After Marrying the Cold and Elegant Beauty, I Fell in Love (GL) - Chapter 20

Because Han Shuangshuang had deliberately chosen the middle of the night to eat, there were not many people in the restaurant. The food came out very quickly, and before long, everything had arrived.

With that arrogant student council president face he wore at school, Long Aodi brought them each a drink. He even deliberately pushed Shen Yuru’s cup a little closer toward Shen Yuru’s hand.

Han Shuangshuang silently rolled her eyes.

She truly did not understand what this male lead from a novel with twisted values had to be so arrogant about.

It was as though discovering that he worked here was her fault.

Shen Yuru sensed Han Shuangshuang’s inexplicable hostility toward Long Aodi, and the corner of her mouth curved into a faint smile.

For some reason, Long Aodi had started targeting her recently. He always found baseless excuses to pester her.

She had investigated Long Aodi’s family background long ago and already knew that he worked at a restaurant in a remote area away from the school. He was not some rich young master. He had grown up in a single-parent household and had depended on his mother since childhood. Yet at school, he insisted on pretending he had a happy, complete family. Pretending was one thing, but he was also pitifully hypocritical. He never applied for student aid, and toward students from poor families, he carried a ridiculous sort of pity, as though doing so would allow him to escape his own family background.

So Shen Yuru had never thought Long Aodi was a good person. People who wanted to escape their family origins would more or less be a little forgetful of their roots. He was nothing more than an ungrateful white-eyed wolf that could not be raised into loyalty.

He was no different from those relatives of hers who ate human-blood steamed buns.

The sky outside was pitch-black, and in order to save electricity, the small restaurant had only turned on one lamp over the area where the two of them were eating. It had a rather dim and moody atmosphere, making it resemble a different kind of candlelit dinner.

When Han Shuangshuang lifted her head, she saw the other person’s face. She suddenly felt a little embarrassed, because in the blur, Shen Yuru’s cool face, carrying a trace of arrogance, seemed even more beautiful.

“Sister Shen, you don’t think this is a bit shabby, do you?”

In her original world, Han Shuangshuang had lived under someone else’s roof, so she was sweet-mouthed. Upholding the belief that no one slapped a smiling face, whenever she spoke to someone, she would definitely use intimate terms that could bring them closer.

So calling Shen Yuru “Sister Shen” came easily, as though it had been carved into her bones.

After all, Shen Yuru’s family conditions were so good. Based on how the book described her, eating in this kind of hole-in-the-wall place should be Shen Yuru’s first time. And Shen Yuru was the kind of person who was very good at controlling her emotions, hiding everything beneath the surface. It was impossible to tell whether she was happy or unhappy. What if Shen Yuru thought that Han Shuangshuang, as the young miss of the Han family, bringing her here to eat was just brushing her off?

So she had to find a chance to explain this clearly.

The lashes over Shen Yuru’s phoenix eyes trembled. She did not speak, merely sweeping her gaze silently over the dishes on the table.

Han Shuangshuang said, “Sister Shen, you know my situation. I’m not favored at home. The financial power is all controlled by my stepmother. My younger sister can spend however she wants, but when it comes to me, not even a single coin can jump out. The money I’m using to treat Sister Shen to this meal was saved by living frugally, so Sister Shen, please don’t look down on me. Otherwise, it’ll make me seem so insincere.”

Shen Yuru felt that Han Shuangshuang’s anxious, hurried explanation was actually somewhat cute. She was like a big dog that had done something wrong in front of its master, frantically wagging its tail, trying to make its master understand.

Shen Yuru chased the strange thought from her mind, picked up her chopsticks, and took a light stir-fried shrimp ball from the dish in front of her. She placed it in her mouth and chewed slowly.

“The taste is passable, and the environment cannot be considered simple. Student Han put thought into this. I can tell.”

Shen Yuru was very refined. Only after swallowing the entire shrimp ball did she speak unhurriedly. Paired with the dim environment, her voice carried a trace of bewitchment.

Han Shuangshuang felt her whole body become dizzy. She had not drunk any alcohol, but this dim environment made people three parts sleepy, and Shen Yuru’s voice was calm and leisurely, like a spirit trying to hook away a person’s soul.

Coupled with Shen Yuru’s natural attributes of having a cold body, a weak heart, and a pale complexion…

Han Shuangshuang inexplicably felt a little thirsty. She picked up the drink beside her and took a large gulp. She thought it was fruit juice, but unexpectedly, it was a drink made from bitter melon juice mixed with cucumber juice. It was so bitter that her brows furrowed tightly.

“This Long Aodi is really petty. He’s actually taking revenge. I already promised him I wouldn’t tell anyone about him working here. Isn’t he afraid I’ll complain about him?”

Han Shuangshuang’s entire tongue had gone numb from the bitterness. Her features were all scrunched together. Those big eyes of hers were now narrowed into slits from the bitterness, and even her slightly aggressive little canine teeth were revealed.

Seeing this, Shen Yuru picked up the drink beside her and lightly took a sip. After tasting it and confirming it was a normal drink, she handed it to Han Shuangshuang.

At this moment, how could Han Shuangshuang care about anything else? She directly gulped down a large mouthful, easing the bitter taste in her mouth.

Han Shuangshuang’s puppy eyes widened roundly, clearly furious. “Sister Shen, see? This Long Aodi really isn’t a good person. There’s absolutely no need to give him a good face. This really was bitter melon juice, and cucumber juice, and I think celery too. Anyway, all those green vegetables with terrible tastes were mixed in there. He must be taking revenge on me because of what happened before. Maybe it’s even because Sister Shen has been walking close to me and he’s jealous… Sister Shen, you absolutely cannot get involved with this kind of man. Phoenix men like him are like leeches. Once they latch onto you, they’ll suck your blood like crazy.”

Han Shuangshuang no longer cared about anything else. After drinking such a large gulp of that unforgettable bitter drink, she wanted nothing more than to slam Long Aodi onto the ground and step on him seven or eight times.

Meanwhile, Long Aodi was in the back kitchen, watching Han Shuangshuang and Shen Yuru through the small kitchen window. Seeing the drinks in their hands and that Shen Yuru had not drunk hers, his brows furrowed tightly. He could not care less about Han Shuangshuang’s complaints about him.

