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Nie Li busied himself tidying up his room, moving around with purpose as Shen Xiu sat at the table, drying her hair with a towel. The silence that filled the room was palpable, marked by the occasional rustle of the towel through hair. It was an awkward quiet, the kind that begged for conversation but was met only with the mundane sounds of domesticity.

"Where were you?" Shen Xiu finally broke the silence, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity as she glanced over at him.

"Out," Nie Li replied shortly, not looking up from his task.

"My apologies, I thought you were IN," Shen Xiu retorted with a touch of sarcasm.

"I just needed to get some herbs and stuff. I fell asleep," Nie Li offered an explanation, though not entirely truthful.

"Was it for that weird..." Shen Xiu coughed into her hand, barely concealing her mirth, "...Erectile Dysfunction?"

Nie Li could hear the suppressed giggles in her voice, a clear sign she was enjoying this a bit too much. 

"Yes," he played along, deciding if he was to blunder, he wouldn't run away from it like a coward.

Nie Li continued his cleaning, allowing the sounds of Shen Xiu's laughter to fill the room. 

She tried to stifle her amusement, but it was a losing battle. 

Nie Li didn't mind; he figured it was good for her to have her fun.

"So, Miss Shen Xiu, why were you sleeping outside my dorm room?" Nie Li eventually asked.

Shen Xiu straightened up with an air of arrogance. 

"Because I wanted to," she declared, though her face betrayed her embarrassment, suggesting she might have accidentally fallen asleep.

"Right, Miss Floor Sleeper. I wrote down the answers to the notes you were using as a pillow," Nie Li responded, a slight tease in his tone as Shen Xiu huffed in mock indignation.

"You carried me inside," Shen Xiu remarked, her voice a mixture of curiosity and something softer, less guarded.

"Something wrong?" she prodded, her voice softer than usual.

"Would you have preferred I left you there?" Nie Li retorted.

Her gaze sharpened, "You didn't do anything, right?" 

The question, loaded with suspicion, was direct.

"No," Nie Li responded simply, earnestly, meeting her gaze without flinching.

"I slept on the floor. I think I shouldn't have given you the bed, considering you seem to like sleeping on the floor," Nie Li teased, throwing a playful jab her way. Shen Xiu's response was to look away, her gaze drifting towards the window just as the noise of students heading to the breakfast hall filled the air.

"Thanks," she muttered, almost lost amidst the clamor outside. Yet, Nie Li caught the word, understanding its weight.

"You're welcome," he replied, a smile in his voice, only for Shen Xiu to quickly retort, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Nie Li just smiled.

It seemed Shen Xiu did have this softer side to her after all.

"Want something to eat?" Nie Li offered, changing the subject smoothly, an attempt to ease the tension that had built up.

"You can cook?" Shen Xiu asked, a hint of surprise lacing her tone.

"Of course, I always helped out my mother with cooking and cleaning. Everyone has to pitch in," Nie Li shared, moving to wash his hands at the nearby sink.

"I thought you were the heir of the Heavenly Marks Family," Shen Xiu questioned, her curiosity piqued yet again.

Nie Li paused, his hands still under the running water, as he contemplated his next words. 

Shen Xiu's disdain for commoners was no secret, and revealing his true background as the son of a farmer might only serve to widen the gap between them and make his mission to court her, harder.

He turned to face her, choosing his words carefully.

"Oh! It's nothing, yeah, I am the heir, but that doesn't mean I couldn't help out here and there," Nie Li replied.

Shen Xiu could sense the lie, a slight shift in his demeanor, a hesitation that wasn't there before. 

Yet, she chose not to probe further. 

Perhaps if it were anyone else, she might have pressed, driven by curiosity or pride. But Nie Li was different. 

His value had become increasingly clear to her. 

Pushing him away over something so trivial seemed counterproductive, a risk she was not willing to take.

"Let me help," Shen Xiu offered, stepping forward with an unexpected eagerness that took Nie Li by surprise. 

His eyebrow arched in disbelief; the idea of a noble like Shen Xiu engaging in something as mundane as cooking was almost unimaginable. 

Yet, there she stood, ready to prove herself in the kitchen.

It will end in disaster, Nie Li thought. 

And true to his prediction, it did.

The kitchen soon became the scene of a culinary catastrophe. 

Nie Li stared at the charred remains of what was supposed to be jianbing, a popular breakfast dish known for its savory flavors and crispy texture. Now, it was a blackened, unrecognizable mess that stuck stubbornly to the pan, ruined beyond any hope of salvage.

