Chapter 4: A Life of Tribulations and an Unexpected Encounter

Having finished spraying the fixative, Qian Surou carefully placed her drawing into a loose-leaf file.Leaving the school building, she walked beneath a sky ablaze with picturesque hues, each step feeling exceptionally heavy.

The incessant chirping of cicadas gradually faded, eventually drowned out by the roaring rush of cars, and with it, her own sigh was also concealed.

‘I just want to escape!’

Although her university life, the stage for the game, had yet to begin, the female lead was already living a life that could only be described as a montage of tribulations.

Her father, framed by others, had lost his shares in the resort group, accumulated debts, and now wallowed in despair.Her mother, unaware of the truth, remained hospitalized, requiring substantial medical fees.

Her sister, mentioned only in passing, was a block of impenetrable ice.Everything had already transpired, mirroring the original story perfectly.

‘Ah, it seemed she had been handed the script of a beautiful yet tragic heroine.’

But what could she do? She had reincarnated into this body, so she just had to endure it! The world was full of people whose circumstances were a hundred times more dire than her own, and Qian Surou, paradoxically, felt a sense of relief knowing the future wouldn’t be too terrible.

Since her previous life’s struggles stemmed from overworking herself for money, a simple change in strategy would suffice; more precisely, she would reduce physical labor and leverage the experience accumulated in her soul to take on private art commissions and designs.

In her past life, her painting skills were barely adequate for personal use, but she had developed proficiency with graphic tablets and computer software.

Combined with her current abilities in sketching and impasto, she was only a little practice away from creating commercially viable works.

Though her father had never favored her, the education she received was top-tier. Perhaps her spirit remained unbroken, loyal to her desire to prove herself.

Like a character from an animation, she was energetic, multifaceted, and accomplished in every endeavor.

This was not self-aggrandizement; it had become the consensus among those around her.

It could be said that she could thrive anywhere on her own. However, human relationships are built upon self-perception.

Sentimentality had always been Qian Surou’s Achilles’ heel. She could not bear to tell her mother the truth, continuing to let her stay in a single, high-end hospital room. She sought out various part-time jobs, occasionally sending things under her father’s name, doing her utmost to prolong the blissful deception.

The part-time experience she had gained at the resort proved useful.

Leveraging her skill in brewing coffee and creating latte art, she successfully found a barista position at a coffee shop near Douyou University.

The coffee shop, named ‘Forest Cabin,’ catered to office workers and affluent students, operating on a concept of ‘affordable luxury.’ The owner was a lady in her thirties, and Qian Surou had met her infrequently.

Evidently, the coffee shop was merely a sideline for her; she cared more for the plants and flowers in the shop than its revenue, often smiling and saying, “I’ve come to see my delicate little princesses,” whenever she visited.

The employee handbook provided was a plant care journal.

Nearly a third of the shop’s area was dedicated to a miniature greenhouse, and another third was adorned with arched grape trellises, allowing climbing plants to grow freely.

With an hourly wage of thirty and few customers, Qian Surou felt she had stumbled upon a stroke of luck, especially since she could take home leftover food.To command such a salary, it was likely due to her suitable appearance as a poster girl, as well as her ability to draw charming promotional boards.

Yet, this meager income was a mere drop in the bucket compared to her expenses.

Qian Surou was sustained by selling off properties under her name and a small sum of savings from before.

The game’s plot did not explicitly mention the original protagonist’s specific jobs; instead, it conveyed her state through a vacant, almost yandere-like expression, and a demeanor on the verge of collapse.

It focused on detailing her overwork: an inability to lift heavy objects, auditory hallucinations, slow reactions, zoning out during classes, and sudden headaches.

It seemed the original protagonist had been doing extremely arduous work, toiling like a swallow tirelessly gathering twigs to fortify its nest, oblivious to food or sleep, fearing her fragile life would be instantly shattered by a downpour.

Preparing for a rainy day.

Qian Surou was accosted on Chunyu Street by someone claiming to be recruiting models.

With no reason to remain on the high school campus, her spare time was dedicated to searching for job postings.

Online recruitment information was a mixed bag, and Qian Surou lacked the confidence to discern the good from the bad.So, she found herself alone amidst the bustling crowd, pausing occasionally.

Her striking appearance was a double-edged sword; while drawing attention, it also caused people to keep their distance, as if an invisible wall of aura surrounded her.

Qian Surou, now desensitized, protected her shoulder bag, paying no mind to her surroundings, much like the busy professionals around her.

The man praised the modeling job to the heavens, which Qian Surou perceived as a sign of his lack of confidence.

The moment she voiced her refusal, the young man, dressed like an insurance salesman, furrowed his brow, seemingly unprepared for a young girl to be so opinionated, unswayed by superficial glamour.

However, he did not give up; persistence was his basic tactic, insisting Qian Surou accompany him to experience it firsthand before drawing a conclusion, following her for nearly a hundred meters.

Utterly annoyed, Qian Surou spotted an unfamiliar girl smiling at her in front of a candied hawthorn stand outside a convenience store.

“Have you been waiting long for me?”

The reason she thought this was because the girl possessed such an extraordinary presence.

Her eyes, hidden behind black frames, seemed to hold a subtle glow, giving the impression that she was somehow ostracized by the surrounding world.

When she smiled, however, that barrier melted away. Everyone would find this smile rare, unable to help but glance her way.

If the girl hadn’t been genuinely walking towards her, Qian Surou would not have believed she was speaking to her.

It was normal to categorize the girl as someone from a different world; under that premise, it was difficult to entertain the thought of getting to know her. Yet, prompted by an inexplicable impulse, she responded:

“Mm.”

The word had escaped her lips.

“—Let’s go!”

The girl, with an air of familiarity, linked her arm through Qian Surou’s.

In Qian Surou’s peripheral vision, the girl’s nimble fingers flipped open her leather student bag, and a flash of reflective silver glinted momentarily, then was obscured by the shadow of the persistent man.

“Are you a university student? Would you and your friend be interested in learning more?”

Excellent demeanor and physique, business opportunities, online platforms, fame. The man’s sales pitch came in torrents.

“Please do not harass my friend—”

An unexpected embodiment of rebellion—a folding knife began to spin.

“I won’t say that a second time.”

Beneath the smile lay a naked threat, and the man’s smile froze on his face.

Qian Surou stood dumbfounded, allowing the girl to lead her away from the man, her gaze fixed on the folding knife, wondering if she had truly been saved.

“Are you very concerned?”

The girl suddenly said:

“Oh, this is a magic prop.”

With a flick of her index finger, devoid of long nails, the blade quivered like a springboard, thrust sharply towards her arm, then retracted back into the handle.

It posed no threat.

However, the girl seemed to have found amusement. She adopted an exaggeratedly fierce expression and pressed the ‘knife’ against Qian Surou’s neck.

“Don’t move!”

A snicker escaped Qian Surou.

“Oh, you dare to laugh, little beauty.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s yours.I’ve practiced self-defense.”

Qian Surou missed the chance to refuse.

Qian Surou turned sideways, intending to ask the girl’s name. The girl, however, pulled out a candied hawthorn wrapped in paper from her leather bag, her head slightly bowed, as if reproaching herself, and spoke with an unusually gentle tone:

“For you.”

Why? Qian Surou’s face showed her confusion.

The girl pressed the candied hawthorn into her hand, offered no explanation, and, as if fulfilling some obligation, walked away swiftly, disappearing into the distance in a blink.