The Cold Heroine Turned Into a Yandere After Being - Chapter 16

Proactive

However, in the very next second, an untimely voice shattered the atmosphere.

Xia Yitian stood by the edge of the pool, looking up at the two of them. “Hey, hey, hey, that’s quite enough. You two have wandered right into my selfie. Can you show a little public spirit? If you want to hug and cuddle, go back to your room, alright?”

Ji Shubai snapped back to reality as if waking from a dream. She took a step backward, and with that movement, the thread of candy-like sweetness in the air was severed.

Down below, Xia Yitian seemed afraid they wouldn’t believe her. She held up her phone, turning the screen toward them. “Look at this. I finally managed to take a perfect photo, only to find out I’ve become a third wheel. Now I have to Photoshop you out just to post it. What a mess.”

Upon hearing the word “photo,” Ji Shubai’s expression grew uneasy. Her gaze flickered repeatedly toward Xia Yitian below, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Seeing her state, Mo Zhu turned to the girl below. “Delete it.”

Xia Yitian looked up, puzzled. “Huh?”

“Delete the photo,” Mo Zhu repeated. Her voice wasn’t loud, but beneath its lazy surface lay a weight that brooked no argument.

Xia Yitian gave the two of them a strange look but said nothing more as she deleted the photo containing their figures. “Fine, it’s deleted.”

Ji Shubai hadn’t expected Mo Zhu to take such a protective stance by directly demanding the photo be erased. This was starkly different from her expectation that Mo Zhu might be indifferent or even crack a few jokes about it.

This made her involuntarily re-evaluate the relationship between them. Had things already exceeded her expectations?

Before Mo Zhu could “claim credit” for her actions, Ji Shubai retreated first.

“I still have things to unpack. I’m going to go tidy up.” Leaving only those words, she turned and walked back into the house, as if she couldn’t wait to escape Mo Zhu’s side.

Mo Zhu looked at her empty palm. She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Ji Shubai wanted to maintain even more distance from her whenever others were present.

At the last party, if Mo Zhu hadn’t been firm about holding her hand, she likely would have stayed far away. It was the same when they were caught in the elevator by Assistant Xiang.

“She’s already gone. What are you still standing there reminiscing for?”

Mo Zhu finally turned her side to look at Xia Yitian below, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Why haven’t you left yet?”

“I was originally waiting for you so we could go over together, but now it seems I really am surplus to requirements, huh?” Xia Yitian shrugged, then raised her phone. “A few people I know are already there. I’ll head over first.”

Mo Zhu gave her a casual wave as a goodbye.

Once the other girl left, Mo Zhu asked Xiao Ta, “What is the favorability level now?”

Current favorability level for the female lead is 41. You have two more queries remaining today.

Hearing this number, Mo Zhu let out a scoffing laugh. She wasn’t surprised by the value. If Ji Shubai were someone who could be so easily “reformed,” the whole thing would be quite dull.

She leaned against the railing, watching the distant sunset finally sink below the horizon like cooling embers, transforming into a calmer, gentler palette.

The upcoming plot points are likely to consume all the favorability you’ve accumulated. You only have one chance left for penalty immunity. I suggest you hurry up and farm more favorability.

Mo Zhu pressed the candy in her mouth against her cheek, creating a small but distinct bulge. As the candy rolled, the bulge moved subtly.

“How else am I supposed to farm it? We’ve clearly hit a plateau.”

I have several reference books suitable for you: “Women Rely on Coaxing” and “The Manual for Mastering Coaxing.” I can send them to you if you need.

Mo Zhu held a stance of keeping such books at arm’s length and decisively refused.

Then, have you decided how to handle tomorrow’s plot?

Mo Zhu answered vaguely, “More or less. I’m going to take a gamble.”

She couldn’t be one hundred percent certain it would work.

What are you betting on?

Mo Zhu straightened her posture, her gaze landing on the figure inside the house. She didn’t answer the question.

She stood there for a moment, her eyes following that busy silhouette inside.

Inside, Ji Shubai had her back to Mo Zhu as she organized items scattered in her suitcase, as if doing so could help her avoid any potential eye contact or conversation.

Mo Zhu stepped into the room, her voice lazy. “Need a hand?”

