I'm a Professional at Being a Scumbag [Quick Wear] - Chapter 2

Le Yi stood in the living room for a few minutes, just about to change clothes and go look for Chu Qiao outside, when the door clicked open.

The girl stood there, her hair disheveled, wearing ill-fitting clothes and carrying two plastic bags.

Seeing Le Yi, she said coldly, “Breakfast. I bought it with your money.”

Soy milk and fried dough sticks—only one serving.

Le Yi asked no questions, turning to go wash up in the bathroom.

Chu Qiao glanced around the sparsely furnished room, her brow furrowing tightly. She pressed her lips together, staring at the gloomy weather outside, finally resigning herself to her fate after a long silence.

In truth, she hadn’t gone out to buy breakfast at all; she had been planning to run away. But in this unfamiliar city, she had no idea where to go.

She used to rely on her uncle, but since Li Xiaomei gained power, she had purged all the Chu family relatives. Her uncle could barely take care of himself; if Chu Qiao added to his troubles, his situation would only worsen.

Without an ID card, she couldn’t even board a train.

She had always prided herself on her intelligence, believing she could solve any problem on her own. Now, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

At least for now, her current predicament had left her mired in a quagmire, struggling to escape.

But could she truly trust this woman?

She had never met her before, nor had her parents or any other relatives ever mentioned her. Her sudden appearance in this situation was bound to raise suspicions.

The irony was that she now seemed to have no choice but to rely on her.

Le Yi returned to her room to change and discovered that the few hundred yuan in cash from her wallet was indeed gone.

That little thief tried to run away with my money, so why did she come back?

Sitting down at the dining table, Le Yi took a bite of her youtiao and asked, “Why is there only one?”

“Just eat it and stop asking so many questions!” Chu Qiao snapped, her voice as explosive as gunpowder.

Le Yi raised an eyebrow but calmly continued enjoying her breakfast.

Chu Qiao was completely swallowed up in Le Yi’s clothes, creating an unintentionally comical effect.

Le Yi stared for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.

Chu Qiao glared at her and turned away, refusing to look at her.

How annoying.

Le Yi found a smaller tracksuit for her, gathered the trash, and said, “Let’s go buy you some clothes. I’ll show you around the neighborhood while we’re out.”

Chu Qiao reluctantly picked up the clothes, glanced at Le Yi, and, seeing no sign of her backing down, slammed the bedroom door shut with a bang.

“Oh, still shy? What’s a dried-up string bean like you got to be embarrassed about?”

Chu Qiao threw the clothes onto the bed, clenching her fists in anger.

I’ve already started developing, okay? What’s so dried-up about me?

She looked down at herself, then recalled Le Yi’s figure, realizing there was no comparison.

I’ll definitely be bigger than her someday!

The tracksuit was still a bit large, but much better than before.

Le Yi stood at 173 cm tall, with long limbs, a wasp waist, and a 34C bust—a rare supermodel-type actress in the entertainment industry.

Her height limited her roles to supporting characters, as it was difficult to find male actors who wouldn’t be overshadowed by her presence.

Later, a wealthy investor tried to coerce her into a compromising situation. She erupted in fury, flipping a table and drenching the greasy, pot-bellied man in soup and gravy. As a result, her agency blacklisted her, leaving her without proper work for a long time and struggling to make ends meet.

If not for Zhu Qiong’s financial support and occasional freelance gigs, she might have starved long ago.

When she signed the contract years ago, she knew it was riddled with traps, but she had no choice.

Once inside the Small World, she had to follow the predetermined plot. That was the rule, and she couldn’t change it.

Even if she had the ability to avoid the pitfalls, the rules would force her to make the most foolish choices.

Le Yi leaned against the doorway, watching Chu Qiao emerge, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“That color suits you. We’ll buy this shade later.”

Chu Qiao found the oversized clothes even more uncomfortable after Le Yi’s comment. She brushed past her and walked out.

Le Yi followed, asking, “Do you know where the mall is?”

Chu Qiao said nothing, silently slowing her pace.

Le Yi’s smile widened as she stepped forward and took Chu Qiao’s hand.

“Stay close to Sister. Don’t get lost.”

Chu Qiao struggled twice but couldn’t break free.

What did this woman eat to grow up with such a strong grip?

At the mall, Le Yi dragged Chu Qiao straight to the clothing stores, spending all the money she had saved for the next six months’ rent.

Le Yi carried several bags in each hand, while Chu Qiao’s hands remained empty, making them look like a pampered heiress and her attendant.

Le Yi sensed something was off and handed several bags to Chu Qiao.

