Chapter 3
The smack rang out crisp and clear.
And what she had struck certainly did not feel like a stuffed toy.
One moment, Jin Yue was still hugging her stuffed toy in a dream. The next, the unmistakably real sensation against her palm jolted her awake.
Force worked both ways.
The novice mission-taker seemed to realize something, yet she did not dare face the reality awaiting her. Her eyes trembled as she slowly opened them.
In the end, there was no avoiding it. She finally opened her eyes fully and saw the female lead, Bo Xianyue, pinned within her arms.
The sensation against her palm remained vivid and warm, clearly informing Jin Yue just how hard she had smacked Bo Xianyue’s bottom.
She had even ordered Bo Xianyue to behave herself in her arms and stop struggling.
Good heavens.
Could she reload an earlier save and start over?
Theoretically, people did not have eyes in the backs of their heads.
Yet Jin Yue felt as though Bo Xianyue could see her. The instant Jin Yue opened her eyes, Bo Xianyue turned to look at her.
The sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, warm and gentle, yet Jin Yue felt a sudden chill when it entered her vision.
Bo Xianyue’s eyes held the blue of a glacier. The loose strands of hair across her face could not obstruct her gaze as she stared silently at Jin Yue.
Half of Jin Yue’s soul fled in terror. She failed to notice Bo Xianyue’s reddened ears beneath her long hair and spent a long while searching for her voice.
Jin Yue thought that any spoiled heir who behaved as pathetically as she did would probably become a laughingstock.
Of all the possible personalities the original could have possessed, why did she have to be a temperamental, dissolute Alpha?
If she had been a timid, obedient wife-slave, Jin Yue could have immediately rolled off the bed without needing to explain anything. Bo Xianyue would naturally know she had not done it deliberately.
“What are you looking at me for? I-I didn’t do it on purpose.” After tremblingly gathering her scattered soul, Jin Yue “righteously” defended herself to Bo Xianyue.
Expressionless, Bo Xianyue ignored Jin Yue’s stammering explanation and reminded her coldly, “Move it.”
Only then did Jin Yue realize that she was still holding Bo Xianyue tightly. She immediately withdrew her leg and swiftly removed it from atop Bo Xianyue’s legs.
“Your arm.” Bo Xianyue lowered her eyes and turned her attention to Jin Yue’s arm lying across her.
The bitten wrist still ached faintly. Jin Yue swiftly pulled her hand away, even daring to add, “As if I wanted to hold you.”
To prove that she truly did not care, Jin Yue promptly climbed out of bed, gathered the wrinkled skirt around herself, and left the room without the slightest reluctance.
Yet just as she was about to leave, the coward stopped in her tracks. Summoning her courage, she solemnly informed Bo Xianyue, “Let me make this clear. I didn’t do anything to you last night.”
At last, Bo Xianyue’s gaze changed for a moment.
Lying on her side, she propped half her body up with one arm and scrutinized her Alpha wife.
Ever since their first meeting in Shencheng, Jin Yue had never once treated her pleasantly.
After what happened last night, this useless spoiled heir had surprisingly neither flown into a rage out of humiliation nor driven her from the room.
Her temper was uncharacteristically good.
If merely having their marriage become an established fact was enough to stop Jin Yue from despising and tormenting a cripple like her, then that was nothing like the young heiress’s usual temperament.
What was this Alpha planning now?
What was she planning?
Naturally, she planned to play the role of Bo Xianyue’s wife properly, complete her mission of helping Bo Xianyue seize power, and achieve financial freedom.
The instant Jin Yue left the room, her footsteps became lighter and her breathing smoother.
She headed straight downstairs to the dining room, intending to fill her frightened little heart with food while denouncing the system.
[Host, I didn’t deliberately lose contact with you. To protect the host’s privacy, the system automatically disconnects whenever that kind of scene occurs.] The little ball floated beside Jin Yue, explaining its sudden disappearance the previous night.
[Oh, how considerate of you.] Jin Yue took a vicious bite of her sandwich.
[Of course. We systems do not remain stuck in our old ways. We continuously learn from experience and evolve.] The little ball shook itself proudly.
Seeing the blue specks of light shaken from the ball about to land on the sandwich in her hand, Jin Yue blew them away. [Then did you ever consider that I’ve only just arrived and have no idea what highly unstable phero… What was it again?]
[Highly unstable pheromones and an atypical heat,] the system supplied.
[Right. What does that mean?] Jin Yue asked in confusion.
[In simple terms, yesterday was not Bo Xianyue’s natural heat. She entered heat because she had taken some kind of heat-inducing drug.]
