485: Favoritism is a disease, and it needs to be cured.

“Dream on!”

Shang Wan Ning almost blurted this out, but forced herself to hold it back.

“Ming Xuan has arranged for them to go to logistics to carry Underworld construction materials for a month. Once they’ve done enough work and understand that they can’t slack off, then we can discuss their return.”

“During this time, you are not allowed to look, not allowed to help, and certainly not allowed to plead for them.”

Chen Yu drew out a long “Oh—”

Shang Wan Ning glanced at her sideways: “Your performance bonus this month will be cut by 30%. If you keep indulging them, next time you can move bricks for Big Dog yourself.”

The White-Haired Loli’s head drooped even lower, almost burying itself completely into the Soul-Guiding Pillow.

“Mm, I know.”

She hugged the pillow and slid off the soft couch, shuffling out in her slippers. Reaching the temple door, she stopped, turned her head, and looked back.

Looking utterly wronged ಥ౪ಥ

“Your Majesty,” her voice was soft, “Big Dog actually isn’t bad-hearted, just a little lazy.”

“The Underworld does not support idle gods,” Shang Wan Ning looked up, admonishing her once more, “nor does it support idle dogs.”

Chen Yu’s lips thinned into a line, and she turned around. The temple door gently closed, and her footsteps gradually faded away.

Shang Wan Ning put down her brush and rubbed her temples.

【This troublesome matter is so annoying!!!】

Only then did she realize that the Secretary-General bringing up the Ox-Head and Horse-Face’s release from confinement wasn’t just about getting them out.

It was also aimed at admonishing Chen Yu.

It wasn't an external enemy at work, nor was it some conspiracy; it was just a family matter—the younger one spoiled the dogs, and the dogs in turn corrupted the atmosphere.

She remembered the wooden plaque she’d found in the straw nest on Evil Dog Ridge, with seven crooked lines next to the character “ stop” (rest).

Big Dog must have been ecstatic when he scratched those seven lines. Look, I have a backer, I can rest as many days as I want.

And this backer was precisely someone she herself had spoiled.

Shang Wan Ning let out a sigh of frustration, her thoughts returning to the pile of official documents on her desk.

【Forget it, so be it.】

The matter of the dog pack had been handled perfectly by Ming Xuan and the Secretary-General. Making them do more heavy labor and suffer a bit was more effective than any amount of scolding.

As for A-Yu... the Empress picked up her brush and added a small line to the end of today's annotation: “The General Affairs Department is ordered to revise the ‘Detailed Rules for Attendance and Reward/Punishment of Low-Tier Demonic Beasts,’ adding clauses for cumulative penalties for dereliction of duty, and submit it to Prefecture City God Chen Yu for co-signature after drafting.”

Doesn’t the White-Haired Loli like to spoil dogs? Let her establish the rules herself.

She raised her hand and pressed her temple again.

The skin under her fingertips felt tight, and the irritation stirred up by the dog incident hadn't completely dissipated from her mind, like sludge at the bottom of the Wangchuan River, heavily coating her nerves.

“Host~”

Little Four’s electronic voice emerged in her Sea of Consciousness, its tail-end drawn out, actually carrying a hint of fawning.

“Headache? Let me see… Oh, your brainwaves are 15% higher than usual. If you keep this up, you’ll lose more hair than Lady Meng sprinkles goji berries when brewing soup.”

Shang Wan Ning ignored her.

The brush tip was re-dipped in vermillion ink and landed on the next quarterly report from the Department of Reincarnation. Just as she drew the first stroke, a faint tingling sensation suddenly came from her left temple.

It was like a feather lightly tickling, or like static electricity crackling across the skin in winter.

Her brush tip paused.

This tingling sensation seeped inward along the acupoints, warm and subtle, with a faint current vibration. It felt strange at first, but after a few moments, her stiff muscles truly relaxed a bit.

“The technique is decent.” Shang Wan Ning closed her eyes and leaned back into the chair, “Who did you learn it from?”

“Hehe (◍•ᴗ•◍), who else could it be?”

Little Four’s voice was triumphant, her electronic tone even soaring.

“My sister system just upgraded to a VIP massage module last week, specializing in ancient acupoint unblocking. I traded three data snacks with her for the tutorial, practiced for three whole days, just waiting for Host to need it!”

The tingling sensation spread from her temple to her forehead, the pressure just right. The current simulated the feel of fingertips pressing, rubbing in circles.

Shang Wan Ning let out a soft hum from her nostrils.

【Mm~ It really is comfortable.】

That congested irritability in her mind was truly being kneaded away.

“This month’s allowance,” she said lazily, “I’ll add another 200,000 for you.”

“Really???”

Little Four’s electronic voice instantly shot up eight octaves, her light orb excitedly spinning in the System Space, and the massage current crackled happily once more.

“Host, you’re the best, I love you to death. Next time I’ll massage you again, I guarantee it’ll be even better, I’ll even include your foot acupoints...”

“Stop.”

Shang Wan Ning interrupted her, her eyes still closed, “Just massage, don’t talk.”

“Oh.”

Little Four quieted down, the current returning to a steady, tingling frequency.

Silence returned to the hall.

Only the occasional rustle of the vermillion brush against the jade slip remained, along with that invisible microcurrent pressing on her temples.

After about half a cup of tea’s time, Shang Wan Ning suddenly spoke: “Little Four.”

“Aye, Host, speak.”

“Do you think I... spoil A-Yu too much?”

Little Four’s current hitched.

Then, a cautious probing entered her electronic voice: “This! Well, if you say spoil, she’s definitely spoiled. But Host, you know in your heart, White-Haired Loli... she just has this personality.”

“What kind of personality?” Shang Wan Ning opened her eyes, her gaze falling on an empty space.

“A naughty kid personality, of course!”

Little Four spoke freely, the current massage rhythm unbroken, her tone becoming lively.

“She acts on whims, doing things entirely based on her mood. When she’s in a good mood, she feeds the dogs; when she’s in a bad mood, she pulls their tails. Why do Big Dog and the others dare to skip work? Isn't it because they're sure someone will cover for them?”

“Today she's feeding dogs, but if tomorrow she feeds out something else and causes an even bigger mess, will Host still clean up after her?”

Shang Wan Ning didn’t respond. Her fingertips tapped on the armrest, slowly and heavily.

Little Four waited a bit, and seeing that her Host didn't refute, grew bolder: “If you ask me, Host, you’re just biased. Among the millions of ghost messengers in the Underworld, who dares to act as recklessly as she does? Anyone else would have been thrown into the Oil Pot Hell to be fried three times already.”

“But she’s different!”

Shang Wan Ning suddenly chuckled, a faint smile on her lips that didn't reach her eyes.

“How is she different?”

“She’s different in every way.” She leaned back further, sinking into the chair, “A-Yu’s vibrant spirit, it’s quite similar to how I used to be.”

Little Four’s current hitched again.

This time it was stuck longer, and the tingling sensation of the massage weakened by a third.

In the System Space, a string of garbled code appeared on the surface of the light orb, then quickly vanished.

“...Host, you used to be this...” Little Four pondered her words, “...this...”

“This mischievous?” Shang Wan Ning finished for her.

“Aye, exactly, exactly!” Little Four’s light orb nodded vigorously, “That kind of behavior! Clearly able to walk properly but insisting on stepping in puddles, seeing rules and deliberately tripping over them, always looking for an opportunity to stir up trouble!!!”

Shang Wan Ning’s mouth twitched, her face darkening.

(•́へ•́ ╬)

“Heh, whatever I say, you just ‘exactly, exactly’?”