A faint smell of disinfectant wafted around, and the large apples carried a slight chill.
Xu Shiyue looked hesitantly at the little girl sitting in the wheelchair in the distance. She didn't seem to be very healthy. A small blanket was draped over her dangling legs. It was plain and monotonous with no patterns, and the slightly frayed edges made it look a bit old.
Judging from her hand resting loosely on her lap, she must have dropped the apple.
The small shoes tapped gently on the tiled floor, and the girl's calm thinking was manipulated by this tender body.
Like a newborn calf, Xu Shiyue walked cautiously yet boldly, as if returning an apple to its rightful owner, holding the apple as she walked towards the person opposite her.
Xu Shiyue thought this was a good thing; she could go and ask the little girl who she was and what was wrong with her.
But just as she walked up to the little girl, her vision suddenly zoomed in, and a square little house appeared in her sight in an instant.
It's like a fluctuation that only happens in a random dream.
It also seems like the result of some kind of subconscious manipulation.
The room is small; you can see the whole thing at a glance.
It was perfectly square, and even the light was spread out very evenly.
The little girl she had just seen in the hallway was now sitting by the window.
The soft, even light shone from one side, making every inch of her skin appear delicate and cleanly white.
Her not-so-thick hair hung loosely over her face, tinged with a light chestnut hue in the light, delicately and beautifully outlining the little girl's innocent profile.
Xu Shiyue felt that the curiosity that children showed towards the world was the most beautiful picture. Just like at this moment, this little girl was quietly looking out, and a pure white dove landed in front of her, separated from her only by a clean piece of glass.
Those thick eyelashes blinked, as if stars were hidden inside, filled with curiosity about the outside world.
Her slightly plump cheeks were flushed with a light blush from the sun, making her look as delicious as an apple in her hand.
Even amidst this beauty, Xu Shiyue sensed something amiss.
The pigeon perched outside the window didn't move an inch, and the light and shadow on the little girl's face didn't match the way she sat by the window.
She looked around the small house and realized the problem.
—What the little girl was facing was not a real window, but a painting created with a paintbrush.
"Thump, clatter..."
Just as Xu Shiyue was marveling at her discovery, the apple, unable to bear the weight, rolled off her child's delicate hand and onto the ground.
Then it rolled little by little to the little girl's feet.
The little girl's "sightseeing" schedule was interrupted by the apple, and she skillfully adjusted the angle of her wheelchair.
The old blanket slid down a bit, and the little girl bent down and reached out to pick up the apple that had fallen at her feet.
The room's lighting was even and without deviation, yet the crimson apple could not stain the little girl's pale fingertips.
She hugged the apple to her chest as if she had just regained it, and gave Xu Shiyue a slow and deep smile: "Thank you."
The little girl's eyes were dark and bright, as clear and bright as if the clouds had parted, reflected in Xu Shiyue's vision.
It was as if it were linked to some memory.
A breeze blew in from the square room, ruffling Xu Shiyue's long hair.
She heard the sound of swaying branches and suddenly woke up.
Light rushed into Xu Shiyue's eyes, soft yet dazzling.
The clarity that only appears in dreams suddenly fades, and the surrounding scenery becomes blurry again.
The room was quiet in the early morning; no one came back to knock on the door and disturb us.
Xu Shiyue sat up in bed, her long hair falling to the side of her face, obscuring her silent expression.
Who is the little girl who just appeared in my dream?
Was the dream I just had just been a simple, bizarre and fantastical event?
...
Xu Shiyue had never cared about the ethereal and unpredictable things in her dreams, but for some reason, she was particularly concerned about this dream.
She still remembered those bright black eyes, and the little girl's smile that made her feel a sudden pang of melancholy.
However, before she could recall the details of her dream, something was swaying back and forth in front of her from below.
That was a dog's tail.
Yuanzi didn't leave all night, and carefully curled up next to Xu Shiyue's bed to sleep all night.
It seemed genuinely afraid of losing its owner, staying close by and being extra vigilant, waking up at the slightest sound.
