Chapter 2: Southern Garden

Su Mi blinked, feeling her ears itch a little.

Was there something wrong with the light brain’s voice transmission function? It tingled like static electricity.

Su Mi reported, “The differentiation period is over. My differentiation result is Beta.”

Shen Han seemed to already know and offered no comment.

She said, “Xu Nanqiao didn’t come to Southern Garden last week. Pick her up if you have time.”

“Oh, okay,” Su Mi agreed out of habit. She paused, then added, “Sister.”

Shen Han went quiet for a moment before saying, “…Mm.”

The call ended abruptly.

Su Mi stared at the light brain screen showing the disconnected call, stunned.

Su Mi said, “She called me at eleven at night like some boss assigning documents for tomorrow.”

System: “O.O?”

It still had that pink pixelated border, looking rather silly.

Su Mi paused before explaining, “I haven’t had time to learn the ABO world’s settings yet, but according to my… father earlier, the differentiation period comes with weakened immunity. My body’s fragile, I just came of age, and now I have to chauffeur the female lead around. That’s too much.”

System: “Host, the Beta differentiation period isn’t fragile. Also, the original host got her driver’s license two years ago, right after turning sixteen.”

Su Mi said, “Fine.”

She sighed and neatly folded the blanket.

Then she stood and headed to the elevator bay, pressing the button to go up.

A newly triggered memory reminded her that she had an especially adorable little brother.

As the elevator ascended, Su Mi idly gazed at her reflection in its clear mirror.

The girl inside had light golden, slightly wavy hair falling to her shoulders. Her delicate features were enhanced by light makeup, which hid the fatigue from her differentiation period.

She wore a beige dress with a short skirt that revealed pretty, pale legs—altogether, she looked like a doll.

Though her appearance matched her memories from school days, the outfit and posture felt awkward. Su Mi tugged futilely at her skirt hem.

System: “Host, aren’t you going to fetch the female lead?”

Su Mi said, “No rush.”

“20th floor.” The system prompted her to press the elevator button. Its electronic voice asked curiously, “622 wants to know how the host plans to complete the blackening value reduction task.”

Su Mi asked, “You want to know?”

System: “Mm^^”

Su Mi answered honestly, “I haven’t figured it out yet.”

The elevator reached the 20th floor. Su Mi stepped out and eyed the ellipses that slowly materialized from the system. She said seriously, “Plans are important. You have to prepare thoroughly before you can prepare them. We’ll talk later—I’m going to see my little brother first.”

Su Mi followed the signs to Wen Zisu’s office. Before she even opened the door, clear, childish laughter rang out from inside.

She knocked politely, pushed the door open, and lowered her head. Her eyes immediately lit up.

A little glutinous rice dumpling no taller than her thigh came stumbling over and hugged her leg.

“Sister! Why’d you take so long to come see Xiao Yi!”

The little glutinous rice dumpling looked up at her and shouted in a milky voice.

The assistant who had been playing with Su Xiaoyi quietly slipped out and closed the door.

Su Mi squatted down and looked him over again and again. She took a deep breath.

Unable to resist, she pinched the little glutinous rice dumpling’s cheeks.

So soft…

Her stern expression softened noticeably. Without realizing it, her voice turned gentle as she asked,

“Xiao Yi, what were you doing earlier?”

Su Xiaoyi obediently draped himself over his sister, letting her pinch his cheeks. He said, “Xiao Yi, Xiao Yi was stacking blocks!”

So well-behaved…

Su Mi asked, “Want Sister to play with Xiao Yi?”

Su Xiaoyi gazed up at her eagerly but surprisingly shook his head. “Daddy said Sister isn’t feeling well. Xiao Yi can play with blocks by himself.”

“Xiao Yi is such a good boy.” Su Mi sniffled, deeply touched. She stared at her brother’s little face, holding back over and over before suggesting, “Then… can Xiao Yi give Sister a kiss? That way, Sister can recharge and play with Xiao Yi.”

Su Xiaoyi hummed agreeably and trustingly offered up his unpinched cheek.

Su Mi: …!

She leaned down and planted a big kiss on her brother.

Su Mi spent most of the afternoon playing with her brother.

Until a new message suddenly popped up on her light brain.

It was from “Secretary Zhuang,” Shen Han’s chief secretary.

Secretary Zhuang: Miss Su, the car’s parked for you at A2 in the parking lot. Miss Xu gets out in half an hour—mind picking her up?

Secretary Zhuang: President Shen’s condition isn’t stable. Once you’ve got Miss Xu, let me know. I’ll be waiting at Southern Garden [smile].

Su Mi recalled the original plot the system had fed her upon transmigration.

Shen Han existed as mere background in it, so an unstable condition likely meant she’d had an episode, just like in the story.

The original plot never specified what her “heart condition” was.

