The wind swept across the vast rose garden, echoing the unrestrained laughter of the women gossiping about their homes.
The sky was a rare clear blue without a cloud, and the sunlight shone down, bringing a sense of leisure after a busy autumn day.
However, the bright sunshine could not illuminate the pitch-black world.
What can you do when you're in the dark?
Xu Shiyue didn't know either.
This is the third month since she lost her sight.
The color she hated most, red, has become the only color she can now feel strongly.
"Hey, what's going on with her? I heard she used to be a rich young lady?"
"Sigh, what's the use of the past? It's all burned down now, and people are just planting flowers and grass here."
"Do you remember that piece of land that goes north out of our village? They took it from us last year."
...
The women initially kept their voices down while gossiping, but as they talked, they gradually let loose completely.
The wind carried these conversations past Xu Shiyue's ears, and the roses swayed in the wind like scattered flames.
The sound of wood burning and the approaching siren stirred Xu Shiyue's memories restlessly. The thorns of the rose slowly penetrated her fingertips, almost piercing through them.
Just then, something warm suddenly covered her arm.
A dark figure blocked the light falling from behind her, instantly extinguishing the flames burning in her vision.
The man's warm palm touched Xu Shiyue's cold forearm without any obstruction, bringing a touch of warmth to her body which was frozen by the autumn wind, and helped her stand up from the ground.
The sun slowly climbed to the top of the dome, and the sunlight made Xu Shiyue feel somewhat dazed.
She couldn't believe that anyone would lend a helping hand in this place, but when she heard the person's voice the next second, her expression turned cold.
Lu Shizhen: "This is not something you should be doing."
A sneer flashed through Xu Shiyue's mind.
Isn't this exactly what Lu Shizhen made her do?
What trick is she going to pull this time?
Warmth and a sense of security vanished the moment Xu Shiyue realized the other person was Lu Shizhen.
She pulled her arm back, trying to free her wrist from Lu Shizhen's grasp.
This resistance was so obvious that even the system couldn't help but remind her, "Host, I think Xu Shiyue seems to be very resistant to contacting you."
Lu Shizhen glanced at it.
How could she not know how much Xu Shiyue loathed her? This damned original owner had accumulated far too much hatred for her before she arrived, causing Xu Shiyue to feel extremely disgusted even at the slightest touch.
But what could she do?
Xu Shiyue was blind and had no stick to guide her, so the only way for him to lead her out of the rose garden without getting hurt was to hold her wrist.
She's not some pervert who wants to take advantage of others.
Upon sensing Xu Shiyue's attempt to break free for the second time, Lu Shizhen mustered her courage and, mimicking the original owner's tone, reminded her, "Xu Shiyue, how many of my roses are you going to trample before you stop?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Shiyue stopped struggling.
Lu Shizhen felt a surge of joy, but at that moment a sudden mechanical voice rang in her ears: "-1".
The system's notification sound was calm and emotionless, yet it felt to Lu Shizhen as the most heartbreaking sound in the world.
In that instant, she seemed to sense the pain of her arm being broken in the future.
Lu Shizhen looked at the little ball beside her in disbelief. The little ball also looked puzzled and analyzed with difficulty, "Perhaps... what the host said just now was a bit too much like the original owner?"
But it was clearly your system that told me to maintain the original owner's character setting!
Lu Shizhen was immediately frustrated, but the little ball quickly reassured her, "I think the main reason for the point deduction is that Xu Shiyue has a very bad impression of the original owner. At this stage, no matter what you do, there is a high chance of losing points. But! As long as you keep showing goodwill and change Xu Shiyue's attitude towards you, her favorability towards you will definitely increase!"
Lu Shizhen understood the reasoning Xiao Qiu was giving.
But watching helplessly as her points, which had already been reduced to a bug-like level, were deducted another point, she still couldn't find relief from the heartache.
Those weren't just her points, they were her lifeline!
To prevent her already meager points from worsening, Lu Shizhen chose to remain silent for the next step.
A gentle breeze swept past the two people standing one in front of the other, causing Xu Shiyue's long hair, casually tied behind her head, to sway slightly.
She walked slowly along the path through the rose field, but she wasn't paying much attention.
The person who took her arm was Lu Shizhen.
