Su Mi originally thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep, but in this unfamiliar guest room, she fell asleep surprisingly quickly and deeply, not waking until after ten o’clock the next day.
She lay in bed in a daze for a moment, washed up, and went downstairs. Her ankle-length nightgown swished as she wandered into the dining room for breakfast.
The breakfast warming in the kitchen consisted of porridge and sweet pastries tailored to Su Mi’s tastes. She ladled herself a bowl of porridge, carried the plate to the dining room, and found Butler Li arriving just then.
He stood off to the side. “Miss Su, good morning.”
“Butler Li, morning,” Su Mi said as she pulled out a chair and sat down. She greeted the butler. “Eaten yet?”
Butler Li replied mildly, “I have. Miss left for the company two hours ago. Let me know where you’re headed later—the driver’s ready, and a change of clothes has been sent to your room.”
Su Mi hadn’t expected a change of clothes to be prepared. She thanked him and said he’d just need to drive her home later.
Butler Li arranged the driver, then returned. He didn’t say anything, just stood there smiling at Su Mi.
Su Mi sipped her porridge, growing puzzled under the stare. She took a bite of the crispy sweet pastry and looked up. “Butler Li, is there something else?”
Butler Li said, “Ah, no. Eat slowly.”
Su Mi: ?
She touched her face and watched as Butler Li left the dining room with a smile.
She slurped down the rest of the porridge, cleared the dishes into the kitchen, and went upstairs to change into the clothes Butler Li had mentioned.
It was a perfectly fitted skirt. The outfit from the night before had been collected by the maid and placed neatly in a bag nearby.
In the spirit of being a good guest, Su Mi checked the guest room to make sure she hadn’t left anything behind, then went downstairs to meet the driver and head home.
On the way, she sent a message to Shen Han.
: Sis, I’m heading back.
Shen Han quickly replied with an okay and told her to be safe.
With half the summer vacation still left, Su Mi holed up completely.
She had always been somewhat introverted and not one for going out to socialize. Before, for the sake of the original host’s persona, she could barely chat with strangers, but now that the persona was merging more and more with her true self—and after testing a few times to confirm it wouldn’t cause any OOC—she boldly stopped going out much.
She only invited Xu Nanqiao over a few times, went library browsing with her, ate out with Ren Yue twice, and visited an exhibition once.
In just over a month, school started.
Su Mi and Xu Nanqiao were perfectly assigned to the same dorm room.
Su Mi wasn’t surprised—this had to be Shen Han’s doing.
But what did surprise her was that Prime City University had switched to double-occupancy dorms this semester. The accommodations were much better than what the upperclassmen had described.
The enrollment activities were far flashier too. Besides the standard two-day reporting process, there was a two-day campus fair and tea party.
It was billed as a way for freshmen to experience the school culture, but it really just looked like excess funding with nowhere to go.
It even got mocked online for trying to emulate Holy Cross Academy.
Shen Group’s investments in Prime City University weren’t flashy—they hadn’t even named any buildings after themselves—so few people knew. Most students and parents just assumed it was the university’s own “reform.”
Su Mi scrolled through the posts, clicking her tongue in amazement.
This was all Shen Han’s efforts for Xu Nanqiao. Impressive.
The day before reporting day, Su Mi went to the school with Su Ciyu and the others. They settled their dorm belongings, then strolled around campus.
Su Ciyu and the rest were Holy Cross Academy graduates, so this was their first time at Prime City University. They found everything as novel as Su Mi did.
Su Mi held Su Xiaoyi’s hand, walking sandwiched between Su Ciyu and Wen Zisu. The family of four leisurely strolled along the university’s wide paths.
A sense of “newness” welled up spontaneously.
The kind that came with new life.
The summer heat was stifling. Amid the dappled tree shadows, Su Yi hummed little tunes beside her while Su Ciyu and Wen Zisu chatted about recent developments at Prime City University—the teaching buildings, the principal, and so on.
Su Mi shook her head, feeling like it was all real. Everything was different now.
It might not truly belong to her, but suddenly, she had everything she’d once envied but could never obtain.
She had it all.
Task progress advanced smoothly, already reaching 65%. It would soon hit 60%, and task completion was just around the corner.
As long as she pushed a little harder, she could finish the task and live on in this world with this identity.
With that thought, Su Mi clenched her fist in secret and whispered encouragement to herself.
Wen Zisu beside her: “Pfft.”
