Cang Xuehe’s timing in bringing people to the hotel was impeccable.
Ding Hongyuan had just taken off his shirt and was bare-chested. Seeing people arrive, the woman in the camisole purposefully pulled her straps down a bit further and ducked under the covers, putting on an act as if they had just finished.
Cang Xuehe pointed at his nose, her eyes welling with tears as she said, “Fine, Ding Hongyuan! Only two days ago you told me you’d only love me in this lifetime!”
“No! Xuehe, listen to me!” In a panic, Ding Hongyuan tried to put on his clothes to comfort her. The moment he touched her, he was slammed heavily onto the mattress with a shoulder throw.
In the next second, a storm of fists rained down on him. Every hit caused him so much pain he began to question his very existence; he doubted whether the person hitting him was truly his “weak and helpless” fiancée.
After giving him a brutal beating, Cang Xuehe dropped the line, “You’ve disappointed me too much, let’s break up,” and left the scene.
Immediately after leaving the hotel, she reported the “caught in the act” incident to the elder of the Cang family.
The elder quickly used this legitimate reason to pressure the Ding family. Upon hearing the news, Ding’s father naturally gave his son a scathing scolding and told him to get lost and apologize to Cang Xuehe.
Ding Hongyuan’s old injuries had barely healed before new ones were added. It was the first time in the young master’s life he had been beaten so severely—and both times by the same woman. It reached a point where he felt a sense of dread just looking at Cang Xuehe’s face.
Under these circumstances, he still had to endure his father’s pressure, bowing his head to Cang Xuehe despite his agony.
“Xuehe, I… I’m sorry…” Ding Hongyuan’s handsome face couldn’t help but twitch. This time, his father had made it clear: if he couldn’t appease her and caused the marriage alliance to fail, he shouldn’t expect a single cent of allowance ever again.
But seeing Cang Xuehe’s face made his wounds ache. “What happened last time was my fault. I shouldn’t have given in to her seduction. I just made the mistake that every man makes.”
Cang Xuehe smiled slightly, her gaze sharp as a knife while her tone remained light. “So, you’re saying as long as you aren’t a man, you won’t make mistakes?”
“…” Ding Hongyuan instinctively clamped his legs together, his face turning pale with fright as he shook his head frantically. “No, that’s not what I meant…”
Cang Xuehe took a sip of black tea, gazing out at the towering skyscrapers with a posture of utter heartbreak. “You cheated so soon after giving me your word. In my eyes, your words have zero credibility. You have disappointed me too deeply.”
“I won’t do it again! I really won’t! If I’m unfaithful to you again, I’ll jump off this building! I can write a letter of guarantee, really!” Ding Hongyuan hurriedly brought out the gift he had brought—a limited-edition bag. It was clear he had spent a fortune this time.
Cang Xuehe glanced at the bag; she was all too familiar with this scene.
In the original story, this was where the female lead first forgave Ding Hongyuan for cheating, swayed by his manipulation.
The biggest difference now was that in the book, Ding Hongyuan was confident the “innocent” female lead would forgive him. Now, he felt an inexplicable sense of terror toward Cang Xuehe, yet was forced by family pressure to apologize like a groveling grandson.
Her fair, slender fingers brushed over the bag’s surface, lingering on the familiar logo. A faint smile gradually appeared on her lips.
This smile made Ding Hongyuan breathe a sigh of relief, hope rising in his eyes. But before he could speak, the situation took a 180-degree turn.
Cang Xuehe grabbed the limited-edition bag and slammed it directly into his face.
“Get the hell out.”
She had Ding Hongyuan kicked out. She didn’t forgive him, but she didn’t rush to officially break off the engagement either. This caused the attitudes of companies partnering with the Ding Group to become quite subtle.
Because Cang Xuehe hadn’t officially ended the engagement, Ding’s father saw a glimmer of hope. He increased the pressure on his son to serve and please her, all to save his company.
Ding Hongyuan was caught between the torment of Cang Xuehe’s cold shoulder and his father’s heavy-handed demands. The once high-spirited young master was living a life of utter misery.
“I’m so miserable, you guys have no idea what I’ve been through lately…” After a few drinks, Ding Hongyuan began venting to his circle of “fair-weather” friends.
“What’s wrong, Young Master Ding? Haven’t seen you in a while and you look quite haggard.”
“You don’t understand…” Ding Hongyuan covered his face. “Cang Xuehe is a damn demon…”
“Cang Xuehe? Isn’t that your fiancée? Though I heard she wants to break off the engagement. What did you do to her?”
“She’s torturing me… she’s not human…” Recalling the grievances of the past few weeks—both physical and mental—Ding Hongyuan couldn’t help but burst into tears.
By now, he felt nothing but fear for Cang Xuehe. He didn’t even dare think about marrying such a terrifying woman, but she simply wouldn’t give him a clean break.
She refused to reconcile on one hand, but wouldn’t dissolve the engagement on the other, leaving him dangling. He was forced to keep trying to please her because of his father’s orders.
