Category: Green Tea Villainess Fails

Chapter 31

“Qin Ai, good evening. I haven’t called you before because I thought you might be busy. Are you free now?”

Even though she couldn’t see Zuo Bian’s face, Qin Ai’s mood brightened just hearing her voice.

“I’m free now, I was just about to rest.”

“Oh, are you going to sleep? Did I disturb you?” Zuo Bian’s voice carried a hint of guilt.

Qin Ai chuckled softly. “No, I was going to, but I haven’t gone to bed yet.”

“It is quite late, I’m sleepy too. I was going to sleep, but I wanted to hear your voice before I did, so I stayed up.”

“Why didn’t you call earlier? That way you could have gone to bed earlier.” Qin Ai heard Zuo Bian yawn through the phone.

“Because I was afraid you were still working. What if I disturbed you? So I thought I’d call you later.”

Qin Ai closed the piano lid with one hand and stood up. “You can call me anytime you want.”

“That’s not a good idea. What if you’re in an important meeting? Maybe I should just send you messages. You check your phone often, right?”

“Mm, I do. It’s getting late; you should go to sleep.”

Zuo Bian couldn’t help but yawn again. She was used to going to bed early and waking up early. Her body had its own biological clock, and she felt sleepy when it was time.

“Then I’ll go to sleep. You should rest too, Qin Ai. See you tomorrow.”

“Good night.”

“Good night.”

After hanging up the phone, Zuo Bian happily jumped onto the bed, pulling 555, who was inhabiting the small doll, into a hug.

555 was playing with Little Frog, completely engrossed, when it was suddenly “choked” by Zuo Bian. It struggled to break free from her embrace, but Zuo Bian’s grip was too strong. It could only resign itself to being hugged.

“I’m going shopping with Qin Ai tomorrow, what should I wear?” Zuo Bian said as she hugged 555 tighter.

555 struggled to speak. “I think you should loosen your grip before you consider that. I can’t breathe.”

Zuo Bian looked down at 555, confused. “But you’re just a doll. You don’t have lungs or a trachea, you don’t even have nostrils. How can you suffocate?”

555 was stunned for a moment, realizing that Zuo Bian had a point. “Eh? I guess I’m fine. It just feels a bit stuffy.”

Zuo Bian loosened her grip and placed Little Frog on the bedside table, patting its head. “You two be good, it’s time for bed. Good children should go to bed on time.”

“I’m super good, ribbit!” Little Frog straightened its nonexistent back and said energetically.

555 knew that Little Frog was very obedient to Zuo Bian and wouldn’t play with it, so it said obediently, “I understand, I’m going to sleep now.”

555’s plush body instantly went limp as its consciousness returned to Zuo Bian’s mind.

Zuo Bian held a plush doll in one hand and a soft white dumpling in the other, quickly falling into a deep sleep.

A new day began with the rising and setting of the sun. Little Frog, a more effective alarm clock than any actual alarm clock, began its countdown on time.

“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7… 97, 98, 99, 1, 2, 3…”

When Little Frog reached the third round of counting, Zuo Bian opened her eyes in her soft, pink bed.

Du Yundong had decorated this room for Zuo Bian. It was full of soft pinks and pure whites, with delicate lace bed curtains, a soft white carpet, a beautiful warm white vanity mirror, and colorful wind chimes hanging by the window.

Du Yundong had given Zuo Bian everything she considered beautiful, hoping that she would live a happy life.

【Good morning, time to get up and get ready.】

“Good morning, ribbit!”

Zuo Bian slipped her jade-like feet into soft slippers, took a carton of Wangzai milk from the drawer, inserted a straw, and brought it to Little Frog’s mouth.

Little Frog opened its cat-like mouth, took the straw, and started drinking the milk.

555, envious and jealous, said sourly, 【Hmph, brown-noser.】

Little Frog finished the carton of Wangzai milk with a satisfied sigh. “You can only watch me drink, ribbit, since you don’t have a mouth.”

【You’re making me angry! You bad frog!】

“555, Little Frog is right, you don’t have a mouth.”

【Wuwuwu, I don’t want to hear it, I don’t want to hear it!】

Zuo Bian comforted 555 while washing up. She chose a smoky pink knee-length dress and stuffed her bag with various drinks before leaving.

While in the car, Zuo Bian sent Qin Ai a message, asking where they should meet.

Instead of receiving a reply, Zuo Bian got a call from Qin Ai.

“Hello, Qin Ai, I’ve just left the house.”

“I’m on my way too. Let’s meet at the entrance of Luoxia Street.”

Zuo Bian nodded. “Okay, I’ll tell the driver.” She held the phone away from her ear and said to the driver, “Driver, please take me to Luoxia Street.”

“Did you run into anyone yesterday?” Qin Ai didn’t monitor Zuo Bian’s life, but she had heard that Lin Qingqing went home crying yesterday, saying that Zuo Bian had played her.

Zuo Bian recalled what had happened yesterday and said, “I met Lin Qingqing. She’s a bit strange.”

“How is she strange?” A smile unconsciously appeared on Qin Ai’s lips, her eyes filled with amusement.

Zuo Bian said, “She invited me to a milk tea shop, but she ordered coffee.”

Qin Ai chuckled. “Did anything else happen? I heard Lin Qingqing cried.”

“Cried?” Zuo Bian wasn’t sure if she had heard correctly.

Hearing that Lin Qingqing cried, 555 immediately started cursing. 【How dare that Lin Qingqing cry? As expected of a threat level 61, she must have gone crying to Qin Ai and badmouthed you. Host, you can’t lose! Who can beat you at playing the Green Tea?】

“Mm, she cried.”

Zuo Bian quickly recalled the content of the Green Tea Handbook. “Actually, actually, I was also very sad yesterday. She told me a lot about you, things I didn’t know. I felt a little lost. I also want to understand you like she does.” Zuo Bian’s first few words sounded rehearsed, but the last sentence, “I also want to understand you like she does,” sounded genuine.

Qin Ai suddenly chuckled softly. “Just come to me directly, I’ll definitely let you understand me deeply.”

The innocent Zuo Bian couldn’t possibly understand the hidden meaning in Qin Ai’s words. She said happily, “That’s great! Then I want to ask you, what kind of person do you like?”

【!!!! Host, you’re being too direct!】

“What kind of person do I like? That’s a good question. I might not be able to answer clearly over the phone. I’ll tell you the answer when we meet.”

“Okay, then tell me when we meet later.” Zuo Bian was still smiling when she hung up the phone.

【Host, you’re moving so fast! It’s only chapter 31 in the Jinjiang(jjwxc) version, and you’re already about to confess!】

‘Confess? Aren’t Qin Ai and I already together?’

【Huh? When did that happen? Why don’t I know anything about it?】

Zuo Bian smiled. ‘Qin Ai and I have been friends for a while now, and we recently became sworn sisters.’

【True, sworn sisters. Wait, that’s not what I meant! Forget it, let’s just wait for Qin Ai to confess. A Green Tea can never confess first.】

Zuo Bian nodded and checked her reflection in the car window, making sure there was nothing stuck in her teeth.

Soon, Zuo Bian’s car arrived at the entrance of Luoxia Street. Her bodyguard, Shi Miaozhu, opened the car door for her.

As soon as Zuo Bian got out of the car, she started looking around, trying to find Qin Ai in the crowd.

Although the drama she was filming hadn’t aired yet, her outstanding beauty was enough to attract attention.

While waiting for Qin Ai, several people tried to hit on her, but Zuo Bian easily brushed them off.

For example:

Passerby A: “Excuse me, beautiful, can I add you on WeChat?”

Zuo Bian: “Thank you, but no.”

Passerby B: “Miss, are you waiting for someone? Don’t wait anymore if you’ve been stood up. I’ll take you out to have fun, my treat. I guarantee you’ll have a good time.”

Zuo Bian: “You look like a bad guy. Bodyguard Sister, Bodyguard Brother.”

Immediately, two tall and muscular bodyguards in black suits, a man and a woman, stood on either side of Zuo Bian, scaring off the would-be suitor.

After the bodyguards retreated, blending into the crowd at a safe distance, another person approached Zuo Bian.

Passerby C: “Little Sister, can we get to know each other?”

Zuo Bian: “You look much older than me, why are you calling me Little Sister? Is this what they call pretending to be young? Uncle, you don’t look like a good person.”

Passerby C defeated.

Zuo Bian wasn’t being sarcastic when she said those things, she genuinely thought that way. The way the last two men looked at her was strange and made her uncomfortable.

Zuo Bian didn’t encounter a fourth suitor. She saw Qin Ai herself.

Qin Ai’s expression was impatient as she got out of the car. Zuo Bian then saw her answer a phone call.

Whoever was on the other end of the line, Qin Ai’s expression wasn’t pleasant.

“Don’t bother me with such trivial matters. Just throw them out.” After saying that, Qin Ai hung up the phone and looked up, her eyes meeting Zuo Bian’s across the crowd.

Zuo Bian instinctively smiled at Qin Ai, who returned the smile and strode towards her.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, something came up.”

A few hooligan relatives were causing a scene in front of the Qin Group building. It wasn’t a big deal, but it was annoying.

Zuo Bian asked, “Is it taken care of now? If you’re still busy, we can go shopping another time.”

Qin Ai put her phone in her pocket and smiled. “It’s nothing important, I’ve left it to my subordinates. Let’s go shopping.”

Only then did Zuo Bian notice that Qin Ai wasn’t wearing her usual white outfit today. Instead, she was wearing a dusty pink suit. Her lower body was clad in high-waisted trousers, and her upper body was adorned with a lighter, almost smoky pink, collarless silk shirt.

Walking side by side, they looked very much like a couple.

Chapter 30

[This frog has maxed out its divination and prophecy skills, ribbit. The overall score of 30 is definitely accurate.]

【This frog is actually quite capable. The data it detected is even more accurate than mine. Quickly tell me the formula for this overall score, and I’ll steal Zuo Bian’s milk to feed you!】

Zuo Bian wanted to remind 555 that she could hear everything it was saying.

[Hmph, this is a natural talent, ribbit. There’s no formula, ribbit, you can’t learn it, ribbit. Xiao Bianbian, can I have some milk, ribbit? Am I not amazing, ribbit?]

Zuo Bian smiled. ‘Okay, I’ll give you some milk when we get back.’

“Have a seat.”

While Zuo Bian was chatting with Little Frog and 555 in her mind, she and Lin Qingqing had arrived at the milk tea shop. Lin Qingqing chose a table in the corner.

Zuo Bian sat down across from her and immediately started looking at the menu. “Which one is the milkshake you mentioned?”

“The peach oolong milkshake.”

Zuo Bian turned to the waiter. “I’ll have a peach oolong milkshake, please.”

“One black coffee.” Lin Qingqing closed the menu.

After the waiter left, Lin Qingqing continued, “Sister Qin and I…”

“Wait a minute.” Zuo Bian suddenly interrupted her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I want to wait until the drinks arrive so I can listen to you while I drink.”

Lin Qingqing’s expression showed impatience, but she agreed nonetheless.

Soon, the milkshake and coffee arrived. Lin Qingqing eagerly began telling Zuo Bian things she didn’t know about her and Qin Ai’s past, her tone full of superiority.

“Miss Zuo, you probably don’t know this, but Sister Qin can play the piano. When we were young, she could spend the whole afternoon in the music room. When she was in a good mood, she liked to play ‘Lullaby,’ and when she was in a bad mood, she played ‘Moonlight Sonata.’”

Zuo Bian didn’t respond, she silently took a big sip of her milkshake. Lin Qingqing wasn’t lying, the drink was really good.

Seeing that Zuo Bian didn’t reply, Lin Qingqing assumed she really didn’t know. The smug look on her face intensified. “Actually, I don’t really hate you. I just think you don’t understand Sister Qin, so I wanted to let you know more about her. If you have any questions about Sister Qin, you can ask me.”

Zuo Bian finally released the straw from her mouth and asked sincerely, “If I want to know more about Ai Jiejie, why don’t I just ask her directly?”

The fake smile on Lin Qingqing’s face froze. Faced with Zuo Bian’s question, she actually found it quite reasonable, but she would never admit that she was almost persuaded!

“Just say it, how much do you want?” Zuo Bian spread out her hand and said bluntly, “Give me a check.”

“Huh???” Lin Qingqing was completely confused, not understanding what was going on. This wasn’t how she imagined the conversation would go.

【This Lin Qingqing’s words are so nauseating, always calling her ‘Sister Qin, Sister Qin.’ If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was calling her ‘Lover Qin.’ It seems like she came here to show off without even bringing any money. I heard her family is quite wealthy, why is she so stingy? Negative review!】

Zuo Bian extended her hand further, hinting, “Where’s the check? Five million should be enough, right?”

In the novels that 555 had recommended as reference materials for the conquest, there was always a female supporting character who would appear when the protagonists had just gotten together and ask the female lead to meet at a cafe or somewhere similar.

These characters would either directly offer a check and tell the female lead to get lost, or they would subtly assert their dominance and make the female lead misunderstand and give up voluntarily.

“I don’t have a check with me.” Lin Qingqing’s face flushed red. She felt that this Zuo Bian was really difficult to deal with. She was the daughter of the Zuo family, yet she acted like a gold digger.

Zuo Bian frowned. “If you don’t have a check, then give me a bank card. I’m not picky. Or do you not have any money? You’re so poor.”

Lin Qingqing felt a vein throbbing on her forehead. She forced a smile and took out a card from her wallet, placing it on the table. “Here’s the bank card. Since you’ve taken my money, you must promise to stay away from Sister Qin.”

Zuo Bian slammed her hand on the table, making the bank card jump. “Hmph, Miss Lin, what do you take me for? Do you think I’m the kind of person who would leave Ai Jiejie for money? Or do you think Ai Jiejie is only worth this much?”

Lin Qingqing pretended to suddenly understand. “Oh, so it’s not enough money. I’ll add another card.”

Zuo Bian finished the last bit of her milkshake and said in a monotone, “Miss Lin, it seems like your life revolves around money. That’s truly sad. I don’t think we have anything else to talk about. Burp.”

Zuo Bian picked up her heavy bag and left, leaving Lin Qingqing staring at her departing figure.

‘My acting was pretty good just now, right?’ Zuo Bian asked in her mind.

【I’d give it a 70.】

[One hundred, one hundred, ribbit!] Little Frog, who wanted milk, desperately tried to please Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian happily strolled through the mall, noting the locations of the watch and jewelry stores. She then bought a “body” for 555 that would allow it to move around more easily and headed home.

555’s “body” was a doll the size of a seven or eight-year-old child, with arms and legs, much more convenient than its previous Caogenyantuanzi body.

After returning home, Zuo Bian settled down in her room to read, while 555, now inhabiting its new doll body, was playing with Little Frog, lifting it up and down.

Actually, Zuo Bian wanted to have a video chat with Qin Ai, but when she messaged her, Qin Ai said she was working, so Zuo Bian didn’t disturb her.

