After Dumping the Female Lead, It's My Turn to Cry - Chapter 39

The windows were closed tightly. A thick, heavy night sky pressed down, resting quietly amid the faint scent of freesia.

This fragrance carried a subtle, bewitching quality. Ruan Yubai scrambled to a sitting position, thoroughly startled. She nearly dragged her plush toy off the bed with her. “Qing Ling, what nonsense are you talking about? Who wants to sleep with you!”

The girl she addressed by name had already sunk into the soft bedding. Her eyelids were partially closed, her eyelashes casting pale shadows under the lamplight. This young lady, usually so cold and distant, looked somewhat fragile and pitiful as she lay there quietly.

Was she already asleep?

Ruan Yubai stood there dazed for a moment. She felt like a cowardly soldier who, having finally summoned the courage to charge onto the battlefield in full gear, watched the enemy immediately sound the retreat with a casual, “I am done fighting.”

What was that all about?

Her heart was a chaotic mix of emotions. A faint itch from the protagonist’s hair still lingered on her cheek. She scratched her head and finally reached out to turn off the lights before cautiously slipping out of the room.

It was not until Ruan Yubai had paced outside for three laps that she realized something was wrong. This was her room. Why had she been kicked out by the female lead?

Nearby, Heipi, having finished his canned food, rhythmically licked his paws as he strolled past her. He then settled lazily into his soft cat bed, his beady eyes full of sympathy.

And contempt.

This was outrageous! She was being looked down upon by a pig in a cat’s skin!

She rubbed her fingers together, feeling a long dormant fighting spirit ignite. Heipi seemed to sense the shift. The fur on the back of his neck bunched into three layers of defensive caution.

After confirming that her father, the cat’s true master, had gone out to party, Ruan Yubai stopped holding back. With a toothy grin, she launched a fierce assault on Heipi’s belly.

If this grudge was not settled, she would not be a proper Beta. Ruan Yubai was going to avenge all her fallen salted fish comrades!

While the Cat Fish War raged outside, Qing Ling was actually resting quite well.

Rather than saying she fell into a deep sleep due to exhaustion, it was more accurate to say that this room was unexpectedly relaxing. Perhaps it was the fluffy, warm quilt, the charmingly clumsy stuffed bear nearby, or the moonlight brushing against the window frame, tinged with the lavender hue of a sleep aid.

Or perhaps it was the faint, silky sensation of skin still lingering on her fingertips, subtle yet somehow enough to make her let down her guard.

Since childhood, Qing Ling had been taught to keep her nerves taut at all times. Even in sleep, she maintained a sliver of consciousness. She was such a light sleeper that even the casual chatter of her kin outside could wake her instantly.

This was why her original room was equipped with expensive soundproofing, creating a tomb like silence. Yet even there, that invisible string inside her never relaxed. Her sharp mental strength always woke her before her tired body was ready.

But this time was different.

When she opened her eyes again, she could hear the sounds of a small barbecue gathering outside the non soundproofed window. Someone next door was practicing a sour cello, and there was even a faint bickering coming from outside the room.

She could tell the person outside was intentionally lowering their voice, but Qing Ling’s mental strength was so keen that she could perceive every sound without effort.

The beautiful girl stared at the lopsided plushie by the bed, dazed for a moment.

Amidst all that noise, she had actually had a good night’s sleep. It was a sleep where every cell in her body relaxed.

Outside, Ruan Yubai was still educating Heipi, holding the fat cat firmly in her grasp by a slight tactical advantage. “You have got some nerve! Have you forgotten who scoops your poop? Have you forgotten who buys your favorite cat food? Do you know how many innocent salted fish have been sacrificed to the canned food industry because of you?”

“No, you do not care! You do not know!” Ruan Yubai pinched the fat cat’s neck with one hand and her own nose with the other, saying dejectedly, “You only care about yourself!”

Because Ruan Yubai was fully focused on the cat, she did not notice Heipi’s dejected black eyes shift, looking expectantly behind her.

Unaware, Ruan Yubai continued through her pinched nose, “Do not daydream! Look at me! Remember this face! I shall destroy you on behalf of all the salted fish that ended up in your stomach!”

The next moment, however, she was grabbed by the scruff of the neck in the exact same manner she held Heipi.

A cool, soft voice slid past her ear. “So, is this why you fed him canned herring?”

As everyone knows, canned herring is not food. It is a biochemical weapon in a tin.

