“You see, I’ve truly come to understand the Young Miss’s real inner feelings, haven’t I? The others will come around sooner or later too.” Liang Sheng spoke with earnest sincerity.
“Ding~”
“Lu Ziqing’s Favorability Toward Liang Sheng: 101”
Lu Ziqing clapped a hand over her mouth and let out a string of muffled whimpers. The scene conjured up countless clips from cheesy romance dramas in Liang Sheng’s mind. Heh, as expected from a Mary Sue harem novel.
Liang Sheng raised her hand and gently smoothed Lu Ziqing’s bangs, then pinched the girl’s soft, tender cheek. “Don’t cry. The Young Miss can’t cry—it won’t be pretty anymore.”
“So, stop caring so much about Su Ze. He’s just a scumbag… I mean, he’s just a burly brute of a man. How could he be as thoughtful as me? Right? That’s what friends are for—to shoulder these burdens for you.”
“Ding~”
“Lu Ziqing’s Favorability Toward Liang Sheng: 103”
The Young Miss buried her head in Liang Sheng’s neck and began to sob softly into her skin.
In her heart, the lofty position Su Ze had once occupied was starting to crumble.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry. From now on, I’ll always be by the Young Miss’s side. As long as you don’t cut ties with me, I’ll be your good friend for life!”
“Ding~”
“Lu Ziqing’s Favorability Toward Liang Sheng: 105”
Liang Sheng grinned triumphantly. She’d successfully surpassed Su Ze—time for a celebration!
When it came time to bid farewell to the Lu family, Lu Zhen quietly pulled Liang Sheng aside for a heartfelt round of instructions and pleas. Liang Sheng thumped her chest proudly and boasted that she would definitely protect Young Miss Lu Ziqing.
At last, a faint sense of assurance settled in her heart. After all, the Young Miss’s family had a good impression of her, which meant she could keep getting close. Plus, Young Miss Lu Ziqing’s favorability toward her was now about even with Su Ze’s—a definite cause for cheer.
—— —— ——
Liang Sheng found herself in that dream realm once more. Who would die this time? She was too weary to struggle. Her vision swam in blood-red haze as she watched events unfold with grim focus, even as pain wracked her body.
But… why had all the girls fallen? Liang Sheng strained to open her eyes wider, staring in disbelief at the horrific scene.
A clamor of voices erupted nearby. Liang Sheng twisted her body and craned her neck with effort, peering over. Who were they? Black flowing hair, golden short locks, and purple twin tails.
Gu Yuqi, Bai Zhen, and Hana were locked in a fierce melee. It looked like Senior Sister Gu and Bai Zhen had teamed up against Hana, who was clearly on the back foot.
Where was Su Ze? Gritting her teeth against the pain, Liang Sheng scanned her surroundings for that big scumbag. There! She spotted him out of the corner of her eye, off to the side, watching the spectacle with cold indifference and evident relish.
Liang Sheng’s teeth ground together in fury. She was certain Hana’s killing spree had everything to do with that big pig hoof Su Ze—he’d surely egged her on.
Liang Sheng tried to shout, to curse Su Ze out. But her mouth moved soundlessly. Then her vision flashed bright, and she snapped her eyes open, gasping for air in great heaving breaths.
Was this dream the real sequel?! Liang Sheng realized with a jolt that the novel’s “grand finale” wasn’t so straightforward. It had dangled a seemingly happy ending for the readers, but no one knew what became of Su Ze and his girlfriends afterward—whether they faced twists once together, or if they truly found happiness. The truth remained hidden.
Besides, could so many women really coexist peacefully with one man? This wasn’t ancient times; Su Ze would get drained dry… Bah, spit, spit! Cough, cough—off topic, way off topic. What she meant was, how could all those women not turn on each other? Su Ze couldn’t possibly shower equal affection on every one, so the girls would inevitably infight… Bah, bah, bahbahbah! What was wrong with her? Why did her mind keep veering there…?
“Slap!” Liang Sheng smacked herself hard across the cheek. Take that for thinking such nonsense! Keep it up and you’re no better than trash—deserve it!
Liang Sheng rubbed her now-swollen, reddened cheek and gathered her thoughts to resume her deductions.
There had to be more to it. Those recurring dreams were likely the girls’ true fates—they met gruesome ends at the yandere’s hands. And the puppet master behind it all? Most probably the man they all adored: Su Ze.
Liang Sheng sighed and shook her head. Love-struck girls… How could they choose to share one man with a pack of rivals?
Hold on—that wasn’t right. Liang Sheng snapped back to focus. She’d overlooked something. Hana was a yandere! With that possessive personality, how could she tolerate sharing her beloved?
Ah! Liang Sheng clasped her hands together, then punched her thigh with a fist. She could boldly speculate: Hana had slaughtered the others because Su Ze had planned it from the start. Knowing the yandere wouldn’t stand for it, he’d maneuvered events to fulfill some goal, then unleashed her on the now-useless girls.
No way! Even if it wasn’t for the girls’ sake, but for her own, she had to thwart Su Ze’s vile scheme! Liang Sheng pumped her little fist with renewed resolve.
“Wow, you’re pretty sharp after all!” Kazuko’s voice popped up out of nowhere, startling Liang Sheng into a full-body jolt.
“Quit scaring me like that!” The mortified girl yelled, cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Kazuko sounded all aggrieved. “If you’d just raised that favorability sooner, I could’ve manifested earlier! You think I enjoy being incorporeal? It’s your fault—you’re the one who’s slacking!”
Liang Sheng was left utterly speechless by the retort.
Seeing her go quiet, Kazuko prattled on. “You did great today, though. I thought you were done for, but you turned it around and boosted that favorability. Nice job—keep it up!” She beamed like a proud mother hen.
Liang Sheng rolled her eyes at thin air but said nothing.
“Sigh, without that deduction, I’d have pegged you as just a rainbow-fart-blowing simp who babbles on, obsessed with looks—a total thick-headed dummy.”
“Ha!” Liang Sheng shot to her feet, bristling like an angry cat. She rolled up her sleeves, looking ready to throw down. “I’ve always been sharp as a tack! You’re just the dumb system who never noticed!”
Kazuko was momentarily stumped. The air hung silent, thick with awkwardness.
“Ding-dong!” “Ding-dong!” “Ding-dong!” Her phone erupted in a flurry of notifications.
Liang Sheng lunged for it like a lifeline, gratefully escaping the stifling quiet.
But the moment she unlocked the screen and read the messages, she froze. Well, then. Heh. Her situation had somehow grown even more awkward.
