It was as if a huge stone had been suddenly thrown into the water; Xu Shiyue was startled.
She stared at the little girl sitting at the end of the corridor, finding it hard to believe the sounds she was hearing.
The little girl looked at her with an innocent gaze, her bright eyes filled with curiosity and confusion.
How could she call out my name when she didn't seem to recognize me?
Moreover, the voice was exactly the same as Lu Shizhen's.
Puzzle, like a chaotic darkness, enveloped Xu Shiyue's heart.
Before she could figure it out, she heard the voice again.
"Xu Shiyue?"
But the little girl didn't say anything.
The voice didn't seem to be saying anything to me, but rather calling out to me.
Suddenly, Xu Shiyue seemed to be pulled back to reality.
The clear corridor was gradually swallowed up by the bright lights of the hall and became blurry, and a bright red color was right below her line of sight.
The cool, astringent smell of disinfectant wafted through the hall, while the fresh scent of apples mingled with the familiar fragrance of roses, settling in Xu Shiyue's palm.
The owner of the voice was sitting right next to him, her tone questioning, as if this wasn't the first time she had called him.
So the little girl's voice that I just "heard" was covered up by Lu Shizhen's call?
Xu Shiyue thought this, but her brows were still slightly furrowed.
She felt a moment of emptiness.
But she didn't know whether it was because the answer she received was wrong, or because the little girl wasn't Lu Shizhen.
But why Lu Shizhen...?
A question mark appeared in Xu Shiyue's mind, and she calmly withdrew her thoughts and responded to Lu Shizhen's call: "What is it?"
The cool voice had a certain distance to it, and Lu Shizhen didn't bother to ask Xu Shiyue what she was thinking.
She looked at Xu Shiyue, who had regained her senses, and handed her another apple, her innocent eyes sparkling, and asked, "It's nothing, I just wanted to ask if you want an apple?"
The dream, which was almost answered, was abruptly interrupted by a voice. Xu Shiyue couldn't help but feel even more bothered by it, and politely declined, saying, "Thank you, but no thanks."
Lu Shizhen paused for a moment, a hint of disappointment flashing through her mind.
She thought that the extra points she had just earned had brought Xu Shiyue closer to her, but she didn't expect that Xu Shiyue was still far away from her.
However, Lu Shizhen was not discouraged. She took a crisp bite of the apple and said, "It's worth trying, it's quite sweet."
"And haven't you heard the saying, 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away'?"
Xu Shiyue glanced at the girl beside her, her voice unusually calm: "We are in the hospital now."
Lu Shizhen choked for a moment; the apple stuck in her throat.
They are indeed in the hospital now, but none of them are the ones who are sick.
Lu Shizhen suddenly felt a sense of enlightenment. Looking at the live feed of Yuanzi that Qiuqiu was showing her, she squeezed out a voice from her mouth, which was stuffed with an apple: "Then when Yuanzi can eat, I'll let Yuanzi eat too."
The girl's voice carried a hint of laughter, but Xu Shiyue still detected a deep, heavy tone.
The apple remained in her sight, tracing a smooth circle in the blurry world.
After a pause, Xu Shiyue said, "Actually, guide dogs undergo a high degree of screening, so it is unlikely that they will have genetic diseases."
The girl's voice was unusually calm, carrying a hint of reassurance.
Lu Shizhen was somewhat surprised that Xu Shiyue would say these things to her, and couldn't help but turn her head to look at her.
An old-fashioned chandelier hung above their heads, casting a soft glow in the quiet night.
Xu Shiyue remained sitting upright, the light shining on her face, her raven-feather eyelashes drooping slightly, her empty eyes revealing a calmness.
She still maintained her usual aloof demeanor, making people hesitant to approach her.
But it also seems a bit milder than before.
Lu Shizhen felt a warmth in her heart and nodded vigorously: "Exactly."
“Our Yuanzi is just physically weak, she doesn’t have any genetic diseases,” Lu Shizhen said, then put the apple in her hand into Xu Shiyue’s hand.
Actually, Lu Shizhen didn't know why, but she really wanted to hand the apple to Xu Shiyue.
It was just her subconscious actions and conscious drive that led her.
Could it be the original owner's consciousness remaining in her body?
Or was it because she wanted the points too much that she couldn't help but try to befriend Xu Shiyue?
