Scumbag Woman, But Pampering My Wife - Chapter 30

Mom?

Lin Yuebai thought of her as a mother?

Qin Jue’s grip on the steering wheel tightened unconsciously. As a reader who had followed Lin Yuebai’s arduous journey, it was impossible not to feel a pang of sympathy for her.

Just like how many people would see the protagonist of a novel as their own daughter, Qin Jue had entertained similar thoughts. However, she often wondered—if she had met Lin Yuebai in real life, perhaps she wouldn’t have let her suffer so much.

Unfortunately, after transmigrating, she encountered that inhuman system.

It wouldn’t even allow her to say a few comforting words, forcing her to remain on guard day and night against the possibility of Lin Yuebai stabbing her in the back.

And if she completed the villain’s mission and returned to the real world, she’d be left facing that empty, lonely house again.

In that fleeting moment, countless thoughts raced through Qin Jue’s mind. But in the end, she simply let Lin Yuebai continue her antics—

Allowing the girl to smear cream all over her face, then lick it off with her soft little tongue.

“Stop fooling around. I’m driving.”

Lin Yuebai was growing bolder, like a newly adopted kitten cautiously emerging from its hiding spot to explore its territory.

“I want to go to the amusement park. I’ve never been to one before. If President Qin really thinks I’m amazing, then reward me with a trip to the amusement park.”

Amidst the internal conflict, Qin Jue caught sight of a pair of bright, sparkling eyes.

She was hopeful.

When Qin Jue remained silent for too long, Lin Yuebai blinked her luminous eyes, masking the disappointment in her heart. But her hand remained resting on Qin Jue’s thigh.

By the time the car stopped at the next traffic light, Lin Yuebai’s hand awkwardly began to withdraw.

Of course—what was Qin Jue’s status? How could she casually accompany her to an amusement park?

She made money hand over fist, and her time was precious. There was no way she could spare the time, nor did she care for such childish entertainment.

But—

The kitten, whose courage had been nurtured just a little, couldn’t resist scratching Qin Jue’s thigh with her nails.

Not too hard, not too soft—just enough to send a tingling shiver through her body.

Qin Jue: “…”

The system shrieked: “Why is the protagonist inviting you to an amusement park?!”

The system had only stepped away to eat a mango cake, and the plot had already derailed again.

Qin Jue: “Maybe she’s just biding her time.”

The system detected some uneasy negative emotions from Lin Yuebai. Combined with Qin Jue’s reasoning, it made sense.

“Then go ahead QVQ”

Qin Jue: “.”

Lin Yuebai had already given up on receiving an answer. But as the light turned green, Qin Jue pressed the accelerator and said, “You pick the time. I’m free whenever.”

“Our little one earned praise from the teacher—that’s truly impressive. I’ve heard Teacher Yang is usually very strict and rarely commends anyone. It just goes to show how hardworking and talented our little one is.”

If Lin Yuebai were a rabbit at that moment, one of her ears would have perked straight up.

……

Meanwhile, Jing Xin was in a far worse mood.

“What do you mean, Lin Yuebai is really my parents’ child?!”

Jing Xin forced out an ugly, disbelieving smile as she slammed the paternity test report onto the counter, jabbing her finger at it.

“You must have made a mistake. There’s absolutely no way. Run the test again—that woman cannot possibly have any bl00d relation to my parents!”

Jing Xin lowered her voice and muttered to herself, the more she thought about it, the more impossible it seemed. Yet the image of Lin Yuebai’s face—so strikingly similar to her parents’—made her hairs stand on end.

She wore sunglasses and a mask, unwilling to reveal her true identity. The testing facility she had chosen was highly confidential, with almost no risk of leaking secrets.

On the other side of the glass, a staff member in a white lab coat looked puzzled. If they had already concluded there was no familial relationship, why had they been sent DNA samples for testing?

Gradually, the people around her began eyeing Jing Xin as if she were a lunatic, and the security guards gripped their batons, ready to intervene.

