CHAPTER 51 – Awakening in a Rewritten World
Xiao Xi woke up slowly, coaxed back to consciousness by the profound absence of pain and the sensation of warm, filtered sunlight.
Birdsong drifted through open curtains—a sweet, clear sound that felt impossibly peaceful.
She lay in a clean, quiet, exquisitely furnished room that definitely wasn't the sterile, beeping chaos of the hospital.
She blinked, testing her senses.
Her body didn't hurt.
Her system didn't scream with error warnings.
Her heartbeat was slow, steady, and deeply restful.
She sat up cautiously, realizing her IV marks were gone, replaced by smooth, unblemished skin.
Where am I?
A familiar, steady voice spoke from the doorway, instantly anchoring her in the new reality.
"You're awake."
Gu Yanzhou stood there, looking utterly domestic yet still completely commanding. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing strong forearms; his hair was slightly messy, and he held a tray containing perfectly prepared porridge and fresh juice.
Her heart skipped a beat, a surge of adrenaline mixed with profound relief.
"Yanzhou…?"
He set the tray down on a nearby table and came to her side, his gaze intense.
He gently brushed a stray hair from her cheek, his touch protective and possessive.
"We're safe, Xiao Xi," he murmured, his thumb stroking her skin.
"For now, the System is localized and contained."
She looked around the unfamiliar room—luxurious, yet strangely anonymous.
"Where exactly are we?"
"One of my private safehouses," he said lightly, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"It's completely off-grid, built into a remote hillside.
Not connected to any public or corporate network.
Untraceable."
Her eyes widened, a rush of understanding hitting her.
"Did you plan this? Was this always your escape route?"
He smiled faintly—tired, but intensely warm and focused.
"I plan everything when it comes to you, Xiao Xi.
Especially contingencies for reality collapse."
Her cheeks flushed, the warmth a welcome antidote to the hospital cold.
But before she could respond, her System chimed softly—a calm, steady blue glow instead of the terrifying red warnings.
[World stability recalibrating. Core System integrity at 90%.]
[Host and Gu Yanzhou confirmed as timeline anchors.]
[New storyline forming around anchor points.]
Xiao Xi swallowed, the reality of their actions hitting her again.
"We… we really rewrote the world, didn't we?"
Gu sat beside her, taking her hand gently and raising it to his lips.
"No," he said, kissing her knuckles softly. "We rewrote our fate.
The world is just scrambling to keep up with the new main characters."