Secretly Seducing the Third Female Lead Behind the System’s Back - Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Tools
An Hao was lying on the side of the road, his face slightly contorted in pain.
Crap, crap—Jiang Yisheng immediately crouched down to check on him. Fortunately, the driver had supported An Hao’s head when he fell. Otherwise, he really could’ve been knocked senseless.
“An Hao.” He Youran, who had been standing beside Bai Chu, ran over to check on An Hao as well.
Jiang Yisheng stood up to give her space, turning her head to glance at Bai Chu not far away.
Bai Chu had her hands in her pockets, looking in Jiang Yisheng’s direction, but her expression was unreadable.
Jiang Yisheng took a few steps forward, stopping in front of Bai Chu and tilting her head up to look at her.
Bai Chu had originally been looking at He Youran, but suddenly something entered her line of sight.
She looked down.
Under the multicolored, shimmering night sky, Jiang Yisheng looked up at her, a bright streetlight illuminating her face. The woman’s eyes sparkled with amusement, reflecting the light like twinkling stars.
Jiang Yisheng’s face wasn’t as sharply defined as Bai Chu’s. Hers was round and delicate, with soft, flawless skin and deep, lively eyes—strikingly beautiful.
Bai Chu gazed at her. Their eyes met, and when Jiang Yisheng noticed Bai Chu was paying attention, her eyes curved into a sweet smile.
Bai Chu remained expressionless, her gaze calm.
“Bai Chu-jie,” Jiang Yisheng called sweetly.
Bai Chu gave her an exasperated glance, thinking to herself, Why do I keep running into her these days?
“Did you get your car fixed?” Jiang Yisheng asked.
“Mm,” Bai Chu responded. “Just had to patch a tire.”
“Did you run over something sharp or what?” Jiang Yisheng continued, hands clasped behind her back.
Bai Chu looked up to see He Youran and An Hao getting into a taxi. She took out her phone and sent a WeChat message: “Let me know when you get home safe.”
Jiang Yisheng glanced at Bai Chu’s phone screen and suddenly remembered, “Oh, I don’t have your WeChat yet, Bai Chu-jie.”
“I don’t think it’s necessary. If Jiang Zong has business with me, you can always call my work phone.” Bai Chu brushed her off and turned to leave.
“Hey, where are you going?” Jiang Yisheng quickly caught up.
“Home,” Bai Chu said, zipping up her jacket.
“Where do you live? I’ll take you back. It’s cold tonight.” Jiang Yisheng had shorter strides and had to jog to keep up.
“No need,” Bai Chu declined bluntly.
“Then let me walk with you! I need to digest anyway. I ate so much tonight, my stomach’s about to burst,” Jiang Yisheng said as she rubbed her belly.
Bai Chu didn’t respond.
“Can you slow down a bit, Bai Chu-jie? I just ate. You’re walking so fast I’m getting a stitch in my side,” Jiang Yisheng panted.
Bai Chu glanced at her, clearly annoyed, but didn’t slow down.
The two of them walked ahead, while the Maybach followed slowly behind.
“Zhang-ge, don’t follow too closely—but don’t lose them either,” Zhang Tao instructed.
The driver nodded.
Zhang Tao had just seen An Hao and He Youran into a taxi. When she turned around, she realized her boss had run off following someone else.
She and the driver scrambled into the car and sped after them.
Watching Jiang Yisheng’s figure ahead, Zhang Tao suddenly had a thought—but it quickly disappeared.
“Bai Chu-jie, did you come out tonight just to help He Youran look for An Hao?”
It wasn’t until she saw He Youran earlier that Jiang Yisheng remembered this was part of the novel’s plot. He Youran and An Hao had a falling-out, and An Hao, upset, went drinking at a bar—where he ran into Jiang Yisheng. When He Youran arrived, she saw An Hao unconscious, draped over Jiang Yisheng’s shoulder. Jiang Yisheng purposely let him cling to her to provoke He Youran.
The result? He Youran stormed off in tears. Before Jiang Yisheng could drag An Hao home, he sobered up and pushed her away.
