Chapter 125: Simultaneously Offending Three Bigshots – Part Twelve

As soon as she finished speaking, she instinctively held her breath, her heart pounding as if it were about to leap out of her chest.

Something exploded in Yun Ning’s mind with a deafening bang. The foot she had just lifted dropped back to the ground. She stood frozen in place, stiff and unmoving, instinctively looking toward the equally stunned Yu Liuxue. Her tightly clenched fingers shifted to grip her sleeve instead.

Yu Liuxue took a sharp breath and blinked in surprise. “?”

She couldn’t help but question the System in disbelief, “Tongzi, did I hear that right just now? The female lead said she likes me, didn’t she?”

The System replied with absolute certainty, “Not only did the female lead say she likes you, she also said she wants to possess and imprison you, and lock you up in a dark little room.”

Yu Liuxue was dumbfounded. “…?!”

Just as she was trying to figure out how to respond to Xie Zhenxue, Yun Ning’s voice suddenly cut in, interrupting them both. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on your conversation.”

Yu Liuxue and Xie Zhenxue turned to look at her at the same time. Xie Zhenxue’s face flushed bright red. She hurriedly took a few steps back, wishing she could disappear into the ground. She lowered her head and stammered, “A-Aunt Xiao…”

She had originally intended to say, “Since you have company, I won’t bother you.” But suddenly, a thought struck her—if she backed down now, she might never get another chance. She had to show Aunt Xiao her determination! Xie Zhenxue didn’t know where the courage came from, but she lifted her head again, her cheeks burning crimson as if they might bleed. She dug her nails into her palm, forcing herself to stay calm, then glanced briefly at Yun Ning before fixing her gaze firmly on Yu Liuxue.

“Aunt Xiao, I want to be your girlfriend.”

Her eyes were as clear as water, brimming with emotion. Looking at her like that, so serious and sincere, it was hard to say no.

Yu Liuxue unconsciously licked her dry lips. “Zhenxue…”

She began to reflect—how had things ended up like this? Not only had the female lead fallen for her, but she’d turned into a yandere, wanting to lock her up and love her fiercely in some dark room. Had she gotten too deep into character while filming?

Yun Ning saw Yu Liuxue hesitate and not immediately reject Xie Zhenxue. Her heart slowly sank.

Everyone thought she had something going on with Xiao Yuetong—especially Xie Zhenxue. After all, she had walked in on them in ambiguous situations more than once. By all logic, Xie Zhenxue should’ve been the last person to confess to Xiao Yuetong. Yun Ning’s gaze dropped to the floor. Yet now, Xie Zhenxue had mustered the courage to confess to that woman.

How could that be allowed?

If she couldn’t have something, then no one else could either.

Yun Ning strode forward. The moment she moved, Xie Zhenxue stared at her nervously, afraid she was coming to snatch Yu Liuxue away. Yun Ning stopped in front of her, a polite and composed smile on her lips.

“Sorry, but she’s already mine.”

Yu Liuxue looked at Yun Ning in surprise again. What was the villainess up to this time?

But after a moment’s thought, she didn’t refute Yun Ning’s claim.

Xie Zhenxue’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She clenched her palm even tighter, trying her best not to appear too pitiful in front of Yun Ning. “I was asking Aunt Xiao just now,” she said with a faint smile at Yun Ning, then turned back to Yu Liuxue. “Aunt Xiao, no matter what your decision is, I hope you’ll tell me yourself.”

This…

Yu Liuxue looked conflicted. In the end, she could only respond vaguely, “Zhenxue, Auntie owes Ning Ning a lot.”

That was all Xie Zhenxue needed to hear to know the answer. But she still refused to give up. She bowed to Yu Liuxue, then forced a casual smile as she said, “Aunt Xiao, I’ll wait for you—no matter if the seas dry up or the heavens fall.”

With that, she turned and walked away with dignity.

As soon as she was out of sight, Xie Zhenxue squatted down and covered her face, sobbing uncontrollably.

She was the one who had broken up with Xiao Kewei first. Was she really going to have to watch the person she liked end up with another woman, just because she realized her feelings a few days too late? It was unbearable. If only she had been a little braver, tried a little harder, she could have had Aunt Xiao.

