Shen Qingxue's voice sliced through the room like a cold scalpel.
"You said you stayed with me all day."
Mo Chen froze mid-step, eyes dropping to the glowing screen in her hand.
The photo was still fresh, timestamped barely two hours ago. His expensive black suit. That cold, impassive face. And Ye Wan, clinging to his arm like a barnacle in high heels.
"I didn't lie," he said finally, his tone clipped.
She arched a brow. "Oh, I see. So your clone was at that party?"
His jaw ticked. "I was called there for ten minutes. It was a business event. Also you were sleeping."
"Ah. Of course," she said, mock-nodding. "Ten-minute party dates with your ex-girlfriend. Very efficient."
He exhaled. "Ye Wan showed up
unexpectedly. I left right after."
"That's funny. Because her claws seem very expected."
He said nothing.
Baozi popped up in her mind with popcorn energy:
[Host! Drama alert! The cold male lead is sweating under pressure! Do we want to:
A) Forgive him, or
B) Destroy his ego like a paper crane in a rainstorm?]
Qingxue didn't answer. Not him. Not the system. Not even herself.
Because for the first time, she felt it- the weight of what she was carrying.
She wasn't just acting anymore.
She was tired.
Tired of dying. Tired of performing.
Tired of men with unreadable expressions and selective honesty.
She turned back toward her vanity and said coolly, "You can go now."
Mo Chen stood there. Silent. Stiff.
"I said go."
"…I didn't go there for her."
"Then why didn't you tell me?" she snapped, spinning around. "Why didn't you just say, 'Hey, RouRou, I might step out to see my ex while you're over here coughing up white blood cells!'"
He winced. "You were sleeping."
"Oh," she laughed bitterly. "Right.
Wouldn't want to wake the terminally ill wife with your cheating habits. That's just rude."
"I'm not cheating," he said sharply.
"You and I—this marriage—was never real."
Her lips parted.
Ouch.
There it was.
Baozi immediately buzzed like a shocked pet hamster.
[Host?! He just hit you with the 'marriage is a contract' line. Classic Cold ML Move #17! Do we retaliate or do we cry dramatically while clutching a balcony?]
But Shen Qingxue didn't cry.
She smiled.
"Thank you," she said softly. "For reminding me."
She walked toward the window, her bare feet silent on the marble.
"I'm sorry for bothering you. You're free to go back to your business meetings. Or your exes. I don't care anymore."
Mo Chen looked at her back. It was rigid. Still. Far too still for someone usually so dramatic.
"…You're not a bother," he said quietly.
She didn't respond.
He stepped forward.
"I didn't stay because I pity you."
Still, she said nothing.
"I stayed because I was afraid."
She finally turned, eyes sharp. "Of what?"
"…Of losing the version of you I started to care about."
There it was.
That damned vulnerability.
That flicker in his eyes. The tremble at the edge of his voice.
It wasn't a confession. But it wasn't indifference either.
And Shen Qingxue hated how her heart betrayed her. How it fluttered even while her brain screamed: Don't fall for it. This is how the original villainess got destroyed.
Baozi whispered,
[Host… plot twist. He might actually care.]
Before she could reply, her vision swam. Her knees buckled.
"Qin Rourou!"
Mo Chen was at her side instantly, arms catching her before she hit the floor.
"I'm fine," she mumbled, though her face had gone pale as snow.
"You're not fine."
"I was fine until I saw that cursed photo."
He scooped her into his arms like she weighed nothing. "We're going to the hospital."
"No," she protested weakly. "They already poked me enough this week. I'm starting to develop Stockholm Syndrome toward IV drips."
"Then I'm calling the doctor here."
She didn't answer. Her eyelids fluttered.
"…You stayed," she whispered faintly.
His grip tightened. "Of course I did."
Baozi sniffled from inside her brain.
[Host… he's carrying you like a precious villainess dumpling. I take it back. I ship it.]
***
An hour later, the private doctor confirmed it: her blood counts had dropped again. Not dangerously yet—but the curve was steep. Her condition was worsening faster than expected.