Jing Xin forced herself to calm down, her nails digging into the paper, leaving deep marks.

Why? Why?!

She had investigated Lin Yuebai’s family background before—her parents were from the countryside, and she had a useless younger brother. Rumor had it that these three parasites were still squeezing money out of Lin Yuebai.

The DNA report in her hands felt unbearably heavy. Silently, she stood at the entrance of the facility before instructing her driver to take her home.

The Jing family villa was nestled halfway up a mountainside, with the entire rear mountain belonging to them. Her parents had built their fortune through business ventures in the north before relocating to the more prosperous south.

Though she had heard their ancestors were originally southerners, financial ruin had forced them to move north for a time—where Jing Xin herself had been born in a northern hospital.

“Xinxin, you’re back!”

A beautiful, elegant woman sat on the sofa, a white face mask covering her skin. The moment she saw her daughter, she peeled it off and waved cheerfully.

“Oh dear, why the long face? Who upset our precious Xinxin?”

Her daughter was always like this—easily displeased, no matter the occasion.

Young girls were meant to be pampered. If they were too sensible, wouldn’t that reflect poorly on their parents?

On the coffee table lay her daughter’s favorite pastries. “I was playing mahjong with your aunties today, and we were just talking about your upcoming art exhibition in Europe. We’re planning to book flights and cheer you on!”

Jing Xin had been doted on since childhood, paving her way into the arts at a young age. With her family’s resources, she had risen quickly in artistic circles—though her stunning looks also made her a natural fit for the entertainment industry.

“Okay…” Jing Xin met her mother’s expectant gaze, a lump forming in her throat.

If Lin Yuebai were her parents’ biological child, would they look at her with the same adoration?

“Oh, and your father mentioned investing in your studio. Honestly, that old man—our precious girl is already so accomplished, what does she need his investment for?”

Though the lady complained, her eyes sparkled with pride.

“No investment needed.”

At dinner that evening, Jing Xin ate little, her gaze repeatedly flickering between her parents’ faces.

People had remarked before that she didn’t resemble them, but no one had ever suspected a mix-up at birth.

Some had whispered that she might be an illegitimate child, but everyone in their circle knew how deeply in love her parents were.

They had been each other’s first loves, meeting in university before building their careers together. They had weathered hardships, and even after their family regained its wealth, not a single scandal had ever touched them.

“Auntie made all your favorite dishes today. Why aren’t you eating more?”

Father looked at Jingxin with concern. “I think you should stop dieting. What if you ruin your health?”

“That’s right, that’s right. Food is the fuel for life. You’re already so thin—who would dare call you fat?”

Their well-meaning nagging felt like steel needles piercing Jingxin’s brain.

She was too proud—so proud that she looked down on everyone.

So proud that she believed, as her parents’ child, she deserved every gift they gave her.

But the truth was, she wasn’t anymore.

A test report lay hidden in the inner pocket of her coat. If anyone found it, it would unleash a storm of bl00d and fury.

Just the thought of it made Jingxin’s face grow paler. Forcing a smile, she stood up from the table, her chair scraping loudly against the floor.

“No, I don’t want to eat. I’m going to my room. I booked a flight abroad for tomorrow—I’m leaving before dawn.”

“Wait, Xinxin—”

Her mother sighed and tried to follow her. “Tell me honestly—did someone bully you? Mom knows a few directors and investors. If anyone in the industry dared mistreat you, I’d make sure they pay for it.”

Jingxin’s arm was caught. Standing on the stairs, she trembled as she met her mother’s well-maintained gaze.

If Lin Yuebai had grown up in this family, if she were unhappy, would her mother also hold her arm and ask if she’d been wronged?

Her parents loved her because she was their child.

If someone else were their child, they would love her just the same.

“You’ve been off ever since you got home. Did someone give you trouble outside?”

For a moment, the noblewoman’s eyes darkened with displeasure.

