The Abusive Novel System Pleads with Me to Resign

No matter how you look at it, life seemed calm and uneventful for Shen Ying.

The Qiao family, after all, was a colossal entity. Even after enduring such blows, it had managed to survive, albeit barely.

One evening after dinner, Shen Ying and Gao Yingli were watching TV together when a business news segment came on.

Qiao Mingyue appeared on screen, announcing that the battle for the new directorship of the Qiao family had finally been settled.

It wasn’t exactly surprising—after all, the Qiao father and son had only been imprisoned, not killed.

They had transferred the management rights of their shares to Qiao Mingyue, and with her own holdings, her chances of winning the power struggle had always been the highest.

On TV, Qiao Mingyue was dressed in black, her demeanor noticeably more composed and restrained in such a short time.

The shadow of that willful, spoiled young mistress seemed to have faded from her.

Beside her stood Qiao Mingfei, clad in a white suit, playing the role of Qiao Mingyue’s right-hand woman.

Gao Yingli couldn’t help but remark, "That daughter of Qiao Third Master is quite the strategist."

"Even after all this, she’s still managed to stay by Qiao Mingyue’s side and even secure a place in the Qiao family’s inner circle."

Shen Ying replied, "With her emotional intelligence, smoothing over the past incidents would’ve been child’s play."

After all, strictly speaking, she hadn’t actually done anything—just some instigation, hints, and suggestions. From the Qiao family’s perspective, it was all just reasonable behavior from an insider.

Gao Yingli chuckled. "You’re just letting her off that easily?"

"Even if there’s not much to gain from her, being this merciful doesn’t seem like you."

Shen Ying smiled. "Does a venomous snake like her really need special attention?"

She turned to Gao Yingli. "It’s just one phone call."

As she spoke, Gao Yingli obliged and made the call.

True to expectations, the very next day, Qiao Mingfei showed up at their doorstep again.

Perhaps the memory of cleaning horse manure last time was too vivid, because this time, she came prepared—with an assistant and a bodyguard in tow.

She made it clear to Gao Yingli that she wasn’t sneaking around this time, so he’d better think twice before trying to detain her again like before.

After sitting down, Qiao Mingfei ignored the tea served by the maid.

Shen Ying smiled. "Don’t worry, the tea’s clean this time."

Qiao Mingfei forced a smile. "No need for courtesy, Miss Shen. I’m not thirsty."

Gao Yingli cut in, "So, Miss Qiao, what brings you here today? Surely not nostalgia for my stables?"

Qiao Mingfei gritted her teeth in humiliation before sliding an envelope across the table.

Gao Yingli opened it to find a stack of photos—featuring none other than him and Shen Ying.

The setting was unmistakably that private club from before.

After flipping through them, Gao Yingli handed the photos to Shen Ying and smirked.

"Impressive work, Miss Qiao. That club’s privacy measures are notoriously tight. Yet you still managed to get these."

Qiao Mingfei’s smile turned a shade more genuine. "I lack capital, so I have to rely on making friends."

"The more connections you have, the more paths open up. As a businessman, you understand that better than I do."

Gao Yingli laughed. "I really do admire you, Miss Qiao. After suffering consequences for this kind of thing once, you still dare to come here and try blackmail."

"Your willingness to exploit anything of value, regardless of risk or past lessons, does make you sharper than your cousin."

Qiao Mingfei replied coolly, "Thank you for the praise. Last time, I was overconfident—coming to negotiate with you without proof or backup."

"But this time, I haven’t hidden my movements. And these photos are enough to convince Mr. Lu that his fiancée was hidden away by you."

Gao Yingli didn’t beat around the bush. "What do you want?"

"Surely you’re not still delusional enough to think you can take Shen Ying away?"

Qiao Mingfei shook her head. "I’ve learned my lesson about Miss Shen’s importance to you. I’m not that naïve."

"These photos will never reach Mr. Lu… as long as you agree to one small condition."

Gao Yingli tilted his chin. "Go on."

