At first, Jiang Mi suspected that this man might be eyeing her, but she soon realized that he was unmistakably fixated on Song Juyao.
When Song Juyao went out to beg for alms, this man even approached her, asking for directions with a carefully disguised nonchalance. Song Juyao, who was completely unaware of his true intentions, innocently guided him and even helped him find his way. She was not afraid of death at all.
However, Jiang Mi kept the man's presence a secret from everyone. She couldn't help but wonder why he was so fixated on Song Juyao. If Song Juyao had been abducted by this pervert before the livestream began, how would the story unfold afterward?
To her surprise, this man's plans seemed excessively meticulous; he had been merely observing Song Juyao without making a move.
The days passed in a constant stream of work. A family of four of the fake daughter and a fiancé occasionally came over to do volunteer work.
There were always people coming to the orphanage to adopt the children, and because Song Juyao looked small and appeared both obedient and pitiful, there were people who wanted to adopt her. That's when Jiang Mi would step in, whispering bad words about these adults in Song Juyao's ear, persuading her to refuse adoption.
"Yaoyao, there's something strange about this couple. I feel like they're bad people. You should refuse."
"Yaoyao, if you get adopted, what will I do? Are you going to abandon me? Aren't we good friends?"
"Yaoyao, this couple already has a child. If you get adopted, it'll be awkward. You can't fight back if they bully you. They're a family of three, and you won't fit in..."
"Yaoyao, I advise you not to..."
"..."
When these adults saw that a child was strongly opposed to being adopted, they would not insist. After all, they wanted to adopt children to enjoy family happiness, not to create trouble for themselves.
Sometimes, when Song Juyao didn't cooperate, Jiang Mi would appear, standing next to her, making her look even skinnier and ugly. All the adults' attention would shift to Jiang Mi, and they would want to adopt her instead of Song Juyao.
Jiang Mi watched Song Juyao with a triumphant smile. In the first season, Song Juyao had shone brilliantly, but now, under her shadow, she seemed rather dull. At this moment, she and Jiang Baiqi seemed like a perfect match!
After all, Song Juyao's dazzling debut in the first season was only because there were few outstanding women around her. Ming Shu, in particular, was nothing special; she was just lucky enough to encounter a wealthy boss who made her shine. This season, Song Juyao wasn't going to have the same stroke of luck. She would be portrayed as a mere speck of dust, while the audience admired the radiance and beauty of Jiang Mi.
Song Juyao was so disappointed that she sat alone in a corner, wiping away her tears. Jiang Mi approached with candy and embraced her, saying, "See, wasn't I right? These adults don't genuinely want to adopt you. They easily compare you to other children and think others are better. These potential foster parents will keep judging you, thinking you're not as good as someone else's child. Am I right? Think about it carefully."
Jiang Mi's words made sense, and Song Juyao believed her. From then on, she listened to Jiang Mi and turned down several couples who wanted to adopt her.
Until today, when a couple appeared.
They looked elegant, the man refined and the woman gentle, like a perfect match. The man was reportedly a university professor, well-educated, while the woman was a yoga instructor with a fantastic figure. They had a good family background but had never had children. Because of being busy with work, they were looking for a mature and easy-to-raise child.
This meant that the older children at the orphanage, including those above eight years old who were increasingly difficult to adopt, now had a chance.
Excitedly, Jiang Mi pulled Song Juyao along, took out her prettiest skirt and put it on Song Juyao and braided two pigtails for her.
"Yaoyao, I think this couple is great! They're different from the others before. You need to behave well and try to impress them into adopting you!" Jiang Mi urged, holding Song Juyao's hand.
Song Juyao, lacking confidence, looked down at her fingers. "Really? But... they will also like you more, Mimi."
"Don't worry, I won't go out there," Jiang Mi assured her. "Even though I really like them and want to be adopted by them, it's rare to meet someone good, and I want to give that to my best friend!"
