The punishment condition has been met.
After the competition ended, Yi Wanyue changed into light clothing and left the backstage with two assistants sent by her mother, both holding flowers.
Outside, many people were waiting for her, all of them her friends.
Jiang Shen also took the time to come specifically.
He had prepared a large bunch of passionate red roses for her.
“Congratulations on winning the championship.” The tenderness in his eyes was so soft it seemed as if it could drip water.
Yi Wanyue still kept her distance from him.
She politely accepted the flowers, said thank you, and then handed the flowers to her assistant, absolutely refusing to hold them personally.
Jiang Shen saw the situation and did not say anything.
It was unclear whether it was because he had nothing good to say, or because his feelings were too dull to perceive anything.
Qiu Baiyu stood quietly at a distance watching.
She did not step forward, especially since the system at this moment jumped out again to force her to be part of the main character’s love play, she was even more unwilling to step forward.
She was also not worried that Jiang Shen would do something inconsiderate to Yi Wanyue, because Yi Wanyue’s friends were all still there.
The overbearing president cares about saving face, and under the public gaze, he cannot cause a scene.
She did not step forward for another reason: she does not belong there.
Those surrounding Yi Wanyue are all Yi Wanyue’s friends.
They know each other, they belong to this world, and to them, she is equivalent to an outsider, in every sense of the word.
She does not like to blindly squeeze into any circle.
She also does not need to know everyone around Yi Wanyue just because she knows Yi Wanyue; that would be too tiring.
Knowing Yi Wanyue alone is enough; friends are not necessarily better the more you have.
Qiu Baiyu stood in the same place, hearing them say they would later hold a celebration banquet for Yi Wanyue, congratulating her on winning another big award, adding yet another glorious achievement.
She picked up her phone and looked at the screen.
The time was almost up; she should leave, as in about ten minutes, her little friend who is still in primary school would finish school.
She did not step forward to say goodbye to Yi Wanyue, but turned and left along the corridor.
And just as she took a few steps, a voice suddenly came from behind: “Baiyu.”
Her wrist was then gently caught by someone.
She turned around to look, only to see Yi Wanyue standing in front of her, holding a bouquet of flowers, which happened to be the sunflowers she had given.
“Where are you going?”
“Return.” Qiu Baiyu answered as if it were a matter of course.
“We are preparing to hold a celebration banquet, come along with us.”
Yi Wanyue extended the invitation.
Qiu Baiyu was silent for a moment when she heard this invitation.
She glanced behind Yi Wanyue.
Yi Wanyue’s friends were curiously looking in their direction, their eyes faintly revealing that they knew who she was — it seems they all knew about the matter between her, Yi Wanyue, and Jiang Shen.
She calmly withdrew her gaze: “No, you all go ahead.”
Yi Wanyue, however, smiled and said: “Before the competition started, you always followed me; why are you unwilling to follow me now?”
Qiu Baiyu’s behavior before her competition could be considered a bit strange to her.
“…”
Qiu Baiyu: “That is not the same.”
“How is it not the same?”
“Before the competition, I followed you because I was afraid you were under a lot of pressure and might secretly go smoke. Now you have no pressure and can happily go to dinner with your friends, so I don’t need to follow you anymore.”
“But you are also my friend,” Yi Wanyue said.
When Qiu Baiyu heard these words, a place in her heart suddenly became soft, as if many soft clouds were filling it.
Yi Wanyue has many friends, but Yi Wanyue has never forgotten her.
She is really very happy to be friends with Yi Wanyue.
Qiu Baiyu gently returned the hold on Yi Wanyue’s hand: “Then this time, you celebrate with these friends first, and next time celebrate with me as your friend.
“I still need to go pick up Xiaomin from school now, as there’s a child who is not satisfied with playing.
“No one has stipulated that a champion’s celebration banquet can only happen once, right?”
Her words, like the wind, gently blew into Yi Wanyue’s ear, gentle and considerate.
Yi Wanyue no longer insisted and responded with a smile: “You’re right, then another day I’ll celebrate with you and Xiaomin once more.”
“Good, then it’s settled.”
“Settled.”
“I’ll leave first, have fun tonight.”
“Good, be safe on the road.”
“Mm.”
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Qiu Baiyu responded with the last sentence, turned and walked away, her departing figure full of dash.
Yi Wanyue did not immediately turn back to her friends but quietly stood in place watching Qiu Baiyu’s departing figure, the sunflowers in her arms gently swaying in the breeze.
Jiang Shen stood not far from Yi Wanyue, watching the two figures, his eyebrows tightly furrowed.
Strange, when did their relationship become this good?
The weekend arrived.
On Saturday afternoon, after returning from her sanda class, Qiu Zimin was in a consistently good mood.
Because tonight, they were going to invite Aunt Wanyue to their home for a barbecue to celebrate her winning the piano competition’s championship!
Qiu Baiyu had brought back the video that day, and she watched it all.
