After Being Possessed by the Transmigrated Heroine - Chapter 16

A sharp ringing suddenly echoed.

Zhuang Han’s pupils constricted, and she suffered a momentary loss of hearing. All color drained from her face as she repeated blankly, “What did you say?”

The original host’s consciousness still existed in this world? Was Bai Niao not just a character in a book? Erasing her existence should have been incredibly simple.

Panic and a deep chill surged in Zhuang Han’s heart. Her thoughts were in total disarray, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead. No, it can’t be. I am the transmigrator; if there can only be one protagonist in this world, it must be me.

She tried to convince herself it was a glitch from the Main System’s recent update, and gradually, she began to relax. Right, it’s a system problem. It has to be.

The noble young lady opposite her smiled gently and asked politely, “Miss Bai, are you feeling unwell? Your face looks terrible.”

Startled back to reality by the voice, Zhuang Han gave a forced smile. “Yes, I’m feeling a bit unwell. I’ll head to the lounge for a moment.”

She was wearing stilettos today, and as she turned to leave, her departure looked somewhat like a frantic escape. The original host was a person vain to the extreme, caring deeply about her outward glamour. She actually hated high heels, and her personality was exceptionally delicate—she couldn’t endure the slightest hardship—yet she had forced herself to learn a model’s gait for the sake of beauty.

Zhuang Han hadn’t wanted to wear them, but the stylist had already prepared the matching dress, shoes, and stockings. She had worn them out of necessity, and by the time she reached the lounge, she was exhausted.

After closing the door, Zhuang Han asked the System urgently, “What exactly is going on? Explain clearly.”

Don’t panic, Host. We are still investigating the details, but even if the original host’s consciousness truly remains in this world, she cannot harm you.

The previously talkative System now sounded a bit withered.

Listening to their conversation, Bai Niao felt both nervous and happy. Although she was terrified of being discovered and having her consciousness erased, seeing the two of them so afraid of her made her feel joyful. Finally, it was their turn to live in fear. Bai Niao felt as if her tail were about to tilt up in pride.

Zhuang Han couldn’t listen to the System’s explanations, her voice turning sharp. “That’s not what you said before! You said the heroine was long dead. You told me the System had scanned multiple times!”

This was the embodiment of “having a guilty conscience.” Bai Niao’s mood improved as she listened to Zhuang Han’s hysterical bickering with the System.

Host, please calm down. We didn’t anticipate this either, but rest assured, we will ensure your personal safety regardless. Furthermore, it’s not certain the original host is truly ‘alive.’ The System acted like a patient customer service representative, trying to soothe her.

However, the more the System defended itself, the hotter the anxiety burned in Zhuang Han’s heart. She had already died in her original world; she had worked hard through so many missions just to find a suitable body and live a second life. And yet this System had made such a massive blunder on such a critical matter. Zhuang Han didn’t dare imagine what would happen if the original host ever “came back.”

Would everything she worked so hard to accumulate be destroyed just like that? Zhuang Han grit her teeth, her heart feeling as if it were being gnawed by ants. Anxiety and panic were driving her insane; she couldn’t stand the System’s calm voice and directly cut the connection. She just wanted to find a place with a cool breeze to calm down for a moment.

When she was agitated, she truly couldn’t think. Once her surroundings turned silent, Zhuang Han finally breathed a sigh of relief. She stood up and opened the lounge door, intending to go to the garden downstairs. But the moment she opened the door, she locked eyes with a pair of cold, black eyes filled with scrutiny.

Bai Niao was arrogant and willful; she had made countless enemies back when she was the Eldest Miss of the Zhong family. She wasn’t good at making friends, but she was an expert at offending people.

The man in the suit was very tall, with a straight nose and deep-set eyes—a strikingly handsome face. His aura carried a hint of romanticism and nonchalance, but his innate noble air suppressed it, turning it into a conspicuous sort of reverence. His eyes were dark, and even when shimmering with light, they held a void of blackness.

Zhuang Han, having only recently arrived, didn’t recognize many people. She didn’t even know who the head of state was. Her lack of blunders so far was entirely due to the System’s prompts. When the man’s gaze fell on her, Zhuang Han’s heart skipped a beat.

Could this be someone the original host had a feud with?

Alarm bells rang in her mind, and she urgently tried to reopen the connection with the System, but she discovered with horror that she couldn’t click the button. Cold sweat instantly drenched her back. While she found the System’s restrictions annoying, without its help in this completely foreign world, she would truly be at a dead end.

Her face turned as pale as paper, and her heartbeat was as loud as a drum.

Bai Niao’s eyes widened. She had always felt Zhuang Han wasn’t as smart as her, but she hadn’t expected her to be this stupid. If she had a “cheat tool” as convenient as the System, she wouldn’t turn it off even if someone held a gun to her head. She never expected Zhuang Han to actually do such a thing.