“No.”

Jingxin couldn’t bear her mother’s concerned gaze. Shaking off her hand, she hurried upstairs and slammed the door shut.

Her coat was thrown onto the sofa, the paternity test slipping out from its inner pocket.

A series of crashes echoed through the suite as everything on the table was swept onto the floor.

She had long despised that Lin Yuebai.

Jingxin collapsed onto the ground, her carefully maintained, silky hair now a tangled mess. Through gritted teeth, she spat out a string of ugly words.

A wine bottle clattered to the floor. Clutching her chest, she gasped for breath. Without her parents, she would never have reached her current status in the industry.

She would never have been able to establish her own brand with her influence.

She would never have debuted in a theatrical film as her first project.

Without her parents… she was nothing. At best, she had a pretty face—but the world wasn’t short of pretty people.

She was painfully aware of how she had succeeded. Even as she looked down on others, she knew her own limits.

Her manager sent messages about a new script, but Jingxin didn’t read a single word. She hurled her phone against the glass, the screen shattering into a spiderweb of cracks—yet the notifications kept pouring in.

……

The system fell into a long, stunned silence. “Does the protagonist really need to endure in silence, bide her time, and then invite you to ride a carousel?”

During the New Year holiday, the amusement park was more crowded than ever, mostly with parents and their children.

Qin Jue wore a long black cashmere coat over a business-style shirt and trousers, with a small moon-shaped brooch pinned at the collar.

But what stood out even more was the moon-shaped balloon tied to her coat’s toggle.

As the wind blew, the balloon swayed midair.

The system shrieked, bumping its round, glowing halo body against the moon-shaped balloon.

Qin Jue: “…”

Qin Jue: “Indeed, Lin Yuebai can fight her way through thorns to attain the wealth and status she desires—she must possess a resilience and determination beyond ordinary people.”

The system thought about it and agreed.

System: “As expected of the protagonist. She’ll definitely succeed.”

Lin Yuebai, standing ahead in line, craned her neck curiously, a baseball cap pulled low over her head.

“It’s our turn now, hurry up—watch out for line-cutters.”

While Qin Jue was half-heartedly bantering with the system, her wrist was already seized as Lin Yuebai pulled her onto the carousel.

Lin Yuebai chose a white horse with two pairs of wings, while Qin Jue deliberately lagged two steps behind, picking an inconspicuous little brown horse.

Not finding her companion beside her, Lin Yuebai glanced around before spotting Qin Jue already seated on the brown pony.

A small moon-shaped balloon bobbed conspicuously in the air.

Lin Yuebai: “?”

Not sitting next to her?

Suppressing a flicker of calculation in her eyes, Lin Yuebai had wanted to share a horse with Qin Jue.

That was why she’d deliberately chosen the largest, most beautiful winged white steed.

But Qin Jue clearly had no interest in riding together.

Lin Yuebai had already envisioned it—if Qin Jue sat with her, she could naturally guide Qin Jue’s hands to her waist.

The horse’s up-and-down motion would inevitably press their bodies together…

Qin Jue would catch the scent of her newly changed shampoo.

What a shame.

Lin Yuebai’s long lashes lowered, masking a small pang of disappointment at her foiled scheme, before she flashed Qin Jue a sweet smile.

She was scheming meticulously to become Qin Jue’s longest-lasting lover.

The system whistled. “Just detected negative emotions from the protagonist. She really is enduring humiliation for a greater cause.”

Qin Jue: ?

Is Yuebai unhappy?

As cheerful, childlike music began playing, Qin Jue straddled the brown pony and pulled out her phone.

The girl on the white winged horse wore a floral crown, glancing back now and then with bright, captivating eyes—as if looking past the camera at someone beyond the lens.

The peach blossom wreath on her head was especially vibrant, woven from fresh petals. Pale pink blooms nestled in her dark hair, enhancing her radiant beauty.

