“Qiaoqiao, another day, I’ll come by and go shopping with your mom,” Mrs. Wang whispered, giving Li Qiao a little wave.
She didn’t know what Li Man and Li Qiao were talking about, but she could tell from Li Man’s expression that something was wrong.
“Okay, Auntie,” Li Qiao replied with a cheerful smile.
Li Man then left with Mrs. Wang and the others.
Mrs. Wang said quietly, “Manman, you and Qiaoqiao are about the same age. You should spend more time together. Qiaoqiao is a really remarkable person. If you two could become good friends, it would be beneficial, to say the least.”
“…” Become friends with Li Qiao?
Not in this lifetime, nor the next!
Still feeling hurt from what just happened, Li Man said weakly, “Godmother, I have a lowly status. I’m not worthy of being friends with the daughter of the Li family.”
“Silly child, don’t talk like that. You’re my goddaughter, and you’re also the one who saved your grandmother’s life. You are not inferior to anyone.”
“Godmother, I know you’re just trying to comfort me. I also know my place. Aunt was right. Someone like me doesn’t deserve to be part of your family. I’ll pack my things and leave today,” Li Man said, growing sadder as she spoke.
This really broke Old Mrs. Xu’s heart.
Watching Li Man put on this act, Xu Yuan stomped her foot and ran off.
Snuggled up in Old Mrs. Xu’s arms, Li Man felt secretly delighted.
Xu Yuan was destined to be a mere footnote, a pawn!
“From now on, when you go to banquets, take Manman out with you more often.”
“I understand, Mom,” Mrs. Wang agreed.
At the Li residence.
Li Qiao came back holding a poster of Li Shaoyu. Li Shaojin raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, “Qiaoqiao, did you go to Shaoyu’s event?”
“Just happened to pass by. Fourth brother has a lot of female fans.”
“He gets by purely on his looks!”
Li Qiao chuckled. She sat down in a chair and looked at Li Shaojin, observing his handsome face as he diligently handled work. Her eldest brother was truly good-looking.
Now that Li Man had arrived here, she had no idea what might happen in the future. She, Li Qiao, could use her mastery of metaphysics to change the Li family’s fate, but…
Could Li Man also use her knowledge of the past life to change the course of events?
Her smile faded a little.
If only she could get her hands on the original novel!
Li Qiao lay down on the sofa and let out a long sigh. Li Shaojin smiled and said, “Sighing when you’re so young, be careful you don’t get wrinkles.”
“It’s okay, everyone grows old eventually… Hey…” Suddenly, a book appeared right on top of her.
Li Qiao blinked. The book was still resting on her stomach.
She picked it up and shook it vigorously. Li Shaojin noticed her movement and asked, “Qiaoqiao, is your hand uncomfortable?”
Li Qiao was stunned. “Big Brother… you can’t see this?”
“See what?”
The surprise on his face made a wave of disbelief wash over Li Qiao. Only she could see this book; no one else could.
Li Qiao said softly, “Never mind.”
So, she opened the book. To her astonishment, her eyes widened the moment she saw the contents.
It was authentic!
A legitimate copy of the book.
Li Qiao flipped through the entire book as fast as she could. She was quite upset. All that time she had wasted reading a pirated copy!
After finishing, her expression grew more and more serious.
In the original book, Li Man had pretended to be Li Qiao. After returning to the Li family, her life hadn’t been good. The Li family went bankrupt quickly. The four Li brothers met with death or disability – the family was utterly ruined. Although Li Man suffered through great hardships, she eventually met the male lead, Bai Moting. After a series of experiences, they ended up together and lived happily ever after.
Li Qiao had stayed in the countryside the whole time. Her life was miserable. After enduring countless torments, she unexpectedly saved a man – He Jingnian. Grateful to Li Qiao for saving his life, He Jingnian helped and educated her. Li Qiao used Li Dazhi as a decoy to divert the attention of her enemies in the business world. She dedicated her entire life to her career and never married!
That was the gist of the whole story. The author had labeled it a “motivational, sweet little story about the fake and real heiresses.”
What was so sweet about it?
It was certainly motivational, though!
Li Qiao’s expression turned grim.
Something wasn’t right!
Li Man had been reborn, so she definitely wouldn’t live her entire life exactly as written in the book.
A character getting reborn in a book meant…
Li Qiao sat up abruptly. “Awakening!”
Yes, it had to be an awakening that allowed Li Man to break free from the predetermined fate in the novel and be reborn.
In the previous life, how did Li Man awaken?
Did someone help her?
Or was it an accident?
Li Qiao pressed her lips together and flipped through the original novel again.
When she reached the very last page, three characters appeared on it: Correcting in progress.
Correcting?
The plot?
Were they trying to force the original storyline?
Li Qiao’s face darkened. She was a person of the mystical arts, not the Li Qiao from the book.
This book was too strange.
With a flick of her hand, Li Qiao burned the original novel into ashes!
Then, she went back to her bedroom. Looking at the memorial tablet of her sect’s founding master, she said, “Founding Master… something’s wrong…”
She voiced her doubts, hoping for a response from the tablet. But it remained silent, offering no sign.
“Back then, Li Jue once said he tore apart this world, and it had become an independent small world, no longer influenced by the plot. What does ‘correcting’ mean now?”
“Founding Master, I won’t just disappear from this world, will I?”
“Founding Master, our Taoist temple was just built. If they start correcting the plot now… then all our hard work was for nothing.”
Holding the memorial tablet, Li Qiao wailed dramatically, though her tears were mostly for effect.
Finally, the words “Heavenly Law” appeared on the surface of the table. Li Qiao wiped her non-existent tears.
“What does that mean? Founding Master, can you be a bit clearer?”
Another line of text appeared on the table.
Heavenly Law, Female Lead!
Li Qiao pondered these four words. Suddenly, a realization struck her. “The Heavenly Law is helping the female lead. In this world, the female lead is Li Man, right? So Li Man’s appearance here isn’t a coincidence. The Heavenly Law detected something unusual, and it’s protecting the female lead!”
The incense smoke from the tablet grew much thicker.
Having gotten the answer she needed, Li Qiao frowned slightly.
The Heavenly Law was helping Li Man. Gaining the Xu family’s affection was just the beginning…
What about later? Would everyone else gradually start to like Li Man too? If the Heavenly Law favored the female lead, and she, the insignificant character, wasn’t following the original Li Qiao’s path, what kind of outcome awaited her?
Li Qiao couldn’t help but grumble, “Does the Heavenly Law have a screw loose? Is it that bored?”
“If the Heavenly Law is going to protect Li Man recklessly, then I’ll just have to fight against the Heavenly Law itself.”
The word “lose” wasn’t in her dictionary.
The original novel, which had been absent all this time, chose to appear at this critical moment. That alone proved it was no coincidence.
Or maybe it was a warning from the Heavenly Law, telling her not to oppose Li Man?
When she went back downstairs, Li Shaojin was still sitting with his computer, handling business. Li Qiao stared at his back.
She walked over and quietly studied his features. His appearance, which had seemed perfectly normal before, now once again bore the signs of someone nearing death!
Li Qiao was horrified.
She clenched her fists slightly. Had the Heavenly Law Correction already begun?
