Actually, Qiu Wuji herself didn't know why she had such high reader popularity; the likes and hearts on her character card were several times higher than the protagonist, Chu Tiange.
Her plot wasn't that extensive…most of it was just showing off and fighting.
Only occasionally did she bump into a door and act cute. Was this some kind of contrasting charm?
"Because you're in management outside, and also because you have an autobiography," Chu Ge said with a smile, holding her as they read book reviews together. "You're the most real person in the book, like someone living among us in people's hearts, unlike any other character."
Qiu Wuji said, "What if others wrote autobiographies?"
"That would be completely different; they're not girls."
"…" Qiu Wuji thought of those perverts at Panda and couldn't help but laugh. "What kind of people are they! Staring at a two-dimensional character…"
"But I've already embraced that two-dimensional character in my arms!" Chu Ge said, lowering his head to find her lips.
Now, Qiu Wuji felt a good habit of kissing him; his kiss felt as natural as holding hands.
It wasn't until they were kissing that he remembered his lifelong rival was outside, pitifully tending a fire to refine pills.
It felt a bit like a captive enemy being forced into hard labor while he indulged in lewd acts in his harem.
Qiu Wuji felt a little embarrassed and pushed him away, panting slightly, "Don't think about good things. There's someone outside."
"He can't see..."
"How do you know he can't see... By the way, what do you plan to do?"
Chu Ge thought for a moment: "Since it's the will of Heaven, then it will handle it. He's ultimately a character in the book, within my established framework."
He sat back down at the computer, opened the character design section of the outline, scrolled to Yan Qianlie's section, and added a sentence: "Arrogant throughout his life, he only respects the strong. After attempting to rebel against the will of Heaven and being suppressed, he felt resentful, but until he could break through the will of Heaven, he was willing to obey its will."
Qiu Wuji watched from the side, his feelings somewhat complicated.
This modification was peculiar… She didn't even know if it counted as a modification or the original Yan Qianlie.
Because according to the deduction, Yan Qianlie would indeed be like this: rebellious and unwilling at heart, but genuinely willing to listen to you until he was certain he could challenge you. However, writing this sentence amplified it, turning a possible deduction into an inescapable inevitability, eliminating the possibility of feigned compliance and creating "willingness to obey."
This is the effect of "logical self-consistency." The premise is logic, but with the pen in his hand, he can find many ways to justify himself. It's as if a thread connects him to the clouds, and that unseen hand is fate.
Just like when she, Qiu Wuji, said, "If I were to find a man, I would only look for the Creator God."
So reasonable that she still doesn't know how much influence that statement truly had.
Ultimately, they are all just characters in a book.
…The characters in the book are also different.
Imagine if Little Flame in the book saw Qiu Wuji's heart-shaped gesture, tens of thousands of times higher than his own—wouldn't he be furious? Don't male villains have any rights?
Doesn't anyone cry out, "Qianqian~ My Qianqian~"?
Luckily, he can't see it.
Actually, he doesn't know much about this world yet. His most vivid memory is of spiritual energy that's weaker than his own fart, yet people call it "rich."
It's unbelievable, what a stupid world.
Little Flame doesn't want to stay here at all. Little Flame wants to go home. Even if it means having all his memories of this stupid world erased, he'd be willing. What's there to remember about this awful place?
But now, whether he can go back is entirely up to Heaven's will. Little Flame is anxious, hoping that if he refines this batch of pills well, Heaven will be pleased and let him go back…
Little Flame diligently refines the pills, and soon, the air is filled with the fragrance of the elixir.
For a pill used in the Foundation Establishment stage, Yan Qianlie has absolutely no chance of failure. He could refine it to the perfect quality even with his eyes closed.
The adulterous couple inside seemed to have caught the scent of the pill and hurriedly came out to check it.
Yan Qianlie noticed Qiu Wuji's slightly flushed face and red lips, wondering what the couple had been doing inside.
He didn't dare ask, only forcing a smile: "Father God, the pill is ready..."
"This is Qiu Qiu's pill." Chu Ge gestured for Qiu Wuji to open the furnace and retrieve the pill, then squatted down and smiled at the little flame: "Thank you for your hard work."
