Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Lu Ke eventually had lunch with Zhang Huixin, along with the driver and assistant left by Feng Yiyan. They went to a nearby Black Pearl-rated local cuisine restaurant. The chef's skills were top-notch, and every dish was a hit. Lu Ke was especially fond of the sweet and sour pork ribs there, polishing off three large plates all by herself, which left Zhang Huixin completely stunned.

She had thought 'loving to eat' was just Lu Ke's act for the rich guys. She was surprised Lu Ke ate so much even when they were alone.

After the meal, the driver and assistant wanted to take Lu Ke to the apartment on Songlan Road to settle in. Zhang Huixin, smiling sweetly, linked arms with Lu Ke and said she wanted to tag along to see the luxury apartment and get a glimpse of the high life.

The female assistant Feng Yiyan sent whisked Lu Ke away from her and shot down the request: "Sorry, sorry, it's probably not a good idea."

Feng Yiyan has three life assistants: two men and one woman. Lu Ke was assigned a female assistant named Fang Leiyuan, the one who'd gotten her clothes ready earlier. She was small and unassuming but sharp as a tack.

Used to dealing with all sorts of people, she shut Zhang Huixin down before Lu Ke could get a word in.

She said with a bright smile, "It's Miss Lu Ke's first day moving in, and we're still getting everything set up. Cleaning, setting up the security system, and other odds and ends will keep her busy. She won't have time for visitors."

Zhang Huixin: "I can lend a hand."

Assistant Fang's sincere apologetic smile remained on her face: "Look, let's be honest. It's the boss's place, after all. Given his high profile, it's really not a good idea to have people over."

That shut Zhang Huixin right up. She could only bat her big eyes at Lu Ke, looking utterly pitiful, hoping she'd back her up.

But Lu Ke didn't get a chance to catch her look, as she was already being gently guided into the car by Assistant Fang, who had her arm around her waist. Lu Ke only managed to wave at her through the window.

Zhang Huixin also waved back with a bright smile, showing no signs of resentment.

The low-key white Alphard business car carried them away from the scene.

After the car drove off, Zhang Huixin's smile gradually faded, as if she had removed a mask, eventually returning to an expressionless state.

She turned and walked back, taking out a pair of earphones from her bag. As she walked forward in her small high heels, she slowly put on the Bluetooth earphones.

She opened the music app on her phone, and the playlist was filled entirely with Feng Yiyan's songs.

She listened to the music as she passed through the glass automatic door of the underground garage.

Yes, this was a hidden wolf. Zhang Huixin also liked Feng Yiyan, serving as a small part of the psychological torment for the original female lead in the tragic novel.

Zhang Huixin had been infatuated with Feng Yiyan for two years.

To her, Feng Yiyan was like the gem on a crown—radiant, dazzling, and exuding an aura of immense value. The luster was so beautiful that it tempted everyone, making them all want to pluck him. Once you had him, you would have everything—endless money and a leap into the upper class.

But she was different from others.

She had successfully gotten close to this crown and seen the real person, with a real chance to pluck the gem.

Originally, her plan was to become Qiu Jiapo's girlfriend, using that identity to establish herself in this circle, and then approach Feng Yiyan as the girlfriend of a friend.

Qiu Jiapo was a playboy who changed girlfriends very quickly. Becoming his girlfriend would be challenging but not extremely difficult.

She would try her best to stay by his side for as long as possible, during which she would build a persona of being deeply devoted to Qiu Jiapo. This way, when she was eventually dumped, it would evoke Feng Yiyan's sympathy.

But now, it seemed this plan might not work.

Qiu Jiapo was clearly interested in Lu Ke at the moment and wouldn't pay attention to other women.

More critically, Feng Yiyan also seemed to show some special interest in Lu Ke, which greatly disrupted her original plan and forced her to readjust.

Bearing the gnawing jealousy and bitterness in her heart, she decided to continue with the new plan—to be Lu Ke's friend.

That woman should be easy to get close to; she’ll be her most useful stepping stone.

A meticulous and daring beauty like Zhang Huixin could’ve at least played the role of a scheming protagonist in another story—ambitious and calculating every move.

But this is an SSS-level tragic world, where there are too many people like her, leaving her with no real edge.

