Transmigrated into a Historical GL Novel as the Scumbag Heroine - Chapter 44

The carriage ride was filled with warmth and quiet affection.

Leaning against Qiu Luo’s shoulder, Cheng Yu smiled and asked, “Why haven’t you asked how I did on the exam?”

It seemed this person wasn’t the least bit worried about her results—was it complete trust, or simply indifference?

“There’s no need to ask. I already know.”

Cheng Yu raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Are you some kind of prophet now?”

Qiu Luo gave a small, confident smile, her eyes gleaming. “You’re definitely on the list. You might even place first in the province.”

In the original story, the top scorer was the male lead, and Cheng Yu never participated in the exam. Her life was reduced to being a shadow—managing the household and running the business behind the scenes as the perfect, supportive wife.

But now, Qiu Luo scoffed silently. That same male lead had publicly humiliated himself on day one of the exam.

And Cheng Yu? She would never again be anyone’s shadow. She wasn’t the kind of heroine who sacrificed herself for a man. She was her own person, with her own ambition. She was simply Cheng Yu.

Seeing Qiu Luo’s smug expression, Cheng Yu responded with a confident smile of her own. “I think so too.”

The title of provincial top scholar—she was determined to claim it.

When they returned home, Cheng Yu went straight to rest. After several days of exams, she was understandably exhausted.

In the front hall, Madam Cheng looked at Qiu Luo with a smile. “Once Yu’er has rested for a couple of days, you two can marry. I heard from Erlang that you’ve scouted many shops, but none are very large. Are you really giving up on running an inn?”

The Cheng family had always run inns and restaurants. Madam Cheng had assumed they would continue in that line of business, especially since Cheng Yu was well-versed in it.

But if Cheng Yu passed the provincial exam, she’d be heading to the capital for the imperial exam next year. She wouldn’t have the time or energy to focus on business. That meant everything would fall to Qiu Luo.

And it was clear Qiu Luo had no interest in inns—what she was truly passionate about was food.

In modern times, Qiu Luo had been a dedicated foodie, obsessed with recipe experimentation.

“I’m planning to only sell juice and fast food,” she said.

“Juice? Fast food?” Madam Cheng looked confused at these unfamiliar terms.

Qiu Luo patiently explained. Her plan was to open small, affordable shops—one for juices and milk teas, and one for fast food—on nearly every street. The storefronts were small but widespread.

She elaborated on the concepts, explaining what fruit juice, milk tea, and fast food were.

Her goal was clear: turn the Qiu family’s juice and fast food stalls into a branded franchise, spread across every commercial district in the provincial capital—and eventually, into the imperial capital and all across the Southern Moon Kingdom.

Qiu Luo didn’t hide her ambition. With Cheng Yu and Madam Cheng as financial backers, and the success of her seedless watermelon and homemade juicer, plus the formulas and recipes she brought from the modern world—this venture had real potential.

Madam Cheng’s tone grew serious. “It’s a good idea, but too much success too fast will attract the wrong kind of attention.”

In this world, it was hard for commoners to rise. The civil service exam gave one path, but business was filled with traps—ruthless competition, collusion with officials, and the constant threat of someone stealing your ideas or taking credit for your success.

But Qiu Luo wasn’t worried. “We have Cheng Yu. She’s our strongest shield.”

She understood Madam Cheng’s concerns, but their greatest advantage was that they weren’t powerless.

Qiu Luo’s faith in Cheng Yu wasn’t based solely on her being the heroine of the book—it was based on the woman she had come to know.

Cheng Yu was brilliant. She had a sharp mind for the exams, a commanding presence in business, and if she ever entered officialdom, she’d shine there too.

Madam Cheng felt reassured at the mention of her daughter.

“You’re right. Do as you see fit. We won’t hold Yu’er back.”

The best outcome, after all, would be mutual support—each lifting the other higher.

The next day, the Qiu family’s shops opened simultaneously. Firecrackers boomed down entire streets in celebration, drawing attention far and wide.

Shen Yanding, only just recovering, was irritated by the endless noise. He finally sent his servant to find out what was going on in the city.

Upon learning that it was Qiu Luo’s shops making the commotion, Shen Yanding immediately summoned the men Magistrate Lu had assigned to him.

“If I’m not mistaken, Magistrate Lu and Advisor Wang are relatives?”

Indeed, Advisor Wang, who worked for the prefect, was Magistrate Lu’s brother-in-law—his wife’s elder brother.

