"Is that so?" Xingyu poked her cheek with the end of her chopsticks.
She recalled the vague memories of Lin Yanning that had been transmitted into her mind. In the original setting, she certainly had a crush on him. After all, a manipulative supporting female character and a villainous supporting male character were bound to be in cahoots, and neither of them could possibly harbor any genuine feelings.
She remembered that in the plot, Lin Yanning had feelings for Ruan Qianqian, dating back to high school. It was just that, burdened by the weight of his entire family, he couldn't express his love for her. He had wanted to confess to her after he achieved success, never imagining that Ruan Qianqian would end up with Xu Lingjing. Ruan Qianqian was the only pure land in his heart, and now that light no longer belonged to him—it had started shining on someone else.
He suffered, he despaired, and he was driven mad by jealousy. His repeated attempts to frame Xu Lingjing failed, so he took it out on Xu Xingyu...
Tsk, he was mentally ill.
Dealing with someone like him must be interesting. To get what he wanted, what would he be willing to sell? His life? Money? Love, or a shattered soul?
Seeing that Xingyu hadn't taken his words to heart at all, Xu Huaishen shook his head with a touch of helplessness. He didn't truly want to stop her; forcing her would only be counterproductive. Some bitter lessons needed to be learned firsthand, and fortunately, he was there to pick up the pieces.
After dinner, Xu Huaishen returned to his study to handle business.
Only Xu Lingjing and Xingyu remained. Usually, he would go straight to his room, but now that Xingyu enjoyed ordering him around, he would linger a while longer. He stayed until she yawned and prepared for bed; only then would he return to his room to read, finish homework, or work online—sometimes staying busy until the early hours of the morning.
Xingyu headed to the back garden, and Xu Lingjing followed her quietly. The garden was filled with the faint chirping of insects and a subtle, lingering fragrance. Warm yellow night lights were tucked away among the flower beds, and the pleasant evening breeze was refreshing.
Xingyu leaned back in a rattan chair, and Xu Lingjing sat on the other side. She turned slightly, propped her feet on his lap, and nudged his thigh. Lazily, she said, "My feet are a bit sore. Knead them."
Xingyu’s legs were as delicate and soft as suet jade. As Xu Lingjing’s calloused fingertips slowly kneaded them, soothing the soreness, she squinted contentedly, holding her phone to read a novel.
Just then, her phone rang.
The screen displayed "Lin Yanning." Xingyu paused, resisting the urge to hang up, and swiped to answer.
"Hello? Xingyu? Are you free tomorrow?" The voice was pleasant enough—he was a supporting male character, after all.
"What for?"
"I’ve booked a resort."
"Oh."
Lin Yanning hadn't expected such a cold tone from Xu Xingyu, who had been so enthusiastic just a few days ago. He was taken aback, then quickly composed himself. "I wanted to invite you out to have some fun."
"Oh."
"Are you coming?" He struggled to hide his impatience and indifference.
[System, is there a resort plot in the original story?]
[Yes. This is a crucial emotional turning point for the protagonist and heroine. At the resort, Xu Xingyu gets jealous because Lin Yanning subconsciously focuses on and favors Ruan Qianqian. She mocks Ruan Qianqian for having a poor background and being low-born. That’s when Xu Lingjing appears to slap the villainess in the face; it turns out he is the secret owner of this resort...]
[Crazy!]
The system sounded aggrieved: [That's just how the plot is.]
Xingyu sneered: [Don't tell me Xu Lingjing really is the secret owner of the resort.]
[He is.]
[Tsk, then I definitely have to go. I want to see exactly how the lead couple plans to slap the villainess in the face.]
The system felt like crying: [Lord Demon, Lord God would never side with anyone else to bully you.]
Xingyu curled her lips, unsure whether she believed it or not, and casually accepted the invitation on the phone: "Sure, I'll be there." After all, how could she watch the show if she didn't go?
No sooner had she spoken than Xingyu let out a sharp hiss. Her hand jerked, and her phone fell onto the rattan chair.
Xu Lingjing, that wretch, was indeed up to no good. The hand he had on her ankle had suddenly tightened, causing sharp pain.
Xingyu slapped his hand away. "Get lost, you jerk! That hurts."
His hand was red from her slap, with clear finger marks instantly surfacing on his skin.
"Let go! I don't need you anymore, get away!" Xingyu's fingertips were aching from the vibration. She rubbed her fingers and said to him coldly.
Xu Lingjing actually released her and stood up. At nearly 1.9 meters tall, he looked down at her, his gaze mottled and unreadable, full of pressure.
Xingyu, who had been calm just a moment ago, instantly bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Are you trying to rebel? If you want to leave, leave now! Do you think I actually need you?"
With every word she said, Xu Lingjing’s eyes grew darker. His pitch-black pupils glinted with a cold, ghostly light in the dim night, like a venomous snake clinging to damp moss, or an evil spirit devouring souls in the dead of night. It seemed that if she let her guard down for even a second, he would swallow her whole.
Xu Lingjing didn't move. He just stared at her, allowing her to hurl insults at him.
