Chapter 3: The Heroine Arrives Early

The problem with transmigrating into a novel was that the plot had its own momentum.

Xiao Fan had derailed three major events in the past four years. She had kept Xiao Chen away from Lord Wen. She had intercepted two political maneuvers that would have damaged their family's position. She had, through careful management and shameless manipulation, ensured that her brother had at least two people in his life who genuinely liked him.

She had not accounted for the heroine showing up four years early.

Her name was Lin Yuebai. She was twelve years old, had arrived in the capital with her family for reasons the original novel had not felt necessary to explain, and she had taken one look at Xiao Chen across a crowded garden party and promptly marched over to inform him that his sleeve was on fire.

It was not on fire. There was a candle nearby. It had been a perfectly reasonable observation.

What Xiao Fan had not been prepared for was her brother's expression. He had been cautious around people for as long as she could remember — careful, watchful, keeping a precise distance. But when Lin Yuebai had pointed at his sleeve with complete confidence and absolutely no awareness that she was talking to someone other children found intimidating, he had looked at her with an expression Xiao Fan had never seen on his face before.

Confused. Interested. Almost — almost — amused.

"Your sleeve is fine," he said.

"I know," said Lin Yuebai. "But now you're looking at me instead of looking like you want to leave." She smiled. "You looked lonely."

Xiao Chen stared at her.

Xiao Fan, watching from three meters away, thought: oh no.

The plot was reasserting itself. Just in a completely different direction than she had planned for.