After some more back and forth, Ye Yuhuan finally put down her phone and returned to her desk. Guessing the call was from Shen Wei, she had temporarily muted her microphone during the video conference and stepped out onto the balcony to answer it.
But now it seemed the call had taken longer than she expected. The meeting was already over, and only Song Zhiqing’s face remained on the computer screen.
Ye Yuhuan put on her headphones, unmuted her mic, and asked with a smile, “Were you waiting for me?”
Song Zhiqing was propping her chin up with her hand. It was eight o’clock at night. To maintain her image as the boss, Song Zhiqing wasn’t wearing her favorite little bunny pajamas. Instead, she had changed into a cooler-looking gray hoodie. However, Ye Yuhuan keenly noticed that the hoodie’s hood had little rabbit ears on it.
Looks like she really loves them, she thought.
Song Zhiqing was extremely curious about who had called Ye Yuhuan. Just now, Ye Yuhuan had looked surprised, happy, and even a little smug, like a hunter who had just caught a rabbit. She had never seen Ye Yuhuan look like that before.
“What were you doing just now?” Song Zhiqing asked.
“Taking a call,” Ye Yuhuan replied cheerfully.
Song Zhiqing was speechless. “Of course I know you were taking a call. I mean, whose call was it?”
Ye Yuhuan saw no reason to hide it and answered directly, “It was Shen Wei.”
The moment Song Zhiqing heard that name, her heart sank. In her experience, nothing good ever came from Shen Wei’s appearance.
“Why would she call you? You two don’t even know each other,” Song Zhiqing said, displeased.
“Well, I’m going to be friends with her,” Ye Yuhuan replied.
Song Zhiqing would find out sooner or later, so it was better to be upfront now.
The “friendship plan” was Ye Yuhuan’s third path. If she couldn’t count on Song Zhiqing and Shen Wei to bury the hatchet, then she would have to step in herself. On one hand, she could acquire the capital to protect Song Zhiqing in the future. On the other, by exposing herself to Shen Wei’s scrutiny, she would force Shen Wei to be on guard against her, and hopefully, accept her suggestion that they all get along as friends.
After all, while a private investigator was useful, it could easily draw the Shangguan family’s attention and couldn’t stop Ye Yuhuan from doing things that could truly threaten Shen Wei. There were certain subtle points that could shift the world, points that only the reborn Shen Wei and the plot-aware Ye Yuhuan could understand. Any oversight would lead to consequences Shen Wei was absolutely unwilling to bear.
To put it another way, Shen Wei was the protagonist of a yuri novel. Yuri protagonists were generally gentler and not like those old-school, domineering CEO male leads who were always calling for someone to be beaten or killed. Ye Yuhuan wasn’t in any mortal danger. The worst that could happen was something along the lines of “the weather’s getting cold, time for the Ye family to go bankrupt.” But Ye Yuhuan had no family fortune to lose in the first place. Her current assets were all fleeced from Shen Wei. If Shen Wei were to fleece them back…
She would just fleece her again.
Furthermore, as Ye Yuhuan altered the plot more and more, accurately predicting the future would undoubtedly become more difficult. The only way to maintain control of the overall situation was to stay by the protagonist’s side. If Shen Wei ever had a whim to get revenge on Song Zhiqing, Ye Yuhuan could immediately put out the fire.
For now, Ye Yuhuan and Shen Wei had barely reached a strategic stalemate.
That is to say, Ye Yuhuan didn’t want to make a rash move against Shen Wei—that would violate her moral bottom line.
And Shen Wei didn’t dare make a rash move against Ye Yuhuan—she was afraid Ye Yuhuan would drop all pretenses and turn hostile.
For the time being, they had achieved a “friendship” (strategic version): two people forced to interact for the sake of mutual surveillance.
But Song Zhiqing couldn’t grasp all these complexities. She only saw one word: friends?
As far as she knew, Ye Yuhuan’s only friend was her. When did a Shen Wei pop up?!
Ah! Was Shen Wei fated to be her nemesis? She had already lured away Shangguan Xianxian, and now she wouldn’t even leave Ye Yuhuan alone.
Even a clay figure has a bit of fire, let alone the pampered Young Miss Song.
She was definitely going to pick a fight with that wretched vixen Shen Wei!
“You’re not allowed to be friends with her!” Song Zhiqing shouted.