The book Zuo Bian was reading now wasn’t the romance novel 555 had recommended. It was “Records of the Grand Historian,” a historical text. She was learning about this world.

She liked this world, and she liked the family and friends in this world. In order to live a better life here, Zuo Bian felt that she needed to learn more about its history and culture.

Time flew by as she was absorbed in reading, and before she knew it, it was dark outside. Du Yundong personally came to call Zuo Bian for dinner. “Xiao Bian, dinner’s ready. I asked Aunt Chen to cook your favorite dishes today.”

“Coming.” Zuo Bian put down her book and followed Du Yundong to the living room with a smile.

=====================

At the Qin family home, Qin Ai rushed back after a long day of work. She usually had dinner at home unless something unexpected came up.

Although her family was no longer complete, it was still her warm home.

“Ai Ai, why are you so busy today?” Tian Yumeng served Qin Ai a bowl of radish and pork rib soup with concern.

“Thank you, Mom.” Qin Ai took the bowl. “I have to accompany someone tomorrow, so I wanted to finish all my work first.”

Tian Yumeng asked with a smile, “Is it the friend you brought home last time?”

“Mm.” Qin Ai nodded.

Qin Tian, who was focused on eating, suddenly looked up with sparkling eyes, as if a switch had been flipped. “Is it Older Sister Zuo Bian? I haven’t seen her for a long time, I miss her! Sister, can you take me with you tomorrow?”

Qin Ai smiled at Qin Tian, and just as he was about to thank her, she said mercilessly, “Tomorrow is Wednesday, you have school.”

“Okay…” Qin Tian immediately deflated like a punctured balloon.

“I’ll take you with me next time.” Qin Ai said casually.

Qin Tian, who had just been dejected, immediately perked up. “Thank you, Sister! I love you the most!”

Tian Yumeng watched their interaction with a gentle smile.

Late at night, Qin Ai, dressed in her bathrobe, didn’t go to sleep immediately. She stood by the window in the music room, gazing at the dark night outside.

The window was open, and the night breeze played with her hair. She stood there like a statue.

The Qin family had regained its former glory, but there were still a few pests trying to make trouble.

The coldness in Qin Ai’s eyes intensified. She sat down at the piano and played “Moonlight Sonata” in the darkness.

The sorrowful melody flowed out like cold water. Even though she couldn’t see anything, Qin Ai could still play the piece flawlessly.

The melody repeated endlessly, as if it would never stop.

Until a ringing phone interrupted everything. Qin Ai answered the call, and the moment she heard the other person’s voice, all her coldness melted away like ice and snow.

“Hello.”

Chapter 29

“We’re here.”

Qin Ai drove through the front yard of the Zuo family home, stopping the car in front of the grand villa. Zuo Bian, however, didn’t get out immediately.

“Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?” she asked.

The Green Tea Handbook stated that if someone drove you home at night, it was best to invite them in for a cup of tea. However, this usually worked best when no one else was home, allowing for some alone time and creating an ambiguous atmosphere.

Qin Ai thought for a moment and replied, “Okay.”

Zuo Bian immediately beamed. “Then let’s get out of the car.”

Inside the Zuo family home, everyone except Zuo Bian was gathered in the living room. Zuo Yan sat calmly at the mini bar, reading a book. Zuo Yuan, with a sullen expression, sat on the sofa with Du Yundong, watching TV.

“Dad, Mom, Brother, I’m home.”

Du Yundong looked up in delight upon hearing Zuo Bian’s voice. “Xiao Bian, you’re back!” Her eyes quickly landed on Qin Ai, who was standing beside Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian introduced Qin Ai to her mother. “Mom, this is my friend, Qin Ai. She drove me home, and I wanted to invite her in for a cup of tea before she leaves.”

Du Yundong’s face lit up with a warm smile, her eyes full of affection and approval.

“Of course, you must have some tea. Xiao Qin, please sit down.” Du Yundong instructed the maid to prepare tea.

Zuo Yuan remained motionless on the sofa, his arms crossed and his face filled with displeasure. He let out a loud “hmph.” It was unclear who he was directing his displeasure at, but no one paid him any mind.

Zuo Bian’s father, Zuo Yan, put down his book and joined Du Yundong in welcoming Qin Ai. Qin Ai greeted the two elders and sat down next to Zuo Bian.

Qin Ai wasn’t as cold and aloof in front of Zuo Bian’s parents as she was at the company. She wore a gentle smile and behaved politely and appropriately, making Du Yundong even more satisfied.

Zuo Yuan, ignored by everyone, quietly turned around and leaned against the sofa, half of his face peeking out as he glared at Qin Ai.

His fierce gaze was as if he wanted to grab a harpoon and chase Qin Ai out of their house.

“Such a good pretender,” Zuo Yuan muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Qin Ai’s expression remained unchanged, as if she hadn’t heard Zuo Yuan’s words at all.

Du Yundong smiled awkwardly, trying to smooth things over. “Xiao Qin, don’t mind him. Our Zuo Yuan never thinks before he speaks. Don’t take his words to heart.”

Qin Ai smiled gently. “Of course, I won’t take it to heart. Mr. Zuo is always straightforward and doesn’t bother to hide his emotions. He’s much more likable than those two-faced people.”

Zuo Yuan sneered. “So you’re aware of that, huh?”

“Brother, you seem to be prejudiced against Qin Ai. It’s not right to judge someone before you get to know them.”

Zuo Yuan clutched his chest as if he had been hurt. “Xiao Bian, why are you speaking up for Qin Ai? I’m your real brother!”

“I’m not speaking up for anyone, I just think what you’re doing is wrong.” Zuo Bian’s eyes were clear and her expression was serious. She genuinely believed that Zuo Yuan was wrong.

“Okay, then I’ll try to get to know Qin Ai better before I dislike her.”

Just based on the fact that Qin Ai had stolen his sister’s heart, Zuo Yuan was certain that he would never like her in this lifetime.

“The tea is here, Xiao Qin, have some tea. Thank you for taking care of our Xiao Bian today.” Du Yundong tried to lighten the mood.

Qin Ai took the teacup and smiled politely. “You’re welcome, Auntie. It’s what I should do.”

“It’s getting late, Xiao Qin, would you like to stay for the night?”

Qin Ai took a sip of tea and slowly put down the cup, politely declining. “Thank you for your kindness, Auntie, but my mother and brother are waiting for me at home.”

“Then you should go home early, Xiao Qin, and don’t worry your family.” Du Yundong’s gaze towards Qin Ai was filled with sympathy.

The older generation in their circle knew a bit about Qin Ai’s family situation. Du Yundong both admired and felt sorry for this child who had single-handedly shouldered the responsibility of reviving the Qin family.

“Then I’ll take my leave. Thank you for your hospitality, Uncle and Auntie.” Qin Ai stood up and walked towards the door.

Zuo Bian followed her to the entrance and watched as she got into the car.

“Qin Ai, be careful on the road. See you the day after tomorrow.” Zuo Bian waved goodbye reluctantly.

Qin Ai rolled down the car window. The light from the living room illuminated her beautiful face, and Zuo Bian could clearly see the gentle smile in her eyes.

“Before you go, call me one more time.”

Qin Ai didn’t specify what to call her, but Zuo Bian understood.

She took two steps closer to the car and whispered, “Ai Jiejie.”

“I’m leaving, go back inside.”

“Mm.”

Zuo Bian watched as Qin Ai’s car disappeared from sight. Suddenly, she felt someone pat her shoulder.

“Xiao Bian, you’ve really grown up. Did you not eat enough because you were nervous having dinner with Xiao Qin? If you’re still hungry, Mom will have someone prepare a late-night snack for you.”

Zuo Bian shook her head. “Thank you, Mom, but I’m full.”

Du Yundong smiled and led Zuo Bian into the living room, asking her some questions. Zuo Bian answered each question honestly, just like Qin Tian.

“This Qin Ai, I can tell she’s not a good person at first glance. Mom, why do you like her so much?” Zuo Yuan sat on the sofa, flipping through channels on the TV with the remote control. The TV emitted strange sounds as the channels changed too quickly.

Du Yundong sat down beside Zuo Yuan, pushing him aside and snatching the remote control. “Why are you holding the remote if you’re not watching TV? Shoo, shoo, don’t disturb me and Xiao Bian while we’re watching TV. Xiao Bian, come sit with Mom.”

Zuo Bian sat down beside Du Yundong, watching TV with her.

Since coming to this world, Zuo Bian hadn’t watched much TV. Before joining the production crew, she was busy studying, and after joining, she was busy filming.

The TV was currently showing a popular drama. The female lead was one of the few domineering and powerful female characters in the entertainment industry.

At that moment, the female lead was wearing a tight leather jacket and helmet, straddling a heavy motorcycle. She raised her chin at the male lead with a cool and confident air. “Dare to race?”

Du Yundong sighed. “The actresses these days are getting more and more beautiful.”

Zuo Bian blurted out, “I think Qin Ai is more beautiful.”

Du Yundong chuckled. “Yes, yes, yes, Xiao Qin is the most beautiful.”

“I think she’s just average. Our Xiao Bian is the most beautiful. The mother who gave birth to such a beautiful child is also beautiful. You’re a mother of two, but your figure and face still look like you’re only twenty-eight.” Zuo Yuan’s sweet-talking made Du Yundong beam with joy.

=================

Before going to bed, Zuo Bian decided to play some games. While playing, she received a WeChat message, but she didn’t check it until after finishing a game.

“555, someone named Lin Qingqing sent me a friend request. Lin Qingqing?”

【Host, have you forgotten? The female supporting character with a threat level of 61 that you met this afternoon is Lin Qingqing!】

“But why is she adding me?” Zuo Bian clicked “Reject” as she spoke. “I’d rather not add her.”

After rejecting the request, Zuo Bian went back to her game, but Lin Qingqing kept sending friend requests. Zuo Bian frowned and asked 555 what she could do to stop receiving messages from Lin Qingqing.

【It’s easy, just block her.】

“Okay.” Zuo Bian blocked Lin Qingqing with 555’s guidance.

After blocking Lin Qingqing, Zuo Bian continued playing games feeling refreshed. Before going to sleep, she had a video call with Qin Ai.

The next morning, Zuo Bian woke up to the sound of Little Frog counting. She yawned and sleepily made her way to the bathroom to wash up.

【Host, what are your plans for today?】

‘I’m going shopping with Qin Ai tomorrow, so I want to scout out the area beforehand. I also want to buy a new gift for her. The chocolates will be gone soon, I need to get her something she can always keep with her.’

【Host, you’ve truly mastered the Green Tea Handbook. It says that you should give the other person gifts so they’ll be reminded of you every time they see it. I recommend a necklace or a watch, something they can carry with them.】

‘Mm-hmm.’

Zuo Bian came out of the bathroom and picked out a casual outfit, ready to go out. She then heard Little Frog’s anxious voice.

“Take me with you, ribbit! I want to go out and play too, ribbit!” Little Frog hopped around on Zuo Bian’s bedside table. It actually had arms and legs, but they were so tiny that they were almost negligible.

Zuo Bian walked over and picked up Little Frog, squeezing its soft little butt. “Okay, but you have to be quiet, be careful not to be discovered.”

“Okay, ribbit! I’ll try not to count, ribbit!” Little Frog’s round face was flushed red.

Zuo Bian left the house with Little Frog in her hand. Little Frog widened its already large eyes, looking at the unfamiliar world with almost greedy curiosity.

Zuo Bian got out of the car at the largest shopping street in City A, holding the cute little creature in her hand. It might seem strange for an adult to be carrying a small toy, but Zuo Bian’s calm demeanor and outstanding beauty made people subconsciously ignore the little frog in her hand.

As they entered the mall, Zuo Bian saw a small inflatable playground with a dozen children playing inside.

“Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit, ribbit, ribbit!” Little Frog couldn’t help but exclaim excitedly. “It looks so fun, ribbit!”

Despite living for thousands of years, Little Frog still had a childlike heart.

555, who was just as childish as Little Frog, also envied the playing children, but it didn’t even have a physical body, so it could only watch.

Unbeknownst to Zuo Bian, a woman wearing sunglasses and high heels approached her.

“Miss Zuo, can I have a word with you?” Although she was making a request, the woman’s tone was not polite at all.

Zuo Bian followed the voice and recognized the woman even though her sunglasses were covering half of her face.

It was Lin Qingqing.

“But I don’t think we have anything in common to talk about.” Zuo Bian looked away.

“So that’s why you blocked me yesterday?” Lin Qingqing finally took off her sunglasses. If her eyes could shoot fire, she would have already burned Zuo Bian’s hair to ashes.

Lin Qingqing was furious when she was blocked by Zuo Bian yesterday. In order to talk to Zuo Bian, she had been waiting near the Zuo family home since before dawn, only following her after she left the house.

“I’m sure Miss Zuo would be interested in learning about Sister Qin’s past. I’ve known her since we were young, I know her better than anyone.” Lin Qingqing tried to coax Zuo Bian into going with her.

However, Zuo Bian wasn’t interested in Lin Qingqing’s words at all. She replied coldly, “Can you please not disturb me while I’m enjoying the scenery.”

The “scenery” Zuo Bian was referring to was the inflatable playground filled with children. Lin Qingqing followed Zuo Bian’s gaze and saw the playground, her face turning red with anger.

In her mind, Zuo Bian was definitely doing this on purpose to humiliate her.

“I heard there’s a milk tea shop nearby with delicious milkshakes and a great atmosphere. It’s perfect for having a conversation.” Lin Qingqing used her last resort.

She had done her research beforehand and knew that Zuo Bian loved drinks, but she wasn’t sure if Zuo Bian would take the bait.

“Okay.”

“You agreed?” Lin Qingqing couldn’t believe it. She had just tried her luck, and Zuo Bian actually agreed.

Zuo Bian, who had already taken a few steps, turned back to look at Lin Qingqing. “Aren’t you coming?”

Lin Qingqing composed herself, smoothing her hair and swaying her hips seductively as she walked towards Zuo Bian. “Follow me.”

Zuo Bian followed behind Lin Qingqing, her eyes fixed on her back. She couldn’t help but ask 555 in her mind, ‘555, do you think her waist will hurt from walking like that? She’s swaying so much, and she’s wearing such high heels. Isn’t she afraid of falling?’

【Maybe it’s because she’s still young. When she gets older, she might have a herniated disc.】

In 555’s eyes, Lin Qingqing was too pretentious. Its aesthetic sense had gradually been assimilated by Zuo Bian. It preferred straightforward people and couldn’t appreciate those who were coy and beat around the bush.

[Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit, I think I can talk to you now, ribbit.]

‘Little Frog?’ Zuo Bian heard the voice in her ears, but it was actually transmitted directly into her mind.

[Ribbit, it’s me, ribbit. I have the power to see through people’s hearts, ribbit. This woman who was just talking to you likes Qin Ai, ribbit. Her love level is 80, ambition level is 90, combat power is 61, intelligence is 59, action power is 100, and overall score is 30, ribbit.]

