After Dumping the Female Lead, It's My Turn to Cry - Chapter 40

Winter days were short and the nights were long. Before the last class had even finished, the sun had already sunk mostly below the horizon, leaving only a sliver of lukewarm light stitched to the edges of the clouds like a punctured runny egg yolk.

The next morning, Ruan Yubai originally intended to go to the school to tell the female lead about transferring her spot as soon as she arrived. On second thought, she realized she had to find her on the third day anyway to turn in her homework, so delaying it by one dispensable day did not seem to matter.

In the future, Ruan Yubai would regret this decision countless times. Late at night, she would frequently bite the corner of her quilt, her eyes red as she shed tears. She should have been able to grab her pillow and resist, but as soon as the person beside her mentioned this incident, she could only guiltily turn over and lie down, sobbing while letting that person have their way.

Even when she first discovered she was a supporting character in a book, she had never felt such a strong urge. “If only I could reset time. If only I had a Time Turner, an Anywhere Door, or some future gadget. I would definitely run to the top floor of the teaching building today without delaying for a single second.”

But at that time, she knew nothing of these things. She was still strolling leisurely with her friend in the winter chill with an ice cream in her mouth, silently appreciating how well milk popsicles paired with low temperatures.

After hearing what Dian Hong said, Ruan Yubai opened her eyes wide in surprise. “Tu Xinyao can go to the second competition too?”

This was truly shocking.

Although Ruan Yubai felt that this Omega needed the platform more than she did, the problem was that she had not even had the chance to transfer her ticket yet.

Dian Hong nodded, her expression somewhat complicated. “You remember, right? Every contestant can bring one private item. For example, I am planning to bring a dagger.”

Because the second competition was a jungle survival phase, it would be very difficult for many pampered young people to adapt. Therefore, this was a benefit left by the committee to appease the contestants, or rather, the families of the contestants.

Since Ruan Yubai did not plan to go, she did not consider it for herself and even helped Dian Hong come up with several ideas. At first, Dian Hong wanted to bring a laser cannon. It had great destructive power and could be used for hunting and processing food in the wild. However, she gave up the idea after Ruan Yubai reminded her.

“The competition uniform consists of a matching short sleeved shirt and shorts. A laser cannon is too large a target. Many other contestants are stronger than us, so you would easily become their target.”

Of course, there was another very important point: laser cannons were extremely heavy. Even if Ruan Yubai were to participate and could hide a laser cannon, she would be too lazy to carry it. Ruan Yubai kept this thought to herself and did not say it out loud.

Dian Hong thought for a while and felt her words made sense. After weighing the pros and cons, she gave up the laser cannon and chose a dagger that was easy to hide close to her body. It would be best if no one attacked her, but if she were that unlucky, she could deliver a surprise counterattack at the last moment.

She sighed slightly. “An Alpha from Class A is planning to bring Tu Xinyao. I only found out about this news today.”

Ruan Yubai was confused at first, but after seeing Dian Hong’s expression, a terrifying thought emerged. She subconsciously said, “You mean?”

“Surely not.”

“Exactly.” Unfortunately, Dian Hong nodded to confirm. She said in a heavy voice, “Tu Xinyao is that item.”

An Alpha carrying another Omega with mediocre strength onto the field would certainly not be out of love. The purpose was so obvious that both of them fell into silence simultaneously.

Ruan Yubai asked, “Has that Alpha already submitted the request?”

“Yes, Tu Xinyao told me this personally. You probably know her personality; she would not tell anyone unless it was one hundred percent guaranteed.”

Then there was no way to change it.

After parting with Dian Hong, Ruan Yubai felt somewhat melancholy, but it was quickly replaced by a greater worry. She originally thought gifting her spot to Tu Xinyao was a done deal. She never expected such a development. To whom could she transfer her spot now?

Bi Biba’s friend did not need it anymore either. If she put the spot on a trading platform now, would anyone be willing to take it? If giving it away for free did not work, she would even be willing to pay someone to take it.

As the saying goes, a pillow arrives just as one falls asleep. While Ruan Yubai was worrying, she suddenly heard someone call her name.

“Xiao Bai!” The person strode over with a look of surprise. “I have not seen you in a long time. Did you receive my messages?”

The setting sun was a bit piercing. Ruan Yubai turned her head slightly to block the light. The residual fragments of light outlined a somewhat unfamiliar figure. Ruan Yubai lowered her hand and gave a polite smile. “Sister Lin Yi, long time no see.”

Sitting in a tea house, Ruan Yubai took a sip of tea and listened to the other woman chatter about recent trivialities. Perhaps because she had too much contact with the female lead lately, Ruan Yubai even tasted a quiet scent of freesia in her honey grapefruit fruit tea.

