With her hands clasped together on her back, Leslie hovered right above the fainted Calix. Frowning, she kept her eyes on the man who was supposed to be her husband.
CEO Xu was indeed a handsome man as described in the book.
Straight dark hair which contrasted against his fair skin, a pair of peach blossom eyes with short yet thick lashes, a straight nose and thin lips. Oh, he had two moles under his left eye.
During the short observation she did earlier, Leslie personally thought Calix's handsome features exuded a bit of regality and aloofness. But, the image was destroyed once he opened his mouth to speak.
"Mimo, I can touch him too, right?"
The red fox toy jumped from Leslie's head, landing with all four of its paws on Calix's abdomen. Tilting up its head, it looked at Leslie.
|It goes both ways. Leslie, try poking his cheeks.|
"...what a nice suggestion."
Even though Leslie said that, she still reached out a hand. Slowly moving her index finger to Calix's face, she silently hoped that he wouldn't wake up yet. She didn't want him to catch her trying to touch his face.
Poke.
Leslie quickly retracted her hand before floating away from Calix. She looked around the bedroom. Her eyes landed on the couch, more specifically on the throw pillows and a folded thin blanket.
"Hopefully the Edward guy won't return so soon," said Leslie, followed with a sigh.
Leslie straightened Calix's long limbs before she covered his body with the blanket. After weighing whether to put a pillow under his head or not, she proceeded with the idea.
In the next moment, CEO Xu appeared as if he was enjoying a nap on the floor. The mint-colored pillow and blanket accompanied him.
Well, he just needed to bear with the hardness of the floor.
Then, Leslie locked the door from the inside. At least, it could stall some time if Edward or anyone else did come.
"Mimo, tell me everything I should know," Leslie glanced at Mimo who was now sitting on the bed, "We can talk and touch each other. What else? Oh! I haven't tried walking."
Without waiting for Mimo to answer her, Leslie lowered her feet to the ground. Her eyes widened in delight once they touched the marble floor.
"Sigh... If I tried this first, he wouldn't be that surprised."
Leslie shifted her eyes to Calix. Clicking her tongue, she shook her head in helplessness.
|Leslie, you can walk ah. Oh, you can pass through any walls too. If you want to touch something, you have to be near this guy.|
Mimo's words stunned Leslie. Lifting her brows in wonder, she said, "Mimo, tell me in detail."
Leslie picked Mimo up from the mattress. While sitting on the bed, she intently listened to the fox toy's explanation. Mimo sat on her lap.
Well, the more Leslie listened to it, the weirder she felt. She quickly arranged them into points in her mind.
1. She could either walk on the ground or float in the air. She also could move through solid walls.
2. To touch or lift an object, CEO Xu should be in a close perimeter but, the approximate distance was not clear.
3. She was able to experience hunger and sleepiness, including other senses but, at a slower rate than living humans.
4. If she was holding, eating or even changing clothes, the objects would still be visible in other people's eyes until they made full contact with her.
5. The longer she was inside this world, she would be able to recall some key events that occurred inside the book — from the chapters she hadn't read.
6. Sooner or later, the host's feelings would be one with her.
In disbelief, Leslie stared skeptically at Mimo, "Then... Do I need to eat and sleep every day too? Even though I'm in a soul form? If I hold chopsticks, other people will see them hanging in the air before I swallow the food?"
What kind of stupid and unreasonable rules were these?
Well, an incomplete transmigration into a book world was something illogical too. She might face more irrational matters in the future.
|Aren't you happy? You can still taste good food even in this state. You can change outfits too.|
Leslie exhaled a sigh, "Mimo, I don't care about that ah."
Her reason for coming here was to find Calliope. And perhaps, to build a new life for them.
There was really nothing holding them back in their world. Their bodies also might sustain irreversible injuries under the wreckage.
Mimo lifted its front paws, placing them on the back of Leslie's hands.
|Leslie, Poppy is safe. I can sense she's not in any danger or distress. But, I can't pinpoint where she really is.|
Leslie's lips curled into a faint smile. She gently stroked the fox toy's head.
"We'll find Poppy, Mimo. We will."
Mimo nestled its head deeper into Leslie's palm. Its action incited laughter from her.
Leslie didn't know why Calliope's beloved fox toy could speak and bring her into this world. Yet, she had no plans to ask it yet.
Mimo was a crochet toy created by Calliope's birth father. He was Leslie's first boyfriend. He gifted Mimo to her a few days before he died in an accident.
Leslie was thoroughly devastated. On the day she learned of his death, it was the same one she knew that she was pregnant. Her lover parted from this world without knowing he had a child.
Life after his death was a struggle for Leslie. She was disowned by her family because she insisted on giving birth to the child. As a young woman, raising a baby alone was extremely hard.
Yet...
Calliope was the greatest gift his lover left behind for her. Leslie showered their daughter with all her heart. She wanted Calliope to be raised in love, something she and her lover lacked.
|Leslie, I'm serious. Get CEO Xu to help you.|
Mimo's voice gently pulled Leslie out of her trance. Smiling softly, she asked, "What kind of help? Is it because he has many connections and influence? Things that come commonly with a CEO?"
Mimo nodded its round head. Leslie said nothing. She could only smile.
|Poppy is in an orphanage somewhere in this country. Her host's body's name is still Calliope, aged five.|
The new information caused Leslie to wrinkle her brows.
"That's... too general! How could I find her among other Calliopes?"
|You'll know once you see her face, even through photos. Poppy's physical traits change like yours.|
"...yeah."
Seemed like it was the only way for now. She needed to request assistance from Calix. He had the manpower and resources needed.
Yet, Leslie wondered how should she tell him. He was surprised enough to meet her in the soul form. He might faint again if she said she was looking for her daughter.
"Let's talk about it more later," Leslie threw her gaze around the room, "Where are we now, Mimo? This is not the Li family's ancestral home, right?"
From what Leslie learned, Charlene and her family lived there. The latter was described as living a bad life because her paternal grandmother mistreated her immediate family.
|It's Graceville Manor. CEO Xu brought the original host here before he went to register the marriage.|
"Oh..."
Graceville Manor was Calix's private residence. He only had two staff here, a housekeeper who acted as a cook and a gardener cum driver. The pair was spouses.
In the story, spring was already in full bloom when Calix planned to marry Leslie. It should be in late March.
"For now, I need to think about..."
Leslie trailed off when the corner of her eyes caught a movement.
Still lying on the floor, Calix groaned as he was stirred awake.