Beneath the Rose - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jian Yi and that thing called the System seemed unable to see me.

Yet I could hear their conversations in real time.

Like right now.

They were gloating:

“How was my acting, System? I bet Yu Chen didn’t notice a thing.

“Men just like gentle and obedient women. That idiot Qiao Ying kept throwing tantrums at Yu Chen. No wonder he eventually couldn’t stand her and divorced her.

“I’m a genius mission taker. Don’t I know exactly what he likes?”

Getting too full of oneself is never a good thing.

A week later.

They started sensing something was off.

Jian Yi complained to the System:

“Seriously, System, what’s up with this Yu Chen? Why is he getting colder day by day? Just because I accidentally threw a bunch of cilantro in his soup when I made him dinner? And he actually fights with me?

“Check for me. How high is his affection for Qiao Ying now?”

The System was silent for a few seconds:

“Host, after checking, Yu Chen’s affection value for Qiao Ying is currently only 1.”

Jian Yi exclaimed:

“1??? Impossible. Is there a bug? I remember the first day I arrived it was 100%.”

The System thought about it:

“It’s not a bug. I’ve never made a mistake.

“Maybe the plot has reached the point where the male lead is supposed to grow disgusted with the supporting female. Plus, your actions might have accelerated his dislike.

“That’s normal anyway. After all, Yu Chen is destined to hate Qiao Ying.”

Jian Yi sneered:

“Hah? So now there’s that kind of logic.

“I just knew there’s no way a man wouldn’t like me. My missions never fail. It must be that deadbeat Qiao Ying is ugly, so Yu Chen just got tired of her. Perfectly human.”

I touched my own face.

And thought she was full of crap.

Chapter 3

Jian Yi has been occupying my body for over two months now.

Every day, I float beside her.

Watching her try her damnedest to please Yu Chen, while Yu Chen remains utterly unmoved, growing even colder.

Honestly.

She really works hard.

I truly give her credit.

She gets up at five every morning, spends an hour dressing and doing full makeup from hair to face.

Drinks an unsweetened iced americano with an egg for breakfast.

Then starts exercising.

A 5k jog + 100 sit-ups + a 3-minute plank.

At noon, she eats just a small bowl of plain boiled vegetables, alongside a half-palm-sized portion of corn or sweet potato, plus two bites of chicken or beef.

In the evening, she drinks a vegetable juice, begins her nighttime routine, meticulously does skincare for an hour, and goes to bed promptly at ten-thirty.

In these sixty-odd days.

She’s done this every single day.

If it were me.

I’d have long ago gnawed on the sofa cushions like they were cheese crackers.

I used to be a textbook skinny-fat.

Light weight, high body fat.

I tried to cut body fat.

But I could never control my eating, so I always failed.

Yet under Jian Yi’s ultra-disciplined lifestyle.

I see that my body.

Now has perfect abs.

Seriously, who wouldn’t like such a hardworking, outstanding woman?

Even I’m kind of smitten.

But just yesterday.

She still stepped into Yu Chen’s study with her right foot first.

And once again angered Yu Chen.

Then was told to live separately.

“System, I can’t take it anymore! Use my remaining points to switch me to a new identity.

“Is this male lead sick or something? He says I don’t know the rules, that I don’t even get the rule about entering left and exiting right, and tells me to go learn some manners outside. I mean, honestly, even I couldn’t come up with nitpicking like that if I tried.”

Jian Yi exploded at home, beyond endurance.

She grabbed everything within reach and smashed it all, not caring about anything.

“If I have to keep at this mission, I’ll really die of rage.

“How about this: use all my points to turn me into the female lead that’s canonically paired with Yu Chen. I want a good, satisfying ride, let him experience what it feels like to burn in the wife-chasing crematorium! So pissed!!”

The System clicked its tongue:

“That can be done, but-”

“But what?”

“But if in the end you don’t get a perfect happy ending with Yu Chen, you’ll be annihilated.”

Jian Yi snorted out a laugh:

“Hah?

“Oh my god, System, are you joking with me?

“Once I’m the female lead, how could he not have a happy ending with me? Just do it already, I’m so sick of this. I don’t want to spend one more day in this crappy body.

“By the way, after I leave this body, will the original Qiao Ying come back?”

The System gave a hum:

“Yes, Host. And I’ve already processed the identity switch for you, but there’s a one-month cooldown, so please be patient.”

“That long?”

Jian Yi’s lips curled, a cold glint flashing in her eyes:

“Since that’s the case, I’ll have to prepare a ‘big gift’ for her. After all the humiliation I’ve suffered in this body, this debt won’t be settled so easily.”