The next day.
Ruan Jiu Jiu stretched and lazed about in bed for the longest while, not wanting to get up.
She was used to being a parasite as of late. She nearly forgot that she was a nine-to-fiver before transmigrating. Sometimes, she’d even do overtime without any overtime pay. In those days, one of her few joys was drawing. She could sit in her chair with her drawing pad and sketch for ages.
Lately, her hand was itching to draw, so she might as well buy a new drawing pad.
Ding.
A text notification appeared on her phone. Ruan Jiu Jiu tiredly rubbed her eyes. She rolled over and unlocked her phone. The person’s name in the address book was Qu Wei, and the text was concise.
[Bring Cheng Jun over with you this afternoon for dinner. I’ll text you the address.]
Ruan Jiu Jiu shivered and sat up. The person was named Qu Wei in the contacts. There was no other additional information. Ruan Jiu Jiu never even heard of this name before… So, who was this woman? There was no one by the name of Qu Wei on her WeChat. Their conversations had probably been deleted as there was nothing there.
The only conversation was from roughly half a month prior. At that time, the current Ruan Jiu Jiu hadn’t transmigrated over yet. So, it signified that before the divorce, Qu Wei and the original body’s owner typically talked on the phone.
Who was Qu Wei??
Ruan Jiu Jiu sat up straight and texted Cheng Jun: “Where are you? I have something to ask you.”
He responded very quickly.
“Kitchen.”
Ruan Jiu Jiu: “… Ah.”
Cheng Jun was taking out a carton of milk from the fridge to drink.
Ruan Jiu Jiu never saw a man his age who still liked drinking milk. The fridge at home was always stocked with cartons of milk lined up in rows. Originally, there was Mountain Dew, the drink of choice for flabby NEETS. But that was changed out for Yakult and Wahaha.
Ruan Jiu Jiu had her hair loose. Her house slippers made a flopping noise against the floor. Cheng Jun didn’t turn around and was concentrating on peeling the milk carton straw’s plastic wrap.
“Uh…”
Cheng Jun made a sound of acknowledgement and slowly said, “Need money?”
Ruan Jiu Jiu, “…No.”
She wasn’t some prodigal daughter. It had only been a few days, how could she be out of money?
Ruan Jiu Jiu cleared her throat and said, “Uh, are you free this afternoon?”
“Mhm.”
“There’s an afternoon gathering, you know.” Ruan Jiu Jiu phrasing was a little ambiguous. “Qu Wei’s.” She thought Qu Wei might have been a friend or some sort of relative, and was worried she might slip up.
Hearing Ruan Jiu Jiu’s words, Cheng Jun actually for once, raised his head to give her a look. He had a pensive expression and his gaze sent a shiver down her spine.
“Is, is there something wrong?”
“No.”
In the afternoon, Ruan Jiu Jiu got dressed up and arrived with Cheng Jun at a fancy hotel. Ruan Jiu Jiu was speechless the whole way there but on the surface, she lifted her chin high and held her ground, walking next to Cheng Jun.
The waiter led them to their reserved seats. Ruan Jiu Jiu’s gaze moved towards the table next to the window.
She was dumbstruck.
The man and woman seated on the same side of the table looked to be around forty, their bearing dignified and poised. The important point was, the couple were around the age of what should be their parents’ generation, and more importantly, Cheng Jun’s parents’ generation.
“Unfilial child. You don’t even call me dad when you see me!” Mr. Cheng seemed upset. His imposing, thick brows and big eyes were a bit intimidating.
Ruan Jiu Jiu: “…”
If this was his dad, then Qu Wei was his mom? No wonder why he would look at her so weirdly. Cheng Jun was nice enough to not get upset when she called her mother-in-law by her name.
But why didn’t Cheng Jun seem to resemble them… Plus, if it was Cheng Jun’s mom, then the original body’s owner was being a bit too rude to address her directly by her name.
Thankfully, their identities were quickly revealed.