He had tried not to add too much, but Shen Yuru was physically weak and could not withstand even a little of it. But after seeing Shen Yuru lightly take a sip, Long Aodi’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed. A sinister, dangerous smile appeared on his face.

His expression revealed a dark certainty of victory.

He was like a rat in a stinking gutter that had discovered a ladder to heaven, thinking he could turn his life around overnight, thus becoming filled with the smugness of a petty man achieving success.

The curve of Shen Yuru’s lips grew even larger.

“Although vegetable juice tastes awful, it is good for the body. Why is Student Han so afraid of me getting involved with Long Aodi? He and I aren’t even in the same major, nor do we have any reason to intersect…” Shen Yuru took back the drink Han Shuangshuang had drunk from, lifted one hand, and propped her elbow on the table, supporting her chin with her hand. Those phoenix eyes carried a faint smile as she gazed at Han Shuangshuang, ambiguous and unreadable.

It seemed that Han Shuangshuang’s next answer was very important and would affect her mood.

“Younger Sister Han keeps saying it’s because of your mother’s request back then, that she asked you to take good care of my health. But if it’s only care, then there’s no need for you to interfere with my social relationships, much less care about who I walk close to. I’m already an adult. I can guess what intentions others carry when they approach me. It’s just… isn’t Younger Sister Han’s concern for me a little too much?”

Shen Yuru deliberately lowered her voice. Her already cool tone now carried a faint huskiness. Paired with the dim lighting and the faint fragrance from the dishes on the table, Han Shuangshuang only felt her mind grow somewhat dizzy, her vision blurring in waves.

It was as though she really had been bewitched by a beautiful spirit.

[System: Host, you have to sober up a little! This is a beauty trap. Shen Yuru is trying to bait words out of Host. Shen Yuru is testing why Host approached her. Host must stay clear-headed! Host cannot reveal anything related to the system, or you will be punished.]

Han Shuangshuang felt her temples throbbing. Her whole body also began to grow hot. That should not be happening. Although the season was still considered warm, the sky was already this dark, and there were only the two of them in the restaurant. She should not feel hot.

Han Shuangshuang stared at Shen Yuru with a somewhat direct and burning gaze. A redness that could be seen at a glance surged into those puppy eyes.

“Why did I approach Sister Shen? Why do I care so much…”

Han Shuangshuang’s speech had become somewhat unclear, as though she were murmuring to herself. Shen Yuru narrowed those phoenix eyes, her brows furrowing. In order to hear Han Shuangshuang clearly, she leaned her head forward slightly. “What is Younger Sister Han saying? Your voice is too quiet. I can’t hear clearly. I heard our two families are old family friends. Did Younger Sister Han receive someone’s orders to approach me?”

Family friends?

Han Shuangshuang’s mind was dizzy, and she did not know where the problem had appeared.

When she had read the novel, she skipped a little every three chapters and a lot every five chapters. After discovering the male and female leads had twisted values, she had not even had time to be angry over being deceived before transmigrating into the book. How could she have had time to read everything so carefully?

Were the original owner and Shen Yuru family friends?

She only knew the original owner and Shen Yuru would become engaged, but she did not know the reasons behind it.

Han Shuangshuang gradually grew muddleheaded and had no time to think about why she had become like this.

Her focus was entirely on Shen Yuru’s gradual probing, those gentle questions carrying a coaxing intent.

[System: Did Host drink something you shouldn’t have? Hurry and wake up a little! What difference is there between Host’s current appearance and a drunk doggo? You’re completely exposing your belly for others to stroke, without the slightest vigilance. Also, can you stop smiling so foolishly?]

Han Shuangshuang’s puppy eyes shone brightly as she stared at Shen Yuru, a huge smile floating onto her lips. “Because Sister Shen is very beautiful. I don’t want such a beautiful person to be deceived. I like the feeling of being with Sister Shen. Although Sister Shen speaks coldly, you have always been helping me. You’re much better than those people who say pretty words on the surface but stab others in the back. If only I could always stay with Sister Shen like this. Keeping Sister Shen away from those stinky men and protecting Sister Shen—these are all things I should do. As for family friends? I don’t remember. The things from childhood weren’t very pleasant, and I’ve long forgotten them. These days, whenever the Han family has any banquets or activities, they always bring Han Ruhua. When would it ever be my turn?”

Even though Han Shuangshuang’s head was dizzy, she still remembered the system’s mission. As she spoke, her other hand tentatively reached toward Shen Yuru’s hand. Then after hooking Shen Yuru’s pinkie and seeing that Shen Yuru did not show a rejecting expression, she immediately pushed her luck and took Shen Yuru’s whole hand.

Hearing the system notification change into Shen Yuru’s blackening value decreasing by 0.1, then another 0.1, then another 0.1, her heart inexplicably felt much more at ease.

[System: Host, hurry and sober up. The system has detected that strange substances suddenly appeared in Host’s body and is currently clearing them out to preserve Host’s rationality.]

However, after hearing Han Shuangshuang’s straight-ball confession, Shen Yuru’s heart inexplicably warmed too, beginning to thump nonstop.

Han Shuangshuang had approached her on her own initiative. Shen Yuru already knew Han Shuangshuang would become engaged to her, but she had not refused Han Shuangshuang’s approach precisely because she wanted to know what purpose Han Shuangshuang carried in getting close to her.

Unexpectedly, today’s probing had instead uncovered words she had not expected at all.

Shen Yuru did not know whether this Han Shuangshuang was truly foolish or only pretending to be foolish.

Could she not hear the hidden meaning behind Shen Yuru’s words?

A subtle change also arose in Shen Yuru’s heart.

She felt that Han Shuangshuang probably had not lied to her.

Indeed, after Han Shuangshuang’s mother died and she gained a stepmother, rumors had circulated for years that Han Shuangshuang was not favored in the Han family. Her father was extremely cold to her, and the household finances were all managed by her stepmother. They had even forcefully raised Han Shuangshuang crooked.

That was why Han Shuangshuang’s personality had become rebellious, never listening to family discipline.

But in front of Shen Yuru, Han Shuangshuang was unexpectedly sincere.

