After Being Possessed by the Transmigrated Heroine - Chapter 13

Bai Niao used to have a communication device. Its functions were extremely simple, with only a limited number of allowed outgoing calls and contacts restricted to just the few of them. Bai Niao’s life was dull; aside from money and material things, her only hobby was playing games.

At first, no one imagined there would be a problem with that.

Until one day, Bai Niao mysteriously disappeared while in a car. The driver had been drugged and was found slumped over the steering wheel. At that time, Bai Niao didn’t realize she was covered in so many GPS trackers. She naively thought that by changing all her clothes and jewelry, she could evade the trackers hidden in the shadows.

By the time they intercepted her, she was already at the airport. Beside her was a profligate third-generation heir from their same social circle, wearing sunglasses and shielding her firmly by his side.

Everyone knew the two of them were at odds. Back when Bai Niao was still a pampered socialite, she was notoriously arrogant. That man hadn’t recognized her and had approached her to flirt; because his words were a bit too lewd, Bai Niao had splashed a whole drink on him. She actually knew exactly who he was and knew his grandfather’s reputation. But given Bai Niao’s personality? She simply didn’t like the look of him and acted accordingly.

Afterward, she didn’t apologize. Instead, she turned the tables, tearfully complaining to her fiancé about her “grievance.” Fortunately, her fiancé wasn’t entirely unreasonable. However, the feud between the two was cemented. They were constantly at each other’s throats, wishing the other would drop dead.

So, even Cheng Yu hadn’t expected it to be this person when the incident occurred. Bai Niao’s contact records and call logs were strictly monitored. It was only after the fact that they discovered they had been communicating through the social platform within a game.

Bai Niao was materialistic and dim to put it bluntly, she was a bit brainless. Yet, at certain times, she was exceptionally bold and decisive. When it came to using people, she was startlingly cold-blooded and calculated.

Facing countless aimed firearms, Bai Niao had closed her eyes and swiftly raised her hands. “Save me, Mr. He…” she said with a sob. “This bastard forced me. He wanted to kidnap me.”

The man’s face was a mask of pure disbelief. But after a bullet pierced his shoulder, Bai Niao, like a frightened bird, threw herself straight into He Youting’s arms. Her face was pale, splattered with blood, making her look utterly innocent.

It was as if she wasn’t the same person who had lured a former enemy, seduced another to go through fire and water for her, drugged a driver who had been very kind to her, and orchestrated a fake kidnapping.

At that stage, things between them hadn’t been so intense. When she left that morning, Bai Niao had happily mentioned wanting to learn handicrafts to make them personalized Christmas gifts. This girl was heartless to her core, devoid of much soul or emotion. Aside from that man, the only thing that could move Bai Niao was material wealth. She sincerely loved dazzling gemstones, exquisite gowns, and luxurious villas. Beyond that, she had no feelings.

Duan Xiran couldn’t say for sure how Bai Niao had transformed from that sweet-smiling girl into this money-worshipping, egoistic, and heartless woman. He only knew that no matter how well they treated her, her heart was never on them. It had been that way for a long time.

So, upon glimpsing the obvious hickey on Bai Niao’s collarbone, Duan Xiran didn’t think of Gao Zhan at all. He instinctively assumed it was an outsider. His elegant, aristocratic aura vanished in an instant, replaced by a heavy sense of malice and oppression. Duan Xiran’s eyes were pitch black, cold as if they couldn’t let in a single ray of light.

Bai Niao was terrified by his appearance. Her body trembled, and her lace-trimmed collar, already loose, slipped down after being pulled aside. Her snowy shoulders were half-exposed, and her softness swayed slightly with her tremors. A large expanse of pale skin was revealed, but the originally flawless flesh was covered in marks of deep and light red. The person who kissed her had tried to be careful, but in the heat of the moment, deep bruises had been left behind.

“Speak, Bai Niao.” Duan Xiran’s knuckles were icy. Though he was only stroking her skin, it brought waves of sharp, stinging pain.

Duan Xiran’s expression was so terrifying that Bai Niao didn’t even dare to look at him. Paralyzed with fear, she wailed, “It… it was Gao Zhan…”

She climbed onto Duan Xiran’s neck, crying like a wife caught in a mistake. “I… I didn’t do anything else,” she said through her tears. “He… he just kissed me, and that was it.”

“I know I was wrong…” she said through her tears. “Please don’t tell Mr. He, okay?”

