Chapter 37.1
“So, System, if you want me to use this mind-reading skill, just say so. Why hide behind all these childish gimmicks?”
Ye Xingran couldn’t help but complain when she saw those two ridiculous options.
But then again, limited-time mind-reading… is it actually useful?
Could she read the Auntie’s thoughts? She felt that was unlikely.
Wei Xuejin’s mind was far too difficult to fathom; perhaps she didn’t even know what she was going to do in the next second.
[So, does the Host want to use it or not?] the System asked again.
“Can I even refuse? I have to use it.” Ye Xingran was curious, though. “How long does ‘limited-time’ mean?”
She was already used to the System throwing various “cheat codes” at her, but this one seemed a bit special.
Mind-reading! Who wouldn’t want that? It sounded incredibly fun.
[One night should be no problem at all~ Also, Host, your task of saying 10 sweet lines to the Auntie and getting her to say one back is finished! You’ve gained 1,000 points! Once your points are sufficient, you can open the shop!]
[Right now, the total points aren’t quite enough.]
“Alright,” Ye Xingran replied. “One more question: once I use the mind-reading skill, will I hear everyone’s thoughts? Won’t that be incredibly noisy?”
[This mind-reading is just a trial version; it can’t reach that far. You can only hear the thoughts of people within a 1-to-2-meter radius. Furthermore, you won’t hear the thoughts of insignificant side characters who have nothing to do with the plot. You can rest easy.]
“Good. You AI are actually quite considerate,” Ye Xingran couldn’t help but remark.
—”Eating? Eating is great! Eating is wonderful~ I’ve been hungry for ages too~ But President Wei doesn’t seem to eat at night… what should we do about that?”
In the next second, Ye Xingran indeed activated the limited-time mind-reading skill. However, she didn’t hear Wei Xuejin’s inner thoughts; instead, she heard the thoughts of Gu Yun, who was in the front of the car.
And the System was truly “humanized”—whatever Gu Yun thought automatically appeared in a large bubble above her head with the words inside. It was quite cute.
Wei Xuejin doesn’t eat dinner? This… how can she endure that? She’s so busy every day with such a heavy workload; how is that possible?
Ye Xingran was the type of person who insisted on eating three meals a day. After all, painting was physically exhausting. She even kept candies on her person so she could supplement her energy as soon as she felt hungry.
Right now, she was truly starving. She and Wei Xinzhu had received the news around five o’clock; nearly three hours had passed, and it was almost eight, yet she hadn’t had dinner… she was reaching her limit.
“Auntie, do you want a candy?” Ye Xingran took a bag of candies out of her backpack. She ate one first, and the flavor spreading across her palate improved her mood instantly. She let out a long breath and looked with sparkling eyes at Wei Xuejin sitting beside her.
—”I don’t really want one, but if I don’t eat it, will she be unhappy?”
Wow, Ye Xingran really could hear her thoughts. Looking at the faintly glowing bubble above her head, she found it truly fascinating.
However, she noticed that the bubble above Gu Yun’s head was light blue, while Wei Xuejin’s was transparent and colorless, which felt inexplicably sad.
“Auntie, won’t you have one? They’re delicious~ Not just average delicious~” Ye Xingran was in the mood to coax her, mostly because she felt Wei Xuejin might be a bit sad.
Who wants to be called a monster? Who wants to be an outlier? Who doesn’t want to be a normal person? Wei Xiwen’s words were foul, and his group of friends had even dared to harbor designs on her. Just thinking about it made her blood boil.
Ye Xingran couldn’t tolerate it.
Though teaching them a lesson could vent her anger, she still felt sorry for the Auntie; she wasn’t accepted by the world.
As a “stupid villain,” Ye Xingran couldn’t do much for her, but she could do her best to cheer her up.
“How delicious are they?” Wei Xuejin seemed swayed. She turned her head slightly to look at her, and meeting those eyes that were brighter than stars, she felt an inexplicable stir.
“These are candies I made myself. All natural, no additives, not too sweet… Au—”
—”If it were the candy in your mouth, perhaps it would be worth tasting.”
Cough… did it have to be this stimulating? Ye Xingran was startled by the blatant, undisguised thought in her mind. In reality, the Omega had already slightly tilted her chin up and leaned in close. Those dark phoenix eyes landed on her slightly parted lips, seemingly considering how to proceed with the tasting.
Ye Xingran’s heart raced. It was too close—so close she could smell the cold, cedar-like Omega pheromones mixed with the sweet scent of candy. It was like a brewed wine, making her feel slightly intoxicated.
