I'm a Professional at Being a Scumbag [Quick Wear] - Chapter 5

Le Yi’s eyes were involuntarily drawn to the marks on Chu Qiao’s body. The exposed skin of her neck and chest was a roadmap of overlapping red and purple hickeys, standing out in stark contrast against her pale skin.

Le Yi’s mouth went dry.

How utterly unhinged was I last night?

Her mind replayed the scenes, and Le Yi quickly looked away. Although the system had been a major accomplice, ultimately, she was the one who had crossed the line. She had lectured Chu Qiao repeatedly about not breaking the rules, and yet she was the first to taste the forbidden fruit.

Le Yi forced a bitter smile.

Chu Qiao watched her actions, and the warmth in her eyes slowly faded. Le Yi was angry with her, it was clear. Was she blaming her for what happened?

“Le… Yi…”

Le Yi coughed lightly, cutting her off. “Let’s have breakfast.”

Chu Qiao pursed her lips, simply replied “Okay,” and obediently followed her to the dining room.

Sitting at the table, they ate in silence. Neither of them mentioned what had happened the night before, as if it had been nothing more than a beautiful dream. But they both knew that they could never go back to the way things were.

After breakfast, Le Yi silently began to clear the dishes and head to the kitchen. Chu Qiao followed her inside and wrapped her arms around her from behind as she bent over to wash the dishes.

“Le Yi, are you mad at me?”

Le Yi paused, hearing the tentative tone in her voice. This silly girl.

No matter how you looked at it, Chu Qiao was the one who had been taken advantage of, yet she was worried about Le Yi’s feelings.

“No, I just…”

I just can’t get over my own feelings right now.

The precious cabbage she had raised had been defiled by her own hands. Le Yi’s feelings were too complex to put into words. When she woke up and saw Chu Qiao’s face in her arms, it was like she had been struck by lightning. Her mind had completely shut down for a full five minutes. After it became clear, she realized that she was the pig who had taken the cabbage, and she couldn’t accept it. She went downstairs and stood in the wind for half an hour before she could even begin to accept the reality of the situation.

She had spent the whole morning preparing herself mentally. But seeing Chu Qiao, all her mental preparation fell apart. Chu Qiao wasn’t blaming her. She was like a little white rabbit, quiet and well-behaved. Seeing her innocent eyes, Le Yi was consumed with guilt. The thought of one day having to do something that would intentionally hurt Chu Qiao made her feel even worse. After raising a child for so long, how could she bear to hurt her?

Chu Qiao knew that Le Yi didn’t like her. If she hadn’t persistently tempted her the night before, Le Yi never would have done anything. Seeing the way Le Yi was acting now, she naturally blamed herself.

“Le Yi, please don’t be disappointed in me. You don’t have to be responsible for me. Can we go back to being the way we were?”

Le Yi’s heart ached even more seeing how vulnerable she was. She turned around to face her. “Qiao Qiao, don’t talk like that.”

Chu Qiao shook her head, her eyes quickly filling with tears.

You don’t understand how much I like you. I didn’t want this to happen either, but I couldn’t help myself. As long as I can stay by your side, I’ll do anything.

“Le Yi, can we go back to the way we were?”

Just as Le Yi opened her mouth to answer, Chu Qiao lunged forward and kissed her. Even though the answer seemed obvious, Chu Qiao was still afraid. What if Le Yi got so mad about what happened last night that she didn’t want her anymore?

No. I can’t let anyone else into her life. Le Yi is mine. She can only belong to me.

Chu Qiao’s mind was a mess, and she unconsciously bit down hard. Le Yi’s lip was broken, and a metallic taste of blood filled their mouths. Le Yi pushed Chu Qiao away, wiped the blood from her lip with her finger, and her expression grew serious. “It looks like you’re still drunk. Go rest.”

Chu Qiao realized that she had hurt Le Yi. She grabbed her hand. “I’m sorry, Le Yi, I didn’t mean to. I’m not drunk anymore. I just want to stay with you. Please don’t send me away.”

Le Yi turned back to the sink, continuing to wash the dishes. “Let’s both calm down.”

Chu Qiao looked at her back, imagining the coldness in her eyes. For a moment, she didn’t know what to do. “I don’t need to calm down. As long as you’re not mad, I can pretend last night never happened.”

