The Abusive Novel System Pleads with Me to Resign

Pei Ying had no idea what that fool was scheming, but it was clearly aimed at sabotage.

This was something Pei Ying was more than happy to witness, so he didn’t utter a single discouraging word.

Yu Ting had been busy filming lately, but when it came to tripping up Shen Ying, he suddenly found an extraordinary burst of enthusiasm.

Every spare moment between work was spent on this endeavor.

After returning, he immediately began bombarding Jiang Liuxu with calls, trying to pry out even a hint of Shen Ying’s so-called "emotional strategy" plan.

"It’s just a few hundred words—what’s the harm in leaking a line or two? Didn’t she say herself? Each case is unique, and the tailored approach differs. You think I’d steal her methods?"

"Schemes? What schemes? I’m just curious. As a potential client, isn’t it logical to research before committing?"

"Or are you really dead-set on Shi Shi? Then what’s the issue with giving me a little hint?"

After relentless pestering, Jiang Liuxu finally relented with a clue.

"The opening isn’t particularly groundbreaking—just some 'hot and cold' tactics."

Jiang Liuxu explained, "You know my role among the four of us. Shi Shi sees me as the one most concerned with 'group' harmony, always checking in on everyone."

"So whenever she has questions but can’t ask directly, she usually turns to me."

"This 'caretaker' persona needs to be stripped away first."

Yu Ting listened and thought to himself—nothing extraordinary. Just as he suspected, compared to her natural talent for stirring trouble, the woman’s other skills were mediocre at best.

Chang Ming’s trick had worked, likely because he had a knack for playing the pitiful victim.

As long as that guy was willing to humiliate himself, putting on a desperate, dramatic act, he could temporarily capture Shi Shi’s attention.

Once Yu Ting got the gist of the strategy, he immediately called Yu Shishi—

"Listen, you’ve been in touch with Chang Ming a lot lately. Jiang Liuxu is losing his mind over it."

"He even fell for some scam artist posing as an 'emotional consultant,' wasted a fortune, and learned some nonsense tricks to manipulate you."

"If he suddenly acts distant or plays hard to get, don’t give him the time of day."

Yu Shishi’s first reaction was disbelief—if anyone was gullible enough to fall for such a scam, it’d be Yu Ting, not Jiang Liuxu.

Still, the news delighted her. The slightest favoritism from her, and the others would instantly feel threatened.

Jiang Liuxu wasn’t the only one—Yu Ting’s call wasn’t just about sabotaging him but also a subtle protest, ensuring Jiang Liuxu didn’t monopolize her attention.

But Yu Shishi feigned concern. "Really? Why would he believe a fraud like that?"

"Is he okay? Should we report it?"

Yu Ting inwardly scoffed—reporting it would ruin the fun. Besides, the law couldn’t touch that woman.

He put on a righteous tone. "You know how stubbornly arrogant people like him can be once they’ve made up their minds."

"Forcing him to face reality would backfire. Let him hit a wall—he’ll realize he’s been fooled soon enough."

"Here’s what you do: if he tries the 'push and pull' routine, ignore him completely. I guarantee he’ll cave within a week, slinking back in shame."

Satisfied when she agreed, Yu Ting hung up, already envisioning Shen Ying’s impending humiliation.

Meanwhile, on her first day, Shen Ying arrived at Jiang Liuxu’s hospital as agreed.

It was the city’s most prestigious private hospital—renowned for exorbitant fees, cutting-edge technology, top-tier equipment, and impeccable service.

One of the Jiang family’s many ventures, it was under Jiang Liuxu’s full management.

The moment Shen Ying entered, she was escorted straight to his office.

A doctor’s workspace bore no resemblance to a CEO’s—the difference was stark at first glance.

Jiang Liuxu had been waiting.

True to form, he wore a white coat today—the sacred symbol of his profession draped over a sleek, matte-gray suit.

The effect was crisp, immaculate, and undeniably austere.

The confidence and poise born of academic excellence were impossible for any male model to replicate.

Shen Ying thought she’d come to the right place, her gaze lingering on Jiang Liuxu without pretense.

She hadn’t moved or spoken, yet the faintly suggestive look alone made him tense.

Their mutual mischief and the underhanded scheme they were about to execute sent a thrill through Jiang Liuxu.

He poured her a glass of water. "Let’s begin."

Shen Ying glanced at the spread before her—Jiang Liuxu hadn’t skimped on the promised refreshments.

