Forced to Act out a Strange Script with a Rival - Chapter 38

The bright car headlights, like the light of judgment, tore through the thick night gloom along the rocky beach, finally settling firmly on the two utterly disheveled figures of Si Xiaoxiao and You Yilin.

The car window slowly rolled down, revealing Li Ting’s exquisite face. She had arrived very quickly, so quickly that it didn’t feel like she was “picking someone up,” but rather… being driven here by some kind of invisible force, or perhaps, bad luck.

However, the posture of this “Goddess descending” had absolutely nothing to do with salvation.

Li Ting’s cold face lacked any of the usual gentle smiles she used for pretense; there was only a frozen indifference and an uncontrollable irritation.

The streetlights cast shadows in her deep-set eyes, her thin lips were pressed into a sharp, straight line, and she radiated an aura of oppressive low pressure that warned people to keep their distance.

“Ready? Shall we go back to the hotel?” Li Ting’s voice came through the car window, like an ice-tempered blade—brief, cold, and carrying an unquestionable tone of command. This was the first thing she said.

Perhaps because both of the people present were familiar with her true nature, she didn’t bother putting on her sweet, gentle smile to disguise herself, opting instead for a cold face that was quite intimidating.

This sense of oppressive expression was practically the warden of a prison dungeon attached to her.

She seemed very annoyed, and Si Xiaoxiao knew the source of her irritation.

When they were too far apart, Li Ting must have also suffered from the bad luck curse.

For her, this was an undeserved disaster.

Having dragged her nemesis into the mud, Si Xiaoxiao felt a little lacking in confidence, but what she had promised her friend still needed to be brought up.

She braced herself, enduring that gaze that could almost cause frostbite, and quickly and softly added: “…Also, we have to go to the party.”

“Go, back,” Li Ting’s voice abruptly escalated, carrying a tone of almost violent finality.

She didn’t even look at Si Xiaoxiao, her gaze fixed like an ice-pick on a random spot in the void. Her knuckles, gripping the steering wheel, were white from excessive force, and faint veins bulged on the back of her hand. Her state was clearly abnormal, like an iceberg suppressing molten lava, ready to erupt at any moment.

Why are you yelling at me!

Si Xiaoxiao’s sense of grievance instantly overshadowed her slight feeling of guilt. Although she was indeed at fault first, she didn’t know that the system’s “lucky aura” wasn’t very effective, but the “unlucky aura” could be this powerful.

Besides, it wasn’t her initiative; she just forgot about the system! She couldn’t be blamed for that either!

But she couldn’t argue with her, or the system would drag them into the script world again.

So Si Xiaoxiao suddenly raised her hand and pointed, without hesitation, at You Yilin, who was trying hard to minimize her presence and wished she could disappear on the spot. Her words came out like a machine gun, attempting to fully deflect the “blame”: “It’s all her fault! It’s because of her! She insisted that I be her girlfriend! That’s why I came out with her!”

Her words were disjointed and completely disregarded the well-being of the others.

At this, the expressions of the other two people changed.

You Yilin’s mouth formed a perfect ‘O’ shape, her eyes wide with ultimate bewilderment written all over them: “Who am I? Where am I? What did I just hear?”

She truly hadn’t expected Si Xiaoxiao’s communication skills to be so poor!

If this girl were to take the civil service exam, she would definitely fail!

Li Ting’s expression, however, was even more intriguing.

She finally, slowly, extremely slowly, turned her head.

The cold gaze, like a physical searchlight, moved away from Si Xiaoxiao’s face, which was plastered with “innocence” and “blame-shifting,” and finally fixed on You Yilin.

The ice in her eyes was instantly replaced by something far more dangerous and darker.

It was scrutiny, assessment, disbelief, finally coalescing into an extremely oppressive, almost tangible… possessiveness.

If Li Ting’s eyes had pie charts like those CEO archetypes, the emotions inside her eyes would likely be “Shock 30% + Fury 40% + Possessiveness 30%,” and still constantly refreshing, merging, boiling, and reassembling.

“You agreed?” Li Ting frowned, her fingertips gripping the steering wheel turning white, as if she was trying hard to suppress something. Her body leaned slightly forward, like a wild beast whose absolute forbidden zone had been touched. Her voice was terrifyingly low, every word sounding like an ice shard squeezed out from between her teeth.

“What?” Si Xiaoxiao blinked, intimidated by Li Ting’s intensity. Her voice instinctively stammered: “The party? Of course!”

However slow-witted she was, she realized Li Ting was angry.

But, wasn’t it just making her unlucky for a little while…?

What a petty person.

“Get in, we’ll go together.” Li Ting suddenly forced down whatever she was suppressing, put on a smile, and adopted the gentle, considerate older sister facade.

Li Ting was being strange too. Si Xiaoxiao didn’t know what she was thinking, finding Li Ting strange when she wasn’t smiling, and also finding Li Ting strange when her smile was radiant.

Si Xiaoxiao began to re-evaluate whether she had said anything wrong just now.

Did she… forget to add the word “pretend”?

But since the other person had already moved past the topic, adding it now seemed a bit off.

Never mind, it’s not a big problem.

While thinking, Si Xiaoxiao pulled open the back door, ready to sit down.

“Xiaoxiao, sit in the passenger seat,” Li Ting’s voice suddenly came, carrying an undeniable flavor.

