The Cold Heroine Turned Into a Yandere After Being - Chapter 2

Step-by-Step Guidance

The lights of the night blurred against the car window like a drop of thick ink spreading across a canvas. Standing within that interplay of light and shadow, Ji Shubai’s silhouette appeared drawn out and slender.

Perhaps because Mo Zhu had remained silent for a bit too long, Ji Shubai, standing outside the window, looked up at her and took the initiative to speak.

“Rest assured, I will also abide by the terms of the agreement.”

Her tone was somewhat stiff. It seemed that several months of pressure and hardship from various sides hadn’t managed to soften this woman’s temperament much at all.

Snapping back to reality, Mo Zhu refocused her gaze on Ji Shubai outside.

The light in the other woman’s eyes flickered and wavered, mirroring the distant streetlights.

Mo Zhu raised the agreement in her hand and gave it a light shake. “Do you actually know what this agreement implies?”

“I know,” Ji Shubai answered quickly, though her gaze drifted elsewhere.

“Actually, about this agreement,” Mo Zhu began, feigning a look of difficulty.

Before she could finish, the other woman cut her off with a hint of urgency. “Are you going back on your word?” Ji Shubai’s lips pressed into a thin line. In a place where Mo Zhu couldn’t see, her clenched fingers were turning white at the knuckles.

Mo Zhu’s intended words died in her throat. She had originally planned to scrap the deal—after all, if she truly signed this with her, how was she supposed to earn Ji Shubai’s trust later?

But seeing the woman’s current state, Mo Zhu realized that if she abruptly declared the agreement void, Ji Shubai would likely think she was being toyed with. It would only deepen the resentment.

Furthermore, in the original plot, Ji Shubai desperately needed this money. Paying off this installment of her debt was the only way she and her mother could catch a brief breath. It was the only hope she could see right now.

After weighing the pros and cons, Mo Zhu closed the agreement. A faint smile played on her lips as she tilted her head back to look at the woman. “Of course not.”

Ji Shubai let out a tiny sigh of relief and looked down. “Fine. Then it’s settled.”

She took a small step back, looking as though she was prepared to leave.

“You’re leaving?” Mo Zhu’s voice caused her to pause.

Ji Shubai looked back at her. “President Mo, the agreement doesn’t take effect until tomorrow. I believe I should still have my freedom for now.” Her tone wasn’t pleasant, yet it was clearly the result of heavy restraint.

Truly a rose covered in cold thorns, Mo Zhu thought to herself. On the surface, however, she maintained a soft, understanding smile. “I haven’t forgotten that Miss Ji is still a free agent. I was just wondering, since it’s so late, would you like me to drive you home?”

There was a trace of subtle irony in those words, causing Ji Shubai’s lips to tighten further. “Thank you for the offer, President Mo, but that won’t be necessary.”

After a brief goodbye, she turned and walked away.

Mo Zhu watched her thin, retreating figure until the smile in her eyes slowly faded.

This parking area was quite secluded with few passersby, making Ji Shubai’s back look particularly lonely.

Once the woman vanished from sight, Mo Zhu turned her attention back to the contract in her hands.

She flipped through it idly. Putting aside her ulterior motives, she actually felt a spark of interest in putting this agreement into practice.

What a pity.

The priority now was to figure out how to salvage this “hell-tier” starting position.

It is incredibly difficult for a person to suddenly change their behavior without raising suspicion. Doing so would only invite double the doubt.

Especially when dealing with someone as guarded as Ji Shubai.

Preparing memory transmission. Host, please head home as soon as possible to ensure a safe environment for rest.

The system’s voice rang out unexpectedly.

Mo Zhu finally shut the contract, tossed it aside, and instructed the driver in the front: “Let’s go.”

Half an hour later, Mo Zhu arrived back at her residence.

After the car stopped, the driver glanced at his boss through the rearview mirror. “President Mo, you don’t look well. Should I call Dr. Zheng?”

“No need.”

Mo Zhu declined immediately. During the ride, she had checked the original owner’s phone, trying to learn more about “herself” before the full memory dump.

Along the way, she had been receiving fragments of information about the original host from the system. The chaotic influx of data was giving her a headache.

No wonder the system told her to get home and rest.

Massaging her throbbing temples, she headed upstairs to her room alone. After a quick wash, she collapsed onto the bed.

Thanks to the memory transmission, Mo Zhu fell asleep almost instantly.

However, her sleep was far from peaceful. In her dreams, she felt like a bystander watching the first half of “Mo Zhu’s” life.

Most of the memories were dull and tedious. The only parts that felt remotely interesting were during a high school summer break when a certain someone appeared.

Unfortunately, the two didn’t have much contact, so the fragments involving Ji Shubai were rare and blurry.

The next morning, Mo Zhu was jolted awake by the vibration of her phone alarm on the desk. She woke up with a lingering sense of mental fog.

The curtains were drawn tight, blocking out any trace of daylight, so she couldn’t tell what time it was.

Good morning, Host! Remember to work hard today.

