I sat in the enormous bathtub, surrounded by flower petals, bubbles, and the scent of lavender that screamed rich people stuff. If I wasn't busy trying to comprehend the plot twist that was now my life, I might've actually enjoyed it.
"Who knew a passerby character gets a bathtub big enough to swim laps in?" I muttered, poking at a floating rose petal.
I should've been grateful. I wasn't dead. I wasn't a cockroach in someone's romance drama. I was alive, breathing, and possessing the face of a goddess with silky black hair and sapphire eyes that could make men trip over themselves. But still…
I wasn't the female lead.
No halo. No golden finger. No secret cheat system. Just Xiao Xinya — a rich, pretty background character whose name didn't even get mentioned in the book.
"Congratulations, me," I said sarcastically. "You've transmigrated into a novel and got demoted from reader to… ornamental."
Just then, a maid entered cautiously. "My lady, would you like me to prepare your outfit for today? There's a family dinner this evening."
"Family… dinner?" I echoed, blinking. "Oh, right. Sure. Pick something simple and classy."
Actually, what does a wealthy heiress even wear to dinner? Do I need diamonds for soup? Is it like Downton Abbey?
"Also," she added, wringing her hands, "Master Xiao said he'll be arriving tonight. He wants to speak with you."
I froze. Master Xiao... my new father?
A wave of anxiety hit me like cold water. What if he could see through me? What if he realized I wasn't his daughter? What if I accidentally call him sir instead of dad?
I nodded calmly, but inside, I was screaming. "Okay, thank you. That'll be all."
After she left, I sank deeper into the bath until only my nose was above the water. "Think, Xinya. You read the whole novel. You know this world. You know the characters. Use that brain you were so proud of."
I had no idea how Xiao Xinya really acted before. So far, everyone thought I was "a little off" — like a confused cat wearing high heels. But I needed to blend in.
And then… it happened again.
A flicker.
A blurry memory — like watching a movie underwater.
A girl's voice.
"I don't want to do this, Father. I want to study art, not finance!"
And a man's cold reply. "Your emotions won't build an empire, Xinya. You are a Xiao."
I gasped and gripped the side of the tub.
"What… was that?" I whispered.
It wasn't my memory.
It was hers.
Was Xiao Xinya's soul really gone? Or was she… still inside me?
That night, I sat at the head of a long, glossy dinner table. The chandeliers sparkled above like a thousand stars, but I was sweating bullets.
A man in his fifties walked in, his posture straight, eyes sharp. Mr. Xiao. The kind of man who probably made CEOs cry during meetings.
He looked at me for a long moment. Then, "Xinya."
I stood up instinctively. "Yes, Father— I mean, Dad— no, I mean, yes!"
Smooth. Very smooth.
He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Instead, he sat down and gestured for the butler to serve.
We ate in silence. The clinking of cutlery echoed like gunshots in the tense air. I tried not to choke on the world's most expensive steak.
Finally, he spoke. "Your grades from the finance program have dropped. You missed your last two business mentoring sessions. Is something going on?"
Ah, so this is where the original Xinya's stress came from.
"I…" I started, then softened my tone. "I think I need a little time. I've been… feeling unwell lately. Maybe I need a short break?"
He looked at me, not unkindly, but with disappointment hiding behind cold eyes. "I didn't raise you to be weak, Xinya."
Ouch.
My fingers clenched under the table.
This world was too real. Too harsh. Even the supporting characters had pain written into their lives. Just because I wasn't the female lead didn't mean I could coast.
Maybe I wasn't meant to be just a pretty passerby.
Maybe… I was here for a reason.
I stood up, bowed slightly. "Thank you for your concern, Father. I'll work on it."
He said nothing, but I caught a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Maybe he was expecting the old Xinya to throw a tantrum.
As I walked back to my room, the corridors seemed darker than before.
But something had changed in me.
I wasn't just a reader anymore.
And this wasn't just someone else's story.