Chapter 13
The next morning, when Shi Ye woke up, the sunlight had already filled the entire room.
She stared at the ceiling for three seconds, and her first thought was: "Ah, in my own bed, without having to face Qi Jin's handsome but intimidating face, so comfortable."
My second thought was, "Wait, what about the mission?"
The system's electronic voice sounded precisely on time: "Good morning, host. Current mission progress: Qi Jin's favorability towards Lin Xiaoyu is 49/100, and Lin Xiaoyu's favorability towards Qi Jin is 48/100. There are 28 days left until the mission deadline."
Shi Ye sat up in bed and grabbed a handful of hair: "So Qi Jin went to Lin Xiaoyu's house to practice swordsmanship yesterday, and his favorability rating didn't increase at all?"
"To be precise, Qi Jin's favorability towards Lin Xiaoyu remained unchanged, while Lin Xiaoyu's favorability towards Qi Jin increased by 1 point and then dropped back."
Shi Ye sighed, rubbing his forehead. What's going on? Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu spent the whole afternoon alone, and their affection level barely changed? What are these two doing together? Playing chess?!
She got out of bed to wash up, mentally devising a new strategy as she brushed her teeth. Since being alone wasn't working, perhaps she should... add a catalyst? Like, create some misunderstanding? Or... get Lin Xiaoyu to take the initiative?
“System,” she spat out the foam, “what kind of feelings does Lin Xiaoyu have for Qi Jin? Is it admiration? appreciation? Or… could it possibly develop into love?”
"Data analysis: Lin Xiaoyu's feelings for Qi Jin are composed of 40% admiration, 35% appreciation, 20% friendship, and 5% other. Romantic component: not detected."
Shi Ye rinsed her mouth and rolled her eyes at her reflection in the mirror: "So this kid idolizes Qi Jin? Likes him as an older sister? But not as a potential boyfriend? What's the point of me trying to set them up then?!"
"The task requires fostering the development of the romantic relationship, without specifying the initial type of emotion." The system said seriously, "Friendship can turn into love, and so can admiration."
Shi Ye wiped his face and decided to eat breakfast first before thinking about these trivial matters.
When he came downstairs, Shi Zhenghong was already reading the newspaper in the dining room. Seeing his daughter, he put down the newspaper: "Awake? There's porridge in the kitchen, help yourself."
Shi Ye ladled out a bowl of plain porridge and sat down to drink it slowly. The Shi family's breakfast was very simple, plain porridge with side dishes, completely different from the exquisite breakfasts she had eaten at Qi Jin's house before.
"Dad," she suddenly asked, "what do you think of... Lin Xiaoyu?"
Shi Zhenghong was taken aback: "Xiaoyu? That girl from the Lin family? She's quite nice, lively and cheerful, and doesn't have any ulterior motives."
"So... do you think she and Qi Jin are a good match?"
Shi Zhenghong's glasses nearly fell off: "What? Xiaoyu and President Qi? Ye Ye, are you alright?"
"I was just asking," Shi Ye said, looking down at his porridge. "They've been getting quite close lately."
“Even if you get close, you can’t just pair them up randomly.” Shi Zhenghong shook his head. “Xiaoyu is completely different from President Qi. President Qi is mature and steady, while Xiaoyu is still a child.”
Shi Ye thought about it and agreed. Lin Xiaoyu was only 21 this year and hadn't even graduated from university yet, while Qi Jin was already in charge of the Qi Group at the age of 25. The two were four years apart, and with the difference in their experience, they really seemed to be from different worlds.
"Then..." Shi Ye changed the subject, "What kind of person do you think Qi Jin likes?"
Shi Zhenghong glanced at his daughter, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Isn't it obvious? She likes people like you."
Shi Ye: "..." I asked about the type! The type!
"I mean, if... if it weren't me, what kind of person would she like?"
Shi Zhenghong put down his newspaper and thought about it seriously: "President Qi is a very deep person, hard to see through. But I think she likes someone who can make her feel relaxed. She's living too tiring a life and needs a haven."
