After leaving scumbag A, I Found a Happy Ending with a Flirtatious Beauty (GL , ABO) - Chapter 10

Shen Qiaoyi couldn’t sleep the entire night. Just before dawn, she drifted into a hazy, indecent dream.

She dreamed she had become a mermaid. The moment her tail transformed into legs, she clung to a rich bed of seaweed, kissing and biting at it with affection.

The seaweed slowly wrapped around her, its touch both passionate and gentle, leaving behind trace after trace of its presence on her skin.

Eventually, the mermaid was tossed onto the shore by the waves. Trembling, she reached for the seaweed.

But what came into view was not seaweed, but Lu Zhiyuan’s face.

Shen Qiaoyi jolted awake, heart racing. She covered her flushed cheeks and sat up in bed, utterly mortified.

Oh god. She had done something unspeakable with Zhiyuan… in her dream.

Once her phone powered back on, dozens of WeChat messages popped up. Shen Qiaoyi sat for a while before opening them.

Ten were from the original host’s mother, Su Wanqing, urging her to return home. The other two were Ji Ruolan’s daily check-ins.

Dragging her slippers, Shen Qiaoyi went into the bathroom to wash up, then rushed off, barely making it to the villa district at the edge of Xishan in time.

The Ji residence sat atop Xishan’s highest peak. It was secluded yet elegant, modeled after an 18th-century European palace. The exterior shimmered with gold, while the interior was nothing short of opulent.

As Shen Qiaoyi stepped into the grand hall, everyone seated at the long dining table turned to look at her.

At the head of the table sat Ji Yongnian, the Ji family patriarch. He was slender and dignified, his hair completely white at the temples. Dressed in a linen robe, he had a presence that felt almost immortal.

He smiled kindly at the sight of her. “Yiyi, you’re back. Have you eaten? If not, come have some breakfast.”

Sitting beside him, attentively serving him food, was Shen Qiaoyi’s mother, Su Wanqing.

Ji Yongnian had always favored traditional long robes, and Su Wanqing, perhaps to complement him, had adopted qipaos as her usual attire.

Today she wore a long purple satin qipao. Her figure and grace were comparable to that of a film star.

She had worked in the Ji household as a servant for decades. Some habits had sunk into her bones. Even now, she instinctively stood to serve during meals.

Ji Yongnian reminded her again, “Wanqing, let the housekeeper handle this. Sit down and eat.”

“Yes, of course…”

Su Wanqing’s expression stiffened briefly. She put down the soup ladle and stepped back to sit beside Ji Yongnian. As she settled in, she looked at Shen Qiaoyi.

“Yiyi, Uncle Ji is speaking to you. Did you hear him?”

Shen Qiaoyi walked forward and greeted everyone one by one.

“Uncle Ji. Sister Ruolan. Sister Ruoyao.”

Then she sat stiffly in the empty seat on the left.

Ji Ruoyao paused mid-scoop of her almond tea and said with mock sweetness, “Well, look who’s finally back. Our third young lady has returned.”

Shen Qiaoyi had long grown used to Ji Ruoyao’s constant sarcasm and didn’t bother responding. Instead, Ji Ruolan, seated beside her, sent a sharp glare her way. Ji Ruoyao lowered her head, clearly intimidated.

Ji Ruolan gracefully took out a silk handkerchief and dabbed the corner of her mouth. Then she looked up slowly and said, “Yiyi, eat first. I’ll take you to work afterward.”

Just as Shen Qiaoyi was about to politely decline, saying it wasn’t on the way, Ji Ruoyao jumped in first.

“Big sister, you haven’t heard? Shen Qiaoyi’s studio made the news.”

“What happened? What happened?” Su Wanqing instantly panicked. She leaned forward anxiously. “What’s going on?”

Ji Ruoyao gave Su Wanqing a look full of contempt.

“Her studio is an utter mess. One of the employees was exposed for engaging in a group orgy.”

Su Wanqing gasped and covered her mouth. “That… that can’t be true.”