Ye Xingran didn’t wait for her to lean in. She directly took the initiative, brushing against the corner of the woman’s lips, leaving behind a bit of shimmer and the sweet scent of osmanthus candy.
It was the last of the osmanthus flowers; they couldn’t go to waste.
“Auntie, do you like it?” Ye Xingran breathed out, a smile still in her eyes.
“…What flavor is this?” Wei Xuejin pursed her lips, tasting carefully, but she still couldn’t figure out what it was.
She had to ask.
“It’s osmanthus-flavored candy. Have you never had it?” Ye Xingran asked curiously.
“First time tasting it.” After eating it, it was gone. She stared at Ye Xingran with undisguised desire, and her expression could be summarized in those few words.
She carried a hint of childish innocence, a complete contrast to the person who had been strategizing and controlling everything at the club just now.
Ye Xingran couldn’t help but laugh. She took out a candy but didn’t put it in the woman’s hand immediately. Instead, she said mischievously, “If Auntie wants to eat, you have to promise me one thing.”
“Okay.”
As she spoke, Wei Xuejin held the back of Ye Xingran’s head and leaned in to kiss her, preventing her from saying anything more.
“Eh… you… mmm… wait…”
She hadn’t even said what the thing was! And she didn’t mean it that way at all! She didn’t mean for her to eat the candy from her mouth, okay?! Why was she stealing her candy!
—”Xingran is good in every way, except she’s a bit of a killjoy… and stingy. Clearly the candy in her mouth is sweeter… but she doesn’t want to give it to me.”
Ye Xingran: “…”
She never expected Wei Xuejin to have such a thought. How was she… a killjoy? How was she stingy? It’s your thoughts that are too bizarre!
[Host, don’t overthink it. The more you think, the angrier you’ll get, hahahaha~ Clearly the Auntie’s kiss is also very sweet~ just accept it~]
Ye Xingran: “…”
“Scumbag System, are you watching the entire time the Auntie and I are kissing?” Her tone was beyond description.
[Am I not allowed to watch?]
“…Get. Out.”
Even Gu Yun knew to raise the partition in the back to avoid seeing what shouldn’t be seen. You, a system, are shamelessly watching them kiss! Aren’t you afraid of frying your CPU?
However, Ye Xingran soon had no time for idle thoughts. Wei Xuejin, sensing her distraction, bit her lip slightly to bring her back. She frowned slightly: “Your kissing technique is already poor enough. If you’re also distracted… you’ll say I’m bullying you again later.”
Ye Xingran: “…” My. Kissing. Technique. Is. Poor?
“Then how many Alphas did Auntie experiment with to get so good?” she said, her face flushing red, her chest heaving with indignation.
Being so close, Wei Xuejin naturally felt her emotions. Especially the fluffy creature on her shoulder, which was stomping its feet in rage, pouting, and somehow producing a giant rocket bamboo shoot to eat aggressively. This visible sign of unhappiness let her know the girl was not pleased.
But… she wasn’t wrong. The little Alpha’s kissing technique really wasn’t very good.
Wei Xuejin felt a bit lost. She didn’t know how to coax people, so she could only clumsily stroke her back: “It’s fine. I don’t mind.”
Ye Xingran: “…” qvq~ She wanted to cry; she was even more upset.
After a moment, the Omega spoke against her conscience: “Xingran, I was wrong just now. Your kissing technique is actually very good, just a tiny bit worse than mine…”
The end of the sentence vanished into the air. Ye Xingran didn’t give her another chance to finish. She cupped her face and kissed her again. This time, she ate another candy. The osmanthus fragrance in her mouth was even more intense. She also sneakily added some pheromones; the faint scent of amber coiling within always brought to mind a full moon sliced by tree shadows in the forest.
There was a sense of quiet mystery.
Finally, Ye Xingran stopped only when Wei Xuejin was nearly out of breath. the candy in her mouth had been completely split between them. Ye Xingran’s face was flushed, her doe-like eyes misty, and her breathing was rapid. Anyone looking would think she had been ruthlessly bullied.
Wei Xuejin wasn’t much better. The little Alpha’s pheromones had a strong aftereffect; she seemed unable to hold up. Her lips were slightly swollen. She looked at her with hazy eyes and suddenly reached out to poke the girl’s dimple, asking in confusion: “There clearly isn’t any wine in here, so why am I drunk?”
“That’s because my kissing technique is too good,” Ye Xingran said almost without thinking, possessed by a sudden competitive streak.
