Giving You Dawn and Dusk - Chapter 4

“No.” Liang Shi subconsciously refuted: “I won’t divorce you.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Liang Shi was astonished.

This wasn’t what she intended.

At this point, divorce was the best option for Xu Qingzhu.

As Haizhou’s Number One Omega, she still had a great life ahead of her and could meet many better Alphas than Liang Shi. Someone out there would surely not mind that she had been married and would treat her well forever.

But Liang Shi then said, “As long as I’m alive, I will not divorce you.”

Liang Shi’s eyebrows knitted into a tight knot. She fiercely clutched her chest, the pain forcing her to take half a step back. A large bead of sweat rolled down her forehead, and her face instantly turned pale.

It was as if someone were controlling her body.

Or perhaps the original host’s consciousness had not completely disappeared, and on the matter of divorcing Xu Qingzhu, her attitude was resolute.

“What’s the point?” Xu Qingzhu curled her lips, sneering. “You don’t truly love me anyway.”

“I’m sorry…” Liang Shi realized she couldn’t stop the original host’s consciousness from speaking, so she frowned and apologized, “I have something to deal with right now. We can discuss this later.”

After speaking, she fled the room in confusion.

Bai Weiwei and Zhao Xuning, standing outside the door, stared at her retreating figure blankly.

“Liang Shi seems…” Zhao Xuning frowned slightly and pondered for a moment, saying, “Different from before.”

“Isn’t she always like this? She tucks her tail between her legs after bullying Bamboo and is extra nice to her.” Bai Weiwei rolled her eyes in the direction Liang Shi had left. “Bamboo will definitely divorce her this time.”

“She won’t be able to,” Zhao Xuning said calmly.

Bai Weiwei looked up. “Why not?”

Zhao Xuning merely shook her head and walked into the room to check on Xu Qingzhu’s condition.

After leaving the room, Liang Shi went to the self-service vending machine downstairs and bought a bottle of water.

The ice water sliding down her throat finally allowed her to calm down.

She sat in the hospital lobby in her gown. People coming and going couldn’t help but look at her, achieving a 100% turn-back rate.

But Liang Shi didn’t feel it.

She had long been accustomed to standing in the spotlight and could handle the lenses of millions of photographers and paparazzi, so she certainly wasn’t afraid of a few passersby’s stares.

What truly depressed and frustrated her was the residual consciousness of the original host.

It said she would never divorce Xu Qingzhu, even if she died.

But if she didn’t divorce now, what should she do?

She could try to explain to Xu Qingzhu: I’m not the old Liang Shi; I’ve changed; I’ll be good to you. The original host had probably said these things more than once. Just the few flashback memories were enough to prove how poorly the original host had treated Xu Qingzhu before.

They had been married for four months, and Liang Shi had openly and secretly thrown tantrums many times because Xu Qingzhu wouldn’t let her mark her.

Parties like last night were held in the villa more than once.

Because the original host was angry, she never allowed the servants to intervene, making Xu Qingzhu do all the cleaning.

Xu Qingzhu probably felt some guilt, so she silently complied every time.

Liang Shi felt like she was currently at an impasse.

【Analysis: The host’s body contains unresolved resentment, requiring one hundred points of Luck Value to fully unlock the right to use this body.】

A cold, mechanical voice emerged in Liang Shi’s mind, making her shiver.

She thought transmigrating into a book was bizarre enough; she didn’t expect a System as well.

Feigning calmness, she took a sip of ice water and asked in her mind, “Who are you?”

【This is the Resentment Management Bureau, responsible for calming the resentment of those near death. However, sensing your illegal occupation of another’s body, we have determined a course of action for you.】

“Then why don’t you let her come back?”

The System was silent for three seconds, then replied with a strange tone: 【She is simply too much of a Scum.】

Liang Shi: “…”

“What is Luck Value?” Liang Shi asked.

【The Favorable Impression gained by Conquering a Lucky Target is what we call Luck Value. Here, the Lucky Target is Xu Qingzhu. After gaining her goodwill, trust, and adoration, and achieving one hundred Luck Value points, your original body will be transported here, completely replacing the original host.】

“And the original host?”

The System went silent again.

After a moment, it still used that strange voice: 【Sending her back to her Happy Home.】

Liang Shi: “…”

“What about my original body?”

【It is currently in a coma and has been classified as being in a vegetative state. If your body is transported here, the memories of everyone there will be erased; no one will remember you.】

Liang Shi pressed her lips together, a wave of sadness washing over her. “So it’s as if I never existed there?”

【Approximately so. However, you can also choose not to have your body transported here. You only need to reach 80 Luck Value points to completely replace the original host.】

“What if I want to go back?” Liang Shi asked calmly.

This time, the System was silent for even longer than usual. After the silence, it spoke in a strange, comforting tone: 【Perhaps you would like to view a video clip?】

Liang Shi nodded, and a scene unfolded in her mind.