Shen Yuru had seen too many hypocritical and cold faces. Those people all approached her with different purposes, and every bit of kindness they showed her was so they could collect greater benefits in the future.

Shen Yuru did not notice why Han Shuangshuang had suddenly become abnormal, or why her gaze had turned hazy. She only felt that Han Shuangshuang was sincerely pouring her heart out to her.

Ever since her parents died, the people around her had been filled with hypocrisy and coldness toward her. After being stabbed in the back again and again, she began to stop trusting people easily. Even in the face of others’ goodwill, she could maintain a cold smile without showing even the slightest disgust. However, she would never again let anyone obtain benefits from her.

Combined with the school rumors that had recently been intensifying, Shen Yuru inexplicably began to feel thirsty. Her throat moved, and she felt her lips were unbearably dry.

Could Han Shuangshuang really like her?

Han Shuangshuang kept praising how beautiful she was. And based on Shen Yuru’s understanding of her over these days, Han Shuangshuang was indeed a shallow person. It would not be strange for her to fall for someone’s beauty.

Shen Yuru suddenly felt that the collar of the high-necked blouse she was wearing was a little tight. For some reason, it was a little hard to breathe.

Her slender hand lifted, and her phoenix eyes lowered as she undid the button before her collarbone.

Her heart, which had always been cold and had even refused to face reality, too lazy to beat, seemed to have been injected by someone with a power called sincerity. It thumped with extreme strength.

Even her normally bloodless and pale face now carried a trace of red.

Shen Yuru turned her head aside, avoiding Han Shuangshuang’s puppy eyes. She felt that the gaze in those puppy eyes was burning hot, unbearably scorching. She picked up the drink beside her and drank it down in one go.

And at that moment, Han Shuangshuang suddenly regained clarity.

A brief daze appeared in those puppy eyes. What strange things had she just said?

“Sister Shen, what I said just now was all a joke. Please don’t take it seriously.”

Oh no. What if Shen Yuru heard all those things and thought Han Shuangshuang was offending her?

It had not been easy to close the distance between them a little through friendship. She could not let all her previous efforts go to waste.

[System: Host, there is something wrong with the food on the table. Don’t eat anymore.]

Han Shuangshuang was startled all over. Her gaze turned toward the back kitchen window where Long Aodi was, and sure enough, she saw Long Aodi’s eyes looking at them with sinister intent.

Damn it. She had still overestimated the moral bottom line of the male lead from this novel with twisted values.

After Shen Yuru drank the sweet drink, the sensations in her body did not recede. Instead, they became even stronger.

Inside the little restaurant under the light, her five senses seemed magnified many times. At the tip of her nose, she could only smell Han Shuangshuang’s sunny and pleasant scent.

Her body seemed soft and boneless, wanting only to move closer to the source of that scent.

Han Shuangshuang’s hand was still holding Shen Yuru’s.

Han Shuangshuang noticed that Shen Yuru’s hand had suddenly become hot. Just now, it had still been cool. Moreover, Shen Yuru’s current expression also seemed somewhat wrong. Those phoenix eyes were filled with a faint mist, and a little of the drink remained by the corner of her lips, coating her bloodless lips with a layer like lip gloss.

Han Shuangshuang suddenly understood. There was nothing wrong with the food. The problem was that cup of drink.

Long Aodi had deliberately placed that drink by Shen Yuru’s hand in order to make Shen Yuru drink it.

To take revenge on Han Shuangshuang, Long Aodi had given her a terrible-tasting drink. Unexpectedly, Han Shuangshuang had gulped down a big mouthful of Shen Yuru’s, but the little that remained had still been drunk by Shen Yuru.

Han Shuangshuang once again felt her worldview explode. Did Long Aodi not know that this kind of behavior was illegal?

Shen Yuru’s other hand trembled as she picked up her chopsticks, still wanting to take more food, but Han Shuangshuang slapped the back of her hand.

“Sister Shen, let’s not eat anymore. It’s too late. If we don’t go back now, the dorm will close soon, and we won’t be able to get back in.”

Shen Yuru felt her thoughts become much slower. Han Shuangshuang’s words seemed to have been slowed down three times before gradually entering her mind. She could not even immediately analyze the meaning behind Han Shuangshuang’s words. She could only slowly lift her head and stare at Han Shuangshuang’s lips, watching them move up and down.

“Go back?” A rare trace of confusion appeared in Shen Yuru’s cool phoenix eyes. “You regret it? All those things you said were lies. You just said it was a misunderstanding again. Every time you say these misleading words, you then explain that it was a misunderstanding. Then what exactly am I supposed to think?”

Han Shuangshuang had already seen Long Aodi slowly walking out from the back kitchen. His unfriendly gaze landed on Shen Yuru, and Han Shuangshuang immediately became somewhat anxious. “This misunderstanding isn’t that misunderstanding. These two misunderstandings aren’t the same. In short, let’s go back first, okay?”

This Long Aodi really was too inhuman.

Shen Yuru’s body was so weak. This kind of drug that made a person unclear-headed would definitely harm her body. No wonder Shen Yuru later blackened. This kind of man truly acted one way on the surface and another behind the scenes, and he completely ignored other people’s safety.

Han Shuangshuang hurriedly stood, walked to Shen Yuru’s side, and pulled her up. However, Shen Yuru’s body seemed to have lost all strength, weakly leaning against Han Shuangshuang.

Through the dim lighting, Han Shuangshuang clearly saw Shen Yuru’s face at this moment.

Shen Yuru’s face was flushed red, like clouds burning at the edge of dusk.

A bad thought suddenly surged in Han Shuangshuang’s mind. She felt that what Long Aodi had done should not be so simple. What he had added into the drink was probably not merely something that caused hallucinations.

Shen Yuru felt waves of scent that made her feel at ease and comfortable pouring into her nose. She closed both eyes and subconsciously searched for the source of the scent. She leaned her head beside Han Shuangshuang’s neck, her slightly cool nose tip and warm breath brushing over Han Shuangshuang’s neck.

“It smells so good.”

The current Shen Yuru was extremely abnormal. Han Shuangshuang felt that her hair was about to stand on end.

It was strange. Just very strange.

It was like a time bomb she guarded every day had suddenly told her one day, “I’m not a bomb. I’m a candy ball.”

