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Within three days, Yinyin can confirm the following:
The ethereal presence inhabiting Yinyin’s physical vessel is a pursuer appointed by an amorous conquest system.
In this endeavour, her paramount objective is the leading male character, Yang Y, while her secondary targets consist of two subordinate male characters, Xu Luchén and Hé Zyuè.
Regrettably, as the female protagonist, Yinyin finds herself in the role of her adversary.
Advancing towards the primary objective, Yang Y, proves to be relatively straightforward due to the pursuer’s utilisation of Yinyin’s role as Yang Y’s childhood neighbour and sisterly companion.
The concept of proximity often leads to advantageous opportunities.
Conversely, the pursuit of the two remaining individuals presents a considerably more challenging endeavor. These characters bear no substantial connection to Yinyin.
Nevertheless, there is a silver lining: she has been thrust into the role of the sister of the female protagonist. Following the inexorable rule that peripheral male characters gravitate towards the female lead, she will naturally be able to establish connections with these other two individuals by remaining in close proximity to Yinyin.
Unbeknownst to Yinyin, she has already become the focus of this ardent pursuer. Had she been privy to this information, she would have promptly taken measures to distance herself from the situation, recognizing the inherent risks and uncertainties associated with this unforeseen entity, further amplified by the mysterious system augmenting its actions.
Given these circumstances, she harbours a cautious distance from this unexpected “sister.”
Within the confines of Z University’s campus, Yinyin listens to the welcoming address delivered by the school’s principal while engaging in amiable conversation with her colleagues, fostering an atmosphere of conviviality.
In her previous life, she pursued studies in chemistry and eventually established her own cosmetics research and development studio. In this lifetime, she extended her knowledge to both chemistry and medicine. During her time abroad, she co-founded a pharmaceutical research institute with her friends.
The highly effective chemotherapy and allergy medications, as well as cancer therapies developed by the institute, stemmed from their collaborative research efforts.
Most of the drugs formulated within the institute were produced and sold exclusively by them, with only a minimal portion developed for other pharmaceutical companies.
Initially, in order to secure exclusive production and distribution rights for these medications for the Yinyin family, Yinyin made certain concessions.
At that time, the Yinyin family was at a crucial juncture in their corporate development, necessitating a flagship product. To maximise the benefit for the family business, Yinyin’s friend and business partner had intended to sell only the agency rights while maintaining full control over the production process.
However, due to Yinyin’s insistence on providing the formulation to the Yinyin family, she had to surrender the project management rights at the institute as part of the exchange conditions.
While it seemed like the issue had been resolved, this decision created a rift in her relationship with her business partner.
Subsequently, the institute embarked on a significant recruitment drive to attract research talent, and their research endeavours yielded numerous successful products. However, Yinyin’s research appeared to stagnate.
Over time, rumours began to circulate within the industry, suggesting that Yinyin had lost her touch and creativity.
Whenever she heard such rumours, Yinyin couldn’t help but chuckle.
She was a researcher who diligently focused on her work, and it was perfectly normal for several years to pass without significant breakthroughs. There was no room for talk of being “past her prime” in this context.
She wasn’t naive; she understood that her business partner was behind these rumours.
In fact, during the dispute with her business partner, she never felt that she was in the wrong. Not only had she contributed substantially to the research, but the Yinyin family had also invested significant funds in their projects. Her business partner, on the other hand, consistently reaped the benefits of their research achievements while restricting her involvement.
Their growing rift became an unbridgeable chasm.
Three years ago, she decided to return to her home country precisely because of her deteriorating relationship with this partner. Her research project had been seized by him for the first time.
She sensed that their friendship had reached its limit and that their collaboration was no longer tenable. Rather than engage in a prolonged battle of interests overseas, she chose to return to her home country and establish a new research institute, embarking on fresh research projects.
However, her plans were interrupted by her sister, and she had no choice but to return to her overseas position, engaging in nearly three years of legal wrangling with her partner and his wife.