Mo Chen stood by, arms crossed, but face grim.
"Why didn't you tell me it got worse?"
Shen Qingxue shrugged from the plush sofa. "I was busy stalking your love life."
"This isn't a joke."
"Neither is cancer, but here we are."
He sat beside her. For a moment, they were both silent.
"…If you die," he said slowly, "I don't know how I'll feel."
She turned to him. "That's the most honest thing you've said."
"I don't want to lose you. But I don't know what this feeling is."
She smiled faintly. "It's guilt."
He didn't deny it.
And then she added softly, "And maybe… a little bit of love."
Mo Chen stared at her, unmoving.
Just as he was about to say something..
Her phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time, no photo. Just a text.
From an unknown number.
[You think he's choosing you? Wait until you see what he said to her behind your back.]
Attached: An audio file.
Shen Qingxue's smile died on her lips.
Baozi blinked in panic.
[Host?! WHAT IS THIS???]
She tapped the file.
Mo Chen reached for the phone.
"What is that? Who is turning you against me?"
But it was too late.
Ye Wan's voice filtered through the speaker.
"I know you still love me, Chen-ge."
Followed by Mo Chen's quiet voice.
"…Sometimes, I wonder what life would've been like if I never married her."
Qingxue's hand shook.
And for the first time, she didn't have a comeback.
Not a single sarcastic line.
Mo Chen's expression twisted in horror.
"Qingxue, I didn't mean it like that."
She stood up. "Please leave."
"I…"
"I said get out."
He stared at her, guilt heavy in his eyes. And then slowly, he walked out.
The door clicked shut.
Shen Qingxue stood alone in the silent room.
Baozi's voice was soft.
[Host… do we still want him to fall in love with us?]
Qingxue wiped her cheek, surprised to find tears there. Might be due to memories of old host.
"No," she whispered. "Now I want him to suffer first."
***
It was 2:43 a.m.
Mo Chen was gone.
And Shen Qingxue was still standing there in her silk nightgown, looking like a jilted Disney villain with a terminal illness and WiFi access.
The audio file replayed in her head on loop.
"Sometimes, I wonder what life would've been like if I never married her."
Baozi, silent for once, finally muttered:
[Host… do you want me to delete the audio file? Set fire to his car? Hack the plot? I'm open to all illegal solutions.]
But Shen Qingxue just sat down slowly at her vanity and picked up her hairbrush with eerie calm.
"No. Let it stay."
Baozi gulped.
[Oh no. You've entered Pretty Revenge Mode, haven't you?]
She began brushing her hair, her face a cold, porcelain mask in the mirror.
"If Mo Chen wants to remember his ex so badly, I'll help jog his memory. I'll become the villainess he deserves—but with better outfits."
She reached for her lipstick.
"Time to give the scriptwriters a heart attack."
***
The next morning, the mansion was filled with quiet tension.
Mo Chen hadn't come back.
Or maybe he had, and simply didn't dare face her.
Either way, Shen Qingxue was unbothered.
In fact, she looked… radiant.
Dressed in a crisp, white designer dress with black ribbon trim, she descended the stairs like she was about to sue someone.
Her illness didn't show on her face-but that made it worse. She was glowing with purpose. Which, in Shen Qingxue's case, was usually never good for other people's blood pressure.
The butler flinched.
The housekeeper bowed and pretended not to look terrified.
Only the head maid dared speak.
"Young Madam, would you like breakfast?"
"Of course." She smiled sweetly. "Have the kitchen prepare double.
I'm expecting a guest."
"A guest?"
"Yes. My childhood friend."
***
Baozi buzzed in excitement:
[Host! Are we talking about Yi Cheng? The cinnamon roll with rage issues and puppy eyes?!]
Shen Qingxue sipped her juice.
"Mmm."
[Wait. Are you going to—are you really going to make Mo Chen jealous?]
"I'm not making him jealous," she said, cutting into her croissant with unnecessary force. "I'm just… letting him see what he's missing."
[New Route Unlocked]
***
At exactly 8:00 a.m., the front doors opened.
