“This is great, Host! To think Yun Xuechang actually came up with her own explanation for your background and even successfully convinced Hua Yan! We can keep our cover!”
After watching the conversation between the two by the river, the little system, which had been anxious for a long time, immediately cheered.
“…”
“Yeah.”
Hua Xiangrong gave a soft reply, her eyes lowered as she absentmindedly stirred the Osmanthus Rice Wine in front of her with a spoon.
The lamplight fell into the lustrous bowl, flickering in and out of the shadows.
“099,” she suddenly called out in a low voice. “Tell me… are the people in this world real?”
“Hmm? Host, haven’t I explained this to you? Even though we are in a novel world, this world and everyone in it undoubtedly exist for real.”
Although 099 was a bit confused, it still answered seriously:
“This involves complex theories of multiverses and planar dimensions. To put it simply, a novel world is automatically born when the author finishes writing, becoming a complete small world. However, some novels have major plot holes — like this female-lead novel we’re in now — and the world faces collapse because the plot’s logic doesn’t hold up.
“That’s when our System Bureau steps in to work with transmigrators to rewrite unreasonable tragic endings. The System Bureau can also obtain a large amount of energy from saving worlds, which is how we make the system world better. My salary and the supplies in the Host Mall all come from this. You should understand now, right, Host? Even though it’s a novel world, it is indeed a real world, and the people inside are naturally flesh and blood.”
“…”
Hua Xiangrong fell silent for a moment.
“Right, okay, I understand. Thank you, 099.”
“You’re welcome, Host! Answering the host’s questions is part of a system’s job!”
The little system’s voice carried a hint of pride, seemingly happy to finally be useful for something other than acting as a camera.
“099, I… I was actually thinking, have I caused trouble for Mother and the others?”
“Ah? Why do you say that, Host?”
099 was full of confusion regarding its host’s unusual behavior today.
“In the past, I really just treated the world-saving mission as a game and viewed the people here as NPCs in an open-world game… That’s why I did something as messy as reincarnating as someone’s non-existent daughter. But lately, whether it was Bai Zhi’s choice, the conversation between Mother and Mom, or your explanation just now, 099, they’ve all made me realize that this isn’t a game at all. And the people I spend time with every day aren’t NPCs; everyone here is a living human being made of flesh and blood.”
She looked up, glancing at Qu Linglong and Lin Qianqian, who had already started drinking tea and playing chess, then lowered her head again, staring blankly at the rice wine swaying in her bowl.
“Did my arrival disrupt Mother and Mom’s lives and cause them trouble? After all, I’m not really their daughter, but they… they seem to really care about me and truly treat me as one. Isn’t this… unfair to them?”
“Not at all! You have to cheer up, Host!” The little system immediately countered,
“We’re here to save the world, and you’ve already successfully taken the first step! You saved the people of Yunjing and also saved Qu Linglong’s life! You aren’t a burden, Host! Besides, Yun Xuechang and Hua Yan truly adore you and treat you as their daughter. You can just be their daughter for real and show them proper filial piety! There’s no need to feel sorry for yourself! Perhaps you had a playful mindset before, but things are different now. You can start truly opening up to everyone in this world from this moment on! 099 thinks it’s not too late to start changing!”
As the little system spoke, it turned into a tiny blue orb of light that only Hua Xiangrong could see. It floated in front of her, extending matchstick-like data hands and holding up small data pompoms to cheer her on.
“Go for it, Host! Fight! Fight!”
“…”
“Pfft, thank you, 099.”
Hua Xiangrong was amused by its antics and reached out to pat her cheeks.
“You’re right, 099. I won’t mope around! Whether it’s for Mother and Mom or for myself — we’re going to save the world! Since they truly treat me as their daughter, then I will truly treat them as my mothers. I’ll protect them well! As for my real origin, although I haven’t figured out how to explain it yet, one day, I will definitely tell them myself!”
“Ah, wait.” She paused, picked up the bowl of Osmanthus Rice Wine on the table, and downed it in one go.
“They haven’t actually gotten married yet! So I have to keep playing matchmaker and make their relationship even better! Hua Xiangrong! Fight!”
The little pink-haired girl stood with her hands on her hips, holding up the empty bowl while smiling brightly.
…
‘I say, Daoist Friend Qu, what is Rongrong doing?’
Nearby, Lin Qianqian caught sight of Hua Xiangrong suddenly standing up, striking a pose, and smiling radiantly.
She whispered to Qu Linglong via Telepathy.
‘Uh… I don’t know either. Maybe it’s just a common childhood fantasy? Rongrong is… imagining herself defeating a powerful and evil enemy?’
Qu Linglong also looked perplexed as she scratched her head and replied via Telepathy.
…
On the other side.
Hua Yan heard Yun Xuechang say the same thing she had.
She stared at the other woman’s cool, elegant face for a long while before finally nodding in satisfaction.
‘Not bad, this person is as responsible as I am. In that case, after we return to the Valley, even if Rongrong wasn’t born from her, she will certainly do her best to be a good mother.’
‘Wait… return to the Valley…?’
Hua Yan suddenly froze as she realized a problem.
“Xuechang, since Rongrong isn’t yours… then you agreed to return to the Valley with me because…?” the red-haired girl asked hesitantly.
“Because at that time, I thought Rongrong was your daughter, and since I had been absent from your lives for nearly ten years, it was only right for me to do my best to make up for it and fulfill my duty as a parent,” Yun Xuechang answered frankly.
“But rest assured, Yan’er, even though I know the truth now, the promise still stands.”
‘It’s for responsibility… Doesn’t that mean — Yun Xuechang didn’t agree to go back with her because she liked her at all?!’
Hua Yan’s eyes suddenly widened in disbelief.
To be safe, she spoke again tentatively, “The… then what if, after you follow me back to the Valley, my grandmother misunderstands our relationship and insists on… on making us get married?”
“So that’s what Yan’er is worried about.”
Yun Xuechang nodded in realization and then said earnestly,
“Don’t worry, I will explain our relationship clearly to your grandmother. I won’t let a marriage happen.”
Seeing the other party frozen in place and silent, she added gently, “After we return to the Valley, we can treat each other with mutual respect like guests. We don’t have to truly be wife and wife. I won’t bind you; if you want to find another Dao Companion, feel free to do so… I just want to spend more time with Rongrong as her mother.”
Hua Yan: “…”
After a long silence, the red-haired girl didn’t say a word and simply turned around and left.
‘Aaaaaah! So she doesn’t like me at all! Then all those things I’ve been overthinking these past few days… what was all that for?!!!’
With her back to Yun Xuechang, Hua Yan bit her lower lip. Her entire face, including her small earlobes, turned bright red, and a sense of shame practically seeped from her skin.
“Eh? Yan’er, wait for me… don’t walk so fast.”
The white-haired girl, with her sword on her back, chased after the slender figure walking rapidly through the night with a bewildered expression.
“Get lost! Stay away from me! And don’t call me Yan’er ever again!”