I'm a Professional at Being a Scumbag [Quick Wear] - Chapter 26.2

Chu Qiao was a master strategist in the business world, effortlessly navigating complex situations. But when it came to Le Yi, she had always lacked confidence.

Her deep insecurity made her view everyone as a potential threat.

Le Yi had always found her childish, so wouldn’t a mature proprietress of a bubble tea shop be exactly what she wanted?

A sharp pain shot through Le Yi as she realized Chu Qiao was becoming increasingly unhinged. She abruptly shook off Le Yi’s hand and retreated to the edge of the sofa, trying to reason with her.

“If this keeps up, I’ll die.”

Chu Qiao stared at her like a wicked wolf eyeing a frightened little rabbit.

“You won’t. Come here, Sister.”

Le Yi refused to budge. What difference was this from walking to her death?

Seizing a moment of distraction, she tried to jump off the sofa but overestimated her strength. Still weak from the lingering effects, her legs buckled, and she collapsed to her knees.

Heaven is determined to destroy me!

Chu Qiao scoffed, and Le Yi felt an overwhelming shadow descend upon her from behind, completely engulfing her.

“Since Sister likes being on the floor, we’ll leave it at that.”

Le Yi: “???”

No! I don’t like it! Help!

In the end, Le Yi was defeated.

******

Le Yi had originally booked a ticket for 2 PM the next afternoon, but when she woke up, it was already past 4 AM.

Having eaten nothing the previous night and expended so much energy, she was awoken by hunger.

She turned to look at the person beside her. Chu Qiao was still asleep, her features serene and her breathing shallow. Le Yi was captivated by her sharply defined, even more refined features, staring at her for a long while.

This isn’t just good looks, this is defying the laws of nature.

How can someone be this beautiful? Shouldn’t the main female lead be judged by her abilities, not her looks?

Le Yi nearly drooled but then remembered how thoroughly she’d been worn out last night and felt a surge of resentment toward this little brat.

She shifted, her limbs aching and her throat parched.

Sensing her movement, Chu Qiao tightened her arm around Le Yi’s waist and slowly opened her eyes.

“……”

They locked eyes, neither willing to speak first. After about ten seconds, Le Yi broke the silence—her stomach let out a loud, audible growl.

Chu Qiao was momentarily startled, then her lips curved into a smile. Blushing with embarrassment and indignation, Le Yi turned her face into the pillow, refusing to let Chu Qiao see her.

Chu Qiao pressed herself against Le Yi, her softness enveloping her back. Le Yi’s heart skipped a beat, a shiver running down her spine and settling in her tailbone.

“Sister’s hungry. What do you want to eat?” Chu Qiao’s voice was soft and husky, as if she’d been mistreated.

Le Yi mumbled, “Whatever.”

Her stomach was empty, gnawing with hunger. She’d eat anything that could dull the ache.

Chu Qiao picked up her phone, ordered takeout with practiced efficiency, then tossed it aside and pulled Le Yi into her arms.

Le Yi: “?”

Anticipating her protest, Chu Qiao preempted her: “Just a hug for a while. Struggle and I’ll keep going.”

Still sore, Le Yi didn’t dare resist. She nestled obediently in Chu Qiao’s embrace, listening to the soft rhythm of her breathing. A sudden, inexplicable calm settled over her.

It had been ages since she’d felt such tranquility, as if her heart had been filled. It was as if even if the world ended tomorrow, she wouldn’t feel a shred of panic.

Le Yi felt like a naive girl whose first stirrings of affection had just sprouted, yet she was already thirty years old.

The phone beeped once. Le Yi strained to reach it from between the sheets, but her hand trembled, dropping the phone back down just as she grasped it.

Le Yi turned to glare at Chu Qiao, who looked utterly innocent. “It looked so tempting, I just had to try a bite.”

The phone beeped again. Le Yi reached for it, and Chu Qiao leaned over her back, draping an arm over her shoulders as they searched together.

Long, bare legs lay sprawled outside the quilt, gleaming with an alluring, jade-like luster.

Le Yi glanced at them briefly before quickly averting her gaze, feigning nonchalance as she focused on the phone.

