students celebrated April Fool’s Day, and Wen Hupo was one of them. She woke up early, as usual, and sat by the window with a cup of warm milk. For breakfast, she liked croissants sprinkled with powdered sugar, paired with a warm cup of coffee. This was the perfect morning. After arriving in China, Mr. Diplomat encouraged her to embrace the local customs and enjoy a Chinese breakfast – steamed buns, fried dough sticks, dumplings, and hot soy milk. But she found them too greasy.

Nevertheless, she always felt that every morning in China was beautiful.

“Miss, your friend has already finished his run. Just half an hour ago.” The cautious maid with freckles reminded her.

“…” Wen Hupo casually looked away. “I wasn’t looking at him.”

The maid nodded nervously, making Wen Hupo feel a bit embarrassed. Her denial seemed a bit too obvious.

Lu Li went for a run every morning. Ever since he learned where Wen Hupo lived, he would deliberately run past her villa. Wen Hupo liked this feeling of having someone accompany her before she started her day. She secretly cancelled her chauffeured car and would jog with Lu Li for a while, calling it exercise.

It wasn’t that she had fallen for the scumbag Outstanding Representative, but she enjoyed the simple warmth of companionship. Just like what she had observed in the activity classroom, Lu Li, An Baili, and Chu Jingyi would bicker and laugh together, three people with completely different mindsets and values, yet they got along so harmoniously. Especially Lu Li. Wen Hupo was certain that he held a whole world within him, a world whose boundaries even she couldn’t grasp. He seemed to be carrying something, burdened by something, hesitating about something, struggling with something.

Just like her.

She carried the dream of becoming a great artist, burdened by the reputation of the Amber family, hesitant about her identity, and struggling in a world of chaos and confusion. But she couldn’t bring herself to let go of her pride and connect with ordinary, optimistic people like Lu Li.

What was Lu Li thinking?

This question would sometimes pop into her mind. She was curious about the Outstanding Representative, and she knew this was a dangerous sign.

After finishing her milk, Wen Hupo was about to leave for school when she heard the maid call out, “Miss, a call from your father.” Wen Hupo’s platinum blonde eyebrows twitched slightly. She disliked the terms “father” and “miss.”

“Hello, Father.” Wen Hupo recalled the etiquette lessons and greeted Mr. Diplomat in a calm and gentle tone.

“Good morning, my lady. How is the morning sun in Chuanhai?” Mr. Diplomat chuckled heartily. “How are your studies and life going? Are you getting used to it?”

“Thanks to you, everything is fine.” School life was simple. She would jog with Lu Li for a bit in the morning, then take the bus to school, find a corner in the activity classroom, paint if she had inspiration, and read if she didn’t. At noon, Lu Li would usually come over with the two chattering girls, and she would secretly observe them. This had become a habit of hers.

“That’s good. By the way, my lady, about the gentleman from Chuanhai No. 1 High School who you had a romantic encounter with… are you willing to tell me his name now? Haha, just kidding, Happy April Fool’s Day. Don’t be so serious, my lady.” Mr. Diplomat changed the subject. “It’s like this, my lady. Old Osric was admitted to the ICU an hour ago. The family lawyers have already started working, and the asset division process is under preliminary review.”

“Okay.” Wen Hupo listened, her heart unmoved. She had never felt a sense of belonging to the Amber family.

Old Osric was the current chief accountant of the Amber family, rumored to be the illegitimate son of the old patriarch. He controlled the family’s core assets. The effective condition for all inheritance-related contracts of the Amber family was Old Osric’s natural death. Even the government was waiting for the day they could collect another inheritance tax.

He was already so old that he could barely walk.

Wen Hupo thought of the old man she had met once. He could only consume liquid food through a straw, couldn’t take care of himself, and only spoke one sentence a month. So many people wanted him to live, so many wanted him to die.

When a person lost their emotional value as a human being, stripped down to nothing but monetary value, they were no longer a person, but an object. A stamp with the label “human.”

A thought suddenly struck her. She seemed to understand why Lu Li had integrated himself into the lives of An Baili and Chu Jingyi. If a person was aloof and detached, unable to connect with others emotionally, what were they? A money-making machine?

“My lady, our trip to China might have to end earlier than planned.” Mr. Diplomat’s words made Wen Hupo’s grip on the phone tighten. “Not right now, of course. The situation within the family is a bit complicated at the moment. Well… within two months? How about that?”

He wasn’t asking for her opinion, but giving an order.

“Will we ever come back to China?” Wen Hupo asked, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

“Perhaps we’ll come back for a visit sometime.” Mr. Diplomat said with a smile.

Wen Hupo didn’t reply. She understood that Mr. Diplomat only saw her as a tool. Every legitimate heir of the Amber family could secure 0.5% of the inheritance for their parents. That’s why Mr. Diplomat had been frantically searching for his illegitimate children in recent years. Wen Hupo was brought back to the family castle under such circumstances.

Before the inheritance division process was complete, he had to protect all his children. That’s why he brought Wen Hupo to China. But what would happen after the inheritance was divided? Would he still care about her?

Wen Hupo was a smart girl, and it was this rationality that made her utterly disappointed in the world.

“I understand.”

Mr. Diplomat asked again, “My lady, you sound a bit disappointed. Are you sure you have no objections? Don’t worry, I’m a democratic person. I won’t force anyone to make a decision.”

“I have no objections.” Wen Hupo’s voice returned to its usual coldness and aloofness, her words concise.

“Have a pleasant day. Prepare a farewell party for your friends.” Mr. Diplomat hung up the phone.

Wen Hupo’s heart, which had been warmed by the trio, turned cold and hard again. In a flash, she saw the next few decades of her life: alone in a small room, sitting in front of a canvas, painting the withered maple leaves outside the window.

So the world was still this boring… It had never changed. She thought it might be different this time…

Wen Hupo chuckled self-deprecatingly. She didn’t have her warm coffee this morning, didn’t see the shameless Outstanding Representative, and received the phone call she least wanted to hear.

It was truly the worst morning ever.

If only someone would jump out and tell her that it was all just an April Fool’s joke…

Chapter 27: Whispers in the Wind

April Fool’s Day. Lu Li always thought April Fool’s Day was the most unwelcome holiday. It was full of self-righteous humor and unrestrained lies, like a public restroom for people to relieve themselves in broad daylight. Yet, this holiday was surprisingly popular among students. Perhaps it was their childlike innocence, their carefree nature. On his way to school, Lu Li had already heard no less than seven April Fool’s Day pranks. Students walked around the campus in groups. Suddenly, someone would say there was a surprise exam today, then someone would claim there was a holiday the day after tomorrow, and then someone would spread a rumor about someone’s girlfriend running away with someone else. Truth and lies mixed together, a testament to the boredom of youth.

