Achieving a Happy Ending with the Best Friend I Saved [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 4

System 007 had just finished its upgrade and returned happily, only to see the mission target practically sweeping its Host out the door.

The system froze. [Host, I was gone for fifteen minutes, not fifteen hours, right?] 007 felt a wave of internal panic.

Sang Ruo walked away unhurriedly. “It was fifteen minutes.”

When 007 pressed for details, Sang Ruo answered truthfully. “It went well. The partnership is established. From now on, she and I are comrades on the same boat.”

007 couldn’t help but replay the expression on the target’s face. [But she didn’t look like someone feeling a sense of camaraderie?]

Sang Ruo remained silent for a moment. “What did you get from your upgrade?”

[Oh!] 007 replied dutifully. [Look, Host! This is the Hidden Plot Exploration function. By collecting clues, we can further unlock the story. It shows the completion percentage of the plot and allows you to exchange energy points for hints!]

Sang Ruo glanced at it. The hidden plot completion stood at 20%. It seemed there was still much to dig up.

The next day, Sang Ruo received an unexpected visitor at her residence: one of Mei Si’s trusted confidants. After some small talk, the confidant finally revealed her purpose.

Unsurprisingly, Mei Si had sent someone to buy Sang Ruo over. Mei Si had already guessed that the Siwu would be making secret moves, but she was unaware of the conversation between Sang Ruo and the Siwu; she assumed they hadn’t had the chance to connect yet.

In this confidant’s mouth, the Siwu’s history became a completely different story. She painted the Siwu as a villainous character and, fearing Sang Ruo might refuse, offered a hefty bribe.

“If you help us, it won’t be much trouble. Just play along in an act. You will have someone to look out for you in Ganmu City afterward, won’t you?”

For someone with a strong sense of justice, the story would have turned them to Mei Si’s side. For someone clever and opportunistic, the promised benefits would be irresistible.

Sang Ruo maintained an ambiguous attitude. The confidant grew anxious and began to increase the stakes. Only then did Sang Ruo show a hint of interest, though she didn’t commit, saying only that she would consider it. The confidant breathed a sigh of relief, a microscopic look of contempt flashing across her face.

Sang Ruo took everything in, picked up her teacup, and took a light sip.

After a few more pleasantries, the confidant left quickly. Shortly after the door closed, someone stepped out from behind the screen in the hall.

“Is this what you wanted me to see?”

A pale gold mask covered the person’s entire face. She wore a soft yellow dress, and a white petal-shaped birthmark was visible at the base of her thumb. It was the Siwu, who was supposed to be under house arrest in the Divine Court.

Sang Ruo continued drinking her tea calmly. “Any thoughts?”

The Siwu was silent for a moment. “I am no match for her.”

“At least you have self-awareness.”

The Siwu’s fingers curled tightly at her sides, but she said nothing. Sang Ruo’s gaze swept over her. “This outfit is nice. It suits your age.”

The Siwu was a girl in the prime of her youth. The soft yellow was gentle and playful, accented by a black shawl that made her look like a little oriole. However, because of the mask, her expression remained hidden.

Sang Ruo stood up, took a box, and pulled out a yellow silk ribbon. She walked over to the Siwu and took her hand. The Siwu’s fingertips trembled, pulling back slightly. “What are you doing?”

Sang Ruo held her hand firmly, wrapping the ribbon bit by bit around her palm in a dominant yet careful manner. Behind the mask, the Siwu bit her lip. This woman was mysterious and temperamental; she still didn’t understand what Sang Ruo wanted.

The fingers pressing against her skin were long, beautiful, and strong. Yet, the way she wrapped the ribbon was meticulous, lacking any expected roughness. It was almost tender. It had been a long time since the Siwu had been this close to anyone. The proximity made her feel restless, and the thin silk tickled her skin.

The ribbon completely covered the petal birthmark on her hand. Sang Ruo tied a beautiful knot and finally let go. The Siwu immediately pulled her hand back, her fingers curling slightly.

“Follow me.”

Sang Ruo took the Siwu out to the streets. To avoid prying eyes, Sang Ruo had also changed clothes and put on a random mask. Her black martial attire outlined her graceful figure, her waist strikingly thin. If the Siwu hadn’t witnessed her killing the beast, she wouldn’t have believed this woman was so powerful.

In Ganmu City, wearing masks was a common custom, so their appearance didn’t draw much attention. The Siwu followed Sang Ruo, constantly trying to guess where she was being led. Their path seemed aimless. At one point, Sang Ruo even bought a candied hawthorn stick and stuffed it into the Siwu’s hand.

“You…” The Siwu’s brow furrowed behind her mask.

“Not eating it?”

The Siwu looked up. Sang Ruo had stopped and turned back to look at her. The morning light cast a golden rim around the black mask, a mix of coldness and softness. Looking at her, the Siwu felt a strange sensation in her heart. After what this woman had said yesterday, she should have been angry and wary, but now she felt like a small animal soaking in warm water: lazy and peaceful.

