"Shh! The walls have ears. You know this secret, and that's enough. Don't tell anyone, including me. Keep it to yourself." Wen Qing pressed a finger against Jiang Xiaoman's lips, stopping him from speaking.
Feeling the softness against his lips, Jiang Xiaoman's ears turned red, and his heartbeat instantly quickened. It seemed like his brain had stopped thinking, and he felt his skin burning under the touch, a warmth that reached all the way to his heart, leaving him somewhat flustered. He nodded awkwardly, "I... I understand."
In truth, he didn't even know what she had just said. His attention was entirely captivated by the finger that had touched his lips, the sensation still vivid in his mind.
This was the first intimate contact he had with someone he liked, and it made Jiang Xiaoman's heart feel as sweet as honey. He sneakily glanced at Wen Qing, only to find her expression unchanged as she lowered her head to resume her work, as if the intimate moment they just shared hadn't left the slightest ripple in her heart. This left Jiang Xiaoman somewhat disappointed and greatly disheartened.
But then again, how could someone as outstanding as Wen Qing possibly like him?
"Xiaoman, what's wrong with you?" Wen Qing couldn't help asking when she saw him looking dejected like a defeated rooster.
Jiang Xiaoman raised his head to look at her, pursed his lips, and his hands involuntarily clenched, summoning the courage to ask, "Sister Wenqing, do you have someone you like?"
Wen Qing chuckled, "Why are you suddenly asking that?"
The courage Jiang Xiaoman had just gathered seemed to dissipate by half in an instant, and he weakly replied, "Just... just curious."
"No, I don't," Wen Qing casually answered. In this world, her only task was to protect the client's family, and if she could make Gu Qingcheng pay for his deeds, it would be even better. There were no emotional obligations, and she didn't plan on getting married. When she grew older, she intended to adopt a few children and ensure the continuation of the Su family.
Hearing her reply, Jiang Xiaoman felt both disappointed and pleasantly surprised. Disappointed because she indeed didn't like him, and pleasantly surprised because she hadn't liked anyone else either.
After hesitating for a long while, Jiang Xiaoman's face turned red, and he asked, "Then... could you maybe like me a little?"
Wen Qing looked at him in surprise; she hadn't expected Jiang Xiaoman to like her. She always thought he was too easily embarrassed, constantly blushing, just like how he was portrayed in the original story, in front of Gu Qingcheng and even in front of his fans. So she never thought his blushing might have another meaning.
Not knowing whether Jiang Xiaoman's feelings were a spur of the moment or something he had been brewing for a while, she knew he was sensitive, and she was afraid of hurting him. Thus, she smiled and said, "I've always quite liked you."
Jiang Xiaoman became anxious, "I don't mean the affection for a little brother." He could naturally tell that Wen Qing treated him like a younger brother, but he didn't want to be just that. "I want to be your boyfriend!"
Finally, he said it out loud. Now Jiang Xiaoman didn't feel bashful anymore; he poured out everything he wanted to say, "I like you, from the first time we met, I've liked you not out of gratitude or anything else, but simply because I want to be with you. It pains me to see you with other men, truly painful. I feel overjoyed at a single word from you, satisfied when you eat the food I cook, and anxious with just one look from you..."
As he spoke, Jiang Xiaoman's voice grew weaker. "I know I'm not worthy of you. You're so outstanding, good at everything, while I'm so foolish and good at nothing. But I can't control my heart; it always thinks about you..."
Wen Qing let out a sigh. As an old monster who had lived for who knows how many lifetimes, the pure-hearted feelings of others were the hardest for her to resist. Ah, such pure emotions...
Upon hearing her sigh, Jiang Xiaoman's heart tightened, and his eyes gradually reddened, but he tried hard not to lose control in front of her.
"You're still young..." One sentence shattered Jiang Xiaoman's hope completely.
"After three years, if you still like me, we can be together then."
*
Back in the boundless space, as soon as Wen Qing entered, the little phoenix rushed towards her, "Sister! Dear sister! I missed you so much! Why did you take so long to come back!"
Wen Qing saw that he had already turned into a young man. The phoenix clan was full of beauties, and it was no surprise that the little phoenix also possessed a stunningly handsome face. However, his personality was still like that of an eternal child.
Wen Qing slightly opened her arms, ready to catch the pouncing phoenix, but to her surprise, the phoenix stopped a distance away and dramatically covered his eyes. "Oh, my eyes! I can't take it! My eyes are going to be blinded! Dear sister, can you please restrain the golden light on your body?"
Wen Qing was puzzled, "What golden light?"
"The merit on your body! Oh my goodness, it's the richest merit I've ever seen. Sister, did you save the world or something?"
Only then did Wen Qing recall that after the apocalypse world, she hadn't absorbed the accumulated merit as she had a client coming with a new task. She had temporarily put it aside and fulfilled the task first. In the previous life, she had been rewarded with a substantial amount of merit for saving the Earth. Coupled with the merit gained in this life, it was no wonder the phoenix found it so abundant.
But she wondered, did her merit appear golden to the phoenix?
After sending the client Su Wenqing into the reincarnation pool, Wen Qing started absorbing the merit. Because there was an enormous amount, it took a considerable amount of time to complete the process.
Once she finished absorbing it, the little phoenix jumped down from a tree and marveled at her. "When I first recognized you as my master, I felt a familiar aura on you. Turns out it was the power of merit. Sister, are you on the path to becoming a god through merit?"
