Finally, after Zhang Ma fled in a panic, the grand first floor of the Su residence was left with only two people—Su Wanli and Meng Wange.
“…”
“…”
Su Wanli opened her mouth, trying to regroup and say something to Meng Wange, but the words all got stuck in her throat.
‘Damn it, how did things turn out like this?’
She had it all planned.
She’d make a dazzling entrance with a devilish smirk, then propose—before the two had time to react—that she be the one to show Meng Wange around.
Then she’d find an excuse to send Zhang Ma away.
After that, she’d openly lead Meng Wange to the remaining three parlors, wait until she let her guard down, and then take her to the room behind them—the one rigged with a trap.
She would make sure to leave the door slightly ajar.
The moment Meng Wange pushed it open with a little too much force, a bottle of scented oil would fall from the top and drench her.
Not only would she be soaking wet, but the choking perfume—something Su Wanli had personally experienced—would double the humiliation.
And right then, as Meng Wange stood there dripping and miserable, Su Wanli would deliver a scathing line, and the system’s mission would be complete.
She even had the line ready: “Only this look suits you. Don’t even think about becoming a phoenix, you drowned rat. There’s only one true phoenix—and that’s me, Su Wanli!”
If Zhang Ma hadn’t barged in just now, everything would have been perfect.
‘…It’s fine. Really, it’s all still going according to plan.’
Su Wanli took a deep breath.
‘Sure, my entrance was a bit rushed and messy, but as long as everything else goes smoothly, the mission won’t be a failure. Even the system won’t be able to find fault!’
“…”
And yet, for some reason, the look Meng Wange was giving her held a hint of helpless amusement.
Meng Wange’s gaze flickered subtly behind Su Wanli.
Then she pressed her lips together and gave a polite smile.
“So, Miss Su, where exactly are you planning to show me around?”
“…Heh. Shut your mouth and just follow me,” Su Wanli snapped instinctively, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
She flipped her hair and took a step forward, ready to take Meng Wange through the parlors as planned—
—Fate, as always, loves to repeat itself in curious, winding circles.
You might call it cliché, but this world is filled with just such coincidences.
Of course, we can find many reasons for what happened next.
Perhaps Su Wanli wasn’t fully used to her new body.
Or perhaps the sudden exertion earlier had drained her stamina.
Or maybe the perfume bottle hadn’t been sealed tightly, and as Su Wanli ran to the parlor earlier, it had left a thin trail of slick residue on the floor.
In short, some coincidences happen simply because they do.
“A-Achoo!”
***
Just as Su Wanli took her first step, an overwhelming tickle in her nose triggered a massive sneeze.
At the same moment, her foot landed squarely on that patch of perfume-slicked floor, and her balance wavered beyond recovery.
The afternoon sunlight poured in through the half-open parlor door, slicing across the room and stretching that single moment into eternity—
—Right in front of Meng Wange, Su Wanli’s body toppled backwards with a heavy crash.
The hem of the red evening gown—though not meticulously chosen—still bloomed like flower petals, dazzling and breathtaking in its beauty.
Su Wanli’s soft black hair traced an elegant arc through the air.
If a painter or camera had been present to capture the moment, it might have become a masterpiece, destined to be remembered for generations.
But to Su Wanli herself, she had no interest in becoming part of some famous painting.
She only wanted to live.
So, when she stumbled, her instincts drove her to grab the closest thing for support—the protruding doorknob on the nearby door.
The dependable doorknob provided a reassuring anchor, but Su Wanli, ever quick-witted, immediately realized the consequence of her action.
‘Oh no… the trap I just set up—’
As if it were fate, a scented glass bottle—carefully positioned earlier—toppled from the top of the door and plummeted straight toward her forehead.
The liquid inside scattered freely, casting shimmering rainbows in the sunlight.
Staring at this dazzling scene, Su Wanli’s final thought was—
‘Right. If you replace a water basin with a glass bottle, the most dangerous part isn’t the water. It’s the bottle itself.’
The sharp glass edge of the diffuser bottle gleamed cold and merciless as it descended toward her forehead with grim precision.
‘Is this how I die?’
Su Wanli quietly shut her eyes in despair.
‘If I get another chance… I hope my next wish is for a long-lost uncle to drop a few million into my lap…’
“Watch out!”
At that exact moment, a voice—slightly shrill from urgency—called out from directly in front of her.
Meng Wange moved like she’d seen it coming all along.
The moment Su Wanli began to fall backward, Meng Wange sprang forward in one fluid motion.
Her slender, almost fragile-looking pale hand shot forward like a blade, redirecting the falling diffuser bottle.
The glass crashed into the wall beside Su Wanli, shattering into a sparkling explosion.
CRASH—
At the same time, a warm sensation pressed against Su Wanli’s back.
Meng Wange’s arm had wrapped around her waist with perfect control—not tight enough to hurt, but strong enough to feel secure.
“Are you alright, Miss Su?”
That cool, familiar voice came from just beside her ear, laced with the slight panting of exertion.
“…!”
Su Wanli jolted out of her darkness.
She lifted her gaze—and met Meng Wange’s face, so close she could see every perfect detail.
A few damp strands of Meng Wange’s chestnut hair hung near her ear, beads of moisture clinging to the tips.
As she moved, those droplets quivered gently, refracting the sunlight into delicate fragments.
“Meng… Meng Wange…”
Seeing that Su Wanli was unharmed, Meng Wange let out a soft breath of relief.
The corners of her lips curled into the same faintly helpless smile as before.
“Miss Su, I’m glad you’re okay.”
She let out a small sigh, and with the movement, the droplets at the end of her hair finally lost their grip—
One slid down along the chestnut strands and gently landed on Su Wanli’s collarbone, its faint chill seeping into her skin.
“…”
For a moment, Su Wanli forgot how to breathe.
Maybe, when her life eventually flashed before her eyes, she would still remember this exact moment.
The chestnut-haired girl wore a faintly exasperated, yet indulgent smile.
Dewy strands framed her face, catching the light like crystal.
‘So beautiful… If only time could stop here…’
Of course, that wasn’t possible.
Because no matter how lovely the scene, there was always some tactless electronic voice ready to ruin it.
[Detected: Meng Wange’s embarrassing moment. Host, please deliver your most arrogant taunt.]
‘…Huh?’