Chapter 130: Player 2

“Huh? Oh—oh, right!” Yu Liuxue snapped back to attention and quickly sat up straight. The assistant resisted the urge to roll her eyes and lowered her head to continue taking notes. “Miss Jian, please tell us everything you remember about the day the other party went missing. Anything and everything you can recall.”

After a pause, the assistant added, “Don’t hold anything back from us.”

The day Tang Shiyu went missing? Yu Liuxue wasn’t even there—how could she possibly know? At that moment, the System quickly shoved a bundle of data into her mind. It turned out Tang Shiyu hadn’t actually gone missing. She had just run off to a friend’s house to lie around like a corpse because she didn’t know how to deal with her feelings for Jian Yin.

That day, the two of them had a fight worse than any they’d had before. It was also the catalyst that finally made Tang Shiyu start to wake up and realize she didn’t want to keep going like this. After the argument, she began seriously considering breaking up with Jian Yin. She felt like she was suffocating under the weight of Jian Yin’s presence.

According to the data, Tang Shiyu was planning to come back on her own tomorrow.

Yu Liuxue blinked at the assistant and said cautiously, “Comrade, someone as big as Shiyu couldn’t just vanish into thin air, right? Honestly, I think maybe she just stormed out after a fight with me.”

“Maybe she’s already calmed down and is on her way back.”

The assistant rolled her eyes so hard it was practically audible. “Then why did you report her missing?! Huh?! Do you know this is called wasting public resources? It’s called obstructing official duties!”

Yu Liuxue gave a sheepish smile.

After finally seeing off the swarm of police officers, Yu Liuxue let out a long sigh of relief, barefoot on the floor. But before she could even finish exhaling, her sorrowful expression instantly transformed into a beaming grin. She didn’t even bother closing the door, running barefoot upstairs.

“System, do you think this outfit is sexier, or is this little dress more seductive?”

“Should I go with the spaghetti straps or the strapless one?”

“Or maybe keep it simple—boyfriend-style white tee with ultra-short shorts?” Yu Liuxue happily held up the clothes in front of the mirror, grinning from ear to ear. “Anyway, I’m good-looking. Even if I wore a burlap sack, people would still fight over me.”

The System silently stared at the mountain of clothes piled on the bed behind her. “……”

Even though Tang Shiyu’s fine, you’re still technically someone who reported your girlfriend missing. No matter how happy you are, shouldn’t you at least try to tone it down a bit?

The System closed its eyes and said, “I think the sequined mini dress looks best. It really highlights your fair skin, beautiful face, slim waist, and long legs. You’re a total knockout! And if you pair it with those black heels on your left, it’ll be absolutely perfect!”

“Honestly, I think this dress brings out my charm the most too.” Yu Liuxue immediately changed into the outfit, quickly slipped on the heels, and casually ran her fingers through her long, wavy black hair like seaweed. She gave the mirror a subtle smile. “Let’s go.”

She grabbed a lipstick without even looking, swiped it precisely across her lips twice, and her red lips instantly became fuller and more alluring.

From the moment Yu Liuxue went upstairs to the moment she walked out the door with her purse, less than ten minutes had passed. The old police officer and the assistant who hadn’t left yet stared expressionlessly at the luxury car slowly pulling out of the garage.

“Keep a close eye on this one,” the old officer said.

The assistant raised an eyebrow and quickly asked, “Are you suspecting this disappearance is a crime of passion?”

The old officer put on his sunglasses. “I didn’t say anything.”

Yu Liuxue knew the police were still parked not far from her front door, so as she drove past, she rolled down the window, lifted her sunglasses, and gave them a polite smile. “Officers, you’re still here?”

The old officer waved a hand. “We’re leaving soon.”

“Alrighty! Bye-bye, Uncle Officer!” With that, she stepped on the gas, and the car shot out like an arrow from a bow.

Old officer: “……”

Assistant: “……” Unbelievable. This suspect is way too arrogant!

System: “……” Host! You’ve already been flagged as a suspect by the officers! Can we please be a little more low-key?

Yu Liuxue gripped the steering wheel with one hand. “System, should I go to a bar or a nightclub? Which place has more pretty ladies?”

The System thought for a moment. “Better go to a bar. After a few drinks, you can get your wish and ghs¹. Nightclubs are too chaotic, and with how little you’re wearing, Host, you’ll easily attract the wrong kind of attention.”

Yu Liuxue considered that, then said excitedly, “Good point! Bar it is! I’m not going home unless I reel in a hot girl!”

