Chapter 107: Don’t be afraid of me

“So what?” Liu Qiu said.

Although she felt a little embarrassed saying it, she truly didn’t have the ability to run a company. Even if the company could start operating again, she wouldn’t be able to sustain it for long.

Liu Qiu was very self-aware about her own capabilities. She was just an ordinary person and had never studied anything related to finance or business. Even with the system’s guidance, at best it would only create a temporary illusion of prosperity.

Besides, what she wanted most right now was for Fu Jinyin to sell the company shares, make some money, and live a good life afterward.

If she directly gave Fu Jinyin money, Fu Jinyin definitely wouldn’t accept it. But if it was money from a transaction, transferred directly into Fu Jinyin’s account, then Fu Jinyin probably wouldn’t refuse.

So when she heard Duan Liming’s proposal, Liu Qiu simply wasn’t interested.

She had no intention of running a company.

“I’ve already handed the company over to someone else,” she said, implying that it was no longer her concern.

This time Liu Qiu looked straight at Duan Liming without avoiding her gaze.

Just as Duan Liming had said, she had never actually done anything to harm Liu Qiu, so there was no need to fear her so much.

Even if she felt afraid inside, there was no reason to show it and become a joke.

As Liu Qiu thought about this, her eyes unconsciously widened. Combined with the slightly drooping corners of her eyes, she always ended up looking innocent.

Duan Liming studied her quietly for a moment before speaking.

“Liu Qiu, you’re not the same as before.”

“People change,” Liu Qiu replied.

$Host,thatwasgreat.Thatlinemadeyousoundverymature.$

The system started praising her again, but hearing it did calm Liu Qiu down a bit.

That’s right. She just needed to maintain this attitude in front of Duan Liming—neither submissive nor arrogant—treating her like an unfamiliar acquaintance.

Duan Liming observed Liu Qiu’s emotional shift clearly. Her fingers lightly tapped the table, a gesture anyone familiar with her would recognize as a sign she was thinking.

“Liu Qiu, do ghosts exist in this world?”

Liu Qiu frowned slightly. She didn’t understand why Duan Liming suddenly asked such a question, but she still answered.

“No.”

Duan Liming’s eyes were the complete opposite of Fu Jinyin’s. They were deep and dark, bottomless pools of black in which no one could decipher what emotions were hidden.

Liu Qiu grabbed the fabric of her shorts, suddenly feeling nervous.

She couldn’t help but avoid Duan Liming’s gaze and instead looked at her hands.

Duan Liming’s fingers were long and elegant, and faint blue veins were visible beneath the pale skin on the back of her hand.

Liu Qiu watched those long fingers tapping slowly against the table.

Suddenly the tapping stopped, and Duan Liming’s voice reached her ears.

“Liu Qiu, it seems like there’s something living inside your body.”

“You can talk to it.”

Liu Qiu froze.

She slowly lifted her eyelids and met Duan Liming’s gaze. Her heart began racing wildly, and the color drained from her face.

Duan Liming stopped tapping the table.

“Don’t be nervous. I’m joking,” she said in a deep, magnetic voice like a jar of aged wine.

Liu Qiu’s breathing remained uneven.

She didn’t believe Duan Liming was joking at all.

$System\dots havewebeendiscovered?$

It was hard not to suspect that Duan Liming had noticed something. First she said Liu Qiu had changed, and now she claimed there was something inside her that she could talk to.

Her emotions tightened to the extreme. Duan Liming was simply too intelligent.

There was no way Liu Qiu could hide anything from her.

The system itself had been startled by Duan Liming as well, but since the world’s consciousness hadn’t appeared to intervene, it meant Duan Liming didn’t suspect that someone else had replaced Liu Qiu—only that something unknown existed inside her.

But the system had always communicated with the host purely through her mind, never outwardly. How had this person noticed?

Her perception was terrifyingly sharp.

Still, the system needed to calm the host down. After two worlds, this was the first time the host had encountered someone at this level.