[She was drugged?] Jin Yue blurted out.
[That is not entirely accurate. We cannot rule out the possibility that Bo Xianyue took the drug herself.]
Jin Yue frowned at the system’s correction. [Bo Xianyue would have to be insane to take something like that herself.]
To prove that her judgment was correct, Jin Yue even raised her wrist. [If she took it willingly, why did she bite me?]
Although an S-class Alpha possessed exceptional healing abilities, Jin Yue’s body ultimately belonged to a pampered young heiress. A dark red scab clung to her wrist, surrounded by a miserable ring of redness and swelling that looked conspicuous and pitiful.
After examining it, the system seemed somewhat persuaded and did not contradict her.
Yet after persuading the system, Jin Yue began to doubt herself—
When she pulled Bo Xianyue into her arms last night, Bo Xianyue’s reaction had been far more extreme than when she had willingly pressed herself against Jin Yue’s lap.
It was almost as if everything Bo Xianyue had done before that had not resulted from losing control during her atypical heat. Instead, her actions had seemed controlled.
Jin Yue shuddered at her own thoughts.
She could not see through Bo Xianyue. Those pale blue eyes always held a trace of disgust, appearing somber and gloomy.
It seemed that if Bo Xianyue had truly taken the drug herself, as the system suggested, it would not be entirely surprising.
In truth, many things ceased to seem strange once they could be explained.
Thus, only a single explanation was needed to make sense of Bo Xianyue’s shift from taking the initiative to resisting last night.
An understandable explanation—one that was destined to make anyone’s heart ache for her.
Jin Yue lowered her gaze to the sandwich in her hand. The salmon was streaked with red and white, beautiful yet cruel, inevitably bringing to mind the image of someone reduced to fish on another person’s chopping block.
Bo Xianyue truly was pitiful. What kind of wolves and jackals surrounded her?
She had barely escaped from the people who wanted her dead and probably thought she could finally catch her breath, only to discover that her marriage partner was another piece of trash.
She had struggled through the wedding, only to be drugged and forced to expose herself in such a wretched state.
Sunlight scattered across the room like someone’s wavering thoughts.
Jin Yue’s mind wandered from the newly arranged flowers in the vase to the scent of Himalayan poppies that had filled her nose last night, then from the candlestick on the table to the woman who had sat upon her lap.
The wedding decorations in the old residence had not yet been completely removed, and their red color made Jin Yue’s ears feel slightly hot.
She hurriedly lowered her head and forced herself to stop thinking about such nonsense. She needed to think more about how Bo Xianyue had bitten her.
Jin Yue, you do not want to be pushed from a cliff and die miserably in the sea one day, do you?
At that thought, Jin Yue shuddered.
[Buzz.]
[?]
Jin Yue did not understand why the system had vibrated along with her shudder.
[Congratulations, Host. Achievement unlocked: Remaining Unmoved with Beauty in Your Arms on Your Wedding Night.] As it spoke, the system even set off a tiny celebratory firework inside Jin Yue’s head.
Jin Yue found this novel. [Is there a reward?]
[First, I must inform the host that not every achievement grants a reward.] The little ball conjured a pair of arms and crossed them solemnly. [Completing achievements awards points. Once you accumulate enough points, you can activate the reward system.]
[The system will present the host with three rewards from which to choose. There is a chance of obtaining a new body, a new identity, wealth, skill cards… We offer a rich variety of rewards and look forward to seeing what the host unlocks.]
[Wow. That’s quite motivating.] Jin Yue had not expected the bite she endured to be so valuable.
[Right? I think so too. Our Main God is incredibly clever.] The system sounded so smug that anyone unaware of the conversation might have thought Jin Yue had complimented it.
[Then how many points did I receive for this achievement?] Jin Yue asked.
[That is the second thing I wanted to tell you!] The little ball excitedly emitted a crystalline blue glow. [Host has accumulated ten points and may activate the reward system once!]
[What is it? What is it?] Jin Yue rubbed her hands together like a fly, brimming with anticipation.
[Ta-da!] The little ball opened the reward redemption page and displayed three rewards before Jin Yue.
Increase height by ten centimeters
Receive twelve months’ salary, deposited into the mission-taker’s private storage space
Words Become Law · Beginner
Looking at the three rewards, Jin Yue slowly narrowed her eyes.
Her current body was 170 centimeters tall, slightly taller than Bo Xianyue. She thought that was already enough.
Although the original was an ignorant, spoiled heir, she seemed to hold a nominal position at the group’s headquarters. A year’s salary should be considerable.
