I’m A Scumbag Woman—I Flirt, But Never Marry [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 18

Xu Tinglan froze.

“What?”

Gu Shuofeng already regretted what she had said.

Her mild obsession with cleanliness barely affected her when it came to a pure, beautiful, and pitiful woman like Xu Tinglan. But that tolerance extended only to holding hands or wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Sharing the same bed was still somewhat difficult.

Even Gu Shuofeng couldn’t explain why she had issued such an invitation.

She looked down at Xu Tinglan, while Xu Tinglan raised her head to meet her gaze.

The incandescent light shone overhead, illuminating Xu Tinglan’s soft, fair face. It made the bloodshot veins in her eyes appear considerably dimmer.

Only the tiny cinnabar-colored mole at the outer corner of her eye—which hadn’t appeared particularly conspicuous when they first met the previous night—seemed several shades brighter.

It gradually overlapped with a cold face in Gu Shuofeng’s memory.

They looked nothing alike.

Completely different.

Except for… that tiny mole.

“Thank you for the offer, but I would still prefer to be alone for a while.”

Xu Tinglan’s refined voice pulled Gu Shuofeng from her thoughts. Her refusal also perfectly suited Gu Shuofeng’s desire to take back the invitation.

“All right. Get some rest.”

Gu Shuofeng turned toward the smaller bedroom.

Xu Tinglan hurriedly stood.

“I should sleep in that room instead.”

Gu Shuofeng looked back with a smile. There was no need to perform. Her genuine exhaustion naturally showed through.

“I prefer the smaller room. Consider it… letting me have my way?”

“But…”

Xu Tinglan had inspected both rooms when they placed her luggage inside.

The larger bedroom had a floor-to-ceiling window and a balcony. It was spacious and received ample sunlight. Even the air seemed somewhat fresher.

The smaller bedroom had only an ordinary window. The building’s corner obstructed most of the light, so it received only the faintest rays of the setting sun in the late afternoon.

Who would genuinely prefer the smaller room?

Gu Shuofeng had paid to rent this apartment, yet Xu Tinglan was taking the best bedroom. Even if she remained only a few days, it still felt inappropriate.

However, Gu Shuofeng had already closed her door and gone to sleep. It was too late to say anything else.

With a heart filled with complicated emotions, Xu Tinglan entered the larger bedroom and collapsed heavily onto the bed.

She pulled the blanket over her head.

Tears poured from her eyes almost instantly.

Every moment she had shared with Wang Jianfei over the years, her father’s smiling face, and her mother’s benevolent gaze rapidly alternated inside her mind like a revolving lantern.

Her heart felt as though it were being sliced apart.

Suppressing the sound of her sobs, she eventually fell asleep without realizing it.

She slept terribly.

Nightmares plagued her throughout the night, and even her ordinarily precise biological clock failed. It was nearly noon before Xu Tinglan finally forced her eyes open.

When she left the bedroom, the kitchen door stood wide open.

With her back toward Xu Tinglan, Gu Shuofeng was washing plates in the sink.

A brand-new apron, still marked with creases, was tied around her slender waist. She hadn’t fastened it tightly, so it hung somewhat loosely. The apron strings were also slightly too long and swayed behind her like little tails as she washed.

It was entirely different from the seductive impression she had created before, lending her a trace of a young woman’s playfulness.

Gu Shuofeng didn’t notice that Xu Tinglan had emerged. She continued humming contentedly.

“At night, I had a beautiful nightmare, da~ da-da~ da-da-da-da~ da-da-da~”

Xu Tinglan had never heard the song before.

The melody alone sounded fresh and distinctive. When Gu Shuofeng’s naturally alluring voice hummed it so softly, it sounded as though her voice had been moistened with water—gentle, seductive, and sweet enough to seep into the bones.

Yet it also possessed a trace of lively playfulness.

Gu Shuofeng finished washing the final plate and reached up to place it inside a wall cabinet.

When she turned around, she saw Xu Tinglan standing outside the bedroom.

Warm sunlight spilled through the window, bathing Xu Tinglan in a faint golden glow. A long, diagonal shadow stretched beneath her feet, while the hem of her cloud-white dress fluttered in the breeze, its pale shadow constantly shifting across the floor.

Gu Shuofeng’s face blossomed into a smile. Her eyes shone as though filled with light.

