After the Strategy Failed, the Heroine Turned into a Crematorium - Chapter 43

Online news about the general manager of the Bian Group being taken away by the police for allegedly coercing an Omega quickly went viral, even overshadowing the trending story of popular actress Su Qinran being photographed returning home late at night with someone, sparking rumors of a romantic relationship.

Countless netizens, eager for drama, clicked on the hashtag, only to find marketing accounts spinning elaborate tales. Some even posted photos of Bian You being escorted by the police, which, after technical verification, showed no signs of being photoshopped.

It was real!

Nowadays, few people didn’t know about Bian You. After all, news of her being marked by an Omega could still be found online. Combined with her high-profile status, public curiosity about the scandal soared.

[Ugh, alphas will always be alphas. Even after being marked, they can’t change their disgusting nature.]

[I actually thought she was one of the rare decent alphas. Turns out I was blind!]

[Look at her background. How many of these rich people don’t play around? They act all proper on the surface, but who knows how filthy they are behind closed doors? (eyeroll.jpg)]

[Damn, my illusions are shattered. I really thought she was different. Turns out she’s just like the rest.]

[I don’t get it. How can someone with Qi Zhie still not be satisfied? How desperate do you have to be? People like her, who don’t know how to cherish what they have, should have their glands removed to stop them from harming others.]

The online backlash grew increasingly fierce, severely damaging the Bian Group’s corporate image. Even their stock prices took a nosedive within a single morning. The board of directors was now deeply dissatisfied with Bian You.

Bian Lian, who was abroad, had no choice but to return and handle the crisis. The entire Bian Group was engulfed in a tense, high-pressure atmosphere, with everyone treading carefully.

As for the outside world, Bian You could do nothing but endure being the subject of their gossip.

She no longer cared.

When she learned that the person accusing her was someone she’d never even heard of, she found it laughable. But when she was told the other person’s gland contained traces of her pheromones, she couldn’t laugh anymore.

According to the accuser, Bian You had taken advantage of her during her heat, leaving behind a shallow mark. After her heat ended, she immediately went to the police, ensuring all “evidence” was preserved. The police confirmed that her body carried a heavy concentration of Bian You’s pheromones.

Upon hearing this, Bian You suddenly laughed. But as her laughter faded, her eyes slowly reddened. She offered no defense, only requesting to see Qi Zhie.

Eventually, the police granted her request. Three days after being detained, Bian You finally saw Qi Zhie.

By then, the relentless onslaught of events had left Bian You exhausted, with no chance for proper rest. She had grown alarmingly thin, her once bright and radiant face now dull and weary, her eyes devoid of their usual spark.

In contrast, Qi Zhie appeared completely unaffected, as poised and composed as ever.

When Bian You walked in, she saw Qi Zhie sitting there with an expression of calm composure. After taking a seat across from her, Bian You met her gaze and simply asked, “Was it you?”

Yet Qi Zhie’s face remained so unreadably serene that Bian You couldn’t detect even a hint of emotion. She tried to force a smile but found she lacked even the strength for a bitter one.

Who else but Qi Zhie could have orchestrated everything at the perfect moment while also obtaining such a large amount of her pheromones? Bian You couldn’t think of anyone else.

“Why? I just want to know why!” Bian You’s eyes grew increasingly red as she stared fixedly at Qi Zhie, demanding an answer.

Faced with her accusatory expression, Qi Zhie remained silent for a long time before finally speaking softly.

“Why? Don’t you already know?”

Her gaze lingered on Bian You’s face, as if trying to see through it to someone else.

“Hahaha…”

Bian You suddenly laughed, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked at Qi Zhie’s indifferent face, nodding as she laughed. “So, does this mean I’ve repaid everything? I shouldn’t owe you anything anymore, right?”

Qi Zhie watched her quietly, lips pressed together without a word.

“Qi Zhie, you really know how to endure. You must have suffered so much.” A mocking smile tugged at Bian You’s lips, her eyes gradually turning cold.

Qi Zhie met her icy gaze, her chest tightening slightly.

“Even using yourself as a bargaining chip, you’re truly ruthless.”

Of course, if she weren’t ruthless enough, how could she have risen so swiftly, just as described in the story?

That sarcastic tone was something Bian You had never used before, let alone directed at Qi Zhie herself.

Qi Zhie’s eyes darkened further.

“You despise me so much that you’d go to such lengths just to push me away.” Bian You nodded as she spoke, giving Qi Zhie one last glance before standing up to leave. “You’ve succeeded.”

As the iron-barred door clanged shut, Qi Zhie was left sitting there, stunned and alone.

No one knew what Bian You meant by “You’ve succeeded.” Was it that Qi Zhie’s scheme had worked? Or that she had successfully shaken Bian You off?

Qi Zhie lowered her head slightly, staring at the cold, metallic surface of the table, her body stiff.

The online uproar grew increasingly fierce, forcing the Bian Group to temporarily suspend Bian You from her position. Beyond that, they made no public statements addressing the various accusations, clearly caught off guard themselves.

After temporarily quelling the turmoil within the company, Bian Lian arrived at the detention center with a lawyer to see Bian You.

Months had passed since their last meeting, yet Bian Lian remained as cold and mocking as ever.

“I told you there’d come a day when you’d cry.”

