Ex-Girlfriend – Chapter 79

Amusing Ourselves to Death Arc

Agent 16

Xin Lan had already regained her clarity from the moment she was lifted up. Prior to that, she had been in a hazy and disoriented state.

Although being drunk had dulled her reactions, it hadn’t left her completely unaware.

The act of being picked up was quite significant, and she suddenly found herself suspended in the air, which cleared her mind considerably.

Even though her brain was still numb from alcohol, she at least knew who she was, where she was, who the person in front of her was, and what their relationship was.

Xin Lan didn’t struggle; she wanted to see what Qin Yuyan would do and also verify her own thoughts.

From the moment Qin Yuyan first saw her, her attitude had been oddly kind. She wasn’t the type to overlook things without reason and act carelessly, but Xin Lan hoped things weren’t as she had imagined. Because when emotions were mixed with what had been given, it seemed to become less pure.

If, just a moment ago, Qin Yuyan had truly gotten closer and stared at her, Xin Lan didn’t even know what she would have done.

She looked at the bathroom mirror, filled with steam, and furrowed her brows in some distress.

Over the past few years, her romantic experiences had been almost nonexistent.

It wasn’t that she was opposed to love, but in her previous life as a villainess, it was destined to lead to a bad ending. She never had the opportunity to even think about it. After joining the “Face-Slapping Department,” it was either in the process of slapping faces or on the way to do so, leaving her with no time for anything else.

Now…

Xin Lan closed her eyes, allowing the warm water to wash over her face.

In reality, most of the time, she was unwilling to think about these things; just thinking about them felt troublesome.

The gradually descending hot water washed away the alcohol and tiredness. Xin Lan wiped her fingers and decided not to dwell on things she didn’t want to think about.

Zero Nine thought Xin Lan would say something or ask something, but she was surprised to find her silent.

Zero Nine: Host, in the future, in situations like this, should I forcibly wake you up?

When Zero Nine asked this question, she was so nervous that she didn’t even pay attention to snacks.

This question was actually quite subtle, but the answer would represent Xin Lan’s attitude towards matters of the heart.

Of course, in Zero Nine’s question, it didn’t include situations where the other party harbored ill intentions. If that were the case, why even ask? With the host’s vigilance, if she’s not sober, she must be under attack and needs to be awakened.

Xin Lan’s hand holding the towel paused, and her subconscious thought was surprisingly a refusal.

However, saying this thought out loud made it seem like she was waiting for something to happen.

In Xin Lan’s hesitation, Zero Nine had already gotten the answer.

Xin Lan: Play it by ear.

Zero Nine: ok

“Play it by ear,” those four words are quite profound.

Zero Nine wanted to make a joke or two, but she didn’t forget that the person in front of her was Xin Lan, the Great Demon King. So, she happily sipped her cola.

Xin Lan dried her hair and sat by the window.

She should have been drowsy, but now she didn’t feel like sleeping.

Regarding what had just happened, Xin Lan found it somewhat amusing but couldn’t quite pinpoint why.

She enjoyed being in control of the situation but didn’t feel the need to plan every single thing.

A person cannot predict every single thing they do; even if they were a god, they couldn’t foresee everything.

If someone were to push themselves to that extent, they would likely go mad before their life ends.

Just think, someone might want to kiss you, and the atmosphere is just right; some things require the push of such an ambiguous atmosphere. Then, at that moment, someone loudly calls your name, breaking the mood. Just thinking about that scenario feels awkward.

Xin Lan didn’t find Qin Yuyan unpleasant at all, whether it was the first encounter when she handed her the water or some of her subsequent actions.

The gleam in her eyes didn’t convey displeasure but rather a sense of novelty.

Moreover, Qin Yuyan was very attentive. She helped Xin Lan wipe her face, neck, and hands, without venturing into any other territory, maintaining a pleasing yet non-offensive boundary.

Xin Lan pressed her temple, unwilling to delve deeper into her thoughts.

She didn’t want to contemplate why she might have thoughts about doing certain things with someone. Some things lose their charm when scrutinized too closely, and searching for reasons, when one knows the answer from the start, is rather pointless.

Humans are social creatures by nature, and no one can resist warmth, regardless of whether they cherish solitude.

As Xin Lan lay down to rest, her phone buzzed with a message notification. She picked it up and saw that it was from Caitlyn.

To be honest, Xin Lan didn’t need to continue the relationship with this young girl, but based on her character setting, she couldn’t just ignore her.

【Caitlyn】: Sister Xin Lan, are you busy?

【Xin Lan】: Just finished. What’s up?

【Caitlyn】: It’s not something major, actually.

【Caitlyn】: I’m just hesitating about something, not sure if I should do it.

These kinds of conversations often occurred between the original host and Caitlyn. Previously, the original host was Caitlyn’s confidant big sister.

【Xin Lan】: What are you hesitating about? Is it something important?

【Caitlyn】: Yeah, it’s quite important.

For the next half-minute, Xin Lan saw the message “Typing…” repeatedly appearing in the upper left corner of the chat box.

【Caitlyn】: I have a crush on someone, but I don’t know if I should confess.

Xin Lan raised an eyebrow; she didn’t seem to excel in matters of emotions.

【Xin Lan】: If you like them and they’re not already in a relationship, give it a try.

【Caitlyn】: I don’t know if she’s in a relationship, probably not.