The person walking in front to clear the way for her was also Lu Shizhen.
only……
Xu Shiyue's brows furrowed slightly, and her empty eyes fell on Lu Shizhen's arm as she turned her head slightly.
The perfect grip held her dangling arm, and the uncontrollable strength made her steps feel grounded.
The person who would have taken the opportunity to grope her was not Lu Shizhen.
This is not in line with this person's usual behavior.
What exactly is she planning?
This behavior was clearly different from Xu Shiyue's prediction, and all the precautions she had just taken were in vain.
She disliked things that went against her judgment and experience; her calm and indifferent expression concealed a deep sense of wariness.
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Shizhen slowly led Xu Shiyue out of the rose field.
Not far away, the women were chatting so engrossed in their conversation that their soft laughter clashed incongruously with the laughter of the women who hadn't noticed their arrival.
"Everyone, how's the sunshine today?"
The teacup with the lid wobbled suddenly in their hands, and the women who had just been chatting and laughing were instantly stunned.
The woman at the head of the group widened her eyes and looked up at the shadow looming over them with a slow, incredulous gaze.
Lu Shizhen smiled at them, but there was no friendliness in her slightly narrowed eyes.
She still remembered how Xu Shiyue had been bullied by this group of women earlier; their vicious words were disgusting.
The sun had already climbed high into the sky, its brilliance even greater than before, yet the woman's fingers were icy cold.
She looked at Lu Shizhen standing in front of Xu Shiyue, and stammered out a complete greeting: "Little, little sister..."
Lu Shizhen didn't want to be called "Miss" by her, and said in a low voice, "So you still know I'm a Miss? I thought this house was yours now, and you even had to decide my moods."
Upon hearing this, the woman's heart skipped a beat. She knew that Lu Shizhen had overheard her conversation with Xu Shiyue. She stammered, "It was you, Miss, who said a few days ago that Miss Xu should take care of the garden..."
"Yes, mainly because Miss Xu overwhelmed us with too many roses yesterday, and we were too busy to handle them all, so we asked Miss Xu to come and help."
As the woman explained, another woman stepped forward to agree, her words filled with attempts to shirk responsibility.
Just as if a lot of people say the same thing, then something that doesn't exist becomes a fact.
As the other center of the storm, Xu Shiyue simply stood at the back, listening coldly to what these people were saying.
Her lips, lightly pink, were pursed together, showing no sign of wanting to tell the truth.
It's not that I don't want the truth.
Rather, she knew that the illusory figure in front of her, bathed in light, could not give her the justice she deserved.
No one wants to seek justice from a madman who is indulging in pleasure.
What's more, this lunatic is a pervert who will do anything to get what he wants.
The sunlight, slanted slightly by the wind, rang out precisely as Xu Shiyue had anticipated.
However, she had hit the wrong target. The next second, Xu Shiyue heard Lu Shizhen questioning the women: "Is your 'shouting' done through insults?"
Because there was a hint of laughter in her voice, Lu Shizhen's words didn't sound like a reprimand, but the woman couldn't lift her head at all.
She was a minor manager in the back garden, so she knew all too well that her young lady's emotions were not those of an ordinary person. The wider Lu Shizhen's smile became, the more uneasy she felt.
But still hoping to salvage her lucrative job, the woman quickly slid to her knees and said, "I'm sorry, Miss. We know we were wrong, and we will never do it again."
“No.” Lu Shizhen shook her head and said softly, “You shouldn’t apologize to me.”
Thin clouds blocked the slanting sunlight, and Lu Shizhen's smile cooled and faded.
She simply couldn't emulate the original owner's perverted habit of always smiling when angry, and her voice was a few decibels lower than before.
After a few seconds of silence, several quick-thinking women turned to look at Xu Shiyue.
They dared not make any connection with Xu Shiyue, lowering their previously arrogant attitude to the lowest possible level, repeatedly apologizing.
"Miss Xu, we know we were wrong. Please beg Miss Xu for forgiveness."
"I'm so sorry, Miss Xu. My child has just started high school, and it's an age where everything costs money. Please, kind-hearted, help me out. Please forgive me this time, and I promise I will never say those things again."
...
The voice trembled with fear and regret as it apologized, sounding almost like a confession.
But Xu Shiyue understood that these people were only bowing down to her because they wanted to keep their jobs.
