The night was deep. Inside a luxurious room on the third floor of the Su Residence—
After glancing at the chat window that had remained without a reply for a long time, Su Xiaoli casually tossed her brand-new smartphone aside.
She turned to look at the large pile of cluttered, high-end gifts sitting on her desk.
‘Hmph, it’s true. With just the word “Received,” even if my cheap dad wanted to reply, there isn’t really anything for him to say.’
She had told herself she needed to play the role of a daughter who shared no affection with Su Heng.
However, since she had received the gift he specifically had Meng Huange deliver to her, she had to show at least a basic reaction, right?
Sending a single “Received” should still be within the range allowed by the System.
After Su Wanli returned to her room, the System used a few brief sentences to explain the reason why she had never owned a phone before.
…I see. When her mother passed away, the young Su Xiaoli had been unable to contact her father no matter what she tried. This led her to reject electronic products from a young age. To the point that, even if it caused inconveniences in her life, the previous host had never requested one. Even if Su Heng specifically sent one over, she would have likely smashed the phone to pieces…
For some reason, as she listened to the System recount these details, it felt as though some deep-seated emotions were being awakened within her heart.
Su Wanli’s gaze toward the phone became increasingly uncomfortable, and scenes she previously had no memory of began to flicker before her eyes.
For example, a beautiful but haggard woman lying in bed, smiling weakly at her. Or the image of her younger self frantically dialing the phone over and over, consumed by a sense of anxiety and terror when there was never a response.
**[Hey, calm down, Host. We are here to play the Vicious Eldest Miss. Don’t be swayed by the original experiences.]**
…Right, that’s right. She was just here to play a role. Why was she getting angry?
Su Wanli irritably scratched her forehead and then rubbed the top of her head, driving those strange thoughts out of her mind.
**[Whew.]**
‘Wait, did this System… just breathe a sigh of relief?’
**[Huh? What are you saying? The System is an existence that transcends conventional dimensions and does not possess human-like emotions.]**
The System responded with an inquiry in its cold, electronic voice, then stiffly changed the subject—
**[Anyway, let us focus our attention on the heroine, Meng Huange. Through this morning’s confrontation with Bai Peng, she has successfully caused quite a stir in South City’s high society. Many people have come to know Meng Huange’s name. Of course, the final detonator you required has been completed because of this.]**
As it spoke, the System’s tone seemed to become a bit more excited—
**[In other words, the Point Shop System you have been looking forward to is now open! Next, please enjoy…]**
“…Never mind. Let’s talk about it tomorrow. It’s probably just some twelve-sided dice or wall-clipping voice filters anyway. I’m too tired to listen to you talk about that useless stuff right now.”
Su Wanli waved her hand dismissively at the white ball near her pillow. She then let out a silent yawn, picked up the phone from beside her, and flipped through her contact list.
Of course, the contact list on a new phone was empty. It only contained Meng Huange and Su Heng’s number, which she had obtained from Meng Huange.
‘Hmm, Meng Huange. So this is the contact info for the Aura of Main Heroine, Meng Huange…’
From the first time she met Meng Huange to getting her phone number, only five days had passed. Could it be… was she actually a hidden master of romance?
…No, of course not. Not only did it take a long time, but Meng Huange was the one who proactively suggested exchanging contact information. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have even thought of it…
Su Wanli rolled over on the bed and stared at the ceiling that felt both familiar and strange.
It had already been five days since she arrived in this world.
The plot of this First Phase was both complex and simple. It essentially involved her, as the Vicious Eldest Miss, reinforcing her character persona in front of Meng Huange. She had to constantly perform annoying actions that Meng Huange would grow accustomed to, and then, at the right moment, become the mysterious hand behind the scenes to push our main heroine into the spotlight, making the plot even more dramatic…
Looking at it this way, she was like some kind of scene director. Not only did she have to control the overall flow and direction of the plot, but she also had to personally participate in the performance…
‘Hmph, it’s practically a hearty and exhausting battle.’
Fortunately, the rewards she could obtain were equally substantial, making all her dedicated efforts to complete the System tasks worthwhile.
*Clack—*
Just as Su Wanli was immersed in her wandering thoughts, the flip-page clock on her desk suddenly made a crisp sound as the page turned. The time was now 10:00 PM.
…Wait, had she forgotten something?
Su Wanli blinked silently, her gaze shifting to the ivory vanity in the room.
To be precise, her eyes landed on the item placed in the center of the vanity—a white hairpin with a simple design and a crude appearance.
—’If you really want to thank me, please return that item to me after you get home.’
—’That one white hairpin that belonged to my mother.’
Right, she had made a deal with Meng Huange earlier. She was supposed to return the hairpin as soon as she got home!
‘I’ve delayed this for so long without realizing it. I better get moving. It’ll also settle a hot potato for me and prevent Meng Huange’s Aversion Level toward me from increasing day by day.’
Su Wanli rubbed her sleepy eyes and struggled to sit up from the bed. She pulled on her school uniform jacket, walked to the vanity, and grabbed the hairpin in her hand.
She still remembered how her first contact with Meng Huange had started because of this hairpin.
At that time, her immature self, wanting to maintain her Vicious points as quickly as possible, had instinctively demanded that Meng Huange hand over something that looked plain and worthless.
She hadn’t expected to hit the jackpot immediately and take her mother’s cherished memento, causing Meng Huange’s Aversion Level toward her to skyrocket instantly.
Now, as a reward for Meng Huange helping her out, she planned to return this hairpin to her.
‘Hmph, if I return it, will Meng Huange’s Aversion Level toward me drop?’
‘Tch, of course not. A broken mirror can’t be made whole. Even if you pull a nail out of a wooden board, a hole remains…’
Su Wanli sighed silently and prepared to step out the door.
‘Oh, right. I almost forgot. I still have one more thing to do.’
She stuffed the hairpin into her pocket, walked back to the bedside table, and picked up the white ball in her hands.
“…System, you should open that Point Shop System for me after all. I have something to do.”
Yes, that’s right. Right now.