She's Crazy, I Love Her - Chapter 9

That evening, Qi You met Pei Yi.

Zhou Wei had little interest in Qi You’s work, finishing her tasks by mid-afternoon so she could go out and play. When Qi You suggested going to Bodhisattva Barbarian, Zhou Wei dismissed it as boring, preferring Doze Hifi.

In the end, they went to Bodhisattva Barbarian anyway.

Since it was still early, the group gathered to play cards in a private room. The room was quiet, with a lazy Irish tune playing in the background. Two white-shirted attendants sat obediently nearby, occasionally feeding them pieces of fruit.

Around halfway through the evening, as more people arrived, the atmosphere suddenly shifted.

Qi You, slightly tipsy from the alcohol, took a detour to Little Chongshan and arrived a step too late—Pei Yi was already there.

At that moment, the music in the room had been turned off, the silence heavy with tension. The rainbow-colored spotlights on the walls swept across the faces of those present, but Qi You only recognized four:

Chi Yue, Pei Yi, Sun Zhiping, and Zhao Ming.

Qi You wasn’t surprised to see Chi Yue and Pei Yi together; as the male and female leads, they were bound to encounter each other in various settings.

Based on the usual plot progression, this scene should have involved Sun Zhiping pressuring Chi Yue to apologize to Zhao Ming, only for the male lead to intervene. Three days after their last encounter, Pei Yi would once again come to her rescue.

Judging by the current situation, the plot had only just begun. Pei Yi’s true identity hadn’t been revealed yet, which explained Zhao Ming’s smug composure.

The slightly stagnant atmosphere in the private room was shattered by Qi You’s arrival. Zhao Ming, the first to react, abandoned his pretense of aloofness and sprang up from the sofa, showing no signs of his supposed injuries.

“President Qi? President Qi! What brings you here?”

“I heard Director Zhao was hosting a gathering,” Qi You replied, “and thought I’d drop by. I hope I’m not interrupting.”

Zhao Ming hurried forward. “Don’t be ridiculous, President Qi! We’re honored by your presence. Please, come in.”

Qi You leaned against the doorframe, her gaze fixed on Chi Yue. “No need,” she said. “I just wanted to say hello.”

Chi Yue instinctively shifted forward, then stopped.

Zhao Ming continued to shower Qi You with polite remarks. The others in the room scrambled to their feet. Sun Zhiping, not wanting to embarrass Zhao Ming, seized the opportunity to socialize and casually pulled Chi Yue forward.

“We haven’t had a chance to thank you for sending Chi Yue a phone yesterday.”

Chi Yue looked like she was passively resisting. Dressed in a loose T-shirt and jeans, her hair in a low ponytail, she looked as plain as a high school student, utterly out of place in the decadent surroundings.

At Sun Zhiping’s prompting, her gaze flickered across Qi You’s face before she mechanically mouthed, “Thank you…”

Suddenly, Qi You reached out and touched Chi Yue’s cheek.

Chi Yue flinched at the sudden intimacy.

The others were equally stunned.

Qi You didn’t immediately withdraw her hand. She asked softly, “You look pale. Are you feeling unwell?”

Chi Yue hastily dodged her touch. “No, no, I’m fine.”

Qi You hummed in acknowledgment, then turned to Zhao Ming. “Chi Yue is still young and inexperienced in acting. Director Zhao, please don’t be too harsh on her.”

Zhao Ming’s eyes darted around as he forced a dry laugh. “Of course, of course! Ah, little Chi is the female lead of Hua Fangfei, so full of talent. My whole show depends on her success!”

“Good to hear,” Qi You replied. “Thank you for taking care of her, Director Zhao.”

“Nonsense, nonsense!” Zhao Ming was flattered beyond words. He turned to Chi Yue with a fawning smile. “Little Chi, you’re too modest! Why didn’t you mention your close relationship with President Qi earlier?”

Chi Yue’s lips twitched, the fragile facade of composure threatening to crumble.

Qi You glanced at her before shifting her gaze to Pei Yi. “And who is this?”

Pei Yi met her eyes, his brow furrowed. His voice was cool and detached. “Wrong room.”

With that, he showed neither embarrassment nor anger. Without acknowledging anyone else in the room, he strode past Qi You and out the door.

Zhao Ming cleared his throat, offering an explanation. “Don’t know him. Probably just wandered in by mistake…”

He wanted to ask about Hua Fangfei, but just as he began to speak, Qi You straightened up. “I have other matters to attend to. I won’t disturb you any longer.”

