The Cold Heroine Turned Into a Yandere After Being - Chapter 34

So This Is the “Business” You Mentioned

The younger student, who had been happily watching her video, suddenly felt a shadow loom over her. She looked up, startled.

Ji Shubai was staring at the person in the corner of the screen. Her words came out one by one, heavy and sharp: “Where is this?”

“Huh? Is something wrong?” The student pulled off her headphones. Only then did she realize her phone was on speaker and the volume was cranked up. Her face flushed a deep crimson as she scrambled to kill the sound.

“Sorry, classmate! So sorry! I thought my Bluetooth was connected. I was wondering why the sound felt so muffled.” She had assumed her headphones were malfunctioning and had kept turning the volume up.

Ji Shubai kept her eyes on the screen where the video had just been closed. She asked again, “Where is the place in that video?”

The student blinked, then looked at her phone and scratched her head. “Oh, that? It’s a bar called Nature. It’s over on Qiaoxi Road, but it’s quite a distance from campus.”

“Thank you.” Having her answer, Ji Shubai turned around. She grabbed only her phone and walked straight out of the classroom.

Ji Shubai hurried through the corridors and down the stairs, her footsteps echoing clearly in the empty academic building. As she reached a landing, a voice suddenly called out to her.

“Junior?”

Ji Shubai came to a dead stop. Looking up, she saw Qiao Ying standing on the flight above, clutching several art books. After a few days apart, her eyes looked weary.

“Are you heading home already?” Qiao Ying quickened her pace as she walked down the stairs.

Ji Shubai instinctively tightened her grip on her phone. She hesitated for a second before answering, “Yes, Senior. I have some business to take care of.”

Qiao Ying clearly noticed her hesitation. She nodded. “I see.”

“Mm. Senior, I’ll be going then.” As Ji Shubai turned to leave, her senior called out again.

Qiao Ying walked down a few more steps until she was on the same level as Ji Shubai. “Junior. are you still with that benefactor?”

Ji Shubai, who was about to step down, pulled her foot back. She turned to look at Qiao Ying. “Yes. Why do you ask?”

Qiao Ying opened her mouth, looking hesitant and conflicted.

“Is something wrong?” Ji Shubai pressed.

Qiao Ying shifted the books to her other arm. “This might be intrusive, but I have to ask. what is your relationship with her?”

A flash of the video she had just seen flickered through Ji Shubai’s mind. She parted her pressed lips. “Senior, what are you trying to say?”

“I don’t mean anything by it.” Qiao Ying looked troubled, as if she didn’t know how to begin. She scratched her hair and finally looked like she was ready to take a leap.

“You probably remember my ex-girlfriend from H-City, right? She came back recently.”

Ji Shubai frowned. She couldn’t see how this was related to the previous question.

Perhaps because she was admitting to something embarrassing, Qiao Ying looked sheepish. “On Friday, I heard she was going on a blind date. I couldn’t help but go and snoop. I found out her date was.”

At that moment, several students entered the hallway above, their loud chatter and laughter drowning out most of Qiao Ying’s voice.

However, the bright lights overhead were enough for Ji Shubai to clearly read her lip movements. Her fingers, resting on the stair railing, slowly tightened their grip.

Deep inside the “Nature” bar, in a relatively secluded booth.

Mo Zhu was sunk into a soft sofa. The deafening electronic music seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier, turning into a dull, blurry background hum.

The flickering, shifting lights swept across the room, occasionally casting a brief shadow over her well-defined profile before she was swallowed back into the darkness of the booth. The lights rose and fell, mirroring her own murky, uncertain thoughts.

Host, an important plot point is happening tonight! Please, whatever you do, don’t drink too much!

Xiao Ta’s voice was filled with worry.

“Why haven’t you entered sleep mode yet?” Mo Zhu found her voice a bit noisy.

Because there’s an important plot point waiting for you when you return home late tonight, I’ll be staying by your side until then!

In the original plot, Assistant Xiang was supposed to come over tonight to retrieve a document Mo Zhu had left at home. Mo Zhu had told her to find Ji Shubai, who was at the apartment. While searching for the document in the study, Ji Shubai was supposed to find their contract and realize she had never actually signed it.

When Mo Zhu returned late that night, Ji Shubai was supposed to confront her with the contract.

In the original story, the host had simply laid her cards on the table, telling Ji Shubai the contract was a fake and that she only wanted to see the once-unreachable “Goddess” fall from grace. When Ji Shubai demanded it all end, the host agreed but required the money she had already received to be returned within seven days.

That had been the final straw that nearly broke the back of the cornered Ji Shubai in the original timeline.

But things were different now. Most of Ji Shubai’s life was back on track. Even if she discovered the contract was invalid, it wouldn’t be a catastrophe.

Besides, the current Miss Ji was very easy to coax.

Mo Zhu took a deep breath. As long as she could use Ji Shubai’s favorability to navigate tonight’s plot safely, her goal would essentially be achieved.

She felt she should be happy, yet a strange, heavy dullness lingered in her heart.

【By the way, you haven’t checked the female lead’s favorability since that day. Would you like to check it now?】

Mo Zhu pursed her lips, the faint bitter aftertaste of alcohol lingering in her mouth. “No.”

Alright then.

People in the neighboring booths were laughing and clinking glasses. Seeing Mo Zhu alone, they tried to drag her into their group.

