The Abusive Novel System Pleads with Me to Resign-Chapter 37

Lu Linwei sat there, his deep eyes fixed intently on Shen Ying.

With an ambiguous smile, he said, "What are you standing there for? Come in."

Shen Ying complied without hesitation, though Assistant Liu behind her was trembling so badly his legs nearly gave out.

She took a seat beside Lu Linwei, still glancing around the private room as if hoping to spot someone else there.

This only fueled Lu Linwei’s irritation.

He had made thorough inquiries—turns out, on the day he ran into Gao Yingli in the parking lot, this woman had been here too.

She had even ordered several male escorts, splurging extravagantly on them, indulging without a care.

And yet she still had the nerve to claim she wasn’t the type to lose her head over flattery? Those escorts had made a fortune off her that night in drink commissions.

Lu Linwei smirked coldly. "Just now, I overheard some people chatting."

"They mentioned a certain Miss Shen—young, beautiful, and incredibly generous, a rare and lavish patron."

"After knowing you for so long, I’ve never seen this side of you. Care to show me today?"

Shen Ying’s eyes lit up at once. "Oh, is that all? If you want to see, how could I refuse?"

She immediately waved over the manager. "Bring back all those handsome guys from the other night. And make sure they dress lightly—I love a wet T-shirt show."

Lu Linwei’s scalp prickled with fury. "Let’s see who dares to step in here," he snapped.

The manager, of course, froze in terror, not daring to even mention calling anyone.

He stood rigidly in place, like a wooden post, while Assistant Liu trembled beside him—the two of them resembling a pair of quivering guardians.

Seeing her plans thwarted, Shen Ying’s mood soured instantly.

She turned to the manager. "Your club sets such high membership thresholds and charges exorbitant prices. I assumed becoming a customer here would grant me royal treatment."

"Yet every time, you collude with others to interfere with my spending. So what, guests bring their money here just to be disciplined by your top-tier patrons?"

"Wasn’t it your club that sent me the invitation?"

Manager: "...Yes."

Shen Ying: "And I’m a member now, right?"

Manager: "Yes, Miss Shen is indeed a member."

Shen Ying: "You promised me new male escorts, didn’t you?"

"So where are they? Where are these supposedly flawless, god-tier male models?"

She shrugged off her coat and tossed it aside, crossing her arms and legs as she sat firmly in place—

"I don’t care what excuse you used to invite me here today, but you’d better deliver. Otherwise, this is fraud."

The manager inwardly cursed the messy drama between these three high-profile figures—what authority did he have here?

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he stayed silent.

Then Lu Linwei spoke up. "What you’re looking for is right in front of you."

Shen Ying turned to him. He lowered his arms, leaning back in his chair, stretching slightly—

"Well? Satisfied with what you see?"

Shen Ying’s gaze swept over his profile—his tall, imposing frame, the untamed arrogance barely concealed by his expensive tailored suit, the striking presence, the sharp jawline, and the flawless side profile.

Every inch of him lived up to the countless pages of lavish praise from the original novel.

Shen Ying’s excitement flared. "President Lu is willing to... entertain?"

She scooted closer. "You should’ve said so earlier. How could those mediocre pretty boys outside compare to you?"

With a dismissive wave at the manager, she added, "No need for anyone else. If you meant President Lu, I’m more than satisfied. My apologies for the misunderstanding."

Then, eyes gleaming, she said to Lu Linwei, "Feeling hot? Why not take off your jacket? Better yet, undo the top three buttons of your shirt."

"Assistant Liu, order some chilled champagne for me."

Lu Linwei stiffened. "What are you planning?"

Shen Ying grinned. "President Lu has such fine skin. I bet his reaction to ice-cold water would be... fascinating."

A shiver ran down Lu Linwei’s spine, his ears turning red.

He glared at her. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?"

But his gaze was anything but angry—thick with something unspoken, his tone far from convincing.

Still, Lu Linwei hadn’t forgotten his original fury. He wasn’t about to be fooled so easily this time.

Putting on a stern face, he snapped, "Stop changing the subject. You almost slipped past me again."

"I’ve been so worried about you I couldn’t sleep, and here you are, sneaking off to hire male escorts behind my back?"

"Have you forgotten you’re engaged? If you’re so free to chase after other men, why not spare a moment for me?"

Shen Ying soothed, "It’s not like it worked out, is it? I spent hundreds of thousands on drinks and barely got ten minutes of fun before it all went to waste."

(Though Gao Yingli had footed the bill afterward.)

She added pointedly, "Ask the manager if you don’t believe me."

The manager pretended to be dead, clearly unwilling to revisit that memory.

Lu Linwei scoffed. "You sound regretful."