He was stuck in a dead loop.
“That’s impossible!” one of his friends said immediately. “Cang Xuehe used to be so clingy. How could she bear to hit you? You’re exaggerating.”
“Exactly. Everyone knows the eldest Miss Cang is head-over-heels for you. She caused quite a stir chasing after you back then. You’re the one who’s always messing around.”
“It’s all an act, you don’t know… she’s beaten me so badly lately I’m covered in bruises. Even my own mother never hit me!”
“What did you do to make her hit you?”
“…” Ding Hongyuan fell silent.
The last time he was beaten was because he was “accidentally” caught by Cang Xuehe acting flirtatious with another woman again, resulting in another “societal” thrashing.
During the silence, someone suddenly said, “Speak of the devil! Look over there!”
Several people looked over. Ding Hongyuan saw her too; he sobered up instantly and instinctively looked for a hole to hide in.
“Xuehe, I think I see Ding Hongyuan,” Zhao Yi said while they were sitting at the bar.
Cang Xuehe took a sip of her juice and said unhurriedly, “I saw him ages ago. He’s cowering like a quail.”
After nearly a month of “careful discipline,” Ding Hongyuan was now more afraid of her than a ghost. He no longer possessed any of the high spirits or playboy charm of the original male lead.
The system popped up a few times to complain, but each time it was silenced by Cang Xuehe’s retorts. Lacking the power to intervene substantially and having no new tasks, it could only give up the struggle and turn a blind eye.
“Today, I don’t have time to deal with him.” Cang Xuehe glanced in that direction and withdrew her gaze, hinting to Zhao Yi, “Didn’t you post something on your Moments a few days ago?”
Zhao Yi couldn’t quite read the hint and asked, “I’ve posted quite a lot lately; which one are you talking about?”
“Just… didn’t you say you found a new bar? I saw quite a few handsome guys and beautiful women in the video.”
“Handsome guys” was just a filler; “beautiful women” was Cang Xuehe’s true motive. In the blink of an eye, she had been in this world for over a month. After giving the scumbag a thorough thrashing, Cang Xuehe had developed a new plan.
As someone who had been single since birth, she felt a bit of a desire to find a partner. It just so happened that Zhao Yi had posted about a new bar, and the video featured a few high-quality beauties flashing by. She decided to go with the flow and bring it up.
“Uh.” Zhao Yi almost tripped over her tongue, looking at Cang Xuehe’s hesitant expression. “Um… that bar isn’t really suitable for you to go to…”
“??? Why not?”
Zhao Yi originally thought that once she revealed it was a lesbian bar, Cang Xuehe would find it a buzzkill. To her surprise, Cang Xuehe became even more excited, her eyes shining like a desert traveler who had just spotted the ocean.
Cang Xuehe decided to let Zhao Yi become her “enlightenment teacher.” She confessed her curiosity about lesbian bars and subtly convinced her friend to take her there to “broaden her horizons.”
“Xuehe, I really didn’t expect you to be interested in this circle,” Zhao Yi couldn’t help but remark on the way.
“Hahaha…” Cang Xuehe laughed awkwardly. “Just seeing what’s out there.”
“Your curiosity hasn’t changed a bit.” Zhao Yi didn’t think much of it and continued the conversation. “If you liked women, what kind would you like?”
I know the answer to this one!
Cang Xuehe pretended to think seriously before saying, “Then I’d like someone with a good personality and a gentle nature. Someone older would be more mature.”
“I’ve heard the average person in the lesbian circle is a ‘sister-con’ (enamored with older women), but I didn’t expect a straight girl to like ‘Sisters’ too.”
Cang Xuehe: “Ha, ha, ha…” I’m in the circle too, bet you didn’t expect that!
…
Before experiencing a lesbian bar for herself, Cang Xuehe had countless longings and curiosities about this mysterious place. That is, until she actually stepped inside.
… Her fantasies were shattered.
“Sob sob… isn’t this a lesbian bar? Why are there men here? And why does every pretty ‘Sister’ already have someone next to her?” Cang Xuehe’s eyes were practically bleeding with envy.
“Relax.” Zhao Yi seemed used to it, saying calmly, “There are men in lesbian bars for the same reason fujoshi are curious about gay bars. As for the pretty girls having partners—isn’t that normal? Look, that girl over there is quite handsome/masculine.”
Cang Xuehe followed her gaze but couldn’t get her spirits up. Propping her cheek up, she sighed, “I’m not into ‘Ts’ (tomboys/masculine-presenting women).”
“…” Zhao Yi’s movements froze, shocked that Cang Xuehe even knew the term “T.”
Utterly disappointed and looking dejected, Cang Xuehe thought to herself that she shouldn’t have come.
Buzz—
Her phone vibrated.
Seeing the unread message, Cang Xuehe’s eyes lit up.
Ding’s Mother: 【I want to see you】
Time to stir up some trouble!