The faint morning sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains onto the bed. The faint chirping of birds could be heard outside. Xu Ziyan nuzzled into the soft pillow, feeling that she had slept incredibly comfortably.
So this was what truly restful sleep felt like. Her previous life had been a complete waste.
Xu Ziyan sighed with feeling once more. No mountain of gold or silver could compare to enjoying the tangible comforts of this moment. She now had a sudden epiphany: life was unpredictable. You never knew when it might be deleted and restarted, rendering everything meaningless. It was better to savor every moment to the extreme, to love oneself to the extreme, to live life to the fullest, vivid and spectacular.
That way, no matter when it ended, she would break even. It would be worth it.
The corners of her mouth lifted slightly. She stretched and sat up. 【001, morning. Lived another day. Come on, let’s go find Cheap Younger Brother and see if we can live a few more days.】
As Xu Ziyan changed clothes and washed up, the system sounded worried. 【Fu Qiming is still angry with you. There’s no way he’ll help, right?】
Xu Ziyan didn’t care in the slightest. 【Asking is my business. Whether he agrees or not is his business. Who cares? If it doesn’t work, we’ll think of another way. The key to living is to never internalize stress. Deal with problems when they arise, and don’t go imagining problems for yourself when there aren’t any.】
【I’m hungry. I’ll eat breakfast first, and bring a portion for Cheap Younger Brother while I’m at it. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Once he eats my food, he’ll be easier to talk to.】 Xu Ziyan finished getting ready quickly and ran downstairs.
In the neighboring room, Fu Qiming, who had been busy all night, snorted with laughter. Was he supposed to thank her for being willing to incidentally bring him breakfast? He wanted to see just what method this Cheap Older Sister would use to persuade him.
Fu Qiming waited in his room at his leisure. To his surprise, after waiting half an hour, no one came. Unable to restrain his impatience, he went downstairs to look—only to find Xu Ziyan playing with the dog!
Fu Qiming was so angry he laughed. He stood in the doorway with his hands on his hips. Even someone as conspicuous as him, Xu Ziyan completely failed to notice, too busy throwing a frisbee for the family Border Collie again and again, laughing out loud as she played.
Fu Qiming deliberately coughed a few times. Xu Ziyan finally looked over, seeming rather surprised. “Huh? You’re up so early? Don’t you usually sleep until nine?”
Fu Qiming pointed at them. “How could I sleep with all this noise? You really have the leisure for this, not eating breakfast properly in the morning, playing with the dumb dog here?”
The estate was huge. How was throwing a frisbee and laughing a little bit noisy? Were the soundproofing materials just for show? Xu Ziyan just thought he was being neurotic and replied, “We already ate, right, Leo?”
She threw the frisbee again and walked toward Fu Qiming. “Leo is not a dumb dog. He’s really smart. Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘a dog is a dog, but a Border Collie is a Border Collie’? When I fed him breakfast just now, he learned how to play dead after just two tries. Haha, so cute.”
What kind of nonsense was that? ‘A dog is a dog, but a Border Collie is a Border Collie’? Fu Qiming didn’t pay attention to pets and had no idea what Xu Ziyan was talking about, but he understood one thing clearly: Xu Ziyan had not only eaten breakfast herself, but had also personally fed the family dog breakfast, completely forgetting her Cheap Younger Brother somewhere beyond the horizon.
He wanted to crack open Xu Ziyan’s head to see if it was filled with water. Was this the attitude of someone asking for a favor? Xu Ziyan was the one who needed his help, right? It concerned her life! And she still had the leisure to play here?
Xu Ziyan hadn’t actually forgotten. It was just that, according to routine, Fu Qiming shouldn’t be up at this hour. She couldn’t just disturb his beauty sleep, could she? Now that she saw him, but hadn’t prepared his portion of breakfast, Xu Ziyan simply skipped over that part. Seeing no one else around, she got straight to the point. “How about we team up to screw over Ding Jie?”
Fu Qiming was taken aback. “How?”
Xu Ziyan looked at him. “Ding Jie wants to use the game you made as a stepping stone, to make a splash and get the Ding Family to look at him in a new light. He’ll definitely go all out and take this opportunity very seriously. We’ll let him think he’s succeeded, then have a major game malfunction appear right when he’s feeling most triumphant, making him fall flat on his face.
How about it? Want in? He’s your arch-nemesis, plotting against you behind your back like this. If you don’t get revenge, are you even a man?”
Fu Qiming had just been pondering the relationship between Ding Jie and the Ding Family. Hearing that last sentence, his temper flared. So Xu Ziyan never intended to beg him? She was just using reverse psychology on him here? He asked aggressively, “What if I don’t agree?”
Xu Ziyan looked astonished. “You wouldn’t take such a perfect chance to vent? Fine, forget it then. I’ll find someone else. With money, can’t I find a technician?”
Having said that, she turned to go back to her room to get her phone, to see if there was anyone reliable in her contacts who could do this.
Fu Qiming grabbed her arm. “I’ll do it, alright? I’ll do it! I had the same idea as you. I was already researching how to screw him over last night. I’ll go put the finishing touches on it now. You arrange the meeting with Ding Jie.”
His pride wounded, Fu Qiming took the stairs two at a time, rushing back to his room first.
Xu Ziyan was speechless. 【So impulsive. Can’t he just say what he means? Does he not understand ‘efficient communication’?】
Fu Qiming now understood. Communicating with this Cheap Older Sister required being direct and concise. Otherwise, you’d only end up angering yourself.