As the biggest boss and female villain in the book, Shen Yuru was an untouchable flower on a high peak, something one could look at but not pluck.

Although Han Shuangshuang liked Shen Yuru’s type of temperament and appearance, she absolutely did not dare lay a finger on her.

Han Shuangshuang wrapped an arm around Shen Yuru’s waist. “Sister Shen, sober up a little. Can you still hear me clearly?”

Han Shuangshuang could not help sighing. Fortunately, the system had helped her, so she had not turned into this state. But Shen Yuru’s body was also too weak, which was why even less than half a cup had caused her to react so quickly.

Right now, Shen Yuru wanted nothing more than to stick her entire body to Han Shuangshuang.

Those phoenix eyes were tightly closed, and her brows were slightly furrowed.

Even in a state where it was difficult to remain clear-headed, she still subconsciously stayed calm and restrained, even subconsciously avoiding the feeling that made her sink.

A person could endure darkness if she had never seen light.

When wave after wave of warmth-filled breath made her entire body warm up, the somewhat unclear-headed Shen Yuru seemed to transform into someone whose mouth said no while her body was honest. Although her face and expression did not look very good, her body honestly pressed closer to Han Shuangshuang.

Even those slightly cool lips stuck to Han Shuangshuang’s neck, rubbing against it faintly.

“Stop talking.”

That impatient, low threat immediately left Han Shuangshuang not knowing what to say.

[System: Warm reminder to Host. Shen Yuru’s body is secreting adrenaline. Please stabilize Shen Yuru’s physical condition as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will exceed the load on Shen Yuru’s heart, causing heart damage and affecting Host’s mission progress.]

Then what should she do now? She did not know where Shen Yuru’s off-campus rental place was. And Shen Yuru could not be brought back to school in this state either. Otherwise, if people saw her, they would point fingers and gossip.

Moreover, with the personality of a great villain like Shen Yuru, Han Shuangshuang had seen plenty of them in novels. Although she was now soft and clingy, once she sobered up, she would change her face. She belonged to the type that would kick someone away the moment she pulled up her pants.

Fortunately, Han Shuangshuang’s strength was decent. So she directly held Shen Yuru with one arm, carrying her like one would carry a child, letting Shen Yuru wrap around her neck to steady herself.

Just as she was about to leave the shop, Long Aodi hurriedly blocked her path. His face was displeased, as though something good had been interrupted.

Naturally, Han Shuangshuang had no good expression for Long Aodi. “Move aside. Don’t think I don’t know this good thing was your doing.”

Long Aodi clenched both fists. Who knew where his righteous confidence came from? It was as though his skin had been cultivated to a certain thickness, making him utterly fearless. “I hope you don’t interfere with my matters. This is my only chance. You’ve been a young miss of a wealthy family since you were little. How could you know the suffering of someone from the bottom like me?”

Han Shuangshuang was practically angered into laughter. She truly wondered what kind of mental and emotional state the author had been in to write this kind of male lead.

“So that’s your reason for drugging someone? Can you stop wearing that disgusting expression? You act as though everyone under heaven owes you. No one owes you anything. You can make something of yourself. You can have dreams. But not by stepping on others, and not by using others to obtain them. Don’t describe your filthy, pretentious, disgusting mentality as a refusal to admit defeat.”

Han Shuangshuang finally said the words she had held in her heart for a long time. After reading that novel, it had felt as though a breath of anger was stuck in her chest.

Long Aodi clearly possessed the male lead halo and received all the benefits, yet he still pretended to be wronged, as though everyone owed him something. It was also as though the suffering he experienced had never belonged to him, and he was enduring tribulation for someone else.

He seemed to think others should owe him, support him, and let him become the person who gained benefits while never bearing a bad name.

How could Long Aodi willingly give up this excellent chance to turn his life around? As long as he had a relationship with Shen Yuru, he could openly demand benefits from the Shen family.

Besides, Shen Yuru was in poor health. For someone as outstanding as him, Shen Yuru being able to marry him was already the best choice.

Aside from his poor background, in what way was he inferior to others?

“Han Shuangshuang, I advise you to know what’s good for you. Don’t think you’re some good person either. Your reputation stinks like a dog. Do you have no ulterior motives toward Shen Yuru? If you hand Shen Yuru over to me today and let me make this good thing happen first, I won’t care what happens between you and Shen Yuru afterward.”

Han Shuangshuang’s free hand unconsciously clenched into a fist.

She was suddenly somewhat grateful that Shen Yuru was currently unclear-headed and probably could not hear what kind of dogshit Long Aodi was spouting. Otherwise, her blackening value would increase again.

Han Shuangshuang swung a fist at Long Aodi, striking his nose bridge. Those normally silly puppy eyes were now sharp and fierce.

“What do you take Shen Yuru for? She is a person, not an object. And you have no right to point fingers at her. What do you think you are?”

Long Aodi covered his nose and looked at Han Shuangshuang in shock. He had not expected Han Shuangshuang to actually attack him. From childhood until now, he had possessed a halo. Although his background was poor, because he was too outstanding, the people around him all looked at him with worship. He had never suffered such a great setback before, nor had he ever taken such a huge loss.

One punch was not enough for Han Shuangshuang to vent her anger, so she kicked him as well. “A thing with a brain but no wisdom. Is that brain there as a decoration if you don’t use it? You treat such a tiny bit of authority at school like an imperial command arrow. Do you really think everyone will indulge you once you leave school? You’re right. I’m the young miss of the Han family. My family is enormously powerful, so… even if I kill you, what can you do?”

Usually, Han Shuangshuang was all smiles and jokes, and no one took her seriously. But right now, threat after cold threat struck Long Aodi one after another, catching him off guard. He could only stand there somewhat fearfully, even forgetting to cover the place where he had been kicked, forcefully enduring the pain.

Han Shuangshuang pointed at Long Aodi’s nose and said, “I don’t want to hear those words you said just now a second time. Otherwise, I won’t guarantee what consequences will arise. This man-eating society is already one where the weak are prey to the strong. Your whole ‘I’m weak, so I’m right’ routine doesn’t work on me. Get lost!”

……

[System: Please help Shen Yuru relieve her body’s condition. If you successfully relieve it, Shen Yuru’s heart healing progress will increase by 20%. If you fail, unpredictable consequences will occur.]

