Chapter 26: A Wish

The person in question had no idea how much mental trauma she had inflicted on the single staff members passing by. At that moment, the only thing on her mind was to strictly guard against all sorts of strange props or staff members, ensuring they wouldn’t scare Mu Yixuan. Once she finally led the “scared of ghosts” Mu Yixuan to the exit, she couldn’t help but wipe the sweat from her forehead. The warm sunlight shone on her body, instantly dispelling the chill she had brought out from the haunted house.

“Thank you.” Their posture at that moment was still quite intimate, and Mu Yixuan’s breath as she spoke brushed lightly against Nian Zhi’an’s ear.

Without the cover of dim lighting, Mu Yixuan could clearly see Nian Zhi’an’s ears turn bright red in an instant.

She had never realized how cute her ears could be.

Nian Zhi’an shuffled several steps to the side in quick succession, putting some distance between herself and that person’s breath.

“You’re welcome!”

“Auntie! It was so scary inside!” The little girl pounced over with teary eyes and hugged Mu Yixuan’s leg.

“Would you dare come again next time?” Mu Yixuan looked down at her little niece and asked.

“If… Teacher protects me the same way she protected Auntie, then I’d dare!” The little girl pouted, humming and hawing jealously. “The big sister over there showed me the video. It was Teacher protecting Auntie the whole time; otherwise, Auntie definitely wouldn’t have dared to go in!”

“Ahem, well… Tiantian! I just spotted a fried skewer stall nearby that smells amazing. Want to go eat some?” Nian Zhi’an coughed sharply twice, quickly diverting the child who had blurted out the truth.

“I do!” Sure enough, the little girl’s attention was immediately drawn to food.

“What about you, Yunyun?” Nian Zhi’an asked the other child.

“N-No, thank you.” That child shyly declined.

Finally, Nian Zhi’an looked up at Mu Yixuan.

“I’ll go with you.” Before Mu Yixuan could finish her sentence, Nian Zhi’an waved her hands like a startled rabbit, rejecting her. “It’s a bit far over there. I’ll be right back—you stay here and watch the kids!”

With that, without waiting for Mu Yixuan to say anything else, she dashed off and vanished in a puff of smoke.

Mu Yixuan let out a helpless chuckle.

“Why did Teacher run off so fast? Are those fried skewers really that good?” Mu Tiantian innocently exposed Nian Zhi’an’s little secret.

“Teacher’s just a bit shy. When she comes back later, Tiantian, you mustn’t mention this again, okay?” Mu Yixuan instructed her considerately.

Shy? Why shy? Mu Tiantian’s little mind wasn’t equipped to ponder such profound questions, but if Auntie told her not to say it, she wouldn’t.

【Turn left at the intersection ahead and you’ll find the restroom.】

Under the system’s guidance, Nian Zhi’an smoothly located the nearest restroom. She took out the glass bottle wrapped in mud from her bag and also saw the other items in her bag that had met their demise.

Nian Zhi’an stared woodenly at the system, and the little system guiltily hid itself.

Whatever—there was nothing valuable inside anyway, so she wouldn’t hold it against the little guy.

She placed the glass bottle under the faucet and rinsed it off. Soon, the wishing bottle revealed its original appearance.

The wishing bottle was only half a palm in size. Inside were some glittery sequins that children liked, along with a rolled-up piece of paper. Under the sunlight, the sequins in the bottle sparkled brightly.

【Host, wouldn’t it be a bit improper for us to peek at someone else’s little secret?】 The system cautiously poked out half its head and said.

“No, no, no—System, you can’t think that way.” Nian Zhi’an solemnly quibbled. “This is Mu Yixuan’s birthday wish. A wishing bottle is at most a mental comfort; it can’t actually make wishes come true.”

“Santa Claus doesn’t exist, but there can be someone dressed as Santa Claus.” Nian Zhi’an smiled slyly. “But doesn’t playing Santa Claus require knowing what she likes first?”

The system concluded—this was twisted logic!