Qiao Mingfei continued, "You’ve announced plans to sell your shares in the Qiao family, haven’t you?"

"I want you to sell them to my second uncle."

"Don’t worry—I guarantee he’ll offer a fair price. Selling to him instead of someone else shouldn’t be a problem, right?"

"Just say the word, and the photos are yours."

Gao Yingli burst out laughing, eyeing her with amusement. "Did I hear that right? You said Qiao Second Master—not Qiao Mingyue?"

"Aren’t you working under Qiao Mingyue now? The more stable her control, the firmer your footing. Yet here you are, helping Qiao Second Master gain leverage."

Qiao Mingfei’s expression remained blank. "That’s none of your concern."

"It’s a simple condition. Just tell me—yes or no?"

Instead of answering, Gao Yingli turned to Shen Ying. "You were right. Her ambitions are even bigger than I thought."

Shen Ying wasn’t smug. "I’m never wrong."

Then she looked at Qiao Mingfei. "The moment I first saw you, I knew you weren’t the meek, unambitious person you pretended to be."

"The Qiao family’s decline may be a disaster for your relatives, but for you? It’s an opportunity."

"You could easily manipulate Qiao Mingyue before, but she was sheltered, not stupid. Her vision and strategic sense far surpass yours, and her education is leagues ahead."

"As she gains experience in business, she’ll evolve—no longer the naive heiress you could control."

"To secure your position, you need to create a lasting rival for her—one only you can manage. Over time, this back-and-forth will cement your power in the Qiao Group. And when the time comes, you can orchestrate their mutual destruction and reap the rewards."

"You’ve been in close contact with Qiao Second Master since the family’s troubles began, haven’t you?"

Qiao Mingfei’s face darkened briefly before she regained her composure.

"I have no idea what you’re talking about."

Shen Ying shrugged. "No matter. Just making conversation."

"How did you convince Qiao Mingyue and her father to trust you again?"

"After how explicitly I laid things out that day, it’s baffling they still didn’t believe me. Truly frustrating."

A flicker of triumph crossed Qiao Mingfei’s face, but she knew better than to let her guard down around Shen Ying.

With an innocent smile, she replied, "Those were just your speculations, Miss Shen."

"I’ve lived with my uncle’s family since I was ten. He treated me like his own daughter, and I’ve always seen my cousins as true siblings."

"While I regret what happened to you, as a sister, wouldn’t it be natural to tell my brother when I see my cousin heartbroken over a woman?"

"I just never expected my cousin to handle it so poorly. But his intentions to protect his sister—how could that be wrong?"

Her words were deliberately crafted to provoke Shen Ying.

Qiao Mingfei’s tone was flawless, but her expression practically dared Shen Ying to do something about it.

There was no evidence—not even her cousin believed it had been anything but his own idea.

No matter who judged her, Qiao Mingfei would be deemed innocent.

Yet Shen Ying showed no trace of anger on her face. Instead, she shifted the topic: "Actually, I was joking earlier about exposing Miss Qiao’s affairs. I haven’t told anyone."

Qiao Mingfei already knew that, but the messages from this woman had still unsettled her for days.

She no longer dared to underestimate Shen Ying’s ability to stir trouble.

Shen Ying continued, "I just wanted to see how Miss Qiao would find a way out when faced with a crisis."

"And as expected, you turned to your uncles. But as a junior, merely a tagalong to the idle young mistress, why would the Qiao family’s elders pay you any attention?"

"You must have offered them something in return. And where did those bargaining chips come from? Surely not from anywhere outside the control of the Qiao father and son."

Qiao Mingfei’s expression darkened again. "Miss Shen, why do you always make baseless accusations?"

Shen Ying replied, "You said you’ve been with the Qiao family for over a decade. They may see you as just Qiao Mingyue’s playmate, but you wouldn’t miss any opportunity."

"You’ve been close to the core of power—the secrets of the Qiao father and son, the leverage they hold over their brothers and shareholders. Before, these things might have been useless, but now is the perfect time."