The table was laden with exquisitely crafted, high-end desserts and hors d'oeuvres.

She sampled a cherry-shaped foie gras terrine—the quality was undeniable.

Teasing, she remarked, "You’re really sparing no expense to muddy the waters."

Jiang Liuxu had long abandoned pretense around her. "What’s the point of wealth if not to indulge desires?"

"Ordinary things hardly interest me."

"A small price for this level of satisfaction? Worth every penny."

Shen Ying nodded. "Fair point."

Given his status, wealth, and reputation, most desires were too easily fulfilled—he knew exactly where his emotional priorities lay.

Jiang Liuxu continued, "I’m curious—what’s your plan?"

"Why start with Yu Ting, the fool, instead of Shi Shi? Though his reaction did play out exactly as you predicted."

"But feeding him that intel was practically self-sabotage."

Shen Ying replied, "Conventional methods won’t work on you."

"My sister may be a bit dense, but her instincts are sharp. No matter how convincingly you play the devoted lover, she’ll always be wary of you."

"So the more sophisticated the tactic, the more it backfires—your 'genius' reputation makes her distrust any calculated moves."

Jiang Liuxu nodded, conceding the analysis. "Then what do we do?"

Shen Ying: "Brute-force it. First, confess your kink to her."

Jiang Liuxu froze. "What?"

Though he only uttered one word, his entire face screamed refusal.

But Shen Ying’s expression turned stern, her tone brooking no argument. "Do it."

For a moment, it felt like she was the authoritative doctor, holding power over life and death, issuing commands—while he was the terminally ill patient.

Resistance warred with the goosebumps rising across his skin.

His breathing hitched before he reluctantly pulled out his phone and dialed Yu Shishi.

On the other end, Yu Shishi—tipped off by Yu Ting the night before—smirked at Jiang Liuxu’s caller ID.

"Hey! Calling at this hour? Not busy with rounds?"

Jiang Liuxu cut straight to the point. "Let’s go back to being just friends."

Yu Shishi’s lips curled. Just as Yu Ting had warned—the 'hot and cold' act had begun.

She remained composed inwardly, but outwardly feigned timely confusion—

"Alright, sure, but why bring this up so suddenly over the phone?"

While Yu Shishi spoke, her other hand was busy texting Chang Ming on a separate phone.

But Jiang Liuxu’s next words nearly shattered her facade—

Jiang Liuxu: "Honestly, I don’t actually like kind, radiant good girls. What I love are the wicked women who take pleasure in playing with people’s hearts."

Yu Shishi: "Huh?"

What the hell was this? She’d never heard of this before.

Jiang Liuxu continued, "I’ve done a lot of thinking during the time you were away—about our relationship, my inclinations, and why I fell for you in the first place."

"Though it’s a bit hard to admit, the truth is, I’ve always been drawn to the cruelty and sharp edges of ‘bad women.’ The virtues of good girls may earn my respect, but they’ve never stirred desire in me."

"Why would someone like me fall for a good girl like you? I pondered that for a long time."

"Recently, I remembered—it’s because I had a dream before returning to the country."

Yu Shishi’s expression still held the dazed confusion of someone processing unexpected information. Hearing this, she reflexively asked, "What dream?"

Jiang Liuxu glanced at Shen Ying sitting beside him and recited the fabricated dream she’d crafted for him: "I dreamed of you."

"Before I even knew you, you appeared in my dream, as if we’d spent years together."

"In the dream, I was fully lucid. I even analyzed your personality type and found it baffling because you weren’t my ideal woman at all."

"But in that dream, in front of you, all my standards and preferences lost their meaning. To put it simply, I don’t like good girls—it’s just that the person I fell for happened to be one."

"That’s the feeling the dream gave me."

"So when I saw you for the first time after returning, it felt like fate. With the dream’s filter over my eyes, I fell for you helplessly."

"But these past weeks have woken me up. I’d idealized you as the vessel for my romantic fantasies just because of a dream, even convincing myself I’d changed my preferences for you."

"But that’s not the truth. What truly moves me are still the heartless, manipulative women. And you… you were never the girl from my dream."

Yu Shishi’s face twisted, her attention completely derailed from Chang Ming’s messages.

A dream? Could it be—

Sure enough, Jiang Liuxu concluded, "Looking back, though I dreamed of you, some details didn’t quite match."

