This world's difficulty level was undoubtedly rated as hell.
[Host, you finally earned some points…] The System trailed off.
After a small pause, it continued, [Are you going to use these points to pay your debt?]
There was an expectant tone in its voice.
Unfortunately, Xiao Qingya's currently only focused on its first sentence and ignored the System's subsequent words. She stopped crying; eyes widened in a pleasant surprise. [What do you mean?]
[Your sister is all fine, right? Judging from their neutral expressions, your brother should be fine too. In the story, they were supposed to be beaten up, but since they are fine, it's also considered as changing the plot.]
Xiao Qingya blinked, her baby brain still processing the information that the System provided. After a few minutes passed, she muttered in uncertainty. [This has never happened before, right? What changed this time?]
She had spent so many lifetimes as a baby, and the rest of the other lifetimes possessing the mental age of an early adolescent in a baby body.
Even though she had spent a lot of time as a baby, her memory was still as clear as a day. She remembered all of what had happened in these worlds.
So, even if she knew that a minor plot had gone astray, she was still surprised when she heard it from the System. After all, such a thing had never happened before.
Before this, she couldn't even solve a simple mission when she had the script of the male lead and the female lead's daughter. Upon experiencing countless setbacks and finally giving up, it was natural she had a hard time accepting she had a small accomplishment.
[Is this because you locked my memory? It works too?] She still felt incredulous.
The System was obviously excited. [It might be. You weren't supposed to experience the drowning plot so quickly, Host. This might be the trigger for the subsequent plot change. There is hope!]
[Keep working hard, Little Ya. I believe in you!] It didn't forget to encourage its host.
Xiao Qingya thought that the System's words somewhat made sense. It means that there is hope for her to complete the mission in this world…
Seeing her daughter had fallen into a deep contemplation and no longer crying, Zhou Anran heaved a sigh of relief. She put her daughter down on the chair.
She furrowed her brows, deep in thought. There were many confusing points from the conversation between her daughter and the entity called System.
The most important information that she gained was that this System seemed to know what would happen to them in the future. The incident where her youngest daughter nearly drowned and her other two children almost getting beaten up already filled her with dread.
Worse, based on the System's words, these incidents were just the beginning. What should she do?
Xiao Qingya sucked on her baby bottle as she digested her current reality. From now on, she has to strive to stay alive and change the plot for the better!
Previously, she no longer dared to get attached to the family she gained in these worlds. But now… her eyes scanned her mother's weary face and then her older sisters' youthful countenance.
Maybe… she could stay with them longer this time.
At this moment, the twin sisters were also worried. Their family's fate was so complicated?
Xiao Yuxi suddenly stepped forward. Standing closer to her youngest sister but still enough to maintain a gap between them.
"Little Ya," she called out softly.
Xiao Qingya turned to her with a puzzled look on her face. Her round eyes were clear and watery.
"Last night, Little Ya fell to the water, scaring your mother and sisters," Xiao Yuxi's voice was full of sadness. "Does Little Ya remember why you are in the river?"
Zhou Anran and Xiao Yuyan also turned their attention to Xiao Qingya. The former had an uneasy look on her face.
"Remember," Xiao Qingya nodded. She took another sip of water from her baby bottle.
"Little Ya, can you tell us who brought you there?" Zhou Anran crouched down until her face was on the same level as her daughter. She took her daughter's little hand, encouraging her. "No need to be afraid. Mother and sisters will protect you, alright?"
Xiao Qingya frowned. She didn't exactly remember who it was because she was sleeping, but it was certain that someone else had stolen her away. By the time she woke up, it was dark all around, so she didn't see the person's face.
[System, do you know who it was?]
The System answered honestly, [Little Ya, when your memory was locked, I was laying dormant, so I am also unaware.]
It was so unfortunate.
[In the plot, who is it that is going to drown me?]
She could use this chance to tell her family about the future plot. Such an obvious loophole; why didn't she take advantage of it.
[According to the plot, it's your grandmother.]
Was it that old witch? Fine, she will tell her mother so that she could take more precaution in the future.
"Old–" she hurriedly stopped herself. Oops, she almost called that old woman an old witch in front of her family.
She blinked innocently before she muttered one word. "Grandmother."
There was a pin drop silence. Zhou Anran took a deep breath, murmuring in disbelief, "It's mother…?"
Xiao Yuyan sucked in a deep breath, and Xiao Yuxi bit her lip, shaking her head in with widened eyes. Xiao Qingya was currently unaware that the three of them were merely acting.
After all, they had discussed the possibility beforehand and all clues pointed to certain people who were present last night. If one of them had done it, they wouldn't be very surprised.
Still, they needed to keep their act so that Xiao Qingya wouldn't be suspicious. They didn't want to scare her. From the conversation between her and the System, it was clear they didn't know others could hear Xiao Qingya's inner thoughts either.
It seemed to be an error.
If they say it loud and the glitch fixed itself, how would they find out about their family's future plot then?
Seeing their expressions, Xiao Qingya was rather satisfied. Even if they didn't believe her straightaway, it didn't matter. As long as she had planted a seed of suspicion in their hearts, it was bound to sprout someday.