“Though Wei Wei is your stepmother, she cares just as much for you as anyone else. She heard that things were a little bumpy for you two so she suggested this meal. You ungrateful child, don’t be so oblivious!”
Mr. Cheng’s words caused Ruan Jiu Jiu’s brows to furrow slightly.
These words were a little hard to take in. Even if Cheng Jun was unable to accept his stepmother, it was understandable. This sort of cruel, harsh method of beating his son into submission would only push father and son further apart.
Cheng Jun was silent from beginning to end like a blockhead and didn’t respond. It made Mr. Cheng a little down, as if he was uselessly punching into a pillow. He could only change the topic.
“Jiu Jiu, how are you lately?”
“Erm…” Ruan Jiu Jiu didn’t want to call them mom and dad, so she just picked up the conversation. “Good. We’re doing pretty well. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding.”
Hearing her words, Qu Wei cast her an indiscernible glance. Her expression was dark.
“That’s good. This ungrateful child just scrapes by waiting for death. Useless. He’s really letting you down.” Mr. Cheng harrumphed.
“…”
Ruan Jiu Jiu looked sideways at Cheng Jun.
Compared to the others who were sitting up stick straight, he was the only one who leaned comfortably in his seat. His back was slightly slouched. He seemed indifferent to his father’s demeaning words.
His fingers played with the napkin under the plate and his eyelids drooped slightly downwards. He looked like he didn’t care and couldn’t be bothered.
Ruan Jiu Jiu felt an inexplicable irritation rise up in her heart.
Why did Mr. Cheng have to speak to his son like that? Was it fair to treat Cheng Jun this way?
Did he even treat his son like an adult?
Ruan Jiu Jiu sucked in a breath of air and decided to speak up: “I…”
“I’m hungry.” Without lifting his head, Cheng Jun cut her off. His tone was lukewarm and mild. “The menu, please.”
“…”
Ruan Jiu Jiu bit her lip.
She didn’t know if it was just her thinking too much, but Cheng Jun seemed like he knew what she wanted to say and so cut her off right before she could say anything. She sighed softly, knowing that under these circumstances, anything she said would be strange. Perhaps her only option was to put up with it for the time being. It’d be best to get a better grasp of the situation.
Cheng Jun’s left hand was injured, so it was a little difficult for him to eat Western cuisine. Inevitably, his fork and knife would fall and clatter onto the plate. Mr. Cheng couldn’t bear to look at this good-for-nothing son and a dark expression remained on his face.
This meal made Ruan Jiu Jiu exceedingly uncomfortable. Awkwardly, she didn’t know what topics were safe to bring up, and she was also afraid of slipping up.
The food was good, but the portions were small. She would have rather stayed at home happily slurping a bowl of noodles.
At this time, her foot was suddenly kicked.
Ruan Jiu Jiu paused in surprise, and looked up at the dignified lady who was sitting across from her, Qu Wei. She had taken very good care of herself, and she had a graceful bearing. Faced with Ruan Jiu Jiu’s shocked expression, she curved the corner of her lips. “I need to fix my makeup. Come keep me company?”
Ruan Jiu Jiu gripped the utensils in her hand. She realized that the situation wasn’t as simple as she thought.
She nodded and got her bag. “Okay.”
……
Qu Wei’s face changed immediately once they entered the restroom. The smile fixed on her lips cooled, her eyes dripped with malice, and she stared coldly at Ruan Jiu Jiu.
“What’s the matter with you? You’re not getting divorced? Is it because you want to negotiate more favorable terms with me?
Ruan Jiu Jiu froze, then immediately realized the meaning behind the other’s words.
Looks like the original Ruan Jiu Jiu’s divorce had something to do with this stepmother?
“Are you coveting that house of his again? Didn’t I tell you already, after you take ownership of those shares and transfer them to me, I’ll give you two houses in whatever neighborhoods you want. If you want to keep being so dissatisfied, be careful that you might end up with nothing at all!”
Ruan Jiu Jiu inwardly sucked in a cold breath of air, yet she didn’t reveal any trace of surprise in her expression.