Mo Zhu raised her glass with a smile, but as the person leaned in, she subtly dodged. Despite her efforts, the heavy scent of their perfume continued to waft toward her.

Fortunately, she spotted Xia Yitian emerging from the crowd on the dance floor and waved her over.

“You finally made it out! Why are you sitting here drinking alone like some brooding lead in a drama? This isn’t like you.” Xia Yitian squeezed in beside her, pushing away the person who had been trying to get close to Mo Zhu.

On the glass coffee table in front of Mo Zhu sat several empty bottles, their surfaces beaded with cold condensation.

She still held a half-empty glass of amber liquid. The ice had long since melted, diluting the drink and dulling the sharp edge it should have had.

“Is there no joy left in these places besides the noise? The music has no taste,” Mo Zhu commented.

“Can’t be helped. This is what young people like these days.” Xia Yitian rested an arm on her shoulder. “Besides, how many people come here to actually listen to the music and drink?”

She glanced at Mo Zhu’s nearly empty glass. “Wait—it looks like you actually are.”

Mo Zhu didn’t respond, only pulling out her phone for a look.

“What? Is your little personal assistant checking in on you?” Xia Yitian leaned in suddenly. “Speaking of which, you’ve had your fun for long enough, haven’t you? My bet with the others was for one month, and time is almost up. Give me the inside scoop are you guys about to break up? Is that why you’re out tonight?”

“You’ve already said it. You’re convinced we won’t last a month, so why ask me?” Mo Zhu used her glass to push the woman back.

Xia Yitian pouted. “I’m already giving you a lot of face! Most people bet on one or two weeks.”

“Gee, thanks.” Mo Zhu’s lips twisted into a fake smile.

“Hey—what about that new blind date of yours? I heard she’s quite satisfied with you. Even after what you said in front of everyone, she still thinks you’re a good match,” Xia Yitian said.

“How do you know what she thinks?”

“Please, when news like that gets out, it usually means the other party is interested. I saw a photo—she’s a mature, sophisticated beauty.” Xia Yitian paused as if remembering something. “Though, your little assistant is still the prettier one.”

Mo Zhu frowned at the mention of Ji Shubai. She checked her phone again. Since her last message, she had received no reply.

This was a first since Ji Shubai had accepted her “feelings.”

As if sensing her thoughts, the phone finally vibrated. Mo Zhu looked at the screen, but it was a message from Assistant Xiang.

Xiang, who was about to go pick up the document, said she had messaged Ji Shubai but hadn’t received a reply for a while. Ji Shubai had finally gotten back to her, but only to say she wasn’t at home.

Mo Zhu frowned at the text. It was nearly ten o’clock at night.

If Ji Shubai wasn’t at home, where was she?

Just as she was about to get up and call her, Xia Yitian suddenly began frantically nudging her arm. “Holy crap! I think I see your new blind date.”

Mo Zhu looked up. She saw Qin Yuran, with her chestnut curls bouncing, walking toward them with an air of bold confidence.

“Hi~” She spoke as she moved to the other side of Mo Zhu, half-sitting on the armrest of the booth.

Someone nearby recognized her and asked, “Miss Qin, what brings you here?”

The small diamonds on Qin Yuran’s ears flashed coldly as she tilted her head. “I heard Young President Mo was here, so I thought I’d try my luck. It seems my luck is quite good.”

Most people here had heard about the incident a few days ago. Combined with the ambiguous, high-energy atmosphere of the club, the mood turned suggestive quickly.

Several people nearby began to cheer, urging the two to have a drink together.

Before Mo Zhu could react, Qin Yuran leaned over and picked up two glasses.

“Young President Mo, a toast?”

From a distance, it looked as if Qin Yuran was leaning down toward Mo Zhu, her long hair obscuring their bodies so they looked like they were in an intimate embrace.

Before Mo Zhu could stand and pull away, Xia Yitian—sitting on her other side—began elbowing her arm frantically again.

“Holy crap! I think I see your pretty little assistant again!”

Immediately, Xiao Ta’s panicked voice rang out.

Oh no, oh no! The plot has deviated! The female lead isn’t where she’s supposed to be! Host, you must correct the plot immediately and get it back on track, or the mission cannot continue!

“What do you mean?” Mo Zhu was confused.

At this moment, the female lead should be at home discovering the contract! But she’s here! You need to find a way to let her know the contract is a fake to bridge this major plot point, otherwise, your mission might be deemed an immediate failure!

Mo Zhu listened to Xiao Ta while searching the room for Ji Shubai, based on Xia Yitian’s frantic pointing. As a result, she failed to notice Qin Yuran leaning closer and closer.

As their glasses drew near, their bodies followed.

Suddenly, a slender, pale hand reached between them and gripped Mo Zhu’s glass.

Mo Zhu looked up at the owner of the hand. She saw a face as clear as jade, but eyes that were currently frozen with a layer of frost.

Ji Shubai’s hand held the glass firmly, her knuckles white with the force of her grip. The cold liquid sloshed slightly, a few drops splashing onto her delicate wrist, but she didn’t seem to notice.

Her gaze swept past the intimate posture of Qin Yuran and pinned itself to Mo Zhu’s face.

Ji Shubai’s voice was low, yet it cut through the blurry background music and slammed clearly into Mo Zhu’s ears.

“So this is the ‘business’ you mentioned?”

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