Chapter 194 – My Lady Heroine in the Holographic Online Game – Xiao A Was Stolen (08)
The hot spring was outside, right by the edge of the forest.
Amber-colored lanterns hung high between the trees, gently swaying with the evening breeze.
Bai Tang changed clothes with Qi Hongyi and carefully dipped one foot into the hot spring.
The spring water was warm—perfect for soaking in such cool weather.
“Tang Tang, I’ll help you down.”
Qi Hongyi half-embraced Bai Tang from behind, guiding him to sit by the edge of the spring.
Once Bai Tang sat down, the water reached up to his shoulders.
Around the hot spring were stones, and every so often, a small wooden lantern post was placed atop one. Bamboo tubes let a gentle trickle of water flow through, creating an ambiance reminiscent of ancient times.
Soaking in a hot spring in this kind of setting truly felt like a return to simplicity and nature.
With Qi Hongyi supporting him from behind, Bai Tang gradually began to relax.
He closed his eyes, savoring the sensation of the flowing spring water.
Taking the opportunity, Qi Hongyi hugged the boy from behind. Bai Tang didn’t resist; instead, he relaxed and leaned back against the “human cushion.”
Thanks to his height, the water only reached Qi Hongyi’s chest. He reached out to a cluster of grapes placed by the spring, peeled one, and fed it to the boy resting against his chest.
Being able to enjoy such pampering without lifting a finger—this hot spring was pure bliss for Bai Tang.
Meanwhile—
Jiang Yiran knocked on the door while carrying food, but there was no response for a long time. “I’m here to deliver your meal—sorry to disturb you.”
She slid the wooden door open, only to find the room empty.
Jiang Yiran set the tray down and looked around the neat and tidy room, her gaze falling on the open suitcase.
As if guided by a strange impulse, she walked over and reached in to take out the notebook inside the suitcase.
She opened to the first page. On it were two cartoon characters connected by a heart, with two names written underneath them: Bai Tang & Qi Hongyi.
Turning to the second page, she found it filled with Bai Tang’s feelings for Qi Hongyi—from the moment their engagement was confirmed to the time he finally won him over in the game—recording every little detail of their daily life.
Jiang Yiran trembled with anger. From the contents of the diary, she realized that Bai Tang was actually Yi Zhi Haitang—the same boy in the game who had constantly irritated her.
Bai Tang… Yi Zhi Haitang… Qi Hongyi… engaged couple.
Jiang Yiran was shocked. That meant Qi Hongyi was Hong Qingge.
Hong Qingge… Qingge…
She remembered the handsome man from earlier that afternoon, the one who tipped her generously at the swing. Her cheeks flushed red.
So that’s what Qingge looked like. Jiang Yiran became lost in her own thoughts.
Suddenly, a delicate face came into view—it was Bai Tang.
In that instant, her fantasy shattered.
Bai Tang. Bai Tang again. Why was it always him? Even though Qingge was planning to break off the engagement, why was he still clinging so desperately?
Jealousy flared inside Jiang Yiran.
She glanced at the clothes in the suitcase, and from the pocket of one garment, a red string with a jade pendant slipped out.
The jade pendant was smooth and lustrous—it was clearly no ordinary item.
Jiang Yiran thought of her unemployed parents sighing at home and then recalled the luxurious clothing Bai Tang wore.
Heaven is so unfair. Why is there such a vast gap between people?
Suddenly, a sound came from outside the door. Startled, Jiang Yiran hurriedly shut the suitcase.
The door opened. Qi Hongyi entered, holding a sleeping Bai Tang in his arms.
“What are you doing?” Qi Hongyi asked coldly, his face stern.
As the CEO of the Qi Group, Qi Hongyi had seen plenty of women trying to throw themselves at him—and it was obvious this was just another one.
“Get out.”
Without even glancing at her, Qi Hongyi gently placed the boy on the bed.
“Mm… Yiyi~” the boy stirred a little, his half-lidded eyes looking drowsily at Qi Hongyi.
“Good boy, sleep. I’m here,” Qi Hongyi said softly, switching off the large chandelier and turning on the small bedside lamp instead. The warm amber light made it easier to fall asleep.
Jiang Yiran bit her lower lip as she watched everything unfold. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.
“Why are you still here?” Qi Hongyi asked coldly. He didn’t bother to hide his disdain—none of the warmth he sometimes showed even in the game remained.
“I was just delivering a late-night snack. I’ll leave now.” Jiang Yiran gave him one last look, then turned and left.
Outside the room, Jiang Yiran clenched the jade pendant tightly. She had been so close to confessing to Qingge… just a little more and they could have been together.
Who knew what tricks Bai Tang had used to lure him back?
He owed her.
Besides, Bai Tang was rich—taking one jade pendant to resolve her immediate crisis wasn’t a big deal to someone like him.
After mentally reassuring herself, Jiang Yiran walked quickly back to her own break room.
Meanwhile, Qi Hongyi opened his laptop and began dealing with company matters. But in the middle of the night, the boy on the bed murmured in his sleep, asking for a hug, and even kicked the blanket off.
Qi Hongyi got up to tuck him in again, but as soon as he turned around, the blanket was kicked off once more.
Helpless, he gave in to the boy’s sleepy request and hugged him.
Bai Tang curled up in Qi Hongyi’s arms and finally settled down, staying snug under the covers.
No way to focus on work like this… might as well sleep with Tang Tang.
The two of them fell asleep in each other’s arms, the moment peaceful and tender—like time had slowed just for them.
Jiang Yiran, in the staff break room, was not nearly as calm.
Though she kept telling herself it was justified, after being a law-abiding citizen for decades, guilt still crept in.
She toyed with the jade pendant. It seemed to have a strange kind of magic, as if a voice deep within her was whispering: Take it. Make it yours.