The cool fruit pressed heavily against Xu Shiyue's palm, the side closest to her fingers still retaining some of the warmth of the young girl's hand.
This was the second time Lu Shizhen had promoted her apples to herself, like a stubborn child trying to curry favor with someone she thought was good.
As if possessed, Xu Shiyue grasped the apple in her hand and accepted it without further refusal.
The night, which had calmed down, fell silent again. The two people, who didn't have much to talk about, sat together, their shadows cast quietly on the brick sidewalk outside the window.
Lu Shizhen was afraid that she would annoy Xu Shiyue if she talked too much, so she simply pretended to be in a daze and brought up Qiuqiu's live stream.
Qiuqiu is still with Yuanzi, but they seem to be tired from playing. The two dogs are resting together.
The little ball's body had no mass to begin with, and it lay on Yuanzi's belly, rising and falling with its breath, which was truly magical.
If this were in the past, even with her rich imagination, Lu Shizhen could never have imagined that one day she would see such a scene.
The system that she had read in novels was superhuman and exceptionally powerful, yet it had such a childish appearance, flapping its wings and snuggling up with a life weaker than itself.
As if suddenly remembering something, Lu Shizhen said to Xu Shiyue, "Xu Shiyue, don't you think that in the eyes of dogs, humans are like immortal old monsters?"
"In their eyes, we may not change much, and some may not even see the day we grow old."
Lu Shizhen often had many such thoughts. In her original world, she would chat with her best friend, whom she had never met in person, every day.
Here, she thought that Xu Shiyue was the only person she could share this with.
"They are like the butlers and servants of the steam age, who have served the master generation after generation. The master will never grow old, and they will be loyal forever."
The girl's voice was somewhat quirky and playful, yet it was hard to pinpoint exactly where it came from, and it was also quite captivating.
Xu Shiyue listened to this, thinking that only someone like Lu Shizhen could come up with such a wonderful idea.
Although she didn't want to have anything in common with this person, Xu Shiyue still responded to her: "Your idea is quite interesting."
"Indeed, human lifespan is quite long in this world. But we cannot guarantee that there are higher life forms above us that are more intelligent than us."
Compared to the abrupt reminder just now, and the businesslike manner during the physics tutoring, Lu Shizhen sensed the calmness conveyed in Xu Shiyue's tone.
This was the first time Xu Shiyue had spoken to her in a friendly and non-perfunctory manner.
It was a bit of a surprise, but also a bit of a delight.
It's like one morning when you open the door and find that the flower seeds you planted in the yard have sprouted.
A tiny patch of green stands out starkly against the desolate landscape.
I'm even happier than if I got extra points.
However, it would be even better if I could actually hear a "+1" in my ear at that moment.
With this thought in mind, Lu Shizhen paused for a second, then two seconds...
The only sound in her ears was the gentle rustling of the wind, reminding her that she was overthinking things.
Raising an eyebrow slightly, Lu Shizhen leaned back against the wall and continued the previous topic: "This suddenly reminded me of a line from an ancient Chinese text."
Xu Shiyue did not interrupt upon hearing this.
She sat quietly to the side, becoming somewhat interested in what other amazing things Lu Shizhen would say next.
"We are but mayflies in the vastness of the universe, a grain of millet in the boundless ocean. I lament the brevity of my life, and envy the endless flow of the Yangtze River." Lu Shizhen recited with great pomp, "Human lifespan is indeed very long, but how can we not know that we humans are mayflies?"
"It is clear that one should not be arrogant, for who knows if there are people more capable than oneself, or heavens beyond heavens?"
If Lu Shizhen's first comment after reciting the sentence was merely a reworking and interpretation of the textbook's vernacular translation, then her subsequent understanding, which wasn't even found in the supplementary teaching materials, surprised Xu Shiyue.
This person was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her parents wouldn't give her anything she wanted, her brother wouldn't allow it, and the whole world seemed to revolve around her.
Logically speaking, she shouldn't have the mindset to think and admit that someone is better than her, but now she can actually say such a broad-minded and insightful thing.
He's not exactly a crazy idiot.
Xu Shiyue's brows relaxed slightly, realizing that she had underestimated this person.
Just as she was thinking this, she heard another crisp sound of an apple being bitten.
Lu Shizhen's throat was a little dry from talking, so she simply took a bite of the apple in her hand.
Her thought process was always peculiar. As if to prove her achievement, she asked, "How was it? I did pretty well in Chinese, right?"