Chu Qiao glanced at the tangled legs, a faint smile playing on her lips, her gaze deep and unreadable.

Opening the message, it was from Xiao Xiao. Le Yi handed the phone to Chu Qiao. “Your suitor wants to take you out for dinner.”

Chu Qiao, who had no idea who Xiao Xiao was, asked deliberately, “What do you think, Sister? Should I go?”

Le Yi frowned slightly. “Do whatever you want. If you want to go, then go. Don’t disappoint her.”

Seeing the indifferent look on Le Yi’s face, Chu Qiao’s eyes darkened slightly.

“Alright then, Sister, why don’t you accept for me?”

Le Yi took a deep breath, then quickly typed a reply, accepting Xiao Xiao’s invitation.

After sending the message, she showed it to Chu Qiao. “Happy now?”

Chu Qiao swallowed hard, reached over her head to grasp the hand holding Le Yi’s phone, and pressed her lips against hers.

“I’m not satisfied. I’ll only be satisfied if Sister goes on a date with me.”

Le Yi whimpered, the rest of her words swallowed by the kiss.

After dawdling for ages, with the takeout nearly cold, Le Yi finally couldn’t bear it anymore. She pushed Chu Qiao away and fled into the bathroom.

How terrifying… Is this what a college student in her twenties is like?

While Le Yi was showering, Chu Qiao got out of bed and explored her small apartment. Her gaze immediately changed when she spotted the suitcase in the corner.

She had just seen a text message on Le Yi’s phone—it looked like a flight itinerary. Where was she going?

Was she returning home to find her, or fleeing to avoid being found?

Chu Qiao instinctively assumed the latter. Le Yi had always been heartless toward her, so she didn’t dare entertain even a shred of hope.

When Le Yi emerged from the bathroom, she found Chu Qiao standing in the living room, looking pale, her gaze fixed on the suitcase.

Assuming Chu Qiao had guessed, she said, “My 2 AM flight back home. I overslept.”

That single sentence instantly brightened Chu Qiao’s gloomy mood.

“Why are you returning home, Sister?”

Le Yi sighed helplessly. “What else? To go see that disobedient little brat, of course.”

This time, Chu Qiao was certain: the “little brat” Le Yi had been referring to was her.

“Really?” Overwhelmed by the sudden, immense surprise, Chu Qiao felt a little dazed.

Le Yi draped the towel over her shoulder, walked to the coffee table, and sat cross-legged on the carpet.

“Really,” she answered with utmost seriousness, her eyes sparkling with stars as she looked up at Chu Qiao.

“I was calculating that if you didn’t come find me, I’d have to go find you. But you were faster than I expected.”

Chu Qiao strode over and leaned down to kiss her, but Le Yi covered her mouth. “Go take a shower first. No brushing your teeth, no kisses.”

After speaking, she didn’t forget to gently rub Chu Qiao’s ears and stroke her hair.

Already in a buoyant mood, and now being pampered, Chu Qiao was in a perfect mood to comply with anything Le Yi asked.

After the shower, Le Yi had already started eating.

“I was so hungry, I couldn’t wait.”

Le Yi looked up at her, a smear of grease still clinging to the corner of her mouth, looking adorably dazed. Chu Qiao’s heart softened, and she sat down beside her.

“It’s okay. Eat up. I’ll buy more after you finish.”

Le Yi placed a peeled shrimp in front of her. “Eat this.”

When they were younger, Le Yi used to peel shrimp for her. She never imagined she’d still be receiving such treatment even now that they were grown up.

Seeing Chu Qiao wasn’t eating, Le Yi sucked on her finger and asked, “What’s wrong? Did your taste change?”

She remembered this little brat used to love shrimp so much.

Chu Qiao cradled her bowl in her arms, smiling at her. “No, I’m just a little surprised.”

“Surprised about what? Haven’t I always peeled shrimp for you, Sister?”

Chu Qiao brought a piece of shrimp to her lips, then paused. “Will you keep peeling shrimp for me forever, Sister?”

