After Disabled A was Reborn, She Got Scummed Again - Chapter 8

“Take good care of her,” Qin Xiao instructed Aunt Liu.

“Yes, Master.”

Qin Xiao’s study had a classic and elegant style, completely different from the sleek, modern living room. As soon as you walked in, you could see a brown vintage desk made of high-quality wood. Beside it stood a tall potted monstera plant, adding a touch of vibrant green.

“What’s going on? Why did you bring me all the way to the study?” Xu Chanmian asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Where do you feel unwell?” She added, already pulling a stethoscope out of her medical kit.

“It’s not that… I just feel a little mentally off.”

“Did you drink?” Xu looked at her, puzzled.

“No. It’s just… I have extra memories in my head.” Qin Xiao decided to tell the truth.

“Qin Xiao, when did you develop delusions?” Xu Chanmian put the stethoscope down and looked at her suspiciously.

“It’s not that… It feels like I have memories from another life,” Qin Xiao explained.

“Rebirth?” Xu responded seriously.

“Yes,” Qin Xiao nodded, her expression just as serious.

“You’ve been watching too many novels and dramas. Maybe I should time-travel next,” Xu said, closing her kit. She thought for a moment and asked, “Then tell me—what happened to us afterward?”

“You and Lu Ming broke up.”

“Why are we back to talking about Lu Ming again? We already broke up, alright?!” Xu shouted, clearly annoyed.

“…Fine.” Qin Xiao gave up. No one would believe something this bizarre. Even Qin Xiao still felt that the situation was too surreal. If she kept going, Xu would probably think she was mentally unwell—and never let her live it down.

“I think I smelled pheromones earlier,” Qin Xiao said seriously.

“…Qin Xiao, I really think you should go get checked out. What’s going on with you today? Talking nonsense like this?” Xu frowned.

“…No, really. It was a light, faint scent.”

“I know your condition better than anyone. Your checkup just last week showed everything the same as always… Wait, are you talking about the pheromones back in the room?” Xu’s joking tone instantly turned serious.

“This does need to be studied. If the pheromones were triggered by an aphrodisiac, maybe there are differences. Come to my clinic tomorrow for a full exam.”

“Are you sure it’s not just in your head?” Xu still asked skeptically.

It wasn’t impossible—it could be a false perception created by someone desperate to sense pheromones. After all, with such a beautiful fiancée lying right there, who wouldn’t be stirred?

“…Maybe,” Qin Xiao admitted, though she wasn’t confident. After all, in both lives, she had never once sensed pheromones.

“I just noticed… You’ve got a cut on your lip, Qin Xiao.” Xu gave her a meaningful look. “And now that I’m really looking at you, your clothes are messy too… Did your fiancée do that?” She scanned Qin Xiao up and down.

“….”

 Qin Xiao licked her lips. A faint sting spread across the wound, along with a soft lingering sensation.

She reached up and straightened her clothes again.

Xu’s eyes really were sharp. Even though Qin Xiao had already fixed her collar after Chu Qiyan messed it up, she still noticed.

“Looks like you two are getting along,” Xu concluded with a smirk.

“… Anyway, come to my place tomorrow for a full checkup. Bring your fiancée too. Let’s make sure the drug didn’t cause any side effects.”

“Alright.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that, Xu Chanmian picked up her medical kit and strode off.

Left alone in the study, Qin Xiao’s phoenix-shaped eyes had lost their usual sharpness. Her thick lashes lowered slightly, casting shadows over eyes filled with murky thoughts.

Rebirth was real. All of this was real. That meant there was still a lot left for her to do.

Her lips curved into a cold, sarcastic smile.

After a long pause, she moved her wheelchair and left the study.

In the spacious, well-lit living room, only Aunt Liu and Chu Qiyan were present. Aunt Liu was sitting on the sofa near her, watching over the girl, who now was covered with a blanket.

“Master,” Aunt Liu stood up quickly and walked over to help push the wheelchair.

“Aunt Liu, I can manage,” Qin Xiao said gently, her lips lifting into a slight smile that softened her expression.

“Well, this is all I can really help with these days,” Aunt Liu said with a chuckle.

