Transmigrated as a Scum Alpha Cannon Fodder, Sweetly Pampering the Heroine - Chapter 22

Xu Jinman slowly sat down on the sofa and picked up the document.

Shen Shu had reached the peak of her disappointment with the Shen Family and had already resolved to leave that deep pit. Naturally, she no longer needed to sacrifice herself to fill the family’s financial holes.

Moreover, after the Cai Ying and Chen Xiaxia incident, it seemed there was indeed no reason for Shen Shu to continue.

Divorce wasn’t a big deal. The original plan to help Shen Shu was already on track. If Shen Shu ever faced trouble in the future, Xu Jinman wouldn’t mind offering assistance as a friend.

It was just… did Shen Shu make this decision without a moment’s hesitation? Was she really that worthless?

In the silence, footsteps approached from the balcony. Xu Jinman glanced up and saw Shen Shu walking toward her.

“It was drafted when we got married,” Shen Shu said, noticing the document in her hand. She casually walked past the sofa to the kitchen to get a glass of water. “I was looking for something under the coffee table earlier and accidentally found it.”

Accidentally…?

So this wasn’t about divorce?

Xu Jinman glanced at the coffee table. Shen Shu had a study; why would such a document be kept here?

But it didn’t matter anymore.

The corners of her tightly pursed lips relaxed, her tone casual yet tinged with the satisfaction of something tangible finally falling into place.

“Oh, what should we have for dinner tonight?”

Before they could decide, Shen Shu received a call from Cai Ying. As she was about to hang up, she walked into the living room and stopped in surprise—Xu Jinman was washing dishes in the sink.

When Xu Jinman had mentioned cooking earlier, Shen Shu had assumed she was joking.

“Are you really going to cook?” Shen Shu asked.

“I’m actually quite good at it,” Xu Jinman replied.

“……” Cai Ying erupted on the other end of the line: “You! What are you two doing?!”

Shen Shu hung up and sent Cai Ying a photo of Xu Jinman cooking.

Cai Ying: !!!

Cai Ying: Let’s find a Taoist priest.

Shen Shu: ?

Cai Ying: To exorcise the ghost inside her! I suspect she’s been possessed!

Shen Shu smiled wryly. Though it was a joke, it wasn’t far from the truth.

She watched the woman washing vegetables in the kitchen.

Xu Jinman had put on an apron, her light brown hair twisted back with a chopstick. Her pale arms looked even whiter under the kitchen light, except for a faint bluish bruise on her elbow.

Has the scar on her right hand fully healed yet? This woman always seems to be getting injured.

Shen Shu thought absently, If what Cai Ying said were true, and the person inside her now was a ghost, I’d rather it be a ghost.

After all, humans are far more terrifying than ghosts.

Half an hour later, two bowls of tomato and egg noodles sat on the table.

Shen Shu took two silent bites. Xu Jinman chuckled, “Is it really that bad?”

“No,” Shen Shu replied truthfully. “I thought it would be a feast.”

“……”

Xu Jinman: “Miss Shen, your refrigerator is practically barren. I did my best.”

Shen Shu found her tone amusing. “I know.”

Shen Shu lowered her gaze. She was lying.

She had taken out the divorce agreement that morning, but her mind had suddenly changed while Xu Jinman was talking to her on the balcony.

With the recent scandal involving Cai Ying and Chen Xiaxia, divorcing now might invite trouble from someone like Yin Xue. Though Xu Jinman had once seemed like an Evil Ghost, she now offered protection to Shen Shu and those around her.

Besides… Shen Shu found the current Xu Jinman quite agreeable.

Let’s get through this period first, she thought.

“What did you want to tell me?”

Shen Shu’s gaze flicked to Xu Jinman’s apron. The Winnie-the-Pooh ears puffed out on either side of her chest.

She had bought this apron online, but after it arrived, she found it odd and had never worn it.

Her gaze shifted slightly as she said slowly, “I… went to an audition today.”

“Really? That’s great!”

Shen Shu was certain Xu Jinman knew about her past, yet she was still surprised to see no trace of shock on Xu Jinman’s face.