“No.” Ji Shubai didn’t even turn her head.

Mo Zhu didn’t move closer. She simply sat down on a nearby lounge chair, her gaze tracing Ji Shubai with a touch of wantonness. She didn’t stop until she noticed the other woman’s ears turning red, then she rocked the chair with satisfaction.

“Miss Ji, you’ve already taken that small white bag out and put it back twice now.”

Her words made Ji Shubai stop her movements. “They are two items with the same packaging. I got them mixed up.”

She even remembered to defend herself.

Mo Zhu laughed, finding the scene immensely amusing. “Well then, I must have been so hungry my vision went blurry. Be a saint, Miss Ji, and take me to get something to eat.”

Hearing this, Ji Shubai turned her head and looked directly into Mo Zhu’s eyes. “My apologies. I forgot about that. Let’s go.”

But the person who said they wanted to go remained lounged in the chair, looking quite like a rogue. “I’m so hungry I have no strength left. I need Miss Ji to pull me up.”

Ji Shubai had already reached the door. She rested one hand on the doorframe and turned to look at Mo Zhu. “President Mo, are you coming or not?”

Mo Zhu stared at her fixedly, eventually giving a silent smile and getting up on her own to walk toward the door.

Ji Shubai also let down the hand she had used for leverage, hiding it at her side.

“Let’s go,” Mo Zhu said as she passed her.

Ji Shubai gave an extremely soft “Mm.”

By the time they stepped out, the sky had already darkened. The island in the night, when viewed from a distance, looked like a pearl radiating a soft, lustrous glow.

When Mo Zhu and Ji Shubai arrived, the air was a tapestry of salty sea breeze mixed with the faint aroma of grilled seafood and tropical fruits.

Guests were gathered in small groups, cheering on the two main leads in the center.

The woman beside Mo Tang was wearing a silk gown, leaning intimately against her shoulder and whispering with a laugh.

Upon seeing Mo Zhu, the two took a brief leave from the crowd and walked over.

“Wanqing, this is my cousin.” After Mo Tang introduced Mo Zhu, she inevitably had to introduce Ji Shubai. She hesitated for a moment. “This is Miss Ji, her assistant.”

It was also Mo Zhu’s first time meeting her cousin’s partner. She greeted her with a smile. “Hello, Sister-in-law.”

Ye Wanqing, addressed as sister-in-law, responded to her happily.

As the protagonists of this pre-wedding bachelorette party, they only stayed for a moment before moving on.

From a distance, Mo Zhu spotted Xia Yitian and her group waving at her. She looked at Ji Shubai beside her, knowing the woman definitely wouldn’t enjoy crowding in with that lot.

“Find a quiet spot. If you’re hungry, grab something to eat yourself. I’m going over to say hello.”

Ji Shubai had been wondering how to avoid the noisy social interaction that bothered her. She hadn’t expected Mo Zhu to “set her free” so directly.

She watched Mo Zhu’s departing back, feeling the tangle of threads in her heart grow messier.

Mo Zhu walked over to Xia Yitian’s side, and several people automatically made room for her.

On the low coffee table in front of them were scattered sparkling wine glasses and several half-finished bottles of champagne.

As soon as Mo Zhu sat down, a glass of champagne was pushed in front of her.

“Little President Mo, you’re late. You’ll have to drink a penalty glass.”

Mo Zhu took the glass and took a sip. “No one set a mandatory arrival time.”

“Little President Mo, why didn’t you bring that assistant of yours over?”

“Why would I bring her over?” Mo Zhu’s gaze drifted lazily toward the spot where they had parted, only to find that in just a few moments, Ji Shubai had disappeared to some unknown hiding spot.

“To let us see her, of course! What kind of assistant is she to make you so devoted? Right, Xia Yitian?”

Xia Yitian stood by with an expression of one who loved watching a spectacle. “I’m curious too.”

In fact, after Mo Zhu’s display at the last party, gossip had traveled fast. Many people had already guessed at the nature of the relationship between Mo Zhu and Ji Shubai.

It was just that Mo Zhu hadn’t stated it explicitly, so everyone else tacitly played along with her word games.

“If you’re curious, go find one for yourself.”

