Chapter 228: Getting Back The Storyline

The corridor fell silent after Jiang Zhaoyuan’s words.

Wang Gege looked at him, then at Xie Rong, still trying to process everything she had just learned. A system, a main character, a novel she might have read before, and now the possibility that the world they were living in had already been written as someone else’s story.

Xie Rong remained quiet as well, his gaze thoughtful.

"If you believe this world is the one from that novel," he finally said, "then we should first determine whether Wang Gege’s memories are accurate."

Jiang Zhaoyuan nodded. "That is exactly what I intend to do."

Bibi hovered beside him, no longer looking as carefree as before. "There is another problem..."

Wang Gege looked at it. "What problem?"

Bibi hesitated before answering. "If this really is the world from that novel, then the original storyline should still exist somewhere."

Xie Rong’s expression became serious. "You mean the events that were supposed to happen?"

"Yes." Bibi nodded. "The original characters, their relationships, their fates... everything should have followed a predetermined path."

Jiang Zhaoyuan looked toward the distant corridor. "But it didn’t."

"No," Bibi replied quietly. "It started changing."

Wang Gege frowned. "Because of us?"

Neither Jiang Zhaoyuan nor Bibi answered immediately.

Finally, Jiang Zhaoyuan shook his head. "Perhaps."

His gaze settled on Wang Gege and Xie Rong.

"What if..." Wang Gege crossed her arms, her expression becoming thoughtful. "What if your story hasn’t even started yet?"

Jiang Zhaoyuan blinked a few times, seemingly considering her words for the first time.

"That... makes sense."

He lowered his gaze, his expression gradually becoming more serious.

"I haven’t even found my female lead yet."

Wang Gege’s eyes widened slightly.

"Your female lead?"

"Mm." Jiang Zhaoyuan nodded. "According to Bibi, she should already exist in this world. But I’ve searched for her, and she’s nowhere to be found."

Bibi quietly fluttered beside him.

"That’s one of the reasons the system has been unable to restore the original storyline."

Xie Rong frowned.

"If the female lead hasn’t appeared, then perhaps the main storyline hasn’t begun yet."

"Exactly." Jiang Zhaoyuan looked toward him. "Which means everything that has happened so far may only be the events leading up to the beginning of my story."

Wang Gege’s expression became complicated. "So we’ve been living through the prologue this entire time?"

Xie Rong suddenly shook his head.

"This doesn’t make sense..." His gaze moved toward Jiang Zhaoyuan, his expression becoming increasingly thoughtful.

"If you are the main character, and we are merely supposed to be supporting characters who somehow got pulled into this world..." He paused. "Then why would we arrive before your story even began?"

Jiang Zhaoyuan’s expression changed slightly.

Xie Rong continued, "If the original storyline has not started yet, then there should be no reason for either of us to interfere with it."

Wang Gege slowly nodded. "That is true..."

Xie Rong looked at Bibi. "Unless..."

The little red ladybug’s wings stopped moving.

"Unless what?" Jiang Zhaoyuan asked.

Xie Rong’s eyes narrowed."Unless our arrival itself is the reason the original storyline never began."

Wang Gege slowly raised her hand.

"I have a question."

Everyone’s attention turned toward her.

She looked at Bibi, the little red ladybug hovering quietly beside Jiang Zhaoyuan.

"If we, the transmigrators, were simply pulled here and ended up inside the roles of side characters..." She hesitated, trying to organize her thoughts. "Then are the stories about us real?"

Bibi blinked.

Wang Gege continued, "I mean... all those things about parallel worlds, different timelines, and everything our systems have told us..."

Her expression became more serious.

"Are those worlds actually real?"

The little red ladybug did not answer immediately.

Jiang Zhaoyuan glanced at Bibi, noticing the hesitation.

Wang Gege’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Bibi?"

The little ladybug finally lowered its wings. "Yes."

"Then..." Wang Gege swallowed. "Does that mean there is another world somewhere where our lives are completely different?"

Bibi nodded slowly. "It’s possible."

"Possible?"

"The systems don’t create those worlds. They only connect to them."

Wang Gege’s expression changed. "So the world already existed?"

Bibi nodded again, "Some worlds develop naturally. Some are connected through timelines, and some exist as parallel branches. The system merely identifies a suitable world and establishes a connection with it."

Xie Rong’s gaze sharpened. "Then the worlds we came from..."

"Are real," Bibi answered.

Silence fell over the corridor.

Wang Gege lowered her gaze, her mind filled with the implications.

"So when Mini said it was still getting used to the parallel thing..."

"Ah—Mini always had a big mouth," Bibi complained, puffing out its cheeks.

Wang Gege immediately looked up. "You know Mini?"

Bibi sighed as though the question were obvious. "Of course I know Mini and Gemi. Both twins have been problematic from the start—"

"If you’re saying that like you’re not problematic yourself..." Jiang Zhaoyuan cut Bibi off, giving it a flat look.

Bibi immediately turned toward him. "This system has never caused trouble!"

Jiang Zhaoyuan raised an eyebrow. "The assassins at the Lantern Festival?"

Bibi went silent for a moment before muttering, "That was a strategic suggestion."

Xie Rong suddenly cleared his throat. "So, let me get this straight. You’re the main character of this story, and to maintain your position, you need to complete missions—"

"I need to maintain the storyline," Jiang Zhaoyuan interrupted, his expression turning serious. "And with both of you here, stealing the show, my character and I might eventually cease to exist."

Xie Rong frowned. "So... that was the reason you sent the assassins after me?"

His gaze shifted between Jiang Zhaoyuan and Bibi. "To get rid of me?"

Jiang Zhaoyuan did not immediately answer.

Xie Rong narrowed his eyes. "And were you deliberately showing interest in my wife just because of that?" Xie Rong asked, his voice suddenly colder.

Jiang Zhaoyuan’s expression changed slightly. He looked at Xie Rong for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh. "Not entirely."

Xie Rong’s eyes narrowed further.

Jiang Zhaoyuan continued calmly, "My interest in your wife was genuine curiosity. At first, I only wanted to understand why she had such a strong influence on the people around her. But after learning that both of you might be variables outside the original storyline, I became more interested in finding out what exactly you two are."

Wang Gege blinked. "So you weren’t trying to steal me?"

"No."

Jiang Zhaoyuan answered so quickly that Wang Gege almost felt offended.

For a few moments, all of them fell into silence, each seemingly processing what had just been said. The atmosphere that had been somewhat relaxed moments ago gradually became more serious.

"So, the help you want from us... what is it?" Xie Rong finally broke the silence.

Jiang Zhaoyuan locked his eyes with Xie Rong. "The other day, my guard told me that Wang Gege wished to return to your previous world..." He paused for a moment before continuing, "I could help you return."

Wang Gege’s eyes widened. "You can?"

"I may be able to." Jiang Zhaoyuan paused, his gaze shifting between the two of them. "And with that, both of you need to help me too..."