“That’s not true. There’s still a lot you can do…” Qin Xiao smiled. Aunt Liu had watched her grow up—she was like a mother to her.

In her previous life, when the Qin family collapsed, she was unaware of what ultimately happened to everyone.

Aunt Liu, understanding the situation, quietly wheeled her over next to Chu Qiyan.

“Master, if you ask me, this fiancée of yours is much better than Miss Chu Qian.”

“Mm.” Qin Xiao responded softly. So, it turned out everyone had seen through Chu Qian—everyone except her in her previous life, who had been foolishly deceived.

“Send her back to the guest room,” Qin Xiao said, glancing at the peacefully sleeping Chu Qiyan.

“Master, only the second and third floors have guest rooms,” Aunt Liu reminded her.

Tonight was the night of Qin Xiao’s engagement banquet. There were a lot of guests, and many were staying the night. With so many people around, gossip was inevitable if someone saw Chu Qiyan. Worse yet, if someone tried to harm her again, things could get out of control.

“The banquet’s not over yet?” Qin Xiao frowned.

*****

Meanwhile, in the grand hall where the party was still going on, Chu Qian sat gloomily at the bar, sipping drinks with Tong Ran beside her.

Chu Qian, who had drugged Chu Qiyan, didn’t look the least bit worried. The guests here were all wealthy and influential, and there were no surveillance cameras in the hall. After all, who would dare pull anything shady in Qin Xiao’s territory? The security was top-tier.

She wasn’t afraid of Chu Qiyan confronting her either. There was no evidence, after all, right? But the real problem was that Chu Qiyan had left with Qin Xiao. Had she accidentally helped push them together?

That absurd twist of fate made Chu Qian grind her teeth in frustration.

“Qianqian, what’s wrong? Are you upset because Chu Qiyan suddenly got a stroke of luck?” Tong Ran asked, noticing how distracted she looked.

“…Sigh, Ranran, you should talk less about ‘Sister’ in the future. She’s Qin Xiao’s fiancée now… “We should really be careful about what we say,” Chu Qian gently advised, although her words only served to highlight the other party’s increasing status.

“Hmph, just a fiancée. It’s not like they’re actually getting married… That’s Qin Xiao we’re talking about! How could a commoner like Chu Qiyan be worthy? She’ll be dumped sooner or later,” Tong Ran sneered with undisguised contempt.

“And who knows how many alphas she’s messed around with. How dare she go after Qin Xiao? She’s just pretending. It will be entertaining to witness when Qin Xiao discovers her true nature.

“Ranran, don’t say things like that. Be careful she doesn’t turn the tables on you,” Chu Qian warned, pretending to be kind.

But that only stirred up more anger in Tong Ran as she remembered how Chu Qiyan had “insulted” her earlier. Her face darkened.

Chu Qiyan was the real fake here, yet Qin Xiao actually defended her? Tong Ran had seen everything from behind Chu Qian, but given her family’s low status, she couldn’t afford to get involved. People like them weren’t ones she could afford to offend.

“Qianqian, it should’ve been you engaged to Qin Xiao, right?! You’re the real daughter of the Chu family. Who does Chu Qiyan think she is?!” Tong Ran fumed on her behalf.

“Ranran, don’t say that. It was always supposed to be my sister and Qin Xiao. Our parents and Qin Xiao discussed it together—no one can change that. And besides, she is a daughter of the Chu family, so it’s only right,” Chu Qian replied innocently. Then she let out a soft sigh, pretending to be sad.

She looked down at her wine glass, eyes flickering with disdain.

Qin Xiao, huh? Just a disabled woman—what’s there to fight over? Probably useless in bed, too. How could she ever be good enough for her? But Chu Qiyan? Yeah, they’re probably a decent match.

Still, did Chu Qiyan really think that by relying on Qin Xiao’s power, she would become into some kind of phoenix overnight? Whatever, let her show off for a few days.

She had always had a good image in Qin Xiao’s eyes, and Qin Xiao had always treated her differently. She’d even promised not to get engaged to Chu Qiyan! Now… it must’ve been something Chu Qiyan said behind her back that made Qin Xiao treat her so coldly.

