Chapter 84

Yan Qingqiu had been searching for some kind of evidence that would confirm her identity—something she could use to argue with others, to stand her ground.

She needed an unshakable pillar of support.

Now she had one.

Back then, the System hadn't known what was in her head—when it offered to exchange for wives, it had dug out her deepest, most unspeakable desires, and that became the crucial key that now connected her to the thoughts of the previous Miss Yan.

It became: she was her.

Yan Qingqiu's slender fingers trembled as she gripped the notebook in her hands. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Do you have any about half-metal and deep-sea sirens?"

"Let me look." Su Xingjie grabbed a cushion and sat directly on it. She kept her things neatly organized, all labeled with sticky notes. It took her a minute—pretty fast—before she pulled out two and handed them to Yan Qingqiu. "These two are the ones."

Su Xingjie had preserved these notebooks well. The pages were only slightly soft to the touch, and every line of text was crisp and legible—it was her handwriting from before, not particularly pretty, but every stroke felt deeply familiar.

Yan Qingqiu stared at them for a while, then asked, "When did I write these?"

"Your third year of middle school. You were under a lot of pressure back then, and you had no way to vent your emotions, so you kept writing these weird things." Su Xingjie recalled, flipping open one of the pages. "You always channeled your energy into strange places. Very precocious."

"I remember I tested into the same school Song Qingre attended in my third year—so I still managed to keep creating? Writing all this stuff?" Yan Qingqiu felt amazed at how energetic her past self had been. She asked, "Did I write 365 of them?"

"Not that many, but you had a new idea every day—around a hundred recorded brainstorms or so."

Su Xingjie said, "Back then, you had no patience for anything. You really wanted to study, but your mind kept drifting, and there was nothing you could do about it. So I pushed you to write. Every day, if you wanted to get to your writing early, you had to listen carefully in class and finish all your homework first. Even though writing wasted time, it actually made you a lot more patient."

"Wow..." Yan Qingqiu looked at her in surprise.

Su Xingjie smiled, gazing at the stack of notebooks in the box.

She said, "Back then, it wasn't just me—Song Qingre was there too. She'd always tutor us, every single day. We were really close back then."

Yan Qingqiu reached out and pulled her up, brushing the dust off her clothes. The two cleaning ladies had also tidied up every corner of the house.

The two ladies asked if they should wrap some dumplings and put them in the fridge. Su Xingjie said no—she wouldn't be home during the New Year; she'd be visiting a good friend's place.

The pay was settled daily, and since it was New Year's Eve, Su Xingjie quietly gave both ladies red envelopes on the side. These two ladies often came to work, quick and efficient, and they took the trash out with them when they left.

Yan Qingqiu checked the doors and windows once more before the two of them headed downstairs together. All the messy things Yan Qingqiu had written were gathered up by Su Xingjie and stored in the cabinet under the bookshelf, locked securely inside.

Su Xingjie truly was her guiding star.

Earlier, she'd wondered if there was any item that could prove her identity stored with Su Xingjie—whether Xing Xing might vouch for her.

Her instinct had been right.

Turns out she'd saved an ID card.

Su Xingjie pressed the button for their floor as they descended, then said, "Oh, that reminds me of something—hahaha. When I first started my internship, I rented a single-room apartment. The neighborhood wasn't the safest, and I got robbed. The thief spent a ton of effort prying open my lock, then stood there staring at the place for a long time. He wasted so much time that he ended up getting caught on the spot."

"Hahahaha." Yan Qingqiu was dying laughing. "Really?"

Su Xingjie nodded. She'd actually told Fu Sang about it back then, but Fu Sang had been busy having dinner with Fu Ye and hadn't paid attention.

She tucked away the door keys, then swiped her elevator card again. As they went down to the first floor, Su Xingjie said, "Later, the thief actually asked me to write a letter of forgiveness for him. He said he hadn't stolen anything—he'd just spent a while reading the novels you'd written."

Yan Qingqiu couldn't take it anymore, laughing so hard her stomach hurt. She said, "Did you write it? You definitely had to move—that thief had read your novels, so he definitely knew your name. You couldn't let him have his eye on you."

"I did write it. The thief paid me three thousand yuan in compensation. But even with the letter, it didn't help—the police found out he had a criminal record, so he got locked up again."

"Hahahaha." Yan Qingqiu felt it was a real pity. "Ugh, I really regret not getting to grow up alongside you these past few years."

