That evening, after Jiang Qingxue had showered, she started making dinner. It was simple: tomato and egg soup, and two bowls of rice.
“Do you usually eat like this?” Mo Qing asked as she ate, making no effort to be polite. She didn’t mind how plain the food was.
“Mm. Sometimes I order takeout,” Jiang Qingxue replied. She didn’t think there was anything wrong with it.
“No wonder you’re so skinny. It breaks my heart just looking at you.” Mo Qing reached out and gently touched Little White Flower’s cheek.
Jiang Qingxue froze for a moment, then silently gazed at Mo Qing, unable to find the words.
“What is it? Why are you staring at me? Am I that pretty? Or do I look especially appetizing?” Mo Qing teased with a laugh. Her lashes fluttered as she winked at Little White Flower.
“It’s nothing…” Jiang Qingxue lowered her head and continued eating.
The only person who’d ever cared about her was probably her mother. Mo Qing was the second. Being shown such sudden concern left her a little uncomfortable.
After dinner, Jiang Qingxue sat by the bed with her textbook and studied intently. It was another book on finance, the subject she planned to major in. Little White Flower really was always working hard.
With nothing better to do, Mo Qing sat a little way off and played games on her phone.
After playing for a while, Mo Qing stretched and looked over at Jiang Qingxue.
Jiang Qingxue closed her book too, and met Mo Qing’s gaze.
“Xue’er, it’s getting late. Let’s go to sleep.” Mo Qing had never been one to act like a guest.
“Mm…” Jiang Qingxue nodded. It was only nine, but there wasn’t much to do at night besides sleep. Besides, she had to get up early for work in the morning.
They turned off the lights and lay down. Jiang Qingxue seemed to have really worn herself out at work that day; she was asleep in no time.
Mo Qing was a night owl and wasn’t used to going to bed so early, so she called out to the system in her mind, who’d already shut herself away.
[Silly Girl, Silly Girl, come in, Silly Girl. If you’re not dead, make a sound.]
[What is it…]
Silly Girl’s listless voice sounded in Mo Qing’s mind. There was a hint of annoyance in it—this was when she needed some peace and quiet.
[Silly Girl, keep me company. I can’t sleep. You’ve got a nice voice—sing me something, if you want.]
[I’m not in the mood to chat… and I can’t sing…]
Silly Girl was about to shut herself away again. This time, no matter how much that jerk Mo Qing called for her, she wasn’t going to answer.
[Silly Girl, don’t you want to know who you are?]
[You know?]
Silly Girl still couldn’t escape Mo Qing’s clutches. She couldn’t help replying—Mo Qing had hit her right where it hurt.
[Of course I don’t know. Who can say whether you used to be human, or whether you were always a system?]
Mo Qing held back a laugh. Teasing System-chan really was a nice way to pass the time. The saying that one person’s happiness was built on another person’s misery did have some truth to it.
[Mo Qing, you’re such a jerk!]
Silly Girl was practically fuming.
[Oh, my foolish Silly Girl, is knowing who you are really that important?]
[How could it not be important!?]
[Sometimes, the more you know, the more it hurts. Like the truth I told you today. Now that you know, are you happy?]
[…]
Silly Girl fell silent. So often, Mo Qing said things she couldn’t refute—but they felt like a thorn lodged in her heart, twisting again and again until she was miserable.
Poor Silly Girl never stood a chance against the devil that was Mo Qing.
[Enough. Let’s just go to sleep.]
Mo Qing’s earlier words seemed to have taken the wind out of her sails too. She turned onto her side and reached over to embrace Little White Flower, already fast asleep beside her.
“The world really is cruel. Only Little White Flower’s soft, fragrant body can give a helpless, lost soul like me even the tiniest bit of comfort.”
Mo Qing let out an utterly melodramatic sigh, then wore her usual carefree smile once more. Breathing in Little White Flower’s scent, she slowly closed her eyes.