Ji Ruoyao had always disliked Su Wanqing and her daughter. Even though Su Wanqing had risen to become the Ji family’s mistress, Ruoyao never treated her with respect.

“Why wouldn’t it be true? It was on the front page. One of their Omegas was caught in a hotel with three Alphas. The footage was disgusting.”

She turned her fire back on Su Wanqing.

“You should really control your daughter. She’s the third young lady of the Ji family now. I didn’t care what she did before, but everything she does now reflects on this family, on the entire Ji Group. She better watch herself and not embarrass us.”

Su Wanqing’s eyes turned red. “No. Yiyi isn’t like that. She knows what’s appropriate.”

“Enough already.” Ji Ruolan glared at Ruoyao and stood up to help Su Wanqing back to her seat. “Aunt Qing, don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on Yiyi. Nothing will happen to her.”

But Ji Ruoyao wasn’t about to let go of a chance to humiliate Shen Qiaoyi.

“Big sister, I’m not trying to be dramatic, but when I first saw the trending topic, I really thought the Omega in the video was our Yiyi. The red dress she wore looked exactly like the one Yiyi owns. You have no idea how scared and worried I was.”

Her words were full of fake concern. Only she knew just how gleeful she had been reading the news.

Shen Qiaoyi lowered her eyes and suppressed a sneer.

Last night, all she did was give He Yu a taste of her own medicine. She switched the drugged wine and even changed clothes with her. Those three perverted Alphas had mistaken He Yu for Shen Qiaoyi.

“Ruoyao, did you not hear me tell you to shut up?” Ji Ruolan’s eyes flashed coldly. “Do you still want your allowance this month?”

Ji Ruoyao shrank back and muttered, “Alright… alright. I’ll stop talking.”

The Ji family patriarch was mostly retired now. Real power rested with Ji Ruolan. Ji Ruoyao was smart enough to know when to back down.

The atmosphere at the table grew even heavier. No one said another word.

Shen Qiaoyi stood and made an excuse. “Excuse me. I need to use the restroom.”

She hadn’t been in this world long and was already enduring Ji Ruoyao’s constant ridicule. She couldn’t imagine how the original host had tolerated it all these years.

At the sink, she turned on the tap, splashed her face with cold water, and took a deep breath. When she came out, Ji Ruolan was already waiting by the door in a sleek custom-tailored suit.

She handed her a handkerchief. “Here. Dry off.”

Shen Qiaoyi didn’t take it. She pulled a tissue from the paper dispenser, wiped her hands, and tossed it into the trash.

Ji Ruolan stared at her for a moment before offering a faint smile.

“Yiyi, Ruoyao is just like that. Don’t take her too seriously. I’ll teach her a lesson later for your sake.”

Shen Qiaoyi lowered her eyes. Her voice was calm and emotionless, as if the entire ordeal had nothing to do with her.

“I’m fine.”

Ji Ruolan raised her hand, intending to pat her on the shoulder. Shen Qiaoyi instinctively stepped to the side, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes full of wariness.

Ji Ruolan’s gaze darkened slightly. But then she smiled, reached into her jacket pocket, and pulled out a ticket.

“Yiyi, Bouy’s founder is visiting Z City. This is a ticket to her meet-and-greet. I thought you might want to go, so I got you one.”

Shen Qiaoyi saw the possessive gleam in Ji Ruolan’s eyes and took a small step back, subconsciously recoiling.

Ji Ruolan stepped closer. “What’s wrong? Isn’t Pead Chen your favorite idol? Don’t you want to go?”

Shen Qiaoyi felt like she was walking on a tightrope, terrified that showing even a hint of resistance would provoke Ji Ruolan’s twisted and invasive behavior.

“Thank you.” Under Ji Ruolan’s watchful gaze, Shen Qiaoyi finally accepted the ticket.

Ji Ruolan nodded and turned to walk toward the study.

Shen Qiaoyi had been tensed the entire time. Only after Ji Ruolan’s figure disappeared did she finally let out a quiet breath.