But her method of treating it involved having the female lead come read to her every week.

The original host, as the villain’s lackey and the female lead’s classmate, had a decent relationship with her pre-differentiation. With the female lead’s poor family background, the original host always drove her to the villain’s “Southern Garden.”

Su Mi glanced at the light brain’s projected message, then at her brother, who was gleefully playing with an airplane toy.

Right on cue, the system projected the Su Family’s fate after the villain abandoned them:

Wen Zisu quit Shen Han’s company. Su Ciyu’s tech firm crumbled under malicious competition and liquidated. Her little brother cried while clutching her leg, asking where Xiao Yi’s toys had gone…

Su Mi said, “……Stop. I love doing tasks.”

She handed her brother off to Wen Zisu’s assistant, went downstairs, and found the car Secretary Zhuang mentioned.

Driving in this world was fully automated. Su Mi set the destination, then found Xu Nanqiao’s contact—no notes—and messaged her: I’m at the school gate. Secretary Zhuang wants me to take you to Southern Garden.

Xu Nanqiao: [cat peeking out emoji]

Xu Nanqiao: Got it. Give me ten minutes—be right there.

Su Mi hadn’t waited long when Xu Nanqiao emerged from the school gate.

Xu Nanqiao wore Lolan Academy’s navy-blue uniform dress. Her flowing long hair was tied back with a deep red ribbon, her features gentle and approachable. She stood tall and graceful.

She spotted Su Mi’s car right away, walked over with her satchel, and peeked inside. Spotting Su Mi, she smiled brightly and greeted her sweetly,

“Su Mi, your differentiation period ended so quickly. I figured it’d be next week before I saw you.”

She slid into the passenger seat, set her bag on her lap, and sat up straight, brushing her long hair behind her shoulder.

From Su Mi’s angle, a velvet neck ring matching her uniform circled her neck. The navy shade made her skin look all the whiter and more slender—like the fragile beauty unique to Omegas.

Su Mi subconsciously touched her own neck.

Xu Nanqiao followed her gaze and froze.

To her, the special seamless barrier patch was invisible, leaving Su Mi’s neck bare.

Xu Nanqiao wore one too. Seeing none on Su Mi, she realized, “So you differentiated into a Beta…”

Su Mi said, “Yes.”

Xu Nanqiao replied, “That’s not bad. I looked up a ton of post-unified exam university majors lately. Omegas face restrictions in so many fields—not as many options as Betas.”

She grumbled softly, “It’s federal year 371 already. The Omega equality law passed ages ago—why’s it still so unfair?”

Su Mi asked, “So that’s why you fought with Shen Han about college?”

Xu Nanqiao said, “Who’d dare fight with her…”

Su Mi tilted her head to look at her.

Her round black eyes blinked. Her light golden curls swayed with the motion, lending her face an innocent, curious air.

Xu Nanqiao paused mid-sentence and stared at Su Mi before sighing suddenly, “Is it really the differentiation? You seem… different.”

Su Mi: ? Don’t spout nonsense—my character deviation is zero.

Anyway, Xu Nanqiao sighed. “She wants me to go to Holy Cross Academy like her. I know the student vibe there is similar to Lolan’s, but I want somewhere with a stronger academic focus.”

Su Mi asked, “Got a target school?”

Xu Nanqiao nodded. “Don’t tell President Shen… I want Prime City University.”

Just like the plot. Su Mi got it.

Su Mi advised sincerely, “You should just talk to her. Shen Han really cares about your feelings and respects you.”

Xu Nanqiao eyed her suspiciously. “And what do you know?”

Su Mi said, “Just that President Shen treats you special and cares a lot… I’ve been driving you for a year now. No clue what she has you do every week.”

Xu Nanqiao said, “I figured you weren’t curious.”

Su Mi said earnestly, “I am.”

Xu Nanqiao burst out laughing and leaned back. “Su Mi, how’d you get so cute post-differentiation?”

“Perfect timing. You’ve gone Beta anyway—no worrying about President Shen’s pheromones affecting you. I don’t wanna face her alone. Come in with me later?”

In the past, the original host always waited outside each week for Xu Nanqiao to emerge.

Su Mi assumed she was joking and glanced over—only for Xu Nanqiao to nod at her.

Truth be told, Su Mi was curious too about the original plot’s vague “heart condition” and what “reading” had to do with it.

So she agreed.

–

The car pulled into Shen Han’s Southern Garden residence in Prime City’s center as sunset neared.

Twilight bathed the courtyard. After parking at the villa door and stepping out, Su Mi faintly heard piano music drifting from afar.

Secretary Zhuang and the Southern Garden housekeeper stood at the entrance.

Both male Betas, they broke into relieved expressions ill-suited to their steady demeanors upon seeing Xu Nanqiao.

