After coming out of the bathroom, Su Ci soaked in a comfortable hot bath.

Her fair face was steamed into a rosy pink, her pair of black eyes wet and shiny. Her hair, dampened by water, clung to the sides of her face, making her small face look even whiter and more radiant.

Su Ci was wearing the new pajamas prepared by Su Mother.

Su Mother adored her daughter, and basically every month she would help her daughter switch to a new batch of clothes, never letting her wear the same style twice. The clothes were all custom-made according to the original body’s previous measurements, but now, Su Ci felt a bit tight around her upper body — the old size no longer fit.

Su Ci walked to the bedside. She lit up her phone screen; still no messages.

She bit her teeth in anger, sat down at the head of the bed with her phone in hand, and turned on the bedside lamp.

After choosing the most beautiful angle, Su Ci sent a video call invitation to Lu Zhe.

For some reason, Su Ci felt a little nervous. She casually picked up the small mirror from the cabinet beside her, looked at herself — bright eyes, white teeth — and only then did she set the mirror down in satisfaction.

After a while, the video call connected.

On the phone screen, Lu Zhe’s handsome face enlarged in front of Su Ci.

“Lu Zhe.” Su Ci’s eyes lit up.

On the other end of the screen, Lu Zhe froze for a moment.

Having just finished working out, Lu Zhe’s forehead was covered in sweat. Hearing the call, he pressed to answer; he hadn’t expected the girl’s face to suddenly pop up on the screen, and only then did he realize it was a video call.

“Why did you take so long to answer?” Su Ci asked him.

“Was working out.” It was Lu Zhe’s first time video calling, and seeing the girl’s enlarged face on the screen, he was a little unaccustomed. “You’re home already?”

“I’ve been home for a long time.” Su Ci glared at him angrily. “I waited so long and didn’t receive your message or call. Do you not care about my safety at all?”

Having just finished two hundred push-ups, Lu Zhe’s breathing was a bit unsteady. He walked to the bed and sat down. Looking at the girl on the screen, the coldness in his eyes faded. He didn’t answer her question and instead asked, “Were they good to you?”

They should be. She was so delicate — clearly raised with careful pampering since childhood. Her family must surely hold her in the palm of their hands.

“Good.” Although she didn’t have the original host’s memories, she could feel the genuine affection of the Su family. The only thing that troubled her was that they would all die one after another — and so far, she still didn’t know the cause.

Su Ci felt a little depressed. She could only wait — wait until three days before each of their deaths so she could find a way to stop the accidents.

And that meant she wouldn’t be able to see Lu Zhe for a long while.

Su Ci looked pitifully at the boy on the screen. “You have two months left until the college entrance exam. Have you decided which university you want to apply to?”

If Lu Zhe applied to a university in B City, with his grades, it would be completely fine. That way, it would also be convenient for her to meet with him.

Lu Zhe’s eyes paused. “Haven’t thought about it yet.”

“You haven’t decided?” Under the soft light, Su Ci’s pair of black eyes shimmered with watery brightness as she looked at him with expectation. “Will you apply to B University? Then we can see each other often.”

Just thinking that in a little over two months, Lu Zhe might also come to B City, Su Ci’s mood instantly lifted.

Lu Zhe: “You want me to apply to B University?”

Su Ci responded, “Of course.”

Then, Lu Zhe saw the girl on the screen crease her beautiful brows, hesitating. “If you’re not applying to B University, I can apply to your side instead.”

Su Ci felt a bit frustrated. Before transmigrating into the book, her family had gone bankrupt, and she gave up the college entrance exam to enter the entertainment industry. She hadn’t expected that after crossing over, she still couldn’t escape the fate of the gaokao — she was still a third-year high school student.

Lu Zhe was burned for a moment by the light in the girl’s eyes. “You don’t need to apply here.” There were only two universities in D City, and they didn’t even rank in the country.

“Then are you applying to B University?” Su Ci smiled.

The soft light fell into the girl’s eyes, like gentle stardust reflected within them. At first she had been angry that he hadn’t messaged her, but now she only hoped he would apply to B City to find her.

An icy shell cracked, and his sealed heart suddenly thumped. Lu Zhe’s thin lips also lifted slightly.

