After Being Forced to Take the Role of the Scumbag Protagonist - Chapter 3

Because of that single word—”Brother”—Xu Ying didn’t utter another syllable for the rest of the dinner.

His silence ensured that no one paid him any mind. Gossip is a fundamental human trait, and at that moment, every eye in the room was fixed on Wu Yunzhi and Xu Congrong. The relatives bombarded them with questions, digging into every detail from their first meeting to the specifics of their romance.

In truth, Xu Congrong and Wu Yunzhi had never actually “dated.” Their dynamic had always been Wu Yunzhi playing the role of the fawning social climber, desperate for Congrong’s status. But Wu Yunzhi was a smooth talker. With a face handsome enough to disarm anyone, he spun a web of romantic lies so convincingly that even Xu Congrong, the co-star of this fiction, almost believed they shared a deep, soul-stirring history.

Everyone was delighted that Xu Congrong had found such a “devoted” Alpha. Some younger relatives even joked that seeing such a doting couple made them want to get married themselves. Laughter filled the room, but Xu Ying’s face remained as pale as a ghost. He looked up from his bowl, his gaze dark and obsessive as it landed on Wu Yunzhi. In his grip, the wooden chopsticks were beginning to warp under the pressure.

“Actually, I have one person to thank for our meeting,” Wu Yunzhi said, acting as if he didn’t notice Xu Ying’s state. He showed no sign of a guilty conscience; instead, he spoke with total poise. “If I hadn’t met Xu Ying, I never would have known Congrong.”

“Is that so?” Since his affair, Xu Tingshan had lived under a cloud of shame in the strict Xu household, his sources of information cut off by his wife. He had no idea about the history between Wu Yunzhi and Xu Ying. He looked at Xu Ying, confused. “You two know each other? How?”

“Oh, yes.” Wu Yunzhi took a sip of water, smiling as he danced around the truth. He pointedly emphasized the word Engagement, a cruel reminder to Xu Ying to stop dreaming of a reconciliation. “I really should thank Xu Ying for playing matchmaker. On our engagement day, we absolutely must have him at the head table.”

“…”

Hearing his name, Xu Ying, who had barely touched his food, looked up and stared directly at Wu Yunzhi.

Wu Yunzhi met his gaze with perfect composure.

The darkness in Xu Ying’s eyes deepened. Slowly, he set his chopsticks down and stood up. “I’m full. Enjoy your meal,” he said tonelessly before walking out.

In the Xu family, it was a strict rule that juniors could not leave the table before their elders without a valid reason. Xu Ying’s exit was like a bucket of ice water over the fake warmth of the room. Everyone looked as if they’d swallowed a fly.

Fortunately, the patriarch was a man who had weathered many storms. Though his distaste for this grandson grew another layer, he remained calm. He forcefully steered the conversation back, his voice dripping with icy indifference.

“Fine. That is just his temperament. He doesn’t even respect me, so don’t let it bother you.” The old man took a sip of soup, his spoon hitting the porcelain bowl with a sharp clink. “However, Tingshan, he is your son. I won’t say much while you’re here, but you should discipline him. Don’t let him do anything to disgrace our family name. If he does, and you lose face, I lose face as well, and at that point, don’t blame me if I stop recognizing him as my grandson.”

“Yes, yes, of course, Father. Please, have some soup.”

Accustomed to living with his tail between his legs, Xu Tingshan quickly shifted the focus back to his eldest son. The “happy family” facade was restored, and the guests began pressuring Wu Yunzhi to drink in celebration.

Wu Yunzhi matched their toasts, but his eyes kept drifting to Xu Ying’s retreating back. Just as Xu Ying reached the turn of the stairs and glanced back at the living room, Wu Yunzhi snapped his gaze away, pretending he couldn’t care less.

Xu Ying’s footsteps faltered for a heartbeat. Then, he looked up toward his room and hurried away.

*****

Drinking culture was the same everywhere. By the end of the night, Wu Yunzhi had been forced to consume so much alcohol that he eventually fled to the bathroom to throw up.

He had nothing in his stomach to expel; he just dry-heaved over the sink. He splashed cold water on his face, trying to force himself to sober up.

Because he and Xu Congrong weren’t officially married, and the Xu family was incredibly traditional. They were expected to sleep in separate rooms. Xu Congrong hated the smell of alcohol, so he had retreated to his room early, leaving a deathly pale Wu Yunzhi to suffer alone.

Wu Yunzhi was a weak drinker; even a little too much usually made him sick. Over the last two years, the stress of his “job” and constant social drinking had gifted him with a chronic stomach condition. Now, he slumped against the bathroom door, clutching his abdomen as he curled into a ball on the cold floor.

In the real world, whenever Wu Yunzhi came home drunk, Xu Ying would be there. He would boil warm water, buy medicine, massage Wu Yunzhi’s stomach, and coax him to sleep. But the Wu Yunzhi who had “dumped” Xu Ying had no one. He lay alone on the freezing tiles, cold sweat drenching his clothes as he listened to the rhythmic tick-tock of the clock on the wall.

When the burning sensation in his gut finally subsided enough for him to move, he fumbled for his phone and texted Xu Congrong, asking where the medicine was kept.

There was no reply. Congrong was clearly asleep.

