I Don't Want To Fall In Love With The Heroine [Quick Wear] - Chapter 16

The tenderness on Bai Qian’s face vanished in an instant.

“Don’t push your luck. That is absolutely impossible. Don’t even think about it.”

Shao Zizhi looked incredibly aggrieved. “But that’s all I want! I only want that! I have everything else; I’m just missing a girlfriend—a girlfriend named Bai Qian!”

“Shut up. We agreed to wait until after you win the award to talk about this. If I hear you mention it one more time, you’re sleeping on the sofa for a week.”

Shao Zizhi glared at her, stifling her frustration. “Bai Qian! You always use that as a threat!”

Bai Qian let out a soft scoff. “It’s the only threat that actually works on you. I’ll give you one more chance: is there anything else you want?”

“No! No! I only want that!”

“Fine. Happy early birthday, then. That’s all.”

Shao Zizhi’s beautiful eyes glistened with tears. “Bai Qian, you’re so mean!”

Just as Bai Qian was about to respond, a sudden, intrusive voice rang out from the entrance of the courtyard: “I’m so sorry, there was some traffic. I’m late.”

The deep male voice wasn’t one she heard every day, but it was far from unfamiliar.

Bai Qian’s expression stiffened. She turned toward the sound and saw Zhang Chao, wearing that same mask of a “gentle, refined gentleman.” One of Shao Liangrong’s friends quickly stepped forward to welcome him.

“Let me introduce everyone. This is my new boyfriend, Zhang Chao.”

“Oh! I thought he looked familiar. Isn’t he the one from that popular e-sports drama recently?”

“Chao Ci, you did it! You’ve been hiding such a handsome boyfriend from us!”

As the crowd teased and chattered, Bai Qian realized how the plot had shifted. Unable to hook Shao Zizhi, the scumbag had moved on to a different target. Looking at the girl, who was clearly being sheltered and coddled by her family just like the original protagonist, Bai Qian wondered if she should find a way to have Shao Liangrong warn her.

“How could that piece of trash show up here? Let me go expose his disgusting face!”

The indignant Shao Zizhi was genuinely about to charge forward and tear off his mask.

Bai Qian caught her just in time, feeling both helpless and amused. “Do you think rushing in like that will work? First, you have no evidence—and even if you did, you couldn’t produce it on the spot. Second, is Chao Ci closer to you or to Zhang Chao? It would be better for Shao Liangrong to warn her as a best friend. Third, even if you confront him, do you really think someone who has survived in this industry for years hasn’t left himself a back way out?”

“Then what? We just watch that scumbag ruin someone else?”

It was difficult to think of a perfect solution immediately. After a long silence, Bai Qian said, “Let’s go back and think carefully. Zhang Chao definitely has investors backing him. Unless the situation reaches a certain severity, the capital behind him will protect him given his current popularity.”

The young girl, never having faced such things, was confused and hateful. “Isn’t sexual harassment enough?”

Bai Qian sighed and rubbed the girl’s head. “In this industry, that is unfortunately all too common. Stay calm. Since he’s Chao Ci’s boyfriend now, it means he’s likely using ‘legitimate’ means. Tonight is Zhao Tong’s birthday; for her sake, we can’t make a scene, right?”

In reality, she was certain that Zhang Chao had used dirty tricks to land Chao Ci. The way Chao Ci looked now—eyes full of nothing but that fake man—was identical to the female lead in the original plot.

Shao Zizhi nodded, taking the advice to heart. “Fine. After tonight, I’ll have someone dig into him. I don’t believe he can pretend to be perfect forever!”

Bai Qian didn’t stop her this time. If used properly, power and influence could be a great tool for punishing a scumbag.

*****

To their surprise, they didn’t even need to dig deep before Zhang Chao was taken down for good by Shao Liangrong.

It turned out the scumbag was blind enough to miss the intimate atmosphere between Zhao Tong and Shao Liangrong. Seizing a moment when Zhao Tong went to the restroom alone, he used his “drunkenness” as an excuse to corner her in the hallway.

Perhaps his tolerance was low, but he seemed quite bold, whispering empty promises about “having resources” and “helping her improve her acting” while leaning in with a flushed face. Just as he was about to press his lips against the woman’s neck, before Zhao Tong could even move, the disgusting man was kicked forcefully against the wall by Shao Liangrong.

No one except family knew that Shao Liangrong was a Judo Red Belt—well, no one except the creepy screenwriter currently in the ICU.

Zhang Chao’s agonized wails pierced through the hallway. Everyone upstairs rushed down to find the man slumped against the wall like a pile of rags, twitching uncontrollably in pain. Bai Qian glanced at where he was clutching himself; she guessed the scumbag wouldn’t be “committing crimes” with that part of his body ever again.

She realized then that if the wheels of power turned too slowly, a necessary bit of “violence for justice” was exactly what the victims hoped for.