Xu Ziyan sent Ding Jie a message, arranging to meet at noon at the most expensive private kitchen from the Original Host’s memory. As for the several messages Ding Jie had sent her yesterday, she simply ignored them.
This kind of man was selfish. Maybe, as in the book, he valued his birth mother and Bai Qingqing highly, but that was limited to those two people. For a Villainess like her, he wouldn’t care. No matter how much he said, it was just to continue using her for his own benefit.
She just needed to be clear about what she wanted and proceed at her own pace.
Given the current situation, Xu Ziyan and Fu Qiming had formed a temporary alliance. So, Xu Ziyan still went to the kitchen to order breakfast and pushed the breakfast cart into the elevator.
Inside the elevator, she looked left and right, checking her reflection in the mirror with great novelty. She had never been in this kind of villa before, naturally never ridden a villa elevator either. Looking at her clothes and the food in the breakfast cart, she suddenly felt a wave of happiness from her vastly improved quality of life.
【Sis is living the good life now!】 She started humming in her heart. 【We common folks are really happy today~】
Fu Qiming shook his head, amused. Cheap Older Sister was so easily satisfied. She hadn’t been this happy when he gave her the game yesterday, but today she was singing over such a little thing.
Anyway, he finally got to eat the ‘incidental’ loving breakfast from his Cheap Older Sister.
Xu Ziyan waved her phone in front of him. “It’s set. All is ready except for the east wind. When can you finish your part?”
Fu Qiming had to admire Xu Ziyan’s efficiency. He wouldn’t hold her back.
“It’s already done. Give this version to Ding Jie. Guaranteed he won’t notice a thing. When problems arise later, he’ll just think the game I made wasn’t polished enough and had major flaws. He won’t suspect you.” Fu Qiming said this with absolute confidence. Although the project was done with his team, the core parts were all his own work, his heart and soul. That’s why in the Original Plot he was so angry he cut ties with the Original Host.
Now it had become an advantage. The tampering he’d done was unknown to anyone. And with Ding Jie obtaining the thing through sneaky means, he wouldn’t even be able to pursue liability.
With this matter settled, Xu Ziyan simply waved goodbye and called for a stylist to come help her get ready.
Fu Qiming was speechless. Use him and toss him aside? Not even a moment of idle chat? She spent more time playing with the dog.
Fu Dongfeng and Li Yunhui heard the commotion and came over to ask what was going on. He quickly explained their cooperation.
Li Yunhui was a bit worried that Xu Ziyan meeting Ding Jie alone might be dangerous. After all, in the Original Plot, this Ding Jie had used others to harm their whole family and ended up killing Xu Ziyan. In the Original Plot, Ding Jie was the Male Lead, but for their family, Ding Jie was a demonic villain who required one hundred and twenty percent vigilance.
Fu Qiming promptly said he would go too—not openly, but secretly tailing them. He also wanted to know if this method could deceive the “powers above” and complete the mission. If any emergencies arose, he could help.
Besides, everything in this world developed according to the Original Plot. Who knew if Xu Ziyan, upon meeting the so-called Male Lead, would suddenly lose her IQ and turn into a love-struck idiot?
Hearing this, Fu Dongfeng immediately agreed. He still remembered Xu Ziyan mentioning Ding Jie’s looks on the phone. They had to be careful. After all, Xu Ziyan was now their family’s cabbage—they couldn’t let some wild boar root it up.
The three of them discussed it all morning, their minds full of the Male Lead, the Plot, and World Collapse. In contrast, Xu Ziyan, who spent the time binge-watching dramas and getting styled, seemed heartless and overly leisurely.
Actually, Xu Ziyan was just enjoying the present moment. She had just discovered there were so many things she hadn’t experienced yet. Since the plan was set and she needed to dress up to go out anyway, she might as well have a private stylist come help. She didn’t have to do anything herself and still became beautiful, exquisite down to every strand of hair. So satisfying!
When it was almost time, Xu Ziyan had the family driver take her to the private kitchen. “After the meal, I might go shopping a bit. I’ll call you to pick me up when it’s time to go back.”
“Very well, Miss,” the driver replied. Upon arrival, he opened the door for Xu Ziyan.
Xu Ziyan suddenly understood why people liked power and wealth. Who wouldn’t want this kind of life? Anyway, she was vulgar and she wanted it. It truly felt physically and mentally refreshing.
Xu Ziyan entered the restaurant. Fu Qiming parked his car nearby. The driver was startled. “Young Master?”
Fu Qiming got out and waved his hand. “You can go back. Don’t worry about her. I’ll drive her back.” With that, he hurried into the restaurant, pulling down his cap and putting on his sunglasses before entering.
Looking at Fu Qiming’s sneaky aura, the driver hesitated, then decided to just inform the Fu Family and wait right there. If the two siblings ended up arguing later, having a car here would be more convenient, wouldn’t it? Better than losing face out in public.
Given the siblings’ previously stiff relationship, it was hard to say what might happen.
Xu Ziyan finally saw this book’s Male Lead. He really did have that idol-drama kind of looks. So handsome, with a feeling of a warm senior. Seeing him was like seeing a gentle, warm sun. When he looked over, that tender gaze and smile even carried a hint of deep affection. No wonder the Original Host had been so infatuated.
【Is this the legendary ‘looks at a dog with deep affection’ gaze? I’ve learned something new.】
Following the Original Plot’s dialogue, she sat down and said, “Do you know what a huge sacrifice I made to help you? How are you going to make it up to me?”
Ding Jie was taken aback. This wasn’t the first time Xu Ziyan had said this. Usually, it was coquettish. Why did it sound so much like picking a fight this time?