Villainess_In_Melodramatic_Novel C24

Chapter 24: Became My Ex’s Sister-in-Law (Part 5)

Bai Shuang’s expression darkened visibly. She must have felt utterly humiliated after being betrayed by her exes one after another—especially since one had ended up with her own older sister, and another had now fallen for yet another of her exes.

If word got out, Bai Shuang would be a complete laughingstock.

Yu Liuxue nearly passed away on the spot. She couldn’t help but turn to glare at Ruan Ni—what was this scheming white lotus female supporting character trying to stir up now? Was the drama not ridiculous enough for her liking?

Yu Liuxue scrunched up her face. “Ruan Ni, are you okay?”

Ruan Ni knew that her feelings wouldn’t be reciprocated, but she still held onto hope, hoping that her sincerity would move Yu Liuxue. She placed a prepared gift into Yu Liuxue’s hands and said, “Bailing, I was immature in the past and did many things that hurt you. I’ll make it up to you from now on. I hope you can forgive me.”

Yu Liuxue really didn’t want to accept the gift, but her gut feeling told her that if she dared to refuse, there would be no escaping this seemingly deranged female supporting character today.

So she said, “Fine, I’ll take the gift. Let’s just call it even—we owe each other nothing.”

Ruan Ni smiled. “Alright.”

Bai Shuang was left standing alone on the side. While she stood there feeling abandoned, the other two women chatted and laughed in front of her as if she didn’t even exist. Bai Shuang stepped forward and said, “Ke Bailing, let’s go.”

Yu Liuxue blinked. “Sorry, I have work to do.”

Bai Shuang’s lips curled into a smile. “I know. I’m here to help you. Your project’s liaison happens to be a friend of mine.”

Her expression carried an air of confidence. Ruan Ni cast a cool glance at Bai Shuang before shifting her gaze back to Yu Liuxue and extending a hand toward her. “Manager Ke, I hope our two companies will have a fruitful collaboration.”

Yu Liuxue: “…?” What the hell is happening now?

Bai Shuang looked puzzled, while Ruan Ni smiled faintly and explained, “The person you’re about to have dinner with is my uncle. Since I’m currently learning how to manage the company, my father told me to follow my uncle and gain experience in preparation for inheriting the company in the future.”

Yu Liuxue nearly felt like shooting herself on the spot.

She roared at the system, “Hurry up! Get me all the relationship data on Bai Shuang and Ruan Ni’s entire ancestral lineage!”

Yu Liuxue wasn’t afraid of these two supporting characters—what she feared was Shi Can finding out and unleashing his monstrous power on her in a fit of rage. If that happened, she’d end up bedridden and on sick leave again.

These two venomous women clearly wanted her dead in bed.

The system hurried to comply. Just as the three of them remained locked in an awkward standoff, Ruan Ni’s uncle, upon receiving word, came out to greet Yu Liuxue. The moment he arrived, he sensed that something was off about the atmosphere between the three young people. However, as a seasoned businessman, he smoothly called out Ruan Ni’s name before saying, “It’s hot outside—come in and have a seat.”

Yu Liuxue immediately bolted forward. “Yes, yes, let’s go in.”

Once inside, she deliberately picked a seat in the corner. Yet somehow, Bai Shuang and Ruan Ni seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement, each naturally sitting down on either side of her.

System: Are you touched?

Yu Liuxue: I don’t dare to move. I don’t dare to move.

Internally, Yu Liuxue was screaming: Shi Can, I’ve been kidnapped by the female supporting characters!

Ruan Ni’s uncle was quite eager to collaborate with the Bai Group. Both companies were industry giants, and if they could establish an unprecedented partnership, they’d essentially be forming a temporary alliance—something crucial for their growth. Shi Can had only recently taken over his position, while Ruan Ni’s family company was undergoing a leadership transition. Thus, though the man appeared polite and friendly toward Yu Liuxue, every word he spoke was laced with hidden traps designed to maximize benefits for his own company.

Yu Liuxue deftly sidestepped the uncle’s verbal traps and, in turn, set three of her own.

The man nearly stumbled into one of them, quickly realizing he needed to tread carefully.

