After Becoming Roommates with an Obnoxious Wealthy Heiress - Chapter 19

Including V-notification She didn’t believe anyone could be stupid enough to walk into the wrong dormitory.

Since that night, whether on campus or back at the dormitory, Qin Shuyue deliberately avoided Zhu Lingyi, seeking to minimize any contact between them.

Meanwhile, Zhu Lingyi had been busy juggling her studies and corporate affairs these past few days, seemingly failing to notice Qin Shuyue’s intentional avoidance.

“Miss Zhu, today’s dinner is ready. I’ll be heading out now.”

It was the same young girl Qin Shuyue had seen at the beginning, responsible for Zhu Lingyi’s three daily meals. Every time she finished preparing dinner, she would make a point of reporting to Zhu Lingyi. Although Zhu Lingyi didn’t respond every time, the girl felt satisfied if she acknowledged her even once or twice.

The eldest daughter of the Zhu Group, she had become the “Little President Zhu” at a young age, holding over 80% of the shares. With power firmly in her grasp, she held absolute control and authority in almost all board meetings; her word was law. Who in the company wasn’t convinced by her, treating her with the utmost respect?

Furthermore, her appearance was top-tier, making her the undisputed school beauty. However, her looks weren’t traditionally gentle or elegant—she didn’t belong to the “sweet” category. The first impression she gave was one of coldness and abstinence, rarely smiling. If one were to call her a “big sister” type… Zhu Lingyi lacked a certain feminine softness, her features carrying more of the handsome aura of a mature man.

To call her the school beauty felt like an understatement to many, but to call her the school hunk felt wrong, as her gender was female. To say a woman looked like a man felt disrespectful. For a while, everyone was at a loss for words.

On the campus forums, Zhu Lingyi’s popularity only grew, forever occupying the top trending spot. Wherever she went, a crowd followed. Who wouldn’t want more contact with a corporate tycoon? If Zhu Lingyi took a liking to someone, elevating them to be by her side—even as a lover—the thought alone was exhilarating.

The girl preparing the meal was no exception. After finishing the food, she would always linger secretly, aiming to exchange even a single word with Zhu Lingyi to get close as quickly as possible. But Zhu Lingyi was not as approachable as she imagined.

There was no other way… To catch the tiger’s cub, one must enter the tiger’s den.

She had worked hard for so long… just for today.

The girl’s hands were covered in cold sweat from nervousness, her fingers curled tight, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the Western meal on Zhu Lingyi’s table. She looked exactly like someone with a guilty conscience.

Zhu Lingyi sat in a comfortable dining chair and picked up her cutlery. She kept only one servant by her side; the rest retreated politely. She methodically cut a piece of steak, placed it in her mouth, chewed thoroughly, and swallowed. Every movement seemed etched into her bones—extremely elegant without a hint of affectation.

Her gaze swept casually across the room, landing on the girl’s flushed, sweat-beaded cheeks.

The girl’s face turned bright red as she whispered, “Miss Zhu, how… how is the taste? Do I need to make any adjustments?”

Zhu Lingyi tasted a small piece, then raised her glass, taking a slight sip of the wine. A bottle of Romanee-Conti had been placed by the servants next to the glass, with the remaining wine resting in a decanter. A servant carefully gripped the neck of the decanter, supporting the base with the other hand, and slowly tilted it to pour the wine. The servants knew Zhu Lingyi’s daily alcohol intake perfectly, so they usually aerated the wine according to her standard.

Only today, Zhu Lingyi didn’t touch another drop of wine. In fact, she didn’t touch the steak or the pasta again either.

With a clink, the porcelain and cutlery made a crisp sound against the plate. Then, Zhu Lingyi looked up. Her eyes seemed to hold a raging fire, and her entire face was flushed with an abnormal redness.

Zhu Lingyi immediately realized what had happened. She instantly looked at the girl standing opposite her, just a table’s width away, who had her head bowed.