The more she groveled, the more guilty Le Yi felt. A feeling of frustration began to creep in. She placed a clean bowl on the counter, her voice not too loud or too soft. “I need to. My head is a mess. Can you give me some time to be alone?”

Chu Qiao seemed startled by her tone. Her eyes welled up with tears. After a few seconds, she said, “I’ll go now. Please don’t be angry.”

As she turned to leave, a tear rolled down her face. Le Yi’s heart sank.

If I remember correctly, Chu Qiao is the protagonist. She’ll grow up to be a force to be reckoned with and eventually rule the world. But looking at her now, with this soft and gentle personality, she doesn’t seem like a protagonist at all. Did I raise her wrong?

The thought of so many years of effort going to waste pained Le Yi even more. She had to find a way to fix this, or how would she ever finish the mission? The thought of her mission bonus made Le Yi feel like there was still hope. The bond of sisterhood was nothing compared to money. A person couldn’t just throw away money for the sake of their conscience, could they?

The method of correction needed to be thought through carefully. If necessary, she’d have to push Chu Qiao away. She didn’t want to be a scoundrel, but for the sake of the mission, she had no choice.

With tears in her eyes, Chu Qiao returned to her room. The moment the door closed, her expression changed. Le Yi’s attitude made it clear that she didn’t want her anymore. She had been so humble, so why wouldn’t she give her a little bit of her affection? Was it so hard to share a little love with her?

Her narrow phoenix eyes were dark and deep, seeming to hold a burning fire, yet a closer look showed nothing. The emotion flashed by, and the long, thick lashes still held tears, making her look like a dog abandoned by its owner.

Le Yi, you picked me up, so you have to take responsibility for me. You can’t just leave me now.

Chu Qiao turned to the mirror, her eyes drooping at the corners, her expression innocent and pathetic. It would soften anyone’s heart. That’s right. Le Yi will definitely feel bad when she sees this. It’s okay that she doesn’t love me now. As long as she likes me a little more each day, over time, our family relationship will turn into love. I was born to love Le Yi, and she is destined to be mine. All of this was set in stone the day she picked me up.

Her phone rang. Chu Qiao expressionlessly wiped the tears from her cheeks and answered. “They seem to be very interested in our project, but the price is a bit low.” A woman’s voice came through the receiver.

Chu Qiao’s lips curled into a cold, indifferent smile. “Then raise the price tenfold. Let’s make a complete mess of it. What’s the point of small-time skirmishes?” The other side was silent for a few seconds before replying “Okay.”

Chu Qiao hung up the phone and looked out the window. The sky was a clear, brilliant blue, but dark clouds were already rolling in from a distance.

Li Xiaomei, enjoy the big gift I’m sending you.

*******

Le Yi sat on the sofa all morning, lost in thought. Her mind was a complete jumble, and she couldn’t come up with a single good plan.

At noon, Zhu Qiong called and asked her to come to Xi City Hotel. The director for the play she had mentioned wanted to meet her. Le Yi’s mind cleared instantly. She put on makeup and changed clothes in just half an hour, then drove her little used car to the hotel.

Director Xu Jianchuan was a big name in the industry, having won an international award. Although he had made a few bad movies in recent years, his reputation was still solid. For his new fantasy film, he hadn’t hired his usual actors. Instead, he started an online vote, letting netizens choose.

Originally, Le Yi wasn’t on the list, but after her fans’ strong demand, she was added. However, she didn’t have a large following, and her votes were far behind. Zhu Qiong, on the other hand, had starred in several hit New Year’s films and had become a first-tier actress. She had strongly recommended Le Yi to Xu Jianchuan, who then decided to meet Le Yi personally.

In the private room, besides Zhu Qiong, there was the male lead, the assistant director, and two screenwriters. Le Yi greeted each of them humbly and confidently. Xu Jianchuan was impressed with her. After looking at her resume, he said, “Miss Le, would you mind doing a small audition here?”

Le Yi had thought it was just a casual dinner, not a test, but she was confident in her acting skills and wasn’t afraid. “I don’t mind. Do you have any specific scenes or lines in mind?”

Xu Jianchuan briefly explained the requirements and then had the male lead act with her. Le Yi was to play the male lead’s childhood friend. In reality, she was a spy from a rival faction and was completely against the male lead. She had been living with him since childhood just to steal his “bone of immortality.” Yes, the male lead was destined for greatness, and with this bone, he could become an immortal. The scene was when the male lead discovered her true identity. Their relationship was now broken, and it required a lot of emotional power.