“Since you’ve decided to stay, you need to learn to share the burden. From now on, whether at home or outside, you’ll do what you can. After all, you’re not the pampered young lady anymore.”

Chu Qiao’s eyes darkened momentarily, but Le Yi ignored her and strode ahead.

She refused to sugarcoat things for fear of hurting Chu Qiao’s feelings. If Chu Qiao was so emotionally fragile, how could she ever take revenge?

Desensitization therapy, Le Yi thought. The more I say it, the less it will bother her.

Back home, Le Yi tidied up the spare bedroom and tossed the mop to Chu Qiao.

“I’ll sweep, you mop. Fair enough?”

Chu Qiao clutched the mop, glaring at Le Yi’s cheerful expression. She wanted nothing more than to lunge at her and fight.

No one has ever dared treat me like this! she seethed.

Mopping and sweeping are not the same!

Le Yi wasn’t used to sharing a bed, but since Chu Qiao had abandoned her escape plans, she figured she could tolerate sleeping in the spare room.

That evening, Le Yi prepared a simple meal of two dishes and a soup. During dinner, Zhu Qiong called with a freelance opportunity to earn extra money, asking if she was interested.

This was like giving someone charcoal in the snow, and Le Yi immediately agreed.

Chu Qiao ate her rice in small bites, glancing at Le Yi, who was chatting animatedly on the other side of the table. A question formed in her mind:

I’m barely surviving myself. Why did she bring me back?

Is she fattening me up to sell me for a good price?

Le Yi hung up the phone and noticed the child’s pensive expression. “What are you thinking about?” she asked.

“Are you going to sell me?” Chu Qiao blurted out instinctively. Regretting her words immediately, she pressed her tongue between her teeth and lowered her head, avoiding Le Yi’s gaze.

Le Yi burst into laughter, her clear, crisp voice echoing through the room.

“What nonsense! Human trafficking is illegal. I have no desire to end up in jail. Hurry up and eat; the food’s getting cold.”

Chu Qiao picked at her rice, feeling slightly reassured.

Le Yi stood up. “Wash the dishes when you’re done. I’m going to rest now.”

She was exhausted after a long day of walking.

Chu Qiao: “……”

Just as I thought—she’s not a good person after all!

Le Yi, guided by muscle memory, naturally headed to her room, changed into her pajamas, and lay down to read her script. Soon, darkness fell.

Everything was new to Chu Qiao, but her quick wit allowed her to master the tasks quickly. Soon, she had the kitchen sparkling and bright, and she walked into the bedroom with satisfaction.

Le Yi, who had always lived alone, paid little attention to her appearance, prioritizing comfort above all else. She lay on her side, her legs wrapped around the blanket, her nightgown hiked up to her waist, revealing her long legs and pink panties.

Hearing the door open, Le Yi turned to see Chu Qiao. Her mind raced for a moment before she said, “Go sleep in the other room.”

The mattress in her room had been custom-made at great expense, and she hadn’t been willing to part with it even during the move. Letting Chu Qiao sleep on it would be too good for her.

Chu Qiao turned her head away, saying coldly, “Can you at least put your clothes on properly?”

Le Yi finally glanced down, belatedly realizing her state of undress, and tugged her nightgown down.

“I’ve always been like this at home. You’ll get used to it soon enough.”

Without a word, Chu Qiao walked over and squeezed onto the bed.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Le Yi protested.

Chu Qiao stared at her. “I’m sleeping in this bed.”

“This is my bed,” Le Yi emphasized.

Chu Qiao sneered. “From now on, it’s mine.”

Le Yi threw her hands up in defeat and sprawled out in a starfish position. “The bed is my bottom line. I won’t budge.”

Chu Qiao mimicked Le Yi’s posture, lying down and pressing her hands and legs against Le Yi’s body. She closed her eyes, as if determined to sink into oblivion with her.

Though taller than her peers, Chu Qiao was slender. To Le Yi, her weight felt no heavier than carrying a twenty-kilogram bag of rice up three flights of stairs.

Still, Le Yi couldn’t get used to sharing a bed. After a tense standoff lasting over ten minutes, she finally decided to yield the bed to the stubborn child.

“Alright, alright, I’ll sleep on my side. Move over.”

When Chu Qiao remained motionless, Le Yi turned to look. The girl had already fallen asleep.

Chu Qiao’s skin was porcelain-white, her face luminous and flawless, without even a hint of peach fuzz. Asleep, the aloofness that usually kept people at bay vanished, revealing a docile, almost endearing quality that inexplicably drew others closer.

