The Abusive Novel System Pleads with Me to Resign-Chapter 95

As soon as Xing Jiale spoke, the atmosphere in the room froze.

The smug grin on Zhong Chen’s face instantly twisted into displeasure.

“What do you mean by that?”

Xing Jiale shrugged. “No offense, but I didn’t hear anything about a sweet date in what you just said.”

“It sounded more like a diary entry about getting scammed.”

Zhong Chen scowled. “Bullshit! Have you ever even been in a relationship? Have you ever gone on a proper date with a girl?”

“Don’t think just because you’re always hanging around Gong Zhaoxi that you know everything—he’s all talk himself.”

“You two idiots with zero romantic experience don’t know shit.”

Xing Jiale remained expressionless. “Even if we’re clueless, we know that if you spent over ten million on a pig, it’d at least be nice to you.”

Seeing Zhong Chen about to explode, Gong Zhaoxi quickly stood up and stepped between them. “Alright, let me educate you.”

“No ordinary girl would accept gifts worth millions on a first date without batting an eye.”

Zhong Chen immediately smirked. “Of course not. The woman I, Zhong Chen, set my sights on is anything but ordinary.”

Xing Jiale laughed in disbelief. “You think we’re praising her?”

“That girl saw the money and suddenly turned sweet on you—doesn’t that strike you as suspicious at all?”

Zhong Chen scoffed. “You’re the one who doesn’t get it.”

“Those weren’t even gifts. Just normal expenses during a date.”

“The point isn’t about me paying. It’s about how, through my actions while accompanying her shopping, she discovered new shining qualities in me she hadn’t noticed before.”

“Paying was the least significant part. My thoughtfulness, generosity, decisiveness, and foresight—which of these isn’t more impressive than a measly sum of money?”

The two of them were dumbfounded.

Gong Zhaoxi asked blankly, “Why on earth would you think your so-called ‘qualities’ would outshine that much money?”

Zhong Chen puffed up with pride. “Because this is the first time in my life I’ve done this.”

Another brief silence fell between them—

After a moment, Xing Jiale looked up and pressed, “Fine, let’s say buying clothes and jewelry for a girl is nothing.”

“But what about the house?”

“That’s definitely not part of ‘date expenses,’ is it?”

Zhong Chen waved him off impatiently. “I already told you—she insisted on paying. It doesn’t count as a gift.”

Gong Zhaoxi: “Selling her a property in that location for just a million is practically giving it away for free.”

Zhong Chen: “What was I supposed to do? Her budget was only a million.”

“So you’d rather bleed yourself dry than say no?” Xing Jiale snapped. “She pays a million, so you give her a million-dollar house?”

Suddenly, a mysterious smile crept onto Zhong Chen’s face.

Xing Jiale and Gong Zhaoxi felt their scalps tingle. “What’s with that look? Spit it out properly—don’t make such a disgusting expression.”

But Zhong Chen only gazed down at them with condescension. “I told you two were all talk, but you refused to believe me.”

“For over a decade, you’ve teamed up to mock me for being clueless about romance. Turns out, you’re the real idiots here.”

He smugly explained, “Is the house’s value the point? No. The point is that she’s willing to live in a place I arranged for her.”

“Doesn’t that prove her feelings for me?”

His lips curled into an uncontrollable grin, his face radiating triumph.

“So eager to move into my place, huh? She’s obviously hinting for me to take her home. Well, not just anyone gets to see my personal space, but since she’s this excited, I’ll reluctantly—”

Before he could finish, Xing Jiale slammed his hands on the table. “God, I can’t listen to this anymore.”

He stood up, abandoning any pretense of politeness. “Excited, my ass.”

“She’s clearly scamming you, you moron.”

Zhong Chen shot back, “Impossible.”

“Which one of us hasn’t been scammed by her before? You? Gong Zhaoxi? Even Xiao Yun got tricked.”

“But did she go on dates with any of you? No. She only went out with me. That proves it’s not about the money.”

Xing Jiale and Gong Zhaoxi: “…”

The idiot’s logic was airtight. They racked their brains but couldn’t find a rebuttal.

Since she’d decided to move, Shen Ying had Zhong Chen’s people handle the paperwork with her parents. With the Zhong family’s reliable staff on it, she didn’t need to lift a finger.

Having stood up Xia Meng several times already, she couldn’t cancel on her again this Sunday.

So on Sunday, Shen Ying cleared her schedule and met up with Xia Meng.

Since they’d started early, they caught a movie, had dinner, and then headed to a club.

Xia Meng seemed unusually tense, like a good girl nervously stepping out of line for the first time.

She tugged at Shen Ying’s sleeve. “Maybe we should leave. It’s too loud here—I’m not used to it.”

Maybe it was the lighting, but Shen Ying’s smile seemed to carry a hint of something deeper.

“No way,” Shen Ying replied. “Leaving now would ruin the fun.”

Xia ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍Meng had no choice but to follow her.

The club was packed with attractive men and women, the air thick with flirtation.

Since both Shen Ying and Xia Meng were pretty, they got plenty of attention.

Xia Meng shrank like a frightened quail, hiding behind Shen Ying whenever someone approached, clearly out of her element.

Shen Ying eventually pulled her onto the dance floor, moving to the music.

Xia Meng reluctantly swayed along with the rhythm.

She glanced at Shen Ying, who was already chatting up a group of girls nearby.

Shen Ying wasn’t stunningly beautiful—next to Xia Meng, people usually noticed Xia Meng first.

And she hadn’t always been this bold and flashy.

