Villain – Peeking at the Diary, the Female Leads’ Personas Collapse

Noticing Chen Fan’s strange gaze, Zhu Yeqing realized she had gone too far, almost drooling. She quickly pretended to shiver, half-kneeling as she said, “Young Master, please calm down.”
Chen Fan pinched her cheek and demanded, “Why? Tell me why! Why is everyone against me? How did that Ye Aotian get a medical license?”
“I don’t know, but Young Master, you’re incredible too; you received your diploma.”
“This diploma? It’s useless! The company’s stock is still falling.”
The awkward silence stretched on.
Zhu Yeqing hesitated, wondering if she should just start undressing. That didn’t seem right either; it would be too much.
“Young Master … why are you silent?”
This scene was simple: the protagonist’s success caused the stock to rise, and then Chen Fan would go on a spree, smashing things and venting his frustrations on Zhu Yeqing.
Chen Fan expected a phone call after a few lines, but as the silence dragged on, he became stuck.
Finally, his phone buzzed, and Chen Fan breathed a sigh of relief. The call was from his father.
“What’s going on?”
“Sorry to disappoint you. He came up with a longevity soup.”
“I see. And so what? Are you giving up and getting all depressed over this?”
“No, Father. I’m sorry.”
Chen Tianqiang said, “Running a company doesn’t always require products. Sometimes, a popular celebrity is an asset. I’ve arranged a date for you. She’s waiting at the airport; go pick her up.”
“Wait, a matchmaking date? Dad, you know I like Lin Qingyue.”
“It doesn’t matter. If you still want Lin Qingyue, you can marry her later. This woman is a big star. Start with her as an endorser; if it doesn’t work out, we’ll revisit it.”
Chen Fan hung up, helpless.
This villain role, at this point, was partly due to his father’s influence. Chen Tianqiang always hoped his son wouldn’t be a failure, as the Chen family name required prestige.
Chen Tianqiang’s position meant his son had to be exceptional. But with Ye Aotian’s newfound alliances, Chen Tianqiang began to feel a twinge of disappointment in Chen Fan. For that reason, he reluctantly approached an old friend about the marriage arrangement.
And so the big star was introduced to Chen Fan. She was outstanding, not only in her celebrity status but also in her business acumen. If Chen Fan ever truly failed, she’d be there to help, securing the family’s legacy in another form.
Just as Chen Tianqiang’s career was in politics, his wife managed the family’s business. Always planning with multiple options, never relying on just one.
Following orders, Chen Fan drove to the airport and waited patiently.
Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes. Still, no one arrived. This was getting ridiculous. Where was she?
“Come on, hurry up. You’re supposed to be the antagonist. Get out here and let’s take on Ye Aotian together.”
Half an hour passed, and still, no one arrived. Chen Fan began to wonder if his father had given him the wrong time.
Then, his phone rang.
“What’s going on? Why did you call me?”
Lin Qingyue replied, “Could you stop being so harsh whenever you call me?”
“When it comes to you, I don’t feel I need to be polite. What, did you argue with Ye Aotian?”
“I told you, I’m not … never mind. There’s a big celebrity here at my company. Come get her; she’s annoying me.”
***
Cao Zijin was her name, and people from all over the country knew her.
In the world of this novel, Cao Zijin was a bit older than Chen Fan and was established as a timeless queen within the entertainment industry. Her style wasn’t some girlish image; she had a mature, commanding aura.
She starred in a series set in the Republican era, where simply wearing a qipao made her surpass countless other female stars effortlessly. But it wasn’t just about looks or a great figure; that alone wouldn’t represent her.
She possessed many talents, having graduated from a prestigious university and even won a Best Actress award. Plus, she represented the power of the Cao family.
However, Cao Zijin’s story was a long one. At first, she provided strategic advice, but over time, she would start to help the protagonist deal with Ye Aotian.
Of course, all of that came much later in the plot. She could be considered a female lead simply because she appeared frequently throughout the novel, often appearing alongside Chen Fan.
Yet, even so, Chen Fan ended up with Zhu Yeqing, who took him away.
No one would like a person who constantly beat them up, and besides, her career ambitions were strong due to her mother not being the legitimate head of the Cao family.
At most, she was the child born to the Cao family head and a mistress. The Cao family’s favorite insult for her was to call her a “bastard.”
This became the reason she ultimately swallowed up both the Cao and Chen families, becoming the sole controlling figure.
As for Chen Fan in the later stages, he largely depended on other antagonists, somehow managing to stay alive while providing them with ideas—though most of these ideas were simple-minded.
And so, in the later parts of the story, Chen Fan became like a harbringer of doom; whoever he relied on soon met misfortune.
If not for this, Chen Fan wouldn’t have survived to the end. He became a unique character by the story’s conclusion, someone who had loved Lin Qingyue his entire life.
Sometimes Chen Fan wondered if the author created his character to emphasize the status of the primary female lead.
After all, only the first female lead enjoyed such a privilege; no other female characters did.
At this moment, in Lin Qingyue’s office, Cao Zijin, wearing a trench coat, crossed her legs without concern about any exposure from her short skirt because sitting in front of her was another woman.
She was indeed beautiful, possessing a bit of a girlish quality compared to herself, but with a hint of mature charm as well.
Yet, that was a different concept from her absolute mature womanly style.
With her long-term commitment to fitness, Cao Zijin was proud of her figure.
Men didn’t necessarily equate thin and petite with attractive; sometimes, a bit of muscle was what truly defined beauty.
Cao Zijin was exactly this type of woman.
Taking off her sunglasses and looking at Lin Qingyue, she said, “Hello, beautiful lady, or rather, the number one beauty of Qincheng.”
“Hello, Cao Zijin, big star, beauty famed across the country.”
Lin Qingyue gave Cao Zijin a disdainful look. After all, she was the primary female lead, and what was Cao Zijin? A tea master who got beaten up by Chen Fan every day?
Besides, it was obvious from the diary that Chen Fan didn’t finish writing it. There were probably more storylines and maybe even additional character arcs for her.