Chapter 23: Dating Only

After exchanging pleasantries, Jiang Nanxing grabbed her bag and headed out. Her mother had been in much better spirits lately, and she needed to go keep her company.

Just as she took a couple of steps, her wrist was caught. Jiang Nanxing turned back, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Yes?"

Qin Jiu’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He didn’t know what had come over him; his hand had moved faster than his brain. Before he had even processed his own intent, he had already stopped her.

Maintaining a calm facade, Qin Jiu asked with feigned casualness, "Why don't you come and stay with me for a few days? It’s safer."

Jiang Nanxing blinked and leaned closer toward him. "Is that the only reason? If that’s all there is to it, I’m afraid I’ll have to decline."

Qin Jiu instinctively wanted to step back but checked himself. They were standing so close that they could feel each other’s warmth. He countered, "Then what kind of reason would make Miss Jiang agree?"

Jiang Nanxing gave a sly smile. "Mr. Qin, you are the one inviting me to stay with you. You’ll have to find a way to impress me. If I just gave you the right answer, it wouldn’t be any fun, would it?"

She brushed his hand away and winked playfully. "I have to go look after my mother now. Mr. Qin, you have plenty of time to think it over."

By the time she reached the hospital, 240 suddenly sprang to life like a corpse. "Holy moly! Did the main villain just fall in love with you?"

Jiang Nanxing flipped her hair and replied calmly, "Isn't that a perfectly normal occurrence?"

240 sounded disgusted. "Wow, Host, you are truly narcissistic. But, wait—you aren't planning on accepting him, are you? We don’t recommend that our hosts develop feelings for the people within these worlds."

Jiang Nanxing asked with a touch of irony, "Do you systems really oversee such things?" She actually meant that they were overstepping.

240 sounded a bit helpless. "We don't strictly forbid it, but we don't advise it either. Quite a few hosts have had rather unfortunate endings because of their personal entanglements."

Jiang Nanxing said nonchalantly, "There are so many worlds out there; one must have a little romance to spice up life. And as for me, I’m always chasing the next new thing."

240 let out a sigh of relief. "That’s good, that’s good. As long as you aren’t losing your head over love, everything is fine."

Compared to Jiang Nanxing’s composure, Qin Jiu was in a state of turmoil. He admitted to himself that he had developed feelings for her. He didn't even know when it had happened; it seemed that as he continued to interact with her, he had simply fallen for her naturally.

Jiang Nanxing, with her vibrant and fiery personality, was the type of person who could easily capture anyone’s attention. Wasn't she?

Qin Jiu was never one to dwell on things. Once he had made up his mind, he was going to take action. He called her, and Jiang Nanxing picked up quickly. Her voice came through, filled with amusement, "Mr. Qin, have you found your reason?"

Qin Jiu replied, "Yes, I have."

Jiang Nanxing said lightly, "Oh? Let me hear it then. What is the reason?"

Qin Jiu gripped his phone a little tighter. "I want Miss Jiang to be my girlfriend."

Saying it wasn't difficult, but once the words were out, he felt a wave of anxiety. He held his breath, waiting for her answer.

Jiang Nanxing’s laughter traveled through the receiver and reached his eardrums. "If we’re only talking about a romance, then of course, that’s fine."

Hearing this, Qin Jiu felt a weight lift off his shoulders. A smile appeared on his face, unbidden. "So, is Miss Jiang satisfied with this reason?"

"Of course," Jiang Nanxing replied. "Qin Jiu, I’m only going to date you, okay?"

This was the second time she had emphasized that it was "only" dating. Qin Jiu’s eyes dimmed slightly; he hadn't missed the nuance. Still, he believed that if he wanted to hold onto something, he would find a way. "Do you have anything to pack? I’ll come over and help you."

Jiang Nanxing was a hedonist, so she replied, "No, there's nothing. Just get things ready on your end, and come pick me up this afternoon."

"Alright," Qin Jiu agreed.

When she returned to the ward after the call, Jiang Nanxing saw her mother staring out the window, looking rather sorrowful. Jiang Nanxing felt a tug at her heart. She sat down beside her mother and asked, "Is something bothering you?"

Her mother snapped back to reality, looked at her deeply, and forced a smile. "Is my daughter happy?"

The phrasing of the question was odd. She didn't ask, "Are you happy?" but rather, "Is my daughter happy?"

Her mother continued, as if to herself, "I am a woman who is easily satisfied. As long as my Nanxing is living well and is happy, I will be happy."

Jiang Nanxing looked at her, her heart feeling complicated. "Xiao Er, what happened to the original Jiang Nanxing?"

240 replied, "She was reincarnated to live a new life. As compensation for borrowing her identity, as long as she doesn't sabotage herself, she will live a life of wealth and prosperity, with everything going smoothly."

Jiang Nanxing reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her mother’s ear. "Your Nanxing is doing very well. She will have a life of wealth and prosperity, and everything will go smoothly for her."

Tears fell from her mother’s eyes. She gripped Jiang Nanxing’s hand and choked out, "That’s good. That’s good."

The dim-witted 240 finally realized something was wrong and let out a high-pitched shriek. "She figured out you aren't the real Jiang Nanxing!"

Jiang Nanxing felt a headache coming on from the noise. "Is that so? I don't think so. As long as I don't say it, it didn't happen." This was the art of deception.

"But... but..." 240 paced frantically. "If you get caught, it could easily lead to an accident!"

Jiang Nanxing soothed it. "Got it, got it. I'll be more careful next time."

240 knew that since things had reached this point, "being careful next time" was all they could do. Of course, it also had to pray that this wouldn't lead to any unforeseen disasters. It cautioned her, "From now on, let’s try to maintain the original owner’s personality. It’s really too dangerous otherwise!"

Jiang Nanxing gave a perfunctory, "Fine, fine, fine."

She felt there wasn't really a difference. In the end, they were different people; no matter how much she imitated, she would never be the original. People who would notice would notice regardless, and those who wouldn't notice wouldn't find anything amiss even if she acted completely differently from the original.

Qin Jiu came to the hospital to pick her up. He hadn't brought his driver, preferring to drive himself. Once she got in the car, he said, "Let's go to the mall first to buy some clothes."

Jiang Nanxing had no objections. "Alright, let's go."

There was still some distance to the mall. Sitting in the passenger seat, Jiang Nanxing rested her head on her hand and began to admire Qin Jiu openly. His profile was perfect, with sharp, clean lines that were hard to forget. He was wearing a black shirt, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his sturdy forearms as he rested them on the steering wheel.

Her gaze was so direct it felt as if she were stripping him bare. Even as composed as Qin Jiu was, he started to feel uncomfortable. A faint red flush crept up his ears. He turned his head with a helpless expression. "Miss Jiang, your staring is making it hard for me to drive."

Jiang Nanxing arched an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. "Oh? How so? I clearly..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she saw Qin Jiu’s pupils contract. He quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and lunged toward her, pinning her beneath him.