The Scumbag Ex-Wife of the Heroine in the Old Abusive Article - Chapter 36

The surrounding crowd watched from a distance, no one willing to offer a hand. It was his own fault for bullying others so often.

Now that he’d fallen from grace, the students he’d tormented couldn’t resist the urge to spit on him. Why would they help him up? Even those who hadn’t been directly bullied had long grown weary of his arrogant behavior.

Qin Yang shook her head and approached Qin Zhao. “Let’s go. He brought this on himself. He can’t blame anyone else.”

Without another word, the two left the Academy. Instead of returning to their inn, they made another trip to the eastern bridge and purchased a spacious carriage. Even with four people inside, it wouldn’t feel cramped. The interior walls were padded for comfort, and hidden compartments held snacks and tea for passengers to enjoy.

Qin Yang was pleased with every detail except the price—a hefty one thousand taels of silver for the carriage and horses, a sum she’d barely had time to warm in her hands.

After buying the carriage, they visited a clothing shop and bought two new sets of clothes for each of the four of them.

They were heading to the Capital soon, and they couldn’t keep wearing rough, patched-up clothes.

After finishing their shopping, Qin Yang passed a pastry shop on the way back and bought several of the most popular treats. She hid them in a secret compartment of the carriage for Wen Jin’an to enjoy during the journey, then drove back to the inn.

“Second Sister, we should leave soon. I’m worried Li Feng won’t let this go,” Qin Yang said as she hopped down from the carriage.

Having lost face two days in a row, a wealthy young master like Li Feng, who had never experienced such humiliation, was unlikely to let it rest. He would likely return to cause them more trouble.

Though she hadn’t broken Li Feng’s leg this time, she had thoroughly offended him. If they missed this opportunity, it might be much harder to deal with him legitimately in the future.

Qin Yang felt a pang of regret.

“Alright, I’ll tell Zhiru to pack our things,” Qin Zhao replied.

Her fourth sister was becoming increasingly composed.

Qin Zhao tethered the carriage to a tree across from the inn, and the two sisters climbed to the second floor together.

Qin Yang pushed open the room door to find it empty.

The Female Lead wasn’t there!

Where could she have gone at this hour?

Could she be with Miao Zhiru?

Frowning, Qin Yang turned and knocked on the adjacent room. “Is Jin’an here?”

Qin Zhao shook her head, accepting Miao Zhiru’s packed luggage. “What’s wrong? Isn’t your wife in the room?”

Qin Yang’s heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition rising within her. She turned to Miao Zhiru and asked, “Did Jin’an come to see you today?”

Miao Zhiru replied truthfully, “No, but I knocked on her door this morning. Sister Jin’an didn’t answer, so I assumed she was resting and came back.”

Qin Yang pressed, “Do you remember what time that was?”

Miao Zhiru thought for a moment. “It was shortly after you two left.”

Shortly after they left?

Could Li Feng have taken the Female Lead while she was out?

Qin Yang’s chest tightened. If Li Feng had taken her, things would be disastrous.

Miao Zhiru suddenly remembered something else. “Oh, right! When I was coming back from Sister Jin’an’s room, I overheard a man downstairs asking the innkeeper about you.”

Asking about her?

Qin Yang pressed further, “Did you get a good look at him?”

Miao Zhiru frowned slightly, trying to recall. “I was at the top of the stairs when he was talking to the innkeeper, so I made a point of looking. He was a young man, wearing dark blue clothes. He looked like a servant from some wealthy family.”

A servant?

Based on Miao Zhiru’s description, the man sounded like one of Li Feng’s attendants. He had arrived after Wen Jin’an left, and yet, according to Li Feng’s words earlier, the Female Lead didn’t seem to be in his custody.

Qin Yang let out a small sigh of relief, curling her fingers and pressing her fingertips together.

Where could the Female Lead have gone?

Suddenly, a flash of insight struck her.

Qin Yang immediately rushed back to her room and began searching. She found only her own clothes on the bed; Wen Jin’an’s were gone.

The three silver notes Qin Yang had given Wen Jin’an the night before lay neatly atop her clothes.

So, Wen Jin’an wasn’t taken by someone else—she left on her own.

But why?

Wait.

Could it be that all the effort I’ve put into improving my relationship with the Female Lead has been for nothing?

She still left.

Given the melodramatic nature of this kind of novel, the Female Lead would inevitably encounter the Destined Alpha no matter where she went. Wen Jin’an might have already met him.

The thought filled Qin Yang’s chest with a suffocating weight, like a wad of cotton. It didn’t hurt, but it made it hard to breathe.

She quickly reviewed the timeline to determine the Destined Alpha’s location during this period. According to the plot, he had resigned from his official post after taking responsibility for the war with the Northern Region and retreated to the small town where the Original Host lived, where he would eventually meet the Female Lead.

Even after all this time, I still can’t escape the plot’s pull.

Qin Yang closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down.

She now faced only two options. The first was to flee immediately, preferably leaving Dongling altogether. Even if the Female Lead wielded immense power, her influence wouldn’t extend to other countries. Unlike when she first arrived, Qin Yang was no longer penniless; she had the means to escape, yet inexplicably, she found herself unwilling to leave.

Qin Yang suppressed the strange emotions stirring within her.

The second option was to find the Female Lead and personally escort her to the Capital.

But…

If Wen Jin’an had gone so far as to deceive Qin Yang to escape, why would she agree to return with her?

A sharp pang of bitterness stung the tip of Qin Yang’s nose.

In the end, she resolved to leave Dongling.

Suppressing the ache in her heart, Qin Yang packed her clothes and silver notes into her Space, then stepped out the door.

“Second Sister, take Zhiru to wait for me outside the city. I have some business to settle first, but I’ll join you soon,” Qin Yang said, sniffing slightly.