Zhao Ming showed no displeasure at being interrupted, instead showering her with obsequious flattery, his enthusiasm bordering on oily.

In the end, Chi Yue was pushed forward to escort Qi You out.

The Bodhisattva Barbarian’s decor was lavishly opulent. Thick, richly colored, dark gold-toned wallpaper lined the corridors, muffling the drunken revelry and debauchery within. Soft spotlights cast a hazy, dim glow.

As they rounded a corner, Chi Yue stopped. “President Qi,” she said, “thank you for intervening earlier.”

She knew Qi You’s sudden, seemingly random interruption had been to support her. To pretend otherwise would be ungrateful.

Qi You turned to face her.

Under that intense gaze, Chi Yue found it difficult even to force a smile. Her eyelids involuntarily lowered.

“Besides thanking me, Miss Chi, do you have anything else to say?” Qi You asked.

Chi Yue remained silent, her head slightly bowed.

Qi You frowned. “Are you afraid of me?” she asked bluntly.

Sensing her displeasure, Chi Yue hastily raised her head and denied it. “Of course not.”

“Zhao Ming nearly raped you, and you weren’t afraid,” Qi You countered. “Why would you be afraid of me?”

Chi Yue’s expression instantly changed. Her already pale face drained of color, as if she had been stripped naked.

“Are you going to cry again?” Qi You asked.

Chi Yue’s mind buzzed with a deafening hum. She opened her mouth, but her vocal cords felt as if they were choked by cold, damp seaweed.

Qi You met her gaze, his expression unchanged: a detached, scrutinizing look, cold and piercing.

“N-no,” Chi Yue stammered, her voice barely recognizable. “President Qi, you’re overthinking things. I… I have to go—”

Before she could finish, her voice already sounded muffled and strained. She turned to leave, but Qi You grabbed her arm.

Chi Yue tried to shake him off. “Let go of me.”

Qi You didn’t release her, holding her with both hands.

Chi Yue struggled violently, her movements bordering on a desperate fight.

Qi You’s expression darkened at her resistance, and he tightened his grip. “Why are you running?”

“None of your business,” Chi Yue snapped. “It has nothing to do with you.”

Qi You’s face turned cold, and he sneered, “Suddenly it’s none of my business? What was that ‘thank you’ for earlier?”

“You—” Chi Yue’s mind went blank with humiliation. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she blurted out, “What right do you have to question me? What’s the difference between you and Zhao Ming? What kind of good person are you anyway? You’re just as…”

She stopped mid-sentence, her dark eyes glaring at Qi You, the forced ferocity in them like obsidian glass—fragile, as if a touch would shatter it, revealing the fear beneath.

Qi You’s voice deepened. “Continue.”

Chi Yue turned her head away, her eyes rimmed with red, her chest heaving.

Qi You scoffed, withdrawing his hand. “So Miss Chi blames me for taking advantage of her vulnerability?” he said coldly.

Chi Yue remained silent.

Qi You crossed his arms, staring at her with righteous indignation.

Chi Yue gasped for breath, unable to calm down for a long moment.

Suddenly, a door somewhere down the corridor burst open, deafening music blaring out briefly, mixed with screams and laughter—the sound so piercing it felt like steel needles piercing her eardrums.

Chi Yue slowly regained her composure and finally took a step back.

“Forget it…” she murmured.

But her retreat didn’t satisfy Qi You.

“Forget what?” he pressed.

Chi Yue’s tense shoulders slumped. “I… I don’t blame you,” she whispered.

Her posture and expression carried the anguish and humiliation of forced surrender, along with the naive innocence unique to the wronged.

Qi You gazed at Chi Yue, her expression serene, yet a sudden surge of dark, violent energy erupted within her heart, swift and uncontrollable.

If I had a knife right now, she thought, I would stab it into Chi Yue’s body without hesitation.

But she didn’t.

Qi You leaned closer, her face pressing into Chi Yue’s personal space.

The safe distance between them vanished, forcing Chi Yue to meet her gaze.

Qi You stared intently, so close that she could clearly see the fleeting flicker of fear in Chi Yue’s eyes—the primal instinct of an animal sensing danger.

“Chi Yue,” Qi You said.

“Hmm?” Chi Yue responded unconsciously, unable to explain the sudden tremor that had gripped her moments ago. The sensation had been too fleeting, vanishing in an instant, leaving her panicked.

