A Scummy Divorcee Alpha: Ex-Wife’s Top-Tier Soothing Agent - Chapter 3

Once her laughter subsided, she regained her composure and wiped a stray tear from the corner of her eye. She could only blame herself for having such poor judgment in her past life, mistaking a vain, money-grubbing woman like this for marriage material.

The result had been a miserable betrayal.

Having been reborn, Zuo Yijia had learned her lesson. She would no longer waste time on insignificant people.

…

“Move, stay away from me!” Zuo Yijia swiped a hand at her shoulder as if brushing away filth.

“Boss Zuo asked me to be on standby at all times.” Du Wan leaned in again. “If I don’t stay close, how will I know when you have a… ‘need’?”

Still daring to play innocent, Zuo Yijia thought. I’ll peel back this hypocrite’s mask myself.

“You’re right.” Zuo Yijia pressed her fingertips against Du Wan’s chest, forcing her back step by step until she hit a wall.

Du Wan leaned against the wall, meeting her aggressive gaze. She couldn’t last three seconds before her face flushed a deep red.

At this distance, who could handle such beauty?

“Do you remember the first rule of the agreement?” Zuo Yijia toyed with Du Wan’s hair, the ends brushing against her neck like a feather against the heart, stirring a strange, tingling itch.

“I… I remember.” Du Wan’s eyes darted around, feeling a bit disoriented. She stammered, “Par… Party B voluntarily obeys all requirements of Party A—”

“Good.” Zuo Yijia covered Du Wan’s mouth and leaned in close to her ear. “Listen carefully. From now on, you must maintain a distance of at least three meters from me. I haven’t thought of the other requirements yet; I’ll add them whenever I do.”

“Any objections? I’ll take your silence as consent.”

Du Wan: “…”

Du Wan’s face turned from red to white.

What kind of bandit logic is this?

Zuo Yijia let out a cold sneer and released her.

“Don’t think that just because you’re assisting with my treatment, you can control me. You are convenient and useful, but that doesn’t mean you are indispensable.”

Zuo Yijia looked up, appearing like a high-and-mighty god looking down at roadside mud or grass under her feet. She tossed the handkerchief she had used to wipe her hands into Du Wan’s arms, her smile brilliant yet icy. “I haven’t forgotten our past accounts either. We have plenty of time to settle them slowly.”

Only after she left did Du Wan dare to take a deep breath.

“Hah! That fish talks like I’m throwing myself at her! Does she think I want to be near her?!”

Du Wan used the back of her hand to cool her burning cheeks. “Better if she never looks for me. Let me just lie around, slack off, and collect the money!”

She huffed out of the meeting room and immediately collided with someone. It was an auntie carrying cleaning tools; the woman stood with an air of righteous indignation and didn’t even spare her a glance.

In the distance, several people stopped their work and started whispering and laughing.

“Stop watching the show,” Du Wan said, rubbing her shoulder. “Careful, or I’ll go complain to your Miss.”

They stopped laughing, their eyes turning hostile.

The members of the Zuo household were just like Zuo Yijia—unreasonable and bold enough to openly show their disdain. Such behavior surely had the “Great Fish’s” silent approval.

Du Wan entered the elevator and raised an eyebrow, tugging at the corner of her mouth as she looked at the reflection in the mirror. The face was nearly identical to her own, yet it felt like a lifetime ago.

This wasn’t her, yet it was her.

While Du Wan had gained a new life, she also carried the burden of the “Scummy A’s” life—bad interpersonal relationships, massive debt, and an empty wallet.

She couldn’t go back. She had no choice but to take this “Hell Mode” starting hand and stumble her way through this world.

“There’s always a way,” Du Wan cheered herself up, pumping her fist at the mirror. “Add oil! You can do it!”

Just then, Sister Lan pushed a dining cart into the elevator.

Du Wan tried to “snitch” about what just happened to test her attitude.

Sister Lan replied indifferently, “Miss Du, I cannot control what they think.”

Well, don’t blame me then.

Du Wan grabbed a cupcake from the cart and took a bite.

Sickeningly sweet. Why does a fish like this stuff?

She swallowed it whole and tilted her head with a smile, revealing the bandage on the back of her neck. “I can’t control my hands, either.”

Sister Lan’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t scold her for being a rogue.

The elevator stopped at the fifth floor.

Du Wan stepped out, then squeezed back in a second before the doors closed. She braced her hand against the door in a commanding pose.

“Sister Lan, until your Miss is fully recovered, we’d better get along peacefully.” Du Wan sighed with feigned helplessness. “If I’m in a bad mood, it will affect my work efficiency.”

Sister Lan faced her in a silent standoff.

Du Wan fiddled with her sleeve and plucked at a loose thread, pointedly avoiding eye contact.

