After Being Possessed by the Transmigrated Heroine - Chapter 19

Zhuang Han’s awakening was without warning.

Bai Niao grit her teeth and immediately tried to get off Gao Zhan’s lap. “Quick, send me back! She’s coming out!”

Her forehead was damp with sweat, and her face, which had been flushed just a moment ago, instantly turned pale. Gao Zhan was momentarily dazed; before he could say anything, Bai Niao abruptly lost consciousness.

“Niao Niao!” He held her and stroked her, then strode quickly toward the outer room.

Space seemed to undergo a violent distortion. This was the first time Bai Niao had so vividly perceived the sensation of being possessed. Her mind was filled with the roar of white noise, so chaotic and cluttered it shattered her thoughts into fragmented shadows in an instant.

Bai Niao had a splitting headache. It wasn’t until she completely blacked out that the intense vertigo vanished. Zhuang Han’s awakening this time was too sudden; Bai Niao had no preparation and was plunged straight into darkness.

If Bai Niao’s fainting was painful, Zhuang Han’s physical state wasn’t much better. After the accidental shutdown of the System that couldn’t be recovered, she had returned to the “Main God Space.” Only upon returning did Zhuang Han learn that this massive bug was caused by the Main System, affecting nearly all book worlds and transmigrators.

Transmigrators are essentially deceased individuals whose existence is tenuously maintained by their souls; if the soul is damaged, the consequences are unthinkable. Zhuang Han stayed in a medical pod for many days, only emerging once the Main System’s bug was fully repaired.

The flow of time in the real world is different from that in the book world. Before jumping back in, Zhuang Han glanced at the clock and found that not much time had passed. She awoke inside a car. The System was gradually recalibrating, but before she could adjust, she was nearly knocked out by a sharp headache.

Zhuang Han propped herself up with her arms, her face as pale as paper. She asked in a low voice: What’s wrong with me?

The System, having just finished loading, replied quickly: Don’t worry, Host. This is a normal reaction after re-entering the book world. Just rest for a moment, and you’ll recover soon.

The sedan traveled slowly through the night. Zhuang Han glanced at the dark hills outside the window before pulling her gaze back. The System had undergone a major upgrade. She opened the panel to check her current mission status.

Duan Xiran: Affection Level 5/100

He Youting: Affection Level 5/100

Cheng Yu: Affection Level 0/100

Gao Zhan: Affection Level 0/100

The requirement for successful mission completion was 400 total Affection Points, but in reality, each male lead needed to reach the 100 mark. At the end of the bars, there was a faint MAX symbol. Zhuang Han felt ashamed; 100 points was already this hard, and to reach MAX would likely require thousands. What was the person who designed this system thinking?

Next, she flipped through her inventory. She had accumulated quite a lot: numerous pills to enhance beauty and constitution. However, those items were completely useless in this specific world. Zhuang Han had accumulated even more money, but money was also useless here; one had to use Affection Points to exchange for items in the System Mall.

After the update, many new items were added to the mall. Zhuang Han looked at her measly 10 total Affection Points and closed the mall directly. She hadn’t looked at the update notes earlier and was browsing the main interface when she suddenly noticed the “Setting Collection” had updated.

Zhuang Han’s eyes widened. She clicked on the character gallery and found that the grayed-out icon for the fourth male lead had changed. The man was handsome, with a straight nose and deep-set eyes; his gaze held a hint of playboy charm, yet was suppressed by a revered noble air.

This was the man she had run into that day! So he was the fourth male lead, Gao Zhan.

At the same time, information related to Gao Zhan was unlocked. A very challenging aspect of transmigration missions is incomplete information; besides a brief preamble and core settings, the transmigrator knows almost nothing else. Everything must be figured out during the mission.

Gao Zhan’s background was impeccable. His mother’s side were all military commanders; his grandfather was a founding-level general. His father’s side was equally formidable. Furthermore, unlike the typical fictional male lead, Gao Zhan’s parents were very much in love, and Gao Zhan was their only child. Consequently, the entire family doted on him.

Gao Zhan was a true “proud son of heaven,” born with a silver spoon, and his life had been smooth sailing. One could say the greatest setback of his life was meeting the heroine, Bai Niao.

There are hierarchies even within elite circles. Top-tier elites like Gao Zhan were hard for Bai Niao to reach, especially since she had no military connections. Among the four male leads, two were from military backgrounds and two were from the old aristocracy. While all were top-tier, there were differences; Bai Niao could at least rely on her status as the Miss of the Zhong family to catch a glimpse of the latter two. As for Gao Zhan and Cheng Yu, they were figures Bai Niao only heard about in rumors.

Her reputation was poor even then uneducated, materialistic, and vain. Besides being a fool, she was always plotting to harm others. Yet every time she tried something bad, it backfired on her. Only her fiancé believed that Niao Niao simply “had good intentions but did things the wrong way,” and that her heart wasn’t bad.

But it was exactly this fool who managed to catch Gao Zhan’s eye during that time. Gao Zhan was a low-profile person, and his first meeting with Bai Niao was a pure accident. She had gone abroad to see her fiancé, but her flight met a blizzard and made an emergency landing at Rhine-Main at 3:00 AM.