“Aren’t you going to look for Sister-in-Law?” Qin Zhao frowned.

“Yeah, Sister Qin Yang, why don’t we stay and help you find Sister Jin’an?” Miao Zhiru added.

How would we even begin to look?

Even if we find her, she won’t come back.

Qin Yang remained silent, turning her face away to hide the disappointment in her eyes. She forced a smile, tugging at the corners of her lips. “No need. She might not want to travel with us. You go ahead and wait for me. I’ll catch up soon.”

Though she didn’t know what had happened—they had been fine that morning—Qin Zhao opened his mouth to ask, but ultimately nodded. “Alright. Be careful.”

Qin Yang watched the carriage depart, then headed alone to the Destined Alpha’s residence, as described in the novel.

Green-tiled roofs, red-brick walls, and vermilion gates—the manor exuded the grandeur of a wealthy, influential family.

Standing outside the gates, Qin Yang looked up at the plaque hanging above the entrance: Cheng Manor.

The Destined Alpha had once been the Great General of Dongling, renowned for countless military achievements and possessing considerable wealth.

Compared to him, Qin Yang felt a pang of helplessness.

What could she possibly offer in comparison? The Original Host had been lazy and gluttonous, while the Qin Family were like bloodsucking vampires. Despite her efforts to change, she couldn’t alter the predetermined plot.

At that moment, the vermilion gates swung open from within, and two young men dressed as servants emerged.

Qin Yang pursed her lips and stepped forward, asking, “Excuse me, has a young lady come to the manor today?”

The second servant replied impatiently, “There’s no young lady here. Move along, don’t block the entrance.”

The Female Lead hasn’t met the Destined Alpha?

Frowning, Qin Yang didn’t have time to dwell on it. She hurried after the two servants. “No, really, hasn’t a strikingly beautiful young lady come to the manor today?”

The servants stopped, but didn’t give Qin Yang any trouble. The first servant looked at her and said, “You’re a strange one. If we say no, we mean no. Our master hasn’t been at the manor for days. Where would a young lady come from?”

Not at the manor?

Qin Yang froze, a bad feeling rising in her chest. “Where has your master gone?” she asked urgently.

The first servant replied, “Our mistress is gravely ill. Our master went to Heavenly Kingdom Temple to offer incense and pray for her recovery. If you have business, come back when he returns. Now, we must fetch medicine for the mistress. You wouldn’t want to be responsible for delaying her treatment.”

Qin Yang watched the servants’ retreating figures, her mind in turmoil.

Where has Wen Jin’an gone?

Heavenly Kingdom Temple?

Where is that?

A flicker of confusion crossed Qin Yang’s eyes. She scratched her head and grabbed a random passerby on the street to ask for directions. She learned that Heavenly Kingdom Temple was a mountain temple, a half-day’s ride away on horseback.

Would the Female Lead have gone there?

If not, where else could she be?

This place was unfamiliar to Qin Yang, and the Female Lead, who had grown up in a village, was equally unfamiliar with it.

Moreover, the Destined Alpha’s servant had mentioned that the Destined Alpha had been away from the manor for several days, implying she had been staying at the mountain temple. How could the Female Lead have encountered her there?

It was highly likely the Female Lead had already left the city, and the Destined Alpha, returning from her trip, had met her on the road.

In the novel, the Female Lead had escaped from the Original Host’s home, been injured, and then rescued by the Destined Alpha. But this time?

How could they have met without such circumstances?

Damn it!

The Female Lead might be in danger.

Qin Yang bit her lip and sprinted out of the city. After meeting up with Qin Zhao, they drove their carriage toward Heavenly Kingdom Temple.

“Sister Qin Yang, don’t worry. Sister Jin’an will definitely be alright,” Miao Zhiru reassured her, glancing at Qin Zhao, who was driving the carriage. Her eyes held an unyielding affection; she would never leave Qin Zhao’s side.

Qin Yang lowered her gaze, straightened her back, and leaned against the carriage wall, her expression somber.

The carriage sped through the tranquil forest, sunlight and shadows blurring past in a dizzying retreat.

Miao Zhiru, noticing Qin Yang’s silence, closed her mouth. She still felt a lingering apprehension toward Qin Yang, who had previously been Chen San’s friend. Although their interactions over the past two days had revealed Qin Yang to be a completely different person from Chen San, her innate fear of strangers lingered, making her uneasy.

“Whoa!” Qin Zhao pulled on the reins, bringing the carriage to a gradual halt.

“There’s the sound of fighting ahead,” Qin Zhao said, turning to Qin Yang.

Fighting?

Qin Yang’s heart tightened. She leaned out of the carriage, straining to hear. The dense forest muffled the sounds, but faint echoes of combat drifted through the trees.

She immediately leaped down from the carriage, her sense of foreboding intensifying. “Wait here for me,” she said, then dashed into the forest.

Bursting through the dense foliage, Qin Yang arrived to find the battle already over. In the distance, she saw several fierce-looking men pinned to the ground by a group of guards.

Her eyes immediately locked onto the delicate figure standing amidst the crowd, yet her body froze as if rooted to the spot.

She curled her fingers into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms.

Facing the Female Lead stood a slender Qianyuan, the two engaged in conversation.

So, she had finally encountered her Destined Alpha.

Qin Yang turned away, her eyes betraying her with an unbidden flush of red. Why am I feeling so wronged?

Isn’t this better? The Female Lead can now pursue her destined romance with her Alpha, and I can gracefully withdraw. The world is vast, and I can go anywhere.

Why am I feeling so wronged?

Tears welled up, streaming down her face in silent drops. She raised a hand to wipe them away, but they kept flowing.

Damn it! Why am I crying?