As it turned out, Bai Chu had accompanied He Youran that night. In the novel, it said He Youran had run a long way to get there because she couldn’t find a taxi.
Bai Chu said nothing, her eyes wary as she looked at Jiang Yisheng.
But Jiang Yisheng didn’t notice and continued, “You’re being way too nice to He Youran.”
“What do you mean?” Bai Chu picked up on the implication.
“Oh, nothing. Just saying.” Jiang Yisheng shook her head.
In the novel, Bai Chu’s parents had died young. She was raised in the He family and always felt indebted to them. Most of the money she earned as an adult went to the He family.
Jiang Yisheng sighed silently. You don’t deserve this, Bai Chu-jie.
She knew the ending—but also knew she couldn’t tell Bai Chu.
“Hey, slow down,” Jiang Yisheng tugged at Bai Chu’s coat, slightly out of breath.
Bai Chu finally slowed her pace, looking down at Jiang Yisheng’s hand, then coldly lifting her gaze.
Jiang Yisheng immediately let go, smiling sheepishly.
Bai Chu walked ahead while Jiang Yisheng trailed behind. Under the streetlight, their shadows moved in sync—always maintaining a certain distance.
Soon, they reached a gated community. Bai Chu turned to her and said, “I’m home now, President Jiang. Please go back.”
“Oh, okay.” Jiang Yisheng glanced around. The neighborhood looked nice—befitting someone like Bai Chu.
She checked her phone. It was already 9:30 PM.
“Have you eaten, Bai Chu-jie?” she asked.
Bai Chu tilted her head, puzzled. “Didn’t you just say you were stuffed?”
“I didn’t mean to ask you out or anything,” Jiang Yisheng quickly clarified, then grinned. “But if you’re up for it, I could still eat.”
Bai Chu couldn’t help but chuckle.
Seeing Bai Chu laugh made Jiang Yisheng’s eyes sparkle. She smiled too, her white teeth gleaming—adorable.
But Bai Chu quickly sobered. “What?”
“That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile. You look really pretty when you smile,” Jiang Yisheng said excitedly.
When Bai Chu smiled, dimples formed, her eyes softened, and her whole demeanor glowed with warmth.
“Goodbye,” Bai Chu said, speechless.
“Hey, you still haven’t told me if you’ve eaten.” Jiang Yisheng grabbed her wrist.
“I’m not hungry,” Bai Chu replied, pushing her hand away again.
“So that means you haven’t eaten. I saw a pancake stall at the gate. Let me get you one to try,” Jiang Yisheng said, already turning to run. “Wait here.”
“Hey—” Bai Chu couldn’t stop her.
Jiang Yisheng jogged to the stall. “One pancake, two sausages…”
Then she paused. “Add an egg and a pork fillet too.”
She normally only needed two sausages, but since it was for Bai Chu, she ordered the deluxe.
Carrying the hot pancake, Jiang Yisheng returned—only to find Bai Chu was gone.
She looked around, scanning the area.
“President Jiang, Miss Bai already left,” Zhang Tao quietly reminded her.
“Huh?” Jiang Yisheng peered into the complex. “When did she leave? I wanted her to try the pancake.”
A bit disappointed, she headed back to the car.
Once inside, the pancake was still steaming, but Jiang Yisheng was too full to eat.
Zhang Tao noticed. Smiling, she said, “President Jiang, I haven’t eaten yet. If you don’t mind, may I have it?”
Jiang Yisheng’s face lit up. “Sure, go ahead!”
“I loaded it up—it’s practically bursting. Try it and let me know if it’s good. If it is, I’ll get one too next time.” She handed over the pancake eagerly, leaning on the passenger seat and waiting for Zhang Tao’s verdict.
Zhang Tao looked at her boss and felt a pang of sorrow. Since when had President Jiang endured such disappointment?
She opened the wrapper, took a big bite, chewed, and said joyfully, “It’s delicious, President Jiang.”
“Really? Then let’s come back again tomorrow!” Jiang Yisheng relaxed into the seat and began humming cheerfully.
