Transmigrating As The Scummy Ex-Wife Of The Cold And Aloof Tycoon - Chapter 8

Ye Yichi arrived back at Huawan just after three in the afternoon.

Su Fanxing hadn’t finished school yet, and Grandma Su was dozing in her reclining chair.

“Yueyue? Back from school so early?” Hearing the noise, Grandma Su slowly opened her eyes and waved Ye Yichi over. “Come, come, tell Grandma who was chasing after you at school today?”

“I’m so ugly, who would chase me?” Ye Yichi sat down beside the old woman.

“Nonsense, our Yueyue isn’t ugly at all.” Grandma Su squinted her cloudy eyes, studying Ye Yichi closely. “Our Yueyue is a gooseberry bright red, translucent, and crystal clear. One look and a person is completely enchanted. Oh, speaking of gooseberries, Grandma will tell you a secret: when I first learned about gooseberries, I didn’t even dare to eat them.”

“Why?” Ye Yichi asked curiously.

“They were too beautiful,” Grandma Su said mysteriously. “So beautiful they looked poisonous.”

Ye Yichi couldn’t stand the word “poison” lately. She quickly made an excuse and slipped upstairs.

Around six o’clock, Su Fanxing returned from school. Ye Yichi stopped her and told her she was planning to move out.

“Sis, you just moved in, why are you leaving again? Is it for work?” Su Fanxing grabbed Ye Yichi’s arm, shaking it desperately. “Don’t move, okay? I’ll miss you. Once you leave, Huawan will just be me and Grandma again.”

“Do you miss me, or do you miss that pile of designer bags I have?” Ye Yichi pulled her arm away and pinched Fanxing’s cheek.

“You’re going for work, right? Will you move back once you’re done?” Fanxing asked stubbornly.

“Maybe.” Ye Yichi had no intention of returning, but she didn’t dare say it. Fanxing’s eyes were too bright, like a sky full of stars; she couldn’t bear to let those stars go out. “By the way, I bought some things for you and Grandma. They should arrive in a few days. Remember to pick up the packages.”

“Oh,” Fanxing nodded.

“Packages, pick up packages, pick up packages.” Grandma Su also nodded with a cheerful smile. “Our little gooseberry has grown up and is going off to university. From now on, the little sour plum will pick up the packages.”

“What’s all this about gooseberries and sour plums?” Fanxing was confused.

“You little sour plum. Sour and hard as a rock.” Grandma Su pointed at Fanxing, then at Ye Yichi. “Yueyue… little gooseberry. Red and shimmering. Those who aren’t brave have no right to taste her; those who are brave taste her, cover their mouths, and cry out for their mothers.”

“Fine, fine, call me a sour plum then. At least I can be soaked in wine,” Su Fanxing sighed heavily. “Grandma’s mind seems to be getting worse. I have a break in two days. I need to take her for a full check-up.”

“Call me when you go. I’ll join you,” Ye Yichi sighed as well.

After moving out of Huawan, Ye Yichi swapped her SIM card and rented a small apartment in the old district.

There was a wet market right downstairs and a food street two blocks away. Between cooking and ordering takeout, life was quite pleasant. The only downside was that there was no coffin to lie in.

To be honest, she missed Old Man Ye a bit.

So, when she heard Director Li’s voice over the phone, Ye Yichi felt a spark of excitement alongside her surprise.

“Teacher Ye, why did you suddenly change your number? I’ve been looking for you for days.” Besides the director’s voice, there was Su Fanxing’s faint, intermittent mumbling in the background.

The voice was too low to hear clearly, but Ye Yichi guessed she was defending herself for not giving out the new number which was true. This call was made using Su Fanxing’s phone by Director Li.

“Director Li, I’m so sorry. I lost my phone, and my old SIM wasn’t registered under my real name, so I couldn’t get a replacement,” Ye Yichi used her pre-planned excuse. “Is there a reason you went all the way to Huawan to find me?”

“There’s a screen test for a new drama. Are you available?” Director Li asked.

It was just as Ye Yichi expected: for work.

“I definitely have time, but aren’t you busy with the variety show? Do you have time to organize auditions?” Ye Yichi was curious.

“Ha, it’s not my project. It’s for a friend of mine,” Director Li hesitated. “She asked me to help find people. If you’re free, why don’t you go try out now? Or at least meet up to look at the script. I’ve read it; it’s quite good.”

The meeting was set for a café in the city center an hour later.

It was a tight schedule.

Fortunately, there was a direct bus from her apartment.

On the bus, Ye Yichi stared out at the passing traffic, feeling a secret sense of pride. Meeting to see the script before an audition, this is the kind of treatment only big stars get. Even if she hadn’t mastered her family’s traditional trade, she was clearly destined for greatness in the entertainment industry.

If she really became famous, she’d buy an Alphard for her commutes. It was quite comfortable when she rode in it last time.

Or maybe she’d buy that red Ferrari back? Butterfly doors suited a big star better.

Then again, maybe she should check out new models from other brands? Anything but a Bentley.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, a white Bentley roared past in the next lane. Ye Yichi clicked her tongue. Such an old fashioned car, such a weird way the doors open besides Xin Ning, who else actually likes these?

However, unlike Xin Ning’s cautious driving style, this driver looked like a retired racer. To say they were driving fast was an understatement in Ye Yichi’s eyes, this car should be called a “slow flyer.” The only thing holding it back was its lack of wings if it had them, it would be soaring into the sky to grab the moon.

“Wonder what the rush is,” Ye Yichi muttered.

“Based on my decades of experience watching drama, the wife definitely ran away with someone,” an auntie in the front row chimed in.