The girl's voice was still full of laughter, but this time it had a hint of boasting.
Xu Shiyue watched as the figure in her line of sight slowly raised her head, and suddenly realized that she had overestimated her.
This person is really straightforward; they never hide their emotions no matter what they do.
When you're happy, you're happy; when you're angry, you have to make everyone around you unhappy.
If she were Yuanzi, she'd probably be wagging her tail like crazy by now.
A breeze swept across the calm pond, gently creating ripples.
Xu Shiyue narrowed her eyes slightly, slowly withdrew her gaze, and suddenly chuckled to herself.
"Not bad," Xu Shiyue commented fairly, though somewhat jokingly, "I don't need to tutor you."
"Hehe." Lu Shizhen chuckled twice and took two more bites of the apple.
A faint fruity aroma filled the small space, and the cool apples silently rubbed and turned in Xu Shiyue's hands.
She didn't continue the conversation with Lu Shizhen. The shadow of the person next to her slowly blocked out half of the light in her vision, and drowsiness gradually crept into her heart.
The pitch-black night grew hazy, as if seizing the last moments of play, withered yellow leaves were stubbornly blown by the wind and tumbled along the long street.
Just as Lu Shizhen was leaning against the wall, half asleep, she felt something hit her shoulder hard.
Caught off guard, her shoulder was suddenly pressed down, causing Lu Shizhen to nearly fall over. She instantly regained her senses.
She turned around, bewildered, to see what had happened, only to find that Xu Shiyue had fallen asleep at some point, her relaxed body leaning against her.
The girl's calm eyes were gently closed, her high, straight nose tracing an almost perfect arc, its tip small and delicate.
The lights poured down from Lu Shizhen's head, and every single eyelash of Xu Shiyue's lowered head was clearly reflected in her vision.
After everything that has happened, this is the first time that Lu Shizhen has been so calm and leaning against Xu Shiyue.
So close that every soft breath she exhaled would stir the long hair at Xu Shiyue's temples.
Perhaps because she was really tired from all the commotion today, Xu Shiyue slept exceptionally soundly, and this breath did not disturb her in the slightest.
Her thin lips were slightly parted, a faint cherry-pink color glistening with a crystalline sheen, revealing an innocent and unguarded docility.
It feels like your adopted cat, which you've had for over two weeks and wouldn't let anyone near you, suddenly snuggling up to you and falling asleep.
Immediately, Lu Shizhen didn't even dare to breathe.
She let Xu Shiyue lean against her like that, and after thinking for a moment, she carefully moved her body half a bit closer, thinking that Xu Shiyue would be more comfortable to sleep in.
Just as Lu Shizhen finished doing all this, Qiuqiu's voice drifted into her mind, full of surprise: "Host~ I didn't see wrong, did I? Xu Shiyue is actually leaning against you~"
Lu Shizhen glanced at the small ball lying on Yuanzi and asked with a sense of accomplishment, "Do you think this means that Xu Shiyue isn't actually that repulsed by me anymore?"
“Yes, it counts!” Qiuqiu nodded. “Last time you saved her, didn’t you get a hundred points? Although you only got ninety points yesterday because you slept in class.”
Hearing Qiuqiu's words, Lu Shizhen felt as if she had been stabbed in the knee.
She thought that if she hadn't known that Qiuqiu was a system that spoke bluntly, she would have even thought that this little thing was an artificial idiot that the main god had specially sent to hurt her heart because the original owner had committed too many sins.
In the quiet of the moonlit night, Lu Shizhen heard the incredibly real sound of Xu Shiyue's heartbeat in the peaceful hall.
As if she had thought of something, instead of arguing with Qiuqiu, she tried to test the system rules: "Do you think we can keep Xu Shiyue pure and innocent, instead of turning evil like in the original story?"
"Why would the host think that way?" Qiuqiu didn't answer directly, but asked with a puzzled look.
Lu Shizhen looked down at Xu Shiyue, who was fast asleep on her shoulder, and lowered the voice of her inner conversation as well: "Because when the moonlight is dark, it is no longer moonlight. Moonlight can only be called moonlight when it is pure and bright."
This was the thing that Lu Shizhen regretted the most when she read the original text.
Especially now that Xu Shiyue is no longer a fictional character who only exists in a book and whom she has no power to change.
