Chapter 31: Another One

Liu Qiu stood up and, with one hand, grabbed Bai Qingqing’s hand, and with the other, Shi Ran’s.

Shi Ran raised a brow.
“Liu Qiu, what are you doing?”

Liu Qiu didn’t speak.
Her gaze lowered slightly, long lashes casting shadows beneath her eyes as she deliberately overlapped their hands together.

Shi Ran’s fingertips brushed against the icy cold of Bai Qingqing’s fingers, and she immediately recoiled, her face full of disgust.
“Liu Qiu, are you crazy?”

The cuckold value didn’t increase?

Liu Qiu’s gaze shifted to Bai Qingqing’s face, which was clouded with gloom.

Seeing Liu Qiu look at her, Bai Qingqing forced a smile.
It was as gentle as ever, but beneath her reddened eyes there was an added trace of pitiful grievance.
“Qiuqiu.”

Liu Qiu turned and lightly pressed a kiss to Shi Ran’s cheek.

Bai Qingqing felt like she was going insane.
The overwhelming sourness inside her surged like a tidal wave, drowning her whole.

Demonic energy seeped into her palm as she looked at Shi Ran with murderous intent.

Kill her—

[Cuckold Value +1]

So that’s how it works?

[Host, what are you doing? Be careful not to attract the World Consciousness’ attention.]

Liu Qiu replied calmly, [System, the cuckold value is actually increasing on Bai Qingqing’s side.]

Liu Qiu’s sudden kiss made Shi Ran laugh.
Her peripheral vision swept over Bai Qingqing’s ugly expression as she teased, “Just because I kissed you once, you’re already this proactive?”

Bai Qingqing stared at Liu Qiu as if on the verge of tears.
“Liu Qiu, how can you be this disgusting? We just got divorced!”

She still didn’t make a move.
She had already endured as much as she could.
If something happened to Shi Ran, Liu Qiu would only worry more about her, and not even a sliver of attention would remain for Bai Qingqing.

Liu Qiu tilted her head slightly and asked honestly, “Then do you love me?”

Bai Qingqing’s heart clenched violently.
“How could I possibly love you!”

A lying, flirtatious human.

She had just kissed someone else right in front of her.
She had never put Bai Qingqing in her eyes at all.
So all those words about loving her were fake.

Facing Bai Qingqing, Liu Qiu had never spoken a single true sentence.

Liu Qiu bent down and removed both of Bai Qingqing’s high heels, holding them in her hand.
Without dwelling on Bai Qingqing’s words, she turned, crouched down, and said, “There’s a clinic around the corner. I’ll take you to have it checked first.”

Bai Qingqing bit down hard and climbed onto Liu Qiu’s back.
Liu Qiu’s back was slender, her shoulders not broad, yet she carried her steadily forward.

Shi Ran walked beside them and took the high heels from Liu Qiu’s hand, sounding impatient.
“Can’t you see I’m right here? If it’s inconvenient, just call me.”

Liu Qiu smiled shyly at her.
“Thank you.”

That wasn’t the answer Shi Ran wanted.
After a brief silence, she asked, “What do you think about me kissing you just now?”

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together.
“Shi Ran… that kind of joke isn’t funny.”

Shi Ran’s expression darkened instantly.
“Then why did you kiss me back?”

Liu Qiu replied softly, “Sorry. I thought… if I kissed you back, it would cancel out.”

The system gasped.
[Host, I think this target likes you.]

[I know.]

Liu Qiu wasn’t particularly sensitive to romance, but if Shi Ran kissed her on the mouth and she still couldn’t understand what that meant, then her brain would truly be broken.

She simply didn’t like Shi Ran.
The return kiss had only been to verify her hypothesis.

Besides, once the mission was complete, she would leave.

No matter how the plot had twisted into this shape, it didn’t matter.
She wouldn’t let herself develop unnecessary feelings.

Shi Ran was rendered speechless by Liu Qiu’s words.
What kind of wood was this person made of?
How could someone be this dense?

A joke?

They had kissed, and she called it a joke.
If they slept together, would that also be a joke?

And what nonsense was “kiss back to cancel out”?

Shi Ran had never heard such logic before.
She was so angry she almost laughed, her breathing turning sharp.
“Right. A joke.”

“How about we make a joke about marrying me too?”

“And then maybe a joke about sleeping together.”

Bai Qingqing turned her head, her gaze cold as a venomous snake.
“Get lost.”

Shi Ran narrowed her eyes and sneered without restraint.
“What does it have to do with you? In what capacity are you speaking for Liu Qiu? As her ex-wife? That’s hilarious.”

Bai Qingqing gripped Liu Qiu’s shoulders tightly, her breathing growing heavier.
“Disgusting.”

This human should die.
If this were her original world, she would have crippled this alpha long ago.

The two were on the verge of arguing again.
Liu Qiu’s head buzzed painfully.

She wanted to leave.
She needed to sort out her thoughts.

Fortunately, there really was a clinic around the corner.
Upon arrival, both Bai Qingqing and Shi Ran fell silent.

While the doctor examined Bai Qingqing’s ankle, Shi Ran received a phone call.

Liu Qiu heard Shi Ran click her tongue impatiently before saying, “Liu Qiu, I have something to deal with. I’m leaving first.”

Liu Qiu nodded and watched her leave.

She felt apologetic, but if Shi Ran truly liked her, then she needed to keep her distance.

Only when she interacted with others would the cuckold value increase.
That explained why it only triggered when she was with someone else.

If she deliberately spent time with other people in front of Bai Qingqing, the progress bar would keep rising.