"I don’t know which of Qiao Second Master’s secrets fell into your hands, convincing him to cooperate with you. But since you could help him, naturally, your partnership is smooth for now."

"And when you needed to prove your worth in front of Qiao Mingyue, a little cooperation from him easily made you appear indispensable."

Shen Ying raised her glass to Qiao Mingfei. "Following your logic, if you accumulate enough achievements this way, when the time comes—say, if Qiao Mingyue and Qiao Second Master lose their authority for some reason—the shareholders will naturally see you as the perfect successor."

"Congratulations in advance, Miss Qiao. Though it’s a long road, I believe in your patience."

Qiao Mingfei stared at Shen Ying. "After all this, I’ll ask again—where’s your evidence?"

Shen Ying feigned confusion. "Isn’t your visit here to make demands proof enough?"

Qiao Mingfei retorted, "What demands? I only came to deliver a set of photos to Mr. Gao."

Such matters, once spoken, could never be repeated.

As for whether Gao Yingli would agree, his actions would show.

Shen Ying shrugged helplessly. "Fine, I forgot to record our conversation from the start. I really don’t have evidence."

A smug look flashed across Qiao Mingfei’s face—until Shen Ying added, "Then let’s create some now."

What—create what?

Before Qiao Mingfei could process the words, Shen Ying turned to Gao Yingli. "Make a call. Say you’ve decided to sell your shares to Qiao Mingyue."

Qiao Mingfei paled. "You can’t possibly—"

But Gao Yingli ignored her, gesturing to his assistant.

At this level, news of such value would reach the right ears in under five minutes.

Sure enough, within minutes, Qiao Mingfei’s phone rang incessantly.

She glared at them as if they were mad, about to answer—when Shen Ying snatched the phone, hitting the speaker button.

A furious middle-aged man’s voice erupted:

"I just got word that Gao Yingli has decided to sell his shares to Qiao Mingyue—below market price!"

"What was your promise this morning? You swore you’d ensure he’d sell to me. I only agreed to work with you because of your guarantee."

"And now you’re playing me? So this was all a ploy to help Qiao Mingyue secure the shares. And you thought I’d convince the board to make you the operations director? Dream on!"

Qiao Mingfei cursed, "You bitch—give me my phone back!"

Shen Ying tossed it to her without resistance.

Qiao Mingfei hastily ended the call and smashed the phone to pieces, as if that could erase Qiao Second Master’s damning words.

Fuming, she shot Shen Ying a venomous glare before turning to Gao Yingli.

"Since Mr. Gao has no interest in my proposal, I’ll take my leave."

Internally, she reassured herself—even if that fool Qiao Second Master’s words were recorded, her lack of response meant she could claim it was edited.

But as she turned to leave, Shen Ying called out, "Since you’re heading back, why not take someone with you?"

"After all, you’re going to the same place."

Qiao Mingfei spun around, ready to retaliate—only to freeze as a figure emerged from the inner room.

"Sis, you—why are you here?"

It was Qiao Mingyue.

Qiao Mingyue smirked. "Mr. Gao invited me today to discuss the share purchase. He said there might be a good show to watch."

"I never expected you’d be the one performing."

"Qiao Mingfei, you’ve truly opened my eyes."

Qiao Mingfei stammered, "No—they set me up with their words. Sis, let’s go home. I’ll explain everything."

Qiao Mingyue’s expression was icy. "My father always praised your silver tongue. I never thought much of it before."

"I was wrong."

"Qiao Mingfei, listen well—as long as I, Qiao Mingyue, am alive, you’ll never have peace."

Qiao Mingfei turned deathly pale. She knew her cousin too well—Qiao Mingyue was the type to love or hate with equal intensity.

Once she despised someone, it was a fight to the death. And right now, Qiao Mingfei was no match for her, even with the Qiao family’s diminished influence.

After declaring her stance, Qiao Mingyue nodded at Gao Yingli. "I trust you’ll honor our agreement."

Gao Yingli smiled. "Of course. The price you offered was more than fair. I’d be a fool not to accept."