Ah, why?

Although Si Xiaoxiao was thinking, her body’s instinct made her comply with Li Ting’s instruction and sit in the passenger seat.

It must be that Li Ting wants to sit closer to me!

This way, my luck can improve.

Si Xiaoxiao’s little mind came up with a reasonable explanation.

Finally, the sleek black sedan drove towards the bustling party venue, carrying three women, each with their own thoughts, and an atmosphere so low it could freeze a person to death.

The entire car ride was a silent struggle.

The low pressure emanating from Li Ting was almost palpable. Si Xiaoxiao stiffened her neck, pretending to look out the window at the scenery. You Yilin tried her best to shrink into the corner of the back seat, attempting to become an insignificant ball of air.

She had thought she might enjoy the blessing of having both a wife and a concubine, but what kind of mess was this?

The party was located on an open private beach. According to You Yilin, it was the birthday party of the Young Miss, so many people were invited.

To break up with someone at their birthday party… what kind of deep-seated hatred must that be!

Even before they got close, the deafening waves of electronic music crashed against the car windows, mixed with the cheers and screams of the crowd.

A huge bonfire blazed in the center of the beach, illuminating the dancing figures around it, like a frenzy of demons.

The air was filled with a thick scent combining barbecue, alcohol, sunscreen, and some kind of heady perfume.

Countless strands of colored lights and hanging lanterns made the night appear bizarrely beautiful. Women in various “exotic” costumes moved through the scene, like a grand masquerade ball. According to You Yilin, today’s gathering only invited women.

Li Ting was the first to open the door and step out. She seemed to have completely restrained all her emotions, offering only a gentle smile as she spoke to Si Xiaoxiao.

“You two go have fun. Enjoy yourselves.”

Afterward, she walked straight towards a relatively quiet spot in the shadows at the edge of the beach, turning her back to the noisy party, her figure merging into the night.

Si Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, suppressing that unidentifiable anxiety and the awkwardness caused by Li Ting’s fluctuating attitude, and followed her out of the car.

They had arrived at the party in silence, naturally without time to discuss their plan with Li Ting. The four-person love triangle had to be modified into a three-person one.

But that was fine too.

The sooner it was over, the sooner they could wrap up. She needed to find a chance to talk to Li Ting alone about the system’s “Destiny Bond” reward.

So, she instinctively tried to find the “target” You Yilin had mentioned: Miss Gong Ziyuan, the Young Miss of Guangyuan Group, a pitiful woman about to witness her lover’s infidelity at her own party.

As soon as You Yilin scurried out of the back seat, she tightly linked arms with Si Xiaoxiao, the force of which almost made Si Xiaoxiao stumble.

“Xiaoxiao! Steady! We’re about to start, we’re starting!” You Yilin’s voice was pressed very low, filled with desperate tension and excitement, yet she tried hard to squeeze out a sweet smile on her face. Her eyes frantically signaled Si Xiaoxiao to look towards a white figure not far away, surrounded by several female companions.

Is that Gong Ziyuan?

Si Xiaoxiao followed her gaze, and her heart couldn’t help but jump.

What a soft, beautiful, and precious mixed-race Young Miss!

The woman was wearing a simple yet exquisitely made white saree. Gold threads outlined complex subtle patterns on the edges, flowing with a subdued brilliance under the reflection of the bonfire and colored lights.

She was tall and slender, her profile lines as beautiful as a sculpture, with deep, defined features. Her dark hair was loosely gathered up, with a few strands falling on her smooth neck. She was slightly tilting her head to listen to a companion speak, a very faint smile playing on her lips, looking incredibly soft.

“Remember! Mistress attitude! Bring out the same attitude you use when you glare at Li Ting!” You Yilin whispered urgently into Si Xiaoxiao’s ear, practically half-dragging her towards Gong Ziyuan.

Si Xiaoxiao gave You Yilin a disgusted look: “According to your setup, I’m the mistress!”

She felt her friend was an absolute (scumbag/jerk), willing to hurt such a beautiful and delicate Young Miss.

You Yilin was unapologetically a scumbag, even saying it as a matter of course: “Hmph, in the game of love, the one who isn’t loved is the mistress!”

“Enough, your warped logic is hurting my ears!” Si Xiaoxiao was cornered. She bit the bullet, straightened her back, and tried to recall the “righteously arrogant” feeling she usually had when facing Li Ting.

However, when Gong Ziyuan noticed the movement and slowly turned around, those eyes, calm as a deep pool, precisely landed on her, Si Xiaoxiao still felt an invisible pressure.

She was indeed a golden flower meticulously raised by a wealthy family; her aura was intimidating.

Gong Ziyuan’s gaze was very calm, devoid of surprise, anger, or hysteria; there was only an all-knowing composure. She first glanced at You Yilin’s hand tightly clutching Si Xiaoxiao’s arm, then her sight lingered for a moment on Si Xiaoxiao’s bright but somewhat flustered face.

Si Xiaoxiao could only brace herself and follow the script: “Darling, is this the woman who’s been clinging to you?”

She acted very over the top, as she had no experience being a mistress, so naturally, she couldn’t act like one.

However, she tried her best to appear more hateful, so that more people would side with Miss Gong.

Although the role she was required to play at this party was the universally condemned mistress.

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