Su Mi turned her head silently.
Su Ciyu said with a laugh in her voice, “Zisu, why are you laughing at her?”
Wen Zisu covered his eyes. “Sigh, I didn’t expect Ya Ya to like Prime City University so much.”
Su Mi: “…”
Her face reddened with embarrassment. “It’s not like that.”
They reached the steps at the school gate, and Su Ciyu picked up Su Yi.
Wen Zisu stepped over, touched Su Yi’s hand, and teased, “Xiao Yi, cheer on your big sis. She’s gonna study in such a pretty campus.”
Su Yi struck a perfect cheering pose. His chubby little hand clenched tight, and his grape-like eyes fixed on Su Mi. “Sis, fighting!”
Su Mi smiled helplessly. “Xiao Yi, I’m not…”
Su Yi pointed his thumb at himself. “Xiao Yi, obedient!”
Su Mi melted in an instant. “…Yeah! Xiao Yi’s such a good boy!”
Su Yi’s eyes sparkled. “Sis, hug!”
He’d fussed for a hug from Su Mi the moment they entered the school.
Su Mi’s stamina was only average. She’d carried him a short way before giving out and convincing Su Xiaoyi to hold her hand instead.
Now that he felt obedient again, he wanted another hug.
Wen Zisu laughed. “Don’t bother your sis.”
Su Mi threw up her hands. “Come here, come here.”
Su Xiaoyi wriggled his way out of Su Ciyu’s arms and pounced into Su Mi’s embrace. He hugged her neck contentedly.
His soft hair, still like newborn fuzz, rubbed against her chin. “Like, sis!”
Su Ciyu patted Su Yi’s head ruefully. “You really stick to your sis now, huh.”
They reached the school gate and took some family photos by the university logo.
Su Mi stood in the middle holding Su Yi, flanked by Su Ciyu and Wen Zisu. Everyone smiled brightly, frozen in the images.
They wandered the campus a bit more, grabbed a meal at the cafeteria, and then headed home.
The next day was official reporting day, which was also a Monday. Su Ciyu and Wen Zisu both had to go to work.
They’d confirmed with Su Mi several times, but she insisted on picking up Xu Nanqiao and driving to school herself.
She’d already made plans with Xu Nanqiao to report together.
Su Mi’s brain could only handle so much—too many people overwhelmed her.
On reporting day, Shen Han would be at school too, but not to accompany them. She had a school symposium to attend.
Su Mi slyly asked if Shen Han had time after the symposium for the campus fair—with Xu Nanqiao, of course.
Having learned from the amusement park incident, she now made a point of telling Shen Han whenever she made plans with someone.
Shen Han said yes, but her time was limited. She could only swing by briefly; she had a dinner meeting that evening.
Su Mi understood Shen Han’s busy schedule and replied with a big smiley emoji. Okay, okay.
Right now, she sat in the car waiting for Xu Nanqiao to come downstairs.
She glanced at the pinned chat with Shen Han.
The second-to-last message was from Shen Han: an OK emoji sticker saying they’d meet on reporting day.
It was Shen Han’s first time sending an emoji.
It felt oddly magical.
Su Mi had been opening the chat every so often these past couple days, finding it so rare for the usually icy Shen Han.
Probably because the blackening value had dropped for real—Shen Han seemed less gloomy and more open.
As she looked down at it, someone knocked on the car window.
Xu Nanqiao smiled at her from outside. “Su Su.”
“Nanqiao!”
Su Mi hurried out of the car and spotted Xu Rou standing nearby with several bags of Xu Nanqiao’s luggage.
Stunned for a second, Su Mi quickly said, “Auntie, hi.”
Xu Rou was much milder now than she’d been at the hospital. She nodded at Su Mi. “Hello, Su. Jojo talks about you all the time. Thanks for looking after her this time.”
The normal Xu Rou looked like a gentle, soft omega.
If you ignored the faint scars on the back of her neck hinting at her gland issues.
Su Mi didn’t dare stare. She chuckled. “No trouble at all, Auntie. Just call me Su Mi. Nanqiao and I are close—dormmates now. Anything comes up, you can find me.”
Xu Rou smiled. “What a fateful connection. I’ll leave her to you, then. Let’s exchange contacts.”
Su Mi swapped contact info with her and helped load the luggage into the trunk.
Xu Rou wasn’t coming along for reporting. Su Mi recalled from the original plot that her work kept her so busy, raising Xu Nanqiao alone had been tough—but it had shaped Xu Nanqiao into someone gentle and fiercely independent.