After Xie Zhenxue left, Yu Liuxue immediately grew anxious. She scratched her head in frustration, silently berating herself. How could she have forgotten Yun Ning was still in the room? Luckily, Xie Zhenxue hadn’t said too much. If Yun Ning had overheard everything, that would’ve been a disaster.

She turned to see Yun Ning’s expression cold and unreadable, so she quickly called out, “Ning Ning, come sit. Oh right, would you like something to drink?”

“Just plain water is fine,” Yun Ning replied.

Yu Liuxue nodded, took off her jacket, and bent down to find a cup and pour her some water.

Yun Ning’s gaze followed her, landing on her waist, which looked like it would feel amazing to the touch. Then it slowly drifted down to her long, slender legs and delicate ankles. She had lied to Xie Zhenxue right in front of Xiao Yuetong, and yet she hadn’t corrected her…

Yun Ning’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be what she thought?

Was that why, after her parents passed away, Xiao Yuetong had rushed over so quickly to drive away her relatives and bring her into her home? On the surface, it looked like imprisonment, but in reality, it was her own way of protecting her.

If that were true, then what was going on between her and Xie Zhenxue?

A playgirl?

Casting a wide net, not letting any young woman around her escape, seducing them into bed and then kicking them to the curb?

Yu Liuxue had only just returned with the water when she noticed the strange look Yun Ning was giving her. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly explained, “Ning Ning, don’t get the wrong idea. Auntie only said that to avoid hurting Zhenxue too much.”

Yun Ning immediately understood. Xiao Yuetong probably didn’t even qualify as a playgirl. At most, she just enjoyed the thrill of ambiguous relationships. But the moment someone tried to make things real, she’d shut them down hard. That way, she didn’t lose anything and didn’t have to take responsibility. It was the perfect setup.

She was probably just one of her many targets.

Yun Ning finished her water and left, leaving Yu Liuxue standing at the door, utterly confused. After a long pause, she muttered, “Young people these days are really hard to understand.”

The System couldn’t help but grumble silently, Host, you’re only in your twenties yourself.

Ever since that day Xie Zhenxue confessed to Yu Liuxue, it was like she had flipped some strange switch. She started showing up in front of Yu Liuxue constantly, completely ignoring what others thought. Gradually, gossip began to spread through the crew. Not only that, but some nosy person even posted about it online.

An anonymous source swore up and down that Xiao Yuetong and Xie Zhenxue were already together, claiming the two women flirted openly on set and that the entire crew knew about it.

Xie Zhenxue’s fans collectively lost their minds.

“Zhenxue, calm down! You’re still young, with a bright future ahead of you. Don’t ruin yourself during your rise to fame!”

“It has to be that old woman Xiao Yuetong seducing our Zhenxue! Zhenxue is pure and kind—how could she possibly be a match for a sly fox like Xiao Yuetong? Where’s her manager? Someone help Zhenxue see through that woman’s real face!”

Meng Xi sat in the car, and when she saw the news, she was so furious she threw her phone to the floor. Her face darkened as she told the driver, “Take me to the set.”

Xie Zhenxue had just sat down to rest and hadn’t even had a sip of water when the long-absent Meng Xi stormed over, brimming with fury. The moment she opened her mouth, she shouted, “Xie Zhenxue, you have no shame! How dare you seduce Aunt Xiao while I was away!”

Caught off guard by the sudden verbal assault, Xie Zhenxue didn’t get angry. Instead, she let out a soft chuckle and slowly raised her head. “Miss Meng, this is the film set.”

Of course Meng Xi knew that. Her brows shot up. “So what if it is? You think just because we’re on set I won’t curse you out?!”

“Go ahead. I just want to ask, Miss Meng, in what capacity are you criticizing the relationship between me and Aunt Xiao?” Xie Zhenxue stood up. Wearing high heels, she was the same height as Meng Xi. She pressed her lips together, smiled faintly, and asked, enunciating each word, “As her daughter-in-law?”

Meng Xi was momentarily speechless, her face flushing red with anger.

Right. In what capacity was she confronting Xie Zhenxue? She didn’t really know either. The moment she saw the news, she had felt like the wronged wife discovering her partner had run off with a Fox Spirit. Rage surged through her chest, and without thinking, she had charged over.