“Mm.” Lu Zhe responded softly.

Perhaps he could go see the place where she lived.

Hearing his reply, Su Ci’s eyes curved into a smile.

Then, she reminded him earnestly, “There are two months left. You have to study hard. Don’t bother with other people’s annoying matters, just focus on studying. And remember to apply to B University to find me.”

“Mm.” Lu Zhe agreed to all of it.

Su Ci was in a great mood. The corners of her eyes lifted, and beneath the lamp, the small tear mole at her eye carried a hint of allure. In her dark eyes was a familiar mischievous glint Lu Zhe knew well. “When you kissed me tonight, you were too forceful. My mouth still hurts.”

Lu Zhe’s gaze fell on the girl’s small mouth — glossy, reddish, very beautiful.

His pitch-black eyes darkened. Lu Zhe lowered his voice. “Sorry.”

He didn’t even know how he’d lost control at the end.

After a moment of silence, Lu Zhe pressed his lips together slightly. “It won’t happen again.”

Thinking of how forcefully he had entangled and devoured her earlier, Su Ci’s face, rare for her, heated up. She didn’t tease him any further. With a light hum, she ended the video call.

Su Ci patted her warmed cheeks, then searched for Shen Xue in her contacts. The tool-person could finally be put to use.

On the old residential side.

Lu Zhe still held his phone in his hand. The screen had already gone dark. He sat on the folding bed with his head lowered.

Moonlight fell on the treetops outside the window. Everything around was quiet.

In the depths of Lu Zhe’s pitch-black eyes, emotions rose and fell — indulgence, intoxication — before finally settling.

The night was deep.

The girl’s jade-white arms were wrapped around Lu Zhe’s neck, her body boneless as she kept leaning closer into his embrace.

Her waist was extremely slender, extremely soft.

He turned his head aside, but the girl was wicked; her bare foot landed directly on the top of his foot, and her beautiful little mouth sought out his lips, about to bite down.

Her sweet, soft scent invaded his nose.

His hand tightened, supporting the girl who weakly clung to him.

He heard the girl laugh by his ear like a little demon. “Lu Zhe, kiss me.”

His hand tightened again. Losing restraint, he directly pressed the mischievous, tormenting girl beneath him.

He saw her pair of smiling, watery eyes.

Lu Zhe suddenly opened his eyes.

He sat up on the folding bed and felt the dampness beneath him. His pitch-black eyes were terrifyingly deep.

– – – ˗ˋˏ♡ˎˊ˗ – – –

Early in the morning, golden sunlight filtered through the white curtains and spilled into the room.

Su Ci was woken by the sound of receiving a message on her phone.

She lazily opened her eyes, heavy with sleep.

Drowsily picking up her phone, Su Ci half-squinted at the screen. It was a message from Shen Xue.

Only then did she gain the interest to tap it open.

Shen Xue had sent a video. Su Ci clicked on it, and instantly saw the boy standing on the flag-raising platform.

The sleepiness faded from Su Ci’s eyes.

She sat up, letting her hair fall to both sides. She watched Lu Zhe on the screen, he was giving a speech.

The boy wore a white-and-blue school uniform, his figure tall and straight. On his cold, stiff face was a faint expression. The morning sunlight fell on the top of his hair, coating it in a soft glow.

Su Ci’s heart softened.

She leaned against the headboard, watching the boy in the video intently.

Ahhh, how is Lu Zhe so handsome!

After sending the video, Shen Xue followed with several more messages, saying that in order to record Lu Zhe, her phone had almost been confiscated by a teacher.

Su Ci watched it twice before replying to Shen Xue: Why is the video so short?

Shen Xue, upon receiving it: …

Lu Zhe had won first place in the National Hope Cup Mathematics Competition, and the school had him accept the award and give a speech. The morning exercise period was only twenty minutes long — did Su Ci expect to hear his entire speech?

Su Ci sent another message: Whenever you run into Lu Zhe at school, if there’s any chance to record him, send it all to me!

Tool-person Shen Xue: You like Lu Zhe?

Su Ci replied quickly: Don’t worry about that. If anyone gives Lu Zhe trouble, or if another girl confesses to him, you must tell me immediately.