"It's my duty, it's my duty, serving Father God..." The little flame patted its chest: "I've figured it out too, our lives were given by Father God, so it's only right that we go through fire and water for him!"
"You know I won't believe your servile face, so why bother?" Chu Ge sighed: "Don't worry about your old arrogant self upsetting me. Actually, I prefer to see that Yan Qianlie; that's the demonic overlord I painstakingly created." The little flame remained silent.
"That sounds nice, but if I were really thinking straight, I'd be cursing you to hell. You'd be lucky to get a kind word from me then."
But the thought had barely formed when he suddenly realized he didn't want to curse anymore.
He believed in the survival of the fittest. Even if this experience was "unlucky," wasn't it also part of "divine will"? He knew he couldn't defy fate; at least, his current strength wasn't enough.
He should either train until he was strong enough to overthrow him, or what was the point of cursing before that? He wasn't a sore loser. He should just blame his own lack of strength and go back to train harder.
He was silent for a moment, then finally said, "Even by my own conscience, I respect the Father God. My previous arrogance stemmed from not having seen the height of Heaven. Now that I have, at least… I am convinced."
These last few words finally revealed Yan Qianlie's arrogance.
He made "now" clear. What if one day I surpass you? Then things might change! However, this was exactly what Chu Ge wanted. He didn't want to change Yan Qianlie's fundamental character; that would be tantamount to overturning all his previous efforts.
"Are you convinced of my worth now?" he asked.
"Yes." Little Flame crossed her arms: "If you don't kill me... anyway, if you erase my memories and throw me back into the book, I'll have no complaints."
"Why would I erase your memories?"
Little Flame: "?"
"Since you're willing to submit to fate, wouldn't the things I ask you to do count as acting on behalf of Heaven?"
Little Flame couldn't even maintain her crossed arms pose anymore, wanting to grab Chu Ge's collar: "Is this true?"
But ultimately, she didn't dare to be presumptuous, spinning around twice before saying: "Acting on behalf of Heaven... ha, representing fate..."
Chu Ge smiled slightly: "Not bad... from your matter, I realized..." "One thing is certain: among the elites of the book's world, you and Qiuqiu aren't the only ones who recognize the existence of the Heavenly Dao. There will be others... Qiuqiu can't possibly search the entire world to find out who they are. Even if she senses them, it's difficult for her to do anything. But you're different." Yan Qianlie stared into his eyes: "You want me to test out these people for you."
"Yes, you don't need to do anything to them... For example, feign an invitation to rebel against the Heavenly Dao and see who shows any special behavior."
"And then what will you do?" Chu Ge shook his head and smiled: "I won't do anything, but I must know who they are, to be well-informed, so that this time..." "It won't happen again." Yan Qianlie suddenly laughed: "I've become your lackey." Chu Ge corrected: "Acting on behalf of Heaven, patrolling on behalf of Heaven."
"Just a jailer."
"So, will you do it or not?"
"...Yes." The little flame's ferocity returned: "Why should I be tormented by Heaven? Let everyone else have a taste too!"
"Wait a minute." Qiu Wuji placed several more portions of medicinal herbs into the alchemy furnace: "Before going on patrolling on behalf of Heaven, refine one more batch of pills."
The little flame: "You stinking woman, I serve Heaven, not you. You think you can order me around?"
Chu Ge: "Refine."
The little flame: "...Oh." Seeing Little Flame obediently resume refining pills, Qiu Wuji stood up, turned to Chu Ge, and shook his head with a wry smile: "Now, you're like a big boss, while I'm just a corrupt concubine in a chaotic world."
Chu Ge blinked: "You consider yourself a concubine? Where's the empress?"
Qiu Wuji roared: "You want an empress? Who are you looking for! Not Chu Ge, you stop right there!"
Little Flame watched helplessly as his invincible "Heavenly Dao" fled in terror, Qiu Wuji chasing after him with a feather duster: "Chu Ge, you've got some nerve, haven't you? Stick your head out here! I'll beat you to death! Heavenly Dao, go calm down in the sewers!"