An Baili loved April Fool’s Day, not because she enjoyed tricking others, but because it gave her an excuse to interact with Lu Li in a playful way. In his past life, she loved to provoke him on April Fool’s Day, just to be “punished” by him. Lu Li even suspected that she might have a masochistic streak.

Silly Goose, seeing An Baili teasing Lu Li repeatedly, felt a strange urge to join in. Her big eyes blinked as she looked at An Baili with a hint of admiration.

An Baili put her arm around the Class Monitor and whispered conspiratorially, “Baili, do you want to try it? You don’t usually have the chance to tease Lu Li.”

That was true. Whenever Silly Goose saw Lu Li, her soul seemed to be tethered to him. She had never tried to take the initiative. An Baili’s words made Silly Goose even more tempted. She glanced at Lu Li, who was walking behind them, and whispered, “Th-then what should I say?”

“Silly, haven’t you heard any April Fool’s jokes?”

“I… I don’t know…”

“Just say something impossible, and Lu Li will usually play along and pretend to believe you. Then you jump out and shout ‘Happy April Fool’s Day!’” An Baili proudly shared her expert advice.

Lu Li had been listening to their whispers. It wasn’t intentional eavesdropping. He couldn’t help but want to flick An Baili’s forehead. Only he, Lu Li, would play along with such childish games, and she was treating it like some precious secret to share with Yi Bao.

“Can I really do that?” To Lu Li’s surprise, Silly Goose actually asked seriously. He facepalmed. One clueless girl and one silly girl together, how would they survive in this world?

The girls whispered for a while, and then Chu Jingyi finally gathered her courage and walked towards Lu Li, her face filled with anticipation and mischief.

Looking at Silly Goose’s delicate face, Lu Li suddenly realized that this might be the essence of love, simple and pure. Just for a bit of fun, not caring if it was childish or not, just to make her beloved happy, she was willing to show her silly side.

Thinking of this, Lu Li smiled and put on a confused expression. “Jingyi, what’s wrong?”

For some reason, seeing Lu Li smile at her made Chu Jingyi blush, the crimson spreading across her cheeks like dye in water. She instinctively stared at him, then suddenly realized what she was doing and lowered her head shyly. Lu Li couldn’t help but pinch her earlobe gently. “We’ve known each other for almost two years, why are you still so shy? Aren’t you usually very confident when you’re running the class meetings?”

Silly Goose pouted. It was just how she was. No matter when, as long as she was near Lu Li, she would feel a little nervous, a little shy. She would subconsciously adjust her clothes, worried about having eye boogers from not washing her face properly in the morning…

“Lu Li, I don’t like you anymore.” She said with her head lowered.

Lu Li put on a sad expression. Before he could even speak, the Class Monitor quickly added, “It’s just an April Fool’s joke. Don’t take it seriously.”

Hearing this, An Baili couldn’t help but burst out laughing. What April Fool’s joke? This was clearly just flirting! Jingyi was sometimes surprisingly clever, and sometimes incredibly silly.

Lu Li also laughed and took Chu Jingyi’s soft hand. “Jingyi, I like you.”

The Class Monitor looked up. “Is that an April Fool’s joke too?”

“I’m not telling you.”

Chu Jingyi snapped out of her shyness. She looked at Lu Li and suddenly smiled brightly. “You’re still the biggest bad guy in the world.”

“Am I? Baili, am I a good guy or a bad guy?”

“You’re a pervert. Jingyi, let’s stay away from him. Look at him, trying to hold a girl’s hand in broad daylight… I don’t even want to imagine what he does at night…”

Lunch break. As the Class Monitor, Chu Jingyi always had endless class duties. After finishing lunch with Lu Li and An Baili, she rushed to the logistics office to register for the new school uniforms.

An Baili was feeling poetic today. She said she wanted to go to the rooftop and be closer to the sky.

A gentle spring breeze ruffled An Baili’s hair, making her look like a dreamy figure from an Impressionist painting. Her figure in her school uniform stood out against the clear blue sky. She held her hands behind her back and bowed slightly. “Pervert, why are you spacing out?”

“You’re so beautiful, Baili.” Lu Li said sincerely.

“I’m not like Jingyi, blushing and running away just because you complimented me.” An Baili giggled.

“Why is our little village girl feeling so poetic today, coming up to the rooftop to enjoy the breeze?”

“Who’s a village girl? Say that again and I’ll bite you.”

Lu Li chuckled appeasingly. Perhaps because it was so close to the sky, rooftops were always associated with melancholy, suicide, freedom, and the wind. They had naturally become a symbol of romanticism. Lone wolves preferred secluded corners, and rooftops were their sacred ground.

An Baili, however, had nothing to do with rooftops. She was the type of girl who would just sleep at her desk.

“The view is so vast.” An Baili spread her arms in the wind, striking a classic Titanic pose. “I feel so free and unrestrained. No wonder you love the rooftop so much.”

Lu Li wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. “Something on your mind?”

An Baili was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.

“Honey, I feel like everything is so surreal now.” She looked at the students on the playground with a dazed expression. “The price is gone, the barrier between us is gone, and I even have Jingyi, a kindred spirit, as my sister. And your career is thriving. It’s all… it’s all…”

Her voice choked with emotion. Lu Li held her tighter. “It’s all what?”

“…I just can’t believe it. Just two months ago, I had nightmares every night, waking up once at eleven, once at three in the morning, and then again at dawn.” Her lips trembled. “Every night, I felt so cold, even though I was wrapped tightly in the blanket, my whole body felt like it was submerged in ice water. Whenever I closed my eyes, I would think, what if I really die alone, what if I never see Lu Li again? That was more terrifying than death itself. But if I didn’t close my eyes, my body would tremble and cough uncontrollably, like a broken machine, I couldn’t even see how many fingers I had.”

Listening to her words, Lu Li held her even tighter. Yes, during that time, he only knew that Baili had a price to pay, but he didn’t know how she felt. Did he really think this girl had come to terms with it? Did he really think An Baili was a fearless girl? She was clearly a timid little girl, clutching an aquarium flyer and afraid to go home.

“Baili, I’m sorry, I neglected you during that time.”

“Don’t apologize… Honey, you’ve done enough.” An Baili smiled faintly. “I was struggling between life and death during those days. Every day, I wanted to see you the moment I opened my eyes, afraid that if I missed a single glance, I would never have the chance again. Those days of despair were just two months ago, but now, now everything has changed, everything is filled with hope, it’s so beautiful, like a dream.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot these days. Don’t laugh at me, I’m not stupid. They say that people often have epiphanies after experiencing life-or-death situations. I don’t have the ability to achieve enlightenment and become a Buddha, but I’ve realized that I was too selfish before…”

“That’s not true…” Lu Li said instinctively, trying to comfort her.