Le Yi’s acting was layered and incredibly emotive. Everyone held their breath throughout the performance. After a while, Xu Jianchuan finally said, “Good! Very good!” He immediately cast her on the spot.

*******

After dinner, Zhu Qiong asked if she wanted a ride home. The thought of going back to face Chu Qiao gave Le Yi a headache.

“I don’t want to go home. Let’s go for a drink. My treat.”

Zhu Qiong smiled. “No, my treat. Congratulations on getting the role.”

Le Yi wasn’t one to turn down a free drink. It would be a crime not to take the offer.

At the bar, Le Yi drank three glasses in a row, making Zhu Qiong stare in shock. “Something’s bothering you?”

Le Yi glanced at her, not knowing what to say. If she told Zhu Qiong what had happened with Chu Qiao, she would surely call the police. “It’s just… so hard.” This mission was incredibly difficult. It seemed there really was no such thing as a well-paying job with little work.

Zhu Qiong looked at her, her expression changing slightly. She put her hand on Le Yi’s glass. “Drink less. If you get drunk, I’m not taking care of you.”

Le Yi tilted her head and smiled at her. “Don’t worry about me. I can handle my liquor.”

Le Yi’s smile and tilted head hit Zhu Qiong right in the heart. She looked away, pretending to drink. Le Yi didn’t notice and had another glass.

Chu Qiao went out that afternoon. When she came back, Le Yi still wasn’t home, and she wasn’t answering her phone. Chu Qiao was a little worried. She knew Le Yi was trying to avoid her, but that wasn’t going to work.

In the evening, someone sent her a photo and asked if the beautiful woman in the picture was her sister. Chu Qiao immediately saw Le Yi’s smiling face. She was smiling so beautifully at Zhu Qiong, yet she wouldn’t even give her a glance. After getting the location, Chu Qiao rushed over.

Le Yi was a little drunk, her eyes starting to look a bit blurry. Zhu Qiong reached out and waved her hand in front of her face, but Le Yi grabbed it. “What are you doing?”

Zhu Qiong replied, “Just checking if you’re drunk.”

Le Yi pressed Zhu Qiong’s cool hand against her flushed face and chuckled. “How could I be? I can drink like a fish.”

Zhu Qiong sighed. “Yes, yes, you’re the god of wine.”

“Of course, I am.” Le Yi said proudly.

Just then, the light in front of her was blocked. Le Yi, looking into the light, couldn’t make out the person’s face. She mumbled, “The girl you were looking for came this fast?”

Zhu Qiao looked at the icy cold Chu Qiao and didn’t dare to speak.

Chu Qiao leaned in close to Le Yi and asked, “Le Yi found another girl?”

Le Yi thought the voice sounded familiar, but her mind was too slow to register. “Aren’t you a girl? Come on, drink with me.”

She handed Chu Qiao a glass of wine. Chu Qiao glanced at it, chugged it down, and without a word, took Le Yi by the arm and started to lead her out.

Le Yi protested, but at that moment the music in the bar suddenly got louder, and her voice was drowned out.

The cold wind hit her, and Le Yi sobered up a bit. When she saw the person in front of her, she was startled. “Qiao Qiao, how are you here?”

Chu Qiao said nothing, just stared at her for a long time, then suddenly pouted. “You left me at home all alone. Are you abandoning me?”

Le Yi saw her looking so glum and quickly said, “Of course not. Don’t think that.”

Chu Qiao took her hand. “Then let’s go home?”

Le Yi nodded, feeling a little dazed as she followed her home. The moment they stepped inside, Chu Qiao pressed her against the door and kissed her.

“Do you like Zhu Qiong?”

Le Yi was out of breath. “She and I are just friends.”

Chu Qiao rubbed her neck, gently biting her. “Then why did you smile at her like that?”

Before Le Yi could answer, she felt a hand begin to wander, quickly making its way to a very intimate spot. Le Yi was startled. Her scoundrel persona couldn’t fall apart now. She quickly scolded her.

Chu Qiao looked wronged and pushed herself closer to Le Yi’s lips. “Le Yi, it wants you.”

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