But since Shi Ran liked her, she couldn’t use Shi Ran.

[System, actually… this cuckold value involves both me and Bai Qingqing.]

The system stammered.
[Y-Yes… but in the original plot, Bai Qingqing is the one who cheats.]

Liu Qiu withdrew her gaze and looked at Bai Qingqing, who was staring at her from the chair.
She walked over and sat beside her.
“Do you… think I cheated?”

Bai Qingqing’s fingers tightened.
“You were so intimate with other people. If that’s not cheating, what is?”

“That day at the bar. Today outside. And last time at your company with Song Ciyu.”

And she didn’t even love her, yet she kept saying she did.
She only loved that face that resembled someone else.

Liu Qiu was truly detestable.

She had already been tolerant.
She had treated Liu Qiu well.
And yet Liu Qiu had deceived her.

Liu Qiu listened quietly.

No wonder.
From Bai Qingqing’s perspective, every touch with someone else was betrayal.

But she herself never felt Bai Qingqing cheating was cheating.
Subconsciously, she believed it was something Bai Qingqing was supposed to do.

So the cuckold value never increased.

“I’m sorry,” Liu Qiu said softly.

Bai Qingqing’s expression eased slightly.
“Since you know you were wrong, I won’t pursue it further. We can remarry this afternoon.”

Liu Qiu shook her head gently.
“No need.”

Even without a marriage certificate, the cuckold value would still increase.
It didn’t matter.

Luckily, Bai Qingqing didn’t love her either.
That made it easier to proceed without guilt.

Turning her head, Liu Qiu smiled shyly.
“Miss Bai, you don’t have to force yourself to be with me.”

“You don’t like me. You don’t like my touch. This is the best ending.”

Every word struck like a hammer to Bai Qingqing’s heart.

The air grew thin, suffocating.

Staring into Liu Qiu’s calm eyes, red veins surfaced in Bai Qingqing’s.
Her trembling hand removed Liu Qiu’s glasses.

Without them, Liu Qiu’s eyes were fully revealed—drooping at the corners, long straight lashes, deep double eyelids, large but not round eyes.

Liu Qiu frowned faintly, her unfocused gaze misty, as though filled with affection.
“What’s wrong?”

Only then did Bai Qingqing realize that Liu Qiu’s eyes were born with a misleading tenderness.

No wonder she had always felt deeply loved.

“Liu Qiu, how can you not love me?” Bai Qingqing murmured.

Liu Qiu’s heart trembled.
Her gaze turned dull.
“Why should I love you?”

“You always treat me like a tool. You never listen to my explanations. Even if I loved you, your attitude would grind that love away.”

Bai Qingqing’s heart dropped into an icy abyss.

‘I told you not to touch me without my permission.’

‘Be good. We don’t need to kiss.’

‘I don’t love you either. It’s just that someone as stupid as you is hard to find.’

‘Liu Qiu, why are you so cheap?’

The inner demon sneered, “See? That’s her truth.”

“Even loving you requires a reason.”

“Kill her.”

The doctor’s voice suddenly interrupted.
“The medicine is ready. Internal and external use. It’s not too serious. Avoid putting weight on that foot.”

Liu Qiu snapped out of her daze.

She looked at Bai Qingqing and was startled.

Quickly pulling out tissues, she handed them over, worry evident on her face.
“Why are you crying? Does it hurt that much?”

Bai Qingqing’s tears streamed endlessly.

Liu Qiu had never seen her cry before.

Helpless, Liu Qiu reached out and gently wiped her tears.
“Does it really hurt that much?”

Bai Qingqing suddenly clutched Liu Qiu’s wrist tightly.
“Liu Qiu, I don’t want… I don’t want a divorce.”

“Is it very painful? Maybe you should go to a bigger hospital for an X-ray,” the doctor added.

The voices overlapped.
Liu Qiu only caught the doctor’s words.
“O-Okay.”

The inner demon raged.
“She doesn’t love you! And you still want to remarry?”

Bai Qingqing bit down hard, her heart shattering like cracking winter ice.

She didn’t want this.
Liu Qiu was hers.

After paying and applying the medicine, Liu Qiu crouched again.
“Miss Bai, come on. I’ll carry you back.”

Bai Qingqing wrapped her arms around Liu Qiu’s neck, her voice hoarse.
“Don’t call me Miss Bai. Liu Qiu, I’m your wife.”

Liu Qiu said nothing.

At the roadside, beneath the blazing summer sun, they waited for a taxi.

After arriving at the residential complex, Liu Qiu got out first and then carried Bai Qingqing out.
The high heels, tied in a plastic bag, swung from her wrist.

Bai Qingqing leaned against her shoulder, tears still clinging to her lashes.
She lifted a tissue and repeatedly wiped Liu Qiu’s lips.

Liu Qiu didn’t resist.

As they passed a black car, the tinted window rolled down.
A beautiful woman’s face appeared.

Liu Qiu froze.

Song Ciyu’s gaze fell on the dark red booklet in Bai Qingqing’s hand.
Though partially covered, she clearly saw the character for “divorce.”

“Such a big thing as getting divorced, and you didn’t tell me?” Song Ciyu said slowly.
“Aren’t we friends?”

Liu Qiu blinked.
“How did you know?”

“I saw the divorce certificate,” Song Ciyu replied with a slight smile as she stepped out of the car.

“By the way, is Miss Bai injured? Do you need help?”

Bai Qingqing stared at her, hostility flashing in her eyes.
“No need.”

One omega had just left.
Now another alpha appeared.
She should have crippled this alpha from the beginning.