I Quit Being This Female Lead (GL) - Chapter 17

Xun Fangyun  and Yue Yin exchanged glances. They often seemed to size each other up with such scrutinizing looks. They looked nothing like a pair of regretful lovers, but more like bitter rivals.

Yue Yin put down her teacup and slowly began: “To be honest, aside from childhood, this is my first time at your house, isn’t it? It seems to have changed quite a bit.”

Xun Fangyun lowered her gaze and didn’t look at her: “You must be mistaken. This place is the same as it was ten years ago.”

“But I remember the house being very big back then, and now it feels a little cramped.”

“Perhaps the person is different, so the feeling is naturally different.”

Mang Ke  leaned on the railing, listening to the conversation between the two downstairs. The more she listened, the more perplexed she became. Why are their words so strange? Isn’t Yue Yin here to drive me away? If I don’t leave, how are she and Xun Fangyun going to have an emotional conflict, and then Xun Fangyun chase her back?

Just as Mang Ke was full of doubts, Yue Yin spoke again.

“Where is Mang Ke?” Yue Yin asked: “Is she home now?”

Xun Fangyun’s previously languid gaze instantly turned cold. Her dark eyes looked at the woman opposite her, and she asked with a frigid expression: “Why are you asking?”

Yue Yin chuckled and changed her posture on the sofa: “Nothing much. Mang Ke and I are friends, so it’s perfectly reasonable for me to visit her when she’s sick. Why the face?”

You come to my house and ask about my wife, and I’m not allowed to look displeased???

Xun Fangyun’s eyes subconsciously darted up to the second floor, and she saw a pair of clean white ankles exposed on the steps, with a few strands of chestnut long hair slipping through the railings. The owner of the long hair seemed completely unaware that she had been spotted.

Xun Fangyun:

She focused her gaze on Yue Yin: “Mang Ke is unwell today and still sleeping. If you want to see her, wait until her condition improves.”

Yue Yin took this at face value and said with some concern: “Is she very ill?”

Xun Fangyun: “…” Why does she look so worried? Isn’t she Mang Ke’s love rival?

Just as Xun Fangyun was wondering, Yue Yin seemed to sense movement behind her. She instinctively turned her head and saw Mang Ke crouching on the stairs, trying her best to curl up into a ball with her bare feet. When she saw both women staring at her, she couldn’t help but shiver.

It’s over, it’s over, I’m going to be silenced!

Mang Ke laughed awkwardly and greeted the two: “Hello. I just came out to use the restroom. I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation.” She was afraid her words weren’t convincing, so she stood up, picked up her shoes, and said: “I’ll go back now. Please continue talking.”

Xun Fangyun saw her turn and quickly said: “Where are you going?”

Mang Ke twisted the corner of her shirt and whispered: “To go back and pack my things, of course…” Thinking that she would soon be carrying her belongings and wandering the streets, Mang Ke couldn’t help but feel her eyes well up. She was about to say goodbye to her soft bed and warm showers. It looks like her life as Mrs. Xun is over.

Mang Ke looked at the two women downstairs. They looked perfectly matched. Her nose stung, and she ran off immediately. She needed to hurry back and pack her things, or she would be scolded for disturbing them later.

Xun Fangyun watched Mang Ke run away, crying. Although she didn’t know what had happened, she felt a sudden prick in her heart, like a needle. She looked at Yue Yin and said: “You should leave today. Don’t come to my house again unless it’s necessary.”

Yue Yin glanced at her, crossed her arms, and said: “Why? I didn’t come to your house to see you.”

Xun Fangyun: “…This is my house.”

Yue Yin smiled and said: “You don’t like Mang Ke anyway, so why don’t you let her be with me? I have money and plenty of time, and I will take very good care of her, inside and out.” As for how she’d take care of her, that was her business.

Xun Fangyun disliked hearing such talk. The thought of Yue Yin taking Mang Ke to the tea party last time made her particularly uneasy. “My wife doesn’t need your care,” Xun Fangyun walked up to her and said: “Miss Yue Yin, please leave if you have nothing important to say.”

Yue Yin wanted to argue, but seeing Xun Fangyun’s expression, which didn’t look like a joke, she thought for a moment and said: “Alright then. Tell Mang Ke to rest well. I’ll come visit her another day.”

Watching Yue Yin leave with her bag, Xun Fangyun said to Aunt Liu with a dark expression: “Quickly take the mugwort from the storeroom and burn it to cleanse the house of bad luck.”

Aunt Liu, holding a newly brewed cup of tea, stood in the living room. Although puzzled, she acknowledged the order and went to the storeroom to get the mugwort.

Meanwhile, Mang Ke was no longer in the mood to wash up. She crouched in front of the bedside table and started pulling out her things. Data cable, power bank, band-aids. Small doll, keychain, comic books. Mang Ke even took the spare change from the bottom of the drawer. She didn’t intend to leave Xun Fangyun a single coin!

She placed these items on the bed, then opened the wardrobe to pack her clothes. Suddenly, she heard a rapid succession of footsteps, followed by a loud ‘bang—’. A hand abruptly slammed the wooden wardrobe door shut.

“Who told you to pack your things??” Xun Fangyun looked at the clothes grasped in Mang Ke’s hands, utterly furious: “Did I say I want you to move out? Why are you packing?”

Mang Ke was startled. She leaned her back against the wardrobe door, facing Xun Fangyun. Her light-colored eyes were still slightly red and swollen.

“You…” Mang Ke didn’t dare to look into Xun Fangyun’s eyes and just lowered her head, saying: “I’m packing my things to make space for you and Miss Yue Yin. Otherwise, what am I doing in this house? Working alongside Aunt Liu?”

The thought of working in this house while watching Xun Fangyun and Yue Yin being affectionate made Mang Ke feel deeply wronged. What kind of female lead is this? Being bullied everywhere?

Mang Ke rubbed the corners of her eyes. She felt so superfluous now, as if this world didn’t need her at all. The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt. Mang Ke just wanted to go home now.

Xun Fangyun watched Mang Ke burst into tears, immediately becoming flustered. She took a tissue from nearby and cupped Mang Ke’s face. Perhaps because her crying was so genuine, Mang Ke’s nose, ears, and eyes were all red. She looked exactly like a truly wronged little rabbit.

Xun Fangyun felt both heartache and amusement as she said: “You look so ugly when you cry.”

Mang Ke cried even louder.

“Alright, alright.” Xun Fangyun wiped Mang Ke’s face and then directly pulled her into an embrace. “Why are you crying so sadly? I never said I was kicking you out,” Xun Fangyun lowered her head and kissed Mang Ke’s long hair, comforting her: “Yue Yin isn’t moving in, and you don’t need to cry anymore.”

Mang Ke shook her head, wiping her snot and tears all over Xun Fangyun: “You’re lying! She even came over today…”

“She came to see you,” Xun Fangyun said helplessly to Mang Ke: “You were sick, so she came to visit you. Who told you she was moving in?” Even if Yue Yin wanted to move in, the homeowner—me—would have to agree.

Mang Ke looked at her, sobbing: “Visit me? Why would she visit me?”

Xun Fangyun grunted: “Shouldn’t you be asking yourself that?”

Mang Ke sniffled: “?”