Chapter 19: Stupid

Song Ciyu still didn’t come in today. Sitting at her workstation, Liu Qiu took two tickets out of her small bag.

The paper was slightly wrinkled. She examined them carefully. Shi Ran’s concert?

So Shi Ran makes music?

The address was an xx Road bar, and the date was the day after tomorrow.

After thinking it over, Liu Qiu figured that performing at a bar probably meant some kind of underground band.

She had never been to a bar in real life, but since this was just a small world, she could treat it as an experience.

On days when Song Ciyu wasn’t around, Liu Qiu could relax and slack off openly.

Although her relationship with Song Ciyu had improved a lot recently, in Liu Qiu’s heart, a superior was still a superior. There was no way they could ever become truly close friends.

Especially when that superior had only approached her because of her wife.

So whenever she was in the same space as Song Ciyu, Liu Qiu would only dare to slack off cautiously.

Not like now.

She stretched lazily, patted her cheeks, and slumped back into her chair.

[System, play a movie for me.]

[Okay.]

Time flew by, and soon it was noon.

On the way to the cafeteria, Liu Qiu still felt reluctant to stop watching.

[That movie was amazing. The acting was incredible. System, where do you even find such good films?]

The system sounded smug. [I’ve got dramas from thousands of worlds. You could watch for hundreds or thousands of years and never finish them.]

[There are games too—fully immersive VR games from advanced worlds. They’re super fun.]

Liu Qiu took a deep breath. [System, I’m starting to feel resentful.]

She was working herself to the bone in these small worlds, while the system lived a life of pure entertainment. The contrast was emotionally damaging.

“Liu Qiu!” A spoiled, sharp voice called from beside her.

She turned her head, saw who it was, and immediately looked away. Zhou Yue.

This omega was one of Song Ciyu’s admirers and clearly disliked her. Better to avoid her.

Seeing Liu Qiu ignore her, Zhou Yue gritted her teeth and jogged forward, blocking her path.

“Liu Qiu, I called you. Didn’t you hear me?”

Liu Qiu lowered her head and said nothing.

The original host wasn’t talkative either. This was normal behavior.

A flash of irritation crossed Zhou Yue’s eyes. This useless thing dared ignore her?

For an omega like her to speak to someone like Liu Qiu should be considered a blessing.

But remembering her plan, Zhou Yue softened her tone and forced a smile. “Liu Qiu, could you help me with something?”

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together and tried to step around her.

Zhou Yue frowned and grabbed her wrist. “Are you deaf?”

Liu Qiu stopped. Her lips parted slightly. “W-what do you want?”

Zhou Yue’s expression turned gentle, brows slightly knit in feigned distress. “It’s like this—my friend left something in the restroom, but she’s already gone home. She asked me to find someone to help look for it.”

“I don’t know many alphas. I’m only a little familiar with you.”

“Can you help me?”

After hearing this, Liu Qiu felt extremely complicated inside.

[Does this omega think I’m an idiot?]

System: [Possibly.]

Where did she get the idea they were familiar?

Back in the cafeteria, anyone could see the disgust Zhou Yue had shown her.

Liu Qiu refused decisively. “No.”

The original host might have been reclusive and timid, but she wasn’t stupid.

Zhou Yue clearly hadn’t expected such a firm rejection. She froze in place.

Liu Qiu quietly pulled her wrist free and walked past.

Left standing there, Zhou Yue’s face alternated between red and green.

How dare this inferior A refuse her?

Someone who would never even brush against an omega in her lifetime—how dare she!

Was it because she’d seduced Director Song? Of course. A pervert wouldn’t like omegas anyway.

Zhou Yue slowly clenched her fingers. She would definitely teach Liu Qiu a lesson today.

Her plan had been simple: lure Liu Qiu to the restroom, where others were waiting. Once inside, she would follow, push Liu Qiu down, and stage a scene where she appeared to be harassed.

Then rumors would spread even further. An inferior A who harassed an omega colleague—she didn’t believe Director Song would still favor her.

And once the rumors spread, Liu Qiu would surely be unable to bear it and resign.

Driving her away would be even better.

At the end of the workday, Zhou Yue didn’t even drive home. She followed Liu Qiu instead.

If it didn’t work inside the company, she could stage something outside. There were more people there. Maybe she could even get Liu Qiu detained for a few days.

Harassing an omega was a serious offense.

Liu Qiu had a bus card and usually commuted by bus.

During rush hour, the station was packed.

Sitting at the stop, Liu Qiu checked her phone.

There was a message from Liu Xia.

Liu Xia: Liu Qiu, do you want to visit the orphanage together?

Liu Qiu frowned. The orphanage had closed years ago after the director passed away. The children had been transferred elsewhere.

Did Liu Xia not know?

Liu Qiu: Grandma Director passed away years ago. The children were relocated. Liu Xia, didn’t you know?

Liu Xia: I know. I just want to take a look. I haven’t been back in eight years. I regret not being there when Grandma passed.

Liu Qiu sighed softly. Liu Xia probably hadn’t returned because of the original host.

After thinking for a moment, she typed:

Liu Qiu: I’m sorry.

Even if it wasn’t her fault, in this world she was the original host. She had no reason not to apologize.

Another bus arrived.

She put away her phone and boarded, unaware that a small figure followed her on.

The unpleasant smell inside made Zhou Yue wrinkle her nose in open disgust. If not for Liu Qiu, she would never have stepped onto a bus in her life.

Scanning the bus, her gaze settled on Liu Qiu, who was holding a handrail and looking out the window.

A cold smile appeared.

Zhou Yue forced her way through the crowd and suddenly crashed into Liu Qiu’s arms.

Before Liu Qiu could react, Zhou Yue grabbed her wrist, tears welling instantly, and screamed, “Help! She sexually harassed me!”

