Oops, I’m the Scumbag Ex in Her Storyline - Chapter 6

In the end, Xin Yan still attended the meeting—with tears in her eyes.

Her assistant, An Zhiyuan, had assumed she was only asking questions because she was in a bad mood and reluctant to meet with prospective partners who were clearly hiding their technical shortcomings.

An Zhiyuan had very considerately explained the entire situation to her—though Xin Yan still couldn’t understand most of the terminology. All she managed to grasp was that this collaboration was crucial for the company, and even if the other side was clearly playing games, they’d have to pretend not to notice and squeeze them on price and terms instead.

Because of this, Xin Yan canceled all her morning appointments, shut herself in her office, and tackled the stack of documents in front of her with the same intensity as preparing for the college entrance exam.

Though she still didn’t fully understand the content, at least she didn’t get exposed during the meeting. In fact, she even managed to leverage her “outsider’s” perspective to point out a major logical inconsistency in the speaker’s pitch—just when everyone else was getting carried away by the beautiful vision being painted.

Who would’ve thought? Not understanding the documents actually gave her a breakthrough.

When the meeting finally ended, Xin Yan wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and walked back to her office with her head held high, under the admiring gazes of the staff.

The first thing she did upon returning was chug water like her life depended on it.

She was halfway through her third glass when An Zhiyuan walked in again.

To be honest, Xin Yan now found An Zhiyuan deeply annoying.

…

Unaware that his boss was mentally exiling him to a Mexican anti-narcotics unit, An Zhiyuan had come to inform her about a cocktail party that evening—one packed with VIPs and industry giants.

Xin Yan clutched her heavy Bavarian crystal glass, steadying her hand as she asked calmly, “Is this party… very important for the company?”

An Zhiyuan paused. “Uh, not really. But it’s very important for you.”

Xin Yan nodded firmly. “Then I’m not going.”

An Zhiyuan: “…”

He opened his mouth. Xin Yan immediately knew what he was about to do—try to convince her to go. She didn’t know where the original owner had found this assistant, but if there was one thing he excelled at, it was talking people into submission. Once he started, no one could refuse him.

Panicking, Xin Yan instinctively cut him off.

“I said I’m not going! I just want to go home tonight. Got it?”

Behind his glasses, his expression shifted—four parts confusion, three parts regret, two parts nervousness, and a barely perceptible trace of… relief?

Before Xin Yan could make sense of it, An Zhiyuan offered her a small, knowing smile and resumed his usual composed demeanor.

“Understood. I’ll notify the others. That’ll be all for today, President Xin. See you tomorrow.”

Even after he left, Xin Yan sat there stunned.

That’s… it?

Outside the office, with his back to the company surveillance cameras, An Zhiyuan let out a long, silent sigh of relief.

Good. She’s still the same President Xin. Seeing her lose her temper and go her own way like always… finally, the weight on his chest had lifted—and hadn’t shattered his fragile heart on the way down.

—

An hour later, electrolytes finally replenished, Xin Yan sat in the backseat of the car heading home.

To be honest, none of today felt real. It was like she’d walked into a reality show where city kids experience rural life—only in her case, it wasn’t temporary. She had a sinking feeling she’d be fumbling through this life for a long time.

She exhaled slowly and relaxed into the seat, trying to clear her mind. Gazing out the window, she thought she might as well enjoy the city view.

Then she realized something was off.

The car had stopped.

The driver quickly got out to open the door for her, but Xin Yan remained seated, pointing outside without budging an inch. “Why are we here?”

“Aren’t you going home, ma’am?” the driver replied.

“…Right.”

She’d been so busy, she forgot—this apartment near the company was the original owner’s home.

Technically, Xin Yan could’ve stayed here. But thinking about Bei Lanlan all alone in that massive mansion, and the obvious swarm of admirers lurking somewhere off-screen, Xin Yan paused.

Then silently closed the door again.

“From now on, when I say ‘home,’ take me to Lin Yin Road.”

The driver nodded. The car started again, and thirty minutes later, Xin Yan returned to the house where she’d spent the previous night.

From the outside, it didn’t exactly look like a mansion.

Its outer walls were covered in stone—not the grand, Gothic or Romanesque look of a palace. It had a large yard thanks to its suburban location, but the yard wasn’t well-kept—no manicured greenery, no stylish outdoor furniture.

Inside, it was lavish. But outside, the place hadn’t been touched in decades. The design was stuck in the past, just as it had been when the original owner’s parents bought it decades ago as a weekend getaway from their downtown apartment.

Who would’ve guessed it would still be in use all these years later?

After her parents died, the original owner never returned. But when she married Bei Lanlan, she didn’t want her stepping into her true territory. So, after some thought, she placed Bei Lanlan here.

The interior renovation wasn’t for Bei Lanlan’s comfort—it was for the original herself. She knew she’d occasionally stop by, maybe even spend the night. So she had someone do a quick redesign of the inside. As for the yard? Pointless. She never cared about the view outside.

Xin Yan stood in the middle of the yard, arms crossed, tapping her arm with one finger.

She had inherited this life—the responsibilities, the mess, and the wealth. She was committed to carrying the original’s burdens, so she saw no reason to shy away from managing her assets too.

Truthfully, she liked this place. Clean air, few neighbors, more birdsong than car horns. Who knew what the future would bring, but for now, she wanted to stay here.

She made a mental note: fix up the yard. Maybe even add a swimming pool?

Would Bei Lanlan like that?

As that thought crossed her mind, she looked up at Bei Lanlan’s bedroom window—only to find Bei Lanlan already standing there, watching her. When their eyes met, she didn’t turn away. She simply returned the gaze calmly.

Instinctively, Xin Yan almost raised her hand to wave—but caught herself just in time. The original owner would never do that. So instead, she offered a small, quiet smile. She wasn’t even sure if Bei Lanlan could see it from up there.

But Bei Lanlan did see it.

And she wasn’t the only one. From behind the curtain, Xu Suyu saw it too.

Cradling a cup of coffee, she stood beside Bei Lanlan and let out a soft chuckle.

“See that, Lanlan? As of today, you’ve finally become a real stand-in.”