I'm a Professional at Being a Scumbag [Quick Wear] - Chapter 2.2

On the one thousand and ninety-fifth day, Chu Qiao started high school at the best high school in Xi Ning.

The day she got her acceptance letter, Le Yi took her out for a celebratory meal. The proud little girl finally called her “Jiejie (Sister).”

Le Yi cupped her ear and asked, “What did you say? A little louder, I couldn’t hear you.”

Chu Qiao refused to say it again. Instead, she picked up a spare rib with her chopsticks and put it on Le Yi’s plate. “Eat.”

Le Yi chuckled and handed her the gift she had prepared.

Seeing the new iPhone, Chu Qiao said, “I don’t need a phone. You can return it.”

“You’ll be living at the school once you start high school. You can call me if you need anything. Besides, won’t you miss your Jiejie?”

Chu Qiao pursed her lips and took the phone.

“Mmm.”

A vague answer that didn’t confirm if she was accepting the phone or answering Le Yi’s question.

Over the past three years, Chu Qiao had grown like a fertilized seedling and was now almost as tall as Le Yi.

Walking together, they were an eye-catching pair.

Chu Qiao took a mask out of her pocket and handed it to Le Yi. “You’re a public figure, at least be a little more careful, okay?”

Le Yi had never cared about such things. After all, she was a nobody. The chances of being recognized in a crowd were slim.

But she was happy that Chu Qiao cared about her.

This proud kid was so difficult. They had lived together for so long, and she still hadn’t opened her heart to her.

“Jiejie.”

Chu Qiao suddenly spoke. Le Yi turned to her and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Chu Qiao hesitated, as if finding it difficult to say something.

“Just say it. Why are you so shy with me?”

“Thank you,” Chu Qiao said.

Le Yi waited a few seconds for more.

“That’s it?”

Chu Qiao nodded. “Yes.”

Even if she tried, she couldn’t say those emotional, overly sentimental words.

Le Yi rubbed her head and laughed. “You’re welcome. Grow up quickly and earn money to take care of me.”

Chu Qiao’s expression remained calm, but her eyes sparkled.

“Okay.”

Le Yi held her hand as they walked home, thinking about how to make money from live streaming.

For the past three years, because of compulsory education, Chu Qiao’s schooling hadn’t cost much. Le Yi had been able to support both of them by writing erotica online and taking on side jobs.

But now it was different. Tuition, living expenses, and after-school tutoring classes—all of it cost money.

It seemed she would have to go down the path of live commerce after all.

Sigh.

“Is something bothering you, Jiejie?” Chu Qiao keenly sensed the change in Le Yi’s mood.

Le Yi asked, “Do you like the extracurricular classes I signed you up for? Do you feel tired?”

Given Chu Qiao’s background, Le Yi had enrolled her in etiquette, fashion, and management tutoring. Since few people studied these subjects, it was practically one-on-one, and the costs were naturally high.

But Le Yi felt it was worth it.

For ordinary people, it was a bit too early to study these things, but for Chu Qiao, it was already too late.

If she were still the Chu family’s young lady, she would have started studying these things from childhood.

Chu Qiao had never forgotten the humiliation she had endured and knew Le Yi’s purpose. She was simply grateful from the bottom of her heart. How could she feel tired?

“Don’t worry, Jiejie. I’ll study hard.”

Le Yi stroked her hair, smoothing the little wolf cub’s fur.

“My Qiao Qiao is so good. I can already see our happy future.”

Chu Qiao lowered her head, a faint smile on her lips as she gripped Le Yi’s hand.

Soon. The day she would reclaim what was rightfully hers was not far off.

That night, a sudden downpour hit. Before Le Yi could even react, there was a lump next to her in the bed.

She lifted the blanket to find Chu Qiao curled up on her bed.

“Jiejie, it’s thundering. I’m scared.”

She tried to act cute in an unfamiliar way, and Le Yi couldn’t help but feel helpless.

“Alright, alright. Jiejie will sleep with you.”

Chu Qiao secretly smiled, snuggling into Le Yi’s arms and drawing warmth from her.

Le Yi patted Chu Qiao’s back, but instead of lulling Chu Qiao to sleep, she put herself to sleep.

