Chapter 5: Useless System

Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Useless System

The fish soup was ready not long afterward.

Xi Yunxui stood beside the stove, carefully checking the consistency.

The soup was clear but rich, carrying the delicate fragrance of the fish without being overly heavy.

She added the final seasoning, tasted a little, and nodded.

"Done."

The chef beside her watched with admiration.

"You really know what you’re doing."

Xi Yunxui smiled.

"Cooking isn’t difficult once you understand the ingredients."

She transferred the soup into a clean insulated container and sealed it carefully.

Then she carried it back to the dining area.

Elder Qin was still there.

The moment he saw the container in her hands, his eyes brightened.

"Is that mine?"

Xi Yunxui nodded.

"Yes."

She handed it to him.

"It’s best eaten while it’s warm."

Elder Qin immediately accepted it with both hands.

"Young lady, thank you."

"You’re welcome."

He looked at the container, then at her.

After a moment, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small card.

He handed it to her.

"Keep this."

Xi Yunxui looked at it.

There was a name and a phone number printed on it.

She recognized the word phone from Xi Yunxui’s memories.

"What is this?"

"My contact information."

Elder Qin smiled.

"If you ever need help, call me."

Xi Yunxui hesitated.

She didn’t want to accept something unnecessarily.

But Elder Qin had already placed it in her hand.

"Don’t refuse."

She looked at him.

"Then I’ll keep it."

"Good."

Elder Qin smiled.

"Young people should ask for help when they need it."

Xi Yunxui nodded.

"Thank you."

As she turned to leave—

Ding!

[Mission completed!]

Xi Yunxui paused.

[Congratulations, Host.]

[Mission: Prepare Fish Soup for Elder Qin — COMPLETED.]

[Reward: System Progress +5%.]

[Current System Progress: 7%.]

Xi Yunxui’s eyebrows lifted.

Seven percent already?

She quietly smiled.

Not bad.

---

The dinner finally ended late into the night.

One by one, the guests departed.

The Huo residence gradually became quieter.

Xi Yunxui stood near the entrance and looked outside.

The streets were dark.

The unfamiliar city lights flickered in the distance.

She remembered her journey earlier that day.

Cars.

Large vehicles.

Strange sounds.

Unknown roads.

She immediately shook her head.

No.

She wasn’t going outside.

Absolutely not.

She might have been bold, but she wasn’t stupid.

What if I encounter a wolf?

She imagined a large wolf appearing from the darkness.

Her expression became serious.

Or a bear?

She imagined an enormous bear.

She shuddered.

Or even one of those moving devices?

She remembered the huge vehicles she had seen on the road.

Some had been so large that they looked like moving buildings.

I even saw some very big ones on my way here.

Xi Yunxui hugged her arms.

"Forget it."

She turned around.

"It’s safer to stay here."

She spotted Auntie Zhang nearby and quickly walked over.

"Auntie Zhang."

The older woman turned.

"Yes?"

"Can I stay here tonight?"

Auntie Zhang looked at her.

"Stay?"

"Yes."

Xi Yunxui hesitated.

"It’s already very late, and I’m unfamiliar with the roads."

Auntie Zhang immediately understood.

"Of course."

She smiled.

"We have staff quarters. You can sleep there tonight."

Xi Yunxui’s eyes brightened.

"Thank you."

"Come with me."

Auntie Zhang led her toward the staff quarters.

The building wasn’t nearly as luxurious as the main residence, but it was still far better than what Xi Yunxui had expected.

She was shown into a small but comfortable room.

There was a bed.

A wardrobe.

A small table.

A bathroom.

Xi Yunxui looked around.

"This is for servants?"

Auntie Zhang laughed.

"Of course."

She opened the wardrobe.

"There are some spare nightclothes. You can use them."

"Thank you."

Auntie Zhang nodded and left.

Xi Yunxui picked up the nightwear.

The moment she touched the fabric, she froze.

It was soft.

Smooth.

Silky against her fingers.

She rubbed the material between her fingertips.

So soft.

She remembered her childhood.

The coarse fabric her siblings had worn.

The rough clothes that scratched their skin.

The countless times she had stayed awake late into the night repairing torn sleeves.

She remembered Mo Yulan complaining about uncomfortable clothes.

Mo Yichen pretending he wasn’t cold.

Mo Yuze quietly wrapping his old clothes tighter around himself.

Her eyes suddenly became wet.

Xi Yunxui quickly blinked.

"Why am I crying?"

She looked down at the fabric.

"It’s only clothing."

But she knew it wasn’t.

It reminded her of everything she had left behind.

Her siblings.

Her home.

Her entire life.

She took a slow breath.

Then she changed.

The soft nightwear felt almost unreal against her skin.

Xi Yunxui climbed into bed.

The mattress was comfortable.

Much too comfortable.

She sank into it.

"Modern people really know how to sleep."

She pulled the blanket over herself.

Her eyes slowly closed.

Then—

Ding!

Xi Yunxui’s eyes snapped open.

She stared at the ceiling.

"Again?"

[New Mission detected.]

She sighed.

"What now?"

[Mission: Relieve Madam Huo’s Headache.]

Xi Yunxui sat upright.

"What?"

[Madam Huo, Su Meilan, is currently experiencing a headache.]

[Host must provide an appropriate head massage to relieve her discomfort.]

[Reward: System Progress +3%.]

Xi Yunxui frowned.

"A massage?"

[Correct.]

"Now?"

[Correct.]

She looked toward the window.

It was already late.

Xi Yunxui sighed.

Fine.

She climbed out of bed.

The problem wasn’t the massage.

She knew how to massage pressure points.

Her mother had suffered from headaches in her previous life, and Xi Yunxui had learned several simple techniques to ease them.

The problem was...

How was she supposed to explain why she knew Madam Huo had a headache?

Xi Yunxui left the staff quarters and walked toward the main building.

As she walked, she began rehearsing possible explanations.

Madam, I heard you have a headache.

No.

Too strange.

Madam, are you feeling uncomfortable?

Better.

But what if Madam Huo asked:

How did you know?

Xi Yunxui stopped walking.

She frowned.

Then she imagined another possibility.

I came to check on you.

But why?

She wasn’t a doctor.

She wasn’t even Madam Huo’s personal maid.

That explanation wouldn’t work.

Xi Yunxui continued walking.

Perhaps I can say I was passing by.

She immediately rejected it.

She was coming from the staff quarters.

At this hour.

Who would believe that?

She sighed.

"Why is completing a simple mission harder than preparing fish?"

She reached the entrance to the main building.

She stopped.

There were still a few servants moving around.

Xi Yunxui immediately straightened her clothes.

She had to look natural.

Very natural.

She took one step forward.

Then another.

Just don’t let anyone ask questions.

She had barely reached the corridor when a servant turned toward her.

"Xi Yunxui?"

She froze.

The servant looked at her curiously.

"What are you doing here?"

Xi Yunxui’s mind went completely blank.

The system remained silent.

For the first time since it had appeared...

it was completely useless.