Le Yi stared for a moment, inwardly marveling, She really is the female lead—her beauty stat is maxed out!

She gently lifted Chu Qiao’s leg from her own, but as she reached for the girl’s hand, Chu Qiao rolled over and gripped something firm and protruding.

Le Yi froze, confirming it was unintentional. Just as she was about to move again, Chu Qiao wrapped her arms tightly around her.

“Xiongxiong…”

Le Yi didn’t know what the girl was dreaming about, but Chu Qiao buried her face in Le Yi’s neck, her breathing long and even.

Le Yi circled her hand in the air and pulled the blanket over Chu Qiao.

Just one night with you. No more next time, okay?

As the night deepened, Le Yi closed her eyes.

For some reason, she had a feeling tomorrow would be a beautiful day.

The next day, Le Yi had a key made for Chu Qiao. Chu Qiao took it without giving her a kind look.

On the third day, Le Yi brought Chu Qiao a Black Forest cake after work. Chu Qiao ate it, still refusing to give her a kind look.

On the fourth day, with Zhu Qiong’s help, Chu Qiao officially registered as a resident of Xining and was added to Le Yi’s household registry. Chu Qiao glanced at the document, still not giving her a kind look, but she proactively mopped the floor.

On the 1,095th day, Chu Qiao started high school—the best high school in Xining City.

The day she received her acceptance letter, Le Yi took her out to celebrate. The stubborn child finally called her “Sister.”

Le Yi leaned in, exposing her ear. “What did you say? Speak up, I didn’t hear you.”

Chu Qiao refused to repeat herself, instead picking up a piece of pork rib and placing it in Le Yi’s bowl. “Eat.”

Le Yi chuckled and handed Chu Qiao the gift she had prepared.

Chu Qiao saw the latest model smartphone. “I don’t need a phone. Take it back and get a refund.”

“You’ll be boarding at school now. This way, you can contact me immediately if anything happens. Besides, don’t you miss your sister?”

Chu Qiao pressed her lips together and accepted the phone.

“Mm.”

The ambiguous reply left it unclear whether she was agreeing to accept the phone or answering Le Yi’s question.

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

The two of them walking together made for a striking sight.

Chu Qiao pulled a mask from her pocket and handed it to Le Yi. “You’re practically a public figure. Can’t you be more careful?”

Le Yi had never cared much about such things. After all, she was a washed-up celebrity; even if she stood in a crowd, the chances of being recognized were slim.

Despite Chu Qiao’s concern, Le Yi couldn’t help but feel happy.

This arrogant kid was so difficult to deal with. After living together for so long, she still refused to open her heart to Le Yi.

“Sister,” Chu Qiao suddenly said.

Le Yi turned to look at her. “What is it?”

Chu Qiao hesitated, as if struggling to find the right words.

“Just say what’s on your mind. What’s so hard to tell me?”

“Thank you,” Chu Qiao finally said.

Le Yi waited a few seconds, but no further explanation came.

“That’s it?”

“Mm-hmm,” Chu Qiao replied.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t bring herself to say those sentimental, melodramatic words.

Le Yi patted her head and smiled. “You’re welcome. Hurry up and grow up so you can earn money to support me later.”

Chu Qiao’s expression remained impassive, but a glint of light flashed in her eyes.

“Okay.”

Le Yi took her hand and walked home, already brainstorming ways to make money through live-streaming commerce.

For the past three years, Chu Qiao’s education had been mostly free due to compulsory schooling. Le Yi had managed to support both of them by writing erotica on a website and taking on freelance work.

But now things were different. Tuition fees, living expenses, and the costs of extracurricular tutoring classes—everything required money.

It seemed she would ultimately have to resort to live-streaming commerce after all.

Sigh.

“Are you worried about something, Sister?” Chu Qiao asked, her keen senses picking up on Le Yi’s change in mood.

Le Yi asked, “Do you like the extracurricular classes I signed you up for? Are you finding them too tiring?”

Given Chu Qiao’s background, Le Yi had enrolled her in etiquette, fashion, and management tutoring. Since few people studied these subjects, the classes were essentially one-on-one, making them naturally more expensive.

But Le Yi considered it worth the investment.

For ordinary people, learning these skills at this age might seem premature, but for Chu Qiao, it was already overdue.

If she were still the eldest daughter of the Chu family, she would have been learning these things since childhood.

Chu Qiao had never forgotten the humiliation she suffered in the past, and she understood Le Yi’s intentions perfectly. She was deeply grateful to Le Yi and would never find the classes tiring.

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

Le Yi ruffled Chu Qiao’s hair, smoothing the fur of her little wolf cub.

