Chapter 114: One week

After Fu Jinyin left, Liu Qiu finally sat down on the sofa.

The flush on her cheeks had yet to fade.
She raised a hand and touched her lips, taking a deep breath.

Why was Fu Jinyin’s tongue so long?
And so big too—perfectly proportional to her height.
Did tall people naturally have longer tongues?

Liu Qiu felt that she was fairly tall herself, yet her tongue was much shorter than Fu Jinyin’s.

Wait… why was she obsessing over tongue length?

What she should be wondering was why Fu Jinyin had kissed her.

When she clearly disliked touching her.

[System, don’t you think it’s strange? Fu Jinyin kissed me.]

The system was silent for a moment before replying.

[It is strange. Host, next time don’t let her kiss you. She pulls a face at you every day and still expects you to comfort her.]

[Host, you’ve never comforted your cute little system so gently.]

Liu Qiu: […]

[System, what TV show did you watch again?]

The system chuckled.

[I watched 365 Days with Cats.]

The system always managed to derail the topic, but thanks to its nonsense chatter, Liu Qiu didn’t dwell on the kiss so much anymore.

What truly bothered her was that Fu Jinyin clearly disliked her, yet still kissed her—and seemed to care very much about the matter of her cheating.

Seeing that Liu Qiu ignored it, the system spoke again.

[Host, I was joking just now.]

[I think you don’t need to overthink it. She’s your wife after all. You two are partners. If you cheat, of course she wouldn’t be happy.]

[Kissing you once is just marking her prey.]

The system’s explanation made Liu Qiu frown.

She knew the reasoning made sense, yet something still felt… off.

Liu Qiu didn’t think about it for long.
She still had to go to work today.

But the skin on her heel had been rubbed raw, and she didn’t know if Sister Li had any outfits that didn’t require high heels.

She had already managed to save more than two thousand yuan in her bank card.

Liu Qiu didn’t really want to buy anything.
Aside from daily meals, she deposited everything else into the card.

After resting for a while, Liu Qiu went to the bathroom and took a shower.
Once she washed away the sticky, uncomfortable feeling on her body, she changed her clothes and headed out.

The weather was approaching summer, and the sunlight had grown scorching.

Between two and three in the afternoon was the hottest time of day.

Liu Qiu had just finished today’s shoot, having taken many photos in pajamas.

She hadn’t worn high heels.

Constantly changing clothes and makeup was actually exhausting, but the sessions were short, and the pay was good.

Overall, Liu Qiu was very satisfied.

“Liu Qiu, bye!”

Her coworkers called out to her, and she responded before walking out of the company building.

Her heel still hurt badly, but today she had worn slippers when leaving the house, so it wouldn’t rub against the wound.

She glanced around.
Not spotting any bodyguards nearby, she secretly let out a sigh of relief.

It seemed Duan Liming wouldn’t come looking for her today.

And indeed, Duan Liming didn’t come.

But as Liu Qiu walked toward the bus stop, a black car stopped slightly ahead of her.

At first she didn’t pay attention—until the car door opened right in front of her.

A voice came from inside.

“Liu Qiu. Get in.”

The tone was commanding.

Somewhat familiar, yet not entirely.

Liu Qiu had heard this voice before.

It was the person who had called her last time.

The original owner’s mother.

Liu Qiu’s entire body stiffened.

She took a few steps forward and tilted her head to look into the car.

A face about fifty percent similar to her own came into view.

Nothing could confirm the person’s identity more clearly than that face.

It really was the original owner’s mother.

“Liu Qiu. Do you want me to repeat myself a second time?”

Liu Qiu stiffly got into the car and closed the door.

She sat with her legs together and hands resting neatly on her thighs, looking extremely well-behaved.

Liu Yaoming’s gaze swept over Liu Qiu from head to toe.

They hadn’t seen each other in two years, and her daughter’s appearance had changed quite a bit.

At the very least, Liu Yaoming had never seen her daughter wearing something as cheap as a short-sleeved shirt.

But Liu Yaoming felt no pity, nor did she intend to reminisce.

This was all Liu Qiu’s own doing.

Her voice was low and rich.

“Liu Qiu. Divorce that woman.”

“I need you to marry Duan Liming.”

Liu Qiu’s mind went blank.

She slowly turned her head and looked at Liu Yaoming—this woman who was the original owner’s biological mother.

They hadn’t seen each other in two years.

And the first thing she said was to demand a divorce.

Hadn’t the original owner already severed ties with her mother?

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together.

“Ms. Liu. I refuse.”

“We no longer have any relationship. You have no right to control me.”

Fine lines framed the corners of Liu Yaoming’s eyes.