Now that Xie Zhenxue had pointed it out, she calmed down and realized her actions were indeed unjustified, like she was picking a fight for no reason.

Xie Zhenxue narrowed her eyes slightly but didn’t expose Meng Xi’s true feelings. Instead, she picked up her script. “Miss Meng, if you’ll excuse me.”

Meng Xi watched Xie Zhenxue’s retreating figure, grinding her teeth in frustration. She grabbed a nearby onlooker. “Where’s Aunt Xiao? Where is she?”

Yu Liuxue was in the middle of writing a script when the door was suddenly flung open. Meng Xi rushed in, flustered and breathless. “Aunt Xiao, how could you be with Xie Zhenxue? She’s a manipulative white lotus! You absolutely must not let her fool you!”

Yu Liuxue raised an eyebrow. “Xiao Xi, there must be some misunderstanding between you and Zhenxue…”

“It’s not a misunderstanding! She’s doing it on purpose!” Meng Xi was so angry her chest hurt. She would rather Aunt Xiao end up with Yun Ning than let that white lotus Xie Zhenxue succeed. Her heels clacked sharply as she stormed up to Yu Liuxue. “These past few days, she’s been pretending to be fragile just to get your attention.”

“No matter what, you can’t be with her!”

“I don’t approve of this marriage.” Meng Xi pouted angrily, but before she could finish, Xie Zhenxue knocked twice on the door and said, “Aunt Xiao.”

Yu Liuxue looked up. “What is it?”

Hearing Xie Zhenxue’s voice, Meng Xi instinctively turned around, only to see her standing there with a soft, gentle smile. She looked pure and sweet, innocent yet alluring. Xie Zhenxue smiled politely. “There’s something I don’t quite understand, and I wanted to ask you about it.”

Then she glanced at Meng Xi, gently biting her lip with an apologetic smile. “I didn’t realize you had a guest…”

Guest?! Meng Xi nearly rolled her eyes on the spot. She was practically Aunt Xiao’s former daughter-in-law—who did this woman think she was?

Just as it seemed the female lead and the supporting actress were about to start throwing slaps, Yu Liuxue quickly said to Xie Zhenxue, “I’ll come find you later…”

“No need,” Meng Xi cut her off. She shot Xie Zhenxue a venomous glare, then turned back and stared seriously and stubbornly into Yu Liuxue’s eyes. “Aunt Xiao, I absolutely won’t approve of you being with her. If she dares try to seduce you, I’ll have her blacklisted from the entire industry.”

Xie Zhenxue’s lashes trembled slightly, but her smile didn’t waver.

After tossing out her threat, Meng Xi lifted her chin and stormed toward the door. As she passed Xie Zhenxue, she gave her a faint smile. “Money can do anything.”

“There’s nothing money can’t solve.”

With that, she gave a haughty smile and vanished from Xie Zhenxue’s sight like an elegant black swan.

Xie Zhenxue quietly watched her go, only looking away after a long moment. Yu Liuxue hadn’t expected this group of NPCs¹ to come with hidden side quests. For the sake of peace in this melodramatic world, she quickly tried to smooth things over. “Zhenxue, Xiao Xi is just the type who’s sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. She didn’t mean what she said, so don’t take it to heart.”

“I know,” Xie Zhenxue replied gently. “I know she’s just worried about you, Aunt Xiao. That’s why she acted so impulsively.”

Yu Liuxue let out a sigh of relief. “What was it you didn’t understand? Let me take a look.”

Xie Zhenxue handed her the script. Yu Liuxue glanced at it… A kissing scene?!

She instinctively looked up, only to meet a pair of dark, bright eyes filled with a hint of anticipation. Xie Zhenxue tried hard to keep her expression neutral. Tilting her head slightly, she looked innocent as she said, “Aunt Xiao, I’ve never kissed anyone before, so I don’t know how to act this part. Could you teach me?”

Yu Liuxue: “…”

Stop! Your first kiss is supposed to be with the male lead! Oh wait, this story doesn’t have a male lead…

Ever since Meng Xi’s outburst on set, Yun Ning had started showing up more and more frequently, under the pretense of checking on the progress of her investment. But everyone could see through her wolfish intentions. After Xie Zhenxue, Yun Ning had also become the latest subject of gossip during mealtimes.