But what Bai Niao found even stranger was Gao Zhan’s reaction. He didn’t seem to recognize her. His voice was cold: “Is there someone in the lounge?”

In public, he was very different from how he was in front of her. Previously, Bai Niao had forgotten Gao Zhan’s birthday and didn’t even remember it when eating cake that night. He had nagged her about it many times, his eyes full of resentment each time. If outsiders knew that the legendary, smooth-talking “Young Master Gao” could be like that, their jaws would drop.

Anyone who has an affair knows it’s easy to start but hard to keep hidden. Bai Niao and Gao Zhan were very careful during every secret meeting; only once, when he went too far and started kissing her behind a thin curtain on the balcony, were they nearly caught by Duan Xiran. Other than that, they were almost never detected.

Pretending to be strangers was the easiest tactic. But right now, it seemed Gao Zhan truly didn’t recognize her.

Zhuang Han shook her head and said hurriedly, “No one, sir.”

Gao Zhan gave her a look and said softly, “Good.” After that, he walked inside without another word.

Bai Niao’s eyes were wide, but as she followed Zhuang Han out of the corridor, Gao Zhan didn’t follow. She looked up at the round moon, unable to believe that Gao Zhan really hadn’t come to talk to her. Does Gao Zhan have a pair of ‘other-dimensional’ glasses that let him see Zhuang Han isn’t me?

Her mind was full of questions, unable to figure out what was happening. She looked at the fragrant new flowers in the garden, feeling more and more confused.

Zhuang Han spent the entire evening in the garden frantically trying to restart the System. By nearly eleven o’clock, she finally gave up and prepared to return to the He residence. Bai Niao had been thinking all day and was exhausted, wanting to go home and sleep comfortably.

However, the moment she stepped out of the garden, a pair of hands suddenly covered her nose and mouth. Before Bai Niao could struggle, she was knocked out by a cloth soaked in sedative. Since control of the body wasn’t in her hands, she didn’t even experience the pain or discomfort.

Bai Niao had never been “kidnapped” before. Back when she was the Zhong family’s Eldest Miss, she was a magnet for trouble, but everyone knew she had a powerful fiancé who loved and pampered her. Consequently, many who were offended by her had to swallow their resentment, not even daring to exact a simple revenge. Later, when she fell from grace, many waited to kick her while she was down, but news soon spread that she was protected by He Youting, so even fewer people dared to provoke her.

She opened her eyes groggily, curious to see who was bold enough to kidnap her at a banquet. But as soon as her eyes opened, she met Gao Zhan’s gaze.

The way he looked at her was like he was seeing a ghost; his black eyes were icy. The military aura from his mother’s side of the family was rarely displayed, but being stared at by him now made one instinctively feel fear.

Bai Niao’s wrists were also tied. Detecting the slight pain at her wrists, she suddenly realized she was back in her body. So, besides sleeping, fainting can also reclaim the body? She had unlocked a new piece of knowledge, but before she could be happy, the cold barrel of a gun in Gao Zhan’s hand tilted her chin up.

His voice was cold: “You’re awake?”

From the beginning, Gao Zhan had been the one who pampered Bai Niao the most. When He Youting punished her, he would even put in a good word for her. As a result, Bai Niao had almost never seen him with a cold face. The metallic texture of the gun was distinct; just pressing against her chin left a red mark on her tender skin.

Bai Niao’s expression was blank, and she said dazed, “I’m awake.”

“Why did you tie me up?” Her brow furrowed slightly. “The skin on my wrists is chafed.”

Bai Niao hadn’t realized the situation, nor did she know what Gao Zhan wanted to do, but after her words fell, Gao Zhan’s expression suddenly changed. He pursed his lips, said nothing, and suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.

Just a moment ago, his expression had been terrifying, but now he seemed to have turned back into the man she knew. Bai Niao was held in his arms, her meticulously styled long curls falling over his shoulder. Gao Zhan’s large hand firmly gripped her waist, leaving her no room to struggle. His mother’s family were all military commanders; his grandfather was a renowned general. Although Gao Zhan wasn’t from the military district, he wasn’t far off.

His marksmanship was excellent; he once took Bai Niao to an amusement park and pop-pop-pop shot down every toy she wanted. He also had the best personality among the group—he was tactful, smooth, and had the highest reputation in the elite circles. He was the kind of “proud son of heaven” no one could question: his background, resume, appearance, and ability were all flawless.

Only Bai Niao, because of his excessive doting, didn’t show him much respect and often looked down on him. Yet now, a sense of helplessness and the fragility of “something lost and found” appeared on his face.