Han Shuangshuang half-held, half-carried Shen Yuru as they walked along the road, feeling troubled for a moment.

Although she had chased Long Aodi away, the current Shen Yuru was no different from a hot potato.

Although in her original world, Han Shuangshuang had been single since birth, that did not mean she understood nothing.

She understood what Long Aodi had been thinking and knew even more clearly what method he had used.

And as for the method the system meant to help Shen Yuru recover her physical condition…

She did not want to be someone who took advantage of another person’s vulnerability.

[System: Host, how can this be called taking advantage of someone’s vulnerability? If Host had not appeared, Shen Yuru would have been taken away by Long Aodi. That outcome would have been the truly miserable one. What Host is doing is called a hero saving a beauty, drawing your blade to help when seeing injustice. People with heroic spirit like Host are already very rare.]

The system had finally said something pleasing to the ear.

Although…

Those words were a little empty, they still gave Han Shuangshuang some courage.

“Shen Yuru? Sister Shen? Are you still okay right now?”

Shen Yuru opened her mouth and exhaled. That breath sprayed against Han Shuangshuang’s neck, so hot that Han Shuangshuang shivered all over.

Han Shuangshuang reached out the back of her hand and placed it on Shen Yuru’s forehead. Sure enough, it was also unbearably hot.

At this moment, Shen Yuru’s entire body was soft, and the words she spoke carried no threat at all, completely different from her usual cool and distant appearance. “Don’t leave me. It feels comfortable. Don’t let go.”

Shen Yuru’s eyes were tightly closed. In her chaotic consciousness, she seemed to be standing on the edge of a cliff. Her parents had been pushed off the cliff. She wanted to reach out and grab them, but she was powerless to change anything.

On the other side of the cliff, those relatives wearing man-eating smiles on their faces watched her and continuously approached, as though using invisible pressure to push her off the cliff. She stood at the edge, using all the strength in her body to steady herself.

Her mind was filled with one thought: she could not let these people succeed.

And behind the cliff, a vine suddenly grew. Flowers and grass bloomed along it, carrying sunlight that did not belong to the darkness as it shone toward her.

The chaotic scene was instantly separated into light and dark, with her at the center. But that vine was slippery, as though unwilling to be caught by her.

Shen Yuru could only frown, act with quick eyes and quick hands, and grab the vine in one motion.

Han Shuangshuang sucked in a breath of pain. It was one thing for Shen Yuru to be dazed, but why was she grabbing her hair? Her newly tied ponytail was about to be pulled loose.

Was this person dazed or not?

And she was touching Han Shuangshuang so casually!

This was the villain! The cold, abstinent villain who never liked anyone getting close! The villain who always stayed silent while secretly holding grudges!

At this moment, Han Shuangshuang remembered that Yan Huan’s family seemed to run a chain of hotels. She also had not brought her ID card. If she went to one of those small places, what if they were caught in an anti-vice crackdown?

Thankfully, there was Yan Huan. When there was danger, Yan Huan was the greatest help. When there was no danger, Yan Huan herself was the greatest danger.

Yan Huan asked nothing and said nothing. Within five minutes, she handled everything and opened a room for them at the nearest place.

Yan Huan: “Sis, I understand. Sis doesn’t need to explain anything. Make sure you have fun.”

Han Shuangshuang: “…”

After Han Shuangshuang left, however, Long Aodi crouched on the ground in pain, holding his head.

Han Ruhua had long known that Long Aodi worked here, so whenever it was late at night, she would secretly come find Long Aodi and return to school with him.

But today, she did not appear, because from far away, she had seen the scene just now. She watched Han Shuangshuang leave in the opposite direction with Shen Yuru.

……

After arriving at the hotel room, Han Shuangshuang wet a towel and wiped Shen Yuru’s face with it. Shen Yuru opened those phoenix eyes somewhat unhappily, her brows slightly furrowed, as though a good dream had been disturbed.

“Where is this? Han Shuangshuang? Why do I feel this awful?”

Shen Yuru tugged at her own blouse. Several buttons had been pulled off, revealing flushed skin beneath, and even her collarbone had been scratched red by herself.

“Was there something wrong with the food, or with the drink? Was it Long Aodi?”

Shen Yuru became a little clearer-headed, and her voice cooled as well.

Han Shuangshuang stood obediently off to the side, maintaining a safe distance. “So what do we do now?”

Shen Yuru’s phoenix eyes carried a trace of coldness as they suddenly turned toward Han Shuangshuang. “Didn’t you drink some too? Why are you fine?”

Her heart was beating very fast. This was a feeling Shen Yuru had never experienced in more than twenty years, and she was somewhat unused to it as she covered her chest. But the heat surging through her body made her even more uncomfortable.

Subconsciously, she undid the restraint of her bra, removed it, and tossed it aside.

In her panic, Han Shuangshuang accidentally bit her tongue, and the pain made her brows wrinkle. “My physical constitution is stronger. After drinking a mouthful, I was muddled for a while but recovered right away. Sister Shen’s body is too weak, so you were affected. Should I call a doctor now?”

“No.”

Shen Yuru immediately rejected it. Those people were all watching her. If she went to the hospital, while her mind was unclear, what if those people used some kind of method against her?

Shen Yuru forced herself to sit up from the bed. At this moment, the corners of those phoenix eyes were red. The cold aura around her no longer made her seem aggressive. Instead, it carried a few traces of alluring softness.

Shen Yuru lifted her hand and crooked her finger at Han Shuangshuang as if giving an order.

“Come here.”

Han Shuangshuang silently swallowed. It could not be what she was thinking, right?

She was not ready yet.

Han Shuangshuang moved her feet slowly, shuffling to Shen Yuru.

Then she saw Shen Yuru reach out. Her burning palm grabbed Han Shuangshuang’s wrist, and with one forceful tug, she pulled Han Shuangshuang over, pressing her down onto herself.

Shen Yuru asked softly beside Han Shuangshuang’s ear, “Do you… know how?”

Han Shuangshuang’s face instantly turned crimson, swelling red like a bun. “Wh… what?”

“Don’t think I don’t know what intentions you had in approaching me. I’ll let you get what you want. The condition is that you must keep this secret for me. This matter cannot be known by a third person.”