Mo Zhu sat up to the sound of the system’s voice. She rubbed her temples before getting out of bed to grab the phone that had been vibrating incessantly.

The screen showed an incoming call from her assistant. Upon answering, the assistant’s voice came through.

“Good morning, President Mo.”

“What is it?” Mo Zhu’s voice carried the low-pressure grumpiness of someone newly awakened.

“Are you at home right now?” The assistant seemed to pick up on her mood and asked softly.

Mo Zhu pulled out a chair and leaned against the edge of the desk. “I am. Why?”

“It’s like this: Miss Ji and I are currently downstairs at your residence. Should I accompany her up?” the assistant asked.

Mo Zhu froze for a moment. Then, it clicked.

Yesterday, “she” had mentioned that once the contract was signed, Ji Shubai should “start her duties” as early as possible the next day.

However, Mo Zhu had spent the entire night “dreaming” and hadn’t fully cleared her head yet, let alone found time to organize her thoughts on these matters.

She frustratedly twirled a stray lock of hair around her finger. The person was already downstairs; it wouldn’t look good to send them back now.

If Ji Shubai misunderstood and thought she was being toyed with again, it would just be another headache.

Congratulations, Host, on triggering the first plot mission! According to the original script, you need to order the female lead around and mock her current situation after meeting her. You must complete this while staying true to the original character’s logic and try your best to prevent the female lead’s favorability from dropping. If it hits a negative value, there will be a penalty.

Pro-tip 1: You have three chances a day to check the favorability level.

Pro-tip 2: Newbies have a ‘Bungler’s Protection’ mechanism. You can negate up to three instances of negative score damage.

Hearing this, Mo Zhu couldn’t help but laugh. The system wanted her to play out a scene mocking Ji Shubai, while simultaneously winning her over? They were treating her like a human yo-yo.

“President Mo?” On the other end of the line, the assistant felt a chill down her spine after hearing her boss’s inexplicable laugh.

“Fine,” Mo Zhu said, her tone carrying the displeasure of being disturbed. “Bring her up.”

The assistant hung up and stole a glance at Ji Shubai standing beside her. Since she was standing close, the assistant wasn’t sure if she had heard that strange laugh.

“Miss Ji, President Mo asked me to bring you up.”

Ji Shubai’s face remained expressionless. She gave a slight nod. “Thank you.”

However, before entering the elevator, she took a silent, deep breath. She braced herself with the same posture she used when facing debt collectors as if she were about to walk into the den of a monster.

Meanwhile, after hanging up, Mo Zhu took a moment to straighten out her messy thoughts before heading to the bathroom.

By the time she finished washing up and changing her clothes, someone was already in the living room.

Ji Shubai was sitting primly on the sofa. A bottle of water—likely placed there by the assistant sat on the coffee table in front of her.

She turned and stood up the moment she heard footsteps.

“Morning.”

A greeting that was polite yet distant.

“Morning, Miss Ji.” Mo Zhu walked over, her gaze sweeping over Ji Shubai with an indiscernible scrutiny.

Last night had been too rushed. She hadn’t had the chance to properly look at what this “Commander” looked like now that she had fallen into the mortal realm.

Now was the perfect chance to observe. With her “in-character” persona as a shield, she wasn’t afraid of exposing herself.

Today, Ji Shubai wore a moon-white stand-collar shirt, buttoned meticulously to the very top.

Her features were clean and sharp, but her lips were very pale, as if she lacked vitality.

Judging by her appearance alone, that cold sense of detachment made her look like someone untouched by the world exactly the kind of look Mo Zhu lacked and despised.

Standing there, Ji Shubai was clearly uncomfortable under Mo Zhu’s piercing gaze. She looked ill at ease and even tried to shift her eyes away to avoid eye contact.

She lowered her gaze slightly. “What do you need me to do?”

Ji Shubai broke the silence, her voice relatively steady.

Mo Zhu stood a moderate distance away. “Don’t you know what a personal assistant is supposed to do, Miss Ji?” She shifted her tone, adding a touch of deliberate realization. “But then again, it’s normal for our pampered Miss Ji not to know these things. After all, there’s a first time for everything.”

“Fortunately, I’m quite patient with ‘personal assistants.’ I’ll make sure you learn everything you need to know.”

Ji Shubai’s lips pressed together again. Her jawline tightened for a second, as if she had been pricked by an invisible needle.

She knew a bit about Mo Zhu’s reputation as a playboy. Thinking about the fact that she was about to become one of the lead actors in those rumors made her spine stiffen even more, as if she were exerting every ounce of willpower to restrain herself.

Unaware of what Ji Shubai was thinking, Mo Zhu clearly saw the other woman’s fingers curl at her side. She wouldn’t have been surprised if the woman punched her in the next second.

Seeing Ji Shubai like this, the smile on Mo Zhu’s face didn’t fade; instead, it grew a bit wider. She turned and walked to the bar counter of the open kitchen, picking up an empty glass. She tapped the side of the glass with her fingernail, producing a crisp clink.

