Chapter Thirty: The True and False Heiresses 30

Huai Ying remained noncommittal; she did not share that sentiment. This little system was truly naively foolish. She tugged at the corners of her mouth, wanting to smile but finding herself unable to do so.

"In this world, you and I are all we have. Please, don't hate me."

Yu Zhu’s voice was laced with a sob, and Huai Ying could not help but feel a stir in her heart. Yet, her tone remained slightly mocking: "You really are foolish."

Yu Zhu did not take offense; she sniffled. "I don't want to bind with anyone else. I’ve been very happy during the time I've spent by your side. Huai Ying, you are a very good person; don't belittle yourself. So many people like you—it is what you deserve."

That evening, Mu Jinnian left the hospital, and Bai Jinwei arrived to take her place. The two finally had a moment alone.

"You knew full well that I intended to team up with Lu Ziming to harm you, and the only reason I dealt with him later was because he tried to harm me. Why did you still speak up for me?" Huai Ying asked, voicing her inner confusion as she looked Bai Jinwei up and down.

"No," Bai Jinwei shook her head, asserting, "Even if he hadn't moved against you, you certainly wouldn't have just stood by and let him hurt me. I believe in you."

She offered a faint smile and reached out to hold Huai Ying’s hand. Huai Ying tried to pull away, but failed.

"Don't take what Gu Mingxu said today to heart, and please don't hold it against him; he was just too worried about me," Bai Jinwei sighed, meeting Huai Ying’s gaze.

Hearing the other girl’s puzzled question, "Why do you like me?" she replied, "Naturally, because you are worth liking."

Huai Ying knew it was the truth just by looking into her eyes, which only deepened her bewilderment. She simply could not fathom such complex emotions, nor did she consider herself a likable person.

"I admit it," Bai Jinwei spoke again. "At first, being good to you did have ulterior motives, but liking you came from the heart."

Huai Ying struggled to understand such complicated feelings. She nodded blankly and decided to cast the entire perplexing matter to the back of her mind. After what had happened, the people around her were clearly even more worried about her. She had fainted twice for no apparent reason, each time remaining unconscious for five or six days, yet medical exams revealed nothing. They began to watch over her as if she were the apple of their eye.

***

"What is the favorability score now? When will the mission be completed?"

After returning home, Huai Ying finally asked the question she had been avoiding. She had been terrified of hearing that the mission was nearing its end.

"The favorability of the most important characters, with the exception of Gu Mingxu, has basically reached over ninety. With the added points from minor characters, the mission is eighty percent complete," Yu Zhu replied, unable to suppress the smile on her face. Who could have imagined the mission would be so easy to finish?

Huai Ying pressed further: "What happens after the mission is completed?"

"The host has two choices: first, remain in this world and live out your natural life; second, stage an accidental 'death' and depart."

"And the original host? Can she not come back?"

"The original host has already dissipated; her only obsession was for the Heavenly Dao Tribunal to send someone to complete the mission."

Huai Ying expressed her lack of understanding. Xiao Hong chimed in as a reminder: "Big Boss, the vacation is coming up soon. Do you remember your promise to Elder Tan?"

Huai Ying finally took an interest. "Of course I remember. To study at the research institute."

Deep down, she was filled with anticipation. This research institute was the nation's highest-level facility, containing the latest scientific data and every material one could possibly purchase. Not to mention the instruments within—they would certainly be of help to her. If she could get inside, she could surely perfect her biological weapon.

Seeing the excitement on Huai Ying’s face, Yu Zhu understood everything. She sighed silently. Even now, Huai Ying had not given up on the idea of destroying the world. All she could hope for now was that they would finish the mission and leave this world before Huai Ying could develop a weapon of mass destruction. For the next mission, she would have to choose very carefully. She absolutely could not give Huai Ying another chance to destroy the world.

"According to the novel plot you provided, I’m a high school student taken on as a disciple by Elder Tan, only to be envied and framed by the people at the institute. I can hardly wait."

Huai Ying stood at the entrance of the research building and walked in slowly. Both the security guards and the receptionist had been briefed by Elder Tan on what Huai Ying looked like, so they let her pass immediately. This left Huai Ying, who had been prepared for a confrontation, feeling a bit dazed.

Yu Zhu covered her mouth and giggled. It seemed she didn't need to worry.

When Huai Ying arrived at the laboratory, Elder Tan had not yet arrived, but many researchers were trickling in. Their eyes lit up the moment they saw her.

"You must be the new student the professor just took on. I heard you're still in high school—that's impressive. We didn't even know what these things were back in high school."

"I've seen the biological weapon you researched; it's truly excellent. No wonder the professor took you on."

"We can discuss coursework together in the future. If there’s anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me."

The crowd surrounded Huai Ying, speaking enthusiastically. Huai Ying frowned in discomfort. Just as she was about to speak, a figure stepped into the crowd.

"What are you all doing? Don't scare the little junior sister. Go back to your own work."

The speaker was a girl in her early twenties. Although she kept a stern face, it gave the impression that she was not to be trifled with. Once the crowd dispersed, she turned to Huai Ying. On her cold, frost-like face, she awkwardly forced a smile.

"Little junior sister, I am also a student of the professor. My name is Ran Shufang; you can just call me Senior Sister Ran. They didn't mean any harm, so please don't take it to heart. The teacher will be here soon; you can go wait over there."

"There are some snacks the teacher prepared for you over there, as well as some relevant books. You should find them interesting."

It was clear that she was not a warm or outgoing person. Whether it was her smile or her words of welcome, they were things she had struggled to produce. Seeing Huai Ying’s expressionless face, a sense of unease rose in Ran Shufang. Was there something wrong with her attitude? Should she try to remedy it? She forced another smile, trying to say something to ease the atmosphere.

Seeing Huai Ying turn and walk away, she let out a sigh of relief. This little junior sister was truly as odd as the teacher had said. But she could understand it.

Huai Ying had been prepared to face hostility, but it seemed she had overthought everything. She sat quietly in the lounge, feeling an inexplicable irritation. She picked up a magazine and flipped through it aimlessly.

It was an hour later before Elder Tan arrived. "Apologies, I'm late. There was a traffic jam."

Unexpectedly, his words prompted a chorus of teasing from the others.

"Professor, we don't want to hear excuses. Late is late. As a professor, how can you not lead by example? You've really disappointed us."

"That’s right, Professor. Look at how much of our time you wasted being late—you’ll have to write a few papers for us to admire, won't you?"