“Have you noticed? Our sugar mama seems to have a thing for the screenwriter too.”

“Totally. The way she looks at Scriptwriter Xiao—like she wants to devour her whole.” Another added, “You ever hear that line? ‘If you just glance back at me once, I’ll give you my whole life!’”

Everyone: “…” Okay, that’s a bit much.

Still, cheesy as it was, there was some truth to it. While they didn’t know the full story behind the love and hate between the sugar mama and the screenwriter, it was clear that Yun Ning had complicated feelings for her. As a result, Yun Ning’s popularity among the crew had skyrocketed.

Lately, Yun Ning had been thinking a lot. It was Xiao Yuetong who had rescued her back then. After making sure she was safe, Xiao Yuetong never troubled her again. The two of them became like strangers, pretending not to see each other even when they crossed paths. Given that, should she still hate her?

Xiao Yuetong had indirectly caused the death of her parents, but at the same time, she had saved her life…

Yun Ning’s thoughts had been a mess lately.

Whenever her mind was in turmoil, she would come to the set. And every time she saw Yu Liuxue, her heart would inexplicably calm down. Especially when Yu Liuxue smiled at her kindly—she couldn’t quite describe the feeling. It was just like in the books: like ice and snow meeting warm sunlight, or someone in darkness finding a flicker of warmth.

Yun Ning stood still, watching as Yu Liuxue walked up to her, beaming with excitement as she handed her two copies of the thickest edition yet of The Crippled Prince Fell in Love with Me.

“Ning Ning, you have to read this one! It’s so! Freaking! Good!” Yu Liuxue was practically glowing with enthusiasm. One of the younger girls on set had recommended it to her, and she had binge-read it nonstop for ten days straight. Sure, the plot was full of clichés and melodrama, but the constant forbidden love and captivity tropes were just too thrilling!

Yun Ning casually flipped through a few pages, her eyes skimming quickly. She couldn’t help but chuckle. Did Xiao Yuetong really think they were kindred spirits now?

“Alright, I’ll read it,” Yun Ning said, accepting the book.

She thought, since Xiao Yuetong liked it so much, she might as well give it a try. Her heart had been in chaos lately anyway—maybe this would help her pass the time and settle her thoughts.

After she brought the book home, she discovered that the male lead was basically a bandit and a scoundrel. He spent his days either flirting with the female lead in front of her crush or plotting to flirt with her just to provoke the guy. “…What?”

Soon after, Meng Xi started hearing rumors about Yu Liuxue and Yun Ning. Her fiery temper flared up instantly, and she wanted to storm onto the set and give Yun Ning a piece of her mind. But remembering what had happened with Xie Zhenxue, she forced herself to calm down. Staring at the mirror, she asked herself, “Mirror, oh mirror, what identity should I use this time to stop Aunt Xiao from getting together with Yun Ning?”

Without waiting for an answer, she straightened up and assumed a lofty posture. “Of course, as the daughter-in-law Aunt Xiao used to like the most.”

“No, no, that won’t hold up.” She shook her head. That excuse wouldn’t stand. Sitting in the car, Meng Xi racked her brain for a long while before finally tossing her phone aside. “I’m the embodiment of justice, a living Lei Feng²! I’m doing this for Aunt Xiao’s own good, to keep her from being tricked by that scheming Yun Ning and ending up penniless and heartbroken!”

Gripping the steering wheel, she muttered to herself while driving, “I’ll meddle if I want to. Who needs a reason?”

“I’m the mighty General Manager Meng now!”

After giving herself this pep talk, Meng Xi rushed over in a hurry. She hadn’t even seen Yu Liuxue and Yun Ning yet when she spotted Xie Zhenxue, surrounded by a crowd like the moon among stars. Seeing the sweet smile on Xie Zhenxue’s face, Meng Xi couldn’t help but scoff coldly. “What a fake.”

Xie Zhenxue quickly noticed Meng Xi’s arrival. She gave her a casual glance, then smiled apologetically to the people around her. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.”

She got up and walked over to Meng Xi, who stood with arms crossed, chin lifted high in a haughty pose. Xie Zhenxue stopped in front of her with a light smile. “Miss Meng.”

