The Ex-Wife of the Scumbag A Who Abandoned the Female Lead - Chapter 41

After the man slunk away, the three of them entered the Ru family villa. Shi Nuocen placed An’an on the sofa, crouched down, and asked her, “An’an, do you really want to participate in the parenting reality show?”

“Mm.” An’an nodded her little head. “I want to go.”

“But there will be many strangers on set. Will you be okay with that, An’an?”

“I can do it.” An’an puffed out her small chest, looking as if she were fully capable.

“Was it because you were preparing for the show that you didn’t avoid that person today?” Shi Nuocen hit the nail on the head.

Ru Xi Cheng also turned her gaze to An’an.

Under the watchful eyes of the two adults, the little girl nodded once more.

Shi Nuocen fell silent for a moment before stepping forward to hug her. “An’an, you’re amazing!” Since An’an was willing to make an effort, she deserved encouragement.

“But if someone is truly unpleasant, you shouldn’t endure it. You should walk away as soon as possible, understand?”

An’an tilted her head, looking only half-convinced.

Ru Xi Cheng also crouched down and patiently explained, “Endurance depends on the person. Some people aren’t worth tolerating, like…” She then gave several examples, trying to help An’an distinguish between situations.

“If someone uses foul language and keeps saying rude things…”

An’an thought for a moment and said, “Then I should stay far away from them.”

“Exactly!” The two adults gave her a thumbs-up.

“What if there’s someone with strange behavior?!”

Through these vivid examples, the perceptive little girl quickly grasped the idea.

After the little girl had fallen soundly asleep, Shi Nuocen went to Ru Xi Cheng’s room to ask if she had read the script, what her thoughts were, and whether it was worth investing in.

Unexpectedly, at first glance, the room appeared empty. She listened carefully and heard the faint sound of water from the bathroom; her ex-wife was taking a shower.

Shi Nuocen’s expression shifted subtly. As someone bound by an agreement, she was quite conscientious. Tiptoeing to the bathroom door, she deliberately bent down, knowing that the upper part of the door was made of frosted glass. If her silhouette accidentally appeared on it, wouldn’t that spoil the surprise?

She moved slowly, turned the handle, and found it unlocked. Gradually, she pushed the door open.

What met her eyes was a steamy interior, the soft sound of splashing water in her ears, and the rich fragrance of shampoo filling her nostrils. A fair arm lifted water and sprinkled it over the body.

Shi Nuocen made every effort to approach silently. When she was close enough, she leaped forward, wrapping her arms around her ex-wife’s shoulders from behind and covering her eyes.

Feigning a strange voice, she said, “Where did you come from? If you use this bathtub, you have to become mine.”

Ru Xi Cheng chuckled softly, entirely unruffled, and replied in a seductive tone, “Sure, then when do you plan to consummate our relationship?”

“Let me think about it.” Shi Nuocen drew out her words near her ear, her fingers beginning to wander mischievously.

“I need to see what you look like first.” As she spoke, she traced her fingers from the shoulders up to her face, her movements deliberately casual. The pressure of her fingertips was occasionally firm, creating a uniquely stimulating sensation.

Ru Xi Cheng let out a soft hum through her nose, her eyes half-closed. When their gazes finally met, the corners of her eyes were tinged with a faint blush. “Are you satisfied with what you see?”

“Just barely passable.” Shi Nuocen hooked her finger under the other’s chin, as if teasing a small animal. After a moment, she pressed a kiss to the corner of her lips.

She smacked her lips, savoring the taste. “It’s acceptable. But I need a few more tastes.”

With that, she kissed her forehead, nose, and cheeks. Ru Xi Cheng felt a ticklish sensation from the kisses, her eyes brimming with faint laughter.

“Almost forgot, I haven’t showered yet. Let’s go together.” As Shi Nuocen undressed, she deliberately slowed her movements, exuding a tantalizing charm that held her ex-wife’s gaze captive. Those beautiful eyes gradually filled with an uncontrollable longing.

Ru Xi Cheng truly found it hard to look away. It felt as though her very soul was being drawn in by the other, and she secretly wished the undressing would speed up, instead of being so tormentingly slow.

