Taking the opportunity of traveling through books

Trapped in rumors

"Hey, isn't that our eldest daughter, Wei Yao, and her gang of thugs? What? Are you guys playing a treasure hunt?" Wei Xue's voice pierced the island's tranquil air like a blade, piercing the dense undergrowth. My heart sank, and I tightened my grip on Hao Yang's hand. I knew things weren't going to be peaceful on this island, but I didn't expect to run into them so soon.

Hao Yang and I looked in the direction of the sound and saw Wei Xue and Wei Qing emerge from behind the bushes, sardonic smiles on their faces. Wei Xue crossed her arms, her demeanor haughty, while Wei Qing followed closely behind her, a glint of gloating in her eyes.

"Why are you here too?" I suppressed my unhappiness and asked as calmly as possible.

Wei Xue sneered: "Why, you, Miss Wei, are allowed to come here to hunt for treasure, but we are not allowed to come? Don't forget, this island is not your backyard."

I took a deep breath, trying to control the emotions surging inside me. I knew arguing with them would only waste time and energy. I turned around and pulled Hao Yang's hand, signaling him to ignore them and keep walking.

"Oh, are you in such a hurry to go treasure hunting? Don't dream, Wei Yao, you think you can find the spirit pearl? That's just wishful thinking!" Wei Xue's sarcastic voice came again, "Do you think that you can really change your fate by wearing a book and bringing a system? Don't forget, you are still that villain at heart, and you can never get rid of this identity!"

Wei Xue's words pierced my heart like a sharp needle. I paused, my body trembling slightly. I tried to tell myself not to care, but the phrase "the villain I can never get rid of" lingered in my mind like a curse.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. I couldn't let them influence me. My goal was to find the spirit pearl and change my fate, not to waste time with them.

"Hao Yang, let's go." I held Hao Yang's hand tightly and took another step forward.

"Wait a minute," Wei Qing also spoke. Although her voice was not as sharp as Wei Xue's, it carried a chilling tone. "Hao Yang, you little thug, why don't you stay in your own territory? Why are you following Wei Yao here to cause trouble? Don't you even consider your own worth?"

Hao Yang's face darkened instantly. He turned around abruptly and glared at Wei Qing: "You..."

I grabbed Hao Yang's arm and shook my head gently. I knew Hao Yang's temper. If he and Wei Qing started arguing, it would be endless. The most important thing now was to find the spirit pearl. Everything else could be dealt with later.

"Ignore them, let's go." I whispered.

Hao Yang took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and continued to move forward with me.

"What? Are you leaving now? Are you scared? Let me tell you..." Wei Xue's voice came from behind, with a strong sense of sarcasm.

I suddenly stopped, turned around, stared at Wei Xue coldly, and said word by word: "Wei Xue, you'd better stop."

Instead of restraining herself, Wei Xue intensified her taunting, "Oh, are you angry? Are you mad because of shame? What? Did I say something wrong? You're a villain to begin with. Even if you've traveled through a book, you can't change that fact."

Wei Qing also echoed, saying sarcastically, "That's right, Hao Yang, you're just a small-time hoodlum, and you're still going crazy with Wei Yao. You're really overestimating your own abilities. Don't you even consider your own status? You're like a toad wanting to eat swan meat!"

When Hao Yang heard this, veins popped on his forehead and his fists clenched. He took a sudden step forward, wanting to retort, but I pulled him back. I gently shook my head, signaling him not to be impulsive. I knew Hao Yang's temper; if he and Wei Qing started arguing, it would be endless. The most important thing now was to find the spirit pearl; everything else could come later.

"Let's go." I took Hao Yang's hand, turned around and continued walking forward.

Behind me, the laughter of Wei Xue and Wei Qing still continued in my ears, like a maggot on my tarsal bone, tightly entangling me and making it impossible for me to get rid of it.

In the next few days, Wei Xue and Wei Qing became even more aggressive. Not only did they spread rumors all over the island that Hao Yang and I were looking for a treasure that didn't exist at all, they also exaggerated and said that we were two greedy and stupid people who were deceived by the so-called "system".

These rumors spread like wildfire through the family and the surrounding area. Everywhere I went, I heard people whispering and pointing.

"Look, that's Wei Yao. I heard she was tricked by a system and thought she could change her fate, but she ended up messing around here."

"And that Hao Yang, a small-time thug, also followed her into the frenzy. He really doesn't know his place."

"They are both so delusional. They think they can find some treasure. It's just a pipe dream."

These words stung my heart like needles, leaving me feeling incredibly embarrassed and ashamed. I began to doubt myself and everything I had done. Was I truly wrong? Was I truly as greedy and foolish as they claimed? Was my so-called "system" truly just a scam?

