This was the first time in her life that Yan Luqing had come into contact with a true upper-class society banquet.

It was even more exaggerated than what was shown on television. Everywhere was lavishly decorated. The feeling of truly seeing it with her own eyes and just watching a few shots on a screen was completely different—just the pillars and the crystal chandelier in the center of the banquet hall nearly blinded her eyes, not to mention the jewelry and diamonds adorning the noblewomen and noble daughters. In short, it could be summed up in one word: dazzling.

Yan Luqing was still grateful for having the persona of being ill. Basically, she just followed along behind Father Yan and Mother Yan, nodding here and there and calling out a title of address, and that was enough. She didn’t even need to speak a few words.

Also, because this occasion was different from that last time at Jin Goubi (dog cunt)’s birthday, she did not use some excuse like “condition stable” to frighten people again.

But since being a decorative piece at the side was truly too boring, Yan Luqing casually chatted with Makka Pakka, who was connected with her mind:

“I’ve always wanted to ask. Last time you said I had to go to Dieye Mountain within that time period, and bring Gu Ci along. If I didn’t follow that, danger would occur, so that’s why you were activated…”

“Then what about now? Now I don’t have any danger?”

Makka Pakka: “If there is, I will receive a prompt.”

“So that means, you also are just reminding me each time based on so-called prompts? No prompt, then no danger?”

“It’s not like that.” Makka Pakka was silent for a while before speaking. “In the plot it is indeed like this, but for what has already been altered, or what requires giving Maria punishment, I will not receive prompts.”

“I’m curious about one more thing…” Yan Luqing thought, “You previously said that the relationships and developments between characters cannot be changed, right? Then haven’t I already changed Gu Ci and myself, this character? The changes between the two of us are large enough. Why didn’t you receive a prompt?”

“Because you and Gu Ci are not the protagonists! Generally, if they are not protagonists, only the general settled location needs to be fixed. As for the rest, as long as you don’t suddenly die, whatever you do basically doesn’t matter.”

“Going to school to study is also fine?”

“Fine.”

“……”

In this kind of setting, side branch supporting roles were probably like extras. As long as they lived steadily somewhere, that was enough. Their every action would not be under central control.

But the protagonist group was different.

Yan Luqing suddenly felt fortunate that she had not transmigrated as part of the protagonist group. Otherwise, judging by the intensity of that so-called “punishment,” how difficult would it be to survive?

However, Makka Pakka had said that sudden death was not allowed…

While walking along with Father Yan and Mother Yan, Yan Luqing thought: In the original book, both she and Gu Ci had death as their ending. If she were to alter the ending, and the people who were originally supposed to die continued living, would that be permitted?

But she did not voice this question.

After all, the true ending was still far away. Yan Luqing’s persona was not one of a worrier. She liked to be happy every second she lived. Now that she was getting more and more familiar with her favorite paper-person, as long as she could ensure that currently the two of them had no threat to their lives, there was no need to think of such complicated things.

Besides… Gu Ci was someone who could block the golden finger and also block Makka Pakka—he was practically a bug-like existence.

Yan Luqing said in her mind: “Alright, that’s enough. You can retreat now.”

“Got it!”

Yan Luqing had always thought Makka Pakka was not bad. It came whenever she called, and although it could not win against the system, it was still useful when necessary.

Continuing to walk around with the couple, when Father Yan had a little bit of free time, Yan Luqing seized the chance to ask him about Gu Ci’s university matter that he had mentioned last time.

Father Yan did not state it clearly, only said: “Your grandfather can help, but your grandfather wants to see you. Remember to go to him in the next day or two.”

Yan Luqing did not think much of it and agreed.

Next came the highlight—the birthday star, Elder Zhang, made his appearance. Yan Luqing once again followed along to greet him, incidentally listening to a round of social pleasantries from people within the circle.

But after completing one round, aside from being blinded by all kinds of gem-set rings, the strongest desire in her heart was an ever-growing craving for the red wine glasses in people’s hands—that color, that liquid when swaying in the glass, rippling out a deep crimson, looked truly so delicious to drink!

Unfortunately, Father Yan and Mother Yan had given strict orders forbidding her from drinking alcohol.

