Chapter 23: I Want You Dead

When Meng Yao led Zhao Xue home, the rims of her eyes were still a bit red. However, both of them felt a sense of happiness, even if their expressions weren’t obvious.

She led Zhao Xue to the elder. “Grandma, this is Zhao Xue.”

Zhao Xue’s features were exquisite, her lips curved into a smile. “Hello, Grandma.” She handed over the gifts she had purchased.

The elder hurriedly took them, repeatedly saying “good” with a kind, warm smile. She was truly happy from the bottom of her heart. While cooking, she had thought about many things. Xiao Yao said she knew her partner, but she knew very few young people—could it be that girl?

Whether her granddaughter liked girls or boys didn’t surprise her. She had raised Xiao Yao through bitter times; for so long, Xiao Yao had used her small shoulders to prop up their home. Her last wish in this life was simply for Xiao Yao to find a good place to belong.

Perhaps to others, eighteen was too young to bring someone home to meet the family, but the elder didn’t think so; in her generation, there were those even younger. It wasn’t that she thought her granddaughter wasn’t good enough, but her impression of that young girl was that she was either extremely wealthy or of noble status—and they were two girls. She worried she wouldn’t leave a good impression on Xiao Yao’s partner.

But after Xiao Yao actually brought the person before her, all those thoughts collapsed. She could see that Xiao Yao was set on this girl for life. This old woman only hoped the two girls could make it to the end.

At night, Meng Yao led Zhao Xue back to the bedroom. Meng Yao’s mood had remained in a state of turbulence, a feeling only she knew. She held Zhao Xue as they lay on the bed. Closing her eyes, their breaths interlaced. “It feels like a dream.”

Suddenly, Meng Yao spoke. “Zhao Xue, there are videos of you on the internet lately. Many people are cursing you. Can you… not look at them?” She chose to speak up because she was worried Zhao Xue would feel hurt if she saw them.

Zhao Xue’s smile was faint. Looking at Meng Yao, who was right in front of her, she shifted and gave her a light kiss, then whispered: “Let them curse. Because those things were done by this identity. Bad people deserve punishment.”

Zhao Xue spoke bluntly. Meng Yao’s eyes flickered; she wanted to say more, but Zhao Xue kissed her again, though only grinding against her lips.

“Don’t worry about it, okay? You only need to care about me.” The words were muffled, leaking from the seam of their touching lips.

“Okay,” Meng Yao answered. She wanted to deepen the kiss, but Zhao Xue didn’t seem to intend to go further, only lingering on the surface, stoking more of Meng Yao’s longing. Just as Meng Yao tried to deepen it, Zhao Xue propped herself up.

“You haven’t told me yet—how did you manage that house?”

The question came unexpectedly. Meng Yao’s eyes shifted, and she pursed her thin lips, seemingly thinking of how to explain. After a long moment, she honestly confessed everything.

Zhao Xue listened until she heard that Meng Yao had spent all her money to pull this off. Zhao Xue sighed. “You really are a fool. You spent all your money; what will we do later? I’m no longer a Young Mistress. It seems I’ll have to sell that small villa to support you.” Zhao Xue was only joking.

But Meng Yao grew tense. She got up and pulled Zhao Xue to the computer. “No need. I can support you. I’m making a game right now. I can make money, and I even have investors.”

Seeing Meng Yao’s desperate explanation, Zhao Xue couldn’t help but hug her, resting her head against Meng Yao’s neck. “Then I’ll rely on you to support me from now on.”

The tips of Meng Yao’s ears turned bright red, but her heart grew steady; she had to speed up the progress. Suddenly remembering something, she asked, “Are you still going abroad?”

Zhao Xue lifted her head, her brows arching slightly. “When did I ever say I was going abroad?”

Seeing Zhao Xue’s expression, Meng Yao realized she had been tricked. Her mood instantly plummeted; it seemed she wasn’t welcomed by Zhao Xue’s family.

Zhao Xue kissed the side of Meng Yao’s neck, right where she had left a hickey. “I won’t leave you. I’ll repeat a year of school. Wait for me in university, okay?”

Hearing this, a massive surge of joy overwhelmed Meng Yao. She pulled Zhao Xue tightly into her arms as if trying to crush her. Zhao Xue leaned on Meng Yao’s shoulder, immersing herself in her scent. With a smile, she said, “Stop crying. If you keep crying, your eyes will swell.”