Wei Xuejin laughed at her childish words: “Perhaps… I should find another Alpha to try so I can know if what you’re saying is true.”
“…Try what?” Ye Xingran was a bit dazed.
“Didn’t you just ask how many Alphas I experimented with? Actually, I didn’t. I only have you.”
Wei Xuejin seemed truly a bit intoxicated, but her eyes were clear and her voice was calm. “Xingran, don’t be afraid of me. Otherwise, I… won’t be able to taste anything anymore.”
As she spoke, she seemed exhausted. She slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep on Ye Xingran’s shoulder, her sleeping face peaceful.
Ye Xingran watched her quietly. Looking closely, she could see dark circles under her eyes, and they were quite severe.
Gu Yun had mentioned that Wei Xuejin suffered from insomnia. Though she hadn’t used the word “constantly,” Ye Xingran guessed her sleep quality must be very poor.
Maybe having a peaceful sleep now was a good thing?
But… was her kiss really that hypnotic? Falling asleep as soon as they kissed…
“System, did that ‘ABO Wild Guide’ you mentioned before have a section on how to kiss?” Ye Xingran suddenly asked.
[Yes! Of course! Host, which kind do you want to learn? French kissing, ice-and-fire kissing, tongue-twining kissing, or which one?]
As soon as she asked, the System whipped out a thick book and spread it before her for a close look.
This wasn’t an ordinary book; it was a holographic projection book that featured figures demonstrating in the air as soon as it was opened. Seeing dozens of types of kisses presented before her, even though they were silent, made her feel a bit suffocated.
Are you artificial intelligences always this explicit?
“…Just something simple is fine.” She felt a bit unwell.
[These are the simplest ones. For instance, what the Auntie used just now was the tongue-twining kiss. Didn’t it feel great? I…]
“It. Did. Not. Feel. Great. At. All.” Ye Xingran was nearly exploding with embarrassment.
[Uh, well… next time how about I give you a limited-time ‘Passionate Kiss’ skill? The kind that will leave the Auntie unable to stop?]
[Host, don’t feel ashamed. After all, there’s no end to learning. I have high hopes for you! Mastering 108 kissing techniques will guarantee you become the most popular Alpha!]
Ye Xingran: “…Then I truly thank you.”
System: [You’re welcome!]
“…”
In the end, Wei Xuejin slept nearly the whole way home. During her light slumber, she could feel the car stop for a while. The little Alpha beside her seemed to want to get out, but she instinctively grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving.
The little Alpha seemed helpless but indulgent: “I know Auntie can’t bear to be apart from me, but I have to go buy groceries to cook for you.”
This sentence was actually a light tease. If she had been fully awake, she might have argued back, but right now she was too tired. Though it was a light sleep, she couldn’t overcome her physical reaction. Without being able to say a word, she fell asleep again.
By the time they arrived back at her home, she heard the voices of her Special Assistant and the little Alpha talking in a blur, their tones carrying a hint of sentiment and gratitude.
Come to think of it, it seemed the people around her didn’t really treat her like an abnormal person and worked for her with all their heart.
Perhaps it was because she paid them a lot.
Who knows?
“Miss Ye, did you coax our boss to sleep?” Gu Yun looked at the peaceful sleeping face of Wei Xuejin and truly couldn’t help but marvel.
“Uh, strictly speaking, you can’t say I ‘coaxed’ her.” Ye Xingran refused to admit it! She absolutely wouldn’t admit her pheromones were too hypnotic, otherwise her performance as an Alpha would be too much of a failure.
[Host, you’re a late-bloomer Alpha. It’s normal if you can’t do many things well yet, so don’t worry~ Just study that ‘ABO Wild Guide’ I gave you and use it fluently, and you’ll be a qualified Alpha! Trust me~]
The System took this opportunity to push its wares again.
Ye Xingran: “…”
“Miss Ye, there’s no need to be so humble.” Gu Yun seemed convinced that Ye Xingran was just being modest and not taking credit. “Miss Ye, what you don’t know is that our boss has very severe insomnia.”
Gu Yun seemed determined to reveal some of Wei Xuejin’s secrets: “I’ve been with the boss for five years. When her insomnia was at its worst, she would suddenly have me come over to the villa at 3:00 AM while everyone else was sound asleep to hold a meeting and tell me to book flights to other branch offices to purge them.”
“I thought it was an emergency at the time, but while things were indeed a bit urgent over there, they weren’t so urgent as to require flying out at 3:00 AM.”
