After Dumping the Female Lead, It's My Turn to Cry - Chapter 27.1

The first step to divorce is finding someone to point the way.

Although Ruan Yubai was nearly blinded by rage, she still understood that she needed to gather evidence first to convince her naive and virtuous father.

The tragedy lay in this: Ruan Yubai had lived in this city for nearly twenty years, yet she couldn’t even recognize the street signs.

After returning home, Ruan Yubai was so preoccupied that she didn’t even hear her father’s questions. It took her a long moment before she looked up in confusion.

Her father sighed helplessly, “What were you thinking about on the road, child? You were so lost in thought you didn’t even watch where you were going. And where’s Xiao Qing?”

This, Ruan Yubai actually knew.

Well, not only did Ruan Yubai know, but probably everyone in Laoleisi was aware. Early that morning, Qing Ling had just finished explaining the follow-up measures regarding the previous night’s incident when a teacher, looking anxious, pulled her aside and whispered something in her ear. Before the speech even ended, the female lead had already been escorted away.

It seemed something very important had happened at home.

“That child really has it tough,” Ruan’s father sighed with emotion, then casually changed the subject. He pulled a hat out of a plastic bag nearby, put it on his head, and asked her excitedly, “What do you think, dear? Isn’t this hat nice? It’s a souvenir from the giraffe at the zoo yesterday.”

Ruan Yubai glanced at it casually, then gasped in shock!

The hat was a fluorescent color. To better showcase it, Ruan’s father had turned off the living room lights. From Ruan Yubai’s perspective, all she could see was a glaring green hat perched atop her innocent father’s head.

Oh, and his beaming smile, showing off a row of bright white teeth.

Her father continued to boast cheerfully, “So, what do you think? Isn’t it eye-catching? When your mom gets back, I’ll wear this hat and take her for a stroll by the beach. Even if something happens, the rescue team will spot us easily. Then we can free up the house for you and Xiao Qing to spend some time alone together. Living under the same roof is the best way to deepen your bond.”

By this point, Ruan Yubai had no energy to correct his definition of “deepening bonds.” She snatched the fluorescent green hat off her father’s head, her emotions in turmoil, tears welling in her eyes. “Dad, don’t worry. Even if I have to drop out of school, I’ll work to support you!”

That scoundrel, Ms. Ruan! How could she betray such a pure and handsome father? How could she be worthy of the three bottles of O-Pao fruit milk he had fought to save for her from the “pig’s mouth”? How could she be worthy of this glowing green hat shimmering in the dimly lit room?

Unfortunately, Ruan’s father had no clue about his daughter’s inner turmoil. He snatched the hat back, patted her head disapprovingly, and said, “Thinking about skipping school? You’d have better luck dreaming.”

Ruan Yubai didn’t cry out even though her head stung from the pat. She just looked at her father with a heart full of sorrow, watching as he hummed a tune while setting the rice cooker to make a quick meal, watching as he once again misjudged the seasoning measurements and filled the room with the smell of onions, watching as he brought plate after plate of green dishes to the table.

Amid the overwhelming scent of onions, Ruan Yubai’s tears flowed uncontrollably. As she gazed at her father, still dressed in his avocado-colored clothes, a wave of tender emotions washed over her heart.

After returning to her room, Ruan Yubai carefully zoomed in on the photo sent by her classmate behind her. Using the image search function on the StarNet, she narrowed it down to about a dozen locations. With the help of friends like Bi Bi Ba, she eliminated most of them and was left hesitating between two venues that were fifty hours apart by car.

After meticulously blurring out the details, Ruan Yubai posted the options on the StarNet, deciding to seek help from the famously sharp-eyed interstellar netizens known as the descendants of Leeuwenhoek.

Ruan Yubai: “I have a friend who has a very loving girlfriend. But I recently accidentally saw a photo of this supposedly ‘on a business trip’ girlfriend talking to another man. Does anyone know where this place is?”

For a long time, no one replied, and just as the post was about to sink into obscurity, Ruan Yubai quickly attached a bounty of 66 StarCoins.

This time, the replies came much faster.

“OP, just admit it is this ‘friend’ actually you?”

Ruan Yubai patiently replied, “I wish this friend were me.”

“Oh my god, what a heartwarming friendship? Tearing up while bumping this post.”

“I think it’s the location in the second picture. How about this, OP, I’m not greedy for your StarCoins. If it’s indeed the second location, I’ll humbly accept. If it’s not, I won’t take a single coin. What do you think?”

“Wow, the above commenter is such an honest person this is a guaranteed win. Did you eat all the bamboo shoots meant for pandas?”

“OP, do you want revenge? Let me tell you, confronting your friend directly won’t work. Men in love are blind; if you tell him, he’ll just think you’re meddling.”

Finally, a somewhat reliable reply appeared, even if it seemed a bit off-topic. Ruan Yubai couldn’t resist responding.

Ruan Yubai: “What should I do then?”

“OP, listen to me. Have you seen ‘The Friend’? Although the story is quite different, if you want to get even, the smartest way is to seduce the male homewrecker’s son, make him fall head over heels for you, abandon his family and everything, and make that homewrecking scumbag who lacks moral integrity suffer endlessly!”

