Chapter 14: Gathering for Gossip, Five Thousand Crystal Cores

“Electronic sunflower seeds for a whole point? Are you serious?” Qiao Jia was deeply reluctant—one point was enough to buy a blind box!

“You should look at it this way, Host: you’re a corpse now, you can’t eat regular food, only electronic food works for you! Digital sustenance is eternal! Besides, one point isn’t expensive—here I have five-spice, cream, caramel, matcha, wasabi… any flavor you want!”

“…”

Qiao Jia glanced at the farce unfolding ahead, then at the system’s earnest expression.

One point really wasn’t that much.

“I want stinky tofu flavor,” Qiao Jia said.

“Host, you have a heavy palate.” The system had hoped to snag a few electronic seeds for itself, but with that flavor, it thought better of it. “One point for stinky tofu flavored electronic seeds, please accept.”

With that, a new set of memory data appeared in Qiao Jia’s mind. She didn’t know how they did it, but when she reached out to touch the data, it really felt like she was cracking open sunflower seeds!

“Crack—crack—crack—”

While Su Xiaoran and Fu Jingchuan argued, Qiao Jia sat in her mind, cracking seeds. Gossip was always better with sunflower seeds.

The bickering was lively, three against three, and Su Xiaoran held the moral high ground; the crowd wholeheartedly condemned Fu Jingchuan.

Thanks to Shen Hui’s explanations, no one had any fondness for Fu Jingchuan.

“Bullying a pregnant woman—your own wife—for the sake of a mistress, tsk tsk, what’s become of the world these days?”

“If you’re so in love with that Su Qianqian, then give up your inheritance and marry her instead.”

“Exactly, aren’t they supposed to be true love? What, money’s more important than love? That ‘true love’ isn’t worth much, then.”

“Wants everything, wants to be the victim and the hero at the same time,” Shen Tong concluded, passing judgment on Fu Jingchuan.

“This man is no good,” Qiao Jia and the system nodded gravely in the rhythm of the cracking seeds.

“Fu Jingchuan, I want a divorce!” Su Xiaoran’s anguished cry signaled the approaching end of this drama.

“Su Xiaoran, who said you could divorce me?” Fu Jingchuan strode forward, face dark, gripping Su Xiaoran’s wrist tightly, heedless that she was eight months pregnant. “Flirting with another man in front of me—do you think I’m dead?”

“And didn’t you just flirt with another woman in front of her?” Qiao Jia and the system, squatting by the blind box stand, cracked seeds and spoke up for justice.

“And you even pushed her just now for the sake of another woman,” Qiao Jia added honestly. “You’re a bit more vicious.”

Shen Tong, Shen Hui, and their group, along with the surviving onlookers, all nodded in agreement.

“And who are you to meddle in my and Su Xiaoran’s business?” Fu Jingchuan narrowed his eyes, shooting a displeased glance at Qiao Jia, whose appearance had grown rough after days in the sun.

Who are you to say that? Shen Tong’s brother, Shen Lin, suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu. He’d been that brainless once, too.

No wonder he’s the Fu family’s head—he really has guts. Shen Lin looked at Fu Jingchuan with a mixture of admiration and disbelief; you’re going to get yourself punished by the boss!

Everyone subtly distanced themselves from Fu Jingchuan—was he crazy to offend the boss? The last person who did that was killed; the one before that wasn’t killed, but was certainly targeted. Who knew what fate awaited this one?

“And who are you to criticize what I say?” Qiao Jia brandished the butcher’s knife, still stained with the blood of its last victim.

So what if he was the male lead? This domineering CEO story was written for a female audience—so long as the heroine remained, the male lead could be replaced at any time. She thought the second male lead might do just as well.

Qiao Jia took a step toward Fu Jingchuan. Sensing the onlookers’ anticipation, he finally realized something was wrong. This woman’s background seemed suspicious.

As the male lead in a CEO romance, he wasn’t completely stupid. A little cart labeled “Blind Box Shop,” survivors gathered nearby, even the Shen family’s head present…

He realized he’d made a big mistake, but his pride as a CEO would never let him admit it.

“Younger sister, I’m sorry—Jingchuan was just worried about me,” Su Qianqian interjected gently, casting a triumphant glance at Su Xiaoran as she spoke. “I see you have a stall here; why don’t I ask Brother Chuan to buy out all your goods as an apology?”

Su Qianqian’s manner toward Qiao Jia was sweet and gentle. Her malice was reserved for Su Xiaoran and any woman coveting Fu Jingchuan.

“Certainly. Five thousand crystal cores,” Qiao Jia replied amiably, lowering the butcher’s knife with a serene expression. As always: never refuse profit. If you must have a feud, let it never be with money.

After all, these were the male lead and supporting female from a CEO novel—they should have plenty of crystal cores.

Qiao Jia sized them up as if appraising merchandise, her gaze making them distinctly uncomfortable. Five thousand cores was a reasonable price.

“…”

Su Qianqian’s gentle smile faltered. Five thousand crystal cores? Why not just rob her?

“Little sister, do you not know the value of crystal cores? Five thousand is no small sum. Are your goods really worth that much?”

“Of course. Ask them—I’ve always sold at this price.” Qiao Jia gestured at Shen Tong, Shen Hui, and the others behind her.

“That’s right!” the group chimed in, giving her face.

“You aren’t short, are you? The Fu family’s head? The Su family’s young miss?”

Qiao Jia’s voice was flat, but the pair across from her could hear the disdain.

Fu Jingchuan, at least, was rational. They’d only managed to gather a little over five thousand crystals after leaving Greatwood City—that was meant to be seed money for his base, no way he’d hand it over.

If he weren’t rational, he wouldn’t have married Su Xiaoran.

Su Qianqian was rational, too—otherwise, she and Fu Jingchuan wouldn’t be plotting to take Su Xiaoran’s mother’s and grandfather’s inheritance.

But, they hadn’t accounted for their third companion.

“Who says we don’t have it!” Qin Jiaojiao, who’d been following Su Qianqian, immediately jumped out, glaring at Qiao Jia indignantly. “Brother Fu is the Fu family’s head! Five thousand crystal cores is nothing—consider it a reward!”

With that, she tossed a bag of crystal cores at Qiao Jia’s feet.

“…”

A deathly silence fell. Fu Jingchuan and Su Qianqian wished they could strangle Qin Jiaojiao.

The system moved with lightning speed, snatching up the bag of crystal cores with a strength no newborn puppy could possibly possess, giving the two of them no chance to renege.