This mission was practically tailor-made for her. She absolutely loved this kind of task!

“System, let’s make a deal. If there are more missions like this in the future, notify me first thing.”

The System gave her a fake smile that didn’t reach its eyes. Hetui! In your dreams.

Yu Liuxue charged into the bar full of enthusiasm, only to be told it wasn’t open yet. Her shoulders slumped, and she instantly wilted like a delicate flower without sunlight. Crestfallen, she returned to the parking lot—only to suddenly perk up again like she’d been injected with adrenaline. “Then I’ll go fill my stomach first!”

“Those ladies will be busy filling me up later tonight, not feeding me.”

The System quickly covered its ears. “You’ve changed, Doggo.jpg²”

Yu Liuxue: “Yes, I’ve changed (Subway Grandpa in full makeup).jpg³”

She randomly picked a high-end restaurant and sat there alone, quietly playing on her phone. She wasn’t loud or flirtatious. The System immediately sensed something was off. It craned its neck to take a peek—Nearby People? Message in a Bottle⁴? …Message in a Bottle?!

Tang Shiyu had been lying around at her friend’s house for most of the day. Her friend was both angry and helpless. This woman was like a clingy stray dog—no matter what she did, she couldn’t get rid of her. It was bad enough she was eating her food and using her stuff, but she didn’t help cook or clean either. She just lay there on the sofa like a widow who’d lost her husband, or on the bed like a widow who’d lost her husband. She did nothing all day except stare blankly at the white ceiling.

Her friend finally had enough. She stormed into the room, marched to the bed, and roared with righteous fury, “Tang Shiyu! If you don’t leave, I’m calling the police!”

Tang Shiyu finally stirred. She lifted her eyelids and stared at her friend with dark, unblinking eyes. “Is this how you treat a lifelong bestie?”

Friend: “……?” Princess of Toxic Comebacks playing the piano like a madwoman.jpg⁵

If we weren’t longtime friends, I would’ve thrown you out the window ten days ago.

Tang Shiyu rolled over and turned her back to her friend, hugging the blanket with all four limbs, her face still full of despair. Her friend clutched her hair in frustration. “It’s not like you don’t have a home. Why do you keep crashing at my place?”

“And it’s not like this is your first fight with Jian Yin. You know she’s possessive—why not just go along with her?”

Before she could finish, Tang Shiyu shot up from the bed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She gritted her teeth and pointed into the distance. “What more do you want me to go along with? When I was with her, I didn’t even dare look at the vases in the house! She said the vases were female, and if I stared at them, it meant I was cheating, being fickle, a two-timer who didn’t want to be with her anymore!”

“Pfft—” Her friend couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing. Tang Shiyu’s face immediately darkened, and her friend quickly covered her mouth. “She’s so hilarious—how could you bear to fight with her?”

“If you think she’s so interesting, then go be with her.” Tang Shiyu let out a cold snort, then flopped back onto the bed, clutching her little blanket tightly.

Who wants to argue with her anyway? Does she have nothing better to do all day?

Seeing Tang Shiyu lie down again, her friend rubbed her temples in frustration, then finally gave up and flung her sleeves. “Fine, go ahead and keep lying there. But…”

Her friend deliberately dragged out the last word. Tang Shiyu put on a show of indifference, but in reality, her ears perked up.

“Little Z said Jian Yin couldn’t find you, and you weren’t answering your phone, so she called the police. A bunch of officers went to your place today to investigate and collect evidence. Are you really not planning to go back? Are you just going to let her worry like this?”

When she got no response, the friend could only shake her head in despair and leave, closing the door behind her.

Tang Shiyu hugged her blanket. Called the police? That thought had barely passed through her mind when her friend suddenly burst back in, slamming the door open in a rush and giving Tang Shiyu a huge fright. Tang Shiyu’s face turned cold. “Gao Zhiqian, you’d better have something important to say.”

Gao Zhiqian hurried over, clutching her phone. “Shiyu, look at this person—doesn’t she look like Jian Yin?!”

Tang Shiyu had just taken the phone and was about to take a closer look when Gao Zhiqian exclaimed right next to her ear, “My brother just messaged me! He said he saw Jian Yin with his own eyes, driving your Ferrari to a bar to pick up girls!”

Tang Shiyu froze, instinctively lifting her head. “Didn’t you just tell me that Jian Yin was so worried about me she called the police and asked them to help look for me?”

Gao Zhiqian blinked. “Yeah, I did say that.”

