After Dumping the Female Lead, It's My Turn to Cry - Chapter 28.1

Ruan Yubai’s face remained flushed all the way until she stepped into the Qing family’s temporary reception room.

A clueless child nearby pointed at her and said, “Dad, come quick and look! Sister’s face isn’t red like an apple at all, it’s more like a little autumn tomato!”

Tomatoes are even redder than apples.

Embarrassed, Ruan Yubai covered her face, wishing she could burrow right under an apple tree.

She had made a huge blunder.

This incident couldn’t even be remotely compared to cheating, it was completely unrelated. Mrs. Ruan had rushed over straight after getting off the spaceship only because the Qing family had a favor to ask, and it was actually Mr. Ruan who had requested she come. That so-called handsome and dashing “other man” wasn’t some male white lotus at all, he was purely the female lead’s father, who had just come out to greet the guests.

Wahh, how could this happen? She didn’t want to be human anymore!

Qing Ling took a bag from a male servant, pulled out a row of freshly opened pink-packaged drinks, casually tore open a straw, inserted it, and handed it to the girl whose head was hanging low. “Get some sugar in you first. How else are you going to throw an uppercut?”

An O-Pao fruit milk delivered right to her lips, why refuse it? Ruan Yubai had just taken a reflexive sip when she heard the female lead’s words and nearly choked coughing.

That’s right before coming, Ruan Yubai had devised numerous plans to beat up the “cheating couple,” including but not limited to uppercuts, left hooks, right hooks, low kicks, rolling on the ground while spraying wind oil essence, and even strategizing how to break free if restrained. She had practically mastered every cliché trope from all the melodramatic novels she’d read over the years and had been earnestly sharing them with the female lead just moments ago.

Now, the fish was gone.

Crushed, Ruan Yubai clenched her fists and swore she would never read those outdated novels again. Was this some kind of revenge plot? Clearly, it was a plot to die of embarrassment.

And the female lead!

Just earlier, the young lady had coolly teased her from the side, “If you put even one-tenth of this seriousness into your studies, first place in Class A would have changed hands long ago.”

What kind of friend is that? That’s a blatant, shameless insult, friends! Even the Wisdom Tree would weep upon hearing it, instantly gaining sentience to declare that a slacker like her didn’t deserve this.

Thinking of this, Ruan Yubai glared furiously at Qing Ling, who was leisurely reclining nearby, her eyes shooting out volleys of imaginary arrows.

Unfortunately, her angry gaze was misinterpreted. Qing Ling prepared another cup of fruit milk and replaced the empty bottle Ruan Yubai was biting on, saying softly, “Last one for today.”

She then pinched the girl’s puffed-up cheek and chuckled, “No use acting cute.”

Acting cute?

She, Ruan Yubai, a fierce tiger of her generation when had she ever acted cute? Slander! This was pure, utterly immoral slander!

Fuming, Ruan Yubai took another big gulp of O-Pao fruit milk. She had to admit, the drinks made by this Omega family were truly delicious sweet and tangy with a milky flavor, without a hint of cheap artificial sweeteners. It was practically her dream beverage.

And precisely because it was so tasty, she wanted to drink even more.

From the other side of the room, Mrs. Ruan sighed helplessly and apologized to Qing Ling’s father, “I’m so sorry. We’ve spoiled this child too much, which is why such a ridiculous misunderstanding happened.”

Qing Ling’s father curled his lips slightly, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re too kind. We’re glad to see the younger generation getting along so well.”

“And as for this matter. I’ll have to trouble you further.”

As for this farce, Ruan Yubai’s father’s only reaction was: “Hahahahahahahahahaha.”

Ruan Yubai was so furious she felt steam coming out of her head. She snatched the green hat from her father’s head and plopped it onto her own, feeling so angry her vision seemed tinged with green. She was as incensed as someone who had genuinely invested emotions into reading a relationship post, only to discover it was a deceptive “green lake” story. “You’re not my real father, are you? Did you find me in a trash can?”

“You figured it out?” Ruan’s father exaggeratedly widened his eyes before nodding solemnly. “Well then, I won’t hide it from you anymore. That’s right, you’re a new species your mother discovered while exploring on a garbage planet. My dear child, it’s time for you to go find your real parents.”

Ruan Yubai was so enraged she nearly fainted, teetering on the brink of death.

However, contrary to Ruan Yubai’s expectations, after the funeral ended, the female lead didn’t return with the other Qing family members. The man she had mistaken for the male homewrecker the female lead’s father merely said lightly, “Regardless, you’ve been sold to the Ruan family. From now on, you’re no longer considered part of the Qing family. We’ve troubled you with this matter.”

These words struck Ruan Yubai as somewhat odd. Logically, this should be seen as honoring the contract. Even though that greedy uncle was indeed from the Qing family and had used underhanded methods to send Qing Ling over due to gambling debts, Qing Ling’s father’s words made it sound as if the female lead had truly become a commodity that could be casually traded for money.

If she were in that position, Ruan Yubai would definitely be heartbroken.

Come to think of it, not only had Ruan Yubai failed to see that avaricious uncle this time, but she hadn’t even been able to offer a flower or bow to the deceased Qing Ling had subtly prevented her from doing so. It seemed she had gone there specifically to make a fool of herself.

