After Teasing the Heroine and Running Away, I Was Forced into Love - Chapter 26

Shi Qing had saved the contact as “Sister.” Fortunately, she was the only daughter in her family, with no real sisters, or she might have paused in confusion.

He Roushuang had just picked up her phone. She wasn’t off work yet; instead, she was at a meeting with the joint venture’s veteran shareholders, vetoing the male lead’s business proposal.

Though her blatant opposition had earned her a reputation within the company as ruthless and merciless, even toward her own brother, He Roushuang relished it.

Even if the male lead’s plan would have benefited the company without any drawbacks, she would still reject it. She couldn’t allow him to seize control of the company’s power.

Despite successfully vetoing He Shanjian’s proposal, He Roushuang, as the one guiding the novel’s plot development, couldn’t simply discard the plan. She needed to keep it close, so she had her team refine it.

To the outside world, she appeared utterly villainous—not only rejecting her brother’s ideas but also stealing them.

But she had no regrets. If she didn’t prioritize her own survival, she might be the next one to die.

Everything He Roushuang was doing was merely returning He Shanjian’s favor.

Given the male lead’s toxic relationship with the original protagonist, she was certain he would have sent his “sister” to an old man’s bed without hesitation.

Just thinking about that plotline sent chills down He Roushuang’s spine. Even though the original author had portrayed the original owner as utterly villainous, she couldn’t accept such a fate.

Perhaps it was because she was a woman herself.

The original owner had been drugged by her own younger brother and delivered to an old man’s room.

There, she endured unspeakable humiliation at the old man’s hands.

The author had described the scene in vivid detail, and the comments section erupted in applause, celebrating the villain finally receiving her due punishment.

Yet He Roushuang felt deeply disturbed.

Shouldn’t villains get what they deserve?

But she didn’t want it…

She’d rather become a villain herself than face such an ending!

Just then, a commotion erupted outside He Roushuang’s office. Employees were trying to stop He Shanjian from barging in, but he refused to back down, his voice growing louder and louder.

He even began kicking the door.

The mahogany door rattled violently with each kick.

“He Roushuang, get your ass out here!”

“What the hell do you mean by rejecting my proposal?”

His roars threatened to shake the ceiling. Knowing this was no time for a call, He Roushuang reluctantly hung up. She didn’t want the Female Lead to answer the phone and hear her arguing with He Shanjian.

As He Roushuang prepared to send a text message, the door was kicked open completely. The lock had shattered, hanging crookedly to one side.

Damn stinking door!

How could it be as brittle as a crispy shark?!

So, this door is meant to keep out gentlemen, not villains.

And my office is full of confidential business secrets!

The moment her door was kicked open by the male lead, He Roushuang had already decided: next time, she would commission an indestructible iron door. Anyone who dared to kick it would suffer the agony of a broken toe.

“He Roushuang, stop hiding in your office like a coward! I know you’re deliberately suppressing me! Tell me, what’s wrong with my proposal? Why did you reject it outright?!”

He Shanjian charged at He Roushuang like a rampaging bull, unleashing a torrent of abuse.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the line, Shi Qing’s expression shifted slightly as the call was abruptly disconnected. Her eyes trembled faintly, the blow hitting her hard.

Sister He hung up on me…

So, I was just a tool all along.

A prop to provoke He Shanjian, wasn’t I?

“Never mind. Your Sister He is a busy woman; she probably doesn’t have time right now. I’ll take you back.”

“I drove here. I’ll call a designated driver.”

Qin Wenlu touched the tip of her nose, lightly brushing past the topic. She didn’t actually know the true nature of He Roushuang and Shi Qing’s relationship.

But being a mistress was never easy.

Especially when the mistress was a top-tier wealthy woman like He Roushuang.

Still, staying with He Roushuang was Shi Qing’s best way out of her current predicament. Qin Wenlu wouldn’t say much about it—she’d just think of it as Shi Qing getting a few playful bites from a beautiful cat, the kind that didn’t require a rabies shot.

“Let’s head back soon.”

Shi Qing shook her head, her fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of her wine glass. She’d barely touched alcohol her entire life.

But the discomfort in her stomach and the dizziness in her head seemed to momentarily erase the sting of the hung-up call.

She couldn’t help but take a few more sips.

This time, Shi Qing was truly mistaken about He Roushuang. She had wanted to answer the call, but facing He Shanjian’s aggressive demeanor, she showed no fear.

Instead, she crossed her arms, her hands lightly resting against her chin.

“Have you made enough of a scene?”

He Roushuang’s gaze was sharp and piercing. At the office, she wore glasses—after all, the tiny, squiggly characters on documents were impossible to read without them.

“He Shanjian, whether I acknowledge you or not is my business. If you’re so capable, go find other shareholders and see who supports you.”

Several shareholders of the Tianze Group were relatives of He Roushuang’s mother, naturally siding with her.

He Shanjian’s mother was an ordinary woman, a commoner who had risen to become a phoenix on a high branch. But…

A pheasant dressed as a phoenix can never possess the true majesty of a genuine phoenix.

“This is my family’s company, and I make the decisions. Don’t think that just because you share the He surname, you’re entitled to represent the Tianze Group.”

“Your mother was merely a substitute, a counterfeit, chosen only because she resembled my mother.”

He Roushuang had abandoned all pretense of morality, deliberately targeting the Male Lead’s most vulnerable spot—a thumb with a severe ingrown nail.

It’s often said that royal families engage in fratricidal strife, but such conflicts extend far beyond royalty. Even among ordinary families, such disputes are common.

The saying “even brothers must settle accounts clearly” captures this reality.

He Roushuang longed for brotherly harmony, but some issues cannot be resolved through compromise or feigned affection.

Blindly showing goodwill to others only leaves one vulnerable to betrayal, especially when dealing with ruthless individuals like the Male Lead. She needed to remain vigilant at all times.

From the moment she transmigrated, the conflict between them became irreconcilable.

The Male Lead’s hatred for the original owner of her body had been deeply rooted in his heart since childhood.

“You!”

He Shanjian raised his hand, his sword-like aura surging, ready to strike.

He Roushuang narrowed her eyes. Perfect timing. Before his hand could fall, she threw herself backward, her head slamming against the wall.

Crimson bl00d smeared the pristine white surface.

The onlookers who had rushed over to mediate the quarrel panicked.

The impact wasn’t particularly painful. He Roushuang had practiced this maneuver several times beforehand, gauging the force needed to barely break her scalp. A couple of strong adhesive bandages would easily stop the bleeding.

But her true motive was to further frame the Male Lead. She was determined to crush his ambitions in their infancy, before he could gain any real power within the company.

Otherwise, if He Shanjian ever seized control, she would be one step closer to ending up in that old man’s bed.

Clutching her throbbing head, He Roushuang’s eyes flashed with malice.

She had even disabled the security cameras in her office to ensure there would be no evidence to contradict her claims.

Without proof, He Shanjian would be powerless to defend himself.