“Miss Ji, you know how to make coffee, right?” She gestured toward the coffee machine with her chin. “If not, there’s instant coffee over there too.”

Ji Shubai didn’t say a word. she just walked toward the coffee machine as instructed. “Do you need anything else?”

“Just coffee. I like it sweet.” Mo Zhu sat down at the island across from her, watching as Ji Shubai found the instant coffee tin, peeled back the foil seal, and poured the powder into a cup before moving to the hot water dispenser.

A stream of scalding water poured into the cup, the rising steam blurring her profile.

Just as the water reached the brim, her hand gave an imperceptible tremor.

Mo Zhu watched as she turned around with the coffee. Her grip seemed unstable, and the cup wobbled.

Host, quick, quick, quick! She’s going to drop the cup! You should rush over and catch it for her! Win some favorability!

However, Mo Zhu turned a deaf ear to the system’s frantic shouting. Excuse me, am I supposed to fly there from this distance? Besides, she’s just burning her hand a little. Is it that big of a deal?

In that split second, the rim of the cup tilted. Scalding coffee splashed onto the back of Ji Shubai’s hand, turning the skin red instantly. The cup slipped from her grasp and hit the polished floor with a loud shatter. The brown liquid sprayed everywhere, leaving a mess on the floor.

The air in the room froze.

Having already anticipated this outcome, Mo Zhu stood up unhurriedly. Her eyes flicked over the reddening skin on Ji Shubai’s hand as she spoke: “Well, at least my glasses are sturdy.”

Ji Shubai stood frozen, looking at the mess on the ground. Her brows furrowed. “I’m sorry. I’ll clean this up and make you another one.”

She bent down to pick up the unbroken glass, but as she straightened up to move, Mo Zhu caught her by the arm and pulled her toward the side.

Caught off guard, Ji Shubai stumbled. She flinched as if her hand had been touched by a branding iron, but Mo Zhu gripped her even tighter.

Mo Zhu glanced at her. The woman’s wrist was icy cold and trembling slightly; the burn must have really hurt.

“Don’t move.” Mo Zhu led Ji Shubai to the sink, turned on the cold water, and pressed the burned hand under the stream.

As the cool water rushed over the reddened skin, Mo Zhu looked up and smiled at her. “Even though my employee ruined my breakfast, do I look like the kind of evil boss who demands they keep working while injured?”

Mo Zhu leaned in closer, her peach-blossom eyes filled with a smile that didn’t quite reach the surface. “Miss Ji, do I really seem that heartless?”

Being so close, she could smell a faint, unique fragrance coming from Ji Shubai. Before she could identify the scent, however, the other woman pulled back to create some distance.

Ji Shubai kept her mouth shut, trying to withdraw her hand.

Mo Zhu didn’t let go immediately, but she kept an eye on Ji Shubai’s expression. “You should remember this for next time, Miss Ji. You can’t hold a glass cup directly while filling it with hot water.”

The sound of the rushing water muffled her voice. As she spoke, Ji Shubai turned her face away slightly, looking as though she were listening intently.

“I can do it myself,” Ji Shubai finally spoke, her voice carrying a hint of persistence.

This time, Mo Zhu knew when to quit and let go. She turned and went to the living room cabinet to look for something.

A moment later, she returned with a tube of ointment and a cotton swab, thrusting them into Ji Shubai’s uninjured hand. “Put some medicine on.”

Ji Shubai gripped the ointment. Her voice remained flat. “Thank you.”

Seeing that Ji Shubai’s clothes were splashed with coffee, Mo Zhu thought about finding her a clean set to change into.

As she walked into the walk-in closet, the system’s voice, Xiao Ta, chimed in.

Host, your behavior just now was too risky! What if your actions made her dislike you even more? If favorability drops to the negatives, you’ll be punished. Even though you have immunity charges, you still need to be careful!

Xiao Ta prattled on with a post-event review, but Mo Zhu didn’t seem to care.

Once she finally found a gap to speak, Mo Zhu replied: “Being ‘nice’ out of nowhere is suspicious. Besides, were we that close before? If I had rushed over just because she was about to get a tiny burn, wouldn’t that be weird? My way was a natural progression.”

She believed that only “kindness” that felt logical would be effective.

Listening to her, Xiao Ta finally stopped the noisy lecturing. After some thought, the system decided the host had a point.

Mo Zhu continued to pick through the clothes casually, finally finding a set in her wardrobe that suited the other woman. “If you don’t believe me, why don’t you check Ji Shubai’s current favorability toward me?”

Her voice was full of confidence.

After a moment of silence, Xiao Ta’s cheerful voice rang out. Hehe, it’s a three-digit number!

Mo Zhu was slightly surprised. “Three digits? It reached three digits that fast?”

But she quickly realized something was wrong. Wasn’t the maximum favorability usually a three-digit number anyway?

Xiao Ta provided a helpful explanation: It’s 0.01!

“?” Mo Zhu’s hand froze while holding the clothes. “How much???”