“You’re awake? Perfect. Hurry and wash up so we can eat.”

Late nights made people emotional, while mornings restored their reason.

Although it was already nearly noon, that didn’t prevent Xu Tinglan’s muddled mind from becoming clear again.

The softness that had prompted her to thank Gu Shuofeng the previous night was gone. Only sober distance remained.

She didn’t answer, merely nodded before turning into the bathroom.

When she emerged again, hot rice had already been served.

Vegetarian stir-fried three delights, fish-fragrant eggplant, and sweet-and-sour spare ribs had been arranged on the table. There was also a steaming bowl of seaweed and egg-drop soup.

Gu Shuofeng handed her a pair of chopsticks.

As though she couldn’t sense Xu Tinglan deliberately distancing herself, she enthusiastically explained, “I don’t know how to cook, so I bought everything. Since I didn’t know what you liked, I simply ordered the most ordinary home-style dishes.

“The plates, bowls, and chopsticks are also new. I just washed them, so you can use them without worrying.”

Xu Tinglan accepted the chopsticks.

Remembering that Gu Shuofeng had somehow still been in the mood to sing, she suddenly remarked, “You appear to be in an excellent mood.”

Gu Shuofeng had never been someone who mistreated herself.

She would be living with Xu Tinglan for some time. Surely she couldn’t play the miserable, heartbroken woman every day. How exhausting would that be?

Pretending occasionally was enough.

Several traces of bitterness surfaced between Gu Shuofeng’s brows. She sighed softly.

“Do you know what it means to find joy amid suffering? My eldest sister once taught me that the sadder you feel, the more you should pretend to be happy.

“Once you’ve pretended long enough to convince even yourself, you won’t feel sad anymore.”

Pretend until even she believed it…

Could that truly work?

Xu Tinglan picked up several grains of rice and ate dispiritedly.

She hadn’t slept well, and her head ached. She possessed neither the energy nor the desire to contemplate such chaotic thoughts.

Only one idea remained inside her mind—

Divorce.

The sooner, the better.

She raised her eyes toward Gu Shuofeng.

“What exactly is your plan?”

Gu Shuofeng picked up a spare rib. A faint gleam surrounded her fingertips as she replied unhurriedly.

“It’s actually very simple. I’ll pretend I’m pregnant and demand that he take responsibility. He’ll inevitably refuse, so I’ll threaten to cause a scene at his company unless he divorces you.

“Once I create trouble at the company, he’ll probably lose his job. Even if he keeps it, he won’t be able to hold his head up around his coworkers.

“Therefore, he absolutely won’t allow me to cause that scene.”

Xu Tinglan frowned.

“You mean he’ll divorce me to protect his job?”

Of course he wouldn’t.

A divorce would cause him to lose far more.

Wang Jianfei was selfish and self-serving. He didn’t love anyone—not Xu Tinglan, not Chen Xiyao, and not even the hypothetical child.

The only thing he cared about was whether his own life remained comfortable.

Unless Chen Xiyao became wealthier than Xu Tinglan and possessed more connections than Professor Xu, Wang Jianfei would never divorce his wife, regardless of how Chen Xiyao threatened him.

He would even turn around and threaten Chen Xiyao instead. If pushed too far, he might commit a crime.

Gu Shuofeng had never expected such a minor trick to make Wang Jianfei compromise.

She had another objective.

There was no need to tell Xu Tinglan what that objective was. In fact, Xu Tinglan might refuse to cooperate if she knew.

For now, Gu Shuofeng only needed to tell her what she most needed to hear.

“Of course. Men always prioritize their careers. Combined with their instinctive desire to continue the family line, they naturally have to take responsibility for their own children.”

Xu Tinglan silently lowered her head.

If Wang Jianfei offered to divorce her on the condition that she concealed everything and allowed him to keep his job, she believed she would agree.

That would also minimize the harm to her parents.

Whether Gu Shuofeng genuinely wanted to help her or was truly pregnant and deceiving her into agreeing to the divorce didn’t matter.

What mattered was that Xu Tinglan would never want that man again.

“Then we’ll proceed with that plan.”

At an appropriate moment, Gu Shuofeng changed the subject.

“By the way, have you contacted your friend?”

“My friend?”

Xu Tinglan paused.

“Zhi Zhi? No. My phone has remained turned off. I haven’t switched it back on.”

“Turn it on later and call her so she won’t worry.”