Her throat moved involuntarily, and her fingertips dug into her palms.

Finally, the other’s toes dipped into the water, but she playfully wiggled them, sending ripples across the surface and splashing a few droplets onto the wall.

Seemingly satisfied with her mischief, she settled down comfortably, leaning back with a long, relaxed sigh. Ru Xi Cheng closed her eyes briefly. Staring so intently had made them a bit sore. But before long, she felt a light brush against her knee.

Her eyes snapped open to find the other grinning mischievously. When their eyes met, Shi Nuocen feigned innocence, blinking innocently as if to say, “What are you looking at?”

Ru Xi Cheng was thoroughly annoyed, feeling she couldn’t appear so weak. She retaliated by hooking her foot against the other’s.

Shi Nuocen didn’t seem surprised in the least. A faint smile played on her lips as she calmly pressed her legs together, firmly trapping Ru Xi Cheng’s foot. At the same time, she curled her toes and slid them along the trapped area.

Ru Xi Cheng grew hot and ticklish, her patience finally snapping. She reached out and pressed her hands firmly on the other’s shoulders. “Don’t go too far!”

Shi Nuocen lifted her eyelids lazily and spoke slowly, “Have you ever heard the saying?”

“What?” Ru Xi Cheng was caught off guard by the sudden question.

“A noble uses their mouth… hmm?” Her gaze drifted meaningfully toward the fair, slender arms so close to her.

“And what about you?” Ru Xi Cheng rolled her eyes, annoyed. “You’re using more than just your mouth.”

“Am I?” Shi Nuocen’s toes curled provocatively, rubbing teasingly a couple more times.

Realizing she was being outmaneuvered, Ru Xi Cheng grew even more furious.

Since she couldn’t win at mind games, she decided to reset the situation. She lunged forward, declaring, “I don’t care! It’s my turn now!”

With that, she bit the other’s chin, her eyes lifting challengingly. Shi Nuocen let her bite. It didn’t hurt anyway and took the opportunity to ignite sparks all over Ru Xi Cheng’s body. Soon, Ru Xi Cheng’s waist grew weak and pliant, her body yielding helplessly.

Her cheeks flushed, her gaze hazy, as if intoxicated. In this state, she exuded an air of docility, her discontent expressed only through soft, nasal whimpers.

By the time their frolicking ended, the bathroom was in complete disarray.

Shi Nuocen helped Ru Xi Cheng dry off and put on a bathrobe. It was already late at night when they lay side by side in bed. Suddenly, Shi Nuocen remembered something important. “Have you read the script?”

Unlike her energetic companion, Ru Xi Cheng was half-asleep, lazily replying, “I skimmed a bit. It seems interesting. But pulling it off won’t be easy. It’ll depend heavily on the director’s skill.”

As soon as Shi Nuocen heard this, she immediately understood. She picked up her phone, intending to search for the director’s information online, only to notice a WeChat message that had arrived much earlier.

【Wan: Sister Cen, I keep messing up a certain move. Could you take a look and help me out? Please!】

So it was the girl she was mentoring one-on-one.

She clicked on the video, and instantly, rhythmic music filled the air. Ru Xi Cheng was startled, her eyes widening with a somewhat silly expression.

Seeing this, Shi Nuocen chuckled softly and quickly turned down the volume. The girl in the video was vibrant with youth. Though her dance moves were a bit unpolished, she was clearly giving it her all. It seemed like it might be her first time recording such a video. There was a hint of shyness in her eyes, yet she forced herself to look directly into the camera. That determination gave her a unique, radiant charm.

For some reason, this girl always reminded Shi Nuocen of An’an.

Suddenly, she felt a slight itch on her shoulder. Turning her head, she saw someone leaning in, strands of damp hair brushing against her skin.

“Shi Nuocen!” A voice tinged with anger sounded by her ear! Ru Xi Cheng was exhausted and drowsy, barely able to make out the girl in the video. All she could tell was that it was a young girl dancing, and her emotions flared up instantly: “You’re watching this late at night… Mmm!”

Especially since Shi Nuocen had been watching the video with such focus, her entire demeanor exuding a calm and even slightly tender vibe. Ru Xi Cheng found it incredibly irritating and couldn’t help feeling resentful.