Back then, Mu Yixuan had refused to let her see this little secret no matter what, and now it was right in her hands. She shook the wishing bottle. She should have been thrilled, but for some reason, a heavy feeling welled up in her heart.

Nian Zhi’an first used her phone to place an order at the fried skewer stall, then went to a secluded grove and sat on a bench. She carefully opened the sealed glass bottle and poured out the piece of paper.

But the instant she poured it out, she suddenly remembered some things Mu Yixuan had said to her back then.

At the time, Mu Yixuan had refused to let her see what she’d written, no matter how much she coerced or tempted her. The more Mu Yixuan hid it, the more it sparked her rebelliousness and curiosity. She had even planned to sneakily dig it up back then, but Mu Yixuan had caught her and scolded her. To this day, she still couldn’t figure out where she’d slipped up.

When Mu Yixuan got fed up with her pestering, she’d said that she’d know when the wish came true and that she would definitely tell her then, even asking her to help dig the bottle up again.

Nian Zhi’an had felt a bit regretful at the time because she knew she wouldn’t live long in this world. She and Mu Yixuan were fated for only one to survive, and by the time she’d helped celebrate that birthday back then, the seeds of their falling out—”the script”—had already taken shape in her heart.

That was why she’d made Mu Yixuan repeat the location over and over, because the person who would eventually dig up this bottle might only be her.

“Don’t think I’m nagging—recite it one more time: under the tenth tree from the ancient tree toward the main gate. Fine, fine, give me your phone. I’ll make you a memo!”

“…I left my phone at home. Just remember the spot yourself.”

“Don’t be so lazy. You’re the top student in our grade, a study god. Memorizing a location should be a piece of cake for you. What if I can’t come with you next time? You have to remember it yourself!”

When she said that, Mu Yixuan’s face had fallen instantly, looking a bit angry.

“It’s not like you’re dying—how could you not come?” After saying that, she seemed to regret it a little but still huffed stubbornly. “…If you don’t come, then this bottle stays buried there forever.”

Then Song Qi’an died, and the bottle had indeed remained buried here, undug.

It wasn’t until she returned to this world that the bottle finally had a chance to see the light of day again…

Nian Zhi’an’s movements as she held the slip of paper suddenly froze. Amid the system’s puzzled gaze, she spaced out for a long time.

【What’s wrong, Host? Is there something off about this?】

“Nothing. I just suddenly thought that what she wrote on here… might have something to do with me.”

Looking back now, when she’d said she might not be able to accompany her anymore, Mu Yixuan had nearly been brought to tears with anger, right? That expression hiding grievance behind anger was actually kind of adorable.

【Host… maybe we shouldn’t look?】

Her host’s expression was so strange.

She still had to look—at the very least… she might need to give Mu Yixuan an explanation.

She unfolded the rolled-up slip of paper, where a line of neat handwriting appeared.

“I hope next time I can come to the amusement park with Qi An again.”

It was the most ordinary wish imaginable. Nian Zhi’an could still picture the way Mu Yixuan’s lips had curved up as she wrote those words back then. Perhaps, for Mu Yixuan at that time, happiness was that simple, and she had believed such a simple thing would definitely come true in the future.

Mu Yixuan had once looked forward to their future with such joy, but Song Qi’an was someone without a future.

【That’s the wish? Oh? But hasn’t it already come true! H-Host…】 The system’s voice suddenly trailed off.

It saw the host bury her face in her hands, with traces of wetness seeping through her fingers.

After who knows how long, it cautiously scooted closer. It carefully reread the words on the slip of paper to make sure it hadn’t misread anything. Why would the Great Demon King lose composure over this?

It nudged Nian Zhi’an with its round body. 【Host, I’m not one of those Clearance Department seniors. If you want to have a sweet romance with the antagonist, I’d support it with both hands and feet. No need to hold back—with a progressive system like me, count your lucky stars!】

【Don’t cry. Be happy—aren’t you back now? You can bring Mu Yixuan to the amusement park as many times as you want!】

Happy?