Meng Yao’s voice was muffled. “Mm, not crying.” If her eyes were swollen, she wouldn’t look good; what if Zhao Xue didn’t like it?

“And that fiancé of yours…” As if lodging a complaint, Meng Yao brought it up.

“That’s fake too. I will only marry you, and I only want to marry you. Because I only love you.”

Fang Jianming had someone investigate Zhao Xue’s recent situation and found that she had gotten together with Meng Yao. Now, she wouldn’t even return to the Feng family, her only support. Every day, she shuttled through the busy markets of ordinary people, as if she had completely fallen.

Someone had stepped her into the mud. Zhao Xue must be in a lot of pain, right? From a high-and-mighty Young Mistress to being supported by an ordinary person she once looked down upon.

Fang Jianming felt a surge of pleasure. Zhao Xue could never climb back up now; she could only be an ordinary person for the rest of her life. He checked the news online; after all, his goal had been achieved. He clicked his tongue—fine, he’d let Zhao Xue go. Zhao Xue was ruined, and she’d stay that way forever. She was no longer worth his attention; he had more important things to do.

He had to prepare for going abroad. Once he took over that overseas company, he would definitely achieve great things. The Fang family could only be his. His eyes flashed with a look of determination. Over the years, he had worked hard to maintain his relationship with Su Xu and the others; the results were significant. They would help him in secret.

Without Fang Jianming’s manipulation, the internet moved too fast. Within a week, Zhao Xue’s news had been pushed down by other stories. Zhao Xue was gradually forgotten by the web. Without her status as the Zhao family’s Young Mistress, she faded into the crowd, appearing as just a very beautiful girl.

With the Feng family’s help, Zhao Xue entered a regular high school. Meng Yao, as the top scorer of S-City, entered the Computer Science department of B-University.

Time seemed to hit the fast-forward button. In the blink of an eye, a year passed.

Meng Yao still had that neck-length messy hair, long brows, and phoenix eyes. Her features were deep and three-dimensional, her skin cool and pale. She was heroic yet beautiful. Her gaze was cold and dark, exuding a gloomy beauty.

A year was neither long nor short, but it was enough for Meng Yao to lose that sense of greenness. Her aura became mature and rational, as if she wouldn’t stop for anyone. She seemed to have grown a bit taller, wearing a simple white shirt, looking even more tall and upright. Standing in the crowd, she made the passing examinees stop and stare. There were many good-looking people, but few were this good-looking.

Before the students who had just finished the College Entrance Exam could appreciate her, they saw the person they were looking at suddenly soften her gaze. The gloomy aura vanished instantly. She opened her arms and caught the girl who lunged toward her.

“Zhao Xue, how did the exam go?” Her tone was gentle and doting.

The girl in her arms lifted her head, revealing a face beautiful enough to make one lose their mind. The corners of her peach-blossom eyes curved slightly like little hooks. Zhao Xue’s features had fully matured; when her eyes crinkled with a smile, it made observers want to offer up their entire hearts.

Meng Yao had grown taller, so Zhao Xue had to look up slightly. Zhao Xue’s red lips curved, her eyes sparkling with starlight. “With a big scholar supervising me, I definitely did well.”

Meng Yao’s school was in B-City, and Zhao Xue had specifically found a high school in B-City to repeat her year. The two had rented an apartment outside and were living together completely. They had been together for a year, but Meng Yao’s love had only increased.

Meng Yao took Zhao Xue’s hand, their fingers interlacing. Warmth passed through their contact. “What do you want to eat today?”

Zhao Xue’s eyes crinkled. “Hotpot. Let’s go to that Li’s place from last time; I like the crystal beef there.”

Meng Yao looked at her from the side, a shallow smile appearing on her lips. “Okay.”

The atmosphere between them was seamless. Passersby seeing them hand-in-hand could think of no word but “perfect.” In this era, society wasn’t overly inclusive of same-s*x couples, but it wasn’t too harsh either; same-s*x marriage was legal. If a couple walked openly hand-in-hand in the sunlight, that kind of courage was worthy of respect.

“Wow, is that ‘God Meng’? Why is she here to welcome freshmen?”

At the gate of B-University, seniors from every department stood ready to welcome their juniors. Meng Yao was famous at B-University—the genius of the Computer Science department, an untouchable “flower on a high peak.” Her abilities were extraordinary; she learned everything quickly. The professors in her department treated her like a treasure. It was said she was already leading projects, and she was only a sophomore.

