Last night, Cierra ignored her mother's stern warnings and hid under the covers with a flashlight, sneaking a peek at her mom's latest serialized online novel. She got so engrossed that she didn't fall asleep until almost 2 a.m.
Fortunately, she had always been extremely smart and had set her alarm before sneaking a peek at the novel. Otherwise, she would have had to rush to school early the next morning, facing quizzes in Mathematics, Geography, and Literature from the first to the eighth period, not to mention other impromptu tests from various subjects.
Never underestimate a senior high school student's daily study routine. It could be as heavy as a mount or as light as a feather, depending on the person's mindset. Coincidentally, Cierra was the kind of naturally lucky top student girl who also had a stunning appearance that others could only dream of: delicate eyebrows, high nose, fair skin, and long legs. Was such a perfect character from a novel?
Of course not, she was a real, living person, the only abnormality being that she was far too excellent compared to normal people.
But this morning, Cierra woke up in bed and was shocked to find that she had grown up!
She was originally under eighteen, standing at 168 cm, but her bust had not yet exceeded a B cup. However, all of this changed after she woke up from a night's sleep! But her last name was Howard, not Atkins! The dream of a lifetime had nothing to do with her. How could she have just slept and woken up to find time had flown by in the blink of an eye? Exactly speaking, several years had passed.
She stared in surprise at herself in the mirror. The slightly chubby baby face she had found cute was now gone. Reflected in the mirror was a delicate face with almond-shaped features. The eyebrows, eyes, and lips were unmistakably hers, but they looked much more mature than before she went to bed last night. Her previously somewhat flat teenage figure had turned into an alluring shape full of adult charm. Who was this mature-looking sister? What on earth was going on?
Startled, all traces of sleepiness vanished. She immediately sprang out of bed and looked around the room, realizing this haunted place was someone else's room!
The small sofa next to the bed was piled high with colorful dresses, and the dressing table was cluttered with countless bottles and jars. She widened her eyes. Had she seen a ghost during the day? It seemed she needed to find an person to ask what is going on.
As she sat dazed on the edge of the bed, there was a knock on the door. She jumped up in fright, her heart starting to feel uneasy. What about her dad, mom, brother, and brother? Were they okay? Or, like her, had their years been stolen by more than five years in one sleep?
She tiptoed off the bed and opened the door to see a familiar and beloved face. "Mom!"
Seeing her dearest mom, Cierra felt as if she had found her anchor. Her nose twitched, and tears gushed out.
"What's wrong with you, child? Did something unpleasant happen at work yesterday? But it doesn't matter. Didn't you say yesterday's case was over? The next will be better!" Her mom's name was Cynthia, called Cynthia Atkins.
Cierra couldn't care less about that. Waking up and suddenly finding herself five years older, fortunately, her beloved family hadn't changed, just aged a bit. Could it be that she was still dreaming?
It must be. To make sure she wasn't dreaming, she pinched Cynthia's cheek hard.
"Ouch! Stop fooling around!" Cynthia slapped her hand away hard. "Hurry up and eat breakfast. Didn't you say you had to study the new client's information?"
"What client?" Cierra then realized something was wrong. Just now, Cynthia seemed to mention sensitive words like "work" and "case" in her words. Wasn't she just a poor senior high school student? How did she wake up not only older but also with a job?
She shook her head, convinced she was still dreaming. "I'll go back to sleep a little more." As she spoke, she turned back to her bed.
"Don't go!" Cynthia grabbed her collar, full of disdain. "It's already nine in the morning. A girl not only lying in bed but also wanting to go back to sleep. What would others think if they heard that?"
"There are no others here!" Cierra was very unhappy, feeling disdained by Cynthia. But what made her even more unhappy was feeling trapped in an absurd dream she couldn't wake up from. For a genius girl who had always excelled in her studies, this blow was too much.
She gently pulled away from Cynthia's hand and walked back to the bed, burying herself in the covers. She thought, it was more practical to get enough sleep so life could return to normal. Skipping school for a day would be fine.
"Cierra, why are you acting so strange today? Usually, you're quite proactive at work." Cynthia sighed but didn't react too dramatically.
Cierra couldn't resist her curiosity and bounced up from the bed. "Mom, what exactly is my job now?"
"You're a love manager. Some people call it a love bounty hunter! No way, did you really forget, silly child?"
A love bounty hunter? Cierra stood frozen, feeling herself turning to stone.
Damn! Had she crossed into a book? And it was the very book she was sneakily reading under the covers last night, the one her mom was currently serializing online, titled one of the top ten most-read stories of the year, a ridiculous novel about the successful journey of a White Lotus cult leader?