The accumulation of years had deepened the folds between her brows, making her entire face appear even more imposing.

“You lived as a pampered young lady for so many years.”

“And now you’ve reduced yourself to this just for a poor woman of unknown origin.”

“Liu Qiu, I thought you would have grown up by now.”

“It’s been two years. Do you still not understand?”

“Without the Liu family, you are nothing.”

Her words were harsh and unpleasant.

But Liu Qiu didn’t refute them.

Right now, “Liu Qiu” truly was nothing.

She felt awkward—and a little afraid.

Afraid Liu Yaoming would notice something wrong with her.

Liu Qiu forced her expression to turn cold.

“Ms. Liu. I’m very satisfied with my life right now.”

“I have a lover.”

“I have a small home.”

“Please don’t come disturb me.”

Liu Yaoming didn’t get angry.

She didn’t even show any expression.

Instead, she handed a document to Liu Qiu.

“Your lover?”

“Does she really love you?”

“Take a look for yourself.”

Liu Qiu’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she reached out and accepted the file.

Party A: Fu Jinyin
Party B: Duan Fan

Party B must cooperate with Party A to make Liu Qiu feel sadness and pain, including (but not limited to) cheating on Liu Qiu—

The contract looked amateurish, but the handwriting was unmistakably Fu Jinyin’s.

Fu Jinyin was tall.

Naturally, her fingers were long as well, and the pads of her fingers were larger.

“I know you won’t believe it easily,” Liu Yaoming said.

Along with her words, a phone appeared beside Liu Qiu, playing a surveillance video.

“Wow, Jinyin, you’re really going to do this? I support you.”

“Come on, I’ve signed it. Just imagining Liu Qiu’s painful expression makes me happy. Don’t you feel the same?”

“Mm. I hate her. So I’m going to do this.”

“Very nice. Come on, let’s try kissing first.”

The video abruptly ended there.

Liu Qiu slowly tightened her grip on the thin sheet of paper.

Actually, the moment she saw the contract, she had already believed it.

Duan Fan and Fu Jinyin both hated the original host.

Doing something like this was completely normal.

Fortunately, she wasn’t the original host.

Otherwise she would have been heartbroken.

It seemed Fu Jinyin hated the original host even more than she had imagined.

Divorce itself didn’t matter much to her.

What she didn’t know was whether the Green Hat Value would still increase after the divorce.

In the first world, it had still increased even after divorce.

Liu Qiu let out a breath and changed the subject.

“Ms. Liu. You clearly didn’t want me to like women.”

“So why do you now want me to marry Duan Liming?”

Liu Yaoming’s expression darkened slightly.

“I need an heir.”

“You should know about the Duan family’s technology.”

“Women and women can also have children.”

“I don’t want my grandchild to be born as an illegitimate child.”

“If you marry Duan Liming first and divorce later, I won’t interfere in your affairs anymore.”

“And you will still be the Liu family’s eldest daughter.”

Liu Qiu’s head throbbed.

Why was it about children again?

Did these rich people want kids that badly?

Liu Qiu felt troubled.

From Liu Yaoming’s perspective, it was understandable.

She was nearly sixty years old.

She had given birth to the original host at thirty—her only child.

From Liu Yaoming’s viewpoint, her only daughter was hopelessly love-brained and clearly lacked the ability to inherit the Liu family business.

So she needed to cultivate a new heir.

But that heir couldn’t carry someone else’s bloodline.

Thus, the idea turned toward a grandchild.

Originally, since the “original host” liked women, children were impossible.

But suddenly, the Duan family had developed this technology.

Naturally, Liu Yaoming’s thoughts became active again.

Liu Qiu sighed inwardly.

Maybe after she completed the mission, she could let the “replacement” handle explaining things to this woman.

“Ms. Liu. I’ll repeat what I said.”

“There is no relationship between us anymore.”

“Besides, I don’t like her.”

The car had already started moving, so Liu Qiu couldn’t get out.

She placed the document on the seat and turned her head to look out the window.

Liu Yaoming’s face darkened.

“Liu Qiu, how did you become this stupid?”

“Poverty has rotted your brain, making you incapable of choosing correctly.”

She had thought Liu Qiu would agree after seeing the evidence.

She hadn’t expected such foolish stubbornness.

Liu Yaoming looked coldly at the back of Liu Qiu’s head.

“Your company is being managed by Fu Jinyin.”

“Liu Qiu, you know very well that I can make your company go bankrupt very easily.”

“You’ve already experienced the consequences of public opinion.”

She had many ways to bring Liu Qiu’s company down.

Public opinion was merely the mildest.

Liu Qiu’s fingers tightened.