“Don’t coax me anymore, or I’ll lose myself again.” An Baili puffed out her cheeks. “I was too selfish before, forcing my love onto you. I was the one who trapped myself. Wen Hupo was right, she was always right…”

What did Wen Hupo say? Lu Li was confused. An Baili didn’t explain. She faced the wind and shouted softly, “I love Lu Li so, so, so much!”

The wind howled, swallowing her small voice. Lu Li couldn’t help but laugh. “Is that an April Fool’s joke?”

“You guess.” An Baili winked.

Chapter 26: An Unhappy April Fool’s Day

“Of course it’s true.” Lu Li replied casually. “Zhu Xi” didn’t send any more messages. Perhaps she got bored, or perhaps she was busy with other things. After all, how could a princess have so much free time to spend online? Even Chen Jianing knew to go to the riverside to relax and occasionally travel. No one would just stay home all day playing games and browsing the internet, right?

Lu Li was still waiting for “Zhu Xi’s” reply when Silly Goose suddenly called. Lu Li’s spirits lifted, and a smile bloomed on his face. But after answering the call, the silly girl said she wanted to talk to Baili. Lu Li could only hand the phone to An Baili, who was in the kitchen, and let the two girls whisper their secrets. He was thinking about buying An Baili a phone. What brand and model should he get her?

During dinner, Zhu Xi noticed that Zhu Qiao was unusually excited, her long legs swinging restlessly under the table, bumping against her shins several times.

“Xiaoqiao, eat properly.” Zhu Xi said with a slightly stern tone.

“Yes, yes.” Zhu Qiao giggled, not even noticing that she was holding her chopsticks upside down. Zhu Xi rubbed her temples. “Did something good happen?”

Zhu Qiao gasped. “Sister Xi, you already know?”

Of course, your excitement is written all over your face. Zhu Xi never had the heart to scold her younger sister, so she just sighed. “Tell your sister about it.” Zhu Xi was a controlling woman. She disliked anything that was beyond her control, including Zhu Qiao. The online world was even more bizarre and unpredictable than reality. The internet was like a masked carnival where everyone could vent freely. You never knew if you were stepping on dog shit or gold. Zhu Qiao, lacking common sense and life experience, was the type of person who could easily get into trouble online.

Zhu Qiao wanted to tell her sister that she had chatted with the developer of her favorite game, but she noticed that Zhu Xi’s eyes weren’t focused on her – this was a habit of Sister Xi’s. Whenever she was scheming or had something on her mind, she would “pretend” to look at the other person, but her gaze would be fixed on some distant point in space. No one knew what she was thinking about.

Two years ago, Sister Xi brought her a cute puppy, and Zhu Qiao loved it. But a puppy was still a puppy, untrained and unruly. It often nipped at her playfully. The wounds weren’t deep, just small scratches. She mentioned this to Sister Xi during a casual conversation, and she still remembered Zhu Xi’s expression back then, the same as now, seemingly attentive but actually miles away. A few days later, without telling her, Sister Xi took the puppy away. She never said where it went, and Zhu Qiao never saw the lively little creature again.

For some reason, Zhu Qiao thought of this incident, and the words that came out of her mouth were, “I played a very fun game called Evening Collection.”

Just a game? Zhu Xi nodded slightly. She would look into the game’s background later. It wasn’t a big deal.

Zhu Qiao discovered that she had a talent for lying. She didn’t blush or feel nervous, just continued eating quietly.

Today was a momentous day in Zhu Qiao’s life. The first time playing a video game, the first time greeting a stranger, the first time having a proper conversation with a stranger, the first time lying to her beloved Sister Xi… She decided to record these achievements and have them engraved on her tombstone after she died…

Thinking of this, Zhu Qiao couldn’t help but giggle.

Time flew by. Youth was fleeting, and young boys and girls grew up in the blink of an eye. On his way to and from school, Lu Li started seeing senior students dragging their suitcases, leaving the campus. Some had already been accepted into universities and were going for early admissions. Some, unable to keep up with their studies, were going home to live a life of leisure. And some, no longer interested in a diploma, were starting to work in their family businesses. In contrast, students from other high schools in Chuanhai didn’t have so many choices. Half of them would go to vocational schools to learn a trade, and the other half would start working. Sometimes, the track you were on determined the outcome. The harder you tried to switch tracks, the more likely you were to be disqualified.

On his way to school, Lu Li walked behind An Baili and Chu Jingyi, listening to their chatter. Girls were good in many ways: soft bodies, smooth skin, sweet fragrance, shy and demure. But they were also very talkative when they got together.

“Baili, Baili, did you know? Senior Shi from the third year was ranked as the only top-tier student by the committee. They say she can start as a … level official after graduation…”

“The one who always jogs on the playground with a book in her hand? I always thought she was just showing off…”

“And there’s a Senior Jiang, I heard he was ranked as the lowest tier and has been called back by his family for punishment…”

“That’s so strict.” An Baili shivered. These hidden rules were incredibly cruel, a stark display of the rigid social hierarchy. “Jingyi, you should be able to get a high ranking next year, right?”

Lu Li smirked. What did she mean by “should”? It was a certainty. Chu Jingyi was Chu Xiaodong’s only daughter, the apple of his eye. Her father had been transferred to the capital this year and appointed as a Grand Scholar in the central cabinet, a true member of the leadership, someone who held real power. Would Chuanhai No. 1 High School dare to disrespect him?

He and An Baili, on the other hand, had to worry about their rankings. If they were ranked in the bottom three tiers, they might even have trouble getting into university.

“I don’t know… I don’t know how the committee evaluates us.” Silly Goose was actually a bit nervous, seemingly worried about her own ranking.

How are they evaluated? Lu Li suppressed a smile. It was best not to say anything and let Yi Bao remain blissfully ignorant. All he wanted was for this silly girl to be happy and carefree.

As Lu Li was lost in his thoughts, An Baili suddenly turned around and looked at him. “Ah! Lu Li, there’s something I haven’t told you…”

“What is it?” Lu Li asked casually.

“I can’t log into that account you asked me to keep safe.”

Lu Li froze, his hair almost standing on end. “What did you say?” That account was the joint account he shared with Sister Yameng, where they kept part of the revenue from Evening Collection, the money he had set aside for their college tuition. There was only one reason why he couldn’t log in: the account had been frozen!

His mind raced, going through various laws, regulations, and bank rules, but he couldn’t figure out what he had done wrong. Did he earn too much on the Valve platform and attract unwanted attention? Was it because one of the media partners he collaborated with was involved in illegal activities? That shouldn’t be the case…

Or perhaps, more simply and directly, someone had illegally withdrawn the money, triggering the bank to freeze the account automatically?