The two of them came to the same realization at the same time: Jian Yin’s gleeful behavior, like someone who’d just gotten promoted, struck it rich, and lost their wife all at once—did that seem like someone genuinely worried about their missing girlfriend?

Gao Zhiqian rubbed her nose and cautiously said, “What if… Jian Yin asked the police to help her get a death certificate for you?”

Tang Shiyu: “…”

“Even if I’m dead! My assets still wouldn’t go to her!” Tang Shiyu exploded, throwing off her blanket in a rage. She and Jian Yin weren’t even married—what use would a death certificate be? She still wouldn’t get a single cent!

Seeing her get out of bed, Gao Zhiqian immediately snatched her phone back in excitement. “Shiyu, are you finally going out?”

“In that case, when you get back, have a proper talk with Jian Yin. Open up, clear up all the misunderstandings, and you two can be happy together—”

Tang Shiyu stopped in her tracks and gave her friend a forced smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Who said I’m going out? Can’t I just go grab an ice cream from the fridge to cool off?”

Gao Zhiqian: “…” Get lost!

Tang Shiyu sat on the sofa, expressionless, biting into her ice cream with fire practically shooting from her eyes. The one who insisted on picking a fight for no reason was her. The one who supposedly called the police out of concern was also her. The one who acted like she wanted to lock Tang Shiyu away so no one else could see her was still her. Then why—after half a month of complete silence—was she now swaggering around in a luxury car, going to bars, picking up women?

The ice cream crunched loudly between her teeth. Gao Zhiqian shivered, a chill running down her spine, her bones aching in sympathy.

She curled up on the sofa, hugging her knees pitifully. She was supposed to be the owner of this house, so why did she feel like a Cinderella being abused by her wicked stepmother?

Tang Shiyu kept chewing her ice cream, radiating fury. Suddenly, she shoved the rest of it into her mouth in one bite. Going to pick up women?

Not on her watch!

She grabbed the trench coat on the sofa and stormed out, too angry to even change into heels. Gao Zhiqian watched her, eyes following her every move. When she saw her fling open the door in a rage, Gao Zhiqian jumped to her feet. “Shiyu, where are you going?”

Tang Shiyu didn’t even look back as she threw on her coat, her voice full of gritted-teeth determination. “To catch a cheater.”

Gao Zhiqian immediately put on a moved expression and waved enthusiastically at the doorway. “Oh Shiyu, my dear friend, I wish you success!” And never come back again.

Yu Liuxue had already filled her stomach. In just half an hour, she’d lost interest in the people nearby and the drifting bottle messages.

As she walked, she complained to the System, “These people are way too thirsty. They haven’t even seen a photo and they’re already asking how much. Do I look like some kind of working princess⁶? Can’t they have a little class?”

The System thought for a moment, then humbly asked, “So how should one start a conversation? Like, ‘Hello, I have an ancestral chromosome I’d like to introduce to you’?”

Yu Liuxue: “…”

Finally, the bar opened for business. Yu Liuxue dashed inside the moment the doors were unlocked. She had barely sat down when a cute young woman walked over and sat down beside her naturally. “Hey pretty lady, want a drink? My treat.”

Yu Liuxue glanced at the drink in her hand and smiled sweetly. “Sure.”

The girl smiled back and handed her the drink. Yu Liuxue raised the glass and asked casually, “How’s business been lately?”

The girl immediately caught her meaning and smiled knowingly. “Not bad. The girls are pretty and the guys are handsome. You won’t be disappointed.”

Yu Liuxue was in a great mood. She lifted her delicate hand and said generously, “Bring me a bottle of ’82 Lafite⁷!”

She was determined to have a steamy encounter tonight. She was going to seduce a long-legged beauty and take her back to the hotel for a wild night. Even if Tang Shiyu came back early, it wouldn’t matter. Drink after drink, she waited for the perfect target. Three hours passed, but she still hadn’t seen a woman who fit her taste.

Yu Liuxue let out a long sigh. “So this is the loneliness of being beautiful. I can’t even find a single girl I like.”

“Could it be… they’re all scared off by my beauty?”

The System glanced at the gleaming knife on the table in front of her: “…If you put the knife away, more people might actually come talk to you.”

Another hour passed. Just as Yu Liuxue was starting to nod off, a flash of red at the corner of her eye jolted her awake. Her interest was instantly piqued. She looked closely—the woman had a tall, slender figure, wore a red suit, and had her long black hair neatly tied up.

There was a faint smile on her face, her demeanor gentle and cool.

Yu Liuxue’s eyes lit up. She grabbed her purse and stood up. “I’ve decided! It’s her!”

