Marry by Relying on Favor: Chapter 34 - Stay Overnight

August 15, 2025 Oyen 0 Comments

Happy Reading~
Chapter 34: Stay Overnight
 
He Qingchi’s fingertips brushed against the car keys, which still held a trace of chill. Faced with the deal offered by Shu Tongyi, she gave a faint smile and tossed the keys lightly back.
 
“Oh, I’m not interested anymore.”
 
She wasn’t the kind of woman who could be manipulated by a few well-placed words or bait. Even if she wanted to know, she wasn’t going to lose the upper hand.
 
Shu Tongyi’s expression stiffened for a moment, her fingers tightly gripping her handbag.
 
He Qingchi had originally planned to leave, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Shu Tongyi’s pale complexion. Though she stood upright, it was clearly just for show—barely holding it together while still trying to maintain her usual cold and aloof image.
 
After a couple seconds of silence—
 
Though still wearing a detached expression, He Qingchi’s tone softened noticeably: “Can you still walk?”
 
Shu Tongyi looked up at her, a hint of red at the corners of her eyes.
 
Seeing her like this, He Qingchi walked over with a stern face—consider it an act of kindness toward someone with a disability.
 
Shu Tongyi’s amputated area had already started to feel uncomfortable in the morning, but since the crew was filming important scenes today, every actor’s presence was essential. She was professional enough not to say a word about her discomfort, except for that brief break in the makeup room when He Qingchi happened to catch her removing her prosthetic.
 
She endured it the entire day without telling anyone, only relaxing after the scenes had wrapped.
 
Asking He Qingchi for help now was a last resort.
 
She cared too much about her pride and knew exactly how opportunistic many of the other actresses in the crew were. Compared to them, she would rather let He Qingchi—who had already seen her at her most vulnerable—see it once more.
 
After getting in the car, He Qingchi input the destination into the GPS and glanced at the woman in the passenger seat.
 
Shu Tongyi sat rigidly against the seatback, her forehead dotted with cold sweat. Her left index finger pressed hard into her palm, eyes fixed forward like she was bracing for a crash at any moment.
 
He Qingchi slowed down the car and broke the tense silence: “I’m not bad. I’ve only crashed once or twice since I got my license.”
 
It wasn’t much of a comfort.
 
Shu Tongyi turned to her. “Are you like this in front of him too?”
 
Focused on the road, He Qingchi’s expression betrayed her mood. “You want to learn from me? Too late.”
 
Shu Tongyi never tried to imitate anyone, but when she noticed how steadily He Qingchi was driving, her tension gradually eased, and her clenched finger relaxed slightly. The conversation didn’t flow smoothly—neither of them were chatty—but the silence wasn’t awkward either.
 
When they arrived at the upscale apartment complex, He Qingchi pulled into the underground garage and asked, “Where’s your assistant?”
 
The dim lighting in the garage hid Shu Tongyi’s expression. Her voice was calm, almost mechanical: “She sprained her ankle last night. Took a three-day leave.”
 
He Qingchi didn’t press further and parked the car.
 
After getting out, Shu Tongyi didn’t want help and insisted on walking by herself.
 
There was an elevator in the garage that led directly to her floor. He Qingchi figured she might as well see the whole thing through and made sure Shu Tongyi got home safely.
 
Her apartment, much like her personality, was quiet and minimalistic. The color palette was gray and white, with no rugs or extra warmth.
 
She made her way to the large sofa in the center of the living room and sat down with a grimace. After a few moments, she couldn’t bear it anymore and removed her prosthetic. She didn’t ask for help.
 
Watching her, He Qingchi narrowed her eyes, then walked over. “Where’s your new prosthetic?”
 
“Second room on the left.” Shu Tongyi lowered her head, long hair messy and disheveled.
 
A few minutes later, He Qingchi returned with the new prosthetic and a first-aid kit, setting both in front of her.
 
After that, it was up to Shu Tongyi to handle the rest.
 
Given their current relationship, He Qingchi had already done more than enough.
 
Shu Tongyi’s complexion was still very pale. She’d never exposed her prosthetic in front of anyone before—especially not to He Qingchi, someone who held a particular position in her life—so replacing it in front of her felt deeply uncomfortable. Several times, she looked up only to find He Qingchi didn’t even bother to look away. 
 
He Qingchi herself hadn’t expected to see Shu Tongyi like this one day. She remembered their first encounter in a restaurant—how aloof and elegant Shu Tongyi had been, even going so far as to pay her bill.
 
It had felt like a small power play.
 
From the moment Shu Tongyi snatched that film role without notice, He Qingchi knew they had crossed into grudge territory.
 
