The original novel says that Yan Chenghuan's eventual descent into darkness was due to his inability to love Erbu, and that Rong Yue used Yan Chenghuan as a tool. Was this the case in parts of the story that weren't explained? Did Rong Yue already understand this from the beginning and have already started to distance herself from Yan Chenghuan?
"Xuxu, what are you spacing out for? I feel like you're acting strange today." Rong Yue returned to her Mingzhu Palace and, after instructing the maids to prepare her resting items, saw Zhang Xu standing at the door, looking like she had lost her soul.
"It's nothing, I'm probably just a little bored."
Rong Yue glanced at her thoughtfully. "Alright then, go and rest in the side hall. Xia Xia will take over the night watch tonight!"
The maid whose name was called lowered her head to answer. Zhang Xu realized that Xia Xia was going to cover for her, so she quickly said, "No need, I'll do it! Xia Xia, go and rest." As soon as Zhang Xu finished speaking, everyone in the hall looked at her strangely, as if they had heard something odd.
"Xuxu, something's not right about you today." Rong Yue stared at her, as if trying to figure something out. She saw that Zhang Xu was wearing a pale yellow palace dress, with her hair tied up in the usual palace maid's bun. She had eyebrows like distant mountains, round almond eyes with clear and bright eyes, fair skin and red lips. Her face was no different from before, but she looked a little different than before.
"Xuxu, are you sick?" Rong Yue touched Zhang Xu's forehead, which had a normal temperature, and asked in confusion, "You don't have a fever."
"Alright, Princess, I'm fine. You should go and rest!"
Xiaxia ultimately didn't dare to rest alone, so she and Zhang Xu stood on opposite sides of the door.
Night deepened, stars dotted the sky, and moonlight, like water, bathed the entire palace. Under the moon, the red walls and green tiles of the palace appeared somewhat dim, imbued with a melancholic chill. From the flowers and grasses beneath the walls, the unique sounds of a summer night drifted out.
Zhang Xuzhan was a little tired, so she squatted on the railing outside the door and stared blankly at the moon in the sky.
She was still reeling from what had happened so suddenly. Her mind had been racing during the day, leaving no time for anything else. Now, in the quiet of the night, with a cool breeze and an overwhelming sense of loneliness, everything felt like a dream. Zhang Xu wished it were all just a dream, and that when she woke up, she could be happily enjoying New Year's Eve dinner with her family.
Unfortunately, the cold moonlight outside and the crickets chirping at their feast reminded her that this moment was real. She was in a strange world, facing strangers, and had to keep her nerves on edge to keep up with the plot and find ways to fill in the plot holes left unfilled by the original author.
It was at this moment that Zhang Xu realized that all those thoughts she had about time travel in novels were idiotic. Why not just stay in her own world, listen to her family's nagging, and work her own overtime? Why would she want to suffer in a world she knew nothing about?
Zhang Xu's nose stung more and more as she thought about it, and tears were about to fall, but she saw Xia Xia beside her holding them back. Xia Xia looked to be only thirteen or fourteen years old, still in junior high school. Yet here she was, keeping watch with her. Xia Xia looked sleepy, her head kept drooping, but she was stubbornly staying awake.
Zhang Xu felt a pang of heartache seeing this and thought she should go and rest, since she couldn't sleep anyway. But then Xia Xia woke up and knelt down on the ground with a thud.
"Sister Xuxu, I was wrong. I'll never dare to sleep like this again. Please forgive me, Sister Xuxu!"
Zhang Xu was a little surprised and quickly helped Xia Xia up. How many bad things must Xu Xu have done in the past? How come even a little girl is afraid of her?
"It's alright, get up, I don't blame you."
Seeing that Zhang Xu's tone was gentle and she didn't seem angry, Xia Xia stood up timidly and said, "Sister Xu, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been sleepy."
"Okay, okay, I don't blame you. Just answer one question for me."
Xiaxia's hand, still trembling from Zhang Xu's grip, asked, "What does Sister Xu Xu want to ask?"
"What kind of person was I in your eyes before?"
Thinking that Zhang Xu had some new and strange ideas to mess with people, Xia Xia knelt down again with a thud, saying, "Sister Xu is a good person, Sister Xu is a good person."
Zhang Xu was speechless. The original story only mentioned that Xu Xu's misdeeds were clean, but it couldn't compare to Xia Xia's kneeling. As an outsider, all she saw was a two-dimensional character. Only those involved knew what they had personally experienced. Zhang Xu wanted to flesh out the plot; only by experiencing it firsthand could she create a complete story.
"Tell me the truth, I want to hear the most honest words, and please refrain from flattery."
Xiaxia racked her brains before finally managing to speak, "Sister Xuxu is strict with her subordinates but loyal to the princess. Everyone... everyone... everyone..."
This sounded like insincere talk, and Zhang Xu sighed. Knowing the other person didn't believe her, she still struggled to say, "I'll try not to do that again in the future."
The sixth point didn't give any hints, meaning that other cannon fodder characters don't need to maintain their personas?
Zhang Xu was unaware that everything she did was being observed. Originally wanting to be a good person, Zhang Xu was unknowingly labeled as pretentious.
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