Moreover, once Jin Yue completed her mission and eventually left this place, she would need some money to support herself during the transition.
As for Words Become Law…
Jin Yue did not fully understand what those four words meant, so she reached out and tapped it—
[Reward three selected. It has been deposited into the host’s private storage space.] The system’s mechanical voice sounded. Reward three transformed into a streak of golden light and entered Jin Yue’s palm, while the reward page disappeared.
“?!!!”
Jin Yue immediately panicked and nearly jumped out of her chair. [No, no! Undo it! Take it back! I only wanted to see whether it had an information card explaining what it does!]
[Host, tapping means selecting. Didn’t you see that line of text?] The system facepalmed.
[Who would pay attention to that?] Jin Yue wanted to cry. She was the kind of person who never voluntarily read the instruction manual after buying an appliance.
[Host, since you have already chosen this reward, would you like me to explain the card? It is actually quite useful.] The system attempted to comfort her.
[How useful could it possibly be?] Jin Yue held little hope.
[This card can make something the host says come true,] the system declared solemnly.
Jin Yue’s eyes lit up.
[However, it can only be used once. If what you say exceeds the range of what can be realized, it will not come true, and the card will still become invalid.]
The light in Jin Yue’s eyes went out.
As expected, a beginner-level reward could not be particularly powerful.
At most, her Words Become Law card would allow her to look at someone she disliked and say, “Knock out your front teeth,” and then that person would actually knock out their front teeth.
…That might still be useful.
If anyone bullied her or Bo Xianyue, she could use this trick.
It was somewhat underhanded, but it would certainly feel satisfying.
“Hehehe.” With that thought, Jin Yue held her sandwich and began laughing like a fool.
[Would Host like to view the achievement list and prepare for the next reward redemption?] The system quietly poked its head out from behind the sandwich.
[Sure.] Jin Yue was curious about what achievements this mission game offered.
The system had arranged numerous achievement missions for Jin Yue. She could not reach the end even after swiping down with one finger.
There was the first time holding hands, the first kiss, the first marking, the first heart-to-heart conversation, the first tear, escaping death, emerging unscathed from danger, risking one’s life without regard for death…
Jin Yue’s frown deepened, and she nearly lost all motivation.
—Almost every achievement had the words “Bo Xianyue” attached to it. There were very few that allowed Jin Yue to act freely.
[Why are they all related to Bo Xianyue?] Jin Yue protested loudly.
[Because you are Bo Xianyue’s wife!] the system emphasized just as loudly.
Jin Yue fell silent and lowered her head, viciously tearing into the sandwich in her hand.
Her wife.
She did not even have the courage to speak to her right now.
“Nannan, why did you come to eat alone? Where is Xianxian?”
Just as Jin Yue lamented her situation, an elderly but powerful voice came from behind her.
Jin Yue turned and saw Jin Shengnian leisurely pulling out the chair at the head of the dining table. Her loose, casual house clothes could not conceal her distinguished bearing.
Xianxian was Bo Xianyue’s childhood nickname. Jin Yue swallowed the food in her mouth before carelessly telling Jin Shengnian, “She’s upstairs, of course. She was awake when I came down. I don’t know what she’s doing now.”
Seeing Jin Yue’s attitude, Jin Shengnian immediately became displeased. “You bullied her again, didn’t you?”
Jin Yue truly felt wronged. “Grandma, do you think your granddaughter is some kind of tyrant?”
“More or less.” Jin Shengnian showed her no mercy and ordered, “Go ask Xianxian to come down and have breakfast with us.”
Jin Yue pouted and appeared unwilling, but she obediently stood.
She knew that Grandma was trying to help improve her relationship with Bo Xianyue.
Even though this was an arranged marriage, Grandma still hoped her granddaughter and granddaughter-in-law could live harmoniously. After she was gone, she wanted her granddaughter to have someone who would treat her well.
To make herself appear as reluctant and slow as the spoiled heir, Jin Yue deliberately avoided the elevator and climbed the winding staircase one step at a time.
Her slippers struck the wooden floor with one dissatisfied tap after another, but the person inside the room did not hear her.
“…That woman surnamed Wang climbed into your father’s bed and became his third wife using those filthy tricks. It wasn’t enough for her to use them herself—even you… The way she talked about it when I encountered her made me feel sick.”
From the other end of the phone, Bo Xianyue’s mother, Lan Yuyi, continued speaking, every sentence trembling with fury.
