After Teasing the Heroine and Running Away, I Was Forced into Love - Chapter 25

Huo Wenlan clearly hadn’t expected He Roushuang to visit her again. She wanted to sit up and patted her daughter’s arm, signaling for help raising the bed.

Hospital beds typically have adjustable height settings, making it easier for patients with limited mobility to sit up.

“Miss He, thank you so much. You’re such a kind person…”

As Shi Qing’s mother, Huo Wenlan was naturally beautiful. Though illness had etched wrinkles onto her face, traces of her former elegance still lingered in her bone structure and the shape of her eyes.

He Roushuang glanced at the fresh flowers by the bedside, recalling the plot of the novel.

A dreamlike sense of unreality washed over her. Yet this wasn’t a dream; she had truly transmigrated here, and she had even saved the Female Lead’s mother from her tragic fate.

“It’s nothing. This is what we should be doing.”

“The Tianze Group earns a lot, so we should do more good deeds.”

He Roushuang’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, like two crescent moons. Huo Wenlan couldn’t help but feel a deep fondness for her.

“Qingqing, peel some fruit for Miss He.”

Huo Wenlan called Shi Qing by her nickname, causing Shi Qing to feel slightly embarrassed. She simply nodded and rummaged through her bag for a fruit knife.

Perhaps due to her unsettled mood, Shi Qing, who usually peeled fruit with precision, inexplicably trembled, slicing away more than half the apple.

“Here, Miss He.”

In front of her mother, Shi Qing reverted to her formal address, calling He Roushuang “Miss He” out of stubborn pride.

Such a cute and tsundere Female Lead, He Roushuang couldn’t help but think inwardly. Yet, instead of taking the apple from Shi Qing’s hand, she simply opened her mouth and bit into it.

She chewed slowly.

The spot on Shi Qing’s fingertip where He Roushuang’s lips had touched felt as if it had been burned. Shi Qing actually disliked He Roushuang being overly affectionate with her in front of her mother, fearing she might notice something amiss.

She knew her mother was quite conservative and would never approve of her current arrangement—being someone’s mistress.

Whether in modern times or in the past, it was considered a deeply dishonorable act.

Yet another voice within her stirred with excitement. Shi Qing was overjoyed that He Roushuang was willing to be so intimate with her.

She felt like she was caught on a seesaw, teetering between two extremes.

Shi Qing, you’re such a hypocrite.

Resisting her sister’s touch, yet secretly yearning for it.

While Shi Qing was lost in thought, He Roushuang had already withdrawn. She’d forgotten that she couldn’t just flirt casually.

If I turn the Female Lead gay, wouldn’t that be a sin?

And what if she later falls for a man? I’d become the ultimate clown!

He Roushuang! Get your act together! Stop doing stupid things! she mentally scolded herself.

Before transmigrating into the novel, she’d had suitors, but she’d always imagined their relationship being discovered by their parents, leading to a tragic separation. That’s why she’d never accepted any of them.

After pretending that Tianze Group had come to comfort Huo Wenlan, He Roushuang left the area, but she instructed her bodyguards to continue following Shi Qing.

According to novel logic, the Female Lead always runs into a mountain of trouble when she’s alone. He Roushuang was determined to always arrive before the Male Lead.

Today was a gathering of close friends at school, and Qin Wenlu had tentatively invited Shi Qing, even though everyone assumed the perpetually stressed Shi Qing wouldn’t come.

It was just a courtesy invitation.

But to everyone’s surprise, Shi Qing actually showed up.

And she had undergone a complete transformation.

How to describe it?

Her once faded, almost outdated clothes had been replaced with a brand-new blouse.

The restaurant Qin Wenlu and her friends had chosen was quite ordinary, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a view of hurried pedestrians on the street.

All eyes were fixed on the dramatically changed Shi Qing. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that her clothes were all designer brands.

Only Qin Wenlu knew the truth.

“Shi Qing, we heard you recently received a donation from Tianze Group. But you shouldn’t be spending that money on new clothes,” one of the boys said. Many at the gathering were hoping to make connections.

Shi Qing was different. She simply wanted to improve her social skills, starting with her classmates and then moving on to her colleagues at work.

As expected, she was immediately questioned. Shi Qing shook her head calmly.

“This isn’t from the donation,” she said. “Sister He bought it for me.”

The others exchanged confused glances, wondering who this “Sister He” was.

“Ahem…” Qin Wenlu coughed to break the awkward silence. “Girlfriend… Shi Qing’s new girlfriend.”

The announcement struck like a thunderclap. Yet Shi Qing showed no intention of hiding the relationship, instead resting her cheek in her hand.

She was naturally beautiful, and her new outfit had shed any hint of cheapness. Now she resembled the stars on posters and screens, captivating everyone’s attention.

“Is this true?” they all pressed, eager for confirmation.

“Yes.”

“So I wanted to ask you all about dating.”

This was one of her purposes. Shi Qing never wasted time on frivolous matters. She refused to believe she couldn’t warm He Roushuang’s heart.

As the former campus goddess, news of Shi Qing’s relationship sent shockwaves through everyone’s hearts.

The girls were dazed, thinking, So this is possible after all.

The boys ate their meals absentmindedly, regretting why they hadn’t made a move sooner.

Shi Qing diligently gathered dating tips at the table, pulling out her notebook and meticulously jotting down each piece of advice.

She clearly came prepared.

Qin Wenlu wanted to poke Shi Qing’s hand and tell her not to take it so seriously, but then she remembered Shi Qing’s Gold Master was none other than He Roushuang.

A veritable mountain of gold!

If it were me, I’d be staying up day and night, guarding her with my eyes wide open.

“Figuring out her preferences is definitely crucial, but you can’t just keep giving her what she likes to eat. You have to subtly let her know you’re doing it.”

“After all, silent devotion doesn’t work in a relationship. You need to make sure she knows what you’re doing and how much you love her.”

“Right?”

The seasoned lover at the dinner table spoke, earning a chorus of cheers.

Shi Qing nodded, taking the advice to heart.

However, she soon found herself overwhelmed by the group’s enthusiasm.

“Congratulations to our campus belle, Shi Qing, for finally escaping singlehood! Come on, let’s raise a glass to her!”

Having just received a mini-lecture on romance, Shi Qing felt too awkward to refuse outright and took a sip. But once the floodgates were opened, there was no stopping the deluge.

Shi Qing quickly became drunk.

Even Qin Wenlu was a bit tipsy, but she still managed to pull out Shi Qing’s phone.

“Shi Qing… who do you want to pick you up?”

“Or should I just take you home?”

Qin Wenlu asked. Shi Qing struggled to prop up her head, reluctant to trouble He Roushuang, yet remembering the advice about appropriate displays of affection.

“I’ll call her,” Shi Qing said, biting her tongue and throwing caution to the wind.

She knew she would never normally do this, but today’s boldness was entirely fueled by liquid courage.