Not only that, her looks were stunning—an alluring beauty that transcended gender. She was tall, with deep features, always wearing a white shirt, upright and beautiful. Countless men and women sent her love letters, but none succeeded. Even the “School Flower” from the Dance department had tried and been ruthlessly rejected.

Meng Yao’s excuse for everyone was: “Sorry, I have a partner.” She used this for everyone, regardless of gender.

Why was it called an excuse? Because Meng Yao never missed a class, rarely played on her phone, and spent most of her time coding. Her face was perpetually expressionless, sometimes even tinged with gloom. She looked like someone who was “rationally insane.” Aside from not living in the dorms, she looked entirely like a single person. Few people could manage more than a few words with her. She answered questions, but always maintained a sense of distance.

It was hard to imagine such a person coming to welcome freshmen.

Li Yang was the only student who could really talk to Meng Yao, thanks to his over-familiarity and airheadedness. He felt Meng Yao was unusually happy today. With his 5.2 vision, he noticed her lips were turned up by 0.2 millimeters.

Li Yang: Shocked.JPG

He leaned over and asked, “Meng Yao, why are you so happy today?” Li Yang had a loud voice; this attracted everyone around who was secretly watching her.

Meng Yao raised her eyelids. Li Yang shared a trait with her high school classmate Lin Shuang: over-familiarity. But she didn’t hate this personality. She said, “Picking up my wife.” Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for those nearby to hear.

Especially Li Yang. His eyes bulged. He shouted at the top of his lungs: “What?! Picking up your wife? Wait, you really have a partner?!” He was too shocked to control himself.

Now many people heard it. Heartbreaks scattered everywhere. Meng Yao really had a partner.

Suddenly, a figure approached from the distance. Li Yang experienced his second shock of the day—this junior was this beautiful! My goodness, this was only the second “super beauty” he’d seen in his life. The first was Meng Yao. Meng Yao was beautiful, but Li Yang couldn’t bring himself to have any designs on her because her beauty was the kind that was both handsome and pretty. He felt like a pile of dung standing next to her.

But this great beauty made him want to smile foolishly at a single glance. Seeing her coming his way, he put on a silly smile and stepped forward to welcome her.

Instead, a figure shot past him. Their school’s famous cold goddess had already strode over and swept the person into her arms. The students watching saw their unreachable goddess hug the new beautiful junior. Her gaze was softer than they’d ever seen. “Zhao Xue, you’re finally here.”

That night, the B-University forum was unprecedentedly lively.

— Turns out God Meng saying she has a partner was true. Wuwuwu, I’m broken. — Who understands? Falling in love and getting dumped at the same time. The new junior in Art is super-super-super beautiful, but she’s actually God Meng’s partner!!! — Wuhu! Two great beauties together is too much! Every move is like an idol drama. Rooting for them! — Asking for a friend: how do I steal the junior from God Meng? She’s exactly my type; I’ve never seen anyone that good-looking!

Zhao Xue didn’t know about the heated discussion they caused. Life passed plainly yet warmly. On the day Zhao Xue turned twenty, the two went to get their marriage certificate.

Meng Yao was exactly one month older than Zhao Xue. Heaven knew how much she had looked forward to Zhao Xue turning twenty after she did. Unsurprisingly, after registering, Meng Yao cried again. Holding the fresh red booklets, she hugged Zhao Xue at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau, sobbing: “Why do we have to wait until you graduate to have the wedding? I want it now.”

Zhao Xue just held her tight. “Because you still have many things to finish.”

In October of that same year, a MOBA mobile game was launched. With exquisite characters and interesting combat settings, it rapidly swept through Z-Country. The publishing company burst into the Z-Country upper circles with an unstoppable momentum. The company’s market value kept rising.

The Feng family was the biggest winner. Originally, the company was very small, starting with a study app. No one expected it to develop like this. Back then, no one noticed the company; they even thought the Feng family, who sold wine, had lost their minds to invest in it. But in just one year, the small company transformed.

Its scale grew larger and larger. The CEO was someone they knew—the second son of a second-rate family. No one expected him to flip the script; this trend was even threatening to surpass the four great families. But even the four families couldn’t stop it; businessmen chase profit, and the company’s prospects were too good, with a constant stream of investors.