Hearing the last part, Zuo Bian was confused. She asked in her mind, ‘Lin Qingqing’s stats are all so high, why is her overall score only 30, ribbit?’

Zuo Bian realized that after listening to Little Frog talk for so long, she had also started adding “ribbit” to her sentences.

Chapter 28

Qin Ai humored Zuo Bian by taking a sip of the Wangzai milk. However, the image of the usually domineering and cold-faced CEO drinking Wangzai milk was rather comical. Fortunately, they were alone in the private room.

After finishing her second carton of Wangzai milk, Zuo Bian repeated her first question.

“Does she have a nice figure?”

Qin Ai leaned back lazily, a smile on her face. “Not as nice as yours. I was just thinking how beautiful you would look in a cheongsam.”

“Then I’ll wear one for you next time.” Zuo Bian subconsciously reached into her bag again, but remembering that drinking too much would make her need to use the restroom, she silently withdrew her hand.

“Only for me.”

Zuo Bian, completely missing the implication, nodded without hesitation and agreed.

The dishes arrived quickly, and Zuo Bian’s attention was immediately captured by the delicious food.

Since she didn’t plan to stay in the entertainment industry for long, Zuo Bian never restricted her diet like other female celebrities. She ate whatever she wanted, never holding back.

“Qin Ai, try this, it’s delicious.” Zuo Bian picked up a piece of beef for Qin Ai, then lowered her head to enjoy her own meal.

Qin Ai ate the beef that Zuo Bian had given her, her gaze fixed on Zuo Bian, a soft smile on her lips.

For Qin Ai, eating was just a basic need to sustain life. But perhaps Zuo Bian’s joy and happiness while eating had infected her, making the dishes on the table seem more appealing.

Qin Ai ate more than usual, and the feeling of satisfaction in her heart wasn’t just from being full, but also from having Zuo Bian by her side.

After finishing her meal, Zuo Bian wiped her mouth with a tissue and took out a bottle of sour plum juice, gulping down half of it. Noticing Qin Ai’s gaze, she held up the bottle and asked, “Do you want some?”

Qin Ai said, “I’m actually a bit thirsty.”

Zuo Bian instinctively handed the sour plum juice to Qin Ai. As Qin Ai tilted her slender neck to drink, Zuo Bian’s eyes followed the graceful lines of her neck to her delicate collarbone.

For some reason, three buttons on Qin Ai’s shirt were undone, and as she raised her arm, Zuo Bian’s gaze was drawn to a flash of white skin.

Zuo Bian suddenly remembered something, but her eyes were still fixed on a certain spot. “Qin Ai, I already drank from this sour plum juice, there’s my saliva on the bottle.”

“Hmm?” Qin Ai put down the bottle and looked at Zuo Bian, her expression momentarily stunned.

“You…”

“Huh?” Zuo Bian looked up in confusion, feeling something warm and sticky drip onto her lips and then onto the table.

Qin Ai chuckled helplessly, taking out some tissues to wipe the blood from Zuo Bian’s face.

The white tissue was stained red with blood, blossoming into tiny flowers. Zuo Bian was also startled by her own blood. She didn’t know why she had a nosebleed and asked innocently what had happened.

Qin Ai buttoned up her shirt and told Zuo Bian to tilt her head back while she went to ask the waitress for an ice pack.

Zuo Bian’s nosebleed soon stopped. She still had a tissue stuffed up her nose, making her voice sound muffled. “I must be getting too much heat from eating too many snacks lately.”

Qin Ai used a wet wipe to clean the blood from Zuo Bian’s fingertips. “Then you should control yourself a little.”

“Mm.” Zuo Bian nodded obediently, but her eyes couldn’t help but glance at Qin Ai, wanting to see her expression.

【Tsk tsk tsk, Host, you’ve actually learned how to lie. That’s impressive. It seems you’re one step closer to becoming a bad woman.】

‘Lie? What lie?’

【Weren’t you stimulated by looking at Qin Ai’s chest and got a nosebleed?】

‘I just suddenly felt a little dizzy, and my nose felt hot, then I got a nosebleed. Was it because of Qin Ai’s chest?’ 555 couldn’t detect any hint of lying or guilt in Zuo Bian’s voice. It seemed that its host was truly innocent to a certain extent.

【It seems you’re an adult now, Host. It’s normal to have urges, don’t be alarmed.】

“Do you feel hot in here?” Qin Ai asked. This time, she didn’t lean closer to Zuo Bian as she spoke.

Zuo Bian looked at Qin Ai. She had just applied ice to her nose and neck, but the coolness had already been swallowed by the gradually rising heat in the room.

No, it wasn’t the air that was getting hot, it was her heart that was beating uncontrollably, her blood rushing through her veins.

“It is a bit hot.” Zuo Bian tugged at her collar, her temples slightly damp with sweat.

Qin Ai took out a pure white handkerchief from her breast pocket and wiped the sweat from Zuo Bian’s forehead, her eyes lowered.

Zuo Bian heard Qin Ai say, “Want to go for a drive?”

“Yes!” Zuo Bian replied without hesitation.

Qin Ai’s lips curved up. She put away the handkerchief and said to Zuo Bian, “Then let’s go.”

Zuo Bian threw the tissue from her nose into the trash can. As she followed Qin Ai, she secretly took out her phone and checked her reflection in the screen, making sure there was no blood left on her face.

【Host, stop checking, you’re still beautiful. Hurry up and catch up with Qin Ai.】

‘Oh, okay.’ Zuo Bian put her phone back in her bag and followed Qin Ai.

They arrived at the parking lot together. Qin Ai opened the car door for Zuo Bian, who got in and obediently fastened her seatbelt.

Qin Ai sat in the driver’s seat, closed the door, fastened her seatbelt, and then pressed a button.

There was a mechanical whirring sound, and Zuo Bian suddenly felt the roof above her head open up, the parking lot lights shining down. The roof retracted perfectly, merging with the rear of the car.

“Let’s go.”

Qin Ai started the car. Without the roof, the wind was even more noticeable as they drove.

They left the parking lot and entered the streets, colorful lights flashing by on both sides of the car. The cool night breeze brushed against Zuo Bian’s face, carrying away the excess heat.

Zuo Bian looked at the scenery outside the window and sighed. “I haven’t really explored the city properly yet. Last time I went shopping with my mother, but it was interrupted because I overheard someone plotting against you in the fitting room.”

Qin Ai’s hand on the steering wheel twitched slightly. “Then I’ll take you shopping next time.”

“When is next time? I only have a three-day break, and I have to go back to filming after that.” Zuo Bian looked away from the bustling streets and gazed at Qin Ai’s profile, her beautiful brows slightly furrowed, looking utterly pitiful.

Qin Ai glanced at Zuo Bian’s expression and chuckled softly, her expression saying, “I can’t say no to you.”

“How about the day after tomorrow?”

“Really?”

“Really.” Qin Ai said with a smile.

Zuo Bian’s frown finally disappeared, and she smiled brightly. “Then it’s settled.”

“Settled.”

The car had already left the city and was now on the highway. There weren’t many cars on this section of the road.

The streetlights on both sides of the road whizzed by, the wind howling in their ears. It felt like their bodies were floating along with the speed of the car.

The feeling of speeding through the wind didn’t scare Zuo Bian, instead, it gave her a sense of familiar exhilaration.

In her previous world, she often loved flying around Master’s Non-Dream Mountain. She was the best flyer among her peers.

She remembered her last flight, when she had flown at the fastest speed of her life to save a helpless child.

Did she regret it? Zuo Bian could confidently answer that she had never done anything in her life that she regretted. Because she always remembered her Master’s words: “Have a clear conscience.”

Zuo Bian collected her thoughts and looked at Qin Ai beside her. She could feel that Qin Ai was relaxed and happy at this moment.

The feeling of riding the wind was intoxicating, as if they could leave everything behind and just enjoy the present.

When the car stopped, Zuo Bian still felt a little lightheaded, but she didn’t dislike the feeling.

“Qin Ai, you seem to enjoy speeding.”

Qin Ai raised her left hand, her slender, white fingers combing through her black hair, revealing her beautiful and aloof face.

“I used to speed a lot. I also ride motorcycles. Do you want to try it?” Qin Ai leaned towards Zuo Bian, one hand on the steering wheel.

Zuo Bian said with curiosity, “Motorcycles? I’ve never been on one before.”

“I’ll take you for a ride next time, you might like it.”

“Okay, there are still many things I haven’t tried. Maybe I’ll even race you one day to see who’s faster.” Zuo Bian said confidently, as if she was certain that she would be the winner.

Qin Ai asked a sharp question, “Do you have a driver’s license?”

Zuo Bian was stunned. This world was different from her previous world. You needed a driver’s license to operate vehicles. If you drove without a license, you could be arrested by the police.

“No…”

Qin Ai chuckled softly. “Then you’re a long way from racing me.”

“I’ll get my driver’s license after I finish filming this drama.” Zuo Bian clenched her fist, filled with determination.

Qin Ai smiled. “Alright, it’s getting late, I should take you home.”

The car started again. They were now in the city, so Qin Ai slowed down.

“Qin Ai, my mom told me to bring her another daughter when I come back.”

“Oh?” Qin Ai raised an eyebrow.

Zuo Bian rested her chin on her hand, her brows furrowed. “Does my mom want to adopt you as her goddaughter?”

Hearing this, Qin Ai suddenly chuckled. “If that’s the case, I’m older than you, shouldn’t you call me ‘jiejie’?”

Zuo Bian blinked, remembering the content of the Green Tea Handbook.

“Jiejie?” Zuo Bian tentatively called out.

The smile in Qin Ai’s eyes deepened, but she wasn’t satisfied with this address yet.

“You called me ‘Ai Jiejie’ in front of Lin Qingqing. Call me that from now on.”

Zuo Bian fidgeted with the fabric of her dress. “Ai Jiejie sounds a bit strange.”

Qin Ai said, “We’re best friends, is it strange to have a more intimate address? If you’re shy, you can just call me that in private.”

Zuo Bian felt that Qin Ai’s words made sense. She nodded slightly and agreed.

“There’s no one else here, I want to hear you call me that.” Qin Ai’s deliberately lowered voice sounded particularly alluring and ambiguous in the night, as if it held a bewitching power.

Zuo Bian hesitated for a moment, then softly called out, “Ai Jiejie.”

“The wind was too loud just now, did you call me? I didn’t hear you clearly.”

Zuo Bian really thought that Qin Ai hadn’t heard her, so she repeated, “Ai Jiejie.”

The smile on Qin Ai’s lips lingered. The rearview mirror was angled towards Zuo Bian, and Qin Ai could see Zuo Bian’s slightly flushed face reflected in it.

T/N:

666 is often used to express the idea that “everything goes smoothly” or “all is well”. It’s a popular phrase used to wish someone good luck or success, especially in informal online communities.

Chapter 27:

“Would you like some more chocolate?”

“Yes.”

Qin Ai hand-fed Zuo Bian another piece of chocolate, which she accepted with a happy “ahh.”

The sweet and smooth chocolate melted in her mouth, the sweetness seeping into her heart.

However, Zuo Bian couldn’t help but wonder, do normal friends kiss? But Qin Ai had said those words earlier, wouldn’t it seem awkward and petty if she asked about it now?

“Qin Ai, can we have dinner together tonight?” Zuo Bian wanted to spend more time with Qin Ai.

Qin Ai glanced at her watch. “I still have some work to do, it might take two to three hours.”

Zuo Bian took out her phone from her bag and smiled brightly. “I can play games while I wait for you.”

“Okay.” Qin Ai got up and walked to her desk, quickly immersing herself in work.

Zuo Bian was quite busy on set, only having two to three hours in the evening to play games. Now that she finally had a three-day break, she couldn’t resist the urge to indulge in gaming.

However, as she played, Zuo Bian couldn’t help but glance up at Qin Ai from time to time. Every time she looked up, Qin Ai was either on the phone or reviewing and signing documents.

Zuo Bian’s mind wandered for a while, thinking about how beautiful Qin Ai looked when she was focused.

As a bystander, 555 could see things much more clearly than Zuo Bian. This Qin Ai was a total wolf in sheep’s clothing! Deceiving innocent girls without even blinking.

And Zuo Bian was completely smitten, her rose-colored glasses thicker than ever.

【Host, Host, your hero is about to die! Look at Qin Ai later!】

555 anxiously watched the game interface on the phone screen, wishing it could play for Zuo Bian, but it was a gaming noob and could only offer useless commentary.

‘Oh, okay.’ Zuo Bian finally snapped back to reality, making a series of impressive moves that amazed her teammates.

After finishing the game, Zuo Bian felt that it was distracting her from watching Qin Ai, so she switched to another game.

This game was called ×× Nikki, the most popular dress-up card mobile game. As a wealthy player with no concept of money, Zuo Bian couldn’t understand the complaints of other players.

A new event had just started, and Zuo Bian bought several 648 yuan packs without hesitation. She even made a comment that would make others envious.

‘It would be great if there were a 1296 yuan pack, or even a 2592 yuan pack. That way, I could just buy one or two and be done.’ (648 yuan is approximately $95-$100 USD)

【Host, please stop talking, your words will make others jealous. Wuwuwu, I’m so envious of you. Every time I complete a mission, I can only save a few thousand points. Rich lady Xiao Bianbian, can I call you Mom?】

‘I’m a human, you’re a system. There’s a reproductive barrier. Logically speaking, I can’t be your mother.’ Zuo Bian analyzed seriously.

【Just kidding. But it seems you’re still a bit behind the times, Host.】

‘Behind the times? Then what should I do?’

【Hmm… let me think. Why don’t you read some novels!】

555 didn’t dare to admit that it wanted to read novels itself. Systems needed to use points to exchange for things like novels, comics, and movies from the mall. 555 didn’t want to spend its points, so it wanted to trick Zuo Bian into reading novels so it could read along.

【This novel, “The CEO’s Runaway Bride,” seems pretty good!】

Zuo Bian wasn’t as easily fooled as before. She questioned, ‘But this book seems to be from 2012. Shouldn’t I read something more recent if I want to keep up with the times?’

【Ahem, you don’t understand. Think about Qin Ai’s identity.】

‘CEO.’ Zuo Bian replied.

【Exactly! So you should read this novel and learn from its essence. The Green Tea Handbook is great, but you should also read other books, discarding the dross and selecting the essence.】

Zuo Bian’s eyes lit up in understanding. ‘555, you’re right, I’ll start reading now.’

【Yes! Go read it!】

555’s preferences could be seen from the chuunibyou game nickname it gave Zuo Bian. That’s right, 555 loved cheesy and over-the-top Mary Sue stories. The cheesier, the better.

Zuo Bian was amazed by the novel. The plot challenged her worldview. There was a recurring scene that gave her a new understanding of “shutting up.”