Only now did Shen Xue realize — no wonder Su Ci wanted her to return the favor; she actually needed someone to keep watch for her!

Tool-person Shen Xue: Don’t worry, no one at school will confess to Lu Zhe.

She felt Su Ci was overthinking it. Everyone knew Lu Zhe had a terminal illness and was an orphan, which girl would like him? The girls at school were basically all infatuated with Fu Baili.

Even though she had now awakened and didn’t like Fu Baili as much, whenever Fu Baili walked past her, she still felt her heart flutter intensely.

As for Lu Zhe, he was well known at school — the academically strong, invisible person.

Su Ci: No. You still have to watch. Maybe someone has sharp eyes like me.

Tool-person Shen Xue: Okay!

After exiting the chat, Su Ci watched the video again, then saved it.

Now fully awake, she couldn’t fall back asleep. She washed up, changed into a new dress, and went downstairs.

“Cici, why are you up so early? Did you sleep well?” Su Mother had long been waiting downstairs with her husband. Their daughter had returned, and the two had been so excited they couldn’t sleep the entire night, afraid that if they closed their eyes, it would all turn out to be a dream.

“Good morning, Dad. Good morning, Mom.” Su Ci walked over. “I slept very well.”

The bed had a familiar softness. After video chatting with Lu Zhe last night, she slept straight through until the message woke her.

Su Mother’s face and eyes were filled with smiles. “That’s good. I prepared your favorite breakfast. Let’s go.”

“Thank you, Mom.” Su Ci felt a small warmth in her heart — she could truly feel Su Mother’s love for her child.

Su Ci walked with Su Mother toward the dining area and asked, “Where are Brother and Xiao Ning?”

Beside her, Su Father answered, “Your brother is out running. Xiao Ning just woke up and will come down soon.”

Just as he finished speaking, Su Zhiyuan walked in from outside.

He was wearing a white tracksuit, looking incomparably handsome. Su Ci had to admit — her brother perfectly matched the image of a domineering CEO.

Compared to the male lead in the book, Su Zhiyuan’s looks and temperament could outshine Fu Baili by several streets.

Of course, Su Ci’s heart leaned toward Lu Zhe. No matter how handsome her brother was, he couldn’t surpass Lu Zhe.

Not knowing that his little sister’s heart had already drifted to the ends of the earth, Su Zhiyuan smiled at her and said, “Xiao Ci is awake.”

Su Ci greeted him, “Good morning, Brother.”

“Morning. You look energetic.” Su Zhiyuan smiled.

“I slept well.” Perhaps because this body was sleeping in its own bed, she didn’t feel the slightest discomfort.

“That’s good. Dad, Mom, I’ll go up and change.” Su Zhiyuan ran every morning; unless the weather was bad, even in winter he insisted on getting up early to run — extremely disciplined.

“Go, go.” Su Mother had the breakfast brought out. “Cici, you need to eat more later.” Even if her daughter said she had gained weight, as a mother she always hoped the child would eat more and put on a little flesh.

Su Ci obediently responded, “Okay.”

Before long, little Su Ning also came downstairs.

He wore a pair of overalls with a white T-shirt printed with dinosaurs underneath. His fair, tender little face was so cute it made people want to pinch his cheeks.

He automatically walked to Su Mother’s other side — that was his exclusive high chair.

Su Ci glanced at the little guy’s wrist and saw that his life value had decreased by nearly half a day.

Little Su Ning looked perfectly healthy, not at all like someone with an illness. It must be an accident, a sudden mishap.

As for Su Father, Su Mother, and Su Zhiyuan, they also shouldn’t have any illnesses. And since Su Father and Su Mother’s life values were identical, the fact that they would die at the same time made it even more certain that it was caused by external factors.

Su Ci pressed down her tangled thoughts and accompanied her family for breakfast.

She had to admit, although the Su family was a top-tier wealthy family, the atmosphere of their interactions wasn’t strict or cold — instead, it was very warm.

Even though she had also grown up in a wealthy family before, also raised with pampering, her parents had always been busy and didn’t have much time to accompany her. In exchange, they compensated her materially and placed everything she wanted before her.

This faint warmth was something she rarely experienced.

After breakfast, Su Father and Su Zhiyuan both headed out.