One night, Zhao Xue was nestled in Meng Yao’s arms watching the news. Meng Yao was 1.8 meters tall, while Zhao Xue had stopped at 1.7 meters. Her soul was originally that height anyway. Right now, she fit perfectly in Meng Yao’s embrace.

“Big Boss Meng, I want to eat a whole shrimp feast tomorrow. Prepare it for me,” Zhao Xue teased.

Should she expect less from a Female Lead? She hadn’t expected that making a game would cause such a massive change for the small company. That rich kid was a man of his word too; he gave Meng Yao equity for her technical contribution. Now Meng Yao held the most shares—she was the major shareholder. Meng Yao had told Zhao Xue about the rich kid who contacted her long ago.

Meng Yao leaned down to kiss the tip of Zhao Xue’s ear. “Okay, Xiao Bao (Little Treasure).”

The nickname was something Meng Yao learned from Old Man Feng. She remembered how the old man had flown into a rage seeing the red booklets in their hands, though Zhao Xue eventually smoothed things over. Feng Yun had also explained why she told Meng Yao that Zhao Xue was going abroad—it was all out of good intentions, not wanting Meng Yao to be dragged down.

Zhao Xue twitched her ear. “Don’t call me Xiao Bao.” At her age, being called that made her a bit shy.

“Okay, Xiao Bao.” Meng Yao’s expression was incredibly soft. This tenderness belonged only to Zhao Xue; no one else could have even a fraction of it.

Zhao Xue chuckled. This vibrant Meng Yao was too cute. She swiped her finger and another news story popped up. Zhao Xue made a sound of surprise, catching Meng Yao’s attention. “What is it?”

Zhao Xue held up the phone, enlarging the video. It was an interview with a foreigner. “It’s that photographer from years ago,” Zhao Xue said.

The reporter asked: “Mr. Clark, your photography work ‘Love’ won the championship of this year’s Logrin Competition. What do you have to say about this?”

Clark shouted: “I do! This damn organizer rejected me twice because of my record! Luckily they let my work through this year, otherwise I would have cursed them out on social media.”

Another reporter asked: “Mr. Clark, the two Eastern girls in your work are the same subjects as the winner of the Stilo Art Competition, ‘The Girl in the Flames.’ What are your thoughts on this?”

Clark said: “Hey, heavens, I know that work! Honestly, it was a well-deserved champion. By the way, old friend, have you looked at the source of inspiration for that work? It’s that viral Z-Country video. It’s fantastic—I want to cry every time I watch it.”

Zhao Xue hit pause. “Well, now the whole world knows us.”

Meng Yao rested her forehead against Zhao Xue’s shoulder. “You said it—it’s worth it.”

Zhao Xue smiled, turning to face Meng Yao. “Yes, it’s worth it. By the way, Meng Yao, you have memories of your past lives, don’t you?”

Meng Yao dropped a kiss on the corner of Zhao Xue’s lips. “I was wondering how long it would take for you to ask.” She pinned Zhao Xue down on the bed, forehead to forehead. Breathing together, she closed her eyes and spoke slowly. “Yes. I died nine times. I had memories every time.”

“I used to suffer, I used to be weary. I thought constantly rebirthing and watching Grandma die was a punishment. Until this time, when I waited for you.”

“Maybe it wasn’t a punishment, but a trial to meet you.”

“I think… I’m loving you with my soul, Zhao Xue.”

Meng Yao had graduated, while Zhao Xue was only a junior. This meant they couldn’t be together every moment. One day after class, Zhao Xue was walking home. Meng Yao said she had to work late, so Zhao Xue had to go home alone.

Suddenly, a person lunged out from the side. Zhao Xue dodged, twisting her body. She frowned. “Fang Jianming?” Wasn’t this one of the Male Leads? How did he turn into this ghostly mess?

The person before her had sunken cheeks, an unhealthy grey-white complexion, bloodshot eyes, and dark circles. Fang Jianming looked at Zhao Xue, who was more radiant than before. His eyes were filled with resentment, his expression caught between laughing and crying.

“Zhao Xue! How can you be so lucky! Why do all the good things happen to you?!”

He hadn’t done well abroad. His company had been targeted for some reason. He hit walls everywhere. In the Fang family, one rose through ability; he couldn’t even complete the first step. One could imagine his end. Su Xu and the others seemed to have been warned too; they couldn’t even help him in secret.