Qing Ling, at the center of the discussion, showed no emotional fluctuation. She complied smoothly without any hint of resistance. After bidding farewell to the other Qing family members, she quietly followed them back.

In the car, Ruan Yubai couldn’t help stealing glances at the young lady. Flowing nebula patterns, like delicate snowmelt, traced the contours of her slender eyebrows. Her dark eyes were half-lidded in tranquility. Noticing Ruan Yubai’s gaze, she looked up. Clouds gradually shifting to soft pink hues cast a delicate glow as she curved her lips slightly and silently mouthed, “What’s wrong?”

Nothing.

At that moment, Ruan Yubai shook her head somewhat awkwardly. This scene hadn’t appeared in the original novel. She felt an inexplicable ache in her heart but couldn’t pinpoint the reason.

Of course, such subtle emotions vanished completely after Qing Ling finished speaking with Ruan’s mother. Ruan Yubai pointed disbelievingly at her own head, wondering if her cognitive system had malfunctioned. “Her? Teaching me? Ms. Ruan, are you still suffering from interstellar jet lag?”

“I just thought it over, and it makes sense.” Ruan’s mother, however, completely ignored her child’s expression of existential crisis. She took the hat off her little head and twirled it on her finger, sending a swirl of green starlight spinning through the air. “As someone who’s used to getting the most out of everything, how can I stand to watch you pay the same exorbitant tuition as Class A while all you do is sleep through classes?”

Ruan Yubai protested, “This is class discrimination! You’re trampling all over my intelligence! This is abuse of a minor!”

But Ruan’s mother paid no heed. “We discussed it, and Xiao Qing has agreed to tutor you from now on. My expectations aren’t high just get into Class B. But until your grades reach at least a C level, I’ll be confiscating your novels.”

It felt like a bolt from the blue.

Although Ruan Yubai had recently sworn off those melodramatic, over-the-top novels, there was a huge difference between giving them up voluntarily and having them taken away. She couldn’t stand such restrictions; she had to fight back, to battle for her right to read novels freely!

Unfortunately, her struggle was brutally crushed by her mother’s single remark: “I’m the one who paid for those novels.””

Wahhhhhhh.

#The importance of financial independence#

Watching Ruan Yubai deflate like a punctured balloon, Ruan’s mother felt a twinge of pity. But then she remembered Qing Ling’s earlier words and hardened her resolve. “All you do now is play around. It’s fine if we support you, but what will you do after you graduate? Who’s going to take care of you then?”

The tone was too sharp, too reminiscent of the Qing family’s style definitely not something her straightforward mother would say. It had to come from that demoness, the female lead!

Oppressed and furious, Ruan Yubai glared hatefully at Qing Ling. If looks could kill, Qing Ling would have been sliced into sashimi. Blinded by rage, she blurted out, “Don’t I have a marriage contract with Qing Ling? Why not just let her support me?”

Ahhhhhhh, Ruan Yubai, you foolish fish, what kind of brainless, good-for-nothing nonsense are you spouting?!

Seeing the stunned expressions on her parents’ faces, Ruan Yubai instinctively wanted to explain. But then she saw Qing Ling raise a delicate eyebrow, reach out a slender arm, and effortlessly pull her up. Her laughing voice was as light as a feather brushing past: “Didn’t you just warn me with that ‘househusband’ story?”

To hell with your househusband!

One misstep leads to endless regret. Ruan Yubai realized that whenever she got angry, she tended to do things she’d never normally dare to imagine.

And all these mindless, foolish actions had started after the female lead appeared.

The female lead, the root of all evil!

Feeling her temper flare up again, Ruan Yubai closed her eyes, calmed herself, and repeated inwardly: Don’t get angry, don’t get angry. If you make yourself sick, no one will take care of you.

Ruan Yubai resolved then and there to cultivate her character and nurture her temperament. From now on, she absolutely could not be so irritable and quick to anger.

Putting that aside, from a certain perspective, Qing Ling showed some humanity. She didn’t follow Ruan’s mother’s suggestion to immediately disable the novel-reading function on her terminal. Instead, this executioner mercifully allowed Ruan Yubai to enjoy one last day of blissful, lazy leisure.

Naturally, in Ruan Yubai’s eyes, this was nothing but pure hypocrisy. The female lead and the antagonist were class enemies and class contradictions could never be reconciled!

She bit her finger, forcing herself to suppress her anger. “What exactly have I done to wrong you, for you to treat me so ruthlessly?”

Upon closer reflection, Ruan Yubai seemed to have indeed done quite a few unscrupulous things.

Yet, Qing Ling actually thought it over seriously for a moment before replying, “Personal interest.”

To hell with your personal interest!

It was no joke, Ruan Yubai felt that her goodwill had been thrown to the dogs. Such an irritating female lead truly didn’t deserve any pity. As the saying goes, there’s always someone who can rein you in, and Ruan Yubai had never so fervently wished for someone to put the female lead in her place.

After shoving the female lead out of the room, Ruan Yubai slumped dejectedly onto her bed and browsed the interstellar forum, only to discover that the post she had made earlier was still on the first page and had nearly reached a hundred pages of replies.

Why were netizens so idle these days? They were like otters leaping around in a melon patch, and this post didn’t even have a single photo. How could a boring, pixelated topic stir up so much hype?

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