The living room remained silent. When Shu Tongyi had nearly finished adjusting her prosthetic, she lowered her head and spoke: “You want to ask something—go ahead.”
 
Earlier at the set, she had made that offer as a trade, and she was keeping her word.
 
He Qingchi slowly sat down nearby, not bothering to glance around the apartment. Hearing that, she didn’t rush to speak.
 
Shu Tongyi waited quietly, fingers pressing on her leg.
 
Time ticked by. Just when she thought He Qingchi might not ask anything at all, the question finally came: “What’s your relationship with Wen Shuchen?”
 
Shu Tongyi looked up, slightly surprised.
 
“You’re not going to ask about last night?”
 
“No need,” He Qingchi said slowly.
 
She already knew Wen Shuchen hadn’t told her the truth. If she really wanted to know, she’d ask him directly. Given the choice, she’d rather hear it from her man than her rival.
 
More importantly, she wanted to understand Shu Tongyi herself.
 
“He’s... someone who saved me.” Shu Tongyi’s voice was soft—carrying an unspoken, almost obsessive affection.
 
She had no reason to lie. The moment she mentioned him, her usual coldness melted away.
 
He Qingchi could tell by instinct: Shu Tongyi was in love with Wen Shuchen. That one quiet word— savior—revealed a hidden, one-sided infatuation. She chuckled. “So the rumors about your rise in the industry were true. He’s the one who invested in you and gave you the spotlight?”
 
“That’s a private agreement between us,” Shu Tongyi said, clearly unwilling to elaborate further.
 
He Qingchi nodded. ‘So there was an agreement.’ 
 
Shu Tongyi glanced at her, noting her thoughtful expression. “You’re not jealous?”
 
“What good would being jealous in front of you do me?” He Qingchi still wore a smile, her mood unchanged. Calmly, she added, “It’s not like I need you to comfort me.”
 
Shu Tongyi was rendered speechless.
 
He Qingchi furrowed her brows, biting her knuckle slightly before continuing, “If Wen Shuchen is just your benefactor, then that’s easy to handle—as long as it’s not a role reversal.”
 
She had considered countless possibilities before. The most troubling one was that Wen Shuchen might have been pouring resources into Shu Tongyi because he owed her something.
 
Whether it was an emotional debt or something else, those aren’t the kinds of debts that are easily repaid—or forgotten.
 
He Qingchi was actually in quite a good mood and, surprisingly, even offered Shu Tongyi, “Want me to boil some water for you?”
 
Shu Tongyi took a deep breath and thanked her.
 
……
As the sky gradually darkened outside, He Qingchi pulled out her phone and ordered two takeouts.
 
While waiting for the food, there was little to say between the two of them. Bored, He Qingchi opened WeChat. The cast had a group chat where all gossip and updates were usually posted.
 
The chat was blowing up—99+ unread messages and counting.
 
It seemed everyone had forgotten that she and Shu Tongyi were in the group too. Since the two of them had never spoken in the chat, the rest gossiped freely without caution.
 
He Qingchi scrolled lazily through the screen, tilting her head under the warm light, smiling as she read—genuinely entertained.
 
In contrast to her carefree attitude, Shu Tongyi had also seen the messages and didn’t look pleased.
 
“They’re really imaginative, huh? Saying I sleep in your room every night and even play with your leg.” He Qingchi flipped through the messages without pause, eyes moving swiftly.
 
After saying that, she clearly heard Shu Tongyi take a deep breath.
 
He Qingchi lounged back on the sofa, still casually reading the group chat.
 
Shu Tongyi, in no mood to see such rumors, promptly and decisively left the group chat.
 
The number of group members dropped by one, and the previously lively conversation came to a sudden halt.
 
He Qingchi looked up and said, “Why’d you leave the group? Their gossip was hilarious.”
 
“I didn’t know you had this side to you,” Shu Tongyi replied, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
 
She had always noticed that He Qingchi never participated in gossip or socialized much on set, which is why she made the remark.
 
He Qingchi withdrew her smile and said plainly, “Just a way to pass time when I’m bored. Their imagination is pretty amusing.”
 
Shu Tongyi, clearly more sensitive to rumors and public opinion, composed herself before saying, “Wait till you officially debut, then try saying that again.”
 
He Qingchi had already experienced the wrath of internet users—she’d once been blacklisted for refusing to act in a last-minute scene added by the director. Her name even trended under accusations of being a high-priced escort.
 
But for her, once a matter was in the past, it stayed there.
 
Seeing how seriously Shu Tongyi took people’s opinions, she suddenly asked curiously, “Do you like Wen Shuchen because he’s a smooth talker?”
 
Wen Shuchen was the kind of man who always knew what to say—refined, reassuring.
 