What a disaster. Ruan Yubai shook her head and warned herself not to get distracted. She then heard Lin Yi ask, “Look at me, I only remembered to talk about myself. What have you been busy with lately? Are you ready for the second competition?”

This was exactly the topic Ruan Yubai was avoiding. She felt as if a sharp arrow had accurately pierced her wound, and blood was gushing out. However, in front of her childhood friend, there was no need to hide such things, so Ruan Yubai truthfully explained her worries.

“Xiao Bai, are you serious!”

Seeing Lin Yi’s eyes widen in disbelief, Ruan Yubai picked up a shrimp dumpling and put it in her mouth. Avoiding her eyes, she asked in confusion, “I have no reason to lie to you.”

Lin Yi waved her hand. “Of course, that is certain. With that brain of yours, I could tell at a glance if you were lying.”

No one likes being called a fool, and Ruan Yubai was no exception. She frowned uncomfortably but said nothing.

“Such an opportunity comes once in a hundred years. Even if you do nothing, just clinging to the legs of some big shot would count as making an appearance. You would not have to take any more nonsense at school afterward.”

Ruan Yubai put down her chopsticks and asked in surprise, “Sister Lin Yi, what happened?”

“You have no idea how arrogant and disgusting that group from Class A is now.” Lin Yi bit into a piece of barbecued pork and slapped the table indignantly. The water in the cup splashed out due to the violent movement, causing people at nearby tables to look over. “They say that except for Class A, the rest of the people at Lawress are all trash. I am truly fed up. It is fine that the people from Class C onward are not that great. But how are the people in Class B any worse than them? It is just because I am not an Alpha and my physical test scores were a bit low during the placement; otherwise, I would be in Class A too.”

She drank the water in one gulp with resentment. “If only I were born an Alpha, I would not have to suffer this bullying.”

Ruan Yubai from Class F picked up her chopsticks again. She silently ate a piece of mint cake to freshen her breath and remained silent.

“That crowd in Class A are such sophisticated egoists. Every single one of them is no good!” Lin Yi did not notice Ruan Yubai’s expression was off and continued to curse.

Only when she had fully vented did Lin Yi look at the girl across from her. “Xiao Bai, why are you not talking?”

Ruan Yubai glanced at her. Her personality was such that she was unwilling to argue with others, but because this was a playmate she had known since childhood, she still pointed it out softly. “According to your meaning, Sister Lin Yi, am I trash?”

Lin Yi was stunned. “When did I ever say such a thing?”

“I am truly fed up. It is fine that the people from Class C onward are not that great.” She had said those words herself just a few minutes ago.

“You misheard me. How could I think you are not good?” Lin Yi laughed. “Xiao Bai, you are such a character. Even if I did say that, it was just out of anger. But the quality after Class C is indeed not very good. If only you had worked a bit harder back then, you would not have ended up in Class F. What kind of trashy people are in there?”

By this time, Lin Yi’s emotions had calmed down, and she returned to the gentle manner Ruan Yubai was familiar with. The slight look of contempt from earlier had vanished. Lin Yi even placed a piece of roasted mashed potato on her plate. “Eat more, then you will not have to overthink things.”

Ruan Yubai’s lips moved, but in the end, she swallowed her rebuttals and stayed quiet. She felt it was strange. It seemed that ever since entering Lawress, Lin Yi had become the exact opposite of the childhood friend she once knew.

When they first met, Lin Yi had come to the Ruan house as a guest with her family. She was extremely shy, shrinking into a small corner and not daring to say anything. She even held the orange Ruan Yubai’s father gave her so tightly that the juice almost squeezed out of the peel.

In the words of Lin Yi’s own parents, “She is so dull you could not get a word out of her with three hits of a stick. Mr. Ruan, you do not need to mind her.”

At that time, Ruan Yubai ran to her side with a toy dog to strike up a conversation. Ruan Yubai was also very young then. Her eyes were like black agates soaked in clear water, round and bright. Her eyes would curve into soft crescents when she smiled, and her breath smelled of sweet fruit.

The harmless nature of a child was perfectly embodied in Ruan Yubai. Even the shy Lin Yi was coaxed into speaking. The two little girls sat together petting the toy dog. Later, it was Ruan Yubai who helped Lin Yi peel the orange and watched longingly as Lin Yi ate most of it.

The slow witted Lin Yi finally realized something was wrong. She tore off a segment and handed it over. “Do you want to eat?”

Before she could finish her sentence, she saw the bright eyed little girl open her mouth with a snap. Her smiling, happy look was like a soft sloth, and she happily covered her face. “Sister Lin Yi is so kind.”

