Chapter 68
Zhuang Chi was very young when she started writing that novel, just a middle school student.
The reason she wanted to write a novel was also very simple. She was at an age where she was curious about everything, and it was a time when excellent idol dramas and romance novels were booming. The internet was also gradually becoming a part of life, and little Zhuang Chi, influenced by all this, began to try and construct a world of her own.
She only wrote this novel in a notebook and never posted it online; it didn't even have a title. The writing was clumsy and the content was childish. The only praiseworthy thing was probably that Zhuang Chi persisted in finishing it, secretly taking out the notebook on many nights and very seriously writing, stroke by stroke, until the end.
Actually, thinking back on it now, it was a very strange novel. At that time, Zhuang Chi had only just learned about ABO from the internet and had a half-baked understanding of it. Yet, she was fascinated by this worldview, which was so different from the gender divisions in real life. The Alphas she arranged around her female protagonist were half male and half female. There was no deep thought behind it; it seemed she just wanted things to be more equal. But thinking about it now—arranging pursuers of different genders in a novel was actually quite rare. It's hard to say whether it was because the Zhuang Chi of that time was strictly adhering to the ABO worldview, or because she was naturally ambiguous about this aspect.
At that time, a saying from a very famous novelist was circulating online: As a book gets longer, the characters in it will slowly come to life. The characters themselves choose and push the plot to develop naturally in the direction it should go, and the author just follows along and writes it down. Zhuang Chi thought it sounded very cool. That was her initial thought as well. She arranged as many seemingly high-quality Alphas as possible for her female protagonist—that is, Gu Ximian—but she didn't set an Official Pairing. She thought that perhaps by the time she was halfway through writing, she would be able to see who Gu Ximian liked, and it wouldn't be too late to "promote" them then. But the more she wrote, the more she felt…
—that no one was worthy of Gu Ximian.
What am I thinking about? Zhuang Chi thought. I need to focus on the current situation.
She was still standing in front of the oil painting that was supposed to be "Pygmalion," staring at the notebook within the painting. She had spent many days with this notebook and was familiar with its every crease. Seeing it so suddenly now brought back a flood of memories.
But the empty exhibition hall reminded Zhuang Chi that now was not the time to get lost in memories. The Christmas Ball's theme of the Greek myth of Pygmalion, the Greek cultural and art exhibition in the neighboring city, and then the only oil painting of Pygmalion at the exhibition—these events linked together like a faint path, guiding her all the way here.
...So, the key really is this notebook, isn't it? Zhuang Chi thought. But it's inside the painting, and it's closed, not making a single sound. And it's not like she could just take it out of the painting…
“...”
Zhuang Chi was silent for a long while. As if possessed, she leaned toward the painting and raised her hand.
She carefully touched the edge of the notebook in the picture. The sensation was not that of a painting, but as if she were truly touching the edge of a notebook; she could feel the layers of paper under her fingertips.
...Is this for real? Zhuang Chi couldn't help but click her tongue. It seems common sense doesn't apply in this space... Hey, what's going on? There are no fantasy elements in my novel.
But at this point, it was clear what she had to do. It seemed she had no other choice.
Zhuang Chi took a deep breath and slowly opened the notebook.
Touching the notebook in the painting and watching it open as expected was a strange experience. For a moment, Zhuang Chi wondered if she was actually facing a touch-screen electronic display, but in the next second, her attention was captured by the contents of the notebook.
It was handwritten, looking very neat, but it couldn't hide its childishness. It was Zhuang Chi's handwriting from back then.
But the content of the first page was not the first chapter of her novel. Instead, there was only a title written in the center: Pygmalion.
Zhuang Chi frowned and slowly turned to the second page.
Just as the title suggested, the next few pages were all about the story of Pygmalion. It was the official version, more or less the same as what she had read in Greek mythology before. Zhuang Chi skimmed through it, a doubt growing in her heart. She was certain she had never written the story of Pygmalion in this notebook. Patiently, she flipped to the end and finally saw a sentence that was not part of the story.