There was even a feeling that she had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

The bright red fruit, glazed in shimmering sugar, looked appetizing. She lowered her eyes, gently pushed up her mask a bit, and took a bite. The fruit was slightly tart, but the sweetness of the sugar syrup spread as she chewed, making it incredibly refreshing. The last time she had tasted something like this was when she sneaked out at the age of seven.

She quickly ate two.

Sang Ruo led her on a leisurely loop through the streets before turning into an inconspicuous alley and stopping near a brick house. The Siwu recognized it as Helian Yun’s residence.

“What are we doing?”

“Eavesdropping,” Sang Ruo reassured her. “Don’t worry. With me here, we won’t be discovered.”

The Siwu thought to herself that eavesdropping was exactly what she was worried about.

After waiting for a while, someone actually arrived just as Sang Ruo had predicted. It was a familiar face: Mei Si’s confidant. It seemed she was using the same trick to approach the other “warrior.”

The confidant’s speech was much the same as the one she gave Sang Ruo. Helian Yun’s reaction, however, was different. After a moment of silence, Helian Yun spoke with righteous indignation. “So that is how it is. When I associated with her before, I never imagined she was that kind of person!”

“Yes, exactly,” the confidant echoed. After making several promises, she finally left.

Hidden in the nearby bushes, the Siwu heard every word clearly. Her fingertips, gripping the bamboo skewer, turned white.

Sang Ruo spoke to her in a low, slow voice. “I agreed because I want to play a part for Mei Si. Tell me, why did Helian Yun agree?”

Without waiting for an answer, Sang Ruo continued. “There are three possibilities. First, Helian Yun thinks like I do; he is on your side and only spoke those words to act the part. He will seek an opportunity to pledge his loyalty to you soon. Second, he is truly a self-righteous idiot who believed those lies. Third…”

The Siwu cut her off, her voice unreadable. “Third, he is a hypocrite who understood Mei Si’s hidden meaning but still pretended to be a hero for the sake of interest.”

Sang Ruo glanced at her. “If you don’t eat it, the sugar will melt.”

The Siwu blinked and looked down. Sure enough, the sugar syrup was beginning to drip. If Sang Ruo hadn’t reminded her, it would have run down the skewer into her hand.

“Ah…”

The weather was warming up, and the sugar melted quickly. She frowned, pushed her mask up, and sucked the syrup away, eating the fruits one by one until only a bamboo skewer remained. The fruit was tart after all. Eating them all at once left her mouth with a sour, astringent taste, making her frown even deeper. Yet, she felt a sense of relief.

A white embroidered handkerchief was offered to her. The Siwu looked up and saw Sang Ruo point lightly to the corner of her own mouth. The Siwu had accidentally gotten some sugar on her lip.

Her ears turned bright red. She instinctively lowered her head and whispered, “No need.” She took out her own handkerchief and wiped away the sugar bit by bit.

In the bushes, there wasn’t much room to hide, and the two were standing quite close. The Siwu suddenly felt that this place was a bit too stifling.

At that moment, small sounds from inside the house broke the stagnant atmosphere. Sang Ruo had used a technique to amplify the voices inside, so Helian Yun’s muttered self-justifications were perfectly audible.

“Don’t blame me. That woman interfered before. If I don’t agree to their terms, how can I, an outsider, establish myself in Ganmu City? They still seem to need you, so your life probably isn’t in danger.” Helian Yun spoke as if convincing himself, the guilt in his voice fading. “Once I have a firm footing and make that woman pay the price, I will surely make it up to you.”

Sang Ruo hummed.

The system covered its face. [This teaches us never to talk to ourselves. What if someone is listening?]

The Siwu’s face showed a flash of disappointment, but she wasn’t particularly surprised. She turned to Sang Ruo. “Let us go.”

The two walked back to the street without disturbing anyone. This time, the Siwu took the lead, with Sang Ruo following at a short distance.

“Are you going back?” Sang Ruo asked.

The Siwu remained silent.

“It is a rare chance to be out. Why not explore a bit more?” Sang Ruo suggested.

The Siwu kept her head down and said nothing. After walking for a bit and hearing no sound behind her, she paused. Unable to help herself, she turned around, but Sang Ruo was nowhere to be seen. She stood frozen in the middle of the road. The bustling crowd flowed past her, lively yet lonely.

She didn’t stand there for long. She saw the hem of a black robe, then pale, slender fingers. Sang Ruo walked toward her through the crowd. The Siwu noticed that Sang Ruo was holding something that didn’t quite match her aura: a beautiful little wooden drum with a fine cowhide surface and two beads attached to red strings on either side.

Sang Ruo stuffed the drum into her hand.

The Siwu was silent for a moment. “Your way of cheering someone up is very childish.”

“I am not cheering you up,” Sang Ruo replied.

The Siwu shook the drum, making a boleng-boleng sound. “Then what is this in my hand?” Her tone was no longer gloomy, carrying a hint of a smile.

Sang Ruo looked away and walked past her. “…Did it work?”

A warm breeze blew past, swallowing the whispered words. However, the Siwu still heard them. Behind the mask, the corners of her mouth curled up.

“Have I told you my name yet? It is Rong Ji.”

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