Han Shuangshuang gritted her teeth. She had not expected Shen Yuru to still misunderstand.

She had been so cautious, so careful, and had offered her sincerity, yet in Shen Yuru’s eyes, she was still that complete villain, approaching her with a purpose.

All right, although there was the system mission, her heart was sincere. She had never done anything the least bit wrong to Shen Yuru.

Han Shuangshuang still wanted to open her mouth and defend herself, but Shen Yuru had already pinched her chin.

Shen Yuru lifted her head slightly, and her heated lips kissed her.

“I’ll ask you one last time. Do you know how or not?” Shen Yuru’s gaze seemed probing, with every indication that if Han Shuangshuang did not know, she would go find someone else.

Han Shuangshuang gritted her teeth. “I know!”

For some reason, she felt as though her dignity had been trampled on and questioned. What was going on?

When someone looked down on her like this, even if she did not know, she still had to bite the bullet and say she did.

Shen Yuru had always been cold and restrained by nature, and her clothing style was much the same. All her clothes were in pale colors, either black or white. At this moment, the collar of her blouse was wide open, and the hem that had originally been neatly tucked into her pants had also slipped out, wrinkled and messy.

She looked exactly like a piece of silk that had originally been smooth without a single crease, now messed up into complete disorder by someone, making a destructive desire inexplicably surge in one’s heart.

Han Shuangshuang’s breath caught for no reason.

She did not know whether Yan Huan had done it deliberately, but the room was actually a couple-themed room. Many rose petals were scattered across the floor, and the fragrance of roses lingered in the air. The large bed in the room was heart-shaped, slightly narrow in the middle, yet strangely wide on both sides.

On the bedside table beside them, there was even a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses. The wine glasses had already been filled with a little red wine in advance.

And in the small cabinet that had been opened beside the red wine, there were all kinds of strange things, with many uses and many methods.

In short, it was so considerate that one could not find the slightest fault with it.

Now, Han Shuangshuang got a headache whenever she saw alcohol. She had long known that Shen Yuru was physically weak, so when they ate, she had deliberately ordered two drinks. Who could have thought that Long Aodi would be so inhuman?

As for the other things, she could not look at them even more.

The entire room was unbearably fragrant, so fragrant it made people dizzy and dazzled.

The lighting was dim and yellow as well, making anyone who looked at it for too long become drowsy and dazed.

And the bathroom partition door was actually transparent. After Han Shuangshuang glanced at it, she immediately looked away, feeling that some suggestions were better left unsaid.

Han Shuangshuang thought that, in any case, this was also part of the mission. Since Shen Yuru had spoken first, then tomorrow, she could not turn hostile and refuse to acknowledge it.

Although she knew a lot in theory, after all, practice brought true knowledge.

So her methods truly were not very good. The two of them tangled together like they were gnawing at each other.

As for Shen Yuru, who had lived with a guarded heart and few desires for so many years, she understood even less about this kind of matter.

She could only follow instinct.

Shen Yuru wanted to maintain the last bit of rationality and not let herself become too passive, but she discovered that once she came into contact with Han Shuangshuang, her body began to stop obeying her.

She did not want to get close. She did not want to let herself feel so comfortable. But she also could not escape, as though she were trapped inside a cage, unable to break through the invisible walls around her.

She tried hard to free herself from this predicament.

Since childhood, she had known that she could not rely on anyone. She could not let anyone affect her. Otherwise, she would step into a bottomless abyss and never be able to turn back again.

She had no one to rely on, so she could not have a weakness.

She could not indulge herself, and even more, she could not allow herself to easily set foot in a dangerous place.

But some things simply refused to go as one wished, and the direction of certain matters advanced even more uncontrollably.

Shen Yuru narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly. Those lips that were usually bloodless were now abnormally red, parted a little as warm breaths escaped. Yet she gave a cold laugh and said, as if provoking her, “Your technique is terrible.”

Han Shuangshuang: “!”

Doggo absolutely refused to admit defeat!

“Clearly, Sister Shen’s body is too weak and can’t withstand it at all. It was obviously only a tiny bit of drug effect, yet Sister Shen has lasted this long and still hasn’t recovered even after all this time. Is my technique too terrible, or does Sister Shen still want to continue?”

Shen Yuru could no longer distinguish what time or place it was. She raised her hand, slipping her fingers into Han Shuangshuang’s high-tied ponytail. Her fingertips pressed against Han Shuangshuang’s scalp, applying slight force as she gripped Han Shuangshuang’s hair.

As her consciousness scattered, she could not help thinking: how could the indulgent, pleasure-seeking Han Shuangshuang be this inexperienced?

Could the so-called ex-girlfriends truly be groundless rumors, just as Han Shuangshuang had said?

Her heartbeat returned to normal, beat by beat, powerful enough for her to feel.

Yet another indescribable emotion seemed to surge into her heart, filling it until it was swollen, sour, and itchy, making it difficult for her to control.

Even the air seemed to grow denser and softer.

For a moment, only the sound of the air conditioner and the breathing of the two of them could be heard.

……

Night always passed neither quickly nor slowly.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains and shone into the room.

Han Shuangshuang curled up, sleeping early yet somewhat uneasily. Her arms also felt a little empty.

In her dream, Han Shuangshuang was running madly ahead, while a vicious dog chased her from behind. Han Shuangshuang glanced at her own hand and saw that she was holding a filthy, stinking, broken steamed bun.

Han Shuangshuang discovered that the dog was chasing her precisely because of the steamed bun in her hand.

She wanted to throw the steamed bun away, but her body was not under her control, giving her a feeling like being trapped in a nightmare.

She had actually dreamed of the original owner’s final ending again.

Only this time, it was even more real.

The original owner’s five senses seemed to be her own five senses.

Her body could not move. There was only her consciousness, as though the original owner was running madly while Han Shuangshuang could feel the original owner’s helplessness and fear, as well as the terror of being pounced on and torn apart by a starving dog in the next second.

In the dream, Han Shuangshuang shouted no, no, and then woke up covered in cold sweat, sitting up from the bed all at once.

As her consciousness gradually returned, everything that had happened yesterday surfaced in her mind bit by bit. Han Shuangshuang looked around in panic.