Jiang Mi, of course, had no intention of going out to be chosen. She wasn't stupid; she knew she was pretty and would easily catch someone's eye.
Song Juyao hesitated. "Mimi... you really like them, but you're willing to let them choose me?"
"Of course, I'm good, right?" Jiang Mi proudly lifted her head. "So, you must perform well and not let me down, okay? When they look at you later, remember to smile, okay?"
At that moment, the voice of the caretaker aunt echoed, "Children, come out quickly!"
"Hurry, go on," Jiang Mi excitedly pushed Song Juyao forward.
Jiang Mi had a sweet tongue and was well-liked by the caretaker aunts in the orphanage. They were quite fond of her. She had no intention of being selected, so naturally they won't force her to come out. After all, they didn't want their little sweetheart to be taken away.
Song Juyao joined the older children as they went outside and saw the couple.
She studied them, and judging by Jiang Mi's attitude, it was clear that according to the script of the show, she was supposed to be adopted by them. In other words, this family was her second level of hell. They seemed like well-educated intellectuals, but this family was going to be her second level of hell so it must be even more difficult than the orphanage.
The couple's eyes swept over the children one by one. When their gaze fell upon Song Juyao, the man's eyes hesitated.
To ensure that this man would choose Song Juyao, the programmers must have implanted something in this NPC's code. Perhaps, when he saw Song Juyao, he would feel something different to encourage him to select her.
"How is it?" the dean asked with a beaming smile.
The man continued to stare at Song Juyao for a moment, noticed that his wife didn't look too pleased, and said after some thought, "We need to think it over."
After the children had paraded in front of the couple and been inspected one by one, they waited in the backyard, nervously hoping to be the lucky one.
"How did it go? How did it go?" Jiang Mi immediately rushed over to ask Song Juyao.
Song Juyao replied, "They're still considering."
Jiang Mi was taken aback and became a little agitated. "Considering? What's there to consider? Yaoyao, you're so good; they should have chosen you at first sight!"
"No way... I'm dirty and ugly. Forget it, I don't want to leave you either." Song Juyao said, lowering her head.
Jiang Mi instantly understood. The couple hadn't actually chosen Song Juyao, probably because she was too underdeveloped now, she looked emaciated, resembling a skinny monkey. Even if someone had a preference for children, they might not be interested. It was a bit of a misstep from her side.
But they hadn't made a decision yet, which meant they were still unsure whom to select. Since this was the second level of hell orchestrated by the production team, the man must have been a little bit attracted to Song Juyao. So, at this moment, if Song Juyao volunteered herself, she would surely be chosen.
With this in mind, Jiang Mi urged Song Juyao to recommend herself. When Song Juyao hesitated, she became a little angry.
Seeing Jiang Mi genuinely upset, Song Juyao was bewildered and asked, "But Mimi, didn't you say you didn't want us to be separated? What will you do if I get adopted?"
Jiang Mi replied, "Before, I was afraid you'd be bullied if you got adopted and I wasn't around. But now, this uncle and auntie look really nice. It's your destiny! You see, life at the orphanage hasn't been great for you. I can at least get enough to eat. After you are adopted, why don’t you come back to see me often? Bring me something good to eat.”
Song Juyao: "But..."
Over these past few years of being together, Jiang Mi had taken the dominant position, and Song Juyao had become dependent on her, listening closely to her advice.
"Don't 'but' anymore. If it weren't for you, I'd go up there myself. Being adopted by them would be great! You'd get to read many books in the future and become as beautiful as that lady. They seem so kind and gentle," Jiang Mi urged, giving her a nudge. "You should be more proactive, go and tell them you want to be adopted."
Song Juyao took a few steps, turned back, and hesitated while looking at Jiang Mi. "Do you really think they're that good?"
Jiang Mi replied with certainty, "Of course! I gave up my chance for you. Go ahead, and we'll wait for good news."
"Okay... okay."
...
