After the Cannon Fodder A Accidentally Marked the Paranoid Female Lead - Chapter 2

“Lawyer He.”

Ming Si’an wasn’t sure what emotions to feel when facing He Yiling. The woman who would kill her? Of course not, nothing had happened yet.

She only knew that this woman was extremely dangerous.

They were at a safe distance from each other, but the soundproofing in the private room was good. Without the noisy music, her attention was fully on He Yiling. This was a woman she needed to be highly focused around.

She could even see the sapphire pin on He Yiling’s blazer lapel. When Ming Si’an arrived, He Yiling simply lowered her eyes, tasting the red wine in her glass. Perhaps the wine didn’t taste good, as a hint of dissatisfaction flashed in her eyes.

The Beta woman in the suit quickly went to the bar and poured a new glass of wine.

Only then did Ming Si’an notice that there were several decanters on the bar, ready to serve He Yiling different wines to meet her standards.

The room’s extravagant decor made her feel like she was swimming in money. Everything her eyes landed on was a testament to wealth. The Royal Bar truly lived up to its name, with a lavishness fit for royalty.

The closer she got, the more she could clearly feel that He Yiling and she belonged to two different worlds. The red dress He Yiling was wearing, custom-made from top-grade silk, would take her at least two years of part-time work to afford—unless a rich woman gave her a generous tip.

He Yiling was leaning casually on the leather sofa, her legs crossed. Her dress had rolled up slightly, revealing a small section of her ankle, which was indeed as fair as jade.

Her dark, long hair was scattered naturally across her back. The strands from her ears to her chest were slightly curled. When she looked up, the curls swayed gently, revealing a necklace around her cool white neck. It was a golden snake chain with scales that looked so real. An emerald was set in the snake’s head as its eyes, making the necklace appear lifelike, like a real snake. The tail was connected to a golden-threaded luck bead, adorned with numerous tiny diamonds. In the center, there was a small emerald the size of a pinky nail. From its design to the intricate weaving, this necklace must have taken the artisan a significant amount of time, at least several months.

Despite wearing so much gold and jade, she didn’t look tacky at all. Instead, she had an air of graceful and elegant nobility.

Although it was only a brief glance, He Yiling’s overall image left a deep impression on Ming Si’an’s mind. It was even more stunning than their first meeting. She should use the word “breathtaking” to describe this woman.

On the wrist of the hand holding the wine glass, He Yiling wore a multi-strand agarwood prayer bracelet. As she gently swirled the wine in her glass, her eyes examined Ming Si’an with great interest.

“Are you from Anling?”

Her voice was as cool as water hitting a stone in a stream—extremely clear and vibrant, making one’s heart skip a beat.

Anling Law Firm was the name of He Yiling’s personal firm.

Ming Si’an met her gaze. They were in a staring contest, neither willing to look away first. In the end, He Yiling was the one to break contact, her eyes falling on Ming Si’an’s hands.

Her well-defined hands were clasped in front of her stomach, her right pinky moving unconsciously. Although she was doing her best to hide her nervousness, her hands gave her away.

Ming Si’an’s face turned crimson. Why was she looking at her hands?

She spoke in a hoarse voice, “I was, but not anymore.”

She had already quit. From the moment she resigned, she was no longer a part of the Anling Law Firm.

However, He Yiling’s gaze was too intense, and it began to roam all over her, making her feel incredibly uncomfortable. Could her guess have been right? Had He Yiling been interested in her all along? Not in her as a person, but in the original character’s “honesty.”

Otherwise, given He Yiling’s status, there was no reason for her to meet a second-year student with no family background.

Ming Si’an couldn’t figure out why He Yiling was looking at her with such an intense and almost flirtatious gaze. This shouldn’t be happening between them.

He Yiling sat on the sofa like a commanding queen. It was clear she was interested in Ming Si’an.

Why wasn’t she saying anything? The silence was becoming a bit awkward.

He Yiling’s finger moved slightly. “Sit.”

Ming Si’an wasn’t one to cower. A bad girl would never back down!

And a bad girl wouldn’t obediently cross her hands in front of her stomach, looking so timid.

She sat on a sofa about two meters away from He Yiling, placing her hands on her knees and slightly turning her body to face her.

Compared to her, her roommate, Cheng Cheng, was as stiff as a board, only daring to sit on the edge of the sofa.

“Would you like a drink?” He Yiling asked casually.

Ming Si’an shook her head. “Lawyer He, just get straight to the point.”

She could feel her internal nervousness. It would be strange if she wasn’t nervous. After all, this was the woman who could potentially kill her. No matter how beautiful she was, she was still poisonous.

He Yiling didn’t look at her; instead, she looked at Cheng Cheng. “This student and I need to talk.”

Her extremely gentle tone gave no room for rejection.

Cheng Cheng quickly stood up. “Oh? Okay. I was just about to go have some fun.”

He Yiling let out a soft laugh and said to the Beta woman in the suit beside her, “Take good care of this student.”

Wait, she’s leaving already?

Ming Si’an glanced at her roommate for help, but Cheng Cheng didn’t even look at her, simply following the other woman out.