Feeling nervous was unavoidable.

$Host,shehasn’tdiscoveredus.Don’tworry.Remember?Ifwewereexposed,wewoulddisappear.$

$Thispersonisjustextremelysensitivetootherpeople’sfacialexpressions.Juststaycalm.Youdon’tevenneedtopretendinfrontofher—shecanseethroughitinstantlyanyway.$

Liu Qiu tightly shut her eyes.

When she opened them again, the cold indifference she had been pretending vanished completely.

She picked up the milk tea on the table and took a sip.

She trusted the system. Although it wasn’t reliable in many matters, it wouldn’t lie about something as serious as disappearing.

Since she couldn’t hide anything from Duan Liming anyway, there was no point worrying. Just as the system said, the fact that she was still standing here proved that even if she burst into tears in front of Duan Liming, it probably wouldn’t count as breaking character.

After taking a small sip, Liu Qiu raised her head.

“Miss Duan, what exactly do you want from me?”

Duan Liming showed no surprise at Liu Qiu’s behavior.

She lifted a hand slightly.

The woman standing beside her immediately handed her a document.

Duan Liming took it, flipped open a page, and pushed it toward Liu Qiu.

“Liu Qiu, take a look.”

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together and picked it up, reading carefully.

The further she read, the darker her expression became.

When she finished the last line, she abruptly stood up.

Mindful of the many people around them, Liu Qiu didn’t openly show her anger, but her pale cheeks and the corners of her eyes had already flushed red.

The contract actually asked her to bear a child.

Was Duan Liming insane?

Staring at Duan Liming’s calm face, Liu Qiu held her frustration in for a long moment before—

Duan Liming spoke first.

“I know. Shall we discuss it in the car?”

Liu Qiu took a deep breath and agreed.

If this matter wasn’t resolved, she wouldn’t feel at ease.

She also wanted to understand why Duan Liming had chosen her and Duan Fan. As Duan Fan’s sister, Duan Liming should know that she and Duan Fan didn’t get along.

Duan Liming stood up. The bodyguard beside her gathered everything on the table before walking ahead.

Duan Liming gave Liu Qiu a slight nod.

“Let’s go.”

Liu Qiu glanced at the surrounding onlookers who were staring at them. Feeling uncomfortable, she lowered her lashes and hurried after Duan Liming.

Once inside the car, the door closed, shutting out much of the outside noise.

Liu Qiu noticed that some people from the shop had followed them out and were now gathered around the car, holding up their phones to film.

She didn’t like this at all.

As if sensing her mood, Duan Liming suddenly spoke.

“Drive.”

The car started moving slowly and steadily onto the road, and the people filming gradually faded into the distance.

This time Duan Liming’s car was just an ordinary sedan. The interior space wasn’t large.

Liu Qiu sat on one side, and Duan Liming sat on the other. With only two seats between them, they could almost touch each other if they reached out.

After a long silence, Liu Qiu finally asked,

“Why me and Duan Fan?”

“You know I’m married. Doing this would mean producing an illegitimate child.”

Duan Liming turned her head slightly to look at her and replied calmly,

“You can get divorced.”

“Liu Qiu, your genes and Duan Fan’s genes have a 100% compatibility rate.”

“You would produce the most outstanding next generation.”

“I hope you’ll consider it. It wouldn’t harm you in any way.”

Liu Qiu rejected it without even thinking.

“I don’t want to.”

Even if she were given one hundred million, she wouldn’t leave a child behind in a small world like this—something that would create emotional attachments.

Silence filled the car.

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together tightly until the pale pink color faded slightly.

After a while, Duan Liming simply hummed in acknowledgment.

“Does the drink taste good?”

The topic shifted so suddenly that Liu Qiu couldn’t keep up.

She turned her head toward Duan Liming and met her gaze.

Looking into those deep black eyes, Liu Qiu didn’t look away this time.

“It’s not good.”

She knew Duan Liming meant the milk tea.