Yu Liuxue felt that she hardly needed Bai Shuang’s help at all—her own skills and experience were more than enough. Bai Shuang seemed to realize this as well. She lowered her gaze, unable to suppress a bitter thought—Ke Bailing had truly benefited from her sister’s teachings over the past year. Her sister must have taught her everything without holding anything back.

Bai Shuang felt a pang of regret. If given the chance, she could have taught her too.

Thanks to Ruan Ni, Bai Shuang, and most importantly, Yu Liuxue herself, the dinner—while far from comfortable—ended in a successful business deal. They set a date to sign the contract. Once signed, the two corporate giants would become the most powerful allies in the ever-changing business world.

But the person most pleased with this outcome wasn’t Yu Liuxue, nor Ruan Ni’s uncle—it was Shi Can.

Yu Liuxue lay sprawled on Shi Can’s bed, silently watching his polite yet insincere smile. Suddenly, she had a bad feeling that this business partnership wasn’t as simple as she had initially thought.

Frowning, she mulled over the situation, then suddenly gasped in horror—was Shi Can planning to swallow up the Ruan family’s company entirely?!

No wonder she snatched the male lead’s script—she was a true career-driven wolf!

Shi Can, seated at her desk, lifted her gaze with a faint smile. “What’s wrong?”

“Do I have something on my face?”

Yu Liuxue shook her head. She shifted on the bed, her bare shoulder exposed as her clothing slid down her smooth skin, creating an alluring sight. A flicker of desire flashed in Shi Can’s eyes before she forced it down. Still, she had already lost all interest in working.

She stood up and walked over to the bed. Yu Liuxue naturally leaned against her and said, “President Shi, Ruan Ni and Bai Shuang were there today.”

Shi Can was not surprised at all. “I know.”

Then she asked again, “Did they bully you?”

As she spoke, she moved her hands, leaving Yu Liuxue speechless. Clearly, the one bullying me right now is you.

Yu Liuxue put up a weak struggle, but after a few half-hearted attempts, she gave in. She glanced at the wardrobe positioned between the walls, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly. This wardrobe wasn’t solid but hollow inside—if you lifted the clothes, you could pass directly from one room to the next, making it convenient for… illicit affairs.

“President Shi, since you make me sleep in your bed every night, why bother with all these tricks and set up two rooms?”

Shi Can’s scorching breath fell on the butterfly-shaped bones of Yu Liuxue’s back as she rasped, “You are a pure girl.”

If word got out about this, Yu Liuxue’s reputation would surely be ruined. She blinked. “But there are already a lot of rumors in the company…”

Shi Can took her earlobe between her lips and whispered hoarsely, “So, you’re unhappy with my arrangements?”

“N-No… I wouldn’t dare…” Mm!

The day the Bai Group and the Ruan Group officially signed their partnership agreement, countless media outlets attended the event. Bai Group owned numerous subsidiaries and spanned a wide range of industries, and Ruan Group was no different. Their partnership affected nearly every aspect of people’s daily lives across the nation, making it an extremely high-profile collaboration.

On stage, President Ruan and Shi Can stood at the center, while Yu Liuxue, the project’s main manager, stood beside Shi Can. Countless camera flashes lit up the stage, making their skin glow under the lights.

As soon as the news broke, the public was in an uproar.

Only a few people noticed the strikingly beautiful young woman standing next to Shi Can. Someone forwarded the news to their class group chat and asked: “Hey, don’t you think the person next to Shi Can looks like Ke Bailing?”

Classmates eagerly clicked the link and studied the image for a long while. Although the girl in the photo appeared more mature, cleaner, and sharper in demeanor, with a faint but undeniable radiance, her eyes and features were unmistakable—it was their old high school crush, the irreplaceable “White Moonlight” Ke Bailing!

“How did Ke Bailing change so much?”

“Ke Bailing is amazing! It’s only been half a year since graduation, and she’s already in the news!”

“Hah, I wonder how many people she slept with to climb this high.”

Ruan Ni’s close friends had been too stunned by Ruan Ni’s emotional breakdown to react for months, but being born into wealthy circles, they had more insight into Yu Liuxue’s background. One of them scoffed and retorted, “With minds as filthy as yours, even if we handed you dozens of CEOs to sleep with, you still wouldn’t get anywhere near her level.”

Another person jumped in, “Come on, we were all classmates. Smearing Ke Bailing like this is too much.”