Getting confirmation, Shen Yanding sneered. “Then it’s time this son-in-law paid his ‘uncle’ a visit.”

He couldn’t stand to see Qiu Luo doing well. That woman—how dare she?

How dare she take his Cheng Yu, and now try to get rich through her?

She was just a lowborn girl from a farming family. What right did she have to compete with him?

If it weren’t for the law, Shen Yanding would have killed Qiu Luo long ago, just to stop Cheng Yu from ever marrying her.

Advisor Wang had already received a letter from Madam Lu and wasn’t surprised to see Shen Yanding arrive.

“That woman, Qiu Luo, once humiliated me and landed me in prison. Uncle, I beg you—make her pay. Drive her out of the city.”

Advisor Wang sipped his tea, thinking: She didn’t just humiliate you—she took your woman too. Hell, you probably only agreed to marry my niece out of spite.

Still, he kept his expression neutral. “That Qiu Luo was indeed overbearing. But isn’t she engaged to Cheng Yu? Cheng Yu took the exam too, didn’t she? The results will be out in two days.”

What he meant was clear: if Cheng Yu ranked high—or worse, went on to excel at the imperial exams—he couldn’t afford to cross her.

Advisor Wang was no fool. He was just a subordinate of the prefect, not some ironclad insider. If things went south, the prefect wouldn’t risk himself to cover for him.

He had survived in the bureaucracy this long by being cautious.

Shen Yanding bristled. His original confidence had been shattered by failure. He hadn’t even finished one round of the exam, thanks to sabotage. And now he had to beg this sycophant for help.

“She ranked first in the county scholar exam, yes,” he said bitterly. “But that was two years ago. Since then, she’s been busy with business. She only recently picked up her books again. At best, she’ll barely make the list.”

Countless low-ranking scholars had done nothing with their titles. Cheng Yu would be no different.

Though he acknowledged her talent, Shen Yanding didn’t truly believe a woman could achieve anything significant.

Yes, the Southern Moon Kingdom allowed women to take the civil service exam—but how many had ever actually made it into court? They were a rare exception, not the rule.

Advisor Wang said nothing, still unconvinced. He had no problem dealing with an unknown upstart like Qiu Luo—as long as there was profit in it.

Shen Yanding knew exactly how to deal with greedy old bureaucrats like Wang. With a scornful thought, he ordered his servant to bring out a brocade box.

“Uncle, this is some of the finest tea in our family’s possession. My father personally asked me to deliver it to you.”

Advisor Wang opened the box slightly. A row of gleaming gold ingots greeted him.

He smiled. “Your father is most considerate. Very well. Tomorrow, Qiu Luo will learn what happens when you skip introductions in a new city. She’ll pay her respects to the local gods… one way or another.”

Sixty taels of gold—it was more than enough to warrant a small show of force.

Pleased, Shen Yanding raised his teacup. “A toast, Uncle.”

Tomorrow, he would watch with his own eyes as Qiu Luo was driven out of the city.

He wanted to see Cheng Yu regret her decision—to realize she’d chosen a powerless, penniless woman.

—

The next morning was bright and sunny.

Qiu Luo had just arrived at her shop when a figure burst through the doors.

“Sis! Bad news—something’s happened to the juice shop on the next street. They’re coming to arrest you! Run!”

Qiu Erlang was panting heavily. Once he caught his breath, he explained:

Two bailiffs had shown up, claiming they received a complaint about unsanitary ingredients at the juice shop. A customer had supposedly gotten sick. They demanded the shop owner be taken in for questioning—and that meant Qiu Luo.

“It’s fine. I’ll go see for myself,” Qiu Luo said calmly.

Of course she wasn’t going to run. That would only make her look guilty.

As long as she was clean, she had nothing to fear.

Qiu Erlang, however, gritted his teeth and ran straight back to the estate.

Better let Aunt Cheng and Cheng Yu know—more people meant more strength. His sister mustn’t face this alone.

—

On the next street, the moment Qiu Luo arrived, the two bailiffs turned to her.

“You’re the owner, Qiu Luo?”

She looked at their aggressive demeanor and immediately understood—they were here for her.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Take her,” one of them ordered.

Without even verifying the claim, the bailiffs moved to seize her. Each had already pocketed five taels of silver from Advisor Wang. Their job was simple: bring Qiu Luo in. Everything else was irrelevant.