Meng Xi gave her a sideways glare. “Don’t get cocky.”

“If it weren’t for Yun Ning, who knows who the female lead would’ve ended up with.”

Every time Meng Xi thought about it, she ground her teeth in frustration. If not for Yun Ning, would she be constantly on edge, worrying that Aunt Xiao would be fooled by this scheming little white lotus, Xie Zhenxue? Her mood instantly soured. “Where’s Aunt Xiao?”

Xie Zhenxue smiled faintly and said deliberately, “Aunt Xiao? She just went back to the hotel with Miss Yun.”

Hotel? Meng Xi panicked. “Just the two of them? Which hotel? What’s the room number?”

“I’ll take you there,” Xie Zhenxue offered.

Hearing that, Meng Xi suddenly calmed down. She stared intently into Xie Zhenxue’s eyes. The other woman didn’t flinch, letting her scrutinize as much as she liked. Meng Xi felt a little embarrassed. “You’d better not be up to anything.”

Yun Ning had come to return the book. She had spent over half a month reading through every single word of The Crippled Prince Fell in Love with Me. When she finished, it felt like the gates to a whole new world had opened before her.

Yu Liuxue tossed the book aside and asked with interest, “Good, right? That’s from a top-tier author, number one in online sales.”

Yun Ning’s lips moved slightly. She replied simply, “Yeah.”

Just then, Meng Xi suddenly burst through the half-open door. “Aunt Xiao, don’t let that Yun Ning trick you…”

But when she saw Yun Ning sitting calmly in a chair, quietly watching her, Meng Xi instinctively swallowed hard. Then she quickly turned to Yu Liuxue. “Aunt Xiao, I don’t approve of this marriage!”

Xie Zhenxue leaned casually against the doorframe, smiling as she watched the chaos unfold.

“She’s just got some money, that’s all! Aunt Xiao, if you’re only with her for her money, then you might as well be with me…” Wait, what did I just say?!

Meng Xi reflexively raised her hand to cover her mouth. Why would I say Aunt Xiao should be with me…

Xie Zhenxue had been calmly watching Meng Xi direct all her firepower at Yun Ning, but suddenly, she couldn’t keep up her smile. She took a step forward without thinking, clenching her fists.

So Meng Xi really did have feelings for Aunt Xiao.

Yu Liuxue was stunned. “?” What are you talking about? I’m not, I didn’t, don’t make things up! I’m definitely not with Yun Ning just for some money!

After her slip of the tongue, Meng Xi suddenly realized what she was feeling. It hit her all at once. The reason she didn’t want to see Aunt Xiao with anyone else… was because she had fallen for her.

She was a straightforward person. Now that she understood her own heart, she stepped forward boldly. “Aunt Xiao, if you’re with me, I’ll use all the resources I have to make you a global superstar.”

Yu Liuxue’s heart skipped a beat. “Really?”

Immediately, Yun Ning and Xie Zhenxue both turned to her with sharp gazes. “…” It was just a casual question!

“Of course,” Meng Xi promised eagerly. “Aunt Xiao, a gentleman never goes back on his word. I, Meng Xi, always follow through. If you don’t believe me, I’ll have someone buy up all the hottest scripts right now. You can change them however you want, film them however you like. No one will dare criticize you, not even a word.”

Yu Liuxue couldn’t help but sigh to the System, “Now that’s a real Overbearing CEO³…”

Suddenly, an arm wrapped around her waist. Yun Ning, still seated, crossed her legs lazily and looked up. Her gaze was calm, yet the pressure in it made Meng Xi instinctively take a step back.

Her eyes slowly swept over Meng Xi and Xie Zhenxue. “I’m afraid you’ll both be disappointed.”

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Translator’s Notes

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1. NPCs: An acronym for ‘non-player characters,’ commonly used in gaming and storytelling to refer to characters that are not controlled by players. ↩
2. Lei Feng: A Chinese soldier promoted as a model of selflessness and dedication to the Communist Party, often used to symbolize a paragon of virtue. ↩
3. Overbearing CEO: A common trope in Chinese romance novels and dramas, referring to a wealthy, powerful male lead who is domineering but ultimately devoted to the female lead. ↩