“My Qiaoqiao is so amazing. I can already see our happy future together.”

Chu Qiao lowered her head, a faint smile playing at the corner of her lips as she squeezed Le Yi’s hand.

Soon, the day she reclaimed what was rightfully hers would arrive.

That night, a torrential downpour struck with sudden ferocity. Before Le Yi could react, a warm bundle had burrowed into her bed.

She lifted the covers to find Chu Qiao curled up on her mattress.

“Sister, the thunder’s scary,” Chu Qiao whined, feigning helplessness in an unpracticed manner.

Le Yi sighed. “Alright, alright. I’ll sleep with you.”

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

Le Yi patted Chu Qiao’s back, but instead of lulling Chu Qiao to sleep, she ended up falling asleep herself.

Chu Qiao gazed at Le Yi in the dim light filtering through the window, her eyes filled with a tenderness she didn’t even realize she possessed.

The next day, Le Yi signed the contract. Because she wasn’t famous, her commission rate was relatively low, but she still worked hard to promote the products, even though her livestream audience remained pitifully small.

During breaks between classes, Chu Qiao watched Le Yi’s livestreams on her phone, her heart aching.

If it weren’t for me, Sister wouldn’t have to work so hard.

Sister has always hated being in the public eye and pushing herself to exhaustion. But now…

Chu Qiao slowly clenched her fist, a daring idea forming in her mind.

The brand was deeply dissatisfied with the poor performance of the first livestream, but since they had already signed the contract, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and continue buying traffic.

A few days later, Le Yi’s agent gave her a script for a web drama, offering her the role of the third female lead. Though it was a low-budget production, it was better than nothing for Le Yi, who hadn’t had any acting opportunities in a while.

So Le Yi spent her days filming the drama and her nights livestreaming to sell products, leaving her no free time at all. But after her relentless efforts, her livestreams began to improve, and the web drama became a minor hit after its release.

Le Yi’s striking looks and exceptional acting skills garnered immense attention, surpassing even the lead actress in popularity.

This newfound fame fueled her live-streaming sales, propelling her ranking to third place on the sales charts, surpassing veteran top streamers who had dominated the rankings for years.

Her joy was short-lived. Without warning, allegations surfaced that the cosmetics she sold were defective, causing severe skin damage for many users.

These claims spread like wildfire overnight, dominating the platform’s trending topics.

Le Yi knew someone was deliberately targeting her, but her immediate priority was to contain the escalating public backlash before it spiraled out of control.

Chu Qiao, whose phone was confiscated during the week, immediately called Le Yi upon getting it back. After several busy signals, she checked the trending topics and discovered her sister was in trouble.

Abandoning her Saturday morning study session, Chu Qiao grabbed her backpack and rushed home. As she left the dormitory, she was confronted by a group of students.

“Your sister’s selling fake cosmetics ruined my cousin’s face! She almost killed herself! You’re a murderer!” a girl snarled.

Chu Qiao recognized her—a notorious troublemaker from the second grade, known for her arrogance and bullying.

“This matter hasn’t been settled yet! You’d better watch what you say!”

Chu Qiao just wanted to go home and didn’t want to waste time arguing. She tried to walk past the girl, but the girl grabbed her arm.

The delinquent shoved Chu Qiao against the wall. “How ridiculous! With eyewitnesses and physical evidence, what more needs to be settled?”

Another girl chimed in, “I heard her sister used to sell herself, you know, to those big bosses.”

The delinquent laughed. “No wonder she has that seductive look. She’s a prostitute! That explains it. After all, she’d sell anything.”

The group erupted in shrill, unpleasant laughter.

Seeing Chu Qiao’s dark expression, the delinquent continued, “Everyone says you’re so pretty, the school beauty. I don’t see it. You act all high and mighty, but are you selling yourself behind the scenes too? After all, your sister’s getting old and faded. Maybe she needs you to please the big bosses now.”

Another round of mocking laughter followed, even more vicious than before.

Chu Qiao’s patience snapped. She punched the delinquent squarely in the face. The girl let out a bloodcurdling scream, a pig-like wail that echoed through the entire dormitory building.

Chu Qiao’s roommates rushed out at the sound, and a brawl erupted between them and the delinquent girls.

A chaotic free-for-all ensued.

Le Yi was still talking to the students who had used makeup when she received a call from the school. Chu Qiao’s homeroom teacher said Chu Qiao had been injured in a fight, and Le Yi rushed to the school in a panic.

When she arrived, she found Chu Qiao had only a small cut on her face, and Le Yi finally relaxed.