I became withdrawn and shut myself in my room all day, refusing to see anyone. Hao Yang tried to comfort me several times, but I shut him out. I fell into a deep state of self-doubt and couldn't extricate myself.

Hao Yang pushed open the half-open door, holding a bowl of steaming soup in his hand, and looked at me worriedly: "Yaoyao, you haven't eaten for a day, drink something."

I shook my head, my voice hoarse: "I'm not hungry."

Hao Yang sighed, put the soup on the table, walked to my side, and hugged me gently: "Yaoyao, don't listen to their nonsense, I believe you."

His embrace was warm and strong, and it comforted me a little, but the doubts in my heart lingered, like a dark cloud, hanging over my heart.

I pushed Hao Yang away and raised my head with a confused look in my eyes: "Hao Yang, tell me...are we really doing something stupid?"

Hao Yang looked at me with a firm gaze: "No, we are not wrong. I believe in you and your system. We will definitely find the spirit pearl and change our destiny!"

His words gave me a little strength, but the confusion in my heart remained. I looked out the window with empty eyes and muttered to myself, "But... what if we fail..."

Hao Yang held my hand and said firmly, "No, we will..."

Suddenly, there was a rapid knock on the door, followed by an anxious voice: "Wei Yao! Something bad has happened..."

Before Hao Yang could finish his words, a rapid knock on the door interrupted him. Elder Wei's anxious voice came from outside: "Wei Yao! This is bad..."

My heart sank suddenly, and a sense of foreboding washed over me. I quickly stood up and opened the door, only to see Elder Wei standing at the door in a panic, holding a piece of paper in his hand, his face pale.

"What's wrong, Elder Wei?" I asked anxiously.

Elder Wei took a deep breath, handed me the note, and said in a trembling voice: "Wei Yao, read it yourself..."

I took the note and unfolded it. The handwriting was beautiful and neat, but it contained content that frightened me: "Wei Yao, I know you have been looking for the spirit pearl and want to change your fate. But I advise you to give up. You will never succeed. If you insist on continuing, you will only hurt yourself and Hao Yang. - Wei Xue"

Seeing Wei Xue's name, my heart tightened. How did she know I was looking for the spirit pearl? Had she been watching me?

I looked up at Elder Wei, my eyes filled with confusion. Elder Wei sighed and said, "Wei Yao, Wei Xue has told everyone about your search for the Spirit Pearl. Now the entire family knows. They're all laughing at you, saying you're delusional and overestimating your own abilities..."

My heart felt like it was being pricked by needles, and it was stabbing. I didn't expect Wei Xue to be so cruel as to make my secret public and make me the target of public criticism.

I clutched the note tightly in my hand until my knuckles turned white. My breathing quickened, my chest felt tight and I couldn't breathe. I tried hard to control my emotions and not let the tears flow.

Hao Yang walked over to me, gently put his arm around my shoulders, and comforted me, "Yaoyao, don't be afraid, I'm here."

I walked to the window, looked out at the bustling crowd, listened to their laughter and jeers, and felt a surge of powerlessness. I began to doubt myself and everything I had done. Was I truly wrong? Was I truly as greedy and foolish as they said I was? Was this so-called "system" really just a scam?

My hand involuntarily stroked the spirit pearl in my hand, feeling the faint light it emitted. This spirit pearl is my only hope and my only support.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm myself down. I couldn't give up. I couldn't let Wei Xue defeat me. I had to find the spirit pearl and change my fate!

Suddenly, I felt the spirit bead in my hand tremble slightly, and a warm current flowed from the spirit bead into my body, making me feel comfortable. I opened my eyes and looked at the spirit bead in my hand, my eyes full of hope.

I turned to look at Hao Yang and said with a firm look in my eyes: "Hao Yang, let's go!"

I took Hao Yang's hand and walked out of the room. Outside the door, Wei Xue and Wei Qing were standing there, looking at me with mockery on their faces.

I ignored their gazes and walked straight ahead. I knew I still had a long way to go, but I wouldn't give up. I would definitely find the spirit pearl and change my destiny!

I reached a secluded corner of the island and sat down dejectedly, clutching the spirit pearl tightly in my hand. It seemed brighter than before, but I felt no hope at all. The laughter around me seemed to still echo in my ears. I covered my ears, but it couldn't stop them from seeping into my mind. I...

"Yaoyao..." Hao Yang's voice rang in my ears, trembling slightly. He slowly squatted down, stretched out his hand to touch me, but stopped in mid-air.