Shao Yuye deleted the message with a blank expression and blocked the number.
His earlier good mood vanished completely.
When he lifted his eyes again, they were filled with deep hostility.
Equally grim-faced was Su Tingxuan.
He had texted Bai Ling, but she hadn’t replied.
Feeling anxious, he called her, only to learn that she was in a bad mood. Shen Wanwan, that troublemaker, had picked a fight with her again.
Shen Wanwan again.
That willful and reckless woman who always brought disaster to others…
He wore a stern expression and called Shen Wanwan seriously.
“I need to talk to you.”
Shen Wanwan ignored him.
Su Tingxuan, unwilling to give up, even asked her dormmate Chi Tian to go look for her.
Two hours later, Shen Wanwan finally showed up, late as always.
The show’s production team had booked out the entire hotel during filming, so there was no concern about encountering other guests while walking around.
Shen Wanwan wore a lace camisole dress, loosely covered with a black blazer.
Her slender swan-like neck looked even more delicate against the black fabric, and a fresh scent of bath lingered on her.
“You needed something?”
“Yes.” Su Tingxuan questioned her: “Why do you always have to make things hard for Bai Ling?
“She’s always so kind and even thinks about looking after you. But you? You keep embarrassing her, does that amuse you, Shen Wanwan?!”
Shen Wanwan had already guessed he was here for Bai Ling.
“So I’m making things hard for her. And how would you know that?”
Su Tingxuan snorted coldly, “That’s none of your business.”
Shen Wanwan had no interest in arguing with him. What she came to say was something else.
“Tell your parents, the engagement is off.”
She didn’t need a fiancé who always stood up for another woman.
Su Tingxuan was stunned, then let out a cold laugh. “Fine by me.”
Shen Wanwan had nothing more to say and turned to leave decisively.
But unexpectedly, the man behind her suddenly exploded.
He roared, “You think I wanted to marry you?!
“All these years I’ve been running around like a dog at your command! Do you have any idea what I’ve gone through? I even served you in my dreams, pouring tea, giving shoulder massages!
“Let me tell you, no one else in this world would ever put up with your princess tantrums. No one! Except me, and even I’ve had enough!”
Shen Wanwan looked at him and said coldly, “And you?
“I told you we had to stay faithful to each other. You agreed back then.
“And what did you do?”
She didn’t finish the rest. Even now, she still wanted to leave Su Tingxuan a shred of dignity.
His face, twisted moments ago in anger, suddenly turned deathly pale.
So she had known all along.
While he smugly thought she was easy to fool, partying with friends night after night, she had known it all.
“Su Tingxuan, we’re done.”
That final line was Shen Wanwan’s notice.
And he had no room left to argue.
On the way back to her room, Shen Wanwan still held her head high, like the graceful and poised young lady she was.
But 001 sensed the shift in her mood, hesitated, then said: {You seem kind of… affected by what he said.}
Shen Wanwan was silent for two seconds before replying, “Am I?”
001 : {Um… yeah.}
Shen Wanwan sighed. “Maybe a little.”
It was probably because her parents had divorced when she was young, she never really believed in love.
That year, her father was constantly staying out overnight, and when he came home, there were lipstick marks on his shirt collars. The illusion of a happy family shattered completely.
The first time her mother found out, her mother forgave him, after his crying and begging on his knees.
But he didn’t change.
Then came the second time, the third time…
She had always believed her mother had been too soft. Her mother should’ve ended it the moment the affair was discovered. But her mother didn’t. Her mother wavered, again and again, allowing her father to enjoy his life outside. In the end, the mistress even had the audacity to come flaunt herself.
That’s why Shen Wanwan kept testing Su Tingxuan, always trying to figure out whether he’d be just like her father.
How can you prove a man loves you?
By whether he’s willing to give.
Money meant nothing to her. What she wanted was all the little acts of effort.