In the original story, she also failed to climb the ranks, stumbling at the first step of her plan—Qiu Jiapo’s interest in her lasted only a day, not even earning her the title of girlfriend, so her infatuated persona fell flat.

Later, unwilling to give up, Zhang Huixin found a way to get close to Lu Shiling, re-entering the circle as her friend.

The Alphard business car carried Lu Ke toward the city center, where every square inch is prime real estate.

Pink Soul wiped away cold sweat: "Phew, that was close—almost brought a ghost home."

Lu Ke was baffled, a question mark practically popping over her head.

Red Soul sternly warned Lu Ke: "Don’t trust everyone so easily. Just because you helped Zhang Huixin once and she returned the favor, does that make her your friend?"

Before Lu Ke could respond, she continued, annoyed: "That woman’s a sharp one, I tell you. She definitely noticed how those jerks treat you differently, and since you seem naive, she’s trying to befriend you to get what she wants indirectly!"

"If she really cared about you, she would’ve spoken up for you when those two started their act, not waited until they finished mocking you before stepping in. Got it?"

Red Soul’s tone was like a strict mother lecturing a naive, foolish daughter. It’s clear Red Soul is experienced, seeing through the other’s intentions in an instant.

Pink Soul chimed in: "Yeah, having lunch together is fine, but inviting her to your home is a no-go. It’s good Assistant Fang helped you turn her down; you should thank her and not hold it against her, okay?"

"Celebrities’ home addresses need to be kept under wraps, especially Feng Yiyan’s. If the address got out, who knows what kind of chaos it’d cause. And if she claims it was an accident, what could you do? Feng Yiyan’s anger would land squarely on you."

"Sweetie, life’s not easy—there are twists and turns everywhere. You’ve got to be a little sharper to protect yourself in the future."

Without letting Lu Ke get a word in, Red Soul added coldly: "And what if, after inviting her over, she says it’s too late to leave, and the next day she still refuses to go? Would you two just live together at Feng Yiyan’s place? Don’t think it’s impossible—some people in this world have no shame."

The system thought Red Soul was overreacting a bit; it probably wouldn’t go that far.

But it agreed with the two souls that Lu Ke should keep her distance from that woman.

The female protagonist of this world has no protagonist halo—only a tragic one. Being cautious isn’t a bad thing. If the people here were friendly, the original female protagonist wouldn’t have been driven to a mental breakdown, and ninety-nine hosts wouldn’t be stuck at the transit station, seething with resentment and refusing to move on.

In a sense, this world is like a dark forest.

Red Soul stressed to Lu Ke: "Only the two of us will truly help you and consider you a friend, got it?"

System: ... That’s just straight-up manipulation.

The two souls went back and forth, with the system occasionally chiming in, leaving no room for Lu Ke to speak. She was scolded the entire ride, her head hanging low.

Truthfully, she wanted to say that while she doesn’t get the complexities of the human world, she’s very attuned to human likes and dislikes.

Some people in this world love dogs, some hate them, and some are downright scared of them.

Many dogs can’t tell human likes from dislikes. When they see someone staring at them on the street, they assume the person likes them and start wagging their tails, rushing over—not realizing the person might be terrified, and their approach would only make things worse.

But Lu Ke’s different; she’s a dog with a keen sense for emotions.

In the past, she could gauge people’s likes and dislikes from a distance by reading their micro-expressions. If she sensed someone was afraid of dogs, she’d either walk past without a glance or sit down and wait for them to pass before moving on.

When encountering humans who dislike dogs but are not afraid of them, she would just walk past. She would only wag her tail happily and approach for pets when she met humans who liked dogs.

Humans don’t hide their emotions towards dogs, but they do disguise their emotions towards other humans.

However, after becoming human, Lu Ke's visual perspective had changed, allowing her to see others more closely. During the meal earlier, she had sensed something felt off.

She sensed Zhang Huixin didn’t truly like her as much as she seemed to, so she dropped the idea of inviting her back to her place.

But why did they all assume she wanted to invite her home?

The poor pup felt unfairly accused.

Amid the constant babbling of the two spirits and the system, they arrived at their destination.

Feng Yiyan didn’t like investing much in real estate. In the whole city, he only owned two properties—one for himself and one as a backup. The Xiangli Bay apartment was the backup.

