Chapter 54

What Yan Qingqiu meant by marriage was... how to put it? She didn't want any ties with Fu Ye. Clearly, Fu Ye was losing his mind—and he was telling her about it, which just showed how far gone he was.

"It's a fake marriage," Yan Qingqiu said. "You still need to be prepared. I can only marry you in secret."

She didn't dare meet Song Qingre's eyes while speaking, afraid she'd hurt her. She gripped the seat cushion, her body slowly retreating, her gaze fixed anywhere but on Song Qingre. "I know it's selfish of me to say this."

Song Qingre said, "It's fine. I like that you're selfish."

"We can't... have a wedding yet," Yan Qingqiu whispered.

"Mm." Song Qingre nodded.

Yan Qingqiu's heart tightened. Her main worry was that making a big fuss would alert the System. She wanted to take things slow and quiet, one step at a time. She didn't know if Song Qingre could accept that.

"Can't tell anyone?" Song Qingre asked.

The System monitored other people too. If someone slipped up, what would they do?

Yan Qingqiu looked up at her. Song Qingre nodded—whether in agreement or something else—and said, "I want to say something to you too."

Yan Qingqiu nodded and moved closer. Before she could get near, she was pressed into the sofa. Song Qingre began kissing her, biting her lips.

"Why are you spacing out again?" Song Qingre said. "Respond to me."

Song Qingre's lips pressed against hers. Yan Qingqiu felt the soft warmth, the weight of Song Qingre's body bearing down on her, and she let out a muffled groan.

But Song Qingre felt it wasn't enough. She gripped her waist, lifting her up.

They were pressed together, chest against chest, the softness invading without a gap. Song Qingre's hand slipped beneath her waist, hooking around to lift her higher.

"Mmm..." Yan Qingqiu's eyes narrowed.

She parted her lips slightly, and Song Qingre bit down hard on them.

So thrilling.

So good.

Yan Qingqiu loved this kind of illicit kiss in the car. Song Qingre held her waist, and she wrapped her arms around Song Qingre's neck in response.

She couldn't speak. She just wanted to keep kissing.

Wanted to be kissed forcefully.

Song Qingre pulled back, their foreheads gently brushing, pressing together, breathing ragged against her face. Yan Qingqiu's cheeks burned as she accepted the intimacy with half-closed eyes.

She opened her eyes. The dim overhead light fell on Song Qingre's shoulder. She reached out to catch the light's shadow but only grasped the soft flesh of Song Qingre's arm. She didn't let go, instead pushing the sweater up along her arm.

Song Qingre licked her lip. "Had enough?"

"Mm... Not yet."

"What else do you want?" Song Qingre asked. "More illegal things?"

"I want my lower lip kissed too," Yan Qingqiu said.

Song Qingre bit her lower lip again.

"Not like that," Yan Qingqiu said softly, lashes fluttering. She parted her lips and kissed Song Qingre back, whispering, "There's another place. The one you kissed once before."

Yan Qingqiu leaned back, sinking into the seat. She lifted a leg and brushed it against Song Qingre's waist, thinking her hint was obvious enough. Her cheeks flushed, a little shy.

They kissed again. Yan Qingqiu's eyes grew moist. Song Qingre's fingers dug into her thigh but didn't move lower. In the car, with people passing by outside, they couldn't let loose.

Song Qingre pressed against her, breathing hard.

Yan Qingqiu found some strength and whispered, "Let's try living together first... If we get along well, then we can tell others."

Song Qingre listened quietly.

"Okay."

"Then, you get the money back, get the certificate—anyway, normal people take a year or two to plan a wedding, right?"

"Makes sense." Song Qingre nodded.

Yan Qingqiu felt that after all that kissing, her brain was really sharp. She tugged at Song Qingre's arm. "Get up. Kiss me again. Touch me anywhere."

She pulled her sweater up, and Song Qingre grabbed her waist and kissed her. It felt so good.

She loved being all clingy and sticky with her.

To be clear, she agreed to marry now purely because she wanted to help Song Qingre get her money back, avoid the plot, and also... get a thrill, indulging in desire.

