After that night, Li Zhenyu ignored me for days. Honestly, I enjoyed the peace and threw myself into brainstorming ways to make money.
Pointing at an ancient-looking podocarpus tree outside the window, I said excitedly, “Look, that tree is over two hundred years old. Li Zhenyu paid three million yuan for it. If I sell it and replace it with a cheap one, we could pocket the difference. What do you think?”
The system immediately shot me down. I was annoyed.
“How could selling a tree possibly affect the main storyline?”
“Host, stop messing around. You’re running out of time—go get a job already.”
I sensed something was off. What did it mean, I was running out of time? After pestering the system for ages, it finally confessed.
“In three months, the heroine dies, and Li Zhenyu spends the rest of his life in regret. I put you in here—well, it’s against the rules, so we can’t let the higher-ups find out. Your mission is to keep the heroine alive without altering the main plot!”
I was dumbfounded.
“How am I supposed to survive without changing the plot?”
“After you die, Li Zhenyu searches for you for a year. Three years later, he finally gives up, and that’s the end of the story. So, as long as you make it through those three years, no one cares what happens after.”
The system grumbled, “I hate these angst novels. The so-called ‘abuse’ is just endless suffering for the heroine, who endures humiliation and then dies. The only revenge is making the male lead regret it. What kind of revenge is that?”
“Host, you’ve already died in the real world. This is your only chance to live—cherish it.”
The system’s rare sincerity left me speechless. Clearly, making money wasn’t the priority. I needed to stick to the plot, find loopholes, and survive.
The next day, I submitted my resume to Yanwei Real Estate.
The hiring process went smoothly, but as soon as I walked into the office, I was stunned.
Bai Yuhan sat behind a huge desk, twirling my resume in her hand.
“Eight thousand a month? Yan Qian, you’re a graduate from an overseas university. Isn’t that a waste of your talent? How about this—you can be my personal assistant. I’ll pay you twenty thousand a month.”
Right. Bai Yuhan was the heiress of Yanwei Real Estate. I’d accidentally walked right into her company, and according to the plot, I was about to suffer a lot under her.
Taking a deep breath, I flashed her my brightest smile. “Thank you, boss!”
That afternoon, during a meeting, Bai Yuhan started acting up.
I poured tea for everyone, and she took a sip, instantly wrinkling her nose in disgust.
“Yan Qian, are you trying to scald me?”
She raised her cup, clearly about to splash me. At the last second, I darted forward and took a big gulp from her cup, biting down on the rim.
“Boss, it’s not hot at all—just right.”
Bai Yuhan: …
She was furious, so she grabbed a colleague’s cup and splashed water at me.
“Useless! Can’t you do anything right?”
Just then, the conference room doors swung open. A tall, imposing figure strode in, backlit by the afternoon sun.
I let myself fall to the floor, my bangs dripping wet and plastered to my forehead. I bit my lip, glancing up at him with a soft whimper:
“Ah—so cold—”
It was Lin Zeyan, the president of Yanwei Real Estate, Bai Yuhan’s older brother, and the novel’s second male lead.
With water droplets glistening on my face, I looked as pitiful as a dewdrop on a spring magnolia. For a moment, I wasn’t Yan Qian—I was the very picture of tragic beauty.
Lin Zeyan’s eyes narrowed. He stepped forward and helped me up. “Are you alright?”
I blinked at him, putting on my best “wounded puppy” look. “I’m fine, President Lin.”
Bai Yuhan huffed, “Brother, this woman—she—”
“That’s enough. Let her step out for now. We’ll talk after the meeting.”
The meeting dragged on until late evening. As Lin Zeyan left the conference room, he paused beside me.
“Xiaohan has a temper. I’ll find a chance to transfer you to be my assistant.”
So, the “romantic fool” gene runs in the family.
That night, Bai Yuhan dragged me to a business dinner.
Across from me sat a greasy, overweight middle-aged man—Director Wang. Bai Yuhan glanced at me, then smiled slyly at him.
“Director Wang, this is my assistant, Yan Qian. She’ll go over tonight’s proposal with you. She’s very experienced with important clients.”
Her words were full of innuendo. Director Wang’s eyes lit up as he looked me up and down, then raised his glass.
“Miss Yan, the contract will be no problem.”
Throughout dinner, his gaze never left me. Later, he clutched his head, pretending to be tipsy.
“I’m getting old—can’t hold my liquor. The contract’s in my room upstairs, Miss Yan. Would you come help me get it?”
I didn’t move. Bai Yuhan pulled me aside.
“Don’t worry, he’s just a handsy old man. He won’t really do anything. How about this—if you go with him, I’ll cover the rest of your dad’s surgery expenses. This deal is crucial for the company.”
In the novel, the heroine trusted Bai Yuhan and went upstairs, only for Bai Yuhan and Li Zhenyu to barge in and catch her “in the act,” creating the biggest rift between the heroine and the male lead.
“Host, this is a key plot point. You must go with him.”
“Fine, but pay me first.”
I pulled out my bank card and handed it to Bai Yuhan.
“Transfer the money now. Once I get the notification, I’ll go.”
She sneered, “Yan Qian, I really underestimated you. You’ll do anything for money.”
Chapter 03
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