The Ex-Wife of the Scumbag A Who Abandoned the Female Lead - Chapter 25

The two locked eyes for a few seconds when suddenly, alarm bells rang in Shi Nuocen’s mind. Before her ex-wife could react, she turned and fled, slipping away in an instant.

From behind her came the faint, furious, and slightly flustered cry of three syllables: “Shi! Nuo! Cen!”

Shi Nuocen shrugged, thinking to herself how lucky she was to have escaped early. Otherwise, she might have been dragged into the restroom by the enraged Omega and subjected to all sorts of unspeakable things!

But now, where should she go? Recalling a scene from the game, she snapped her fingers. Alright, she decided, she would head to An’an’s room!

With light steps, she arrived at the little girl’s door. She knocked gently and, hearing faint rustling sounds from inside, called out softly, “An’an, I’ve come to see you. Do you still remember me?”

About half a minute passed with no response. Just as Shi Nuocen was starting to think that children’s memories were short and An’an might have forgotten her after just a few days, she heard a soft click of a lock turning. The next moment, the door cracked open a tiny sliver.

Through that narrow gap, Shi Nuocen met An’an’s large, round eyes.

“Sister!” An’an’s eyes lit up the moment she saw Shi Nuocen. Using all her strength, the little girl pushed the door open from the inside, then launched herself forward like a tiny cannonball, overjoyed.

Shi Nuocen opened her arms just in time to catch An’an in a full embrace. The little girl wrapped her tender, lotus-root-like arms around the adult’s slender neck.

Both were thrilled by the reunion, neither willing to let go.

What Shi Nuocen didn’t know was that while they were happily reunited, her ex-wife was in a far less pleasant mood.

In fact, by the time Ru Xi Cheng had processed what happened, irritation had already crept to the tips of her ears. She was just about to unleash her anger when, in the blink of an eye, she realized the instigator had vanished, leaving her momentarily bewildered.

But not long after, she heard slow, approaching footsteps.

Thinking it was Shi Nuocen, she couldn’t help but snap, “How dare you show your face here!”

When the person rounded the corner and their eyes met, both were stunned.

“Ru Shuo, it’s you?” Ru Xi Cheng brushed the ends of her hair, trying to mask her sudden embarrassment.

Ru Shuo nodded but didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he studied her carefully and asked, “Sister Cheng, did you bring your ex-wife home because you want to reconcile with her?”

Ru Shuo was an adopted son of the Ru family. Twenty years ago, the Rus had lost their three-year-old daughter, Ru Xi Cheng. To comfort Mrs. Ru and give her an emotional anchor, they adopted Ru Shuo from an orphanage. Partly because young Ru Shuo had caught Mrs. Ru’s eye, and partly because he bore some resemblance to the three-year-old Ru Xi Cheng.

After the Ru family found Ru Xi Cheng, they had initially hoped to matchmake Ru Shuo with her. Their reasoning was that Ru Shuo had been raised in the family since childhood. They knew him well, he was gentle-natured and capable, and most importantly, Ru Shuo had openly admitted his feelings for Sister Cheng.

But Ru Xi Cheng flatly refused. To prevent his feelings from deepening, she avoided meeting him privately whenever possible. Since then, Ru Shuo seemed to have sensed something, often watching her from afar, his eyes always tinged with a hint of sorrow.

This was the first time they had stood facing each other so closely since that rejection. Ru Xi Cheng listened to Ru Shuo’s question, paused for a few minutes, and then said, “I need her, and An’an needs her too.”

But Ru Shuo appeared very agitated: “You don’t need her. You’re just unwilling to let go. Have you forgotten how devastated you were back then? Especially after giving birth alone, relying on heavy smoking and drinking to numb yourself. Your ex-wife only brought you pain, while I genuinely care for you.”

Ru Xi Cheng’s gaze grew distant, her voice soft and slow: “It’s not entirely her fault. After all, I wasn’t very likable back then either, was I?”

“Elder Sister Cheng, you shouldn’t make excuses for her!”

“But I don’t think I’m making excuses.”

At this point, the conversation could go no further.