Shi Ye nodded. That makes sense. Qi Jin carries the weight of the entire Qi family on his shoulders, working late into the night every day; he definitely needs to relax. But Lin Xiaoyu… can she help Qi Jin relax?
She recalled the scene of Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu together yesterday. Lin Xiaoyu was chattering away, while Qi Jin listened quietly; the atmosphere seemed... quite harmonious?
Her phone vibrated, interrupting her thoughts. It was a message from Lin Xiaoyu: "Sister Shiye! Good morning! Are you feeling better?"
Shi Ye replied, "Much better. How did your practice go yesterday?"
"It was amazing! My senior taught me so much! I almost hit her! Although she was letting me win~"
Shi Ye: "..." Almost hit Qi Jin? Qi Jin let him win? What kind of plot is this?
"My senior even stayed for dinner!" Lin Xiaoyu continued, "I made it! It was just simple pasta, but she said it was delicious!"
Shi Ye raised an eyebrow. Lin Xiaoyu cooked? Qi Jin ate it? And even praised it as delicious? This progress... seems pretty good?
"What did you talk about?" she asked.
"We talked a lot! My senior asked me about my future plans, what I like, and even..." Lin Xiaoyu sent a shy emoji, "asking me if I have someone I like."
Shi Ye's eyes lit up. There's hope! Qi Jin's initiative in asking this meant she was interested in Lin Xiaoyu!
"What did you say?" she pressed.
“I said yes!” Lin Xiaoyu replied instantly, “but I didn’t say who it was~ My senior didn’t press me, she just said that if you like someone, you should be brave.”
Shi Ye: "..." So Lin Xiaoyu has someone she likes? But it's not Qi Jin? Then who does she like?
She suddenly had a bad feeling.
“Xiaoyu,” she typed, “do I know the person you like?”
Lin Xiaoyu sent a laughing emoji: "We know each other~ We're really close!"
Shi Ye's heart skipped a beat. So familiar? Could it be… Qi Jin? No, if it were Qi Jin, she would have said so already. Then… who is it?
She mentally went through everyone Lin Xiaoyu knew—classmates? friends? or…her father’s colleagues?
"I won't tell you~" Lin Xiaoyu texted again, "I'll tell you when the time is right!"
Shi Ye put down his phone, feeling a headache coming on. So Lin Xiaoyu has a crush, but it's not Qi Jin. And Qi Jin seems to treat Lin Xiaoyu... just as a friend?
Is there any hope of completing this task?!
“Host,” the system suddenly said, “I suggest you change your approach. Since it’s difficult to match them up directly, you could consider creating a ‘crisis’ so that the two of them can develop an emotional connection through shared experiences.”
Shi Ye's eyes lit up: "What crisis?"
"For example, arranging for the two of you to face a challenge together or experience a dangerous situation. A crisis can easily create a suspension bridge effect, promoting the development of your relationship."
Shi Ye thought for a moment. Create a crisis? Deliberately create one? That doesn't seem right... And what if something really goes wrong?
"Is there... a gentler way?" she asked.
"The two could be assigned to complete a task together, such as a collaborative project or a charity event. Long-term collaboration helps cultivate understanding and affection."
This seems promising. Shi Ye began to consider what projects could facilitate a collaboration between Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu. Qi Jin was the company president, while Lin Xiaoyu was still a student; their paths might cross...
"A design exhibition!" Shi Ye suddenly thought, "Lin Xiaoyu studies design, and the Qi Group has a design department. We can organize a joint design exhibition and have Lin Xiaoyu participate!"
The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Lin Xiaoyu was talented, and Qi Jin had resources. Collaborating on an exhibition would not only showcase Lin Xiaoyu's abilities but also allow the two of them to have more contact.
She immediately messaged Qi Jin: "I have an idea I'd like to discuss with you."
Qi Jin replied instantly: "What?"
"Lin Xiaoyu studied design. Doesn't your company have a design department? We could collaborate on a small design exhibition and have her participate. What do you think?"
This time, Qi Jin replied after a while: "Why did you suddenly think of this?"
Shi Ye typed: "I just think... Xiaoyu is quite talented and should have a chance to showcase her abilities. It would also be good for your company's image."