Qin Jue’s finger paused on the shutter button. She took several blurry shots in succession, then calmly deleted them, keeping only the most flawless one.

She couldn’t hear the carousel’s music or the children’s laughter around her—only the frantic pounding of her own heart.

That smile Lin Yuebai had given her just now held no restraint, no forced charm—just pure, uncomplicated joy at riding a carousel for the first time.

“Host, your heartbeat is racing.”

“I… have an arrhythmia. I’ll get it checked at my next physical.”

The horse beneath her jolted, forcing Lin Yuebai to grip the pole tightly. Her waist tensed to keep her upper body steady.

Qin Jue stood behind her, able to fully appreciate Lin Yuebai’s taut waistline and its perfect curvature.

Her waist was slender, looking equally striking when straightened.

Thanks to long-term exercise, Lin Yuebai’s waist was more flexible and powerful than most.

From a purely aesthetic standpoint, her physique was flawless. Yet in Qin Jue’s eyes, she thought Lin Yuebai was too thin—she ought to be fed a little more.

Fed until she plumped up, at least enough to avoid anorexia.

Even after stepping off the carousel, Qin Jue couldn’t shake the image of that taut waist from her mind—until Lin Yuebai suddenly took her hand and placed it on her own waist.

“I could feel your gaze on me earlier,” Lin Yuebai murmured, pulling Qin Jue into a secluded corner. Like a magician, she produced an ice cream from behind her back. “Were you staring at me?”

Qin Jue licked the ice cream once, only for Lin Yuebai to immediately bite into the exact spot she had just tasted.

The tips of Qin Jue’s ears flushed slightly, her gaze darkening involuntarily.

The girl’s attempts at acting spoiled were clumsy yet undeniably effective. She pursed her lips, using her tongue to catch the remnants of strawberry ice cream at the corner of her mouth.

“If the teacher praises me again next time, will you take me out to play?”

Lin Yuebai reached out and tugged at the little moon balloon floating in the air, like a cat toying with a feather wand.

“You know my parents favor boys over girls—they’ve never taken me to an amusement park. Qin Jue, jie jie, what should I do? You’re the only one in the world who’d bring me here.”

She wanted Qin Jue to look at her more, to spoil her more. There was a fashion show in Europe in two weeks—she wanted Qin Jue to take her.

“Can you?”

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” Qin Jue replied meaningfully, her gaze lingering on the ice cream as she delivered her villainous line.

“It all depends on your attitude. For someone of your status, attending Fashion Week would be quite the challenge—though not entirely impossible with some… flexibility.”

If not for the system, Qin Jue wished Lin Yuebai would call her “jie jie” more often.

@LinYuebai: [Photo]

“Today, our little moon is a princess riding a white horse!”

“That glance back is stunning—what if Lin Yuebai is confessing to me? Should I accept? If I say yes too quickly, won’t I seem desperate? Ah, such a dilemma.”

“First, OP needs to wake up from this daydream.”

“Isn’t it New Year? Has her agent not gone on break yet?”

“Probably not taken by the agent—this is 100% a girlfriend’s POV…”

“Girls, I think I found the culprit (scratch that) best friend.”

A netizen posted a link in the comments to a vlog by a certain blogger. In a fleeting shot, a young woman in a black business coat stood at the edge of the frame, her sophisticated demeanor hilariously contrasted by a cartoon moon balloon tied to her.

Beside her, a girl in a cap suddenly produced a pink strawberry ice cream from behind her back like magic.

“Alright, alright, the lovebirds went on a date behind our backs.”

“LOL, they haven’t even confirmed their relationship—Qin Jue’s always been positioned as Little Moon’s good friend.”

“…The black coat is so severe, but that cartoon balloon is peak contrast cuteness.”

“Wait, have you all forgotten Qin Jue’s past scandals??”

“She wasn’t debuting as a celebrity, so those can’t even be called dark history. And who can say whether such rumors are true or false? Since Qin Jue and Lin Yuebai got together, have there been any more scandals? Probably because she simply didn’t care about public opinion before.”

