Transmigrated into a Historical GL Novel as the Scumbag Heroine - Chapter 37

The air was thick with tension.

Shen Yanding wanted nothing more than to fling his sleeves and storm out, but not having seen Cheng Yu made him feel this trip would be in vain.

Suppressing his frustration, he forced a smile.

“Aunt Cheng, I came to see Miss Cheng for an important matter. May I trouble you to inform her?”

He was about to get married. He didn’t want Cheng Yu to feel wronged.

If she was willing, he was prepared to marry both Cheng Yu and Lu Jiaojiao—granting Cheng Yu the status of a secondary wife.

That idea might’ve been a fantasy in the past. But ever since he’d heard Cheng Yu had been cast out of her family, the notion had taken root—and grown wild.

Madam Cheng let out a cold snort.

“Yu’er has more important things to do. If Young Master Shen has something to say, you can say it to me. As her mother, I’ll make the decision on her behalf.”

How had she never realized before how thick-skinned this man was? She was practically about to throw him out, and he still had no shame or sense of propriety.

Shen Yanding fell silent, hesitated, and then tentatively said,

“Aunt Cheng, I’d like to formally propose marriage to Cheng Yu. Rest assured, she would never be a concubine. She would be a proper wife—my secondary wife.”

Madam Cheng burst into laughter. Without even looking at him, she turned toward the front hall and called out to the servants,

“Someone, see the guest out. And in the future, if any other fool shows up with such delusional ideas—just throw them out.”

A secondary wife? He must be dreaming.

Her daughter, share a husband with another woman?

What nonsense. This man truly wanted it all—how shameless. She must’ve been blind to have ever thought well of him.

Shen Yanding’s heart sank, but he still tried,

“Aunt Cheng, I beg you to reconsider. My feelings for Cheng Yu are sincere. Now that you’ve been dismissed, I only ask you to consider her future…”

A calm voice interrupted him.

“Whatever my mother says, that is also my decision. Please leave, Young Master Shen.”

Cheng Yu had appeared outside the front hall, her expression icy as she looked straight at him.

Shen Yanding turned around, stunned. He stammered,

“Cheng Yu… I—I truly care for you. But Qiu Luo is still a woman. If you marry her, how will you have children? How will you experience the joy of a full household?”

He avoided her gaze, as if afraid her piercing stare would reveal the darkness in his heart.

Cheng Yu turned to the waiting servants and said coldly,

“See him out.”

The two servants stepped forward.

“Young Master Shen, this way, please.”

Shen Yanding clenched his fists, his face shifting from reluctance to rage. After two deep breaths, he turned and stormed off.

In his anger, he forgot his manners and didn’t even say goodbye.

Just as he exited the main gate, something hard struck his knee, and he fell to the ground in pain.

He looked up to see an apple—half-eaten—rolling across the stone path.

“Well now, the New Year’s over and we’ve still got random grandsons dropping by to pay respects?”

Qiu Erlang chewed the rest of his apple, grinning like a scamp.

He had been heading to the shop, but upon seeing Shen Yanding at the gate, curiosity got the better of him. He’d doubled back and eavesdropped just long enough to hear Cheng Yu’s arrival before backing off.

Still, he couldn’t resist helping his sister get some petty revenge.

A flash of anger crossed his eyes. Cheng Yu was his sister Qiu Luo’s fiancée—and this shameless man dared sneak around while she wasn’t home?

This couldn’t be tolerated. Ever.

Righteousness flared in him.

He might be a scholar, but I’m her brother.

Qiu Erlang shook his head and rolled his eyes dramatically at Shen Yanding.

The man’s face turned ghostly pale with rage. He stood and pointed furiously.

“Who do you think you are, daring to strike a scholar like me? Do you know who I am? I am County Magistrate Lu’s future son-in-law!”

He rattled off every important title he could summon.

Fuming, he seemed ready to explode and direct all his rage at Qiu Erlang.

“You tripped over your own feet,” Qiu Erlang said with a shrug. “Being a scholar doesn’t make you better than anyone. Just because you’re marrying a magistrate’s daughter doesn’t mean you get to slander people. Who saw me hit you, huh?”

He glanced toward the household servants standing at the gate.

The two servants exchanged a look, then shook their heads.

“We didn’t see anything. Young Master Shen must’ve tripped.”

“Indeed, we saw nothing. Young Master Shen, you can’t go accusing people like that.”