Anger surged in her chest. She had to forcefully suppress it over and over again to keep from throwing the entire set of tableware into the girl’s face.

Be gentle with women… you can’t be crude to girls…

Zhu Lingyi suppressed her rage, her fingers clutching the tablecloth so hard that the smooth fabric was suddenly bunched into a wrinkled mess. The maid standing beside her saw Zhu Lingyi’s state; a flash of panic crossed her eyes, and she hurriedly stepped back, her gaze darting between the food, Zhu Lingyi, and the girl opposite.

Within moments, the maid understood. Her expression returned to normal, and she cast a disdainful glance at the girl before looking down. The maid sneered inwardly at the girl’s actions. There had been men and women before who used the excuse of managing Zhu Lingyi’s meals to drug her, hoping to initiate a relationship. But the end result was always the same: stealing a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it.

The rage had reached its breaking point. Looking at the girl in front of her who was incessantly apologizing, various similar faces flashed through Zhu Lingyi’s mind. They all knew they had been caught, and they all apologized. But they weren’t truly sorry for their mistake; they were simply afraid. Afraid that their futures would be ruined by a single word from Zhu Lingyi.

“Get out! Get out!”

Zhu Lingyi gasped for breath. She grabbed the decanter from the maid’s hand and hurled it at the girl. With a shatter, the decanter missed the girl by millimeters, smashing at her feet. Wine splashed onto her, but she dared not move a muscle.

Zhu Lingyi was angry! She was truly furious.

That was the only thought in the girl’s head. She stood frozen in terror.

Zhu Lingyi was indeed losing her mind with rage. Why did one person after another try to use such lowly, despicable means to get close to her?

The girl’s mind went blank with fear. Forget a reaction—her legs were trembling as she scrambled toward the door. Zhu Lingyi’s voice, cold and devoid of warmth, pierced through the air from behind her.

“I will have your wages transferred to your bank account on time.”

Transferred to the bank account? The girl’s heart turned cold. It was completely over! She had put in so much effort, finally managing to get Zhu Lingyi’s WeChat, and now, because of her failed scheme… it was all for nothing!

But just as she thought that, the punishment for her actions today was only beginning.

From the dining table came Zhu Lingyi’s voice, thick with suppressed fury. “I will immediately upload the dismissal information to the university. You don’t need to come back. I will also discuss with the school whether a student of such poor character as you is fit for any work-study positions.”

The maid behind her understood. This girl would never be able to make a living or earn money at this school again.

The girl seemed to realize the weight of those words as well. Her face turned deathly pale, and she bowed repeatedly in apology, nearly dropping to her knees. She was truly terrified! Zhu Lingyi’s words were equivalent to cutting off any opportunity for her to earn money during her four years at university!

Zhu Lingyi’s gaze lingered on her for only a second before she looked away in disgust. It seemed that even looking at her made her feel dirty.

Yet, from somewhere, the girl found the courage to struggle one last time, hoping for sympathy. “Little President Zhu, I… I was wrong, I really know I was wrong! Please give me one more chance! I promise, I promise I will never do such a thing again!”

“Are you sorry?”

Zhu Lingyi’s gaze locked onto her, then shifted back to the food on the table. A faint flush remained on her face, but her logic had not yet collapsed. “You’re just afraid.”

Zhu Lingyi gave her one last cold sweep and then completely ignored her, regardless of her sobbing. Until the girl left, crying and stumbling, Zhu Lingyi didn’t give her another look.

Qin Shuyue had just returned from Sister Wu’s barbecue stall. Before she left, Wu Xuhua had grilled a large bundle of skewers for her. Qin Shuyue carried the plastic bag of meat, strolling slowly toward Heqing Court.

