"Meow! The supporting heroine’s Shame Meter has dropped by ninety points. It is currently at negative one hundred! Host, what are you going to do?!" Xiao Xianggu’s voice appeared out of thin air.
"What? Negative one hundred?"
Que Tang, who had been fast asleep, was jolted awake by the notification. She stared blankly at the ceiling, her mind a total void, her hands instinctively clutching the thin quilt over her chest. After a long moment, she regained her senses and muttered to herself, "I'm in bed... so that must have been a dream..."
"Meow~ It wasn't!" Xiao Xianggu cruelly shattered her fantasy.
"How could this happen? I... I've been so cooperative with her. Why would the Shame Meter suddenly drop... and by ninety points in one go? That’s just ridiculous." Que Tang refused to face reality. "Going from positive one hundred to zero was an arithmetic progression, but from zero to negative one hundred, it’s a geometric progression!" She pulled the quilt over her head. "Everything was fine last night. How did the world end the moment I woke up..."
"Arithmetic... geometric... what are those, meow?" Xiao Xianggu had crawled onto the bed at some point and sat beside Que Tang, tilting its head.
"...What exactly do they teach at your Meow-star schools? Is it all just how to distinguish the quality of dried fish or how to hand-make cat biscuits?" Que Tang shot the cat a sidelong glance.
"Meow! That’s not important!" Xiao Xianggu smacked Que Tang’s forehead with a paw. "Host, you should worry about your own safety. Remember, don't make the supporting heroine unhappy, meow!" It jumped off the bed and scurried out through the crack in the door.
Having missed her chance to grab and ruffle Xiao Xianggu, Que Tang lay in bed hesitating for a long time. Finally, with the grim determination of someone heading to the execution ground, she got up, changed her clothes, and walked out of the room to face reality.
"Luoyan?" Que Tang stood at the bedroom door. She didn't see Yu Luoyan at their usual dining spot, but then she heard noises coming from the kitchen. She walked over curiously and peeked inside. Immediately, she stumbled back several steps in shock.
She finally knew why the Shame Meter was at negative one hundred. A scene like this was far beyond negative one hundred—the word 'shame' simply didn't exist in this dictionary!
Hiding behind the wall, her heart hammered as she recalled what she had just seen. At this moment, she actually began to miss the "First Wife" Mrs. Song from her very first mission. At least back then, Mrs. Song was a normal woman troubled by love. But who was this person standing in front of the stove virtuously preparing breakfast? She looked perfectly normal wearing an apron, but she wasn't wearing a single stitch of clothing underneath! The real Yu Luoyan must have been kidnapped by aliens; that was the only explanation for why this mission was taking such a bizarre turn!
"Tang?" Yu Luoyan had heard her long ago, but she had intentionally given her space. Calculating that enough time had passed, she stepped out carrying a plate of salad, ham, and jam. Seeing Que Tang’s horrified expression outside the kitchen, the smile at the corners of her mouth betrayed her true mood.
"Luo... Luoyan, you..." Que Tang was still speechless. A naked apron was just too much!
"Me?" Yu Luoyan feigned confusion, staring at her for a few seconds before smiling and taking her hand. She led her to the dining table, sat Que Tang down, and then promptly sat on her lap. "There’s no work today, so I specially prepared a hearty breakfast. Toast, salad, omelets..." She pointed to the food on the plate one by one. Seeing Que Tang’s blank expression, she paused. "Or... would you rather eat me?"
"Luoyan..." Que Tang felt helpless. "Even if we don't have to work today, we have to go see your grandfather later. It wouldn't be good to leave too late." Suddenly remembering this excuse, she couldn't help but praise her own quick wit.
However, nothing could stop a Yu Luoyan with a Shame Meter of negative one hundred. She shrugged off the apron, her perfect body instantly revealed without any cover. Under Que Tang’s alternatingly pale and flushed gaze, she gracefully picked up a jam knife and a piece of toast. "Tangtang, what flavor of jam do you like?"