These servants had long served Madam Cheng, and had been brought over again by Cheng Yu after the family split. Naturally, they knew whose side to take.

Qiu Erlang grinned, full of smug defiance. His eyes said: Come on then, I’m not afraid of you.

“You—! You people are outrageous!” Shen Yanding’s eyes were red with fury. But as a scholar, he couldn’t bring himself to start a physical altercation.

Not that he would win anyway.

Qiu Erlang had the advantage in both size and spirit. Better to endure than suffer.

As Shen Yanding turned to leave, Qiu Erlang picked up the half-eaten apple and hurled it at his retreating head.

“Whoa, where’d that apple come from? Did anyone see that? Huge apple just fell from the sky!”

Clutching his head, Shen Yanding spun around, eyes blazing.

“You’ll regret this!”

A gentleman takes his revenge even ten years later. This humiliation—he would remember it well.

Qiu Erlang casually picked his ear, pretending not to hear.

—Later that day—

When Qiu Luo returned home, Qiu Erlang immediately went to brag.

“Guess who came to the manor today?”

His expression was all puffed-up excitement. Qiu Luo humored him.

“Who?”

“You didn’t even try to guess,” Qiu Erlang pouted, visibly disappointed.

He had stood up for her today. Big time.

Qiu Luo patted his head.

“All right, tell me. Who came?”

Qiu Erlang awkwardly rubbed the spot she touched and said,

“Shen Yanding. I overheard him say he wants to marry Sister Cheng Yu—as his secondary wife!”

He’d heard it clearly. That bastard had actually dared say such a thing.

Qiu Luo listened silently, one brow arching.

Sensing her reaction, Qiu Erlang rushed to reassure her.

“Don’t worry! Aunt Cheng didn’t agree, and Sister Cheng Yu had him kicked out herself. I even made him fall flat on his face—wasn’t I awesome?”

He beamed, obviously expecting praise.

Qiu Luo chuckled and patted his shoulder.

“Well done. If you see him in the manor again, feel free to knock him down again. But outside, be careful—don’t get hurt.”

Looks like the male lead wasn’t giving up.

Despite being engaged to Lu Jiaojiao, and knowing full well that Qiu Luo and Cheng Yu had a formal betrothal, he still came to cause trouble.

Clearly, he didn’t take her seriously at all.

Qiu Luo’s brows furrowed slightly. She gave her brother a few more warnings, then went to the study to find Cheng Yu.

Cheng Yu had seen Qiu Erlang at the hall earlier, so she asked directly,

“Erlang told you?”

Qiu Luo nodded, looking slightly apologetic.

“He’s impulsive and hasn’t been properly taught. He may not always act appropriately—I’ve already told him to behave.”

She was referring to Qiu Erlang eavesdropping.

But she’d warned him about more than just that. Shen Yanding was the type to hold grudges—he might retaliate later. Inside the manor, Erlang had the upper hand, but outside, it was another story.

Cheng Yu smiled.

“It’s fine. We’re family. No need to be so formal.”

Qiu Luo knew Cheng Yu wouldn’t blame Erlang, but her brother’s behavior still needed some work.

She added thoughtfully,

“I’ve been focused on studying all these years, and I haven’t been a responsible sister. If Erlang misbehaves in the future, you and Aunt Cheng can discipline him as needed—don’t hold back.”

Cheng Yu nodded gently and looked at her, smiling quietly.

Qiu Luo: “…”

Why was she smiling like that? Did she say something funny?

Cheng Yu asked,

“So you came just to talk about Erlang?”

This person sure knew how to avoid the topic. Not a single word about Shen Yanding.

Qiu Luo looked a little embarrassed. Of course she hadn’t come just to talk about her brother—she cared about Cheng Yu’s feelings toward Shen Yanding.

But on second thought, maybe she didn’t need to ask.

Cheng Yu’s stance had been more than clear.

Smiling, Qiu Luo shook her head.

“Not just Erlang. I… missed you. I just wanted to see you.”

Cheng Yu’s smile faded slightly as her lips pressed together.

This person… why was she suddenly saying something so embarrassing?

“…Now that you’ve seen me, do you have anything else to say?”

Qiu Luo glanced at the study door, which she had casually closed. Her heart stirred. She stepped closer.

Now, only a fist’s width separated them.

The air between them suddenly turned charged.

Cheng Yu instinctively held her breath and leaned back slightly against the desk. Her eyes flickered, flustered.