Qiao Mingyue spared no further pleasantries. But as she passed Shen Ying, her gaze flickered with something complex.

Once, even the thought of this woman had filled her with humiliation. Now, in an instant, that bitterness dissolved.

With the Qiao sisters gone, the family faded entirely from Shen Ying’s mind.

Qiao Mingfei, the venomous snake lurking in the shadows, had been dragged into the light—stripped of her protection, she was powerless.

Qiao Mingyue alone would make her life a living hell.

Days later, during a phone call with Lu Linwei, Shen Ying heard an update about Qiao Mingfei.

Cornered by Qiao Mingyue’s relentless attacks, she had desperately turned to Lu Linqi—a former admirer she’d once scorned.

Backed into a dead end, Qiao Mingfei was ready to accept his pursuit. If she married into the Lu family, even the Qiao clan in its weakened state couldn’t touch her.

Lu Linqi was willing, but Madam Huang—who favored him—was another matter.

A woman like Qiao Mingfei wasn’t even worth a side dish in Madam Huang’s eyes.

When Lu Linqi and Qiao Mingfei met for a heartfelt reunion, Madam Huang orchestrated a grand reunion of her own—gathering every man Qiao Mingfei had ever strung along, from high school to the present.

The lineup of simps was spectacular. Their private rendezvous turned into a masterclass on green tea tactics.

Madam Huang was quite ruthless—she even hired a psychologist and set up projection equipment to dissect Qiao Mingfei's past ambiguous remarks line by line.

They analyzed what techniques she used to achieve her goals, breaking down her tactics and pacing with clinical precision.

When Lu Linqi was forced to sit through it, damn—so many of those lines sounded eerily familiar. What’s more, the timing of those ambiguous messages overlapped perfectly with when she’d been stringing him along.

Worse yet, the psychologist pointed out that the lines she used on him were the most basic, half-hearted ones—apparently, Qiao Mingfei had categorized her "fish" (suitors) into tiers, and he was placed in the dumbest bracket, the one who got the lowest-effort scripts.

Lu Linqi was crushed, but the ordeal wasn’t over yet. After the session, several men with wives or girlfriends had their partners brought in.

According to Lu Linwei’s account, Lu Linqi had been sobbing and begging him to come rescue him.

The scene was pure chaos. As one of the "fish," Lu Linqi got scratched up a few times by the furious women, let alone their husbands, boyfriends, and Qiao Mingfei herself at the center of it all.

Shen Ying listened and remarked admiringly, "I heard Madam Huang’s previous marriages included some ex-husbands who were real pieces of work."

"But no one’s ever managed to make her lose out. There’s a reason for that." She didn’t hide her admiration. "Madam Huang just has that look of someone who can handle anything."

The two fake fiancés chatted for half an hour before Shen Ying tried to hang up again.

Lu Linwei quickly bought more time, softening his tone. "So… when are you coming back?"

"You’ve been away long enough, haven’t you?"

Shen Ying: "Soon, soon. Quit nagging. You weren’t this desperate to find me when I was actually missing."

Lu Linwei instantly wilted.

Shen Ying hung up and saw Gao Yingli approaching, his expression grim.

She grabbed her drink and made to leave.

Gao Yingli caught her arm, incredulous. "Why are you running off?"

"The second I sit down, you bolt—are you giving me the silent treatment?"

Shen Ying: "No, I just saw your sour face and didn’t want to deal with it. Is protecting my own mood a crime?"

Gao Yingli: "Aren’t you supposed to be the one providing me emotional value?"

"Did that idiot Lu say something to you?"

Shen ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‍Ying: "You’re the one lurking in the shadows—why do you keep picking fights with my fiancé?"

Seeing him about to argue further, she quickly changed the subject. "So what’s got you in such a bad mood?"

Gao Yingli’s lips curled into a sneer. "There’s a family gathering tomorrow. Right here."

Shen Ying: "You’re not usually the shy type."

Gao Yingli stayed silent, which was rare for him.