Le Yi looked at her, her eyes brimming with hope. Her usual aloofness had vanished, replaced by a brightness that seemed to hold stars.

With a sudden snap, the tension in Le Yi’s mind broke. Her heart felt like it was being kneaded by a kitten’s paws; soft and warm.

She tossed the used wet wipe into the trash, her voice light and cheerful. “Sure!”

Chu Qiao’s hand wobbled, nearly dropping the bowl. Her expression shifted rapidly from disbelief to delight, then quickly suppressed the delight, striving to appear less… immature.

Sister likes people who keep their emotions hidden. I have to hold it together.

“Sister isn’t tricking me, is she?”

Le Yi popped a piece of spare rib into Chu Qiao’s mouth. “When have I ever lied to you?”

“Countless times,” Chu Qiao retorted bluntly.

Le Yi: “……” No need to be so blunt.

Chu Qiao wrapped her arms around Le Yi, cheeks puffed out as she asked urgently, “Will you really stay with me forever? You’re not lying this time?”

She wanted to be with Le Yi so badly that even after being deceived a hundred times, she was willing to believe her the 101st time.

Chu Qiao didn’t want to disappoint the little dog again, so she made a decision that went against her principles.

“I swear on my honor, I’m not lying this time. This is the truth.”

System: <i>Host, you…

Le Yi quickly muted the system’s voice to avoid the incessant nagging.

Even if the mission was completed, she could stay in this world and grow old with her. Perhaps taking things slow wasn’t so bad after all.

Before, she would never have considered such a thing. Missions were completed, and then she left, like a heartless, irresponsible woman.

But facing Chu Qiao, her tail wagging as she pleaded, she couldn’t just run away anymore.

Perhaps I’ve been in this world too long, and now I have attachments. I raised this child, so I’ll take responsibility until the end.

Chu Qiao couldn’t describe her feelings at that moment. It was like a traveler dying of thirst in the desert suddenly spotting an oasis, or someone plunged into an abyss suddenly catching a glimmer of light…

“No more delays! We’re going back now!”

Chu Qiao stood up and pulled Le Yi to her feet.

Le Yi, unable to keep up with her sudden urgency, asked, “Is it really necessary to be so hasty? Besides, we might not be able to book tickets today.”

Chu Qiao buried her face in Le Yi’s shoulder, her voice soft and pleading. “I’m in a hurry.”

“Why?”

“I’m afraid you’ll change your mind.”

Le Yi stroked her hair, a faint smile appearing in her eyes.

I thought she’d grown mature, but she’s still just a child.

Tang Chen came to pick them up, and the three boarded a 3 AM flight, returning home under the cover of night.

Back home, things were equally tumultuous. While Chu Qiao was away, Chu Ji had secretly targeted the Chu family, stirring up the businesses they’d wronged and inciting daily protests.

With Chu Qiao’s relentless manipulation, Li Xiaomei’s life became a living hell.

The greatest blow came when her lover and son abandoned her. By the time she found out, they were already vacationing in Hawaii.

Li Xiaomei had gone to great lengths, exhausting her energy and resources, to protect them. But in the end, she realized she had been utterly deceived.

Though she had appeared to be in control, she was in fact the only pawn in the game. Now, her piece had been sacrificed.

Devastated and broken, Li Xiaomei couldn’t recover. But Chu Qiao gave her no respite. The moment the debt repayment deadline arrived, she sent collectors to harass her.

The crushing weight of the massive breach-of-contract penalty aged Li Xiaomei overnight.

When Chu Qiao was in Linjiang for a meeting, she paid Li Xiaomei a “visit” and showed her a particularly “heartwarming” video.

“Such filial piety and paternal affection. Truly a touching scene, don’t you think, CEO Li?”

The video featured Zhang Zhao and his son with Li Xiaomei, Zhang Feng. They appeared relaxed and content. Beside them was a woman, whom Zhang Zhao casually embraced around the waist. Zhang Feng called her “Mommy.”

Li Xiaomei’s face turned ashen, her body trembling with rage. She pointed a shaky finger at Chu Qiao. “What… what do you want?”