It was a montage of comments accompanying the trending search term #LiangShiVegetativeState#.

[This kind of person is better off dead.]

[Why is she just a vegetable? She should just die.]

[I heard she’s an orphan and an uneducated drop-out, a societal blight.]

[Speechless. No wonder she’s always trashy.]

[…]

Thousands of messages were all cursing her. The scene then switched to a hospital room.

Her agent, Sister Wang, sighed helplessly. “That’s it then. Publish the statement announcing her retirement from the industry.”

Liang Shi’s heart felt weighed down by a massive stone, making it hard for her to breathe.

It turned out she had always been a burden.

“I’ve made my decision,” Liang Shi said. “I want to stay here.”

【Understood.】

“How do I gain Luck Value? Be specific.” Liang Shi asked.

【…Whatever you deem appropriate.】

Liang Shi: “?”

【Emotional matters are outside the scope of this Bureau’s operations. However, the original host will be temporarily detained for three months. If you fail to acquire 80 Luck Value points within three months, you will vanish as a penalty for disturbing the spatial order.】

Liang Shi: “…”

It’s a System, yet it’s full of pitfalls everywhere!

“Will I receive notifications when I gain Luck Value? Like a ‘+1’ or ‘-1’?”

【No. You will receive a reminder every 20 points.】

After a pause, the mechanical voice added: 【We are very busy.】

Liang Shi: “…”

Soon, she felt a strange power surge into her body, an inexplicable lightness.

She called out to the System again, but there was no response.

Liang Shi had always been a person who adapted easily to circumstances. Faced with such a major change, she only spaced out for a short while, then went for a walk. It was her habit to walk and think.

While strolling, she saw large, fresh strawberries being sold on the street and bought some.

Carrying them back to the hospital, she tried to recall what the original host had done to Xu Qingzhu, but she couldn’t remember anything specific.

She could only take things one step at a time.

As she approached the hospital entrance, her phone vibrated. She took it out to look.

It was from an unknown number.

【Coming tonight? I’ve got a foreign chick.】

【We agreed, bring Xu Qingzhu with you.】

【Swap for a day or a week?】

Liang Shi: “…”

Damn it!

She knew the original host was trashy, but she hadn’t realized she was this trashy.

She was even involved in wife-swapping?

Liang Shi took a deep breath and immediately blocked the person.

She then casually tied her hair up with the rubber band on her wrist. In the elevator, she suddenly changed floors and went directly to the tenth floor.

She needed to be direct and clear with Xu Qingzhu.

She was different from the old Liang Shi!

A few minutes later, Liang Shi stood outside Xu Qingzhu’s room and knocked gently.

A cold voice replied, “Come in.”

It seemed Bai Weiwei and Zhao Xuning had already left.

Liang Shi pushed the door open.

In the empty, quiet room, Xu Qingzhu sat on the bed in her hospital gown. Sunlight illuminated her face, making her look very fragile and easily inspiring a protective instinct.

Liang Shi clutched the plastic bag, which made a crinkling sound.

She gently closed the door and said softly, “Xu Qingzhu, I have something to tell you.”

Unexpectedly, Xu Qingzhu’s expression changed instantly when she saw the things in Liang Shi’s hand, and she immediately pressed the emergency button by the bedside.

Quickly, hurried footsteps were heard outside the door.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Liang Shi hurriedly explained. “I really have changed. Can you believe me this once? I truly am different from before.”

“I will be very good to you,” Liang Shi said. “Give me another chance. I won’t let you…”

Before the word “disappointed” could be spoken, the door was shoved open violently.

Zhao Xuning’s white coat was unbuttoned, and she was panting heavily. Seeing the strawberries in Liang Shi’s hand, she instantly erupted in anger. “You dare to bring her this again?!”

Liang Shi looked completely confused. “…”

“Last time you gave her strawberries injected with an aphrodisiac, causing her heat to come early, and she almost died! Now you’re doing it again?!” Zhao Xuning said, punching at Liang Shi, but Liang Shi instinctively dodged.

She had trained in Sanda and Muay Thai before, so her physical fitness was good.

But hearing what Zhao Xuning said left her with a complicated mix of feelings.

A line from a song suddenly came to mind: “Building a city-state on the ruins.”

She was now the person who had to build a city-state on the ruins, and without an excavator, at that.

She held up the strawberries and explained, “These are just regular strawberries I bought downstairs. Nothing has been injected into them. If you don’t believe me, I’ll eat one for you to see.”

She picked one up to eat, but Xu Qingzhu on the bed suddenly screamed.

It was a final, piteous, and shrill wail.

Zhao Xuning was startled and immediately shouted outside the room, “Go find Dr. Gu! The patient is having a PTSD episode!”