No wonder the original host couldn’t investigate it.

Even the system couldn’t find out.

First mentioning Fu Jinyin, then mentioning public opinion—it was obviously a threat.

Liu Yaoming truly could do it.

So this was what rich people were like.

How terrifying.

Liu Qiu stared blankly out the window.

What should she do?

She was afraid the Green Hat Value wouldn’t increase after divorce.

But she was also afraid Fu Jinyin would get hurt.

Fu Jinyin had already suffered so much.

“Ms. Liu… let me think about it.”

Liu Yaoming hummed softly.

“Liu Qiu, Fu Jinyin doesn’t like you.”

“If you force her to stay with you, she will only hate you more and more.”

“Do you really want to see that?”

---

Liu Yaoming’s words kept echoing in Liu Qiu’s mind.

Even after returning home, she was still thinking about them.

[Host, stop thinking about it. Remember—we’re just passersby.]

[Hold on a little longer. Once the mission is complete, the person replacing you will handle everything.]

The system’s words made Liu Qiu close her eyes.

Yes.

She was just a mission taker.

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She wanted to go home.

But if Fu Jinyin asked for a divorce, she wouldn’t refuse.

Over the next few days, Liu Qiu never saw Liu Yaoming again.

It was as if what happened that day had been an illusion.

Recently, Fu Jinyin had been coming home very early—around six in the evening.

She also left later in the morning.

Before, she would leave around seven.

Now she left at nine.

But after all these days, Fu Jinyin still couldn’t tie a tie.

Liu Qiu raised her hands and carefully tied Fu Jinyin’s tie.

Once it was done, she looked up.

“All done.”

Fu Jinyin bent slightly and suddenly pulled Liu Qiu into her arms.

Without hesitation, she sealed Liu Qiu’s lips with a kiss.

Liu Qiu couldn’t push her away.

Her fingers clenched into fists as she felt Fu Jinyin’s tongue sweeping through her mouth.

It was a long kiss.

When they finally separated, Liu Qiu’s breathing had become rapid.

“Fu Jinyin… why do you always kiss me?”

Fu Jinyin’s expression remained cold.

If her lips hadn’t been wet, no one would have guessed she had just kissed Liu Qiu so fiercely.

She didn’t answer the question.

Instead she said, “Don’t call me by three characters.”

She hated it when Liu Qiu called her full name.

She didn’t know why.

She just hated it.

Liu Qiu’s eyes grew slightly moist.

Looking at Fu Jinyin’s indifferent face and gaze, she felt a faint sense of relief.

Fu Jinyin had gone from staying out all night to leaving late and returning early.

The company was also doing better and better.

None of this matched the progression hinted at in the plot.

Everything had deviated badly.

But aside from the kisses, Fu Jinyin was still cold toward her in every other way.

She rarely spoke.

She responded to Liu Qiu’s words with indifference.

After dinner, she shut herself inside her room.

Fu Jinyin stared at Liu Qiu’s gentle face and pressed her lips together before turning and leaving.

The iron gate closed with a heavy clang.

Fu Jinyin’s fingers slowly clenched.

Her eyes reddened silently.

She didn’t like this version of herself.

She was supposed to hate Liu Qiu.

But lately, day by day, she had begun to crave Liu Qiu more and more.

She craved kissing her.

She craved Liu Qiu’s body.

Why had Liu Qiu stopped seducing her?

Why didn’t she bring up sleeping with her anymore?

Fu Jinyin bit her lip.

She felt disgusting.

How could she be thinking about things like this?

The disgust in her eyes toward herself deepened.

She didn’t want to become like this.

She didn’t want to let the tentacles go inside.

That warm, soft, slippery feeling—along with the tight pressure—would transmit clearly through the tentacles.

She would understand exactly what she had done.

Fu Jinyin bit her lip so hard that deep teeth marks appeared.

She forced herself not to think about Liu Qiu and strode outside.

Today, someone wanted to discuss a contract with her.

She had studied well online.

She remembered all the knowledge about managing a company.

Today’s contract would succeed too.

---

At noon, during lunchtime.

Fu Jinyin, dressed in a neat suit, sat inside a restaurant.

Across from her sat Duan Liming.

Fu Jinyin felt intense disgust toward this client.

She remembered this woman—the one who had stood very close to Liu Qiu on the roadside before.

Now that she could clearly see her face, Fu Jinyin immediately recognized her.

She was Duan Fan’s older sister.

Duan Liming’s expression was calm, her brows and eyes as cold and distant as snow on a mountain peak.

Fu Jinyin lowered her gaze and avoided looking at her.

She took out her laptop and documents.

