071: I don’t want to see anything, do anything, I just want to leave this planet.

Anna, hearing nothing from the other end, spoke again coldly, “Even if I said nothing, you’d still tell Yichen who the real culprit is. And telling me about it is just a way for you to make me owe you a favor.”

“Miss Qiao, what are you saying? Now that you know about this, you’ll be able to get even closer to President Lin in the future,” came the reply.

Anna continued, “I’ve already told Yichen that the sapphire was stolen by Ye Xiyang. Right now, I bet Ye Xiyang is being called to account by Yichen!”

“Miss Qiao,” Li Cheng said, staring meaningfully at the sapphire, “I’m the one who’s been gathering intelligence for you, and now I’m letting you get rid of your romantic rival yourself. Don’t you think you should thank me properly?”

Anna sneered, “Li Cheng, I don’t think you’ve figured out your position yet. Weren’t you the one who tried to steal one of the Research Department’s gems for them? If I hadn’t given you money in time, you’d probably be in jail by now, dragged there by Yichen himself.”

That time, Yichen had ended up in hospital due to an allergic reaction from the shrimp in the meal delivered by Xiao Qi. Anna was following behind Xiao Qi, who was walking ahead of Yichen, when she overheard a phone conversation in the corridor and went over, curious.

She heard Li Cheng on the phone, confessing he’d racked up gambling debts and, in desperation, planned to take the Research Department’s gem to pay them off.

A plan suddenly formed in Anna’s mind.

She told Li Cheng she’d pay off his debts, but only if he did as she said.

Hearing nothing from the other end, Anna coldly said again, “Even if I said nothing, you’d tell Yichen who the real culprit is. And telling me is just a way to make me owe you a favor.”

“Miss Qiao, what are you saying? Now that you know about this, you’ll be able to get even closer to President Lin.”

With this knowledge, if Yichen ever mentioned liking Ye Xiyang in front of her, Anna would have every reason to retort that a petty thief like Ye Xiyang wasn’t worthy of his affection, much less of being his girlfriend…

Anna poured herself a glass of red wine, walked onto the balcony, and, gazing at the shimmering liquid, said with a slight smile, “If you need anything in the future, I’ll handle it for you, including matters with the Research Department.”

Li Cheng laughed, “Then thank you, Miss Qiao. Actually, I was just joking with you earlier. Don’t worry, if you want to become the future lady of TC Group, I’ll keep an eye on the road ahead for you.”

Anna sipped her wine and voiced the doubt in her heart, “What’s the story behind that sapphire? Why are both you and Yichen so nervous about it?”

“It’s the only one of its kind in the world,” Li Cheng replied, then changed the subject. “I don’t think Ye Xiyang stole it for the money. President Lin is a gold mine himself, far more valuable than that gem.”

As he spoke, a thought occurred to Li Cheng: could Ye Xiyang know the true value of the sapphire?

“A country girl who’s never seen the world—how could she recognize a gold mine?” Anna mocked. “She’s already out of the game; there’s no need to waste any more time on her.”

Anna hung up, and Li Cheng gazed at the sapphire in his hand, its surface reflecting a blue light.

He didn’t think spending time on Ye Xiyang was a waste at all.

…

Fang Yun was surprised to see Xiao Qi return. “Xiyang, why are you back?”

Xiao Qi’s face was full of worry and exhaustion. “I missed you, Auntie, so I came back. I’m so tired, Auntie, I’m going to sleep.”

Fang Yun was about to call her back when Xiao Qi paused and said, “Auntie, please don’t mention Lin Yichen’s name in front of me from now on.”

Bang—the door shut as she went into her room.

Now it was Fang Yun’s turn to wear a worried expression.

Had they quarreled?

Xiao Qi threw herself onto the bed, pulling the covers over her head.

Beside her, Xiao Bai the cat jumped onto her and kneaded her with its paws. “Xiao Qi, if you’re feeling stifled, go somewhere with lots of handsome guys. Don’t you like looking at handsome men? If you look at enough of them, you won’t be upset anymore.”

“Where are there lots of handsome guys?” came the muffled voice from under the quilt.

Xiao Bai’s cat eyes sparkled. “Nightclubs!”

Xiao Qi threw off the covers and sat up. “I don’t want to look at anything or do anything. I just want to leave Earth.”

“You really want to leave Earth?”

Hearing this, Xiao Qi looked at it expectantly. “You have a way?”

Xiao Bai nodded. “There is a way, but once you use it, you can never return.”

Xiao Qi frowned. “Explain.”

“You were created by Planet Mu. You have Mu’s energy in your body. Once you die, a signal will be sent back to Mu, and they’ll come to save you.”

Hearing the word “die,” Xiao Qi shuddered. “If I’m dead, what’s the point of them coming for me?”

“Our planet is highly advanced. If they bring you back, they’ll definitely be able to revive you.”

“That sounds unreliable,” Xiao Qi slapped its head. “And what if, after I die, the signal doesn’t get sent? Then I’d really be done for.”

“…”

“I’ve searched the system, and that’s the only way.”

Xiao Qi pondered over and over.

She made up her mind.

Thus, that night, in a small room, a girl attempted to hang herself. Then…

Xiao Qi felt the rope around her neck and shouted irritably, “Xiao Bai, I’ve been hanging here for ten minutes and I’m still alive!”

