Choice

Confusion was all over Zhang Mei Xing's face as she felt that the whole test setup had been forced on her without rhyme or reason. She was like a Humanities professor who got tasked with administering an exam about Calculus or Differential Equations, subjects that had no whatsoever relation to her education major. Her brain was really having a hard time figuring out how these things work.

When she thought about it, in comparison to what she went through, Xiang Linxin's 'test' was several times longer, a full month. She found it questionable. Even though she knew the content per person would not be the same, she thought everyone's test would have the same duration. But that had just been proven wrong.

There were a lot more dubious parts. For instance, the panel hovering before her.

Zhang Mei Xing's desire to help prompted her to discover this, but she felt like while the pop-up window did ask her opinions, all the options presented were hardly options.

Take for example this latest one. She wanted a giveaway that could guide Xiang Linxin to the good end. A page was shown to her and there were fancy-sounding items listed on it. Yet apart from one, the others were greyed out, so there was only one choice to pick. The only variable would be here. It was up to her whether she would activate it for Xiang Linxin or not.

Yet if one intentionally searched the page, why would they back out in clicking that option then?

She pursed her lips, pushing down the slight annoyance that crept up on her heart. But really, why display choices in the first place?

'Is this what the wise sages of ancient times referred to when they said 'No one can fathom the will of the heavens'?'

Zhang Mei Xing sighed before throwing a contemplative glance at Xiang Linxin, her right hand still a few centimeters from the pop-up. The other girl was still glaring at her phone, fingers flying on the screen in a furious manner. The expression was still cold as she harrumphed at the haters on the internet.

Such a troublesome examinee. Pitiful yet would leave one helpless with her impulsive nature and naivety.

Zhang Mei Xing could not help whispering to herself.

'In web novels, such a girl would typically be the easily defeated cannon fodder type. Or a small female villain, with limited screen time in fewer than 10 chapters, especially since she used to be the fiancée and the other party is a CEO.'

'... If ever she would become a female lead, in the miracle that the author chose the villainess counterattack route, the one she would need to have as her aide or partner is also powerful tycoon more powerful, capable, and dependable than her ex-fiance.'

'This pitiful person must be domineering yet sweet, possessive yet would treat her like a treasure. Most importantly, he must be extremely smart and resourceful as he needs to both fend off attacks on all sides and have time to pamper her. He must be corny enough to show her through his actions that being left behind by her former fiancé was a blessing. Because it paved the way for her to meet the best man in the world.'

'Yup, a perfect heroine for a plot that has been recycled a thousand times.'

'But this is not fiction and I have no idea how a fateful encounter would prove useful to the examinee.'

'And… Ugh… what the hell am I thinking?'

Regardless of her thoughts about it, Zhang Mei Xing pressed the okay button glaring at her.

As a guide, it was her job to steer the girl into creating a story that would pique the interest of divine beings. The goal was to help Xiang Linxin have the chance to be reborn. Still, the one who had to fight for the opportunity was the examinee.

…

...

...

If there was one thing that Xiang Linxin did well before confronting her father, it was that she at least secured some funds for future use.

The amount in her debit cards was transferred to a new one, an account that she casually opened before. She had maxed out her credit into a stock brokerage account and other online shopping sites. Moreover, she had phoned her personal driver slash assistant to fetch all her and her mom's items from the mansion, not leaving a single thing behind.

This way, once her cards suddenly stopped, she wouldn't go through the same embarrassment as her previous life.

Back then, she only lasted a few days before she had to beg her relatives and friends to lend her some money. She was so busy trying to look for somebody to help her that she even neglected her mother's mementos left in her father's place which the latter actually burned or thrown away.

It had always been one of Xiang Linxin's deepest regrets…. If only she had rewound time before her mom died, she would do all she could to save her… Sadly, her sudden return to the past was not within her control and there was no way that she could ask for more when the heavens had already been merciful to let the foolish her come back to life.

Being clear about this, Xiang Linxin showed that she was not at least that detached from reality.

This afternoon after messing around online to relieve her stress, the girl thought hard about what her next course of action and her eyes unknowingly went to a mask displayed on the front page of an online shopping site.

"I need a source of income, not only a means to sustain myself, but to also take down my enemies." She murmured as she peeked inside her wardrobe and retrieved something from there.

Now, in her hands was a beautiful mask. The item looked expensive as its surface was painted with real gold and adorned with tiny precious gems in a butterfly pattern.

Such a mask was needed for masquerade parties which were still a thing in this modern world, so her deceased mom ordered it for her. Unfortunately, she was one who didn't enjoy hiding her face so she almost never went to one.

In the whole capital, there was certainly nobody who remembered it.

'This can work in my favor!'