Zhao Yating sat hunched at her desk in the shared studio, the screen glow painting her face pale. Notifications from her book platform kept popping up in the corner of her monitor, comments exploding faster than she could skim.
All of them praising Xu Yunying.
Her Xu Yunying.
Except… this wasn't the Yunying she had written.
Across from her, Lei Mozun's stylus scratched rapidly against his tablet, the sound almost smug. He let out a short laugh before tilting his screen toward her. A fresh panel glowed on display, it was Yunying in a flowing dress, her expression sharp, dangerous and captivating.
"I don't know why you ever wrote her as some boring wallflower.." Mozun said, grinning. "This version? She's fire. I love her like this."
Zhao Yating froze, her fingers digging into her mouse. "…I didn't write her like that."
Mozun blinked. "What do you mean? The chapters are up. The readers are loving them."
Her voice dropped low, a little bitter. "I didn't change her. She was supposed to be pathetic, weak. The kind of woman nobody wanted. That was the point."
Mozun frowned. "The point?"
Yating's laugh was sharp and ugly. "My ex said I was overwhelming.." she said, her voice low and bitter. "She couldn't handle the ups and downs, the intensity of it all. And then she left me for someone who was more...stable, I guess." Her nails tapped the desk, hard.
"So I made Xu Yunying just like the women she likes; bland, forgettable, and weak. I wanted to trap her in that narrative, to make her suffer through the same kind of story I would have been stuck in if I'd stayed with my ex. I wanted her to see what she'd be getting with someone like that."
Silence stretched in the studio, heavy and thick. Then Lei Mozun gave a low whistle. "You're ruthless, Yating. But…" He turned his screen back, stylus twirling between his fingers "…whatever's happening to your chapters now? It's gold. She finally feels alive. The readers are eating it up, and so am I."
Zhao Yating's jaw clenched. She turned back to her laptop, staring at the glowing comments where strangers praised this new Yunying...one she hadn't given life to.
Her lips pressed thin, suspicion tightening in her chest.
Because this wasn't her character anymore.
This was something else entirely.
Evening had soon drawn near, in Jinxing's office both their phones almost exploded from calls they received from their family.
"I guess I'll be going home tonight. Would you like to stay at my place? Or do you want to go back home?"
Yunying nodded, though she'd love to go back home. She couldn't, both Xiao Lian and madam Wang were there, she didn't want to see them at the moment.
She had already received a message from her father, telling her to come home but today wasn't the day.
There would be a family meeting tomorrow, she was sure of that, she would be there. After all she was the star of the show.
"I'll take you up on your offer. After all a wife should be in her husband's house.."
Jinxing's car rolled through the gates of his villa, the glass and stone facade catching the fading light and casting long shadows across the courtyard.
Bodyguards moved discreetly across the courtyard, their faces expressionless, as they pulled up.
Yunying followed him inside, her eyes widening at the marble floor and chandelier that seemed to stretch up to the ceiling. "Nice place.." she said, trying to sound casual, her voice echoing off the walls.
Jinxing raised an eyebrow as he handed his jacket to the housekeeper, who bowed slightly before taking it. "It's minemm" he said, like that explained everything. "You're safe here. Nobody will bother you."
Yunying smiled faintly, her eyes drifting over the expensive-looking artwork on the walls. "Your private lair, huh?"
He didn't smile back, his expression neutral. "Something like that." He started up the stairs, gesturing for her to follow. "I'll show you around."
The bedroom he showed her was huge, with floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the gardens, and a king-sized bed that seemed to dominate the room. "This is my room.." he said. "You can take any other one you like. They're all set up."
Yunying blinked, feeling a little thrown by the size of the room and the opulence of the decor. "You're not staying?"
Jinxing's phone buzzed, and he glanced down, his jaw tightening for a moment before he looked back up at her. "My parents called.." he said, like that was explanation enough. "I'll be back later. Auntie Ma will take care of you. So don't be afraid to ask.."
Yunying nodded, Jinxing turned to leave but Yunying raised her voice, stopping him.
"Before you go dear husband. I have a request, I can't possibly sleep in these clothes tonight so get me some cute pajamas. Yellow duckies okay? And some cute slippers too, my size is 23cm. Oh and a headband too.."
-_-
"Is that all??"
Yunying nodded "Get a matching pair for yourself too, that goes for the slippers as well. I want cute capybaras themed ones.."
Jinxing nodded as he left the room, bringing out his phone to call his assistant.
"Guosheng, sorry for disturbing past work hours. I'll be sure to pay you for this errand."
-_-
Guosheng sighed as he placed the cup of noddles on the table.
Guosheng: Got it boss, what do you want?.
"Ah, yes, get me two sets of yellow duckie pajamas and two pairs of capybara slippers. Her size is 23cm. Make sure they're cute."
There was silence. Then a sharp cough.
"…Duckies. And capybaras. For you Sir?"
"For my wife and I obviously.." Jinxing replied without hesitation.
A long pause followed. Then Guosheng muttered "Heaven give me strength…" before scribbling it down.
"Yes! I got it boss.."
Jinxing nodded at Auntie Ma who bowed as he left the house.
"Could you also bring it to my parents house? I'll give you a lift back home. I promise.."