Sister Lan couldn’t outlast her and took a deep breath. “If I don’t agree, will Miss Du not let me leave?”

Look at that—thinking the worst of people.

“Then I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.” Seeing she had won, Du Wan let go of the door and waved. “Take care now!”

…

Du Wan went back to her room and took a hot shower. A red rash had appeared on her arm; it wasn’t serious, so she scratched it and didn’t pay much attention, turning instead to the weekly schedule sent by the secretary.

In a word: Boss Zuo was incredibly busy.

In contrast, Du Wan had only one task—stay in this small room and wait for the Boss’s summons.

High pay, little work, boring as hell.

Du Wan rolled over on the bed and, out of curiosity, opened the Scummy A’s messaging app.

There were thousands of friends. Many were the Scummy A’s “fish,” organized into groups like “AAA-Urgent,” “Flirtable,” and “Backups.” She was clearly a veteran of the dating scene.

The Scummy A and Zuo Yijia had a secret marriage that was never made public on social media. As “tender as water” as she acted in front of Zuo Yijia, she played even harder behind her back. Even during the marriage, she kept in close contact with several flings. The latest message was from two days ago:

[Are you asleep? I can’t sleep, I’m thinking of you. (Image)]

So cringe, Du Wan thought, getting goosebumps. No wonder the Great Fish was going crazy. She tossed the phone aside, then suddenly remembered something—where were the chat logs with her colleagues?

She found a folded chat folder. She opened it, but fumbled the phone. As she tried to catch it, she accidentally dialed a number.

“Du Wan! You finally remembered to contact me!”

Her manager’s booming voice rang out, followed by a barrage of scolding. “Where have you been all these days? You don’t pick up the phone or reply to messages. Think your wings are strong now? Think you’re a big shot? Don’t want to work anymore? Just wait to pay the liquidated damages!”

Millions in liquidated damages? I can’t afford that.

“Wait, wait, Sis,” Du Wan said quickly. “I really had an emergency, you—”

“I don’t care! I’m giving you one last day. If I don’t see you at the company tomorrow, we’ll see each other in court!”

The call ended. Du Wan stared at her reflection in the dark screen.

Fine, I’ll go. There’s no harm in it—just another job. Being an actress pays well, and who hates money?

Du Wan made up her mind.

As for whether she could leave the house… signing a “contract of indentured servitude” didn’t mean she had zero freedom, right? When Zuo Yijia wasn’t having an episode or needing her, why couldn’t she go out for a stroll?

…

The next morning.

Zuo Yijia came out of the pool and went to the dining room, only to find Du Wan sitting at the table, greeting her enthusiastically.

Zuo Yijia shot her a glare. The girl just grinned and held up three fingers.

More than three meters away. No rules broken.

Zuo Yijia reached her hand out toward her. Du Wan reacted quickly, crossing her arms over her chest and smiling mischievously. “Boss Zuo is the one actively violating the rule. You can’t blame me for this.”

Zuo Yijia snorted and sat down. She poked at the sashimi on her plate, but sensing the gaze from across the table, she instantly lost her appetite.

She looked up. Their eyes met.

Zuo Yijia’s gaze dropped to the dish in front of Du Wan.

Du Wan looked at the fried egg in her own bowl, then at the fish opposite her, and complimented: “Boss Zuo’s complexion looks great today.”

“What tricks are you trying to play?” Zuo Yijia lifted her eyelids, her patience exhausted. “Speak plainly. I don’t want to play games with you.”

Du Wan cleared her throat and asked tentatively, “When Boss Zuo goes to the company later, do you need me to come along?”

“You want to seek a position in the Group?” Zuo Yijia set down her coffee cup, her eyes narrowing dangerously. At that moment, she felt a flash of killing intent.

Du Wan stopped chewing, staring at the woman for a long time without reacting.

Just then, Sister Lan came up and replaced the coffee with hot milk.

The murderous intent in Zuo Yijia’s eyes grew more intense.

Sensing things were taking a turn for the worse, Du Wan stood up.

“Boss Zuo, don’t misunderstand. I was just asking. Since you don’t need me…” She pushed another porcelain plate over. “This is an egg I fried myself. Eat it while it’s hot.”

Having said her piece, Du Wan turned and left.

Zuo Yijia was left holding a plate.

Zuo Yijia: “???”

Zuo Yijia: “What does she mean?”

The secretary pondered for a moment. “President Zuo, she is trying to curry favor with you.”

“Deeply scheming.” Zuo Yijia clicked her tongue, then suddenly realized something was off. “Did she go upstairs?”

“No,” Sister Lan added. “She headed toward the main gate.”

The secretary’s lip twitched as if he could already hear the sound of overtime.

Sure enough, the next second, Zuo Yijia yelled through gritted teeth: “Hurry up and go after her!!!”