After the Strategy Failed, the Heroine Turned into a Crematorium - Chapter 42.1

“What are you talking about?”

Bian You pretended not to understand, casting a puzzled glance at her, though her hands at her sides had already clenched into tight fists.

Qi Zhie took a slow sip of water and smiled faintly. “I thought you’d be so angry tonight that you wouldn’t even want to see me.”

Bian You: “…”

The two tacitly avoided continuing the conversation. That night, as they prepared to sleep, Bian You watched Qi Zhie lie down with her back turned and didn’t press close as usual or demand that Qi Zhie turn around and hold her.

She lay flat on the bed, staring quietly at the ceiling in the dark. Beside her, Qi Zhie’s soft, shallow breaths filled the air, and the faint scent of lily of the valley her favorite wrapped around her. Yet this time, she felt no joy or contentment.

Rolling over and curling up slowly, Bian You clutched at her chest, only to feel an ache.

It hurt so much.

The night passed without another word. The next morning, as they left for work together, Qi Zhie didn’t let Bian You drive her, merely reminding her to be careful before getting into her own car.

Bian You said nothing either. After arriving at Bian Corporation, she had barely stepped into her office when her assistant, Zhou, came in to report and immediately asked, “Boss, are you in a bad mood?”

Bian You lifted her head and looked at her calmly, tapping the documents in Zhou’s hands. “What’s the matter?”

She didn’t deny it clearly, she really was in a bad mood.

As Zhou delivered her report, she mused that given Bian You’s love-struck nature, few things or people could affect her mood. The most likely culprit was Qi Zhie. But Bian You rarely got angry with Qi Zhie. For her to be like this, the issue between them must be serious.

After finishing her report, Zhou said, “If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”

After all, working for Bian You never came with downsides only benefits.

Bian You lowered her head to review the documents, responding with a faint “Mm,” and nothing more.

Zhou sighed inwardly. This problem must be severe if it could turn the cheerful puppy into a somber old dog. Qi Zhie really was something else.

After Zhou left, Bian You paused mid-signature and walked to the restroom, frowning slightly at her reflection in the mirror.

Was she really that obvious today?

As she stood there lost in thought, a melodious piano piece drifted in from outside. Bian You bit her lip.

It was the same piece Qi Zhie had once played for her.

Stepping out, she closed her eyes in resignation.

It was Yin Li calling.

She hung up without hesitation and blocked the number outright. Before, she might have spared some courtesy, but in her current mood, she had no patience left for others.

No one spared any thought for her either.

After the block, a brief silence settled in until the notification chimes started up again incessantly. Bian You’s expression darkened. She truly couldn’t understand why Yin Li was so fixated on pursuing her.

After blocking all of Yin Li’s contact methods, Bian You rubbed her temples wearily, her mind a tangled mess.

She wasn’t sure what to do next. Should she keep pretending nothing had happened and muddle along?

But, Bian You wasn’t without her pride.

Since childhood, Bian You had been the kind of child others admired, excelling in everything she did. Naturally, she carried her own share of pride. The only reason she could feign ignorance now was because she liked Qi Zhie.

Having never tasted the bittersweetness of love before, she suddenly found herself deeply entangled in it. After experiencing all its flavors sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy all that remained was an overwhelming bitterness.

There were too many things in this world that weren’t like the lines of code beneath her fingertips, things she couldn’t control.

Assistant Zhou returned after stepping out, hesitating slightly as she looked at Bian You. “President Bian, Mr. Bian Qian has invited you to dinner tonight. Will you be going?”

Bian You thought for a moment. This Bian Qian seemed to be a distant relative of the Bian family. After all, every family had a few less fortunate relatives, and in the Bian family, Bian Qian’s branch was considered the poorer one. They often turned to the main family for help whenever something came up.

Usually, Bian Lian handled these matters. As long as it wasn’t too troublesome, they would lend a hand. But now, with Bian Lian abroad, Bian Qian had come to her instead.

“Did he say what it’s about?”

“No, but I suspect he’s here to borrow money.” Assistant Zhou swiped through a tablet as she spoke. “I looked into it, the manager of a project he recently took on absconded with the funds. His company isn’t large to begin with, so they probably don’t have the extra capital to keep the project going.”

If he abandoned the project, he’d still have to pay breach-of-contract penalties, which he also couldn’t afford.