Just as Lu Li was getting increasingly anxious, An Baili suddenly smiled. “Silly Lu Li, Happy April Fool’s Day~”

Lu Li’s mind went blank, all his thoughts dissipating like smoke. He finally realized: today was April 1st, April Fool’s Day.

Chapter 25: The Princess is a Shut-in?

“Hi” was more playful than “Hello,” less formal and serious. This indicated that Lu Li was still somewhat afraid of the Poison Princess. This woman wouldn’t hesitate to drug and kidnap someone. She was no saint. He just wanted to keep the conversation light and casual.

After waiting for a while without a reply from Zhu Xi, Lu Li was still wondering what she was up to when he smelled the rich aroma of meat. An Baili was making soup in the kitchen. Since learning that her price had disappeared, the girl had been enthusiastically exploring the culinary arts, her previous listlessness replaced with a newfound zest for life.

An Baili said that she had originally planned to live life to the fullest with Lu Li before her price manifested, so she hadn’t bothered with studying or thinking about the future, just living day by day. Now, things were different. She had plans for the future. She wanted to go to the same university as Lu Li, have a daughter with him, and build a family together. Jingyi could also be considered a part of their family…

An Baili walked out of the kitchen, carrying a bowl of hot soup, her hips swaying. “Try my cooking~”

Lu Li raised an eyebrow, noticing that she was wearing a short skirt under her apron, her fair thighs exposed. “Why are you wearing such a short skirt while cooking? Aren’t you afraid of getting burned?”

“I’m only wearing it at home, so what? Look or don’t look, I don’t care.” An Baili snorted and wiggled her bottom. “And I’m not wearing any underwear, just for you.”

Hearing this, Lu Li’s gaze instinctively travelled down her legs, under her skirt, as if trying to verify if she was really not wearing any underwear. The black pleated skirt was so short that he could easily lift it and see everything underneath.

He still tried to act indifferent. “Am I that desperate?”

“Haven’t you been like this for the past few days? With Zou Yameng gone, you’ve become unrestrained.” An Baili licked her lips. “I bend down a little while cleaning, and someone’s ready to pounce. I take a shower, and you insist on joining me, turning a one-hour shower into two or three hours. And at night, you don’t even pull out, you just leave it in there all night, making it hard for me to sleep…” Although she was complaining, there was no real displeasure in her tone, mostly the smugness of a pampered wife.

Lu Li blushed. Young people had a lot of energy, especially teenage boys during puberty. They were full of vigor, ready to conquer the world, and every female they saw on the street sparked their imagination. A man’s desires would gradually subside with age.

“That’s why I’m wearing such a short skirt, just for your convenience.” An Baili pouted.

Lu Li understood the implication and quickly pulled An Baili into his arms, showering her with sweet words and praising her soup, making her smile so wide that her eyes crinkled into crescents. She didn’t actually care about the short skirt or the soup, she just wanted her husband’s affirmation and attention.

After being coaxed by Lu Li for a while, An Baili’s body softened. She snuggled in his arms and asked softly, “Li, how many copies of the game have we sold?”

“Over 220,000 now. The growth rate has slowed down. I estimate we can reach 1.8 million in the first month.” This number was astonishing for a small indie team, but it was nothing special for Lu Li. With the quality of Evening Collection, two million sales was just satisfactory. After all, he was reborn and had decades of experience in the industry. After the annual income summary next year, Lu Li planned to divide the revenue from Evening Collection into three parts: one for his, his sister’s, and An Baili’s living expenses and tuition, one for the registered capital of their new company, and the last for investment.

While drinking the soup, Lu Li played with An Baili in his arms. The young couple was lovey-dovey, the room filled with a sweet and ambiguous atmosphere. He had to admit that since Sister Yameng left, his self-control had weakened. Sometimes, he would even have the urge to skip work and studies and just spend the whole day with An Baili, trying out different positions, going out shopping and eating delicious food when they got tired, and then coming back for another round at night.

If Sister Yameng were still here, she would definitely scold him for being so decadent and depraved. Lu Li thought that he might just push Sister Yameng down and have his way with her. Would she resist? Maybe? Maybe not?

Thinking about women naturally led to thoughts about sex, and Lu Li’s mind wandered. He thought Zou Yameng had the longest legs among the girls he knew, athletic and powerful, curvy in the right places, slender where they should be, her skin a tempting shade of white with a hint of pink. An Baili’s legs were slightly less impressive. Her figure was better than most girls, but still not comparable to Sister Yameng’s. And her breasts were only slightly larger than Chen Jianing’s, perhaps about the same size as Silly Goose’s?

Then he thought of Zhu Xi’s figure. Strictly speaking, the Poison Princess had the best figure among all the women he knew. She had a voluptuous bust, a tiny waist, broader shoulders than most women, and legs as long as Sister Yameng’s. She was a supermodel, a walking embodiment of desire. No wonder so many men in his past life, even knowing she was poisonous, were willing to risk their lives to please her.

Lu Li shook his head. He must be tired of living, actually starting to judge Zhu Xi’s appearance. He would probably never have anything to do with this princess in his life, right?

After finishing the soup, An Baili went back to the kitchen, and Lu Li wiped his mouth and returned to the computer, noticing that Zhu Xi had replied to his message. He immediately sat up straight, his expression serious.

The “Zhu Xi” on the other end also sent a “Hello,” even using the same punctuation as his message, as if she had copied and pasted it.

This tone was a bit too friendly, and Lu Li felt apprehensive. He was wondering what to say next when “Zhu Xi” typed, “Your game is really good, so amazing!”

What’s with this girlish, adoring tone? Are you imitating my Yi Bao? And you, the all-powerful Poison Princess, don’t you know that Eternal Joy Studio is my team? Was she acting? Or did she really not know?

A thousand thoughts raced through Lu Li’s mind. In the end, he decided to play along.

“Thank you for your praise. We’re glad you like it. We hope you’ll continue to support us!” A very formal and clichéd reply. Normally, the conversation should end here, just as Lu Li expected.

But “Zhu Xi” asked again, “Will you continue making games? Can, can I play your games again?”

What kind of question was that? You have hands, don’t you? Do I have the right to stop you from playing? Zhu Xi, did you hit your head or something?

“Zhu Xi” seemed to realize how childish her words were and quickly withdrew the message, then sent another message pitifully, “I was too excited, I’m sorry…”

Lu Li’s mind was a mess. He couldn’t tell if Zhu Xi was playing with him or if she was being genuine. Could it be… could it be that the infamous Poison Princess was actually a pure and innocent otaku in private?

With this strange thought in mind, Lu Li replied in the same tone he used with Chu Jingyi, “It’s okay, it’s okay, you can play our games anytime you want. We’ll give you a free activation code for our next game.”

“Zhu Xi” was clearly overjoyed. “Really?”