On the ride home, Zhang Tao managed to finish the massive pancake. It was tasty—but also too big. She was stuffed to the point of discomfort.
“Do I have anything planned for tomorrow?” Jiang Yisheng asked before getting out of the car.
“No major work events, but you do have a dinner with Director Yu, Chairman Jiang, and the An family.”
“The An family?” Jiang Yisheng repeated.
“An Hao’s family.”
“Ugh…” Her reluctance was obvious. “Can I skip it?”
“This was arranged by you personally earlier. If you don’t go now, it might be inappropriate,” Zhang Tao said gently.
Jiang Yisheng sighed. Fine. I’m using the original Jiang Yisheng’s resources—guess I owe her a bit of suffering in return.
Back in her apartment, she opened the fridge, snacked on some fruit, and gazed out the window.
Bai Chu’s smile lingered in her mind. It made her laugh.
Then she remembered Bai Chu’s fate—and stopped smiling instantly.
Bai Chu, in the novel, was the ultimate tool character—worse than Jiang Yisheng the villainess.
While Jiang Yisheng fought the heroine over the male lead, that guy was just a side note in her life. She still lived freely and joyfully.
But Bai Chu? She had lost her entire family in a fire when she was seven. Her parents had pushed her out just before the burning beams collapsed on them.
She was adopted by He Youran’s father, He Dafang.
She was so grateful to the He family that she endured sleeping in the storage room, eating leftovers, and doing heavy chores.
When He Youran grew up, the two became close friends. He Youran was kind, shared food, and let her sleep in her room instead of the cold storage space.
Once Bai Chu started earning money, she gave most of it to the He family and spent the rest investigating the fire—she had always found it suspicious.
What she didn’t know was that the fire had been set by He Dafang.
Later, when He Youran grew up, the two became the best of friends. He Youran had a pure and kind nature. Whenever her parents secretly bought her treats, she would share them with Bai Chu. At night, she’d let Bai Chu sleep in her room so she wouldn’t have to stay in that cold, hard storage room anymore.
Once Bai Chu started earning money, she both supported the He family and paid to investigate the truth behind the fire from years ago. She had always felt there was something suspicious about it.
But what she didn’t know was—the one who started that fire back then was none other than He Dafang.
At the time, Bai Chu’s father, Bai Renzhi, was about to be promoted to department director due to his excellent performance. One of his competitors was He Dafang. He Dafang had racked up huge gambling debts. Becoming director meant a higher salary and greater authority—perfect for skimming off the top.
He Dafang had approached Bai Renzhi about it, saying that if he let him have the director position, he’d share the profits he skimmed. But Bai Renzhi was an upright man and refused no matter what.
When the promotion results came out, the director position did go to Bai Renzhi.
He Dafang both resented Bai Renzhi and feared that, now as director, Bai Renzhi might expose his gambling habits and intent to embezzle. So he decided to eliminate him.
On Bai Chu’s seventh birthday, while Bai Renzhi’s family had returned to their hometown to celebrate and were drunk and asleep, He Dafang set fire to their house.
The fact that Bai Chu survived was completely unexpected. He had hidden in the shadows, watching the flames engulf the house and hearing the child’s wailing. He’d originally planned to make sure she died too—but then he had a new idea. He narrowed his eyes and went home.
The next day, news of the fire spread throughout the company. The leaders looked at the orphaned Bai Chu, only seven years old, and didn’t know what to do.
That’s when He Dafang stepped forward, eyes brimming with tears. He squatted down, hugged Bai Chu, and said affectionately, “Old Bai’s gone, but I’ll be your dad now. I’ll raise you.”
This move instantly won everyone’s admiration. Even the company’s CEO looked at him with newfound respect. The vacant director position naturally fell into his lap—no one could argue otherwise.
He took Bai Chu home and was scolded by his wife, Gao Tingyuan, at first. But after she learned the real reason, she beamed with joy.
