First Contact

After Lai Huang was revealed all forms of productive conversation came to a halt. Both Madam Meirong and Meng Guoyao were too furious at the discovery of Zhong Shoushan’s infidelity to continue formulating any words.

Zhong Jiayi was too upset by the sight of Lai Huang to continue the discussion. Meng Mei really felt bad for her. It couldn’t be easy to see the reminder of your husband’s betrayal every day.

Zhong Shoushan took the liberty to dismiss everyone once he realized that none of them had any more useful contributions.

Madam Meirong, still furious from all of the events today, banished Meng Mei to her tent.

“I don’t want to see you until dinner!” She declared as Meng Mei ducked into her tent. The banishment truly worked in Meng Mei’s favor. She didn’t want to accidentally run into anyone from the Zhong family again.

Meng Mei waited until she heard Madam Meirong give instructions to a new guard outside of her tent before she moved to change her clothes. Her cheongsam had dried considerably since Zhong Changming had splashed her but she was quickly growing tired of the feeling of the wet fabric.

She changed into her set of robes that served as pajamas and covered herself with one of the outer robes just in case anyone came barging in.

When she was finally dry she sat down on her bed and asked the system to open the quest menu.

[Coming right up!!]

[Special Event Side Quest: The Timid Tiger

• Description: Save the illegitimate son from his bullies.

• Duration: Event will be triggered under the correct circumstances.

• Upon completion Meng Mei will receive another side quest in this line

• Failure will result in Meng Mei having a harder time completing her goals.]

[Congratulations! You have completed the special event side quest!]

[This system will now load your reward]

Meng Mei laid back on her bed as she watched the system start loading her new side quest.

It was almost unbelievable that the first step in changing Lai Huang’s fate had been so easy. She’d quite literally stumbled across the event.

This first step had been one of the most crucial though. She’d now established herself as someone who was willing to help Lai Huang. Even if it was her own fiance harassing him! Now she just had to make sure that he knew she’d still help him, even with the knowledge that he was Zhong Shoushan’s bastard child.

[Reward loaded!]

[Side Quest Two: The Timid Tiger

• Description: Establish a sense camaraderie with Lai Huang

• Duration: Until the end of the hunting retreat.

• Upon completion Meng Mei will receive another side quest in this line

• Failure will result in Meng Mei losing ‘friendship points’ with Lai Huang. If friendship points equal zero, Lai Huang will regard Meng Mei with hostility.]

“Friendship points?” Meng Mei asked as she finished reading the quest description.

[Now that A-Mei has established contact with Lai Huang, this system needs a way to track the developing relationship!!]

Meng Mei hummed in understanding. It was the same process with the reputation points. The system couldn’t just assign her random quests and garde her results based on feeling. It made sense that everything has to be quantified.

“So I basically just need to focus on that quest instead of worrying about the main quest.” Meng Mei grinned. She was already away from Libaogong, it was unlikely she’d make any big discoveries while she was here.

[A-Mei should still pay attention to the main quest line!!]

Meng Mei couldn’t help but laugh at the message. The system seemed so expressive at times.

“Yeah yeah. I understand.” Meng Mei assured the panicking system. She fell quiet as another thought occurred to her. Maybe, now that she had finished her first side quest she could finally…

“Hey system?” She said, making a split second decision.

[Yes A-Mei?]

“Have you given any more thought to my request?” She asked, trying to conceal the hope in her voice. She’d been trying to convence herself that it wasn’t a big deal that she wasn’t in contact with the other transmigrator but…it bothered her.

[. . . . .]

The system didn’t send another message for a few minutes. Meng Mei sighed and shook her head. What else did she expect?

Hoping to salvage the situation, Meng Mei spoke up.

“Nevermind. You don’t—”

[This system did not believe that establishing a connection between A-Mei and User2 would be beneficial]

Meng Mei's breath caught in her throat at the system’s use of past tense.

“But?”

[But this system can see that it made an incorrect judgement.]

Meng Mei shot up into a sitting position. It was times like this that she whispered she could grab hold of the system so she could shake it. She was barely containing her excitement at the admittance.

It sounded like—

[This system will set up a way for A-Mei to communicate with User2]

“Yes!” She shrieked, forgetting to be mindful of her volume. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest.

[Message Interface loading…]

Meng Mei hurried to sit correctly as she watched the system with rapt attention. It was actually happening. She’d have contact with the other transmigrator any second now.

What was she supposed to say? Her memories of being a semi-normal teenager in the modern world felt like they were a lifetime away.

What if the transmigrator was someone she knew? In this world or the other? Were they confused? The system had said their arrival in this world had been an accident. Did that mean they didn’t know the story?

[Message Interface successfully loaded]

[Would you like to send User2 a message?]

“What should I say?” Meng Mei asked the system in a panic. “Is their system like you? Will they think it’s weird if I just start sending messages?”

[This system suggest that A-Mei start with a greeting]

Meng Mei nodded along. That made sense. That’s what you did when you wanted to talk to someone.

“Okay. Okay.” Meng Mei took a deep breath. “Yes, I would like to send User2 a message.”

[Please type your message!]

A keyboard appeared at the bottom of the screen.

With shaking hands Meng Mei typed out a simple message.

[User1: Hello]