I Don’t Want to Be the Heroine Anymore - Chapter 7

When Xun Fangyun arrived at the restaurant entrance, the manager immediately came forward to greet her.

“President Xun.”

Xun Fangyun had come out in such a hurry that she hadn’t even put on her coat. Now she stood there wrapped only in a black fitted dress, drawing stunned glances from passersby. She scanned the restaurant and asked, “Where are they?”

The manager knew exactly who Xun Fangyun meant. “The boss just finished dinner and sent that girl back. They left not long ago.”

Xun Fangyun frowned and turned to leave without another word.

She finally managed to get through to Mang Ke when she called.

“Yunyun~”

Judging by her tone, she’d eaten well.

All the anger Xun Fangyun had been holding instantly dissipated at that “Yunyun.” She sighed helplessly, “Where are you?”

“I’m in your company’s lobby,” Mang Ke said. “Where are you?”

“I’m coming back now.”

“Hurry up then! I brought something for you.”

Xun Fangyun soon arrived at the company to find Mang Ke sitting on a sofa playing with her phone, tapping away at the screen—probably gaming.

The sound of black leather boots against the floor caught Mang Ke’s attention. She looked up to see Xun Fangyun approaching and happily stood up. “You’re here! I’ve been waiting forever. Have you eaten?”

Xun Fangyun fixed her with an intense stare that made Mang Ke uneasy.

Blinking cautiously, Mang Ke asked, “Did you… not eat?”

Looking at Xun Fangyun’s car parked outside, could she have gone to… catch them in the act? It seemed her lunch with Yue Yin hadn’t gone unnoticed. Mang Ke knew Xun Fangyun still had feelings for her first love at this stage, and seeing her expression so dark…

“About that, Yue Yin and I—”

Before Mang Ke could explain, Xun Fangyun coldly cut in, “I don’t care who you date, but you’re not eating dinner tonight.”

Mang Ke: ???

Why not?!

Mang Ke shouted, “Why can’t I eat?!”

Xun Fangyun snapped back, “Because you ran off everywhere!”

“I was bringing you something, but you didn’t answer your phone! How is that running off?”

“I didn’t hear it—couldn’t you have called a few more times?!”

Mang Ke: “???”

Why should I call repeatedly just because you didn’t answer?!

Seeing Mang Ke’s utterly bewildered expression, Xun Fangyun fumed, “You’re here to accompany me—why are you eating out with irrelevant people? I haven’t even eaten yet!”

Mang Ke’s eyes widened in outrage. “You not eating isn’t my fault! You’re being ridiculous—starve for all I care!”

With that, Mang Ke shoved the bag into Xun Fangyun’s arms and stormed out of the lobby.

The two receptionists nearby watched Xun Fangyun, too terrified to speak.

Damn… who was that girl? She actually dared to yell at President Xun—and held her ground too. She must have some serious background.

Xun Fangyun looked at the bag in her hands. Opening it, she found her favorite pair of gloves and two packs of dried fruit.

Mang Ke had waited over two hours just for these small things.

Had she been… too harsh just now?

She should have been gentler with Mang Ke. But the words had come out before she could stop them.

She was angry that the person who had come for her ended up being intercepted halfway, and she hadn’t even eaten yet…

Damn it, when will she ever learn to stop being so stubborn!

Xun Fangyun glanced back at the two receptionists and said coldly, “Next time that girl comes, send her directly to my office to rest.”

The receptionist trembled slightly. “Yes, President Xun.”

Still puzzled, the receptionist wondered what kind of relationship these two had—why would they argue one moment and then show kindness the next?

The older receptionist whispered to her colleague, “Why do I suddenly find tsunderes so endearing?”

——————

True to her word, Mang Ke refused to eat. Aunt Liu had made her favorite curry rice, but she didn’t even glance at it.

Aunt Liu held the plate of curry rice and turned to Xun Fangyun, who had come home on time that day. “Did you make Miss Mang Ke angry?”

Xun Fangyun stubbornly replied, “When did I make her angry? Don’t make baseless accusations, Aunt Liu.”

Aunt Liu: “If you didn’t upset her, why hasn’t she come downstairs since you got back?”

Xun Fangyun: “…”

Aunt Liu: “Here, take this and bring it to her.”

Xun Fangyun: “…”

She obediently took the plate.

By around 8 p.m., Mang Ke was so hungry she couldn’t take it anymore. She quietly got up, planning to sneak out for food, only to find a plate of cold curry rice placed outside her door.

Mang Ke: “…???”

Why on earth was there a bowl of leftovers at her door?

Was this… some kind of ancestral offering?

Early the next morning, Mang Ke was still curled up in bed, sleeping in, when the chirping of birds outside the window gradually roused her.

The autumn morning was chilly, and Mang Ke shivered as her bare feet touched the cold floor. She tiptoed out, intending to use the bathroom before burrowing back under the covers, only to find that the second-floor bathroom was already occupied.

White steam drifted out from the shower. Mang Ke, still in her pajamas, stared blankly at the hazy silhouette behind the frosted glass.

Slender waist, narrow shoulders, long legs—though the steam obscured much, the outline was unmistakable. The long black hair confirmed the identity of the person inside. Xun Fangyun was taking a shower first thing in the morning.

Mang Ke quickly turned away. The bathroom wasn’t large, and the sound of running water filled her ears, making her heartbeat quicken and her cheeks flush.

She rubbed her face, feeling the heat—whether from the steam or the accidental glimpse of Xun Fangyun’s figure, she wasn’t sure.

“Aunt Liu.”

Just then, Xun Fangyun, still rinsing off, spoke without turning around. “Could you pass me the towel?”

Mang Ke froze. Had she been mistaken for someone else?

Hearing no movement outside, Xun Fangyun added, “The towel’s on the rack next to you.”

Mang Ke instinctively glanced at the rack and saw a towel hanging there.

If she didn’t respond, would Xun Fangyun turn around?

Mang Ke peeked cautiously and saw that Xun Fangyun was still facing away, her graceful silhouette making Mang Ke’s heart pound like a drum.

A little devil crawled out from the depths of her heart, poking her with a tiny stick: Go for it! Go for it! Go for it! Go for it!!

Gritting her teeth, Mang Ke grabbed the towel from the rack, tapped on the glass door, and handed it in.

Xun Fangyun turned her head at the sound and saw Mang Ke gripping the glass door handle with one hand while extending the other through the gap, clutching the bath towel she had just asked for.

“Um…” Mang Ke blushed and said softly, “I didn’t mean to peek at you showering, don’t misunderstand.”

Xun Fangyun glanced at her. As their eyes met, Mang Ke’s face instantly turned crimson.

Instead of taking the towel, Xun Fangyun turned the shower flow down slightly, turned to grasp Mang Ke’s hand, and calmly asked, “Want to shower together?”

Mang Ke: “!!!”

“Who wants to shower with you!” Mang Ke flushed with anger. “Yesterday you wouldn’t let me eat, and now you’re inviting me to shower together? Have you no shame!”

Xun Fangyun was amused by her reaction and tightened her grip, trapping the girl in the door gap until she couldn’t move.

“You—!”

Mang Ke struggled briefly before realizing her current position made escape impossible—like a clam caught with its soft flesh exposed, utterly at the other’s mercy.

Worst of all, the person about to “mercy” her was standing naked in the shower stall, shamelessly teasing her.

“I lost my temper with you yesterday,” Xun Fangyun said. “You’ve been angry all night—shouldn’t you forgive me now?”

Through gritted teeth, Mang Ke replied, “Before saying that, could you at least put some clothes on?”