Xia Meng remembered how Shen Ying used to blend into the background like all the other scholarship students—quiet, unnoticed, deliberately keeping a low profile.

But how had this person—

Under the pulsing club lights, Xia Meng’s gaze turned cold as she stared at Shen Ying.

After dancing for half an hour, Shen Ying stepped away to rest. Xia Meng looked utterly exhausted.

Shen Ying ordered two drinks and grinned. “If you were tired, you should’ve left earlier.”

Xia Meng murmured, “I was scared to be alone.”

Shen Ying didn’t press further. Instead, her eyes landed on a figure in the crowd. “Hey, doesn’t that guy look a bit like Xiao Yun?”

Xia Meng craned her neck. “Where?”

She didn’t have to look hard—the man was already walking toward them under Shen Ying’s scrutiny.

“Were you looking at me?” he asked Shen Ying.

He was a broodingly handsome guy, bearing a resemblance to Xiao Yun—though without the latter’s aristocratic air or world-weary aloofness.

Still, he was undeniably attractive.

Shen Ying smiled. “Want a drink? My treat.”

The man agreed without hesitation, everything going suspiciously smoothly.

By the time they left, Shen Ying was noticeably tipsy.

She muttered under her breath, "Damn scammer, they must’ve mixed alcohol into the drink."

The handsome guy turned to Xia Meng and said, "It’s getting late. You should head back first—I’ll take her home."

Xia Meng studied him for a long moment before replying, "Just do what you’re supposed to. Don’t pull any extra stunts."

Her gaze, usually soft and timid, was now icy and ruthless, sending a shiver down the guy’s spine.

Only after watching them get into a taxi did Xia Meng finally walk away.

The guy brought Shen Ying to an apartment. Though petite, a drunk girl’s deadweight was no joke.

He laid her on the bed, pulled out a pre-prepared camera from the drawer, and then unbuttoned his own shirt.

Just as he turned to undress her for the incriminating photos, he froze—Shen Ying, who had seemed completely wasted, was now sitting upright.

Her sharp eyes locked onto him, scanning his toned physique with an appreciative smirk.

The guy panicked, his guilty conscience flaring. After all, this was his first time doing something so shady, and he had no idea how to react.

Then Shen Ying spoke: "What’s wrong? Keep going."

He swallowed hard. "Y-you’re awake? I didn’t know where you lived, so I brought you here."

"Don’t get the wrong idea—I just spilled something on my shirt and needed to change."

But Shen Ying cut straight to the chase: "How much did my friend pay you?"

His scalp prickled. "W-what are you talking about? I don’t understand."

Shen Ying continued, "She’s not inherently evil, and she wouldn’t dare push things too far. To ensure my 'safety,' she’d never hire someone too dangerous or unpredictable."

"Someone timid, with no prior record, but desperate for cash—probably with a bright academic or professional future. That’d be her ideal pick."

She grinned at him. "Judging by your flexibility and posture, I’m guessing you’re a dancer?"

"What’s the number for our city’s top arts academy again?"

His face paled. "I wasn’t going to do anything! Your friend just wanted a few misleading photos!"

"I swear, I never planned to take advantage of you."

Shen Ying chuckled. "Oh, I know. How could I not enjoy such a generous gift from my dear friend?"

She slid off the bed and settled onto the couch, pointing to the clothes rack by the door.

"That pole looks sturdy enough. Give me an impromptu dance. Don’t worry—I’ll tip well."

The guy protested, "I’m not some—"

Shen Ying cut him off: "Or I could call your school right now and report an attempted assault."

"Wait, no! I’ll dance!" Humiliated, he dragged over the makeshift pole—er, coat rack.

When Shen Ying left the apartment, she was in high spirits.

Truly, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Even if her age barred her from clubs, a keen eye for male entertainment meant fun could be found anywhere.

Her relaxed demeanor the next morning at school even gave Xia Meng pause.

Xia Meng still hadn’t received the promised photos. The guy’s excuse? Shen Ying woke up before he could snap anything.

But something felt off. Xia Meng casually suggested, "Yesterday was fun. Want to go again this weekend?"

(She’d need a different guy—this one was useless.)

Shen Ying beamed. "Absolutely!"

After dropping her bag, she headed for the restroom but ran into Xing Jiale and Gong Zhaoxi in the hallway.

She tried to brush past them, but they blocked her path.

Xing Jiale scowled. "We let the earlier stuff slide because Zhong Chen brought it on himself, or it was harmless. But this time? You’ve gone too far."

Gong Zhaoxi added, "You’re the first to ever treat him like an actual fool."

Shen Ying didn’t bat an eye. "Did you two corner me just to spout nonsense?"

Xing Jiale sneered. "Play dumb if you want, but you’d better back off."

"Mrs. Zhong is fiercely proud. She won’t tolerate anyone toying with her son’s emotions."

Gong Zhaoxi chimed in, "And don’t forget how you messed with us, making her suspect things."

"If she decides to settle all accounts at once, her methods are way beyond what a student like you can handle."

Shen Ying shrugged. "Even if you say all that, I still don’t get your point."

Xing Jiale’s temper flared. "Fine, I’ll spell it out."

"What’s the fun in bullying a fool like Zhong Chen?"

Gong Zhaoxi nodded. "Yeah, picking on someone like him? Pathetic."

"If you’ve got guts, come at me instead."

Shen Ying gave them a long, measured look before walking away.

Xing Jiale’s bravado crumbled under her gaze.

He whirled on Gong Zhaoxi, furious. "Are you trying to get us killed?!"