"Blueberry, I guess..." Que Tang was in a daze, her brain unable to function. She watched as Yu Luoyan found the blueberry jam as requested, took a spoonful, and then spread it onto her own chest before handing the toast to Que Tang.
"Tangtang, you can use the toast to dip into the jam now."
Que Tang blinked, then blinked again, and then blinked a third time. She silently picked up a wet wipe from the table and wiped the jam off her. "I think I'll just have a ham sandwich..."
"Ham?" Yu Luoyan didn't look the least bit embarrassed by her failed seduction. Instead, she reached for the ham with great interest, but Que Tang was quick to stop her.
"It's fine, I'll get it myself. Luoyan, you haven't eaten yet either, right? Hurry back to the room, put some clothes on, and eat breakfast with me. I won't have much of an appetite if you aren't here to share it with me." Que Tang held her hand and looked at her tenderly.
Yu Luoyan looked into her eyes, and many past memories suddenly surfaced. For some reason, a rosy tint appeared on her cheeks.
"Luoyan?" Fearing she might catch a cold, Que Tang kept her carefully pulled into her arms. But when she didn't get a response for a long time, she began to fear her "gentle strategy" wasn't working.
"I understand." Coming back to her senses and seeing Que Tang’s cautious expression, Yu Luoyan smiled and let out a regretful sigh. "I originally wanted to try sitting on top and moving myself. But since Tangtang said so, maybe next time." Then, amidst the other's stunned expression, she stood up with a light laugh and walked into the bedroom.
Once she left, Que Tang immediately pulled out the day's newspaper. Sure enough, the headline was about Song Aotian’s company facing financial ruin.
She had received news a few days ago that when the first short-term debt came due, Song Aotian was unable to repay it on time and had to use his real estate as collateral to extend the deadline.
But unexpectedly, he still couldn't raise the money by the second repayment date, and the bank cut off his credit line. This caused his company's stock price to plummet. Que Tang immediately used Yu Luoyan’s name to buy up a large amount of stock and used her connections to acquire shares from many of Song Aotian’s shareholders. In just a few days, she had acquired about 5%.
"Song Aotian is just about finished." Yu Luoyan, now dressed, walked over to Que Tang and saw her reading the reports.
"I've already acquired 5% of the stock in your name. I plan to suggest to the board of directors that we acquire his company." Que Tang smiled at the other's surprised expression. "His company has a good foundation; if we hadn't intentionally suppressed it, it would be a healthy business. Merging it into Yu Xia would be a great boost. I've considered the debts as well; once those dozen or so orders are delivered, we'll basically break even."
"So you've been busy with all this?" Yu Luoyan realized. "But why buy it in my name?"
"Because if we're going to get married, there has to be a betrothal gift, right?" Que Tang tilted her head and spoke with mock distress.
"You..." Yu Luoyan froze at the word 'married.' "You're really willing to marry me?" Although they had made a show of being engaged in front of Song Aotian before, Yu Luoyan had been the one making all the decisions; Que Tang hadn't expressed an opinion. But now, Que Tang was saying it herself...
Yu Luoyan’s heart was suddenly filled with complex emotions. She wanted to marry, but not in this identity.
"Luoyan?" Que Tang looked at her in confusion.
"It's nothing. Let's finish breakfast quickly and go see Grandfather." Yu Luoyan tucked away her unidentifiable emotions and sat down normally to eat with Que Tang.
Not long after, a banking syndicate moved into Song Aotian’s company. Que Tang quickly used data to convince the board to acquire it, and Song Aotian’s company was officially merged into Yu Xia.
As for Song Aotian, he seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth.
With the merger, Yu Xia’s scale reached a new level. The subsequent profits were exactly as Que Tang had predicted—not only did they break even, but they significantly increased Yu Xia’s revenue. Yu Xia was now firmly the number one player in the industry.
"Tang, we have dinner with the American clients today. Remember to end your meeting early." Yu Luoyan accompanied Que Tang all the way to the building's entrance.