Like this again! She really hated him!
"Get lost! Don't let me see you again."
Xu Lingjing continued to watch her. His shadow was stretched long by the lights behind him. Her skin, white as snow, glowed with a luminous sheen under the warm yellow light, making him look like a monster hidden in a crowd, revealing a calm yet eerie face in the darkness.
Xingyu was annoyed to death. What kind of madness was he having?
She was so furious she felt like she was going crazy. Her breathing became ragged, and she grabbed his arm, sinking her teeth into his fair, sturdy skin with a savage bite.
Xingyu closed her eyes and bit down with all her might. She was relentless; deep tooth marks emerged, blood oozing out and turning the area into a horrific, blurry patch of crimson.
Xu Lingjing let her bite him, looking down at her with a silent, indulgent expression, a hidden, dark red flickering in his eyes. As she bit into him, the frantic, churning dark tide within him slowly calmed, as if the sharp pain was a placebo soothing his perpetually anxious heart.
Xingyu’s jaw began to ache, yet he didn't make a sound—not even a groan.
Frustrated to the point of lightheadedness, she wiped her reddened lips and, with her anger burning even hotter, sat up, grabbed the candle lamp from the table beside the chair, and threw it at him.
"I said, if you can't stand me, then get out! I won't stop you! You won't leave, but you won't listen to me either. What on earth is wrong with you?"
Blood dripped down his arm. Xu Lingjing neither spoke nor left, looking like a silent madman.
The system was getting anxious. Tentatively, it voiced its understanding: [Lord Demon, perhaps Lord God just doesn't want you to go to the resort.]
[What business is it of his if I go to the resort?]
Xingyu was burning with rage. She even considered ditching him and leaving right then and there. She was a demon, after all, and demons were known for going back on their word.
The system's voice trembled: [Lord Demon, is it possible that Lord God is afraid you'll be deceived by that Lin Yanning, but feels he has no right or standing to interfere, so he stayed silent?]
Xingyu turned her head away from Xu Lingjing: [Then tell me, what should I do?]
[Lord Demon, why don't you bring Lord God along? He’s the owner of the resort, after all. It would make it easier for you to bully Lin Yanning and Ruan Qianqian.] The system tried to phrase its suggestion as tactfully as possible.
Xingyu let out an enigmatic laugh, her tone dripping with sarcasm: [Are you stupid or am I? Xu Lingjing cares about me? He doesn't care about anyone, does he? Everyone in the world knows how cold and heartless he is. Aside from his occasional inexplicable bouts of madness, you can't see any extra emotion on his face. Whoever he pays a little extra attention to is truly having the luck of a lifetime~]
The system: [...]
Really, it was the stupid one. The system lay limp in the System Space as if it had been played to death. How could it think a demon would understand emotions?
Was it possible that the Lord God acting insane was already abnormal enough? She truly didn't understand a thing! And if she knew nothing about love, why was she so skilled at playing with the Lord God? Why?!
[Was I wrong? Why aren't you answering?]
After the system's moment of silence, Xingyu began to vent her anger on it.
The system was on the verge of kneeling to her. Shaking its wings, it said pitifully and aggrievedly: [Lord Demon, I beg you, please just listen to me once. Or just say exactly what I tell you to say to Lord God.]
Xingyu smiled enigmatically: [You want me to butter up Xu Lingjing?]
The system searched for the right words: [Lord Demon, this isn't buttering up, this is "killing with kindness." Think about it: you lift him high onto a pedestal, and then you drop him hard... only then will Lord God be truly heartbroken. Don't you like watching Lord God fall?]
*I'm sorry, I'm sorry.* The system kowtowed piously in the System Space. It was a devout believer in the Lord God; it really didn't want to hurt him, but this was its only desperate option.
Xingyu narrowed her eyes. Her long, elegant gaze curved slightly, looking both graceful and cunning. After a long while, she agreed: [Fine, I'll do as you say.]
Xingyu turned her head back to look at Xu Lingjing. She pouted reluctantly, but her tone softened, like a kitten that had just finished hissing and scratching, only to extend its little tongue to lick and make up: "Come with me to the resort tomorrow."
Xu Lingjing was slightly startled. Because he had been standing for too long and his arm was still bleeding, his vision blurred. His ears were filled with the buzzing sound of a black-and-white television with no signal. He hadn't heard Xingyu's words clearly, but he caught the key message.
It was rare enough for Xingyu to soften her tone to say even one sentence. Xu Lingjing didn't react immediately.
*No reaction?*
*Does she have no pride?*
Xingyu waited a moment, already seething and contemplating giving the system a beating for such a lousy idea. She stared at Xu Lingjing, narrowed her eyes, and snorted, her cheeks puffing out like a pufferfish: "If you don't want to, then get lost!"
Xu Lingjing knelt on one knee before her, leaning in to meet her gaze, his voice hoarse: "I will go. I don't 'not want to'."
"You’d better be doing it willingly."
"Hmm." He lowered his eyes submissively, his veiled gaze filled with the hazy, thick color of the night.