I found myself inside a melodramatic novel, playing the role of the female lead who’s been married to the CEO, Li Zhenyu, for three years. On paper, we’re husband and wife, but in reality, we’re just strangers under the same roof.
In the story, I’m hopelessly in love with Li Zhenyu. But thanks to the constant interference of his first love, Bai Yuhan, Li Zhenyu completely misunderstands me. He humiliates me at every turn, and the original me just gritted her teeth and took it.
I never finished reading the book—I couldn’t get past the hundreds of chapters of pure angst and cruelty toward the heroine. I have no idea how the story ends.
According to the plot, today I’m supposed to ask Li Zhenyu for 100,000 yuan, only to be thoroughly humiliated by him and Bai Yuhan.
I really don’t want to go, but suddenly, a mechanical voice rings out in my head.
“Host, you must follow the plot. Otherwise, you’ll face forced punishment.”
I jump in fright. Looks like I’m bound to some kind of system, and I have no idea what the punishment is—but it sounds terrifying.
Left with no choice, I call a cab and head to where Li Zhenyu is.
I arrive at an exclusive private club, where Li Zhenyu is hanging out with his friends. Bracing myself, I push open the door to the VIP lounge. The lively chatter inside halts instantly.
Li Zhenyu is sprawled on a leather sofa, a cigar between his lips, his sharp features half-hidden behind a haze of smoke.
He frowns when he sees me, his gaze full of disdain.
“This isn’t a place for you. Get out.”
“Trust me, I don’t want to be here either.”
I roll my eyes and hold out my hand to Li Zhenyu.
“Li Zhenyu, give me a hundred thousand yuan. I’ll leave right after.”
Li Zhenyu is momentarily stunned, but before he can respond, Bai Yuhan snickers from beside him:
“What, the former Miss Yan family can’t even scrape together a hundred thousand now? Shameless enough to beg for money—how pathetic.”
Li Zhenyu flicks his cigar, the ember glowing. He looks at me coldly and suddenly says:
“You want money? Fine. Take off one piece of clothing, I’ll give you ten thousand.”
The guys around us immediately start whistling and hooting. I glance around—there are at least a dozen men here, plus Bai Yuhan. Typical green-hat drama. Li Zhenyu sure knows how to play dirty.
Tossing my hair, I wink at him.
“Deal. Don’t try to back out.”
Without hesitation, I kick off my sneakers, pull off both socks, and throw them at Li Zhenyu.
“Start with twenty thousand!”
One sock lands in Bai Yuhan’s wine glass, the other on Li Zhenyu’s shoulder.
He stares at me in shock, his cigar falling to the floor.
October’s already chilly. I’m wearing simple jeans, a white shirt, and a trench coat.
I strip off the coat and shirt, left with just a tank top underneath, and suddenly realize something’s off. Counting my underwear and socks, I only have eight items of clothing on.
Glaring at Li Zhenyu, I complain, “Even if I strip completely, that’s only eighty thousand. Where’s the rest supposed to come from? You want me to pluck my hair?”
A friend of Li Zhenyu’s nearly chokes on his drink, trying not to laugh. Li Zhenyu’s face turns stormy.
Bai Yuhan covers her mouth, giggling. “Yan Qian, you really have no shame left, do you?”
She sets her wine glass down and grabs a plate of walnuts from the table.
“How about this? You shell this whole plate of walnuts for me, no tools allowed, and I’ll give you the hundred thousand.”
I glance at the plate—mountain walnuts, tough as nails to crack. I remember this scene: the heroine originally split her hands open shelling them, moving everyone to tears.
The author’s logic is wild. I plop down next to Bai Yuhan, grab a walnut, and pop it into my mouth.
“Crack!”
With a crisp sound, the walnut splits in my palm. I pick out the biggest pieces and hand them to Bai Yuhan.
“Here, enjoy.”
I quickly crack open four or five more, stuffing the soggy walnut meat into her hand. Bai Yuhan stares at the saliva-soaked nuts, her expression twisting.
“Are you insane?!”
She flings her hand, knocking over her wine glass. Red wine spills across the table and onto her shoes. She frantically wipes her hand and looks down at her stained shoe, practically losing it.
“Yan Qian, you did this on purpose, didn’t you? Zhenyu, look at her—she ruined my shoes!”
Li Zhenyu finally snaps out of it, expression frosty.
“Lick her shoes clean, and I’ll give you the money.”
That’s way too much. I’m done playing.
Just as I’m about to stand, the system chimes in: “Host, if you don’t follow the plot, you’ll face forced punishment.”
With no choice, I crouch beside Bai Yuhan. She crosses her legs, her black velvet heel right in front of my face.
I can’t bring myself to do it and curse the system in my head.
“Damn it, what’s this forced punishment? Bring it on!”
The next second, a jolt of electricity shoots through me. I double over, screaming, “Ah—!”
So that’s the punishment—electric shock. It hurts so much I’d rather eat dirt than go through it again. Licking a shoe is nothing in comparison.
My outburst stuns everyone. Li Zhenyu’s brow furrows in confusion.
“What are you yelling for?”
Thinking fast, I grab Bai Yuhan’s foot and force a smile.
“Wow, it smells so bad—I’m so…excited!”
Everyone: …
Bai Yuhan shrieks and yanks her foot away. “You’re disgusting!”
Li Zhenyu can’t take it anymore. He pulls a bank card from his pocket and tosses it on the floor.
“Get out. Don’t embarrass yourself here.”
I snatch up the card, finally able to breathe.
“System, it’s not my fault I didn’t lick the shoe—Bai Yuhan wouldn’t let me. That doesn’t count as breaking the plot, right?”
The system falls silent for a long moment before replying, “If a character’s decision stops you, it doesn’t count as deviating from the main storyline.”
Good to know. That means I’ve got some wiggle room.
I gather my clothes, slip my bare feet into my sneakers, and leave the club.
Chapter 01
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