Seeing the emotions in his eyes, Bai Niao was momentarily stunned. Gao Zhan’s hand pressed against her back, holding her in a way that completely confined her. His slightly hurried breath brushed against her chest, carrying a trembling sense of intimacy. He took a deep breath, and his emotions finally seemed to calm down.

Gao Zhan looked up into Bai Niao’s eyes: “From the first time you were possessed until now, how long has it been?”

His question was sudden, and Bai Niao froze in place. Gao Zhan found out. He hadn’t even talked to Zhuang Han; just from that sudden meeting in the lounge, he had discovered it.

Bai Niao couldn’t describe her feelings. Her lips parted slightly, and her eyes were filled with a moment of helplessness. Although the others had also noticed something was wrong, Gao Zhan was the first one to perceive the problem the moment he saw her.

Bai Niao ignored his question and instinctively asked, “How did you find out?”

Even Cheng Yu and He Youting, who had been around her more lately, hesitated for a long time and only gradually became certain after completely ruling out schizophrenia. But Gao Zhan had realized the moment he saw Zhuang Han for the first time today. It was unbelievable.

“They didn’t notice?” Gao Zhan’s voice was low. “It was so obvious. That imposter is nothing like you.”

The way he called her “that imposter” greatly pleased Bai Niao. She grew happy and said with a curl of her lips, “They aren’t as smart as you. Cheng Yu and He Youting thought I had mental illness at first.”

Bai Niao liked being with Gao Zhan; even at her most relaxed around He Youting, she was never as free as she was with Gao Zhan.

Gao Zhan kissed her cheek and said softly, “Was getting sick before because of this too?”

“Maybe,” Bai Niao swung her legs. “I don’t know what’s going on; it just suddenly became like this.” She said with some distress, “Everything I told you at the hospital last time was true. I can only control the body at night when I wake up or when I’m sick…”

The black tape bound around her wrists was peeled off. It wasn’t very painful, but in that moment, a sudden tremor arose. Bai Niao’s tone changed, her waist shook, and she suddenly went soft in Gao Zhan’s arms. She had played with tape with him before, but that tape was soft and would come off easily after being soaked in water.

Gao Zhan supported her waist, his eyes darkening. “So, last time you didn’t want me to… was also because of this?”

“Yeah,” her voice trembled. “It’s been a while…”

Not long ago, Bai Niao was thinking about whether to end her relationship with Gao Zhan, but while her slender waist was being held and kneaded, she suddenly lost the ability to resist. He kissed her lips and said with a smile, a low murmur: “Then Niao Niao has been quite pitiful lately.”

Whenever she was with Gao Zhan, she inevitably fell into a daze. Bai Niao’s waist felt numb; her arms rested on his shoulders, and she had just intended to struggle a bit when she was pressed onto the sofa. She let out a “Mmph,” and before she could say anything, her lips were blocked again.

After carrying Bai Niao back to the bed, Gao Zhan went out to take a call from He Youting. His sudden “kidnapping” had sent the surroundings into a frenzy. Bai Niao always traveled with numerous attendants, with countless people protecting her. But against Gao Zhan, they were simply no match.

“Niao Niao is with me,” Gao Zhan said coldly. “Please tell Mr. He that she’s feeling unwell and has gone to sleep. I’ll send her back tomorrow.” He stood by the window, nonchalantly smoking a cigarette.

The person on the other end paused, then replied politely, “…I see. Then we’ve troubled you today.”

In the middle of the night, the Eldest Miss of the family had been kidnapped and vanished for hours in public. No matter how good He Youting’s temper was, he wouldn’t tolerate such a thing. Furthermore, his temper was never “good.”

But upon learning it was Gao Zhan who had taken her, He Youting said nothing more. He stood by the window, looking out at the starlight, and said nonchalantly, “Tell him it’s fine.”

The relationship between the two was distant; usually, Cheng Yu acted as a coordinator between them. There were only four of them, but if one were to truly divide them into factions, there would be at least three or four. But however they were divided, the relationship between Gao Zhan and He Youting was exceptionally distant; both were top-tier elites, yet they had little intersection.

Consequently, to outsiders, the relationship between Bai Niao and Gao Zhan didn’t seem close either. Their group’s relationship was strange: seemingly distant and indifferent, yet actually intimate, capable of making extreme concessions for the same person. But looking deeper, one would find they weren’t that friendly either. There is never a lack of struggle between men, let alone in a pathological relationship like theirs.

Back when Bai Niao hated Cheng Yu the most, she had sought countless people to oppose him, even begging He Youting at all costs. But not a single person agreed. Many things she wanted to do were often vetoed by all of them. To the point she thought they were a united front. What she didn’t know was that no one in this world wanted to kick the others out of this “game” more than they did.

