As the sun set, an orange glow bathed the office building. Qin Jia spotted Secretary Lin loitering by the roadside—they'd met when she bought robots from Zecheng. "Miss Qin, Mr. Lu's waiting in the car," he whispered, pointing to a black Rolls-Royce around the corner.
Qin Jia approached, and the right door opened automatically. She circled to the passenger side, sliding into the seat. Lu Tingzhou handed her a kraft paper bag; inside were several boxes of wife cakes. "You bought too much—I can't finish them all," she said, startled.
"Share with family or friends," he smiled, his dark eyes softening. "It's a return gift for the lucky cat, money tree, and Pixiu you gave me."
Qin Jia's cheeks dimpled. "Then I won't be polite." She waved the bag, "I'll eat them at home—I just had cafeteria food. I promise to give feedback!"
Lu Tingzhou's lips curved. He'd never been a cheerful person, but being with her lifted his mood inexplicably. "Take your time—hope you like them."
Qin Jia paused, her eyelashes fluttering. "Did you wait in line long?" It had been two hours since his message.
"Not long," he said.
She pulled out a box, handing it to him. "Try one—we're friends, right? I can't finish them alone."
The car filled with sweet fragrance. Lu Tingzhou took a bite, savoring the delicate sweetness. Before he could respond, Qin Jia stuffed the whole box into his hand, grabbing her bag like a lively rabbit. "Mom's waiting—I'll see you soon!"
Watching her leave, Lu Tingzhou finished the box slowly. The fatigue of the day melted away, replaced by a lingering warmth.
On the SUV Home
Shen Yushu glanced at the paper bag. "This shop's famous for long lines—did a friend buy these for you?"
"Lu Tingzhou," Qin Jia nodded, fastening her seatbelt. "We're friends now—he gave me a discount on the robots."
Shen Yushu's brow furrowed slightly. She hesitated, then changed the subject: "You've been home from the hospital three weeks—go for a checkup in a few days, just to be safe."
Qin Jia agreed, secretly worrying about hiding her koala identity during the mental exam.
As dusk fell and rain began to patter, Shen Yushu's thoughts drifted to the past. When her family faced hundreds of millions in debt, Qin Zongming had pulled her from the Yucheng Bridge, saying, "You're not alone—I'll pay it off." Their arranged marriage had lacked affection, but she'd worked tirelessly to repay his kindness. Today's argument had unearthed forgotten memories—her parents' deaths, her illness, Qin Zongming's silent support.
"Jiajia," she said suddenly, "if your father scolds you tonight, don't take it to heart. Mom will handle it."
At the Villa
By the time they arrived, the rain had intensified. A maid greeted them with an umbrella; Qin Jia protected the wife cakes, their packaging slightly damp but intact. She counted four boxes—an even number, but "four" sounded like "death" in Chinese. Shrugging off the thought, she put them in the fridge and went to shower.
Shen Yushu asked after Qin Zongming. "Master's stomach acted up—he took medicine and rested early," the maid replied. "He skipped lunch, ate cold fruit…"
Shen Yushu sighed. She retreated to her room, opened a hidden compartment, and reviewed her assets—32 billion total, 2.5 billion liquid. She pulled out a divorce agreement and signed her name.
Upstairs, Qin Jia bumped into Qin Mo, soaking wet and haggard. "You look tired—been running around a lot?" she asked.
Qin Mo's voice cracked: "Sister… can I hug you?" He stepped back quickly. "No, my clothes are dirty. Thank you—I feel better now."
Later, Qin Jia found Qin Mo in the kitchen. "Want a wife cake?" she offered. He heated it in the air fryer, and they sat eating in silence.
"Sister," he said suddenly, "can you lend me 20 million? My company's short on cash—two partners went bankrupt."
Qin Jia nodded. "Mom gave me 30 million for robots—I have plenty left. Why not ask Mom or Dad?"
"Mom told me to get the money back first, and I dare not ask Dad," he laughed bitterly. "He thinks I'm a perfect genius. But who is, really? I've even wondered if this is a scripted world where I'm forced to succeed."
Qin Jia's heart skipped a beat—she remembered the system's plot: Qin Mo would turn evil in five years. Could this 20 million be the turning point? "I'll transfer it to you," she said firmly. "And I have a talent scout's contact—he's Duan Baihan's agent. You've always wanted to be an artist, right?"
Qin Mo hesitated, then nodded. "Might as well try."
Unbeknownst to them, Qin Zongming watched from the shadows, rubbing his knees.
Midnight
The rain subsided. Qin Zongming woke screaming from a nightmare—he'd dreamt their world was a novel, and he was a puppet. A voice ordered: "Get Qin Jia out of here, or the world will collapse."
He checked his stomach medicine's side effects: "Mental confusion, hallucinations." Relieved, he wrote a letter, called a friend in the U.S., and set his alarm for 6 a.m.
Next Morning
Qin Jia found wife cakes heated in the air fryer on the breakfast table. "Master left early for the hospital," Aju told Shen Yushu. "He took a box of red bean wife cakes."
Shen Yushu muttered, "Thick-skinned…"
Qin Mo burst in, waving a letter. "Dad ran away from home!"
Shen Yushu read the note:Yushu,
I'm on a plane to the U.S. Let's separate for now—I don't want you sad. Tell the children to live as they wish. If I'm better in two years, I'll return. If I go crazy, dispose of my assets. The will is with Attorney Cui.
Qin Zongming
Tears blurred her vision. She instructed Qin Mo to track his flight, while Qin Jia handed her tissues. Chaos erupted in the once-peaceful dining room.
In the Sky
Two system voices bickered:"235! The female lead was supposed to run away—why her dad? This isn't 'Adorable Baby Falls From the Sky, Young Master Lu Pampers His Runaway Wife'!""The koala's 'fallen from the sky,' Lu's making cute robot babies, the female lead's cute, the male lead spoils her, the dad's the 'runaway wife'—it all checks out!"001: "…"This world was beyond saving.