Su Xingjie didn't comfort her, because she felt the same regret—when a friend leaves, they both lose the companionship of that stage of life.

"But maybe this way of thinking helps a bit," Yan Qingqiu said. "I've worked odd jobs too, lived in a single room, nine-to-five, grinding away in the office chaos until I couldn't see straight."

Su Xingjie turned to say something, but the elevator doors opened. Yan Qingqiu looped her arm through hers. "From now on, let's share our work experiences—you tell me about your years, I'll tell you about mine."

"Okay."

She walked out holding a few notebooks. Song Qingre was waiting for them downstairs, leaning against the car, her expression calm, fingers tapping lightly on her tablet.

Noticing they'd come down, Song Qingre stepped forward a few paces, reaching to take the notebooks from her hands, ready to put them in the trunk.

"I'll hold onto these myself." Yan Qingqiu didn't hand them over, a suspicious blush still on her cheeks.

Song Qingre didn't argue. Her palm rested on the trunk lid as she noticed the two of them standing off to the side with odd expressions.

Song Qingre eyed them suspiciously, pressed the trunk shut, and walked over to open the car door. She asked, "What are those notebooks for? What's in them?"

Yan Qingqiu's heart lurched. Did Song Qingre see them?

If she did... then, then, my face is completely ruined from childhood onwards.

Su Xingjie could tell what she was thinking. She walked to the other side and opened the door, and the two of them sat in the back together. Su Xingjie said quietly, "Song Qingre hasn't read the ones you wrote yet."

"They're that popular and she hasn't read them?"

"Because you never let older students borrow them. You said you were afraid she'd get embarrassed when she saw them."

Pfft.

Yan Qingqiu felt a strange sense of relief as she watched Song Qingre settle into the driver's seat. She pulled out the remaining book and flipped it open.

She wasn't reading it because she'd gotten used to embarrassment—she was just curious about the story of Xing Xing the princess and her trashy stepsister, how their relationship developed. It itched at her.

What could she do? She loved these kinds of strange relationships.

"So how did things go with your stepsister? Weren't you two sworn enemies? Did you two end up together?"

"On the day you picked the four-leaf clover, she and I both grabbed the same beautiful one. Our eyes met, and our movements froze. Then... I can't remember what happened after. I think I cornered her against the wall and said, 'You think you deserve this four-leaf clover?' My stepsister's face went white, and she fainted. I scooped her up and rushed to the infirmary."

Yan Qingqiu had to admit that her past self's imagination had limits. She'd written fifty chapters, and in forty of them, Song Qingre was either getting beaten up, fainting, going missing, getting kidnapped, or being threatened by various lovesick fanatics.

Impressive.

"And then what?"

"The infirmary teacher told me her heart was from the woman I'd once loved most. So I told her fiercely, 'You better live well—not for yourself, but for that heart in your chest.'"

She wanted to laugh. She held it in.

"What did your stepsister say?"

"Her pillow was soaked with tears. She turned her head away, looking all wronged, refusing to meet my eyes."

Su Xingjie thought again. "Oh, right, I remember. Later, my stepsister and I were about to fall in love, when another jealous female rival told me that my stepsister had been the one who'd run over the woman I loved—that she was the killer of my beloved."

Yan Qingqiu couldn't hold it in anymore. She doubled over laughing, hiccupping nonstop—it really was her imagination, loving this kind of melodramatic, exciting taboo romance.

Song Qingre in the front honked the horn, not understanding what they were talking about. She asked, "What are you two talking about?"

Yan Qingqiu shook her head, not elaborating, laughing to herself as she flipped through the notebook in her hands. And wow, this was something else.

What she'd written about the sea siren turned out to be a one-night stand at sea.

Song Qingre had undergone secondary differentiation into an omega siren and happened to be in heat. She'd been picked up by her, and the two of them went at it for seven days and seven nights. Incredible...

Can't read this. Can't read this.

Yan Qingqiu closed the book.

A deep hatred surged in her chest. If she was Yan Qingqiu, then the System had been deceiving her from the very start. Even when the System thought Song Qingre was going to kill her, it had been lying—refusing to tell her the truth, keeping her in the dark about her own identity, letting Song Qingre kill the person she loved most.

The System was truly vicious, despicable, shameless!

