Chapter 7: Task progress
First mission unlocked [ Quest: Assist the original owner in achieving a happy family. Current completion percentage ]
[System updating.....]
"If you want we can study together. Might not be that good but I can at least help you understand more."
Shen Waqing was unable to hear what Pei Ruxue said, the system countdown blurred in her ear.
"I will go upstairs first. Thank you for the food." Shen Waqing said hurriedly. Pushing her chair back she quickly stood up and walked away.
Pei Ruxue stared at her back, her eyes downcast. Saying as if muttering to herself. "Yuwei doesn't seem to like me a lot."
Mummy Pei's heart clenched while Daddy Pei frowned. Stating indifferently. "There is no such thing. Yuwei can be a bit timid and doesn't know how to get along with others. Don't worry about that."
"Oh..." Ruxue stared at her food for some seconds and a bright smile. "Then I will try my best to understand her better."
Their parents eyes soften. Such a sensible child.
Meanwhile the system countdown ended the moment Shen Waqing reached her room.
"Hello. System? System is that you?" She called out softly.
There was no reply and it was silent in her head. As if everything had just been her hallucinations.
Chirp. The mechanic voice sputter for some seconds before regaining clarity. "Cannon fodder support system has successfully been updated. Host how can I assist you?"
The tone was different from the mechanical one from before. It sounded less cranky. She asked doubtfully. "Are you the system from the artificial space from before?"
"The host is right. My system has been upgraded which enabled me to sound more humanlike." It replied. There was a slight pause and the system continued slowly. "Also host, you can communicate with me in your mind. There is no need to talk out loud."
"Right. Then can you hear me?" Shen Waqing tried asking in her mind.
"Very clearly host." The system said promptly.
"Then what about the task? And how come it just came up all of a sudden?" Shen Waqing was puzzled about this. It was already her second day here and nothing happened until now. Was there a criteria or trigger she didn't know about?
"The tasks that are assigned to you are all related to the original owner's regret. By completing them all you will successfully finish the mission. Each task are assigned to you randomly."
Shen Waqing understood, yet there was still some doubts in her heart.
"Can I see the first task again?" She asked the system.
A bright light flashed and the familiar blue scream floated in front of her.
Her information was displayed on the left side of the screen. To the right is a row of words that were blurred out with a lock at the end. The only one that was unlock and she would read was the one at the very top.
This should be the tasks that needed to be completed. There were about eight.
Not much but she didn't know how difficult they were going to be.
Just the first one was already enough to give her a headache.
Achieve a happy family?
A thin line formed on her head as she fell into deep thoughts.
Yuwei's relationship with her adopted parents before Pei Ruxue returned wasn't that close not to talk of now.
"What exactly qualifies as a family?" Shen Waqing asked the system trying to figure out a plan.
"You will have to figure it out yourself host?"
"Aren't you supposed to be my support system?"
"I apologize host but my support is limited. My ability will only get better after upgrading." The mechanical voice chirped honestly.
"Then how can you upgrade?" Shen Waqing asked with scrunched brows.
"With each mission the host completes I will naturally upgrade." It stated.
Each mission....?
"Forget about it. I will find a way myself." She muttered to herself. Her legs were already numb from standing in the same position for long.
She waved off the blue screen and it disappeared.
Shen Waqing took a bath then took her bag to the balcony.
The round moon hanged in the sky, shinny brightly despite it been half hidden behind thick rolls of cloud. The night was deep and the night breeze blew around carrying the pleasant scent of flowers from the garden.
Shen Waqing settled on the ground and started to look through past chemistry papers.
She studied until ten, which was about three hours of reading before retreating to bed.
The next morning, Shen Waqing walked down from the stairs running into Pei Ruxue.
"You are up. I was just about to go call you." The other girl beamed and Shen Waqing quickly looked away to protect her eyes from the bright halo around her.
How can someone be so cheerful this early?
Breakfast was served. A toast of bread, two steamed eggs and warm milk.
Their parents were always busy and had already left for work.
"Uh...why does it looks like your eggs are bigger than mine?" Pei Ruxue spoke up suddenly.
"Is it?" Shen Waqing said absentmindedly.
After eating, Shen Waqing habitually carried her plate to the sink.
"No need. No need for that little madame." The cook, Aunt Mei quickly stopped her.
"I can do it myself." Shen Waqing refused, quickly wiping the plate clean and putting it back into the cupboard.
"Aiyoo..little madame. You still haven't changed." Old lady sighed.
"Thanks for the food Aunt Wang." Shen Waqing smile.
You can never be too nice to the person who makes your food.
"Come home more often so aunt can feed you more. See how free the uniform looks on you. What if it falls off you one day?" Aunt Mie eyes stared at her worriedly.
Shen Waqing looked down on herself feeling that there was nothing wrong. She looked almost the same as she did in her past life.
As she walked out of the kitchen a ding goes off in her head.
The blue screen flashed in front of her for a second, and she caught something surprising.
The task progress increased by 5 percent.
Shen Waqing was stunned and she stood in place until Pei Ruxue called her.
"I am coming." She grabbed her bag and headed out of the house.
There was a silver Benz already waiting for them rhen they walked out. Shen Waqing was once more amazed by just how rich the original owners parents are.
The drive to school was about thirty minutes. Shen Waqing spent the time in deep thoughts.
The task progress moved. Does this mean the term 'family' isn't limited to just parents alone and extends to others around her?
Shen Waqing felt she needed to test it out more.
Their school was the best in the city and mostly attended by the kids of influential people so it wasn't a odd side to see luxurious cars bringing students to school.
Shen Waqing grabbed her bag and stepped out the moment they packed in front of the school gate.
Pei Ruxue quickly walked after her. "Wait, Yuwei."
Shen Waqing turned around
"Mom and dad are really worried about you. How about coming over during the weekend?" Pei Ruxue bat her eyes pleadingly. A bit nervous
Thinking that she had a task that needed to be completed. Shen Waqing nodded. "Okay."
Pei Ruxue froze in shock.
She knew Yuwei didn't like her—and for that reason, she always made it a point to go against her. That's why she was certain Yuwei would refuse. Which was exactly why she was surprised.
Pei Ruxue didn't know if she really wanted her to agree or not in the first place.
She bit her lips uncomfortably.
"Pei Ruxue." A voice came from behind them.
"Chen Siyuan?" Pei Ruxue glanced at Shen Waqing briefly after seeing the newcomer.
He stood a little taller than most boys his age, with a lean but slightly muscular frame. His uniform hung just right. Crisp and neat. Embodying a model student. His dark hair was slightly tousled. Sharp brows framed with a pair of magnetic, clear eyes.
When his gaze falls on you they seem to hold a bit of romance that makes the receiver easily captivated.
This is the a male lead! Shen Waqing was pleasantly surprised.
Behind him was a boy a bit taller. His bag was lazily hanged on his shoulder. Shirt button undone. The most catching part was his hair which was combed back with deliberate care. Equally very handsome.
There is the second male lead too!!
"You forgot you notebook." Chen Siyuan said looking into his bag and handed her a book with a blue cover covered stickers.
"I thought I lost it." Pei Ruxue eyes curved as she beamed joyfully. Her heart filled with gratitude. "Thank you Chen Siyuan."
"It's nothing." He was taken aback for a second. Unable to resist staring at her for a few more seconds.
The male lead and female lead standing next together. Truly a beautiful sight for the eyes. Shen Waqing thought.
As if sensing her gaze Chen Siyuan looked at her and a frown flitted across his lips. Shen Waqing even saw a trace of disgust on his face.
Her initial good impression of him immediately dropped to the negative.