Bai Niao was scared to death, yet the lies tripped off her tongue effortlessly. Her eyes were red as she rasped, “I wanted a diamond necklace from the Christie’s auction. I wanted him to buy it for me…”

He Youting pampered Bai Niao, but he wouldn’t overindulge her when it came to money. He had previously thought about having Bai Niao learn financial management; she went to two classes and swore she would never go again. Items from auction houses were things you couldn’t find just anywhere. If you missed it, it was gone. So whenever Bai Niao saw something she wanted urgently, she would find ways to drop hints to Duan Xiran.

Upon hearing the “adulterer” was Gao Zhan, the coldness in Duan Xiran’s eyes faded considerably. Knowing this was the reason, he was almost helpless.

Duan Xiran leaned in and kissed Bai Niao’s forehead, pulling her into a comforting embrace. “Don’t cry. For such a small thing, look at the state you’ve cried yourself into.” Her tears were plentiful; once she started, she couldn’t stop.

“Next time there’s something you want,” Duan Xiran said softly, “just have someone tell me.” He patted Bai Niao’s cheek and coaxed her in a low voice, “Stop crying. I’ll bid on it for you.”

“But don’t do this sort of thing next time,” Duan Xiran wiped her tears. “If Youting found out, he would be unhappy.”

She nodded obediently with a nasal tone. “Mm, I know. Thank you, Brother.”

Bai Niao’s eyes were filled with water. Wearing her white nightgown with its intricate lace collar, she looked like a well-behaved little princess. Duan Xiran acted the part of the noble gentleman, strictly adhering to the etiquette of the old aristocracy. This worked in Bai Niao’s favor.

As Duan Xiran rose to leave, she breathed a deep sigh of relief in her heart. Luckily, it was Duan Xiran who had caught the clue. If it had been He Youting or Cheng Yu, she would likely have been severely punished by now. Bai Niao tied the ribbons of her nightgown properly, then without a word, turned over and prepared to sleep.

After the three men finished their talk, Bai Niao was already asleep. She lay in the soft, large hospital bed, clutching a teddy bear, looking quite fragile. They didn’t wake her.

Bai Niao rarely slept so soundly. The next day, she woke up even earlier than Zhuang Han. Since suddenly fainting yesterday, Zhuang Han seemed to have gone “AFK,” not appearing for a long time.

But just as Bai Niao was planning to seize the time to eat something she liked, the System’s voice rang out. This System was annoying, but fortunately, it was quite stupid. As long as Zhuang Han’s consciousness hadn’t awakened, it wouldn’t wake up either. Otherwise, they would have certainly discovered that Bai Niao’s consciousness hadn’t dissipated yet.

Zhuang Han’s mind was hazy, and her head throbbed. She propped herself up and looked around in confusion. “What happened? Where am I?”

【Wait a moment, Host. It hasn’t finished loading yet.】

Zhuang Han pressed her thumb against her temple and rubbed irritably. “I feel like the original host’s body isn’t in great shape. Is there a way to alleviate this?”

At the mention of this, the System’s voice turned cheerful. 【Of course, Host. You can use Affection Points to exchange for corresponding pills in the Mall.】

Affection Points were the most important data for the romance missions. Zhuang Han was currently unwilling to spend them on items, but after so many days, she was starting to feel panicked. She had spent a fair amount of time with the male leads; aside from the last one, Gao Zhan, whom she hadn’t met, she had seen almost all of them. Yet, except for that fleeting moment when Duan Xiran’s affection increased by five points, the data hadn’t moved at all.

While the System loaded, Zhuang Han clicked open the panel. Except for a very thin layer of color on Duan Xiran’s progress bar, the other male leads were all at a glaring zero. These “proud sons of heaven” were truly too difficult to conquer.

Zhuang Han sat on the hospital bed, her brow furrowed. She absentmindedly plucked a rose from the vase by the bed and, with a hint of vent-seeking, tore the beautiful petals off one by one.

Fortunately, the System loaded the information quickly. 【Host, you suddenly fainted from illness yesterday. There are no major issues; the original host’s body is just weak, and similar situations have happened before.】

Zhuang Han breathed a sigh of relief. Heaven knows that ever since the last incident, she had been jumpy about the possibility of the heroine still being alive. The thought that the original host might be watching her from the shadows gave her goosebumps. Fortunately, it was just a false alarm.

A smile returned to Zhuang Han’s face as she said slowly, “Thank you truly. If not for you, I wouldn’t be able to do these missions at all.”

As she spoke, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. These men seemed to have no concept of knocking; they always entered directly.

Cheng Yu walked in at the front and asked nonchalantly, “Who are you talking to?”

He Youting was still on the phone, standing in the corridor. He was tall, dressed in a sharp suit, and even his silhouette on the carpet was handsome. The male leads had completely different personalities, and their appearances and temperaments each had their own merits, but every one of them possessed a regal, dragon-like presence.