There were reasons she didn't want to marry. First, she was using Miss Yan's body—to put it plainly, she was using someone else's flesh to marry. What Song Qingre wanted to marry was "her," not her.

Marriage was serious to her, even if this was a game—but... but... she clearly felt this was a real world.

Marriage was a good path. If she didn't agree, when the day came, she'd be forced to follow the plot. She didn't want to have relations with Fu Ye. She could no longer care about that. She'd just be a bad person, a shameless one.

Song Qingre heard her words, her gaze landing on her and freezing. She didn't move. Yan Qingqiu didn't dare look at her after speaking. Her own heart raced. She told herself it was just to get through the plot, just to survive.

But a person can clearly feel their own heartbeat.

She knew better than anyone whether her heart stirred or not.

If there was no feeling, who would suddenly want to marry someone else? Many people have someone they like but still don't want to marry them.

Her eyes wandered aimlessly, her chest heavy, her thoughts unable to focus. She wanted to push open the car door and leave, but Song Qingre pulled her back. Song Qingre said, "Mm, okay, I'll listen to you."

"Listen to... me." But wasn't marriage what you wanted?

Fine. She was the one who brought it up now, so it was her being proactive. That was normal.

Yan Qingqiu looked at her. "What's wrong?"

She saw Song Qingre's eyes were red, the corners a little wet—not from kissing, but from her own crumbling emotions. She was about to say something comforting when Song Qingre pulled her into an embrace. Song Qingre's strength was immense, hurting Yan Qingqiu's arms. She smelled that faint citrus scent again—not warm, but as if she'd fallen into the sea, soaked in rough sea salt, salty, stinging her even as she embraced her.

She raised her hand, not knowing what to do.

Her fingertip lifted, hovering for a long time before slowly falling, finally patting her shoulder.

Yan Qingqiu wanted to say something, but the saltiness choked her. She didn't know how to respond... she just let herself be held.

Finally, Yan Qingqiu closed her eyes. Maybe it wasn't just Song Qingre who needed a hug. Her own hand was trembling secretly where Song Qingre couldn't see.

Song Qingre must have been waiting so miserably.

Yan Qingqiu closed her eyes again. Her nose stung. For some reason, she too felt like she'd been waiting a long time.

If only Song Qingre were someone from her real life—no game mechanics. They'd meet properly, fall in love properly, lean on each other.

Yan Qingqiu always said she didn't need a next life, because she was like a reed with no roots, always drifting.

She grabbed Song Qingre's arm, patting her shoulder again. "Alright, alright. I haven't finished speaking."

·

Getting married was troublesome for Yan Qingqiu. Her household register had always been kept by Yan Fu. Earlier, worried she might take it to marry Fu Ye, he'd hidden it away.

They discussed how to get it from Yan Fu without him knowing... After much thought, it seemed the only option was to steal it.

That evening, Yan Fu came home. Yan Qingqiu sat in the living room pretending to watch TV, her mind racing. How to steal it?

Stealing a person was easier!

Song Qingre reminded her, "If you ask your dad for the household register, he'll know you want to marry me."

After all, her dad loved to hint at things now—how many kids will you have? What happened to the proposal? Are you taking precautions? Whose surname will the kids take? I don't mind if the first one takes Song.

Yan Fu was very contradictory. One moment he wanted Yan Qingqiu to marry soon, the next he wanted them to wait, afraid they'd move out.

Right, her dad was very sensitive now.

Yan Fu's car pulled in. The butler opened the door. "Sir, you're back."

Yan Fu handed his briefcase to the butler, looking exhausted. He took off his glasses and pressed his eyes. Yan Qingqiu turned to glance at her dad, and he asked, "What? Something up?"

"Nothing, nothing." Yan Qingqiu quickly lowered her head. She winked at Song Qingre—not a flirty wink—but her dad still noticed, looking at the two of them with a knowing smile.

"Really..." Yan Qingqiu complained. "Dad, why are you so sensitive?"

Yan Fu frowned. "Am I being sensitive? Qiuqiu, you two have been going back and forth all day, glancing at each other every sentence, like you're plotting something. You were a bit shy before, but today you're especially bold."

"Bold..."

Dad, you really are observant.