【Pygmalion and Galatea were blessed by the gods and lived happily ever after.】
【They did not originally belong to the same world.】
【Just like you.】
“...”
Zhuang Chi's gaze lingered on the last line. She frowned slightly. Even though the notebook wasn't being explicit, she could guess that this sentence was about her. She tried to turn the page, but was shocked to find she couldn't. The pages seemed to be stuck together, difficult to separate.
Zhuang Chi hesitated for a long while, at a loss. She felt that if anyone saw her right now, she would look like a fool, but in the end, she still spoke hesitantly, "...What are you trying to say? Can you be more direct?"
Heaven have mercy, she was now talking to a notebook in a painting, and even trying to negotiate with it. This is what desperation looks like, Zhuang Chi thought. She really couldn't think of any other way. It's not like she could write on the oil painting—and besides, the book had already filled this page completely, leaving no room for her to write. She didn't know if this notebook could understand her words and communicate with her. It sounded so absurd…
As her mind raced with these thoughts, she suddenly felt her hand loosen, and the page turned smoothly.
【Alright.】
...It can actually communicate. Zhuang Chi was dumbfounded. And... how should she put it, this notebook seems to have a pretty good temper? Did it just agree to be more direct?
【Question:】
Zhuang Chi watched as the lead-black words gradually appeared on the notebook. Should she say it was just as she wished? The question was very direct.
【Do you love Gu Ximian, just as Pygmalion loved Galatea?】
The writing stopped there, not continuing any further, presumably waiting for Zhuang Chi's answer.
Zhuang Chi looked at this question that was so far beyond her imagination and blinked in astonishment.
"...Why ask such a question?" Her mind was in a bit of a mess. She continued, "Also, you... are you something like the god of this world? Were you the one who made me transmigrate into this world?"
The notebook was quiet for a moment, then new words appeared: 【First, to answer your second question: Uncertain. Everyone's definition of "god" is different. If you are referring to being omniscient and omnipotent, then my answer is negative. If you are referring to being able to change the plot progression of this world to a certain extent, then my answer is affirmative.】
【Second, your third question: Affirmative. From a fundamental standpoint, it was I who brought you here.】
【Finally, regarding the first question.】
The black words paused for a long while. The words that followed appeared very slowly, as if spelled out one by one: 【The reason I ask this question is: Based on your answer, I will make a judgment on my inclination regarding whether you stay or leave.】
“...” Not only did this notebook have a good temper, but it was also very honest, answering every question asked. Zhuang Chi was struck by the amount of information in these few short sentences, but her attention was first drawn to the last one. She couldn't help but ask, "Stay or leave... what do you mean?"
The reply came quickly this time, the words on the page appearing with a stiff, inorganic quality: 【It refers to whether you will continue to stay here, or leave this world.】
【Addendum: My current position is that I hope you will leave here.】
...What an honest notebook. Is that something you can say to my face? Zhuang Chi thought. And didn't it just say it was the one who brought her to this world? Why does it want her to leave now?
【Reason: When I initially brought you, the creator, here, it was because there was something I hoped you would do. But that is now in the past and no longer important.】
【What is important is that your existence now poses a certain threat to this world.】
"A threat?" Zhuang Chi frowned in confusion. "Why? I'm not going to do anything bad—"
【When a person is held at gunpoint, they will not feel at ease just because the trigger has not yet been pulled.】 The notebook paused, then continued, 【And I judge that your current threat level to this world is far greater than a gun pointed at someone.】
【Before I offer further explanation, I hope you will first answer my question.】
【Do you love Gu Ximian, just as Pygmalion loved Galatea?】
It seemed very persistent, having asked this question for the second time. Zhuang Chi's gaze lingered on the sentence for a long time without a sound.
...Love? Zhuang Chi thought. Like Pygmalion loved Galatea... that means romantic love, right?
She had never deeply considered this question before. Even though she knew very well that if she were Pygmalion, then her Galatea could only be Gu Ximian, Zhuang Chi had still never considered it from this angle, as if subconsciously avoiding the option.