He gradually grew anxious. One day he went to a bar to drink and accidentally took drugs, becoming addicted. His failed work and life made him dependent on them. He hid it well at first, but someone tipped them off. Su Xu and the others found out and distanced themselves. He was beyond saving. Later, his second brother—whom he hated—told him this was all because the CEO of Sailing Tech was targeting him.

And that CEO was named Meng Yao.

Fang Jianming instantly associated it with Zhao Xue. Meng Yao must be getting revenge for Zhao Xue! So he returned to the country, tracked them down, and began staking them out at night. But Zhao Xue was almost never alone. Until today.

Fang Jianming’s eyes were vicious, no longer the dashing youth he once was. He thought Zhao Xue would never climb back up, but he had ignored Meng Yao. Why was she so lucky?!

He pulled out a dagger and lunged straight at Zhao Xue. The Fang family had completely abandoned him, and Su Xu wouldn’t care. He was a drug addict, a complete failure. It was all because of Zhao Xue! Since he couldn’t have a good life, he would drag Zhao Xue to hell with him!

His mind was already in a state of collapse. The screams of people around him only heightened his urge to kill. Zhao Xue was the best target. He smiled crazily: “Zhao Xue, go to hell!”

Zhao Xue’s lips curved. Fang Jianming’s movements were like slow motion to her. The moment the dagger neared, she kicked it away. Before he could react, she kicked him to the ground. It happened so fast that the bystanders’ screams were stuck in their throats. Only when they saw him curled on the ground clutching his stomach did they react and call the police.

The police arrived and subdued him. Fang Jianming laughed and cried like a madman. He murmured: “Zhao Xue, I want you dead. Zhao Xue, I want you dead.”

That night, Zhao Xue sat on the sofa. As Meng Yao hugged her, she asked, “Meng Yao, are you hiding something from me?”

Meng Yao’s hand paused in mid-air. “Why do you ask?”

Zhao Xue narrowed her eyes. “I ran into Fang Jianming today.”

Meng Yao’s expression changed instantly. She pulled Zhao Xue over to check her, eyes full of tension. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

Zhao Xue smiled. “I’m not. It seems you really did do something.”

Meng Yao breathed a sigh of relief. Her eyes flickered before she honestly confessed. “I did do a few things to make sure his overseas company didn’t get investment. But the things that happened after had nothing to do with me.” She lowered her long lashes. She hadn’t expected him to turn to drugs. She found out that the online incident was his doing, but she hadn’t planned to be so ruthless; the later development was unexpected.

Zhao Xue hooked Meng Yao’s chin, lifting her head to meet her gaze. “I’m not blaming you. Why do you look so aggrieved?”

Meng Yao’s eyes lit up. She hugged Zhao Xue and nuzzled her. “Xiao Bao, you’re the best.”

Zhao Xue and Meng Yao’s wedding wasn’t grand; they only invited a few close friends. But they took many sets of wedding photos. Meng Yao would take them out to look at every night, like a child with candy.

Grandma Meng died when Meng Yao was forty. Old Man Feng died when Zhao Xue was sixty. The two didn’t adopt children. Meng Yao liquidated all her shares and donated them to charity.

Meng Yao lay on the hospital bed, her hair white. Her skin bore the marks of time, though one could still see her youthful grace. Zhao Xue was very old too. She sat by the bed, holding Meng Yao’s hands, a faint smile still on her face.

Meng Yao watched her, tears silently falling. “Xiao Bao, I won’t be able to call you that anymore. All these years, I would often wake up at night terrified you would disappear. But every time I opened my eyes, you were safely by my side.”

“Sometimes I think, I’m the luckiest little girl in the world, because this little girl has a treasure named Zhao Xue, who loves her treasure very, very much.”

“If there is a next life—” Meng Yao’s eyes slowly closed. She couldn’t finish the last sentence.

[Death Value -25] [Death Value: 0/100]

After a long time, Zhao Xue sighed. She took out her phone. The wallpaper was their first kiss—she had asked the System to take it. After touching it for a moment, she lay by Meng Yao’s bed and slowly closed her eyes. Having stayed with Meng Yao for a lifetime, she had no regrets.

“System, leave the world.”

[Ding! Congratulations to the Tasker for completing the mission. Evaluation: SSS (Extraordinary!)] [Given the perfect completion, a special reward of 50 points is granted.] [Points: 60]

When Zhao Xue opened her eyes again, she was in the System Space—a simple one-bedroom apartment. The System, turned into a small white kitten, bounced over to her. It hadn’t expected such a hidden reward.