“While what the host says makes sense, the course of this world has already been decided by the Supreme God, and we cannot change anyone’s fate.” Qiuqiu’s voice became more serious, as if reminding Lu Shizhen of her mission, “Just like your character will definitely die in the end, Xu Shiyue will definitely return to the Xu family and take back what belongs to her.”
As Qiuqiu spoke, she got up from Yuanzi and appeared in front of Lu Shizhen, asking, "Moreover, without deep scheming and excellent methods, do you think Xu Shiyue can defeat that cunning villain, the second son of the Xu family?"
“I don’t like fate,” Lu Shizhen replied, her voice tinged with stubbornness.
“But everyone is subject to fate, host,” Qiuqiu said bluntly.
As it spoke, it slowly landed on Lu Shizhen's head, comforting her, "And host, you shouldn't linger in this world. After we complete our mission, there are many more wonderful worlds and perfect bodies waiting for us."
Just like every time before, Lu Shizhen seemed to have been persuaded by Qiuqiu again.
She shifted her legs slightly, and nodded softly in this freedom, "Mmm..."
The sun slowly climbed into the sky, gradually dispelling the darkness from the horizon, and the world began to light up.
The shadows of the two girls, pressed together, were stretched long by the sunlight, falling obliquely on the brick sidewalk outside the window, carrying the unique tranquility and leisure of the early morning.
Xu Shiyue didn't know when she fell asleep. Light shone through her eyes, and the sound of Yuanzi's footsteps entered her dream.
The girl's hazy consciousness gradually returned, but before she could open her eyes, she felt as if she was leaning against something.
Lu Shizhen: "Awake?"
Xu Shiyue was startled when she heard the voice so close to her.
She opened her eyes with feigned calmness. Although her vision was blurry, she still recognized Lu Shizhen's silhouette from the indistinct figure.
Before Xu Shiyue could think any further, Lu Shizhen said to her, "Wake up first, don't rush to get up. They need to get Yuanzi into the car first. Yuanzi is recovering very well, it can walk by itself now, and its tail is wagging. The director said it's fine."
"Okay." Xu Shiyue nodded slightly, her calm expression masking a complex mix of emotions.
She couldn't believe she had slept leaning against Lu Shizhen, nor could she believe that Lu Shizhen had actually let her lean on her for so long.
It was already daylight, and the sounds of pedestrians and vehicles on the street were increasing.
Xu Shiyue listened to the horn of the electric scooter outside the window, paused for a moment, and said somewhat awkwardly to Lu Shizhen, "Thank you."
Lu Shizhen waved her hand: "It's nothing, just a small favor."
Just then, the bodyguard pushed the door open and walked in from the outside, saying respectfully, "Miss, you can get in the car now."
"Okay." Lu Shizhen nodded and stood up briskly from her seat. "Let's go."
The shoulder that Xu Shiyue had leaned on all night was finally relieved, and the soreness surged back as the blood flowed smoothly again.
Lu Shizhen couldn't help but grimace, about to gasp for breath, but then she stopped herself.
Xu Shiyue was still next to her, so she couldn't show any discomfort that Xu Shiyue had slept next to her last night.
Lu Shizhen gently turned her somewhat stiff shoulders and silently went out the door with Xu Shiyue.
However, she did not notice that the raised arm blocked the sunlight, passing through Xu Shiyue's line of sight.
The streets in the morning are completely different from those at night. The long street is bustling with traffic, and the aroma of breakfast stalls fills Lu Shizhen's heart as soon as she opens the door.
The black car was parked right in front of the hospital. Lu Shizhen waited a little while and had the bodyguard help Xu Shiyue into the car first.
Perhaps because Lu Shizhen saved her in time last night, Yuanzi saw Lu Shizhen sit down and wagged her tail, wanting to rest her head on her arm.
But just as the bandaged front leg stepped out, a soft command came from behind: "Come here."
It was Xu Shiyue's voice.
Yuanzi is a professionally trained guide dog. Upon hearing the command, she immediately moved closer to Xu Shiyue.
It certainly liked its real master too, but it didn't wag its tail as frequently as it did with Lu Shizhen.
Yuanzi obediently found her place next to Xu Shiyue, and the next second she saw a slender, white arm placed in front of her.
For the first time ever, its usually indifferent owner, who at most would just scratch its own head, actually gave it its arm.
Yuanzi was overjoyed and wagged its tail, slapping against Lu Shizhen behind it.
