Morning bled through violet curtains, a soft wash of light pooling across the room. On Gu Xin’s giant double bed, three girls in nightgowns sprawled like scattered petals. The white‑haired little sprite lay crosswise on Gu Xin and Meng Yuting’s stomachs, her tiny head nestled between Gu Xin’s chest, breathing in slow hushes, bliss drawn on her face.

“Yuting… this little one… is she really just an intelligent system?”

Gu Xin stared at the child sleeping on her chest, speechless. Good thing her frame was sturdy; a slimmer girl would’ve folded, like bamboo under snow.

“Maybe. Think whose intelligent system she is. Inside that person’s body, nothing’s ever simple.”

Meng Yuting rolled her eyes, words dropping like pebbles into a still pond.

“…”

Gu Xin’s silence hung heavy, like fog after rain.

“Anyway… we should get up. If Yiyi sees this, that’s gonna look bad.”

Meng Yuting checked the time on her phone, the screen cold as morning dew.

“Right. Help me move her.”

Gu Xin waved, a quiet plea under her breath.

“Okay~”

With a helpless sigh, Meng Yuting lifted the little girl’s legs from her own belly, gentle as touching a sleeping cat. She sat up, slid her arms along the girl’s sides, and slowly lifted her off Gu Xin.

“Mm—mmh—mm—”

Moved from her warm perch, the white‑haired girl let out soft, sulky sounds, like a kitten refusing a new bed.

“Huff, huff—”

Freed of the “weight,” Gu Xin sat up, taking deep breaths, like surfacing from a warm lake.

“Let her sleep. I’m gonna wash up.”

Gu Xin glanced at the sleeping sprite, voice low as wind through leaves.

“Mm. Wait for me. I’ll wash up too.”

Slippers tapped the floor. The two of them padded off toward the bathroom, steam and mirror waiting.

They didn’t know Ye Yiyi and Li Muyan were still asleep. Last night, the two talked for hours, night stretching long like a quiet river. Li Muyan poured out bottled feelings, the backlog spilling like summer rain. Ye Yiyi listened, careful and steady, then spoke her own truths. By the end, the two besties returned to that old brightness, moonlight soft as silk. They fell asleep holding each other, like willow branches entwined.

“Hey? Yiyi’s not up?”

Washed and fresh, Gu Xin stepped into the first‑floor living room. No sign of Ye Yiyi or Li Muyan. Her voice carried a puzzled tilt, like a bird cocking its head.

“Hehe~ those two slept in. No telling what they did last night~”

Meng Yuting laughed, mischief shining like ripples.

“You— what’s in that head of yours?”

Gu Xin threw her a look, half glare, half smile, like sunlight through cloud. She headed to the kitchen to start breakfast. With nothing to do, Meng Yuting drifted in to help, the clink of plates a morning rhythm.

When breakfast was ready, Ye Yiyi and Li Muyan came downstairs, clothes neat, faces warm as fresh tea.

“So… what were you two up to? Waking this late?”

Meng Yuting’s eyes narrowed with theatrical suspicion, like a cat watching a dangling string.

“Ah… huh?”

Ye Yiyi blinked, not catching the joke right away, confusion fluttering like a moth.

“We didn’t do anything. Just talked late.”

Li Muyan’s tone was even, like a calm path after rain.

“Sure~ you two look a little off today…”

Meng Yuting covered her mouth, laughing, the sound light as bells.

“Uh…”

Ye Yiyi froze for a beat, then her cheeks turned pink. She slipped away from Li Muyan and went to help Gu Xin set the table, motion crisp as a bird taking flight.

“Forget it. I’ve got something to run by you two.”

Meng Yuting sat, chair legs creaking softly, like old wood in sunlight.

“Mm? What is it?”

Li Muyan pulled a seat, presence steady as stone.

“It’s about Marilyn.”

“Marilyn? What’s up with her?”

Ye Yiyi leaned in, curiosity bright as a lantern.

“After watching her all night, we’re sure her body’s like a normal human. Warm blood. Soft flesh.”

Meng Yuting spoke slowly, each word a weighty bead on a string.

“That’s… impressive.”