“A group brawl? This is outrageous!” the Principal slammed his hand on the desk.

Le Yi immediately apologized. “Yes, yes, I’ll give her a good talking-to when we get home.”

Chu Qiao had been the top student in her grade for three years, winning countless awards in various competitions. The Principal didn’t really want to punish her; he was just putting on a show for the parents of the other girls involved.

The mother of one of the troublemakers looked particularly fierce, shouting about calling the police. Chu Qiao stood in front of Le Yi and said coldly, “She brought her friends to ambush me first. I was acting in self-defense.”

“Self-defense?! Look what you did to my Jiajia!”

Le Yi gave Chu Qiao a warning look, signaling her not to provoke them further, and pulled her behind her.

Chu Qiao fell silent, her gaze fixed on Le Yi’s profile, watching her lips move as she spoke.

“Both sides were at fault here. How about we each take a step back? I’m willing to cover your child’s medical expenses.”

On the way, Le Yi had gotten a rough overview of the situation from Chu Qiao’s homeroom teacher, learning that the group of delinquent girls had started the trouble.

Theoretically, they had the upper hand.

The delinquent girl’s mother shouted, “You’re responsible for the medical bills! And that’s not all—there’s compensation for emotional distress, lost study time, psychological trauma…”

“Madam,” Le Yi interrupted, her voice calm but firm, “I’m Chu Qiao’s guardian, not a turtle in a wishing well. If you think you can get rich off me, I advise you to stop right now. Your daughter started this. Even if you call the police, I won’t back down. I’m offering you a way out—take it and don’t push your luck, okay?”

Le Yi spoke with a smile, yet her words carried an invisible weight of authority. The delinquent girl’s mother fell silent, turning to slap her daughter several times.

“You’re nothing but trouble! What’s the point of raising you?!”

Le Yi led Chu Qiao and her roommates out. “You’re usually so composed,” she asked. “What happened today?”

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

“What could possibly happen to me?” Le Yi countered.

Chu Qiao nuzzled into Le Yi’s shoulder, murmuring, “That’s good.”

Le Yi stroked her back a few times and said, “You still haven’t told me why you did it.”

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

Le Yi chuckled softly. “People can say whatever they want. We can’t control their mouths. But next time, don’t act so impulsively. If your roommates hadn’t helped you, you would have been the one getting hurt today.”

Chu Qiao nodded gently, looking docile and obedient.

Le Yi released her and turned to her roommates.

“Girls, thank you for helping my Chu Qiao. Sister will treat you all to barbecue.”

“Yay!”

“Sister is the best!”

The girls chattered and laughed as they walked ahead. Le Yi took Chu Qiao’s hand and followed behind them.

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

Strangely, after the fight, the delinquent girl and her cousin proactively clarified that their skin problems weren’t caused by Le Yi’s cosmetics. Instead, someone had paid them to smear Le Yi’s reputation.

Le Yi found this odd and asked Chu Qiao what she thought. Chu Qiao replied nonchalantly, “Maybe they were beaten into submission.”

Le Yi raised an eyebrow but didn’t dwell on it further.

The brand, of course, wouldn’t let the rumors persist. They swiftly resolved the issue, and Le Yi’s livestreaming career not only remained unaffected but actually surged in popularity.

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

Le Yi invited Chu Qiao’s roommates and their homeroom teacher to witness the occasion. Chu Qiao seemed fascinated by the adult world, drinking every toast offered until she was quickly drunk.

Zhu Qiong drove them home, asking, “This drunkard is already as tall as you. Can you handle her?”

Le Yi waved, signaling she could manage, and helped Chu Qiao walk into the house.

After earning money, they had moved to a place near Chu Qiao’s school. Though not in the city center, it was still a relatively bustling area, and their new home was much more spacious.

Their high-rise apartment offered a stunning view of the city lights at night.

Le Yi thought Chu Qiao had passed out, but as soon as they entered the elevator, Chu Qiao began nuzzling against her.

“Qiao Qiao, are you feeling sick?”

Chu Qiao looked up with hazy eyes and murmured, “I feel terrible.”

Le Yi let her lean against her, gently rubbing her stomach. “We’ll be home soon. Just hang in there.”

Chu Qiao inhaled the faint, almost imperceptible fragrance from Le Yi’s body, her heart racing, making it hard to stay calm.

“If I can’t hold back, will Sister be mad at me?”

Assuming she meant she was going to throw up, Le Yi immediately reassured her, “No, I won’t be mad. I’ll clean it up.”

Hearing only the “no,” Chu Qiao leaned in and kissed her lips.