Chapter 92: Unable to control [Volume3: The Bankrupt CEO]

“Thirty million.
What do you think of that condition?”

The speaker had short, permed hair, and a pair of crystalline ruby earrings dangling from her earlobes.
Her features were strikingly gorgeous, the kind of beauty that felt aggressively sharp.

She wore a deep red shirt in a shade similar to her earrings.
The collar was open down to her chest, revealing a large expanse of cool, pale skin.
It wasn’t gaudy—just unapologetically sexy.

Her eyes were long and beautiful, the outer corners sharp and slightly downturned, resembling the cold gaze of a venomous snake.

“President Liu, under the current circumstances, I’m the only one willing to pay this much for you.”

The woman’s tone carried more mockery than anything else.
She pushed the check across the table toward the person opposite her and smiled.

“It’s a great deal, isn’t it?
As long as you hand your wife over to me.”

Liu Qiu lowered her long lashes, picked up her bag from the side, and stood up.
Her expression remained blank as she refused, “Duan Fan, if you called me here just to talk about this, then don’t bother contacting me again in the future.”

With that, Liu Qiu turned and left her seat.

She walked slowly, because she was wearing high heels.
She wasn’t used to this particular form of beautiful torture.

She had only just entered this world not long ago.
After digesting a small portion of the original host’s memories, she was immediately confronted with those words.

Liu Qiu summoned the task panel and looked at it.

[Your company is on the brink of bankruptcy.
The rival CEO proposes a condition: hand your wife over to her.
You stubbornly refuse, and your company naturally goes bankrupt.
You believe your wife will endure hardship with you, but in the blink of an eye she throws herself into your rival’s arms.
You are heartbroken, and only later discover that your wife and your rival had already been together behind your back for a long time.]

[Ding! The plot has begun. Please perform accordingly.]

[Main Mission: Obtain Cuckold Value: (0/100)]

[Notice! Honored Performer, please do not let anyone discover that you are an outsider~]

Wait a minute.
This plot prompt?

She had already just gone through the first plot point—the condition proposed by the rival CEO, Duan Fan.

Which meant… at this point in time, the original host’s wife was already together with Duan Fan?

Liu Qiu also caught something important in that description.

[System, this is the successful character setting you guaranteed me?]

The system chuckled.
[Host, this time you’re a CEO. Isn’t that an amazing setup?]

Liu Qiu took a deep breath.
[System, I’m about to go bankrupt!]

She would never believe anything the system promised again.

Still, this persona was far better than the previous two.
A useless coward with extreme myopia.
A sickly weakling perpetually plagued by illness.

Now her limbs were intact, her body healthy, no nearsightedness.
Just a perfectly normal person.
And even a group CEO—albeit one on the verge of bankruptcy.

At least she could enjoy a little bit of glory while it lasted.

When she stepped out of the café and looked at the towering skyscrapers outside, Liu Qiu felt momentarily dazed.
Then she felt relieved.
Sure enough, modern people belonged in modern times.

She suddenly felt like drinking milk tea.
She didn’t particularly love it, but after spending so many days in ancient times, she found herself craving it.

[System, find me a milk tea shop. I want milk tea.]

System replied, [Turn left at the corner ahead. Six hundred meters away, there’s a milk tea shop.]

Liu Qiu glanced at the weather.
It was a bit hot, but manageable.
She could probably walk there in heels.

After inheriting the original host’s memories—though she hadn’t reviewed them all yet—she knew all the transportation assets had already been sold.
The original host had taken a taxi here today.

A CEO who somehow felt oddly impoverished.

Liu Qiu walked along the roadside.
She hadn’t gone far before a car horn sounded beside her.

She paused and looked over.
A purple sports car had stopped next to her.
The window rolled down, revealing Duan Fan’s sharp-looking face.

Duan Fan let out a light laugh and narrowed her eyes.
The metaphorical knives hidden in her smile now seemed almost tangible.

Liu Qiu glanced once and then looked away.

“President Liu, where are you headed?
I’ll give you a ride.”

