I Don’t Want to Be the Heroine Anymore - Chapter 4

Mang Ke’s expression was a bit troubled because the little devil in her heart was poking faster and faster.

Xun Fangyun… was she worried about her?

Just a moment ago, she had said Mang Ke wasn’t important, so why was she now concerned about whether Mang Ke might be tricked away by someone?

Even though leaving with a strange man was indeed dangerous, seeing Xun Fangyun so flustered gave Mang Ke a small sense of accomplishment.

“Are… you worried about me?”

Leaning against the elevator wall, Mang Ke stared curiously at Xun Fangyun. “Otherwise, why would you be in such a hurry?”

Xun Fangyun: “…”

“Nonsense,” Xun Fangyun pressed her lips together. “No matter what happens to you, I wouldn’t worry. Don’t flatter yourself.”

Mang Ke blinked mischievously. “Then why were you in such a rush to pull me away earlier? I didn’t know that man, but you must have, right?”

Xun Fangyun: “…”

Mang Ke continued, “He’s Yue Yin’s assistant. You must have met him before. Wherever he is, Yue Yin should be nearby too. Why didn’t you ask about her?”

Xun Fangyun: “…Are you lecturing me?”

“Not at all,” Mang Ke said smugly. “I’m just confirming my own thoughts.”

The little devil inside her bubbled with excitement, poking at her and chanting: She’s a tsundere, she’s a tsundere, she’s a tsundere!

Xun Fangyun seemed to struggle internally for a long time before finally pressing the elevator button and pulling Mang Ke out. She didn’t say another word to her until they reached the banquet hall.

Mang Ke wanted to ask more, but she was afraid of angering her—after all, tsunderes were prone to exploding if not handled carefully.

Still… this fictional character Xun Fangyun was quite interesting. Who knew she could get jealous? The question was whether this jealousy was part of her original setting or just a situational deviation.

Watching her flowing waves of hair and slender shoulders, Mang Ke couldn’t help but sigh. If Xun Fangyun were a real person, she’d probably fall for her without hesitation.

————

Neither of them was the center of attention during the banquet, so they naturally stayed on the sidelines. Mang Ke’s high heels were starting to hurt, so she sat down and began filling her plate with delicious food. Meanwhile, many people came over to greet Xun Fangyun, but they only exchanged brief pleasantries before leaving.

Xun Fangyun remained seated on the opposite couch, her expression icy as if she couldn’t be bothered with anyone. Yet, the other fictional characters didn’t seem to mind, which Mang Ke found endlessly amusing.

The elderly host, not in the best health, was taken home by the nanny a little after 8 p.m. The rest of the evening turned into a grand display of business flattery, and the banquet didn’t end until 10.

Checking the time, Mang Ke realized that Aunt Liu would likely be asleep by now if they returned. She turned to Xun Fangyun and asked, “Should we head back now, or…?”

Xun Fangyun, however, was already dazed. She had been plied with all sorts of alcohol—red, white, mixed—and her stomach was protesting. At first, she had managed to stay composed, but now she was slumped in her chair, unresponsive no matter how many times Mang Ke called her name.

All she could sense was someone waving something in front of her. Reaching out, she grabbed hold—only to realize it was a pair of hands.

Mang Ke was startled by the sudden movement. Just as she was about to call out, Xun Fangyun seized her wrist. When she tried to pull away, the grip only tightened.

“Are you really drunk or not?” Mang Ke asked cautiously. “I’m not a very good driver. If you’re drunk, we can just get a room here and sleep.”

Xun Fangyun’s response was to tighten her grip on Mang Ke’s wrist.

Mang Ke could feel her body warmth and heat, the faint scent of alcohol on Xun Fangyun actually smelled rather pleasant.

“You were so fierce earlier, who knew you’d be this docile when drunk.”

Curious, Mang Ke poked Xun Fangyun’s nose with her finger, surprised that the other didn’t resist at all. In the past, Xun Fangyun would have jumped up shouting.

So obedient…

Xun Fangyun’s rosy lips looked sweet, moist and glossy, appearing incredibly soft.

The little pervert inside was about to emerge again, but Mang Ke quickly suppressed it.

They were still in the banquet hall—how could she be thinking such inappropriate thoughts?

Mang Ke’s cheeks flushed involuntarily. She rubbed them with her free hand before turning back to Xun Fangyun, attempting to negotiate with a drunkard: “Let’s get a room. We won’t go home tonight.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Mang Ke wanted to pinch herself.

That sounded so strange—definitely not something a decent person would say.

It was unclear whether Xun Fangyun understood, but she closed her eyes and sat obediently in the chair.

“You agreed, then,” Mang Ke whispered. “Don’t say I didn’t try to take you home. I’ll go book the room now—wait here for me.”

Just as she tried to stand up, Xun Fangyun yanked her back with surprising strength.

Caught off guard, Mang Ke lost her footing and tumbled straight into Xun Fangyun’s arms, sending them both collapsing onto the sofa behind them.

The soft cushions enveloped them as Mang Ke felt the world suddenly darken, leaving only the warmth of the body before her as something tangible…

What…??

Xun Fangyun wrapped her arms around Mang Ke’s waist. The effects of the alcohol were unpleasant, and she suppressed the urge to vomit, clutching at Mang Ke’s dress.

“Don’t go.”

Xun Fangyun’s voice was cool and detached, but the drunkenness was unmistakable.