The sheer volume of her voice startled Ye Yuhuan, who covered her ears. She marveled that someone destined to be a singer would have such powerful lungs. With a helpless expression, she said, “Let me finish. This ‘friendship’ is just for show. I’ll probably be in frequent contact with Shen Wei for a while, so I need a plausible public relationship. ‘Friends’ is a very good reason.”
Even after the explanation, Song Zhiqing still felt a knot of frustration in her chest. Why did Ye Yuhuan have to be in frequent contact with that Shen Wei person!
She felt a panic like half of her precious gem was about to be cut away.
Song Zhiqing clenched her fists and sat up straight. A layer of ice covered her usually lively almond eyes. “Why? Why do you need to be in frequent contact? If you don’t give me a reason I can believe, I will definitely not let that Shen Wei person comfortably snatch my friend away.”
It could have been anyone but Shen Wei.
She could have snatched anyone but Ye Yuhuan.
This was like dancing disco and setting fires on Song Zhiqing’s last nerve.
Ye Yuhuan sighed. “I already told you, it’s not a real friendship.”
Ye Yuhuan thought for a moment and decided it wouldn’t hurt to tell Song Zhiqing a little. It wasn’t like she could guess the truth anyway. “If you insist on a reason, then I’ll be direct.”
“It’s to protect you.”
Hearing this, Song Zhiqing frowned deeply. What danger could she possibly be in that would require someone to go to such lengths to protect her?
But Ye Yuhuan was so serious. If she were to lie, with her intelligence, she would never have concocted such an absurd story.
Suddenly, the plot of The Terminator flashed through Song Zhiqing’s mind. She slapped her thigh and exclaimed, “I know!”
“You’re from the future, aren’t you!”
“You know from the future that Shen Wei is some kind of supervillain who’s going to destroy the world.”
“That’s why you have to keep an eye on her, and that’s why she’s a threat to me!”
Ye Yuhuan’s mouth fell slightly agape. How did Song Zhiqing’s brain even work?
It was so close to the truth, yet in a completely different direction.
Seeing Ye Yuhuan’s expression, Song Zhiqing knew she must have guessed wrong. Recalling what she had just said, she flushed with embarrassment and annoyance. “Then you tell me what it is!”
Ye Yuhuan chose her words carefully before saying apologetically, “I can’t reveal the specific details to you. It would ruin the plan for the future.”
“See, you are from the future! You even used the word ‘plan.’” Song Zhiqing was getting rather irritated. What was the point of saying only half of it!
“I am absolutely, definitely not from the future. I was born in the same year as you,” Ye Yuhuan stressed.
Song Zhiqing clung to a sliver of hope. “Is this part of the confession you promised for October 10th?”
Ye Yuhuan shook her head.
Song Zhiqing was about to lose her mind. Someone just pops up, tells you your future isn’t safe, but won’t give you the specific reasons, leaving you hanging and tormented with anxiety.
So why say anything in the first place!
Ah! It was her own stupid mouth that asked in the first place!
Then! Why not just lie from the start!
But if she lied about something like this, she wouldn’t be the Ye Yuhuan she knew!
Ugh, damn it! There was just no way around it.
Watching Song Zhiqing struggle between confusion and anger, Ye Yuhuan found her a little cute. Then she felt awful for thinking she was cute at a time like this. She cleared her throat and offered as compensation, “Aside from this matter, I’ll tell you anything else.”
Song Zhiqing eyed her suspiciously, then asked tentatively, “Why don’t your parents live with you?”
Ye Yuhuan sighed inwardly. She knew she was still curious about that. “My mother passed away. After she died, I discovered my father was frequently cheating on her, so I cut ties with him.”
Hearing this, Song Zhiqing frantically pinched her own thigh.
Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut and not ask that!
Seeing Song Zhiqing become even more frantic, the word “regret” written plainly in her eyes even through the screen, Ye Yuhuan couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s okay, this is something I can talk about. I didn’t say anything before because I didn’t think it was a good thing, and there was no need to say it just to make others feel sorry for me or weigh them down.”
“I don’t feel weighed down at all!” Song Zhiqing retorted loudly.
Then, she added awkwardly, “Um, I’m happy that you told me this.”
Ye Yuhuan leaned back leisurely in her chair, watching the little rabbit on the other side of the screen start to blush again.
Honestly, why does she blush at everything?
“Is there anything else you want to ask? Besides my whereabouts over the past few days and where your danger lies.”
Song Zhiqing thought for a moment, then an idea struck her. “I remember you and Shen Wei had never met before, right?”
“Mm, that’s right.”