Ruan Yubai: …

What kind of nonsense is this?

Bafflingly, this reply received the most likes and responses.

“Sounds good to me.”

“Fully support this.”

“Internet trolls really have all kinds of ideas.”

“Those who cheat shall be cheated on, this move is brilliant.”

“Fight, fight! I love drama spanning three generations. When it’s all over, write a memoir. I’ve even thought of a title for you: ‘The Untold Stories of Me and the Green Tea Male Homewrecker’s Son.’ If the library doesn’t have your book, I’ll buy it and place it right in front of your house.”

“Applause for the commenter! If you’re not in this year’s Panda Bamboo Splitting segment, I’m not watching!”

“What’s the progress? It’s getting lively. Well, I’ll just hit like for now.”

“Switching to a forgiving green to bump the post. Do I lack StarCoins? No, I lack live storytelling! OP, don’t forget to update us on the follow-up.”

As the post’s direction gradually turned greener than spring itself, Ruan Yubai’s face was practically glowing green from the fluorescent text. She let out a frustrated sigh, covered her face, turned off her phone, and went to take a cold shower to calm down.

As a lazy person, Ruan Yubai always left her toiletries wherever she dropped them. When she spotted the row of neatly arranged bottles and containers in the corner, she froze for a moment, blinking twice before recalling that she had lent them to the female lead last night, who had indeed come upstairs again.

But this was almost too tidy. Anyone unaware might think they were brand new.

With mixed emotions, Ruan Yubai pumped shampoo twice into her palm, applied it to her hair, and closed her eyes quietly. Gradually calming down amidst the familiar scent of the shampoo, she thought:

Compared to the female lead, whose family had already fallen apart, what were these minor troubles she was facing now?

Everything would be handled, one thing at a time.

Holding this thought, when Ruan Yubai stepped out wrapped in a towel, she was surprised to find that the derailed forum post had been pulled back on track.

“OP, if your photo is accurate, this location is the first one. I live right across from this street, and there should be the words ‘No Pigs Allowed’ scribbled on the trunk of the ginkgo tree in the foreground that was my little brother’s childhood graffiti. But are you sure you didn’t misread the situation?”

This reply was nearly buried under other off-topic answers, so Ruan Yubai quickly tapped her light brain to pull it back up.

The reason was simple: when Ruan Yubai had pixelated out her kindergarten classmate in the backseat, she had also edited out the tree. And on that very tree, which served as the background for the melancholic upward gaze, were those three crooked characters, looking exactly like the mischief of a naughty child.

Nervously shaking her hands, Ruan Yubai replied, “I’m sure I didn’t misread it.”

Others, drawn in by the OP’s response, grew curious.

“Why is the commenter asking if you’re sure? Is there more to the story?”

“I’m camping out in this thread today, don’t anyone try to stop me.”

After a long while, the commenter finally replied: “No tea here, it’s just that there’s a small funeral taking place in the area behind.”

That stirred up quite the reaction.

“Holy cow, I’m shook. Are people really this wild nowadays? So intense.”

“Oh my god… I’m stunned. OP, stay strong! Whatever you do, don’t show this post to your friend.”

“Why not show it? Forward it now that’s the only way to cut losses early. Better than ending up tied down with marriage and kids, right?”

Ruan Yubai, the so-called “burden”: …

But no matter what, Ruan Yubai finally had her answer. With a swipe of her finger, she selected the interstellar currency reward for the commenter, then proceeded to delete the post, cancel her ticket, turn off the lights, and go to sleep all in one go. She needed to be well-rested for the big confrontation scheduled for the next day.

Surprisingly, she didn’t suffer from insomnia that night. Instead, she only caught a faint, gentle scent of shampoo lingering on her pillow.

The next day, before the city had even woken up, Ruan Yubai was already up and out the door, quietly carrying the small bag she had packed the night before.

The aircraft flew from the dim light of dawn all the way to the brilliant noon. Upon arriving at her destination, Ruan Yubai strode forward with determination, ready to face her mother head-on.

Even in late autumn, the secluded alley of this city was still lush with trees. The cold-resistant foliage remained unyielding, and the deep gray canopies caught the warm afternoon sunlight, casting gentle shadows over the quiet ancestral hall.

The guest in a plain coat wore a solemn expression. After offering a bouquet of flowers, they paid a respectful bow to the black-and-white photograph in the center before rising and patting the shoulder of the quiet girl standing nearby. “Be strong, my child. Accept my condolences.”

The ancestral hall was filled with the faint, serene scent of sandalwood, its wispy smoke curling gently around her simple, clean attire. The glow of the white candles cast shifting shadows upon her lustrous, flowing hair.

Qing Ling’s exquisite face carried a trace of sorrow, yet her voice remained as soft and melodious as ever. “It is I who should thank you for taking the time to attend. I was fortunate to receive your care in my childhood, and now I can even make bonito sushi myself, the flavor is quite passable. My apologies for the inadequate hospitality today; next time, I will invite you as my guest.”

These simple words unexpectedly brought tears to the visitor’s eyes, and they nodded repeatedly. “Alright, it’s settled then. Next time, Aunt Sheng will take you sea fishing again.”

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