Every time the female lead said something the CEO didn’t want to hear, she would be forcefully kissed. The female lead initially pretended to be unwilling, but in reality, she was ecstatic.

【Host, this is important, highlight it, there will be a test later.】

‘Okay, I’ve noted it down.’

Time flew by as Zuo Bian and 555 read the novel together. Three hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Qin Ai picked up her jacket and walked towards Zuo Bian. “Let’s go, I’ll take you to dinner.”

“Okay.” Zuo Bian quickly put her phone back into her bag, which was filled with drinks.

Qin Ai looked at Zuo Bian’s bag, and from the way it swayed, she could tell it wasn’t light.

“Do you want me to carry your bag for you?” Qin Ai offered her hand.

Zuo Bian remembered what the Green Tea Handbook said: Let the other person do small things for you, like carrying your bag, buying you drinks, or fixing your computer. This would increase intimacy and show your vulnerability and dependence on them.

“Okay, thank you, Qin Ai.” Zuo Bian took off her bag and handed it to Qin Ai.

The moment Qin Ai took the bag, her wrist sank. Her expression faltered for a moment.

“You carry this heavy bag around all the time?” Qin Ai asked.

Zuo Bian nodded with a smile. “Yes, it’s filled with my favorite drinks. By the way, let me recommend this bag to you. It might look small, but it can hold ten cartons of drinks.”

Assuming each carton of drink was 250 ml and had the same density as water, ten cartons would weigh at least five kilograms.

Zuo Bian was different from ordinary people. Qin Ai had known this from the moment they first met. In Qin Ai’s eyes, all these differences translated into cuteness.

A faint smile appeared in Qin Ai’s eyes. “You love drinks so much, do you want me to buy you a beverage factory so you can have your own personal supply?”

Zuo Bian’s eyes widened in surprise. She asked excitedly, “Really?”

Qin Ai had obviously considered whether to act on her words. She said, “Of course, after all, you’re my best friend.”

When she said the word “friend,” Qin Ai’s tone was particularly light, as if she wasn’t talking about a friend, but a lover.

However, Zuo Bian was completely immersed in the joy of soon owning a beverage factory that would exclusively supply her with drinks. She didn’t notice the intimacy in Qin Ai’s tone.

【Host 666, Qin Ai 666, as expected of a CEO. Money is no object.】

Except that buying a beverage factory didn’t sound as romantic as buying a candy factory, everything was perfect!

Qin Ai carried Zuo Bian’s bag for her, and they walked side by side into the elevator.

Naturally, Qin Ai and Zuo Bian took the CEO’s private elevator, so there was no one else inside. Not many people had seen Zuo Bian coming to see Qin Ai, but the news that a fairy-like girl had visited President Qin and even stayed in her office for several hours spread quickly.

Everyone knew how unapproachable their President Qin was. Even Miss Lin Qingqing, who was rumored to be President Qin’s childhood friend, was only granted a brief meeting before being sent away. Yet, another girl, whose name they didn’t even know, was not only personally received by President Qin, but she also stayed in her office for so long.

According to President Qin’s secretary, President Qin’s expression towards the girl was incredibly gentle.

There must be some unknown secret! This was President Qin, the Cold-Faced Yama, when had she ever been gentle, especially towards a young girl?

Unfortunately, although they were curious, Qin Ai didn’t give them a chance to confirm their suspicions. She took Zuo Bian directly to the underground parking lot without even calling her driver.

Outside of work hours, Qin Ai didn’t like to be disturbed by anyone. Even if she had nothing to do, she preferred to be alone. But things were different now.

“What do you want to eat?” Qin Ai asked.

Zuo Bian thought for a moment and said, “Let’s go to the restaurant where you first took me to dinner. I really like the food there.”

The corner of Qin Ai’s lips curved up. “Okay.”

==================

In Yanyuxuan, the private room at Nancheng Residence, Zuo Bian was ordering food. She ordered half of Qin Ai’s favorite dishes and half of her own.

“Okay, that’s all.” Zuo Bian put down the menu.

The waitress in a cheongsam noted down the order, then bowed and left the room.

Zuo Bian noticed that Qin Ai’s gaze lingered on the waitress’s curvy figure for a few seconds. For some reason, she felt a pang of jealousy.

“Does she have a good figure?”

Qin Ai smiled and nodded. “Mm, not bad.”

Zuo Bian felt even more uncomfortable. She asked again, “Really good?”

“Really—”

Before Qin Ai could finish her sentence, Zuo Bian covered her lips with her own. Zuo Bian didn’t know how to kiss properly, she just pressed her lips against Qin Ai’s.

“I don’t want to hear you talk.”

Qin Ai covered her lower face with her hand, chuckling softly. “Then I won’t talk about it.”

Actually, Qin Ai wasn’t looking at the waitress, but at the cheongsam she was wearing. She was imagining how beautiful Zuo Bian would look in a cheongsam.

Unfortunately, Zuo Bian was a jealous person. Without understanding the situation, she started brewing and drinking her own vinegar (a Chinese idiom for being jealous).

However, Qin Ai wasn’t much better. Her jealousy could be said to be even stronger.

“Will you come see me when I’m back on set?”

Qin Ai playfully replied, “I’m very busy, I probably won’t have time. I have a lot of people to meet, you might have to wait in line.”

“Is Lin Qingqing among those people?”

Zuo Bian picked up a slice of lemon from her drink and popped it into her mouth. The sourness made her teeth ache, and her face scrunched up.

“S…”

Zuo Bian forced Qin Ai to shut up again. Qin Ai licked Zuo Bian’s lips and chuckled. “So sour.”

Zuo Bian sulked and ignored Qin Ai, opening her bag and taking out a carton of Wangzai milk.

Drink this Wangzai, forget about that guy.

So sweet, not sour at all.

Zuo Bian puffed up her cheeks and finished the carton of Wangzai in two gulps.

Qin Ai reached out and wiped the milk from the corner of Zuo Bian’s lips. “But we have a good relationship, so I’ve decided to give you special treatment. Whenever you want to see me, I’ll put you first.”

Hearing Qin Ai’s words, Zuo Bian couldn’t help but smile.

“Here, this is for you.” Zuo Bian gave Qin Ai her beloved Wangzai milk.

T/N:

Jiejie = older, elder sister

Often used by Best girlfriends who consider themselves to be sisters. The younger girlfriend would be called a Meimei.(Source: Urbandictionary)

Chapter 26

“Who are you? I’ve never seen you before. It’s very rude to judge someone you’ve just met. I’m sure Ai Jiejie doesn’t like impolite people.” Zuo Bian initially wanted to say “Qin Ai,” but Lin Qingqing’s attitude made her dislike the way she addressed Qin Ai with such familiarity, as if challenging her.

Although Zuo Bian didn’t understand the intricacies of social dynamics, she decided to imitate Lin Qingqing’s way of addressing Qin Ai and called her “Ai Jiejie.”

Hearing Zuo Bian address Qin Ai with such intimacy, Lin Qingqing almost lost her composure.

“I remember when Sister Qin and I were young, she loved to play with me. She even praised me for being straightforward, unlike others who are always beating around the bush, hiding their true feelings and making people guess.” Lin Qingqing’s eyes and brows were full of pride as she spoke.

Zuo Bian tilted her head in confusion. “But being straightforward with strangers is just considered bad manners, isn’t it?”

The smile on Lin Qingqing’s face turned awkward. Wasn’t this Zuo Bian supposed to be innocent and naive? Why was she so difficult to deal with? She had to argue with everything she said.

At that moment, a staff member broke the awkward silence as they brought in coffee. “Miss Zuo, Miss Lin, President Qin’s meeting will be over in ten minutes.”

“Understood.” Lin Qingqing elegantly brushed her hair back.

A few seconds later, she regained her composure and returned to being the graceful and arrogant socialite. She took a sip of coffee and dabbed her lips with an exquisitely patterned handkerchief.

【She’s so pretentious, I’m getting goosebumps.】

Zuo Bian emptied her cup in one gulp and said to 555 in her mind, ‘But you don’t have goosebumps. This coffee is terrible. I still prefer lemon tea, it’s sour, sweet, refreshing, and I can drink a whole carton in one go.’

Zuo Bian put down her cup and looked up to see Lin Qingqing staring at her in shock.

Lin Qingqing pointed at Zuo Bian with a trembling finger. “Y-You actually…”

Zuo Bian asked, “What’s wrong, Miss Lin? Is the coffee too bitter for you to speak? It’s not very good, you should add more sugar.”

Lin Qingqing snorted coldly. It seemed that she had regained her confidence from Zuo Bian’s actions. “Someone as crude and unrefined as you must be blind to have fallen for her. Sister Qin and I grew up together. We graduated from prestigious schools, and I majored in music. My angelic voice is the perfect match for Sister Qin’s piano.”

“But I’m prettier than you, I have a better figure, my family is rich, and I have a good personality. Isn’t it normal for Ai Jiejie to like me?” Although Zuo Bian was boasting, her gaze was so sincere that everything she said sounded matter-of-fact.

555 commented, 【This is fighting fire with fire. When the opponent is shameless, you just need to be even more shameless to win.】

“Y-You’re so shameless!” This was the first time Lin Qingqing had encountered someone like Zuo Bian who didn’t play by the rules. Her upbringing prevented her from saying anything too vicious, so she could only call Zuo Bian shameless.

“You don’t look good when you’re angry, you should stop being angry.” Zuo Bian calmly took out a bottle of lemon tea from her bag.

Wanglaoji herbal tea was old news, Coke was too inconvenient to carry around, and Wangzai milk was too strong to wash away the bitter taste of coffee in her mouth. At this moment, lemon tea was the best choice.

Zuo Bian opened the straw and inserted it into the bottle, taking a satisfying sip. The bitter taste of coffee in her mouth finally faded.

Lin Qingqing, who had been called ugly, took out a small mirror from her bag and checked her reflection. Seeing that she was still as beautiful as ever, she glared at Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian acted as if she hadn’t noticed Lin Qingqing’s gaze and continued drinking her beverage nonchalantly.

“Someone as uneducated and empty-headed as you can only drink lemon tea.” Lin Qingqing sneered, stirring her coffee with a delicate teaspoon.

In Lin Qingqing’s mind, people from the upper class would never consume the same food as commoners.

Zuo Bian finished the rest of her lemon tea in one gulp, letting out a sour and sweet burp.

At that moment, Zuo Bian’s jade-like ears twitched. She heard Qin Ai’s voice.

“If you knew this version of the proposal wasn’t good, why didn’t you redo it until it was perfect? I hired you to work, not to waste my time.” Qin Ai walked with a powerful aura, her manager and secretary trailing behind her nervously.

Manager Chen wiped the sweat from his sparsely haired forehead. “You’re right, President Qin. I’ll have someone redo the proposal right away.”

Qin Ai raised her hand, her expression impatient. “I hope to see a perfect proposal next time.”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Manager Chen unconsciously pulled out a few strands of hair from his forehead. He wanted to cry right then and there, bidding farewell to his precious hair.

Finally, Qin Ai entered the reception room. Zuo Bian, who was facing the door, couldn’t help but stand up and greet her when she saw her.

Zuo Bian initially wanted to call Qin Ai’s name like usual, but she suddenly remembered that Lin Qingqing was still there, so she changed her words.

“Ai Jiejie, you’re finally here.” Zuo Bian’s voice was filled with joy, her beautiful eyes sparkling.

Hearing Zuo Bian’s address, Qin Ai raised an eyebrow in surprise. Although her expression didn’t change much, her features softened a bit.

“Why didn’t you call me when you arrived?” Qin Ai walked towards Zuo Bian.

Lin Qingqing was still pretending to be reserved. She sat calmly on the sofa without turning to look at Qin Ai, so she didn’t realize that Qin Ai was actually talking to Zuo Bian.

“Because I wanted to surprise you.” Zuo Bian’s voice was sweet and coquettish.

“Because I wanted to surprise you.” This voice was clear and straightforward.

Only when Qin Ai got closer did she notice Lin Qingqing sitting across from Zuo Bian. Lin Qingqing looked at Qin Ai with a sweet smile, as sweet as a cloying milk candy.

“Qingqing, I heard you’re back.” The emotions in Qin Ai’s eyes receded. It was clear that her relationship with Lin Qingqing wasn’t as close as Lin Qingqing had claimed.

Lin Qingqing smiled sweetly. “Mm, I just got back this morning. I came to see you first, Sister Qin.”

“Since you’re back, you should go home early and not worry your parents. Xiao Bian, come with me.” Qin Ai glanced at Zuo Bian, then turned and walked towards the door.

“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Bian picked up her bag and quickly followed Qin Ai.

“Sister Qin, can you have dinner with Qingqing tonight?” Lin Qingqing’s voice was soft, and she knew how to use her beauty to her advantage. She truly looked pitiful.

Unfortunately, Qin Ai didn’t turn around and couldn’t see Lin Qingqing’s expression.

Qin Ai said, “I’m sure your parents would rather have dinner with you. Go home early.”

Lin Qingqing wanted to cling on, but she had grown up with Qin Ai and knew her personality. She knew that the more she acted spoiled, the more she would push Qin Ai away.

She could only stamp her foot in frustration, watching as Zuo Bian and Qin Ai left. She had known Qin Ai longer, it must be that woman named Zuo Bian who had seduced her Sister Qin, otherwise, why would Sister Qin be close to her?

Lin Qingqing didn’t dare to act rashly in front of Qin Ai, but she could target Zuo Bian. She secretly plotted how to make Zuo Bian give up.

===================

Meanwhile, Zuo Bian followed Qin Ai into her office. Qin Ai closed the door behind them.

“Sit down.”

Zuo Bian sat down on the soft sofa and placed the box of chocolates on the coffee table.

“Qin Ai, I brought you some chocolates. I didn’t know which flavor you liked, so I bought three kinds: dark chocolate, white chocolate, and milk chocolate. Which one do you like?”

“Would you like something to drink?” Qin Ai took a bottle of jasmine honey tea from the refrigerator and placed it beside Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian took a sip. “Oh, this is good. I’ve never tried this drink before.”

Qin Ai opened the box of chocolates. Rows of heart-shaped chocolates appeared before her eyes.

Qin Ai unconsciously raised her hand to cover her lips, hiding her amusement. “Why did you suddenly give me chocolates?”

Zuo Bian swallowed the sweet jasmine honey tea and said with a smile, “Because I received a gift from you, but I haven’t given you anything in return. I carefully chose these chocolates, I hope you like them.”

Qin Ai picked up a white heart-shaped chocolate and put it in her mouth. The sweetness of milk and the smoothness of chocolate spread through her mouth.

Actually, Qin Ai didn’t really like sweet and greasy food, but because it was a gift from Zuo Bian, she found it surprisingly enjoyable.

“It’s delicious.” Qin Ai said.

Hearing Qin Ai’s evaluation, Zuo Bian felt relieved. She immediately smiled and said, “I’m glad you like it. Can I have a piece? I haven’t tried them myself.”