"We're discussing something important."

"What important thing? Getting married?" Yan Fu asked curiously, staring even more intently at Yan Qingqiu.

He walked into the living room, smiling and joking with them.

But Yan Qingqiu was so startled she dropped the remote, then bent over to pick it up, swallowing hard.

She thought to herself, she hadn't exactly written "marriage" on her face, so how did her dad see through it so clearly?

It scared her.

Song Qingre said, "We were indeed talking about something serious. We met Fu Ye today. He's been trying to infiltrate ER lately, poaching a lot of models. You should be careful too."

Yan Fu felt annoyed at the mention of Fu Ye's name. He'd been meaning to warn them as well. "Fu Ye's been going crazy announcing he's going to marry Qiuqiu." He breathed heavily. "All that talk of destined markings. Is ER okay? If you need anything, have Xingjie ask. I'll help if I can."

"Mm." Yan Qingqiu nodded.

After dinner, Yan Qingqiu went upstairs first, while Song Qingre dawdled behind. Once no one was watching, she slipped in quickly.

They spoke in low voices. Yan Qingqiu sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Tell me, how do we get the household register from my dad?" Yan Qingqiu sat cross-legged, recalling what she knew. "I heard from the butler earlier that the register is in a safe. It's linked to my dad's phone—any attempt to open it notifies him. There's also a built-in camera that might turn on, showing what you're doing inside."

Song Qingre obviously didn't know that. Her expression showed slight surprise as she stared at Yan Qingqiu.

"Do you have any ideas?" Yan Qingqiu asked.

Clearly not. They'd have to figure out how to open the safe.

"Does Dong Shu know the code?" Song Qingre asked.

"Definitely not. Dad was determined to stop me from marrying Fu Ye back then. He set multiple passwords."

"Is there anything else in there?"

"No. Dong Shu said it's specifically for storing my household register. We rarely need it anyway."

Song Qingre thought for a moment. "You're working now... signing contracts. You only need your ID, not your household register..." Song Qingre felt a headache coming on. She sat cross-legged and searched her phone: Can you get a marriage certificate without a household register?

The replies below: No precedent for that in the country yet.

Yan Qingqiu sat beside her and asked, "Hey, search if you can, you know, get a replacement."

"Bring your ID, and all household members must sign it," Song Qingre read from the search results, sighing.

"Ah..." Yan Qingqiu looked at what she found and sighed too. Their eyes met, both feeling troubled. Yan Qingqiu couldn't help it. "Hahaha, what do we do? You didn't consider this?"

"No, I was just thinking... about getting you."

"Getting me... then just do it." As soon as Yan Qingqiu said it, she felt her mouth was too loose. She quickly got off the bed to shower. After showering, she lay in bed. Song Qingre showered after her but didn't leave. She was used to taking the blanket and spreading it on the floor to sleep. If they shared the bed, neither would be able to hold back.

One sentence had become the disaster of their night.

"Are you asleep?" Song Qingre asked.

Yan Qingqiu blinked. Song Qingre said, "Let's chat."

Yan Qingqiu wanted some quiet to sort out her thoughts.

"My mind's a mess. I've been trying to sort it out but can't. The more I try, the more tangled it gets."

Yan Qingqiu was the same. She couldn't focus, her mind wandering—like how to get the certificate, even though the current problem wasn't solved yet, and she was daydreaming.

Yan Qingqiu, pull yourself together. If you fall in love with her, and one day you go back, how will you live? Being alone and lonely, you can survive. But once you love someone and have to be alone thinking of them, that's a living hell. Can you endure that?

Yan Qingqiu couldn't think anymore. She hadn't even fully fallen for anyone yet, but she already understood what the process would be—first sorrow, endless worries, then tasting the sweetness.

Song Qingre wasn't asleep either. Neither was she. Running on high adrenaline was exactly this.

"Fake marriage—you don't mind?" Yan Qingqiu asked.

Song Qingre shook her head. She didn't mind.

Why would she?

A real certificate in hand.

Yan Qingqiu turned over first, her back to Song Qingre. Not long after, she turned again, lying at the edge of the bed, looking at Song Qingre, whose eyes were still open.

