Oops, I’m the Scumbag Ex in Her Storyline - Chapter 56

The next morning, the winter sun shone bright and warm. As always, An Zhiyuan arrived early at the office. Upon learning that Xin Yan had just entered the elevator, he strolled unhurriedly to the lobby to greet her.

Just like before, Xin Yan walked in side by side with Bei Lanlan. They didn’t speak or smile, yet after staring at them for a while, An Zhiyuan couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was different.

Xin Yan asked, “What are you looking at?”

An Zhiyuan quickly shook his head. “Nothing, President Xin. Good morning.”

She still found him odd, but after giving him a glance, she lifted her foot to walk forward. At the same time, her right hand reached out naturally to the side—not exactly in the right direction, but Bei Lanlan immediately noticed. She

slipped her hand into Xin Yan’s, and once their fingers entwined, Xin Yan turned to look at her. They exchanged a smile and walked into the office hand in hand.

Just before they rounded the corner, Bei Lanlan suddenly turned back. To the dumbfounded assistant, she flashed a triumphant smile—far more wicked than the one she had just given Xin Yan.

Assistant An: “……”

Weren’t they supposed to be divorcing? Why did it look like they were back together?

Not that getting back together was an issue, but why did that little vixen have to throw him such a provocative smile? Did she actually see him as a rival in love?

On one hand, he felt oddly flattered by the idea; on the other, he worried more about his career, which suddenly seemed rather precarious.

In truth, he was overthinking it. Bei Lanlan was simply taking revenge out of habit—for all the times he’d stirred the air in the office, trying to push Xin Yan away.

But the change in their relationship was indeed a challenge for everyone on this floor. People had always suspected that Bei Lanlan and President Xin shared more than a professional relationship, but since Xin Yan rarely showed it openly, attitudes toward Bei Lanlan had remained relatively normal. Now, however, Xin Yan was accompanied by her everywhere. And wherever Bei Lanlan was, Xin Yan smiled more—usually at her, though occasionally, unlucky employees also caught a stray beam of her radiant, lovestruck smile.

The novelty soon gave way to a sobering realization: Bei Lanlan had officially become their boss’s wife.

Chatting with the boss’s secret lover was one thing; chatting with the boss’s wife was a whole different level of difficulty. Within a week, Bei Lanlan noticed the shift. People treated her with more warmth, more flattery, and more caution.

Realizing this, she only paused for a second before keeping the same polite smile on her face, betraying no reaction at all.

Only when she returned to the office did she let out a quiet sigh.

Xin Yan’s pen froze mid-stroke. She lifted her head, radar-like. “What is it? Something wrong? Why are you sighing?”

Bei Lanlan said, “Now I finally understand what your daily life is like. In this company, you can’t make any friends.”

Xin Yan blinked. “Why would you need to make friends at work?”

She set her pen down. “I’m the boss. That identity alone is enough. Some companies like to create this forced family-like atmosphere, but honestly, that’s unrealistic. Except for a rare few who thrive anywhere, most people always feel pressure in front of their superiors. Keeping them from seeing me outside of work hours is already my last bit of kindness. If I tried to be their friend, it’d feel suffocating—for them and for me.”

Bei Lanlan smiled. “As long as it doesn’t bother you.”

Xin Yan looked at her. “Of course it doesn’t. If I ever need a friend, I can always find Xu Fei at ‘No Loud Talking Bar.’ But you—are you uncomfortable now that people are treating you differently?”

Bei Lanlan drew out her voice. “Maybe just a little…”

Xin Yan was about to comfort her when she sighed again. “To really blend in, you need access to people’s networks. Now that they’re wary of me, I can’t gather intel anymore.”

Xin Yan: “……”

Clearly, their vigilance had come far too late.

________________________________________

In front of Xin Yan, Bei Lanlan always revealed her truest self—so guileless that Xin Yan never thought much of it. Her scheming and ambition were transparent. Even when she maneuvered among employees, Xin Yan only reminded her not to go too far. After all, everyone was just working to make a living; a little intrigue could drive productivity, but too much would only cause trouble.

Had anyone else lectured her this way, Bei Lanlan would have stirred up drama out of spite. But since it was Xin Yan, and since she’d learned so much from her, she could see that Xin Yan genuinely cared for her employees. Not wanting to ruin what she had built, Bei Lanlan set her mind at ease.

Where she once competed fiercely with Assistant An for responsibilities, now she no longer bothered. Instead, she shifted her focus to school and the lab. In Xin Yan’s office, she was content to brew coffee, print documents, and take on small, tedious tasks.

Exactly what Assistant An had originally wanted her to do.

Even simplifying files was unnecessary now. After so much training, Xin Yan could already understand most technical terms. The few she couldn’t were obscure enough that hardly anyone else could either—so even if she asked, no one would question it.

At the risk of drawing the little vixen’s wrath, Assistant An still reported his observations to Xin Yan. No matter what, she was his true superior, and in this company, he distrusted everyone but her.

Xin Yan listened thoughtfully. “It seems her mindset has changed.”