In the private room, now with only two people, their breaths were the only sound.

“Tell me, why did you quit?” With just the two of them left, He Yiling’s cool voice rang out again.

Ming Si’an was puzzled. “I was just an assistant to your assistant. I can’t be so important that you would ask me personally, can I?”

The original character’s job at the law firm was to handle legal documents, organize files, and proofread legal documents for basic grammatical errors, typos, and formatting. She also did basic legal research, looked up case laws, or assisted with recording case information. She even served clients tea and water.

No matter how you looked at it, her job was easily replaceable. Her monthly salary was 20,000, which was higher than ordinary law firms, a 10-50% increase.

20,000 seemed like a lot, but after paying for school housing, food, various transportation fees, and daily expenses like books and study materials, her monthly spending could reach 15,000, even if she lived frugally. She couldn’t even eat out or do any recreational activities, and she was afraid to get sick.

With a 20,000 monthly salary, her burden would be much lighter. She really didn’t want to quit, but He Yiling was just too dangerous.

He Yiling looked at her calmly. “I suggest you look at your contract with the firm before you decide to quit.”

She didn’t intend to explain herself to Ming Si’an; instead, she was annoyed by her avoiding the question.

How could this woman say something even colder in an already cold tone?

Ming Si’an had no doubt that if she dared not show up for work tomorrow, He Yiling would sue her. For a law firm, a lawsuit was an easy matter.

Damn it! What kind of contract did the original character sign?

She cursed inwardly. So many questions flooded her mind. When did He Yiling start watching her? Even if she didn’t know her well, she wasn’t a stranger. A dignified senior lawyer, a third-generation member of the He family, didn’t need to lower herself for a part-time student.

Her big eyes revealed a hint of her countless questions. Her eyes, with a slight upward tilt at the corners, looked innocent and charming. The bewilderment added to her unpolished simplicity, and the small bags under her eyes gave her a touch of liveliness. Her overall aura was one of pure, unworldly elegance.

He Yiling thought, “If those eyes were to cry, would she look like she possessed an unworldly fragility?”

Ming Si’an had no idea that a picture of her crying had formed in the other woman’s mind. She only knew that until she understood the contract, she had to go back to work obediently.

With the conversation seemingly over, she prepared to leave. Suddenly, the sound of a glass shattering on the floor echoed behind her.

She quickly turned around and saw that a flush was rapidly spreading across He Yiling’s fair skin. Fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and her fingertips trembled.

He Yiling seemed to be entering her estrus.

This was an ABO world. Male and female were the first genders, and Alpha, Beta, and Omega were the second genders. Betas had no pheromones and were generally balanced in all abilities, making up the majority of the population.

Alphas had their susceptible, and Omegas had their estrus. Compared to an Alpha’s susceptible, an Omega’s estrus was more terrifying. They uncontrollably released pheromones, affecting all the surrounding Alphas and even other Omegas, causing chaos. During this time, an Omega’s consciousness wasn’t clear, and they could lose their minds. If something happened, like a forced mark, their life would be ruined.

Therefore, the laws for protecting Omegas were very comprehensive. As a law student, Ming Si’an knew exactly what to do when encountering an Omega in estrus. The best option was to inject them with an inhibitor before they started releasing pheromones, or to run.

Because an Alpha could easily be affected by an Omega’s pheromones and lose control of their actions. After that, she would face detention, and possibly even more severe punishments.

The woman in front of her was He Yiling. If she really did something, it was possible He Yiling would kill her.

A faint, sweet scent began to fill the air in the room. Even with just a little bit of pheromone, she felt an unbearable heat. The warmth on her body spread to her face. She didn’t even have to check to know her face was bright red.

Ming Si’an exhaled, trying to control herself, but she couldn’t overcome her conscience. What if she ran away and He Yiling encountered another ill-intentioned Alpha?

She approached He Yiling and asked in a low voice, “Where’s your inhibitor?”

“Don’t bother.” The only reply was He Yiling’s cold, Hong Kong-accented reply.

Ming Si’an was speechless. Even in this state, she didn’t want her help. She said without hesitation, “I’m from the mainland. I don’t understand Hong Kong-speak.”

Having watched many Hong Kong films since childhood and with her excellent language skills, she could understand Hong Kong-speak even if she couldn’t speak it well. She was just pretending not to understand.

Even like this, Miss He was still so cold. But how was Ming Si’an to know that He Yiling’s tone wasn’t as cold as she thought it was when she spoke in her native dialect?

“Ming Si’an, if you dare do anything to me, you will never be free in this lifetime.” He Yiling threatened coldly. Perhaps it was the influence of the pheromones, but a hint of softness crept into her tone.

“Get out!”

Stubborn woman.

Ming Si’an raised an eyebrow. “Fine.”

Since the other person didn’t need her help, there was no reason for her to be here.

However, just as her hand touched the doorknob, He Yiling’s cool voice rang out again. “Hey! Come back.”

“You bitch! Who are you calling a dog?!”

Author’s Note

Ming Si’an: Anyone who likes He Yiling is a dog!

He Yiling: Oh, really?

Ming Si’an: Woof!