Transmigrated into a Historical GL Novel as the Scumbag Heroine - Chapter 20

Outside the private room, the maid and the page stood watch. Inside, Cheng Yu sat calmly, silent.

Shen Yanding attentively poured tea, his face clouded with hesitation, wanting to speak but holding back.

After a moment of silence, Cheng Yu, unwilling to waste time, said calmly, “I have no romantic feelings for you, Young Master Shen. All these years, I’ve regarded you as a younger brother.”

“But I’m not your brother, Cheng Yu. I’ve come of age. I’m a man—why won’t you see that?” Shen Yanding’s voice trembled with urgency, regret welling up inside him. He should have confessed earlier.

He had waited—waited to come of age, waited for top scores in the imperial exam—and in the end, all he got was the news that Cheng Yu would marry someone else.

Cheng Yu lowered her gaze slightly, her tone serious.

“I do see that. And precisely because I see it, I must speak plainly. My heart belongs to Qiu Luo. I won’t allow her to suffer on my account. If you insist on making things difficult for her, then you’re making things
difficult for me. If you intend to see me as an enemy, Young Master Shen, I will not back down.”

Shen Yanding’s fists clenched involuntarily.

The woman before him spoke coldly, without a hint of sentiment, even going so far as to declare herself his enemy.

An enemy.

The woman he loved now saw him as an adversary. How ridiculous.

“I don’t understand what I did wrong,” he said bitterly. “How am I inferior to that Qiu Luo? I loved you first, Cheng Yu—this isn’t fair.”

Cheng Yu’s voice remained composed:

“You may believe your status is higher than hers, but in my heart, no one surpasses her. Life was never fair to begin with, and people’s hearts always weigh some heavier than others. That’s all I have to say. I hope you understand. I’ll take my leave now.”

She rose and walked out, leaving Shen Yanding alone in the elegant room.

Only two untouched cups of hot tea remained on the table.

He sat there for a long time, then let out a bitter laugh.

“Bring me wine.”

But the person who brought in the wine wasn’t his page—it was Lu Jiaojiao, the county magistrate’s daughter, who had somehow arrived unnoticed.

“Miss Lu?”

“I’ve come to share a drink with you,” she said, sitting down and pouring the wine herself.

Just as Shen Yanding was infatuated with Cheng Yu, Lu Jiaojiao had long held a quiet love for him—for the young man who looked like a noble jade.

Shen Yanding lowered his head and drank in silence, his heart growing heavier.

There’s no such thing as fairness. In Cheng Yu’s heart, he’d never hold as much weight as Qiu Luo.

What should he do?

So this is what it feels like… to love and not be loved in return.

A man who had always been admired was now tasting the bitterness of helplessness for the first time.

Before he could finish the next pot of wine, a hand stopped him.

Lu Jiaojiao stood by his side, holding his wrist tightly, eyes burning.

“Cheng Yu is no longer a virgin. Why cling to her? Why not look at someone else for once?”

A flush from the wine tinged her cheeks, her eyes heavy with longing. But in Shen Yanding’s eyes, her words were like a needle—piercing, stinging.

“Cheng Yu is no longer a virgin.”

“Shut up!” Shen Yanding exploded with rage. “Don’t you dare speak about her like that. Shut up!”

All the frustration he’d been suppressing since leaving Cheng Yu now erupted.

He violently pulled away, throwing Lu Jiaojiao off balance.

Silence fell like a stone in the room. Shen Yanding slammed the wine cup on the table and left without a backward glance, not sparing her even a second look.

Of course, he understood the meaning behind the magistrate’s daughter’s words.

But when your heart doesn’t care for someone, it’s truly cold.

There is no pity. No warmth.

Was Cheng Yu to him… just as he was to Lu Jiaojiao? A nuisance?

How ironic.

Lu Jiaojiao steadied herself, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. She clutched her silk handkerchief tightly and turned to her maid, who had just entered.

“Xiao Fang, let’s return to the manor. We’ll leave for the provincial capital tomorrow.”

She had already ruined Cheng Yu’s reputation out of desperation. And yet, it had not earned her even a glance from the man she loved.

Better to end this hopeless obsession and focus on merit and career than descend into madness from jealousy.

If she didn’t leave now, she feared she might one day become a monster—one consumed by hate and resentment.

Maybe she already had.

Lu Jiaojiao had figured it out.

But Shen Yanding hadn’t.

The things you can’t have are always the hardest to let go of.

He wanted Cheng Yu.

He refused to let go.

So once again, he sent a trusted servant to spy on Qiu Family Village.

—

At Qiu Family Village, Qiu Luo had just received a reassuring letter from Cheng Yu, stating that the matter with the Shen family had been settled, and there should be no further trouble.

But not long after, Uncle Er Zhu reported that a new sneaky-looking man had appeared in the village—clearly another servant of the Shen family.

Qiu Luo was speechless.

Had the heroine really handled things? Was it really over?

“Miss Qiu,” Er Zhu said worriedly, “should we inform the young lady? I’m concerned the Shen family’s young master isn’t going to let this go.”

Qiu Luo frowned.

“Uncle Er Zhu, please go to the county seat and tell her everything—exactly as it happened.”

There was no reason to hide Shen Yanding’s surveillance from Cheng Yu.

Don’t bother with lines like “so she won’t worry”—you have to know when to pick your battles. Right now, she was up against a powerful male lead. There was no advantage to be gained, and saving face would only lead to disaster.

More importantly, this could affect her and Cheng Yu’s partnership. Full transparency was vital.

She wasn’t someone who pretended to be strong. If she couldn’t fight, she’d hide. If she couldn’t hide, she’d borrow strength. And if that failed, she’d redirect the conflict.

Avoid harm. Seek gain. Human nature, plain and simple.

Uncle Er Zhu tugged at his black beard, then left for town in his carriage. Qiu Luo, meanwhile, headed to the greenhouse.

There she found Qiu Erlang, happily munching on half a watermelon.

Qiu Luo’s voice turned frosty.

“Erlang, now I see why you let Uncle Er Zhu go alone—you’ve lost yourself in gluttony.”

He hadn’t even invited his dear sister to share.

Qiu Erlang grinned, face full of joy as he took another juicy bite.

“Sis, I really didn’t know what I was missing before. These seedless watermelons—so sweet, so satisfying. You’ve got to try it.”

Earlier that day, when Er Zhu mentioned some watermelons were ripe, he couldn’t resist.

How ripe were they? Only one way to find out—eat them. A critical task like that couldn’t be left to anyone else, so he nobly sacrificed himself for a taste test.

And yes—they were sweet.

Qiu Luo took the half-melon and dug in.

Delightful. Absolutely worth it.

It was time to pick a batch and send them to the Cheng estate.

“Erlang, do you know how to tell which watermelons are ripe?”

Erlang blinked, then replied earnestly,

“Nope. I just waited until Uncle Er Zhu tapped on a few of them. I made a secret mark on those. Pretty clever, huh?”

Qiu Luo nodded.

“Somewhat clever. Not much.”

Luckily, if Er Zhu could tell the ripe ones, then things would be simple.

So now, besides driving the carriage, Uncle Er Zhu had a new official job: watermelon selector.

The siblings gorged themselves in the greenhouse.

Before heading home, their conscience kicked in—they handed over one ripe melon to the two guards, and brought another one back for Uncle Er Zhu.