Liu Qiu shook her head.
“Thank you. No need.”

The window rolled back up.
She continued walking forward.

She began to notice that more and more people on the street were turning back to look at her.

Liu Qiu discreetly glanced down at her outfit.

This must have been the original host’s style: a bodycon skirt, black stockings, and a white shirt.
The shirt was a bit tight, accentuating her waist and chest.

Was it strange?
Why were so many people staring?
She thought it looked fairly professional—though the heels were starting to rub.

The outfit itself wasn’t strange at all.
It was quite ordinary.

But Liu Qiu’s height—170 cm—spoke for itself.
Even though her features weren’t cold and aloof, her expressionless face combined with high heels gave her an imposing aura.

It gave people the illusion that everything below her neck was legs.

Duan Fan drove slowly behind her.
Watching the passersby drawn to Liu Qiu, she smiled meaningfully.

She had always disliked Liu Qiu.

Ever since they were young, their families compared them.
Liu Qiu, that old-fashioned relic, had always been unusually favored by the elders.

Didn’t play around.
Didn’t cause trouble.

After graduating from university, Liu Qiu had built her own company without relying on her family.

She became the model example among the second-generation rich circle.

Until two years ago, when she married a female student.

She even cut ties with her family.

Same-s*x marriage laws had only been passed two and a half years ago.
Society had grown more tolerant—but only slightly, mostly among the younger generation.

That incident had dealt the Liu family a heavy blow.
They had unceremoniously kicked her out.

Today’s outfit had been Duan Fan’s suggestion.
No special meaning—she just wanted to see how that little antique would react.

There hadn’t been much of a reaction.
How boring.

Duan Fan honked again.

Liu Qiu stopped briefly but didn’t look back.

So dull.

Duan Fan parked and didn’t follow further.

Out of the corner of her eye, Liu Qiu noticed the purple car finally stopping.
She unconsciously quickened her pace.

[System, if I drink milk tea, will I break character?]

[Probably not. You’re just quenching your thirst.]

Liu Qiu thought that made sense.
People’s tastes changed.
Maybe she used to dislike milk tea but grew fond of it after trying.

Her heels clicked against the pavement as she finally reached the milk tea shop.

She hadn’t been thirsty before, but after walking that stretch, she definitely was now.

She pressed her lips together and stood at the counter, staring at the long list of milk tea options.
They all sounded delicious.

The shop assistant lowered her gaze and asked, “Hello, what would you like?”

After a moment’s thought, Liu Qiu said, “One pearl milk tea. Iced.”

The assistant entered the amount and then looked up.
“Please scan here and wait a mo—ment.”

She froze slightly after seeing Liu Qiu clearly, then finished the last word.

What a stunning beauty.

The corner of Liu Qiu’s lips lifted faintly.
She instinctively wanted to smile.

[Host, don’t smile.]

She immediately pressed her lips together and nodded, then walked over to sit down and wait.

That had been close.

The original host was a stern, unsmiling CEO.

Thankfully the system had reminded her.
Otherwise she would have broken character within an hour of transmigrating.

There weren’t many customers.
Before long, her milk tea was ready.

Perfect time to rest.

She inserted the straw, lowered her long lashes, and placed her lips around it.
She took a sip.

The cold tea slid over her tongue, sweetness instantly flooding her mouth.

Liu Qiu narrowed her eyes slightly and took another sip.

So good.

“Well now, since when does President Liu drink this kind of thing?”

The voice belonged to someone she had parted with not long ago.

Her lashes trembled as she looked up.
Her eyes, previously hidden beneath long lashes, were clear and bright.
The outer corners drooped slightly, and when she looked up from below, she appeared incredibly obedient.

Even though her face was expressionless, the way she held the straw between her lips made them look slightly pouty.

Duan Fan’s fingers tightened.
She sat down across from Liu Qiu.

The deep red shirt made her look like a flamboyant butterfly—bold and beautiful.

“Didn’t expect President Liu to act cute at this age.”