Thinking it in her heart wasn't enough to vent her anger. She cursed out loud, and Su Xingjie cursed right along with her, one word after another.

Yan Qingqiu looked at her in slight surprise. Su Xingjie could actually accept the System's existence.

Su Xingjie asked, "What's wrong?"

Yan Qingqiu pressed her lips together and shook her head.

Su Xingjie spoke up herself. "I'd actually about guessed it before. I just wasn't sure enough to believe it."

Yan Qingqiu's heart raced. She wanted to speak, but didn't know where to start. She took Su Xingjie's hand and said seriously, "Thank you, Xing Xing."

"Hmm? What are you thanking me for?"

Yan Qingqiu had seen what the butler had written—that when Fu Sang occupied her body, she'd burned all of Song Qingre's things, her paintings, their shared memories, cleaning it all out completely.

Yan Qingqiu smiled. "I'm just thanking you." She couldn't explain the full story, so she didn't bother, deciding she'd tell her slowly later.

"It's just... I won't be scared anymore." She said it seriously.

She bit her lip, and her nose began to sting. She covered her face with the notebook, hiding herself completely in the cramped space, her heart surging. Thank goodness, thank goodness she was Miss Yan, thank goodness everything she'd experienced before was fake, thank goodness those hardships weren't her real world.

Yan Qingqiu didn't mind that her current world was just a lewd game. It held so many of her memories—a wonderful father, great friends, and someone who would go to any lengths, going mad for her, getting hurt for her... someone she liked who liked her back.

She used to always think, Song Qingre must love Miss Yan so much—how could she ever compare to Miss Yan?

Song Qingre had searched so hard for Miss Yan. How could she possibly measure up? How could she compete?

She'd always been anxious, never daring to tell Song Qingre she liked her.

Now she realized that Song Qingre had recognized her long ago, and had carried so much for her sake. She... had been so foolish before. Song Qingre loved her so much—how could she have mistaken her for someone else?

Yan Qingqiu pressed her hand to her chest, blinking hard. She turned her head to look at the scenery outside, her heart aching dully.

She pressed her palm against her chest, rubbing it gently, forcing herself to stay awake.

The wind outside blew softly. Compared to their earlier trip, the air here was milder, brushing gently across her cheeks, sweeping over her body.

In her ears, she could still hear Su Xingjie's laughter.

The car pulled into the courtyard, and the gate closed automatically, leaving no chance for prying eyes.

The neighboring courtyard's gate hadn't closed. Fu Sang stood at the entrance, but the Song family's staff gave her no chance to peek—once the family's car entered, the gate was shut tight immediately, and she couldn't see a thing. Fu Sang clenched her fingers. What separated her from that house wasn't a wall—it was a thousand barriers, a chasm impossible to cross in this life or the next.

Her nose stung, and she exhaled cold air.

Regret and jealousy.

In this scene, she was a defeated landbound duck, unable to take flight.

Over there, the swan had returned, and a family was about to reunite in joy.

Yan Qingqiu got out of the car, and Yan Fu was already standing at the door waiting for her.

Looking at her father again, her nose instantly stung. She bit her lip lightly.

"Qiuqiu." Yan Fu called out.

Yan Qingqiu walked over in small steps, her pace quickening until she threw herself into Yan Fu's arms. Now she understood—why she'd been so thrilled when she'd transmigrated back and seen Yan Fu, why even her tone of voice had changed. Because she missed her dad.

Even though she didn't remember everything, deep in her subconscious she knew this was her father—the father who spoiled her, the father she missed so much.

She hooked her arms around Yan Fu's neck and gave him a big hug.

"Thank you, Dad."

Yan Fu was momentarily stunned, not knowing what was going on. He glanced at Song Qingre, silently asking what had happened. Feeling his daughter's sadness, he immediately wrapped his arms around Yan Qingqiu, patting her back.

"What's wrong?"

Song Qingre said, "I haven't told her anything yet."

Yan Fu patted her shoulder. "Alright, Qiuqiu's been through a lot. Let's go inside and talk."

Yan Qingqiu rubbed her face against his shoulder, wiping all her tears onto her father's jacket. The butler was setting the table, and Yan Qingqiu looked around, greeting him as well.

Song Qingre's house already had window decorations and couplets pasted up, and two strings of chili peppers hung on either side of the door, looking very festive.

The butler saw them come in and had the maids pour hot tea, shaking his head as he gave orders, annoyed that they weren't quick enough.

