After Failing To Tame The Scumbag - Chapter 18

“Her eyes are a pool of stagnant water.”

“Gu Yili.”

Ji Jin recognized the newcomer. After waving her assistant away, she cut straight to the chase. “Aren’t you usually the most reluctant to come here? Are you out of pocket money again?”

Gu Yili glanced at Yun Chuxiu, who was tidying her clothes. The latter looked cold and indifferent. Even though an awkward scene had been interrupted, there wasn’t a trace of bashfulness on her face, as if nothing had happened.

“As if you’d give me any if I ran out,” Gu Yili sneered. She adjusted the sparkly, stylish hat on her head, her eyes darting around as a smirk crawled onto her face, one that looked entirely malicious. “I was specifically invited by Auntie to come and see my sister-in-law. After all, the ‘bewitching concubine’ who has my cousin so obsessed…”

“Shut up!” Ji Jin’s brow furrowed instantly at the winding, mocking tone. She clearly couldn’t tolerate such a malicious description. “Who taught you such nonsense? Did Mother send you here just to find ways to provoke me?”

“Tch,” Gu Yili rolled her eyes so hard they nearly disappeared. “You call that nonsense?”

She slowly turned her gaze toward Yun Chuxiu, who was shielded behind Ji Jin. Lifting her chin slightly, she continued with an emphasized tone: “That’s what everyone is saying. You haven’t introduced her to the family in seven years. For anyone else, that’s long enough to go through a seven year itch.”

“And another thing, isn’t she the one who’s always been pining for you? Refused so many times yet still won’t let go. Those who know call it true love, those who don’t would think she’s just after something from you.”

“Gu Yili”

“She makes a good point.”

The two sentences followed one after the other. The anger at the tip of Ji Jin’s tongue was choked back by a hand. Yun Chuxiu, finally looking up at this farce, remained expressionless.

“A-xiu,” Ji Jin leaned down. Ignoring her cousin’s gaze, she lowered her eye level to match Yun Chuxiu’s seated position, explaining quickly: “Don’t listen to her nonsense. There’s no need to visit those people. I love you. From the moment we were together, I wanted to share the rest of my life with you. A-xiu…”

“…I know.” Yun Chuxiu lowered her eyelashes. Like a sigh, she avoided Ji Jin’s gaze for the first time. “I won’t let other people’s words dictate my emotions.”

But the fact that such talk could arise time and time again already signified something.

Yun Chuxiu touched the sofa beside her, which still held a lingering warmth. The last flicker of warmth in her eyes melted into the snow. She stared quietly at her slightly panicked lover, the corners of her mouth curving, looking like a smile, yet more like a mechanical, emotionless gesture of comfort.

“You go out first,” she pinched Ji Jin’s cheek. Her tone was the same as always, but the strength behind it was much lighter. “She came here for me anyway. It’s not appropriate for you to be looming here.”

“No,” Ji Jin shook her head, casting a cold sweep over her cousin, who was busy playing with her hat and whistling. Her voice was low. “Even if I kicked her out, no one could do anything to me. Gu Yili has been spoiled rotten, she’s being outrageous. She should learn some etiquette before being alone with you.”

“Hey!” Gu Yili shouted in protest.

“Go out,” Yun Chuxiu gripped the hand Ji Jin was clenching. Her attitude was non-negotiable, and her voice dropped in pitch.

Ji Jin bit her lower lip. Rationally, she knew Gu Yili, a kid who hadn’t even finished university couldn’t actually do anything to Yun Chuxiu. Emotionally, however, she was unwilling to let go.

Rather than worrying about Yun Chuxiu herself, she was more afraid that the polished beauty of their relationship would be abruptly stripped away. Ji Jin knew that when they first got together, her own actions hadn’t exactly been clean or innocent.

“That’s not a reason for me to avoid her.”

After Yun Chuxiu finished speaking, she locked eyes with Ji Jin once more. “Are you hiding something from me?”

“No,” Ji Jin’s mouth moved faster than her brain. Her face stiffened as she tried to maintain her expression. “First it was Mother, now it’s her… if you keep being so good-natured, this will never end.”

Gu Yili scoffed. Remembering the cold gaze that had just brushed past her, she briefly felt like pointing at Ji Jin’s nose and asking, “You call this being good-natured?”

The woman had been radiating a literal frost from meters away!

Even scarier, her cousin, famous for being a top-tier workaholic with zero emotional depth, likely wasn’t lying. At least, Ji Jin truly believed what she was saying.

Gu Yili felt a wave of goosebumps. Seeing her cousin show such a “soft” and coaxing side was like seeing a ghost in broad daylight. She was starting to doubt the accuracy of the rumors. No matter how she looked at it, Yun Chuxiu had Ji Jin wrapped around her finger… right?

This counts as pining and being unable to have her? Huh?

Gu Yili rubbed the chills on her arms, deciding to observe quietly before adjusting her tactics.

Then, in just three minutes, Ji Jin surrendered at lightning speed.

“Can we at least leave the door open?” Ji Jin clutched her phone, looking tense, trying to bargain for a bit of insight.

“What do you think?” Yun Chuxiu arched an eyebrow, her gaze accurately meeting Gu Yili’s peeking eyes. Her eyes crinkled slightly. “Guarding against your own cousin like she’s a thief… isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”

Ji Jin: “…”

Ji Jin had a thousand rebuttals, but refusing again would be overkill. Her A-xiu was so smart; she would easily pick up on the breadcrumbs.