Xiangli Bay Apartments were famous across the country as luxury apartments, with monthly rents starting at six figures. A few months' rent could buy an entire house, and they were just as well-known for their strict security measures.

Assistant Fang and the property staff helped Lu Ke register her fingerprint and facial recognition. With someone guiding her every step, it wasn't too troublesome.

The apartment was spotless and ready to move in. The cleaning staff had been regularly maintaining the place, so all that was needed was to make the bed, and it was ready for immediate occupancy.

Perhaps due to her experience in taking care of celebrities, Assistant Fang was particularly meticulous in certain aspects. She finally took out professional equipment to check if any hidden cameras or recording devices had been surreptitiously installed in the apartment. After a thorough search confirmed the apartment was clean, she began helping Lu Ke make the bed and then took her to a nearby imported supermarket to purchase all the necessary daily supplies.

Most people would’ve been overwhelmed with gratitude, thanking her over and over.

Some might even act more reserved or indifferent to avoid being looked down upon by Feng Yiyan's assistant.

But Lu Ke was used to being taken care of by humans—in the past, even her paws were wiped clean by humans after walks. So, she very naturally accepted Assistant Fang's care.

Of course, the puppy also expressed her gratitude.

The puppy enthusiastically hugged Assistant Fang, nuzzled the top of her head, and said, "I like you."

"!" Assistant Fang, caught off guard by the sudden hug and confession, froze.

After hugging her in thanks, Lu Ke happily lay down on the carpet and rolled around several times.

The petite Assistant Fang adjusted her glasses, which had slipped when her face ended up in Lu Ke's chest.

Lu Ke stood at 5'8", while Assistant Fang was just 5'2". The hug had resulted in her face being buried in Lu Ke's chest, but luckily, Lu Ke wasn't particularly busty.

"Come on, lie down with me—it's super comfy!"

Lu Ke, lying on the carpet, invited Assistant Fang to join her.

"No, thank you."

Assistant Fang was torn between amusement and exasperation.

She hadn't expected the stunning woman who had made her boss bend his rules to be so childlike. Despite her striking looks, her temperament was more like that of her five-year-old daughter. But... she was certainly more likable than that phony Lu Shiling.

As Assistant Fang thought of Lu Shiling and then looked at Lu Ke, sprawled on the carpet, she couldn't help but chuckle at the stark contrast in her boss's preferences.

.

Assistant Fang left, and the over 2,000-square-foot apartment was now occupied only by Lu Ke.

The two souls were thrilled, but Lu Ke didn't feel much about it.

To a dog, it didn't matter whether they slept in a park or a luxury apartment—any spot would do.

The system snapped, "Try sleeping in the park once. You don't have your fur coat anymore. With skin this soft, spend one summer night there, and you'll wake up covered in mosquito bites!"

It didn’t mention the risk of being harassed. This goofy dog is pretty tough, so she wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.

Lu Ke imagined having a hundred mosquito bites on her body and finally got scared.

"Guess I can't sleep in the park."

The AC blasted cold air, and Lu Ke sprawled drowsily on the carpet.

The two souls started going over the day's events. They first gave Lu Ke props for her great catch, then zeroed in on how Lu Ke reacted after that call from her crush, along with their own reactions, really digging into it.

Half an hour later, they got their act together, realizing they'd jumped the gun.

"The story's barely begun, why the hurry?"

Lu Ke wanted to listen to them, but she was too sleepy.

Dogs have tons of energy, but it burns out fast. After an hour of running, every dog comes back and flops like a ragdoll.

Pink Soul: "Hold up! Let's grab some clothes first!"

Half-asleep, Lu Ke slurred, "Huh?"

Red Soul popped up, all fired up. "Right, I almost forgot—we need clothes and shoes!"

Lu Ke's closet was practically bare, just two outfits. Cheap stuff under eighty bucks, no style or quality, totally wasting her killer looks.

There was only one pair of shoes in the shoe cabinet—the same beat-up white sneakers she'd been running around in all day, even jumping into sewers and playing ball.

Red Soul: "Grab your phone and pull up Taobao."

Lu Ke obediently took out her old phone and opened Taobao.

Pink Soul: "We should probably upgrade the phone too."