It was actually a good opportunity to bring you two together—but she couldn't say it.
Qi Jin: "Okay. I'll have my assistant contact her."
Shi Ye: "You should contact them yourself; it will show that you value it."
Qi Jin: "...Okay."
Shi Ye put down his phone, and the progress bar in his mind seemed to light up. Collaborative project! Long-term contact! Perfect!
But why...doesn't she feel any sense of accomplishment?
After breakfast, Shi Ye returned to her room. She turned on her computer, wanting to find something to do, but her mind was full of tasks.
My phone vibrated again. This time it was Qi Jin: "I told Xiaoyu about the design exhibition. She's very excited. Thank you."
Shi Ye replied, "No need to thank me, thank you for being willing to give her a chance."
Qi Jin: "It was you who suggested it."
Shi Ye stared at the sentence, unsure how to respond. Yes, it was she who suggested it. To bring Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu together.
She suddenly felt a little... nauseous? Not physically, but psychologically. This feeling of being manipulated from behind was awful.
“System,” she asked, “will I remember all of this after the mission is completed?”
"meeting."
"What about Qi Jin? Will she know that I was the one trying to match her up with Xiao Yu?"
"According to the original setting, the characters are unaware of the system's existence."
Shi Ye nodded. Therefore, Qi Jin will never know that what she did was to complete a mission. She will believe that Shi Ye genuinely wanted her to be with Lin Xiaoyu.
That's fine too.
In the afternoon, Shi Ye was bored at home and decided to tidy up his study. The original owner's study had many painting tools and design drafts, which showed that the original owner loved painting.
She pulled out a sketchbook, opened it, and saw it was full of landscapes and still lifes. The drawings were very good, at a professional level.
She turned to the next few pages and froze.
It was a portrait sketch. It depicted Qi Jin.
In the painting, Qi Jin is wearing a suit, standing sideways, gazing into the distance. The lines are fluid, and the handling of light and shadow is excellent, perfectly capturing Qi Jin's aloof and refined temperament.
The date is written in the bottom right corner of the page: three months ago.
So the original owner drew Qi Jin three months ago? And drew him with such care?
Shi Ye continued flipping through the pages and found several more sketches of Qi Jin—some standing, some sitting, and one even showing his sleeping profile.
The last picture depicts Qi Jin smiling. Not the usual polite smile, but a genuine smile, with his eyes crinkling at the corners.
A line of small print reads on the page: "How wonderful it would be if she smiled at me like that."
Shi Ye closed her sketchbook, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her. The original owner of this body liked Qi Jin and had used her paintbrush to capture his likeness. But she, through a system task, was going to push Qi Jin towards someone else.
She suddenly felt very sorry for the original owner of the body.
"System," she asked softly, "is the original owner's consciousness still there?"
"Confirmed to have dissipated. The host is the sole consciousness of this body."
"Then her feelings...can I inherit them?"
"Emotions are products of consciousness and cannot be inherited. However, physiological reactions may be retained."
Shi Ye understood. So the reason this body would have a rapid heartbeat in response to Qi Jin was due to the physiological memories left behind by the original owner. But her own consciousness couldn't feel those emotions.
She picked up the sketch of Qi Jin smiling and looked at it for a long time. The Qi Jin in the drawing looked very happy. It was the happy Qi Jin that the original owner had imagined.
"If..." Shi Ye murmured to himself, "If the original owner were still alive, would they... be very happy?"
No one answered her.
Her phone vibrated, pulling her back to reality. It was a message from Lin Xiaoyu: "Sister Shi! Senior said we can have a design exhibition! I'm so happy! Thank you!"
Shi Ye replied, "You're welcome. Prepare well."
"Yes! I will definitely work hard! By the way, my senior said she's free tomorrow and wants to come see my portfolio. Shi Ye, do you want to come with me?"
As Shi Ye looked at the message, the little mission voice in his mind screamed, "Go! Go and match them up!"
But her fingers typed another line: "I'm not going, you guys have a good chat."
After sending it, she stared at the line of text, thinking she might be going crazy. Such a great opportunity to bring people together, and she wasn't going to take it?