“I work at the same company as Ke Bailing. From start to finish, her only rumored relationship has been with President Shi. Sure, people here speculate about them, but Ke Bailing’s skills and vision are genuinely impressive. She personally secured this project and won the company the biggest possible benefits. Everyone here knows that.”

“If I were Ke Bailing and I had President Shi, why would I even look at anyone else?”

Because of this news, Ke Bailing’s name resounded throughout their alma mater. Even the principal and teachers sang her praises, while students idolized her, using her success as motivation to push themselves forward.

As the conversation continued, people started shifting their focus to Ke Bailing’s ex-girlfriend—Bai Shuang.

“Bai Shuang must’ve been blind to give up such a stunning, fair-skinned, and infinitely promising gem for someone as insignificant as Ruan Ni.”

Bai Shuang: I feel personally attacked.

Every time Bai Shuang overheard these kinds of discussions, she would feel incredibly irritated. But over the years, she had grown used to it. People frequently dug up her past with Ke Bailing just to mock her, and after hearing it enough times, she had built up an immunity.

Still, even if she was numb to it, every time someone brought it up, the regret in her heart deepened.

Yu Liuxue had turned things around beautifully. Before long, fewer and fewer people in the company looked at her and Shi Can’s relationship with disdain. Soon, whenever they were mentioned, people would say things like, “President Shi and Manager Ke are a match made in heaven,” or “With President Shi’s strength and Manager Ke’s brilliance, the company’s future is limitless!”

Passing by the office, Bai Shuang overheard an employee sighing, “Ah, poor Manager Bai. She didn’t cherish what she had, and now it’s too late to regret. Watching her ex and her own sister being so affectionate… If it were me, I wouldn’t even be able to step foot in this company anymore.”

A sharp pain stabbed Bai Shuang’s heart, as if someone had slashed it open, making fresh blood gush out.

Meanwhile, Yu Liuxue was perched on Shi Can’s desk, swinging her slender ankles. With both hands resting on the desk’s edge, she leaned forward, tilting her head as she teased, “President Shi, Uncle Bai has already scheduled a doctor’s appointment for you.”

“How long are you planning to keep up this act?”

Shi Can was never actually sick, yet she had pretended for so many years. If she went to the hospital for an examination, her deception would be exposed immediately. Father Bai had previously searched the world for top medical specialists for Shi Can, but back then, work was overwhelming, and Shi Can had been too busy, so the matter was continuously delayed. Now that Bai Group and Ruan Group had reached an agreement and Shi Can finally had some free time, Father Bai brought it up again.

Shi Can played with her fingers. “The time isn’t right yet.”

Yu Liuxue had an inkling of what she was planning. But since she said the timing wasn’t right, she changed the subject, testing the waters. “Tomorrow is Uncle Bai’s birthday. What identity should I take when accompanying you home?”

Her fair skin was as delicate as snow, and her subtly made-up face had lost some of its youthful innocence, appearing more refined—playful yet alluring. Shi Can lifted her face and asked knowingly, “What identity do you want to have when you go home with me?”

Yu Liuxue’s heart filled with joy. After being taken advantage of by the female lead for so long, she was finally getting a proper status. “Of course, I’m your wo—”

“President Shi, Manager Ke.”

Bai Shuang’s untimely arrival at the office interrupted Yu Liuxue’s words. She turned back, shooting Bai Shuang a glare full of dissatisfaction.

Damn ex, ruining my mission.

Since Bai Shuang already knew about her relationship with Shi Can, Yu Liuxue had no intention of avoiding suspicion. She simply slid off the office desk and landed directly in Shi Can’s arms. Bai Shuang’s eyes darkened, her emotions unreadable. Shi Can, seeing Yu Liuxue’s rare display of possessiveness, did not push her away but instead wrapped her arms around her in response.

“I’m busy right now. Let’s talk in the afternoon.”

Bai Shuang nodded but did not leave immediately. “Sister, tomorrow night is Dad’s birthday. He said…”

“I know.” Shi Can cut her off. “I’ll be bringing Bailing home with me.”

A bitter taste spread on Bai Shuang’s tongue. After leaving the office, she wandered to the terrace in a daze, leaning against the railing to feel the breeze. The sky was bright and clear, and the towering buildings reflected the sunlight like dazzling diamonds.