Lu Shizhen had just sat down with the medicine in her hand when Yuanzi's actions caught her off guard. She asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Are you so happy to be home?"
"Woof!" Yuanzi responded to Lu Shizhen as if in reply, and proudly placed its head on Xu Shiyue's outstretched arm.
Lu Shizhen didn't notice, assuming it was just really homesick, and patted Yuanzi's head: "Our Yuanzi has worked hard, you can finally go home."
After navigating a road unfamiliar to Lu Shizhen, the car quickly returned to the villa.
Aunt Sun had prepared a sunny room for Yuanzi to use as its little room to recuperate.
Lu Shizhen was truly impressed by Aunt Sun's efficiency. In just one night, all kinds of dog supplies were ready in the room, and there was even a small space for items such as a beanbag chair and coffee table that she, as the owner, would use when playing in the room.
Is this the legendary all-powerful, meticulous top-tier butler?
"Wow, Aunt Sun is amazing!" Lu Shizhen couldn't help but give Aunt Sun a thumbs up.
This was the first time Lu Shizhen had praised Aunt Sun in all the years she had been with the Lu family.
Aunt Sun, feeling embarrassed, suppressed her smile and continued, "Because the director instructed me not to eat too much these days, I prepared some meat broth to replenish its energy."
“Okay.” Lu Shizhen nodded and handed the things she was carrying to Aunt Sun. “These are the medicine Yuanzi needs to take these days. It might not take them, so please find a way to mix them into its food so it will eat them.”
With Lu Shizhen's praise just now, Aunt Sun was especially motivated. She took the medicine and nodded immediately: "Oh, don't worry, Miss."
"And Miss, breakfast is ready. Would you and Miss Xu like to eat here?" Aunt Sun added.
Lu Shizhen glanced at Xu Shiyue, who was being led around the room by Yuanzi, and nodded: "Okay, bring it over."
"Okay." Aunt Sun nodded slightly, picked up the medicine, and walked out of the room.
The huge floor-to-ceiling windows encompass the view of the backyard, and the sunlight streams in unobstructed, making it exceptionally comfortable.
Seeing that Xu Shiyue was still interacting with Yuanzi, Lu Shizhen simply took the hospital report and sat down on the beanbag chair next to her.
When she was a child, Lu Shizhen would pass the time with these reports.
Other children may learn complex vocabulary through their teachers, but Lu Shizhen learns it through the medical reports left in her hospital room or tucked under her bed.
Those medical reports were several pages long.
At first, Lu Shizhen had to look up each word in the Xinhua Dictionary one by one, but later she could find the key points in just a few minutes and easily see where she was doing wrong.
It's a special ability that no one else has.
Whenever Lu Shizhen talks about this, she always says this.
The cozy room was quiet. As always, Lu Shizhen pulled Qiuqiu over to analyze the situation together, and habitually muttered to herself, "This dog's physical data is just different from a human's. Yuanzi's range is actually between 5 and 8, while the highest value in the normal range for humans is actually their lowest value."
"Of course, host, after all, you are different kinds of creatures." Qiuqiu landed on Lu Shizhen's head and replied to her in her mind.
“That’s true, they’re not the same type.” Lu Shizhen said, turning a page, and added with interest, “However, the numerical changes caused by gastroenteritis are the same. This one is high, and the other two are low.”
This was the first time Lu Shizhen had seen a medical report on a non-human being. Comparing the two reports, she couldn't help but smile: "Interesting..."
"Host."
Just as Lu Shizhen was about to say something, Qiuqiu flapped its wings to signal her to stop.
She was a little confused, and then she felt a gaze turn toward her.
The feeling of being caught sleeping during physics tutoring returned to Lu Shizhen. She turned around dully, and a pair of calm, unfocused eyes entered her field of vision.
Xu Shiyue, who had already become familiar with the layout of the new room under Yuanzi's guidance, was standing not far away, silently facing her direction.
Lu Shizhen knew, of course, that the original owner of this body could not possibly know these things, and that Xu Shiyue must have heard her "talking to herself".
She was so engrossed in her analysis that she completely forgot Xu Shiyue was still there. Her heart started pounding, and she asked him somewhat guiltily, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." Xu Shiyue's voice was indifferent, and her lowered eyelashes revealed no emotion.
She stood there in the bright sunlight, calmly pointing out, "I just feel that you are exceptionally familiar with these professional skills."
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