Ye Yiyi breathed out, eyes wide. An intelligent system, yet a real body— the line between code and skin smudged like ink in rain.

“So we’ve got a problem. Her backstory, and her future life. How do we arrange it?”

Meng Yuting’s gaze drifted, thoughts turning like leaves on water.

“Her identity— Muyan can handle it, like with Coco. As for daily life…”

Ye Yiyi paused, weighing plans like balancing stones.

“For living, Gu Xin and I think Marilyn should stay with you two for a while. My family’s company is swamped. I may not handle this well now. Coco’s fine here with Gu Xin. No issues.”

Meng Yuting laid it out, clean and direct, like a blade catching light.

“Oh… got it.”

Ye Yiyi thought for a moment, silence smooth as polished wood.

“Okay. No problem.”

“Mm. I’ll ask you to watch her. Staying with you will help her learn everyday things, the small threads of living.”

Gu Xin nodded, gratitude soft as dusk.

“Alright. We’ve got her.”

Li Muyan agreed, voice sure as steel.

“By the way, Yuting.”

Ye Yiyi suddenly spoke, a flick like a bird’s turn mid-flight.

“Mm?”

“When will you tell Xiaoxiao you’re back?”

“Uh…”

The question snagged, a thorn under fabric. Meng Yuting hesitated, breath caught like a strand of silk.

“Xiaoxiao’s living alone at home now.”

Ye Yiyi added, concern gentle as rain on tiles.

“Mm… better not tell her yet. Coco’s situation can’t be explained to Xiaoxiao. She knows nothing about Abnormals.”

Meng Yuting thought it through, the caution in her eyes like winter light.

“Oh. Then let Xiaoxiao stay at my place too. I can take care of it.”

Ye Yiyi’s offer was warm, a hand extended across a small river.

“Alright. I’ll call her later, tell her I’ll need a few more days before returning.”

Meng Yuting nodded, decision settling like snow.

“Okay.”

Ye Yiyi agreed, a single beat like a pebble dropping into water.

Gu Xin and Meng Yuting exchanged a glance, a silent thread weaving between them. This was last night’s plan. Marilyn had said Coco would wake in three days. So they wanted Ye Yiyi and Li Muyan out of the way when Tang Coco opened her eyes, to ask the questions that needed answers.

After a while, Meng Yuting “roughly” hauled Marilyn out of bed. Wash, breakfast, then Li Muyan and Ye Yiyi drove Marilyn toward Jinxiu Garden, tires humming like a low song.

“Alright, I’m heading out too.”

At the door, Meng Yuting spoke to Gu Xin, words like a quick knot tied tight.

“Drive safe. If anything happens with Coco, I’ll call.”

“Mm.”

She answered, then took the wheel and left, taillights fading like embers at dusk.

Gu Xin walked back into the villa, into Tang Coco’s room. On the bed lay a white‑haired girl, unmoving, a quiet statue carved from winter. A thousand thoughts drifted in Gu Xin’s heart, like birds circling before storm.

“Why… why didn’t you tell us?”

Her voice was faint, a breeze through bamboo.

Half an hour later, the three women arrived at Jinxiu Garden. On the way, Marilyn asked question after question, eyes bright like spring water. She was like a child from the mountains, seeing a city for the first time.

“Marilyn, aren’t you Coco’s intelligent system? You should know a lot. How come…”

Ye Yiyi asked, puzzled, brow tilted like a sloping eave.

“Well~ I’m running my learning program now. Marilyn’s never lived in this world with a real body~ If I switch to system or battle programs, I’ll know plenty. But I won’t talk like this~”

Marilyn’s answer was sweet, words bouncing like candy beads.

“Oh, got it. So right now you’re basically a clueless little kid.”

Li Muyan laughed from the side, tone teasing, sunlight in her eyes.

The car rolled to the villa gate. They stepped out, and ran into an unexpected girl.

“Ye Yiyi?”

Hearing her name, Ye Yiyi turned. Across the way, a girl waved, smile bright as a fan opening.

“Li Meng?”

It was Li Meng, long unseen, familiar as an old melody.