Bai Niao only knew Chinese and English, knowing zero German. She had intended to surprise her fiancé and hadn’t even brought a translator. It was Christmas, and the lights of every home were bright. She sat in the airport calling her fiancé; because the call didn’t go through immediately, she burst into tears with a loud “Wah.”

Gao Zhan and his friends were playing cards nearby. Hearing the crying, he looked up and asked softly, “Do you need help?” Neither recognized the other then, but fate was sealed.

Bai Niao was an uneducated, play-loving socialite. She loved skiing and diving. After returning to the country, the two often played together. She entered their circle without even knowing who Gao Zhan really was. Because it was a private association, not many people knew.

Bai Niao was exceptionally fussy and delicate, only showing true courage when skiing. The two played together for a whole winter, still traveling frequently the following spring.

It wasn’t until the summer of that year that Bai Niao’s fiancé returned to the country. His nationality wasn’t here, and his status was unique; every return was a hassle, and he only did it periodically for Bai Niao. Gao Zhan had seen him before, but only in passing. He remembered him as someone with a very obvious aristocratic air—seemingly approachable and gentle, but actually cold and indifferent. Most people who reach high positions at a young age share this trait.

But he wasn’t like that in front of Bai Niao. Many said this fiancé didn’t love Bai Niao at all. Yet he was clearly so gentle with her. However, that wasn’t the point; the point was the way Bai Niao looked at him eyes bright and burning with sincere love, her whole world revolving around him, as if she would do anything for him.

So it wasn’t until then that Gao Zhan realized this fiancé wasn’t just a tool Bai Niao used for bragging. They were truly an engaged couple. Once Bai Niao received her admission notice from Capital University, they would get engaged and then marry, spending the rest of their lives together.

The most painful part for Gao Zhan was the night he learned the truth—the night he was prepared to confess to her. He had booked a high-end restaurant by the river and reserved the entire floor. Magnificent fireworks were set off all night, but she never showed up, and her phone didn’t go through.

Gao Zhan smoked for the entire night. It wasn’t until nearly 10:00 AM the next day that the call connected. Her voice was soft as she said gently, “I’m sorry. My fiancé suddenly came back yesterday; I didn’t mean to stand you up.”

But there wasn’t a hint of apology in her voice. Bai Niao was a materialistic and vain person; she had been that way for a long time. So Gao Zhan didn’t give up immediately then; he had a ring prepared and met her once more. “I am Gao Zhan.”

“Don’t you love power?” He looked into her eyes. “Leave that man. Anything he can give you, I can give you too.”

Bai Niao looked at him as if he were a lunatic. “Are you joking?” she said exaggeratedly. “We were just having fun; why are you taking it seriously?”

“Even if you were the head of state, I couldn’t be with you,” Bai Niao said with a frown. “I’ve had a fiancé for a long time.” She asked in confusion, “Have you not woken up yet?”

Bai Niao wasn’t trying to mock Gao Zhan; she truly thought they were just playmates. And she wasn’t an idiot; having known him for so long, she obviously knew who he was. Not only did she not understand him, she was even a bit angry. In Gao Zhan’s eyes, am I really just someone who craves power? Bai Niao was single-mindedly devoted to her fiancé; no matter how many men tried to seduce her, she wouldn’t change her mind.

Gao Zhan raised his hand to cover his face, hiding his expression. After a moment, Bai Niao heard his voice: “Fine. Let’s leave it at that. Block me, and don’t contact me again.”

And so they fell out. From Bai Niao’s perspective, Gao Zhan was like a baffling madman. But from Gao Zhan’s perspective, this story was heart-wrenching his first experience of love met with this. If Bai Niao’s tone had been even slightly softer then, Gao Zhan wouldn’t have harbored such an obsession and suffered for so long. The “proud son of heaven” who had lived a smooth life had suffered the full bitterness of love through the heroine.

Zhuang Han felt a surge of sympathy after reading. The stinging in her mind had weakened, but her head still hurt. She gave a bitter smile: Can this male lead be saved for last?

The System, having regained its vitality after the update, chirped: Of course, Host. As long as you collect 400 total Affection Points, you can choose the specific sequence and methods of your conquest.

Although the Main System update took some effort, every aspect was different after the upgrade. Pain shielding had always existed, but now even minor sensations could be dampened. Zhuang Han felt full of energy as if she could get out of the car and run a few laps right now.

After she finished reading Gao Zhan’s info, the car stopped in front of He Youting’s estate. Looking at the familiar residence, Zhuang Han suddenly remembered a critical matter. Her expression darkened as she asked urgently, “By the way, has the original host’s consciousness been erased yet?” How can a tool in a book be this much trouble?

Don’t worry, Host. The original host’s consciousness was erased long ago. You can proceed with your conquest in peace.

Zhuang Han breathed a long sigh of relief, a smile returning to her face. “Thank you truly. Without you and the Main System, I really wouldn’t know what to do.”

Bai Niao hadn’t been erased.