[Host, it is detected that your emotional fluctuations are too large, which is unfavorable for future tasks. Do you need to store your memories?]

Zhao Xue sat up. Her original body was even more stunning than the copies in the small worlds. A red mole sat between her brows. Her skin was pale, her eyes dark, but her lips were vividly red. Her black hair fell to her waist like a waterfall. Wearing a red silk dress, every smile was soul-stirring. The System’s face felt hot (even if it didn’t have a face). The Host was just too beautiful.

Zhao Xue smiled. “Will you give them back if I store them?”

[I promise. As long as you need them, they’ll be given back. This is just to save them for you temporarily.]

“Okay.”

[Ding! “Noble School” memory pack stored. Available for access at any time.]

Zhao Xue felt her mind go empty. That feeling of being unable to breathe from the pain vanished. When she tried to recall the previous world, there was nothing; both memory and emotion were gone. She smiled slowly. “System, start the next world.”

[Host, don’t you need to rest?] “I’ve rested a long time.” (She had rested ever since she became a ghost). [Okay! New world opening!]

[Tasker deployed…] [Body generated (based on current status)…] [Plot loading… please wait…]

“You’ve become high-tech?” Zhao Xue asked. The System nodded. [Upgraded functions are more comprehensive! Every system has this module, but I couldn’t upgrade before. Now with you, I can!]

While they chatted, a notification sounded.

[Plot loading complete.]

Instantly, memories flooded Zhao Xue’s mind—the story of the original owner. She was now a “White Moonlight.” When she was young, to keep the Male Lead on a hook, she chose to study abroad for four years. She learned he had taken a “stand-in” for her. She was gloating, but then heard he was starting to care for the stand-in.

The White Moonlight panicked and rushed back to the country, only to find the Male Lead seemed to have truly fallen for the stand-in. Jealous, she drugged the stand-in and tried to frame her. She was eventually kicked out of the country by the furious Male Lead and vanished.

Zhao Xue raised an eyebrow. “This is the character’s whole life?” [Yes. The first world was a novice world, so it wasn’t as comprehensive. Future worlds will get harder, and tasks will be more difficult.]

[Ding! Main Task 1: Help the Male and Female Leads complete their ‘Sadistic Love’.] [Ding! Main Task 2: Maintain the persona and change the character’s original ending.]

[This is a ‘Stand-in’ story. The Female Lead was forcibly taken by the Male Lead. After a series of sadistic love events, they succeed in a Happy Ending. Or they were supposed to, but the Male Lead got into a car accident and is in a vegetative state. The ‘Sadistic Love’ cannot continue. So the task was issued to save the collapsing world. Like the first world collapsed because of the Female Lead… though I still don’t know why that one collapsed.]

Zhao Xue ignored the System’s muttering. She opened her eyes to see the current situation. She was currently pinning the Female Lead, Shen Xun, beneath her. Waves of heat surged through her body, fierce and turbulent.

According to the plot, she had just drugged Shen Xun with an aphrodisiac, intending to send her to a CEO’s room with paparazzi waiting outside to ruin her. But because her body was weak, in the struggle with Shen Xun, she had pinned her to the bed in a hurry and tied up the softened Shen Xun with a rope.

However, Zhao Xue now understood why the prompt mentioned a body “generated based on current status.” Before she arrived, the original owner had accidentally drunk some of the drugged drink herself. Now the drug was taking effect, and she was stuck lying on top of the Female Lead, unable to get up.

Zhao Xue scanned the original plot. Normally, if the Male Lead were okay, he would be the one to “solve” the Female Lead’s drug. But he was a vegetable. The plot had to be overturned. The task was for her, a cannon-fodder, to help them complete the “Sadistic Love.”

Can’t I just be the Male Lead myself? Zhao Xue smiled, her eyes filled with boundless charm. The original owner was gentle on the surface but petty and jealous in private, always acting superior to Shen Xun. But she was drugged now.

Zhao Xue looked down into Shen Xun’s eyes. Shen Xun was suffering from the drug; sweat soaked her hair. She opened her eyes hazily and saw the person on top of her. Her eyes were red enough to drip blood, hatred pouring out. “Zhao—Xue, what on earth are you doing!”

