SWNOVELXO Chapter 43 - No change
“However, from now on, you absolutely cannot keep anything from me, and you definitely can’t tease me for your own amusement.” Tang Yuan counted off each point seriously, “That’s it for now; I will add more later.”
Jiang Zi’s gaze softened, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Alright, I won’t keep anything from you in the future.”
But as for teasing her…well, that would be unavoidable at times, so she chose to remain silent.
The little girl was just too easy to appease—she wasn’t even upset.
With a soft sigh, Jiang Zi pulled a gold bracelet from her pocket. It lay quietly in her palm, its matte texture exuding a timeless, understated, yet luxurious elegance.
It was a gift she had specially bought to apologize.
Since Tang Yuan’s first gift to her was a gold bar, Jiang Zi had guessed the little girl might have a fondness for gold, so she bought her a bracelet.
Lowering her gaze, Jiang Zi held the bracelet up to Tang Yuan’s wrist. “The size should be right.”
Tang Yuan’s eyes widened as she looked at Jiang Zi, then lowered her gaze to the bracelet. The intricate carvings instantly captivated her, and a joyful surprise filled her eyes.
“For me?”
Aside from the hair tie Jiang Zi had once on her wrist, this was the second gift she had ever given her.
Tang Yuan pulled out a tube of hand cream from her small backpack and naturally extended her left hand to Jiang Zi. “Help me take off the pearl bracelet.”
Seeing her excitement, Jiang Zi removed the pearls and slipped the bracelet onto her wrist.
Despite the hand cream acting as a lubricant, Tang Yuan’s soft, fair skin still reddened a bit from putting it on.
She didn’t mind at all. Raising her hand to the light, the exquisite carvings seemed to come alive on her wrist.
“I love it, thank you, sister!”
From the corner of her eye, Jiang Zi noticed a customer at a nearby table sneaking a photo with their phone, her smile instantly fading. The person quickly put the phone away upon sensing her warning glance.
Tang Yuan noticed the subtle shift and glanced back but saw nothing unusual.
Leaning close, Jiang Zi whispered teasingly in her ear, “Little Tang Yuan, we’re public figures now.”
Tang Yuan felt the warmth of her breath tickling her ear, making her shiver slightly. She couldn’t quite catch the hint and asked hesitantly, “What do you mean?”
As she spoke, the realization hit her, and she looked back at the couple at the other table.
Sure enough, the couple wore guilty expressions.
Narrowing her eyes, Tang Yuan was about to scrutinize them further when Jiang Zi placed a hand on her shoulder, gently guiding her gaze away.
“Don’t bother.”
Tang Yuan blinked. “Were they taking photos?”
Jiang Zi nodded. “I’ll handle it.”
Tang Yuan relaxed and shrugged nonchalantly. “Whatever. It’s not like we’re doing anything that interesting. At most…the headline will be something like, ‘Spotted: TangYuan and Skyward Era Meet-up?'”
“Why not ‘Spotted: Jiang Zi and Tang Yuan on a Date?'”
Tang Yuan’s gaze flickered, and she bit her lower lip, internally asking her system to check her affection level for Jiang Zi.
[System Analysis: Host’s affection level for Jiang Zi is at 81.]
It only went up by one?!
This is even harder than lowering the male lead’s protagonist halo!
While tangled up in her thoughts, Tang Yuan bit her lip a little too hard, and it turned red.
Jiang Zi’s eyes darkened. She instinctively lifted her hand, pressing a finger against Tang Yuan’s lip. “Don’t bite.”
Tang Yuan loosened her strength, turning her head slightly.
She began to ponder—could she improve her affection for Jiang Zi by working on herself?
She felt a little lost.
[System, if my affection for Jiang Zi doesn’t reach its max but we end up together and spend a lifetime that way, is that okay?]
Since Jiang Zi was her main quest target, did it mean only Jiang Zi’s feelings mattered? Was her own affection level crucial?
[System analysis indicates no stipulation requiring such; host may decide independently.]
Tang Yuan lowered her head, stirring her coffee, her mind growing foggy.
[When this main quest was issued, no time limit was specified. What if I make no progress my entire life? Does that mean I’d still complete my lifetime?]
[Main and side quests are interconnected; lack of progress in the main quest will obstruct side quests. Host is advised not to take a negative approach.]
One of her side quests was to live a long life.
So, no progress in the main quest could mean life-threatening consequences.
The straw clinked against the glass, the sound jangling irritably in the silence.
[What exactly is the problem?]
Jiang Zi could hear Tang Yuan’s inner turmoil and knew precisely what was bothering her—it was likely her affection level again, stuck with no change.
She understood that Tang Yuan’s feelings for her hadn’t yet reached the level she hoped for, but her own mood wasn’t bad; in fact, she was patient. Seeing Tang Yuan troubled over this even made Jiang Zi feel a bit guilty.
It was all her fault for not being good enough for Tang Yuan, not enough to make her fall in love and free her from this frustration.
With gentle hands, Jiang Zi tidied Tang Yuan’s hair. Tang Yuan’s movements stilled, and she looked up at Jiang Zi, immersed in her gaze’s warmth. Her heart finally quieted.
“What do you like for lunch?”
Tang Yuan responded a little absent-mindedly, “Anything is fine.”
Then, recalling something she’d seen on the trending list that morning, she added, “Oh, right, sister, I remember you signed with a small entertainment company. Now that you’re back at the gaming company as the boss, will you still be a celebrity?”
“Of course.” Jiang Zi clarified, “Games are just a side business.”
“Being a boss is a side job, too?” Jiang Zi was the head of Qi Yuan Gaming; ‘Cultivation World’ was only one of the company’s smaller projects.
Her tone was casual as if there were nothing odd about it. “Yes.”
Tang Yuan was at a loss for words.
She remembered how her older brother, as a company president, always ran off his feet, even stressing himself into a stomach ulcer. Yet here was Jiang Zi…
Could it be that they ran their businesses differently? Tang Yuan had never been in charge of anything, so she wasn’t sure.
“That company you signed with won’t give you a hard time, right?” she asked. Small companies signing rookies often had pitfalls, and so far, the resources Jiang Zi had received seemed pretty average.
Jiang Zi’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Not at all. That company is mine too.”
Tang Yuan: ……
She shot her an indignant glare. “Unbelievable. There’s not a single thing about you that’s actually true!”
Jiang Zi gave her a light poke on her pouting cheek; it was as soft as tofu, and she found herself reluctant to let go. “I swear, I haven’t lied to you.”
Tang Yuan swatted her hand away. “I admit I didn’t ask, but you also pretended to be so easy to bully.”
Back then, Tang Yuan had led the school in isolating Jiang Zi, even using her status to suppress her in the workplace, keeping her from advancing.
Mostly because Jiang Zi never fought back!
Jiang Zi’s eyes glinted briefly. “I really ‘was’ easy to bully back then,” she admitted honestly.
Anyone could trample her, but it wasn’t like she wanted that.
Tang Yuan cupped Jiang Zi’s face in her hands and asked seriously, “So, did you suddenly get rich?”
Jiang Zi: “…Not exactly.”