Aunt Wanyue’s performance on stage was truly outstanding, and she dressed very beautifully, just like a big star on TV — even more beautiful than the stars on TV!
She now only has one piano class on Sunday morning, so she hasn’t seen Auntie today.
In the evening, when Auntie comes, she must praise her well.
Now she wants to first follow her Auntie to buy all the ingredients for tonight’s barbecue.
“Auntie, why don’t we go out to eat?”
Qiu Zimin asked while pushing the supermarket cart.
Qiu Baiyu, standing in front of the shelf, picking and selecting, replied with a calm and composed voice: “At home, there is a balcony, which is very suitable for eating barbecue, and at home, you can eat as long as you want. No one is watching you, and no one is rushing you, so it is more comfortable.”
“What meat do you want to eat?”
“Beef! I also want to eat shrimp paste; I want to eat that iron plate shrimp paste~”
“Okay, take more. What about vegetables?”
“Wolf tooth potatoes~”
“Are you thinking about the wolf tooth potato from the shop at your school gate again?”
“Hehe.”
“The wolf tooth potato from that place is quite delicious, but we’re not having it today—I can’t make it. Wait until Monday to eat it at the school gate.”
“Okay!”
Qiu Zimin responded with a full smile on her face, without the slightest disappointment.
Because she knows that on Monday, Qiu Baiyu will definitely let her eat wolf tooth potato; her Auntie is an adult who keeps her word, and she is very happy now!
While pushing the cart, she shared with Qiu Baiyu about her class.
She said the coach praised her today, saying she was smart, and her punching actions were quite impressive.
“The coach said I don’t need to worry about being bullied by classmates because now none of them are as strong as me~”
Qiu Baiyu lowered her head and saw her looking a bit proud and a little smug, and couldn’t help but smile as she touched her head: “Well done, in the future if anyone dares to bully you, just give them two punches.”
Talking reason with unreasonable people is not the style of their Qiu family.
“Mm!” Qiu Zimin said, “I will not endure anymore!”
Qiu Zimin is no longer the previous Jiang Zimin.
She is different now!
Qiu Baiyu looked at the progress bar above her head showing only 1% of blackening, and her smile became especially comforting and gentle.
A little after seven in the evening, Yi Wanyue arrived on time at Qiu Baiyu’s home.
She was carrying three cups of takeaway drinks, with the English logo of Unique Dream printed on the white takeout bag.
Knowing that Qiu Baiyu and Qiu Zimin like drinks from her bar, she brought them specially.
Qiu Zimin received her cup and was extremely happy: “Thank you, Auntie!”
Then she turned her head and gave her a gift.
A white gift box, about the size of an adult’s palm.
Yi Wanyue received the gift and was quite surprised: “Xiaomin even prepared a gift for Auntie?”
Qiu Zimin nodded her head with a “mm mm,” her eyes full of expectation as she looked at her: “Auntie, please open it and see.”
Yi Wanyue then carefully opened the box.
Inside, there was a transparent acrylic brick.
The edge of the small brick was adorned with beautiful flowers and stars, each one crowding around the person in the flower — it was her image playing the piano on stage.
On the diagonal, there were also words written in a child’s immature handwriting: Champion Auntie.
Qiu Baiyu explained timely from the side: “This is called a Gu Card, very popular among elementary students. It’s made by cutting tape for collages like this. She printed out your photo, cut it out, and attached it like this.”
Qiu Zimin’s cutting, although not yet meticulous, and the pattern matching still very immature and unripe, was full of childlike fun, yet all attentively highlighted the protagonist playing the piano.
Her skill may not be proficient, but it wins in intention and creativity.
Yi Wanyue couldn’t help but bend her eyes with a smile: “Xiaomin is really amazing. Auntie likes it very much, thank you. Auntie will definitely keep it well.”
Qiu Zimin, upon hearing her say she liked it, immediately became happy: “As long as Auntie likes it, that’s good!
“Auntie won the championship again, Auntie is really amazing!”
She still remembers that Qiu Baiyu told her Yi Wanyue had won many big awards.
Yi Wanyue smiled and rubbed her head.
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Qiu Baiyu turned and walked toward the balcony, calling them to come and eat.
A little after seven in the summer evening, the sky was still bright, and the day’s heat had already set earlier, leaving only a gentle breeze.
In this coolness, enjoying a hearty barbecue meal couldn’t be better.
Yi Wanyue glanced at the dishes on the table and exclaimed: “So abundant?”
Qiu Baiyu tied on an apron and calmly started the fire: “Today, just eat freely, it’s my treat.”
Qiu Zimin sat in her seat with a smile and said: “Auntie, eat more, eating a lot of meat will give you strength!”
With strength, you can protect yourself and won’t have to fear being bullied by others.
Yi Wanyue responded with a smile: “Our Xiaomin also needs to eat more.”