Inside, it wasn't as cold. Su Xingjie took off her coat and draped it over the back of a chair.

The table was laden with steaming hot dishes, and everyone sat down to eat together.

Yan Fu thought she was upset, so he lowered his voice, coaxing her. "There was a reason you were asked to move out before."

Yan Qingqiu nodded and said softly, "I know. It all makes sense now." She wasn't stupid—Song Qingre must have told him.

The past was finally clear to her.

She poured a bit of wine for her father and raised her tea as a substitute, standing up. "Thank you all for your hard work during this time. I really appreciate everything you've done." She'd thought about drinking, but since she was allergic, she was afraid she'd end up in the hospital tomorrow—and going to the hospital on such a good day wasn't ideal.

"I, Yan Qingqiu, after all these years drifting outside, have finally come home." Yan Qingqiu smiled and drank her tea.

The others clinked their cups together and drank as well.

Everyone's eyes were bright, shimmering with light. Yan Fu swallowed back all the words he'd intended to say.

Those days after the video of Song Qingre tying up Yan Qingqiu had surfaced, he'd gone sleepless for nights on end. He kept remembering how "Yan Qingqiu" had come to him claiming Song Qingre was bullying her—roping her up, threatening to stab a knife through her throat.

At the time, he hadn't believed it. He thought "Yan Qingqiu" was talking nonsense, suffering from delusions. Song Qingre would never hurt her, no matter what—she'd always doted on Qiuqiu so much.

Yan Fu asked himself honestly—he couldn't even match Song Qingre's level of care, her meticulous concern, afraid of even the slightest bruise.

Song Qingre had explained to outsiders that she was looking for inspiration, that the two of them were playing at kinks. But having known her for so long, Yan Fu knew her character well. In Song Qingre's eyes, it was plain as day—she wanted to kill "Yan Qingqiu." Maybe even find something within her.

Yan Fu began to suspect, but he didn't dare voice these suspicions casually, afraid the evil spirit that had latched onto Qiuqiu might still be lingering.

Later, he'd talked with Song Qingre, their words probing each other. It was the first time Yan Fu realized Song Qingre didn't trust him—she was even afraid he might hurt Yan Qingqiu.

Having spent so long in the business world, Yan Fu was a patient man. He knew how to draw information, how to feel out someone's cards. So at first, he didn't reveal his intentions. He just probed Song Qingre, pretending he wasn't at ease handing Yan Qingqiu over to her.

It wasn't until Song Qingre trusted him that she said, "Uncle, I did want to kill her before. I wished she'd die sooner. But now that she's by my side, I'll do everything in my power to protect her."

In that moment, Yan Fu knew—his suspicions had been correct all along. His daughter had been replaced by some other evil spirit.

Something had possessed his daughter, turning her from a blazing little sun into a stranger no one recognized.

That thing had hurt everyone around Qiuqiu without mercy. Now his precious daughter had returned through a thousand trials and tribulations.

How she'd returned, he didn't know. Maybe the rituals those people he'd hired had actually worked, or maybe Song Qingre had persisted through it all, finding a way to bring his daughter back.

Yan Fu had been reminiscing lately—Song Qingre leaving abroad, Song Qingre coming back. No matter the time, every word she said revolved around Qiuqiu. She truly loved her deeply.

Yan Fu's heart ached fiercely.

"Sir?" The butler called out to him. Yan Fu snapped back, his eyes red. He rubbed them and said, "It's nothing. I'm just happy that our Qiuqiu is back."

The table was laden with food. Cups clinked together, and Yan Fu drank a lot. This atmosphere was long overdue—it had been years since the household had been this harmonious.

He said, "The family is whole again."

The Yan Group would be setting off fireworks tonight. Several of them sat at the door early, waiting. Soon, fireworks lit up the sky.

A large "Y" appeared, then an "S," and finally an "X."

Yan Qingqiu covered her ears, glancing at Su Xingjie, who covered hers as well.

After dinner, they helped clear the table.

Everyone's phones started buzzing—close business partners sending messages, some calling directly to exchange New Year's greetings.

Su Xingjie went through them one by one.

Aside from the important connections she had to maintain, to whom she forwarded a couple of blessings, she didn't reply to the rest.

