Chaрtеr 5: First Соnfrоntаtion with thе Маlе Lead аnd Female Supроrting Chаrасtеr
Shе ignorеd thоsе unfriendly gаzеs and wаlked straight towаrd Ji Yunting.
At thаt moment, Sun Mingхue аpрrоachеd with a smile and sаid, “Qiаnqiаn, уou’re hеrе. Аrе you lоoking fоr Yunting? Our teаm is about tо head оut for hunting. If you hаvе sоmething tо sаy, you might hаve tо wаit until Yunting returns from thе hunt.”
Mo Qiаnqian blinkеd. Тhоse wоrds were lаced with hiddеn thоrns.
“I wоn’t delay your hunting,” Mo Qianqiаn rеplied with a similarlу gеntle smile.
She turnеd tо Ji Yunting. “I want to go hunting with you.”
Ji Yunting’s indifferent gaze fell upon Mo Qianqian.
He did not respond to her request to join the hunt. Instead, he said coldly, “Are you running out of food? I’ll transfer you some credit points. Go buy nutrient blocks yourself.”
Ji Yunting naturally assumed that Mo Qianqian had come to beg for food.
It was no wonder the female lead was so sensitive and timid. How could someone who relied on others for survival ever stand tall?
Ji Yunting never took the female lead outside the Safe Zone for hunting or gathering.
The naive and innocent female lead didn’t understand why, even comforting herself with the thought that Ji Yunting was protecting her, unwilling to let her venture into dangerous places.
But Mo Qianqian understood the reason.
Ji Yunting wanted to render the female lead useless, to make her dependent on him, humbly begging him for scraps of food.
From the very beginning, Ji Yunting’s revenge against the female lead was to make her grovel in the dirt before him.
“Ji Yunting, I said I want to go hunting with you.”
Mo Qianqian’s voice remained soft, not sharp, yet it lacked the caution of the past.
Everyone present was somewhat surprised.
Today’s Mo Qianqian seemed a little different.
The Mo Qianqian they knew was always timid, sensitive, and fragile.
She never dared to speak loudly or contradict anyone.
Her words and actions were always filled with caution.
She was a weak personality that anyone could push around.
Even Ji Yunting’s usually indifferent expression took on a hint of scrutiny.
After a moment, he slightly furrowed his brows, his eyes tinged with displeasure. “What are you making a fuss about?”
If it were the former female lead, facing Ji Yunting’s current gaze and hearing his clearly displeased tone, she probably wouldn’t dare to say another word.
“Do I really have to repeat it a third time? I said, I want to go hunting with you.”
“I don’t have time to indulge your nonsense right now,” Ji Yunting’s voice now carried a chill.
A faint smile curved Mo Qianqian’s lips, calm and composed. “People must learn to be self-reliant.
Today, I am determined to step outside the Safe Zone.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be with your team.
There’s a team over there recruiting. If you refuse to take me, I’ll join their team immediately.”
In an instant, Ji Yunting’s expression turned extremely unpleasant, and everyone else was stunned.
No one had expected that Mo Qianqian, who was always timid and had an extremely low presence, could be so assertive.
After a while, someone finally snapped out of it. Yang Yong, who had always disliked Mo Qianqian the most in the team, immediately scolded, “Mo Qianqian, don’t be ungrateful!
If it weren’t for the captain protecting you, do you think you could live so peacefully in the Safe Zone!””You’re a woman who can’t carry a load on your shoulders or lift anything with your hands. You don’t have to go out and take risks, you don’t have to sell your body like other women, yet you can eat and drink without worry. Don’t be ungrateful for the blessings you have!”
Faced with Yang Yong’s scolding words, Mo Qianqian did not cower in silence as she used to, nor did she react with anger at having her sore spot poked.
She merely let out a mocking chuckle: “Yes, I rely entirely on Ji Yunting’s protection to live so safely and securely in the Safe Zone.
But isn’t it only right that Ji Yunting protects me?
My parents died saving him, and I am his fiancée.
Protecting his fiancée, taking care of the daughter of his saviors—isn’t that only natural?
Or do you all think that, as Ji Yunting’s fiancée, I should go out and sell my body to make a living?
Do you think Ji Yunting would look more handsome with a green pasture growing on his head?”
The most cutting words were spoken by Mo Qianqian with a light laugh, in the calmest of voices.
Yang Yong was directly left speechless.
Not just Yang Yong—everyone present was stunned.
The impression Mo Qianqian had left on them of being timid and cowardly was too deeply ingrained. No one had expected her to rebut Yang Yong’s words, and to do so so sharply and mercilessly.
“Mo Qianqian, don’t twist things around!” Yang Yong felt his pride was a bit wounded.
Ji Yunting’s expression was equally unpleasant.
“Then tell me, which part of what I said was twisting things around?” Mo Qianqian did not yield an inch.
“You’re slandering the captain!” Yang Yong shouted.
“Am I slandering Ji Yunting, or are you slandering Ji Yunting?
Wasn’t it you who said, ‘You don’t have to go out and take risks, you don’t have to sell your body like other women, yet you can eat and drink without worry’?” Mo Qianqian sneered.
“You…” Yang Yong was about to retort further when he was cut off by a cold rebuke from Ji Yunting.
“Shut up.” Ji Yunting’s face was dark, his gaze so cold it seemed to drop shards of ice.
His icy gaze fell upon Mo Qianqian.
Mo Qianqian’s eyes were gentle, carrying a hint of a faint smile, meeting Ji Yunting’s gaze without the slightest flinch.
Calm and composed, without a trace of fear.
Though Ji Yunting’s gaze was cold, his heart was anything but calm.
In his memory, Mo Qianqian had never dared to meet his gaze so directly.
And those words of Mo Qianqian’s…
His eyes deepened.
“Since you want to be self-reliant, then come along.” Ji Yunting’s voice returned to its usual indifference.