Chapter 659: Mr. Shen, Enjoying the Drama
'Ren Zhacheng, this Child of Destiny, has a bit of a villainous style, tsk tsk.'
Shen Anyu, who was invisible on the side, watched this scene with great interest, starting to enjoy the show. He had just arrived here, originally wanting to devour Ren Zhacheng's Goddess Future Diary System, but discovered that it actually required twenty million destiny value. He was short on funds and couldn't afford to devour it.
This Goddess Future Diary System possessed an insidious and extremely potent potential. In its nascent stages, it appeared weak, a mere parlour trick for peeking into the immediate futures of ordinary women. But its growth curve was terrifyingly steep. He Yiyi and the other mundane goddesses Ren Zhacheng was currently targeting were just the beginning, offering trivial benefits. The true power of the system lay dormant, waiting.
Shen Anyu's mind raced through the possibilities. 'Imagine if he gets his hands on the future diaries of female cultivators… what then? What about the diaries of Land Immortals? Or true immortals from higher realms?' The very thought was staggering. The system's potential was practically boundless.
Based on the brief background introduction Shen Anyu had glimpsed, the system's final-stage targets were figures of myth. It even listed Nuwa, the primordial creator goddess, as a potential future diary holder.
At that thought, even Shen Anyu was rendered momentarily speechless. The sheer audacity was on another level.
Of course, that was a future so distant it was almost theoretical—a late-stage scenario belonging to the furthest echelons of the late game, in a world far, far beyond the Xuanhuang World. For now, the system's host was nothing more than a bug. The current Ren Zhacheng was just a piece of trash, an insignificant speck of dust that Shen Anyu could obliterate into mincemeat with a single, casual breath. A pathetic whelp playing at being a villain.
At this very moment, hearing Ren Zhacheng's ugly threat, He Yiyi's face instantly drained of all color. The blood fled from her cheeks, leaving behind a sickly, pale mask of terror. A cold dread seized her heart, and her mind went utterly blank, unable to process the accusation. She stood frozen, at a complete loss, before finally stammering out a panicked explanation.
"I… I didn't do it on purpose!" Her voice was thin and brittle, cracking under the pressure. "I really didn't mean to embezzle public funds, please… please don't tell anyone, Ren Zhacheng, please don't tell anyone…"
Her beautiful eyes, wide with shock and disbelief, began to well up with tears. The shimmering moisture blurred her vision as she verged on a complete breakdown, her world collapsing around her.
"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone," Ren Zhacheng said, the smug satisfaction practically dripping from his voice. The look on his face was one of triumphant glee, like a predator who had finally cornered its prey.
A sliver of hope pierced through He Yiyi's despair. She calmed herself just enough to look up, her hazy, tear-filled eyes focusing on the man standing before her. She spoke softly, her voice trembling with relief. "Ren Zhacheng… I knew you wouldn't harm me."
"Hehe, He Yiyi, do you know I like you?" Ren Zhacheng waved a dismissive hand, cutting her off before she could say another word. The pretense of civility was gone.
He Yiyi's delicate lips pressed into a thin, tight line. She didn't respond, but the renewed tension in her shoulders spoke volumes.
Ren Zhacheng let out a cold sneer, his words laced with a biting, mocking tone. "You definitely know. Of course you do. But there are too many men chasing you, aren't there? A whole line of rich second-generation heirs you can pick from. You've always looked down on me, right?"
A terrible feeling began to curdle in He Yiyi's stomach. The hope that had bloomed just a moment ago withered and died, replaced by a chilling premonition. Fearing that Ren Zhacheng was about to expose her crime at any second, she spoke quickly, desperately trying to placate him.
"Actually, I don't care if someone is a rich second generation or not. As long as they're good to me, that's what matters." She was trying to stabilize him, to buy herself time, to prevent him from making that call and ruining her life.
But Ren Zhacheng saw right through the flimsy attempt. He sneered again, his expression hardening.
"He Yiyi, don't even think about fooling me," he snarled, his voice low and menacing. "I, Ren Zhacheng, am no longer the simp I used to be. The man who would do anything for a smile from you is gone. Now, here's the deal: be my girlfriend, and this little secret of yours stays between us. Otherwise, I expose everything immediately and send you straight to jail."
He leaned in slightly, savoring her terror. "Hehe, more than a million in embezzled public funds… that's a huge amount. If this gets out, you'll be sentenced to at least ten years. Think about it. Ten years of your life, gone. Your most beautiful, vibrant years, all spent rotting in a prison cell." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "He Yiyi, you don't want that, do you?"
Gazing at Ren Zhacheng's sneering, utterly confident face, He Yiyi felt her mind descend into utter chaos. Her thoughts were a maelstrom of fear and revulsion. The idea of becoming Ren Zhacheng's girlfriend was completely abhorrent to her, a violation she couldn't even stomach. But the alternative… if she refused, he would undoubtedly expose her. Her life would be over before it had even truly begun.
She had just graduated from university less than a year ago, landing a coveted position at a massive company like the Ling Group with an excellent salary and benefits. She was only twenty-two. If she spent the next ten years in prison, what would be left of her when she got out? What future could she possibly have?