Su Xingjie sent a big red envelope to her office team: 【Happy New Year, everyone!】

【Happy New Year, Director Su!】

Qiang Wei sent a message in the group too. Su Xingjie glanced at it, then didn't reply further.

At this hour, Moments was bustling. Luo Xi and Xia Chunnong had been camping out on the app early, showing off their New Year's Eve dinners at home.

Su Xingjie was just about to type a reply to them when she scrolled down and saw her mother's New Year's Eve dinner post. She used to block her; she couldn't remember when she'd unblocked her.

The photo showed a crowded table. She hadn't been home in years, so some people she couldn't recognize at all—especially her stepfather and that stepsister of hers. They looked like strangers, less familiar than her business partners.

Yan Qingqiu sat on the armrest of the sofa and said softly, "Do you want to go home? If you do, we can come with you later."

"No need. It's too much trouble. I've already sent the New Year's goods home." Su Xingjie smiled.

Yan Qingqiu took her out to play, taking care of her at every turn, afraid she'd feel homesick.

Su Xingjie posted on Moments: 【Having a great New Year.】

Yan Qingqiu commented instantly: 【Wishing you big wealth in the new year.】

Su Xingjie looked back at her phone and saw a message.

Yan Qingqiu: 【New Year red envelope】

Su Xingjie tapped accept.

Yan Qingqiu: 【Don't send one back to me!】

Su Xingjie was just about to say okay when more red envelopes came in.

From Song Qingre, Yan Fu, Dong Shu, and even Ye Sichun—all sending her red envelopes, sizable amounts, all 8888. She made tens of thousands in one night.

At Su Xingjie's position, money didn't matter much to her anymore, but she was beaming like a little kid. Yan Fu also gave each of them a thick red envelope of New Year's money, plump and full.

"Thank you, Uncle."

She thanked everyone, then checked her balance.

After sending hers, Yan Qingqiu went out with the butler to carry out a box—fireworks the butler had bought.

Yan Qingqiu found a sparkler from the box and lit it with a lighter. Holding it, she touched it to Song Qingre's. Fwoosh—the sparkler caught, flames burning bright.

Su Xingjie sat on the steps, popping open peanuts with her thumb, peeling off the red skins.

Yan Qingqiu handed her the sparkler, then grabbed two more for herself and ran around.

Su Xingjie quietly ate her peanuts, holding the sparkler she'd been given, her gaze drawn to the fireworks in the distance.

Fireworks burst across the sky, every household in the city lit up, the whole night illuminated. The night turned dazzling. She raised her phone to capture the beautiful moment, planning to post it on Weibo later.

After playing with the fireworks, the two of them went upstairs—mainly because Yan Qingqiu really wanted to read the contents of the notebooks. If it was funny, wouldn't it be more entertaining than the Spring Festival Gala?

The two of them lay on the bed, eagerly opening the notebooks. As they read, Yan Qingqiu said, "Should I keep writing?"

"What are you two reading?" Song Qingre came up from downstairs and pushed open the door, interrupting their conversation.

Yan Qingqiu quickly shoved the book in her hands under the blanket.

"Nothing."

Su Xingjie nodded along. "It's just... some ledgers."

"Ledgers of snacks you bought as kids?" Song Qingre asked.

Yan Qingqiu nodded again along with it. "Yes."

Song Qingre recalled and said, "Then you two owe me quite a bit of money. When it's all sorted out, remember to pay me back."

"Okay." Yan Qingqiu had never paid her back for the allowance she'd taken as a kid—she never returned it. From childhood to adulthood, Song Qingre had carried the mission of providing for her wife.

Yan Qingqiu watched Song Qingre leave, then sneakily pulled the notebook back out and continued reading with Su Xingjie, both lying on the bed.

【The purple siren wrapped her fish tail around her waist.

The mermaid was bound tightly with iron chains, and the princess sang and played with her every day, sharing her bed with her every night.

Finally, the siren's heat ended, and she prepared to conclude this encounter with the beautiful princess.

But the siren had never met a hunter like this. When she dove into the deep sea, she discovered the hunter had tied her up—a golden hook caught her tail. The hunter's true nature revealed itself, pressing close to the siren's ear, and boldly told this queen of the deep, "From now on, you'll be my servant."】

Yan Qingqiu blushed furiously. Honestly, one age, one boldness—back then was face-slapping plots; now she wasn't even human anymore.

Su Xingjie read on with relish, flipping the page.