But she no longer knew which path she should take.

—

Once Bai Shuang left, Yu Liuxue soon got caught up in various trivial matters and didn’t get to hear Shi Can’s response. Feeling annoyed, she sat in a café. Opposite her, Ruan Ni arrived in a gentle floral dress, carefully setting down her bag before taking a seat with a soft smile.

“Manager Ke, from now on, I will be handling the cooperation between our two companies. If you have any concerns, feel free to communicate with me directly.”

Yu Liuxue was taken aback. Ruan Ni wasn’t joking—she was seriously pursuing her and seizing every possible opportunity to meet and be alone with her.

Yu Liuxue felt a mix of emotions, but when it came to business, even the slightest mistake could mean the loss of billions. She couldn’t afford to be careless.

“Ruan Ni, let’s put personal feelings aside for now. I don’t mean to look down on you, but at the moment, I have doubts about your capabilities.”

The smile on Ruan Ni’s lips stiffened slightly. She knew it was impulsive to parachute into business negotiations with Yu Liuxue like this, but she wanted to prove she was no less capable than Bai Shuang. If Bai Shuang could do it, so could she.

Suppressing her disappointment and frustration, Ruan Ni gathered her resolve. “Bailing, give me a chance. I will do my best.”

Yu Liuxue frowned slightly.

Ruan Ni remained humble and kept reassuring her, so Yu Liuxue resisted the urge to grab her bag and leave, forcing herself to listen patiently. Though visibly nervous at first, Ruan Ni soon found her footing and spoke confidently. Yu Liuxue was slightly surprised—Ruan Ni had clearly put in a lot of effort.

But it was far from enough.

After discussing some general details, Yu Liuxue tactfully said before leaving, “Next time we need to talk business, bring your team and come to the company directly. We can work together to find the best solution.”

Ruan Ni watched Yu Liuxue’s departing figure in a daze, biting her lip in frustration.

Am I still not good enough?

—

When Yu Liuxue returned to the company, she saw Bai Shuang preparing to leave with a group of people. Their eyes met briefly, and Yu Liuxue immediately noticed the flicker of joy in Bai Shuang’s gaze. She quickly ducked into the CEO’s private elevator and shut the doors in a flash.

She had had enough of these two.

Was she some kind of universal heartthrob? Why were three women fighting over her at the same time?

The light in Bai Shuang’s eyes dimmed instantly.

—

Meanwhile, Bai Shuang’s father called, demanding that Shi Can drop everything and go to the hospital for a checkup that afternoon. His tone was firm, and Shi Can had no choice but to comply, bringing Yu Liuxue along.

In truth, Bai Shuang’s father didn’t have a good impression of Yu Liuxue. First, she had dated Bai Shuang, then she broke up with her and got together with Shi Can—such a coincidence was too suspicious. Could it be that, as rumors suggested, she had approached his daughters just to get her hands on the Bai family’s company?

His disapproving gaze swept over Yu Liuxue. When he looked at Shi Can, he hesitated as if wanting to say something.

But the doctor arrived in time, and Bai Shuang’s father had to set those thoughts aside for now.

The hospital was one of the top medical facilities in the country, staffed with world-class doctors. Yu Liuxue clutched her hands and asked the system, “With today’s advanced technology, Shi Can might be able to fool people, but she can’t fool machines.”

“If they find out she’s faking her illness, do you think Bai Shuang’s father will kick her out immediately?”

The system gently reminded her, 【Host, you should be more concerned about yourself.】

Sure enough, the moment Yu Liuxue snapped back to reality, Bai Shuang’s father called her outside while Shi Can was undergoing her examination. Yu Liuxue obediently stood before him. “Uncle Bai.”

“Uncle?” His brows furrowed. “I haven’t approved of you and Xiao Can yet.”

Yu Liuxue chuckled. “Then are you planning to write me a check for a few hundred million to make me leave President Shi?”

Bai Shuang’s father’s lips twitched.

You wish. What do you think, that Bai family money just falls from the sky? Young people really need to watch fewer melodramas.

“I don’t mind young people dating, but you’d better not have any ulterior motives. Otherwise, I won’t let you off.”

So he was just here to give her a warning. Yu Liuxue was slightly disappointed.

