CH 1.1

At dusk, a shallow glow of rosy clouds spreads over the windowsill.

The tree branches growing outside the window reflect on the ceiling, looking like ghostly figures with their teeth bared and claws outstretched.

The faint scent of disinfectant reaches the tip of the nose, and there is complete silence in the ward.

Su Chengyang opened her eyes and stares straight at the shadow on the ceiling.

Her skin appeared sickly pale, like that of a porcelain doll. Her expression was vacant, her gaze lifeless. In the quiet evening of the hospital, at first glance, it seemed like something out of a horror movie.

A nurse doing her rounds pushed open the door and upon seeing the scene in the ward, she hesitated and slowed her steps.

She couldn’t help but hold the book in her arms tightly, and cautiously stuck half of her head towards the bed to take a peek. She hesitated and asked, “Are you… are you okay?”

Su Chengyang blinked expressionlessly and gazed at the nurse by the door, causing the nurse to shrink back in response.

“You…”

In the next moment, Su Chengyang’s lips curled and tears welled up in his eyes, “I’m not okay at all.”

The nurse: “…”

The eerie atmosphere vanished, and the nurse breathed a sigh of relief without leaving a trace. She walked into the ward and came to the bedside, turning on the switch above the bed, instantly brightening up the room.

“Miss Su, where does it feel uncomfortable?”

Su Chengyang’s eyes were moist, like a mirror reflecting the light. She pursed her lips, thinking about how to respond to the question. If she spoke the truth, she might be mistaken for a lunatic.

Yesterday, the film crew that Su Chengyang was a part of had wrapped up filming, and she had returned home exhausted but filled with joy, eagerly looking forward to receiving her final payment the next day. She had kept track of every penny she had earned in the past, and with this final payment, she could finally realize her ultimate dream of leaving the entertainment industry with dignity.

Su Chengyang didn’t have a formal education in acting. After graduating from high school, she entered the entertainment industry due to family reasons. She played supporting roles in every production she was in, with a wide range of character types, often referred to as “face-changing roles.” The audience had a deep impression of the characters she played, but very few remembered her name. Despite working in the industry for so many years, Su Chengyang remained an unknown actor, with little recognition or fame.

Despite this, Su Chengyang was busy all year round like a spinning top, but in reality, she was not a very ambitious person. The reason she worked hard now was so that she could live the rest of her life without having to work.

Yesterday, just yesterday! As long as she received the final payment from the production team, she could fulfill her lifelong dream of owning a house in her hometown, opening her own bookstore, and having 500,000 yuan in liquid assets. Then, she could retire with dignity and live out the rest of her life pursuing her dreams!

As a result, she had a night of beautiful dreams. Half awake, she reached for her phone, ready to start the first day of her bright future with the balance on her bank card. But instead of finding her phone, she felt a pair of cold hands.

That’s right, it was the cold hands of the nurse in front of her.

At first, Su Chengyang thought that she had just been too excited and fainted, and was sent to the hospital by her neighbors. It wasn’t until a very mechanical voice appeared in her mind, reciting everything that Su Chengyang had experienced in her life and telling her that she was no longer in her original world. She had entered a script that she had previously rejected and had become a supporting character with the same name, surname, and even appearance, with a very insignificant role.

Upon hearing this news, Su Chengyang was stunned for a full five seconds and asked a very crucial question frankly: “Did my bank card come with me?”

The voice in her mind fell silent for a moment and replied, “No.”

Tears streamed down Su Chengyang’s face.

She has worked hard for so many years, exhausting herself every day like a dog. For 365 days a year, she has never rested for more than ten days. As a result, just as she was about to achieve success and retire, she was suddenly pulled into a completely unfamiliar world, forcing her to start over from scratch. In that moment, Su Chengyang felt like dying.

“Please calm down, host. The system will reward you at the appropriate time.”

Su Chengyang asked tearfully, “Will it give me money directly?”

The system said, “No, it’s not like that…”

“I don’t want it! I don’t want anything! Except for money, I don’t want anything…” Su Chengyang covered her little face with the blanket, feeling wronged and cried.

“Don’t you want to have a completely different life?”

“I just want to have a completely laid-back life… I’ve been acting since I was seventeen, working hard every day just so I can slack off in the future. I was about to succeed and start slacking off, but you brought me here. Aren’t you shameless?”

The system fell silent for a moment and said, “Listening to you say that, I feel like I might be lacking in morality.”

Su Chengyang’s face immediately revealed tears flowing in all directions, “Then can you send me back? I beg you…”

“Um… ##*#.”

“What?”

“Go ## back.”

“Speak louder.”

“You can’t go back! Anyway, in that world, you don’t have any relatives or friends, so I… I’m sorry!”