Every time he proved himself, she could convince herself more: Not all men are like my father. Even men in loveless relationships could remain faithful, if they were decent.
But to him, it had all meant nothing.
The little ball of light floated over and nuzzled her cheek.
{Don’t be sad…
{There’s nothing you can do. In the book, you’re written as the vicious supporting female lead. Even if you don’t boss him around, he still won’t fall in love with you.}
Shen Wanwan chuckled. “Why would I be sad?”
She just felt a little regret.
Although she didn’t particularly admire Su Tingxuan, if she could go back in time, she would let go of her obsession with testing whether he was a good person or not.
Puffing out her cheeks in frustration, she spoke righteously.
“It’s Su Tingxuan who should be sad.
“Losing a stunning fiancée like me, hopefully he won’t end up crying under the covers from regret someday.”
The air conditioning in the hallway was strong, warm and comfortable.
But Shen Wanwan still pulled the suit jacket around herself a bit tighter.
Just then, the door ahead opened.
Shen Wanwan immediately saw Qi Luozhou stepping out of the room.
He was only wearing a clean white shirt.
The soft, warm hallway light fell on him gently, as if wrapping him in a halo of fluffy glow.
001 immediately swooned at the sight of him : {The male lead is so handsome! So handsome! So handsome!}
Shen Wanwan raised an eyebrow.
“What’s going on between him and Shao Yuye?”
001 replied : {Nothing too serious. Their fans just keep comparing the two, and your brother always ends up falling a bit short. Most of the resources your brother wants go to him first. Your brother’s probably a bit bitter about always being overshadowed—kind of understandable… But hey, it’s how the story goes. Qi Luozhou is the male lead. Your brother’s just the second male lead. The second male lead is never better than the main one, right?}
Shen Wanwan responded coolly, without much interest.
“He’s the male lead, huh?”
001 : {Mmhm, mmhm.}
“The eldest son of the Qi family, right?”
001 : {Mmhm, mmhm.}
Then it suddenly hesitated : {…Wait a second.
{I suddenly have a very bad feeling…}
And sure enough—
Shen Wanwan suddenly stepped forward, standing confidently and directly in front of Qi Luozhou.
“Qi Luozhou.”
She called his name, the tone of her voice still carrying a faint, soft nasal sound—
As if she had just been crying.
Qi Luozhou stopped in place at the sound.
He looked at her, eyes gleaming faintly. His cool voice was like falling snow.
“What is it?”
Shen Wanwan looked up at him.
Her small, delicate face appeared especially fair and luminous under the light.
“Do you want to date me?”
…
The empty hallway was silent. Only the little glowing orb on Shen Wanwan’s shoulder was frantically shouting:
{Are you crazy? Are you crazy? Are you CRAZY?!
{You must be insane!!!
{Qi Luozhou is the MALE LEAD! The official match for the female lead! You’d have to be nuts to ask him to date you!!!}
Qi Luozhou lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable and unmoved, as though what he had just heard wasn’t a blunt confession, but merely a polite greeting.
Shen Wanwan stared at him without the slightest flinch.
It was like a silent battle of wills.
And in such a contest, the first to look away—the one who couldn’t hold the gaze—was the loser.
Then, from the room next door, came the soft *click* of a door unlocking.
In the next instant, weight suddenly pressed down on Shen Wanwan’s wrist—she was pulled into a light embrace, and Qi Luozhou stepped swiftly, dragging her into his room.
The lights spun as she moved; her hair tie fell somewhere unknown.
Her freshly washed hair cascaded down like a waterfall, strands brushing his arm during the motion, like feathers tickling his skin.
With the sudden proximity, Shen Wanwan was instantly overwhelmed by his faint, woody scent.
Unlike artificial perfumes, it was a natural scent mixed with a sharp, wintry chill.
Footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Inside the room, the lighting was dim. No one else was present.
There was soft music playing—a gentle, slow tune, like the moment of stillness before a storm hits.