"Host behavior conflicts with mission objectives," the system notification stated.
“I know,” Shi Ye said, “but… I want to wait a bit.”
She needed time to process the paintings she had just seen. She needed time... to sort out her thoughts.
Lin Xiaoyu quickly replied: "Okay... I'll do my best! Wait for my good news!"
Shi Ye put down her phone and picked up the sketch again. Qi Jin in the drawing was still smiling, his smile unbelievably gentle.
She suddenly had a strong urge to see Qi Jin. Not as a mission executor, not as Shi Ye, just... she wanted to see him.
But she suppressed the thought as soon as it crossed her mind. No, she couldn't see him. If she did, the mission would become even more difficult.
She forced herself to do other things. She cleaned the room, organized the bookshelves, and even started drawing—just drawing whatever came to mind to distract herself.
She drew the trees outside the window, the water glass on the table, and the books on the bookshelf. As she drew, her pen unconsciously sketched an outline on the paper—a slender figure, clean lines, and a slightly turned face.
By the time she realized what was happening, Qi Jin's outline had already appeared on the paper.
Shi Ye stared at the unfinished sketch, her hands trembling. She put down her pen, crumpled the paper into a ball, and threw it into the trash can.
I can't draw. I can't think. I can't...
The doorbell rang suddenly.
Shi Ye went downstairs and opened the door, and standing outside was Qi Jin.
She was holding a file folder. When she saw Shi Ye, her eyes flickered. "Excuse me."
Shi Ye was stunned: "Why are you here?"
"I'm delivering the documents." Qi Jin handed her the file bag. "It's the preliminary design plan for the exhibition. Xiao Yu asked me to give it to you to take a look."
Shi Ye took the file bag, his fingers accidentally brushing against Qi Jin's hand. Both of them simultaneously withdrew their hands, the atmosphere becoming slightly awkward.
"Come in and sit down." Shi Ye stepped aside.
Qi Jin walked in and sat down on the sofa in the living room. Shi Ye went to pour tea, and when he returned, he saw Qi Jin looking at the painting hanging on the living room wall.
"Did you draw this?" Qi Jin asked.
Shi Ye looked up and glanced at it—it was a landscape painting that the original owner had drawn in junior high school, and it was very naive.
"Yes," she admitted, "I drew it when I was little."
“Very good,” Qi Jin said. “You have talent.”
Shi Ye handed her the tea, saying, "Thank you."
The two sat down on the sofa, with a cushion between them.
Qi Jin opened the file folder and took out the design exhibition proposal: "Xiao Yu put a lot of effort into it and made three proposals. Take a look."
Shi Ye took the proposals and started looking through them. Lin Xiaoyu had indeed put her heart into it; each proposal was very detailed, covering everything from the theme to the exhibition layout, from promotion to the budget, showing great consideration.
"That's good," Shi Ye said. "Which one have you decided to use?"
"Xiaoyu said you can choose," Qi Jin said, looking at her. "She said you understand her best."
Shi Ye's heart skipped a beat. Lin Xiaoyu said that? So, in her heart, he was a very important friend?
"Then... let's go with Option Two." Shi Ye chose the middle one. "The theme is novel and highly feasible."
“Okay.” Qi Jin nodded. “I’ll talk to her.”
The living room fell silent again. Shi Ye sipped his tea, secretly observing Qi Jin out of the corner of his eye. Qi Jin was wearing a light gray shirt today, without a tie, and looked very relaxed.
"You..." Shi Ye began, "Aren't you busy today?"
"Busy," Qi Jin said, "but the documents are important, so I brought them over personally."
Shi Ye: "..." So Qi Jin put aside his work to come and deliver the documents?
She didn't know what to say, so she just continued drinking her tea.
"Shi Ye," Qi Jin suddenly called her name.
"Um?"
"You..." Qi Jin paused, "Are you avoiding me?"
Here we go again! The inner critic in Shi Ye's mind started dancing again: "How can this person be so perceptive?! I just want to reduce contact so I can set you up with Lin Xiaoyu! Can't you cooperate a little?!"
"I didn't hide," she insisted. "I just... rested at home."
