Oops, I’m the Scumbag Ex in Her Storyline - Chapter 32.1

Xin Yan had originally planned to go home before heading into the office, but that plan went out the window the moment she saw Bei Lanlan.

Lanlan asked her how everything had gone, and halfway through Yan’s response, Lanlan started asking curious questions—like where the production manager was from, or how Daqin Heavy Industries could possibly have so many general managers. She always asked at just the right moment, and Shin Yan was more than happy to explain.

What should have been a few quick words stretched into a whole conversation that lasted until they were seated at the dining table.

The long rectangular dining table had since been replaced with a round one. They now sat facing each other, easily sharing dishes back and forth.

Noticing Yan’s water glass was empty, Lanlan got up and refilled it for her.

That used to be the housekeeper’s job, but Xin Yan had dismissed him from the dining room ages ago. She couldn’t stand the awkward feeling of being watched while eating. Ever since, she’d been doing it herself.

Seeing Lanlan take over now caught her off guard.

She reached out to stop her. “I can do it myself, no need.”

But Lanlan dodged her hand with a smile. “It’s okay. I like doing this.”

Xin Yan chuckled. “You seem to be in a really good mood today.”

Lanlan had picked her up at the airport, chatted non-stop, and now was even helping serve and pour water. That saying must really be true—distance does make the heart grow fonder. She’d only been gone two days, and now she was living like an empress dowager.

Lanlan didn’t deny it and smiled back. “Yeah, things are going well.”

Yan gave her a knowing look. “Because you saw your mom?”

Lanlan froze for a split second, and Xin Yan quickly clarified, worried she’d misunderstood. “I didn’t have anyone follow you. The care facility just called me. I’m listed as the emergency contact. You can change it next time.”

Lanlan blinked, then shook her head. “No need. Just keep your name. After all, to outsiders, you’re her daughter too.”

That wasn’t wrong, but hearing it come from Lanlan’s mouth felt strange.

Shouldn’t this be something she was especially unwilling to acknowledge?

Holding her glass, Xin Yan looked at Lanlan in confusion. But she seemed as calm as ever. Yan paused for a moment, then brushed the thought aside.

By the time they finished dinner, it was completely dark outside. Once the sun set, Yan lost all desire to go back out. Faced with a choice between quickly washing up and sleeping or accepting that she was born to work herself to death, she didn’t even hesitate—straight to bed.

Meanwhile, poor Assistant An was still waiting at the office until 11 PM. Only after confirming she wasn’t coming did he finally head home.

Maybe out of guilt, Yan got up early the next morning. She arrived at the office an hour before work began. Looking at the mountain of paperwork piled on her desk, she instinctively rubbed her right ring finger.

Great. Time to say goodbye to her right hand.

—

Just like old times, she began by pulling out all the documents that needed her signature. This time, she didn’t even read them—like a robot, signing one after another. Halfway through, her own name started looking unfamiliar.

The more she wrote it, the weirder it looked—like she was drawing symbols instead of letters.

Just then, someone placed a cup of coffee next to her.

While continuing to sign, she spoke without looking up, “Cancel the 10 AM meeting. Push the board meeting back half an hour. Reschedule the interview with Jennie Su too. I’m not Song Xizi—I don’t have time to help them do PR. And later, go find the quality control manager from MME and ask what century he thinks we’re living in with that OKR plan. Tell him this isn’t the era of ‘bigger dreams, bigger results’ anymore.

Time to wake up!”

As she finished that last sentence, she also finished signing the document in hand. Breathing a small sigh of relief, she picked up the coffee—only to notice it wasn’t Assistant An beside her.

It was Lanlan.

Lanlan had a notebook in her hand.

She had scribbled everything down and now looked at Yan. “Anything else?”

Shin Yan: “…”

She held the coffee cup mid-air. “Uh… Lanlan?”

Lanlan smiled. “What is it?”

Yan said, stunned, “Those were Assistant An’s tasks. You don’t need to write them down.”

Lanlan casually waved her notebook. “It’s fine. I already noted everything. And besides, you don’t want to repeat it, right? Cancel the meeting, push the board back, reschedule the interview, and give Manager Li on the 26th floor a piece of your mind.”

She closed the notebook and said quickly, “I’ll go do it now.”

Yan: “…”

As Lanlan rushed out, Assistant An was just walking in. Seeing her move so urgently, he asked in confusion, “President Xin, where’s she off to in such a hurry?”

You might not believe this, but… she’s doing your job.

Remembering what Lanlan had said about wanting to stay on after graduation—and that her promotion goal was Assistant An’s role—Xin Yan hesitated, tossed aside the remaining unsigned documents, and started rummaging through her desk.

Assistant An stepped up. “What are you looking for? I’ll find it for you.”

Xin Yan: “Lawyer Wang should have sent it already… Ah, here it is.”

Without caring that Assistant An was still standing there, she opened the folder and pulled out the divorce agreement.

The first few pages were full of legal formalities that didn’t interest her. She flipped to the asset division section. Even though she already knew she was rich, seeing those numbers still made her eyes widen.

Assistant An, standing behind her, caught a glimpse too—and had a momentary identity crisis.

This is the kind of reward you get for being a kept woman?

He wanted in. Even if not as a canary, maybe as a parrot?

—

Thankfully, Assistant An was a man of ambition. After being dazzled by the money for about two or three minutes, he regained his senses and asked worriedly, “President Xin, are you getting divorced?”