Liu Qiu released the straw.
Her pale lips were glossy with moisture.
She stared at Duan Fan, her wide eyes filled entirely with Duan Fan’s tiny reflection.

Duan Fan curled her lips.
“President Liu, why are you staring at me like that?
I know I’m beautiful, but you don’t have to look at me so intently.”

Liu Qiu blinked and uttered two words, “You’re crazy.”

Duan Fan froze briefly, eyes widening in surprise, then chuckled.
“Oh? You can curse too? That’s new.”

Liu Qiu picked up her milk tea and abruptly stood up.
She had no intention of dealing with someone who had just tried to buy her wife.

Duan Fan didn’t follow.

She watched Liu Qiu’s figure disappear into the crowd and suddenly laughed.

Walking to the counter, she said, “The curly-haired woman just now—what did she order?
Get me the exact same.”

Strange.
Was there some magic in that milk tea?
One sip and she’d thrown away the composure she’d always been so proud of.

Back in her car, Duan Fan took a sip and immediately put it down.

“Disgusting.”

Though given Liu Qiu’s financial situation, she probably could only afford this kind of thing.

Thinking about that, Duan Fan laughed again.

She felt happy seeing someone she disliked fall into misfortune.

Let’s see how long Liu Qiu can hold out.

…

Liu Qiu returned home early in the original timeline.
The house was quiet.
Her wife wasn’t home yet.

After walking so much, she was tired.

She took off her heels, loosened the top button of her shirt, and lay down on the sofa with a sigh.

She didn’t plan to review all the memories—it was exhausting.
If she needed something, the relevant memories would surface on their own.

[System, I’m taking a nap.]

[Okay, I’ll wake you up early.]

[…]

[I was just informing you. No need.]

The system had never been reliable.

When she woke up, she would cook.

It was only around ten o’clock.
She would just nap briefly.

But the nap was far from peaceful.

She felt as if invisible hands were choking her.

[Host! Wake up!]

[Host, wake up quickly!]

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The voice in her mind jolted Liu Qiu awake.

Without warning, she found herself staring into a pair of eyes filled with disgust and hatred.

Her heart skipped.
She instinctively touched her neck.

There was nothing there.
The sensation felt like an illusion.

[That scared me to death! Host, do you know she was choking you just now?!]

So it wasn’t an illusion.

When she looked again, she only saw the woman’s retreating back.

Liu Qiu called hoarsely, “Jinyin, you’re back.”

The moment she saw the woman clearly, memories surged forth.

Fu Jinyin.

The original host’s wife.

Married for two years, yet they had never shared a bed.
They even slept in separate rooms.

Very similar setup to Bai Qingqing from the first world.

But different.

Fu Jinyin had hearing impairment.
She was taciturn, rarely spoke, and always wore hearing aids.

The original host believed her wife loved her deeply—just not good at expressing it.

As an outsider, it was obvious.

That gaze could never belong to someone in love.

It looked more like she wanted to tear her apart.

Yet the original host believed that was love.

Fu Jinyin didn’t respond.

She acted as if she hadn’t heard anything.

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together.

She wouldn’t get angry.
Fu Jinyin had hearing impairment.
If she spoke too softly, it was reasonable that she hadn’t heard.

[System, did you detect anything?]

[Host, I’m certain now. She’s not a demon. There’s no abnormal energy in her body.]

Liu Qiu let out a sigh of relief.

Good.

She didn’t want to deal with demons anymore.

Every time it happened, she felt like her hips were about to fall apart.

She searched through her memories.

After reviewing their marriage history, her expression turned strange.

No wonder Fu Jinyin had tried to strangle her while she slept—and looked at her like that.

Fu Jinyin had married the original host at twenty.

Not willingly.

She had been forced.

Her studies had been ruined.
Whenever she tried to find work, the original host interfered.

Being an orphan, she had no relatives to rely on.
Left with no other choice, she married the original host to escape her predicament.

Liu Qiu wanted to curse.

[Is the original host insane? Why ruin someone’s life like that?]

[Host, don’t be angry. You’re just a passerby anyway.]