She couldn’t figure out what was wrong with Wu Xuhua lately; she always seemed depressed. In the past, whether working or relaxing, she would always joke around, but lately, her smiles had faded, and she spoke less. She had even reduced Qin Shuyue’s working hours. Wu Xuhua’s behavior was so strange it left Qin Shuyue completely bewildered. But when asked, she only said nothing was wrong, leaving Qin Shuyue with no way to help.

Usually, Qin Shuyue worked from 11 PM until 5 AM the next morning, sometimes staying later if business was good. But recently, Wu Xuhua would only let her come in the mornings or afternoons. As soon as 9 PM hit, she would rush her to go home, even threatening to dock her pay if she didn’t leave.

Qin Shuyue had no choice but to comply. However, the barbecue shop was busiest at night; she wondered if Wu Xuhua could handle it alone.

Thinking about these things, she arrived at the elevator of Heqing Court without realizing it. She stopped and waited, her mind still preoccupied. She really wanted to help Wu Xuhua. From her second year of high school through her first year of university, Wu Xuhua had helped her countless times and solved many of her problems.

With a ding, the elevator arrived. Qin Shuyue stepped in as usual, but because she was lost in thought, she didn’t notice someone was already inside. A girl with red, swollen eyes was running out, covering her face and crying. Qin Shuyue, caught off guard, was knocked straight to the ground. She clutched her plastic bag tightly so the skewers wouldn’t spill.

The girl glanced back with red eyes and then ran off, still crying. A staff member at the service desk saw this and rushed over to help Qin Shuyue up, apologizing profusely in a panic.

“Oh! Miss, I am so sorry! Truly sorry! I’ll take you to the infirmary right now. I will cover all the medical expenses myself, please… please don’t file a complaint…”

Qin Shuyue immediately cut the staff member off. Although her bottom hurt from the fall, she figured she was sturdy enough and it wasn’t a big deal. She waved her hand with a smile and said, “It’s fine, don’t worry. I’m okay.”

The staff member had never seen such a kind attitude and was instead terrified by it. She grabbed Qin Shuyue as if she were ready to fly her to a hospital immediately.

“It’s my fault, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t separate you from that lady in time and caused you to fall. It’s my fault… if you have any complaints, please state them, I…”

As she spoke, the staff member bowed repeatedly. While the staff member was scared out of her wits, Qin Shuyue was confused. “My fall was because the person in the elevator wasn’t careful. What does that have to do with you?”

The staff member looked to be about the same age as Qin Shuyue, her face still showing a touch of youth, with every bit of panic written clearly on it.

“Our… our duty is to be responsible for the safety and cleaning of Heqing Court. If anything happens to anyone in this building, or if a complaint is filed for poor cleaning, it all goes to Miss Zhu…”

“Miss Zhu hates complaint letters most. If she receives even one, we will be fired immediately…”

“So, so…”

The staff member’s pupils reflected Qin Shuyue’s pensive expression. She grabbed Qin Shuyue’s arm, almost begging her. “I’ll take you to the hospital for a full check-up right now! I’ll go right now! Please forgive my unintentional mistake and don’t report me!”

She was terrified, tears and snot streaming down her face. Looking at her, Qin Shuyue couldn’t help but think of her own difficult struggle to make a living in this world, facing hardships everywhere. She didn’t want to be harsh to someone in the same position.

She gave a slight, reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t report you.”

It was like a sedative for the staff member, letting her racing heart finally settle back into her chest. Qin Shuyue gently and inconspicuously moved the staff member’s hand off her arm and said softly, “Alright, wipe your tears and go back.”

After saying that, Qin Shuyue walked straight into the elevator and pressed the button for the sixth floor. The doors closed slowly, the gears turned with a dull hum, and the elevator rose, leaving the lobby in silence once again.

Qin Shuyue rubbed her shoulder where the girl had hit her. It had happened so fast she hadn’t felt the pain initially, but now that it was quiet, it really did hurt a bit. For some reason, at that moment, a memory flashed through her mind—of when she had bumped into Zhu Lingyi, and Zhu Lingyi had gripped her waist to steady her.