Chu Qiao used the light from outside to watch Le Yi, her eyes filled with a tenderness she didn’t even realize she had.

*******

The next day, Le Yi signed a contract. Because she wasn’t popular, the commission was relatively low, but she still gave it her all, even though the number of people in her live stream was pitifully small.

During her break from class, Chu Qiao watched Le Yi’s live stream on her phone, and she felt a pang of sadness.

If it weren’t for her, Jiejie wouldn’t have to work so hard.

Jiejie had always hated being in the public eye and overworking herself, but now she was…

Chu Qiao slowly clenched her fists, and a bold idea began to form in her mind.

The first broadcast was a bust, and the brand was very unhappy. But since the contract had been signed, they had to bite the bullet and continue to buy traffic.

A few days later, her agent gave Le Yi a script for a web drama. It was a small production, but for Le Yi, who had no acting jobs, it was better than nothing.

So Le Yi spent her days acting and her nights live streaming, with no free time at all. But her hard work paid off. The live streams began to improve, and the web drama became a small hit.

With her beautiful looks and excellent acting skills, Le Yi gained a huge following, becoming even more popular than the female lead.

This surge in attention boosted her live streaming career, and her ranking shot up, surpassing the longtime top streamers to become the third-ranked seller.

Before she could enjoy her success for long, it was suddenly and without warning announced that the cosmetics she sold were faulty, causing many people to break out in bad rashes.

These claims spread like wildfire, and overnight, they became a top trending topic on the platform.

Le Yi knew someone was deliberately trying to sabotage her, but the immediate priority was to stop the spread of rumors, or she would be finished for good.

Chu Qiao’s phone was confiscated during the week. The first thing she did when she got her phone was to call Le Yi, but the line was busy after several tries. After checking the trending topics, she found out about the trouble Le Yi was in.

She didn’t care that it was Saturday morning and she was supposed to be studying. She grabbed her backpack and was about to go home when a group of people blocked her way out of the dorm.

“Your sister sold counterfeit cosmetics and ruined my cousin’s face. She tried to commit suicide and almost didn’t make it. Murderer!” one girl hissed viciously.

Chu Qiao knew her. She was a high school sophomore, a brat who was usually loud and overbearing.

“This hasn’t been confirmed yet. You better watch what you say!”

Chu Qiao just wanted to get home quickly and didn’t want to waste time arguing. She tried to walk around the girl, but she was grabbed by the arm.

The brat shoved her hard against the wall. “What do you mean not confirmed? We have human witnesses and evidence. What more do we need?”

Another girl next to her said, “I heard her sister used to be a prostitute, specializing in sleeping with big bosses.”

The brat laughed. “No wonder she looks so seductive. So she was a hooker. That makes sense, since she’ll sell anything.”

They all burst into loud, sharp laughter.

Seeing the gloom on Chu Qiao’s face, the brat continued, “Everyone says you’re pretty, that you’re the school beauty. I don’t see it. Always pretending to be so pure. Maybe you sell yourself on the side, too. After all, your sister’s past her prime. She might need you to please the big bosses.”

Another round of sneering laughter followed, more vicious than before.

Chu Qiao’s patience snapped, and she punched the girl in the face. The girl let out a pig-like shriek that echoed throughout the dorm building.

Chu Qiao’s roommates heard the commotion and came out, getting into a brawl with the other girls.

It was an all-out fight.

Le Yi was still trying to communicate with those who had used the cosmetics when she received a call from the school. Chu Qiao’s teacher told her that Chu Qiao had been in a fight and was injured, which made Le Yi rush to the school in a panic.

When she arrived, she saw that Chu Qiao only had a small cut on her face and immediately felt a sense of relief.

“Mass brawling! This is a serious offense!” The principal said, pounding on his desk.

Le Yi quickly apologized. “Yes, yes. I’ll make sure to discipline her properly at home.”

Chu Qiao had been the top student for three years and had won numerous awards in various competitions. The principal wasn’t really going to punish her. He was just putting on a show to appease the parents of the other girls.