After a few half-hearted attempts to placate him, Shen Ying lost patience. "I’m about to be buried in the grave of marriage. Can’t I enjoy one last meal before execution?"

Lu Linwei looked stunned. "Execution? Is marrying me like walking to the gallows for you?"

Shen Ying: "Well, isn’t it? Since when is marriage supposed to be a joyous occasion?"

Lu Linwei’s head spun with rage. His pride screamed that chasing after someone who spoke like this was nothing short of humiliation.

Yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t force out the dignified retort: "If you’re so unwilling, then let’s call it off."

Then Shen Ying added, "You should take advantage of your last days of freedom too. After marriage, things change—you’ll have to stay loyal."

"If I ever find out you’ve done something shady—"

She left the threat hanging, but Lu Linwei’s internal struggle between pride and stubbornness vanished in an instant. A flicker of realization crossed his face—

So that’s what this was about. She was testing him, afraid he might stray.

Lu Linwei smirked. "Worrying over nothing."

Assistant Fang: "..."

Assistant Liu: "..."

What exactly are you so proud of? Which part of that warranted such a reaction?

But Lu Linwei wasn’t done yet.

He turned to the manager. "I heard Gao Yingli was the one who drove those escorts out that day. How did he manage that?"

The real question wasn’t how Gao Yingli did it—of course the manager wouldn’t dare disobey him.

The real question was: how had Gao Yingli made Shen Ying accept it without a fuss?

The manager, caught between Lu Linwei’s intimidation and fear of exposing Gao Yingli’s methods, broke into a cold sweat, stammering incoherently.

Shen Ying saved him the trouble. "Same as you—he offered himself as a replacement."

Lu Linwei’s eyes widened, his pupils contracting as a familiar dizziness washed over him.

He remembered mocking Gao Yingli in the parking lot that day, joking about him being a male escort.

Back then, he’d just been trying to provoke the guy.

Little did he know it was the truth—that bastard had actually played the role of an escort, and for his own fiancée, no less.

He’d laughed at the time, completely unaware his own home was being robbed.

Lu Linwei took a deep breath before fixing Shen Ying with a glare. "So you were in the car that day?"

"Why didn’t you say anything? You saw me, didn’t you?"

Shen Ying retorted confidently, "I was kidnapped. How many kidnapped people dare to scream and shout?"

Lu Linwei shot back, "You mean the kind of kidnapping where you eat, drink, and have fun at the kidnapper's place, even freely going out to enjoy male escorts?"

Shen Ying looked at him in disbelief. "Are you complaining that I was treated too well during my kidnapping?"

Her voice then took on a tragic tone. "Do you think it would have been more proper for me to suffer miserably at the hands of the despicable Qiao family, waiting for you to rescue me?"

Lu Linwei quickly replied, "No, that's not what I—"

Shen Ying cut him off. "I knew you were heartless. After going through such a perilous ordeal, the first thing I did was rush to contact you. I even helped strategize against the Qiao family—wasn’t all that for your sake?"

"Go ask around. Which other fiancée, after being kidnapped, not only spared you the worry and ransom but also secured billions for you? Just ask—how could you possibly have the nerve to blame me for anything?"

Lu ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍Linwei was thoroughly scolded, his head hanging low.

He knew she was twisting the facts again, but what could he do? He was powerless against her. Not only had he failed to find her twice, but her sharp tongue was something he could never challenge.

Still, Lu Linwei refused to give up.

Struggling, he muttered, "But you shouldn’t have asked Gao Yingli to take my place in the engagement photos."

"You knew full well about our relationship, yet you chose him to replace me. What kind of person does that?"

Shen Ying sighed. "That was my mistake. I realized it was wrong after the shoot."

"I even tried to fix it by arranging another session with someone else."

"But Gao Yingli said the photographer had already left, the studio was dismantled, the equipment packed away, and everyone was on their way out. Doing it again would’ve been too much trouble."

"I was staying under his roof—how could I impose further?"

Lu Linwei scoffed. "You expect me to believe that?"

Shen Ying stared at him silently for a long moment, making him uneasy.

Then she let out a cold laugh. "Of course you don’t believe me. When have you ever trusted me?"

"How many times have you doubted me just because of someone else’s word?"

It had been mentioned before—Lu Linwei was inherently suspicious, and after being betrayed by someone he trusted, he became even more distrustful.

In the original story, the heroine’s meek silence, Lu Linwei’s paranoia, and Gao Yingli’s twisted obsession were the perfect breeding grounds for endless angst and tragedy.

But with Shen Ying here, aside from a couple of minor incidents revealing these traits—like when Gao Yingli hinted at secret dealings between them, prompting Lu Linwei to immediately glare at Shen Ying—the plot and relationships had veered wildly off course before things could escalate.