Nian Zhi’an finally lowered her hands, revealing a pair of reddened eyes.

“System, let me ask you something.”

【What?】

“A heinous, irredeemable death row inmate who refuses to repent is suddenly released on grounds of innocence. What do you think the reason is?”

【Huh? Death row inmate? Uh… because the inmate has powerful backing?】

“No, she’s just an ordinary person at the mercy of others.”

【Some hidden truth to the crime?】

“No, the evidence is ironclad.”

【Then… something valuable about the inmate they’re planning to exploit before killing her?】

“You think so too?” Nian Zhi’an had originally wanted to habitually force a fake smile, but she found that no matter what she did, she couldn’t curl up the corners of her mouth, so she eventually gave up. “So, what do you think makes me worth the Main System’s attention?”

【Huh?!】 The Little System took a long time to connect the “death row inmate” in Nian Zhi’an’s words with its counterpart. Indeed, it had never understood back then why the Main System hadn’t simply erased the Great Demon King.

“As for you, System…” Nian Zhi’an looked up at the chubby little orb of light, her slightly red eyes filled with cold indifference. “How would I know if the Main System isn’t monitoring me through your eyes?”

【???】 The Little System froze, then shocked itself by realizing it truly had no proof that it wasn’t the Main System’s spy! But it really wasn’t!

From the moment it was born until now, it hadn’t even laid eyes on the Main System once!

The Main System misunderstands me!

Realizing she was getting a bit out of control, Nian Zhi’an stopped making things difficult for the Little System. She merely looked at the slip of paper in its hands for a moment before rolling it up, placing it back inside the glass bottle, sealing it tight, and then carefully putting it away.

She glanced at the time again and saw that it was already getting late, so she headed back to the public restroom she’d used earlier, washed her face, and prepared to leave.

【Host…】 Realizing its host probably didn’t want to deal with it for the time being, the Little System sighed. It really was a case of sitting at home minding its own business, only for the blame to come crashing down from the sky.

As a Little System that had only been born a short while ago, it clearly lacked any experience in handling this sort of situation, so it pinned its hopes on another very reliable senior.

The Little System opened its internal system channel and sent a message to its pinned contact: 【Hello, I’m facing a huge crisis right now and don’t know what to do. Do you have time to help me out? QAQ?】

That senior seemed truly idle and replied almost instantly.

【Sure, what happened?】

Since that senior knew about its host’s situation, the Little System didn’t beat around the bush and explained everything.

【Do you have any way to help me patch things up with my host?】

The other side seemed to fall into deep thought as well, taking a long time before replying: 【Your host probably just doesn’t trust the Main System. It doesn’t have much to do with you.】

【How so?】

【Because judging by your intelligence and abilities… you couldn’t possibly qualify as an inside man.】 The system on the other end apparently wasn’t great at sparing feelings and stabbed right at the Little System’s fragile little heart with two brutal jabs.

【The real root of the problem is… the Main System. You need to get her to believe it won’t kill the donkey after it’s done grinding the mill—that her value alive is greater than dead—or maybe give her another strong dose of medicine?】 On second thought, better not. If it didn’t get the dosage right and pushed her over the edge, it’d just create more trouble for itself. But ignoring it didn’t seem like a good option either.

The Little System read the string of messages from its senior and couldn’t help shivering.

【Senior, do you know about the conspiracy? My host really guessed right?! What is the Main System planning to do to her?!】

【Don’t worry, little one. You just keep acting cute by your host’s side. Let her handle the rest with the Main System herself.】

