After the Strategy Failed, the Heroine Turned into a Crematorium - Chapter 21

The spacious, well-lit dining table was enveloped in an indescribably strange atmosphere. A gentle spring breeze drifted in, and Bian You’s face quietly flushed red.

Qi Zhi’e wasn’t entirely wrong in what she said.

Bian You really was eager for her to take responsibility.

“You…” Though Qi Zhi’e wasn’t wrong, Bian You was too embarrassed to admit it outright, it would make her seem desperate to marry. Yet the truth was exactly that, and she didn’t want to hide it from Qi Zhi’e either.

“Yes, I want you to take responsibility for me.” Having adjusted to her embarrassment, Bian You spoke frankly.

Qi Zhi’e lifted her gaze, meeting the undisguised warmth and sincerity in Bian You’s eyes. The corners of her lips curved slightly, softening her entire demeanor. Her voice was clear and gentle as she replied, “Alright, I’ll take responsibility.”

Bian You froze for a moment before her eyes suddenly brightened, staring at Qi Zhi’e in speechless delight.

She hadn’t expected Qi Zhi’e to agree so readily.

Qi Zhi’e tilted her head, smiling at her with a hint of teasing in her voice. “What, too happy for words?”

Under the gaze of those autumn-water-like eyes, Bian You’s face gradually reddened again. She struggled to suppress the upward tug of her lips, not wanting her joy to be too obvious.

“I am happy,” Bian You murmured softly.

Qi Zhi’e chuckled and glanced at the wontons in front of Bian You. “Eat your breakfast first, or the wrappers will get soggy.”

“Mhm, okay.” Bian You responded vaguely, picking up her spoon. But just as she was about to scoop a wonton, a thought flashed through her mind, making her pause slightly.

Was Qi Zhi’e agreeing to take responsibility because her opinion of Bian You had changed?

Did she… feel even a little affection for her?

Bian You looked up at the woman across from her. At this moment, Qi Zhi’e seemed to have shed the sharp, icy walls she usually wore, revealing the gentle ripples beneath.

Watching her serene and composed expression, Bian You suddenly didn’t dare voice the question.

Besides, wouldn’t asking now ruin the mood?

She pushed the thought aside for the time being. It wasn’t a big deal, really. Even if Qi Zhi’e didn’t have feelings for her now and was only acting out of a sense of duty, they would have plenty of time together in the future. Bian You would make sure Qi Zhi’e saw that she could stand by her side as an equal.

After breakfast, as Bian You was cleaning up, Qi Zhi’e walked into the living room. Seeing it tidy and spotless, she inexplicably felt a wave of relief.

As long as she didn’t see any traces, she could temporarily pretend nothing had happened.

Once she finished disposing of the trash, Bian You joined her in the living room. Seeing Qi Zhi’e just standing there, watching, an uncontrollable, tingling embarrassment crept up her spine, her heart fluttering like a tiny hook teasing her nerves.

“I cleaned everything up. It’s fine now,” Bian You whispered.

Qi Zhi’e: “…”

Did this woman think she was afraid of lingering traces and didn’t dare sit down?

Keeping her expression neutral, Qi Zhi’e sat on the sofa without hesitation, then looked up at Bian You.

Though she had already agreed to take responsibility earlier, she hadn’t fully adjusted to the idea yet. She wasn’t sure how to interact with Bian You while sober.

And why hadn’t Bian You left yet?

Bian You sat down beside her. Though the sofa was soft, she still sat with perfect posture back straight, hands folded on her lap her voice carrying a faint trace of guilt as she whispered, “Zhi’e, I’ve been planning to move out from home recently, so I asked my assistant to help look for properties.”

Qi Zhi’e turned to look at her, a sudden sense of foreboding rising in her heart at these words.

Was this person thinking of moving in here?

Her expression tightened slightly, though not overtly so, as a wave of irritation crept in. She began considering how to reject such a request without making the atmosphere too awkward.

Unaware of Qi Zhi’e’s shifting mood, Bian You kept her gaze lowered to the carpet and said in a small voice, “But then I found out you’d also moved out and were living in this neighborhood. So I thought… maybe I could buy a place here too, to live closer to you. Would that be okay?”

Originally, she had wanted to secretly purchase a place here to “coincidentally” run into Qi Zhi’e. But now that they were in this kind of relationship, she felt it better to ask for Qi Zhi’e’s opinion first.

Hearing this, Qi Zhi’e inwardly sighed in relief. As long as she wasn’t planning to move in here, it was fine.

With this weight off her mind, Qi Zhi’e naturally responded with gentle grace. “Of course that’s fine. Living here would be convenient for you too, it’s not far from the Bian Corporation, so it would save you a lot of time.”

“You’re really okay with it?” Bian You looked up at her in delighted surprise.

Qi Zhi’e smiled, her eyes glistening as she met Bian You’s gaze. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Bian You’s face blossomed into a radiant smile, like sunlight suddenly breaking through dark clouds, completely dispelling the gloom. Her eyes shone with pure, unclouded brightness.

Seeing this, Qi Zhi’e felt an unexpected flutter in her chest and averted her gaze.

Bian You took out her phone, muttering as she texted Assistant Zhou, “Then I’ll have Assistant Zhou look into it. Ideally, we’d get a place directly above or below yours. At the very least, it should be in the same building!”

Qi Zhi’e: “……”

Living directly above or below her? She could hardly imagine how their interactions would go in that case.

But when she opened her mouth, she couldn’t find the words to dissuade her. And given Bian You’s eagerness, even if she lived in a different building, she’d probably act no differently than if they were neighbors.

In the end, Qi Zhi’e said nothing, treating the matter as if it had nothing to do with her.

After sending the message, Bian You turned back to Qi Zhi’e with concern, asking when she planned to go to the hospital for a full checkup, she wanted to accompany her.

At this question, Qi Zhi’e fell silent.

She hadn’t expected that even after choosing a relatively better approach upon her rebirth, she still couldn’t escape the disorder of her pheromones.

Though the situation was much milder than in her previous life and with timely intervention would likely be fine,  she couldn’t help but feel a surge of frustration.

“This afternoon,” Qi Zhi’e finally said.

Since it was unavoidable, she might as well face it and resolve the issue as soon as possible.

“I’ll go with you!” Bian You immediately declared.

Qi Zhi’e frowned. “Don’t you have work to handle?”

Because of Qi Zhi’e’s estrus cycle, Bian You had already delayed her responsibilities for three days.

Bian You blinked. “It’s already piled up for several days anyway, one more day won’t make a difference.”

Moreover, compared to that, Bian You naturally wanted to stay by Qi Zhi’e’s side, especially during hospital visits.

People are actually at their most vulnerable when going to the hospital while sick. Bian You didn’t want Qi Zhi’e to go alone having someone accompany her would be better.

“As you wish.” Qi Zhi’e chuckled softly.

Once again, Bian You felt delighted by her attitude. Compared to before, the current Qi Zhi’e treated her with such warmth, it was almost unbelievable.

The more time they spent together, the more Bian You liked her.

Yet Bian You never thought to restrain these feelings.

Support After the Strategy Failed, the Heroine Turned into a Crematorium