When Huo Xiang opened his eyes, a familiar scene greeted him once again.
A pure white ceiling was overhead, while similarly white blankets were draped over him. Beside him, there were two “roommates”. Though the faces had changed, the clothes they were wearing remained identical.
“He’s awake! Quick, ring for the doctor!”
His roommate was overjoyed when he saw that Huo Xiang had awakened.
As Huo Xiang’s current identity was an orphan, there was no one to accompany him after he was admitted to the hospital. Thus, the doctors and nurses specifically instructed the patients who stayed in the same ward as him. The moment Huo Xiang woke up after his operation, they would immediately contact the doctors.
Hearing the call alarm, the doctors and nurses hurried over. They surrounded Huo Xiang as they gave him a thorough check, confirming that there were no other hidden issues before leaving.
Before leaving, the doctor even sighed: “Although the critical period has passed, your brainwaves are still slightly abnormal. We will continue to observe you.”
Huo Xiang had already heard this line before.
Compared with the surprise he felt when he heard it for the first time, the current him was already extremely familiar with everything that was happening before his eyes.
— System: “Ding! Good morning, Knight. I am pleased to inform you that the ‘Saving the female lead’ system has successfully been restarted! From now on, you are a glorious space-time knight embarking on a new journey to save the female lead. Your ID number is: 9938.”
— Huo Xiang: “Understood!”
— System: “To ensure the smooth progress of the mission this time, according to the standard operating procedures, I will once again explain the relevant rules to you.”
— System: “This system is a mission-based system. Once bound, it cannot be removed unless the mission is completed. After entering a randomly assigned novel’s world, every knight must strive to love and cherish the female lead, to protect the female lead from any harm, and to accumulate 100 happiness points from the female lead. Only then will they be able to return to reality…”
Hearing this familiar introduction, the corners of Huo Xiang’s mouth curled up unconsciously.
Everything was finally back to square one.
He had already made preparations to meet Zhen Zhen again.
— System: “During this time, other than main mission to accumulate happiness points, the system will randomly issue out side missions. Side missions can be related or unrelated to the main storyline. If you succeed, you will be rewarded with an appropriate surprise. If you fail, your progress will be wiped clean, and you will have to start again. “
— Huo Xiang: “This is the most perfect setting ever.”
— System: “Lastly, the system reminds you that after you have completed the main mission, not only can you return to reality, you will also be rewarded with a mysterious prize as a trophy for your glorious actions.”
— Huo Xiang: “Ok!”
Compared to his anticipation of the mysterious prize the first time round, Huo Xiang preferred to simply be beside Bai Zhen Zhen.
…Of course, once he returned to reality after accompanying her for the rest of her life, he wouldn’t mind accepting that mysterious prize either.
— System: “Then I wish you a second pleasant experience after we shout a slogan!”
This time, Huo Xiang shouted together with the system:
— “Fly forward, knight! Fly forward, 9938!”
****
Two days later, Huo Xiang recovered and could finally walk about the hospital freely.
At this moment, the system issued the first side mission. It was identical to his first experience — Find the female lead. If the mission is successful, he would regain his health.
With his previous experience, and knowing the female lead’s identity and background, it was simply too easy for Huo Xiang to complete this task.
However, this would be the “first encounter” between Bai Zhen Zhen and him. Compared to the first time, where he was utterly unprepared and simply muddled his way through, he decided to meticulously plan everything in order to let Bai Zhen Zhen “fall in love with him at first sight”.
These two days, Huo Xiang searched the internet and asked the people around him. He found out that everything had happened the way the system said it would. He didn’t leave any traces in this world, and any incidents that was related to him had completely been erased.
Now, when entering “the world’s richest man” into the search engine, there was no relevant results at all, not to mention the name of Elder Huo “Huo Zheng Qi”.
Huo Xiang held on to the small amount of money in his pocket and bought a decent looking outfit in the mall.
He took a taxi to Mix Company and inquired at the reception, learning that Bai Zhen Zhen was still working at this company.
Huo Xiang intended to leave after asking. Once he had planned out his “plot”, he would return to have an “inadvertent” meeting with Bai Zhen Zhen. However, the moment he turned around, he saw Su Meng walking up to the reception with a large suitcase, evidently having just returned from a business trip.
“CEO Su.” The receptionist greeted Su Meng, continuing, “This gentleman is here for Sister Zhen Zhen, however she hasn’t been in office recently.”
It had only been a short while since he last saw Su Meng, yet Huo Xiang couldn’t help but sigh emotionally upon seeing her.
On the other hand, when Su Meng saw him, her face remained indifferent. When she heard the receptionist mention that he was looking for Bai Zhen Zhen, her curiosity was piqued and she asked: “Are you Zhen Zhen’s friend? Why are you looking for her?”
“I- I’m her distant relative. I happened to be passing through this city, so I came to visit her.” Huo Xiang found a reason and glossed over it.
“Is that so,” Su Meng didn’t doubt his words, smiling politely at him, “Zhen Zhen is on leave these few days. Why don’t you look for her at her house?”
“At her… house?!” Huo Xiang was taken aback.
A terrifying thought appeared in his mind — Was Father Bai resurrected as well?!