Just now, Xu Shiyue simply sat up in bed, and her light golden ears twitched. In an instant, she supported her body, which was still in a dream, and stood up.
Dogs always show the most fervent and unreserved care and concern, and Xu Shiyue felt a warm current flowing through her heart.
She gently rubbed Yuanzi's head, then got out of bed and grasped its body.
The villa was bustling with an orderly energy in the early morning, with constant sounds coming from the kitchen, as Aunt Sun had been busy since early morning.
Lu Shizhen also got up early and sat in the living room eating breakfast with full energy, constantly looking at her 100-point score record with Qiuqiu.
Qiuqiu, who had initially been excitedly flipping through the pages with Lu Shizhen, was now somewhat numb: "Host, these points won't disappear."
Lu Shizhen, however, flipped through the record for the twenty-fifth time: "Let me take another look, this is a perfect score of 100."
Qiuqiu knew she couldn't do anything about Lu Shizhen, and she was genuinely happy for her. Not wanting to dampen her enthusiasm, she simply stopped trying to persuade her and slowly started munching on the small piece of beef that Lu Shizhen had secretly given her, right on top of her head.
Just then, Xu Shiyue led Yuanzi down from upstairs.
Thinking about how many points she had gained last night, Lu Shizhen put on an exceptionally friendly smile and asked, "You're awake? Are you feeling better?"
"Much better," Xu Shiyue replied calmly.
"Good morning, Yuanzi." Lu Shizhen greeted Yuanzi and then enthusiastically introduced to Xu Shiyue, "Aunt Sun made steak sandwiches today, they're especially delicious."
Xu Shiyue nodded and picked up the sandwich that Aunt Sun had just placed next to her.
Because of the original owner's historical issues, and because she usually had to rush to school in the morning, Lu Shizhen rarely ate with Xu Shiyue.
Sunlight bathed the two people sitting opposite each other, and the rich aroma of beef filled the air, giving the dining table a peaceful and harmonious feel.
Lu Shizhen, biting into her sandwich, secretly glanced up at Xu Shiyue.
She remained as quiet as ever, sitting upright in her chair with her slender body, only the medical gauze on her face a testament to the turmoil she had experienced the previous night.
He looks to be in pretty good condition.
Lu Shizhen made a mental assessment and said, "The cello you hid behind the garden was found this morning when the garden maid was tidying up the garden. I saw some scratches and dirt on the case, so I asked Aunt Sun to take it for inspection and maintenance. It should be returned in a couple of days."
Xu Shiyue, of course, remembered that this was a preparation she had made for her departure, and paused in her biting motion.
She thought Lu Shizhen would scold and lecture her, but she didn't expect it to be just such a calm notification.
With her blurred vision obscuring the thoughts of the person in front of her, Xu Shiyue said in a light voice, "Thank you."
Lu Shizhen pursed her lips slightly, looked at the sandwich that the person opposite her hadn't even eaten half of, and said, "If you really want to thank me, then eat more."
"Dr. Qin said that your body needs more nutrition to recover faster."
Xu Shiyue frowned slightly upon hearing Lu Shizhen's words.
The familiar excuse of being reminded reminded her of many unpleasant things, and this kind of reminder was what she disliked the most.
However, Lu Shizhen did not sense Xu Shiyue's aversion and continued, "Your main task now is to recover your health here. Only when you have the strength to eat will you have the strength to do other things, after all..."
Lu Shizhen paused for a moment, then smiled and looked at Xu Shiyue: "After all, health is the foundation of everything."
She thought Xu Shiyue was in such a hurry to leave and go back because she desperately wanted to take back what belonged to her.
But this event, which wasn't written into the script by the main god, was destined to fail.
Lu Shizhen knew that Xu Shiyue in the original story was not in a hurry like she was now because the original owner had created huge obstacles for her.
But now she is no longer a stumbling block on Xu Shiyue's path.
If the road is too smooth and you walk too fast, you are more likely to fall.
Lu Shizhen felt that as someone who knew the plot, she should encourage and guide Xu Shiyue to become a qualified logistics personnel for war preparedness.