The brat’s mother seemed very aggressive and was yelling about calling the police. Chu Qiao stepped in front of Le Yi and said coldly, “She and her friends were the ones who blocked me first. It was self-defense.”

“What self-defense?! Look at what you did to my Jiajia!”

Le Yi gestured for Chu Qiao not to provoke them and pulled her behind her.

Chu Qiao stopped talking, staring at the side of Le Yi’s face and the movement of her lips.

“There were faults on both sides. How about we both take a step back? I’m willing to pay for your daughter’s medical expenses.”

On the way to the school, Le Yi had already gotten a general idea of what happened from Chu Qiao’s teacher. She knew the other girls had started it.

Technically, they had the upper hand.

The brat’s mother yelled, “The medical expenses are the least you can do! What about emotional distress? What about the lost study time? What about psychological trauma…?”

“Ma’am, I am Chu Qiao’s guardian, not a genie in a bottle. If you think you can get rich off of me, I suggest you stop. This was your daughter’s fault to begin with. Even if you call the police, I’m not scared. I’m giving you a way out, so don’t push it, alright?”

Le Yi said this with a smile, but it carried an invisible pressure. The brat’s mother fell silent. She turned and gave her daughter a few hard slaps.

“All you do is cause trouble for me. What’s the point of raising you!”

Le Yi led Chu Qiao and her roommates out and asked, “You’re not usually this impulsive. What happened today?”

Chu Qiao suddenly hugged her. “Are you okay?”

“What could be wrong with me?” Le Yi asked back.

Chu Qiao rubbed her face against Le Yi’s shoulder. “Good,” she murmured.

Le Yi stroked her back a few times. “You still haven’t told me why.”

“They were talking trash about you. I couldn’t stand it.”

Le Yi chuckled. “What people say is their business. We can’t control them. But don’t be so impulsive next time. If your roommates hadn’t helped you, you would have been the one hurt today.”

Chu Qiao nodded slightly, looking gentle and obedient.

Le Yi released her and looked at her roommates.

“Kids, thank you for helping my Chu Qiao. I’ll treat you all to barbecue.”

“Yay!”

“Jiejie is the best!”

The girls walked ahead, chatting and laughing. Le Yi took Chu Qiao’s hand and followed behind them.

Chu Qiao looked at their intertwined hands, a smile blooming in her eyes.

Strangely, after the fight, the brat and her cousin took the initiative to clear things up, saying the rashes were not caused by Le Yi’s cosmetics but that someone had paid her to slander Le Yi.

Le Yi found it strange and asked Chu Qiao what she thought. Chu Qiao said calmly, “Maybe they were beaten into submission.”

Le Yi raised an eyebrow and didn’t think about it anymore.

Of course, the brand wouldn’t let the rumors continue. They quickly resolved the issue. Not only was Le Yi’s live streaming career unaffected, but it became even more popular.

******

In the blink of an eye, the college entrance exams were over, and Chu Qiao’s coming-of-age party arrived.

Le Yi invited her roommates and teacher to witness the occasion. Chu Qiao seemed very curious about the adult world and drank every toast given to her, quickly getting drunk.

Zhu Qiong drove them home and asked, “This drunkard is as tall as you now. Can you handle her?”

Le Yi waved her hand, indicating she could, and helped Chu Qiao into the building.

After making some money, they moved to a place near Chu Qiao’s school. While not in the city center, it was a relatively prosperous area, and the apartment was much more spacious.

Being on a high floor, it offered a great view of the city at night.

Le Yi thought Chu Qiao was completely drunk, but in the elevator, Chu Qiao started to rub against her.

“Qiao Qiao, are you feeling sick?”

Chu Qiao lifted her hazy eyes and said, “I feel sick.”

Le Yi let her lean on her and rubbed her stomach. “We’ll be home soon. Just hang on.”

Chu Qiao inhaled Le Yi’s faint, lingering scent, her emotions swirling and making it difficult to stay calm.

“If I can’t hold it in, will you blame me, Jiejie?”

Le Yi thought she meant she was going to throw up and immediately said, “No, I won’t. I’ll clean it up.”

Chu Qiao only heard her say “no,” and she leaned in to kiss her on the lips.

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