That didn’t stop Shen Ying from pressing on. She said indifferently, "I must’ve misunderstood."

"I thought your cooperation during the Qiao family incident meant you’d finally opened your heart to me. Turns out I was delusional."

"How could I have assumed I’d earned your trust? Of course, this was just a business arrangement from the start. That sudden proposal was nothing more than an upgrade to the contract."

"Though I do wonder—what was the point of refusing to sign a prenup, President Lu?"

She waved her hand dismissively. "If you regret it, just say the word. Although—"

Before she could finish, Lu Linwei grabbed her hand and pulled her into a tight embrace.

His voice was frantic. "I believe you. I trust you completely."

"Don’t say things like that again."

Lu Linwei knew full well that Shen Ying was manipulating him with her words, but he had too many past mistakes to counter her.

Their relationship had been dysfunctional from the start. That it had come this far was entirely thanks to Shen Ying healing him, pulling him back step by step from his dark impulses.

If she was willing to accept his proposal despite all that, didn’t it mean she loved him?

Lu Linwei conceded, "It wasn’t your fault. You did your best—it’s Gao Yingli, that scum, who’s to blame."

"But that photo really bothers me. Let’s reshoot it as soon as we get back, and I’ll have it replaced everywhere immediately."

Just then, a voice came from the doorway. "What a hassle. So much trouble."

"Your childhood friend worked hard all morning to help, and now you’re just tossing it in the trash? How heartless."

They looked up to see Gao Yingli standing there.

He seemed to have arrived in a hurry, his breathing forcibly steady.

The moment Lu Linwei saw him, he stood up.

Gao Yingli strode forward, and within seconds, the two were face to face.

They glared at each other for a tense moment before simultaneously throwing punches, aiming squarely for each other’s faces.

The two had fought since childhood, but as adults, they’d maintained decorum—until now.

All restraint was gone. They were evenly matched, each determined to beat the other senseless.

The fight was brutal, every punch landing hard.

By the time bystanders reacted, the two had already exchanged several blows.

Their respective teams rushed to intervene, but someone beat them to it.

Shen Ying shouted, "What are you all standing around for? Open the champagne! Hey, take your shirts off first—I’d love to see that!"

The two men froze mid-fight, and in that instant, their teams swarmed in to pull them apart.

The mood was ruined, and continuing the fight felt pointless.

But the daggers in Lu Linwei and Gao Yingli’s eyes could still flay flesh.

Finally, Gao Yingli looked away, turning to Shen Ying. "Why did you come out?"

Shen Ying pulled out her phone, showing him the text message.

Gao Yingli read it and nearly lost his temper. "You fell for such an obvious trap?"

Lu Linwei sneered. "Says the king of idiocy."

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"Now I get why you came to my office to gloat last time—you were secretly bragging about your ‘victory.’ I knew you were shameless, but this level of depravity is new."

"Like a murderer revisiting the crime scene to relish the thrill? Too bad your ‘victim’ was casually calling to say she was fine."

"My mistake—I should’ve savored your expression. Bet you looked like a complete fool."

He suddenly remembered. "Oh right, my office has surveillance. I’ll review the footage later and enjoy it on loop. Want me to send you a copy, Young Master Gao?"

Gao Yingli’s face darkened. "I couldn’t care less. But before that, you should revisit your own incompetence."

"Hopefully, your cameras have audio. Then you can relive just how ridiculous your decisions were."

"Still obsessing over the Qiao family? If she hadn’t contacted you, you’d be hosting her funeral by now."

Lu Linwei shot back, "Even a funeral wouldn’t cost much. Meanwhile, you’ve been wagging your tail after my wife, yet the Qiao deal didn’t even leave you scraps."

"The mastermind is right under your nose. How utterly incompetent, worthless, and despised must one be to not reap a single benefit?"

"Oh, right. I heard you even contributed—delaying the Qiao family so they missed their golden window to react. Bravo, Young Master Gao. You truly outdid yourself."

Lu Linwei clapped mockingly. "Such dedication, such selfless sacrifice. Young Master Gao, you’re nothing short of a saint."

Gao Yingli: "You seem quite pleased bringing up that day, Young Master Lu?"

"Back then, as an outsider, I couldn’t spell it out for you. But now, there’s no need to hold back. Miss Shen Ying was already at my villa at the time."

"She was mere meters away from you, yet she refused to show herself and return with you. I heard you promised not to sign a prenup, didn’t you? And even helped Miss Shen make a fortune shorting the Qiao family with that billion-dollar bet."

"All that money, and still, your image remains so unappealing in her eyes. I almost feel sorry for you."

Lu Linwei: "Keep seething. What you call ‘pitiable’ is the privilege of being her publicly acknowledged fiancé."