From the very beginning, she had never approved of the relationship between Qi Zhie and Bian You. In her eyes, while Bian You was capable, she was no match for Qi Zhie’s cunning. Qi Zhie’s mind was too inscrutable even Bian Lian couldn’t fathom it, let alone Bian You. Had Qi Zhie been devoted to Bian You, it might have been different, but the slightest hint of ulterior motives would leave Bian You completely at her mercy.

And clearly, that was exactly what had happened.

Bian You listened quietly, neither resentful nor angry so calm that Bian Lian began to wonder if she had been driven to stupor by the shock.

“No wonder even the Qi family couldn’t handle her. With this growth speed and strategic planning, you still thought you could control her? Don’t you know your own limitations?”

It had to be said that Qi Zhie had calculated everything perfectly. Now that both families were collaborating on the development of an integrated government system, an extremely important project that couldn’t afford any mistakes, if she wanted to act against Qi Zhie, it would inevitably disrupt the company’s operations and, consequently, the entire project.

This was an outcome the Bian family couldn’t accept either. Moreover, Qi Zhie had somehow partnered with Ren Shuliu from the Inada Fund, making her even harder to deal with.

She had practically ensured that even if they knew she was the one behind Bian You’s predicament, they would swallow their anger and refrain from retaliating, at least for now.

And she would use this time gap to strengthen herself. By then, even if the Bian family wanted to target her, they would have to think twice and weigh the consequences carefully.

Bian You simply lowered her gaze, calmly staring at her palm. How could she not understand all this? Since Qi Zhie had chosen to act, she naturally wouldn’t put herself in a vulnerable position.

But Bian You found Bian Lian’s words about wanting to control Qi Zhie somewhat laughable.

When had she ever tried to control Qi Zhie? Hadn’t Qi Zhie always been the one in the dominant position?

She had sensed everything, yet she had still clung to illusions. She deserved to end up in this situation.

“For now, bail is still not an option. You’ll have to endure it a little longer,” Bian Lian said, looking at her only child. Though she didn’t know Bian You well, she understood one thing: someone as proud as Bian You rarely took a liking to anyone, let alone resort to such methods.

What followed was a discussion between Bian You and her lawyer. However, finding evidence to prove that Bian You had never forced the other party was nearly impossible especially since the “evidence chain” on the other side was airtight, clearly premeditated.

For most of the conversation, Bian You simply listened, offering little in response. Her indifferent, resigned attitude made the lawyer hesitate more than once.

Seeing her like this, Bian Lian was furious. Was she really just going to accept this calmly? Without even putting up a fight?

After Bian Lian and the others left, Bian You silently returned to her cell, lying on the bed and staring blankly at the ceiling before closing her eyes and turning over without any visible emotion.

So tired.

When Mi Yue saw the news about Bian You online, she was stunned. Her first reaction was disbelief, how could Bian You, who loved Qi Zhie so much, ever do something to betray her?

She wanted to see Bian You but had no way to do so. Then she tried contacting Qi Zhie for answers, but Qi Zhie didn’t pick up her calls either. For a while, she was left floundering like a headless fly.

“Calm down. They’re probably busy right now and can’t deal with you,” Su Qinran patted her head, pulling her down to sit.

“How can I calm down?!” Mi Yue’s doll-like face was filled with anxiety. She wanted concrete details, but the information online was vague, and it seemed like many were just muddying the waters.

To this day, she still didn’t even know who the so-called victimized omega was!

“I also looked into the situation a bit. She’s doing fine in the detention center, no issues there,” Su Qinran said.

As Bian You was, after all, the heir to the Bian family, Bian Lian wouldn’t let her suffer too much inside. He had already made arrangements early on to ensure her comfort.

“I still can’t relax,” Mi Yue said with a tearful face, scrolling through her phone. “I’ll ask my brother for help again, see if he can get any specific details.”

Right now, there was nothing she could do, and it was driving her crazy.

“If all else fails, how about I go with you to see Qi Zhie?” Su Qinran suggested.

Bian You was Mi Yue’s friend, so of course she couldn’t just stand by. And based on their previous interactions, Bian You didn’t seem like that kind of person at all.

Mi Yue’s hand paused, her eyes lighting up. “Yes! Let’s go find her!”

But before she could even reach out to Qi Zhie, she was suddenly notified that Bian You wanted to see her.

Rushing to the detention center, the moment she saw Bian You, she burst into tears.

“Wah, A-You, how did you get so haggard!”

There wasn’t a trace left of her former confident, spirited self!

Bian You smiled at her, then glanced at Su Qinran standing beside her, her smile deepening slightly.

“Your secrecy game is strong, I actually had no idea at all.”

Hearing this, Mi Yue immediately felt guilty, fidgeting with her fingers as she stammered, “W-well, it’s just that her identity is too special.”

And she was at the peak of her fame. Just an accidental photo of them together had caused such a huge stir before.

Bian You didn’t dwell on the matter. Instead, she said, “Help me go to Qi Zhie’s place and throw out all my things.”

Better to take the initiative and throw them out herself than wait for the other person to do it.

“Huh?” Mi Yue was stunned. Maybe because she spent so much time at home and rarely used her brain, she found herself struggling to process this. She couldn’t understand what Bian You was saying.

Su Qinran’s expression shifted the moment she heard Bian You’s words. She stared at Bian You, trying to read something in her eyes but unfortunately, there was nothing there.

“After you go to her this time and throw out all my things, never go looking for her again.”

“We’re done.”

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