Shen Wanwan’s back pressed against the door.
The shadows from Qi Luozhou’s tall frame blocked the light, dimming her surroundings and creating a sense of pressure.
She reached out and pushed lightly against his shoulder.
Qi Luozhou looked down.
He had one hand holding the back of her neck, the base of her jaw cradled in his palm.
The skin under his hand was soft and delicate, as though he could snap her slender neck with just a bit of force.
He released her, then chuckled quietly. “Who taught you to confess like that?”
Shen Wanwan didn’t like the darkness of the room. She turned on the lights.
“That wasn’t a confession. It was a proposal.”
Qi Luozhou didn’t step back, but raised an eyebrow.
Shen Wanwan stated calmly:
“I need a boyfriend. And you happen to meet the criteria.”
The crystal lights in the room were bright, but her view was still shadowed by him. The tall man’s figure loomed over her, casting a deep, ambiguous darkness in front of her eyes.
His gaze swept across her refined face. He spoke with a hint of mockery in his voice:
“And what makes you think I’d say yes?”
Momentum is the most important thing in a negotiation. If you don’t even dare to hold eye contact, all you’ll do is expose your own guilt and cowardice.
Shen Wanwan had no intention of wasting words with him. What mattered most to her was a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from him.
Rather than using her unremarkable background or appearance as bargaining chips—
Shen Wanwan preferred to reveal the fact that she was Shao Yuye’s younger sister.
“Shao Yuye is my biological brother.”
That should’ve been an explosive revelation.
But Qi Luozhou showed no reaction.
He didn’t even question whether what she said was true. The corners of his thin lips lifted slightly, as if he found it amusing. He simply followed her words and said:
“Don’t you know your brother and I are famous as archenemies?”
Shen Wanwan’s tone was relaxed : “So what could be more interesting than dating your archenemy’s little sister?”
“That is quite an appealing proposition.”
He took a step back, and the bright light poured in.
His tone was polite yet distant : “Sorry, I need to think about it.”
“Alright.”
Shen Wanwan didn’t seem disappointed in the least.
Her hair tie had gone missing, and her long hair hung loosely over her shoulders. She smoothed it in front of a nearby mirror. Her fingers suddenly paused, and she turned to call after Qi Luozhou.
“It’s red.” She pointed at the red mark on her neck: “You’ll have to compensate me.”
Qi Luozhou looked at her fair, delicate neck.
There was indeed a red patch there, blooming like an enchanting rose.
His gaze darkened slightly.
—Tsk. So delicate.
{You know he’s the male lead, and you still went and provoked him. What were you thinking?!
{You’ve completely lost it! I swear, if I keep letting you do whatever you want, something terrible is going to happen.}
The little glowing ball that had been holding back for ages started shrieking again once Shen Wanwan came out of Qi Luozhou’s room.
{Your brother clearly doesn’t like him, and yet you went straight to him, what are you even trying to do?!}
“My engagement to Su Tingxuan will soon be publicly called off. I need someone who can make a strong impression. He’s the best choice.
“As for Shao Yuye…”
Shen Wanwan’s expression sobered: “I won’t let him find out about this.
“Besides, nothing’s happened yet. Your worry is really a bit much.”
001 was about to cry : {You’re not trying to get yourself killed, are you?! If you die, what’s going to happen to me?!}
Shen Wanwan let out a soft laugh. She reached out and poked the little glowing ball, leaving a small dent in its round form.
001’s voice was full of grievance : {Why are you laughing now of all times?}
Shen Wanwan’s eyes curved with joy: “Because I’m happy.”
So lucky.
To have this little guy, who truly, completely stood by her side.
“I just want to take a gamble.”
The smile in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by firm determination.
“Let’s try it.”
If, as 001 had said, everything was destined to end in tragedy—if swallowing her pride was the only way to survive—then she’d rather go all in, playing the role of the villainess who opposed the female lead to the very end.
That’s all there was to it.
]