Zhuang Han hadn’t reacted in time and was startled to meet Cheng Yu’s gaze. Cheng Yu usually had a gentle, faint smile on his lips, making him look like an easy-going, good-tempered gentleman rather than the decisive and vigorous Major General Cheng known to the public.

“I wasn’t talking to anyone,” Zhuang Han said with a smile. “I just bumped my leg, that’s all.” As she spoke, she even swung her leg a bit. It looked as if she really had hit it.

Cheng Yu gave Zhuang Han a quick look and said as if accidentally, “Is that so?” His gaze was flat, yet it seemed to hide a sharp edge.

Zhuang Han didn’t know why, but every time she was in front of Cheng Yu, she felt a sense of nervous exposure. It felt as if his eyes could see through everything. Fortunately, He Youting finished his call and walked in.

He said in a low voice, “After breakfast, we’ll do one last checkup and then head back.”

Bai Niao hated staying in hospitals and hated injections and medicine. Every time she got sick, she put everyone through the wringer. It was better when Gao Zhan was around; he was very good at coaxing her, and a few words were enough to trick her into taking her medicine. But Gao Zhan had been busy lately. One could only say it was lucky Bai Niao was fine this time, or they would have been tormenting each other for a long while.

After breakfast, Bai Niao was sent to the examination room. Trapped inside the body, she watched the oil paintings on the wall with utter boredom. As the saying goes, “the first time is strange, the second time is familiar.” After her body was snatched for the nth time, Bai Niao had gradually grown accustomed to it.

She spent the whole journey spaced out, only coming to her senses once she sat in the small sofa. The doctor opposite her had a somewhat familiar face—blonde hair, blue eyes, and a straight bridge of the nose. Even through a mask, he gave Bai Niao a strange sense of familiarity. Although she couldn’t remember who he was at all. Bai Niao had a poor memory, and with so many people coming and going around her, it was hard to remember who was who.

But as the conversation went on, she sensed something was wrong. This doctor didn’t seem like a neurologist; he clearly seemed more like a psychologist.

When he began to fill out a questionnaire, Bai Niao’s feeling deepened. She was fuming. They always said she wasn’t smart, but the few of them were the real idiots. She had clearly told them she was “possessed.” They actually thought she was mentally ill! Bai Niao was mentally resilient, but right now she felt she might faint from anger. Her temperament and habits had changed so drastically, yet they would rather believe she had schizophrenia than believe she was being possessed and her body occupied by another person.

But Zhuang Han was completely oblivious. In her mind, she complained to the System: “The male leads are a bit too concerned about the heroine. Why are they always worried she’s broken her brain?”

Despite her words, Zhuang Han had a relaxed smile on her face. After finishing the checkup, she put down the pen and walked out of the door with light steps, calling out softly, “Mr. He, I’ve finished the checkup.”

He Youting was sitting on the long sofa outside, leaning his head on his hand while looking at some documents. Hearing her, he looked up slightly toward Zhuang Han. When their eyes met, the System’s notification suddenly rang.

【He Youting’s Affection Level: +5.】

Zhuang Han was stunned for a moment. she couldn’t believe her ears. Only when the System’s celebratory chime sounded did she suddenly snap out of it. He Youting’s affection for her had actually increased. This man of immense power and cold indifference could indeed be moved.

It was another increase in affection, but Zhuang Han’s mood was a hundred times more excited than when she had gained Duan Xiran’s affection. Her heart was pounding, and she had to suppress her emotions to keep from showing it too obviously. Truly, “beyond the dark willows and blooming flowers, another village appears.” She had originally thought about focusing on her career first and then coming back to conquer them; she hadn’t expected such a surprise.

Despite her efforts to restrain herself, Zhuang Han couldn’t help but say, “Mr. He, I’ll live well with you from now on. I won’t be so willful anymore, and I won’t keep causing you trouble.”

He Youting gave a soft “Mm.”

Feeling he was in a good mood, Zhuang Han hurried to continue, “Also, Mr. He, I’d like a communication device. Do you think that’s okay?”

He Youting’s expression was calm, but upon hearing this, he abruptly looked at her. He looked down at her, his eyes unreadable, and the warmth that had just lingered quickly receded like the tide.

Zhuang Han didn’t understand. Was this some kind of taboo? Her nerves were taut, but before He Youting spoke, she didn’t dare say another word.

Just as Zhuang Han’s palms were becoming soaked with cold sweat, she suddenly heard He Youting give a light laugh.

“So, you put on this whole act just for that?”