Ruan Yubai’s move was a classic kill a thousand enemies and lose fifteen hundred of your own. To avenge her insulted dignity, she had cracked open a can. She did not know how the Forest Cat felt, but she herself was choking on the stench.

“Ms. Qing, when did you wake up?” Panicked, Ruan Yubai let go and flailed around, only for the smell of rotting socks to invade her nostrils instantly.

Stimulated by the high purity herring scent, Ruan Yubai’s face turned bright red as she turned away, coughing uncontrollably.

Once freed, Heipi flicked his tail leisurely. As he passed the frowning girl, he cast one more meaningful glance. If cats could speak, Heipi would surely have said: An eye for an eye. It is not that karma did not come, it just waited for the right smell.

By the time Ruan Yubai sat at the table downstairs, the fishy stench of the herring had successfully marched into the kitchen, making the whole house smell like a mutated seafood market.

Ruan Yubai held her nose with a miserable expression. She could already foresee the mixed doubles scolding she would receive from her parents when they returned. It was already dark. Her time to make amends was running out.

She peeked at the girl sitting across from her.

The young lady held a glass. The transparent walls made her skin look even whiter. It was just a glass of plain water, yet she managed to drink it with the elegance of someone sipping champagne at a gala. In short, she was the polar opposite of Ruan Yubai’s rustic fishing village style.

Seeing that the female lead’s water was almost gone, Ruan Yubai swallowed hard and requested with a do or die resolve, “President, if possible, could you help me clear this smell out of the house?”

The reason it was do or die was because under Qing Ling’s fair elbow lay a scrap of paper, a frantic scribble Ruan Yubai had written at some point to vent her anger.

“Nan Zhuti Qing Ling is a jerk. A total scumbag. She ruined my life.”

Given how many times Ruan Yubai had cursed the female lead in secret, she could not even remember which day she had written that in a fit of rage.

To make matters worse, Qing Ling was looking at the note with interest, as if appraising art. She tapped the ink that had not even blurred despite the humidity and praised, “Nice pen.”

Ruan Yubai thought, “If I get a second chance at life, I will be a better fish. I will stuff the paper into my own mouth before I write such brainless things.”

Truth be told, Ruan Yubai’s mental strength had improved, but it was currently hovering at the edge of A minus at best. Her control was still clumsy. She had tried several times in secret to clear the air, but perhaps due to an error in her manipulation, the smell had not dissipated. It had spread to every corner of the house.

In other words, the house was now marinated.

“The pen? Which pen do you like? Do you want Orchid Blue or Carbon Black? 0.5 millimeter or 1.0 millimeter? Needle tip or ink cartridge?” Ruan Yubai was eager to please. She played the flatterer to the extreme before slapping her forehead. “Wait a moment, I will get you a full set right now.”

Watching the girl’s guilty figure run upstairs, Qing Ling shook her head helplessly.

She had noticed that whenever Ruan Yubai did something wrong and tried to suck up to someone, she used overly formal honorifics. Ruan Yubai probably did not realize it, but to others, it sounded incredibly sarcastic, though not quite enough to warrant a beating.

Her dark, quiet eyes lingered for a moment on the soft curve of the girl’s waist as she moved away. She withdrew her gaze, finished her water, and calmly placed the clean glass on the rack.

It just makes one’s hands a bit itchy.

When Ruan Yubai came back downstairs, she was delighted to find that the pungent smell had vanished, replaced by the elegant, faint scent of freesia.

As expected of the female lead, the representative of truth, beauty, and kindness. Who else could be such a perfect lady?

Ruan Yubai was about to launch into a stream of flattery when she saw the female lead putting on her coat, standing there with a casual, somewhat lazy aura.

Calculating the time, the female lead had indeed stayed quite a while.

A small wave of guilt rose in Ruan Yubai’s heart. She hurried forward to present the pen box like a treasure. “I tested them all. Every pen writes smoothly. You will not have any problems signing documents with these.”

However, she saw the female lead’s eyes flicker. The hand she pulled from her pocket shifted, specifically avoiding the pen box Ruan Yubai was holding out.

Was she angry because she took too long?

“I am sorry! A lot of my pen caps were not closed properly, so many of them were dried up. It took me a long time because I wanted to pick the best ones for you. I did not mean to make you wait.” Ruan Yubai grew anxious, her pale cheeks flushing a soft peach color.

The slender hand paused, then took the pen box. Turning the doorknob, Qing Ling whispered, “It fell.”