Yi Cheng walked in like a fresh spring breeze wearing cologne and emotional baggage. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in casual gray, but it was the warmth in his eyes that stood out most.
"RouRou."
She smiled brightly. "Yi Cheng! You came."
"I always come when you call," he said seriously.
Mo Chen, who had just entered the hall from the study, paused mid-step.
Yi Cheng noticed him, nodded politely. "CEO Mo."
"Yi Cheng," Mo Chen said tightly.
And then he saw it.
The way Shen Qingxue looked at Yi Cheng. With affection. With familiarity.
The kind she never used on him.
Baozi whispered gleefully:
[Host… ML's internal monologue is basically just dial-up tones and the sound of glass breaking right now.]
Qingxue patted the seat beside her at the breakfast table. "Come sit. I told the kitchen you like your eggs runny."
Yi Cheng smiled. "You remembered?"
Mo Chen blinked. She remembers how he likes his eggs? When had she ever noticed his breakfast?
He sat across from them, uninvited.
Qingxue pretended not to notice. "So, Yi Cheng, how long are you staying in the city?"
"A while," he said. "Actually… I was thinking of finding work here."
Mo Chen's grip on his coffee cup tightened.
"You should!" she beamed. "Maybe I'll hire you as my personal assistant. Or my emotional support bodyguard."
Yi Cheng raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't that raise a scandal?"
She leaned in. "Scandals are my cardio."
Baozi screamed internally:
[Host! You're weaponizing charm! This is better than cable TV!]
Mo Chen finally spoke. "You're being ridiculous."
"Good morning to you too," she said sweetly. "Would you like a croissant before you go brood in a corner?"
Yi Cheng coughed awkwardly.
Mo Chen stared at her. "Are you doing this to get back at me?"
She blinked innocently. "Doing what?"
"Bringing him here."
"Mo Chen," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm, "Do you think the world revolves around you?"
Yi Cheng coughed again, louder this time. "I feel like I should… uh… water your plants."
But Mo Chen wasn't looking at him. His gaze was locked on Qingxue.
And something unreadable crossed his expression.
Jealousy. Regret. Guilt. All the good flavors.
"You're sick," he said suddenly. "You shouldn't push yourself."
She smiled coldly. "Don't worry, CEO Mo. You've already expressed that this marriage isn't real. So you don't have to worry about my health anymore."
He flinched.
Yi Cheng glanced between them. "Wait. You're… sick?"
Qingxue stood up. "Excuse me."
And just like that, she walked out.
Baozi hovered nervously:
[Host… are you okay? You really pushed that villainess gas pedal.]
"I'm fine."
[Are you really? Or are you emotionally spiraling in silk?]
She didn't answer.
Because honestly?
She wasn't sure.
But she was sure of one thing.
She was going to win this arc.
Whether Mo Chen loved her or not.
If she died? Fine. She'd go out in diamonds and a full face of revenge.
But if she lived…
She'd make him beg.
***
Later that night
Mo Chen sat in his study, alone.
The sound of Qingxue laughing with Yi Cheng still echoed faintly from the garden.
He stared at the same photo Ye Wan had sent. The one that caused all this.
And now… he noticed something.
His face.
It wasn't indifferent.
He looked… annoyed.
Not pleased. Not happy. Just stiff.
And Ye Wan's hand? He remembered brushing it off moments later.
But Qingxue had never seen that.
She only saw what was captured.
And she believed it.
Because that's what he made her believe.
He opened his drawer and pulled out the copy of her hospital file again. The numbers were worse than he'd thought.
He closed his eyes.
And for the first time-
He was afraid.
Afraid that he might lose the woman who used to be an inconvenience.
And was now…
His Everything.
***
But across town…
Ye Wan stood in her apartment, smirking at her phone as she was the one who was sending Qingxue her and mo chen's pics to create trouble between them.
"That should shake things up," she smirked, sipping wine. "Now Mo Chen will be mine again. Just like old times."
She started day dreaming about her victory again not knowing Qing xue was already more steps ahead of her. And all that plan of being mad at mo Chen was part of her plan to win his affection.