"Becoming a god through merit?"
"Yes, in my awakening memories, there seems to be such a situation. However, it's too ancient, so I'm not entirely sure. But what I can be certain of is that your merit is nearing completion. Maybe you're just one step away from achieving it."
Divine beasts have their own inherited memories that gradually open up as they advance in rank. Thus, many ancient secrets are retained within their knowledge, making it one of their unique racial advantages.
Hence, Wen Qing believed what the little phoenix said. In fact, she had her suspicions as well. Every time she completed a task, apart from the rewards from the system, she only obtained vast amounts of merit, which she used to strengthen her soul. Could it be that reaching the ultimate form through soul strengthening was equivalent to becoming a god?
People often say that being a god is great, so maybe becoming one through merit is also a good idea... right?
Wen Qing pondered uncertainly, then turned to see the little phoenix eating carefreely. She casually took out a few dishes that the little phoenix loved from Jiang Xiaoman's system space, tempting him, "Good phoenix, think carefully about what is the opportunity for achieving complete merit?"
The little phoenix's eyes sparkled as he looked at the food in her hand, and he nodded eagerly, "I'll think, I'll think."
After a while of pondering, he finally frowned and said with a mournful face, "Sister, I really can't remember. Maybe it's different for each person? You'll figure it out when the time comes!"
Wen Qing thought about it and realized it made sense. After all, when she didn't know before, she still made it through.
She placed the food in front of the little phoenix and said, "Here, eat up."
*
When Wen Qing opened her eyes again, she found herself in a room with a full princess vibe. A knocking sound came from outside the door, "Qingqing, it's time to eat. Weren't you supposed to go to school with your brothers? He's been waiting for you."
Wen Qing quickly realized the situation and replied, "Got it, Mom, I'll be right there!"
Once the footsteps outside faded away, Wen Qing quickly rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom to freshen up while organizing the plot in her mind.
The client this time was named Gong Wenqing, born into an extraordinary family with loving parents and three doting older brothers. As the only princess of the Gong family, she was showered with immense love and grew up in a pampered environment. The little girl didn't have a spoiled temper; she was just too well-protected by her family, resulting in a gentle and innocent personality.
Originally, her life should have continued happily, but a change occurred during her high school years.
A girl named Su Yu appeared. She was incredibly beautiful, like a celestial being. At times, she resembled a thorny rose, rebellious and wild; other times, she exuded nobility and aloofness, disdainful of the world; occasionally, she appeared like a teardrop-adorned pear, charming and moving... This enigmatic girl captivated countless admirers, including the heirs of Z City's four major families.
Among them were the three brothers of the Gong family, who were Gong Wenqing's older brothers. There was also Ling Tianche, the only son of the Ling family, who was additionally Gong Wenqing's fiancé. The twin brothers of the Ye family, the youngest son and only grandson of the Rong family—each of them fell in love with the same girl. Everyone was crazily infatuated with this unique girl, willing to live and die for her, abandoning family honor, dreams, and responsibilities. Eventually, they even disregarded ethical and moral considerations just to possess her.
As the sister of the Gong family's three brothers and Ling Tianche's fiancée, Gong Wenqing naturally became the classic cannon fodder. Distraught, she went to find Ling Tianche to clarify the situation, but on the way, she got into a car accident and lost both of her legs.
And what about Su Yu and her admirers? They didn't end up with a happily-ever-after ending because, after they all agreed to share her, she disappeared, as if evaporating into thin air, leaving no trace behind.
Her admirers went crazy, searching the world for her, and in the end, none of them had a good outcome...
The Gong parents were both deeply affected by their sons' rebellion, falling ill as a result. Later, with two sons dead and one gone mad, they couldn't bear the blow and passed away. Gong Wenqing, who was pampered since childhood and later crippled, couldn't hold on to the Gong Group, so the family enterprise changed hands, and the once prominent Gong family fell into ruin.
The client's wish was to protect her family, prevent her brothers from being deceived by a wicked woman, and ideally keep everyone who might harm her away.
This wish was not unreasonable at all, and Wen Qing naturally agreed to fulfill it. As for the female lead, Su Yu, she was different from the previous worlds' female leads. She was a transmigrator and this world was just one of her many worlds.
Encountering a transmigrating female lead was a first for Wen Qing. Although the nature of her work was somewhat similar to that of a transmigrator, she considered herself different from Su Yu.
Wen Qing only helped the clients complete tasks while adhering to her own principles and bottom line. Su Yu, on the other hand, had the mission to conquer as many men as possible in each world, and she could resort to any means during her missions without caring about the consequences. For example, in the world before this one, after conquering seven emperors from different kingdoms, she simply left, causing suspicion and chaos among those emperors, each thinking she was in the hands of another. As a result, the world descended into turmoil, and Su Yu received the title of "The Troublesome Beauty that Ruined the Nation" from the system.
In each world, the more men she conquered, the more true love points she earned. These true love points strengthened her various attributes and could be exchanged for items in the system's store. However, whether it was strengthening her attributes or exchanging items, it was all for the purpose of better conquering men. So, Wen Qing didn't know what the meaning of her continuous mission completion was; at least Su Yu seemed to be having fun.
By the way, Su Yu's system name was—"True Love Raider System."
But please, don't insult "true love" with this system!
Author's note: This world is relatively short, about three or four chapters long~ (*￣3￣)╭