If she confessed now…

Ji Jin pursed her lips. The moment she considered the possibility, the alarms in her head went off frantically.

“Then I’m really leaving.”

Yun Chuxiu gave an affirmative hum. She bypassed Ji Jin’s melancholy, hesitant gaze and locked onto Gu Yili, who was frozen at the door.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

She was very friendly. Ji Jin, who wanted to send a silent warning… froze, she couldn’t find a gap to avoid Yun Chuxiu’s line of sight and could only give up in frustration.

Clack. Gu Yili took a step forward. Behind her, the door clicked shut softly.

Yun Chuxiu smiled. She stood up and walked over unbothered, pressing down on the door handle. It was loose. As expected, it pushed open with the slightest touch.

Ji Jin, standing guard right outside, muttered guiltily, “I might not have noticed…”

“You really didn’t notice,” Yun Chuxiu patted Ji Jin’s lowered head. After a thought, she felt a bit of pity. “Don’t worry. Nothing will happen.”

“Hey,” Gu Yili interjected, “I see Cousin is busy. Actually, I could…”

Bang!

The door shut.

Gu Yili: …That familiar feeling.

Damn it, Auntie set her up!

“Sit,” Yun Chuxiu turned to look at her, ignoring the girl’s attempt to flee. Her voice was cold, her presence overwhelming. “I’m not in the habit of letting unresolved matters drag on. Madam Ji has already given me quite a lesson.”

Because the big one wasn’t handled, the little one followed.

Yun Chuxiu deepened her tone slightly: “Say what you want to say. Or would you prefer to give a live PPT presentation?”

Gu Yili: “…”

Gu Yili sat with a stiff smile at the furthest possible seat. The pride she’d felt at the door, thinking she had backup, had completely vanished.

Yun Chuxiu handed her a glass of water. “Lube your throat. You look very nervous.”

Gu Yili lowered her head and mumbled for a long time before finally stammering out: “You look… very different from the rumors.”

Money-grubbing, vain, pillow-talking… she thought Yun Chuxiu would at least fit one of those keywords.

Isn’t that how novels are written? The canary who stays with the CEO for seven years is powerless to resist, only leaving after her heart is shattered…

She had researched this specifically before coming and brought plenty of attitude. In the end, this wasn’t anything like what her aunt had described?

“I didn’t come here to break you up,” Gu Yili took a sip of water after receiving no reply. She had to push through. “It’s just that Auntie said things aren’t right between you two. Breaking up would be a better choice for both of you. Besides, Cousin’s state of mind hasn’t been good lately.”

“Uncle cares a lot about Cousin’s career. If he finds out about this, his attitude will only be harsher.”

“So I should be thanking you?” Yun Chuxiu let out a soft laugh, leaning back against the sofa. She hadn’t expected that simply being in a relationship would draw opposition from all sides. For a moment, she felt physically and mentally exhausted.

Gu Yili gave a forced smile in response. “It’s not that I don’t support you, it’s just that Uncle is big on social standing. If it comes to marriage…”

“I’m not marrying her,” Yun Chuxiu interrupted. Her eyes dropped calmly. In just that short time, the white steam that should have been rising from the hot tea had been swallowed by the cold draft of the air conditioner.

Just like a calm sea.

“Satisfied with that answer?” Yun Chuxiu curled her lips, seemingly indifferent to the scar being ripped open. Her gaze was clear, without a hint of gloom.

Gu Yili was stunned. It was hard to describe her mental state upon seeing that look.

…Ji Jin would kill her if she knew!

The more Gu Yili thought about it, the more wrong it felt. She hurriedly pulled her hat down to cover her eyes, not daring to continue the sensitive topic. “Actually, I think…”

With a thud, something heavy hit the door from the outside.

Gu Yili shut her mouth instantly and turned toward the door. A second later, the door Yun Chuxiu had closed swung open again.

Ji Jin stood at the entrance, still holding a phone mid-call, her eyes rimmed with red.

“Why that expression again?” Yun Chuxiu wasn’t surprised. she hung up the other phone that was currently in a call and tapped the table, smiling faintly. “I’m not angry or aggrieved. I’ve simply accepted your reality.”

“A-xiu… don’t be like this,” Ji Jin gripped the doorframe, her fingers nearly sinking into the wood. “I know I was wrong. I really will change.”

“Just wait for me a little longer, okay? I won’t let you suffer anymore. I’ll have everything ready.”

The ring, the proposal, even a grand wedding…

Social standing? The lover she felt she couldn’t give enough to even if she sacrificed everything, how did she become the one “not good enough” in other people’s mouths?

Clearly…

“Come here,” Yun Chuxiu beckoned her.

All the thoughts in Ji Jin’s mind came to a screeching halt.

She quietly brought her face close. Expecting a scolding or a pinch, she instead received a kiss.

“Does this prove it?”

Ji Jin silently buried herself in Yun Chuxiu’s embrace, saying nothing, but the hand she moved to the back of Chuxiu’s waist tightened.

Gu Yili didn’t dare move a muscle.

She stood up, intending to slip away while they were occupied. She finally reached the door, but thinking this was a once in a decade scene, she couldn’t help but look back.

She unexpectedly locked eyes with Yun Chuxiu, who had looked up slightly.

Yun Chuxiu’s hand was still resting on Ji Jin’s back, soothing her.

Her eyes held no emotional ripples. They were, exactly as described, a pool of silent, stagnant water.