After Teasing the Heroine and Running Away, I Was Forced into Love - Chapter 5

Shi Qing drifted off to sleep enveloped in a delicate, lingering fragrance, only to be jolted awake by a series of urgent doorbell rings.

Irritated and momentarily disoriented, she rose from the sofa, threw on a jacket lying nearby, and went to answer the door.

A man stood outside, bearing a striking resemblance to Miss He. Shi Qing had seen him just a few days ago; there was no way she could forget him.

He was the one who had showered her with money at the bar.

He Shanjian was visibly stunned to find Shi Qing in his sister’s apartment, and in such…

He scanned her from head to toe.

She was wearing a loose, rumpled t-shirt, looking as if she had just crawled out of bed after several rounds of tossing and turning.

Is my sister really this aggressive? He wondered. She just met this woman yesterday, and they’ve already been rolling around in bed all morning?

He gripped the doorknob tightly, a pang of resentment twisting in his chest. For most of his life, he had lived in his sister’s shadow.

Yet here he was, a man, being outdone by her in the realm of romance!

“Miss He is still asleep,” Shi Qing said.

Seeing the two were about to remain locked in a standoff at the door, Shi Qing had no choice but to intervene, hoping to persuade the man to leave.

“Are you with my sister now?” He Shanjian’s eyes held disbelief, as if what he saw couldn’t be real. He needed the woman before him to confirm it, even if it was a lie.

“That’s none of your business, Mr. He.”

“Is that so?” He Shanjian scoffed coldly, his tone dripping with sarcasm. He casually tucked one hand into his pocket, but anyone could see the bandage plastered across one side of his face. It was clear he’d taken a beating from Father He that night.

“How much is my sister paying you? I’ll double it. Just come with me.”

“Oh, and don’t tell her.”

If one only heard the first half of He Shanjian’s words, many young women would likely be captivated by his lazy, CEO-like tone. But the second half completely undermined his image.

“What’s this about not telling me?” He Roushuang emerged from the room, drawn by the commotion. She wore only a silk nightgown, yet exuded an irresistible allure. Her voluptuous figure, barely concealed beneath the shimmering fabric, rose and fell with each breath.

“He Shanjian, what’s this? Your father didn’t spank you yesterday, and now you’re thinking with your lower half, plotting to steal my people?”

He Roushuang’s words dripped with sarcasm. She could barely muster a smile for this man who would stop at nothing to claim his share of the company.

“You… you b1tch! If the old man hadn’t forced me to apologize, I wouldn’t have wasted my time coming here!”

In his anger, He Shanjian blurted out the truth: Father He had forced him to apologize, reminding him how hard his sister worked, juggling her job with chasing after his delinquent behavior at the bar.

He Shanjian resented He Roushuang fiercely. Her mother hadn’t even married into the family, yet she acted like the rightful heir, putting on airs for whom?

“Oh, if you didn’t want to apologize, you shouldn’t have come. Let’s see who Dad punishes later.”

He Roushuang’s eyes gleamed with mockery as she slammed the door shut. He Shanjian stubbornly clung to the doorframe.

“He Roushuang, fine! You’re bringing women home!”

“Just wait till Dad hears about this!”

“He even found you a fiancé!”

He Roushuang: ……

If He Shanjian hadn’t brought this up, she might have remained calm. But mentioning it only fueled her anger.

In the original novel, He Roushuang had disliked the fiancé her father had chosen for her. The reason was simple: his looks were far below her standards. After all, not every wealthy man could be a handsome, dashing figure.

Thanks to the original protagonist’s repeated rejections, the engagement eventually fell through.

Tragically, after Father He’s death, He Shanjian, almost out of spite, married his sister off to an even wealthier man—one who was uglier, fatter, and had a penchant for tormenting others.

“Stop harping on about this fiancé! I never agreed to it! He’s not worth a damn! If you want him so badly, go marry him yourself!”

“Your generous sister here will gladly let you have him!”

With that, He Roushuang slammed the door shut, nearly pinching He Shanjian’s hand red and swollen.

She had delivered a brutal blow to her half-brother.

But to understand why…

It’s quite simple: the male lead and I have conflicting interests.

Seriously, He Roushuang isn’t some saintly figure. There’s absolutely no reason to smile at someone who will later threaten her personal safety.

As she closed the door, the earlier commotion seemed to vanish instantly.

“I’ve embarrassed myself in front of you,” He Roushuang said, exhaling in relief. Part of the reason she had argued so vehemently with the male lead was to prevent the male and female leads from hitting it off.

This absolutely cannot happen!

Otherwise, all her previous efforts would be for nothing.

“Not at all,” Shi Qing replied. “I actually think you’re quite impressive.”

“To be able to say such things to someone you dislike… I could never do that.”

Shi Qing smiled, her eyes reflecting a newfound admiration for He Roushuang.

“So, what’s your impression of him?” He Roushuang asked.

“Who?” Shi Qing paused, momentarily confused.

“He Shanjian, the guy who threw ten thousand at you.”

He Roushuang slowly probed the boundaries of Shi Qing, the straight woman she was testing. Truth be told, she quite liked her.

Yet certain thoughts lingered in her mind, refusing to be dismissed.

Once a straight woman has been turned, can she ever go back? Would I bear the full responsibility, or was she bisexual all along?

These complex questions of human nature tormented He Roushuang’s heart.

“I don’t like him,” Shi Qing said truthfully.

Of course, there was another sentence she didn’t dare utter: I don’t like you either.

But now…

Remembering how her sister would blush crimson at the sight of her body, how she’d patiently make up a makeshift bed for her despite calling it a punishment…

Shi Qing fell into hesitation.

Everyone has flaws, and she was no exception.

When her mother was suffering from unbearable pain due to illness, Shi Qing had even considered asking if she wanted to end her life to find relief.

“Good. Now that you’re mine, you can’t think about anyone else,” He Roushuang said with a satisfied nod, gently tapping Shi Qing’s head.

Shi Qing was interning at a very small company, her job no more than that of an ordinary office worker.

But no matter how ordinary, it was still her full-time job, different from a part-time gig.

So, after neatly folding her quilt and putting it in the wardrobe, she prepared to go to work.

He Roushuang offered no opinion on this, simply exchanging WeChat contacts with Shi Qing.

“Remember to call me to pick you up after work,” she said.

After all, the female lead had added her lover to her contacts, so she should take good care of her—she had to take good care of her.

Having a brief affair with the female lead was good for her too. After all, no one would be so cruel to their ex, right?

He Roushuang thought to herself, feeling smug.

She would play the perfect ex.

“Mm,” Shi Qing nodded, surprised that getting paid also came with the perk of being driven to and from work.

The other woman was being far too kind.