She frowned and opened the task panel again.

The same absurd plot description.

How could they possibly endure hardship together?

If anything, not kicking her while she was down would already be merciful.

But now she had to act out the rest.

After two worlds, she wasn’t as inexperienced anymore.

She got up and followed Fu Jinyin to the kitchen.

Fu Jinyin was chopping vegetables.

Her tall, slender back was slightly bent.
Bangs covered her brows, but her nose bridge was high and her lips thin.
Her side profile was so exquisitely perfect that no line seemed excessive.

Liu Qiu’s gaze fell on the white hearing aid.

“Jinyin, let me chop.”

No reaction.

She coughed and raised her voice.
“Jinyin! Let me help you!”

This time, Fu Jinyin stopped.
She turned her head and looked at Liu Qiu with pale eyes.

Most people in this country had dark brown or black eyes.
Fu Jinyin’s irises were light, like two pieces of amber.

She didn’t speak.
She simply pointed at Liu Qiu’s collar.

Liu Qiu glanced down and said louder, “There’s nothing there.”

Fu Jinyin lowered her lashes and resumed chopping.

Liu Qiu was puzzled.

The memory showed that the original host occasionally offered to help like this too.

So it wasn’t strange behavior.

“Jin—”

“You promised. Within three years, no doing that.”

Fu Jinyin’s voice was hoarse, but she spoke slowly and clearly, making every word easy to hear.

Liu Qiu froze.

When had she said she wanted to do that?

Water began running from the tap.

Liu Qiu almost failed to control her expression.

After a moment of silence, she left the kitchen.

[System, she’s really pitiful.]

She had only wanted to help chop vegetables.

But Fu Jinyin assumed she meant something else.

Probably because the original host often brought up that topic.

It seemed Fu Jinyin deeply detested it.

At least that meant she probably wouldn’t have to do it in this world.

What a relief.

Back in the bedroom, Liu Qiu entered the bathroom and looked into the mirror.

Her neck was completely clean—no marks.

If the system hadn’t warned her, she would never have known.

Given the situation, it would be perfectly normal for Fu Jinyin to be with someone else.

She didn’t love the original host.

She hated her.

Suddenly, inspiration struck.

Didn’t that make this world incredibly easy?

All she had to do was act as the original host.

Nothing more.

Her body was healthy, no illness.

Once the company officially went bankrupt, she only needed to follow Fu Jinyin every day and see what she did.

Liu Qiu almost smiled.

But the moment her lips curved, she forced them back down.

She coughed lightly.

[System, find me some really funny dramas.]

[I want to stop smiling so easily.]

[Understood.]

So Liu Qiu began practicing in front of the mirror how to be a cold, aloof CEO—even if she was about to go bankrupt.

The company still existed.

She had to go to work tomorrow.

—

After confirming Liu Qiu had completely left, Fu Jinyin stopped moving.

A thick disgust surfaced in her eyes.

Disgusting.

Dressing like that.

Perfectly normal clothes, yet Liu Qiu insisted on wearing them like that.

A tight shirt.
Buttons undone carelessly.
One inch lower and her entire bra would be visible.

The bodycon skirt barely reached mid-thigh, clinging tightly to her legs, as if bending slightly would reveal everything.

Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.

Instead of directly saying she wanted to sleep together this time, she had changed tactics and tried to seduce her.

Fu Jinyin clenched her teeth and splashed cold water onto her face.

Just wait.

Wait until Liu Qiu’s company completely collapsed.

Wait until Liu Qiu became a dog everyone could trample.

Then she would deliver the most fatal blow.

Fu Jinyin grabbed raw meat and stuffed it into her mouth.

The skin on her hands began to ripple.

A layer of dark purplish skin rapidly spread across the surface.

Her fingers deformed, transforming into tentacles lined with suction cups.

The horrifying scene went unseen.

Purple veins bulged along her cheeks.

Lately, she was losing control of her body more and more.

After a moment, the veins disappeared.

The tentacles vanished.

Her hands returned to normal human palms.