Everyone in the Group is a Main Character, Except Me Who's the Villain

142: If we have another childAt 10:30 AM, Fang Ming had just won an MVP title when the phone in his pocket vibrated.

He had no intention of hiding anything and recounted the events exactly as they happened.

[Ming]: ”That Director Li likes Ye Nuannuan, and he just happened to run into Wei Wenbin confessing his feelings. I took the initiative to drive a wedge between them...”

[Qin Xiao]: ”Do you think Mu Qingxue is a fool? Aren’t you afraid she’ll see through it and fire you??”

[Ming]: ”Li Jun threatened me this morning. I didn’t think much of it at the time; I just thought I could show off in front of Ye Nuannuan while teaching him a lesson...”

Seeing Fang Ming’s reply, Qin Xiao couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.

He thought Fang Ming had become smarter, but now it seemed he had overthought it?

[Qin Xiao]: ”What did Mu Qingxue say when she called you to her office? Did she suspect your identity?”

[Ming]: ”She was suspicious, but after I showed her the Chat Group records, she didn’t mention firing me again.”

Having cleared up what happened, Qin Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.

The female lead is indeed the female lead; this impartial and upright attitude is exactly the same as in his memory.

[Qin Xiao]: ”Alright then, let’s leave it at that. I’ll handle things on Wei Wenbin’s side.”

[Qin Xiao]: ”As for Ye Nuannuan? I received word that many departments at Yunlan will be working overtime tonight. When you get off work, find a way to follow her. Two streetlights in the alley she takes home are broken. I’ve arranged some people; they’ll cooperate with you to put on a show!”

Fang Ming looked at the message, his lips twitching involuntarily.

Saving the damsel in distress? And it’s staged? This Qin Xiao... even after being reborn, does he have nothing new in his head besides these cliché-ridden old-school tropes?

Despite his internal complaints, his reply was prompt and clear.

[Ming]: ”Received. Mission guaranteed.”

Putting down his phone, Fang Ming glanced at Ye Nuannuan, who was nearby, head down and seriously checking documents.

If this girl knew that the danger tonight was a play specifically tailored for her ’Group Leader Brother,’ who knows what her expression would be.

Shaking his head, Fang Ming picked up the iced orange juice on his desk and took a sip.

Whatever, he was getting paid to do a job. Since Qin Xiao loved this kind of drama, he’d just play along. Besides, beating up a few thugs could be considered a service to the public... In the afternoon, having nothing to do, Fang Ming continued to hang out in the group and play games.

Qiao Xingyue sent a message wanting to grab dinner. Fang Ming needed to cultivate his own people and shouldn’t refuse, but he really didn’t have time tonight, so he could only ask her to reschedule for another day.

To make the performance convincing, he didn’t tell Ye Nuannuan about the plan.

When Ye Nuannuan finished her overtime at 9:00 PM and passed through that alley, she was truly frightened.

Four thugs and one Little White Flower; it was like four hungry wolves surrounding a lamb.

Fang Ming arrived just in time, drove off the thugs, and gained Ye Nuannuan’s trust.

The play was staged, but the trust was real.

However, this trust wasn’t because Fang Ming had driven off the thugs, but because he was the group owner of the Chat Group.

”Brother Fang Ming, thank you so much. If you hadn’t happened to be passing by... I really don’t know what would have happened.”

In Ye Nuannuan’s rented apartment, the warm yellow light spilled down. She poured a glass of warm water for Fang Ming and handed it over with both hands, her fingertips still trembling slightly—uncertain if it was an aftereffect of the scare or due to emotional agitation.

At this moment, she seemed to understand why Fang Ming had appeared here.

Taking a job at Yunlan International’s Administration Department, moving in next door to her, plus tonight’s events... Wasn’t it obvious the Lu family had found her and he was here to provide close protection for her safety?

She was so touched!

”You’re welcome. It was nothing.”

Fang Ming took a sip from the glass, the awkwardness of being undeserving of her gratitude crawling over his heart like ants.

He couldn’t exactly say that tonight’s thugs were tools arranged by his boss to boost his favorability, could he?

”You should get some rest. I’ll be going now.” Feeling he didn’t have the face to stay, he prepared to get up and leave.

Ye Nuannuan spoke up immediately, her voice urgent as she instinctively grabbed Fang Ming’s hand.

”Wait!”

Fang Ming stopped, looked down at the slender fingers gripping his wrist, then looked up at her with a confused expression.

”What’s wrong?”

Caught in his gaze, Ye Nuannuan quickly pulled her hand back as if burned, a blush rapidly spreading across her cheeks.

She bit her lower lip, her eyes darting away. ”Um... I’m still a little scared... Could you... could you stay a bit longer? Just a little while!”

After saying it, she seemed to think the request was a bit strange and quickly waved her hands to explain.

”I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just... those men from earlier, what if they haven’t gone far, or if they have accomplices... If you leave, I’ll be all alone...”

Her voice grew softer and softer as she lowered her head, revealing a section of her fair neck that looked fragile and helpless under the light.

Seeing her shaken and pitiful state, the words of refusal were on the tip of his tongue but he simply couldn’t say them.

Stay? A man and a woman alone late at night... He instinctively thought of Chu Yao’s bright eyes.

”Alright then.”

Fang Ming eventually nodded and sat back down on the sofa. ”I’ll stay for a while until you’ve calmed down.”

Regardless, Ye Nuannuan was one of his protection targets; staying a bit longer was fine.

”Thank you, Brother Fang Ming!”

Ye Nuannuan breathed a sigh of relief. She immediately ran to rummage through her snacks, piling them on the coffee table, and refilled Fang Ming’s glass with warm water.

Then, she brought out her laptop, sat down at the dining table, and continued processing some unfinished work emails.

Fang Ming ignored her and sat on the sofa, opening a competitive game. With his legs crossed, he ate snacks while picking a mage and heading straight for the middle lane.

The living room was very quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioner. Ye Nuannuan’s fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard, but her gaze involuntarily drifted toward Fang Ming.

Living alone for a long time, the apartment always felt empty and cold.

But now, with another person here—even if he was just quietly playing games nearby—the entire space seemed filled up, and even the air felt warm and reassuring.

Looking at Fang Ming’s calm profile, a ridiculous thought suddenly popped into Ye Nuannuan’s head: if things could always be like this in the future... it seemed... quite nice.

If there were a child as well... The thought flashed by, making her heart skip a beat and her pretty face instantly turn beet red.

She quickly looked away, forcing herself to stare at the glowing screen.

Ding-dong!

A message suddenly popped up on Fang Ming’s phone screen.

[Qin Xiao]: ”How’s the situation?”

[Ming]: ”Everything went smoothly. She’s been safely escorted home and is very grateful to me.”

[Qin Xiao]: ”Very good. Gratitude is only the first step. In three days, at Mu Qingxue’s grandfather’s Birthday banquet, most invited guests will have companions. You need to become Ye Nuannuan’s male companion within these three days and secure an invitation to the banquet.”