“All right.”

The more thoughtful and considerate this woman behaved, the more uncomfortable Xu Tinglan felt.

Although she no longer wanted Wang Jianfei and didn’t want to investigate why he had cheated, she still couldn’t stop herself from drawing comparisons.

This woman was more alluring and more beautiful than she was. She was attentive, thoughtful, and good-tempered.

No wonder Wang Jianfei had…

Xu Tinglan closed her eyes.

A sudden wave of self-loathing washed over her.

This woman had helped her, yet Xu Tinglan was criticizing her internally.

When had she become the sort of person she disliked most?

Gu Shuofeng noticed the notification box suddenly appearing inside her mind.

【Hatred Value toward Chen Xiyao −5. Total Hatred Value: 15.】

She indifferently chewed the tender, flavorful spare rib before changing the subject.

“What do you plan to tell your friend?”

“I’ll say I’ve gone away to paint and gather inspiration.”

Gu Shuofeng knowingly asked, “Why not tell her the truth? If she believes you’re alone in another city, she’ll become even more worried.

“If you tell her what actually happened, she’ll feel reassured. She could even visit and keep you company whenever she has time.”

Xu Tinglan shook her head and explained with a bitter smile.

“Given Wang Jianfei’s personality, even after I told him I wasn’t with my parents or my friend, he’ll still test them by searching.

“He’ll especially visit Zhi Zhi. She’s straightforward and speaks without thinking. If she accidentally reveals something or reacts strangely enough for Wang Jianfei to notice, our plan will be ruined.

“And…”

Xu Tinglan paused before adding apologetically, “Zhi Zhi has a bad temper. I’m afraid she might say unpleasant things if she saw you.”

Her answer was exactly what Gu Shuofeng had anticipated.

She had only asked to confirm it once more and ensure that nothing went wrong.

In the original plot, Zhi Zhi helped uncover Chen Xiyao’s true identity several days later.

Before that happened, Xu Tinglan had never imagined that Wang Jianfei would be bold enough to conduct a secret affair directly beneath President Zhang’s nose.

After all, President Zhang had practically watched Xu Tinglan grow up. He would never tolerate Wang Jianfei betraying her.

Before Gu Shuofeng introduced herself at Xu Tinglan’s home the previous night, Xu Tinglan hadn’t known she and Wang Jianfei worked for the same company.

Gu Shuofeng had deliberately claimed that she was merely a sales clerk at one of the head office’s retail locations. According to her story, she had no opportunity to enter the head office and therefore couldn’t have known Wang Jianfei was married.

Until the first stage of her plan succeeded, she had to stabilize this innocent persona and prevent anyone from exposing her.

Zhi Zhi was the key.

Taking advantage of the conversation, Gu Shuofeng asked, “Zhi Zhi hates me. What about you? Don’t you hate me?”

Xu Tinglan lowered her eyes.

The hand holding her chopsticks trembled slightly, causing a piece of celery to fall into her bowl.

“I would be lying if I claimed I didn’t. Before last night, I truly hated you. Even now, I still hate you a little.

“But I know the person I should hate is the one who caused everything—not another victim like me.”

Gu Shuofeng nodded.

“Thank you for being honest with me. I’m very happy that you’re willing to trust me.”

Xu Tinglan faltered.

“I wouldn’t call it trust. We merely… have the same objective.”

“That’s true. There are no eternal enemies, only common interests.”

Gu Shuofeng filled a bowl with seaweed soup and set it beside Xu Tinglan’s hand with a soft click.

Her voice was gentle.

“Still, I’ve never considered you my enemy. I only feel guilty.

“The people I despise most in this world are mistresses who destroy other people’s families. I never imagined that one day, I would indirectly become the very sort of person I hated most.”

Xu Tinglan trembled slightly.

Becoming the person she hated most?

Wasn’t that exactly what Xu Tinglan had been thinking about herself moments earlier?

So they were…

The same.

Ding!

【Warning! Hatred Value toward Chen Xiyao −10. Total Hatred Value: 5. Another 95 points are required to complete the mission.】

Ding!

【Congratulations! Affection Value +10. Total Affection Value: 15. Another 85 points are required to complete the mission.】

She needed Xu Tinglan to hate her while also making Xu Tinglan love her.

Tsk, tsk~

She wanted both the fish and the bear’s paw.

And she fully intended to have both.