Yinyin wasn’t afraid of such legal battles; her adversaries had lost all sense of ethics, leaving her with no reason to fear.
Upon her return this time, she announced that her company was relocating to her home country, but in reality, she had severed all ties with the overseas research institute, becoming a pure shareholder and receiving dividends. The new research institute she established in her home country had no affiliation with the overseas one.
After the enthusiastic and lengthy welcome speech by the Z University president, Yinyin finally found some peace. She bid her colleagues farewell and had some time to explore the campus.
Ironically, if she had not pursued her studies abroad, she might have chosen Z University.
Z University was one of the top universities in the country, renowned for its picturesque campus and strong cultural atmosphere.
As she strolled by the lake, she unexpectedly ran into Yang Yi.
What a coincidence!
Perhaps this was the “fate” between the male and female leads that the “strategy implementer” mentioned?
The situation was a bit awkward because Yang Yi was in the middle of a confession.
“Senior, I like you! Can we start dating?”
The girl had her back to Yinyin, and her shy voice carried a hint of confidence.
Yang Yi, annoyed by the interruption during his walk, had a cold expression. He was about to leave when he spotted Yinyin not far away. He blinked, confirmed it wasn’t a hallucination, and immediately halted his steps. He said, “I’m sorry, I already have someone I like.”
While the words were a rejection of the girl, Yang Yi’s eyes were fixed on another person.
Yinyin felt uneasy under his gaze and contemplated making a quick escape.
Over the past few days, observing her new “sister” and her antics, Yinyin understood that, according to the storyline, Yang Yi was supposed to be her future husband.
Awkward.
Her feelings towards Yang Yi were rather complicated.
On one hand, she didn’t want to get involved in the task of helping the female lead in her conquest, but on the other hand, she couldn’t help but pity him for being targeted by an unknown entity.
Yinyin smiled apologetically at Yang Yi and attempted to evade the situation.
“Senior, please don’t use such excuses to brush people off.”
The girl’s voice carried a hint of complaint. Even in the face of rejection, she showed no signs of embarrassment and instead became more insistent.
The entire school knew that the campus heartthrob had claimed to have someone he liked since his enrollment, using it as a reason to reject all those who confessed their feelings to him. However, it had been two years, and nobody had seen him dating anyone or having a close relationship with anyone.
“Who said this was an excuse?”
Yinyin had a foreboding feeling and took several steps backward.
“She is the one I like! My promised fiancée.”
The silence that followed was the most dreaded of all.
Yinyin’s attempt to flee was somewhat sluggish, and she was ultimately caught.
The girl followed the campus heartthrob’s outstretched hand to look behind and saw a woman wearing a silver-grey dress and a white windbreaker.
Even as a woman herself, she was awestruck by the sight.
For this reason, she couldn’t, in good conscience, claim that the other woman was not beautiful.
She felt ashamed of her admiration.
Beautiful people loved beautiful people, after all.
“Don’t mind me, I was just passing by.”
Before Yinyin could finish her sentence, the girl shouted loudly, “I wish you both happiness!” and then covered her face and ran away.
Yinyin’s use of the word “passing by” lacked any dignity in front of the girl’s retreating figure.
Who sent this girl to be so comical?
“What a coincidence!”
Yinyin chuckled and greeted Yang Yi while secretly lamenting why she had been a step too slow just now!
Yang Yi looked at her with very determined eyes.
“I wasn’t joking just now.”
He liked her. He had known since he was a child that she was his promised fiancée.
Yinyin couldn’t pretend not to understand this now.
He had always made his feelings very clear, which was why his mother had decided to send her abroad for education in the first place. She thought that by separating the two of them, their emotions wouldn’t develop.
Childhood attachments couldn’t be mistaken for lifelong infatuations.
Yinyin pondered how to refuse him without hurting his feelings too much.
At this moment, a gust of autumn wind blew through, causing ripples on the lake’s surface. The ginkgo trees on both banks rustled, and golden leaves began to fall.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman stood facing each other.
In the eyes of outsiders, they gazed at each other with entwined and sentimental expressions.