At the time, He Youran had just turned one. Seven-year-old Bai Chu had to go to school, take care of He Youran, and help Gao Tingyuan with farm work. Meanwhile, He Dafang paid off his debts, fell even deeper into gambling, and would vanish for days on end. When he lost, he came home and beat his wife—but never dared lay a hand on Bai Chu.
Not because he cared for her, but because she was his golden goose. She had to stay uninjured to help maintain his image of being a kind, upright man.
He took over Bai Renzhi’s projects, and his act of adopting Bai Chu also helped him keep Bai Renzhi’s old connections. Everyone thought he was dependable and were willing to continue working with him.
This way, He Dafang leveraged Bai Renzhi’s legacy and contacts to rise to the position of vice president of the company.
But he was never Bai Renzhi. He rode the coattails of Bai Renzhi’s accomplishments for over a decade, but as times changed, he couldn’t keep up.
The company’s finances deteriorated. The CEO left, and He Dafang was the only one left holding the fort.
To cut costs, he began to skimp on materials and labor, withheld wages, and eventually, the company couldn’t even afford utilities and had to shut down operations.
Just as the household was about to fall apart financially, Bai Chu graduated and in her first year of work sent the He family 200,000 yuan.
This delighted He Dafang to no end. He and his wife stopped caring about anything. They kept gambling and loafing around—all expenses were covered by Bai Chu.
At that time, He Youran had just started high school. She tried persuading her parents not to rely entirely on Bai Chu, but they scolded her for being naive.
“She’s a money-losing burden we raised for over twenty years. It’s about time she repays us. Without us, she’d be dead!”
“She paid for all her tuition herself, and she’s done most of the housework too. She works so hard—don’t put so much pressure on her,” He Youran defended Bai Chu.
Her parents replied coldly, “If you’ve got backbone, then go make money like that damn girl. Your tuition is paid by her, too. Stop with the nonsense and enjoy it.”
He Youran lowered her head, unable to say another word.
Now, Bai Chu had risen to an executive position in her company. She was making good money and continued to send 50,000 yuan monthly to the He family without fail. Most of her remaining earnings were spent investigating the cause of the fire.
She had always believed that the fire was suspicious. Ever since she could afford it, she had been looking into it—but every time she got a lead, it was quickly buried.
The reason? He Dafang knew she was secretly investigating. Every time she paid someone to dig for clues, he would use her money to pay even more to erase those traces, making it impossible for her to find the truth all these years.
And the most ironic thing? The author only wrote all this backstory so that when Bai Chu finally found out the truth and wanted revenge—it would serve as the final obstacle in He Youran and An Hao’s sweet love story.
Her twenty-plus years of silent endurance and pain—in someone else’s story, she was just a tool. Disposable once used.
Thinking about this, Jiang Yisheng’s mood sank. She understood Bai Chu—more than anyone.
Her own parents had left her early too. She didn’t even know how they died. All she remembered was being raised by her aunt, constantly bullied by her aunt’s three kids. Whenever her aunt packed lunch for her, they would steal it once the aunt left and point at Jiang Yisheng saying:
“You’re shameless, you don’t even have a mom and now you want to steal ours. Get lost.”
…
But she never dared complain or tell her aunt. After all, her aunt was the only one willing to take her in. If she made her mad, she wouldn’t even have a place to live.
As she thought about this, a tear dropped onto a green grape. Jiang Yisheng wiped her face with the back of her hand and pushed the fruit plate aside.
She looked up toward the distance. Across the river, the brightly lit Yuyu Tower stood tall. She sniffled. Just as she was about to sleep, her phone rang.
She looked at the caller ID: [Mom]
Her heart tensed. The unfamiliar label made her nervous—but then she remembered it was the contact name Zhang Tao had saved earlier.
She cleared her throat and answered the call.
“Baby, are you home yet? Mommy’s been so worried,” Yu Mushan’s anxious voice came through.
Only then did Jiang Yisheng remember she’d promised Yu Mushan to call once she got home.
“I’m home. About to sleep. I forgot to let you know, I’m sorry,” Jiang Yisheng pinched herself to suppress her vulnerability.
“What did Shengsheng say?” Jiang Hang’s voice came from the other end.