The sunlight scattered into the girl’s eyes, making them beautiful and cute. It immediately made Lin Yi think of a pretty little fish wagging its tail in a pond. She was stunned for a moment, and then she followed suit with a bright smile.

That was the beginning of a long and warm feeding relationship. In Ruan Yubai’s heart, Lin Yi had always been that slow, quiet older sister from next door who would smile gently at her. When Ruan Yubai was curled up on the sofa reading a novel, Lin Yi would come over with candies and feed them to her one by one.

When did it start to change? Was it after differentiation? Or after the class placement?

Previously, Ruan Yubai still felt it was only natural for people to change as they grew up. It was a good thing that Lin Yi became more outgoing and met more people after starting school; she was sincerely happy for her childhood sister. But recent events made her stop thinking this way.

Did Lin Yi change too fast after growing up, or had Ruan Yubai never truly known her? Looking back now, defining Lin Yi solely based on the impressions of their childhood was perhaps a very naive and stereotypical view.

Ruan Yubai had not even figured out what kind of person her lifelong companion was, yet she had one sidedly decided that Lin Yi would stay by her side. She thought they would always be two ordinary, happy salted fish who only needed gummy worms to be satisfied. But clearly, Lin Yi did not think this way. She had her own ambitions and desires; she was not satisfied with being an aimless salted fish.

Perhaps Ruan Yubai had been wrong all along. Rebutting her own long held perceptions was not an easy task.

Ruan Yubai sat there silently with her lips pursed, separating herself from her past self. Lin Yi, unaware of her thoughts, licked her dry lips and asked tentatively, “Xiao Bai, if you really do not want to go, why not give this spot to me?”

Ruan Yubai looked up in surprise. This was the second time in a short period she had heard such a request. The first time was from a friend, and the second time was from the childhood friend she felt so complicated about.

Lin Yi’s expression was as gentle as ever. When she sat there quietly, she still looked like the shy older sister from next door. But it was different. A voice spoke calmly in Ruan Yubai’s heart: these two people were completely different.

In the past, as soon as Lin Yi spoke like this, Ruan Yubai would have agreed without asking anything. Now, however, she felt a sense of caution she had not noticed before. “Do you have a friend who wants to go?”

“How could that group of useless people around me, who only know how to eat, drink, and have fun, be worthy of such an important spot?” Lin Yi’s gaze shifted for a moment, and she said softly and gently, “Xiao Bai, the opportunity you are giving up is very precious. Do not worry, I will definitely cherish it and not let it go to waste.”

She spoke with such conviction, as if Ruan Yubai giving it to her was already a foregone conclusion. This triggered a rebellious streak in Ruan Yubai. Her expression turned cold, and her lips, which usually held a sweet smile, flattened into a line. “I will not.”

Her rejection was interrupted by the buzzing of Lin Yi’s light computer. Lin Yi had been staring at her expectantly, but because of the vibration on her wrist, she looked down quite impatiently. Upon seeing the message, her eyes lit up. She stood up directly, grabbed her coat, and walked out while saying perfunctorily, “Xiao Bai, I have some urgent business. I will talk to you about the spot next time.”

With that, she hurried out before Ruan Yubai could even respond.

What was going on? Her rising anger was stuck in mid air, making her throat ache. Ruan Yubai lowered her eyelids and poured herself another cup of fruit tea. The steam rose, and the scent of freesia became even clearer.

What was happening? Ruan Yubai’s eyelashes were dampened by the misty steam, and a crystal drop hung at the end. Perhaps because she was feeling down, she looked somewhat weak and pitiful.

It is over, Ruan Yubai thought. Has the absolute influence of the female lead reached this terrifying level?

The sound of water being poured came from across the table, like a clear river flowing into an exquisite teapot. Just as Ruan Yubai was wondering if she should see a doctor, she looked up and opened her eyes in astonishment. “Qing Ling, when did you get here?”

The beauty, whose long hair was tied up casually, had a calm expression. Even the simple act of bringing water to her lips appeared elegant and quiet. This caused the waiter to sneak back and forth several times just for another chance to glimpse the girl’s beautiful eyes. Even her slender fingers resting on the table were as beautiful as exquisite white jade.

“Before you ordered three helpings of shrimp dumplings,” Qing Ling said softly. She called a waiter over to bring a pair of clean bamboo chopsticks and placed the last shrimp dumpling on Ruan Yubai’s plate. “Eat.”

Ruan Yubai had wanted to eat it just now, but because the last basket was placed on the other side where she could not reach, she had resigned herself to giving it up. She had thought about asking Lin Yi to move it for her, but that was forgotten because of the other woman’s grand speech.

