What Should I do After Binding the Wrong System and the Female Lead comes Knocking at my Door? - Chapter 3
Gu Qing sat in the cozy coffee shop, holding a cup of rich coffee in her hands, listening to the piano music playing in the background, and quietly gazing out the window.
The traffic outside flowed endlessly like a lively ribbon, weaving through the veins of the city. Passersby rushed by, each heading in their own direction, while Gu Qing remained seated in her tranquil corner, watching the bustling world outside, her thoughts drifting further and further away.
She wasn’t sure whether her decision was right or wrong, nor could she predict what kind of impact it would have on her future. She had gambled everything on a future she couldn’t see.
But since she had made the decision, she wouldn’t hesitate or give herself the chance to second-guess.
So, the day after making the phone call, she invited Pei Yuanxi to meet her at a coffee shop.
A “thud, thud, thud” sound on the glass broke Gu Qing’s train of thought. Pei Yuanxi had seen her absentmindedly staring out the window and couldn’t help but tap on the glass.
Gu Qing lifted her head, her eyes following Pei Yuanxi’s figure as she walked through the door.
After sitting down, Pei Yuanxi took off her sunglasses and face mask. What met Gu Qing’s eyes was the most flawless face: elegant brows, crimson lips, and a wild, seductive charm. She was wearing a wine-red strapless dress, and when she smiled, it was like wild fire blooming in the midst of thorns—burning fiercely in Gu Qing’s gaze.
Pei Yuanxi smiled and playfully flicked her long hair over her shoulder before waving her hand in front of Gu Qing’s eyes. “Staring at me in a daze?”
Gu Qing couldn’t help but lower her gaze, her voice muffled as she spoke. “President Pei, I want to discuss some business with you.”
Pei Yuanxi smiled faintly. “No rush. I just arrived. Let me have something to drink first.”
“I’ve ordered an iced Americano and some desserts for you. The waiter will bring them over shortly.”
Pei Yuanxi was surprised. “Ah, I didn’t expect you to know I like iced Americano. I’m flattered.”
Gu Qing didn’t know how to respond. Should she tell her that she specifically asked Pei Yuanxi’s fan club about her preferences? And that she also knew Pei Yuanxi was intentionally teasing her after she hung up on her abruptly during the phone call?
Hmm… maybe a bit petty.
Not knowing she was being silently judged as petty by Pei Yuanxi, Gu Qing continued with a blissful smile as she took a bite of cake. “Ah, you don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve had any of these desserts. Sweets really do heal my soul.”
Gu Qing silently watched everything before finally mustering the courage to ask, “It must be exhausting, right?”
“What?”
“I mean, being an actor must be tiring, right?”
Pei Yuanxi blinked in surprise. She had just seen Gu Qing hesitate for a long time, thinking she was going to say something important, but in the end, she was just trying to show concern.
Hmm… a bit cute.
Pei Yuanxi lowered her head to continue eating, but decided not to laugh in front of her. After a moment, she composed herself and said, “It’s tiring, but it’s not painful.”
Being an actor is certainly exhausting, but it’s not what you would call a “hardship.” Compared to many other careers, being a star is already glamorous enough.
Besides, she wasn’t someone who would whine like the idols she worked with in the past—crying out in pain for even a small injury. Pei Yuanxi had no respect for those kinds of people.
Gu Qing nodded, understanding her point.
When they fell into silence, it felt as though the very oxygen in the air had thinned. It was awkward.
Pei Yuanxi wanted to say, “Since you invited me out, why not keep the conversation going?”
But it seemed difficult to get this icy person to start a topic. So, Pei Yuanxi cleared her throat and asked, “Miss Gu, you asked me out for something. Are you interested in signing with my studio?”
Gu Qing shook her head silently and looked into Pei Yuanxi’s eyes seriously. “I want to ask you a question, President Pei. Can you promise to answer truthfully?”
Pei Yuanxi gave a faint smile, noncommittal. “Go ahead and ask.”
“I want to know… President Pei, do you like women?”
Pei Yuanxi froze for a moment, completely confused. Why was Gu Qing asking this question again? The first time they met, it was understandable that Gu Qing might have misunderstood her, but now she was asking the same thing again?
Pei Yuanxi stared at Gu Qing, who was waiting seriously for an answer, and decided to just wait and see what the purpose of this question was.
“You guess.”
Gu Qing couldn’t help but say, “President Pei, I’m serious.”
Pei Yuanxi frowned slightly. “I’m serious in my answer too. Do you know the tweet I posted a few days ago? What I said in it is true. I’ve never developed feelings for anyone, so strictly speaking, I don’t know how to answer your question.”
Gu Qing nodded. “Then let me ask a different question.”