She recalled the kind of magical treasures heroines often received in novels—didn’t those also require a drop of blood to claim ownership?
Jiang Yiran looked at the cut on her finger from working earlier that afternoon. The wound wasn’t deep and had already scabbed over.
Resolutely, she tore the scab open. Blood immediately began to flow, and she dripped it onto the jade pendant—but there was no reaction.
She added more drops of blood. The mutton-fat jade pendant now had blood smeared on it, but otherwise remained completely unchanged.
Frustrated, Jiang Yiran pulled out a tissue and wiped the pendant clean.
Looks like even if I’ve somehow transmigrated, I don’t get a cheat code. Sigh…
Xiao A, who resided inside the pendant, had already signed a contract with Bai Tang. In a sense, he already had a master.
Unless Jiang Yiran’s mental strength and capabilities surpassed Bai Tang’s, she wouldn’t be able to override the contract between Xiao A and him.
Even so, Xiao A was completely disgusted.
What is wrong with this girl?
She even tried blood-dripping—now he was soaked and sticky all over. Gross.
Depressed, Xiao A went off to take a shower, only to be mocked by Qiu’er.
“Hahahaha! Look at you now!” Qiu’er clutched its stomach, laughing hysterically.
Xiao A’s abilities were superior to Qiu’er’s, which had always left Qiu’er a little bitter. Now that Xiao A was finally getting a taste of humiliation, Qiu’er couldn’t be more delighted—he even felt like setting off fireworks in celebration.
“Qiu’er, come here,” Xiao A said, squinting.
“W-what for…” Qiu’er suddenly had a bad feeling. “I-I’m not going over there!”
Nothing good could come of it. Even system tricks shouldn’t be this shady.
“Come. Here.”
At Xiao A’s command, Qiu’er suddenly found himself unable to control his body. He ran straight toward the pool where Xiao A was bathing.
“SPLASH—”
Now the pool had a second soaked mutt in it.
“We’re both in the same boat now. No more mocking each other,” Xiao A said, dunking Qiu’er’s fur underwater.
Qiu’er paddled around in a doggy-style swim and splashed water at Xiao A.
The two high-level systems suddenly seemed like a pair of dimwits, splashing around in the water, soaking the entire place.
In the morning, sunlight slipped through the gap in the not-fully-drawn curtains and into the room.
Bai Tang covered his eyes. “Mmm~” He let out a soft groan, rolled over, and buried his head under the covers.
“Host, host, wake up.”
It was Xiao A who woke him. “Host, the female lead stole your jade pendant. She’s just finished her shift and is heading to a pawn shop to sell it.”
“…Huh?!”
Bai Tang was momentarily stunned. Jade pendant… jade pendant…
Jade pendant!
He suddenly sat upright, startling Qi Hongyi awake as well.
“Tang Tang, what’s wrong?”
Bai Tang didn’t answer. He jumped out of bed and started rummaging through his suitcase.
Before going to the hot spring last night, he had put the jade pendant into his bag.
Now he pulled out the bag—completely empty. The pendant was gone.
“Baby, what are you looking for?” Qi Hongyi hugged the boy from behind.
“My pendant!” Bai Tang said urgently. “I had a jade pendant—it’s gone! I put it right here last night!”
Seeing the boy on the verge of tears, Qi Hongyi remembered the server who had entered their room the night before. She was the only outsider who had been in there.
“Don’t worry, Tang Tang. I’ll help you find it.”
Qi Hongyi picked up the phone and called the front desk, asking for the staff on duty in that area yesterday.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Qi. Jiang Yiran just finished her shift. We’re not sure if she’s left the resort yet…” the receptionist replied politely. “Yiran, Mr. Qi is looking for you. It sounds urgent—don’t leave yet…”
Just as Qi Hongyi was about to hang up, the receptionist’s voice came through again—it was clear Jiang Yiran had shown up.
“Stop her for me,” Qi Hongyi ordered.
Jiang Yiran was highly suspicious. If she did steal it, they’d deal with her. If not, they’d simply apologize.
“Tang Tang, let’s go.” Qi Hongyi took Bai Tang toward the front lobby.
“I really have something urgent to do…”
Before they reached the lobby, Bai Tang and Qi Hongyi heard a female voice say that.
After turning the corner, they arrived at the lobby. There, they saw a girl in uniform holding onto another girl in casual clothes.
“Yiran, Mr. Qi said he’ll be here soon. Just wait a moment, it won’t take long,” the front desk girl said.
“Host, the jade pendant is on the female lead,” said Xiao A.
Although it could communicate with Bai Tang through their connected consciousness, the system’s true form was the jade pendant—no matter what, it had to be retrieved.
“What’s all the noise?” A rough male voice barked, stopping the commotion.
The lobby manager walked over with a frown and asked, “What’s going on here? Tugging and pulling—do you think this looks good in front of our guests?”
“Manager,”
“Manager, I suspect that this staff member took something from my room last night while delivering a late-night snack. I’d like to review the surveillance footage from last night and, if possible, check this lady’s belongings. If that’s inconvenient, I’m also willing to report it to the police,” Qi Hongyi stated succinctly. A forced search would be inappropriate, but he could involve law enforcement. If Jiang Yiran was willing to cooperate and prove her innocence, it wouldn’t have to escalate.
Jiang Yiran was clearly panicking—she had been so close to leaving the hot spring resort. It was all that nosy Xiao Tuan’s fault. She shot her a sharp glare.
Her unnatural expression didn’t escape Qi Hongyi’s notice. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he said in a low voice,
“Miss, what do you propose we do?”
Author’s Note:
The relationship between Qiu’er and Xiao A is slowly heating up. When will Xiao A finally win Qiu’er’s heart? Hehehe~