Chapter 24: Zhu Xi Must Be Crazy

The game, titled Evening Collection, told the story of a writer who returned to his rural hometown for inspiration, visiting his childhood friends and hearing strange and eerie tales from the locals. The writing in Evening Collection was superb, and combined with the exquisite character art, it easily immersed Zhu Qiao in the game’s world. She felt like she had become the writer, listening to stories from the depths of darkness on rainy nights.

The game didn’t have any jump scares, so Zhu Qiao could play without any fear. Each chapter, besides its chilling supernatural elements, also explored humanistic themes. The man leading a dog with a human head, the fierce-looking forest ranger who was actually a timid and insecure child, the married woman who recklessly pursued love and fell into an endless dream, the man who sent an invitation to the ghosts and ended up being killed by them…

At the end of the game, as the writer was about to leave the village, he saw his own tombstone by an old house. He finally realized that he had died from an illness in his childhood, and now he was just a vengeful spirit lingering due to his unfulfilled desires… As the writer looked on with melancholy, the game screen gradually darkened, a beautiful lullaby played, and countless fireflies danced in the darkness. The words “Evening Collection” appeared on the screen. As Zhu Qiao savored the lingering emotions, the words “Morning Flowers” appeared before “Evening Collection,” combining to form the title “Morning Flowers, Evening Collection.”

Good works always resonated with the audience and ignited their passion. Zhu Qiao thought of her own childhood, how naive she was back then, mistaking the shadows outside her window for ghosts, believing that thunder was the sound of demons grinding their teeth. Her little head was filled with big questions, and all the unknowns in the world were like supernatural dreams to her. What was the difference between her and the writer in the game?

Evening Collection wasn’t a very long game. Zhu Qiao finished it before dinner. Her heart was still in turmoil, a strong urge to express something, to write something. She clicked on the game’s comment section, then hesitated.

She wanted to praise the development team, but she lacked the vocabulary, not knowing what to say. She was also afraid of being criticized by others if she expressed her opinions. So she chose a compromise. She clicked on the developer’s private message button, planning to express her love for the game privately.

But what should she write?

Zhu Qiao hadn’t gone to school, but she had learned to read and write from Grandma Zhu. Her understanding of praise was still limited to words like “good-looking,” “amazing,” and “beautiful.” The impact of Evening Collection was too profound for her to express in words.

In the end, Xiaoqiao decided to use the most direct method. She turned on the camera, gave a thumbs-up, and then clicked send.

Human language originated from gestures. She believed that her feelings could be conveyed through this simple gesture!

“Xiaoqiao, dinner’s ready!” Sister Zhu Xi called out to her.

“Ah~ Coming, coming!” Zhu Qiao closed the private message window, put on her slippers, and hurried out.

Lu Li had been closely monitoring the game’s sales figures for the past few days. In the first 24 hours, Evening Collection sold over 70,000 copies, far exceeding his expectations. It even started trending on major social media platforms. When he woke up the next day, the sales had surpassed 140,000, topping the new releases chart. The previous domestic indie game hit had only sold 700,000 copies in six months!

As of today, Sister Yameng’s account had received over five million yuan, and this was after deducting VAT(Value-Added Tax).

This amount might be a drop in the bucket for large game companies, as the development cost alone was usually much higher. But what was the cost of this game? He built the framework himself, with a little help from Old Chen. The music was provided by An Baili and Chu Jingyi for free, the art by Wen Hupo for free, and even the marketing was done by Chen Jianing for free… Thinking about it, the cost of this game was surprisingly low… Lu Li stroked his chin. It seemed like Eternal Joy Studio had a bright future!

He was already thinking about how to distribute the salaries. First, there were An Baili and Chu Jingyi. These two girls probably weren’t interested in his money. It would be better to convert their salaries into gifts. Then there was Chen Jianing, a money-grubber and a miser. In his past life, An Baili often said she was obsessed with money, so he would give her a bigger bonus. And Wen Hupo, she was like a refined scholar from ancient times, caring more about reputation than money. How about giving her a banner? With the words “Outstanding Young Woman Representative” written on it, a perfect match for his “Outstanding Young Man Representative”? Oh, and Sister Yameng also had a salary. The title didn’t matter, he would find a way to give his sister money.

As Lu Li was happily daydreaming about the future, he suddenly noticed a private message on the Valve platform.

Since the game’s release, his account had received hundreds of private messages. A third were from advertisers, a third from music platforms asking for licensing, and the rest were from enthusiastic fans.

The sender of this particular message had the default smiling face as their profile picture, and their ID was a random string of numbers and letters, clearly a bot account. The message contained a picture, and Lu Li hesitated to open it. In his past life, he had heard colleagues complain about strange player behavior. They would send private messages in the middle of the night, pictures of their private parts, asking for feedback. If it were from a pretty girl, it would be one thing, but the pictures were always from hairy men. It was truly indecent.

Lu Li was worried that he had encountered a pervert.

Driven by curiosity, Lu Li clicked on the picture. The next second, his hand holding the mouse trembled, his eyes widening in disbelief.

The sender wasn’t a hairy man, but a beautiful young woman. She was wearing a casual t-shirt, her features delicate, her fox-like eyes alluring, but her slightly parted lips revealed a certain innocence. The girl gave a thumbs-up, a silly grin on her face, a Chu Jingyi style grin, as if saying, “Great job~”

Zhu Xi?! Is she crazy?!

This was Lu Li’s only thought. You, the Fourteenth Princess, sent me a selfie? What’s wrong with this world?

After hesitating for a long time, Lu Li decided that he couldn’t embarrass Her Highness by ignoring her, so he carefully replied, “Hi.”

Chapter 23: Zhu Qiao’s First Time

Zhu Qiao’s world was very small, just a long corridor, a main hall called Zhengyuan Hall, and plum blossoms in the courtyard that bloomed only in late winter and early spring. If she measured her world in steps, its diameter was only one hundred and seventy-five steps. When she was still too young to distinguish between boys and girls, Zhu Qiao retained a curiosity about the outside world. But whenever she tried to sneak out, Grandma Zhu would pull her ear and sternly lecture her about the ancestral rules she had heard hundreds of times. As she grew older and realized she was a young lady, she never caused Grandma Zhu any more trouble.

Zhu Qiao admired her older sister, Zhu Xi. She also envied her, even felt a twinge of jealousy. Sister Xi always traveled all over the world, as if she had endless things to do and people to meet. She had seen the vast ocean, the towering mountains, the snow in the north, and the beaches in the south. And Sister Xi would always recount her adventures to her in detail on peaceful and warm afternoons.