Yu Shishi’s face paled abruptly before a wave of violent jealousy swallowed her rationality.

She even had to set the phone down, taking several deep breaths to steady herself and avoid losing composure in front of Jiang Liuxu.

When she finally spoke again, her voice was forcibly calm. "Is that so? I never expected something so bizarre."

"But this actually puts me at ease. Now we can interact as genuine friends without any awkwardness."

"No need to apologize. If anything, I’m the one who’s been clumsy, failing to notice your struggles all this time."

"Though I am curious—who made you realize the truth? Was it a ‘bad girl’ who caught your heart?"

Jiang Liuxu responded with an ambiguous smile. He was a master of disguise—not the performative vulnerability Chang Ming wielded, but a natural, bone-deep artifice.

After hanging up with Yu Shishi, he seemed noticeably lighter, joking with her more freely and openly.

Yu Shishi laughed along, but her lips were nearly bitten bloody.

The moment the call ended, she violently shoved over a decorative display, then—still unsatisfied—smashed a vase and overturned a table.

She screamed in fury, a suffocating frustration she hadn’t felt in over a decade clawing at her chest.

"A dream? A mismatch? Ha! Why won’t she just disappear?"

"Am I not enough to change your damn preferences?"

"Jiang Liuxu—Jiang Liuxu—!"

A meltdown thousands of miles away, of course, didn’t disturb the two in the office.

After hanging up, Jiang Liuxu turned to Shen Ying with a puzzled frown. "That’s it? Just fabricating a dream?"

"I could tell her tone was off, but why?"

Shen Ying swallowed a bite of dessert and leaned forward slightly. "You’ve already deduced her secret, haven’t you? Keep at it."

A rich coffee scent suddenly wafted around Jiang Liuxu—she must’ve eaten a coffee-flavored treat just now, he thought.

"No hints?"

Shen Ying smirked. "Where’s the fun in hints? I’ll bet once you figure out why, this secret will give you a thrill like never before."

Jiang Liuxu didn’t doubt that these two venomous sisters had more skeletons hidden away.

But now, it was clear—Yu Shishi’s seemingly insurmountable advantage, the years of fateful encounters, the assumed imbalance between the sisters’ positions…

All along, the true puppet master had been Shen Ying, the ‘underdog.’

He couldn’t wait for the day the full truth came to light.

After the ‘relationship consultation,’ Shen Ying conveniently stopped by the hospital for a checkup before heading home.

With Jiang Liuxu pulling strings—even personally overseeing her examination—the process was lightning-fast.

She even managed to enjoy a meal while admiring the doctor’s uniform before leaving satisfied.

In the following days, Yu Shishi’s calls to Jiang Liuxu grew noticeably frequent.

Though still fewer than her messages to Chang Ming, each one clearly demanded more effort and preparation.

Because now, Yu Shishi almost exclusively video-called, determined to showcase herself in every possible way.

And through this full-spectrum display, Jiang Liuxu picked up on her subtle adjustments.

It was a meticulous fine-tuning of her outward persona—imperceptible to most, but Jiang Liuxu, well-versed in such acts, spotted the discrepancies instantly.

Yu Shishi seemed to be mimicking someone, but it made no logical sense.

His observations didn’t align with his deductions, leaving him pensive.

Then one day, Yu Ting dropped by during a break from filming.

Jiang Liuxu knew exactly why he’d come and was happy to play along.

With a teasing smirk, he asked, "Aren’t you busy? What brings you here?"

Yu Ting: "Just checking in on your ‘relationship consultation’ results. It wasn’t cheap, after all."

Jiang Liuxu: "Since when does Young Master Yu penny-pinch? Your siblings would weep with pride."

Yu Ting: "…There’s a difference between spending and being swindled. It’s been days—shouldn’t there be some outcome by now?"

"How’s that ‘relationship strategy’ working out?"

Jiang Liuxu studied the fool’s eager expression and sighed dramatically. "Ah… Shi Shi and I are just friends now."

Yu Ting burst into laughter, not even bothering to hide his delight. "HAHAHAHAHA—!"

"Serves you right! Now you know what it's like to shoot yourself in the foot? I told you that woman was no good, but you just had to outsmart yourself, rushing headfirst into her trap like a fool."

"Know what you are? The hook she threw was straight, and you bent it yourself just to bite down. Even the dumbest fish would’ve been embarrassed for you."