"Well, I'll leave you to talk it over. Take your time," the dean said and left the office, leaving the couple alone.
For every child that was adopted, the dean would receive a considerable amount of income, and anyway, there would be a steady stream of orphans coming in to squeeze him, and he didn't mind selling some of the children like goods. Therefore, he didn't bother to investigate the adopters; as long as they were wealthy, it was fine.
Once the dean left, the atmosphere between the couple, who appeared perfect together, turned strange. The gentle smile on the wife's face disappeared.
"What's wrong? Weren't you interested in one of them?" she said with a strange and somewhat sinister tone. Song Juyao's face popped up in her mind, jealousy burning in her heart. She couldn't believe she was losing to such a yellow faced stunted child who was all skin and bones.
The man appeared helpless. "I told you, there's no need for this."
"No need for this? Waiting for you to lay your hands on others..... and then one day, everything will come crashing down? You have no shame, but I do!" The wife grew agitated. "Today, pick one right here, take her if you like that one! Don't you dare keep an eye on anyone else out there! Do you hear me?"
"Alright, I understand. Don't be angry. When you're angry, you don't look good," the man said, hugging his wife. She immediately started to cry. How could she fall in love with this kind of pervert, but apart from this issue, he had been so good to her that she couldn't bear to leave him.
"Knock, knock, knock." The door was knocked gently.
Both of them, being guilty, were startled and their hearts racing. However, when they saw it was a child, they breathed a sigh of relief. The child probably couldn't sense anything amiss.
"Little one, do you need something?" The man bent down, smiling warmly at Song Juyao. This kid seemed to have some sort of charm, something that stirred his heart.
Song Juyao timidly looked at them. "Uncle, Auntie, I... I have something I want to talk to you about."
...
In the yard, Jiang Mi stood there with bated breath, thinking that once Song Juyao was taken away, she would immediately call her colleagues who were enjoying a life of luxury in wealthy families and ask them to arrange things.
Finally, she saw Song Juyao returning, accompanied by the couple and the dean. The moment Song Juyao spotted her, she beamed and waved enthusiastically.
Jiang Mi, seeing this, felt reassured. Song Juyao must have successfully recommended herself, which was why she looked so happy. Jiang Mi also grinned happily, waving back with a radiant smile.
Jiang Mi was favored in the orphanage due to her skills, and she dressed better than the other children. She wore a little dress brought from home by a caretaker, her hair neatly braided and her fair skin was glowing. She always paid attention to cleanliness, including brushing her teeth regularly. Her smile, bathed in sunlight, made her look like an angel.
The man was indifferent at first, and his eyes were also focused on Song Juyao. But when he looked up and saw her smiling face, it struck his heart like a bolt of lightning, the glazed eyes under the lens stagnant for a moment.
He stopped in his tracks, turned to say something to the dean, and the smile froze on his wife's face. Her gaze toward Jiang Mi became filled with hostility and vigilance.
Indeed, some elements had been written into the NPC program, but after running the program, they were just like real people, and humans are experts at being half-hearted. Therefore, nothing was set in stone.
Song Juyao ran to Jiang Mi.
Jiang Mi held her and asked, "Did it work?"
"Uh-huh, I'm sure it did! Mimi, you're so good. I don't want to leave you," Song Juyao said, her voice choking with tears.
"It's okay; even if you're adopted, we can still see each other often!" Jiang Mi was overjoyed; she was tired of the orphanage too, and she had finally waited until today.
"Yeah, Mimi, you have to come back to see me often."
"Yes, yes, I will... Wait, what?" Jiang Mi suddenly realized something and froze.
Song Juyao was too preoccupied with her sorrow and only focused on shedding tears in sadness. At that moment, the dean bought the couple over with a beaming smile.
He walked up to Jiang Mi, pushed her in front of the couple, and lovingly said, "Child, you are truly the darling of fate, from now on, they are your mom and dad."
Jiang Mi went stiff all over.