Chapter 115: A Play Within a Play Part 2

Qin Jiashu browsed the shelves as if nothing were wrong, explaining the situation as they walked.

The person was Zhang Yi, an ex-girlfriend from a time when Qin Jiashu was younger and less sensible. Zhang Yi had a very strange personality and had been pestering Qin Jiashu on and off for two years since their breakup. As long as she knew Qin Jiashu was single, she would harass her relentlessly.

Because the Zhang and Qin families had business dealings, Qin Jiashu couldn’t completely burn that bridge. She often had to find a nominal girlfriend to make Zhang Yi give up—her previous “relationship” with Lu Zhou had been for that very reason.

At this point, a dark glint flickered in Qin Jiashu’s fox eyes. She shamelessly pinned all her past “player” behavior onto this convenient excuse.

Xu Yinian finally had a realization.

Under Ji Yan’s revenge and meddling, the Senior Sister she knew was indeed very different from the image she’d seen on the day of the mixer. The revelation had almost overturned her entire impression of her—especially the part about liking Ji Yan while Lu Zhou tried to steal her away…

It made her seem a bit too casual with her feelings.

Because of that, Xu Yinian had increasingly viewed the previous confession as a whim—a tactic she likely used on others. But now, knowing there was a difficult reason behind it all, the tiny bit of resentment that had clouded her view of Qin Jiashu was swept away.

To Yinian, she was just the vibrant, flamboyant Senior Sister who had been warm and kind from the moment they met, protecting and looking after her time and again. Xu Yinian was always like this: as long as she could find a single excuse for someone she liked, she could fully convince herself to forgive them.

“I’m sorry. I really had no choice this time. I acted on impulse and dragged you into this.”

The Senior Sister’s voice became increasingly laced with seductive emotion.

“After all, no one else would do. Only you.”

“Whether it’s because I just confessed, or because… I’m being very serious.”

Xu Yinian looked up suddenly, meeting a gaze that was frank and bold, without a hint of flippancy. It was so intense it made her heart beat like a drum.

Qin Jiashu had nothing to hide about her feelings; if she wanted something, she would chase it until she got it. She had once been lost in a string of casual, empty relationships, but that only made her more aware of her desire to treat this one seriously.

She was frank and passionate. However, even a “bad woman” who decided to turn over a new leaf wouldn’t become entirely innocent. Especially not when her prey was surrounded by so many other perverted lunatics.

After Qin Jiashu suffered a loss at Bai Ran’s hands, she had lost her connection to the radio drama and her few excuses to contact Xu Yinian. Her family background was crushed by the weight of the other major houses; she stood no chance in a direct confrontation.

Because of this, she had been the one most affected by Bai Ran’s retaliation. It had forced her to reign in her habit of openly provoking rivals, making her desperate to find a new connection with Xu Yinian.

Preferably… an intimate, underground relationship.

A “contract girlfriend” situation—a play that would turn into reality.

A “bad woman” only needed to use a small trick, letting someone “accidentally” tell Zhang Yi that she had recently broken up. Sure enough, that obsessive freak had come crawling back. Over the past few days, Qin Jiashu had gathered enough evidence of “unbearable harassment.”

She had planned to stage this performance in front of Xu Yinian to close the net. She hadn’t expected to run into her at the supermarket today, but there was no time like the present. With Xu Yinian’s soft heart and guilt, Qin Jiashu was a hundred percent certain she would agree to be the fake girlfriend.

From now on, she only had to ask Xu Yinian for “help” over and over, doing everything a real girlfriend would do under the guise of the fake title. This calculated play was a trap designed from the very beginning. She was just waiting for a defenseless Xu Yinian to walk into it.

Knowing Xu Yinian’s shy nature, she likely wouldn’t tell anyone else. No one would know about their underground relationship. By the time those arrogant successors with their noses in the air found out, she would have already devoured her completely.

Qin Jiashu’s plan was indeed perfect.

But she never could have imagined that being a “fake girlfriend” was just one of Xu Yinian’s many hidden, secret relationships… and the seemingly weak, submissive girl kept every single one of them under a tight seal of silence.

In that moment, the girl was completely oblivious. Her crimson-tinged eyes were cast downward, too shy to look at Qin Jiashu. But her small, stuttering voice offered the promise once again.

“I… I can do it.”

“I’ll pretend to be your… girl… girlfriend.”

The word “girlfriend” was difficult for the speaker to voice, but for the listener, it caused a momentary lapse in focus. She almost took it for the truth.

“She’ll follow me back to my apartment, so I might have to trouble you to come with me. We have to stay for at least a little while, or she’ll realize it’s a lie. I’ll cook for you as a thank-you.”

Xu Yinian suddenly remembered her promise to go buy groceries and cook with Sister Ran. Her heart tightened.

“I already made plans to eat with a friend…”

Qin Jiashu’s keen intuition sensed something was off. She asked with feigned nonchalance, “A friend? Who is it? Do I know them?”

Xu Yinian didn’t dare mention Bai Ran. Subconsciously, she pulled Jiang Ke out as her shield again.

“My cousin, Jiang Ke.”

After all, she didn’t have many other friends, and a “younger sister” was far more normal than anyone else. Nothing they did together would be associated with anything romantic.

That possessive sister-con cousin… Qin Jiashu felt a bit odd, but she only smiled knowingly.

“It’s already late. You won’t have time to cook if you go back now. It’s fine, I’ll just make enough for an extra person. Why don’t you take a packed meal back for your cousin?”

This suggestion moved Xu Yinian. She could take the food back to Sister Ran. It really was getting late, and she couldn’t let Bai Ran cook all by herself. Besides… they really did need to save money right now.

“Then… I’ll send her a message.”

Not far from the shelves, a pair of bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at the two who seemed inseparable. Her gaze slid to a special notification on her phone screen:

Niannian: [Senior Sister needs my help with something. She said she’d cook for us herself as a thank-you. How about I bring some food back for you?]

…

She was being offered a “love bento” made by her romantic rival?