The sight of the two of them acting so inseparable filled the surrounding bodyguards and employees with envy.
"I know." Que Tang tried to pull her hand away, but Yu Luoyan wouldn't let go. She teased, "If you're so reluctant to part, why don't we just go to the meeting together?"
"I..." Yu Luoyan finally let go with a soft sigh. "Be careful on the road."
Just as Que Tang was about to say "I will," a man wearing a hat passed by them. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to him, he suddenly opened his arms and rushed at Que Tang. Before anyone could react, Que Tang was caught in his embrace. Before she could utter a single word, her flesh-and-blood body was crushed flat right in front of everyone, turning into a paper-thin "paper person."
"Meow, the mission for this world has ended."
As if she had known this would happen, Yu Luoyan calmly had the bodyguards seize the man. She took the "Que Tang paper" and then pulled off the man's hat, revealing the face beneath.
"Song Aotian, we gave you so many chances. It was always you who blindly kept pestering us."
"Luoyan, I told you long ago that I am the one best suited for you. Why wouldn't you listen?" The once-handsome face of Song Aotian was now a mess of scars and wretchedness. He continued venomously, "After I went bankrupt, I was left on the streets with nowhere to go. But then I met my Master. He asked me if I wanted revenge. If I did, I was to follow him back to Jellyfish Mountain, where he would pass his lifelong cultivation to me. I thought he was just a fraud and that martial arts were nonsense, but then he told me he had a move called 'Death’s Grip'—anyone he gripped would be killed or maimed. I witnessed it myself countless times. Finally, I took him as my Master and went to the mountains to train."
Yu Luoyan said nothing, watching him with cold eyes.
"Master wanted me to stay and train with him, but whenever I thought of you two, my rage was uncontrollable. Finally, I begged Master to teach me this move: 'Death’s Embrace.' This is the final technique of the Death Series; one must use their own life to execute it." Blood seeped from the corners of his mouth. "If I can't have you, no one else will. Hahahaha!" On the final "ha," his body suddenly exploded, turning into countless fine particles that scattered into the air.
The bodyguards, finally snapping out of the surreal, supernatural turn of events, immediately pulled Yu Luoyan away from the dust and contacted security to seal the scene and call the police.
Yu Luoyan remained remarkably calm through it all.
The police arrived late, questioned everyone, watched the surveillance footage to confirm the source of the incident, and then left in a hurry.
Because Yu Luoyan had been so composed from start to finish, no one paid her much attention. It wasn't until the aftermath was handled that the patriarch of the Yu family finally remembered his granddaughter. He looked around but couldn't find her. "Where is Luoyan?" he asked in a booming voice.
Everyone scrambled to find her. Her phone wouldn't go through, and no one knew where she had gone. Finally, a male colleague who often went to the rooftop garden to smoke said he had passed Vice President Yu on his way down.
The Yu family immediately rushed to the rooftop. They opened the security door only to find Yu Luoyan lying in a pool of blood, a knife plunged into her chest. She had long since stopped breathing.
Mother Yu collapsed into Father Yu’s arms in shock. Grandfather Yu’s face turned grim as he ordered people to handle the situation.
"Meow~ Soul fragment successfully collected."
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 羞耻度 | Shame Meter | A system mechanic tracking the target's level of embarrassment or lack thereof. |
| 裸体围裙 | Naked Apron | A common trope where a character wears only an apron. |
| 聘礼 | Betrothal Gift | Traditional gifts given by the groom's family to the bride's family. |
| 纸片人 | Paper Person | Literally a person flattened into paper; also a meta-joke about 2D characters. |
| 水母山 | Jellyfish Mountain | The fictional location where Song Aotian learned his "martial arts." |
| 死亡之握 | Death's Grip | A fictional martial arts technique. |
| 死亡之拥 | Death's Embrace | The ultimate, self-sacrificial martial arts technique used by Song Aotian. |
| 灵魂碎片 | Soul Fragment | The objective the protagonist is collecting across different worlds. |
