Late at night, the air was cool as water.
The streets of the eastern district of Huai City had become deserted and quiet. Not situated on a commercial street, there were hardly any people around at this hour, with only a 24-hour convenience store still casting a lonely white light, contrasting with the dim yellow of the street lamps outside, creating an ambiance as melancholic and cold as autumn water.
A slightly overweight figure suddenly appeared at the edge of the street and hurried into the store, which was just as quiet as the street outside.
This was a slightly chubby girl with a face that was somewhat cute. Upon entering the store, she took off her pink woolen hat and said to the girl standing at the cash register, "Musheng, sorry, there was an issue at the other store, I'm late."
Her face bore a pleasing smile, yet her eyes carried a touch of disdain, as if she was merely going through the motions.
The girl named Musheng was standing by the cash register. She was a little over one meter sixty in height with an excellent figure. She wore a white, low-neck sweater and a thin grey knitted cardigan, with tight jeans that perfectly hugged her straight, long legs. She was wearing a red employee's cap, so her true face was not visible.
Only when she heard the girl's words did she lift her head with a smile, revealing a delicate face, but her features somehow carried a hint of boldness, giving off a somewhat handsome vibe.
"It's okay."
A gentle, smooth voice spoke, and Musheng took off her employee cap, smiled at Zhao Ying who had come for the shift change, and left promptly.
"Goodbye, Zhao Ying." Musheng waved to Zhao Ying.
Zhao Ying took over the cap, feigning warmth in her goodbye to Musheng. Once Musheng had left the convenience store, Zhao Ying's disdain was plainly visible, and she carelessly tossed the cap to the side of the cash register.
After leaving the convenience store, Musheng rubbed her palms together and breathed onto them, a faint smile gracing her forehead.
Zhao Ying had issues with her, it was clear to see, but it all stemmed from the boss assigning the daytime work to her and relegating Zhao Ying to the night shift.
The night shift even paid a bit more, and Zhao Ying had initially agreed very readily. Now, unable to handle it, she was inexplicably blaming Musheng.
At this moment, Musheng, without the warmth she had in the store, exuded a subtle presence about her, cold yet sharp. It was as if, surrounded by a crowd, she would easily draw others' eyes.
Musheng checked the time on her phone: 8:37 PM. According to the original schedule, she should have finished her shift at 7 PM; Zhao Ying had delayed her for over an hour today.
Musheng frowned slightly, unsure whether to remind Zhao Ying or just let it be, considering she wouldn't be working many more days anyway. She didn't want to spend her energy on someone completely irrelevant.
In an instant, Musheng suddenly thought of the past, then the present, and it never crossed her mind that with her temperament she could also have such indifferent moments. Could it be that a person who died once really becomes indifferent to everything?
Musheng was not the real Musheng; she was reborn. More precisely, she had taken over someone else's body after she died, and the original poor girl was actually driven to death by her own family.
Thinking of the past's troubled affairs, Musheng sighed. It was all in the past, and she didn't want to think about it anymore. It was just a pity for the original owner, that girl – what a pointless death!
She was not the type to resign herself to her fate, so the very second day after her rebirth, she had settled all that needed to be fought for on behalf of the original host's life. The only thing she didn't know was how to face the person at home— the original host's mother...
Musheng couldn't be bothered to think about the past anymore. Since she had been reborn and taken over someone else's body, she had to live well and lead a splendid life. If even the heavens didn't want her dead, how could she disappoint such kindness?
It just so happened that Musheng shared the same name as her previous self, but she mostly used another name. Aside from that person, nearly no one else knew her real name.
The original host was a girl who had already taken college entrance exams and managed to get into a well-known institution in Capital City on her own merit. Still, she was not exceptional enough to have her tuition fees waived. Coming from a not so well-off family, the original host needed to earn the tuition herself, which was why Musheng had to work at the convenience store. Today's Musheng, however, didn't want to do that— it was too bothersome and tiring.
If it weren't for the fact that she had just been reborn and was still getting her bearings, Musheng wouldn't have gone to the convenience store. But now she had gotten a handle on things and even gotten some money back, it was only natural for her to resign and leave.
The weather in Huai City had been bizarrely extreme these past few days. Even though it was almost autumn, it should not have been this cold. The deep night was freezing to the bone! Musheng quickened her pace as the dim streetlights cast long shadows of her form, and gusts of chilling wind swirled into her neck, making her involuntarily hunch her shoulders.
It was indeed very cold today!
"Tap tap tap tap..."
Suddenly, the chaotic sound of high heels striking the ground came from not far away. Musheng lifted her head and saw a woman in a black trench coat running towards her in a fluster. Her dazzling seaweed-long hair sparkled with an unusual sheen under the light, casting her face in shadows, making it hard to discern clearly.
Behind the woman was a sleazy figure; short in stature, hunch-backed, it was clearly a man. Following a woman in the dead of night, his intentions hardly needed explaining.
Musheng frowned, considering whether she should quickly make a run for it, when the woman had already reached her.
"Could... could you pretend to know me and walk with me..."
The woman's voice was crisp, deliberately lowered, intermixed with undeniable panic.
Only now did Musheng get a good look at the woman's face and couldn't help but inwardly exclaim at the sight— to have such a calamitous beauty, and to dare wander the streets alone at night, how bold was she? No wonder she had encountered such trouble.
The woman had a pair of eyes brimming with emotion, clear-cut between black and white, a perky nose, and rosy lips, making up an exquisitely beautiful face. Especially now, with her panic-stricken demeanor, she resembled a frightened little animal. In those large eyes, there was a hint of stubborn strength fighting to be retained, a paradoxical yet delicate appearance that would have had any man pitying and yearning to hold her close.
Unfortunately for her, Musheng was a woman.
Trouble had come knocking, and Musheng didn't really want to get involved, but seeing the sleazy extremity of the man following behind, Musheng felt she couldn't stand to watch such a delicate flower be ravaged by someone so repulsive. Thus, for the first time in both her lives, Musheng did a good deed.
She nodded, and the woman came closer with joy, reaching out and grasping Musheng's arm, "Thank you, my name is Hai Ge, and you?" Perhaps because she found support, she no longer seemed as panicked as before.
Musheng tensed slightly as the woman's faint, tea-like fragrance wafted into her nose, not the overwhelming scent of perfume, which was tolerable. Hence, Musheng relaxed a little.
However, the sleazy man evidently was not ready to give up.