She turned her face away and said, “I haven’t thought it through yet.”
Qu Wei felt a slight sense of urgency. She grabbed Ruan Jiu Jiu’s wrist forcefully, her dark green nails digging painfully into Ruan Jiu Jiu’s delicate skin.
Qu Wei’s expression was unsightly. “Don’t you dare try anything with me! Keep in mind that you don’t have either parent around, you don’t have anyone to support you, and if it wasn’t for me back then you wouldn’t have been able to marry Cheng Jun! Don’t be naive enough to fool yourself into thinking he likes you. Let me tell you, if it wasn’t for that house, there’s no way he would have agreed to marry you!
“That house is the only remaining thing that his mom passed down when she died, stop deluding yourself about it!”
“……”
Ruan Jiu Jiu listened to her detailing the ins and outs of the matter so frankly, and finally understood why Cheng Jun married the original owner of her body.
“So get that into your head and stop acting like an idiot!”
Ruan Jiu Jiu made a vague sound of agreement.
Qu Wei stared fiercely into her eyes. For the sake of Cheng Jun’s shares, she had schemed for so many years just waiting for this day to come. So how could she let Ruan Jiu Jiu ruin everything.
The aching pain radiating from her wrist made Ruan Jiu Jiu feel heartsick.
She now realized that her goal of living as a female supporting character that knew her own place wasn’t that easy to accomplish.
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, she had no choice but to figure a way out if she wanted to live a dull and ordinary, fulfilling existence.
The meal awkwardly concluded. Ruan Jiu Jiu and Cheng Jun habitually returned home in a taxi. As the cold and crisp wind brushed through her hair, the pair silently entered the little residential neighborhood. It was only when Ruan Jiu Jiu walked up the steps that she suddenly turned around and stared into Cheng Jun’s eyes with an unyielding gaze.
The two stood there motionlessly.
Ruan Jiu Jiu didn’t want to bring up what Mr. Cheng had said. As Cheng Jun gazed at her somewhat doubtfully, Ruan Jiu Jiu scratched her head in irritation. With the kind of personality that Cheng Jun had, he definitely never had any intentions of fighting over his family’s assets. It was highly likely that someday in the future, he’d be ensnared by one of his stepmother’s schemes and turn into a pauper.
Ruan Jiu Jiu suddenly felt an immense sense of pressure. It was about time she bore some responsibility and stirred things up in the family.
Cheng Jun was good to her. She wasn’t some ungrateful person.
“It’s okay. I also have some money, even though it isn’t much.” If she was going to fight back, then she wouldn’t hold back.
That’s right.
In Ruan Jiu Jiu’s imagination, Cheng Jun’s indifferent attitude was because he didn’t want to be cut off and lose his father’s financial support.
His mom had passed away, and his dad didn’t love him. His stepmom was also greedy. It’d be weird if he didn’t end up depressed. Ruan Jiu Jiu could completely understand why he would want to escape from reality.
Cheng Jun: “…”
He stuck a hand in his pocket and stared fixedly at Ruan Jiu Jiu. Under the hazy lights, his features were softened. His slender eyes were beautiful, and his pupils had a warm halo to them.
Ruan Jiu Jiu felt a little awkward under his gaze. “I know you are very moved but…”
“Wait.”
He leaned forward slightly and closed the distance between them a little.
Ruan Jiu Jiu alarmingly asked, “What are you doing? I know I’m pretty and kind!” But if this bastard wanted to kiss her, he was mistaken! She only harbored that feeling of wanting to protect the little chick!
There’s no feelings here, thank you!
“You…”
“Mhm?”
“Why is the gunk in your eyes so shiny?” Cheng Jun’s expression was extremely earnest.
Ruan Jiu Jiu: “…”
Only
……
……
……
There was a long, dead silence.
An angry voice sounded through gritted teeth.
“We. Call. This. Aegyo. Sal.”
Author’s Note:
Ruan Jiu Jiu: Every day I have to hold myself back from strangling that bastard.
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