Huo had been watching his contractor gaze at the roof of his office for hours. She had been in that state ever since learning the truth behind her misery. Her once hopeful eyes were now lifeless, staring blankly into empty space.
Fortunately, he didn't have any other appointments at the moment—or rather, he didn't have any other applicants for the task. So, he could afford to wait for this lady to make up her mind.
He never thought he was capable of having such patience.
In the future, he would definitely rub it in that guy's annoying face. He would tell him that his pp clearly wasn't as short as his patience. Just thinking about it made him want to punch the guy in the face. But no way. Who made him his boss, anyway? He was so annoyed that he could practically feel his luscious hair falling out.
"It smells like mint."
A soft voice pulled his attention back.
"What?" Huo asked, turning his head to glance at her.
She slightly bowed her head, gently covering the tip of her nose with a black handkerchief as she inhaled deeply.
"The scent of mint feels refreshing. It helps soothe my mind."
Her hand returned to her lap. She raised her head and smiled, only to meet his bewildered eyes.
If it weren't for the fact that those reddish eyes were pure and devoid of any longing, Huo might have thought she was flirting with him. That handkerchief was the one he had handed her when she wept earlier. As a gentleman, he couldn't just stand there and watch her drain her tear ducts without doing anything. Besides, that piece of fabric wasn't his anyway. He might as well throw the "evidence" away.
"You can keep it," he said decisively when he remembered her mentioning that she would return it.
That stingy person might grill his ass if he found his belongings with him. Why the hell had he taken it in the first place? Really, impulse was the devil.
Huo scoffed inwardly.
"Thank you."
She paused before continuing.
"Mr. Huo is actually kind."
She couldn't help but appreciate every kindness she received. Perhaps it was because of her life experiences, but she had learned to treasure even the smallest acts of sincerity.
Huo couldn't help but wrinkle his forehead.
[ I never thought I'd be called kind in my entire life. ]
How awkward it was to hear his name and the word kind in the same sentence. He got goosebumps.
"How can you tell that I'm kind? I only lent you something once, and clearly, you don't even know me."
He tried to clear his name of such a 'stain.'
"True," she admitted.
"But you clearly had the option not to tell me the truth, yet you did."
"You also chose to lend me your handkerchief when you could have simply chosen not to."
"And you gave me a chance to escape my fate when you offered me the opportunity to become a tasker."
"To me, that was kindness. That's my opinion, and you can't force me to think otherwise."
A small curve formed on her lips, clearly more subdued than her usual smile. Her eyes were still puffy, yet they seemed brighter than ever.
Huo couldn't help but feel amazed. This girl had such a strong belief in things that, to him, were practically nonexistent. Well, it was her life, anyway. He didn't need to bother himself with it as long as the tasks got done.
"So, what's your decision?"
His usual lackadaisical aura returned as he cupped his face with one hand and looked at her.
"It's a deal."
Her voice was firm, once again filled with determination. She had decided not to wait for happiness anymore but to claim it for herself.
Huo couldn't contain his grin.
He waved his hand, and a contract appeared on the table while a black quill pen materialized in his right hand.
Offering the quill to her, he said,
"Write your name using your blood."
She walked up to him, took the pen, and glanced at it. She wondered how she was supposed to feed it with blood.
"Just cut your finger with the nib, then write."
The wounded finger healed instantaneously after the pen collected her blood. She then proceeded to write her name.
The moment she did, she felt an inexplicable sensation within her. It wasn't unpleasant. It simply felt as though a cold breeze had swept through her soul. Then, nothing.
Seeing her dazed expression, Huo decided to explain.
"That's the system binding your soul."
He took the contract and squinted when he noticed something at the bottom.
"An advice to you, dear contractor: You need a new name."
With a snap of his fingers, the agreement vanished into thin air.
"Why is that?" she asked.
"Because this person is ours now. She is your past. From this moment onward, everything about her, including her unwritten future, belongs to us. You were her. Were."
His gaze grew serious as he looked at her.
"Also, you will be born anew."
Sensing her doubts, he continued.
"Remember the golden finger I told you about? Your ultimate cheat is the manifestation of what your heart desires most. Its power is directly proportional to the price you have to pay.
"The thing is, as you may have noticed, the system's goal revolves around the 'kindness' inherent in an individual."
Huo watched as she digested the information.
"I understand." She nodded and continued listening.
"Now, you can't take something without giving something in return. Thus, the system will give you something of equal value from the opposite end of the scale."
Her brows furrowed.
"It means, dear contractor, that however much 'goodness' it takes from you, it will replace with an equal amount of 'badness.'"
She looked at him with an expression that practically screamed, Please enlighten me.
Huo sighed. He felt as though he had used up all the patience he had accumulated throughout his entire life just for today.
[ Forget it. She agreed anyway. ]
"To put it simply, the more inherently good you were, the more inherently evil you will become."
"That is the price you have to pay for your golden finger."
"As for the mechanisms involved in your tasks, the system will assign you something to guide you."
Glancing at the young lady in front of him, he nodded in appreciation.
[ At least she took it well. ]
She had actually given it serious thought.
Mr. Huo was right. She needed a new name. The name she had shared with all her reincarnations felt like a shackle. A constant reminder of her endless, miserable fate.
As for losing her 'kindness,' she found the idea rather inconsequential. It hadn't done her any good anyway. Her kindness had merely become their gateway to hurting her, manipulating her, and ultimately driving her to her death.
She thought that if being kind hadn't worked for her, perhaps being evil would.
And so, she accepted the fact with a calm heart.
"Do you still have any questions?" Huo asked.
"I do."
She smiled as she looked at Mr. Huo.
"Mr. Huo, will our paths ever cross again?"
Curious, she couldn't help but ask.
He thought for a moment before answering.
"I doubt it."
"Then this is goodbye, huh?" she murmured.
She walked up to him and raised her hand, offering it for a handshake.
"Farewell, Mr. Huo."
Her eyes were bright as she smiled.
He stood up, walked over to her, and took her hand.
"Farewell, Ms. Xue."
He smiled as he watched her fade away.
[ We might not meet again, but I do wish you luck. ]