“She said she’s home, just forgot to tell us,” Yu Mushan relayed.
“That’s good, that’s good.”
“As long as you’re safe, go to sleep. Mommy and Daddy won’t keep you. Don’t kick the blanket tonight!” Yu Mushan coaxed her like a child.
“Mm.” Jiang Yisheng responded and hung up.
She sat cross-legged on the bed, tears falling like broken beads. She punched the bed hard.
“So unfair! Why is the difference between people so big?!”
Then, she angrily stuffed more grapes into her mouth to vent.
After her outburst, she lay down and let out a long sigh. “Forget it. I won’t dwell on it. One day I’m going to enjoy life to the fullest—make up for everything I missed.”
After that emotional purge, she fell sound asleep.
The next evening, at a restaurant.
“Old An, your drinking capacity hasn’t changed over the years. Still impressive,” Jiang Hang said, already red-faced from drinking.
An Chang—An Hao’s father—waved his hand. “I can’t match your business acumen, but you’ve never beaten me in drinking.”
Then he turned to look at Jiang Yisheng. “Once our Xiao Hao and Yisheng get married, both our families will be united in fortune and happiness.”
The moment Jiang Yisheng heard that, her expression dropped.
She suddenly remembered—An Hao also had it tough. His whole life had been arranged by his parents: school, work, even his marriage—all just tools to grow their business empire.
“Dad, don’t say that. There’s no way Yisheng and I would end up together,” An Hao cut in.
“Hahaha, our Xiao Hao is just shy. He won’t admit it, but he’s always told me he’s serious about Yisheng,” An Chang laughed, trying to smooth it over.
“What are you talking about? I don’t like Jiang Yisheng,” An Hao frowned. “The person I like is—”
Smack.
A crisp slap rang out in the private room.
“What nonsense are you spouting?!” An Chang stood up and slapped An Hao hard.
An Hao clenched his jaw, eyes red, bowed to Jiang Yisheng’s parents. “I’m sorry, Uncle, Auntie.”
Then he turned and walked out of the room.
“Where are you going?! Get back here!” An Chang pounded the table in rage.
Jiang Hang and Yu Mushan exchanged glances, their faces turning cold.
“Old An, our Yisheng may like An Hao, and that’s her choice. But marriage—we’ll make sure it’s with someone worthy. Not just anyone can become our son-in-law, and not just anyone gets to profit from Yuyu Corp,” Jiang Hang said sharply.
“Old Jiang, I’m really sorry. Our Xiao Hao’s still immature. He just needs time to settle down. He and Yisheng really are a perfect match.” An Chang raised his wine glass. “Let me apologize on his behalf.”
Jiang Hang didn’t respond, simply stared coldly at the dishes. Yu Mushan lowered her head and stared at her freshly manicured nails.
Only Jiang Yisheng giggled softly.
Jiang Hang and Yu Mushan looked over.
They saw their daughter scrolling through short videos on her phone, completely unfazed by what had just happened.
“It’s getting late. Our Yisheng needs to rest,” Yu Mushan said, standing up. Jiang Hang followed suit. The couple escorted their daughter out of the room.
In the car, Yu Mushan held Jiang Yisheng’s hand, wanting to say something but hesitating.
“What is it?” Jiang Yisheng noticed.
“Shengsheng, your dad and I never want to interfere with who you love. But relationships should be mutual. If you fall for someone who doesn’t love you back—it’ll only hurt you,” Yu Mushan said softly.
“Mm, I get it. Then I won’t like him anymore,” Jiang Yisheng nodded without hesitation.
“Huh?” Both parents were stunned. Knowing their daughter’s personality, they hadn’t expected her to be this easy to persuade.
“I think you’re absolutely right. There’s no point wasting time on someone who doesn’t like me. Life is short—I should make myself happy,” she said reasonably.
“Yes! Exactly!” The two parents nodded furiously, afraid she’d change her mind.
“Don’t worry. I won’t let myself be wronged,” she said, patting her chest as a promise.