“If you were to have a relationship with a woman, would you accept it?”
Pei Yuanxi didn’t immediately answer the question. Instead, she propped her chin and stared at Gu Qing silently. Gu Qing, too, calmly accepted the scrutiny.
“Miss Gu, if you have something to discuss, just be direct about it.”
Gu Qing could sense Pei Yuanxi’s impatience but hesitated before asking, “President Pei, would you mind dating me?”
Pei Yuanxi: ???
She was just thinking about signing Gu Qing into her studio, and now Gu Qing wanted to directly become her partner?
Ugh… Pei Yuanxi felt a headache coming on. Was she crazy or was the world crazy?
What was happening?
Before Pei Yuanxi could regain her composure, Gu Qing pulled out several contracts from her bag and handed them over to Pei Yuanxi.
Pei Yuanxi took the contracts and saw that one was titled “Love Contract,” and there were also “Marriage Agreement,” “Lover Agreement,” and more.
Pei Yuanxi: …
She stared blankly at Gu Qing. “What… what do these mean?”
“If President Pei is willing to be with me, you can choose one of these contracts to sign,” Gu Qing explained.
Pei Yuanxi couldn’t help but clench her jaw. “Miss Gu… if there’s something you’re forced into, just tell me. If I can help, I will.”
Gu Qing shook her head. “No, this is my own choice. Please think about it carefully.”
Pei Yuanxi had no choice but to flip through the contracts slowly. She noticed that the contents were quite similar, but she couldn’t understand why there were so many versions.
Gu Qing seemed to notice her confusion and explained, “These are just to let you choose the one that looks the best.”
Oh… understood. But did she really need to consider so thoroughly?
Pei Yuanxi furrowed her brows and carefully read through the contracts. She noticed one odd clause: it required her to lend Gu Qing five million, and until Gu Qing repaid the debt, she would have to comply with all of Pei Yuanxi’s demands.
It seemed that this contract was valid only until Gu Qing repaid the five million.
Not caring about the amount, Pei Yuanxi asked directly, “What do you need the five million for?”
Gu Qing fell silent for a moment, then finally answered, “To pay the company’s breach of contract penalty.”
Pei Yuanxi immediately understood. This was clearly a situation where Gu Qing’s small company had trapped her. If she was right, the reason Gu Qing was resorting to such drastic measures was that her company had crossed a line.
Looking at Gu Qing’s calm face, Pei Yuanxi could guess the reason.
After considering everything, Pei Yuanxi took a deep breath and looked at Gu Qing seriously.
“I remember I told you I wanted to sign you to my studio. If you agree, you don’t have to worry about the breach fee. I’ll take care of it. I’m sure you’ve already figured that out, right?”
Gu Qing paused for a moment before replying.
“I need you.”
“Need me?” Pei Yuanxi asked.
Gu Qing looked at her seriously and answered, “Because I love acting, and I want to keep pursuing it, so I need you.”
“I understand what you mean, but if you’re with my studio, I can protect you.”
“No, it’s not enough,” Gu Qing said firmly. “And how do you know I’m not using all these means just because I like you?”
Pei Yuanxi: …
Honestly, it was a bit far-fetched. Both explanations seemed a little weak. Maybe there was a small part of her feelings involved, but it definitely wasn’t the whole story.
But everyone has their secrets, especially someone like Gu Qing, who might be a time traveler—Pei Yuanxi could understand that.
Now, the real question was whether there was any benefit for her in this contract.
From a business perspective, it was a no-risk deal, and it could even be considered “taking advantage of the situation.” But as a celebrity, this contract could explode like a bomb at any moment. If the media got a hold of it, she might never survive in the entertainment industry.
Before Pei Yuanxi could continue thinking, a voice in her head suddenly spoke.
“Ding! Host detected to be threatened into signing a love contract by the famous actress Pei Yuanxi. Please slap Pei Yuanxi’s face to complete the task and receive a reward: Basic Acting Enhancement.”
Pei Yuanxi: ???
She was almost laughing in disbelief. When did she threaten Gu Qing into signing anything?
Damn, she almost forgot about this system. Fine, fine, since it jumped in, she might as well play along.
Pei Yuanxi took up a pen and signed the “Love Contract.” Gu Qing had already signed hers.
After signing both contracts, Pei Yuanxi didn’t return one to Gu Qing. “I’ll keep both copies. Is that okay with you?”
Gu Qing nodded, understanding that Pei Yuanxi was just being cautious. To be honest, her heart almost leaped out of her chest when Pei Yuanxi picked up the pen, but now that everything was settled, she could finally relax.
But things were about to take another turn. Before Gu Qing could react, Pei Yuanxi suddenly said, “Ah Qing, touch my face.”
Gu Qing: …