Other people might like wine simply because they liked the feeling of being half-drunk, not drunk. Yan Luqing was not like that—she purely thought wine tasted good. Wine was her fatty-house joyful water.

The original body indeed had a low tolerance for alcohol, but drunkenness was also something that could be changed. After Yan Luqing transmigrated, she drank twice and felt she had already grasped the basic method. She ought not to avoid drinking because of fear of drunkenness, but instead should, by drinking often, transform this body into the same as her original one.

Since Father Yan and Mother Yan refused to give way, she still had to go look for Gu Ci.

“Gu Ci is alone by himself, I’m afraid he’ll be bored. I’ll go find him first.”

Whispering this to Mother Yan, Yan Luqing lifted her skirt and slipped away without looking back.

……

After quickly sweeping her gaze over the hall and not seeing him, she went straight toward the lounge area. Unexpectedly, at the corner, she brushed shoulders with a figure she had only met a few days ago.

Both of their footsteps halted simultaneously—

Zhang Nian looked at Yan Luqing, today dressed in what could truly be called formal attire, and was momentarily stunned. The girl wore a white dress, her skin still as white as if it could reflect light. Her makeup was clean and simple, yet it suited her extraordinarily well, making her features appear especially exquisite. Her eyes, when looking at people, were particularly lively.

With just one glance, he felt that this girl and the one who had just given him grief somehow belonged to the same style.

…Even more sourness welled up.

Zhang Nian clenched his back teeth.

Back when Yan Luqing had asked him out for meals or movies, she had been far from looking this good. Her eyes were lifeless, she was thin to the point she did not resemble a girl in the bloom of youth. When she occasionally stared blankly at him, it always made Zhang Nian think of those rumors about her mental illness—creeping him out while he still had to pretend to act normal.

He had not expected that now, she would have become so beautiful.

Yan Luqing, with a face full of bewilderment, looked at the Zhang-named substitute before her, watching as his gaze shifted from shock, to grievance, finally to resentment. His eyes reddened, but he said nothing, turned around, and walked away.

She turned her head to the right with an indescribable intuition—

Sure enough, she saw Gu Ci, dressed in white, leaning against a pillar.

Yan Luqing walked toward him, and Gu Ci happened to lift his eyes to look at her as well.

“…Gu Ci, did you see that Zhang-someone?” Yan Luqing was still a little dazed. “Why was he so angry like that?”

“I don’t know.” Gu Ci smiled and said, “He came looking for me, so I just casually chatted with him a few words.”

Yan Luqing: “……”

She understood. This was being attacked by a princess bamboo shoot. No wonder, no wonder.

But Yan Luqing was still rather curious. “So… what did you two talk about?”

Gu Ci’s pitch-black, clear eyes curved with an obvious smile: “We were talking about… how the soft-rice industry is really in intense involution these days.”

Yan Luqing: “???”

Had he skipped several episodes in the middle? She knew what involution meant, but what on earth was the soft-rice industry?

Just as she was about to continue asking, a male voice suddenly came from behind—

“Gu Ci!”

The voice was young, full of confidence. Yan Luqing turned back and saw a person who matched the voice very well: dressed in a black formal suit, tall and upright, with handsome features.

He walked straight toward Gu Ci, speaking as he came: “I heard someone say you were—”

But the moment his gaze swept over Yan Luqing, he froze.

His expression shifted from joy to shock, then he looked at Yan Luqing and spat out a curse: “Fuck, Yan Luqing.”

Since transmigrating, this was the second time Yan Luqing had heard someone call her name with such gnashing of teeth. The last one had been Yu Xi.

The hatred was surely all because of Gu Ci. Then this person should be Gu Ci’s…

“Wei Chi.” Gu Ci spoke lightly, though his eyes remained on Yan Luqing. “You leave first, I’ll come find you.”

Yan Luqing also did not wish to endure this one’s attack. The sneak assault from Yu Xi last time was still vivid in her memory. She made an “OK” gesture to Gu Ci, turned, and left.

“No, wait, you two are…” Wei Chi had originally wanted to ask why Gu Ci had disappeared these past few months, but now there was no time. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. “…That’s Yan Luqing, that lunatic! I always suspected she secretly liked you—that perverted lunatic—”

Gu Ci cut him off: “I know.”