Fell?

“What fell?”

Blinking in confusion, Ruan Yubai looked down at the floor. It was clean. No pens had dropped.

The night wind blew in. Even from that distance, Ruan Yubai felt a chill and shivered. Just as she was about to wave goodbye, she heard two very soft words.

The cold night air brushed against the beauty’s temples. Her hair moved with the wind, a smooth, jet black silk that seemed to catch the faint moonlight.

Ruan Yubai looked down at herself and realized that because she had run down too quickly, her pajama strap had slipped down her shoulder.

So, when the female lead reached out earlier, it was not to avoid her hand, but to help her?

Thinking about how those calm, clear eyes had reflected her disheveled state, Ruan Yubai blushed. It was not about anything romantic. Her salted fish brain did not even go there. She was just embarrassed that not only did the female lead have to fix the herring mess, but she had not even noticed her clothes were slipping.

How shameful.

When she was too ashamed, the salted fish tended to do bold things she would not normally do.

While pulling the strap back up, she puffed out her chest proudly, hoping to distract the female lead. “They are big, right? In the future, if you are unhappy, I will allow you to bury your face in my chest once. Even Heipi does not have that privilege.”

Qing Ling had already taken half a step out, but hearing this, she could not help but look back.

Honestly, she was not that disheveled. The girl’s pajama sleeves were long, and even with the strap down, it was just two thin ribbons hanging off her shoulder against the fabric.

It was not something that would lead to much imagination, but then Ruan Yubai had to proudly puff her chest out. The dim yellow streetlights met the bright light from the foyer, making her skin look even more radiant. The night wind pulled the moonlight into silky threads, and while most of her curves were outlined in the light, a hidden depth remained in the shadows, rising and falling gently with her breath.

Compared to the school uniforms, her home pajamas actually showcased her full silhouette more delicately.

Burying her face?

She really has no guard at all.

Qing Ling gave a soft laugh and waved her hand. The pens in the box rattled with a crisp sound, but this time, she walked away without staying a second longer.

The moonlight stretched her tall, straight shadow, leaving behind the scent of freesia, much like her cool voice at that moment.

“Thanks.”

Ruan Yubai stood there blankly until the female lead’s figure completely disappeared, then she let out a loud sneeze.

Rubbing her nose and closing the door, she scratched her head in confusion.

What was the female lead thanking her for? Was it for the pens, or for the privilege she offered that even Heipi did not get?

But that was not the point. As Ruan Yubai sat in the lingering scent of freesia, she realized she had forgotten the most crucial issue.

“Damn it! I forgot to give away the Super A Sports Meet slot, the thing that is honey to others but arsenic to a salted fish!”

However, things were different now. The cold war was not entirely over, but their relationship had softened. Of course, Ruan Yubai would never admit it was a one sided cold war on her part.

Ruan Yubai sent a message: “By the way, President, someone else might need my Super A Sports Meet slot more. Would it be possible to…”

Ruan Yubai put a lot of thought into this message.

The opening was casual to set a relaxed tone. Using her title satisfied the other’s ego while pivoting to the main topic subtly. She cleverly used words like “might” and “need it more” to avoid looking lazy, instead appearing humble and kind.

Ruan Yubai’s self assessment: Bravo! Masterful!

Okay, she was just lazy, greedy, and a bit of a coward. She did not possess a single noble trait. If a human purge ever happened, she would be the first on the list to go.

Regardless, she sent the message prayerfully, hands clasped, hoping the beautiful lead would give her a positive answer.

[Read] [The other party is typing]

Ruan Yubai’s heart jumped into her throat.

Qing Ling replied: “Mhm.”

Ruan Yubai swallowed, waiting expectantly for the rest.

Ten seconds passed. One minute. Ten minutes. Heipi fell asleep and started snoring.

Mhm? Just “Mhm”? That is it? Nothing else?

What does that even mean!

Reason told Ruan Yubai she should follow up gently, but her hand acted on its own. She slammed her phone down, flopped onto the bed, then gloomily crawled back up to her desk to do some practice problems.

It was not that she suddenly realized the importance of studying. It was just that the scent of freesia was all over her soft pillow. No matter how she rolled, she could not escape it.

Curse it! So annoying!

Solving problems brings peace of mind. By the time Ruan Yubai put down her pen, her anger had cooled. She even made herself a cup of midnight tea.