Su Mi got back in the car first. Xu Rou said a few more things to Xu Nanqiao outside before she climbed in.
Xu Nanqiao let out a soft breath. “Sorry for the trouble.”
Su Mi huffed and shot her a look. “Being all polite with me? So distant.”
Xu Nanqiao smiled, lips curving.
Prime City University was on the outskirts of Prime City, so the drive took a while. Su Mi had planned to chat about the campus fair en route, but Xu Nanqiao yawned and started dozing off, so she let it go.
When they pulled up to the dorm building, Su Mi woke Xu Nanqiao. They used the dorm’s smart transport cart to haul her luggage up in the elevator.
The conditions were better than before—still facing beds and desks, but with a ventilation system blowing comfortable cool air.
Once the door was shut, Su Mi asked curiously, “Why’re you so sleepy? What’d you do last night?”
Xu Nanqiao sank into a chair and yawned. “Looking for a part-time job.”
Su Mi said, “Weren’t your old gigs too far from Prime City University?”
Xu Nanqiao nodded. “Yeah, so I’m checking for something local.”
Su Mi remembered all the heroine-plot triggers from the original plot when Xu Nanqiao went out to work. She advised sincerely, “How about sticking with tutoring? You got used to it over the summer anyway.”
Xu Nanqiao said, “We’ll see. Once classes start, I might not have time to prep lessons.”
Su Mi replied, “You’re a total academic star. Something simple like lesson prep won’t stump you.”
Xu Nanqiao stuck out her tongue. “It might… I hear med school’s courses are intense and nonstop. Who knows what it’ll be like.”
She rested a bit, then started unpacking her luggage.
Xu Nanqiao didn’t have much—just three cases. Su Mi helped make the bed and watched as she filled up their half-empty dorm bit by bit.
Perfect, now it felt full!
Su Mi straddled her chair backward, arms crossed over the backrest with her chin propped on top.
She said casually, “I hear Holy Cross splits into six gender-specific dorm buildings.”
Xu Nanqiao paused on her way to the bathroom and turned back, pointing at Su Mi. “What’re you implying?”
Su Mi grinned. “Nothing. Just think it’s wild our school rooms Betas and omegas together.”
Xu Nanqiao huffed. “B and O? Impossible, Su Xiaomi.”
Su Mi feigned shock. “How can you be so sure?”
She followed Xu Nanqiao to the bathroom door and joked, “Plenty of Betas and omegas get married, you know. You discriminating against us Betas?”
Xu Nanqiao set her toothbrush and cup next to Su Mi’s, straightened the brush head, and eyed her in the mirror.
She shrugged. “Nah, I just can’t picture it.”
It made sense, Su Mi thought. These days, lots of omegas were traditional and only accepted alphas.
After all, with a Beta, susceptible periods and heat periods wouldn’t get proper soothing. The gland would just sit there, wasted.
And Xu Nanqiao had such a prime Alpha right in front of her.
Speaking of alphas… Wonder what the male lead had been up to lately. He’d stayed conveniently absent for ages.
Su Mi made a mental note, patted Xu Nanqiao’s shoulder, and said, “Heh, just kidding. C’mon, let’s go report.”
The two grabbed their reporting materials and headed downstairs. They handled the procedures at the academic building—quick and straightforward—then ate at the cafeteria.
After eating, Xu Nanqiao commented, “It’s better than Lolan Academy’s.”
Su Mi agreed.
Late August, noon was still scorching hot. The two didn’t wander much outdoors and went straight back to the dorm.
It was Su Mi’s first time living with Xu Nanqiao. It seemed a bit perverted to think about it that way, but she was indeed a little excited.
She tossed and turned in bed and couldn’t fall asleep, so she simply got out of bed and sat at the desk to organize her course materials.
When Xu Nanqiao woke up and passed by her, Su Mi grabbed her with full anticipation and asked, “Want to go to the Campus Fair together? The one mentioned in the freshman orientation guide. Let’s go together?”
Xu Nanqiao was stunned for a moment, then seemed a bit embarrassed. She said, “I have a part-time job lined up with my senior sister.”
Su Mi had a face full of question marks. “Part-time today too?”
Xu Nanqiao explained, “It’s the Campus Fair… I met a senior sister from the medical school while working before. She has a stall selling ice cream at the Campus Fair today and invited me to help out.”
