Rumor Has It I Don’t Follow A-Class Morals - Chapter 8

Even though Ming Muyao had a rough idea of what to expect before Su Yin rolled up her sleeves, actually seeing it still sent a chill down her spine.

Both of Su Yin’s pale arms were covered in marks—some faint, some deep.

There were long gashes, oval-shaped bruises, and even a few burn marks on her left arm that looked like cigarette burns.

No professional was needed to assess the injuries. Just one look and Ming Muyao could tell they’d been inflicted over a long period—some were nearly healed, while others were still fresh. She couldn’t imagine how many more marks like these might be hidden beneath that thin frame.

“These…” Ming Muyao asked, her voice trembling, “did I do all of this?”

Su Yin looked at her, eyes full of confusion and helplessness. She gave a small nod and replied softly, “Yes.”

“Is it just your arms? Are there more… on your body?” Ming Muyao asked.

Su Yin nodded again.

For a moment, the atmosphere around the dining table turned unbearably heavy.

Ming Muyao was shaking with anger, but what could she do? She couldn’t exactly call the cops on herself—and if nothing had gone wrong, the original host of this body was probably already dead. If she really did report this, she’d be the one ending up in jail.

The more I try to hold it in, the angrier I get.

The more I try to back down, the more screwed over I feel.

But at this point, there was really nothing Ming Muyao could do. All she could do was look at Su Yin and try to comfort her. “I’m sorry. I won’t hit you again.”

Su Yin lowered her head and didn’t respond.

There’s no such thing as just once when it comes to domestic abuse. Ming Muyao used to say things like this sometimes, like “I won’t do it again”, “I know it’s wrong”, or “Yinyin, can you forgive me?” Su Yin had heard it all before.

And what happened after?

Ming Muyao only hit her harder and more often. All those promises had long been thrown to the wind.

Seeing the girl stay silent, Ming Muyao could only sigh inwardly.

She has every reason not to believe me.

Saying this now sounds pretty useless, but it’s the only thing I can say for now. If the time ever feels right, I’ll tell her the truth.

“When we get a chance, I’ll take you to the clinic to have these looked at,” Ming Muyao said. “Some of the wounds are really deep. If they’re not treated properly, they’ll scar.”

Su Yin nodded. She looked up at Ming Muyao and said, “Let me feed you breakfast.”

Ming Muyao nodded, her face heavy with guilt, and let Su Yin feed her breakfast by hand.

Around noon, Ming Muyao asked Aunt Chen to make a few more of Su Yin’s favorite dishes. She herself wasn’t very hungry—she’d eaten late in the morning—so she planned to just nibble on something light.

Aunt Chen was in a good mood too and cooked a few lights but tasty dishes that seemed to suit Su Yin’s appetite. To everyone’s surprise, Su Yin actually finished half a bowl of rice.

There wasn’t much to do in the afternoon, so Ming Muyao decided to head to the clinic to have her bandages changed. She let Aunt Chen know before heading out.

Hearing that she was going alone, Aunt Chen got worried. She stood at the door holding a jacket and said anxiously, “Are you sure it’s okay to go by yourself? Why not… take Yinyin with you?”

Ming Muyao, already in her sneakers, took the jacket and said, “It’s just around the corner. I’ll be back as soon as I’m done. Let Su Yin rest at home—I’ll be quick.”

Seeing how firm she was, Aunt Chen didn’t push it but still reminded her, “Then come straight back after.”

“Got it.” Ming Muyao put on the jacket, glanced at Su Yin—who was standing quietly off to the side—and smiled. “Want me to bring you anything?”

Su Yin shook her head and stayed silent.

Ming Muyao sighed to herself and forced a smile before saying to the both of them, “Alright, I’m heading out.”

Once she stepped outside, she finally let out a long breath.

Truthfully, she just needed to get out and walk a bit. Every time she stayed at home, she was on edge, scared that either of them would somehow notice something off about her and realize she wasn’t the real Ming Muyao. What if they called the cops?

Not that calling the police would really do anything. After all, she was Ming Muyao now. But it would still be a hassle.

Getting out of the house might not solve anything, but it helped her clear her head.

As she wandered around the villa complex, she realized that not many people actually lived here. Maybe rich people all own multiple properties. Most of the villas had only housekeepers inside—the owners were either working or living somewhere closer to their companies.

Still, the area was well-maintained, and the infrastructure was great. Just outside the community gates were metro and bus stations, and across the street was a big shopping mall. Surrounding it were layers of mid-rise buildings. It had that quiet-in-the-middle-of-the-noise kind of feel.

After changing her bandages at the clinic, Ming Muyao paid the bill.

They even took QR payments, which somehow made it feel even more real. She checked the balance on her account—and immediately felt dizzy from all the zeros. So this is what being rich feels like.