Qin Ai leaned closer to Zuo Bian, resting one hand on the sofa beside Zuo Bian’s leg. She picked up a chocolate and brought it to Zuo Bian’s lips. “Here you go.”

Zuo Bian didn’t realize how intimate their position was. She obediently opened her mouth and took the chocolate from Qin Ai’s fingers, her soft lips brushing against Qin Ai’s fair hand.

The slight touch sent a tingling sensation through Qin Ai’s heart.

Zuo Bian smiled. “It’s delicious.”

Unconsciously, their faces drew closer, and the faint scent of tea from Qin Ai’s body filled Zuo Bian’s nostrils.

Zuo Bian’s gaze involuntarily fell on Qin Ai’s alluring lips, her heart beating uncontrollably.

‘555, am I having a heart attack?’ Zuo Bian blinked, and with each blink, Qin Ai’s lips drew closer.

A soft, jelly-like sensation pressed against her lips, and the thumping of her heart was clearly audible.

“Close your eyes.” Qin Ai’s voice seemed to hold magic, making Zuo Bian obey unconsciously.

Qin Ai’s red lips were like honey-coated petals, their sweet and fragrant taste intoxicating. Zuo Bian instinctively sucked on Qin Ai’s lips.

Qin Ai’s soft tongue explored Zuo Bian’s mouth, seemingly wanting to take everything from her. Zuo Bian desperately tried to get some air from Qin Ai’s mouth, but it only felt like she was responding to the kiss.

Time seemed to slow down with the kiss. When it finally ended, Zuo Bian’s eyes were still dazed.

Qin Ai’s fingers brushed against Zuo Bian’s cheek, and she chuckled softly. “Sweet?”

Qin Ai’s lips were indeed sweet, so Zuo Bian nodded.

“We’re good friends, so it’s normal for us to be closer than others, don’t you think?”

Zuo Bian was still a bit breathless, her mind unable to think clearly, so she didn’t hear Qin Ai’s words properly, just nodding vaguely in agreement.

Chapter 25

Zuo Bian had a good dream, though she couldn’t recall any of it upon waking.

Early in the morning, Little Frog resumed its countdown, tirelessly counting from 1 to 99, then starting over, as if it was etched into its very being.

Zuo Bian sat up in bed and checked the time on her phone. It was 7 a.m., neither too early nor too late.

“Good morning,” she mumbled, getting out of bed and sleepily making her way to the bathroom to wash up.

【Host, the progress is now at 24.2%.】

“Ugh… gargle, gargle, spit.” Zuo Bian rinsed her mouth.

“Are there any plot triggers coming up soon?”

【Let me see… It seems that Qin Ai’s childhood friend is returning from abroad next week. Her name is Lin Qingqing, and her threat level is a whopping 61! Her Green Tea level is even higher than Hu Miaofu’s. Host, you need to prepare in advance.】

Zuo Bian washed her face, mumbling, “She actually passed. I’ll take her seriously.”

【But why do I feel like you’re being perfunctory, Host?】

Zuo Bian put down the towel and said blankly, “I’m not. It’s just that I haven’t met her yet, so it doesn’t feel real.”

【Host, you’ve changed. You used to be on high alert even when facing the male lead with a threat level of only 5…】

Zuo Bian wrung out the towel with her bare hands until not a single drop of water remained. As she hung it up, she said to 555, “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I have to go to the set for filming now.”

Before leaving, Zuo Bian patted Little Frog’s head. “Be good, I’ll leave the tablet for you to play with.”

“Ribbit! Don’t disturb me while I’m counting—ribbit, ribbit, ribbit, ribbit! Counting! 82, 83, 84, 85…”

“Alright, 555 and I are leaving. Bye.”

As the door closed, Little Frog’s voice weakened. “But I don’t have hands, ribbit, how can I play, ribbit…”

=================

When Zuo Bian arrived at the set, the director and the crew were already busy. Remembering what Qin Ai had said the night before, Zuo Bian subconsciously started looking for Hu Miaofu.

After looking around and not finding Hu Miaofu or her assistant, Zuo Bian withdrew her gaze. As she was heading to the makeup room, she overheard two people talking around the corner.

They were talking about Hu Miaofu. Zuo Bian instinctively stopped to listen.

“It seems Hu Miaofu offended someone. I heard from the screenwriter that they’re going to write her character off. They don’t even need to film her death scene. They’ll just use some old footage and edit it together.”

“I heard that Hu Miaofu offended President Chang at the Chang family banquet and was blacklisted.”

“I heard about the banquet, but the footage wasn’t released to the public. How did you know?”

“Well, I’ve been in the entertainment industry for many years, I have some connections. It’s absolutely true that Hu Miaofu tried to seduce President Chang and was rejected! I wouldn’t lie to you!”

Zuo Bian was also at the banquet that night. She knew what had happened and that the person Hu Miaofu had truly offended was Qin Ai.

【These people are really well-informed. If I didn’t know the truth, I would have believed them.】

‘But what they’re saying isn’t entirely unreasonable. I can see the desire and ambition in Hu Miaofu’s eyes. She wants to climb to the top, but she doesn’t want to work her way up step by step.’

Zuo Bian had actually seen through Hu Miaofu from the moment they first met, even though Hu Miaofu had tried to hide it.

The reason why Zuo Bian didn’t say anything was simple. Although she had a strong sense of justice, Hu Miaofu hadn’t actually harmed anyone, so Zuo Bian wouldn’t judge her from a moral high ground.

Now, Hu Miaofu mistakenly believed that Qin Ai was the one who pushed her into the water, and by losing her role, she had received her due punishment.

The “Ascending to Immortality” crew was no different without Hu Miaofu, everything was still proceeding as usual.

Zuo Bian chatted with Qin Ai every day during her breaks and often fell asleep to the sound of Qin Ai playing the piano.

A week passed by just like that. They were already halfway through filming, and everyone except Xu Ruisheng was getting into the groove, their performances improving with each passing day.

One of the scenes couldn’t be filmed at their usual location the next day, and the director, considering that everyone had been working continuously for so long, decided to give them a three-day break.

Zuo Bian was very happy to hear about the break. She was already thinking about how to spend her vacation. First, she would go home and bring gifts for everyone. And then she would go see Qin Ai.

Although Qin Ai had said she could visit her at Qin Group or the Qin residence anytime, Zuo Bian hadn’t taken the initiative to go see her because she was busy with filming. She wanted to surprise Qin Ai.

Before going home, Zuo Bian bought a lot of things. Because she was so rich, she had no concept of money anymore. She bought whatever she thought was good, and before she knew it, she had bought half a carload of things. Her bodyguards had all become her porters.

News of Zuo Bian’s return had already reached her parents and Zuo Yuan. As soon as she arrived home, she was warmly welcomed by the three of them.

“Xiao Bian, let Mom see if you’ve lost weight. You’ve actually lost weight. If you’re tired, you don’t have to continue filming. It’s too hard, Mom feels sorry for you.” Du Yundong held Zuo Bian’s hand, looking her up and down. Zuo Bian, who was already perfectly slender, was told she had lost weight.

Zuo’s father also felt sorry for his daughter. He watched the videos sent by Zuo Bian’s assistant every day with his wife to see if their daughter was suffering or injured.

Zuo’s father said, “Xiao Bian, next time you want to act, consider a modern drama. Costume dramas are too dangerous.”

“The entertainment industry is not a good place. Xiao Bian, see if there’s anything else you like to do, Brother will help you.”

Zuo Bian waited for her parents and brother to finish speaking before she said, “I’ll consider it. Although acting is quite interesting, the more I’m exposed to things, the more I realize how little I know. So I want to study after I finish filming this drama. There are many things I want to learn about.”

Du Yundong stroked Zuo Bian’s hair and said lovingly, “We’ll support you no matter what you want to do, Xiao Bian. Just follow your heart.”

“Mm-hmm, thank you, Mom, and thank you, Dad and Brother. I know you’re worried about me, but since I’ve already started filming this drama, I’ll definitely finish it properly.”

Zuo’s father said with loving eyes, “Our Xiao Bian is so sensible.”

“Actually, it’s okay if Xiao Bian isn’t sensible. With us, her family, here, who can bully her?” Zuo Yuan put his arm around Zuo Bian’s shoulder and led her inside. “Knowing that Xiao Bian is coming back today, Brother specifically asked the kitchen to prepare your favorite dishes.”

Du Yundong, who was following behind, said, “You brat, don’t take credit for my work. It was clearly me who instructed the kitchen, when did it become you?”

“Anyway, as long as there are dishes that Xiao Bian loves, it’s all good.” Zuo Yuan laughed.

Seeing her brother and mother “competing for her favor,” Zuo Bian couldn’t help but laugh.

She had imagined what it would be like if her parents and family were all still alive, and now that imagined scene had become reality. She was truly happy and blessed.

After dinner, Zuo Bian took out the gifts she had bought: clothes, bags, necklaces, shoes, rings, bracelets, and a lot of health supplements like honey and bird’s nest.

“I didn’t know what you guys liked, so I bought a bit of everything.” Zuo Bian said a little embarrassedly, suddenly realizing that she had bought a bit too much.

Of course, everyone loved the things Zuo Bian bought, and the phrase “I love anything Xiao Bian buys” was repeated three times in different voices.

Among all the gifts, there were only three boxes of chocolates that Zuo Bian hadn’t given away. Zuo Yuan asked curiously, “Xiao Bian, are these chocolates for you?”

Zuo Bian seemed to remember something and shook her head with a smile. “No, they’re for Qin Ai.”

Hearing this answer, the smile on Zuo Yuan’s face instantly froze, like dumplings thrown into a -30 degree freezer. He shouldn’t have asked! Why did he ask?! He was only hurting himself! He wanted to sing the lyrics: “I should be under the car, not in the car, seeing how sweet you two are…”

“Forget I asked.” Zuo Yuan silently hugged the large gold chain Zuo Bian had given him. Although it was tacky, it was a gift from his sister! He would wear it even if it was ugly!

Du Yundong’s eyes lit up. She felt that there was something going on between her daughter and Qin Ai.

“Xiao Bian, since you’ve prepared a gift for Qin Ai, you should give it to her personally.”

“Mm, I’m planning to go see her later.” Zuo Bian put the three boxes of chocolates into a bag.

The three boxes were dark chocolate, white chocolate, and milk chocolate, because she didn’t know which kind Qin Ai preferred.

Du Yundong prepared a car for Zuo Bian and told her not to come back too early before she left.

Zuo Yuan repeatedly reminded Zuo Bian to be careful and not be tricked into sleeping with Qin Ai.

Zuo Yan, as a firm believer in protecting his daughter, decisively covered his son’s mouth. Zuo Yuan could only make muffled sounds.

Zuo Bian got into the car and waved goodbye to the three of them.

“Xiao Bian, remember to bring Mom another daughter!” Du Yundong’s face was beaming with joy.

The car arrived at the Qin Group building, and Zuo Bian got out of the car, carrying the bag.

【Go for it, Host!】

Zuo Bian walked into the building and told the receptionist that she was looking for Qin Ai. The receptionist didn’t immediately realize that she was referring to President Qin. Few people in Qin Group dared to address Qin Ai by her name directly.

“Does this lady have an appointment?”

“My name is Zuo Bian.”

“So it’s Miss Zuo, please follow me.”

Qin Ai had already informed the receptionist that if Zuo Bian came looking for her, she should be taken directly to her office.

Zuo Bian followed the receptionist into the elevator. The elevator stopped on the 55th floor.

“President Qin is probably still in a meeting. Miss Zuo, please wait here for a while.”

Zuo Bian sat down on a sofa. As soon as she sat down, she felt a sharp and hostile gaze on her. She looked up and met the eyes of a beautiful woman.

The woman sat with her legs crossed, her expression arrogant. She sized Zuo Bian up and down, a sense of crisis rising within her.

“So you’re Zuo Bian? You look alright, but you don’t seem very intelligent. I wonder how you managed to get close to Sister Qin. By acting cute and playing dumb?”

Zuo Bian blinked, not understanding why this woman was saying these things to her.

Soon, Zuo Bian understood the reason. 555 told her, 【Host, this is Lin Qingqing, the third female lead with a threat level of 61!】

Chapter 24

The bushes seemed sparse and not very tall, making it hard to believe that a child could be hiding there.

If it were anyone else, they would have been scared out of their wits hearing that voice. But Zuo Bian, a cultivator who had seen countless strange and wondrous creatures, wasn’t afraid; she was curious.

‘555, you heard that too, right?’

【5555555 I didn’t hear anything, that’s so scary! Why would there be a child’s voice? Could it be a ghost?】

‘555, aren’t you a system that transcends humanity? Are you afraid of ghosts?’

Faced with Zuo Bian’s question, 555 vehemently denied it.

【What? Me, 555, afraid of ghosts? Don’t talk nonsense, Host!】

By then, Zuo Bian had already reached the bushes. She crouched down, her hand about to touch the leaves.

555 wanted to shield its vision out of fear, but it wasn’t something it could control. It could only face whatever was in the bushes along with Zuo Bian.

‘Don’t be afraid, I’ll protect you.’

【I-I’m really not scared~】555’s voice trembled, clearly putting on a brave front.

“42, 43, 44, 45…”

The voice from the bushes continued counting without stopping.

Zuo Bian boldly parted the bushes, revealing the source of the sound.

It was a green, frog-shaped alarm clock! The alarm clock was round like a ball, with a cat-like mouth that was counting.

555 breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the alarm clock. So it was just an alarm clock, it had thought it was something strange.

Zuo Bian picked up the green alarm clock, turning it over and over. It only looked like an alarm clock; it didn’t actually have hour, minute, or second hands. She poked the alarm clock’s white face with her finger, and it was surprisingly bouncy.

When Zuo Bian poked it, the alarm clock’s counting stuttered for a moment, but then it resumed as if nothing had happened. It was as if the slight pause was just Zuo Bian’s imagination.

Zuo Bian listened quietly to the alarm clock’s voice, all the way to 99.

“98, 99, 1, 2, 3, 4…”

“It started counting again, what a strange clock. Is this really a clock, or is it a broken record?” Zuo Bian couldn’t help but squeeze the alarm clock’s face again.

“You’re the broken record, ribbit! 23, 24, 25…”

Zuo Bian looked at the alarm clock in surprise. “Wow, it can talk.”

The little frog puffed up its cheeks and nudged Zuo Bian’s finger. “31, 32, it’s obvious, ribbit! I’m called Little Frog, ribbit! Do you want to be the 100th, ribbit?”

“The 100th?” Zuo Bian asked, confused.

“I eat people, ribbit! I’ve already eaten 99, ribbit, ribbit, ribbit, ribbit, ribbit!” The little frog’s cheeks puffed up as it spoke, its soft, childish voice sounding adorable.

Zuo Bian’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the little frog, just like she looked at the little dumpling plushie Qin Ai had given her.