Yu Ting was laughing so hard tears welled up in his eyes, continuing his relentless taunts: "Look at you now—weren’t you the so-called ‘peacekeeping diplomat’ among us? How’d you end up left behind instead?"

Jiang Liuxu simply watched him without a word.

Emboldened, Yu Ting wiped his tears and pressed on: "How did Shi Shi see through you anyway?"

Jiang Liuxu finally replied, "Right, I wonder who tipped her off. She somehow guessed my whole ‘play hard to get’ act from the start. It was awkward at first."

Yu Ting’s face lit up with smugness, not bothering to hide it. "I told you to quit the mind games. No matter how many tricks you pull, it’s all fake. One solid move to cut the ground from under you, and your whole act crumbles."

"Speaking of which, did you confront that woman after your progress got reset? What was her reaction? Bet it was priceless."

Yu Ting was practically itching to egg Jiang Liuxu into going after Shen Ying right then.

But Jiang Liuxu suddenly said, "You’ve got it wrong. I should thank whoever leaked my plan."

"Honestly, without their interference, my strategy wouldn’t have worked this well. That sheer unpredictability—Shi Shi clearly felt it deeply."

"So lately, she’s been way more affectionate. The frequency and intensity of her messages are almost overwhelming."

Yu Ting froze, his grin stiffening on his face.

He turned mechanically, scanning Jiang Liuxu’s expression for any hint of bluffing, but found none.

He shot to his feet. "No way. Absolutely no way. How could this backfire into something good for you two?"

Jiang Liuxu raised a brow, pulling out his phone and opening a chat log with Yu Shishi. It was filled with recent video calls, each lasting a considerable length of time.

Yu Ting thought of his own measly calls—initiated by him, no less—and felt a wave of bitterness.

His genuine efforts paled in comparison to these calculated schemes.

He completely lost it. "Why? How do you people even deserve this? I was the one who warned—"

Jiang Liuxu cut in, "So it was you who tipped her off?"

"Then I really owe you. All those years of mentoring you weren’t wasted—you’ve even learned to play wingman and return the favor."

"Not bad. You’ve grown up."

Yu Ting was so furious he nearly passed out, slinking away from Jiang Liuxu in defeat.

The moment he left the hospital, he stormed straight to Shen Ying’s place. The door swung open, and he blurted, "I’m placing an order."

Shen Ying immediately moved to shut the door. "Not taking—"

Yu Ting jammed his foot in the way, fuming. "Why not? What’s with the attitude now? Weren’t you already scheming for us? I saw the folder with our names!"

"Cut the ‘hard-to-get’ crap. I’ll pay extra, alright? I want the same treatment as Chang Ming and Jiang Liuxu."

Shen Ying gave him a look reserved for heartless capitalists. "Are you even human? Have you considered how much energy my sister’s already spending dealing with those two?"

"I guarantee she’s running on fumes, teetering on the edge of insomnia every day."

"And you want to pile on? Do you even genuinely care about her?"

Yu Ting’s eyes nearly bulged out of his skull, his finger trembling as he pointed at her.

He’d never met someone so shameless. "You’re the one exploiting your sister for profit!"

Shen ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍Ying countered without hesitation, "Exactly, which is why I prioritize her health. If she collapses, what happens to my business?"

No point killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

Yu Ting was seething, vision darkening. "Figure it out. Name your price, just make it work."

Shen Ying shrugged. "What can I do? Missed your slot—wait for the next round. Let my sister recover first."

Yu Ting stared her down, unmoving.

He knew she was scheming, but at this point, he had no choice but to play along.

After a tense silence, Shen Ying nodded. "Fine. Since you’re so ‘sincere,’ maybe I can carve out some time from those two."

"But discussing this here doesn’t exactly show your dedication, does it?"

Yu Ting scoffed. "Anywhere you want. Pick a place."

Shen Ying grinned. "I want a club."

"Dream on!" Yu Ting snapped reflexively.

Shen Ying added, "And ten male models. On your dime."

Yu Ting: "You think that’s happening?"

Shen Ying: "Go, and we’ll talk. Refuse, and enjoy the waitlist."

"Maybe Chang Ming and Jiang Liuxu will leave you a spot once they’re done."

Yeah, right. If those two could buy Shi Shi’s attention indefinitely, they’d bankrupt themselves just to make her forget Yu Ting existed.

Gritting his teeth, Yu Ting finally spat out, "Fine!"

"To the club!"