The System nearly died on the spot. Without thinking, it rushed to stop her. “Host! That’s Tang Shiyu’s older brother’s girlfriend! In other words, your future sister-in-law’s girlfriend! Are you seriously trying to steal your brother-in-law’s woman?!”

It could already imagine the Tang Family chasing the Host to the ends of the earth if she dared make a move.

Yu Liuxue paused at that, then blinked innocently. “If I don’t say anything, and she doesn’t say anything, who else in the world would know?”

System: “?”

Yu Liuxue beamed and strode forward. In the blink of an eye, she was standing in front of Lu Ling. Flashing a bright smile, she asked softly, “Big sister, are you here looking for someone?”

Lu Ling lowered her head slightly and paused in her steps. She looked at the blushing stranger in front of her and gave a faint smile. “No.”

“Little one, where do you live? Let me call a car to take you home.” Lu Ling noticed she was dressed so lightly, her eyes dazed and unfocused, as if she had no idea of the danger surrounding her. Countless eyes were following Yu Liuxue’s every move, but once they noticed Lu Ling, they reluctantly gave up their intentions. Lu Ling leaned in slightly, her voice gentle. “You’re drunk.”

Go home? No way. She wasn’t going home.

Yu Liuxue immediately put on a pitiful expression. She pouted her red lips and looked heartbroken. “Big sister, I had a fight with my girlfriend. I have nowhere to go, and no friends I can really trust.”

“Sister, you seem really nice. Could you stay and chat with me for a while?”

Lu Ling hesitated. She glanced around. Leaving such a beautiful girl here didn’t seem safe at all. She didn’t have anything urgent tonight, so after a brief moment of thought, she agreed. “Alright.”

Yu Liuxue was overjoyed. She obediently got into Lu Ling’s car, and was then taken to a hotel. As Lu Ling walked with the room card in hand, she said, “Go take a shower first.”

Yu Liuxue’s eyes lit up. She quickly and excitedly said to the System, “Could it be that my future sister-in-law also wants a beautiful encounter?”

System: If you say so, then sure.jpg

Just as that thought crossed her mind, she heard Lu Ling speak again. “Then get a good night’s sleep. When you wake up, everything will be better.”

Yu Liuxue gave a half-hearted response, clearly disappointed, but she hadn’t given up yet. As soon as Lu Ling opened the door, Yu Liuxue quickly took off her hair tie. Her waterfall-like hair cascaded down, stunning Lu Ling for a good few seconds. Yu Liuxue was very pleased with the effect she’d created, then put on an innocent expression. “Sister, wait for me. I’ll go take a shower first.”

Before Lu Ling could react, Yu Liuxue grabbed her clothes and dashed into the bathroom.

Lu Ling furrowed her brows, only now starting to feel that something was off. If they were just going to talk, why would this girl need to shower?

Yu Liuxue was quick. While Lu Ling was calling a friend to help look into Yu Liuxue’s background, she had already come out with wet hair. She was wrapped in nothing but a white towel. Under the soft, milky-white light, her skin looked as smooth as cream, with droplets of water still clinging to her body.

She walked slowly, wearing a pair of oversized black men’s slippers. Her toes were pink and adorable.

Though her face wore an innocent, harmless expression, every movement she made exuded a subtle allure.

Lu Ling held her phone tightly, her expression turning serious without her even realizing it. “Go put your clothes on.”

Yu Liuxue acted like she didn’t hear her. She giggled sweetly and ran toward Lu Ling. Though Lu Ling wanted to keep her distance, she couldn’t help but reach out to steady her. “Slow down, be careful not to fall.”

Yu Liuxue blinked her eyes and said with emotion, “Sister, you’re so kind to me. I want to devote myself to you, to give you my everything, my first time and all.”

Lu Ling’s face was full of question marks. “?”

The System awkwardly covered its eyes. “Host, I forgot to tell you. The woman in front of you is a hardcore straight girl. The kind that wouldn’t bend even if you turned into a top⁸.”

Yu Liuxue was furious. “Are you implying something about me?”

The System feigned ignorance. “Also… Host, it seems you still haven’t fully understood your mission requirements.”

“Isn’t it to get Tang Shiyu’s body, and then dump her?”

“Yes. So, getting Tang Shiyu’s body comes first, dumping her comes after. Before you’ve succeeded in sleeping with Tang Shiyu, you can’t have any physical relations with anyone else. Otherwise, it would violate the original intent of the client’s request, and your mission will be deemed—failed.”