But in the next moment, Qi You’s hand gripped her jaw—or rather, her neck.

Her fingers were icy cold, reminding Chi Yue of a nightmare where an invisible pair of eyes had merged with her own, pitch-black and frigid, like a python choosing its prey.

A faint fear crept into Chi Yue’s heart, yet her face burned.

This is so strange, she thought. We’ve only met twice, and the last time was so absurd—

Chi Yue recalled the doctor’s words: the residual medication in her bl00d would gradually dissipate through metabolism. With proper rest, there should be no lasting effects, aside from potential psychological trauma. He had reassured her not to worry excessively.

Psychological trauma, Chi Yue thought, dismissing the phrase. Maybe it’s just because the drugs haven’t fully cleared yet. It’s only been three days.

She retreated, twisting her neck. “Let go…”

Qi You hadn’t intended to do this.

Yet her body pressed forward.

The hairs on Chi Yue’s arms stood on end, her scalp tingling as if electrified.

She let out a muffled groan, quickly silenced by Qi You’s lips. Her jaw ached from the harsh grip as Qi You’s mouth forced hers open, invading her mouth with brutal force.

The scent of alcohol, barely noticeable before, now overwhelmed Chi Yue, mingling with her own crisp floral fragrance. It surged through the violent kiss, licking her savagely.

This wasn’t a kiss; it was an assault.

Qi You even bit through Chi Yue’s tongue, then sucked fiercely, as if trying to drain her bl00d, to take her life.

Caught completely off guard, Chi Yue whimpered in pain, frantically pushing against Qi You with both hands and feet. But Qi You pinned her against the corridor wall, her knee precisely wedged between Chi Yue’s legs.

Chi Yue struggled to sit up, her flailing hand accidentally striking Qi You’s cheek with a sharp smack.

It sounded like a slap.

Qi You’s head snapped to the side. She turned back to Chi Yue, her eyes blazing with fury.

Chi Yue herself was startled. Clutching her chest, she stared at Qi You, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her lips were swollen and flushed from the kiss, and her hair was disheveled.

Qi You held her gaze for a few seconds before finally releasing her grip on the back of Chi Yue’s neck.

Sensing the movement, Chi Yue flinched, momentarily closing her eyes in anticipation of a retaliatory strike.

But Qi You didn’t hit her. Instead, she turned her head away, her voice icy: “Have you seen enough?”

Chi Yue finally realized where they were. She hurriedly opened her eyes. A man stood around the corner of the corridor, still holding his phone to his ear, facing them. It was impossible to tell how long he’d been watching.

Without even registering his face, Chi Yue instinctively turned her back, desperate to avoid recognition.

Qi You stared at Pei Yi. Even in this setting, he was dressed entirely in black, his shirt buttoned to the collar. The elegant lighting from the wall cast his features in a noble glow—perfectly embodying the male lead’s character archetype: a impeccably dressed, ascetic CEO.

An ascetic wouldn’t take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state, nor would they stoop to eavesdropping on private moments.

Pei Yi cleared his throat, his expression uncharacteristically stiff. He mumbled a hasty apology and turned away.

At the other end of the phone, his friend pressed him to reveal where he had been.

Pei Yi brushed him off with a few vague replies and stepped into the elevator at the end of the corridor. Two seconds later, it suddenly struck him—

This world really is small. Just a few days, and we’ve already run into each other twice.

He rarely acted out of kindness. Today’s “accidental intrusion” had started with mistaking Qi You for someone else. Even after realizing his mistake, he had followed her because he genuinely believed she was underage. After all, in this kind of setting, being dragged into a private room after an argument could only suggest something sinister.

As it turned out, he had overestimated the danger. While she was clearly in a difficult situation, it seemed unlikely to escalate beyond mere discomfort. Besides, it was just some drama within the entertainment industry—what a mess. Two women kissing so passionately, as if no one else existed.

Still, the sight had been quite pleasing to the eye.

Qi You returned and sank onto the sofa. The slap had been loud, but it left no visible mark.

A handsome young man approached her.

Zhou Wei emerged from a nearby cubicle, nudged the young man’s leg with her toe, and poured herself a drink. “What’s on your mind, Miss Qi?” she asked.

Qi You ignored her, leaning back against the sofa and gazing up at the ornate ceiling. The spotlights flickered and distorted, casting eerie shadows.

Zhou Wei bumped her shoulder, relentlessly pressing, “What are you thinking about?”

Qi You turned to glance at her. “s3x and death,” she replied.