If the word "love" were toned down a level to "like," then Zhuang Chi could say without hesitation: of course she liked Gu Ximian. From the very beginning, when only the prototype of Gu Ximian existed in her mind, Zhuang Chi had liked her female protagonist. She had poured countless efforts into her, never hesitating to use the most flowery and beautiful words to describe her, giving her every good quality she could think of, building a Gu Ximian who was incomparably perfect in her eyes.
And now that Zhuang Chi had truly met Gu Ximian, to be honest, she was not entirely identical to the protagonist she had imagined in her book—she was more vivid, more outstanding, more radiant.
Gu Ximian was exactly her type. Zhuang Chi had no doubt about this.
But what about love?
Such a heavy word, Zhuang Chi thought.
Her feelings for Gu Ximian were already mixed with enough things. At first, it was the realization that her childish creation had brought trouble to this living, breathing person, making her want to do her best to be better to Gu Ximian. Later, as they interacted more, they became friends who could talk to each other. And after that, she learned that Gu Ximian actually knew this was a book. Acting on some bad premonition, she hid her identity, carrying a secret while interacting with Gu Ximian, feeling both strange and guilty.
Zhuang Chi had never loved anyone before. But as she thought about it, the first thought that popped into her head was—if I can't even manage basic honesty, how can I love her?
Her thoughts were like a lake into which a stone had suddenly been thrown, the ripples spreading out, broken and formless. Zhuang Chi felt confused. She thought the wisest thing to do right now would be to figure out which answer this seemingly omnipotent notebook wanted and then say it to please it. But no matter what, she couldn't steer her thoughts in that direction. She couldn't stop herself from thinking about whether she loved Gu Ximian. Her mind was filled with a jumble of thoughts, like how Gu Ximian must have long been tired of Alphas' pursuits, or how she was Gu Ximian's only "companion" when it came to the secret of the world. How could she betray Gu Ximian's trust by developing such feelings? Ultimately—
...What counts as love? Her glands had been aching on their own for a while now. Zhuang Chi thought with a dizzy head, is it an instinct? A desire? Is it the natural attraction between an Alpha and an Omega? Her greatest wish in this world was for Gu Ximian to live well. She wanted Gu Ximian to not have to wear the uncomfortable Pheromone Blocking Collar every day. She wanted Gu Ximian to not encounter unreasonable plot points or things that would hurt her—does that count as a kind of love?
【I'm sorry, the questioning is temporarily suspended.】
Just then, Zhuang Chi saw new words appear on the notebook, which had been quiet for a long time: 【I did not expect this to be a question that would require so much time for you to consider. Moreover】
It cut off there. Zhuang Chi's vision suddenly blurred. She saw the portrait of Pygmalion reappear in the frame, and the surrounding voices gradually returned, rising in layers from far to near.
Before the notebook disappeared completely, Zhuang Chi saw its final words.
【Moreover, your female protagonist is calling for you.】
【Please answer her call, but do not mention me to her.】
"Zhuang Chi?"
A familiar voice sounded from her side. Zhuang Chi flinched instinctively. When she turned her head, she met Gu Ximian's eyes. No matter how many times she saw them, they were a beautiful sight to behold. At this moment, they were filled with unconcealed concern, her gaze like scattered starlight, reflecting Zhuang Chi's own image.
"Why did you suddenly space out?" Gu Ximian frowned with a hint of worry. "You must have been too tired lately, right? And you still forced yourself to come here with An Chen and the others... Your glands need more rest. Why don't we go back to the hotel early to rest? I'll go with you."
Zhuang Chi stared at her blankly. Gu Ximian's voice was soft and pleasant, something she should have been used to hearing. But now, though it felt like she had only been separated from her for a mere ten minutes, hearing it again made her tremble uncontrollably, the rims of her ears growing slightly hot.
She finally lowered her eyes, her throat feeling dry. She managed to squeeze out in a normal tone, "...I'm fine. I just thought this painting was very beautiful and got a little lost in thought."
And Zhuang Chi's glands were still aching, endlessly.
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