Lies. Where was the cliché scene where a rich father throws a stack of money at the scheming vixen and demands she leave his daughter immediately?

Bai Shuang’s father turned to leave, but then he suddenly stopped and added, “Also, Shuangshuang is young and immature. She may have made mistakes, but you should be forgiving when possible.”

Yu Liuxue didn’t like that. She retorted, “Uncle Bai, you must be joking. I’m a year younger than Bai Shuang. If she’s too young to understand things, then I must be even more immature.”

“Uncle, do you know? Some wounds, once inflicted, can never fully heal.”

Her words were polite and respectful, leaving Bai Shuang’s father with nothing to criticize.

Just then, Bai Shuang arrived at the hospital, and Yu Liuxue sensibly dropped the topic. “President Shi should be finishing her checkup soon. Uncle Bai, I’ll head inside first.”

Bai Shuang glanced curiously between her father and her ex-girlfriend. “Dad, Manager Ke, what were you two talking about?”

Father Bai glanced at Yu Liuxue, who casually clasped her hands together and said, “Uncle Bai is concerned about my private matters with President Shi.”

She spoke vaguely, her tone carrying a hint of ambiguity. Bai Shuang immediately assumed that her father had already approved of her sister’s marriage to Yu Liuxue. As soon as Yu Liuxue went inside, Bai Shuang grabbed Father Bai’s arm anxiously. “Dad, what’s going on? Didn’t you say—”

“Don’t listen to her nonsense.” Father Bai shook his head and sighed. “Shuangshuang, that woman… only your sister can handle her.”

That statement was even more of a blow to Bai Shuang’s pride than if her father had told her outright, “You’re not good enough.” She stood outside the hospital room, unable to step forward for a long time.

Shi Can’s preliminary test results came back—there were no major issues, just a deficiency in some trace elements. Combined with excessive fatigue, this resulted in her persistent weakness. The doctor also mentioned that it was likely a condition she had since birth and would require long-term care rather than a quick fix.

Father Bai looked slightly disappointed.

Yu Liuxue had mixed feelings. These so-called top-tier doctors—had Shi Can bribed them all? Otherwise, how could they tell such blatant lies with a straight face?

After the check-up, the four of them headed straight to the Bai family home. Yu Liuxue found an opportunity to vent to Shi Can, “When Uncle Bai talked to me, I actually thought he’d pull out a check for a few billion and throw it at my face, telling me to take the money and leave.”

Her tone carried unmistakable disappointment.

Shi Can chuckled. “You want that?”

“Of course I do.”

Without another word, Shi Can pushed her down onto the bed. Pressing her knee against the edge, she pinned Yu Liuxue’s shoulders down and got straight to business.

Yu Liuxue was happy, sure, but she still wanted to say—when I said I wanted it, I didn’t mean this!

When Yu Liuxue went upstairs, she was radiant. A few hours later, when she came back down, she looked completely drained. Anyone with eyes could guess what had happened upstairs.

Bai Shuang gripped her chopsticks and silently shoveled rice into her mouth. At the dinner table, Father Bai sternly reminded his daughters to seize tomorrow’s opportunity.

At their level of society, any social event was just an excuse for networking and discussing business. Tomorrow’s banquet would be no different.

Shi Can knew how to handle herself. The real question was whether Bai Shuang would take those words to heart.

Shi Can had already prepared a dress for Yu Liuxue in advance—a sleek, elegant black mermaid gown tailored precisely to her measurements.

When Yu Liuxue came downstairs in the dress, holding her clutch and gracefully descending the staircase, Bai Shuang couldn’t take her eyes off her.

All she could see was that stunning, poised figure. She knew staring so blatantly was inappropriate and rude, but she couldn’t help herself—she couldn’t stop looking at Yu Liuxue.

Her mind wandered. She thought back to when they were together, when every smile from Ke Bailing had been for her, when every gaze was filled with deep love, containing only her and no one else.

If only they could go back to that time. No—if only Bailing could return to her side again…

Shi Can noticed the emotions flickering in Bai Shuang’s eyes. The corners of her lips lifted slightly before she quickly schooled her expression back to calm. In a light tone, she said, “Shuangshuang, bring me your sister-in-law’s engagement ring from the table.”