Princess of Zu’an plays the piano.jpg⁹

Yu Liuxue had a thousand curses bubbling in her heart. She looked at the stunning woman in front of her and was suddenly overwhelmed with sorrow. The beautiful big sister was right there, yet she couldn’t do anything. How tragic. Was there anyone in the world more miserable than her?

Lu Ling was still trying to process the fact that this random girl she’d just met was trying to seduce her. Before she could recover, she heard the girl tearfully ask, “Sister, do you want to play Fight the Landlord¹⁰ tonight?”

Lu Ling was completely baffled. Fight the Landlord? What kind of weird position was that?

Her eyes immediately turned wary. After a moment of thought, she politely declined Yu Liuxue’s invitation. “I just remembered I have something I need to take care of…”

Suddenly, the door was kicked open with a loud bang. Tang Shiyu stormed in, her expression icy cold. She scanned the room, then walked toward Yu Liuxue with a dark look in her eyes. “Jian Yin, this is how you show concern for me?”

She pointed at Lu Ling, who had been innocently dragged into the mess. “You say you’re worried about me, yet you happily run off to a hotel with someone else to put a green hat on me¹¹?”

Yu Liuxue was startled by the sudden entrance. After being bombarded by Tang Shiyu, she stared at her blankly. “Why are you here?”

Tang Shiyu was so angry she laughed. “If I hadn’t come, were you planning to become someone else’s wife?”

The more she spoke, the angrier she got. She was starting to believe that all of Jian Yin’s unreasonable fights with her lately had been a cover—just to drive her away so she could secretly meet with her little lover. Tang Shiyu grabbed Yu Liuxue’s hand tightly. “Aren’t you always accusing me of having someone else? Always suspecting me of falling for another?”

“Fine, Jian Yin. Tonight, I’ll erase all your doubts!”

With that, she forcefully threw Yu Liuxue onto the bed, then kissed her without the slightest gentleness. Yu Liuxue instinctively turned her head to look for Lu Ling, but at some point, Lu Ling had already slipped out—and even thoughtfully closed the door behind them. “?!”

Yu Liuxue was kissed by Tang Shiyu so fiercely she could barely breathe. She quickly turned her head. “Tang Shiyu, what’s gotten into you?”

Tang Shiyu gave a cold laugh. “Yes, I’ve gone crazy. I’ve been holding back all this time—I must not be human!”

Yu Liuxue: “…” Okay, no need to insult yourself like that.

Wait! Did she mean…

In the next instant, her clothes were all gone. Yu Liuxue lay on the bed, stunned. “Is my mission really going to be completed this fast?”

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Translator’s Notes

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1. ghs: An internet initialism (from the pinyin gao huang se) meaning ‘to do something sexual’ or ‘to flirt/engage in suggestive behavior.’ ↩
2. Doggo.jpg: A reference to a popular Chinese reaction image or meme, often used to express surprise or disappointment at someone’s change in behavior. ↩
3. Subway Grandpa in full makeup).jpg: Refers to a specific, popular Chinese reaction image meme used to express shock, disgust, or a dramatic change in appearance or attitude. ↩
4. Message in a Bottle: A feature on popular Chinese social media apps (like WeChat) that allows users to send anonymous messages to strangers, often used for flirting or meeting new people. ↩
5. Princess of Toxic Comebacks playing the piano like a madwoman.jpg: A reference to a specific, popular Chinese reaction image meme used to describe someone who is being overly dramatic or delivering sharp, cutting remarks. ↩
6. working princess: A euphemism for a high-end prostitute or escort, often used in Chinese nightlife culture. ↩
7. 82 Lafite: Refers to the 1982 vintage of Château Lafite Rothschild, which is highly prized and often used in Chinese media as a symbol of extreme wealth and extravagance. ↩
8. top: In LGBTQ+ slang, particularly common in East Asian contexts, ‘top’ refers to the dominant or penetrative partner in a relationship, often used in lesbian (GL) or gay (BL) fiction. ↩
9. Princess of Zu’an plays the piano.jpg: A reference to a popular Chinese internet meme used to express extreme frustration or the desire to curse someone out. ‘Zu’an’ (祖安) is a server in the game League of Legends known for its toxic community and aggressive trash talk. ↩
10. Fight the Landlord: A popular Chinese card game (斗地主, Dòu Dìzhǔ). In this context, the innocent suggestion of a card game is used humorously to contrast with the earlier seductive attempts. ↩
11. put a green hat on me: A Chinese idiom (戴绿帽子, dài lǜ mào zi) meaning to be cheated on by one’s partner; to be cuckolded. ↩