If only I could see the outside world too… She would occasionally think this, but then she would feel guilty, remembering the lonely Grandma Zhu. If she left, who would accompany her grandmother? Who would inherit this ancestral hall? Old Mute? But he couldn’t even speak… Grandma Zhu also said that Old Mute was the last eunuch in China. She said that eunuchs usually lived longer than ordinary people. Old Mute had been sweeping the courtyard outside the ancestral hall since Grandma Zhu was young. He would arrive at 7 a.m. every morning and leave at 6 p.m. Grandma Zhu said he lived in a rented room a few li away, receiving a monthly subsistence allowance of 600 yuan.

What was a subsistence allowance? What was a rented room?

These terms were too complicated for Zhu Qiao. Although she would secretly browse the internet, she didn’t dare to create an account. She could only timidly watch netizens interact, trying to understand the unfamiliar terms they used. If she couldn’t figure something out, she would ask Sister Xi when she came to visit.

Zhu Qiao finally stepped out of the ancestral hall, crossing the threshold that had confined her for seventeen years. Old Mute glanced at her and then continued sweeping the floor, his head lowered. She looked back at the ancestral hall with some trepidation, feeling a strange fear towards this new life.

“Xiaoqiao.” Zhu Xi took her sister’s hand, her heart aching. “Nothing can hold you back anymore.”

“Sister Xi, I’m a little scared.” Zhu Qiao’s face was pale. “Where will I live? How will I eat? Will Grandma be lonely? What if, what if the police arrest me? They say on the internet that unemployed people will be arrested…”

Grandma, don’t you have a conscience? Zhu Xi sighed inwardly and started explaining some basic social common sense to the sheltered Zhu Qiao. She hated rigid traditions and stubborn rules. She had long decided to take Zhu Qiao out of the ancestral hall, but Grandma Zhu said that Zhu Qiao could only leave after they found the Colored Stones. The women of the Zhu family were born for a mysterious mission. Until all the Colored Stones were found, the Zhu family’s shaman had to stay in the Zhengyuan ancestral hall until they died.

Shaman? Mission? These words only made Zhu Xi laugh.

After getting into the car, Zhu Qiao looked around curiously. “Is this a car? It’s my first time riding in one…”

The female bodyguard who was driving chuckled, earning a cold glare from Zhu Xi. “Mind your own business. If I hear you mocking Xiaoqiao again, you can go back to your hometown.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” The female bodyguard straightened up, not daring to make another sound.

Sister Xi is so scary… This was the first time Zhu Qiao had seen such a cold and indifferent side of her sister. She shrank back in her seat like a frightened stray cat. The outside world was truly terrifying… Maybe she should just go back to the ancestral hall with Grandma… What if there was no one to massage Grandma’s shoulders while she burned incense at night?

The two sisters, sitting in the back seat, looked alike, but their personalities and behaviors were completely different.

“Xiaoqiao, do you want to have barbecue tonight? I’ll take you…” When facing Zhu Qiao, Zhu Xi’s expression softened again, the sharpness in her fox-like eyes disappearing.

“I… I don’t want to go to crowded places.” Zhu Qiao whispered.

“Then… have you ever played video games?”

“Yes, I’ve watched videos online.”

“Do you want to play?”

Zhu Qiao’s eyes lit up. “Yes!”

“Then you can stay at my place and play games for the next few days. I’ll take you out and show you around after I’m done with some things.” Zhu Xi knew that it wouldn’t be easy for her sister, who had been isolated from society for over a decade, to reintegrate. She would start with something relaxing like video games, letting Zhu Qiao gradually reconnect with society. And she had to find a school for her. But Xiaoqiao had never been to school before. Would she have to attend first grade with five- or six-year-old children?

Seeing Sister Xi lost in thought, Zhu Qiao obediently remained silent and looked out the window at the passing scenery. The small window revealed a colorful world: red shop signs, gray pavement, pedestrians in colorful clothes. New and exciting things flashed past her eyes, one after another, too fast for her to take it all in.

Zhu Qiao wondered, how should she greet strangers? She didn’t know their names. Would it be impolite to just say “hello”?

Her world used to be only one hundred and seventy-five steps wide. She didn’t have to think about complicated things. She just lived with her grandmother, occasionally pruning the plum trees and learning to cook on a wood-burning stove. No one had taught her how to greet strangers.

Sister Xi’s home was a large villa. Before entering, they passed through a garden. Female gardeners in white hats bowed to them neatly. Zhu Qiao awkwardly imitated their movements and curtsied back, which surprised the gardeners.

“Xiaoqiao, they’re just the gardeners. They should be the ones greeting you, you don’t have to bow back.” Zhu Xi said with a smile.

“But… wouldn’t that be impolite?” Zhu Qiao asked timidly.

Zhu Xi was taken aback for a moment, opened her mouth, then closed it without saying anything.

She took Zhu Qiao to the guest room and taught her how to use a computer. It wasn’t difficult – she had secretly let Zhu Qiao use the internet before. She still remembered how Zhu Qiao had been startled by the computer’s startup sound and cried, ignoring her for a long time afterwards.

“You can play online here. I’ll call you for dinner later. If you need anything, you can message me online or just call my name.” Zhu Xi stroked her sister’s soft hair. Unlike her own straight hair, Zhu Qiao’s hair was long and slightly wavy, the ends tinged with a faint orange-red.

After Zhu Xi left, Zhu Qiao carefully started using the computer. She held the mouse and fumbled around on the desktop for a while, finally managing to open a program called “Valve Platform.” A series of game covers appeared on the screen. Zhu Qiao’s jaw dropped, and she stared at them in awe.

So these are games?

Zhu Qiao was a little excited. She carefully clicked on a ranking list and saw a game at the top.

“Eternal Joy Studio?” Zhu Qiao liked the name and clicked on her first ever video game…

Chapter 22: The Number Nine

Since ancient times, China has been called the “Middle Kingdom.”

“Wu silk, Shu paulownia, Zhang Gaoqiu’s autumn, empty mountains, still clouds refuse to flow. River nymphs cry amidst the bamboo, the Goddess of Pure Love grieves, Li Ping plays the konghou in China.”

This ancient civilization led the first industrial revolution. In the year when the productivity of the land was driven to the cities by roaring machinery, the year Grand Tutor Zhang passed away, the year the internal relations of production within the Ming Empire were shattered, an unprecedented catastrophe struck this land and its people. Some say that the true Ming Empire perished at that time, and what remained was merely another super dynasty called Shenzhou.

Many old and undesirable customs were abolished at that time. Zhu Xi heard that before then, the people of China still practiced gender discrimination. If an ordinary family had a baby girl, they would drown her in a ditch in the dead of night. She also heard that foot-binding was prevalent then, from the royal family to the commoners, women had to have their feet bound, just to live up to the reputation of “three-inch golden lotuses.”

This country had changed in many ways, but the cultural tradition of ancestor worship remained unchanged.