"Then why don't you go to Xiaoyu's house to look at her portfolio?" Qi Jin asked. "Haven't you always wanted to set us up?"
Shi Ye nearly choked on his tea: "I...I didn't..."
“You have.” Qi Jin looked at her, his eyes calm but sharp. “From shopping to fencing class, and then to the design exhibition, you have been creating opportunities for Xiaoyu and me to be alone.”
Shi Ye: "..."
"Why?" Qi Jin asked. "If you want me to be with her, you can just say so. There's no need for this... roundabout way."
Shi Ye put down her teacup, her fingers tightening on her knees. How should she say it? Should she mention the system mission? Should she mention the fate of the world? Should she say… she didn't want to, but had no choice?
“I…” she began with difficulty, “I just think… you two are a good match.”
"Where should we pair him?" Qi Jin pressed.
“Xiaoyu is lively, you are calm; she is talented, you have resources; she likes you, and you are good to her…” Shi Ye paused, “not bad either.”
Qi Jin remained silent for a long time. So long that Shi Ye thought she wouldn't speak again.
“Shi Ye,” she finally spoke, her voice very soft, “do you know why I like Xiao Yu?”
Shi Ye was taken aback: "Why?"
“Because she’s like you,” Qi Jin said. “Like you when you were eighteen. Lively, enthusiastic, and full of curiosity about the world.”
She looked at Shi Ye: "But what I like is you now. You are the you who has experienced loss, learned to pretend, but whose heart is still soft. You are the you who still tries to live even if you can't feel it."
Shi Ye's heart skipped a beat. Did Qi Jin know? Did he know she couldn't feel it?
"I……"
“Your father told me,” Qi Jin said, “about your depression and your emotional numbness. He said you rarely smiled after you turned sixteen.”
Shi Ye lowered his head and stared at his hands.
“So,” Qi Jin continued, “you don’t have to force yourself to respond to me. Nor do you have to… push me to someone else. I can wait until you’re willing to accept me. Or… wait until you find someone you can feel.”
She stood up: "The documents have been delivered, I should go."
Shi Ye then stood up: "Qi Jin..."
"Um?"
"I..." Shi Ye opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
Say thank you? Too formal. Say sorry? Too sentimental. Say...I like you? She couldn't say it, because it wouldn't be the truth.
"Be careful on the road," she finally said.
Qi Jin nodded and walked towards the door. Before opening it, she turned back and said, "Shi Ye."
"Um?"
"Just be yourself," Qi Jin said. "Leave the rest to me."
She opened the door and left.
Shi Ye stood in the living room, looking at the closed door. The faint, cool fragrance of Qi Jin still lingered in the air.
She slowly walked back to the sofa, sat down, and picked up the design exhibition proposal.
Turning to the last page, she saw a line of handwritten words: "To Xiaoye: Thank you for letting me meet her. —Xiaoyu"
Below is a line of smaller text, in Qi Jin's handwriting: "But the one I've always wanted to meet is you."
Shi Ye stared at those two lines of text, and his eyes suddenly felt a little sore.
It was another physiological reaction. She knew it.
She closed the plan, leaned back on the sofa, and closed her eyes.
Her mind was a complete mess. The mission, Qi Jin, Lin Xiaoyu, the original owner of this body, and herself...
“System,” she asked softly, “what will happen if… I stop doing the missions?”
"The probability of world line collapse has increased to 78%. Risk of character disappearance: High."
"What if... I tell Qi Jin the truth?"
"There are aspects of the system that cannot be disclosed. Forcing disclosure may result in the erasure of consciousness."
Shi Ye smiled, a bitter smile. So she had no choice. She had to complete the mission, she had to bring Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu together, she had to… push Qi Jin towards someone else.
Even though Qi Jin said he could wait a lifetime.
Even she herself... seemed a little reluctant to let Qi Jin wait for others.
Wait, when did this thought come to mind?
Shi Ye opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. Was that thought of "not wanting Qi Jin to wait for others" her own, or a remnant of the original owner's?
She didn't know.
All she knew was that the mission had to continue.
And her heart seemed... even more confused.
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