“Later I realized our boss simply has no concept of time…”
“Miss Ye, what kind of person works endlessly and has no concept of time? When I say ‘no concept of time,’ I don’t mean she’s the type to be late. I mean… she stays awake and vigilant without rest…”
As Gu Yun spoke, she seemed to feel sorry for her boss, and her eyes reddened slightly. “Later… Miss Gao Yiwen from the Gao family saw something was wrong and forced her to see a doctor. Only then did it improve slightly.”
“But the situation isn’t actually that much better. Our boss still can’t sleep through the night. Occasionally she falls asleep…”
At this point, Gu Yun sighed and didn’t continue. she looked back at Ye Xingran: “So, I am truly grateful to you.”
Ye Xingran was very surprised to hear that such things were happening. “But… the Auntie seemed to sleep quite well last night?”
Although she wasn’t in the same room the whole time, Wei Xuejin was still sound asleep when she left to rest. When she woke up the next morning, the woman seemed to be in good spirits and even had the mind to let her touch her abs.
How could her… sleep quality be so poor that she couldn’t sleep?
“That’s because that person was you.” As Wei Xuejin’s Special Assistant, Gu Yun naturally knew Wei Xuejin better than anyone else, and she naturally knew what the situation was.
“Let’s put it this way, Miss Ye. In all these years, except for the boss’s close friends, who else can get near her? It’s simply impossible. Our boss doesn’t have the patience to deal with them.”
Gu Yun realized Ye Xingran didn’t seem to know how unique she was, but she didn’t want to say more. Hinting was enough; it would be better to let her discover it for herself.
“Is that so…” Ye Xingran was a bit stunned, unable to quite process it. “Then, is it also true that your boss doesn’t eat dinner?”
“It’s true.”
At this point, the bubble above Gu Yun’s head showed a long string of delicious foods. It was clear she was very hungry.
Ye Xingran felt it was a bit unkind to keep her there talking. “I’m going to make noodles in a bit. Would Special Assistant Gu like some? Although they definitely won’t be as good as delicacies.”
“…May I?” Gu Yun’s eyes lit up. She had researched Ye Xingran and knew she had suddenly fallen out of favor at home and often had to be self-reliant. After she occasionally got obsessed with cooking, she started updating her videos. They were actually quite popular.
Every time she watched the girl’s food videos, she got hungry.
If there was a chance to eat it for real this time, she would be very happy.
“Of course. You’ve all worked hard today, though I’m not really in a position to say that.” As Ye Xingran spoke, she carefully picked up Wei Xuejin. She didn’t know if it was true that a person could go without sleep for a long time; she only knew that Wei Xuejin looked truly exhausted.
It was just that her makeup hid her fatigue well.
Furthermore, because she was beautiful, that fatigue didn’t look haggard on her face. Instead, it became a lazy, delicate languor—a presence that invited pity.
Looking at her, Ye Xingran instinctively wanted to be a bit better to her.
“Sleep well, Auntie.”
[Heartbeat biu-biu-biu~ Congratulations, Host! Wei Xuejin Love Points +5!]
[Heartbeat biu-biu-biu~ Congratulations, Host! Wei Xuejin Love Points +5!]
[Heartbeat biu-biu-biu~ Congratulations, Host! Wei Xuejin Love Points +5!]
…
Ye Xingran had just put Wei Xuejin on the bed, covered her with a blanket, and adjusted the air conditioner. Before she could leave, she heard the System’s broadcast, increasing by 5-fold each time.
It truly felt like being hit by a bag of money!
Comfortable~
Refreshing~
Happy~
Ye Xingran sat by the bed and watched her for a long time. She couldn’t resist poking her face. “What kind of beautiful dream are you having? Or are you doing something shameful with me in your dream? Is that why you keep giving me Love Points?”
Meanwhile, other broadcasts rang out in her mind:
[Heartbeat biu-biu-biu~ Congratulations, Host! Wei Xinzhu favorability +5!]
[Heartbeat biu-biu-biu~ Congratulations, Host! He Anche favorability +6!]
[Heartbeat biu-biu-biu~ Congratulations, Host! Duan Yuening favorability +5!]
Ye Xingran: ??? What is it for this time???
She was getting used to it by now. She didn’t look into it further and instead went downstairs to make noodles for Wei Xuejin.
The original host did indeed run a food account. This food account was actually linked to her main account, but she mostly updated food videos. The food she made wasn’t too difficult; it mostly emphasized a “sense of atmosphere” and presentation.
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