She reached out a finger to touch Song Qingre's nose. Song Qingre didn't know her intention, so she raised her arm and extended her finger. In the silent night, their fingertips met, fingerprints seamlessly connected.

The night outside the window was a lake; the darkness inside rippled into waves.

Yan Qingqiu pressed her chin into her arm, gently rubbing down. Forget Miss Yan. She'd be selfishly happy alone... be a bad person, covet the thrill of ambiguous affection. All her blood flowed to one place. They were connected by flesh and blood.

Song Qingre rested her head on one hand, poking with a little force. Yan Qingqiu pressed down in response. Back and forth, neither willing to let go.

·

The next day, neither had slept well. They slept until eleven thirty. Yan Fu returned from his morning exercise, shaking his head at them. "Young people only know indulgence. When you're old, you'll regret it."

Yan Fu had already eaten. The two of them ate alone while Yan Fu, holding his tea, made various innuendos.

After breakfast, Song Qingre drove Yan Qingqiu to the company. She said, "I'll handle the household register. I'll have Uncle get it later."

"How?" Yan Qingqiu looked at her, puzzled.

Song Qingre said, "Don't worry."

She sounded confident. Yan Qingqiu got out and entered the building. Song Qingre didn't go in. She leaned on the steering wheel, arm pressing against it, her face turned, looking at her warmly.

The car horn sounded. Yan Qingqiu turned to look at her, asking what was up.

"Say goodbye."

"Oh. Goodbye."

After she said it, she felt Song Qingre smile—a strange, gentle smile that could make one swoon. But as Song Qingre smiled, she seemed more like the one swooning.

Yan Qingqiu couldn't figure out what she was smiling about. She pressed her lips together, braced her hands on her thighs, and crouched down slightly, waving at her. "Goodbye."

Song Qingre nodded. "Call me if anything comes up."

Yan Qingqiu made an "OK" sign at her, blew on the circle her fingers made, and waved again. "Bye."

The Winter Show was at the end of the month. Yan Qingqiu had been training a lot lately. She went straight to the big training hall downstairs. As she entered, she heard Fu Sang talking to Su Xingjie. Fu Sang kept trying to explain, her hand reaching for Su Xingjie's shoulder several times, but each time Su Xingjie shook it off harshly.

Su Xingjie flipped through the file in her hand, annoyed by the persistent clinging. "Don't you understand? I told you to get lost. Stop bothering me."

"No... It really wasn't me." Fu Sang tried to defend herself, her voice trembling. Yesterday she could still be stubborn, but today she was completely cowed. She lowered her head and said to Su Xingjie, "I was joking about ending my contract. If I leave, who can hold the company together? I just spoke harshly. Don't misunderstand."

And... Su Xingjie's only reply was, "Stay away from me."

Before Fu Sang could speak again, she added, "You're dirty."

As if she had a phobia, she unbuttoned her coat and tossed it onto a nearby chair. When Fu Sang tried to approach again, her assistant blocked her.

Her assistant said, "Miss Fu Sang, you should talk to your agent."

Su Xingjie didn't even glance at her. She turned her head, saw Qiang Wei putting on the show shoes, and stepped closer, crouching slightly. "Are the heels too high? Try them first. If not, switch to lower ones. No need to insist on that height."

Qiang Wei hummed in acknowledgment and said softly, "It's fine. I'll try. I'll make sure it's perfect."

Su Xingjie reached out a hand, helped her up, and guided her to the runway. The spotlight came down. Qiang Wei, in a white dress, looked like a blooming rose. Su Xingjie said to the designer beside her, "This dress needs more changes. Shorten it a bit."

Fu Sang's eyes were red. No matter what she said, Su Xingjie acted as if she hadn't heard. Fu Sang stared at them intently. Her agent came over and tugged at her, but she shoved her away.

The agent and assistant pulled her out. She turned, seeing Yan Qingqiu leaning against the door, and said, "You're pleased with yourself now, aren't you? The company had four models, and you got three of them driven away. How stupid! You'll regret this, Yan Qingqiu! You fool!"

