The Male Lead Who Disdains Eating (60)

“Tick-tock… tick-tock…” The clock on the wall danced cheerfully, its hour hand pointing to three in the afternoon.

But it was still far from nine at night.

The wind outside stirred once again, carrying an endless fury that rattled the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

Mantu barked wildly, occasionally letting out a few frightened howls.

Caught between a wolf in front and a tiger behind, she felt like a sandwich cookie squeezed from both sides.

She opened her mouth and bit Charles hard, seizing the moment he recoiled in pain to push his face away.

Charles stared at her intently, his eyes burning with emotion. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why? They can do it, but I can’t?” His face twisted with struggle and pain, as if resigned to a sorrowful fate.

“Aren’t they and I actually the same person?”

A derivative alternate personality could never admit it was just a fragmented self; it believed itself to be a whole, independent individual.

It was even less likely to acknowledge that it and the other personalities were one and the same.

Yet he had admitted it.

What did this change signify?

Did it mean that the personalities within Xie Yu had finally erupted into a self-destructive war, or were they moving toward a healing, final fusion?

Sijiu’s head throbbed.

She wasn’t a psychologist and had no understanding of how to handle such a situation correctly.

So she chose not to respond.

“I’m hungry,” she said.

Charles looked at her stubbornly.

“My stomach hurts,” she added, frowning and rubbing her belly in a delicate, petulant manner.

…

Charles was left speechless.

He deflated like a punctured balloon. “I’ll bring you some cake back. I’ll go get it.”

He got up and headed toward the entrance.

The moment he released her, the chill of the “wind” wrapped around her waist again. Sijiu’s face darkened as she whispered, “If you want to freeze me to death, then go ahead.”

The cold spread hesitated, then gradually retracted, settling around her without touching her directly—a vaporous embrace.

It even seemed a little pitiful.

Pitiful, my foot! Sijiu thought.

I’m the one who’s really miserable. Dealing with Xie Yu’s three personalities is already enough, and now I have to deal with a ghost too?

Who am I supposed to complain to?

Sweet romance? Forget it.

At least a normal relationship would be fine!

But no, it’s either passive infidelity turning into a green tea drama, or a lingering love between human and ghost, or full-blown split personality...

Playing such a big game?

Who’s to blame if I end up buried in the pit? Just don’t put it on me.

At worst, this sister’s done.

Just then, the returning system was trembling from fright: “Daddy, no! Don’t abandon me, boohoo… wait, why is there an energy field wrapping around your back QAQ?”

Sijiu narrowed her eyes. “You’re back? Energy field? Hah… Say hello, old friend.”

System: “...Qi Yan!!!”

“You’re more shocked than I am? Weren’t you supposed to be out getting answers?”

The system whimpered, “Well…”

Sijiu felt an ominous premonition.

“There’s a big shot upstairs who suddenly lost control, causing chaos at the Management Bureau. Another big shot sent the main system daddy to handle it…”

It continued, “As for things on Qi Yan’s plane… we’ll have to wait a bit longer.”

Sijiu: “…”

“I quit.”

System: “Awww, don’t say that. When this mission’s done, I’ll file a request. I’ll make sure you get compensation from above.”

Sijiu remained silent.

“Host daddy, wimper wimper—don’t abandon your poor little son. Look at me, so weak and helpless… would you really let me be scrapped? After all, we’ve been through so many worlds together as father and son, wimper wimper.”

Quitting was impossible.

If she wanted to live, why else would she be a tasker?

She was just frustrated, venting.

“In any case, I hope the next world has a normal trajectory, okay?” Sijiu had no more patience.

“In the next world, I’ll find a good host for daddy to make up for you. You always complain about how miserable every one of your hosts’ backgrounds are.

The next one will definitely be well-fed, richly clothed, and showered with endless love.”

As for whether the story would actually go smoothly? That was beyond her control—just pretend you didn’t hear that.