Red Soul clicked her tongue: "We've only got about ten grand—how are we supposed to swing that? Let's focus on clothes for now."

Lu Ke pried her sleepy eyes open, half-heartedly scrolling through Taobao while the souls picked stuff out, her job just to tap and swipe.

Red Soul: "These earrings are only fifty yuan, handmade alloy, only ten sold this month, couldn’t find the same image in a search, won't be recognized as cheap—buy these."

Pink Soul: "Jewelry should be of better quality—you should at least buy something worth five hundred yuan. The one I saw before was better."

Red Soul retorted: "Let me remind you, we’ve only got about ten grand, and we need to buy clothes, shoes, cosmetics, skincare, bags... Do you think we can swing cheap stuff for tens of yuan?"

Pink Soul thought about it—bad shoes risk falling apart halfway, if the sole falls off it’d be funny; bad skincare risks ruining the face, and bags are even worse.

Suddenly her enthusiasm waned significantly. She weakly said, "But this topaz earring is really beautiful, very similar to Lu Ke’s eye color, don’t you think it suits her? And the design is so good, wearing it would definitely add points."

The system also joined the battle, speaking in a fair tone: "Ahem, everyone, don’t argue—I think we should change the phone. This phone is too shabby to take out."

The two souls and the system were arguing fiercely, while the little dog holding the phone was drowsy, one foot into dreamland, drooling at the corner of her mouth.

Red Soul: "Scroll down, let me see other earrings."

Lu Ke jolted awake, her fingers swiped twice on the phone screen, her eyelids struggled twice, then helplessly drooped again.

Red Soul: "Click on the details of the red earring on the left."

The dog-tired Lu Ke reluctantly forced her sleepy eyes open and clicked.

Red Soul: "Open the reviews, let me see what others are saying. Not these kinds of reviews—the ones with long paragraphs and pictures feel fake. Scroll down."

Lu Ke obediently opened it and scrolled, but her fingers soon stopped moving. The phone stayed in her hand as her head tilted to the side.

She was out cold.

When her eyes closed completely, the two souls and the system, which relied on her vision, were left in the dark.

"Should we just wait till she wakes up to keep picking?"

"We’re halfway done—it’s such a drag to get stuck now."

The system, frustrated, reluctantly slammed the table: "I’ll spend points to control the phone and give you a third-person view so we can keep choosing!"

"System, you’re the best!"

"I told you you had points, didn’t I?"

...

The phone screen kept lighting up and flipping pages. After a lot of back-and-forth, they added items one by one to the shopping cart.

Lu Ke slept like a log until after 8 PM, when the sky had turned dark.

When she woke up, her phone’s shopping cart was full.

Red Soul eagerly asked, "Quick, check out what we picked!"

There were around twenty items in the shopping cart. Lu Ke excitedly checked each item, praised them, and quickly placed the orders. The two souls and the system were thrilled that Lu Ke liked their picks.

But over ten thousand yuan was spent in a flash, leaving just over four thousand, which made them anxious. They couldn’t help but discuss ways to make money, though Lu Ke, the puppy, wasn’t worried.

When Lu Ke was still a dog, she didn’t even have her own property.

.

After brushing her teeth, Lu Ke headed downstairs to grab some food. She followed the smell to a small, well-known roast chicken shop, which was quiet at this hour.

The kitchen, separated by glass, had two chefs and a middle-aged woman cooking, a young man roasting chicken, and a pretty cashier serving outside. Their resemblance made it clear they were family.

Jiang Chun lounged behind the cashier, scrolling on her phone. The old-fashioned lucky cat dinged as someone entered, and she reflexively looked up: "Welcome, what would you like to... eat?"

Jiang Chun’s eyes lit up.

The woman who walked in was drop-dead gorgeous!

Lu Ke looked stunning, especially in the white silk dress Assistant Fang had bought for her. She truly seemed like an angel descending from the clouds into a small eatery, ethereal and unreal, her radiance brightening the small roast chicken shop. Other customers in the shop also looked at Lu Ke.

Under Jiang Chun's greeting, Lu Ke found a seat and sat down.

She ordered two roast chickens.