What a romantic and beautiful scene it was!
“Phew, I found you! Phew, phew, so you two are here!”
An out-of-breath voice interrupted this perfect scene.
A pink figure burst into the space between the man and the woman, disrupting the composition.
It was Yinyin.
“Why are you here?” Yang Yi’s tone was cold, and it was unclear whether he was relieved or dissatisfied with her interruption of his confession.
“Our school happened to be visiting Z University today. Oh? Sister, you’re here too?” Yinyin said, genuinely surprised, as she looked at Yiluo Qiu.
You’re not fooling anyone! You could have acted a bit more convincingly! Clearly, you came here on purpose and pretended it was a chance encounter!
Yiluo Qiu silently criticised Yinyin’s acting skills. The only good thing was her determination to pursue her mission and seize opportunities!
While still in the hospital, she used the excuse of worrying about her grades to persuade Yang Yi to give her extra lessons.
On her first day out of the hospital, she rushed to Z University to keep an eye on them.
Just as she was thinking of finding an excuse to leave, she overheard Yinyin’s conversation with the system.
“System! You almost got me into trouble! Didn’t you say they would meet at Z University’s Lovers’ Hill, where the male lead confesses and the female lead accepts? Why are they by the lake? I even spent 8 points to locate them!”
“Once the host enters the task, it’s like a butterfly flapping its wings; it will inevitably cause some deviations from the original plot.”
“Doesn’t that mean I wasted my money buying the plot?”
“The general direction remains unchanged. The details need to be explored by the host.”
“You swindler!”
Yinyin was annoyed in her heart, but she maintained an appearance of happiness and excitement.
“What a coincidence! We can have lunch together.”
She stood beside Yang Yi and invited Yiluo Qiu.
Yiluo Qiu felt like a third wheel, an intruder in someone else’s relationship.
She didn’t want to be a third wheel, and she was about to find an excuse to decline when she noticed Yang Yi’s slightly pleading eyes. She hesitated for a moment and uncontrollably agreed.
On the way, Yinyin revolved around Yang Yi.
It was a completely normal scene, but Yiluo Qiu felt that Yang Yi seemed a bit less composed and a bit more nervous and guarded.
Her instincts were right.
Yang Yi was in distress. He didn’t understand why he had been so involuntarily drawn to Yinyin during this time.
But he was certain that he had only ever liked Yiluo Qiu from the beginning to the end!
For some reason, his heart raced uncontrollably when he was around Yinyin.
He had once suspected that he might be falling for someone else, but in the stillness of the night, upon careful reflection, he realised that wasn’t the case.
It was too perplexing. All he could do was try to maintain his distance from Yinyin and find excuses to avoid helping her with her studies. However, he felt guilty and couldn’t refuse too firmly.
Yinyin’s fall down the stairs was indeed related to him. On the day Yiluo Qiu left home, he immediately stopped tutoring Yinyin. He wouldn’t have allowed her to latch onto him if it weren’t for his feelings for someone else.
Yinyin had been furious at the time, vowing to make him regret it.
After the accident, Yinyin seemed like a completely different person. She still clung to him relentlessly, and he had no escape from her, emotionally or physically.
He was confused and couldn’t be forthright when confessing to Yiluo Qiu earlier. He feared rejection and ended up being evasive, which he felt was despicable.
Yiluo Qiu followed behind the two, analysing the situation rapidly in her mind.
Based on Yinyin’s conversation with the system, if the plot had proceeded normally, she should have accepted Yang Yi’s pursuit just now.
Only she knew her true feelings.
Yiluo Qiu could say with certainty that if Yinyin hadn’t interrupted, she would have rejected Yang Yi.
So, it brought her back to the initial question: If Yinyin hadn’t been possessed and hadn’t acted as the meddling butterfly, would she have rejected Yang Yi’s confession?
Was the Yinyin described in the system’s storyline the real Yinyin? Was it the Yinyin of today? Or was it the Yinyin reborn with memories from her past life?
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