After Encountering My Deceased Wife, I Became the Male Lead's Love Rival - Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Collapse

“Is there really no other way?” Fang Ziyue was unwilling to give up.

Her wife was already home; the idea of sending Ling Qiu back to the Liang family was absolutely out of the question. If Liang Xiuyue weren’t “guilty of a crime punishable by death,” Fang Ziyue could have simply chosen to kill the beneficiary of the contract to render the damn thing void.

Seeming to sense Fang Ziyue’s fury, Ling Qiu rubbed her nose against hers again to soothe the fragile human. She told her: “There is… one more way.”

That was for the beneficiary of the contract to reject the contract. Only then could she destroy it and leave. As long as Liang Xiuyue stated that he no longer needed Ling Qiu to soothe his mental energy, she would no longer be required to fulfill the agreement.

But once Liang Xiuyue knew the contents of the contract and Ling Qiu’s true identity, he would never let her go. He would treat her like a cash cow, squeezing every bit of value out of her. Therefore, a different approach was needed.

With a plan in mind, Fang Ziyue reached out to touch the cool, smooth scales beneath the mermaid’s eyes, promising her, “Then stay here patiently for a few days. I’ll make Liang Xiuyue say the words to destroy the contract himself.”

Ling Qiu tilted her head, curious about what Fang Ziyue would do. However, the other woman didn’t want her involved in such intrigue; she simply plucked many cucumbers and tomatoes for her to eat slowly. Then, under the pretext of building a swimming pool for Ling Qiu, she left.

Ling Qiu knew the human was lying, but she didn’t expose her. Humans are a species that value “face”; exposing her lie so abruptly might hurt her. The little mermaid splashed her beautiful tail and sighed humans were truly fragile.

Fang Ziyue, having run off with her excuse, took out the nutrient solutions she had made over the past two days, labeled as “drinks.” Given her current reputation, no one would want her nutrient solutions, so it was better to claim they were drinks brought from the Imperial Planet.

Using these to hire a group of gossips served two purposes: first, to spread rumors so Liang Xiuyue would willingly terminate the contract; and second, to clear her own name and return to being a renowned nutritionist.

Fang Ziyue acted quickly. Those who received the drinks didn’t even know who their employer was. Within three days, rumors were everywhere that Liang Xiuyue’s mental stability was only thanks to the “crazy woman” at his house. Of course, most treated it as a joke; if someone could truly soothe mental riots, so many people wouldn’t be dying from them.

But Liang Xiuyue and Gu Qiaorou didn’t see it that way. Both were desperate to leave the Desolate Planet for the Imperial Planet and were obsessed with their reputations. Especially Liang Xiuyue a modest, polite, and intelligent second-in-command… needing a lunatic to help him?!

“Which damn bastard is spreading these rumors?!” Liang Xiuyue exploded at his subordinates. He pointed at them, shouting, “If you still haven’t found out who did it, what am I paying you for?! Am I hiring you just to eat?!”

“Useless trash!”

Liang Xiuyue was like an angry Star Beast, pacing restlessly in his room. Because of this rumor, several high-level officials in the safe zone who disliked him used it to humiliate him whenever they met. This made the face-conscious Liang Xiuyue so furious he took a long leave of absence, not daring to show his face. Gu Qiaorou also didn’t dare make a sound, staying quiet at home so as not to become a target for his rage.

The subordinates, having been scolded, were also fuming. As men, they felt Liang Xiuyue was being far too petty. It was just a joke! Who would actually believe a lunatic could soothe mental energy?

“Honestly, he’s just got nothing better to do, making us investigate such boring things,” one subordinate complained. They had worked hard to get into the safe zone, and now Liang Xiuyue was sending them back outside it was as if he didn’t view them as human.

The subordinates’ faces were grim. The man who had cursed Liang Xiuyue earlier gritted his teeth but was forced to bow his head to fate. If he didn’t, what would happen? He was a grown man and could survive outside, but what about his wife and his one-year-old son? In the face of cruel reality, his pride was worth nothing. Ultimately, they followed Liang Xiuyue’s orders and went outside to investigate.

Meanwhile, the culprit being searched for was living a life of leisure, growing vegetables and teasing her “fish” every day.

Having waited three days without hearing about the contract’s destruction, the little mermaid’s curiosity got the better of her. She pestered Fang Ziyue to tell her the plan. Enjoying the mermaid circling around her, Fang Ziyue played with Ling Qiu’s long hair and touched her scales, which were becoming brighter.

Having plenty of time to tease her wife, she dangled a grape in front of Ling Qiu’s eyes, asking playfully, “You really want to know?”

“Of course!” Ling Qiu flicked her tail, splashing water onto Fang Ziyue’s black trousers.

Fang Ziyue wasn’t annoyed; she indulged her wife’s temper. She even continued to tease her: “Then keep wondering.”

“Ugh! You’re so annoying!”

The little mermaid bared her teeth, wanting to jump out of the pond and bite the “wicked” human. This woman was getting worse! Ling Qiu’s brow furrowed. She thought of a human phrase: “Once you have it, you don’t cherish it.” Was this woman ignoring her because she had already “caught” her?

The little mermaid, completely misunderstanding the situation, huffed and climbed out of the pond. Her dark blue tail transformed into smooth, fair legs. Her slender, exquisite body was wrapped only in one of Fang Ziyue’s white shirts. Fortunately, the shirt was large enough to cover the tops of her thighs while accentuating her charming curves.

Fang Ziyue felt a rush of heat surge from her abdomen to her head. By the time it reached her nose, it sprayed out.