It was too sweet. After just one sip, it made her feel thirstier.

But they weren’t discussing the taste of milk tea—they were discussing why Duan Liming wanted her to have a child with Duan Fan.

Duan Liming was trying to change the subject.

That was Liu Qiu’s conclusion.

Liu Qiu stared at her seriously. Her cheeks and the corners of her eyes were still flushed red. Dressed in a simple T-shirt and shorts, her clear eyes were so transparent that one could almost see straight through them.

Pure, innocent, and a little pitiful.

“Don’t change the subject. I won’t have a child with Duan Fan.”

Her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, making her look stubborn.

Duan Liming turned her head toward the window, resting her fingers lightly against her lips without speaking.

Liu Qiu couldn’t see her expression anymore. Even if she could, she probably wouldn’t be able to guess what Duan Liming was thinking.

“I know Miss Duan is very powerful and very wealthy,” Liu Qiu continued, “but I also have money.”

Before the original host had been driven out, she had been a legitimate rich young lady, so Liu Qiu wasn’t really lying.

“So even if you offered me ten billion, I still wouldn’t have a child with Duan Fan.”

“I hate her.”

$Host,amazing!Thatwassoimposing.$

The system rarely saw the host act this strong, so of course it had to praise her.

After speaking, Liu Qiu fell silent and turned to look out the window.

The car interior was cool, filled with a faint, refreshing luxury fragrance that didn’t make people dizzy.

She had already made her position very clear.

Besides, there was no point pretending in front of Duan Liming anyway.

She would see through it regardless.

As the car moved steadily along, the scenery flashed past Liu Qiu’s eyes.

Another thought suddenly came to her.

Did Duan Liming still want the second-hand suit?

Probably not. She had likely just used the suit as an excuse to meet her.

Liu Qiu felt a faint sense of disappointment.

Her thoughts drifted aimlessly before a delayed sense of fear crept in.

A boss like Duan Liming probably wasn’t used to being rejected.

Would she punish her? For example, making it impossible for her to find work?

After all, Liu Qiu might be the female lead, but she was just the cuckolded female lead—not the business-world heroine.

“Liu Qiu.”

Just as she was lost in wild thoughts, Duan Liming’s deep voice suddenly sounded.

Liu Qiu turned to look at her.

Her lips, which she had been pressing together tightly, were now slightly swollen and red, looking as if they were pouting for a kiss.

Duan Liming’s gaze fell on those lips.

“Come here.”

Liu Qiu started pressing her lips together again.

Duan Liming and Duan Fan truly were sisters—their thinking jumped around in the same unpredictable way.

Liu Qiu could never keep up with what they would say next.

She obediently leaned a little closer. Her long lashes fluttered, hiding and revealing her bright, round eyes.

“What is it?”

Duan Liming’s eyes were dark. Unlike Duan Fan’s similarly narrow eyes, on Duan Liming they looked especially cold.

She wore a blue-and-white porcelain cheongsam with a high collar and short sleeves, elegant and dignified, giving her an almost otherworldly aura.

Duan Liming suddenly reached out and grasped Liu Qiu’s chin.

The unexpected action startled Liu Qiu so much that she froze, her body tensing.

At the same time, a notification sounded in her mind.

$Ding.TargetCharacterNo.3confirmed:President???(Thecharmofamaturewoman.Doyoulikeit?)$

Liu Qiu hadn’t expected Duan Liming to also be a target character. The surprise flashed briefly through her mind before she pushed it aside.

Her attention was completely focused on the fingers holding her chin.

Duan Liming applied a bit of pressure and turned her wrist, causing Liu Qiu’s face to tilt left and right.

Her fingers were soft and warm, their presence overwhelming.

Liu Qiu pressed her lips tightly together, her eyelashes trembling violently.

Suddenly she felt warmth on her lips, accompanied by Duan Liming’s almost commanding tone.

“Open.”

Liu Qiu subconsciously parted her lips.