She was even thinking about strolling through the nearby shopping street. I’m a rich woman now, aren’t I? I should treat myself a little.

But then she remembered she’d promised Aunt Chen and Su Yin she’d be back soon, so she figured it was better not to wander too far. Once her hand healed a bit more, she could take Su Yin out shopping.

That poor 19-year-old barely had more than a few outfits to her name. It was honestly pathetic.

And this scumbag Ming Muyao was stingy even to her own wife. Shameless.

After cursing the original host, Ming Muyao realized she might’ve just insulted herself, too…

As she walked back toward the villa and was about to cross the street, a silver-gray supercar suddenly pulled up in front of her. The chassis was practically scraping the ground, the car was sleek and low-slung—clearly the kind of vehicle that cost a fortune.

The door lifted upward, and Xu Bu sat inside, flashing a big smile at her.

“Ming-jie!”

Xu Bu grinned and said, “What a coincidence, running into you here. Where’ve you been?”

Ming Muyao looked at her calmly. “Nothing special. What about you?”

Seeing that Ming Muyao didn’t want to say more, Xu Bu tactfully didn’t press. Instead, she hopped out of the car with a smile and knocked on the backseat window.

“Come on out and meet Ming-jie.”

She turned to Ming Muyao again and said, “Did you watch that video I sent yesterday? Did any of the little Omegas catch your eye? I know you’re not feeling great, so I could have them come over to keep you company—no service charge.”

When the two people stepped out of the car, Ming Muyao was surprised. So this low-slung car actually seats four.

“Let me introduce you—this is Yue Qiu, my cousin.” Xu Bu pointed at a man with an utterly forgettable face and said, “He just graduated and is tagging along with me to learn the ropes. If there’s ever something you don’t want to deal with, just hand it to him. He’s smart.”

Yue Qiu nodded and smiled at Ming Muyao. “Nice to meet you, Ming-jie.”

Ming Muyao wasn’t close to Xu Bu, let alone Yue Qiu. She gave them a glance and forced a polite smile. “Got it. I’ve got something to take care of, so I’ll leave you to it.”

As she turned to go, Xu Bu pinched her cousin, and Yue Qiu quickly grabbed the girl beside him and shoved her toward Ming Muyao.

“Ming-jie, this is our store’s newest Omega—just turned 18, still a virgin. She’s clean. See if she’s your type.”

The moment the girl leaned in, Ming Muyao caught a strong whiff of overpowering perfume. Without even letting the girl touch her, she sidestepped quickly.

“No thanks.” Ming Muyao frowned at the girl and said impatiently to Xu Bu, “I’ve got things to do. I’m not sticking around.”

She brushed past the three of them and headed toward the crosswalk. Only when she disappeared into the villa complex did Xu Bu turn to glare at her cousin.

“Useless idiot.” She grabbed his ear and hissed, “Didn’t I tell you Ming-jie’s been in a bad mood lately? And you still shoved an Omega right into her arms like it was just another day at the club?”

Yue Qiu howled in pain. “You said she liked young, pretty Omegas!”

“She likes them clean and cute, okay? Look at this one—so much makeup it’s practically a mask. You think Ming-jie would go for that?” Xu Bu snapped. “Didn’t you want her to throw you some business? You can’t even cater to her taste!”

Yue Qiu rubbed his reddened ear and glanced at the Omega girl beside him.

The moment she noticed him looking, she flinched.

A second later, his hand flew across her face, slapping her hard enough to turn one cheek bright red.

“Look at your damn makeup. Disgusting.” Yue Qiu cursed. “Useless trash. I’ve been feeding you all this time just so you could serve people, and you couldn’t even get close to her. What the hell am I keeping you around for?!”

The girl covered her face, her eyes instantly welling up with tears as she silently cried by the roadside.

Passersby began to slow down and whisper to each other, casting disapproving looks in their direction.

The attention made Yue Qiu even more agitated. Seeing her cry, he slapped her two more times, blaming her completely for failing to seduce Ming Muyao. He even pointed at her nose and yelled, “You’re going on the floor tonight, got it? Don’t waste my time!”

Xu Bu finally had enough. She held her head and said, “Get in the car. You’re making a scene out here.”

Once they were back inside, Xu Bu turned to Yue Qiu. “Ming-jie might’ve been in a car accident recently, so her mood’s been all over the place. She used to be way more into Omegas throwing themselves at her. We’ll just try again later with someone a little purer.”

Yue Qiu nodded, then asked, “Didn’t you say her company’s in financial trouble? She’s barely keeping her head above water—will she really still have work for us?”

Xu Bu laughed. “Even a starving camel’s still bigger than a horse. Just wait and see—she’ll get through this. Then she’ll marry some rich Omega from a powerful family. That pretty little thing living with her now? She’ll end up working at our club eventually.”