Wu Yunzhi forced himself up, staggering as he leaned against the wall for support. Every step felt like his stomach was being shredded. He moved like a tortoise, inching down the stairs to find a butler or a maid.

It was late, and the house was shrouded in dim, golden light from the crystal chandeliers. He was new here and didn’t know how to call for help. He figured if he could at least find some water, it might help.

As he reached the bottom, he heard footsteps behind him. His heart leaped, hoping it was a servant, but when he turned, he saw Xu Ying standing at the top of the stairs in his pajamas. The shadows slanted across Xu Ying’s face, making him look dark and brooding. He looked down at Wu Yunzhi with a faint, mocking curl of his lip.

“…”

Wu Yunzhi clutched his stomach, humiliated that Xu Ying was seeing him like this. He hesitated, wondering if he should ask for help, but Xu Ying simply walked past him without a word, his expression blank.

Wu Yunzhi: “…”

The awkwardness was stifling. He lowered his hand and slowly made his way to the kitchen near the living room.

Unfamiliar with the layout, he stood to the side, watching as Xu Ying accurately located the glasses and the pitcher. He made a mental note of where everything was, then shuffled over to pour himself a glass of water.

Xu Ying didn’t leave. He leaned against the refrigerator, watching Wu Yunzhi struggle.

In the past, Xu Ying wouldn’t just pour the water; he would hold the glass to Wu Yunzhi’s lips. But now that they were over, that “boyfriend treatment” had vanished. Wu Yunzhi had traded Xu Ying for someone who wouldn’t even fetch him a glass of water when he was sick.

Would he regret it?

The thought made Xu Ying grip his own glass so hard his knuckles turned white. He lowered his dark lashes, hiding his eyes as he took small sips of water, refusing to look at Wu Yunzhi.

The water didn’t help. Desperate, Wu Yunzhi turned to the only person he knew in this house.

“Xu Ying… is there any stomach medicine?”

Silence. Then: “…Yes.”

“Can you tell me where it is?” Wu Yunzhi asked. “Your brother is asleep. I can’t reach him.”

“…No.” Xu Ying’s lips curled into a genuine sneer. “What exactly is our relationship? Why should I tell you?”

The barb stung. Wu Yunzhi’s pain-addled brain couldn’t find a comeback.

“He treats you like this,” Xu Ying continued, his voice sharp, “and you’re still so hell-bent on following him?”

Wu Yunzhi pressed his hand harder against his stomach, his vision blurring from the pain. He didn’t even have the energy to listen. “…”

Seeing the usually sharp-tongued Wu Yunzhi so quiet only fueled Xu Ying’s irritation. He stepped closer, his breathing ragged. He grabbed Wu Yunzhi by the collar, ignoring his weak resistance.

“Wu Yunzhi… tell me. Is it true? As long as there’s money involved, you’ll do anything? You’ll follow anyone? You’d even throw away all the years we had…?”

“Yes.” Wu Yunzhi didn’t want to fight. It was pointless. They were broken up; no amount of arguing would change that. He softened his tone, looking into Xu Ying’s bloodshot eyes. “Xu Ying, you can’t give me what I want.”

“And I can’t give you what you want.”

“I love money. I want money. You don’t have it, so we’re done.” Wu Yunzhi forced the words out. “We were together because of money from the start. Don’t you think it’s a bit ridiculous to talk about feelings after the breakup?”

“…Ridiculous?” Xu Ying froze. Then, he let out a frantic, manic laugh. He let go of Wu Yunzhi’s collar and covered his eyes. He laughed until tears began to leak through his fingers.

“Ridiculous. Yeah, it is. It’s hilarious that I’d fall for someone like you. It’s hilarious that even now, I still held onto a tiny bit of hope.”

Xu Ying rarely cried, except in bed.

Wu Yunzhi saw the moisture at the corner of Xu Ying’s eye and instinctively reached out to wipe it away. Xu Ying slapped his hand aside.

“Fine,” Xu Ying said. “Tonight… let’s just pretend I never said any of this to you.”

“You think I’m poor. You think I’m a loser. You want to break up? Fine. I’m not that shameless. I won’t pester you again. I just hope you don’t regret it.”

Xu Ying gritted his teeth, his eyes shining with a frightening intensity in the moonlight. He spoke each word with venom:

“Happy engagement.”

“My. Dear. Brother.”

With that, Xu Ying shoved past Wu Yunzhi’s shoulder and walked away without looking back.

The moonlight dimmed as clouds swallowed the sky, leaving Wu Yunzhi’s solitary figure standing in the vast, empty kitchen. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was something else, but the moment Xu Ying wished him a happy engagement, Wu Yunzhi felt his stomach twist with a pain far sharper than before.

He couldn’t even swallow his water. He staggered toward the dining table to sit, but in the dark, he missed his footing and fell. As he went down, his hand caught the edge of the table, pushing it back with a loud, jarring screech against the marble floor.

His ears rang. Cold sweat poured down his face as he sat on the floor, gasping. Just as he tried to pull himself up, he heard something wobble on the table and roll off, clattering to the floor beside him.

“…”

He reached out blindly and picked it up. A stray beam of moonlight hit his palm, illuminating the label on the small plastic bottle:

Omeprazole.

It was the exact brand Xu Ying always bought for him whenever he had a stomachache from drinking.

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