What woman wouldn’t like that?
 
Shu Tongyi’s pale lips pressed into a thin line, unwilling to discuss him further.
 
At that moment, the apartment’s doorbell rang.
 
Their conversation was cut short. He Qingchi got up slowly, walking to the door while saying, “Once we eat, if your agent still doesn’t show, I’m not responsible for your life or death.”
 
If there had been a third person in the apartment, she would’ve left long ago.
 
She opened the door, expecting a delivery driver—only to find a strange middle-aged man with sunken cheeks, dark circles, a scruffy chin, and the lingering stench of smoke.
 
The man froze when he saw her, rubbed his eyes, and looked again at the door number.
 
“Who are you?” He Qingchi knocked lightly on the doorframe, snapping him out of it.
 
“I—I'm looking for Shu Tong… Did she move out?” The man’s tone was cautious but couldn’t hide the calculation in his eyes.
 
He Qingchi didn’t like the look in his eyes. Her beautiful face, when not smiling, wasn’t particularly approachable: “I don’t know any Shu Tongtong. You should leave.”
 
Her words lacked conviction. The man’s hand started to shake as he clutched the doorknob tightly. “I’m her uncle—her real uncle. Miss, could you ask her to come out?”
 
He Qingchi saw he wasn’t letting go and even tried to force his way into the apartment, muttering, “She hasn’t been back in ages. She’s definitely here, definitely home…”
 
Where did this lunatic come from?
 
He Qingchi’s voice turned cold: “Let go.”
 
But the man held on tight.
 
“Shu Tongtong?” Then He Qingchi’s expression shifted as she looked toward the elevator and suddenly said, loudly, “Isn’t she right behind you?”
 
The man turned reflexively.
 
The moment he did, she slammed the door in his face with a loud bang.
 
——
Bang! Bang! Bang!
 
Three loud kicks thudded against the apartment door, making the wall shake.
 
He Qingchi locked the door and called building security.
 
Over the phone, she said a vagrant had broken in and was now aggressively pounding on the door.
 
After hanging up, she returned to the living room. Clearly, Shu Tongyi had heard everything—she sat stiffly on the sofa, face lowered, fingers gripping her dress so tightly her knuckles had turned white.
 
He Qingchi poured herself a glass of water—and one for her too. “Your real name is Shu Tongtong?”
 
Shu Tongyi didn’t take the glass. Her lips were dry. “Used it before middle school.”
 
So, the violent middle-aged man outside was indeed her biological uncle.
 
He Qingchi nodded knowingly and pulled out her phone. “Call your agent. Tell her to bring a male assistant with her.”
 
“No need.”
 
Shu Tongyi didn’t want her personal family matters shared with her agent. She refused, then added, “Once security drags him away, give it ten minutes—you can leave.”
 
He Qingchi would’ve gladly left. She sat back down on the sofa.
 
After a sip of water to moisten her throat, she said, “Your uncle seems like he has violent tendencies…”
 
Shu Tongyi’s voice was icy: “He’s here for money. If you pay him, any illness can be miraculously cured.”
 
“Don’t your parents handle him?” He Qingchi asked.
 
Shu Tongyi’s face turned paler. Clearly, she didn’t want her family mentioned.
 
He Qingchi noticed and thought to herself how their conversations always seemed to hit dead ends.
 
They were already at odds; what heartfelt conversation could two rivals really have?
 
Eventually, the banging outside ceased—security had probably escorted him away.
 
Shu Tongyi began to dismiss her: “You can leave now.”
 
She didn’t need anyone’s pity—never had.
 
But He Qingchi suddenly put down her glass, her expression unusually serious: “I can’t leave.”
 
Shu Tongyi looked at her, puzzled—she thought she’d be eager to go.
 
But He Qingchi looked genuinely uneasy, as if falling into some existential confusion. She confessed, “I don’t know why… but seeing a grimy, greasy, cigarette-reeking middle-aged man like your uncle just makes me really uncomfortable…”
 
“If I go out there now, do you think he’ll kidnap me?”
 
Her last words were so softly spoken that it took Shu Tongyi a while to register their meaning. “Why would you think he’d kidnap you?”
 
“Instinct.” 
 
He Qingchi said—a completely deadpan response.
 
She fluttered her long eyelashes and looked around the apartment seriously, then yawned. “Guess I’ll stay here tonight.”
 
“Why don’t you ask Wen Shuchen to pick you up?” Shu Tongyi, still sitting on the sofa, pursed her lips in clear rejection of the idea.
 
He Qingchi brushed the hair from her face, revealing a delicate profile. She smiled faintly and said calmly, “Why would I give you a chance to see him again?”
 
“......”

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