“Oh my baby, how are you so understanding?” Yu Mushan hugged her tightly and rubbed her face against hers.
Jiang Yisheng froze. She wasn’t used to such close contact and didn’t dare move.
“You didn’t eat much just now. Want to get something else?” Jiang Hang worried she was still hungry.
“I want a jianbing, the kind sold near Bai Chu-jie’s apartment,” she said.
“Bai Chu-jie?” Yu Mushan caught the way she addressed Bai Chu.
“Yeah. What’s that place called again? Taozi knows.” She looked to the front seat.
“Wanying Apartments,” Zhang Tao replied.
“Right! That’s it. Let’s go there,” her eyes lit up.
“Okay, whatever you want,” Yu Mushan said indulgently.
When they arrived, Jiang Yisheng had already placed the order—premium versions for everyone, including the driver.
Zhang Tao went to pick it up. Jiang Yisheng leaned on the car window, looking around.
“What are you looking at?” Jiang Hang followed her gaze.
“Nothing.” She turned back, but kept peeking out.
“That Bai Chu you mentioned—is it the one from Renyuan Corp?” Yu Mushan recalled.
“Yeah, that’s her,” Jiang Yisheng’s tone instantly perked up.
“Was the guy dropping her off her boyfriend?” Yu Mushan looked outside.
“The guy dropping her off…” Jiang Yisheng’s smile froze. “What boyfriend?”
“That guy.” Yu Mushan pointed.
A man was walking with Bai Chu into the complex, chatting with her.
Jiang Yisheng rolled down the window and glared at him.
Bai Chu turned to the man as if saying goodbye—but he didn’t leave.
Jiang Yisheng understood instantly: this must be some creep trying to take advantage of Bai Chu. Unforgivable.
“Zhang-ge, see that man up there? Hit him with the car,” she growled.
The driver looked in the rearview mirror at the Chairman and Mrs. Yu, hesitating to release the brake.
“Hurry!” she shouted, about to get out herself.
Yu Mushan quickly pulled her back and gave the driver a look. “Just be smart about it.”
The driver understood. He shifted gears and floored it—only to slam the brakes just before hitting the man, tires screeching.
Startled, the man stumbled back a few steps.
Furious, he pointed at the driver and yelled, “Are you blind?! Can’t you see—”
Before he finished, Jiang Yisheng slammed the car door and pointed at him.
“Do you have any decency?! Can’t you see she doesn’t want to talk to you? Get lost already—stop being disgusting!”
The man started to get angry—until he recognized her. He immediately smiled.
“Oh, President Jiang! What a misunderstanding!”
“Misunderstanding my ass. I see right through you,” she snapped.
She stormed over and stood in front of Bai Chu, glaring at him.
“Isn’t this Young Master Zhao?” a deep voice cut in.
The man turned and greeted respectfully, “Chairman Jiang, you’re here too.”
“Yes, what a coincidence. It’s late—why aren’t you home yet?” Jiang Hang said with a cold smile.
“Just dropping off a friend, having a chat.”
“Oh? Bai Chu is your friend?” he asked casually.
“Yes,” the man nodded with a smile.
“Really, Bai Chu-jie? You two are really friends?” Jiang Yisheng asked.
Bai Chu nodded. “Yes.”
Jiang Yisheng gasped, eyes wide, and carefully stepped aside so she wasn’t blocking Bai Chu.
“You should’ve said so earlier! Our Yisheng and Bai Chu are very close. She was just worried you were some creep,” Jiang Hang said with zero apology.
“It’s fine, Chairman Jiang. President Jiang’s concern is understandable. I may have overstepped. I sincerely apologize to both Bai Chu and President Jiang.” The man bowed slightly.
“Well then, would you like a jianbing? We bought plenty,” Jiang Hang offered politely.
He instantly understood it was a dismissal. “No need, Chairman Jiang. I’ll head off now. Sorry for disturbing you.”
He respectfully nodded to Jiang Hang, then to Yu Mushan by the car, and left.
Only then did Yu Mushan casually fold up the butterfly knife in her hand and stroll over with a smile.