The facts proved that he had thought too much.
Facing Huo Xiang’s puzzlement, Su Meng finally “reacted”. She laughed at herself, before adding on: “Look at my poor memory. I almost forgot. Ever since Zhen Zhen’s father passed away, she’s no longer staying at her old house. No wonder you came here to find her. You probably went to her old house and couldn’t find her, right?”
“Yes, that’s right!” Huo Xiang immediately hung onto her words, “My mom heard that her fourth uncle’s aunt’s nephew’s son… that is, Zhen Zhen’s father had passed away, and asked me to take a special trip down to pay respects. However, I met some troubles on the way here and was delayed, so I only managed to arrive now…”
“I see!” Su Meng took out her phone and said to Huo Xiang, “Why don’t I give you Zhen Zhen’s handphone number so that you can contact her?”
“No need!” Huo Xiang hurriedly waved his hands, “Actually, I have her contact number. However, I couldn’t get through to her, so I came here. It’s alright, I will try again later.”
“Ok! Then… I won’t keep you here any longer. I still have something to attend to, so I’ll go first.”
“Alright.”
Huo Xiang watched as Su Meng left.
Seeing how a close friend of his had completely forgotten about him, Huo Xiang didn’t know how to describe the feeling in his heart.
— System: “Knight, please hold yourself together! Don’t feel sad over such a little setback, after all, there’s something sadder waiting for you in the future.”
— Huo Xiang: “…Thank you! I’ve never seen someone comfort others like you.”
— System: “Do your best, 9938! I will always support you!”
— Huo Xiang: “…”
Suddenly, Huo Xiang’s head started to throb as a splitting headache took over him. His hand slammed into the wall next to him, supporting him so that he wouldn’t keel over in pain.
He was no stranger to this kind of pain. He knew that only after completing the first side mission and finding the female lead would his body truly begin to regain its health. Otherwise, he would have to live with this pain at least once everyday for the rest of his life.
It seemed that he must meet Zhen Zhen as soon as possible.
****
Huo Xiang arrived at Xiangju Hotel.
Bai Zhen Zhen had previously won a free stay in this hotel and had stayed in it for a period fo time. The one-month free stay had already expired, and he had also arranged for a higher-end hotel for Bai Zhen Zhen, letting her stay in it before their wedding. However, solely based on his intuition, Huo Xiang reckoned that there was a high possibility that Bai Zhen Zhen had continued to stay at this hotel.
After all, his traces in this world had already been completely wiped out. There was no way that Bai Zhen Zhen could continue to stay in the hotel that he had arranged. This hotel was Bai Zhen Zhen’s most likely choice.
He didn’t dare to ask Su Meng about Bai Zhen Zhen’s address just now for fear of arousing unnecessary suspicion. To ensure that he had guessed correctly, Huo Xiang decided to give Bai Zhen Zhen a call in advance.
After being “reborn”, his phone had changed and his original phone number also didn’t exist. Luckily, he had memorised Bai Zhen Zhen’s phone number in advance.
The moment the dial tone started ringing, Huo Xiang gulped nervously.
“Hello?” Bai Zhen Zhen’s familiar voice sounded out through the phone.
Huo Xiang stood in the hotel lobby and took in a deep breath.
He pinched his throat, purposely using an altered voice to ask: “May I ask if this is Ms Bai Zhen Zhen, who is staying at Xiangju Hotel?”
“Who are you?” Bai Zhen Zhen didn’t detect anything strange.
“I’m a delivery boy. A gentleman sent you flowers, but didn’t write down your room number, thus I need you to come down to the lobby to receive it.”
“I’m not free now. You can just throw it away.” Bai Zhen Zhen threw down this line and hung up instantly.
Huo Xiang’s mouth twitched — It was still the Bai Zhen Zhen that he knew! That fiery temper!
He was afraid that Bai Zhen Zhen would recognise his identity and voice later after he had his “coincidental meeting” with her, thus he hid it. Though Bai Zhen Zhen didn’t come down, he had still achieved his objective — Bai Zhen Zhen was indeed staying here.
Huo Xiang sat down on the sofa in the lobby, prepared to “wait for the prey”. He decided that as long as Bai Zhen Zhen came down, he would follow her and look for any opportunity to create a romantic encounter.
Time passed, and he ended up sitting there for more than half an hour. Bai Zhen Zhen didn’t show up, however he ended up meeting another “familiar” person.
Accompanied by his assistant and two bodyguards, Ling Hao Chen strode into the hotel lobby.
He stood in the middle of the lobby and lifted his arm, checking the watch on his wrist.
“There’s still five minutes remaining. Ask them to be prepared.” Ling Hao Chen told Michael.
Michael nodded, giving looks to the two bodyguards. The bodyguards understood his meaning, and left.
Huo Xiang rested his cheeks on his hands, thinking — What did Ling Hao Chen come here for? He had quietly told his assistant something just now. What was he planning to do?!
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. Huo Xiang finally realised that Ling Hao Chen was the male lead in the novel!! That was what the system notification in his mind said back then!
Was Ling Hao Chen chasing Bai Zhen Zhen again now that he was “gone”?!
Huo Xiang held back his rage, straightened his back and stood up immediately.
