The night was as dark as ink.
Lanterns along both sides of the long street flickered to life one by one, their warm yellow glow spreading across the bluestone pavement in soft, overlapping circles.
These lights cast the shadows of a family of three onto the stones, stretching them very, very long.
“Host, you really are too clever!”
099’s voice rang out excitedly in Hua Xiangrong’s mind.
“When choosing your constitution, you specifically picked a powerful one related to Divination. This way, we won’t be suspected when we use the script to assist Hua Yan and Yun Xuechang in the future!”
‘Hmph, of course.’
Hua Xiangrong walked in the middle, holding the hand of a mother on either side.
Her steps were small and bouncy, and her pink hair fluttered gently in the night breeze.
‘By the way, 099, since the City Lord of Fulong City has been destroyed by my mothers, the plot should change, right?’
“Yes! Congratulations, Host! You have successfully taken the first step toward saving the world!”
099’s voice grew even more cheerful.
“In the original plot, Yun Xuechang’s group would have listened to Zhang Lide and allowed him to go report to the mastermind in the Great Chu Imperial City. In the subsequent storyline, Yun Xuechang and the others would have first scoured Great Chu to eliminate the Evil Cultivators mentioned in the intel before accidentally discovering that the incidents were related to the Imperial City.”
“But by the time they reached the Imperial City, the mastermind would have been fully prepared. This directly led to the death of Qu Linglong, the heavy injuries of Lin Qianqian and Yun Xuechang, and even caused the relationship between the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion and the Righteous Path to reach a stalemate, triggering a series of chain reactions.”
“However, through our intervention, Zhang Lide was successfully intercepted and killed. This way, the mastermind in the Imperial City won’t have time to prepare in advance. I believe the protagonist’s group will head straight to the Imperial City to investigate next, and the danger of that trip will be greatly reduced.”
“We have already changed a key plot point. The mission points have been credited to your account. You can now go shopping in the System Mall, Host.”
The little system diligently summarized the results of this trip, its tone full of joy.
“Host, do you want to check your account and the mall now?”
‘Oh? 099, you were hiding something this good? Let me see, let me see!’
Hua Xiangrong’s interest was piqued instantly, and she immediately opened her data mall in her mind.
‘Wait, 099, is there something wrong with these points?’
After a short while, she asked:
‘Why are there only points for intercepting the City Lord of Fulong City? Where are the points for me playing matchmaker for my mothers? Did you secretly pocket them? 099, you better give me an honest explanation.’
“I would never do something like that!” 099 immediately protested.
“The Host’s points and the system’s salary are calculated separately. Your points are useless to me… Besides, our mission is to save the world! Points are only issued when we do something that affects the main storyline. How could those little matchmaking actions of yours earn any points!”
The little system defended itself huffily.
‘Why wouldn’t what I did count for points?’
Hua Xiangrong refused to back down.
‘Look, Mother’s team now has a powerful combatant like Mom. Doesn’t that greatly increase the success rate of their future actions? Of course that should count toward my points!’
“Uh, that… seems to make some sense?”
099’s data stream stalled for a moment. Then, it said hesitantly, “Then… how about I apply to the higher-ups for you?”
‘That’s more like it.’
Hua Xiangrong lifted her chin in satisfaction.
‘Now, let me look at the System Mall… Why is there so much random junk in here?’
The dazzling array of goods in the mall instantly made her feel dizzy.
“The mall has a search function. Or, if you want a specific type of item, you can just tell me,” 099 reminded her kindly.
‘Oh, then 099, help me search for keywords like Hehuan Powder, spring medicine, and red flowers.’
“?”
“Host, haven’t you given up on drugging them yet! I already told you we are a healthy and legal system! We don’t provide that kind of thing!”
The little system’s voice suddenly spiked in volume.
‘Tsk.’
Hua Xiangrong curled her lip.
‘Then I think your System Mall is pretty useless.’
“How could it be useless! We can exchange for cultivation techniques and materials that you can use at your current stage!”
‘The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion will provide those for me.’
“There are also various magical artifacts and pills!”
‘I can ask Mom to buy them.’