They didn't really feel guilty or regretful about the insults they had just received.
Thin clouds were pushed by the wind, obscuring the sun, and then slowly moved away. Xu Shiyue remained silent throughout.
Suddenly, a woman's voice broke through the surrounding noise and barged in: "Miss Xu, I didn't say anything just now. Do you remember me? I'm innocent."
He spoke urgently, his voice full of innocence, and Xu Shiyue's lips twitched slightly upon hearing this.
Seeing this, the woman felt she had a chance to be forgiven, but that fleeting hope was shattered in the next second.
"But I can't see, so how can I know if you are you?"
Xu Shiyue's voice was soft, polite, and gentle.
Yet it was like a knife, stabbing fiercely into the woman's heart.
Without saying "forgive," it means "I don't forgive."
The system, which had been observing from the sidelines, couldn't help but feel a little worried: "Host, isn't Xu Shiyue holding a grudge a bit too much?"
Lu Shizhen understood the system's meaning, and this added another layer of worry to her already bitter feelings about her points and future.
But she only thought these things to herself. In reality, she waved her hand at these people and said very decisively, "In that case, kick them all out."
No one can forgive anyone on behalf of the victim, even if such forgiveness is to leave a way out for oneself in the future.
Lu Shizhen could understand Xu Shiyue's decision.
The principal offender is a criminal.
Does that mean the mob who stood by and watched bear no responsibility?
Autumn always carries a gentle, lingering warmth, and the sunlight can make everyone feel cozy and warm.
Yet, this very thing that is most infectious could not illuminate Xu Shiyue's calm and empty eyes; it could only helplessly highlight her pale skin, which was ravaged by fate and devoid of color.
Lu Shizhen felt in her heart that she shouldn't have to go through all this.
Thinking about what Xu Shiyue had gone through in the past six months, Lu Shizhen gently squeezed her hand and earnestly told her, "If anyone treats you like this again, remember to tell me."
The girl's hand landed on the cold back of her hand, and then she tactfully withdrew.
As the autumn wind blew, Xu Shiyue could feel the warmth passing from that hand.
Lu Shizhen was like a god who happened to be passing by, and with a wave of her hand, she dealt with those who had bullied her.
According to mythology, those who receive a favor should be grateful and moved to tears.
Perhaps Shiyue hasn't forgotten.
The one who truly caused her to suffer this humiliation today is also this god.
next time?
Does this refer to the self-directed and self-acted rescue she staged after pushing her back into prison once again?
Oh.
A gentle breeze rustled through the roses, passing between the two people, each lost in their own thoughts.
Before Lu Shizhen could get a response from Xu Shiyue, the housekeeper, Aunt Sun, got off the shuttle bus and walked quickly toward the rose field.
"Miss, Dr. Qin has brought a specialist in ophthalmology for Miss Xu. Shall we go over now?"
The conversation was interrupted, but Lu Shizhen showed no displeasure whatsoever.
A hint of joy even flashed in his eyes.
This is her secret weapon to increase Xu Shiyue's favor!
Maybe this will allow us to gain some points and fix the bug!
Without hesitation, Lu Shizhen immediately nodded: "Of course, I'll go now."
The attitude of the master of the house really affects the attitude of the servants.
Seeing that Lu Shizhen was truly serious about Xu Shiyue, Aunt Sun became much more careful and attentive herself.
Roses swayed as she watched Lu Shizhen and Xu Shiyue leave, and the group boarded the family's shuttle bus.
Without the obstruction of square walls, the wind brushes past rose petals, carrying a cool, free-spirited scent.
Lu Shizhen recalled how she had stood up for Xu Shiyue and dealt with the garden maid who had verbally humiliated her. With a hint of anticipation, she looked at the little ball beside her and asked in her mind, "How is it? Have my points been added back?"
"But the points system didn't give any notification, sigh..." Little Ball scratched his face, and before he could finish speaking, his face lit up excitedly, "It showed up! This damn bug seems to be causing a system delay."
A gentle breeze blew across the slowly starting car. Lu Shizhen sat up straight, ready to receive her first bonus in her mission history.
Unexpectedly, the smile that had just appeared on her face froze the next second.
The ball retrieved the records and read: "The points system shows that at 9:55:36, the host has lost one point."
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