Zhu Xi walked to the narrow gate of the ancestral hall and nodded to the old mute gatekeeper. Ever since she could remember, the old mute had been guarding the ancestral hall, his daily task to sweep away the dust in front of the threshold. The Zhu family had many ancestral halls, in Hengli, Shazhou, and Tongling. There were no less than a hundred recorded in the family archives, but this one was special.

She pushed open the wooden door. Zhu Xi had to bend down to enter.

“Sister Xi.” A young woman about her age greeted her with a slight bow. Zhu Xi’s eyes flickered. This woman was dressed in a colorful, narrow-sleeved robe and embroidered shoes with raised heels, as if she had stepped out of an ancient painting. She looked seven parts similar to Zhu Xi, both in appearance and figure. But she lacked Zhu Xi’s sharp temperament, more like a delicate wildflower by the roadside, gentle and obedient.

“Xiaoqiao. Is Grandma here?” Zhu Xi softened her usual cold expression, her voice unusually gentle.

“Grandma is burning incense.” Xiaoqiao happily moved closer to Zhu Xi. “Sister Xi, can you tell me about the outside world again? Grandma confiscated the phone you gave me, and I haven’t been online for a long time… Um, how’s the epidemic in Mulan City?”

“That was last year’s news.” Zhu Xi gently flicked Xiaoqiao’s nose. “I’ll go find Grandma first, then I’ll come back and talk to you.”

Xiaoqiao’s face crumpled. She was a young woman of seventeen or eighteen, but her behavior was no different from a child’s. Zhu Xi’s heart stirred. She didn’t understand the meaning of all this – confining a girl in this small ancestral hall for seventeen years, a confinement that would last until Xiaoqiao’s death, a fate that would continue for generations to come… Xiaoqiao, her own younger sister, wasn’t officially recognized and could only live in this unknown corner under the name of “Zhu Qiao”… What was the point of all this?

Zhu Xi took a step forward and saw Zhu Qiao pouting, tears welling up in her eyes. She softened and took her sister’s hand. “There, there, Xiaoqiao, don’t be sad. I’ll give you a surprise later, a surprise so good that you’ll be laughing in your dreams!”

“Okay, Sister Xi is the best~” Zhu Qiao’s tears turned into a smile, her childlike nature evident.

Zhu Xi walked through the long wooden corridor, catching a whiff of sandalwood. She continued walking and saw Grandma kneeling before a blank portrait in the main hall. A plaque hung outside the hall: “Zhengyuan Hall.”

Grandma also had the surname Zhu. She heard that Grandma Zhu was her father’s younger sister, her aunt, the former eldest princess.

“Grandma.” Zhu Xi stopped under the Zhengyuan Hall plaque. This was a place she was once very familiar with. There was a time when she would escape to this ancestral hall to avoid the oppressive and decadent atmosphere of the royal family, chatting with Zhu Qiao and basking in her younger sister’s adoring gaze. “I found it.”

Grandma didn’t turn around. “What did you find?”

Zhu Xi tossed the heart-shaped pendant she had dug up from Shanzhu Village onto the floor. Grandma still didn’t turn around, just focused on burning incense and paying respects to their ancestors. She had been doing this for decades and would continue to do so, even if the world outside turned upside down.

“Zhu Xi, do you know the significance of this ancestral hall?”

“You only said it was to worship our ancestor.”

In the Zhu family, there was only one person referred to as “that ancestor”: Emperor Zhu Zhengyuan, who saved the Ming Empire from collapse.

—This was a lie.

His name wasn’t Zhu Zhengyuan, and it wasn’t even certain if he was a descendant of the Zhu family.

No official records about him remained, only fragments of letters and hearsay. What was his name? What was his posthumous title? When was he born? Where was he buried? No one knew. It was as if he was cursed by heaven, unable to leave any trace in this world.

Even his achievements were pieced together by later generations based on the oral accounts of the elderly.

Such an ancestor was clearly not suitable to be enshrined in the main ancestral hall for future generations to worship.

Zhu Xi’s gaze shifted upwards. A wooden box, exquisite and precious, was placed in front of the blank portrait. She had opened the box before. Inside were crystals, just like the ones in the heart-shaped pendant. As a princess of the Zhu family, she had seen countless crystals and diamonds, but only two remained vivid in her memory. One was the crystal in the wooden box, said to be passed down from Zhu Zhengyuan. The other was the pendant in the hands of the Chu family’s son-in-law…

Only these two crystals were different. But she couldn’t explain the difference.

“That ancestor only left one sentence.” Grandma said slowly. “It was something along the lines of, ‘This country will face a new disaster, and this object will save the people once again.’”

Zhu Xi remained silent. She never believed in such vague prophecies, especially since all the information about this ancestor came from unreliable rumors. She found it a bit ridiculous that generation after generation of princesses had to sacrifice their youth in this ancestral hall just because of a rumor.

She was a woman who believed in human agency. This country was indeed riddled with problems, but she believed that changing it wouldn’t rely on some jewel enshrined in a wooden box, but on practical methods and strategies.

The reason she snatched the pendant from the Chu family’s son-in-law wasn’t because of some Zhu family legend, but for her pitiful younger sister – Zhu Qiao.

“You promised me that after finding all the Colored Stones, you would let Zhu Qiao leave the ancestral hall and live with me.” Zhu Xi said seriously.

Grandma Zhu picked up the pendant from the floor with trembling hands, her eyes darting around. “It is indeed the Colored Stone mentioned in the records, identical to the ones in the wooden box… This is fate… I should have known this day would come…”

Grandma Zhu had always been a superstitious old woman, and Zhu Xi was used to her cryptic words. To be honest, Zhu Xi didn’t care about the legend of the Colored Stones. In her opinion, it was as absurd as the rumors spread by ancient emperors to consolidate their power, like the phoenix descending upon the Western Palace or the crane flying from the East. The legend of the Colored Stones was probably no different.

“Zhu Qiao,” Grandma called out.

Zhu Qiao skipped over. “Grandma, Sister Xi~”

“Xiaoqiao, from today onwards, you can leave the ancestral hall and live with your Sister Xi.” Grandma Zhu held the pendant and turned towards the wooden altar.

Zhu Qiao was stunned, then looked at the smiling Zhu Xi, her face lighting up. “Grandma, is it true?”

Zhu Xi answered, “Silly girl, of course it’s true. Come live with me. I’m going to Mulan University next year, and you can come with me.”

Zhu Qiao was overwhelmed by the sudden surprise. “I, I’ve never been to school before… Is it really okay?”

“Of course.” Zhu Xi led Xiaoqiao out by the hand, describing the wonders of the outside world to this girl who had been confined for seventeen years. “Not only can you go online freely, there are also all sorts of delicious food. By the way, Qiao’er, have you heard of amusement parks…?”