The hotel, the rose petals, the fragrance of red wine, and that indescribable scent still lingering in the air.

Her face immediately turned bright red, and she began searching for the other protagonist of last night’s plot.

[System: Warm reminder to Host. Shen Yuru’s heart healing progress is 40%. Shen Yuru’s blackening value is currently 80%.]

How could Han Shuangshuang have the mind to care about the system notification right now? She subconsciously reached out to feel beside her and discovered that the other side of the bed was cold.

It seemed Shen Yuru had already left. After all, she was the great villain. She surely disdained getting entangled with cannon fodder like Han Shuangshuang.

Han Shuangshuang subconsciously let out a breath of relief, but she also felt that Shen Yuru leaving just like that was a little too heartless. At least the two of them had already done this and that.

She did not even say a word about whether she wanted Han Shuangshuang to take responsibility or not. Was that not too irresponsible?

Then what did her dream mean? Could it be reminding her that if she did not properly soothe the great villain, even though she had transmigrated here, the original owner’s ending would not change and would happen to her all the same?

But the great villain Shen Yuru had already abandoned her and ignored her. How was she supposed to soothe her?

Han Shuangshuang ground her teeth. As expected of a villain. Her heart was cold to this extent. No matter how hot her body became, it still could not warm that heart of hers.

Han Shuangshuang shrank into the blanket, pulled it over her head, then wrapped herself into a silkworm cocoon. When she turned over, she was almost frightened into jumping, because Shen Yuru was sitting quietly on a chair not far away, gazing at her darkly. The corner of Shen Yuru’s mouth curved into a smile that was not quite a smile. In any case, she looked rather terrifying.

Han Shuangshuang subconsciously forced her expression into a smile. “Did Sister Shen sleep well last night? No, wait… Sister Shen, were you comfortable yesterday?”

Shen Yuru said, “What do you think?”

Han Shuangshuang felt that her neck hurt a little. It seemed Shen Yuru had scratched it.

So what was she supposed to say at a time like this? Take responsibility, or not take responsibility?

Besides, Shen Yuru had said her technique was bad, and Han Shuangshuang had not even settled accounts with her for that. A gentle, considerate top like her who went along with everything was very hard to find.

[System: Host, just follow your heart. Sincerity is the greatest killing move. Who doesn’t like a sincere doggo?]

Han Shuangshuang shook her head. She did not want to be all dog-like.

“Shen…”

Just as Han Shuangshuang was about to speak, Shen Yuru stood up, took out a check, and placed it in front of Han Shuangshuang. A number had already been filled in.

“This is your compensation for last night. You promised me that this matter would be known only by heaven, earth, you, and me. You will not let a third person know.”

Han Shuangshuang stared at Shen Yuru’s face in a daze, looking at Shen Yuru gazing down at her from above. Shen Yuru seemed like a high and mighty superior. Even if she was accidentally pulled into the mortal world, with one turn, she could still fly back up to the heavens.

Han Shuangshuang opened her mouth, then finally closed it again. She stretched out one arm and picked up the check to take a look.

One hundred thousand yuan. All right, to her, this was already no small amount of income.

Shen Yuru’s eyes fixed on Han Shuangshuang, not missing the slightest change in her expression.

She had investigated Han Shuangshuang’s background, and it was not much different from what Han Shuangshuang had said. The Han family was controlled by Han Shuangshuang’s stepmother. Han Shuangshuang had not had a very good life since childhood, and now Shen Yuru could basically confirm that those rumors about Han Shuangshuang indulging in pleasure were all spread by Han Shuangshuang’s stepmother in order to ruin her reputation.

Because Han Shuangshuang was stubborn by nature and too lazy to explain, the misunderstandings others held toward her had grown deeper and deeper.

Right now, Shen Yuru herself could not say what mentality she had. She both hoped Han Shuangshuang would accept the money so that the two of them would no longer be involved, and did not want Han Shuangshuang to accept the money so straightforwardly…

Han Shuangshuang looked at that check and increasingly felt this was simply a trap. She could not be easily tempted by money and lose her integrity.

“I don’t want the money. Sister Shen has helped me so much, and yesterday’s matter only happened because I invited Sister Shen to eat. That was what gave Long Aodi the chance to succeed. So I absolutely can’t take this money. Helping Sister Shen is what I should do. As long as Sister Shen doesn’t get angry with me, that’s enough. How could I still have the face to take benefits from Sister Shen?”

Han Shuangshuang had lived under others’ roofs since childhood, so her emotional intelligence was very high. She knew what kind of pie came coated in poison.

Especially when getting along with this great villain who was already close to blackening and wandering along the edge of it, one careless move could make her fall into a bottomless abyss. She had to treat the situation even more carefully.

Sure enough, after Han Shuangshuang finished saying this, she felt the oppressive feeling in the surroundings lessen significantly. Even breathing became smoother.

The corner of Shen Yuru’s mouth curved slightly. The blouse on her body had long since returned to yesterday’s neatness, clearly ironed smooth already. Her body also emitted a faint fragrance, as though she had already washed up.

“There’s no need to blame yourself that much. As for Long Aodi, I’ll think of a way to deal with him. As for you…”

Now, whenever Han Shuangshuang saw Shen Yuru’s phoenix eyes narrow slightly, she had a bad premonition. Afraid Shen Yuru would immediately change her mind and turn hostile, she quickly grabbed Shen Yuru’s hand and seized the initiative.

“Yesterday, Sister Shen said that in the morning you wouldn’t turn your face and refuse to acknowledge me. And I didn’t push my luck yesterday either. Everything was done according to Sister Shen’s requests and instructions. It was Sister Shen who told me not to let go, to be lighter, to be heavier, to do it again, and all that. I was just the tragic hard laborer! And the kind with no feelings.”

Hearing Han Shuangshuang say such shameless words, Shen Yuru’s cool face instantly turned bright red. Her eyes looked at Han Shuangshuang threateningly.

“Shut up. You are not allowed to mention this matter again.”

Han Shuangshuang pouted and subconsciously touched the scratches on her neck. They itched a little and hurt a little. In any case, they were not very comfortable.

Shen Yuru naturally saw them too, but she turned her face away, as though not seeing them meant she would not discover her own crime.

