That night, Xia Yue did not go home. It was an unusual decision, a deviation from her routine in this strange new world. After all, good friends should sleep together, or so she told herself, trying to make sense of the unsettling quiet of Fen Yue's apartment. Fen Yue, a woman of sharp edges and few close connections, found herself lying beside another girl for the very first time. A faint discomfort settled over her, a feeling she couldn't quite place, but it wasn't outright aversion. Xia Yue, watching the shadows dance on the ceiling, couldn't shake the thought that, indeed, one bed could not easily accommodate two such different souls, especially when one of them felt like a ghost in her own skin.

Fen Yue was the first true friend Xia Yue had found since falling into this 'book world,' a peculiar anchor in a sea of unknowns. Fen Yue projected an image of coldness, her words often cutting, yet Xia Yue sensed a straightforwardness beneath the facade, a vulnerability that often led to misunderstandings and hurt. Just then, as Xia Yue's fingers grazed Fen Yue's remarkably smooth skin, a strange envy surged. "Your skin is perfect," Xia Yue murmured, her voice a little too loud in the stillness, "How do you manage to keep it so flawless?" Fen Yue's answer was immediate, devoid of any warmth. "Injections." Xia Yue merely echoed, "Oh." The stark simplicity of it was unsettling. Xia Yue touched her own face, a sudden, fierce desire to claim her own beauty, to carve out a future where she could be adorned and desired, even after her inevitable divorce. A quiet, almost sinister chuckle escaped her lips as she fantasized about a life surrounded by adoration, a life truly her own.

Fen Yue shifted back slightly, a subtle movement away from Xia Yue's unsettling laughter. "Why are you laughing like that?" she asked, her voice tight. "Just imagining my wonderful future," Xia Yue replied, a strange light in her eyes. "What about you? Is there anything you truly desire?" Fen Yue fell silent, the weight of unspoken dreams pressing down on her. The entertainment industry, once a beacon of hope, now felt like a labyrinth she might never escape. Without family to support her, two years had passed, and she remained a flicker, not a star. The question hung in the air: would she ever reach the pinnacle? "I don't know..." she finally whispered, the uncertainty a heavy cloak around her. They lay face to face, the darkness amplifying their quiet conversation, until sleep finally claimed them, each lost in their own silent struggles.

The first light of dawn brought a startling discovery. Xia Yue reached out, not for her phone, but for something smooth and yielding. Her fingers closed around a soft, unfamiliar form. Her eyes snapped open, meeting Fen Yue's wide, horrified gaze, her hands clutching her chest. Xia Yue recoiled, instantly alert, a desperate plea escaping her lips. "Hear me out!" Fen Yue, her eyes narrowed with a mix of resentment and bewilderment, accused, "You are so restless!" Xia Yue feigned innocence, scratching her head. "Huh? Really restless?" she asked, glancing at her position, which seemed to be exactly where she had fallen asleep. Fen Yue curled her lip, a flicker of something almost like fear in her eyes. "Don't bother looking. I was woken up twice. First, you hugged me so tightly I couldn't breathe. Then, you kicked me. I have no idea how you managed to flip 180 degrees, spin 360, and then return to your original spot." Xia Yue offered a strained, awkward smile, quickly changing the subject. "Anyway, are you hungry? I can make breakfast!"

Fen Yue's refrigerator held few items, but enough for sandwiches. Xia Yue, accustomed to living alone, possessed passable cooking skills. After a tense breakfast, Fen Yue, burdened by work commitments, drove Xia Yue back. As they approached the opulent, sprawling villa, a complex expression settled on Fen Yue's face. The luxury was stark, almost intimidating. "Xia Yue," she began, her voice low, "don't do anything you'll regret. If you're ever in trouble for money, you can tell me." Xia Yue impulsively leaned over and hugged her, a strange mixture of warmth and envy swirling within her as she felt the powerful surge against her chest. She almost shed tears, wiping the corners of her mouth with a cryptic smile. "Don't worry," she reassured, "this is my boss's house. I signed a two-year contract to live and eat here. For now." The explanation seemed to bring a measure of relief to Fen Yue, though a lingering doubt remained in her eyes. "Okay, as long as you know your limits. I'm going to the company now." Xia Yue reluctantly released her, watching Fen Yue's car disappear down the long, winding driveway. Only then did she turn and enter the imposing house, a feeling of being watched settling over her.

