Oops, I’m the Scumbag Ex in Her Storyline - Chapter 12

The wailing lasted no more than two seconds before Xin Yan resigned herself to fate.

She had already exposed far too many slip-ups to count—true to the saying: “When there are too many lice, you stop feeling the itch; when the debt is too high, you stop worrying.”

Now calm, Xin Yan stared unblinkingly at the two women nestled together on the screen with the emotional detachment of a bystander.

Calling it “nestled” might’ve been a stretch—they were just sitting very close. Jing Chu sat upright, occasionally raising her hand to adjust her hair. Xin Yan had studied a bit of psychology, and even without it, she could tell: Jing Chu was proud, reserved, and extremely concerned with appearances.

The woman beside her, Kong Zhiluo, appeared far more relaxed in posture—but that didn’t mean she had an easygoing personality. Though the interview was supposedly with both of them, eight out of ten questions were directed at Jing Chu. The host clearly knew: when on camera, Jing Chu was the easier one to handle.

Xin Yan didn’t pay much attention to the actual content of the interview—she was too preoccupied studying the appearance of Jing Chu and Kong Zhiluo.

Jing Chu needed no explanation—she and Bei Lanlan looked like they were cast from the same mold. If you didn’t know them, you’d easily mistake them for the same person. But once you got familiar, the differences stood out. Jing Chu’s every move felt measured, perfectly polished—but distant. Bei Lanlan, in contrast, had eyes that conveyed a serene warmth. If Jing Chu was like a cloud in the sky—lofty and untouchable—then Bei Lanlan was like rare, gentle rainfall that eventually reaches you.

One you could only admire from afar.

The other you could hold in your hands.

Did Bei Lanlan have “main character aura”? Hard to say. But in Xin Yan’s mind, the difference between the two women was greater than that between a golden monkey and a macaque. One she could never look at enough; the other, remembering her name was already an effort.

After comparing Jing Chu and Bei Lanlan from every angle—physical and emotional—Xin Yan finally felt satisfied. That’s when she realized Bei Lanlan had been quiet for quite some time.

It dawned on her, belatedly, that her behavior might’ve been misunderstood. She hesitated, then explained,
“I wasn’t looking at Jing Chu.”

Bei Lanlan looked up at her, expressionless.

Xin Yan added quickly, “I wasn’t looking at Jing Chu the way you think I was.”

Bei Lanlan frowned, not understanding what she meant.

Xin Yan silently cursed her bad luck. It was bad enough to be trapped in a novel—but she had to be the cheating scumbag with emotional baggage? She had to constantly watch her words and actions. One wrong move and it could spark domestic drama.

She spoke slowly, struggling to phrase it properly:
“Love… can happen in an instant. When I first fell for Jing Chu, there was no lead-up. It just hit me. But now—it’s the same. In a moment, I realized I was over it. That obsessive feeling I used to have about her? It’s completely gone.”

Bei Lanlan’s expression didn’t change through the first part. But as Xin Yan continued, her face softened slightly.
“How do you know it’s really gone?”

Xin Yan fell silent. She realized then—just a few words from Bei Lanlan could tell you everything about her mood. No matter who ended up dating her, arguments were unlikely.

Because with Bei Lanlan, fighting was nearly impossible.

Xin Yan pointed at the TV. “I can just feel it. It’s only been two days, but seeing Jing Chu now, that old feeling’s not there anymore. Before, if I saw her and Kong Zhiluo together, I’d be furious. But now? I think they look pretty good together. Don’t you think so?”

She snuck a glance at Bei Lanlan, curious about her reaction.

Bei Lanlan didn’t care much for Jing Chu—she felt an almost physical revulsion toward her. She never followed Jing Chu’s news, so she barely knew what Jing Chu’s fiancée looked like. At Xin Yan’s prompt, she looked up at the woman on screen.

Short hair, sharp collarbones, a graceful neckline—fine, she had some feminine charm.

But as for looks? Pfft, no way she was prettier than her.

Jing Chu liked wearing clothes that showed off her shoulders and legs. This Kong Zhiluo was even worse—her whole outfit couldn’t piece together enough fabric to make a handkerchief. Because she hated Jing

Chu, Bei Lanlan extended that hatred to her too. In her mind, she immediately slapped a label on her:
Exhibitionist.

With that thought, Bei Lanlan smirked coldly, her smile tinged with sarcasm.
“Very fitting. A match made in heaven.”

Xin Yan: “…”

That didn’t sound sincere.

Now she was starting to worry.

Because Kong Zhiluo wasn’t just anyone—she was one of the five suitors from the original plot. Outsiders didn’t know, but Xin Yan, having read the novel, remembered clearly: Jing Chu and Kong Zhiluo’s relationship was superficial at best. The engagement was pure convenience—they were just each other’s best available options. Back when Bei Lanlan hadn’t dumped the original Xin Yan, she accidentally met Kong Zhiluo and found out she was Jing Chu’s fiancée. Wanting to get revenge on Jing Chu, she began subtly flirting with Kong Zhiluo. The teasing led Kong Zhiluo straight into her trap.

Later, when Bei Lanlan started messing around with Jing Chu again, it was all orchestrated by Kong Zhiluo.
…

This plot was just one syllable away from full-blown incestuous chaos.

Xin Yan had been furious and dismayed reading the novel—now, meeting the real people, she could only try to talk some sense.

“Whether they suit each other or not, they’re already engaged. They’ll get married. They’re the real couple. Anyone who tries to come between them is a third party. And honestly, forget what society says—it’s your own conscience that will haunt you most.”

Bei Lanlan gave her a strange look. “You want to come between them?”

She was actually more tempted to ask: Wait, you still have a conscience?

Xin Yan froze, waving her hands frantically. “No! I told you, I’m over it.”

“Then why are you bringing this up out of nowhere?”

Because it’s for your own good, Xin Yan thought, but didn’t say it aloud.

Instead, she tried another angle. “It just made me reflect. Seeing how happy they seem—I want to let go of the past too. I want to start fresh, with a relationship that’s mutual, healthy, and full of love. Don’t you think that’s a good idea, Lanlan?”

She emphasized the word healthy, because she truly believed that’s what Bei Lanlan needed most right now.

Unfortunately, Bei Lanlan completely misunderstood.

She was currently being tossed around by emotional waves.

Did she hear that right? Was Xin Yan… was she hinting that she wanted to start over with her?!

________________________________________

Author’s Note:
Today’s Lanlan: “In your dreams! I’d rather be crushed by a meteor, hit by a truck, or abducted by aliens than get back together with you!”
Lanlan one month later: “Delete that last sentence.”