Ru Shuo clenched her fists and smiled self-deprecatingly: “Since you’re so determined, I can’t persuade you. Fortunately, I’ll always be here for you. No matter how many times you hit a wall, I’ll always be waiting.”

“No need to wait for me.”

After saying this, Ru Xi Cheng turned and left.

“An’an, you’re so amazing! Sister lost again twice in a row!” Shi Nuocen laughed as she pinched An’an’s rosy cheek, then leaned her face closer. “Here, a bet’s a bet. Draw whatever you want, anywhere you like.”

An’an picked up a golden pen and drew a flower on Shi Nuocen’s forehead.

It was at this moment that Ru Xi Cheng found them. Seeing Shi Nuocen’s face covered in colorful patterns, she almost didn’t recognize her. An’an’s face, however, remained clean except for a shiny little star drawn on her forehead.

“An’an and I were playing a puzzle game. Whoever makes a mistake has to let the other draw on their face!” Before her ex-wife could ask, Shi Nuocen cheerfully explained.

“So that’s what happened.” Ru Xi Cheng compared the drawings on their faces, glanced at her with a light hum, and said, “You lost quite badly, huh?”

Sitting on the floor, Shi Nuocen instinctively looked up and noticed her ex-wife had changed clothes—from a long dress to a mid-length skirt that revealed her slender, straight legs. Remembering the earlier restroom incident, she couldn’t help but shift her gaze and raised an eyebrow: “You…”

Sensing that look, Ru Xi Cheng’s face instantly flushed red. She pressed her legs together tighter and said in embarrassment and annoyance, “I didn’t handle it! And I didn’t change!”

Her voice wasn’t hushed, startling An’an, who looked over with uneasy eyes. Shi Nuocen quickly wrapped an arm around An’an’s shoulders and said to Ru Xi Cheng, “Look at you, you scared the child.”

“An’an, I’m sorry. It’s my fault.” Ru Xi Cheng also looked remorseful and immediately crouched down.

“It’s okay.” An’an shook her fluffy little head and reached out to touch Auntie Cheng’s forehead.

Shi Nuocen couldn’t resist kissing the child and praised, “Our An’an is amazing, right?”

“Right!” An’an straightened her little chest and clenched her small fists.

Shi Nuocen turned to her ex-wife, pointed at the challenging puzzle An’an had completed, and proudly gave a thumbs-up: “An’an has a high IQ. She’s definitely a little genius!”

Ru Xi Cheng’s mind conjured images of books like Genius Baby: Mommy Runs Away with the Bun, and judging by the title alone, it seemed to fit her situation quite well. Such stories usually had happy endings, and she hoped her own story with her would end just as happily.

Shi Nuocen played with An’an a while longer before finally lying flat on the floor, declaring with satisfaction, “I’ve decided, I’m sleeping right here!”

Ru Xi Cheng hesitated and glanced at An’an, but to her surprise, the little one immediately clapped her hands and started bouncing with joy, expressing a thousand welcomes through her actions. As Shi Nuocen spread out a blanket on the floor, An’an clung to her knees like an adorable accessory, following her every step.

Shi Nuocen found it both amusing and exasperating, feeling as if she had acquired a little tail. She asked her ex-wife, “Do you have a computer?” She had left the office in such a hurry today that she had forgotten to bring hers.

A sudden thought crossed Ru Xi Cheng’s mind, making her slightly nervous. “What do you need the computer for?”

“To watch movies.” Shi Nuocen deliberately dragged out her words, her voice low and suggestive.

“If you dare watch that kind of thing in An’an’s room, I’ll…” Ru Xi Cheng’s eyes widened in anger, her chest heaving.

“What will you do?” Shi Nuocen took advantage of An’an’s distraction and lightly lifted Ru Xi Cheng’s chin with a single finger, the smooth texture making her fingertips linger. “Just kidding. Couldn’t you tell?”

“…” Ru Xi Cheng realized she had overreacted. She turned her head away, somewhat dejectedly, and said, “Anyway, you can’t watch that kind of stuff!”

“Alright, alright, I won’t. I’ll just watch you instead.” Shi Nuocen whispered soothingly to her.

An’an watched the two adults with wide, curious eyes, looking utterly fascinated.

