Chapter One: The Return

“It seems I’ve truly returned.”

In the quiet of the bedroom, a girl of exquisite beauty sat calmly on the bed. Her features were delicate and striking, and her face bore a nonchalant smile. But most captivating were her almond-shaped eyes, which glimmered with a unique allure, drawing one in with their mysterious depths.

After surveying the familiar furnishings around her, Li Chuxi was finally certain of one thing—she really was back.

Unable to contain herself, she glanced eagerly at the calendar on the nearby desk. She paused, momentarily stunned, and murmured to herself, “So it’s been five years since I left! Time truly flies.”

Five years ago, she had been set up and suffered a car accident. Her soul had left her body, and a soul from another world took possession of it, gradually causing her own spirit to weaken.

Just as she was about to dissipate completely, a system calling itself Zero Zero Sprite approached her, claiming that if she agreed to bind with the system and travel through various small worlds to alter the tragic fates of villainous supporting characters, she would have the chance to return to her own body.

And now, she was back.

“Zero Zero Sprite, are you still there?” Li Chuxi called out silently in her mind. Though she had returned to her own world, she had not unbound herself from Zero Zero Sprite.

“Host, I’m still here.” A soft, somewhat grating voice echoed in her mind, tinged with its usual mischief. “Hahaha, host, you didn’t expect this, did you? I came back with you! From now on, we’ll conquer the world together.”

“Shut up,” Li Chuxi muttered, rubbing her brow. “Enough nonsense. Show me now if you can retrieve all the memories of this body from the past five years.”

Almost instantly, her mind was flooded with a torrent of information, making her head feel as though it would explode. Yet, she quickly grasped the situation.

The soul that had occupied her body had originally been a concubine’s daughter from the Minister’s household, timid and meek from years of oppression by the legitimate daughter. Strangely, after taking over Li Chuxi’s body, she grew bold and aspired to become a star. She debuted with three other girls through a talent show, forming a group. Yet, unlike the others, she drew attention solely for her looks.

In the end, she did become famous—but infamously so. Off-key singing, stumbling during dances, stiff acting, and diva behavior became her hallmarks.

After several years in the entertainment industry, she had few fans and countless haters, enduring daily criticism. Her career in show business was on the verge of collapse. She had even sought help from the Li family, but received nothing in return.

Li Chuxi felt a headache coming on. She hadn’t expected the girl to be so… enterprising.

But that girl was also hopelessly naïve, thinking to seek help from the Li family. Didn’t she understand what her position in that family truly was?

“Zero Zero Sprite, get out here!” she barked in her mind.

“Master, your humble servant is here,” Zero Zero Sprite replied immediately, its voice as cheeky as ever. “What can I do for you, host?”

“That soul—what’s become of it now?”

Since she had returned to her body, the other soul must be gone.

“That information is unavailable to the system,” Zero Zero Sprite replied. “However, with nowhere else to go, it’s most likely that the soul has dissipated into this world.”