“Isn’t it enough that she doesn’t livestream to cash in, doesn’t torture audiences on screen, and doesn’t pretend to be an expert while letting you admire her stunning beauty?”

“Her best friend doesn’t livestream herself, but she’ll stream Little Moon’s content—honestly can’t handle this.”

During her vacation, Zhuang Lan came across a chaotic mess of Weibo hot searches:

Best Friend’s Perspective

Lin Yuebai on Carousel

Moon Balloons Sold Out

Zhuang Lan: “…”

She hesitated, then sent the trending screenshot to her boss. Even during the New Year, she had to work overtime.

Scratching her messy bedhead, Zhuang Lan burrowed back under the covers, dreaming of Lin Yuebai’s skyrocketing fame and her own overflowing profits—until a phone call rudely interrupted.

She reached out blindly, thinking it was her alarm, only to see an unfamiliar number.

“Hello?”

An unfamiliar voice spoke on the other end. After half a sentence, Zhuang Lan shot up from bed.

“Hello, our official account received a private message claiming to be from Lin Yuebai’s parents. They want to expose that she was once engaged to their son—essentially a child bride next door—and now she’s ungrateful…”

Zhuang Lan’s face turned green. She thought they were calling to negotiate hush money, but then came the punchline:

“President Qin is one of our investors. We were instructed to suppress any news about Lin Yuebai first. That self-proclaimed parent sent similar messages to three of our marketing accounts…”

Her heart settled back into place, and she couldn’t help but admire Qin Jue’s foresight. Having a powerful backer sure made things easier, cutting out unnecessary PR work.

“Understood. I’ll verify their identity.”

After hanging up, Zhuang Lan paced anxiously. She needed to meet Lin Yuebai—hoping the big boss would prioritize their relationship and keep vague rumors off the internet.

A child bride? That idiot Lin family son wasn’t even worthy.

Lin Yuebai’s dorm.

The heater was cranked to maximum, the warmth enough to make anyone sweat.

Her bare back glistened as strawberry ice cream melted into the delicate dip of her waist.

A tongue traced her skin, licking away the sweet treat.

Lin Yuebai’s fingers clutched the sofa pillow, her long hair cascading like spilled ink over white leather.

The scent of strawberry ice cream lingered in the air. Sweat dotted her shoulder blades, the hum of the heater buzzing in her ears.

Every rough stroke of that tongue made her shiver. Below her tailbone, a thin scarf—the very one Qin Jue had worn that day—barely covered anything.

Her body, the perfect vessel for ice cream, trembled slightly from the cold against her waist.

Qin Jue behaved like the most proper diner, making no unnecessary movements as he simply rolled the ice cream into his mouth. “It’s delicious, just not as good as the one you fed me at the amusement park.”

The girl on the sofa tensed her feet, wishing Qin Jue would just take her right then and there rather than tormenting her with this drawn-out method of claiming his reward.

“The European Fashion Week in two weeks…”

Lin Yuebai’s face flushed crimson as she felt the ice cream at the small of her back being completely devoured, the unsatisfied diner now licking the plate clean.

Not a single drop of sweetness would be left behind.

Even the fine beads of sweat were lapped away.

Lin Yuebai was vain, she refused to be demure, she… was consumed by greed.

A piece of ice pressed against her shoulder blade.

“You’re sweating so much—let me cool you down.”

“Mmm—!”

Qin Jue’s clothes remained immaculate, as if she could attend the highest-level meeting at any moment. “Depends on my mood,” the villain said.

Hurried footsteps echoed at the door. Both Qin Jue and Lin Yuebai fell silent as rapid knocking sounded, followed by the beeping of the keypad lock.

Zhuang Lan’s frantic voice called out, “Lin Yuebai, are you home? I need to talk to you about something…”

The foyer was separated from the living room by an embroidered screen.

Shadows flickered indistinctly.