“That’s tragic,” Ye Yichi clicked her tongue again. Her heart was full of sympathy for the retired racer. It was only when she reached her stop that she realized someone else’s wife ran away, but she was the one kicked out by her wife. Weren’t they basically in the same boat?

No need for sympathy; this was a shared fate.

Not long after, Ye Yichi spotted that same Bentley outside the café. What are the odds? She walked closer, her sense of familiarity growing sharper. When she was close enough to see the license plate, she stood there speechless.

To hell with “fate.”

She wasn’t sure about the one on the road, but this car definitely belonged to Xin Ning. She had driven this very car to the hospital a few days ago. The ivory-white steering wheel cover likely still bore the marks of Ye Yichi’s grip.

If she couldn’t afford to provoke her, couldn’t she at least hide? Just as Ye Yichi turned to leave, her phone rang.

It was a message from the director of the new drama, saying they had arrived at the café and asking what she wanted to drink.

Forget it, I’m already here. Besides, just because Xin Ning’s car is here doesn’t mean she’s inside. Even if she is, we might not bump into each other. Even if we do, she might not want to acknowledge me. Ye Yichi took a deep breath and forced herself into the shop.

The meeting went smoothly. The script was as excellent as Director Li had promised, but unfortunately, there were no scenes involving lying in a coffin.

Ye Yichi politely declined the audition.

The other party tried to persuade her for a bit but didn’t push: “Then let’s hope for another chance to cooperate in the future. By the way, Teacher Ye, if you change your mind, you can come to the company to find me anytime.”

With that, they handed over a business card. The company name was incredibly familiar, it was the one under Xin Ning’s name.

A truly wicked connection. Ye Yichi watched the director leave and casually tossed the card aside.

The café door opened again.

Crap, is the director back? Tossing someone’s card is so rude. Ye Yichi scrambled to pick it up and looked up guiltily.

Standing at the door was Xin Ning.

She wasn’t wearing a mask. Her cheeks were pale and clean, and there were no IV marks on the back of her hands. Good… it seemed that bit of “poison” hadn’t caused too much damage. Ye Yichi observed her for a few seconds before snapping her gaze away.

Didn’t see me, didn’t see me, she definitely didn’t see me. Ye Yichi carefully lifted the business card, trying to hide her face behind it.

“Is there any point in playing ostrich?” Xin Ning’s cold voice rang out.

Then came the light tapping of high heels on the floor.

One, two, three… after about a dozen unhurried steps, Xin Ning stopped by Ye Yichi’s table.

Is it really necessary to meet at every turn? Ye Yichi’s mind churned with a thousand thoughts, eventually settling on one word: ridiculous.

Simply beyond ridiculous.

“Don’t play dead,” Xin Ning said. “We haven’t settled the score for you leaving me alone at the hospital.”

It seemed there was no escaping this.

Ye Yichi composed herself and looked up lazily. “President Xin, look at what you’re saying. Didn’t I help you summon your sweetheart?”

The light in Xin Ning’s eyes turned to ice.

Ye Yichi had faced this look many times.

She had originally thought she was the one who could melt the ice. Old Man Ye said that the spring she was born was exceptionally cold, the trees sprouted half a month later than usual. Because the buds were late, the leaves were naturally late too, so he named her Ye Yichi (Leaves Also Late).

Yichi… Late, but arriving nonetheless.

No matter how cold the spring, greenery eventually breaks through the ice. Leaves will grow, and flowers will bloom sooner or later.

Unfortunately, this tree of flowers Xin Ning would never bloom for her.

Fine, if it doesn’t bloom, it doesn’t bloom. At worst, she’d go to the market later and buy two heads of broccoli.

They were green enough, and at least she could eat them.

“Does President Xin have anything else? If not, I’ll be going.” Ye Yichi stood up to leave, already calculating whether the broccoli should be steamed or stir-fried.

Actually, maybe hotpot? Steamed and stir-fried were Xin Ning’s favorites. When they lived together, it was only right to accommodate her, but now that she was living alone, there was no need to follow Xin Ning’s tastes.

That meant she needed to buy more ingredients. What should she get?

Tripe is good, beef slices are a must, crab sticks and fish balls too. Houttuynia cordata? Forget that.

“Why?” Xin Ning blocked Ye Yichi’s path.

“Because I don’t like it,” Ye Yichi answered offhandedly. Wait, what was Xin Ning asking ‘why’ about? She was too focused on dinner to pay attention.

“You don’t like variety shows, and you don’t like dramas? How can you be an actress if you’re this picky?” Xin Ning asked another question.

The content wasn’t subtle and the voice was icy. If anyone else had said it, it would have been nitpicking, but Xin Ning said it without any expression. It was hard to describe, perhaps simple curiosity? Ye Yichi glanced at her. “True. I’ll quit the industry when I get back tonight.”

Ye Yichi had thought about it seriously the past few days. The entertainment circle was too competitive.

She wasn’t cut out to be a “competition king.” If she didn’t compete, she wouldn’t get roles. Rather than struggling like this, it was better to buy a coffin for her home, lie in it at night, lie in it during a midday nap. If she lay in it enough, maybe one day she’d transmigrate back.

“Quit the industry?” Xin Ning’s gaze shifted slightly. “Why?”

“Why are there so many ‘whys’?” Ye Yichi’s mind was entirely on her dinner shopping, she really didn’t want to keep tangling with this non-blooming tree. “Eldest Miss Xin, I never realized you talked this much before.”

Xin Ning’s thin lips instantly pressed into a straight line.

Success. Seeing she had achieved her goal, Ye Yichi cheerfully sidestepped Xin Ning and headed for the door. She had only taken two steps when Xin Ning blocked her again.

“One last question,” Xin Ning said. “Why did you change your number? Are you intentionally hiding from me?”