“You know, and you’re still this close to her?!” Wei Chi ruffled his hair twice in agitation. “No way, after tonight ends we need a proper talk. First, tell me where you’re living now?”

Hearing this, Gu Ci laughed once: “At her house.”

Wei Chi drew in a sharp breath of cold air, then could not suppress his voice as he asked: “What are you living at her house for???”

Thinking of a certain someone’s earlier phrasing, the more he thought about it, the funnier it seemed—and in some sense, it truly fit his and Yan Luqing’s situation.

So Gu Ci smiled again and replied: “Eating soft rice.”

Wei Chi: “……???”

……

Yan Luqing came out from the lounge, now free on her own. Dodging here and there, she finally found a spot where Father Yan and Mother Yan could not see her. Sitting down at a table, just as she was about to reach for some wine, a shadow suddenly fell across her.

Yan Luqing was seated. She turned her face upward, looking from bottom to top—light blue long dress, outlining a youthful graceful figure, delicate collarbones. That figure was unmistakably that of a beauty. Looking higher—

Oh. It was that cousin who had smashed her head and been plucked bald by her, Yu Xi.

Instantly, she withered.

Yan Luqing never refused beauties, but for those who had caused her harm—those could roll away.

Although she didn’t know what Yu Xi had come for, strike first was better than waiting. The very first sentence Yan Luqing spoke was a friendly greeting:

“Yo, seems like it’s been two weeks. Yu Xi, has your hair grown back yet?”

“……”

Yu Xi’s face clearly stiffened.

The hair on the top of Yu Xi’s head that had not been plucked out by the roots could be lengthened with extensions, but those that had been uprooted completely could only be covered with hairpieces. The time spent each day before going out, and the irritation born from looking into the mirror after every wash, had nearly driven her insane.

But she quickly steadied her emotions, sat down beside Yan Luqing, signaled the waiter to hand her a glass of wine from the tray, then smiled at Yan Luqing: “Cousin, don’t you want to have a taste?”

“……” What a good thing.

Yan Luqing had just been troubled by the lack of wine, so she immediately took another glass from the tray. After taking a sip, she closed her eyes in satisfaction, savoring it.

This sight dumbfounded Yu Xi.

Everyone in the family knew—when others drank, they just got drunk, but when this lunatic Yan Luqing drank, she would truly go insane. The process of madness was painful for her as well, and in the end she would always end up in the hospital. So she never touched a drop of alcohol, and no one dared let her.

Yet before Yu Xi could figure it out, Yan Luqing, still savoring with her eyes closed, spoke again: “By the way, last time out of curiosity, I asked the family about something…”

Her fingers rubbed the stem of the wine glass as she put on an air of sighing: “Turns out this so-called distant cousin Yu Xi doesn’t share any blood relation with me at all—it was forcibly clinging on with borrowed ties.”

Looking at Yu Xi’s expression, it was clear she hadn’t expected someone to put this sort of thing so bluntly. Without waiting for her to say anything, Yan Luqing continued: “I think our being cousins in name is really a falsehood. Why don’t you just call me by my given name from now on? After all, this ‘distant’ of yours is far too distant—I really don’t want you taking advantage.”

Originally, Yan Luqing thought Yu Xi would start tearing into her from there, but unexpectedly, Yu Xi seemed fairly calm.

She looked at Yan Luqing with an unfathomable gaze: “You think that just because you are part of the Yan family, Uncle Yan’s biological daughter, you can be lawless your whole life?”

“Yan Luqing, sooner or later you will die a miserable death.”

Oh, so it was time for the harsh words segment.

Yan Luqing drained her glass in one go and raised her hand for another: “Miserable death, you say—tell me how.”

Yu Xi smiled: “Don’t you know him? If that day comes, of course it won’t be me.”

“You dare treat him this way—sooner or later, you will be dealt with personally by Gu Ci.”

Was she making loans on credit now? Yan Luqing, happily drinking, felt even more amused at her words—personally dealt with? If not for Gu Ci, she might have already croaked on Dieye Mountain.

Her Prince Ci was clearly kind and gentle—what nonsense.

She was just about to refute Yu Xi when another shadow fell over her head. Before she could look up, the wine glass in her hand was taken away.