Moreover, someone as pure and kind as Xu Shiyue should never have encountered the things described in the original story.
Since it is jade, it should be properly cared for so that the luster it emits is the most resilient and pure.
And... this way you can quickly increase your favorability.
Qiuqiu slowly gnawed on the beef in her hand, rolled her body around, and covered her ears with her little wings in disgust.
It indicated that it had heard everything its host was doing.
"Besides... the person and opportunity to help you get revenge might not appear for a while."
Lu Shizhen wanted to subtly reveal some future plans to Xu Shiyue to completely calm her down, so she continued to "prophesy" to her: "If you don't care, it might just pop up on its own."
There's a saying, isn't there? You can't force something you want.
Lu Shizhen spoke several sentences in a row, her meaning progressing layer by layer.
There was no harsh criticism or forceful command; the only thing conveyed in his voice was seriousness.
Resistance and aversion are like the lingering taste of beef in your mouth, slowly being broken down and diluted.
Xu Shiyue was somewhat surprised; this person was simply offering encouragement and comfort.
Xu Shiyue knew that Lu Shizhen was treacherous and cunning, and a master of sweet talk.
But for some reason, perhaps because what they said made sense, she wanted to try to believe it again.
"Hmm." Xu Shiyue responded lightly, indicating to Lu Shizhen that she had listened.
Perhaps because they had spent so much time together, Lu Shizhen understood the meaning behind Xu Shiyue's "hmm".
A look of delight appeared on the girl's face as she leaned slightly towards Xu Shiyue, tentatively and expectantly asking, "Do you want to stay?"
The morning sunlight shone with a fresh and clean light. A branch of a tree outside the window swayed gently, and Xu Shiyue's lowered gaze fell upon a blurry figure looking at her.
I wouldn't say I have a particularly strong liking for her, but...
I wouldn't say I dislike her.
After a pause, Xu Shiyue said softly, "I may have to bother Miss Lu for a while longer."
"Woof!"
Yuanzi reacted faster than Lu Shizhen.
As if sensing from their conversation that Xu Shiyue wouldn't leave, it happily started circling the table.
A soft sliding sound came from Xu Shiyue's ear as Lu Shizhen pushed a glass bowl full of blueberries in front of her.
The beautiful glass bowl refracted the light, and Xu Shiyue saw a misaligned tail swaying behind Lu Shizhen.
"Eat more, it's good for your eyes."
Xu Shiyue pursed her lips, about to say something, but was interrupted by the news broadcast that suddenly came on the TV: "A serious rear-end collision occurred at the intersection of Huagong Road and No. 1 Avenue last night."
The entire restaurant fell silent in an instant.
Lu Shizhen immediately realized what was happening and quickly signaled Aunt Sun to turn up the TV volume.
"The driver of the car in front braked suddenly to avoid a pedestrian crossing the road. The driver of the car behind, who was trying to overtake, couldn't react in time, and the car rear-ended her. According to the passenger in the car behind, the driver of the car behind was unhappy that the driver in front was driving ahead, which is why he tried to speed up to catch her..."
"The accident resulted in one minor injury and two serious injuries. Here we urge everyone to remain calm while driving and not cause irreparable consequences due to momentary anger."
The television screen showed a scene set in darkness, with a female reporter standing under a streetlamp, clearly reporting the recent accident.
The accident scene was handled exceptionally quickly, and Lu Shizhen saw that only the wreckage of the car remained in the background.
Aunt Sun looked closely and pointed to a familiar license plate not far away, saying, "Miss, isn't this...?"
Lu Shizhen saw it too, of course.
She also noticed the bloodstains that went unnoticed in the darkness.
Given the severity of the traffic accident, Luo Ji's condition is unlikely to be good.
What would happen if Xu Shiyue's important assistant lost his fighting ability later on?
Lu Shizhen's heart sank suddenly.
The television screen was suddenly paused the moment the news report finished airing.
The villa's gate was opened from the outside, and a man in a suit walked in slowly.
He looked at Xu Shiyue, who was having breakfast in the restaurant, and said with a smile, "Miss Xu, you really made quite a show last night."
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