Xu Jinman’s response was, “There are many ways to live. You should live however makes you happy. Why exhaust yourself worrying about others? While you can still rely on me and the Xu Family, you should take advantage of it and climb up. In short, do whatever you want. If you want to act, go for it. I’ll cover for you if anything goes wrong.”

Such an unexpected answer.

Even Cai Ying, upon hearing Shen Shu’s decision to return to acting, tried to dissuade her.

Re-entering the industry halfway through seemed unrealistic.

In truth, Shen Shu hadn’t given it much thought. The phone call had simply reminded her of her days in the drama club.

Back then, she still had dreams.

She still felt joy.

So she wanted to find a new way to live, just as Xu Jinman had said. Why couldn’t she live for herself for once?

“Xu Jinman.”

“What is it?”

“It tastes good.”

The corners of Shen Shu’s eyes curved slightly, and Xu Jinman suddenly felt a string in her mind tremble.

A week passed, and the combination lock remained unsolved.

Lu Yun called Xu Jinman, saying she wanted to visit her place on short notice. Xu Jinman consulted with Shen Shu, “She might stay for a few hours.”

Shen Shu didn’t hesitate.

Twenty minutes later, she opened the door.

Shen Shu: “……”

Xu Jinman, dragging her suitcase, said, “I was worried she might notice something was off… Didn’t you say it was okay?” What’s with this reaction?

Shen Shu pulled out her phone and saw another message beneath the earlier one: Or maybe overnight.

The notification must have been delayed; she’d replied “Okay” before it popped up.

Seeing this, Xu Jinman asked, “Should I leave then?”

Shen Shu stepped back. “…… Come in.”

After hanging up the clothes from her suitcase, Lu Yun suddenly changed her mind and said she wasn’t coming after all.

Lu Yun had been the one urging her to set a time to visit, and now she’s canceling? Xu Jinman called back, but after a few rings, the line went busy.

This is just like last time… Lu Yun is acting so strangely.

As she pondered this, Lu Yun sent a voice message. Her tone sounded normal, simply explaining that she had urgent matters to attend to.

Xu Jinman decided to drop it.

Still—the Xu Family’s mess seemed even bigger than she’d thought.

Shen Shu brought the laundry in from the bedroom balcony and saw Xu Jinman packing clothes into a suitcase. “Just leave these here,” she said. “In case she wants to come over again.”

Xu Jinman thought it made sense; they weren’t short on space anyway.

After rehanging the clothes, Shen Shu passed by Xu Jinman, who inadvertently caught a glimpse of black lace in her hand.

Shen Shu prepared two dishes: stir-fried vegetables and green pepper beef. After they finished eating, Xu Jinman carried the bowls to the sink.

For a fleeting moment, Shen Shu experienced a ridiculous illusion—this felt like a fulfillment of some fantasy she held about domestic life.

An hour later.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Shen Shu said, getting up.

Xu Jinman adjusted the combination box in her lap. “Okay, I’ll leave right away.”

“…” Shen Shu said, “I’m not rushing you out.” She never went to bed before 11 p.m.

Xu Jinman looked up in surprise, but Shen Shu had already closed the bathroom door.

The combination box was wrapped in three layers, its contents unknown. Considering its importance, Xu Jinman decided not to leave it at the hotel. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was still before 9 PM and lowered her head to continue fiddling with it.

Faint rustling sounds drifted from the bathroom, followed by the soft trickle of water…

Xu Jinman’s hands froze on the combination box.

Something’s been off with my thoughts lately.

She set the box down and walked to the refrigerator, grabbing a can of strawberry wine. It was low in alcohol, sweet, and fragrant.

Xu Jinman’s throat felt parched.

She finished the strawberry wine in no time. Her original body had been a drinker, so this low-alcohol beverage was like water to her. She didn’t give it a second thought.

Shen Shu emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a robe over her pajamas. She paused when she saw Xu Jinman asleep on the sofa.

Xu Jinman lay on her side, one leg draped over the other, a glimpse of her toned calf visible beneath the flowing European-style gown.

Perhaps sensing the gaze, Xu Jinman drowsily cracked open an eye.

Shen Shu: “You seem quite weak.”

Xu Jinman: “…?”

Why don’t you try me?