Wish to Get Rich But Wear a Scumbag A - Chapter 15

“Shen Tinglan invited me to Drunk Spring for drinks.”

Qi Xingwan closed her book, a hint of confusion in her eyes. Why is she telling me this?

Yan He opened the Shameless Navigation app in front of her. “Look, if I leave now, I’ll get there around 5:30. Can you call me when you’re almost fifty? Please?”

“What are you up to now?”

“I just need an excuse to sneak home for dinner. Please trust me one last time? Just make the call—you don’t even have to say anything.”

Even though they could now sit down and talk calmly, Qi Xingwan remained highly wary of Yan He. “Why don’t you just refuse to go?”

“I can’t. She just got dumped. I need to go mock her.”

Yan He wasn’t lying. In the original story, Shen Tinglan had just been rejected by an Omega and was in a foul mood. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been dragging the Original Host out for drinks and entertainment every other day.

Qi Xingwan fell silent.

So, she wants me to call because she’s afraid Shen Tinglan might kill her?

“Fine. Keep her company and talk to her.”

If Shen Tinglan killed Yan He, none of the blame would fall on Qi Xingwan. This was far safer than Gu Ye’s reckless plans.

“Yay! You can eat first. The noodles will be ready in the pot in two minutes. Don’t wait for me!” Yan He took a few steps, then stopped. “Oh, right! Light the candles before you eat.”

She had already arranged the candles for their candlelight dinner, with a big heart in the middle!

Qi Xingwan: “Why?”

“Candlelight dinner. Let them keep you company.” Yan He shoved an onion into her hand. “Put this across from you while you eat.”

Qi Xingwan: “???”

“Where am I? Right across from you,” Shen Tinglan said, leaning against the bar as she answered the phone. She watched Yan He walk past the private room. “…Turn around, you’ve gone too far.”

Ha ha, a bit awkward.

Yan He pretended nothing had happened and crossed her legs, settling into her seat. “New friend, huh?”

Mission: Drunk Spring Rendezvous completed.

Thank heavens! Finally, triggering the plot had unlocked memories related to the Original Host, allowing Shen Tinglan to mimic her mannerisms. This prevented her from immediately grabbing a megaphone and announcing the story of how she’d bumped her head during a drunken night out.

Shen Tinglan pulled out makeup remover from her bag and wiped off her makeup in front of Yan He, revealing dark circles under her eyes. Her tone was utterly perfunctory. “Ta-da! A warm welcome to our new friend!”

How… surprising. Yan He chuckled inexplicably.

007 was utterly shocked.  You humans…

 Are you jealous?  Yan He retorted.

Did Qi Xingwan eat the deluxe instant noodles I prepared for her?

I’m a System, not your personal surveillance camera.

Every other System can do it, but not you, Xiao Qi? Maybe you should look inward for the reason?

007 sputtered into a jumble of code.  The Adjustment Department isn’t even responsible for assisting Hosts! Wait, you’re the one who got reassigned—what right do you have to complain…?

What’s wrong with being reassigned?

“I earned this Adjustment Department spot through my own merit!” Yan He proudly shifted her weight, telling Shen Tinglan, “Give up on the panda cosplay. You’ll never be as cute as one.”

Shen Tinglan, already quite drunk, clutched an empty wine bottle and poured out her woes. “As you can see, I’ve been dumped.”

Yan He hissed softly, snatching the empty bottle from her. “Uh, when… when did you even have a relationship?”

Shen Tinglan cursed. “Are you even human?!”

“Debatable.”

“Judging by the ending, I’m just a pre-fabricated ghost.”

“Judging by the beginning, I’m a custom-made pheromone for Alphas and Omegas, complete with a name.”

“From birth to death, we’re only briefly human.”

Shen Tinglan’s drunken mind struggled to process this. After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded. “Makes sense. But what does this have to do with me being dumped?”

Yan He patted her shoulder, her voice grave. “Love across species never works out. Let it go.”

Shen Tinglan: “…Get lost. Now that you have your own Omega, you don’t care if I live or die, huh?”

What’s the big deal? According to the novel’s plot, the female lead is destined for the male lead anyway. What does it have to do with me?

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Shen Tinglan drunkenly grabbed Yan He, grinning mischievously. “He’er, spill the beans! Where did you get that drug you gave Qi Xingwan? Get me some too! I’ll reserve a special table for you at my wedding!”

Yan He froze, her voice tinged with panic. “Wh-what do you mean? I didn’t… Wasn’t it you who drugged her?!”

Yan He: Xiao Qi! Did the Original Host drug her?

007: No. In the original novel, the female lead suspected Shen Tinglan.

Yan He: Any evidence?

Given Shen Tinglan’s personality, if she had truly done it, she wouldn’t have needed to play dumb with the Original Host—unless…

007: None. The novel describes Shen Tinglan’s confession in a single line: “Shen Tinglan didn’t even glance up, readily admitting her guilt. She preferred a lifetime behind bars to facing her friend in court.”

Shen Tinglan punched her playfully, her voice indignant. “What kind of person do you think I am? You were so infatuated with Qi Xingwan back then! How could I ever do something like that to my friend’s crush?! Tell me! Which dog-faced bastard has been spreading lies about me? I’ll tear their mouth off!”

“I… I don’t remember,” Yan He mumbled, picking up her wine glass. “Probably just some gossip I overheard at a party. Sorry, I’ll punish myself with three more drinks!”

“Forget it. As long as you don’t misunderstand me, that’s all that matters,” Shen Tinglan said, watching her finish the wine with satisfaction. “Come on, let’s go eat at Night’s Delight.”

Yan He shook her head frantically.

No way. Not even if you kill me.

Damn it! Why hasn’t the brilliant and mighty female lead called me yet?!

The female lead was completely absorbed in writing character backstories, having already forgotten the request of some insignificant Alpha.

Fortunately, her important friends were bombarding her with messages.

Gu Ye: I saw that jerk at Drunk Spring, drinking with Shen Tinglan.

Gu Ye: View Image

Gu Ye: Two jerks meeting? Nothing good can come of that. Be careful.

Gu Ye: Where are you?

Gu Ye: I’ll get a colleague to cover for me and go eavesdrop for you.

Gu Ye: Damn it, there’s a minimum spending requirement. We can’t get in.

Qi Xingwan scrolled through her friend’s messages, suddenly remembering something.

Had she forgotten to call Yan He?

Should she… call?

Qi Xingwan’s fingertip hovered over the dial button, hesitated for a moment, and finally pressed it.

Yan He heard the phone ring like heavenly music and answered almost instantly.

“Hello?”

“Xingwan? What’s wrong?”

“What?! A’Cong fell off the table! How is he?”

“What?! His leg is broken?!”

“How could this happen?! My A’Cong!!!”

“Ah! It’s all my fault for giving him too much freedom! I’m going home right now to break his other leg!”

Qi Xingwan, unable to get a word in, was utterly stunned: “???”

Gu Ye, observing enemy activity from afar, heard the commotion and thought: “???”

Shen Tinglan, jolted awake by the loud shouting, wondered: “???”

“He—”

“Something happened to my A’Cong!” Yan He hung up the phone, her voice filled with anguish. “I can’t join you for dinner. I have to go home right now. I’ll treat you next time!”

A’Cong? What is that? Shen Tinglan was completely baffled. “Then… I can come to your place for dinner instead.”

“Let’s go. My driver is waiting outside.” Assuming Yan He was just embarrassed, Shen Tinglan wrapped her arm around Yan He’s and hurried her out.

Yan He: “???”