“Long time no see~”

Ye Yiyi smiled, warmth rising like steam.

“Yeah.”

Li Meng smiled back, easy as breeze.

“How’ve you been? Your brother hasn’t bullied you again, right?”

Ye Yiyi asked, voice like a caring hand.

“No. My brother got called to Yanjing by father.”

Li Meng answered. Then she noticed the white‑haired little girl climbing down from Ye Yiyi’s car, hair like frost under sun.

“Huh? Who’s this?”

Li Meng pointed at Marilyn, curiosity glinting like glass.

“Uh… she’s… Muyan’s distant cousin…”

Pressed by the moment, Ye Yiyi used the old trick, words tossed like a quick rope.

“…”

Li Muyan’s expression went flat, a row of black lines, thundercloud humor brewing.

“I see. White hair though— cute! I wouldn’t dare try that color.”

Li Meng marveled, eyes sparkling.

“Uh… ha… haha… her cousin’s just… very individual.”

Ye Yiyi laughed awkwardly, the sound a wobbly kite in wind.

“Haha, kids are so enviable now.”

“By the way, where’s Coco?”

Li Meng asked, gentle as a knock.

“Mm… Coco went home.”

Ye Yiyi explained, the phrase like a curtain drawn softly.

“Oh…”

“Want to come in for a bit?”

Ye Yiyi invited. By then, Li Muyan had already led Marilyn inside, footsteps soft, like rain on stone.

“No, classmates asked me out to hang for a while.”

Li Meng waved off the offer, hand like a gull in air.

“Oh… okay then.”

“Mm, bye.”

“Bye.”

They parted with easy smiles, Ye Yiyi turning into her villa, steps light as brushstrokes.

Meanwhile, in the Will family residential estate in the US.

An elderly man walked the second‑floor corridor of the main house, his pace steady like a clock. He reached a room and knocked on the door.

Thump, thump.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Avril.”

His voice was calm, smoke‑gray and warm.

Tap‑tap‑tap—

Footsteps approached inside. The door swung open.

“Grandpa, come in.”

Avril smiled, eyes clear as lakewater.

“How are you? Rested?”

He ruffled her hair, the gesture gentle as sunlight on wheat.

“Mm… I’m fine now.”

Avril smiled, tension unwinding like a loosened bowstring.

“Good. Tell me what happened that day.”

He sat by the bed, gaze settling like stone.

“Mm…”

“Grandpa, do you know an Abnormal who can control a Mech?”

Avril asked, words sharp as a blade wrapped in silk.

“Control a Mech?”

“Mm.”

“‘Mech’… do you mean those new market powered exoskeleton Armors?”

“No… far stronger than those.”

“I see…”

“Was the person male?”

“No, female.”

“A woman… who is she… I did hear of a man who could control a Mech. But… he’s dead.”

The elder spoke slowly, each sentence like a cold bell.

“Dead? Who was he?”

“The former captain of the mercenary group, the Shadow Division. Asura.”

“Shadow Division!? Them again?”

Avril’s surprise flared, a spark catching dry grass.

“What is it?”

“The Abnormal who controlled the Mech had two Shadow Division members with her.”

“Really?”

Now the elder’s eyes widened, surprise flicking like lightning.

“No, that’s off. Asura is confirmed dead. And he was a man. That part’s certain.”

He shook his head, iron in his tone.

“Then… maybe it’s someone else…”

“From what you say, she’s strong. So either we bring her in. Or… we erase her.”

His last words came colder, the room dipping like frost settling on glass.

“Mm…”

Avril nodded, but her eyes drifted, thoughts trailing like smoke into night.

“Alright, get some rest,” he said, the words settling like a cloak over tired shoulders.

The institute’s been dissecting the data on the Abnormal you sent back, slicing through it like a scalpel through fog.

Once we find the cracks in her defenses, like fractures in ice, you’ll head to Huaguo again.

“Good.” The word dropped like a pebble into still water.

Weariness washed over her like dusk.

After settling her grandfather into his room, Avril lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, a pale sky without stars.

“Asura... Tang Coco...”

Avril spoke the names slowly, like thin threads unspooling into the dark.