“She just—just touched my butt!”

The bus fell silent for a few seconds before erupting into chaos. Every gaze turned toward Liu Qiu.

A plainly dressed, unremarkable alpha versus a delicately dressed omega with tear-filled eyes.

Almost immediately, disgust filled people’s expressions.

Someone shouted, “Another scumbag. Inferior As should be classified as a separate gender so they don’t ruin the reputation of the rest of us alphas!”

Liu Qiu couldn’t even get a word out. The noise drowned her voice.

[System! I’m really done with this!]

There were surveillance cameras on the bus, so she wasn’t worried about proving her innocence.

Zhou Yue probably didn’t know that, since it was likely her first time on public transport.

And Liu Qiu had been holding the rail the whole time, looking out the window. She hadn’t even had a free hand.

She had known Zhou Yue wasn’t very smart after the cafeteria incident, but she hadn’t expected stupidity at this level.

Liu Qiu was furious—not because she couldn’t clear her name, but because when something like this happened, and it turned out to be false, the next real victim might not be believed immediately.

How could someone be this stupid and this malicious?

She grabbed Zhou Yue’s wrist in return, lifted it, and said coldly, “Police station.”

She had been acting as the timid, gloomy original host, but she herself wasn’t like that. In a situation like this, it was hard to stay in character.

Her gaze turned completely cold, lips pressed tight. She was really angry.

Zhou Yue frowned and shouted, “Look! She’s acting all bold now!!!”

Someone had already started filming.

Suddenly, Liu Qiu felt her arm seized, followed by a sharp pain.

She cried out and released Zhou Yue.

The person gripping her was another alpha.

The alpha looked at her with utter disgust. “You’re disgusting for doing something like this.”

“I didn’t,” Liu Qiu said, tears welling up. The alphas in this world were far stronger than her slight frame.

The alpha scoffed. “Inferior As like you will never get near an omega in your lifetime. No wonder you resort to this.”

“Save it for the police.”

She then turned to Zhou Yue, her tone softening. “Don’t worry. Trash like this should be educated properly. I’ll keep an eye on her.”

Zhou Yue looked timid and offered a grateful smile. “Th-thank you.”

When the bus stopped, Liu Qiu was roughly dragged off, Zhou Yue following behind with a malicious smile.

Inferior trash like her should stay far away from Director Song.

Liu Qiu’s arm throbbed painfully. She struggled, but the more she resisted, the tighter the grip became.

She knew she couldn’t overpower this alpha. Resisting might only make things worse.

[System, next time can we not come to a world where everyone’s a super-strong powerhouse? I can’t handle this.]

Her arm felt like it was about to break. Tears streamed down her face.

The alpha sneered. “Why are you crying? You did it. Regretting it now won’t help.”

“You’re hurting me,” Liu Qiu choked. “My arm hurts.”

The alpha increased her grip. “Be glad I’m not beating you.”

Her face flushed red from the pain.

Taking off her glasses, Liu Qiu wiped her tears and called Bai Qingqing.

The call connected.

“Wife… I’ll be home late today.”

“Even someone like you has a wife?” the alpha mocked.

Liu Qiu ignored her. “Wife, something happened. I’ll come back once it’s resolved.”

Her voice trembled, thick with tears.

Bai Qingqing hung up, narrowed her eyes, and stopped circulating her cultivation method. Her long snake tail transformed into legs as she stood and slipped into a long dress.

Liu Qiu wasn’t right.

On the way to the police station, they ran into someone unexpected.

Shi Ran.

She hadn’t expected to see Liu Qiu either. A shadow passed through her eyes.

She walked over. “What’s going on?”

Seeing such a beautiful omega speak, the alpha quickly explained, “This inferior A harassed an omega on the bus. We’re taking her to the police.”

“I didn’t,” Liu Qiu said weakly.

Shi Ran raised a brow and looked at Zhou Yue.

Under her gaze, Zhou Yue immediately put on a pitiful expression. “She touched my butt.”

Shi Ran smiled lightly. “That’s unlikely. You’re not very pretty. Liu Qiu’s not that blind.”

Besides, Liu Qiu would at most secretly sniff someone’s clothes. She wouldn’t harass someone in public.

Zhou Yue flushed in anger.

Liu Qiu had never imagined Shi Ran would defend her. Her tear-filled eyes brightened. “Sh-Shi Ran…”

Shi Ran clicked her tongue internally. So pitiful—like a wronged little puppy.

Though Shi Ran was an omega, her presence was overwhelming. Zhou Yue turned to the alpha nervously. “Sister, let’s go.”

The alpha yanked Liu Qiu. “Move!”

Liu Qiu groaned, tears falling harder. “My arm really hurts…”

Shi Ran narrowed her eyes, stepped forward, and pressed a hand onto the alpha’s shoulder, her smile not reaching her eyes. “What are you doing? Didn’t you hear her say it hurts?”

The alpha bristled. This omega’s aura was oppressively strong.

“Are you sympathizing with a criminal?” she snapped. “She committed a crime. I’m just taking her to the police.”

Shi Ran’s fingers tightened. “Who cares about that? I’m telling you to let her go.”

Liu Qiu might be annoying, but she wasn’t someone any random person could bully.

The alpha suddenly felt as if her shoulder were about to shatter. Her grip loosened.

Liu Qiu pulled up her sleeve and looked at her arm.

Deep red finger marks stood out against her pale skin.

Shi Ran saw them. A cold light flashed in her eyes.

She slapped the alpha across the face and sneered, “Even if she broke the law, it’s not your place to punish her.”

She hadn’t bullied Liu Qiu like that herself, yet someone else dared to.

That little pervert couldn’t act arrogant at home or outside either.

Her arm was marked like that, and she didn’t even fight back.

How stupid.