******

It was a month before she saw Shao Liangrong again. Zhang Chao had attempted to sue her for intentional assault, but a friend of Shao Liangqing had taken the case.

Shao Liangqing was the eldest brother of the family, a man who hadn’t appeared in the original story, and his friend was a “legend of the legal world.” The details were unnecessary; all that mattered was that the villain had provoked the wrong wealthy heiress. His past misdeeds, which his investors had suppressed, were all unearthed, and he finally received the punishment he deserved.

“Zhao Tong and I are getting married next month in Country P. You’re both invited.”

Bai Qian sprayed out her orange juice. “What? You two moved way too fast!”

Shao Liangrong smiled softly and took a glass of freshly squeezed apple juice from Shao Zizhi. “I told her I might go to prison for the assault. She cried all night. The next day, I lied and told her that if I left, I might not be able to come home for a long time, and I asked if we could make our relationship ‘official’ before I went. Honestly, I just wanted to date her, but she was the one who suggested marriage. Of course, I agreed. I should thank that scumbag for getting me a wife. Bai Qian, cheers!”

“Does Zhao Tong know you lied? Is she not mad?”

Shao Liangrong turned her face to show a clearly swollen cheek. “Of course she was furious! She hit me so hard my face swelled up, but I’ve coaxed her now. How about the four of us have dinner tonight to celebrate? By the way, Sis, your younger sister is getting married. Shouldn’t you and Bai Qian speed things up?”

Shao Zizhi let out a cold huff. “Worry about yourself.”

Shao Liangrong scratched her head, unsure how she’d annoyed her sister, and winked at Bai Qian as if asking if they’d had a fight.

Bai Qian pretended not to see. “What about your dad? He agreed? Didn’t he almost break your leg because of Zhao Tong before?”

“My older brother has been single since birth and said he’d never marry. I told my dad that if I marry Zhao Tong, we’ll adopt a child so he can become an enviable grandfather earlier than his friends. It took a few days of persuading, but he agreed.”

Shao Liangrong took a sip of her drink. “And if he hadn’t, I told him I’d refuse my brother’s lawyer friend and just go to prison for a few years. He didn’t have much of a choice.”

Bai Qian: “…” Classic Shao Liangrong.

“I’m heading out first. I have to wait in line to buy that trending dessert for my wife. Bai Qian, do you want some? I’ll buy extra and drop it off.”

“I—”

“No need. I’ll buy it for her,” Shao Zizhi interrupted.

Shao Liangrong shrugged. “Fine. See you tonight. Neither of us can cook, so Bai Qian, you and my sister handle the kitchen? We’ll bring the ingredients.”

“Sure,” Bai Qian said. “Bring some strawberries too; I’m craving them.”

The girl’s expressive face shifted, mimicking the cold look Shao Zizhi had just given her. “No need. My sister will buy them for you.” Then, catching Shao Zizhi’s icy glare, she scrambled. “Okay, okay, I’m going! I’ll buy the strawberries! Text me if you want anything else!”

The moment Shao Liangrong left, Shao Zizhi’s attitude did a complete 180. She burrowed into Bai Qian’s arms like a kitten. “Waaa! Even my younger sister is getting married and I don’t even have a girlfriend! Bai Qian, you’re so heartless! How can I go home for New Year’s? Everyone will laugh at me for being single. It’s so embarrassing! I want to be in love! I want to be in love!”

“Get up. Change your clothes and come out with me.”

Shao Zizhi’s invisible tail practically stood on end. “Bai Qian, are you serious?! Don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying no—I’m too happy! But my household register is at home, and the civil affairs office is closed on weekends. Should we go get my papers first and be the first in line tomorrow morning?”

Bai Qian ruthlessly shattered her fantasy. “Didn’t you say you wanted to stand in line to buy me that dessert? Let’s go. Here’s your chance to perform.”

“Waaa! I want to get married. I want to go to Country P to get married too. Please, marry me, Bai Qian! Marry me, okay?”

Bai Qian patted the sofa. “Do you know what this is?”

Shao Zizhi hesitated. “A sofa?”

“Think again.”

“An expensive imported sofa?”

“Think harder.”

Shao Zizhi whined, “My brain doesn’t work when I’m not married! I don’t know! I’ll only know once we’re married!”

Bai Qian sneered. “This is the bed that will be accompanying you for the next two weeks.”

Shao Zizhi: ?

“I told you: mention this impossible request again, and you’re out of the bedroom for a week.”

“Then why did you say two weeks just now?!”

“Marriage mention doubles the sentence.”

Shao Zizhi, frustrated, took a bite out of Bai Qian’s lips. “Bai Qian, I’m going back to ‘Forced Love’! Tomorrow I’m buying a rope and tying you up to go register our marriage!”

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