【Song Qingre had undergone secondary differentiation into an OMEGA. She was helpless, her body aching and swollen. Suckling on Yan Qingqiu's fingers, she said, "Master... please."

She held her, rolling them into the deep sea where the two of them fooled around wildly. The mermaid loved the forbidden nature of the deep, but when she tried to escape, swimming back up—

The woman caught her again and bound her.

She wanted to control her for all eternity.

"I want to bear your child." The siren in heat looked at her dazedly, tears rolling down and crystallizing into pearls.

Purple-black, sliding from the corners of her eyes.

The siren in heat held her hand. Yan Qingqiu said nothing. The siren placed her hand on her own belly, looking at her pleadingly, then said:】

Yan Qingqiu flipped the page, but before she could see the content, a voice came from beside her: "If you don't get me pregnant, I'll fuck you to death."

Yan Qingqiu jolted violently, turning her head—Song Qingre was standing right there. She'd come back and had been standing there all along, scaring her half to death.

"Pretty well written." Song Qingre stared at the notebook in her hand, glancing at it a few times.

Yan Qingqiu quickly shoved the book further under the blanket, her face flushed red. Song Qingre said, "Come out with me."

Yan Qingqiu was about to die of embarrassment and shyness.

Su Xingjie kept laughing. Song Qingre moved to take the book from her hand, and Yan Qingqiu said, "Don't take it. I'll come with you."

Song Qingre nodded.

So Yan Qingqiu slipped on her slippers and followed her out, heading to Song Qingre's room next door. The two of them stood on the balcony.

In the night, Song Qingre looked alluring, calm.

Her hand rested on the railing. It was past midnight now, and she waited quietly for Yan Qingqiu to speak.

The night breeze ruffled her hair. Yan Qingqiu tucked her hair behind her ear, listening to the distant bells ringing in the new year. "Happy New Year."

Song Qingre hummed in acknowledgment.

"Song Qingre, I actually..." Yan Qingqiu took a deep breath.

"Actually what?"

"Actually, I've fallen for you."

Song Qingre froze for a second, the smile in her eyes solidifying—whether from surprise or joy...

Yan Qingqiu stepped forward, wrapping her arms around her waist. "It's 25-year-old Yan Qingqiu falling for you all over again."

Song Qingre swallowed a breath. Her lips parted slightly as if she'd drunk a mouthful of cold wind.

She bit her lower lip, eyes closed, savoring the hard-won tenderness.

Yan Qingqiu hadn't dared to say it before, but she couldn't hold it in anymore. "I was afraid if I didn't say it, you'd never know."

Song Qingre said, "Qiuqiu, you're always remarkably bold when it comes to confessions. You catch people off guard every time."

"Mm... I didn't say it before because I felt like... it would be a bit embarrassing to confess to you so abruptly."

But today Yan Qingqiu couldn't hold it in anymore, because she'd come back. Song Xiaore had been waiting for her, searching for her all along...

"I really have fallen for you. I know my own feelings." Yan Qingqiu looked at her, growing bolder. "I like you so much."

Song Qingre reached out and hugged Yan Qingqiu back.

Song Qingre felt her warmth, eyes closed. "I really like 25-year-old Qiuqiu too. No matter who you were before, from this moment on, I like you so, so much."

Yan Qingqiu's anxious heart settled in that instant.

But Song Qingre's heart was pounding.

She wanted to tell Song Qingre she'd come back.

At that moment, her shoulder was pressed, and Song Qingre's fingers landed on her lips. She said seriously, "No rush. You don't have to say it. I can wait."

Song Qingre held back, needing to be more cautious. Even if Yan Qingqiu had already come back, already knew who she was, she didn't want her to say it. She was afraid some other evil thing she hadn't rooted out yet might carry her precious person away again.

Until she destroyed the System.

"Knowing you love me is enough."

Song Qingre leaned down, her red lips pressing against Yan Qingqiu's.

Sweet, soft, touching together.

Yan Qingqiu closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her neck.

Others were setting off fireworks, the whole night sky flashing in every color, and the two of them kissed on the balcony.

Song Qingre's hand settled on her waist, deepening the kiss. She kissed with hunger and passion, tongues twining. She knew full well this was the person in her heart, yet she still had to wait, had to endure.

She wanted her safe.

Yan Qingqiu could feel her emotions and kissed her back, intertwining with her fervor, melting into Song Qingre's body and soul.