Noticing An’an’s gaze, Ru Xi Cheng felt a bit embarrassed. “What do you really need the computer for?”

“To play the game you recommended,” Shi Nuocen replied. She thought to herself that during her previous gaming session, she had been too busy teasing the robot and hadn’t really played properly. Still, the little master was far more interesting than the game itself.

Ru Xi Cheng thought to herself, Just as I suspected. But right now, she was too preoccupied to handle everything at once.

Shi Nuocen turned to An’an and said, “Sister has a very interesting little master in the game. I’ll introduce you to her later.”

“Okay!” An’an’s big eyes curved with curiosity as her small body leaned closer to the computer.

However, after interacting with the character for a while, Shi Nuocen remarked, “Huh? Why does it feel so stiff and unresponsive? So disappointing.”

An’an tilted her head in disappointment but showed understanding. “Maybe she’s tired. Let her rest properly.”

“Yeah, the little master must be tired.” Shi Nuocen snapped her fingers. “No worries, I’m not tired. How about I put on a performance for you, An’an?”

At that moment, Shi Nuocen’s game character was in the audition hall of the first level. The scene to perform was that of a demon cult enchantress betrayed by her lover and surrounded by enemies, about to leap off a cliff. In the game, clearing levels required the player to act out the scene in front of a camera, which would then be modeled and replicated. It had to be said, the technology in this novel’s world was far more advanced than the one she originally came from.

As soon as the camera turned on, her expression shifted instantly, fully immersed in her role. She lifted her tear-filled eyes like pear blossoms glistening with rain, gazing at the heartless man. Clutching the bleeding wound on her body, she spoke with sorrow and anguish, “You betrayed me. What’s done is done, I no longer wish to ask why.”

“Because you know full well! You were once the Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect, infiltrating our Carefree Sect to seduce my head disciple. All for the sake of our inner sect’s martial arts secrets!” On the game screen, a long-bearded elder roared with thunderous fury.

Shi Nuocen gripped her collar, pointing a delicate finger as she cried out in unbearable pain, “It’s true I was once the Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect, but ever since falling in love with your head disciple, I haven’t committed even the slightest evil deed. Not only did I willingly abandon all my demonic arts, but I publicly renounced the Demon Sect. I’ve done so much for him, yet he leads the sect to hunt me down.”

“Demonic lies!” the long-bearded elder shouted, cutting her off. “Enough nonsense! Kill her!”

Covered in wounds, the woman retreated toward the cliff’s edge, her voice sharp and resolute: “Even if I die, I’ll die by my own hand, here between heaven and earth. I will never let you take my life!”

With that, she leaped…

“Sis, don’t jump!” An’an hurried over on her short little legs, stretching out her small arms to wrap around Shi Nuocen’s thigh. “That man isn’t worth it! I’ll give you Aunt Orange, please don’t jump!”

As she spoke, she took Shi Nuocen’s hand and placed it together with Ru Xi Cheng’s.

For a moment, three pairs of hands clasped tightly together.

Shi Nuocen looked at the little girl anxiously circling around her and felt a touch of emotion. “Alright, I won’t jump. It’s just acting, all fake. Besides, only a fool would jump off a cliff for a heartless man like that. Your Aunt Orange is way better than him any day!”

As she said this, she playfully nudged Ru Xi Cheng’s shoulder and teased, “Hear that? An’an just gave you to me.”

But Ru Xi Cheng leaned in closer, a hidden fire smoldering in her eyes, whispering almost against her ear, “Then will you come to my room tonight?”

Her tone held a mix of ambiguity and seriousness, her light-colored pupils reflecting Shi Nuocen’s image; stubborn and filled with desire.

“Really?” Shi Nuocen asked, her eyes curving into a smile, though a hint of scrutiny lingered deep within. “You know what will happen if I come to your room late at night, right?”

To make sure she understood, Shi Nuocen even used her free hand to trace a suggestive line along the curve of Ru Xi Cheng’s waist.

“Of course, I know.” Ru Xi Cheng moved even closer, their breaths now hot and mingling, challenging her with a whisper, “I’m just afraid you won’t dare to come.”