Chu Qiao, using her height advantage, looked down at Li Xiaomei with an emotionless gaze, her eyes as cold as ice.

“What’s wrong? I was just trying to give you a friendly warning. Shouldn’t you be thanking me?”

Li Xiaomei staggered backward in fury, caught by her secretary. She gasped for breath, her chest heaving violently, as if she might collapse at any moment.

“CEO Li, don’t forget to repay the penalty fee early. If you exceed the deadline, it’ll be considered commercial fraud.”

After speaking, Chu Qiao retrieved a recording, cranked the volume to maximum, and forced Li Xiaomei to listen.

After a long silence, a voice spoke:

“Are you sure about this? Chu Zhinan is still the CEO of the Chu family. It won’t be easy to deceive him.”

“Zhang Zhao! I’m already pregnant with your child. If we don’t want Chu Zhinan to find out, we have to strike first. Otherwise, we’ll all die!”

“Then… then alright.”

The recording cut off. Though unspoken, Chu Qiao knew exactly what Li Xiaomei meant by “striking first”, and so did Li Xiaomei.

Li Xiaomei’s face turned even paler, ashen, as she stared at Chu Qiao in terror.

“What exactly do you want?!”

Chu Qiao stepped forward, leaning slightly over her, a cold smile playing on her lips.

“You’ll find out soon enough, Stepmother.”

With that, Chu Qiao put away her phone and strode away, her figure sharp and menacing. Li Xiaomei stared after her, too frightened to speak for a long moment.

“Hurry and book me a flight—I need to leave the country!”

Chu Qiao had already submitted the audio recording as evidence, along with Li Xiaomei’s criminal records. The purpose of this premature move was to unsettle Li Xiaomei and throw her into disarray, then…

After all the evil she’d committed, mere imprisonment would be too lenient.

That would be letting her off too easily.

As soon as she stepped out of the villa, Chu Qiao called Chu Ji and instructed him to prepare everything.

Leaning back in his executive chair, Chu Ji propped his feet on the desk, looking utterly relaxed.

“Don’t worry, we’ve had her under surveillance for a while now. We’re just waiting for her to show her face.”

Knowing Chu Ji’s reliability, Chu Qiao didn’t need to give further instructions and drove home leisurely.

Since returning, Le Yi hadn’t had a chance to meet with Zhu Qiong. When Zhu Qiong saw her post on social media, she playfully scolded her for not telling her and insisted on meeting up.

Assuming Chu Qiao wouldn’t return so soon, Le Yi went out to meet Zhu Qiong. They chatted about everything under the sun. Zhu Qiong kept feeling that something about Le Yi had changed.

Le Yi smiled. “Maybe I’m just getting old. I’m already 30, you know.”

Zhu Qiong took a sip of her wine with a smile. “Yes, we’re already thirty. Time really flies. We’ve known each other for over a decade now.”

Back then, she had been pleasantly surprised to discover Le Yi among the crowd of extras. She’d always believed she simply admired the young woman’s acting and looks, which was why they’d remained friends for so many years.

It wasn’t until Le Yi left that she realized her feelings had quietly blossomed long ago.

Perhaps that fleeting glance she’d shared with Le Yi at eighteen had already ensnared her heart.

Or maybe she’d simply been oblivious, wasting all that precious time.

Le Yi had two drinks and was already slightly tipsy. Having abstained from alcohol for the past four years, her tolerance had diminished.

She leaned forward on the table, her cheeks flushed crimson and her eyes were hazy and dreamy. The dim lighting cast a soft, ethereal glow over her, making her look both vulnerable and beautiful.

Zhu Qiong couldn’t help but stare, her words slipping out before she could stop them: “Le Yi, I like you.”

Hearing her name, Le Yi slowly came back to her senses. She didn’t catch the rest of the sentence and leaned in closer, asking, “What did you say?”

Seeing Le Yi’s face looming closer, Zhu Qiong sobered up abruptly, realizing how absurdly forward she’d been. But since she’d already said it, she thought, Why not be brave for once?

After being a coward for so many years, it was time to change.

“I said, I…”

“Sorry, I’m looking for my sister.”