··

On the first day of the new year, Luo Xi kept reminding them not to forget to come to her place to play.

On the second day, they went to Luo Xi's house. Luo Xi's home was pretty close to Fu Ye's.

Before they left, Yan Fu had mentioned that the Luo family inviting them over was likely also a way to draw a line between themselves and the Fu family.

Song Qingre drove over, and on the way, Luo Xi started urging them, asking if they'd arrived yet, saying she couldn't wait.

"This Luo Xi..." Su Xingjie remarked. "Actually, dating her wouldn't be bad. She's obedient and devoted to one person. If the other person liked her too, she could find the right match and live happily ever after."

"She'd fit pretty well with Ye Sichun."

Yan Qingqiu nodded. "I think so too."

"Then why do you always scold her so much?"

"Mainly because she scolds me too—it's a habit we've had for years, can't change it." Yan Qingqiu laughed.

When they arrived at the door, even though Luo Xi had warned them, they were still taken aback. Luo Xi's stepmother was in her mid-thirties but dressed very young—short curly hair, red nails, looking like she could have a cigarette between her fingers at any moment.

Standing with Luo Xi, she looked like her sister.

They brought gifts, and Luo Xi's father had been waiting for them.

Song Qingre carried the presents and said, "Godfather, I'm here to wish you a happy New Year."

Luo Xi's father beamed, warm from being called that, and pulled out red envelopes he'd prepared earlier. Song Qingre's was the thickest.

The rest of them called him Uncle and politely wished him a happy New Year. Luo Xi's stepmother handed out red envelopes too.

Luo Xi brought out fruits and snacks, telling them not to be polite.

Luo Xi's father invited them in. As they walked, he thanked them profusely. "I owe you all a thank you. Before, Xiao Xi always liked running next door, and those people never really cared for her. Now she has good friends—knowing she's playing with you brings us peace of mind."

Song Qingre added, "She has a good heart and she's very cute. She's even helped us out from time to time."

Hearing such praise, Luo Xi was delighted, standing up straighter.

"Hasn't she also been talking about building a career recently?" Song Qingre said. "She's quite serious about it. I think she can make it."

Luo Xi's father nodded, very satisfied. In the past, Luo Xi never cared about such things—she spent all day thinking about love, and the family let her do whatever she wanted. They could afford it. They'd nearly handed the company to Fu Ye, hoping he'd marry Luo Xi.

Now that Luo Xi liked someone else and got a response, he suddenly looked back and realized how dangerous his past behavior had been—with Fu Ye's unreliable nature, the company could very well have been lost.

Luo Xi's father said, "Oh, by the way, Fu Ye is going to get his marriage license with Fu Sang today."

"People process marriage registrations today?"

"With enough money, anything can be arranged." Luo Xi's father said, sounding a bit like he was tipping them off. "They pulled some strings. Went secretly today. I happened to see them."

Yan Qingqiu was surprised but didn't say anything directly. When Luo Xi's father and stepmother went to fetch something, Yan Qingqiu pulled Song Qingre aside and whispered in confusion, "But didn't I already marry you? Wouldn't that make them guilty of bigamy?"

"How is it bigamy?" Song Qingre said. "What was your first ID's designation?"

"Alpha." As Yan Qingqiu said it, she remembered—before they got married, they'd gone to the household registration office to change her ID and household book. The clerk had said it wouldn't affect their marriage, but once the new ID arrived, she had to come back to nullify her first ID.

They'd never gone to nullify it.

Song Qingre said, "That's the method I was going to tell you about."

"Huh?"

"She used your first ID—the alpha identity—to get married. But the doctor gave you a certificate proving you're an omega. Even if the System wiped all the data and let Fu Sang marry Fu Ye, my certificate can still nullify her identity."

That was right. Back then, the doctor had told her to go change her ID, but she'd run out of time and never gone. Later, the clerk who'd handled the marriage certificate said it wouldn't affect the marriage—just have her alpha identity nullified afterward.

And Song Qingre had never gone either. The System had no idea about any of this.

Song Qingre nodded with a faint smile.

Once the System successfully got the two of them registered, it would think the second stage was complete and immediately submit the mission.

But it would soon realize—

Its mission had failed. Even the alpha heroine it had identified, Yan Qingqiu, had vanished. The world no longer had its heroine at all.

Wouldn't that make it fall apart on its own...