【Xin Lan】: ‘She’?

【Caitlyn】: Yeah, would Sister Lan discriminate? [Forced smile.jpg]

【Xin Lan】: Of course not.

Xin Lan definitely wouldn’t discriminate; bluntly put, even if Caitlyn had peculiar preferences, she wouldn’t mind.

【Caitlyn】: But I’m afraid that if I confess, we won’t even be friends anymore.

Xin Lan’s fingers twitched, and for a moment, she had a lot to say, but in the end, she felt that nothing she could say would be appropriate.

She wasn’t really suited to be a confidant big sister. Matters of the heart always needed to be handled on a case-by-case basis.

After some thought, she ultimately sent 5 words.

【Xin Lan】: Act with joy, accept willingly.

Acting joyfully in pursuing what one desires and willingly accepting the consequences.

Many problems could be resolved with this phrase. Once a decision had been made and one was prepared to bear the consequences, there was no need for hesitation.

【Caitlyn】: Huh?

【Caitlyn】: I understand.

Zero Nine: Oops, my apologies, my mind wandered for a moment.

Zero Nine suddenly spoke up, and Xin Lan was momentarily taken aback, then quickly caught on.

Xin Lan: Where did you learn all this nonsense? Are you trying to reformat yourself?

Zero Nine: Host, what are you saying? Why can’t I understand it?

Zero Nine pushed her glasses up, thinking back to when she was a newbie system, she was so innocent. Later, she became an otaku girl with inner philosophies.

【Caitlyn】: My birthday is this Saturday. Can you come if you’re free?

【Xin Lan】: I can’t guarantee, send me the time and location, I’ll see if I can make it. If I can’t, I’ll have your brother bring your gift.

【Caitlyn】: Alright, if you can come, I’ll be waiting for you.

The conversation ended there, and Xin Lan plugged in her phone to charge, lying on the bed with her eyes closed.

On the same floor in another room, Qin Yuyan was pacing in her own room.

She had been walking around her room for several minutes, and her inner turmoil couldn’t completely settle.

Her cheeks were still flushed, and Qin Yuyan held her chest, struggling to contain her excitement.

That feeling had actually been present since their first meeting; she just didn’t understand it, or rather, she felt it was unfounded.

Simply seeing someone made her feel joyful, just looking at them, and nothing felt dull.

Before opening her phone to send a message, she would rack her brain thinking about the best way to start the conversation. At times, she would inexplicably think about what that person might be doing.

The irregular heartbeat when they were close had already given her the answer.

Being infatuated, furtively liking someone.

After walking around her room for a few more minutes, Qin Yuyan finally managed to calm down somewhat.

She collapsed onto her bed, covering her face with her hand and smiling sneakily.

I like her.

That’s wonderful.

I like her.

As she thought about it, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

After laughing out loud, Qin Yuyan suddenly felt a bit foolish.

Her brain emerged from that oxygen-deprived response, and Qin Yuyan belatedly realized that Xin Lan had a slender waist.

She appeared tall and thin, and she didn’t seem heavy to hold.

Qin Yuyan furrowed her brows, thinking about how much Xin Lan had drunk tonight.

She wondered if Xin Lan might feel unwell later in the night.

This meeting was probably about work.

Qin Yuyan thought about many things, but in the end, her mind went blank.

As she stared at her bedsheet, she inexplicably felt a bit disheartened.

She had just realized that she liked someone but didn’t know how to proceed.

Xin Lan was her manager, and she certainly hoped that Qin Yuyan would work hard and have a successful career.

With a heart full of thoughts, Qin Yuyan also fell into the world of dreams.

Xin Lan threw herself back into her busy schedule. As for Qin Yuyan, her demeanor remained as usual, as if she didn’t know about that night. Qin Yuyan didn’t bring it up deliberately; she simply looked at Xin Lan with joyful eyes whenever she could see her. When Xin Lan looked up, Qin Yuyan quickly concealed her emotions.

Xin Lan approached Xu Fang to drop hints, but Xu Fang didn’t seem very interested.

Businessmen cared about profit, and in the current industry, with a focus on commercial films featuring A-list celebrities and IP adaptations, there was no shortage of investors. However, someone like Zhang Haishan was a bit challenging to find.

If he wanted to make money, it wouldn’t be difficult at all. As long as he was willing to compromise and lower his standards, with his fame, people would flock to him.

But doing that would undoubtedly harm his reputation. Zhang Haishan valued his reputation, and his name was his brand. Unfortunately, it wasn’t of much use at the moment.

Before she started making money, Xin Lan handed the script that Zhang Haishan had given her to Qin Yuyan.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; you should make the most of it. Time is tight; the audition is in thirteen days.”

The script wasn’t thick, but Qin Yuyan received it with great seriousness.

“I will do my best.”

Qin Yuyan locked herself in her home, diving headfirst into studying the script.

Xin Lan, on the other hand, remained busy with her artists and efficiently delved into programming. She worked hard to generate more income, having Zero Nine open more than a dozen different accounts for buying and selling, as well as engaging in various other investments. To make money quickly, she even took a trip to Yunnan and accumulated a significant fortune within half a month.

When she presented her card to Zhang Haishan, he felt like hugging her legs and calling her the benefactor.

At the same time, casting for “Xiao Man” invited Shen Yun, and the script was delivered into Xin Lan’s hands.

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