Then she tied on an apron, picked up the tongs, and said to Qiu Baiyu: “I’ll grill with you.”
Qiu Baiyu initially wanted to refuse, but after thinking it over, agreed with a “good.”
Friends shouldn’t be too polite with each other.
If Yi Wanyue had to grill alone, she would probably feel bad.
While waiting for the meat to grill, Qiu Baiyu aimlessly looked at the table surface.
The task panel appeared before her again, still showing a failed panel.
She couldn’t remember clearly how many times it had been; ever since leaving the Jiang family, she hadn’t cared about what crazy tasks the system sent.
Life is so beautiful now, why should she listen to this system and make herself uncomfortable?
At this moment, she finally noticed something was missing from the table.
Her phone.
Even if no one needs to contact her, she cannot be without her phone, in case she needs to use it to buy something later.
She put down the tongs: “I’ll go back to the room to get my phone.”
Walking around the table toward the room, the phone was indeed quietly lying on her bed.
She reached out to pick it up.
Just at this moment, the system’s voice suddenly sounded in her mind:
【The host has already had twenty tasks judged as failed, and the host’s state has been detected as passive and slacking, meeting the conditions for punishment.】
Qiu Baiyu: “?”
Satisfy what condition?
【Punishment function, activate—】
“Bang!”
Suddenly, a sound came from inside Qiu Baiyu’s room.
Yi Wanyue and Qiu Zimin were suddenly startled and together turned around to look toward her room.
The next second, Yi Wanyue quickly turned off the fire, stood up, and quickly walked toward Qiu Baiyu’s room: “Baiyu!”
Qiu Zimin hurriedly followed: “Auntie!”
They arrived at the doorway and saw Qiu Baiyu lying on the ground, dragging her legs while crawling forward, her arm stretched out as if trying to reach the door. Her phone had also fallen to one side.
Qiu Baiyu, seeing the two pairs of feet at the doorway, froze her actions and then silently lifted her head.
The three faced each other.
Yi Wanyue and Qiu Zimin quickly went forward to help her up to sit on the bed.
Qiu Baiyu silently rubbed her still numb legs.
It was an electric shock.
That wretched system actually shocked her legs… it actually has a punishment mechanism!
What made it worse was that before she closed the door, Yi Wanyue and Qiu Zimin had already seen her in this embarrassed state—she had to muddle through again.
“What’s wrong with you?” Yi Wanyue asked concernedly from the side, “Do you need to go to the hospital?”
“Auntie, are you injured?” Qiu Zimin was very worried.
Qiu Baiyu: “…”
This question is really difficult to answer.
She really had no way to tell them that she was shocked by the system inside her body. She didn’t even know how to explain having a system inside her body—she herself didn’t know how this thing came about!
She was silent for a moment.
After a few seconds, she slowly spoke: “It’s nothing, I just accidentally hit my leg.”
Yi Wanyue: “You hit both at once?”
“…” Qiu Baiyu, “First I hit the left side, then the right side.”
Yi Wanyue asked again: “How did you hit it?”
Qiu Baiyu’s eyes started to wander, looking everywhere for a piece of furniture that could take the blame.
Then she pointed at the end of the bed: “Just hit it there.”
Yi Wanyue and Qiu Zimin followed her hand to look at the end of the bed, and then Yi Wanyue retracted her gaze and looked at her again: “When you were taking the phone to the door, you accidentally hit your knee, right?”
Qiu Baiyu gently rubbed her leg and said: “Yes.”
Her hand unconsciously rubbed and pressed, sometimes pressing her thigh, sometimes rubbing her calf.
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“I’ll go get the Ten Thousand Flower Oil!”
After hearing this, Qiu Zimin immediately ran out.
Qiu Baiyu couldn’t stop her even if she tried.
Hearing the culprit sizzle in her mind, like a bad signal, also like preparing to launch, she suddenly worried the system might come again for a second time, so she could only find an excuse to send Yi Wanyue out as well: “You all go out and eat barbecue first, don’t worry about me.”
“Then what about you?”
“I’ll sit and rest for a while.”
“…”
“Do you need me to help you close the door?” Yi Wanyue suddenly asked.
Qiu Baiyu frowned a bit, feeling something was not right, but still responded: “Sure.”
Then she saw Yi Wanyue stand up, close the door, and lock it.
And then she turned to look at her.
Qiu Baiyu: “?”
What she meant was that she wanted to rest alone, right?
But she saw Yi Wanyue move a chair in front of her and sit down, their eyes meeting, and suddenly she spoke: “Baiyu, do you still remember that you once asked me to guess your secret?”
Qiu Baiyu didn’t understand: “… I remember, so?”
Yi Wanyue said: “I want to guess again now.”
She crossed her legs, with one hand resting on her leg and the other supporting her chin, slightly tilting her head to look at Qiu Baiyu, her expression particularly calm: “I guess…”
“You have a system.”
LP: Ohohohh?!?!?!