Mang Ke struggled to get up, but the moment her knee pressed against the sofa, she felt the person in her arms tremble violently, freezing her in place.

A nearby server cleaning up noticed the scene and approached. “Do you need any help?”

Tears welling in her eyes, Mang Ke cried, “Helphelphelphelphelp! She’s gonna puke, she’s gonna puke, get a trash can quick!”

In the ensuing chaos, several people pulled Mang Ke away while others gave Xun Fangyun water and patted her back. Seizing the opportunity, Mang Ke rushed to the front desk to book a room, then had the now-vomited-out Xun Fangyun carried to the guest room.

Mang Ke barely slept all night, only drifting off near dawn.

Xun Fangyun didn’t sleep soundly either. Between the alcohol and vomiting, she spent most of the night in a daze, not waking properly until past nine in the morning.

Sunlight streamed through the slightly parted curtains, dancing its way into the room. The soft woven carpet caught flecks of floating light, moving back and forth in the dim space.

Her stomach still unsettled, Xun Fangyun realized how much she hated socializing—yet couldn’t refuse.

The thought that she was just a paper-thin existence struck her as truly pitiful.

Xun Fangyun let out a long sigh.

The advantage of being a paper-thin character is that no matter what happens, everything returns to calm the next day, as if nothing had ever existed.

A world without attachments, where a single stroke can change everything at will.

Staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, Xun Fangyun decided to get up, only to feel something soft and warm beneath her fingers…

Turning her head, she saw a cascade of chestnut hair spread across the pillow, blooming like a sunflower in summer.

Sunlight danced upon those chestnut strands, illuminating the gentle face of their owner.

The woman had half her face buried under the blanket, revealing only her eyes.

Mang Ke clung to the blanket, sleeping soundly, her dark lashes fluttering slightly as her breath stirred the stray strands of hair, sending them into tiny spirals.

Xun Fangyun found herself staring, mesmerized. Under the sunlight, Mang Ke’s skin glowed with an almost ethereal whiteness—like… an angel.

The room suddenly fell into silence.

Xun Fangyun, who was usually indifferent to everything, now realized that her gaze was fixed solely on Mang Ke’s sleeping face. Slowly, she reached out, her fingers brushing against that delicate visage so close to her.

When her fingertips touched the soft cheek, Xun Fangyun couldn’t help but curve her lips into a smile.

She felt as satisfied as a child who had just been given candy.

“Truly the female lead,” Xun Fangyun murmured. “No matter what, my eyes are always drawn to you.”

It was fate—it was the setting.

Yet, Xun Fangyun didn’t think it was a bad thing to keep watching her like this.

The beautiful little sun seemed to sense the touch on her cheek. Her lashes fluttered before her eyes slowly opened.

Xun Fangyun withdrew her hand, turning her face away awkwardly. Had Mang Ke heard what she just said?

If the other woman found out about this, she’d surely think Xun Fangyun had lost her mind.

Fortunately, Mang Ke seemed too drowsy to process anything, blinking blearily as if about to drift back to sleep.

“Yunyun…”

Mang Ke nuzzled deeper into the blanket, mumbling softly, “Is it morning already?”

Xun Fangyun froze. Had Mang Ke just called her “Yunyun”?

No one had ever dared to address her so affectionately—aside from her parents, Mang Ke was the first.

Though her lips twitched, Xun Fangyun found, to her surprise, that she didn’t dislike this intimate nickname. In fact… she rather enjoyed it.

“Why are we sleeping here?” Xun Fangyun asked quietly once Mang Ke seemed more awake. “What happened last night?”

Mang Ke burrowed back under the blanket, eyes closed again, grumbling, “You were so unreasonable yesterday. I was exhausted because of you.”

Xun Fangyun: “……???”

Lying on the bed, Mang Ke blinked at her. “You got drunk last night. Don’t you remember?”

Xun Fangyun kept her expression neutral. “No.”

“I’m not really good at driving, but you clung to me and wouldn’t let me leave, so I had no choice but to book a room.” Mang Ke sat up, ruffling her messy hair. “You kept me up until past three in the morning. I’m completely drained.”

Xun Fangyun: “……”

Her gaze drifted to the shared blanket, and she discreetly reached down to check her own clothes.

She wasn’t wearing any.

She wasn’t wearing any clothes.

She wasn’t wearing any clothes at all!!!!

Mang Ke rubbed her eyes, mumbling as she sat up. “Hurry up and take a shower. You’re all sweaty after last night’s mess.”

Xun Fangyun instinctively pulled the blanket tighter around herself, her expression grim as she asked, “Last night… was I drunk?”

Mang Ke nodded solemnly and said, “You were really clingy after getting drunk.”

Xun Fangyun: “…I didn’t do anything strange, did I?”

Mang Ke blinked curiously and asked, “Strange things?”

Xun Fangyun’s already unpleasant expression darkened further: “Things that would embarrass both of us.”

Mang Ke thought for a moment before reassuring her, “It’s alright, what’s done is done. I’m not the kind of woman who forces people into things. If you’re unwilling, I won’t insist. It’s just…”

Just that you’ll have to wash the clothes you threw up on—this sentence was cut off before Mang Ke could finish.

Xun Fangyun looked at her with a peculiar expression, gritting her teeth as she said, “I know what you’re thinking. It’s just marriage, right? I’ll try to arrange for someone to handle it.”

Mang Ke: “…Huh?”

Seems like things had gone too far.