She turned her head sharply and met those familiar pitch-black eyes.

Immediately afterward, like jade striking stone, a cold voice entered her ears.

“Yan Luqing, what did you promise?”

“……” Yes, she had promised not to drink. Yan Luqing already felt herself drifting into that euphoric, floating sensation again, so she instantly put on another face, pointing her finger at Yu Xi: “This really wasn’t me wanting to drink—she’s the one who forced me to.”

Yu Xi’s whole body stiffened.

She had imagined what it might be like to see Gu Ci again—perhaps tormented miserably by Yan Luqing, perhaps turned gloomy and taciturn, never again the youth of memory. But she never imagined he would be dressed in such fine white clothes, even speaking with what could be called a gentle tone to Yan Luqing.

Yet Gu Ci merely followed the direction of Yan Luqing’s pointing finger, cast Yu Xi a single glance, fleeting and gone, then lowered his lashes once more to look at Yan Luqing.

“Get up and go home, don’t make a fool of yourself here.”

If Yan Luqing had been wearing flats, she would have walked without hesitation. But today she was wearing pretty thin high heels…

“Gu Ci…” Yan Luqing looked at him with pleading eyes. “I’ve grown this big and never once begged anyone.”

Gu Ci smiled. “Miss Yan, you begged me just two days ago.”

“……” Yan Luqing swallowed down her anger. “Then… let me beg you again.”

Fortunately, this was the corner Yan Luqing had chosen to hide from Father Yan and Mother Yan. The light was relatively dim, and it was very close to the side exit, so no one else saw.

—Except Yu Xi.

She watched with her own eyes as Gu Ci, clearly within arm’s reach of her, did not say a single word to her. Instead, he lifted Yan Luqing horizontally into his arms and turned to leave.

When his figure was about to disappear, Yu Xi called out: “Gu Ci, wait!”

Gu Ci halted his steps.

Yu Xi’s fingernails dug into her palms, but she still found a reason: “…Yan Luqing forced you, but do you really need to go this far?”

Only then did Gu Ci turn back.

His movements were elegant, even while holding someone in his arms. The two of them wore clothing of the exact same color, looking strikingly harmonious.

Yu Xi stared fixedly at him. Yet Gu Ci, looking utterly nonchalant, countered with: “Do I look like I’m being forced?”

When they exited through the side door, Big Black and Little Black immediately came up.

But neither of the brothers expected that of the two who came out, one was not walking out at all.

Big Black looked at Gu Ci. “Miss Yan drank again…?”

Gu Ci did not answer, but the answer was plain enough.

“Too strange. Before, even if she relapsed, Miss Yan never touched a drop of alcohol.” Big Black had long since treated Gu Ci as one of their own. He scratched his head and lowered his voice. “See if you can persuade her to go see a psychologist… After all, after all, Miss Yan listens to you more.”

Gu Ci neither agreed nor refused, only said: “We’ll see.”

Big Black led the two of them around toward the parking area.

At nine in the evening, the night wind outside blew with just the right temperature. For someone like Yan Luqing, who was tipsy, it had an obvious cooling effect.

She hadn’t heard the conversation between Gu Ci and Big Black earlier. Only when the wind blew on her did she sober a little. Leaning weakly against Gu Ci’s arms, she suddenly cursed viciously: “…Fuck!”

“……” Gu Ci glanced at her.

Yan Luqing’s right arm hung around Gu Ci’s shoulder, her left hand lifted, and like an idiot she knocked her own forehead once. “Fuck, Gu Ci, I’m so annoyed. I used to drink and I never got drunk.”

She didn’t realize that just ten minutes ago, her bodyguard had said she “never touched alcohol before.”

At the word “used to” from her lips, Gu Ci’s footsteps suddenly stopped.

He stood still for a few seconds, then continued walking.

“Mhm, continue.”

“Hah?” Yan Luqing raised her head in confusion, looking at Gu Ci. “Continue what?”

Gu Ci did not look at her.

His eyes half lowered, fixed on the road ahead. From the outside, no one could discern his emotions.

After a while, the corner of his lips, unshadowed, curved faintly. Gu Ci smiled. “Continue speaking… about your ‘used to.’”