Seeing her like this, several people made a show of trying to force her to drink as revenge.

Mo Zhu played along with the group until she heard Xiao Ta’s voice.

Host, I’ve found the person you’re looking for. It’s the one in the blue dress among the three people to your front-right. The female lead is currently located to the left side of the building.

Mo Zhu immediately put down her glass and stood up. Someone asked where she was going, and another answered for her, “To find her assistant, obviously!”

The rest burst into laughter, and Mo Zhu didn’t bother to argue with them.

After leaving the group, she stopped a waiter outside the venue, gave a few instructions, and then departed.

Following Xiao Ta’s guidance, Mo Zhu bypassed the boisterous crowd and headed toward the left side of the building.

As she neared her destination, the surrounding clamor faded further away.

She soon spotted Ji Shubai sitting alone on a beach chair. She seemed to be staring blankly at the undulating waves in the darkness, the glass in her hand nearly empty.

Her profile looked somewhat thin and detached under the dim light, appearing completely out of place with the revelry nearby.

However, she must have sensed something, as she turned her head.

Seeing her look over, Mo Zhu raised her hand and gave a lazy wave, a smile playing on her lips.

She walked over and came to a stop beside Ji Shubai. Instead of looking at her, she followed her lead and gazed out at the same stretch of sea.

“Miss Ji doesn’t like the noise here?” Mo Zhu’s voice was softer than usual, melting into the night breeze with less of her typical lazy mockery.

Ji Shubai stood up and said softly, “It’s alright.”

“Just ‘alright’?” Mo Zhu turned her head, her gaze landing on Ji Shubai’s slightly lowered eyelashes.

Ji Shubai pursed her lips. It wasn’t that she disliked these occasions so much, but when Mo Zhu was by her side, the inquisitive stares and the feeling that a secret—barely hidden by a thin veil of decency was about to be exposed made her instinctively want to keep her distance.

“Don’t you need to accompany your friends, President Mo?” she tried to change the subject, her tone carrying a faint, almost imperceptible wish for the other to leave.

Mo Zhu let out a soft laugh. Instead of leaving, she took a step closer, her arm almost brushing against Ji Shubai’s. “Is Miss Ji trying to drive me away?”

“I just feel that you might prefer being with your friends,” she whispered.

“What if I said I’d rather be here right now?” Mo Zhu’s voice was very low, carrying a magnetic, bewitching quality.

Mo Zhu’s gaze slowly descended, settling on those lips that were slightly pursed due to tension.

She counted the seconds in her mind. Soon. Very soon.

“Miss Ji, didn’t you say before that you could only be the proactive one?”

Ji Shubai knitted her brows. “When did I ever”

She got halfway through the sentence before remembering the words she had spoken out of frustration last time.

Mo Zhu placed her palm on the back of Ji Shubai’s neck, making her tilt her head up slightly. “If you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to. I’ll be the proactive one.”

As she spoke, she slowly and tentatively lowered her head.

Ji Shubai just stared at her blankly, the warm sensation from the back of her neck feeling incredibly clear.

These short words seemed to carry a compelling magic, leaving her mind blank and causing all the defenses she had tried to build to collapse in an instant.

Her reason was screaming “danger,” yet her body seemed nailed to the spot, unable to move even a fingertip.

She could only look away in distress, but in the next instant, she caught a glimpse of a bright blue flash in the corner of her eye, along with a familiar face.

Just as their lips were about to touch.

Caught off guard, Mo Zhu was pushed back, stumbling a step.

Ji Shubai herself retreated half a step from the counter-force. Her breathing was ragged as she looked at Mo Zhu, whom she had pushed away, her eyes filled with complexity.

In that gaze, there was guilt and panic, but more than that, there was a stubborn sense of self-protection.

As they stared at each other in silence, a voice broke through the surging stillness.

“Junior Sister? What are you doing here? Are you here for the wedding too?” A woman’s surprised voice rang out. “And who is this person beside you?”

“Mm,” Ji Shubai paused for a moment before answering succinctly, “My boss.”

Even though this was exactly the situation Mo Zhu had wanted, seeing Ji Shubai looking so eager to distance herself caused her expression to turn cold, bit by bit.

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