Shen Ying didn’t press further. They smoothly shifted to other topics, chatting until they eventually went their separate ways to sleep.

The next day, Shen Ying had no intention of going downstairs.

But Gao Yingli, completely oblivious, dragged her down anyway.

Right at dinner time, two cars pulled up at the estate’s entrance.

The butler ushered everyone in, seating them accordingly.

Gao Yingli’s parents had divorced when he was very young, both remarrying and having new children.

Now, the two families sat on opposite sides of the table, with Gao Yingli in the middle—the sole proof that his parents had ever been married.

Shen Ying studied the two families.

Gao’s father was around the same age as Lu’s father, but where Lu’s father was stern and rigid, he had a more amiable, smiling face.

Gao Yingli’s stepmother looked quite young—still beautiful and charming despite being over forty.

Next to her sat Gao Yingli’s half-brother, a chubby kid with narrow eyes.

Given how good-looking both parents were, it was a mystery how his genes had taken such a turn.

On the other side was Gao Yingli’s birth mother. His nose had always resembled his father’s, while his lips and chin took after hers.

Though a decade older than the stepmother, she was still strikingly beautiful, with an elegant air.

Beside her sat her current husband—undeniably handsome, with striking peach-blossom eyes that still turned heads at his age.

Next to him was Gao Yingli’s other half-brother, this one a carbon copy of his father, with the same flirtatious, wandering gaze.

Gao Yingli glanced at both families and smiled lazily. "What a coincidence—both of you called me yesterday."

"Since we’re all here, why not have a big family reunion?"

Gao’s parents had clearly not parted on good terms.

Running into each other at the entrance had already felt like bad luck, and now, hearing Gao Yingli’s words, they found each other’s faces even harder to stomach.

But times had changed. The younger generation was in charge now.

Gao Yingli held the power, making him the head of the family. His words carried weight—even his parents couldn’t dismiss them lightly.

Gao’s father forced a smile. "Of course, we’ll adjust to your schedule. You’re busy with work."

Gao’s mother: "How’s your health? You look thinner than last time."

Gao Yingli smirked. "You remember my weight from three years ago? How thoughtful."

Gao’s mother stiffened but managed a smile. "Of course I remember. No mother forgets her child’s face."

Gao Yingli: "Oh? Then how come you didn’t notice I got my eyelids and nose done?"

Gao’s mother gasped. "Why would you get plastic surgery? I knew your nose didn’t used to be that high!"

Gao Yingli: "Wasn’t it you who said my eyes and nose looked like Dad’s and that it made you sick?"

Gao’s father: "..."

Gao’s mother: "You can’t take those words seriously!"

She feigned concern. "Did the surgery hurt?"

Gao Yingli’s smile turned mocking. "Are you serious? You can’t tell if your own son’s had work done, but you can spot a one-pound weight loss?"

Only then did Gao’s mother realize she’d been played, her face flushing with embarrassment.

Gao’s father seized the moment to gloat. "Ridiculous. My son needs plastic surgery?"

"Yingli’s eyes are like mine—long and sharp. His nose is like mine—tall and straight. His talent is like mine too."

He turned to Gao Yingli. "I’ve been keeping tabs on the Qiao family situation. Your strategy was solid—you carved out a good share."

"Though it’s a shame Lu’s boy struck first. The Lu family got the lion’s share."

He couldn’t resist adding a lecturing tone. "In your generation, it’s really just you and him competing. I fought that Lu bastard my whole life and never lost. Don’t you dare fall behind."

Gao Yingli nodded. "Of course. I won’t slack off."

"But you, Dad—don’t think retirement means your rivalry with Uncle Lu is over."

"Given our family’s pride and your competitive streak, shouldn’t you keep fighting him till the grave? You wouldn’t deny that, would you?"

"Yet I heard Uncle Lu keeps turtles, and so do you—but yours are smaller."

"Dad, aren’t you ashamed? Or have you already accepted losing to him?"

Gao’s father: "..."

After a long pause, the retired old man could only grit out at his filial son: "They’re tortoises!"