Inside the grand living room, Qiu Sister and Uncle He, the butler, were engaged in a hushed conversation. Their heads snapped up as Xia Yue appeared. Qiu Sister rushed forward, an almost frantic urgency in her movements, guiding Xia Yue to the plush sofa. "Madam, you must be utterly exhausted from last night. Please, sit. I've prepared a nourishing soup. Let me fetch it." Xia Yue, confused by their intensity, blinked. "I'm not tired at all." Qiu Sister's smile faltered, a flicker of alarm in her eyes. "Not tired at all?" Her gaze drifted, almost imperceptibly, towards Xia Yue's midsection, a silent question hanging in the air. Could it be that the master was... incapable? Xia Yue stood, stretching her limbs, trying to project an air of normalcy. "I'm truly fine, don't worry." She felt a strange surge of emotion, touched by their overwhelming concern, yet also unsettled by its intensity. In her previous life, she had always been alone. This strange display of 'family' felt both comforting and profoundly disorienting.

Qiu Sister returned with a steaming bowl. Without a second thought, Xia Yue took a large sip. A strange, almost medicinal taste filled her mouth. She smacked her lips. "Why does this taste so odd? Qiu Sister, what kind of soup is this?" Qiu Sister's voice was almost a whisper, laden with a peculiar significance. "Kidney-nourishing soup." Xia Yue, mid-second sip, choked, spraying the liquid across the room. Uncle He, standing nearby, bore the brunt of it. "Sorry, sorry, Uncle He, please, quickly!" she gasped. Qiu Sister wrung her hands, a look of genuine distress on her face. "Oh, my dear! I simmered it all morning! This was the only bowl of essence..." She turned, already moving back towards the kitchen. "Wait for me, I'll cook another bowl!" Xia Yue, her face burning, reached out and grabbed Qiu Sister's arm, her grip surprisingly firm. "No! I don't need this right now..." More accurately, she thought, she didn't need it ever.

"Why wouldn't you need it? Didn't you and the master last night—" Qiu Sister began, her eyes wide with a conspiratorial knowingness. Xia Yue tugged awkwardly at the corner of her mouth, a faint tremor in her voice. "I didn't go to him last night." The words hung in the air, creating a palpable tension. "Then where did you go? Didn't you go to deliver dinner to the master?" Qiu Sister pressed, her voice edged with something akin to disappointment, or perhaps, suspicion. "Yes," Xia Yue admitted, feeling a strange need to justify her actions, "but I don't know where he lives. So, I stayed overnight at my friend's house." Qiu Sister's expression visibly drooped, a profound disappointment settling over her features. Xia Yue felt a strange pang of guilt, though she couldn't pinpoint why. Why should she feel guilty? She gently patted Qiu Sister's shoulder, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "There, there. He works hard. We should be more understanding." Qiu Sister sighed, a deep, theatrical sound. "I just want you to have a child soon." The unspoken pressure, though anticipated, still hit Xia Yue with surprising force. The urging for an heir, subtle yet insistent, had finally arrived.

"I'm still young," Xia Yue demurred, trying to keep her voice light, "there's no rush for this." Qiu Sister leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, as if sharing a grave secret. "But the master is getting on in years. He's almost forty. In a few more years, he may not even be able to—" "Cough!" Uncle He interjected, a loud, sharp cough that cut off Qiu Sister mid-sentence. Qiu Sister clapped a hand over her mouth, her face flushing with embarrassment. She had almost let slip too much, she deserved a gentle slap. Thinking this, she lightly patted her own mouth twice. Xia Yue had to suppress a giggle. The rounding of Sha Hao's age was truly astonishing; he wasn't even thirty yet, yet he'd been advanced a decade. Xia Yue forced herself to compose her features, her voice carefully neutral. "He's still young, and he has his own plans." Qiu Sister sighed again, a sound heavy with resignation, and ceased her persuasion. Even the best relationships required boundaries, but the regret in her eyes was so potent, it unnerved Xia Yue, who quickly averted her gaze.

Yet, the thought of children lingered, a persistent whisper in her mind. Xia Yue had walked through two lifetimes, always alone, always an outsider. If she had a child, a creature of her own blood, wouldn't she finally have a true family? With Sha Hao's undeniably superior genes, any child they had would surely be beautiful, a testament to a life she hadn't truly chosen. The thought, seductive and dangerous, flashed through her mind, only to be quickly discarded. What if she returned to her original world one day? What then, of a child left behind? The question hung heavy, a dark cloud over the tantalizing possibility, reminding her that this life, with all its strange comforts and unsettling demands, was not truly hers, but merely