Yan Qingqiu said nothing. Fu Sang pushed past her agent and walked straight toward Yan Qingqiu. The agent quickly grabbed Fu Sang, telling her to calm down and not do anything rash. When she couldn't stop her, the two dragged her away.

"It really wasn't me!" Fu Sang shouted in defense.

Yan Qingqiu watched her, studying her. After a moment, she said, "I don't care if you're the villain. You embarrassed me and Xing Xing in front of everyone. You're a bitch. Even if I'm wrong about you, so what? Keep causing trouble, and I'll ruin your reputation."

"Want to compare whose voice is louder? Next time, I'll send a crowd to your house to wail for the dead. Has Fu Ye shared his post-lament thoughts with you?"

Fu Sang choked.

In the showroom, their voices carried. Su Xingjie heard too. She lowered her head, not daring to look at Yan Qingqiu, feeling guilty. The model had been targeting her, and she couldn't just fire everyone.

Yan Qingqiu silently watched Fu Sang. Fu Sang's eyes were red. Yan Qingqiu clenched her fingers. Fu Sang bit her lip hard, said, "You'll regret this," then turned and left the runway, her agent following behind.

The nearby models' gazes followed Fu Sang's figure until it faded, then turned back to Yan Qingqiu, their expressions heavy.

The already icy atmosphere froze solid.

Yan Qingqiu acted as if she hadn't noticed. She walked over and patted Su Xingjie's shoulder. "Good morning, Xing Xing."

Su Xingjie's eyes lit up. "Morning!"

She immediately perked up and yelled at the models. "What are you looking at? If you don't want to work, get lost."

Su Xingjie watched the makeup artist work on her, adjusting her look. After every detail was set, Yan Qingqiu took the stage. She wore a fluffy white shawl over a silver-white long dress.

It was ER's new high-end gown. Yan Qingqiu walked a lap. Su Xingjie stepped onto the stage, tugged at the dress, and her fingers landed on Yan Qingqiu's leg. "There should be a high slit here."

"Any higher and it'll show more," the designer said.

"Make a paperclip clasp. Remember, shaped like a paperclip. Other materials won't look good."

In the morning, after trying on all the dresses, Yan Qingqiu headed back wrapped in a padded coat, Ji Xiangsi carrying her bag behind her.

"She's so stupid! I've never seen anyone as stupid as her!" Fu Sang cursed openly, her voice echoing down the corridor. Yan Qingqiu began to doubt herself—maybe she'd gotten it wrong.

Fu Sang looked down on her. Maybe Yan Qingqiu was also looking at Fu Sang through tinted glasses.

A person shouldn't be judged by appearances alone.

Ji Xiangsi couldn't hold back. She went over and kicked their door, asking, "Is it that hard done by? If it's so hard, then quit."

Yan Qingqiu looked at Ji Xiangsi gratefully. She entered the office, listless, and slumped over the desk. Ji Xiangsi brought her bag in, and Yan Qingqiu told her to go hang out elsewhere, that she wanted some quiet.

Ji Xiangsi comforted her a little and closed the door. Yan Qingqiu propped her chin on her fingers, sighing softly. "Did I really get it wrong?"

She was just asking herself, but the System, with its loose mouth, answered, 【It's up to the Host to decide. I wanted to advise you earlier not to blow things up, but you refused. Some things and their consequences, you'll have to bear yourself.】

Yan Qingqiu let out a deep sigh.

She raised her hand to her forehead. Who the hell had done this?

So annoying.

Yan Qingqiu felt awful. This was clearly targeting her, but her friend had become the one to bear it.

She slumped there, listless. After ten minutes or so, she received a message. She didn't look at it—it was anonymous. She took out a SIM ejector pin, popped out the SIM card tray, and snapped the card in half.

The System didn't even have time to stop her.

The System was furious. 【Are you stupid? What if it was Song Qingre who did it? You said you hated Fu Sang, so she got involved, ruined Fu Sang's reputation, and you could drive her away. Are you a pig? Can't you see whose handiwork this is?】

"Go to hell, you bitch! Why don't you go die? If you love Fu Ye that much, turn into a person and marry him. Why are you in my head? Go die, you piece of trash. If you've got the guts, kill me. Otherwise, I'll jump from here today—it's either you or me. Like your fucking parents, you filthy mongrel!"