Taking a sip, she asked herself: Why be angry with the female lead? Who loses if she gets mad? Does a villain need to lay low?

After getting three unsatisfying answers, she wailed and rolled back onto the bed. Her mother, who had just returned, shouted from downstairs: “What are you screaming about late at night? If you are bored, go feed the cat!”

Her status in this house was lower than ever.

Since it was so late, she figured she would just talk to the female lead tomorrow or the day after.

Bi Biba was puzzled by her behavior. “Old Bai, are you in trouble? I cannot lend you much, but I can manage 100 interstellar credits for an emergency, as long as you pay me back 1,000 in ten days. Good deal, right?”

“Great deal,” Ruan Yubai pushed her hand away with a cold laugh. “Even a loan shark would call you an ancestor.”

After the joking, Bi Biba opened a bag of snacks and asked curiously, “But seriously, why? That slot is incredibly rare. If you are not charging more than my savings, why not sell it to me?”

What was up with her today? Before Ruan Yubai could roll her eyes, she noticed something even more surprising. “When did you take off your nail art?”

Everyone has a signature look in school. For Ruan Yubai, it was gummy worms. For Bi Biba, it was flashy nails. Whether it was rhinestones, snakeskin patterns, or high saturation colors, it was her trademark.

Not noticing her friend’s slight flinch, Ruan Yubai guessed, “Was it an allergy to that peach pink last time? Honestly, your nails look good, but it is nice to let them breathe for a bit.”

Bi Biba gave a forced smile. “Yeah. But if you are selling the slot, can you give it to me first?”

If the first time was a joke, the second time was serious. “Do you really want to go play that much?”

“No,” Bi Biba shook her head. “I have a friend. He really cares about this competition. He missed the cut by just a little bit last time and was devastated. Nan Zhuge was disappointed.”

Bi Biba had many friends, so Ruan Yubai did not ask further, only questioning, “Can slots like this even be sold?”

“My friend said it is fine. He saw someone else do it before.” Bi Biba stopped mid sentence when she saw Ruan Yubai’s confused gaze. She asked softly, “Old Bai, who were you planning to give it to?”

Ruan Yubai smiled shyly. “Tu Xinyao. She is an Omega on the archery cheer squad. You have probably heard of her.”

Of course she had. Bi Biba, who knew every rumor in school, knew about Tu Xinyao. The girl’s situation was tragic. She had been betrothed to an old widower while still in school. Though such news was common on the interstellar net, seeing it happen to a classmate was different. It was essentially her parents selling her for money, a move everyone found despicable.

Ruan Yubai hesitated. “If she gets this slot, will she have a better chance of escaping?”

Even if the chance was slim, it was better than wasting it on a salted fish like her. A brief silence fell between them.

“What are you thinking?” Ruan Yubai waved a hand in front of Bi Biba with a sweet smile. “Is your friend that important to you? If he really needs it, I will give the slot to you.”

“Assuming the transfer is allowed, of course.”

Bi Biba suddenly looked up. Ruan Yubai noticed her face was pale, her lips dry and cracked to the point of bleeding. “Why?”

“What do you mean why?” Ruan Yubai blinked. “Because you are my friend.”

It might sound selfish, but for a cannon fodder salted fish, a friend’s request was always more important than a stranger’s tragedy. Ruan Yubai wanted to be a heartless villain, not a perfect heroine.

“You,” Bi Biba’s lips trembled. She reached out to stop Ruan Yubai from typing on her terminal. “Forget it.”

“What is wrong?”

“Give it to Tu Xinyao. My friend just told me he does not need it anymore,” Bi Biba turned away, whispering. “He was just playing around anyway. He does not want to go somewhere so dangerous anymore.”

Ruan Yubai did not understand why someone would seek out such a life threatening adventure when they were already well off.

But… “When did your friend text you? I did not see you check your messages.”

Bi Biba’s lips curved into a bitter smile. There was no text. The person was actually waiting eagerly for her confirmation.

“It does not matter if you did not see it.”

When she turned back, Bi Biba was grinning as brightly as usual. She hooked her arm around her friend’s thin shoulders. “After all, you are my most important best friend.”

Because they were dear friends, their feelings were worth more than anything else clouding Bi Biba’s mind, more than her nail art, and more than the person for whom she had been willing to strip those nails off just for a single word.

Bi Biba would never say it, but the friend she always teased for being a salted fish was actually more important than all of those things combined.

Support After Dumping the Female Lead, It’s My Turn to Cry