Ruan Yubai used a spoon to swirl the mashed potatoes on her plate. The soft orange brown mountain was crushed into shapeless fragments. This was what Lin Yi had scooped for her just now, but her childhood friend seemed to have forgotten that she no longer liked eating mashed potatoes.

In contrast, the skin of the shrimp dumpling was translucent, and the pink shrimp meat inside was plump and round. It was springy to the bite and carried the fragrance of freshly steamed food.

For some reason, Ruan Yubai felt even more depressed. “Am I very terrible?”

Although she was a salted fish, she had always lived happily. Perhaps due to her harmonious family atmosphere, she did not have any negative self perceptions. Even when she heard gossip outside sometimes, she just treated it as wind past her ears.

However, the person who had accompanied her as she grew up held a significant place in her heart. Even if Ruan Yubai had just decided to reduce contact with her, it was impossible not to feel sad. The girl’s eyes were filled with genuine confusion, holding a faint pool of water. She looked like a kitten that had lost its ball of yarn, yet still looked at someone piteously.

No one would have the heart to say anything harsh to such a child. However, the eldest young lady was unlike ordinary people. She nodded slightly and said in a calm voice as Ruan Yubai looked over angrily, “Miss Ruan’s judgment is indeed very terrible.”

“Qing Ling, what do you mean!”

Ruan Yubai sat up straight abruptly. Her soft white cheeks were flushed with a faint red due to anger. The pitiful look in her eyes vanished, and she was now truly bristling.

“The person you truly like is not Nan Zhuti, is it?” Although the sentence had a questioning tone, Qing Ling’s voice was very flat. Clearly, she only spoke after confirming the facts.

What is it called when a bolt of lightning strikes from a clear sky? In all fairness, Qing Ling was polite and composed, but in this situation, Ruan Yubai hated the calm of others most. Even the softest tone sounded like a mocking sneer in her ears. Her lips trembled slightly as a late realization finally hit her. “Were you the one who called Lin Yi away just now?”

Qing Ling curled her lips and said nothing. Without a denial, it was an affirmation.

Ruan Yubai covered her face, barely masking a sob that escaped under her intense agitation. What are these people? Is it that fun to make fun of her? This spot was not even something she wanted. Why did every single one of them have to bully her?

The childhood friend who grew up with her seemed to have turned into another person. It was a good thing that Lin Yi had her own ambitions to strive for, but why did she feel she could take Ruan Yubai’s things as her own as a matter of course? Why did she have to step on her while putting on an act of charity?

At this moment, Ruan Yubai was in a fit of rage and could not yet realize that recognizing the truth early was a good thing. The true colors exposed after peeling away the warm outer layer might be cruel, but it was far better than the sorrow of waking up after everything was already set in stone.

Ultimately, Ruan Yubai was just an ordinary student who wanted to live a normal life. Although she would usually be lazy and act spoiled, she had never done anything heinous. Even if she shouted about wanting to be a big villain, most of it ended up as a hilarious blunder.

Setting aside Lin Yi, how could Qing Ling watch so calmly and mock her with such a superior attitude? What right did the female lead have to judge her feelings!

The words Lin Yi had subconsciously used to call her a fool were still echoing in her mind. Ruan Yubai closed her eyes, thinking that in the eyes of the female lead, she was nothing more than a stupid thing to be teased when bored.

Yes, she was a fool. All her carefully taken steps and the intentions she had for those around her were nothing more than the actions of an ignorant clown in a circus. Ruan Yubai’s body trembled uncontrollably. Although she tried her best to hide it, a few broken and soft sobs escaped.

The girl who had been sitting calmly narrowed her eyes slightly, her crimson lips pursing. Does she like that person named Lin Yi that much?

She originally did not want to interfere, but when she saw the girl’s hand trembling as she reached for a tissue, and how she accidentally spilled water on her hem, she could not hold back. She pulled out a few tissues to wipe the girl’s face, but her hand was shoved away heavily.

Ruan Yubai stood up with red eyes. Under the vague side glances of everyone in the room, she shouted angrily, “Who are you to judge Lin Yi? She even if she is bad, she is ten thousand times better than someone like you!”

The glass on the edge of the table wobbled precariously. It failed to maintain its balance and fell to the ground with a crisp shattering sound. For a moment, the air in the room seemed to be sucked out. The noisy environment suddenly became quiet, and only her heavy breathing could be heard.

Even the best tempered person could not hear such words without becoming angry, let alone the noble eldest young lady who had always been surrounded by others. Retracting her hand, Qing Ling lowered her chin slightly and looked at her quietly. Her voice held a rare coldness. “As you wish.”

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