"Meanwhile, some people have to sell their charms to win favor. Is this what you meant earlier, Young Master Gao? Your grand philosophy of ‘playing the gigolo for love’?"

"The illustrious Young Master Gao, scrambling to worm his way into someone else’s marriage, honing new skills just for the chance. Such determination—who wouldn’t be moved? And who wouldn’t call it shameless?"

"Too bad. No matter how low you sink, my wife is still in a hurry to marry me. She couldn’t even wait to return before having me announce our engagement."

Gao Yingli’s eyes burned crimson with jealousy at those words.

Then, with a twisted smile, he said, "You mean that rushed announcement without even an engagement photo? The one I so kindly helped you take?"

He waved a hand magnanimously. "No need to thank me. The composition was decent, wasn’t it?"

"When the proofs came out, everyone praised them. Shame about the editing, though. My photographer was heartbroken."

"You cropped out the entire person, Young Master Lu. The balance was ruined. The photographer said he’d never claim that as his work."

Seeing Lu Linwei’s darkening expression, Gao Yingli pressed on, "Don’t believe me?"

"Want to see the photo? I just happen to have it on me."

Lu Linwei forced a grim smile. "Keep it. It’s just an ordinary snapshot, after all."

"If it brings you comfort for the rest of your life, I’m not one to deny you that."

"As for me, I’ll take countless more photos with my wife—engagement shots, wedding portraits, family pictures, all the way till we’re old."

Lu Linwei let out a pitying laugh. "You can cherish that one. Guard it well."

For the first time, Gao Yingli’s unshakable composure cracked. A flicker of confusion crossed his face.

He followed Lu Linwei’s logic, and suddenly, it felt like the air had been punched from his lungs.

The world around him seemed to mute. A sharp ringing filled his ears before silence swallowed everything. Then, slowly, the sounds of the private room seeped back in.

Those few seconds stretched like a lifetime.

His head snapped up, eyes locking onto Shen Ying. "You win," he said.

Shen Ying, who’d been sipping her drink while watching their spat, blinked in surprise.

"Huh?"

Gao Yingli took a deep breath. "That bet of yours. You won."

"I admit it. The only reason I could stand on the sidelines and mock that idiot was because you ignored me back then."

"Your indifference gave me the luxury of detachment. Now, I don’t have that anymore."

"I love you!"

The moment those words left Gao Yingli’s lips, the system pinged—the villain had been successfully conquered.

(Though the notification sounded more exhausted than triumphant.)

Having crossed that threshold, the rest came easily.

Gao Yingli stepped closer to Shen Ying. "Dump him," he said bluntly.

"He can’t make you happy. And from what I just heard, your relationship was never legitimate to begin with."

Shen Ying glanced at Assistant Liu, who—despite his fear of her—still subtly nodded toward Gao Yingli.

Gao Yingli smirked at Lu Linwei. "Your so-called marriage is just an upgraded version of a twisted employer-employee contract."

"You needed a girlfriend, so you hired one. Needed a wife? Amend the terms. Have you ever even told her you love her?"

"There’s no real bond between you. So if it’s a choice, pick me instead."

His gaze burned into Shen Ying, raw emotion laid bare.

"At least I love you. Anything he can give you, I can too."

Before Shen Ying could respond, a fist came flying.

Lu Linwei’s eyes were bloodshot with rage. He’d expected every underhanded trick from Gao Yingli—the man was a deranged rival of ten years. Nothing was beneath him if it meant causing pain.

But this?

Amid the fury, Lu Linwei felt something else: disbelief, and a creeping dread.

Him? Gao Yingli? In love?

The entourage intervened before things escalated further, pulling the two apart.

Lu Linwei studied Gao Yingli’s face—the hunger in his eyes, the desperate hope.

He meant it.

That realization sent a cold wave of panic through Lu Linwei.

Grabbing Shen Ying’s hand, he growled, "We’re leaving."

For once, she didn’t resist. But Gao Yingli blocked their path.

"Not even giving her a choice?"

"See what kind of man he is? What’s the point of marrying him?"

Lu Linwei wanted to kill him. But instinct warned against prolonging this.

In the end, preparedness won out. Lu Linwei managed to steer Shen Ying away from the club.

The car ride home was unnaturally quiet.

Through the window’s reflection, Lu Linwei watched Shen Ying beside him.

They’d never been physically closer, yet she’d never felt more distant.

What was she thinking? About Gao Yingli’s words? Were they getting to her?

His thoughts tangled until, at last, they reached home. As Shen Ying turned toward her room, Lu Linwei caught her wrist.

The first words out of his mouth were frantic, clumsy:

"How much money did you scam him for?"