After the Bigshot Turned into a Gold-Digging Scumbag Alpha - Chapter 4

Unaware of everything that was about to happen, Jiang Shuiyun was still absorbed in grinding levels. It wasn’t until the soft patter of rain began outside that she lifted her head, glanced at the time, and realized it was already noon.

Finishing one last round of her game, Jiang Shuiyun looked over at Yi Jinbai sleeping on the bed. She walked over and gently pulled the blanket up for her. Then she counted the money left in her pocket—there wasn’t much, but it would be enough to cover the two of them for the next couple of days.

Making sure she didn’t wake Yi Jinbai, Jiang Shuiyun grabbed the umbrella by the door. With the cooking experience she’d gained that morning, she set out alone to buy groceries for lunch.

There was a small produce shop at the entrance of the alley. Tiny as it was, it had everything she needed. Jiang Shuiyun pulled up a recipe for a simple home-style dish on her phone and followed it closely—she picked out two tomatoes, grabbed a few eggs, then paused. Her gaze drifted to the freezer by the counter. The handmade frozen dumplings looked pretty good.

After checking with the shop owner, she bought enough dumplings to fill two plates. She scanned the shelves, picked out a few mandarins, paid for everything, then walked home with her groceries under the umbrella.

The rain only grew heavier, drumming rapidly against the eaves. Jiang Shuiyun turned on the lights. Standing by the stove next to the window, she followed her online recipe step-by-step—washing, cutting, seasoning, stir-frying.

A plate of tomato-and-egg stir-fry came out fresh and steaming. Then she filled the pot with water to cook the dumplings. As she waited, she glanced out through the window and the curtain of rain toward the courtyard gate.

Someone was standing there—a lone figure under a black umbrella, waiting silently.

Jiang Shuiyun could feel that the person was watching her, and had been for a while.

She wiped her hands and headed for the door, opening her umbrella before walking toward the gate. In the rain, she saw the figure clearly.

“Are you looking for someone?” she asked.

Shen Yunyi stared at the person before her—someone entirely different from the one in her memory. She froze, the mocking words she’d prepared stopping on her tongue. After a brief hesitation, she nodded. “I’m looking for Jiang Shuiyun.”

Jiang Shuiyun studied the stranger. She had no memories belonging to the original Jiang Shuiyun; everything she knew about this world came from the novel she’d read. This person didn’t match anyone described in it—but that made sense. A book only had so many characters; the real world had far more.

“That’s me,” she said. “Let’s go inside first—the rain’s too heavy.”

She led Shen Yunyi into the house, set the umbrella aside, handed her a dry towel, and poured her a glass of water.

“Sit down and have something warm to drink. Give me just a moment.”

She checked the pot, now releasing billows of steam. After stirring in the dumplings and letting them cook, she finally returned to sit on the sofa.

“I’m Jiang Shuiyun. May I ask what you needed from me?”

Shen Yunyi hadn’t taken her eyes off her—not once. Aside from her face, everything about Jiang Shuiyun was completely different from before. Shen Yunyi couldn’t help doubting herself.

“I’m Shen Yunyi. You don’t remember me?”

Shen Yunyi? A completely unfamiliar name.

Jiang Shuiyun quickly searched her memory of the half-finished book. She was certain this name had never appeared.

“Sorry,” she said calmly, “my brain seems to have been affected recently. I can’t remember many things clearly.”

So, this person did know the original Jiang Shuiyun. Using memory loss as an excuse was her best option. And since the person managed to find this place, she likely already knew about the original owner’s past.

As she finished speaking, her gaze drifted past Shen Yunyi—and met Yi Jinbai’s eyes.

For some reason, guilt pricked her chest. She immediately looked away and back at Shen Yunyi.

Shen Yunyi was clearly taken aback by her answer. After hesitating for a moment, she finally nodded with a complicated expression.

Seeing Shen Yunyi fall silent, Jiang Shuiyun stood up again to add more water to the boiling pot. She stirred absently, unable to stop her eyes from drifting toward Yi Jinbai.

Yi Jinbai was already getting out of bed, steadying herself with the edge of the mattress. Shen Yunyi, still dazed, hadn’t even noticed there was someone else behind her.

“Jinbai,” Jiang Shuiyun called softly, “we have a guest.”

Seeing that Yi Jinbai had nearly made it to the sofa, Jiang Shuiyun finally spoke up. Shen Yunyi, who had been spacing out, snapped back to herself—only then realizing there was a third person in this tiny apartment.

Startled, Shen Yunyi turned around. When she finally recognized who she was, she stood up.

“Miss Yi, hello. I’m Shen Yunyi.”

Yi Jinbai had never met Shen Yunyi, but she had heard the name countless times. Back when Jiang Shuiyun would grumble in anger, this name had come up very often.

“Hello, Ms. Shen. Please, have a seat.”

Supporting herself against the sofa, Yi Jinbai slowly eased her way over. Shen Yunyi noticed her difficulty with walking and immediately stepped aside to give her space.

Jiang Shuiyun glanced at the pot, now boiling again, turned off the heat, and after a moment of thought, grabbed three plates. She divided the dumplings among them.

“There’s not much to offer—just make do for now. There are also some biscuits.”

She placed the tomato-and-egg stir-fry and the three plates of dumplings on the table, then added some biscuits and bread they had from earlier.

“I’m just learning how to cook. My skills are basic.”

Jiang Shuiyun handed out chopsticks, feeling more than a little nervous. She had made this tomato-and-egg dish entirely by instinct, without any guidance from Yi Jinbai. It looked fine, but the taste, she wasn’t confident at all.

Shen Yunyi accepted the chopsticks with a complicated mix of emotions. Staring at the simple, almost shabby meal in front of her, she suddenly wasn’t sure how to feel. Whatever it was, it wasn’t the satisfaction she had imagined when she first came.

Seeing that Shen Yunyi was only staring at the food, Jiang Shuiyun didn’t bother with her. She picked up a piece of egg and placed it into Yi Jinbai’s bowl.

“Try it?”

Watching Yi Jinbai lower her head and take a small, careful bite, Jiang Shuiyun also sampled a bit. To her surprise—the taste was actually pretty good.

Encouraged, she added a little more egg for Yi Jinbai. When she saw that Shen Yunyi had finally lifted her chopsticks, she poured water for both of them, and the three quietly began eating.

After the meal, Shen Yunyi excused herself. In the end, she never explained why she had come. Jiang Shuiyun walked her to the doorway under her umbrella. Watching her retreating figure, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something about her was off—but she sensed no hostility.

Unable to figure it out, she stopped thinking about it and returned inside. Yi Jinbai was cleaning up the table.

“Just leave the dishes there—I’ll wash them.” Jiang Shuiyun took the bowls and chopsticks from her hands and placed them in the basin. She poured a cup of warm water and placed it gently in Yi Jinbai’s hands, then set the medicine on the table.

“I think I forgot to give you your medicine this morning. Take it first—I’ll go get some water.”

Umbrella in hand, Jiang Shuiyun stepped out into the courtyard to fill the basin. Watching her silhouette through the doorway, Yi Jinbai slowly tightened her grip around the cup.

A head injury, does it really wipe out everything?