Holding the surprisingly weightless agreement, Yan nodded slowly. “It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

Assistant An hesitated. “But when you got married, nobody at the company even knew. Now you’re giving Bei Lanlan half your assets in a divorce? That won’t stay secret.”

Xin Yan: “I never planned to keep it secret.”

Assistant An: “…”

You’re… bold.

In a tone she could understand, he translated his thoughts: “Although your marriage is your private business, since you chose not to make it public at the start, you should have kept it that way. If the board finds out now, it could hurt your credibility and stir up rumors that threaten your position.”

Xin Yan nearly flipped the table. “It’s my company. It’s my money. I’ll handle it however I want—who can stop me?”

Assistant An looked conflicted. Then Xin Yan paused.

Lanlan could stop her. She was living proof. With the right setup, even a company this big could be stolen right out from under someone.

Even if Lanlan would never do that again, she couldn’t guarantee there wasn’t other Lanlans out there.

The only consolation? She hadn’t married them. So if they wanted to pull something, they’d have a much harder time.

She sighed and calmed down. “I wasn’t planning to give it to her now. I’ll wait until… she graduates. That gives everyone time to adjust.”

There were just over six months until June. Assistant An considered it—seemed reasonable. Still, looking at that divorce agreement made his heart ache on Yan’s behalf. “Your net worth ranking next year will definitely drop. Might not even make the list.”

Who actually gives away half their fortune during a divorce like they promised?

Still, he and Xin Yan were thinking the same thing—Lanlan would probably faint from happiness when she saw that agreement.

Some people really were born lucky.

Fifteen minutes later, Lanlan returned. She passed Assistant An in the hallway. He gave her a look full of envy. Lanlan raised an eyebrow at him, confused, then walked into the office.

She took only two steps before spotting the yellow document folder lying openly on the desk.

She paused for half a second, then continued walking like she hadn’t seen anything, returning to her seat without a word.

At lunch, while they were eating together, Lanlan noticed Xin Yan glancing at her phone repeatedly. She subtly peeked and saw it was surveillance footage—various entrances to a tree-lined road.

Lanlan asked, “Why are you watching the surveillance footage all of a sudden?”

Xin Yan lied without blinking. “Crime’s been on the rise lately.”

Lanlan: “…”

You don’t have to personally monitor it though.

Putting down her chopsticks, Lanlan changed the subject. “Professor Liu wants me to come in four days a week. So I won’t be home on weekends anymore.”

Tomorrow was Saturday. Hearing this, Xin Yan looked surprised. “Then you won’t get any time off. You’re coming to work, attending classes, and going to the lab. That’s too much.”

Knowing exactly what she was about to say, Lanlan cut her off before she could suggest she stop coming to work. “It’s okay. I like a busy life. After spending so many idle years, I’ve got tons of energy saved up.

Don’t worry—it’ll take a long, long time before I feel tired.”

Whenever Lanlan mentioned the years she was shut away at home, Xin Yan immediately lost all will to argue. At that point, Lanlan could say anything, and she would agree.

If the emperor wasn’t complaining about being overworked, then this humble eunuch had no right to interfere. Still, they’d been spending weekends together for a while now. With Lanlan gone, Xin Yan suddenly had no idea what to do alone.

Work overtime?

Absolutely not.

—

After thinking it over, Xin Yan’s eyes lit up—she knew where she could go.

Lanlan had been watching her and smiled. “Don’t get too wild while I’m gone.”

Xin Yan laughed. “Me? I’m way too boring for that. I’m just going to… a bar. I’m pretty close with the bartender there. We hang out sometimes.”

Lanlan frowned. “You’re going to drink?”

Xin Yan quickly shook her head. “I only ordered non-alcoholic drinks. It’s fine—they don’t mind.”

Bei Lanlan was half-convinced but didn’t press the issue.

The next morning, Bei Lanlan woke up at seven, as she did on workdays. When she came down for breakfast, the housekeeper informed her that Xin Yan was still asleep.

Bei Lanlan blinked in surprise. She didn’t remember Xin Yan being one to sleep in. “If she’s still not up by eight, go wake her,” she instructed. “Any later and she’ll miss breakfast.”

It was usually Xin Yan who said things like this. The housekeeper was caught off guard hearing it from Bei Lanlan for the first time. He stood stunned for a couple of seconds. By the time he recovered, Bei Lanlan had already left the house.

She didn’t look back as she hurried out the door.

And upstairs, hidden behind the curtain of a bedroom window, Xin Yan carefully watched her leave.

Only when Bei Lanlan’s figure disappeared beyond the garden wall did Xin Yan let the curtain fall and rush downstairs.

No sooner had the housekeeper seen off Bei Lanlan than Xin Yan, already dressed and ready, came down the stairs.

He was startled. “Miss Xin, Miss Lanlan just left.”

“I know,” Xin Yan replied as she pulled on a pair of gloves. “I waited until she was gone.”

The housekeeper said nothing.

He was getting too old for the tricks of young people.

With one glove on, Xin Yan began putting on the other as she asked, “Where’s Xiao Zhang? Have him bring the car around. I need to go out for a bit.”

The driver had been waiting outside. The housekeeper walked Xinyan to the car, and just before the door closed, she added, “I should be back before Lanlan, but if she comes home first, tell her something came up at work and I had to work overtime.”

“…Understood.”