After all, exclusivity is human nature.

The events of the night were very sudden, and Bai Niao didn’t realize what they implied. She slept at Gao Zhan’s place all night and still wouldn’t get up when the sun hit her bottom the next day. Her favorite estate was He Youting’s, but her favorite bedroom was Gao Zhan’s. The huge floor-to-ceiling window faced the morning sun; in winter, the warm sunlight would shine in, making even her teddy bear feel toasty.

Around eleven o’clock, Bai Niao finally climbed out of bed. Zhuang Han and that “bad” System seemed to have run into problems again. She rubbed her eyes; although she didn’t know why, the feeling of being able to control her body as soon as she woke up was wonderful.

Gao Zhan hadn’t gone out; he had just finished a short remote meeting and went to see her as soon as she woke up. He had a good temper and pampered her excessively; she was already lazy, and around him, she was even more so.

Bai Niao was wearing short pajama bottoms. She stood on the second floor, not even wanting to walk. For just those few steps, she stood on her tiptoes and reached out her arms for Gao Zhan to carry her. Her top was very short; when she reached up, half of her pale waist was exposed.

Gao Zhan smiled and gently picked her up. “Did you sleep well today?”

She said daintily, “Very well.”

Bai Niao wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him help her change clothes. Until they were about to get in the car, she was still reluctant to leave his arms. “I don’t know when the next meeting will be,” she said a bit dejectedly. “You’ve been so busy lately.”

Gao Zhan kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back once the military district matters are handled,” he said softly. “If anything happens, have someone send word to me.” He looked at her, his tone gentle: “Don’t be afraid about the body matter. It will definitely be solved.”

She sat on his lap, her head resting on his shoulder. Her voice was soft as she pecked his cheek. “Mm, I believe you.”

Although it’s not quite appropriate, I suddenly feel that from an outsider’s perspective, Gao Zhan and I really look like a pair of ‘adulterers.’

Only when the car stopped in front of He Youting’s estate did her messy thoughts finally clear. The feeling of possessing her body was truly great. She opened her arms and jumped down from the high car like a bird. The phrase “beyond the dark willows and blooming flowers, another village appears” was truly fitting. Not long ago, she was worrying about no one finding out she had been possessed, yet in the blink of an eye, they had all nearly figured it out. This was wonderful. With so many people helping her, she wasn’t even that afraid of Zhuang Han and the System discovering her presence.

He Youting wasn’t home, so she played video games at home, harvesting all the matured flowers and fruits she had planted in the game and buying many new seeds to start a new round of planting. Watering, fertilizing, weeding she did it all carefully and seriously.

He Youting didn’t return until nightfall; he always had many things to do. Bai Niao had stayed at Gao Zhan’s place last night and played games for a long time today, so she felt a bit guilty. She didn’t go to bed early and specially waited downstairs for him after her bath. She was good at “claiming credit”; since she had prepared to wait for him, she specifically waited on the long sofa in the living room so he would see her as soon as he entered.

Fortunately, He Youting didn’t return too late. By nearly eleven o’clock, she was so tired she was about to fall asleep. As she yawned, she locked eyes with He Youting, who was pushing the door open. Even in the hottest weather, the night temperature was relatively low. He Youting walked through the darkness, his eyes seemingly condensing the night, but seeing her wrapped in a thin blanket on the sofa, the coldness in his eyes dissipated a bit.

Bai Niao looked up in surprise and threw herself into his arms barefoot: “Mr. He!” Her voice was sweet, like a well-behaved child.

He Youting gripped her waist and picked her up, his voice calm: “It’s so late. Why aren’t you in bed?”

“I missed you,” she said softly. “I couldn’t sleep without you back.”

When she was being good, her sweet words were endless, but she was very transparent; as she spoke, the topic moved elsewhere. “By the way, Mr. He,” she slowly shifted the subject, “I wasn’t kidnapped yesterday. Gao Zhan saw that I was possessed and wanted to see what was going on.”

At this point, she was curious: Since it’s such an important matter, why didn’t they immediately exchange information? They were so concerned when I was sick.

Thinking this, she asked him directly. He Youting gave a light laugh. He was handsome and noble, and only when he laughed did he possess a rare, romantic aura.

He said softly: “Because, of course, we didn’t tell him.”

His smile was gentle, yet Bai Niao felt a strange sense of fear. She instinctively wanted to hide, but her wrist bone was gripped by his fingers. An icy sensation instantly struck, and her slender wrist was firmly shackled. His eyes were dark, and there wasn’t a trace of a smile in them.

“Niao Niao, you need to know where the bottom line is.” He Youting’s voice was icy. “First, tell me: what did you do last night?”