Zhao Xue picked up a strand of Shen Xun’s hair and kissed it. “What am I doing? Guess~” She smiled, her red lips contrasting with the black hair. Her face was flushed, strikingly beautiful. With trembling lashes, she slid her hand from Shen Xun’s throat down to her collar. Zhao Xue’s smile turned vicious. “You haven’t been touched by Qin Chen yet, right? What do you think he’ll think if I touch you first?”

Shen Xun’s eyes filled with terror. “You wouldn’t dare!!!” She struggled, but her hands and feet were tied too tight. She was sore and weak; she was like a fish on a chopping block.

Zhao Xue lifted her head arrogantly. “Why wouldn’t I? There’s no surveillance here, and no one will come. Even if I pin you here all night, no one will know.”

Shen Xun trembled with rage. She bit her lip and glared, as if wanting to devour Zhao Xue’s flesh. Zhao Xue lowered her gaze and patted Shen Xun’s hot face. “Be good. I’ll make you feel very comfortable.”

Zhao Xue’s hand wasn’t as hot as her own face; the cool touch made Shen Xun reluctant to pull away. Realizing this, Shen Xun’s face turned ugly. She turned her head and closed her eyes tight, her face full of unbearable suffering.

Zhao Xue took the moment to observe the “stand-in” Female Lead. Long brows, phoenix eyes, thin upper lip—a cool, detached look. She looked nothing like Zhao Xue, though she might have looked like the original owner. Zhao Xue licked her lips. She narrowed her peach-blossom eyes and forced Shen Xun’s head back to face her.

Shen Xun’s gaze was full of loathing and disgust, with a hint of hidden fear. Zhao Xue lowered her head until their noses touched. Their hot breaths mingled. Zhao Xue sat astride her. She could clearly feel Shen Xun’s trembling body.

Zhao Xue burst out laughing. “Shen Xun, what’s with that look? You didn’t think I was going to kiss you, did you?” She grabbed Shen Xun’s chin. “Kissing is for people in love. You don’t deserve it. Understand?” Though Zhao Xue was suffering from the drug, she could endure it; she showed no abnormality.

Shen Xun felt the person before her was several times more annoying than usual. Her eyes were red; it felt like a fire was burning inside her. Zhao Xue scanned Shen Xun’s body. Under her hateful gaze, Zhao Xue began unbuttoning Shen Xun’s shirt.

Zhao Xue blinked. “What if I take a photo of you like this?” Shen Xun glared, wanting to kill her. “Zhao Xue, I’ll kill you! I really will!”

Zhao Xue huffed, then ruthlessly bit Shen Xun’s collarbone, leaving a deep tooth mark. Shen Xun didn’t want to make a pathetic sound, but her body was too sensitive; she let out a muffled groan.

Zhao Xue looked triumphant. “Don’t forget, look at your state now—at my mercy.” She leaned down and bit Shen Xun’s chin. Then, before Shen Xun could react, a dense rain of kisses followed. Everywhere she was touched felt like an electric shock—numbing and tingling.

Shen Xun’s eyes widened, her body shaking. She felt her clothes being removed; the moment her skin hit the air, she felt a slight relief. Zhao Xue didn’t stop, tossing the clothes aside. Her hand slid down Shen Xun’s stomach.

Shen Xun grit her teeth, exasperated. “Zhao Xue, look clearly, I’m a woman! I’m a f***ing woman! Aren’t you disgusted?!”

Zhao Xue used her other hand to cover Shen Xun’s mouth. “Don’t talk. You’re too loud.”

Their hot bodies touched, and Shen Xun could only passively endure. Reason and desire pulled at each other. She couldn’t believe she was sinking into Zhao Xue’s control. She shouldn’t have made a sound, but Zhao Xue always found ways to make her—as if winning a point over her. Stupid and ridiculous.

As Zhao Xue licked her neck, Shen Xun saw her ear close by. She turned and bit it hard, just as Zhao Xue had bitten her collarbone.

Zhao Xue hissed in pain and straightened up. Her eyes were chillingly cold. “Damn it, you actually dared to bite me.” After snarling those words, she covered her again.

This time, until the very end, Shen Xun didn’t make another sound. She bit her lip until it bled, refusing to speak. Her body had been insulted by Zhao Xue, but she wanted to keep this last bit of dignity. She looked up at Zhao Xue, her eyes shimmering with deep hatred.

Zhao Xue, I want you dead!