Scumbag Woman, But Pampering My Wife - Chapter 13

When Qin Jue spoke these words, her gaze couldn’t quite meet Lin Yuebai’s.

She knew better than anyone how outstanding Lin Yuebai was, yet she still had to follow the system’s demands and utter those dismissive lines.

After speaking, Qin Jue stood awkwardly in place, her eyes fixed on the golden room card in Lin Yuebai’s br3ast pocket.

“Anyway, you know what I mean.”

Qin Jue’s voice was low and hoarse. “I hope you understand that talent means nothing in this industry. You still have a long way to go.”

She tried to backtrack, opening her mouth only to realize that, given her position, anything she said would sound excessive.

A high-and-mighty producer, an investor who could decide the fate of the lead role—and standing before her was just a small-time actress who had just finished her audition.

The gap between their statuses was too vast. If Qin Jue were in Lin Yuebai’s shoes, she would have walked away without a word, her face icy.

The system peeked into Qin Jue’s thoughts, chirping, “Host, you’re doing amazing! The protagonist’s emotions are in turmoil—she must hate you to the core now.”

Lin Yuebai stood in the dimly lit corridor, her fingers unconsciously gripping the hem of her clothes.

The room card in her br3ast pocket was glaringly conspicuous. Just catching a glimpse of that flash of gold from the corner of her eye sent shivers down her spine.

So, Qin Jue had sought her out just to say this?

But Lin Yuebai was already Qin Jue’s person.

A flicker of confusion passed through Lin Yuebai’s eyes before her gaze settled on Qin Jue’s deliberately cold expression.

Had all those words been a hint?

Lin Yuebai’s heart pounded so loudly it nearly deafened her. If this was a hint, then everything made sense.

From the messages sent and then retracted to the so-called “equivalent exchange,” Lin Yuebai had no unbreakable pride. To climb higher, she was willing to give up certain things.

Qin Jue’s approach was too gentle. Even her harshest words were a thousand times kinder than what Lin Yuebai had heard before.

Then, something soft brushed against Qin Jue’s cheek.

Qin Jue: !

The system was the first to scream in her mind.

“No, no, why?! Why?!”

Lin Yuebai’s raven-feather lashes grazed Qin Jue’s cheek as her soft lips pressed against it—

Lin Yuebai knew she had nothing to offer but this pleasing exterior.

Secretly, she wondered—perhaps Qin Jue had become an investor because of her.

A bold, audacious thought.

The girl tilted her head slightly, her fluttering lashes betraying her nervousness.

Perhaps it was her first time taking the initiative to kiss someone, because a faint blush spread across Lin Yuebai’s cheeks, like untouchable sunset hues or a ripe peach waiting to be juiced.

Qin Jue felt Lin Yuebai’s lips press lightly against her skin—a touch so artless it could hardly be called a kiss.

Her lips were soft and fragile, coated with a faint layer of sweet lip gloss that clung to Qin Jue’s skin.

The kiss lingered, tentative and light, as if testing whether it brought the recipient joy.

The system blared alarms in Qin Jue’s mind!!!!!!

Why? Why was this different from the original novel?!

The system didn’t understand. The system was utterly shocked.

Qin Jue was also utterly shocked.

Lin Yuebai’s kiss was fleeting. “Thank you for your guidance. May I take this as your unofficial confirmation of me as the female lead?”

Qin Jue nodded blankly.

Even after her manager hurried Lin Yuebai away, Qin Jue remained standing in the dimly lit corridor.

To any uninformed observer, it would appear Qin Jue was the young starlet being taken advantage of.

Her fingers brushed against the patch of skin still tinged with lip gloss.

Sweet—

the fragrance of peaches.

Qin Jue wiped the gloss onto her fingertip, then pressed it to her lips.

Indeed sweet.

What brand was this lip gloss? The flavor was exceptional.

That night, Qin Jue skipped the hotel rendezvous, instead carefully reviewing recent events with her system.

The system was perplexed: “We’ve followed the original plot precisely. Why would the protagonist initiate a kiss?”

While the system agonized, Qin Jue watched Lin Yuebai’s livestream on her phone.

Recently, Zhuang Lan had enrolled Lin in various hobby classes and secured a streaming platform contract.

Though Lin’s follower count remained modest, her fan engagement was strong—yet still far behind established entertainers.

“Any insights?” The system’s voice was faint as it pooled like liquid in Qin Jue’s teacup.

Qin Jue proposed, “After ‘Workplace Breakthrough’ begins filming, I’ll visit the set to observe her?”

Immediately diverted, the system rallied: “Exactly! We’ll manufacture difficulties on set! Let the entire crew know Lin Yuebai dances to your tune—as producer, you’ll make her filming experience miserable!”

The system regained vigor, rationalizing: “For the protagonist to kiss the antagonist, she must be suppressing extreme anguish. This is surely her ‘sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall’ moment!”

Qin Jue nodded absently. “So the plot remains intact.”

Her attention never wavered from the tablet’s livestream:

Welcome to Lin Yuebai’s Channel.           

Under the training studio’s brilliant lights, Lin stood poised in the archery zone. Her high ponytail cascaded carelessly over one shoulder, its ends swaying with each movement.

“Deep breath, raise your arms—excellent form,” coached the instructor, eyes locked on the distant bullseye.

Lin’s mood was foul. Her lips pressed into a taut line, the peach-blossom eyes that typically sparkled with laughter now dull.

Zhuang Lan had arranged these extracurricular activities to showcase Lin’s versatility, hence the archery lessons.

Unbeknownst to Zhuang Lan, Lin had prior archery training—she needed no instruction to excel.

The fitted archery uniform accentuated her silhouette, revealing slender yet muscular arms.

How could a lifelong dancer lack defined musculature?

Lin inhaled deeply, slowly raising her bow. Her fingers whitened with tension against the arrow’s fletching—

Then in one fluid motion: nock, draw, release.

The arm that appeared graspable in daily life now manifested astonishing power, the bowstring bending into a perfect lunar arc.

With a hiss, the arrow found its mark—dead center.

The fletching quivered in the aftermath.

Lin Yuebai’s eyebrows arched sharply, a glint of keen intensity flashing across her face.

Why had Qin Jue given her a room key when there was no one inside?

Turning her head, she saw the screen flooded with dense bullet comments. Someone behind the camera reminded her she was trending, but she had no interest in such things.

She had deliberately chosen archery because she knew Qin Jue would be watching.

The young woman in front of the camera tucked a sweat-dampened strand of hair behind her ear, then leaned forward with an endearing smile for the lens. “My skills are still unrefined—please forgive my amateur performance.”