The moment Fu Qingzhi said she was taking her home, Shui Ruyue immediately remembered the phone call between Fu Qingzhi and her mother the day before. Lu Lu had said that the original female lead would be there too.
She’s not planning to have a showdown with me, is she?
“I’m not going.”
Shui Ruyue flopped back onto the bed without hesitation.
She quickly straightened her rumpled clothes.
No way am I falling for this. I’m not going back with Fu Qingzhi.
What if Fu Qingzhi officially announced her relationship with Zhao Ruru right in front of her? She’d be out on the streets immediately.
Besides, the one-month agreement wasn’t even over yet. In the novel, the two of them only made their relationship public after that month had passed.
Shui Ruyue didn’t want the plot to happen ahead of schedule.
She had barely settled onto the bed when someone grabbed her ankle.
Her slender leg trembled.
“Be good. Stop making trouble,” Fu Qingzhi said suddenly.
Shui Ruyue decided to imitate the original owner’s spoiled young-miss temper. She kicked both legs hard, forcing Fu Qingzhi to loosen her grip.
“You can go by yourself.”
After saying that, she burrowed under the blanket.
Only her eyes peeked out as she watched Fu Qingzhi warily.
Fu Qingzhi almost laughed from exasperation.
“Get up. I don’t like repeating myself.”
The imposing pressure in her voice startled Shui Ruyue.
Her confidence immediately shrank by half, yet she stubbornly lifted her chin and refused to back down.
The next second…
She was lifted clean off the bed.
“Ah!”
Instinctively, Shui Ruyue threw her arms around Fu Qingzhi’s neck.
Fu Qingzhi was already half a head taller than her. Though slender herself, she possessed a toned, graceful strength beneath her elegant figure.
Being carried by her, Shui Ruyue felt as light as a little chick.
A moment later, she was carried straight into the bathroom.
“Put me down! Or I’ll get angry!”
She didn’t want to meet the parents—especially Lu Lu, the woman who kept urging Fu Qingzhi to throw her out.
That woman was downright obsessive.
“Be good.”
Fu Qingzhi’s voice softened, carrying a coaxing warmth.
The sound sent a tingling sensation through Shui Ruyue’s ears.
Then a pair of soft hands gently pulled off her pajamas.
“You dislike staying by my side that much?”
After saying that, Fu Qingzhi set her down on the bathroom counter and calmly squeezed toothpaste onto her toothbrush.
“I… I have something to do today,” Shui Ruyue protested weakly.
Fu Qingzhi suddenly remembered all the WeChat messages Shui Ruyue had sent her.
As long as she could make her little company succeed, she’d leave Fu Qingzhi for good.
“…Who are you meeting?”
The unexpected question caught Shui Ruyue completely off guard.
She had just stuffed the toothbrush into her mouth. Her cheeks puffed out, making her reply incomprehensible.
“Mmph…”
It wasn’t until she’d rinsed her mouth that she could finally speak.
Just then, long, elegant fingers gently wiped the toothpaste foam from the corner of her lips before pulling away.
The touch lasted only a moment.
Fu Qingzhi frowned inwardly.
She hadn’t meant to do that.
For some reason, she simply had no resistance when it came to Shui Ruyue.
Shui Ruyue didn’t dare keep resisting.
She obediently finished washing up and changed into a pretty little dress.
Before she was even allowed into Fu Qingzhi’s car, she was made to drink an entire bowl of bird’s nest soup.
What’s this supposed to mean? Does she think I look pale?
Shui Ruyue silently complained to herself.
Or… was Fu Qingzhi worried she’d lose to Zhao Ruru today?
The thought left an inexplicable sourness blooming inside her chest.
She hurriedly shook her head.
The Fu family estate was one of the grandest mansions in A City.
The moment they stepped out of the car, a row of servants stood waiting respectfully.
The sight startled Shui Ruyue.
Fu Qingzhi, however, walked straight past them as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
Standing before the villa entrance, Shui Ruyue took a deep breath.
I’d better behave myself in there.
At the very least, I can’t get thrown out immediately.
The instant the front door opened, Fu Qingzhi stepped inside first.
From where Shui Ruyue stood, more than half her body was hidden behind Fu Qingzhi.
Lu Lu had been ready to make trouble.
Instead, the first thing she saw was Fu Qingzhi’s cold, stunning face.
Every word she had prepared stuck in her throat.
Her fingernails dug deeply into her palm.
“Come in,” Fu Qingzhi said.
Shui Ruyue hurried forward.
Instead of standing beside Fu Qingzhi, however, she deliberately stopped a short distance away, practically drawing a line between them.
She was doing it for the original female lead’s sake.
She wasn’t about to fulfill her cannon-fodder role ahead of schedule.
Fu Qingzhi’s gaze darkened.
She had clearly noticed the displeasure on her mother’s face.
“Do you dislike my Zhizhi that much?” Lu Lu suddenly asked.
Shui Ruyue blinked in confusion.
Then realization hit.
She immediately ran back and linked her arm through Fu Qingzhi’s.
“Of course not! I like her too much to ever dislike her!”
Fu Qingzhi raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.
That clumsy performance certainly didn’t fool Lu Lu.
She suddenly leaned closer to Shui Ruyue, scrutinizing her from head to toe, as though determined to inspect every last inch of her.
She looked exactly like a mother whose precious cabbage had been stolen by a pig.
Shui Ruyue swallowed nervously.
It wasn’t that she disliked Fu Qingzhi.
She was simply afraid of changing the novel’s plot and being erased from existence.
After all, she was destined to be dumped eventually, so she didn’t dare let herself fall for her.
But honestly…
Who could remain indifferent to a wealthy, gorgeous, cool beauty like Fu Qingzhi?
The only problem was that she was just a minor cannon-fodder character who didn’t dare to love her.
“Really?” Lu Lu asked skeptically. “Because it looks to me like you’re lying.”
Shui Ruyue suddenly remembered the few scenes in the novel describing Lu Lu losing control, flying into obsessive rages, and smashing everything around her.
“How could I be lying? I just didn’t want to offend Wife. Otherwise…” She straightened her slender back. “I’d even want to kiss Wife.”
Who would dare casually make a move on an iceberg like Fu Qingzhi?
Wouldn’t they be frozen to death?
Before Lu Lu could respond, the woman beside her quietly hummed in acknowledgment.
It was so soft that Shui Ruyue almost missed it.
Then it became her lifeline.
She leaned forward…
…and kissed her.
Fu Qingzhi’s cheek was incredibly soft.
Because Shui Ruyue wasn’t quite tall enough, the kiss landed at the corner of her lips instead.
It was sweet…
…and faintly fragrant.
Just as Shui Ruyue was about to pull away, Fu Qingzhi suddenly wrapped an arm around her slender waist—
and kissed her back.