A batch of roast chicken had just been finished in the kitchen, and Jiang Chun's twin brother Jiang Xia quickly brought it over. He was also quite stunned by Lu Ke's beauty, returning to the kitchen with wide eyes.

Lu Ke began to eat heartily.

Jiang Chun sat back behind the cashier and couldn't help but secretly take videos with her phone, increasingly amazed. How could someone be more beautiful than her favorite female idol? She must be a celebrity, right?

Seeing Lu Ke eat so heartily, Jiang Chun hesitated and then decided to boldly strike up a conversation, bringing over a plate of fish-flavored shredded pork.

"Hello, you are our 300th customer tonight, so this dish is complimentary. Please enjoy it."

Lu Ke was pleasantly surprised and smiled at Jiang Chun: "Thank you!"

Even those spoiled rich kids who are used to seeing beauties would be stunned by Lu Ke's appearance, let alone ordinary people. Her beauty was like a deadly weapon, effortlessly charming everyone. That smile instantly melted Jiang Chun's heart, leaving her flattered and at a loss.

She's such a stunning beauty and so down-to-earth, what a gem!

Jiang Chun was moved for a while, then cautiously continued the conversation: "You're so beautiful, I was stunned when you walked in. Are you a celebrity?"

Lu Ke, while chewing on a chicken leg, shook her head.

Seeing that Lu Ke didn't mind her chatting, Jiang Chun took the opportunity to sit across from her and continued to talk. The girl was naturally happy to have someone to chat with, and both of them enjoyed the conversation.

After a while, her brother Jiang Xia couldn't resist coming out of the kitchen, boldly taking advantage of his sister's connection.

He took off his apron and sat at the next table. He was more reserved in front of Lu Ke compared to his sister, just listening to their conversation.

Their mother, Jiang Ji, also noticed Lu Ke. The whole family was all about good looks, and Jiang's mother also liked Lu Ke very much. Not only did she send over her homemade sour plum juice, but she also cooked another dish and brought it over.

Lu Ke thanked her happily, her smile bright and adorable, which delighted the mother so much that she repeatedly said kindly that this meal was on her.

Red Soul and Pink Soul were dumbfounded.

After a moment of silence, Pink Soul said: "Looks like if we ever run out of money, we can still score free meals."

Red Soul: "...Yeah."

One of the girl's special skills is begging for food, so it seems they don't need to set aside so much reserve for food expenses.

The system remembered the braised meat shop guy, who was tricked out of a chicken leg and also his heart. Goodness, now it's upgraded, this time it's a whole family...

.

While Lu Ke was eating roast chicken at a small street-side restaurant, Feng Yiyan and the others were throwing a party at the glamorous Bund.

The scene was buzzing. Besides Feng Yiyan and Yang Yuguo, other second and third-generation heirs from the circle were also present. Waiters were weaving through the crowd with trays of champagne and cocktails, everyone was screaming and jumping, and performers were also putting on a great show. There were foreign beauties with exaggerated feather crowns, and muscular foreign hunks with tight shirts, the atmosphere was electric.

The second-generation heirs were all over Lu Shiling, making a big fuss as if welcoming a returning princess. Lu Shiling got drenched in champagne and headed to the dressing room to change and freshen up.

Nan Feng gave Qiu Jiapo a look, and the two broke away from the crowd around them and went to the balcony to smoke.

Halfway through smoking, Nan Feng, holding a cigarette, said casually with a detached tone: "Do you have Lu Ke's WeChat? Hook me up."

Qiu Jiapo, leaning on the railing, gazed at the bustling river view, cigarette in mouth, smiling leisurely:

"How would I have it? When I met the little maid, you were all there. The only time I had more contact than you, Feng Yiyan directly dragged her into the car and left me behind. I didn't even get a chance to say a word to her."

Nan Feng's brow furrowed deeply.

Footsteps came from behind, Yang Yuguo arrived.

The two casually shifted the topic, but Yang Yuguo opened with: "Hey, I've been holding this in all day, don't you think it was kinda unfair to leave Lu Ke out today?"

"Should we bring her along next time?"

"By the way, do you know her WeChat?"

Nan Feng: "..."

Qiu Jiapo: "..."

"What are you guys up to here?"

Feng Yiyan showed up on the terrace too.