【Huh?】 The Little System read the senior’s messages several times over. Are you sure this is fine? Acting cute? This answer seemed utterly unreliable at first glance. But when it pressed further about the Main System’s secrets, the other side stopped replying.

~~~

“Auntie! Teacher’s back!” Mu Tiantian had been waiting so eagerly for the skewers her eyes were nearly popping out, and she spotted Nian Zhi’an’s figure the moment it emerged from the crowd.

The little girl dashed out joyfully to greet Nian Zhi’an and the skewers in her hands.

Nian Zhi’an had bought two portions: one mild one for the child and one super spicy for the adults.

Mu Yixuan walked over, intending to help Nian Zhi’an carry some things, but she inadvertently caught sight of the other woman’s slightly red-rimmed eyes. The smile on her face gradually faded.

“Was the skewer shop that crowded?” Mu Yixuan frowned slightly before tucking away all her unusual emotions deep inside.

“There were a ton of people, but luckily I was smart and ordered on my phone. This place’s chili is seriously spicy—I tasted one skewer on the way and it made my eyes water.” Nian Zhi’an smiled as she pinned all the blame on the skewers.

“If you can’t handle it, don’t eat too many. I’ll go buy you a bottle of water.” Mu Yixuan confiscated Nian Zhi’an’s skewers and then took her to the beverage stall to buy a large bottle of water.

Along the way, Nian Zhi’an barely ate two skewers but chugged more than half the bottle of water. Mu Yixuan could tell the other woman was distracted, mechanically eating or drinking whatever she handed over. If she hadn’t noticed in time, Nian Zhi’an might have drunk herself sick.

Mu Yixuan had seen this restless state of hers once before, and it suddenly made her uneasy. Even though she was holding Nian Zhi’an’s hand the whole time, she felt like she wasn’t grasping anything at all.

She truly couldn’t hold onto her. If Nian Zhi’an wanted to leave, she probably wouldn’t even get a chance to stop it.

Mu Yixuan thought of those so-called “masters” who had been locked up in detention because of their connection to Long Chendong. Those people were all frauds, but… she had to admit a dark thought had flashed through her mind.

The rest of the amusement park trip was still fun for the two kids, but the two adults were each lost in their own thoughts, making the atmosphere feel somewhat heavy.

“Aren’t Teacher and Auntie going to play?” The child’s innocent question snapped Nian Zhi’an back to reality.

She thought of the wishing bottle in her bag and glanced at Mu Yixuan, who had been wandering aimlessly with her the whole time. Suddenly, she felt a pang of guilt.

“Let’s play!” Under Mu Yixuan’s somewhat surprised gaze, Nian Zhi’an grabbed her hand. “President Mu is usually swamped with a million things to do every day. It’s rare for you to have time off today, so we have to make the most of it!”

They went on every ride they hadn’t had time for last time due to the time limit!

By the time the sky began to darken and everyone was worn out from playing, the group finally left the amusement park. Mu Yixuan needed to take Mu Tiantian to see her mother, and dinner might be at the sanatorium, so she invited Nian Zhi’an along. But Nian Zhi’an declined, citing exhaustion from being too excited the night before and needing to catch up on sleep.

“If…” As they parted, Mu Yixuan held onto Nian Zhi’an, her expression carrying a hint of pleading. “If there’s any difficulty, you can tell me. I’ll help you.”

Nian Zhi’an paused for a moment before grinning carelessly. “You’re my biggest backer. If I have any troubles, you’ll be the first person I come to!”

Mu Yixuan let go of her hand. From Nian Zhi’an’s expression, she knew the other woman wasn’t taking it seriously. This couldn’t be rushed; it would take time.

“Tiantian, say goodbye to Teacher.”

“Bye, Teacher!”

“Goodbye. Drive safely.” Nian Zhi’an smiled and waved to them.

Once they were out of sight, Nian Zhi’an’s face gradually grew cold. She glanced at the sky reddened by the sunset and silently awaited the results of her little test today.

When she got home, her vision suddenly went black, and she lost consciousness. Then, in a “dream,” she saw a future that even the Little System didn’t fully understand.

It was the scene of Long Chendong’s death.

The woman, who was usually cool and elegant, raised a knife high like a malevolent ghost. No one knew what hatred drove her to stab it unhesitatingly into Long Chendong’s throat without a second thought. When she pulled the knife out, blood sprayed forth. Her tears mixed with the blood splattered on her face, making her look both terrifying and tragic.