Chapter 18: A Bitter Reunion

Upon hearing that voice, Bai Mengze’s brows furrowed involuntarily.

The person who had arrived was none other than her cousin, Wen Ruo.

Bai Mengze had harbored a deep aversion to this cousin since childhood.

Beyond her being spoiled and willful, something of Bai Mengze’s always went missing whenever Wen Ruo visited their home.

Her parents, ever the kind-hearted souls, would always dismiss it, leaving Bai Mengze to suppress her anger, though her attitude towards Wen Ruo remained distinctly cold.

It was precisely this frosty demeanor that led Wen Ruo to spread malicious rumors about Bai Mengze everywhere she went.

Two years prior, Wen Ruo had even used Bai Mengze’s name to engage in illicit affairs with other men. Fortunately, the deception was discovered in time, averting what could have been truly disastrous consequences.

After that incident, Bai Mengze’s parents could no longer tolerate it. They directly severed all contact with Wen Ruo’s family.

They also issued a stern warning: if Wen Ruo ever again misused Bai Mengze’s name to cause trouble, they would no longer hold back. Instead, they would resort to legal action to protect their daughter.

That was one of the rare occasions her parents had truly erupted in anger, stunning all the relatives who had come to mediate.

All of it had been for her.

Recalling these past events, Bai Mengze found herself momentarily lost in thought.

“Who is she?”

“Don’t mind her. I don’t know her.”

At Ji Wenyan’s words, Bai Mengze immediately snapped out of her reverie. She glanced at Wen Ruo, who was approaching, but had no intention of engaging with her.

Instead, she simply took Ji Wenyan and tried to leave.

Her family had recently faced significant upheaval.

Given Wen Ruo’s petty nature, she had undoubtedly heard all about it.

Calling out to her now was likely just an attempt to kick her while she was down!

It wasn’t that Bai Mengze feared Wen Ruo; she simply worried she wouldn’t be able to resist lashing out and giving her a good beating.

If that happened, she would end up in detention again.

[Random Task: Protect Bai Mengze from being threatened by her cousin Wen Ruo! Reward: 100 Star Origin Points, 1 Affection Point.]

It was at this very moment that Ji Wenyan heard the system’s voice ring out.

However, the reward this time was somewhat perplexing.

Another set of incomprehensible items.

Star Origin Points???

He could infer the purpose of the affection points, which would undoubtedly indicate a change in Bai Mengze’s attitude towards him.

Although he had no idea what Star Origin Points were, the mere mention of affection points meant Ji Wenyan couldn’t let this opportunity slip by.

As long as Bai Mengze’s affection towards him increased, he would be able to do whatever he pleased later on!

She would comply with requests to put on makeup, and wouldn’t even object to running to enhance her physical attributes!

The training regimen would also proceed much more smoothly, free from any opposition from Bai Mengze!

With this thought, Ji Wenyan deliberately slowed his pace, hoping his cousin would catch up and give him the chance to complete the task.

He even contemplated giving Wen Ruo a kick from behind, sending her tumbling directly towards him.

Her dawdling was utterly frustrating!

“Bai Mengze, I’m talking to you! Why are you feigning deafness now? Weren’t you quite brazen before? What, you cowered the moment your parents passed away?”

“Wen Ruo, what did you say?”

“I said— Ah! You dared to hit me!”

Originally, Bai Mengze had no desire to engage with Wen Ruo, preferring to let her prance about like a jester on her own.

However, Wen Ruo should never have mentioned her parents.

Especially not in such a mocking tone; it filled Bai Mengze with the urge to pummel her.

So, after suddenly stopping, Bai Mengze waited for Wen Ruo to catch up in her high heels. With an unchanged expression, she simply swung her hand.

A resounding slap echoed through the air at that moment.

Bai Mengze showed no restraint. With that one forceful strike, Wen Ruo’s face immediately swelled up.

Witnessing this, Ji Wenyan, who stood nearby, let out a small, sharp hiss. He nervously shuffled his feet, moving further away from Wen Ruo to avoid getting implicated.

Just by the sound, he knew it must have been incredibly painful.

Had the system made a mistake?

Bai Mengze’s formidable combat prowess was such that there was no need for him to intervene at all!

“Bai Mengze, you’re nothing but a stray dog now! Do you still think you’re that aloof princess you once were? How dare you hit me! Just you wait! I’ll make sure you regret this!”

Wen Ruo raised a hand to cover her slapped face, but she refrained from mentioning Bai Mengze’s parents again, clearly aware that Bai Mengze truly would continue hitting her.

However, this did not mean she would concede defeat.

What grounds did Bai Mengze have left to challenge her? Her esteemed doctor parents had long since passed away, and even her house had been sold to compensate others.

Now, she was barely better than a beggar.

It was time she faced reality!

With this thought, a faint smile touched Wen Ruo’s lips, and even the stinging on her slapped cheek seemed to vanish.

She had always envied Bai Mengze.

Bai Mengze’s parents were well-off doctors, Bai Mengze herself possessed remarkable beauty, and she excelled academically.

Wen Ruo, however, was the complete opposite of Bai Mengze; no matter how hard she studied, she consistently ranked last, and her plain appearance could only be altered through cosmetic surgery.

Most importantly, her parents toiled for others, working themselves to the bone for meager earnings.

Yet, Bai Mengze’s parents earned exorbitantly high salaries as doctors.

Initially, Wen Ruo had been deeply insecure.

But now, seeing Bai Mengze in such a tragic state, she suddenly felt immensely gratified.

The wheel of fortune turns.

Hmph!

Bai Mengze, your day has come too!

Moreover, she had dared to assault Young Master Liang before… If Wen Ruo could send Bai Mengze to prison today, Young Master Liang would surely reward her handsomely upon learning of it.

Even if she wanted to enter the entertainment industry, she would have a wealth of resources at her disposal, never needing to curry favor with anyone.