Chapter 17

Xia Xi ruffled her hair and pretended not to care as she stood up from the chair. Taking a few steps toward the television, she quickly glanced at Lu Yisheng. Noticing he was still staring intently at her, she uncomfortably lifted her chin slightly.
"There's one more thing."
The voice on the other end of the line suddenly turned low and serious, causing Xia Xi to pause for a moment.
She quickly snapped back to reality, composed herself, and silently turned away, walking in the opposite direction from Lu Yisheng. Forcing herself not to pay attention to what was happening over there, she replied in a calm tone, "What's wrong?"
"That scumbag Luo Chu'an actually announced his relationship with Lin Wei on Weibo."
Announced his relationship with Lin Wei,
Xia Xi felt a wave of relief wash over her when she realized Da He was so worked up over this matter.
In her mind, it wasn’t even worth mentioning.
Perhaps Luo Chu'an had been important to the original owner, but to Xia Xi, he was just a stranger, an insignificant one at that. What could she possibly feel about a stranger announcing his relationship? At most, she was just a casual observer, enjoying the gossip along with the rest of the netizens, not even a jealous fan.
"Da He, I've already broken up with him. It's normal for him to announce a new relationship," Xia Xi’s voice remained calm, betraying no emotion.
"But I'm just so angry! Every time you were together and you asked him to go public, he’d brush it off, saying it wasn’t the right time. Now suddenly it’s the right time, and he announces it so decisively." Da He’s tone was filled with frustration. "What a jerk. He’s acting all devoted to Lin Wei now, but if he loved her so much back then, why did he break up with her? And why did he come after you afterward? Every time I think about what he did to you, I just want to slap him!"
"Alright, don’t get so worked up. There’s nothing we can do about it now, and it’s not worth ruining your health over," Xia Xi said softly, hearing Da He’s heavy breathing on the other end. She was genuinely concerned and tried to comfort him. "He never liked me in the first place. No matter how sad or hurt I feel, he wouldn’t understand. Why should I torture myself? It’s better to just wish them well."
"Xia Xi," Da He felt a pang of sadness hearing her words. The little princess they had always tried to protect was slowly growing up. He sighed. "It seems this breakup has really changed you. You’re not as willful as you used to be. I thought I’d be the one comforting you, but here you are, comforting me instead."
After hanging up with Da He, Xia Xi felt completely unperturbed. In fact, she saw this as a perfect opportunity to cut ties with Luo Chu'an. She immediately contacted the system and asked in an ingratiating tone, "System, can I discuss something with you?"
"What is it?" The system’s tone remained aloof.
"Originally, you assigned me the task of winning over Luo Chu'an. But now he and Lin Wei are deeply in love, and they’ve even announced their relationship publicly. In this situation, it wouldn’t be right for me to act like a shameless homewrecker, would it?" Xia Xi paused before continuing in the same fawning manner, "As a kind, upright, and morally sound system, don’t you think this task should be canceled?"
"Of course not." The system refused outright, its voice tinged with a hint of gloating pleasure. "You acted on your own when you chose to break up with Luo Chu'an, I never agreed to it. So now, even if you have to bear the stigma of being the other woman, you must win Luo Chu'an's heart back from Lin Wei. After all, you were the one who personally promised to complete this mission. You must keep your word and not break the agreement."
Hearing this, Xia Xi narrowed her eyes, a wave of irritation washing over her. "I only agreed back then because I had no choice and had nothing better to do. But things are different now. I've met someone I genuinely care about. How can I possibly find the time and energy to complete that ridiculous mission? You're asking for the impossible."
"Host, I don't want to make things difficult for you, but the mission to win over Luo Chu'an is non-negotiable. Neither you nor I have the authority to cancel or void it." The system paused briefly. "If I were you, I'd prioritize completing the mission. If you fail, you'll be directly erased from this world, and then nothing else will matter. Also, a piece of advice: if you truly like Lu Yisheng, I suggest you finish the mission first before getting involved with him. Otherwise, your ending with him will be tragic."
"How do you know that?"
Perhaps provoked too far by the system, Xia Xi's tone sounded deceptively calm, but those who knew her well could tell she was furious.
The system had no doubt that if it pushed her further, she might choose a mutually destructive outcome.
It swallowed nervously, carefully choosing its words. "Host, as your system, everything I do is for your benefit."
"Is that so?" Xia Xi leaned against the wall, unconsciously closing her eyes. Her hands had unknowingly clenched into fists, and a faint, cold smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "How did you know I like Lu Yisheng? I only just realized my own feelings. From the way you speak, it sounds like you knew all along?"
"No, no, I only just deduced it through analysis." The system's voice wavered with panic but quickly regained its composure. "This system possesses a powerful database and superior data analysis and computational capabilities, allowing it to accurately calculate emotional dynamics between people."
"Through repeated experimental analysis, we've found that when individuals encounter someone they like, they exhibit abnormal emotions such as accelerated heartbeats, reluctance to part, and heightened concern, along with many unusual behaviors, all of which you have displayed."
"For example, when you see Lu Yisheng and are in close proximity to him, your heart rate accelerates to over 110 beats per minute, which is exceptionally high. As for unusual actions, there are even more instances, occasional tsundere behavior, moments of unhappiness, So, based on big data analysis, it's clear that you like Lu Yisheng."
"Is that so?" Xia Xi frowned at the system's confident tone but ultimately didn't refute it. "Then what about the outcome between me and Lu Yisheng? How do you know about that?"
Seeing Xia Xi's visibly displeased expression, the system quickly explained, "As for knowing your and Lu Yisheng's ending, that's even simpler."
"This system features an automatic plot deduction and analysis function. It starts by assuming a fixed outcome of an event, places relevant characters into specific scenarios for deduction and analysis, introduces minor variations during the development process, and ultimately generates the endings for the relevant characters. The system has analyzed that if you do not complete the conquest of Luo Chu'an and instead end up with Lu Yisheng, no matter how many minor changes are made during the process, the outcome will invariably be mutual destruction."
"Does it have to be this way?" Xia Xi's voice sounded weak. Although she had already anticipated the system's response, she still wanted to confirm it once more. She truly did not want to complete that absurd task. "Do I have to conquer Luo Chu'an? Is there no other way?"
"Absolutely." The system's voice left no room for negotiation. "This is my duty. There is no room for bargaining."
"Hah, is that so?" Xia Xi's tone was laced with obvious sarcasm. "As you wish."
"Apologies."
After negotiating with the system, Xia Xi leaned against the wall, standing silently for a long time. She closed her eyes, contemplating how to proceed with the headache-inducing task.
"Xia Xi."
At some point, Lu Yisheng had approached her. His voice sounded beside her ear.
Xia Xi opened her eyes in confusion and met Lu Yisheng's gaze, filled with concern. She caught a fleeting glimpse of conflict and bewilderment in his eyes.
"Are you okay?" Lu Yisheng's voice carried a trace of barely perceptible concern.
"I'm fine." Xia Xi shook her head and forced a smile at Lu Yisheng, though it looked more pitiful than a cry. "I just received some bad news."