Chu Qiao stepped in front of Zhu Qiong, cutting her off.

Zhu Qiong: “……”

Why is this brat everywhere?!

Le Yi, looking delighted to see her, gave a silly smile. “Qiaoqiao, what brings you here?”

Chu Qiao shot her a dark look, then scooped up the limp Le Yi.

“If I hadn’t come, you’d have been sold into slavery without even realizing it.”

After a deep look at Zhu Qiong, she expressionlessly helped Le Yi to her feet and walked away.

Zhu Qiong hurried after them, exclaiming, “I still have things to say to Le Yi!”

“She doesn’t want to hear you.”

Chu Qiao didn’t even glance at her as she strode ahead.

Zhu Qiong ran after them, blocking their path. “Chu Qiao, don’t you think you’re being a bit too controlling?”

Chu Qiao gave her a cold stare for a few seconds, then lowered her head and kissed Le Yi. Le Yi didn’t resist at all, even wrapping her arms around Chu Qiao’s neck.

Zhu Qiong’s mouth gaped open, her entire body frozen in shock.

How…?

Chu Qiao released Le Yi, pressing the flushed woman against her chest, then looked at Zhu Qiong with disdain.

“Miss Zhu, did you see clearly?”

“You… you…”

Zhu Qiong stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. Chu Qiao, losing patience, took Le Yi’s hand and got into the car.

Zhu Qiong stood disheveled in the wind, stammering after a long pause, “But aren’t they sisters?”

The wind sobered Le Yi, but she held her tongue, noticing Chu Qiao’s troubled expression.

As they entered the apartment—

“Why did you secretly meet with Zhu Qiong, Sister?”

The door had barely closed when Chu Qiao whirled around, pinning her against it, her voice dark and accusatory.

Le Yi rubbed her cheeks, trying to feign ignorance, but Chu Qiao gripped her chin, forcing her to meet her gaze.

“Sister must answer honestly. Otherwise, those… toys…”

She glanced at the box on the sofa, sending a shiver through Le Yi’s heart.

Damn it! The delivery person gave the package to Chu Qiao!

Inside were all those…

Le Yi wrapped her arms around Chu Qiao’s waist, smiling sweetly. “We haven’t seen each other in four years. We just had a meal together—old friends from over a decade ago. We can’t just stop talking, right?”

Chu Qiao scoffed coldly. “Right, Sister. How could I possibly compare to a ‘friend’ from over a decade ago?”

“That’s not the same thing. Don’t be unreasonable.”

Le Yi’s words reignited Chu Qiao’s anger. She abruptly lifted Le Yi into her arms and carried her to the sofa in two swift steps.

“Which one does Sister like?” Chu Qiao demanded, jabbing a finger at the box.

Le Yi had no intention of using it herself. She struggled briefly, but Chu Qiao, not exerting much force, simply released her and tossed her onto the sofa.

“If you don’t say anything, I’ll choose myself.”

Le Yi grabbed her hand, forcing a smile. “How about we negotiate?”

Chu Qiao glanced at her sidelong, calmly asking, “Negotiate what?”

“Like, can I try it first?”

Chu Qiao pulled one out and leaned over, trapping her in the corner.

“Sure, that’s exactly what I was thinking.”

Le Yi: “……?”

Oh no! That’s not the kind of “try” I meant! You completely misunderstood!

She ventured cautiously, “Could this actually be prepared for you?”

Chu Qiao’s eyes darkened, a cryptic smile curling her lips.

“We should punish the disobedient slut first, so…”

Le Yi trembled at the deliberate pause, instinctively lunging to snatch the item. Instead of seizing it, her hand landed on an unspeakable part of Chu Qiao’s body.

Chu Qiao gazed at her with an ambiguous look. Le Yi swallowed hard. “If I say I didn’t mean it, will you believe me?”

Chu Qiao replied softly, “Of course. I believe everything Sister says.”

“Hand it over!” Seeing her guard lowered, Le Yi made a sudden lunge—but missed completely.

“……” Oh no.

Chu Qiao didn’t give her a chance to react and pressed a button.