NOVEL NEXT Chapter 425
This inexplicable feeling struck Gu Xiuyuan himself as absurd.
Why was he chatting here with the person who had harmed his girlfriend, who now had the audacity to act familiar and even ask him for money?
"Was your previous demeanor all an act? Is this your true nature?"
"Did you use this same tone to deceive Shen Qingtang?"
The thought made Gu Xiuyuan's expression darken.
Ji Nian looked at him earnestly. "I've already realized my mistake. Whether you believe me or not, things turning out this way was never my intention."
She wanted to ask about Shen Qingtang's condition—she'd inquired with the system earlier, but it claimed ignorance.
The original novel hadn't elaborated, as this part of the plot was solely meant to highlight the male lead's wrath for his beloved.
Ji Nian found the narrative choices here hard to accept and was sorely tempted to curse them as idiotic.
Her tone was sincere, earnest, and so humble it was hard to lash out at her.
But what unsettled Gu Xiuyuan even more was the stark contrast in her demeanor.
The ever-present face mask was gone, as if she no longer cared about her appearance. Her emerald-green eyes brimmed with vitality and confidence, her posture straight—almost as if...
A lifeless shell had been infused with a soul.
He tried recalling the Ji Nian of the past, but his memory only conjured a vague figure—someone who always stood in corners, head bowed, never speaking.
A complete opposite of the person before him.
"Even if you say that, I won't let you off."
"The suffering she endured, I'll make you repay a thousandfold."
[Wow, such a domineering declaration. I wonder what Gu Xiuyuan would think if he heard his other self say this.]
Despite the teasing thought, Ji Nian wasn't in high spirits. Gu Xiuyuan's words suggested Shen Qingtang's injuries were severe.
It was hard to believe something so significant had been glossed over in the original novel.
"Alright, but before my punishment arrives, could you lend me some money? Just a hundred yuan—I'll pay you back."
"If I starve to death before the punishment, wouldn't that be letting me off too easy?"
Ji Nian clasped her hands in a pleading gesture.
Gu Xiuyuan was rendered speechless by her shamelessness.
He tossed his phone to her, raising a brow coldly. "If you can unlock it, transfer whatever you want."
Tired of being on the defensive in this conversation, he was clearly trying to provoke her.
There was no way Ji Nian could unlock his phone—she'd eventually back down, embarrassed, and leave.
But the most unexpected thing happened.
The moment Ji Nian took his phone, her face lit up like she'd won the lottery, the brilliance in her emerald eyes making her scars fade into the background.
She swiftly entered the passcode, unlocking the screen under Gu Xiuyuan's stunned gaze.
Ji Nian opened Alipay, pulled up her own phone's QR code, and mused inwardly: [Even the phone brand is different from the Gu Xiuyuan I know...]
The lock screen and wallpaper were also default settings.
But it made sense—the Gu Xiuyuan she knew always switched phones to match hers and Shen Qingtang's, with lock screens set to their group photos by Shen Qingtang.
With a hint of melancholy, Ji Nian entered Gu Xiuyuan's payment password and transferred herself a hundred yuan.
She paid no mind to his utterly bewildered expression.
The lock screen password could still be explained away.
But the payment password...
How could Ji Nian possibly know it? That was impossible!
"Just who...?"
He might have wanted to ask.
Even the slowest person would notice the anomalies about Ji Nian now, and Gu Xiuyuan was far from slow—he was sharp.
Ji Nian checked the time. "It's a long story. I'll explain when I have time."
"Gotta go. Thanks for the money."
She waved and hurried off, leaving Gu Xiuyuan staring at the "Payment of 100 yuan completed" notification, too dazed to stop her.
Ji Nian had only asked for a hundred because she needed to take a taxi to the Ji family home.
Walking would take until dawn, and the bus was too slow—a taxi was the most time-efficient option.
The driver, upon seeing her face, lost any desire for small talk, making the ride eerily quiet.
The system chose then to speak up, its usual static screech intact.
[I thought you'd despise this world's Gu Xiuyuan.]
After all, when Ji Nian learned the original host had essentially been killed by the male lead, her impression of him had soured.
Ji Nian replied: [So did I.]
[But doesn't it feel like the situation is completely different from the novel?]
Though she lacked concrete evidence, something felt off.
When the system had summarized the original plot, Ji Nian's understanding was that the original host, stripped of everything she should have had, became mentally unstable, made mistakes, and paid with her life—a punishment far exceeding her crimes.
But after meeting the real Gu Xiuyuan, she had doubts.
She knew him. Beneath it all, he had a gentle core. Even with different life experiences, would he truly go so far as to take a life?
...
By the time night fully fell, Ji Nian arrived home.
Or rather, in this alternate world, the home she once knew.
Strangely, the architecture gave her more sense of belonging than the people.
For a moment, she imagined walking in to find her sister waiting, arms open for a welcome-home hug, Wei Yang bombarding her with questions about her day, and Ji Tingzhou lounging in his favorite spot, watching TV.
But reality was harsher—if she strode in openly, she'd likely be met with furious scolding instead.
Ji Nian stood at a distance, gazing up at the building.
She missed home.
Shaking off the sentiment, she steeled herself.
Dwelling on it wouldn't bring her back. Might as well treat this as a time-travel adventure.
She rallied, recalling the weakest point in the Ji family's security, and slipped in unnoticed.
If routines held, dinner would have just ended.
Perched on a tree overlooking the main house, Ji Nian pondered the oddities.
She'd expected to dodge servants, but the grounds were deserted—no chatter, not even insect sounds. The main building, usually ablaze with light at night, was dim, only a few windows illuminated.
It felt lifeless.
She curled up, resting her head on her knees, and waited.
Midnight's chime roused her, the system's voice cutting through the silence.
Ji Nian opened her eyes, alert, and dropped from the tree—light as a cat, soundless.
Under the cover of darkness, she slipped into the intimately familiar house, skillfully bypassing the dozing security and disabling all surveillance devices.
Ji Nian headed to her own room—according to the novel's setup, Shen Qingtang should have been staying there at this time.
But when she pushed the door open and saw the untouched, clearly unused space, she froze in surprise.