“She used to say she wanted to replace you. That impulse has passed.”

Then she lifted her head and smiled. “Don’t worry. Lanlan is smart. She’ll find something she truly loves to do.”

Assistant An: “……”

Who’s worried about that?!

And wait—so the little vixen really had her eyes on his position all along? Figures!

Leaving Xin Yan’s office, he ran into Bei Lanlan coming his way. She smiled politely. “I’ve prepared the documents for this afternoon’s meeting. Shall I distribute them?”

Without waiting for his answer, she pushed the door open and walked in. Clearly, she wasn’t asking for permission—only informing him. An Zhiyuan was speechless as he turned back toward his desk, only for another female assistant to rush over.

“The front desk called—someone wants to see President Xin.”

The rules were strict: appointments were allowed through, walk-ins turned away. For the matter to be escalated to him, this visitor had to be someone unusual.

“Who is it?” An asked.

“Jing Chu,” the assistant replied.

An Zhiyuan said nothing. The woman studied his face and hesitantly asked, “Why are you smiling?”

“You’re mistaken,” he said smoothly, though his grin gave him away. “Let her in. Miss Jing knows her limits. If she’s here unannounced, it must be important. I’ll take her to the reception room. You inform President Xin.”

Assistant: “……”

So all the thankless jobs still fell to the lowly staff.

________________________________________
Inside, Xin Yan and Bei Lanlan were debating lunch. They were both sick of work meals, and going out together was, after all, a kind of romance. Dining in the break room face-to-face was the death of romance.

Bei Lanlan had just suggested a new Japanese place when the assistant knocked, flashing a fawning smile at her before turning to Xin Yan.

The moment she saw that reaction, Bei Lanlan knew it was bad news.

Sure enough, when she heard that Jing Chu was already waiting in the reception room, she shot to her feet. Her reaction was so intense it startled both the assistant and Xin Yan.

The assistant kept her head down. Xin Yan, surprised, noticed Bei Lanlan’s expression darkening by the second. After a pause, she said, “You may go.”

The assistant practically fled, shutting the door tightly behind her.

But the atmosphere didn’t explode as she feared. Instead, Xin Yan walked over and burst out laughing. “I should’ve recorded that. You have no idea how adorable your expression just was.”

Bei Lanlan sneered coldly. “Adorable? Then how about I bring every boy and girl who wants to date me at school right here in front of you, and we’ll see how adorable your expression gets?”

Xin Yan’s smile froze. She quickly straightened her face, serious. “That won’t be necessary. Our matters are ours alone—no outsiders should interfere.”

Bei Lanlan snorted and turned away.

Seeing she truly had no intention of turning back, Xin Yan stepped closer, lowered her head, and brushed a kiss across her tightly pressed lips.

Before Bei Lanlan could react, she kissed her again—soft, coaxing, irresistible. Even in anger, Bei Lanlan couldn’t hold out long. The moment her resolve softened, Xin Yan pressed in, pinning her against the wall, hand cupping the back of her head to tilt it upward without hurting her.

Only when Bei Lanlan’s breath grew unsteady did Xin Yan reluctantly release her. Holding her slim waist, she pouted like the aggrieved party. “You seduced me first.”

“When you’re unhappy, all I want is to coax you, to see you smile again. But I don’t have many tricks—not like you with me.”

She leaned close, her damp lips brushing Bei Lanlan’s ear, her voice low and sinuous, slipping inside like entwining snakes that made her shiver and her heart tremble.

“As long as I see you, I can never stay angry.”

She whispered, “When will you be like me—seeing only me, caring only about me? The person I love is you. Stop paying attention to people who have nothing to do with us, alright?”

Bei Lanlan was quiet for a while before murmuring against her chest, unwillingly, “But it’s too hard… she’s Jing Chu.”

Xin Yan fell silent too. She didn’t want to explain the truth—too bizarre, and besides, she didn’t want Bei Lanlan to know. The Bei Lanlan before her was hers—no longer the broken, icy figure from the novel. She didn’t need to know how much malice others had for her. All she needed to know was how much Xin Yan cherished her.

But that left Jing Chu an unsolvable problem. After some thought, she said, “It’s alright, Lanlan. I won’t meet her.”

Bei Lanlan, however, pulled free. “No—you should. Tell her about us, and make it clear she will never bother you again.”

Xinyan: “……”

If it was up to her, she’d never do something so foolish. Jing Chu had nothing to do with her anymore. Marching up now just to make a scene would only make her look ridiculous. But her wife’s word was law.

Bracing herself for embarrassment, Xin yan forced herself out the door. The moment she left, Bei Lanlan pulled up the security feed for the reception room. Jing Chu stood by the window, her silhouette alone radiating allure.

The longer Bei Lanlan stared, the more annoyed she became. When Jing Chu finally turned around, revealing a face as flawless as a Roman goddess, Bei Lanlan snorted coldly. “Vixen.”

The insult slipped out so easily she almost forgot—this “vixen” looked ninety percent like herself.