Su Mi couldn’t believe what she had heard. She widened her eyes and said, “Y-You have another dog outside!”
When they entered, she had been worried. If Xu Nanqiao really went out for a part-time job, what if something happened? Should she stick by her side the whole time?
Her worries came true in a flash.
Although it was just a Campus Fair on campus, it was clearly a starting point. Who knew where she would go with that senior sister from work afterward? What if she entered some plot somewhere Su Mi didn’t know about?
Su Mi made a pitiful crying face, grabbed Xu Nanqiao’s sleeve with both hands, and started whining relentlessly.
Xu Nanqiao: “…” Who’s the O and who’s the B here?
Su Mi sniffled, “You have a senior sister, so you don’t need me anymore? You’re willing to go sell ice cream with her, but not with me…”
Xu Nanqiao was helpless and patted her hand. “I need to do the part-time job. My senior sister said she’d give me thirty percent of the ice cream earnings.”
Su Mi started choking up. “I can give you one hundred percent of the money in my card.”
Xu Nanqiao didn’t take it to heart. “That’s different. Alright, don’t joke around, Su Su.”
Su Mi fake-cried and sniffled, “Th-Then take me with you for part-time jobs from now on.”
Xu Nanqiao didn’t quite believe that a pampered girl like Su Mi would go part-time with her. She rubbed her head and said, “If you don’t mind being tired… But it’s not convenient to bring you today. I already made plans with her. Next time, I’ll introduce you to her, okay?”
Su Mi got Xu Nanqiao’s promise and immediately said okay.
She stopped the fake crying too.
Xu Nanqiao looked at her, very helpless, scolded her a couple more times, changed her clothes, and went out.
She couldn’t be late for her senior sister.
Su Mi stayed alone in the dorm, calmed her mood for a bit, and wasn’t in a hurry to go to the Campus Fair anymore.
It wouldn’t be fun to go by herself. She might as well wait for Shen Han to finish her meeting, then have her take her to check out Xu Nanqiao’s stall and witness the female protagonist’s hardworking and self-reliant virtues.
She nestled in the dorm reading her major’s books and set an alarm.
Just before the alarm time, her Light Brain received a message from Shen Han first.
Shen Han: Almost done.
Su Mi glanced at it and replied: Okay^^
Shen Han: How’s the dorm?
Su Mi looked around, stood up, took a few panoramic shots. She didn’t show Xu Nanqiao’s private bed area, only including some of Xu Nanqiao’s neat desk, mainly to show the overall dorm situation.
She sent them to Shen Han.
: Super good, very comfortable, and spacious too.
Shen Han: Good as long as it is.
Shen Han: Studying?
: Previewing. Nanqiao went to the Campus Fair first. She and her senior sister are manning a stall selling ice cream.
Shen Han: Then shall we go check out her stall later?
Su Mi thought, on point, as expected of the antagonist semi-enlightened version.
She happily replied: Yay!
Then, Shen Han: On second thought, never mind. Otherwise, you’d eat her ice cream for free and bankrupt her if you eat too much.
: …?
What? Already thinking about shared assets before they’re even together?
Su Mi angrily typed on the virtual keyboard: I won’t! Please focus on your meeting, President Shen, thank you!
Upon receiving the message, Shen Han unconsciously smiled during the meeting.
She wasn’t sitting in the main seat but had chosen a spot at the end of the front row, yet she was still the focus of most people’s attention.
As the most important investor for the university this year, of course they had to pay attention.
And this focal point was openly chatting on her Light Brain and zoning out, imagining Su Mi’s fur-bristled angry look in her mind.
Her stern expression, cold for most of the meeting, now softened incredibly.
Her slender fingers slid on the screen, picking a smiling face from her sparse emoji collection and sending it.
Shen Han: Okay.
Su Mi checked the time.
: I’ll come wait for you now.
She tidied up, saw the sun was intense outside, grabbed an umbrella, threw on a skirt casually, and went out.
She took the elevator to the dorm lobby. Before scanning her Light Brain to exit, she unexpectedly spotted a familiar figure again on the dorm auntie’s sofa.
Ren Yue.
Ren Yue was dressed in her usual little white flower style, with delicate light makeup like plain boiled water. Her legs were pressed together elegantly as she sat on the sofa, head down looking at her Light Brain.
Su Mi waved at her. “Hey!”
“We meet again!” Su Mi said with a grin.