Hiss… with that much impact, Zhu Lingyi didn’t fall? She even steadied me.

…Why am I thinking about her?

Qin Shuyue shook her head, trying to forget that face. That person was someone she shouldn’t provoke. But speaking of Zhu Lingyi… she suddenly felt like the girl who bumped into her looked somewhat familiar. However, she couldn’t remember who it was for the moment.

With a ding, the elevator signaled. “Sixth floor.”

Qin Shuyue’s thoughts were interrupted. She let out a soft sigh and cast those thoughts aside. She opened the door to 601 and walked in with her head down.

Zhu Lingyi sat at the dining table with her arms crossed. Hearing movement at the door, her eyes snapped toward it. Her face was flushed with an unnatural redness. She had already dismissed the maid who had been standing silently behind her. She sat there, gulping down water.

She had only tasted a bit of the drugged food and wine before realizing something was wrong, so the drug’s effect wasn’t very deep, allowing her to maintain basic logic. Seeing Qin Shuyue acting timid and shrinking back again, she immediately called out to her.

Qin Shuyue was faster than a rabbit; if she didn’t call her now, she would have slipped upstairs in a heartbeat. These days, Qin Shuyue avoided her like a mouse avoids a cat, staying out of her sight as much as possible. This behavior, so different from everyone else’s, gave Zhu Lingyi a feeling that things were slipping out of her control, which made her uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable.

Zhu Lingyi had been the center of attention since childhood. Everywhere she went, she was surrounded; everyone bowed to her, seeking her favor. Some people would even go as far as drugging her or trying to climb into her bed just to get close to her.

But Qin Shuyue seemed uninterested in her. Initially, she thought Qin Shuyue’s refusal to leave was because of her, just like those people who looked up at her begging for affection. This had caused Zhu Lingyi to lose interest in her briefly, treating her like thin air.

But later, Zhu Lingyi found that Qin Shuyue was different. She was too well-behaved. There wasn’t a single transgressive move.

Zhu Lingyi had always lived alone in her dormitory. This was because those who had stayed with her before—men and women alike—all wanted to climb into her bed, endlessly trying to please her. They always wanted something to happen to gain profit or leverage. This infuriated Zhu Lingyi. So much so that she would throw them out without mercy and kick their luggage down the stairs.

Zhu Lingyi disliked being disturbed and despised keeping people with ulterior motives around her. It was a defilement of her peaceful life. After that, she simply announced that her dormitory would no longer accept roommates. Only then did the chaos subside, and her life returned to peace.

But after that brief peace, Qin Shuyue’s sudden intrusion made Zhu Lingyi incredibly irritable.

Unintentional? She didn’t believe anyone could be stupid enough to walk into the wrong dormitory! But this woman was too good at acting—acting the part of an innocent, pitiful little white rabbit, seemingly accustomed to using pity to gain sympathy. It piqued Zhu Lingyi’s interest. She wanted to see what kind of greedy face was truly hidden under that innocent mask.

So she accepted her, intending to mercilessly expose her. She tested her again and again, but the result was always Qin Shuyue’s silent rejection and avoidance, which left her puzzled and frustrated. It almost drove her crazy.

What on earth is this woman trying to do by getting close to me!

She would leave confidential company documents out in the open on the coffee table, as if waiting for someone to find them. But when Qin Shuyue saw them, she would just quietly organize them and set them aside.

In her spare time, Qin Shuyue would clean the dormitory until it was spotless and even cook her specialty dishes in the kitchen. Though by the time Zhu Lingyi found them, Qin Shuyue was already gone. She would disappear quietly without leaving a trace.

These actions clearly looked like attempts to please her, yet they left Zhu Lingyi in a fog, without a single clue. It seemed that Qin Shuyue was just… being good to her for no reason?

Could it be that Qin Shuyue had actually fallen for her?

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