Secretary Zhuang stepped forward. “Thank you, Miss Su. Miss Xu, you’re finally here.”

Su Mi smiled politely. “No trouble.”

The villa’s European relief-carved door pillars cast long shadows. As Su Mi stepped into one, a chill swept over her.

Inside the villa, the cold intensified. The vast living room held only two floor lamps. The secretary halted at the foyer, but unlike past plot events where Su Mi waited there, Xu Nanqiao took her arm and led her deeper into the villa.

Secretary Zhuang called, “Miss Su?”

Xu Nanqiao gripped Su Mi’s arm tighter and glanced back—seeming even more nervous than Su Mi. “Secretary Zhuang, Su Mi’s coming in with me today.”

The housekeeper and secretary hesitated.

Xu Nanqiao insisted, “Su Mi’s past her differentiation period. She’s a Beta—no issue.”

The secretary fell silent, tacitly approving.

Unlike the pervasive chill in the villa, the interior proved surprisingly cozy. Beautiful vases and layered white roses adorned every surface, with plush carpet underfoot.

They traversed the corridor, climbed the stairs, and rounded a corner to face a painting.

Its heavy, chaotic brushstrokes depicted a vase of flowers on a wooden table before a bronze mirror. The roses matched the white ones scattered throughout the villa—but in the mirror, they turned inky black. Behind the mirror’s vast blank expanse loomed a vague door, an indistinct figure walking toward it.

Su Mi halted and stared at the painting several times.

“Su Mi.”

Xu Nanqiao tugged her arm.

Su Mi snapped out of it and whispered as they continued upstairs, “Who painted this?”

Xu Nanqiao shook her head. “No idea.”

The housekeeper escorted them to a door deep in the third floor. He didn’t enter, merely bowing politely. “Miss Su, when Miss Xu reads to President Shen later, please stay silent.”

The air here felt far colder than at the entrance. Su Mi mumbled vague agreement as an inexplicable mix of danger and curiosity surged within her.

Xu Nanqiao released her hand and took a button from the housekeeper, pinning it to her neck ring.

Su Mi asked curiously, “What’s that?”

Xu Nanqiao raised her neck to show it to her. The button-like device glowed faintly with blue light.

“It’s for suppressing pheromones. It has a pheromone detection device and an injector inside,” Xu Nanqiao said. She picked up a cylindrical bottle from the table and pressed it against herself a few times. A hazy mist seemed to form around her body, quickly clinging to her skin. “This is Pheromone Dilution Spray.”

Su Mi: “……”

She suddenly felt the special pheromone Barrier Patch on the back of her neck become far more noticeable. Things seemed to have gotten complicated.

System: “Host, you can have some too.”

Su Mi blinked and stepped forward candidly. “Dilution spray—does it have a scent?”

Xu Nanqiao didn’t suspect a thing. She just assumed Su Mi was curious and let her “try” the dilution spray she’d never seen before.

They pushed open the door. It was a suite, and they first entered a living room. Several empty wine bottles lay scattered on the tea table. A floor lamp in the corner gave off dim light. The curtains were drawn tight, with only a narrow slit letting in a sliver of faint light. Vaguely, they could make out a door on either side.

Su Mi followed Xu Nanqiao to the right with some difficulty. In the near-darkness, the growing chill in the air hindered her even more.

Su Mi knew the antagonist’s “illness” was likely tied to the pheromone disorder that ultimately led to everything’s destruction. Combined with Xu Nanqiao’s barrage of suppressants before they entered, she had braced herself to catch the “scent” of Double S Alpha pheromones.

Yet the air held nothing but a cold sensation like the depths of winter.

They entered the study beyond the right door and sat on the sofa chairs against the wall in front of the large desk.

The study’s lighting was much brighter. An entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows stood bare, without curtains, revealing the rolling mountains and trees directly ahead. This side faced the shadows, and the layered ridges looked gloomy.

They didn’t seem to wait long before the study door was pushed open.

Before she saw the person, a chill, damp mist wafted in. The moist cold felt like it would instantly form ice crystals or evaporate on contact with skin.

Su Mi took a gentle breath. It felt like her throat and lungs were forcibly jolted awake by the chill, but she still couldn’t resist her curiosity. She turned to look.

The tall woman paused at the study door, half-leaning against the frame. Her silky long hair hung down, laced with misty dampness. Ice-blue eyes fixed on the extra Su Mi. A black teardrop mole adorned the corner of her right eye. Her outer robe, draped over her long skirt, had slipped to one side with her movement, exposing a sharp, right-angled shoulder.

Her lips were very pale. They parted slightly, her hoarse, lazy drawl rising at the end. She seemed to be in a decent mood and said with a half-smile,

“Hmm? What’s got you interested in coming up today?”