The three launched into a conversation about the morning's basketball game, naturally leading the topic to Lu Ke. Finally, Yang Yuguo coughed and cut to the chase: "A Yan, do you have the maid's contact info? She played quite well, maybe we can play together again next time?"

That teasing nickname resurfaced, maybe to feign indifference.

Feng Yiyan's eyes scanned their faces, leaving them visibly uncomfortable, before he slowly dragged out two words: "No," he said, drawing out the word.

Yang Yuguo, with his arm slung over Nan Feng's shoulder, smirked at Feng Yiyan: "Don't take it the wrong way, seriously, we just wanna play ball with her next time, as friends, not to mess with her."

Feng Yiyan strolled to the terrace edge, leaning casually on the railing.

The lights from the bustling night outside bathed him in their glow, making his skin look like jade, his eyes like hidden stars, exuding an air of effortless charm.

Yang Yuguo clammed up, not daring to push further.

Nan Feng chimed in, emphasizing in his deep voice: "It really is just to invite her to play basketball."

Feng Yiyan glanced at them with a faint smile, "No means no. You think I’m bluffing?"

Yang Yuguo persisted: "What about her phone number?"

Feng Yiyan replied indifferently: "Don't have that either."

Yang Yuguo’s enthusiasm fizzled out.

With no luck getting her number, he lost interest in hanging around. Just then, someone came looking for him, and he left the terrace.

Right after Yang Yuguo left, Nan Feng took off too.

He snuffed out his cigarette on a passing waiter’s tray without a second thought. Nan Feng’s icy, standoffish vibe made him hard to approach. Some might think he’s a softie underneath, but truth is, he’s cold through and through.

His mother is Korean, and he lived in Korea during his childhood, inheriting the aloofness of Korean chaebols towards ordinary people.

The waiter stayed quiet, head bowed, keeping his distance, only daring to deal with the cigarette butt after Nan Feng had passed.

Qiu Jiapo took his time finishing his smoke before making a move.

He flicked the cigarette butt onto the ground, not even stomping it out, and asked Feng Yiyan with a smirk: "Heading back?"

Feng Yiyan shrugged, "I’ll stick around for a bit."

Qiu Jiapo could tell he was fed up with all the attention, with countless men and women throwing themselves at him, all starting with 'I'm your fan.' If it weren't for Lu Shiling's sake, Feng Yiyan wouldn't have stayed here for long.

He shot a glance at the nosy onlookers inside, smirking: "Want me to slap a 'Do Not Disturb' sign out here for you?"

Feng Yiyan arched a brow, "Like the ones on bathroom doors?"

Qiu Jiapo, shamelessly, replied: "Yeah, want me to?"

Feng Yiyan said boredly: "Up to you, but don't you think someone will come over with tools pretending to fix it?"

Qiu Jiapo was speechless.

Yeah, someone’s bound to pull that stunt—no doubt someone’ll use it as an excuse to get close to Feng Yiyan.

Qiu Jiapo left.

Only Feng Yiyan remained on the terrace. The river breeze gently dispersed the scent of alcohol. The terrace was by the river, offering a full view of the dazzling, lively night scene across the river. A massive, brightly lit yacht slowly sailed by.

Across the river stood the Liwan One apartment building, from which the layered interior lights were clearly visible.

He hadn't lied; he truly didn't have Lu Ke's phone number. However... Assistant Fang, who had taken her to the apartment today, would surely have one.

After standing there for about the time it takes to smoke half a cigarette, Feng Yiyan called Assistant Fang. After briefly inquiring about the day's moving situation, he said, "Send me her phone number."

After hanging up, he quickly received Lu Ke's phone number from Assistant Fang via WeChat.

After a brief pause, Feng Yiyan looked down and saved the number to his contacts. When entering the contact name, he naturally typed "Lu Ke."

But after typing the familiar yet unfamiliar name, his thumb suddenly paused. His dark eyes fixed on the name, which was identical to that of the Husky he had raised as a child.

Then, recalling Lu Ke's strikingly similar ice-blue eyes, how she immediately called him 'master' when they met, her enormous appetite, and her preference for meat, a sudden, absurd thought crossed his mind.

Frowning, he dialed another number, his voice icy, colder than ever: "I need you to investigate someone for me."