Yet, agreeing to his demand felt like a different kind of prison sentence. It was a fate she found completely unacceptable.
From the sidelines, Shen Anyu watched the drama unfold, his gaze analytical as he dissected He Yiyi's character. In the eyes of an ordinary man, this Destined Heroine was undoubtedly a pure and stunning beauty. But to First Young Master Shen Anyu, who had seen countless top-tier goddesses of unparalleled grace and power, she wasn't particularly outstanding.
'She has looks, but lacks substance,' he thought, his evaluation cold and impartial. He mentally compared her to the women in his own circle. Wu Shenyun, Bai Bing, Zhong Lingyin, Liu Ruyan, Yang Qiuchan, Zhang Yaqian, Susan, Huangfu Xian… he had seen true paragons of beauty, charisma, and unyielding will. Beside them, He Yiyi was a flickering candle next to a blazing sun.
If she easily succumbed to this pathetic excuse for blackmail, then Shen Anyu would write her off completely. She would be nothing more than an accessory to be claimed, a trivial prize for a strong man. A tool, not a person of value.
Under Shen Anyu's scrutinizing gaze, and faced with Ren Zhacheng's triumphant expression, something inside He Yiyi snapped. The chaotic storm in her mind suddenly fell silent. A strange calm washed over her. She lifted her chin, her beautiful eyes locking onto Ren Zhacheng's with a newfound stubbornness, and said with a stiff, unyielding voice, "Then go ahead and expose it. I'm not afraid."
As the words left her mouth, a cold sweat broke out on her back. She was gambling. Everything was on the line. But in that moment of utter confusion, Ren Zhacheng's words had ironically given her clarity.
Her mind worked furiously. He didn't want to report her for merit, to earn a promotion by being a righteous employee. No, his goal was far more primal. He wanted to use this leverage to coerce her into becoming his girlfriend, to satisfy his covetous lust for her body.
If it were the former, she would have been truly trapped. A report like that would be a major achievement for an intern, possibly earning Ren Zhacheng a permanent position at the Ling Group. But because it was the latter, she suddenly saw a path forward. An idea began to form in her mind.
As a woman, and a very beautiful one at that, she had been dealing with simps and would-be suitors since she was a teenager. They were like leeks in a field—cut one down, and another sprouts in its place. They were countless and predictable. The only problem was that none of them had ever met her high standards.
The handsome ones had no money. The rich ones were not handsome. And the rare few who were both handsome and rich were unbearably arrogant and domineering.
He Yiyi might project the image of a soft, weak little white flower, but in reality, she was fiercely independent and incredibly proud. Her pride had only been amplified recently by her childhood best friend, Zhou Luyao, who had snagged a rich and handsome boyfriend and moved into a top-tier villa district like Jinxiu Mountain Villa. Zhou Luyao's daily posts on her social media, flaunting her lavish new life, grated on He Yiyi's nerves and fueled her unwillingness to lower her own standards.
Though she might not be as well-endowed as Zhou Luyao, He Yiyi knew her own appearance was more delicate and exquisite. She had that pure, innocent look that men seemed to find irresistible. Why should the man she chose be any worse than Zhou Luyao's?
For a loser like Ren Zhacheng to think he could blackmail her into becoming his girlfriend? It was absolutely, unequivocally impossible.
Moreover, a deep-seated intuition told her he was bluffing. He wouldn't dare.
And sure enough, after He Yiyi's defiant declaration, Ren Zhacheng's smug expression faltered. He frowned, momentarily speechless. His entire plan hinged on her fear, and now that fear was gone, replaced by a reckless defiance he hadn't anticipated.
It was obvious he could never bring himself to expose her. How could he? She was a beautiful, pure little maiden who had never even been in a relationship. The greed in his heart was a ravenous beast. How could he possibly let her be sent to prison for ten years, destroying the very prize he coveted?
Seeing He Yiyi's willingness to burn both jade and stone together, Ren Zhacheng was forced to take a step back. He quickly changed his tune, forcing a greasy, ingratiating smile. "Okay, okay! It's fine if you don't agree to be my girlfriend for now. How about this? Just give me a kiss, and I promise I won't tell a soul."
"No. I don't agree." He Yiyi shook her head, her refusal firm and immediate.
Ren Zhacheng's concession was all the confirmation she needed. Her confidence surged, and she effortlessly tapped into her innate talent for manipulating men.
"Ren Zhacheng," she began, her voice suddenly softening, becoming gentle and melodious. "I will only kiss my future boyfriend. Why don't you give yourself a chance to pursue me properly? Send me flowers, buy me breakfast… things like that. If you can actually win my heart and become my boyfriend, then a kiss would be no problem at all."
Her tone was soft, pleasant, and utterly disarming.
Shen Anyu, still invisible on the side, almost laughed out loud.
This He Yiyi was a real talent, alright. She had completely turned the tables, effortlessly twisting Ren Zhacheng around her little finger.
'Sure enough, the more beautiful a woman is, the more she can deceive,' he thought with amusement.
The way she dangled that empty promise was a work of art.
[Akarin's Note: "Burning both jade and stone together" (玉石俱焚) is an idiom that means to perish together with one's enemy, destroying both the beautiful and the worthless in a mutual act of destruction.]
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