“And spiritual beasts and pets!”
‘I can have Mom buy those for me too. Besides, I already have one back in Hundred Flowers Valley.’
“…”
099 was completely speechless.
It seemed that because of the abstract world-saving route Hua Xiangrong had chosen, she truly didn’t lack anything.
099 suddenly felt a bit redundant.
‘Aiya, don’t be sad, 099. You’re still very useful.’
As if sensing its dejection, Hua Xiangrong comforted it with a smile.
‘After all, I still need you to record the intimate moments of my mothers in the future so I can savor them slowly.’
“I am not a video camera!”
Amidst the silent bickering between the host and the system, the family of three turned a corner, and the wooden gate of a small courtyard appeared before them.
The pink-haired girl was the first to let go of her mothers’ hands and run toward the yard.
“Hey, girl, slow down!”
Hua Yan frowned slightly and waved her hand to light the lanterns under the courtyard eaves.
“I have something to show Mother and Mom! Wait for me!”
Ignoring Hua Yan’s call, Hua Xiangrong ran straight into the house, leaving behind only the cheerful, small silhouette of her pink-haired back.
Not long after, she came running back with a pitter-patter, clutching something in her arms.
“Mother, Mom, look!”
Under the warm yellow light, Hua Yan could see clearly — it was a plain picture book, a free gift that had come with the toy bundle she bought from Qu Linglong this morning.
On the page the girl’s small hands had opened to, a simple and cute little courtyard was drawn.
Looking closely, the outline of the house seemed to somewhat resemble the one they were currently staying in.
In the yard was a family of three painted with simple colors.
On the left was a white-haired woman with a sword on her back, her expression cool, with a few snowflakes floating around her.
On the right was a red-haired woman with a faint smile and a small yellow flower pinned in her hair.
In the middle, a pink-haired girl held their hands, her mouth wide open in an exceptionally happy smile.
“This is our home that I drew! Mother, Mom, do you like it?”
Hua Yan looked at the girl holding the picture book and at her eyes full of expectation.
Suddenly, she felt a bit dazed. The words the girl had said to Qu Linglong earlier now echoed slowly in her heart:
‘I want to apprentice under Auntie Qu to learn Divination so I can help Mother and Mom!’
‘That way, I can calculate the dangers you face in the future and help you avoid them. Our family will never be separated again!’
A family… huh?
The red-haired young woman, who had been raised with a hands-off approach by her parents in The Valley since childhood, now had complicated feelings.
Clearly, at the beginning, she hadn’t had much of an impression of this daughter who had suddenly appeared.
Clearly, her original intention was just to bring Yun Xuechang back to The Valley to fulfill her grandmother’s task, never intending to have any deep involvement with Yun Xuechang…
But now…
Hua Yan turned her eyes to look at the white-haired young woman beside her, just as the other happened to be looking at her.
In Hua Yan’s pale gold eyes, an inexpressible complexity swirled, while Yun Xuechang’s crimson eyes held a touch of guilt.
Guilt…?
Somehow, Hua Yan understood that look.
True, leaving a child alone in the distant Hundred Flowers Valley… as a mother, how could you not feel guilty.
“Yes, Rongrong drew it very well. Mother likes it very much.”
Hua Yan reached out a slender, white hand and gently rubbed the top of the girl’s head.
“What about Mom?”
Hua Xiangrong squinted as she was rubbed, then looked at Yun Xuechang excitedly, her eyes sparkling with bright light.
“Yes, Mom likes it too. Rongrong is wonderful.”
Yun Xuechang also raised her hand and stroked the girl’s head, her gaze gentle.
“Then tonight… can we continue to sleep together?”
The girl looked at her mom and then at her mother with great expectation.
This…
Hua Yan hesitated. Her original plan was to make an exception only for last night and then have Hua Xiangrong sleep with Yun Xuechang — after all, she didn’t want to share a bed with Yun Xuechang every night.
“Fine… we can.”
The red-haired young woman bit her lip and finally nodded in agreement.
At the same time, she shot a glare at the slightly startled Yun Xuechang beside her, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks.
“Yay! I knew Mother was the best to me!”