Chapter 13: Two Slaps

Through a flowing pillar of water, the crowd’s view was unclear; all they could see were two figures supporting each other.

Gu Lingyi’s silk evening gown was torn here and there, revealing the flawless, pale skin beneath.

The sparse crowd approached. “Sister Yu! I’ve already called emergency services!”

Yu Xi waved them off, lifting her head to gaze at the second floor shrouded in black smoke, her almond-shaped eyes misty with tears. That was all her hard work.

Yet, Yu Xi quickly regained her composure. The designs were intact; the clothes could be remade.

Nearby, Gu Lingyi pointed at the wishing pool. “Can I wash my face with this?”

The staff hesitated, uneasy. This pool was a symbol of their founders’ bond—how could it be used for washing?

Then one of the founders answered without hesitation, “Of course!”

With that, Yu Xi also began roughly brushing off the soot from her clothes in the pool.

Their movements were clumsy and unrefined.

On the nearby lawn, Huo Qi stared at his phone, his expression darkening.

Gu Yanyue, worried, linked her arm through his. “What’s wrong? Is something urgent?”

“My uncle said our families will have dinner together tonight,” Huo Qi frowned. “It’s about your marriage.”

Marriage?

Gu Yanyue was startled, just about to ask more when Gu Lingyi strode over, interrupting her thoughts.

“Gu Yanyue!”

Backlit by the setting sun, Gu Lingyi emerged alone with an imposing aura that seemed to have shattered mountains.

“Wh-what—”

Slap—

Gu Yanyue barely uttered a word before Gu Lingyi’s palm struck her, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Neither Gu Yanyue nor Huo Qi reacted immediately.

When they came to, Gu Lingyi was half-crouched, lifting Gu Yanyue up to deliver another slap.

Huo Qi hastily pulled Gu Yanyue behind him. “Gu Lingyi! Do you want to die?”

He never hit women, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t intervene.

Gu Lingyi looked up, meeting Huo Qi’s murderous glare without a hint of fear.

Gu Yanyue hid behind Huo Qi, clutching her face, weeping bitterly.

[System! I want Gu Lingyi to disappear! Eliminate her for me!]

No matter how frantic her voice became, the system’s tone remained calm and unruffled.

[Sorry, host. This function is currently unavailable.]

Gu Yanyue: [Aaaah—she’s insane!]

Yu Xi, hearing the commotion, hurried over. Seeing Gu Yanyue behind Huo Qi, she felt a flicker of recognition.

Without hesitation, she took Gu Lingyi’s arm. “What’s going on?”

Gu Lingyi wiped dripping hair from her face and sneered, “Just dealing with garbage.”

Her contempt only fueled Huo Qi’s anger; he stepped forward. “Explain yourself!”

His movement revealed Gu Yanyue’s reddened, swollen cheek to Yu Xi.

She paused. “It’s you…”

When the fire broke out, she had seen the dressing room door wide open from afar. After calling out with no answer, she assumed the person had left. Indeed...

Fortunately, she was unharmed.

Yu Xi exhaled, “I’m glad you’re okay.”

The stylist who followed them widened her eyes at Yu Xi’s words. “Sister Yu, have you met Teacher Yueyue?”

“Yes,” Yu Xi nodded. “Didn’t she go upstairs to change clothes?”

At that, it seemed Yu Xi had met Gu Yanyue alone, but then she added, “The dress was too big, so I told her to change in the room inside.”

Huo Qi turned, suddenly realizing something.

Gu Yanyue stopped crying, avoiding everyone’s gaze.

The stylist frowned, questioning, “Teacher Yueyue, why did you lie?”

“Hm?” Yu Xi looked confused.

“When she came out, I asked if she saw anyone upstairs. She said no…”

The stylist’s eyes reddened. “Misleading others can delay the rescue! If it weren’t for Teacher Gu…”

“I... I...” Gu Yanyue was at a loss for words, unable to meet the crowd’s wary eyes.

For a moment, Huo Qi didn’t know whether to blame Gu Lingyi for striking or Gu Yanyue for lying.

Furious, he turned and walked away.

Gu Yanyue’s face went pale as she hurried after him. The mechanical voice echoed relentlessly in her mind.

[Effective character Yu Xi’s favorability: -1, remaining favorability: 4. Crowd favorability: -3, -1, -1... Warning: When a character’s favorability reaches zero, it will permanently lose effect.]

So, Gu Yanyue had to maintain others’ goodwill toward her; if her favorability dropped to zero, that person would become useless.

Gu Lingyi sneered at their retreating backs amid the blaring fire sirens.

In the parking lot, Gu Yanyue finally caught up to Huo Qi, ignoring the dull ache on her cheeks. “Qi Ge, please listen to me!”

She grabbed his arm. “I really didn’t know she was still upstairs! When I finished changing and came out, I didn’t see anyone—I thought she had already left...”

“I know it was my carelessness...” Gu Yanyue was so anxious she started to cry, hastily wiping away the tears.

Touching her cheek, a sharp sting made her involuntarily hiss.

Huo Qi finally stopped, turning to look at her with eyes full of pity, though his voice remained firm, “If you had said a few more words, there wouldn’t have been this misunderstanding!”

“I’m sorry,” Gu Yanyue bowed her head, repeating over and over, “I’m sorry...”

Huo Qi lowered his eyes, gently brushing her cheek. “Does it hurt?”

Gu Yanyue bit her lip and nodded.

She wondered where Gu Lingyi had found such strength—she suspected she might have a concussion.

“Qi Ge... please don’t be angry...”

Huo Qi pulled Gu Yanyue into his arms, his voice low and steady. “I’m not angry. I just don’t want Gu Lingyi to find any excuse to use against you...”

Their switched identities were already complicated enough.

Without Gu Lingyi today, things might have ended in tragedy.

Those two slaps were, in a way, well deserved.

Huo Qi lowered his head, sighing helplessly as he saw Gu Yanyue’s trembling lashes.

She gripped his collar tightly, masking the fierceness in her eyes with a soft voice. “I’ll be more careful from now on...”

[How is it? Have things stabilized?]

The system had just informed her that Huo Qi’s favorability was declining, flickering on the brink.

She knew the most crucial tools she wielded depended on Huo Qi’s favorability. So, while others’ favor could fall, his could not!

Receiving no response, Gu Yanyue anxiously said:

[I need to switch to a confusing tool! I absolutely cannot let Huo Qi’s favorability drop!]

System: [Warning on exchanging one-time tools: If the favorability used to exchange decreases, the tool’s effect will proportionally diminish.]

In other words, if the favor used to obtain this tool ever drops, Huo Qi’s current confusion will clear.

How much he clears depends on the extent of the favorability decline.

It was a temporary fix, but not without future risks.

After a flurry of operations, Gu Yanyue finally stabilized Huo Qi’s favorability. She retrieved her phone and bag from the assistant and joined Huo Qi en route to the restaurant where their families had agreed to meet.