"Do you miss your last host? Always so sarcastic. God, you're insane. Fuck you and your whole family, you piece of shit!"

【What did you say?】

The System froze, stunned by her rant.

Yan Qingqiu said, "I said your parents ate dog shit and gave birth to you, you bastard!"

Yan Qingqiu prided herself on being civilized, not one to curse casually, but she couldn't take it anymore. "You bitch, everything's all talk from you, expecting me to listen. Think I'm naive? Think I haven't suffered? You bitch! Why don't you die! If you've got the guts, kill me now. I'm scared of death, but if you're forcing me to die, I won't cower. I'll die tomorrow, go to Song Qingre's side, find an easy way while you're offline. Let's see who dies first."

"If you've got the guts, electrocute me now. You fucking idiot."

The System actually electrocuted her, without mercy. Yan Qingqiu stood up immediately, not waiting, and called Song Qingre.

The System panicked and increased the voltage. Yan Qingqiu sent Song Qingre a message instead.

She sent a voice message, not saying anything before it went through, but at least it sent.

The System seemed to realize it couldn't stop her and said, 【So you're sure you're the female lead now, right?】

Yan Qingqiu gripped the edge of the desk, steadying herself against the pain. If only she could claw the System out—she wouldn't just kill it; she'd kick it to death. Trash, trash.

She let out a muffled groan of pain.

The System said sarcastically, 【Congratulations, Host, on obtaining 8% plot points. You have successfully deciphered your female lead persona. We are about to unlock the female lead storyline. As long as you obey us, we'll lead you to the peak of your life, okay?】

Peak.

You think I need you to find me a peak in life? Go die!

System: 【Congratulations, female lead. Wishing you and the male lead a hundred years of harmony.】

"...Ugh." Yan Qingqiu felt a visceral disgust. She went over and hugged the trash can, vomiting twice. God, it made her sick.

Yan Qingqiu's head ached terribly. She felt dizzy. She'd have to wait for Song Qingre to come. She first went outside to get some air. Now that they'd shown their true colors, she couldn't keep a friendly face with the System. She couldn't be separated from Song Qingre. She had to stay with her 24/7.

Yan Qingqiu went to the restroom and happened to see Qiang Wei washing her face. Her face was wet, her eyes a little red—she looked like she'd been crying.

"What's wrong?" Yan Qingqiu asked.

"Nothing. I just twisted something."

Qiang Wei cupped water to wash her face, then smiled at her.

Yan Qingqiu leaned against the door. "Sorry."

"What do you have to apologize for?" Qiang Wei asked, puzzled.

"Because of me. Fu Sang was targeting me today." Yan Qingqiu's tone was heavy, her eyes looking away. "You can ignore me like the others. I won't blame you."

"No." Qiang Wei wiped her face with a tissue and smiled softly. "Don't put pressure on yourself. This isn't your problem."

She smiled again. "It's my own reason."

Qiang Wei looked at her legs. "If I'd held on a bit longer back then, it'd be fine." Then she added, "But giving up early was the right choice."

Yan Qingqiu didn't know about her legs and didn't understand what she meant. Qiang Wei said, "It's an occupational hazard. Plus, I had a car accident, and I never got the chance to go back on stage. When Director Su was just promoted, she suggested I move behind the scenes."

"Do you hate her?" Yan Qingqiu asked.

Qiang Wei lived up to her name—pink and fair, looking like a blooming rose. She wore a long knit dress. She pulled the sweater up, and Yan Qingqiu followed her gaze to see a long scar on her leg. She'd had repair surgery, but the mark was still visible, like a scratch on a beautiful piece of art.

"Do you think I hate her?" Qiang Wei said. "If I'd held on back then, the me you see now might be in a wheelchair."

"Mm..."

Yan Qingqiu walked over, turned on the tap, and rinsed her fingers. She cupped water to rinse her mouth, then splashed her face hard with it. "Your legs are beautiful. It'd be a shame if you couldn't stand."

"Actually, you don't need to doubt me," Qiang Wei said. "Because Director Su treats me well, I treat you well."