Shen Xiu, standing at the table, looked embarrassed by the outcome, yet she stubbornly maintained her arrogant facade, refusing to let her guard down even in the face of failure.

Nie Li, however, found that he didn't mind the ruined breakfast. He was in too good a mood, having recently ascended to a silver rank fighter, to let something like this dampen his spirits. Deciding to make the best of the situation, he bravely took the first bite of the burnt jianbing.

He flinched at the taste, the bitterness of the char assaulting his taste buds, but he managed to gulp it down. 

"How is it?" Shen Xiu asked, watching him closely.

With considerable effort, Nie Li raised a weak thumbs up, not wanting to hurt her feelings. His response prompted Shen Xiu to try a bite herself, her confidence unshaken until the moment the food hit her tongue. 

Her expression turned to one of shock, and she immediately spat it out.

"That tastes like ... shit."

Nie Li watched, wide-eyed, as Shen Xiu rushed to the bathroom, sounds of her being sick echoing through the apartment. 

After a brave but misguided attempt to eat the entire burnt breakfast she had made, her pride had led her to this moment. 

Now, regret was literally spilling out.

"Shen Xiu, you ok?" Nie Li called out, concerned but trying to keep his voice steady.

"Yeah, got any milk? My throat's on fire," Shen Xiu managed to say as she stepped back into the room, wiping her mouth with a towel.

"Mhm," Nie Li hummed, quickly pouring her a glass of milk. She gulped it down fast, letting out a relieved sigh that seemed to say she felt saved by the drink.

"Do you want something else to eat?" Nie Li ventured, hopeful to make amends.

Shen Xiu shot him a look that could freeze boiling water.

"I'll cook alone this time," Nie Li quickly added, trying to assure her.

The look in Shen Xiu's eyes only got sharper, making Nie Li feel a drop of sweat roll down his forehead. He realized no matter what he said, it was going to be a challenge to get back on her good side.

With Shen Xiu, it seemed, there was just no winning.

As Nie Li cleared away the plates, Shen Xiu rubbed her throat, still feeling the discomfort from her earlier ordeal. Nie Li, looking to change the subject, ventured cautiously, "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah," Shen Xiu responded, her voice still a bit rough.

"Why did you want to talk to me?" Nie Li asked, genuinely curious.

"Why do you ask?" Shen Xiu countered, intrigued by his sudden interest in her intentions.

Nie Li laid out his observations, "Well, you could've just asked me about the notes in class. Plus, you waited outside my room and even slept there instead of going home. 

So, I can think of only two reasons."

He leaned in with a playful grin, "Either you've finally realized how incredibly handsome I am and can't stay away," he joked, earning a snort and a laugh from Shen Xiu.

"And the other reason?" she asked, still chuckling.

Nie Li's expression turned serious. "You need my help and considering those notes were weirdly structured like suggestions and ideas for a lecture, I am going to go out of a limb and say the second guess is true."

Shen Xiu's laughter faded, and she looked down at the table, admitting, "You're right."

"About the handsome part or the help part?" Nie Li couldn't resist asking.

"The help part," she replied without missing a beat.

"And the handsome part? Any truth to that?" Nie Li prodded further, a teasing sparkle in his eyes.

"Nie Li, I'm serious," she said, trying to steer the conversation back to a more serious note.

Nie Li nodded, sitting down across from her. "What can I do to help?" 

Shen Xiu inhaled deeply, "Before that, I need to tell you about my mission here. I'm sure you're wondering why the beautiful, talented, amazing, brave—"

Nie Li couldn't help but interrupt, not keen on sitting through her self-admiration. 

"You're here to make sure that Shen Yue and Ye Ziyun enter into an arranged marriage."

Shen Xiu's mouth fell open in surprise. 

"How did you know?"

Nie Li seized the opportunity to impress her. "Well, for starters, Ye Ziyun was welcomed by the principal himself during her admission. This kind of privilege is usually reserved for members of the Snow Wind Family or someone of high rank. Given her age, it's obvious that Ye Ziyun is the City Lord's daughter. And with the arrival of the sister of the Sacred Family's Patriarch to teach a class where both your nephew, Shen Yue, and the City Lord's daughter were present, it was clear your goal was to form an alliance through an arranged marriage between the Sacred and Snow Wind families."

Shocked would be an understatement for how Shen Xiu felt. 

She looked at Nie Li as if he were a mind reader.

"Wow, you're right," she admitted.

"Of course, I am," Nie Li thought to himself, knowing his knowledge from the future gave him an edge. 

Aloud, he simply replied with a confident smile.