After a brief silence, Bian You agreed to meet. She figured Bian Lian wouldn’t have turned a blind eye either.

She sent Qi Zhie a message saying she’d be home late that night. She had expected some questions in return, but all she got was a simple “Got it,” with nothing more.

Staring blankly at her phone screen, a heavy weight settled in her chest, making her feel stifled and out of sorts, devoid of energy.

That evening, she arrived at the hotel Bian Qian had booked. As soon as she entered, a man eagerly approached her. After a quick glance around, she confirmed the middle-aged man was Bian Qian. There were three other men and two women with him, likely brought along as company.

Bian You responded perfunctorily to Bian Qian’s greetings and was ushered to the seat of honor. Strictly speaking, Bian Qian was her elder, but given the distant relationship between their families and the fact that he was the one asking for a favor, he didn’t dare put on airs.

This, at least, improved Bian You’s impression of him slightly.

She couldn’t stand people who asked for help yet still acted entitled. Bian Qian might have been overly ingratiating, but at least he knew his place.

After introductions were made, Bian You didn’t remember any of the names. Her mind had been elsewhere all day, and she lacked interest in most things.

“Niece, you know how tough the business environment has been these past few years. My company hasn’t had much success, and now with this incident, I really had no choice but to turn to you,” Bian Qian said with a helpless expression, as if his predicament were genuine.

Bian You tapped a finger lightly on the table. Though she understood his situation, she didn’t want to make it too easy for him lest the Bian family be seen as an easy target, fostering a sense of entitlement.

Moreover, as Bian You knew, most of those who came to borrow money never actually paid it back.

“Since that’s the case, why not just treat that ten million as my investment?” Bian You said with a light smile, though her words left the others momentarily stunned.

Ten million was nothing to the Bian family just a drop in the bucket so they clearly hadn’t expected her to suggest this.

“Well!” Bian Gan hesitated. Few people would welcome someone else taking an uninvited stake in their company.

“An annual dividend will suffice. I won’t interfere in your management,” Bian You said coolly.

The people Bian Gan had brought exchanged glances. Finally, gritting his teeth, Bian Gan said, “Fine. But I’ll need my niece to look out for us a bit more in the future. After all, what’s good for you is good for me.”

If this could secure the Bian Group’s support for his company, perhaps they wouldn’t find themselves in such dire straits again.

Bian You smiled faintly. “No problem.”

With the matter settled, the others began toasting Bian You. Her mood was already low, so she didn’t refuse, accepting every drink that came her way, much to the alarm of Assistant Zhou, who watched nervously from the side.

What on earth had happened between these two? Was Bian You really trying to drown her sorrows in alcohol?

Unsure whether she should inform Qi Zhie about this, Assistant Zhou hesitated. Seeing the growing haze in Bian You’s eyes, she finally tugged at Bian Gan’s sleeve and whispered, “Are you really trying to get her drunk? What if she forgets her promise tomorrow?”

Bian Gan froze, then scrutinized Bian You. Though her expression remained composed, her eyes betrayed her intoxication. Jolted by Assistant Zhou’s warning, he quickly stopped the others from pushing more drinks on her and even stepped out to ask a server for a glass of milk to help sober her up.

She couldn’t forget, if she did, he’d have nowhere to turn.

Bian You stared silently at the glass of milk placed before her.

She turned to Assistant Zhou, who blinked innocently. She was just a petite woman, if Bian You really got drunk, she wouldn’t be able to handle her alone.

But with no more toasts coming her way, Bian You ignored the milk and continued sipping slowly on her own. She barely touched the food but drank plenty, nursing a stifled frustration with no outlet except temporary oblivion.

Seeing her like this, Assistant Zhou sighed softly but didn’t press further. By the time the dinner ended, Bian You had consumed a considerable amount. However, she was good at masking it, and since alcohol didn’t flush her face, anyone who didn’t look closely at her eyes might assume she was completely sober.

Bian Gan escorted them to the hotel entrance before turning to arrange rides for the others. The cold wind hit Bian You, making her head spin even more, and a faint nausea rose in her throat.

“Bian, let’s get in the car,” Assistant Zhou offered, reaching to support her, but Bian You waved her off. Despite her unfocused gaze, she stubbornly insisted she wasn’t drunk and walked on her own.

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