“You’re so cute! Do you have an owner? If not, I’ll take you home with me.”

“Ribbit! Of course, I have an owner, ribbit! Although she left me here, I know she’ll come back for me, ribbit!”

Zuo Bian looked at the little frog sympathetically, gently stroking its head. “Poor thing, it seems you’ve been abandoned by your owner. I’ll take you home then.”

【Host, are you really going to take it home? Its temper doesn’t seem very good, and it’s very noisy.】

Actually, 555 was afraid that the little frog would threaten its position in Zuo Bian’s heart. The little frog was just too cute, even 555 was almost smitten.

“555, you can’t be prejudiced against it. Little Frog looks very cute.” Zuo Bian tucked the little frog into her arms.

The grumpy little frog miraculously quieted down. It had lived for thousands of years, but it had never been held like this before.

In the afternoon, Zuo Bian had to go back to filming, so she could only temporarily put Little Frog in her bag. When she returned to her hotel room in the evening, she immediately took it out.

Little Frog rolled around on the table, counting as it went. 555, seeing that Little Frog had a physical body, felt envious and wanted one too.

“555, you could hack into my phone before, why don’t you try hacking into the little dumpling?” Zuo Bian held the dumpling plushie Qin Ai had given her.

555 exerted its power, and the little dumpling actually stood up.

“I have a body! Woohoo!” 555 clumsily walked around on the bed, stumbling several times as it wasn’t used to its new body.

Zuo Bian placed Little Frog from the table into the arms of 555, who was now inhabiting the little dumpling’s body. “555, don’t bully Little Frog, I’m going to chat with Qin Ai.”

555 wanted to pat its chest to make a promise, but its small hands were too soft and short, making the gesture look anything but imposing.

“Don’t worry, I, 555, am very mature. I’ll take good care of the little one.”

“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Bian patted 555’s soft, round head as a reward.

Zuo Bian took out her phone and lay on the bed, opening her chat with Qin Ai. She searched through the emojis and sent one with a Caogenyantuanzi popping out of a gift box.

Zuo Bian: Your little cutie wants to see you.

After waiting for two minutes, Zuo Bian didn’t receive a reply from Qin Ai. Her dangling feet fell onto the bed.

Just as Zuo Bian was about to get up and find something to drink, a pop-up appeared on her phone screen. She stared at it for a moment and realized it was a video call invitation from Qin Ai.

Zuo Bian’s feet immediately swung back up, almost kicking 555 and Little Frog, who were “fighting.”

After clicking “Accept,” Qin Ai appeared on the screen. She seemed to be in a study, with a wall full of bookshelves behind her.

“I can see you now.” Zuo Bian couldn’t help but smile upon seeing Qin Ai.

Seeing Zuo Bian’s smile, Qin Ai’s face also softened. “Because you said you wanted to see me.”

“I forgot to ask yesterday, Qin Ai, how did you and Hu Miaofu fall into the water together?”

Qin Ai said, “She mistook me for you.”

“Huh?” Zuo Bian didn’t understand what Qin Ai meant. After thinking for a moment, she asked, “Why? I don’t think I’ve even spoken to Hu Miaofu more than a few times.”

“Hatred can arise so easily. Excellence can also be a reason for envy. But you won’t be seeing her for much longer.” Qin Ai’s expression remained unchanged as she spoke, as if she was just commenting on the weather.

Zuo Bian blinked and asked in a low voice, “Are you going to get rid of her? There’s no need for that.”

Qin Ai suddenly chuckled, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. “I’m not a gangster. I just had her removed from your production crew. She won’t be acting in the drama anymore.”

“Oh, okay, then I’m relieved.”

“It sounds like there’s someone else there with you.” Qin Ai’s brows furrowed.

Zuo Bian subconsciously glanced at Little Frog and 555, who were “wrestling.” “It’s two cute little friends.”

“You’re a big dummy, ribbit! Dummy, dummy, dummy, ribbit!”

“You’re the dummy, little dummy! I’ll spank you and teach you a lesson!”

Little Frog had a childish voice, and after obtaining a body, 555’s voice was also childish. Their bickering wasn’t even on the level of elementary school kids arguing, it was more like kindergarteners quarreling.

Qin Ai on the other end of the phone clearly heard their childish bickering, and a smile appeared on her lips. “So it’s children.”

Zuo Bian didn’t even realize that Qin Ai had been jealous, and Qin Ai’s jealousy had already dissipated.

“Qin Ai, I’ve taken too many days off recently, and I don’t know when the filming will wrap up. I still don’t know when I’ll get to hear you play the piano.” Zuo Bian muttered, her expression slightly disappointed.

Qin Ai said, “You can hear it now.”

“Really?” Zuo Bian’s eyes lit up.

“Mm, wait a moment.”

Zuo Bian watched as the camera moved, the image shifting to a heavy, carved wooden door.

Qin Ai reached out and opened the door. A pitiful-looking ball rolled into the study.

Zuo Bian stared at the phone screen, trying to see clearly. She finally realized that it wasn’t a ball, but Qin Tian.

Qin Tian slowly got up from the floor and clung to Qin Ai’s leg like a small rice cake. “Sister, why didn’t you include me in the call with Zuo Bian? I want to talk to her too.”

“Xiao Tian? Why are you squatting at the door?”

Hearing Zuo Bian’s voice, Qin Tian put on an even more pitiful act. He wiped the drool from his face and said tearfully, “Sister kicked me out. Zuo Bian, tell her off, how could she be so heartless to her cute little brother?”

Qin Ai bent down and “gently” patted Qin Tian’s head. “Xiao Tian is so cute, how could Sister be so heartless to you? Come on, help me hold the phone.”

“Mm-hmm!” Qin Tian instantly stopped crying and smiled. He took the phone from Qin Ai’s hand and followed her into the music room next door.

Although Qin Ai hadn’t entered this room in seven years, it was still cleaned daily, and the piano was as well-maintained as ever.

Qin Ai sat down at the piano, Qin Tian holding the phone towards her. Zuo Bian sat up in bed, specifically to watch Qin Ai play the piano.

Bright light shone down on Qin Ai, her long, thick eyelashes casting shadows on her fair skin, hiding the emotions in her eyes.

But Zuo Bian could still feel that Qin Ai was reminiscing about something.

Qin Ai placed her long, jade-like fingers on the black and white keys. After a long silence, she finally pressed down, producing the first note.

It was a familiar tune, simple and cheerful, completely different from Qin Ai’s cold and aloof image.

It was “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” the song Zuo Bian had sung for Qin Ai before.

This simple nursery rhyme took on a different color under Qin Ai’s fingertips. It was cheerful and bright, each note seeming to strike Zuo Bian’s heart.

“It’s so beautiful.” Zuo Bian’s eyes were filled with longing. She also wanted to be able to play music so effortlessly like Qin Ai.

Zuo Bian listened to Qin Ai play several more pieces. Qin Ai seemed to be lost in the music, and before they knew it, it was late at night.

“You should go to sleep. One last lullaby, sweet dreams.” Qin Ai’s expression softened as she touched the piano, a gentleness that seemed out of place on her face.

Zuo Bian fell asleep to the flowing piano music. 555 and Little Frog had long stopped their bickering. They slept soundly on either side of Zuo Bian’s head.

Qin Tian, who was holding the phone, also dozed off, his head resting on the table. Qin Ai closed the piano lid and carried Qin Tian back to his room.

In the past, even when everything was quiet at night, her heart was not.

Tonight, she could feel that her heart was at peace. Qin Ai smiled and turned off the light.

Chapter 23

“Is it a birthmark? Do you believe that?” Qin Ai asked, looking down at Zuo Bian’s slender, white finger.

Zuo Bian’s eyes widened in surprise. “Can a birthmark be so beautiful?”

Seeing that Zuo Bian was actually about to believe her, Qin Ai chuckled. “I’m just kidding. It’s a tattoo.”

“So what Xiao Tian said was true?” Zuo Bian’s clear eyes stared intently at Qin Ai’s face.

The smile on Qin Ai’s face faded slightly. She held Zuo Bian’s finger, leaned closer, and whispered, “I’ve done everything except perm my hair. I’m not a bad girl, I’m a bad woman. Zuo Bian, do you want to do something bad?”

Zuo Bian didn’t understand what Qin Ai meant by “bad things.” She stared at Qin Ai’s tattoo with excitement and asked, “Does getting a tattoo hurt? I want to get the same one as you.”

Qin Ai suddenly chuckled and leaned back, creating some distance between them. “It hurts a lot. You shouldn’t try it. You can try a temporary tattoo sticker though.”

“Mm-hmm, then I’ll use a tattoo sticker.” Zuo Bian couldn’t help but glance at the tattoo on Qin Ai’s chest again.

“Your breasts are so big.” Zuo Bian blinked, her fingers fidgeting restlessly on her lap.

Qin Ai raised an eyebrow, not shying away from Zuo Bian’s gaze. “Do you like them?”

Zuo Bian nodded. “Can I touch them?”

The Green Tea Handbook stated that when the relationship reaches a certain level of intimacy, one can appropriately compliment a specific part of the other person’s body, preferably the breasts, and then request to touch them. This would further increase intimacy and create a positive feedback loop.

“Do you know what you’re saying?” Qin Ai narrowed her eyes slightly.

Zuo Bian looked at her with confusion. “Is it not allowed?”

“It’s not that it’s not allowed, but we should reciprocate. If I let you touch them, what do I get in return?”

Zuo Bian said frankly, “I’ll praise you! I’ve specifically learned how to praise people!”

Seeing Zuo Bian’s excessively innocent expression, Qin Ai decided not to tease her anymore.

“Go ahead and touch them. I’ll wait for your praise.”

Zuo Bian, true to her word, reached out and gently rubbed Qin Ai’s breasts through her bathrobe.

The soft and bouncy feeling made Zuo Bian’s eyes widen in surprise. It felt like soft tofu, but much more elastic.

“It feels so amazing, your breasts are wonderful!” Zuo Bian gave a thumbs-up.

“Well, thank you for the compliment.”

Zuo Bian scooted closer to Qin Ai, their bodies almost touching. “Umm…”

Qin Ai turned her head, their faces inches apart. The air seemed to heat up.

“Mm?”

“It’s still early, do you want to do something else?”

Qin Ai said, “Okay.”

================

The more Zuo Yuan thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. How could he really not follow them? His sister was so innocent, she would definitely be taken advantage of by that cunning old fox Qin Ai.

In Zuo Yuan’s mind, the 26-year-old Qin Ai was forcefully aged and her image was extremely negative.

Zuo Yuan was like an ant on a hot pan, unable to sit still.

He called Zuo Bian several times, but all he heard was the emotionless voice of the automated message: “The number you have dialed is currently unavailable, please try again later.”

Unable to reach Zuo Bian, Zuo Yuan thought of her bodyguards. Through them, he learned of Qin Ai and Zuo Bian’s whereabouts.

Zuo Yuan immediately rushed to the hotel where they were staying.

“Mr. Zuo, we can’t let you go up without the guest’s permission.”

The staff stopped Zuo Yuan. They should be grateful that his temper had improved over the years, otherwise, he would have already exploded.

Late at night, two young women checking into a hotel, one of them soaking wet. Zuo Yuan was certain that the person who brought Zuo Bian to the hotel was Qin Ai. It must be Qin Ai, coveting his sister’s beauty, who had brought her to the hotel!

“Get out of my way.” Zuo Yuan looked at the person blocking his path with cold eyes.

However, this hotel was a Qin Group property, and the staff were loyal to Qin Ai. They dutifully blocked Qin Ai’s future brother-in-law.

Zuo Yuan snorted coldly and gave his bodyguards behind him a look. The bodyguards immediately stepped forward to hold back the hotel staff.

Zuo Yuan straightened his clothes and strode towards the elevator.

As the elevator reached the top floor, Zuo Yuan had already imagined a dozen possible scenarios in his mind.

Had his innocent sister been coaxed by Qin Ai into promising to marry her, or had she been tricked into sleeping with her?

Thinking about Qin Ai’s looks, Zuo Yuan couldn’t deny that she was attractive. His sister and his mother were both fans of beauty. Could it be that things had really progressed to that point?

Zuo Yuan’s eyelids twitched. As soon as the elevator doors opened, he barged into the room.

“Qin Ai, Qin Ai, hurry up, hurry up!” It was Zuo Bian’s voice.

“Don’t rush.”

Zuo Yuan felt a surge of anger rushing to his head. The door wasn’t even closed properly, but he still kicked it open forcefully.

The door slammed against the wall with a loud bang.

“Qin Ai, you beast!” Zuo Yuan roared, so angry that two buttons popped off his shirt.

The exquisite black and gold buttons rolled to the edge of the bed. The camera panned up, revealing Zuo Bian and Qin Ai sitting on the bed, each holding a phone.

“Brother, why are you here?” Zuo Bian had been startled by Zuo Yuan’s sudden appearance, and the character she was controlling was just killed by the opponent.

Zuo Yuan was also stunned. This wasn’t what he had imagined. Although his sister and Qin Ai were indeed on the bed, they were just sitting there playing games together.

Could it be that Qin Ai wasn’t as bad as he thought? No, this must be a slow and subtle approach. Qin Ai wanted to lower his and Xiao Bian’s guard.

Zuo Yuan composed himself, clearing his throat with a fist to his lips. “Ahem, I was worried about you, so I came to check on you.”

“Oh, okay, then Brother, you sit and wait for a bit. Let me finish this game. If I don’t play seriously, my teammates will report me.”

Zuo Yuan smiled. “Okay, then Xiao Bian, you play first. I’ll wait for you.”

Qin Ai glanced at Zuo Yuan, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

Zuo Yuan narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself that he still couldn’t let his guard down around this Qin Ai. Someone who could make him suffer in the business world couldn’t be a good person.

Soon, the game ended. Zuo Bian happily shook Qin Ai’s arm. “Qin Ai, look, we won three games in a row!”

Qin Ai’s body swayed slightly from being shaken, but her eyes were filled with a smile. “Mm, three wins in a row.”

“Let’s play another round, I want to try for a ten-win streak!” Zuo Bian was so excited about their victory that she forgot about her brother, Zuo Yuan, who was waiting for her to finish the game.

“Xiao Bian…” Zuo Yuan tried to get Zuo Bian’s attention, but his voice was too soft, and the game sounds were too loud. Zuo Bian didn’t hear him.

Zuo Yuan, ignored by his sister, fidgeted restlessly. He raised his voice slightly and called out to Xiao Bian again. Only then did Zuo Bian remember that Zuo Yuan had come.

“What’s wrong, Brother?”

“When will you finish playing, Xiao Bian?”

Zuo Bian glanced at the game interface. They had already been matched with other players, and three of her teammates had already chosen their heroes. She said apologetically, “I’m sorry, I forgot. We’ve already started a new game.”

Zuo Yuan forced a smile. “It’s okay, as long as Xiao Bian is happy.”