Chu Qian swirled her glass slowly, took a sip, and a dark emotion flashed in her eyes. Whatever she was thinking, it made her suddenly smile.

“You’re just too kind. Always giving in to Chu Qiyan. She doesn’t deserve it,” Tong Ran added angrily, her tongue loosened by alcohol.

“Don’t say that, Ranran. After all, she is my sister,” Chu Qian said softly again.

Deserve? Engagement? When the Qin-Chu engagement was discussed, Chu Father and Mother had asked for her opinion. Yes, they were eager to latch onto Qin Xiao’s golden thigh, but did they really think that would be so easy? Everyone knew Qin Xiao’s background was not one to trifle with, and even her parents didn’t want her marrying into that mess.

But now, wasn’t there a ready-made candidate?

Chu Qiyan—who wasn’t even a true daughter of the Chu family—had been raised for over twenty years by the Chu family. It was time to pay them back.

At that thought, Chu Qian smiled faintly. Big powerful families? What a joke.

“Qianqian, did Qiyan do something to you? Say something?” asked Chu Bing, who had walked over and heard part of their conversation.

When he found out his biological sister was someone else, as the eldest son of the Chu family, Chu Bing had focused all his attention on making it up to Chu Qian, who’d grown up outside the family.

“Brother, why are you here?” Chu Qian’s tone was soft and fragile. “No, nothing. Sister didn’t say anything. Don’t misunderstand.”

But her evasive gaze and attempt to cover for Chu Qiyan only made it seem like she was being bullied and was too kind to speak out.

Sure enough, Chu Bing’s face grew dark. “Qianqian, you don’t have to pretend. You’re my real sister, the true daughter of the Chu family. If anyone is giving you a hard time, please let me know—I’ll stand for you.

“Thank you, brother. But really, it’s nothing. Sister has always been good to me,” she emphasized the word “really,” then fell silent with lowered eyes.

This only deepened Chu Bing’s guilt. Chu Qiyan had been enjoying all the privileges of a Chu daughter, while Chu Qian—who had come home so late—was content with the bare minimum. She never asked for much, and even when bullied, she kept silent.

Now Chu Bing only wanted to protect her more and planned to give Chu Qiyan a good scolding. 

“Qianqian, where is Qiyan anyway? It’s her engagement party, and she’s disappeared! Is this how she behaves?!” Chu Bing looked around the hall but didn’t see her.

“Brother, she’s with Qin Xiao right now… Don’t be so harsh on her,” Chu Qian replied weakly.

“So what if she’s engaged to Qin Xiao? She’s still a Chu! What, is she above everyone else now?” The more he heard, the angrier he got.

He knew it—Chu Qiyan had become more and more arrogant lately. Just because she was engaged to Qin Xiao, did she think the whole world revolved around her now?

“Brother, please don’t talk like that. Sister really is considerate and understanding,” Chu Qian insisted.

“Understanding? She has completely disregarded everything our parents taught her. You’re way more thoughtful than she is.”

Chu Qian said nothing, her gaze lowered. A glint of resentment flickered in her eyes. Chu Qian remained silent, her gaze cast downward. A flicker of resentment appeared in her eyes. Indeed, she had not benefited from what one might refer to as “upbringing,” but did Chu Bing truly need to emphasize it? Was this intended to suggest a closer bond between him and Chu Qiyan? Or was it merely a means of indicating that she was an uncultured outsider? Was this meant to show that he and Chu Qiyan were closer? Or was it just a way to say she was some uncultured outsider?

That was a sore point for Chu Qian. If she had grown up in the Chu family with the proper upbringing, she wouldn’t be looked down on like this. She wouldn’t be a laughingstock behind people’s backs.

Meanwhile, in the hall, Xu Chanmian—dressed in a striking red gown—was scanning the crowd for Lu Ming. But her eyes caught sight of Chu Qian’s fake-white-lotus act, and she couldn’t help but scoff. Then she turned and headed toward Lu Ming.

Back in the villa, Qin Xiao sat in her wheelchair, staring at the peacefully sleeping Chu Qiyan’s delicate and pure face. Her expression wavered with hesitation.

In the end, she sighed and said softly, “Just let her sleep here tonight.”