It was not because Han Shuangshuang was easy to bully that Shen Yuru was casually brushing her off.

Han Shuangshuang had just said it herself. Since such a thing had happened, she bore the main responsibility. The fact that Shen Yuru was not pursuing it was already out of consideration for Han Shuangshuang’s sincerity.

“In short, delete this matter from your mind immediately. Forget it.”

Shen Yuru withdrew her hand and put it into her pocket, returning once again to that cold, abstinent appearance.

For some reason, Han Shuangshuang felt her canine teeth itch a little. She wanted, just like yesterday, to personally bite apart this appearance of Shen Yuru’s.

“All right.”

Han Shuangshuang hid under the blanket and got dressed, then stood in front of Shen Yuru. Calm and composed, she grabbed Shen Yuru’s hand and made Shen Yuru’s index finger press against her forehead.

“Memory clearing in progress… Everything has been forgotten. Okay, why is Sister Shen here? Why am I here? Where is this? What happened?”

Han Shuangshuang blinked her puppy eyes, her gaze innocent as she looked at Shen Yuru.

Shen Yuru inexplicably felt a breath surge into her chest.

Han Shuangshuang was treating her like a fool.

Forget it. She would not argue with her.

Han Shuangshuang’s appearance made Shen Yuru unable to tell whether it was the master teasing the dog, or the dog teasing the master.

At this moment, Yan Huan sent a text.

Yan Huan: [Sis, why aren’t you back yet? This morning’s class has a roll-call inspection. Don’t play too hard. Also, this morning, I don’t know what kind of fit Long Aodi that dog thing had, but he said he wanted to report the students who didn’t return to the dorm last night and investigate them.]

Han Shuangshuang sucked in a breath of cold air. This Long Aodi really was the type who would drag others down with him when he himself was having a bad time. A proper petty person’s mentality.

Han Shuangshuang: [I’ll be right back!]

Han Shuangshuang put her phone into her pocket and turned to leave, but Shen Yuru pulled her back.

Shen Yuru’s gaze, carrying an unreadable meaning, landed on Han Shuangshuang’s neck. Han Shuangshuang immediately reacted. “What do we do about this? It’s all Sister Shen’s fault for being so fierce last night, grabbing and scratching and leaving marks. If I go back to school, I’ll be misunderstood again.”

Shen Yuru had already prepared foundation. She opened the lid and gently patted it over Han Shuangshuang’s red marks.

“You don’t like being misunderstood by others?”

Han Shuangshuang sat obediently on the chair and let Shen Yuru handle her. Suddenly hearing Shen Yuru say this out of nowhere, she replied, “Of course not. Sister Shen, don’t talk nonsense. I keep myself clean and proper. Those rumors were all falsely spread by others. There are so many mouths out there, and I only have one. How could I explain everything clearly? Besides, if I’m tied together with Sister Shen, it might damage Sister Shen’s reputation. So for Sister Shen’s sake, I should still…”

Before Han Shuangshuang could finish speaking, she suddenly felt Shen Yuru’s fingertips press down harder, making her hiss in pain.

Shen Yuru did not know why, but seeing Han Shuangshuang’s carefree, heartless appearance made an inexplicable anger rise in her, especially when Han Shuangshuang was so eager to draw a clear line between the two of them.

When she woke up in the morning, she had surprisingly felt refreshed and comfortable, her whole body pleasant. Gone was the usual heavy discomfort in her heart when she woke, that oppressive weight as though a giant stone was pressing down on it.

And Han Shuangshuang had been tightly hugging her like an octopus, impossible to push away.

Not only had Shen Yuru not felt uncomfortable, she had even felt very comfortable. She immediately suppressed this thought.

Shen Yuru subconsciously did not want to admit that the source of her comfort had actually come from Han Shuangshuang.

Even if Han Shuangshuang did not approach her with any purpose, the Han family and the Shen family had always stood on opposing sides. Her enemies were not only those people in the Shen family; she still had to guard against the people of the Han family too.

Even if the two of them had a marriage in the future, it would only be a business marriage. Feelings could not be involved.

“Last night was just an accident.”

Shen Yuru accidentally voiced what was in her heart, and regret appeared on her face.

Afterward, she subconsciously went to look at Han Shuangshuang’s reaction.

Shen Yuru suddenly said those words in a low voice, making Han Shuangshuang freeze for a moment before hurriedly nodding in agreement. “Of course it was an accident. I swear, even if someone notices, I absolutely won’t let anyone guess that this accident happened with Sister Shen.”

Shen Yuru’s hand used even more force.

Han Shuangshuang could barely control her expression, forcibly gritting her teeth from the pain.

Her slightly round face now had her canine teeth showing.

“Sister Shen?”

Shen Yuru coldly withdrew her hand and rather impatiently put the powder puff away, cutting in with a sarcastic tone. “What sister this, younger sister that? Would Younger Sister Han do… that kind of thing with her own sister?”

“What kind of thing?”

Han Shuangshuang blinked her innocent puppy eyes, determined to carry out her earlier declaration that she had already forgotten everything that had happened last night, all the way to the end. Even if Shen Yuru secretly dug a pit for her, she would absolutely not jump into it.

She knew very well that Shen Yuru was deliberately trying to trick her. If she followed along with this topic, then she would lose, and that one hundred thousand yuan would not be given to her.

In her original world, she had been poor. In this world, the original owner was still poor. One hundred thousand yuan was already no small fortune to her.

Money was not omnipotent, but without money, absolutely nothing could be done.

Besides, this also counted as her hard-earned labor fee. She had been so conscientious last night. How many people could compare to her, so gentle and considerate, going along with everything?

Han Shuangshuang completed her mental preparation and put on a righteous expression.

“What kind of thing does Younger Sister Han think it is? Do I need to say it so clearly? Or is Younger Sister Han deliberately playing with me?”

These words sounded chilly. In any case, they were not good words.

Han Shuangshuang thought, how could she possibly have the courage? Her heart was very sincere, okay?

Shen Yuru suddenly lowered herself and pressed her lips against Han Shuangshuang’s earlobe.

“Why has Younger Sister Han stopped talking?”

Han Shuangshuang: “…!”

Help!

The unpredictable great villain was too tempting… no, too cruel!