A girlfriend’s shirt… and nothing else… simply too much! Dammit!

If she didn’t know her wife was pure and didn’t mean it that way, Fang Ziyue would have devoured her on the spot! Gritting her teeth, she took off her jacket to wrap the confused mermaid, holding her bleeding nose as she spoke nasally: “Go put on some clothes!”

This was at home; what if she did this outside? Wait! Fang Ziyue suddenly realized something. She grabbed the back of the mermaid’s neck and narrowed her eyes dangerously: “Did you dress like this at the Liang house too?”

And let that bastard Liang Xiuyue see?!

The little mermaid followed her gaze downward. Her long legs were slender and straight. Her fair feet, not used to standing on the ground for a long time, curled and stretched in a lost manner—pink, tender, and incredibly cute. The mermaid, who looked for all the world like she was saying “I’m sweet, come eat me,” tilted her head innocently and replied, “No.”

At the Liang house, no one liked her. They said she was a lunatic. No one gave her a change of clothes, so Ling Qiu had spent three years in the same set of old clothes. Those clothes were ragged, faded, and full of holes. Actually, when she arrived at Fang Ziyue’s house, she was wearing clothes she had scavenged from a trash pile; she had washed them many times, but they ended up covered in mud again anyway.

And at the Liang house, Ling Qiu had no sense of security. Everyone was malicious toward her. She always curled up in a corner or hid in the water. Not like here, returning to nature it felt so good.

The completely oblivious little mermaid even gave a massive stretch. The white shirt, which barely covered the base of her thighs, rode up even further.

Fang Ziyue instantly turned her head away, squeezing her eyes shut like she was facing death. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form, Amitabha!

Good lord! My wife is the death of me!

Her eyes practically glowing green, the woman fiercely wrapped her jacket around Ling Qiu’s waist to cover her fair legs. She scooped the person up with ease. Through the thin layer of clothing, she could feel her palms pressing into the soft flesh of Ling Qiu’s thighs. Warm and soft just like the confused but happy little mermaid in her arms.

Ling Qiu happily circled Fang Ziyue’s neck, enjoying the luxury of not having to walk. As a mermaid, she preferred swimming in water to walking anyway.

Fang Ziyue, helpless against her wife, had a tiny version of herself inside her head rolling on the floor and wailing, “How cruel!” Who could know the pain of seeing a “ready-to-eat” wife right in front of you but being unable to touch her? Especially since her alluring yet oblivious wife hadn’t fully recovered her clarity and was still in a semi-infantile, muddled stage.

Force herself on a “child”? Tsk, bring the handcuffs; she’d lock herself up! You’re really pushing it, Fang Ziyue, you’re getting closer to a prison sentence!

The self-loathing woman tucked her beloved wife into the blankets and took out pajamas, explaining the importance of dressing properly.

“So, are you an outsider?”

The little mermaid, after listening for ages, only remembered one thing: “You can only dress like this in front of someone you love mutually, or when you’re alone and sure no one is in the house.” Humans said mutual love was when two people liked each other. They liked each other. Therefore, Fang Ziyue wasn’t an outsider. Since she wasn’t an outsider and they liked each other, why did she need to wear clothes?

The little mermaid didn’t understand. The little mermaid was willful; she just didn’t want to wear clothes.

Fang Ziyue was left speechless. Was she an outsider? Absolutely not! Did they love each other? That’s… not the point right now!

Fang Ziyue patiently tried to persuade her wife, “Do you like the tomatoes at home?” The little mermaid nodded. “I like them.” “Do you like the vegetables at home?” “I like them.” “Then if I made you choose between the vegetables, the tomatoes, and me… who would you choose?”

“I choose veg—” The little mermaid stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she sensed a trap. She hesitated, unable to decide.

She didn’t see the woman sitting opposite her close her eyes in despair. Dammit, she actually hesitated! She was bought off by a few heads of Chinese cabbage?!

Feeling troubled, Ling Qiu bit her lip. She liked the energy-rich vegetables, the sweet and sour tomatoes, and the gentle Fang Ziyue. Ugh, how am I supposed to choose? The little mermaid bared her sharp fangs, attempting to threaten the woman who gave her the difficult question: “I don’t want to choose just one.”

“What, you want them all?” Fang Ziyue propped her head up, exhausted.

“Yes!” the little mermaid answered decisively.

This answer was a heavy blow to Fang Ziyue’s fragile heart. The exhausted woman pointed to the top of her own head and asked her wife sincerely: “My dear Ling Qiu-qiu, do the vegetable leaves on my head look green to you?”

The little mermaid tilted her head and suddenly laughed: “You’re so silly, there are no vegetable leaves on your head.”

Fang Ziyue only let out two hollow laughs. None? Why do I feel like my head is turning into a whole green vegetable patch? Think about it—she, Fang Ziyue, a woman with money and looks who pampers her wife, can cook, and fights off scumbags… not only did she have to fight the male lead for her wife, now she had to fight vegetables and tomatoes for her too!

Is this any way to live?!

Seeing the frozen woman not speaking, the little mermaid happily tossed the pajamas aside, dove into the blankets, patted the pillow beside her, and shouted clearly: “Come and take a nap with me!”

Nap… nap my foot!

“If you don’t die in silence, you’ll explode in silence!”

Unable to take it anymore, the woman snatched the pajamas and threw them violently onto the bed with the aura of someone starting a brawl. She fell to her knees in front of the bed and performed a dramatic, soul-shattering prostration before her wife, letting out a tragic shriek: “I’m begging you, wife PLEASE JUST WEAR SOME PANTS!!! “

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