Bai Niao was again “playing dead” inside her body. She had woken up groggily just as Zhuang Han was finishing Gao Zhan’s info. Although she didn’t know what happened and her body was stolen again, the feeling of being alive was wonderful.

As she followed Zhuang Han in quickly browsing the info, she cursed the “imposter” and the “bastard system” in her heart. Only at times like this did she feel she really might be a “heroine”—it’s just that she was in a romance novel one moment and a horror novel the next. Having one’s body stolen is the stuff of ghost movies and horror stories.

Hearing Zhuang Han’s words, Bai Niao immediately began to play dead. she didn’t dare move or even breathe. She was just angry with Cheng Yu a moment ago, but now she had zero emotion. The thing Bai Niao was best at in life was “surviving.” She had many things she hadn’t played with and many places she hadn’t been. Even during her most intense times with them, she couldn’t bear to die.

Bai Niao wanted to live, to live well; if possible, she wanted to live glamorously. She would “sleep on brushwood and taste gall,” enduring the humiliation, until one day she could snatch her body back.

While Bai Niao was making vows in her heart with red eyes, Zhuang Han stepped out of the car. Wearing only a thin dress, she felt the night chill and hurried into the inner residence. As she entered, He Youting seemed to be on the phone.

“Don’t let this happen a second time,” his voice was cold. “If you want to elevate her status, at least find a suitable time.”

After hanging up, He Youting’s expression was still somewhat unpleasant. Zhuang Han didn’t know what happened after she fainted, nor did she know whose place she had returned from or what the current plot status was. She stood in place, looking cautiously at He Youting by the window, and greeted him in Bai Niao’s tone: “I’m back, Mr. He.”

Zhuang Han was always a bit constrained when facing He Youting though she wasn’t much better with the others. The previous two books she transmigrated into had very clear main lines—one was a family struggle, one was revenge—and the male leads were both “villain” types; she only had to “heal” them.

But this book was completely different. Honestly, she felt the “completion level” of this book was the highest; the constructed world was very real, not at all flimsy, just like a real world. Consequently, it was like real life—there wasn’t much of a “plot.” Every day was just the heroine being willful and the male leads doting on her. It was a “brainless” pampering story that was more of a “daily log” than a plot. Zhuang Han couldn’t figure out how she was supposed to conquer these men in the absence of any major events.

He Youting gave her a look, and the darkness in his eyes seemed to turn even colder. Zhuang Han didn’t know what she had said wrong and hurried to add: “Mr. He, I’ll head upstairs to rest. I won’t disturb you.” After that, she rushed upstairs.

Once she closed the door, she breathed a sigh of relief. These male leads were all somewhat temperamental; staying by their side was truly not easy. The layout of the bedroom hadn’t changed, only the roses on the nightstand were fresh.

Zhuang Han walked to the coffee table and realized the communication device hadn’t been touched. It was still in the box, and the note underneath hadn’t moved. It seemed the plot hadn’t even “flowed” while she was away.

Zhuang Han picked up the device and tinkered with it to turn it on again. She found a few new people in the contacts: Cheng Yu, Duan Xiran, Gao Zhan, He Youting. And a number with an unfamiliar name.

Zhuang Han hadn’t seen this name in the book and was confused: “Is there a hidden male lead, System?”

To her surprise, as soon as she spoke, the System’s emergency alarm rang. 【Host, this is a virus! Delete it immediately!】

Without a second thought, Zhuang Han deleted the number. She had encountered similar things before: someone falsely accusing a male lead of treason to trigger a new branch line that nearly led to a “Bad End,” and she had burned all those letters overnight. Because of the uncertainty of such things, they habitually called them “viruses.”

Modern communication numbers were very long, 22 digits in total. The original host had a poor memory and still couldn’t remember the four male leads’ numbers; besides, she only loved games, so the confiscation of her device didn’t impact her much. Zhuang Han thought the number had appeared by accident and didn’t care further. She flipped through the new device, not quite understanding it. She didn’t know if it was because she had been away from the modern world for too long or if the technology was simply too advanced, but she felt very happy. Something the original host craved yet couldn’t get was now easily in her hands.

Zhuang Han couldn’t help but feel a bit triumphant. She lay on the bed, let out a comfortable sigh, and fell asleep before long.

But Bai Niao didn’t sleep all night.

She kept her eyes open, struggling against drowsiness, waiting slowly until Zhuang Han’s consciousness sank. At the moment the moonlight spilled over the bed, she snatched back the initiative of her body.

The communication device was on the coffee table; as long as she had it, she could dial the number. It didn’t matter if it was deleted. Those 22 digits, Bai Niao could recite them perfectly even backward.

Her memory was poor; she couldn’t even remember Gao Zhan’s birthday. But those 22 digits even if she were hypnotized or brainwashed, she would never forget them.

Bai Niao sat on the carpet, her palms tightly gripping the device. Dialing those 22 digits was almost an instinct for her. In the past, no matter how sad she was, she would feel happy as long as she dialed this number and heard that familiar voice.

But now that the call button was under her fingertip, she didn’t dare press it. So many years had passed; with his status, he surely had a new lover by now.

When was their last call? Was it three years ago, or four?