"Okay, genius, then tell me why I wanted your help?" Shen Xiu challenged him, her curiosity piqued.

Nie Li smirked, ready with his answer. 

"A high-ranking elder from the Snow Wind Family is coming, and you want to make a strong first impression on behalf of the Sacred Family. By showcasing the best of what your family has to offer, you hope that when the marriage proposal is put forward, the Sacred Family will appear more appealing and influential, strengthening the alliance's chances."

At that moment, Shen Xiu looked genuinely afraid of Nie Li's insights; they were spot on.

"Just tell me if the lecture I've prepared will be good enough," Shen Xiu said, her voice tinged with unease. She pulled a journal from her storage ring, handing it over for Nie Li to review.

As Nie Li flipped through the pages, he could see the anxiety written all over Shen Xiu's face. This lecture wasn't just a task for her; it was a critical moment that could affect her standing within the Sacred Family. 

"I guess I'll help her out. Hopefully, she won't try to kill me when I try to court her," Nie Li mused internally, his thoughts interrupted when he turned to a specific page.

[ Narrative Point Detected ]

[ Select from the following ]

[ 1- Tell Shen Xiu that the Scarlet Sunburst Inscription Array is plagiarized ]

[ 2- Have Sex with Shen Xiu ] 

[ Selection Confirmed: Player Nie Li has chosen Option 1- Tell Shen Xiu that the Scarlet Sunburst Inscription Array is plagiarized ]

[ Process: Simulating mission parameters and narratjve development. ]

[ Mission Generation: Initiated ]

[ Mission: Truth ]

[ Mission Type: Semi ]

[ Objective: Help Shen Xiu ]

[ Reward: Shen Xiu's Loyalty and Trust ]

"What's wrong?" Shen Xiu pressed, noticing Nie Li's hesitation.

He looked up, fixing her with a serious gaze. "Shen Xiu, what do you know about the Scarlet Sunburst Inscription Array?" he inquired.

She responded confidently, "It's a fire array that uses soul crystals as a power source. Created by the first generation Patriarch of the Sacred Family 200 years ago, it's been a key factor in our rise to power. It's used for a variety of purposes—like heating homes, powering machinery, enhancing weapons, defending city walls, agricultural development, providing light sources, industrial processing, cooking, metal forging, creating artisan crafts, and even in entertainment shows. The Sacred Family has leveraged this array for economic dominance and societal benefit."

Nie Li's expression remained unchanged, sensing the delicate nature of what he was about to reveal. 

"Is there something you want to say?" Shen Xiu pressed, catching the slight change in his demeanor.

"Your lecture is solid. I'm sure the elder will be impressed," Nie Li started, recalling how in his previous life, Shen Xiu had indeed made a strong impression. 

A smile briefly crossed Shen Xiu's face at his words.

"But," Nie Li continued, pausing for effect, "there's something about the Scarlet Sunburst Inscription Array. I'll only say this if you promise not to get mad."

Shen Xiu nodded, her expression serious but open. She respected Nie Li enough to seek his help and valued his opinion highly.

"The Scarlet Sunburst Inscription Array," Nie Li finally revealed, "is plagiarized."

...

[ Author Note: A few changes from the original story: 

1- In the original, it was stated that Shen Yue and Ye Ziyun were already in an arranged marriage, which made no sense to me because why was Shen Xiu there, why didn't Ye Han rush to Glory City to kill Shen Yue? Why did Ye Han cooperate with the Sacred Family in the first timeline of the original story if he knew his "beloved" Ye Ziyun was to be married to the Sacred Family? 

Hence, I changed it so that Shen Xiu and Yue are both trying to make this arranged marriage work.

Shen Yue is supposed to woo Ye Ziyun into the mindset that he loves her and wants to be with her.

Shen Xiu is there to give her nephew support, some alone time via detention for both, etc., and to make sure that the guards of Ye Ziyun and the hidden spies of the Snow Wind Family put in a good word about the Sacred Family to the Snow Wind Family.

...

2- The Scarlet Sunburst Inscription Array; in the original story, we were never given a reason as to why this array had to be plagiarized and why the Sacred Family considered killing Nie Li because of these accusations, and why the secret elder gave Nie Li the librarian job as a way to tell the Sacred Family that Nie Li is under the protection of the institute and indirectly under the Snow Wind Family's protection.

Well, my answer was that this plagiarized array was the reason for the rise of the Sacred Family and with the plagiarism accusation, the royalties from the usage of this array would diminish. 

...

I hope you liked these changes and also, comment on what you think Shen Xiu is going to do next with Nie Li revealing this in private.