“Mm-hmm!” Then Zuo Bian continued to play games passionately with Qin Ai.

Zuo Yuan looked pitifully at Zuo Bian and Qin Ai sitting side by side, chatting and playing games harmoniously. He wanted to speak several times, but seeing Zuo Bian’s happy expression, he couldn’t bear to interrupt, so he remained silent.

Another game ended, and Zuo Bian suddenly heard her stomach growl. “Ugh… I’m hungry.”

“Then let’s have some late-night snacks. What do you want to eat? I’ll have someone buy it.” Qin Ai said.

Zuo Yuan perked up, then regretted not speaking up sooner. Why was he always one step behind Qin Ai?

Zuo Bian thought for a moment and said, “I want a pineapple teriyaki chicken burger! It looks delicious in the commercials. Oh, and remember to get a Coke, a burger without Coke has no soul. Qin Ai, are you hungry? If you are, get something to eat too. You know what they say, ‘Food is iron, rice is steel, you’ll get hungry if you don’t eat a meal. It’s not good for your health to skip meals.’”

Qin Ai nodded. “Mm, I’m also hungry. I’ll ask my assistant to buy some food. It shouldn’t take too long.”

“Xiao Bian, look at your brother, I’m hungry too.” Zuo Yuan tried once again to get Zuo Bian’s attention.

“I almost forgot about you, Brother. Qin Ai, buy more, get a portion for my brother too.”

Qin Ai called her assistant. Like Qin Ai, her assistant was very efficient. In just twenty minutes, they arrived with a pile of food and two sets of clothes.

There was porridge, rice, fried chicken, burgers, and a variety of drinks to choose from. The three of them sat around the coffee table in the living room.

“Can we finish all this food?” Zuo Bian opened a bag and took out the pineapple teriyaki chicken burger she had been craving.

“I believe Mr. Zuo can finish it. After all, he looks very hungry.” Qin Ai said with a smile.

Zuo Bian took a bite of the burger. The sweet and sour pineapple, the tender chicken, and the soft bun all blended together perfectly in her mouth. Zuo Bian’s eyes curved up in happiness.

After swallowing, Zuo Bian looked at Zuo Yuan curiously and asked, “Brother, are you really that hungry?”

Zuo Yuan nodded, forcing himself to agree. “Mm, very hungry.”

“Then Brother, don’t waste food, it’s shameful to waste food.” Zuo Bian took another bite of her burger.

Zuo Yuan diligently opened a can of Wanglaoji herbal tea for her. “Xiao Bian, have some drink, be careful not to choke.”

Zuo Bian pushed the Wanglaoji aside and shook her head. “I prefer Coke recently.”

Qin Ai handed Zuo Bian a Coke. Zuo Bian happily thanked her and took a big gulp of the ice-cold drink.

Zuo Yuan looked as if his soul had left his body. He slowly retracted his hand, then slowly picked up his chopsticks, not even realizing that he was holding them the wrong way.

Qin Ai leisurely ate her porridge, listening to Zuo Bian talk.

“Qin Ai, I now understand why you don’t like banquets. It’s because you’ll go hungry. Although there are many beautifully presented dishes on the table, no one eats them. I suspect those dishes are just models.”

Qin Ai chuckled. “They’re not models, they’re real food.”

Zuo Bian blinked in confusion. “Then why doesn’t anyone eat them? I should have tried a bite.”

“No one eats them because it might smudge their lipstick, and their figures might not look as perfect in their dresses. For example, they might get a little belly.”

When Qin Ai mentioned “little belly,” Zuo Bian subconsciously glanced at her own stomach. Fortunately, she hadn’t eaten much, and her stomach was still flat.

“So it seems attending banquets is very troublesome. I don’t want to attend them anymore.” Zuo Bian took a big gulp of Coke, her soft cheeks puffing out.

Qin Ai rested her chin on her hand and smiled. “Then don’t attend them.”

Zuo Bian and Qin Ai chatted nonchalantly, completely ignoring Zuo Yuan, who had become invisible.

“Xiao Bian, are you full? Do you want to go home with Brother?” Zuo Yuan seized the opportunity to speak when there was a pause in their conversation.

Just as Zuo Bian was about to say yes, Qin Ai spoke first. “It’s already 11:20 p.m., it’s very late. It’s not safe for a girl to go home so late.”

Zuo Yuan snorted at Qin Ai. “What’s there to be afraid of? With me, her brother, here, what could possibly happen?”

Zuo Bian, as if struck by inspiration, immediately “fearfully” grabbed Qin Ai’s arm. “Mm-hmm, I’ll be scared to go back so late. I’ll just stay here.”

It was true that Zuo Bian had a natural talent for acting, but only when she was in front of the camera and had studied the script. Now, without the camera or the script, only the vague Green Tea Handbook, her acting skills were practically nonexistent.

However, even with such clumsy and laughable acting, Qin Ai “believed” her.

Qin Ai took the opportunity to pull Zuo Bian into her arms, gently patting her back. “Then stay here, I’ll be with you.”

Zuo Yuan was so angry that his nose almost went crooked. “This is unacceptable! I’m not comfortable with you two staying alone in a room. I’m staying here tonight too.”

“The sofa here is quite spacious, Mr. Zuo. If you don’t mind, you can make do for one night.” Qin Ai gave Zuo Yuan a perfunctory smile.

If Zuo Bian wasn’t there, Zuo Yuan would have definitely given Qin Ai a cold shoulder. But with Zuo Bian present, in order to maintain his image as a gentle and caring brother, he could only play along.

“Okay.” Zuo Yuan’s words practically came out through gritted teeth.

Qin Ai’s smile didn’t falter as she pointed at the food on the table. “Mr. Zuo, please don’t waste this food.”

Zuo Bian noticed that there was still a lot of food left on the table. “Brother, can you still eat?”

Zuo Yuan was already full, full of anger and full of food, but in order not to upset his sister, he forced a smile. “Of course I can still eat, Brother won’t waste food.”

“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Bian nodded.

Zuo Yuan had always wanted to make things difficult for his future brother-in-law, but unfortunately, it was always him who ended up suffering. It was quite tragic.

“It’s getting late, go take a shower. I had my assistant buy you a set of clothes according to your size.” Qin Ai said.

Zuo Bian had initially thought that the assistant had only brought Qin Ai’s clothes, but she didn’t expect Qin Ai to buy clothes for her as well. Her dress was indeed uncomfortable, and she had wanted to change out of it for a while now.

“Thank you so much, Qin Ai. I’ll go take a shower now.”

“Mm, go ahead.” Qin Ai’s face still held a faint smile.

As soon as Zuo Bian went to the bathroom with her clothes, the smile on Qin Ai’s face vanished.

“Qin Ai, I’m warning you, if you dare to do anything to my sister, I’ll never let you off. Don’t think I can’t see what you’re up to.” Unable to defeat Qin Ai in front of Zuo Bian, Zuo Yuan could only resort to empty threats.

Qin Ai didn’t turn around. She lowered her head and gently rubbed her index finger, her thin red lips curling up. “Mr. Zuo, we might become family in the future. I hope you can be nicer to me, at least in front of Zuo Bian. Do you want to see her torn between us?”

These words, instead of making Zuo Yuan’s attitude towards Qin Ai better, only made him dislike her even more.

This shameless woman, how long had she known his sister? She already wanted to marry her? Dream on!

But Zuo Yuan had to admit that if Zuo Bian really liked Qin Ai, he would have to pretend to have a good relationship with her in front of his sister.

“Xiao Bian is naive and hasn’t met many people. When she meets more people in the future, she’ll realize that you’re nothing special.”

Qin Ai turned around and raised an eyebrow, a smile on her face. “Oh? Really?”

Zuo Yuan could see the determination in Qin Ai’s eyes. He had to admit that there weren’t many people in this world who were better than Qin Ai.

================

Zuo Bian entered the bathroom to take a shower. In the past, she never needed to bathe. A simple cleansing spell would do the trick. But the spiritual energy in this world was not only thin but also mixed with impurities. Zuo Bian could only live as an ordinary person with great strength and invulnerability. She couldn’t use most of her immortal techniques.

Zuo Bian chatted with 555 while showering. She asked, ‘555, do you think my acting has improved? Qin Ai believed that I was fragile and even worried about my safety going home at night.’

555 was currently in censorship mode. There was no helping it, as the mission progress had to be broadcast to Jinjiang for the observers to see.

【It might be because you’ve started learning how to act, Host. The mission is progressing smoothly, the progress bar has already reached 22.6%.】

555 really wanted to point out that it wasn’t that her acting had improved, nor was it that Qin Ai was easy to fool. It was just that Qin Ai wanted to use this as an excuse to keep her overnight!

But there was no need to tell this to Zuo Bian. As long as the mission was progressing smoothly, it was fine.

After showering, Zuo Bian changed into the new clothes and found that they fit perfectly.

At that moment, 555 finally exited censorship mode and could see again.

Zuo Bian came out of the bathroom and instinctively looked for Qin Ai, but she didn’t see her in the living room.

“Brother, where did Qin Ai go?” Zuo Bian asked Zuo Yuan, who was sitting on the sofa.

Zuo Yuan’s long legs were awkwardly positioned, and he was clutching a thin blanket, trying to cover himself.

“I don’t know, she seems to be taking a call.”

“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Bian turned to leave after asking.

Zuo Yuan reached out and stopped her. “Xiao Bian, aren’t you going to stay and chat with your brother?”

Zuo Bian stopped and said, “But it’s very late now, I’m going to find Qin Ai and sleep.”

“Then go to bed early, Xiao Bian.” Zuo Yuan silently retracted his hand.

Although he disliked Qin Ai, if Zuo Bian liked her, forcing her to stay away would only make her sad. He still wanted his sister to be happy.

“Mm-hmm, good night, Brother.” Zuo Bian smiled at Zuo Yuan.

Seeing his sister’s innocent smile, Zuo Yuan’s heart warmed. It was enough for Xiao Bian to always be this happy.

Zuo Bian left Zuo Yuan and went to find Qin Ai. She found her in the study next door, standing in the darkness, facing the window that reflected the city lights.

“Qin Ai.” Zuo Bian called out to her and walked into the room.

She didn’t turn on the light because she felt that Qin Ai didn’t want the light on at the moment. Qin Ai’s mood seemed a bit off, Zuo Bian could sense it.

“Are you in a bad mood?” Zuo Bian stopped three steps behind Qin Ai.

Qin Ai turned around. The light from the opposite building was very faint, only illuminating half of her face.

“I was just dealing with some things, it’s fine now.”

Zuo Bian took two steps forward and held Qin Ai’s hand. “Then let’s go to sleep.”

Qin Ai followed Zuo Bian’s lead and took a few steps forward. She asked, “Aren’t you going to ask me what it was about?”

Zuo Bian stopped and said with confusion, “But you look like you don’t want to talk about it right now.”

After a moment of silence, Qin Ai said, “I hope that when I want to talk about it, you’ll still be willing to listen.”

Zuo Bian smiled. “Of course I’ll be willing to listen, we’re friends.”

Qin Ai squeezed Zuo Bian’s hand.

“Mm.”

================

Zuo Bian and Qin Ai lay on the same bed. The bed was large enough to comfortably fit two women.

According to the plot, this should be a very intimate moment. However, when Zuo Bian said she was going to sleep, she meant it. She closed her eyes, said good night to Qin Ai, and fell asleep instantly.

Qin Ai didn’t even have time to reply before Zuo Bian was already asleep. She looked at Zuo Bian’s peaceful sleeping face and couldn’t help but smile. “You trust me so much.”

555 called out to Zuo Bian in her mind, trying to wake her up. They had finally managed to sleep on the same bed with Qin Ai, how could its host fall asleep so quickly?

Sometimes, sleeping didn’t just mean sleeping!

However, no matter how hard 555 tried, Zuo Bian slept soundly.

Qin Ai turned off the bedside lamp, and the room was instantly plunged into darkness.

Qin Ai usually had trouble falling asleep. There were too many things on her mind, so much so that she couldn’t let go of her thoughts and relax enough to sleep well.

But beside Zuo Bian, Qin Ai gradually felt sleepy. Zuo Bian had a magical power.

She was too innocent, too pure, like a blank sheet of paper yet to be colored.

Qin Ai liked clean things, and she liked the pure Zuo Bian. She hoped Zuo Bian could stay this way forever, and she also wanted to color Zuo Bian with her own hues.

The scent of Zuo Bian’s youthful fragrance lingered in the air, slightly sweet. The faint scent drifted into Qin Ai’s nostrils, soothing the restless heart beneath her calm exterior.

Good night, sweet dreams.

A ray of morning sunlight fell on Zuo Bian’s eyelids, her eyelashes fluttered, but she didn’t open her eyes immediately.

The moment her consciousness began to awaken, Zuo Bian heard 555’s rambling.

【Host, Host, when are you going to wake up? Qin Ai is about to leave if you don’t wake up soon.】

【Host, wake up quickly! I’ve been calling you all night, and you haven’t reacted at all.】

【Host, Zuo Bian, Xiao Bian? Wake up, I think I’m turning into a broken record.】

Zuo Bian didn’t actually want to stay in bed, she just wanted to doze for a bit, but 555’s incessant voice made her open her eyes.

‘555, what time is it?’ Zuo Bian sat up in bed, her hair messy around her temples.

【It’s almost eight o’clock. Host, why did you fall asleep so quickly last night? That was a great opportunity! You might have even reached third base last night!】

‘Third base?’ Zuo Bian didn’t understand what that meant.

555 wanted to explain, but under Jinjiang’s strict rules, it couldn’t use explicit language to make Zuo Bian understand.

【Anyway, just know that third base means being a couple. You might not get another chance to sleep in the same bed with Qin Ai for a long time. Next time, Host, you have to seize the opportunity.】

Zuo Bian got out of bed and replied to 555 in her mind, ‘Mm-hmm, I won’t fall asleep so quickly next time. Should I confess to her now? Maybe we can become a couple, and then I can reach third base with Qin Ai.’

【No! Don’t! Not yet, it’s not the right time. You have to wait for Qin Ai to confess.】

‘Why?’

【Host, remember what the Green Tea Handbook says?】

Zuo Bian rummaged through her bag and found the green booklet. She flipped to the page 555 mentioned.

【Remember, confessing is a big no-no. Occasional hints and flirtation are the best strategy. This way, you can make the other person’s heart flutter and fill their mind with you.】

‘Although it feels a bit strange, the Green Tea Handbook has always been useful. I’ll just do as it says.’ Zuo Bian closed the Green Tea Handbook and put it back in her bag.

For a straightforward person like Zuo Bian, confessing directly when she liked someone was the most natural thing to do.

【Host, Qin Ai is outside. Hurry up and wash your face before she leaves.】

‘Mm-hmm.’

After washing up, Zuo Bian went to the living room and saw Qin Ai working on the sofa, her serious-looking assistant standing beside her.