With her mouth covered, she glared at Shi Nuocen instead!

“No, don’t misunderstand or accuse me wrongly!” Shi Nuocen snapped to attention upon hearing this, one hand covering Ru Xi Cheng’s mouth while she hastily explained, “Wake up properly first, take a closer look, and then say something!”

Ru Xi Cheng’s eyes widened even further, thinking, How can you be so unreasonable! How much closer do I need to look?!

Shi Nuocen sighed helplessly and held the phone up to her face. “It’s from a girl group trainee. Back when the class monitor asked about the mentorship program, you even said it was a good idea.”

The implication was clear: if there was any trouble tonight, Ru Xi Cheng had played a part in it too.

Ru Xi Cheng’s eyes shifted sideways to the video. After getting a clear look, she lowered her gaze, slightly embarrassed.

Seeing this, Shi Nuocen knew she had come to her senses and removed her hand.

Shi Nuocen rewatched the video once more. Not wanting to disturb her ex-wife’s rest, she quickly typed out detailed notes on the dance moves. What to pay attention to and how to adjust them and sent them over.

It was rare for her to be so patient, but she had an ulterior motive. She thought that if she could build a good relationship with the female supporting character from the original novel and, at the right moment, guide her to win Zhao Zhao’s heart, then she would have one less formidable rival to worry about, and the pressure would instantly lessen!

Ru Xi Cheng dozed off for a while but woke to find Shi Nuocen still typing. Suspicion crept into her mind again: Since when did Nuocen become so patient? And when practicing dance with that girl, there must be plenty of physical contact. The more they interact, who’s to say something won’t.

The more she thought about it, the deeper her frown became. But she held back, deciding it wasn’t right to jump to conclusions, and resolved to observe the situation more closely in the future.

The next day, Shi Nuocen hurried to the training room of the girl group’s E-Class and practiced singing and dancing with everyone several times. When the class leader assigned the lyrics and dance parts, she was given the most challenging section right before the chorus. Originally, the plan was for the dance to be the most difficult part while keeping the lyrics simpler. However, it was felt that this approach wouldn’t deliver the explosive impact that comes from combining both song and dance seamlessly.

Of course, not everyone in E-Class was in favor of this arrangement. The main objection stemmed from the perception that Shi Nuocen had received special attention from the mentors in the previous episode and not necessarily in a positive way. Some worried that giving her such a crucial part might provoke disapproval from certain mentors.

But assigning this part to anyone else would clearly diminish the overall effect. In the end, for the sake of the stage performance, the decision stood.

While Shi Nuocen was practicing, Ru Xi Cheng quietly arrived at the venue, having disguised herself. She stood in a distant corner, observing covertly.

Suddenly, someone tapped her on the shoulder. Ru Xi Cheng tensed up but quickly relaxed, thinking no one could possibly recognize her.

Just as she had that thought, a voice full of doubt sounded beside her ear: “Actress Ru? What are you doing here?”

Ru Xi Cheng turned to see Zhao Zhao smiling warmly, with a hint of surprise. “It really is you! I thought it might be from your silhouette.”

Ru Xi Cheng nodded slightly and said with feigned calm, “I came here to give the contestants a surprise.”

Zhao Zhao made a zipping motion over her lips. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul.”

At that moment, Shi Nuocen was about to take a water bottle from her bag when her eyes caught sight of Zhao Zhao and the girl in a cap standing beside her. Under normal circumstances, she would have glanced and moved on without a second thought. But because it was Zhao Zhao, she looked a little longer.

And upon closer inspection, the person in the cap was none other than her ex-wife!

How did those two run into each other? And why did they seem to be chatting so happily? Shi Nuocen’s expression darkened. Before they noticed her, she turned and walked away.

She recalled how exhausted her ex-wife had been the night before, staying up late. Shi Nuocen had gotten up early for work, but as far as she knew, her ex-wife had no schedule that day. So, had she gotten up early and disguised herself just to meet Zhao Zhao?

The more Shi Nuocen thought about it, the more troubled she became. She channeled all her frustration into her dance, and everyone in E-Class felt her energy intensify suddenly. At times, it even felt overwhelming.