Yan Qingqiu hummed. She had indeed doubted Qiang Wei. She couldn't figure out why Qiang Wei was so obedient to Su Xingjie, even seeming ready to devote herself, and yet not resentful.

"Take a break." She dried her hands, walked over, and helped support Qiang Wei. Qiang Wei's leg hurt badly, limping as she walked. She hissed and comforted Yan Qingqiu, "Don't be scared. Just walk with confidence. I'm also an omega. When I first joined the auditions, people said I wasn't tall enough. If not for the car accident, I'd still be walking the runway."

Yan Qingqiu hummed.

They walked out together. Several models looked at them.

Yan Qingqiu pretended not to notice. She knew that with this kind of incident, most would blame her. No harsh looks were unexpected. She found a chair and sat down first, then called Qiang Wei over to sit.

Song Qingre arrived and sent her a message.

She pressed her lips together, told Qiang Wei she was stepping out, and suggested she go rest too—no need to face hostile stares here.

Qiang Wei nodded, saying she understood.

Yan Qingqiu tidied herself up before going out.

That's life. Adults grow up through endurance. She looked at herself in the mirror again, putting on a sweet, energetic smile.

But when she came out and saw that familiar figure, she immediately didn't want to endure anymore. Song Qingre was waiting for her outside the car, holding a box of cherries. Yan Qingqiu had been fond of them lately. In the real world, she couldn't afford them.

Song Qingre no longer asked whether cherries or citrus tasted better. She must already know the answer.

The car was parked under a tree. She wore a black coat, not hidden in the shadows but bright like winter fireworks.

Yan Qingqiu quickened her steps and hopped right in front of Song Qingre, hands in her pockets. "Another day of fighting today."

Song Qingre smoothed her hair and gave her the cherries. Yan Qingqiu pressed her lips together. "Xing Xing definitely feels bad for me, but... I think it's because of me, so neither of us brought it up. Sigh."

She poured all her troubles out to Song Qingre.

"So, when I get the marriage fund and split it with you, take it. Once you're rich, you can be as bold as you want. Those people won't dare mess with you."

Yan Qingqiu nodded, not avoiding the topic.

It wasn't quitting time yet. Song Qingre opened the car door. Yan Qingqiu, not knowing what came over her, stepped forward and hugged Song Qingre's waist from behind. Only near Song Qingre was there peace—no System in her head. Only then did she feel like she belonged to this world.

She quietly breathed in her scent.

Hey, you know, "I" am the female lead of this game world. According to all the plotlines, the female lead can't be with anyone else. But I just don't want to believe that.

She took a deep breath. After getting in the car, Song Qingre leaned over, reached around, and fastened her seatbelt. "Where do you want to go?"

She picked up a cherry and placed it on Yan Qingqiu's lips. Yan Qingqiu opened her mouth and ate it, blinking to hint she wanted another. Song Qingre obediently fed her one.

Yan Qingqiu held the cherry on her tongue, leaned over, and kissed Song Qingre. This time it wasn't deliberate teasing. The cherry rolled between their lips, sweet enough to kill. It slid to her teeth and she accidentally bit it open—sweet, her tongue going soft.

Song Qingre tasted it too. Cherries really were sweet. No wonder Yan Qingqiu liked them so much.

"So good."

Yan Qingqiu looked at her, then placed a cherry on her own chest. It rolled down, and when Song Qingre's gaze landed, it slid lower. "Come eat."

Song Qingre stared at her. Yan Qingqiu bit her lip, eyes glistening with water, and whispered, "Be a good girl."

Song Qingre's breath grew warm. She picked up the cherry. In summer, this would have been tucked between her thighs. "Mm."

"Isn't this... illegal?"

"It's fine. Illegal is better. Stealing is what makes it fun." Yan Qingqiu kissed her thin lips twice. As they parted, her eyes shimmered, and her finger tapped on the button of Song Qingre's coat. "Shall we go to a hotel? Do something illegal?"

She'd thought it through, mulled over it for two hours. You can't be too limited in life. Sooner or later the gland would be removed. Better to do it before the plot comes... She bit her lip. "Like... marking me early. Want to try love before marriage, hm?"