Zuo Yuan, looking haggard and sleep-deprived, greeted Zuo Bian, making his presence known. He hadn’t slept well all night. Although the sofa was spacious, it wasn’t suitable for sleeping. He didn’t dare to move his arms or legs, afraid of rolling onto the floor.

They were both sitting on the sofa, why did his sister notice Qin Ai first? Zuo Yuan felt a surge of jealousy.

“Good morning, Brother, good morning, Qin Ai.”

“Good morning.” Qin Ai nodded. She gave her assistant a few brief instructions, then stood up and said to Zuo Bian, “I’ll take you downstairs for breakfast and then send you back to the set.”

Zuo Bian nodded and thanked Qin Ai.

Zuo Yuan tapped his fingers on the table, his tone displeased. “President Qin, you’re a busy person, why waste your time? Just leave Xiao Bian to me, her brother. You should attend to your own matters.”

Qin Ai smiled calmly. “Although I’m busy, I still have time to send Zuo Bian back to the set. Since Mr. Zuo is so eager to get involved, I don’t mind you coming along.”

“You!” Zuo Yuan was so angry that he almost spat out blood at Qin Ai’s shameless words.

What did she mean by “Since Mr. Zuo is so eager to get involved”? It was as if he was an outsider. It was you, Qin Ai, who was the outsider!

Even Zuo Bian, as slow as she was, could sense the tension between her brother and Qin Ai. The atmosphere between them was off.

‘555, I thought of an idiom.’

【What idiom?】

‘Fighting over a lover’s affections. But why is my brother fighting with Qin Ai over my affections? Qin Ai is so good.’

555 resisted the urge to retort. It said to Zuo Bian, 【Host, you used the idiom perfectly. You’re your brother’s most beloved sister, he probably feels like a father right now. When a father sees his precious daughter being taken away by someone else, he’ll naturally feel sad and lost, and might even become hostile towards that person.】

‘I don’t quite understand.’

In her previous life, Zuo Bian was an orphan. She was rescued by her master at a young age and entered the path of cultivation, surrounded by other cultivators.

Most cultivators’ parents were mortals who had passed away long ago and couldn’t interfere in their children’s marriages. So Zuo Bian didn’t fully understand what 555 was saying. In fact, she didn’t understand most worldly matters. Her master had sheltered her too much.

Zuo Bian was like a pure and untainted jade, clear and flawless.

【Then let me explain it this way. Imagine you’ve painstakingly grown a flower, and you’re very happy with it. Then someone says your flower is so beautiful, why don’t you plant it in my garden, and then they take your flower away. How would you feel? That’s how your brother feels right now.】

This time, Zuo Bian understood a little. She said, ‘But I, the flower, am willingly going with Qin Ai. It’s not Qin Ai’s fault.’

555 really wanted to tell Zuo Bian: Wake up! Qin Ai is only nice to you, she’s actually a demon king, she’s very bad! Host, your rose-colored glasses are too thick!

Of course, 555 could only keep these thoughts to itself because its mission was to get Zuo Bian and Qin Ai together.

“Let’s go, it’ll be late if we don’t leave now.” Qin Ai took Zuo Bian’s hand.

Zuo Bian obediently let herself be led away, but before leaving, she finally remembered her brother.

She had to give her brother more love and attention, so he wouldn’t be so jealous of Qin Ai.

“Brother, let’s go.”

Hearing his sister call him “Brother,” Zuo Yuan couldn’t be angry anymore. He shamelessly followed behind Zuo Bian and Qin Ai, determined to be the brightest light bulb.

After breakfast, Zuo Bian was escorted to the set by her two guardians. The identities of these two guardians would definitely shock many people.

Her left guardian was Qin Ai, the CEO of Qin Group, known as the Cold-Faced Yama. Her right guardian was Zuo Yuan, the CEO of Zuo Group, known as the Smiling Yama.

Zuo Bian arrived at the set safely. She wasn’t late, and the props team was still setting up the scene.

Everyone on the set greeted Zuo Bian with smiles when they saw her return. Zuo Bian responded to each greeting and took out her script to review the plot.

Of the two people who had taken leave with her yesterday, Chang Wensi and Hu Miaofu, only Chang Wensi had returned. As usual, she was putting on airs, sitting with her legs crossed while her assistant read the script to her.

Zuo Bian was about to film a scene with the third female lead, but Hu Miaofu was nowhere to be seen. They couldn’t film the scene with only Zuo Bian.

Director Chen impatiently flipped through the script, almost tearing it apart. “What’s going on with Hu Miaofu? I can’t reach her on the phone. She said she was only taking one day off, why hasn’t she returned yet?”

The screenwriter was also helpless. They already had Xu Ruisheng, who frequently asked for leave, and now the third female lead was suddenly missing. It was a headache.

“Director Chen, let’s just delete the third female lead’s part in this scene. It won’t affect the following plot.”

Director Chen sighed. “That’s the only option. Xiao Zuo, come here, let’s go over the scene.”

Zuo Bian ran over with her script, listening attentively to the director and screenwriter’s instructions. A senior actor on set also gave her some pointers.

Without Hu Miaofu’s hindrance, and with the help of so many people, Zuo Bian only needed three takes to complete the scene.

As soon as Director Chen shouted “Cut!”, Zuo Bian’s assistant immediately rushed over to help her unhook the wires.

At that moment, the missing Hu Miaofu finally arrived, apologizing profusely. She seemed to have not slept well last night, and even heavy makeup couldn’t conceal the dark circles under her eyes.

Hu Miaofu had originally intended to push Zuo Bian, but her nearsightedness caused her to accidentally push the wrong person, offending President Qin, the Cold-Faced Yama. Did she still have a future?

Actually, Hu Miaofu usually got along well with everyone on the set. She was sweet-talking and down-to-earth, just a bit soft-spoken. But today, it was clearly her fault, and now she was putting on a pitiful act, as if someone had bullied her. It made people feel a bit uncomfortable.

A beautiful woman’s tears always evoked sympathy. If it had been the Zhong Xin from before, he would have spoken up for Hu Miaofu. But after the last incident, Zhong Xin’s life had hit rock bottom. He couldn’t even take care of himself, let alone help Hu Miaofu.

Seeing that her tears seemed to have no effect, Hu Miaofu gradually stopped crying.

Director Chen told Hu Miaofu to go and rest and review the script. Hu Miaofu asked about her scenes for today.

“Because we’re rushing to film, your scenes have been temporarily deleted.”

Hu Miaofu stared at Director Chen blankly, tears silently rolling down her cheeks, looking like an innocent and fragile little white flower.

“Next time, before you ask for leave, it’s best to confirm if you have any scenes the next day.” After saying that, Director Chen went to organize the next scene.

Hu Miaofu stood alone, her heart overwhelmed by negative emotions.

Zuo Bian didn’t sympathize with Hu Miaofu. She had drunk too much lemon tea and just wanted to go to the restroom.

After finishing her business, Zuo Bian walked out of the restroom with light steps. Suddenly, she heard a childish voice coming from the bushes.

“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6…”

Chapter 22

At that moment, Chang Wenyan also rescued Hu Miaofu from the water. He brought her to the shore and let go, but Hu Miaofu clung to him like a giant octopus, refusing to let go.

How could Hu Miaofu let go of such a golden opportunity? Chang Wenyan was the current CEO of Chang Group, and his grandfather was a board member.

No matter how hard Chang Wenyan tried, Hu Miaofu stuck to him like glue.

“Qin Ai, are you alright? Our Chang family will definitely take responsibility for you falling into the water, don’t worry.” Qin Ai’s eyes were fixed on Zuo Bian, completely ignoring Chang Wenyan’s words.

Seeing that Hu Miaofu, who had fallen into the water with her, was safe, Zuo Bian focused her attention on Qin Ai.

“Qin Ai, you’ll catch a cold if you keep wearing wet clothes. You need to change. I’ll take you to change.” Zuo Bian took Qin Ai’s hand and led her away.

“Qin Ai!” Chang Wenyan was still ignored.

Hu Miaofu leaned weakly against Chang Wenyan’s chest like a delicate flower, sobbing about how scared she was.

Chang Wenyan, entangled by Hu Miaofu, could only watch helplessly as Qin Ai and Zuo Bian left.

Zuo Yuan crossed his arms and glanced at Chang Wenyan, then followed Zuo Bian and Qin Ai.

“Xiao Bian, have you forgotten your brother? I’ll come with you too.” Zuo Yuan, a grown man, put on a pitiful act.

Unfortunately, Zuo Bian always managed to surprise him. “But Brother, you’re a man. Qin Ai and I are both women, it wouldn’t be convenient for you to come with us while we change clothes.”

Zuo Yuan blinked pitifully, trying to make Zuo Bian soften. “Is Xiao Bian going to abandon her brother?”

Zuo Bian nodded seriously. “Mm, don’t follow us.”

【Host, you’re a natural. I haven’t even reminded you, and you’ve already gotten rid of Zuo Yuan, the third wheel. It seems I’m not needed anymore, I can retire peacefully.】Although it should be relieved, 555 felt a strange sadness in its nonexistent heart.

What to do when the host is too competent? Just be a salted fish and wait for the host to successfully conquer the female lead.

‘555, how can you be useless? You’re my important partner.’ 555 felt warmth in its nonexistent heart.

“Where are you taking me?”

Qin Ai’s voice interrupted Zuo Bian’s conversation with 555. She thought for a moment and said, “It’s too far from both your house and my house. Let’s go to a nearby hotel.”

“Hotel?” The word rolled off Qin Ai’s tongue, carrying a different kind of implication.

“Okay, let’s go to a hotel.” Qin Ai replied with a chuckle.

555 silently looked at the progress bar, which had reached 20.3%, and remained silent. It had initially thought that this mission with Zuo Bian would take a lot of time, but now it seemed that her straightforward and honest nature was the perfect key to unlock Qin Ai’s heart.

Qin Ai called her driver, who took them to the biggest hotel nearby.

A person of Qin Ai’s status naturally wouldn’t settle for anything less than the presidential suite on the top floor.

“I’ll take a shower first.” Qin Ai took off her jacket and entered the bathroom.

Late at night, in the presidential suite of a hotel, two women alone, one of them saying “I’ll take a shower first.”

These pieces of information together inevitably led to suggestive thoughts.

However, the person sitting on the bed, waiting for Qin Ai to finish her shower, had a look of pure innocence on her face.

‘555, I’m thinking about something.’

【I might not be able to answer you right now because I’m a little excited.】Although 555 knew it wouldn’t see anything it shouldn’t, the systems’ missions in various worlds were broadcast in real-time to a place called Jinjiang(jjwxc).

And Jinjiang had very strict censorship. For the sake of harmony, all key scenes would be censored.

But it didn’t matter, it could imagine. Just thinking about its OTP (One True Pairing) becoming real was enough to make it excited.

A domineering and beautiful older woman paired with a pure and straightforward younger woman, how exciting! One scheming and teasing, the other naively believing everything, hehehe.

‘Qin Ai didn’t take any clothes with her, how is she going to come out?’

【Ahem, ahem, it’s better to understand tacitly than to explain explicitly.】

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

A white phone rang beside Zuo Bian. It was Qin Ai’s phone.

Zuo Bian hesitated, unsure if she should answer without Qin Ai’s permission.

The phone rang for a minute or two before disconnecting. However, not long after, it started ringing persistently again.

It seemed the caller wouldn’t give up until they got through. Zuo Bian flipped the phone over to see the caller ID.

Two periods were displayed on the screen. Zuo Bian muttered to herself, “Could it be Xiao Tian?” She swiped the screen and answered the call.

“Hello, Sister, why aren’t you answering the phone? Mom asked me to ask when you’re coming home.”

【Host, although your guess seems illogical at first glance, after the last taste-guessing incident, I think your intuition is terrifyingly accurate. I’m curious how you guessed it right.】

‘Because Xiao Tian’s name has two characters, someone who has a special remark must be very familiar with him. The rest is just intuition.’

【Impressive, impressive!】

“Xiao Tian, it’s Zuo Bian, your sister isn’t here right now.”

Qin Tian asked, “Then where is my sister? Are you guys playing together without me? Take me with you!” Zuo Bian glanced at the frosted glass door of the bathroom. Qin Ai was almost done showering.

“Qin Ai is taking a shower right now.”

“Ehhh?” Qin Tian giggled, then asked, “Where are you now?”

Zuo Bian answered truthfully, “I’m sitting on the bed. The bed here is so soft, it’s perfect for rolling around.”

Qin Tian’s big, round eyes blinked. “Then you two have fun today. It seems like someone finally wants my grumpy sister. Mom doesn’t have to worry about her lifelong happiness anymore!”

“Grumpy? I think Qin Ai has a good personality. She’s beautiful, attentive, and she even said she would play the piano for me. Xiao Tian, have you ever heard your sister play the piano?”

Qin Tian shook his head and sighed with the wisdom of an old man. “See, this is what happens when someone is in love, it’s completely different treatment! Mom told me that Sister can play the piano and I wanted to hear her play, but she told me to get lost! So mean! My young heart is broken, wuwuwu…”

Hearing Qin Tian cry, Zuo Bian panicked and comforted him, “Don’t be sad, I’ll listen with you when Qin Ai plays the piano.”

“Okay, okay!” Qin Tian instantly regained his energy.

“Sister is so special to you, it seems like you’re going to be my future sister-in-law. Then I’ll secretly tell you a little secret about my sister. Actually, she used to be the boss of our school, a super cool leader. Although she smokes, drinks, perms her hair, and has tattoos, you should know that she’s a good girl.”

“Oh? I didn’t know I had so much dark history.” Qin Ai took her phone from Zuo Bian’s hand, a smile on her face as she spoke to Qin Tian on the other end.

Although Qin Ai was smiling, it was clearly a cold smile.

“S-Sister… Waaaaah! I was wrong! I really know I was wrong! No one who smokes, drinks, perms their hair, and has tattoos could possibly be my sister! That person is obviously me!”

Qin Ai’s lips curled up. “Okay, I understand. Since you’ve made such a big mistake, your allowance for next month is confiscated.”

“Wuwuwu…” This time, Qin Tian was truly crying. “You’re forcing a confession! You’re making an honest person into a prostitute!”

“It seems your Chinese isn’t very good. Your allowance for the month after next is also gone. I have things to do, goodbye.” Qin Ai hung up the phone decisively.

Zuo Bian felt a little sorry for Qin Tian, but this tiny bit of sympathy was quickly overwhelmed by curiosity.

Qin Ai’s white bathrobe hung loosely on her body, the slightly open collar revealing a rose tattoo on her snow-white skin, its color as vibrant as fire.

Zuo Bian subconsciously reached out, her slender, white finger touching the rose tattoo on Qin Ai’s chest. “Is this a tattoo?”

***

T/N:

逼良为娼: Making an honest person into a prostitute!(idiom)”(used to describe forcing someone into doing something against their will, especially something immoral or degrading)