Xiao Bai: “…”

Next, she ate a whole bag of someone’s sleeping pills like snacks. Half an hour later…

Xiao Qi yelled in frustration, “Xiao Bai, the pills just got digested in my stomach.”

Xiao Bai: “…”

Then, she grabbed a high-voltage wire with her bare hands. Her hair immediately stood on end, white smoke curling from her strands.

But…

“Xiao Bai, my hair is burnt, but my skin is still soft and fair. Why am I so unscathed?”

Xiao Bai: “…”

No matter what method she tried, she simply couldn’t die.

Other earthlings struggle with everything, except dying—it’s the easiest thing for them.

A few seconds and they’re gone.

Xiao Qi felt utterly dejected.

As an alien, even dying wasn’t easy. Wasn’t that pitiful?

Xiao Bai held its breath, waiting for Xiao Qi’s grief to pass. An hour later, it spoke. “Xiao Qi, if you could deal with that earthling calmly and rationally, you wouldn’t find things so difficult.”

Mourning more than resigned, Xiao Qi gazed tearfully at the ceiling. “I’ve exhausted my energy so much trying to die that I just want to eat, to sleep. Where’s the energy to calmly and rationally deal with that earthling? Ah, forget it, just sleep.”

Xiao Bai: “…”

As dawn broke, Xiao Qi abruptly opened her eyes and sat up, waking Xiao Bai by her side.

Xiao Bai had only managed to sleep a few hours after all her suicide attempts the night before, and now was being disturbed again.

Xiao Bai mused: if she didn’t kill herself, it would be the one tormented to death.

“Xiao Bai, I’ve got it! From now on, I’ll go on a hunger strike. If I don’t eat or drink, I’ll definitely die!”

“You’d better think this through. That’s the slowest and most agonizing way to die.”

Xiao Qi clenched her fist. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

So, that day, the scene in her room played out as follows—

Three hours later, “Xiyang, why are you still sleeping? Get up and have breakfast.”

Fang Yun lifted the quilt. Xiao Qi didn’t react, just kept sleeping.

Knowing she was in a bad mood, Fang Yun sighed and left.

Three more hours passed.

“Xiyang, you’ve slept all morning. Get up and have lunch.”

The response was the same as before.

Fang Yun sighed again and left.

Three hours after that, Fang Yun became anxious. “Xiyang, you haven’t eaten all day. Get up and eat something! Not eating or drinking and just sleeping will dehydrate you quickly.”

“…,”

Xiao Qi sat up abruptly. “Isn’t starving supposed to make you die of hunger?”

Seeing her finally respond, Fang Yun relaxed.

“Finally, you’re talking again! Come on, get up and eat.”

“I’m not eating,” Xiao Qi lay back down and covered her head with the quilt. “I want to be a fasting beauty.”

“…,”

How big a fight had this been, for her to refuse to eat?

Fang Yun’s eyes shifted, then she walked out.

Ten minutes later, huddled under the covers, Xiao Qi smelled something delicious.

Her nose twitched.

It seemed to be…

She immediately threw off the covers and sat up.

Before her was a feast—roast chicken drumsticks, sweet and sour ribs, braised fish…

Oh, heavens, she couldn’t take it; she wanted to eat so badly.

“Xiyang,” Fang Yun said, holding a drumstick to her mouth, “Come, try some. It’s delicious.”

Xiao Qi swallowed hard and was about to open her mouth—

No, she couldn’t give in halfway. She had to be strong. She lay back down.

Fang Yun: “…”

This child was truly stubborn.

Seems there was only one person left to call.

#

Fang Li waited anxiously in the CEO’s office.

Five minutes later, Yichen and several senior executives walked out from the conference room adjacent to the office.

As soon as he saw them, Fang Li stepped forward. “President Lin, Miss Ye attempted suicide for love…”

His words cut off sharply as Yichen stared at him in disbelief, enunciating every word, “What did you say?”

“Miss Ye, she…”

Before he could finish, the handsome man had already vanished from the office.

The executives looked at each other, then at Fang Li.

He rubbed his nose. “Get back to work!”

Yichen wanted to treat Xiyang with cold, rational detachment.

But he couldn’t. Not even a little.

No one knew what he felt when he heard the words “Miss Ye attempted suicide for love.”

It was as if his heart had stopped beating the moment those words were spoken, leaving only a searing pain burning in his chest.

When he rushed into the room and saw a certain someone muttering under the covers—

That heart, which had almost stopped, finally began to beat normally again.

He ripped back the covers.

“Auntie, I said I want to be a fasting beauty. Can’t you just let me quietly—”

“Fasting only turns you into an ugly, starving ghost.”

Recognizing who it was, Xiao Qi looked away. “Why are you here?”

“If I hadn’t come, would you really want to become an ugly, starving ghost?”

“…,”

Xiao Qi snapped, “It’s none of your business. You told me to get lost, and now I’m telling you to get lost. Get out—”

“I see you won’t drink the wine offered but insist on the penalty,” Yichen said coldly. “You want to die? Fine. Resign tomorrow, then go die. Because I don’t want to hear rumors about my subordinates stupidly killing themselves.”

With that, Yichen turned and left the room.

Xiao Qi was fuming. “You scoundrel, capitalist, profiteer, tasteless brute… Quit? Fine, I don’t care!”