“Then how did you manage to become friends with her?”
“Oh, I threatened her,” Ye Yuhuan answered nonchalantly.
Song Zhiqing’s eyes widened. Why did she suddenly find Ye Yuhuan so alpha? Like a… refined scoundrel?
Song Zhiqing patted her own cheeks, finally revealing her endgame. She coughed and said, “Then can you continue threatening her into being friends with me?”
Ye Yuhuan glanced at her and mused, “Hmm… I suppose that’s not impossible.”
Hearing this, Song Zhiqing immediately sealed the deal. “Great, then you’ll threaten her into being my friend. And, to make it easier for her to be friends with both of us, have her join the Cosmic Beauty Garden while she’s at it.”
Hmph, trying to steal my friend? You can follow me around like a little lackey, you wretched vixen!
A smile played on Ye Yuhuan’s lips. She could roughly guess what Song Zhiqing was planning. Well, she might as well indulge her. She didn’t want to get revenge on Shen Wei for Song Zhiqing’s sake based on some ethereal plot, but letting Song Zhiqing mess with her a little probably wouldn’t hurt.
“I’ll talk to her, but she might bring Shangguan Xianxian along.”
At the mention of Shangguan Xianxian, Song Zhiqing instantly grew uncomfortable. She still hadn’t sent any more of those brainwashing packets to turn her gay, and out of guilt, she had even given up reading yuri novels.
“Let her come. We’re short on hands for work lately anyway.”
Ye Yuhuan looked at her, puzzled. Was this how one treated their crush?
Noticing Ye Yuhuan’s gaze, Song Zhiqing was instantly on alert. “This is for the best. With the advantage of proximity, I refuse to believe I can’t win her back from Shen Wei!”
Ye Yuhuan also got back into her role as strategist, saying with a completely serious face, “I will help you.”
Both of them sighed inwardly at the same time: She’s so dedicated to her role. / She really loves her.
At that moment, Shen Wei, who was in Shangguan Xianxian’s room sweetly asking to sleep with her big sister, had no idea what kind of shamelessness she was about to face.
It wasn’t until her wish was granted and she went to her own bedroom to grab her quilt and pillow that a text message on her phone screen shattered her happiness.
Ye Yuhuan: 【After some consideration, I was thinking, would you like to join the Cosmic Beauty Garden? Ah, that’s the Art Club. First, I think it’s a good way for you to hide your identity. Second, aside from studying, I’m mostly busy with Art Club matters lately, so it would be more convenient if you joined. Lastly, the Art Club is planning a big event soon, and we’re really short on people.】
Shen Wei read the message over and over again, nearly wearing out the words on the screen, but she still couldn’t comprehend how Ye Yuhuan could be so shameless. If she knew everything about her, then she should also know about the bad blood between her and Song Zhiqing. But now she was asking her to go work under Song Zhiqing?
Shen Wei understood. Ye Yuhuan didn’t want to kill her; she just wanted to torture her.
Shen Wei: 【??? Are you sleep-talking】
Ye Yuhuan: 【If you’re worried about Song Zhiqing, don’t be. It’s all a misunderstanding. In reality, she’s a very kind girl】
Shen Wei recalled Song Zhiqing’s actions in her past life. She alone had stirred up a storm of public opinion, with everyone telling her she wasn’t worthy of being the Shangguan family’s daughter. It wasn’t that Shangguan Xianxian had stolen her life, but that she had ruined Shangguan Xianxian’s. Their relationship had reached a stalemate because of it. If it weren’t for the later, coincidental discovery of the Shangguan family’s true nature, she would have always misunderstood that Shangguan Xianxian had teamed up with her bootlicker, Song Zhiqing, just to drive her out of the family.
Shen Wei: 【Kind? Are you selectively ignoring what she did to me? Is that something a kind person would do?】
Ye Yuhuan: 【Didn’t you get your revenge later? In both the last life and this one. Besides, she was just deceived by Guo Siwan. In reality, you can’t say who was right or wrong between the two of you】
Ye Yuhuan: 【And I feel more sorry for Song Zhiqing】
Ye Yuhuan: 【So, will you really consider it? I can guarantee, Song Zhiqing is pretty nice】
Shen Wei took a deep breath. Was that something a human being would say?
Ye Yuhuan had seemed so decent before. How had she become so shameless now? As expected, no one who hangs out with Song Zhiqing could be a good person!
Huge thanks to Ioavee, Jack Menhoff, and SnowInnocent for the support!
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