Li Mei had never once, in all her twenty-one years, thought that a bowl of instant noodles would be her downfall.
Exams? Maybe.
Her love life? Definitely.
But instant noodles? Out of everything in the world?
She was sprawled across her dorm bed, hair sticking out in messy dark tangles that even her comb had given up on. Her laptop rested dangerously close to sliding off her legs, its screen casting a pale glow over her face. She wasn't even paying full attention—just half-watching a palace drama she'd already binged twice.
On screen, the emperor was berating a concubine for the grievous crime of spilling tea on his robes.
Li Mei rolled her eyes so hard they could have hit the ceiling.
"Ugh, seriously? If I was in that palace, I'd survive with one brain cell and sarcasm alone. These idiots keep dying because they don't know how to dodge a teacup."
With a flourish, she slurped up another mouthful of spicy ramen, exaggerating the sound like she was performing for an invisible audience.
And then it happened.
Choke.
The noodle didn't go down.
Her eyes bulged.
Cough. Cough. Nothing.
"Wait—no, no, no, no, no!" Her voice cracked in panic as she slammed a fist against her chest. She flailed, knocking her laptop onto the floor with a loud thud. On screen, the emperor kept yelling at his concubine, utterly oblivious, while Li Mei clawed desperately for her water bottle.
She didn't make it.
The last thing her fading vision caught was a pop-up ad on her laptop. It was for the very drama she'd been watching: Palace of Eternal Schemes: Can You Survive?
Her final thought? Irony, you cruel witch.
Darkness.
Silence.
Then—
[System Activation: Death by Stupidity confirmed. Cause of death: Instant noodles.]
[Congratulations, Host! You've qualified for the Survival Game.]
Li Mei's eyes flew open. She sat upright, gasping, her hands clutching her throat. Air rushed into her lungs. She could breathe again. Sweet, glorious oxygen!
But the air smelled different.
Not the faint odor of ramen packets and unwashed laundry.
This air carried sandalwood incense, delicate and ancient.
Her gaze darted around. The walls weren't concrete anymore—they were paper screens painted with soft lotus blossoms. Beneath her, there was no lumpy mattress but a woven mat. And her clothes…
She stared down at the plain servant's robes draped over her body.
"…Eh?"
She slapped her cheek hard. Pain stung instantly.
Nope. Not a dream.
[Welcome, Player: Li Mei. Current body: Palace Maid Meiyun.]
[Tutorial Quest: Survive the next 24 hours.]
[Reward: You get to keep your head.]
[Penalty: …Do you really want to know?]
Her jaw dropped. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN PENALTY?? HELLO??"
A piercing shriek answered her.
"Meiyun! Why are you screaming? Do you want the steward to whip us all?!"
Li Mei spun toward the voice. A round-faced girl with wide, frightened eyes grabbed her sleeve.
"Bao'er," the girl hissed, "you're acting like a lunatic again!"
Again?!
Li Mei's mind short-circuited. What do you mean 'again'? Am I supposed to have a reputation for being crazy already?!
Before she could argue, the sound of footsteps echoed outside the sliding door. Heavy, synchronized, commanding.
Men in dark robes marched past, their polished swords gleaming at their hips.
Li Mei froze, her heartbeat pounding like a war drum.
System. Body. Palace maid. Guards.
She wasn't in her dorm anymore.
She was in a palace.
An ancient, dynasty-style palace.
Her entire body stiffened as the realization clawed up her spine.
"Oh my god," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I'm in a historical drama."
The system's voice chimed again, mercilessly cheerful.
[Main Quest: Don't get executed before nightfall.]
[Hint: Try not to insult royalty. Or anyone. Or breathe too loudly.]
Li Mei's expression twisted. "Excuse me?! That's not a hint, that's common sense!"
[Correction: Common sense you historically lack.]
"…"
"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HELP ME, NOT ROAST ME!"
Bao'er gave her a scandalized look. "Meiyun! Who are you talking to?"
Li Mei swallowed hard. "...The gods."
Bao'er blinked, then nodded solemnly. "That makes sense. You always were a little strange."
The rest of the day was pure chaos.
From the moment Li Mei opened her eyes, survival felt less like a "tutorial" and more like a rigged game designed by sadistic developers.
She was ordered to carry tea to a concubine, and her hands shook so badly that the tray nearly tipped over.
She was scolded for bowing incorrectly, then scolded again for bowing too correctly—apparently that was suspicious too.
She forgot half the titles and, in a moment of panic, almost called a high-ranking lady auntie.
Each slip came with the mocking chime of the system.
[Warning: Death Flag triggered. Survival -5%.]
[Quest Update: Keep your tongue inside your mouth.]
By the time the sun began to dip behind the palace walls, Li Mei's face was slick with sweat, her servant's robes clinging uncomfortably to her back. If this was only the first day, how was she supposed to survive an entire lifetime?
Her stomach growled, but fear drowned out hunger. Every corridor, every glance from another servant, every sound of footsteps made her spine stiffen.
And then it happened.
"Move aside!" someone barked.
The crowd of servants instantly parted like the sea. Heads lowered, knees bent, bodies pressed flat to the ground.
Li Mei froze, caught in the middle like a deer in headlights.
A tall young man strode forward, golden robes catching the last light of the sun. Guards flanked him on both sides, their armor glinting, their expressions cold and sharp.
Li Mei's gaze drifted upward, against her better judgment.
His jawline was sharp enough to cut glass. His eyes burned with a cold fire that made her stomach knot. Every step radiated authority, the kind of presence that demanded obedience without a word.
She didn't need anyone to tell her who he was.
The Crown Prince.
Her system chimed with cruel delight.
[Special Event Triggered: First Encounter with the Crown Prince Jianyu.]
[Optional Quest: Make him notice you. Reward: +10 favorability, +1 survival chance.]
[Failure: Execution probability rises by 30%.]
Li Mei's heart plummeted. Make him notice me? Are you kidding me?! I don't want him to notice me. I want to fade into the background and die of old age, not execution!
Unfortunately, fate was never that kind.
Her sandal caught on a loose stone.
The tray of tea in her hands lurched into the air. Cups clattered, liquid arced like a cruel parody of a slow-motion drama scene.
And then the hot tea landed.
Right. At. His. Feet.
The world went silent.
Every servant gasped in horror.
The Crown Prince's gaze snapped to her, sharp and lethal, like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Li Mei's breath stilled. She could almost feel the blade of execution already pressing against her neck.
Her stomach dropped straight through the earth.
"…Oh, noodles."