The two girls’ voices faded away. After they were gone, Grandma Zhu slowly opened the ornate wooden box.

“As the ancients said, ‘The Dao is fifty, the heavens derive forty-nine, and humans escape with one. Thus, nine is the ultimate number. Only when the Colored Stones reach nine can fate be changed.’”

Outside the box, Grandma Zhu held four broken crystals in her hand. Inside the box, there was one broken crystal at each corner. But at the center of the box, there was a ninth crystal.

A complete and intact Rebirth Crystal, shimmering under the light.

Chapter 21: We’re Rich!

At noon, a famous blogger on a certain platform posted a gameplay video of an indie horror puzzle game. Within an hour, the video had over a million views and topped the trending charts on multiple platforms. The year 2018 was still a blue ocean for the self-media industry, and sharks, smelling blood, swarmed in. By 5 p.m., many first- and second-tier gaming YouTubers had also uploaded review videos of the game. The titles were eye-catching: “A Domestic Masterpiece!”, “A New Form of Horror, A Return to Chinese Horror!”, “The First Dark Horse of the Year? Who is Eternal Joy Studio?”

Society was a giant machine made of gears, the connections between industries much closer than ordinary people imagined.

Lu Li had contacted these self-media professionals as early as last year. At that time, they didn’t have established teams behind them. Many gaming YouTubers were driven by pure passion. Lu Li’s information didn’t sink into oblivion, but caught the attention of several influential media figures. His game’s quality far exceeded that of ordinary indie games. Good wine needs no bush, and after several email exchanges, they all agreed to make a review video after the game’s release. Lu Li left the specific details of the collaboration to Chen Jianing. This girl’s understanding of online subculture was profound, allowing her to easily grasp what resonated with players—as long as she didn’t have one of her episodes.

Although Lu Li’s horror game wasn’t large in scale, it was exquisitely crafted. The script he personally wrote, the music composed by An Baili and Chu Jingyi, and the character designs by the top artist Wen Hupo, all represented the pinnacle of indie game development. Of course, he had also made a backup plan in case the game flopped. After the New Year, he contacted Long Jing and asked her to record a few children’s songs. He deliberately placed these highly infectious songs in the final chapter of the game, amplifying the emotional impact of the climax to an unparalleled level.

By 1 p.m., posts about the game started appearing on forums. The first players to complete the game were enthusiastically recommending it to others, some even asking for the original versions of the children’s songs in the ending.

The first-day sales target for an indie game was 100,000 copies. Breaking through this number meant the game had a chance to go viral.

By 3 p.m., Lu Li’s game had already sold 10,300 copies, and the sales figures were still rising rapidly. The sales would reach another peak during the evening rush hour.

Lu Li skipped his afternoon classes and stayed in the activity classroom, watching the computer screen, holding his breath, not daring to relax. He could pretend to be calm in front of the girls, but he was just an ordinary person. How could he truly remain unfazed in the face of such pressure?

Sister Yameng suddenly called. Her voice was filled with urgency and concern. “Little Li, what are you doing?! Don’t do anything stupid! Where are you now?!”

Lu Li took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the rapidly increasing numbers on the screen. “Sis, I’m at school.”

“You’re lying!” Sister Yameng interrupted him, her voice unusually sharp. “Little Li, we don’t need money! Don’t do anything impulsive! I checked my phone after training and found dozens of transfer notifications… Over 300,000… 300,000 yuan! Little Li! Where are you now?!”

Lu Li was still a minor, so he had used Sister Yameng’s bank account for the game’s revenue.

Lu Li had anticipated this. Sister Yameng had never seen such a large sum of money, so it was normal for her to overreact. He chuckled. “Sis, we’re rich!”

“Little Li!” Sister Yameng yelled. “Run! I don’t know what illegal things you’ve done, but run before the police find you! Run anywhere! Hide! I’m taking leave and coming back to Chuanhai to find you!”

Sister Yameng actually thought he had done something terribly wrong. What surprised Lu Li even more was that her first reaction was to tell him to run and hide, even willing to break team rules and return to Chuanhai.

He felt tears welling up in his eyes. He thought of all the years his sister had worked so hard, the times they had secretly taken part-time jobs, and how he lied about his age to the boss when he was fourteen. He remembered many things, and forgot many things, but the warmth in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

In his past life, his sister never got to see him succeed. His first game was a failure, and his entrepreneurial ventures after graduation were difficult. By the time he could finally say proudly, “Sis, I’ll take care of you,” Sister Yameng had already passed away. What about this life…?

His voice was gentle and low. “Sis, it’s just that my game was released.”

“…Take all the cash at home and go find Coach Dan—wait, what did you say?” Sister Yameng was stunned.

“My game was released. That money is the revenue from my game.” He patiently explained again.

“You’re kidding, right? You can make money from playing games?”

“Not playing games, making games.” He explained tirelessly. “And this amount will continue to increase over the next month. Sis, you have to be mentally prepared.”

“…” The hurried footsteps on the other end of the phone stopped. It took Sister Yameng a while to recover. “You’re saying… that’s the money you earned?”

“Yes.”

“…Sob…” He heard his sister crying on the phone.

“Sis…”

“…Sob… sob… Doesn’t this make me look like a fool…” Sister Yameng’s voice choked with emotion. “…Like a fool… I was so worried about you… Little Li…”

“A foolish sister and a foolish brother, a perfect match.”

Zou Yameng was sobbing softly. Lu Li couldn’t tell if it was more from joy or sorrow. The complex emotions were like thorns and roses intertwined, indistinguishable. Perhaps she was happy, happy for Lu Li’s success, happy for his words “We’re rich!” Perhaps she was sad, a mother’s sorrow as she watched her child leave, filled with endless helplessness and longing.

This is so good… so good… She wiped away her tears, not wanting her teammates to see them. Little Li had grown up, truly grown up. She didn’t have to worry about him anymore… She was just a foolish older sister…

“I’ll, I’ll keep the money safe for you.” Zou Yameng’s voice trembled, showing how shocked she was. “You should keep the money you earned…”

Actually, it was because Lu Li didn’t have a bank card, but he wouldn’t spoil the mood by telling her the truth. “That’s the betrothal gift for Sister Yameng.”

Her heart skipped a beat, then a wave of ecstasy washed over her. Her heart pounded as if it would burst out of her chest, her tongue tied. “Then, then I’ll hang up now… Mmm…”

With a beep, Sister Yameng hung up the phone. The last thing Lu Li heard was a soft moan.

Lu Li stared blankly at his phone. It was an old phone he inherited from Sister Yameng. Through the pink casing, he could almost see her athletic and youthful body, her happy and gentle smile. This was good.

This was good.

Being reborn, it was good.