After Teasing the Heroine and Running Away, I Was Forced into Love - Chapter 34

The black car sped down the asphalt road, and if it had been raining, it would have felt like a scene from a high-society drama.

However… He Roushuang wasn’t exactly radiating that kind of dramatic flair right now.

I absolutely can’t let the Male Lead gain the upper hand, she thought, especially when it comes to my father’s affairs.

Although He Roushuang had only transmigrated a few months ago, she knew she had to cling to He Wenzhi like a lifeline. Losing him would mean losing significant power and privileges.

Moreover…

He was a good father, and she could use him to take down Jiang Hui. It was a win-win situation.

Even in the morning, the hospital entrance bustled with activity. To maintain privacy, He Wenzhi had checked into a private hospital.

Lush trees lined the hospital grounds, mostly evergreens, seemingly planted to prevent patients from succumbing to seasonal melancholy.

Even in winter, these trees retained their leaves, allowing patients lying in bed to gaze out the window without feeling like withered branches themselves.

Shi Qing pressed close to He Roushuang. She had heard of this hospital before—known for its excellent service and housing several of the nation’s top medical experts.

Unfortunately…

The consultation fees were exorbitant, and hospitalization costs were astronomical.

Shi Qing had no choice but to give up on it.

The car parked in the lot, and the driver opened the door. Just as He Roushuang stepped out, a tall, slender man approached her.

The man frowned, his expression grave. “What’s the situation?”

He Roushuang finally understood the feelings of those princes vying for the throne in historical dramas. Victory meant a lifetime of wealth and glory, while defeat meant eternal shame in the annals of history.

If she lost, her fate would be no different from those fallen princes.

“Thankfully… the Chairman suffered a sudden surge of anger, but he was revived in the emergency room.”

“The eldest young master and his wife are also there. Young Miss, you must be careful if you go.”

He Roushuang nodded.

She glanced at Shi Qing, who appeared remarkably calm, even indifferent. But only He Roushuang, who had read the novel, knew the truth.

The Female Lead was the type to remain composed even if Mount Tai collapsed before her eyes, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t terrified inside.

“It’s alright…”

“I told you before, my father already knows about us. Since he hasn’t said anything harsh to me, it means he doesn’t particularly dislike you either.”

He Roushuang sighed and reached out to take Shi Qing’s hand, offering her a sense of security that He Shanjian could never provide.

“Mm.”

Shi Qing’s palm was damp with nervous sweat. She felt embarrassed, not wanting her sister to witness this moment of vulnerability.

But with someone right in front of her, she felt too embarrassed to say anything.

Once the three of them exited the elevator, the man led the way, creating a slight distance. Shi Qing finally spoke, her voice a little awkward.

“Roushuang, my palm is sweaty.”

He Roushuang: ?

Why is the Female Lead’s way of addressing me suddenly so intimate? I can’t handle this.

Especially since she shared the same name as the Original Owner. Being called that felt like it was stirring up memories from the depths of her soul.

“Why are you calling me that all of a sudden?” He Roushuang asked, but she didn’t let go of Shi Qing’s hand. To be honest, a little sweat on the palm was perfectly normal. She and her best friend held hands like this all the time.

But if they held hands for too long, He Roushuang would start to feel awkward and let go. Her best friend always thought she was overreacting.

In reality, only He Roushuang knew how uncomfortable it was for two straight girls like them to be so close.

“I wanted to seem more affectionate… so we’d look more like lovers?” Shi Qing replied, her voice tinged with shyness. But it was exactly what she was thinking. Since her sister had brought her here, she wanted to make an effort to play the part.

I wonder how badly Chairman He is injured.

So, she simply wanted to hold He Roushuang’s hand a little longer—a desire Shi Qing herself hadn’t yet fully recognized.

When she made the call, Shi Qing believed that once she got the money she wanted, she could easily walk away. After all, she didn’t need to feel anything for a woman who was only interested in her looks.

But now, she dimly realized… she had been wrong, terribly wrong.

“So that’s how it is,” He Roushuang said, her gaze fixed on Shi Qing’s eyes.

For a fleeting moment, she suspected Shi Qing might just be trying to cling to her, but she quickly dismissed the thought.

Impossible!

In the early stages of the story, the Female Lead always acted aloof and arrogant toward the Male Lead. How could she possibly be trying to get close to me?

Those previous encounters were simply about fulfilling her obligations after taking the money.

Once He Roushuang had reasoned this out, everything felt much more normal, much more logical.

Even if the Female Lead were to develop feelings for her, it couldn’t happen this quickly. After all, in the novel, she only fell for the Male Lead much later in the story.

Though He Roushuang couldn’t for the life of her figure out what was so great about a guy like He Shanjian.

Aside from his handsome face and a veneer of gentlemanly manners, he had nothing else to offer.

The hospital corridor was long, but after a brief delay, they reached the end.

The man raised his hand and knocked on the door.

A moment later, the door swung open.

Standing in the doorway was He Shanjian, looking remarkably energetic, showing none of the grief one would expect from a “filial son” whose father lay ill in bed. Instead, he exuded the air of a spoiled heir, eager for his father to die so he could inherit the family fortune.

“He Roushuang… Sister, what are you doing here?”

He Shanjian had initially intended to address He Roushuang by her full name, but remembering his father was still alive, he forced himself to hold back.

He Roushuang glanced around the room and spotted her loathsome stepmother.

Jiang Hui sat by the bed, clutching He Wenzhi’s wrist tightly, her eyes swollen and red like peaches.

“Darling, you can’t leave us…”

“If you’re gone, what will become of me and our son?”

“The He Clan is surrounded by wolves and tigers.”

He Roushuang watched Jiang Hui perform her melodramatic act for a while, the woman clearly determined to ignore her presence.

She cleared her throat softly.

He Wenzhi looked up at his daughter, understanding immediately: no one had notified Roushuang, which explained her late arrival.

His heart ached for her.

He had always hoped that He Roushuang and He Shanjian could get along as siblings.

But the reality was, that was impossible. While imperial families might engage in deadly power struggles, merchant dynasties like theirs didn’t need to resort to such extremes. Yet… perhaps because they had different mothers, the two had never seen eye to eye, even from childhood.

He Wenzhi had only struck his daughter once.

It happened shortly after He Shanjian was born. Four- or five-year-old He Roushuang had picked up the infant He Shanjian from his crib, where the nanny had placed him.

On the security monitor,

his daughter raised her arm high.

If the nanny hadn’t returned with the milk formula and noticed in time, it could have been a tragedy.

He Wenzhi was furious when he heard the news.

A mere three or four years old, already plotting to eliminate her brother? Is this the thinking of an ordinary child?

He severely punished his daughter.

However, He Wenzhi would never know that his malicious daughter had already been replaced by someone else.

He was decisive in business,

but his family life was a complete mess.

After transmigrating, He Roushuang couldn’t help but reflect on the situation.

It reminded her of that internet adage: When siblings quarrel, it’s often the parents’ fault!