Once she finished introducing the proposal, she intended to leave.

Disgusting person.

Disgusting scent.

Duan Liming quietly observed Fu Jinyin’s every move.

When Fu Jinyin paused, she finally spoke.

“Number 112. Mimic Octopus Research Subject.”

Fu Jinyin’s pupils shrank violently.

Her body began trembling.

Duan Liming watched the reaction clearly.

“Don’t be afraid,” she said calmly.

“I’m not here to capture you.”

Fu Jinyin’s face turned pale.

She lifted her head and looked at Duan Liming.

Her voice was hoarse.

“What… are you saying?”

“What 112? What octopus?”

Duan Liming pointed lightly at her own face.

“112. Your expression has betrayed you.”

“Did you know? You’re nervous.”

“You’re afraid.”

Fu Jinyin suddenly stood up.

She looked at Duan Liming with disgust.

“Are you insane?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m leaving.”

After saying that, she rushed toward the door.

But many people stood outside.

Fu Jinyin couldn’t break through.

In the end, her arms were restrained and she was dragged back in front of Duan Liming.

Fu Jinyin’s eyes were red.

Her strength was great.

But those people carried something on them—whenever she got close, she could feel electric currents.

It was extremely painful.

Duan Liming said calmly,

“I hope you can quietly listen until I finish speaking.”

“Can you?”

It sounded like a question.

But Duan Liming gave her no chance to refuse.

She pointed to the chair opposite her.

Fu Jinyin was forced down into the seat.

“Alright. Let go of her.”

“You can wait outside.”

Following her instructions, the bodyguards released Fu Jinyin and left the room.

Only Fu Jinyin and Duan Liming remained.

Fu Jinyin stared at Duan Liming fiercely.

Her pale eyes were filled with violent hostility and killing intent—like an emotionless beast.

Duan Liming slowly poured two glasses of water.

She pushed one toward Fu Jinyin.

“112. Your level of socialization is still insufficient.”

Fu Jinyin didn’t speak.

She kept staring at Duan Liming, as if ready to tear her apart at any moment.

Duan Liming took a sip of water.

“I won’t take you back to the laboratory.”

“Your genes are unstable, and I can also give you medication to stabilize your body.”

“My only condition is that you divorce Liu Qiu.”

Fu Jinyin repeated blankly,

“…Divorce.”

Suddenly, the screen in the room lit up.

A video appeared.

Fu Jinyin slowly turned her dry eyes toward it.

Two people appeared on the screen.

One of them looked very similar to Liu Qiu.

The other was Liu Qiu herself.

“Liu Qiu, divorce that woman.”

“Let me… think about it. I don’t like her.”

The video was short.

But Liu Qiu’s face was clear.

Her words were clear.

Liu Qiu wanted to divorce her.

Fu Jinyin’s breathing grew heavy.

Her heart hurt terribly.

So annoying.

Why was it so annoying?

More annoying than anything else.

The frame froze on Liu Qiu’s face.

Her expression was completely indifferent.

Cold.

As if she didn’t care at all about what she had said.

Fu Jinyin’s body suddenly surged with agitation.

Grotesque, ugly tentacles burst out and lashed toward Duan Liming.

“Liar!”

“Liu Qiu won’t divorce me!”

Duan Liming shook her head.

Just as the tentacles were about to reach her, she pressed the metal ring on her finger.

A sharp pain exploded in Fu Jinyin’s heart.

Her body collapsed instantly, and the tentacles curled up together.

Duan Liming stood and walked over to her.

She bent down, picked up Fu Jinyin’s hand, and rubbed it against an ink pad.

After confirming the fingertip was stained red, she pressed Fu Jinyin’s finger onto a document.

Then she straightened up and calmly wiped the hand that had touched Fu Jinyin with a tissue.

“112. Do you know why you’re considered a failure?”

“Your emotions are unstable, and the probability of you harming humans is very high.”

“That’s why the laboratory originally decided to destroy you.”

Her tone remained steady, as if she were merely stating something ordinary.

Fu Jinyin’s body trembled.

“I… am not… a failure.”

“Liu Qiu… won’t… divorce me.”

Duan Liming returned to her seat and looked down at the fingerprint on the paper.

“Is that so?”

“Then I’ll have to bring her into the laboratory.”

She lifted her eyes calmly.

“If she becomes stupid, perhaps that will allow the two of you to divorce.”

Fu Jinyin’s face and lips were pale.

Her fingers clenched tightly.

“No… don’t.”

“I’ll divorce.”

Duan Liming’s expression remained unchanged.

She placed the paper on the table and walked toward the door.

“Take this document.”

“Go talk to her.”

“You have one week.”