A fragrant, soft finger slipped into her mouth.

Liu Qiu’s eyes widened slowly.

What exactly was Duan Liming trying to do?

She stared at Duan Liming’s face. From beginning to end, Duan Liming’s expression had not changed at all.

Unable to bear it any longer, Liu Qiu reached out and grabbed Duan Liming’s wrist, pulling the finger from her mouth.

As the finger slid free, a thin strand of saliva stretched briefly between them.

The moment Liu Qiu saw it, her face turned bright red and her eyes became slightly watery.

“Miss Duan… what are you doing?”

Taking a deep breath, Liu Qiu tried to look fierce and lowered her voice.

“I’m really going to get angry.”

In reality, with her flushed cheeks and reddened eyes, her soft and delicate features had absolutely no intimidation at all.

Duan Liming glanced at her damp fingertip.

“Liu Qiu, are you a puppy?”

“So obedient.”

Liu Qiu wiped her mouth.

“No.”

Was Duan Liming insulting her? It didn’t quite sound like it.

Liu Qiu didn’t realize that her attention had been completely diverted. She didn’t even have time to question why Duan Liming had put her finger into her mouth.

Duan Liming curled her fingers and looked back at Liu Qiu.

“I was mistaken.”

“My first choice was for you to pair with Duan Fan. But if you dislike her, you can choose someone else from the Duan family.”

She simply needed a gentle, obedient heir.

Liu Qiu felt like sighing.

She really didn’t want a child. Even if Fu Jinyin herself asked for one, Liu Qiu still wouldn’t agree.

Duan Liming’s attitude was too firm.

Liu Qiu’s lashes trembled as she said softly,

“I don’t want to have a child.”

“There’s no need for anyone to give birth. There are artificial incubation devices.”

Liu Qiu lowered her head and said seriously,

“I don’t want a child.”

Staring at the crown of Liu Qiu’s dark hair, Duan Liming fell silent.

The car once again became quiet.

Liu Qiu secretly let out a breath of relief. It seemed Duan Liming had finally been persuaded.

At the same time, Liu Qiu’s mindset relaxed a little.

Duan Liming looked intimidating, but even after Liu Qiu had spoken so harshly, she hadn’t gotten angry.

Perhaps Liu Qiu had been too cautious before.

After three or four minutes of silence, Duan Liming spoke again.

“I respect your choice.”

It seemed she had pushed too quickly and caused Liu Qiu to become resistant.

Liu Qiu pursed her lips and smiled slightly. Two small dimples appeared on her cheeks.

“That’s great.”

Just then, the car stopped.

The driver’s voice came from the front.

“Boss, we’ve arrived.”

Liu Qiu looked out the window and realized they were already downstairs from her apartment.

Duan Liming had driven her home.

“Leave the suit. I’ll have someone pay you the remaining balance.”

“I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable,” Duan Liming said calmly. Her steady tone seemed to soothe people’s anxiety. “And the drink I bought turned out to taste bad.”

“I hope you won’t mind.”

Liu Qiu’s fingers tightened slightly.

Her impression of Duan Liming instantly improved.

She wasn’t actually that frightening.

She could apologize and respect other people’s choices.

Liu Qiu turned to look at her, lips parting slightly as she spoke softly,

“Thank you for bringing me home.”

“I… I don’t mind. Just don’t bring up that matter again next time.”

Without her guard up, Liu Qiu spoke gently, her eyes soft as well.

The flush hadn’t yet faded from her cheeks. Her pale skin, pink face, and clear eyes made her look gentle and beautiful, someone who easily inspired affection.

Duan Liming quietly withdrew the gaze resting on Liu Qiu’s face and nodded slightly.

“Alright. Liu Qiu, don’t be afraid of me.”

“And don’t be nervous around me.”

“I won’t hurt you.”

Liu Qiu nodded.

“I understand.”

She believed Duan Liming. After all, if Duan Liming had truly wanted to harm her, she could have done so the very first time they met.

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