16
I didnât understand what love was.
When I was seven, my mother told me she loved me, but then turned around and ran away.
When I was eight, my father told me he loved me, but then turned around and married someone else and had children.
When I was fourteen, I was always alone at school. A little boy came up to me, his face flushed, and said, "I like you. Please be with me."
But after I coldly rejected him, he ran off crying.
While running, he shouted that I was a heartless monster, deserving of being isolated.
As I grew older, I learned the ways of the world, and I also learned to read peopleâs expressions.
Everyone praised me for being cheerful and considerate.
But only I knew that my exterior and my inner self were completely disconnected.
No matter how passionate I appeared, my heart was always a stagnant pool.
Until the system found me and told me that my personality was perfect for completing missions.
By a twist of fate, I happened to meet Xie Huai Yan.
From that moment on, the still waters in my heart began to stir.
Xie Huai Yan, who had been more unfortunate than me since childhood, yet like his mother, still had the ability to love.
So many people came and went in my life.
But only he would show me, through his actions, that love does exist in this world.
It is without reason, and unwavering until death.
â¦
After returning home, Xie Huai Yan went to take a shower.
I sat on the bed, thinking for a long time, before finally tapping the system.
"System, I need to say something."
"What's wrong?"
I slowly lifted my head, my gaze firm.
"I want to give up on the original mission."
After all, Xie Huai Yan was sincere and devoted to me, while I had only approached him because of the mission.
I always felt it was unfair to him.
The system was stunned. "Host, are you serious?!"
It stammered, "If you give up on this mission, the reward of one hundred million yuan will be gone!"
I asked, "...Do I look like I need money that much right now?"
"Just kidding," the system said, sounding somewhat irritated. "Youâre my host. You should know better than I do what the consequences of abandoning the mission are."
I did know.
Abandoning the mission meant defying the predetermined storyline, and the price was never being able to return to the original world, forever trapped here.
Most people would find that hard to accept.
But I was different.
"There's nothing good about going back. I don't have any family or friends there, and nothing in particular that I would miss."
At this point, I raised my head and chuckled lightly.
"But here, I have my lover."
So it didnât matter if I couldnât get the system's reward.
Because my greatest reward had already appeared by my side.
Before I could finish speaking, I suddenly froze.
A smooth, firm arm wrapped tightly around my waist.
A manâs slightly hoarse voice came from behind, incredibly close.
"Baby, thank you."
My hand instantly clenched.
My mind went blank with nervousness. "â¦You knew?"
Xie Huai Yan buried his head in my neck, his voice muffled. "I knew a long time ago."
"From the day I heard that stupid system urging you to run away."
He knew that early!
I was shocked.
I had even come up with a brilliant excuse about an escape room, thinking I had fooled him.
But it turned out he had known all along, just didn't want to expose me.
I turned around in confusion and met his gaze.
"You knew I was lying to you all this time, why didn't you say anything?"
"Why should I say anything?" Xie Huai Yan countered. "You were enjoying yourself, I was enjoying myself, and we were both willing. Whatâs the point in exposing something that we both agreed on?"
I was speechless...
My voice gradually lowered, and a sense of guilt rose in my chest.
"But Iâve been lying to you, itâs so terrible..."
In the next moment, I felt a warm touch on my lips.
It was Xie Huai Yanâs long fingers, gently pressing against my lips, stopping me from speaking.
"Youâre not terrible at all. Even though you've gained wealth and status after transmigrating into this world, you've never harmed anyone. Youâre even willing to stay by the side of a bad person like me..."
He withdrew his fingers and kissed me under the dim light.
His voice was tender and sincere.
"You are a good person."
"You are my lover."
My heart skipped a beat, unable to control itself from these two sentences.
I couldnât help but wrap my arms around Xie Huai Yanâs neck, responding to his kiss, shy and awkward.
I whispered, "But Iâve bullied you so many times, I still feel a little guilty. What should I do..."
In the next moment, Xie Huai Yan wrapped his arms around my waist, pressing me against him.
The humid, suggestive air hit my face, making my cheeks flush, and his voice became even lower and hoarser.
"Since youâve bullied me so many times, let me bully you back just once."
"Don't be scared, baby. Just one night."