For complicated historical reasons, Lan Yuyi, an Omega, had traveled from Pengcheng to Hong Kong for work thirty years ago. There, she met Bo Mingzhi, an Alpha whose business had only recently begun to prosper. An older man deceiving a young woman always knew how to use sweet words. Only after he coaxed her into marrying him did she discover that he already had a family. Just like that, she became his second wife.
Whether it had ever been love, Lan Yuyi no longer knew. She was neither Bo Mingzhi’s first wife nor his last.
The third wife had nearly prevented Bo Xianyue from being born. The fourth wife caused Lan Yuyi to lose her fertility, and the younger sister Bo Xianyue never had the chance to meet died in her mother’s womb.
There was no end to the hatred. The humiliation sent by the third wife nearly drove Lan Yuyi mad.
Yet her furious tone eventually softened, becoming a gentle sentence: “Xianxian, Mama has wronged you…”
Bo Mingzhi had seven children. Bo Xianyue had stood out since childhood and was deeply favored by him. Before she even reached adulthood, he took her to the company with him, making it obvious that he intended for her to inherit the family’s main businesses.
The tallest tree in the forest is always the first to be battered by the wind.
Bo Xianyue raised her head and looked out the window. Shencheng’s scenery was entirely different from Hong Kong’s. The bleak autumn wind curled around her fingertips, leaving her with a sense of unfamiliarity.
“Mama, I’m fine. I’m no longer over there, so they can’t do anything to me.” Bo Xianyue spoke in Mandarin. Her pronunciation was standard, unlike someone who had lived in Hong Kong since childhood.
“You were discharged from the hospital today. From now on, you’ll be living in the old residence with the families of the first, third, and fourth wives. Remember to take care of yourself.”
Perhaps because her daughter had begun speaking Mandarin, Lan Yuyi also stopped using Cantonese. “Mama knows. Mama will take good care of herself, and I’ll do everything I can to help you.”
Yet in the end, Lan Yuyi always returned to the same subject. “Xianxian, promise Mama that you’ll behave yourself in the Jin family and make Miss Jin like you more, all right?”
Her mother’s voice was gentle, like a soft caress across Bo Xianyue’s face.
In a daze, Bo Xianyue returned to her childhood, when Lan Yuyi brought her to the Bo family’s ancient residence, a building weighed down by the dust of history. There, Lan Yuyi explained the rules and told her to behave.
What exactly did it mean to like someone?
In Mandarin, it was called xihuan.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
Bo Xianyue neither agreed with Lan Yuyi nor refused her.
During the silence, a knock sounded inside the room.
Bo Xianyue raised her eyes. Whether out of wariness or relief, she immediately ended her call with Lan Yuyi.
“Come in.” After briefly composing herself, Bo Xianyue gave permission.
Jin Yue pushed open the door, one hand braced against the handle as she leaned against it. “Grandma wants us to have breakfast together. Are you coming?”
“I’m not very hungry,” Bo Xianyue declined politely.
Her answer did not surprise Jin Yue.
If Jin Yue had been placed in an unfamiliar environment and asked to eat with the spoiled heir who constantly mocked her, she would have lost her appetite too.
But when Jin Yue looked at Bo Xianyue seated in the wheelchair, she remembered how it felt to carry her the previous night.
The Omega was as light as a trailing jasmine blossom, as if even a passing breeze could carry her away.
Thus, the young heiress was overcome with benevolence and attempted to persuade her. “Bo Xianyue, you drank my blood last night. Don’t you still have a metallic taste in your mouth? Why not eat something to get rid of it?”
Her barbed words were naturally unpleasant to hear. Bo Xianyue frowned and refused even more coldly. “No.”
Then again, how could the young heiress possibly persuade anyone while speaking like that?
Jin Yue’s head ached. She truly did not know how she could help Bo Xianyue and complete her achievement missions without breaking character.
“Perfect. If you’re not coming down, all the salmon downstairs belongs to me.”
“The housekeeper said it was just caught at sea this morning. It’s fresh and warm… I mean, still ice-cold.”
Although she claimed to be leaving, Jin Yue continued muttering as she walked, moving at an extraordinarily slow pace.
Before departing, she deliberately left Bo Xianyue’s door open, waiting for her to change her mind.
But Bo Xianyue continued ignoring her.
Once Jin Yue was certain her figure had disappeared from the bedroom doorway, her expectant heart sank.
…She was not an Alaskan brown bear. Why would she need to eat that much salmon?
“Jin Yue.”
Bo Xianyue’s Mandarin was clear and precise, instantly piercing through Jin Yue’s complaint.
The Alaskan brown bear waiting beside its waterfall had finally received the salmon swimming upstream toward her, its tail striking the cold water as its voice rang clear.
“Come back.”
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