Transmigrated into a Historical GL Novel as the Scumbag Heroine - Chapter 34

Qiu Luo found herself gazing absentmindedly at Cheng Yu, whose gentle smile felt almost mesmerizing.

Noticing her unreserved stare, Cheng Yu pressed her lips together, a faint flush creeping up her earlobes.

“I’ll return to the residence now,” she said softly.

“Oh, alright. I’ll walk you out.”

The two stood up together, but their gazes subtly dodged each other. The air between them was oddly delicate.

Back in the main hall, Qiu Erlang spotted Cheng Yu boarding her carriage and rushed over.

“Sis, you won’t believe it!”

“What is it?” Qiu Luo asked casually.

With a conspiratorial wink and lowered voice, Qiu Erlang whispered, “Guess how much Sister Cheng gave me as a gift? Six hundred taels—and a golden ruyi lock! Can I keep it? I swear I won’t spend it recklessly.”

He had just opened the pouch and found six banknotes, each worth a hundred taels, neatly stacked, along with a pure gold ruyi-shaped lock. He had been stunned on the spot.

Sister Cheng was so generous! He’d never owned so much money in his life, let alone seen such a gleaming, beautiful golden ornament.

Still, years of habit made Qiu Erlang instinctively ask his sister for permission. After all, he’d never kept any money for himself before—every bit of income had always gone to fund her schooling.

Now that she had become a licentiate and was even partnering with Cheng Yu in business, he hoped to start saving for himself—perhaps even open a restaurant one day and become a real boss.

Qiu Luo looked down the now-empty road; Cheng Yu’s carriage had already departed.

“Well, since it’s a gift from your Sister Cheng, just keep it for yourself.”

People often said how someone treated your family reflected how much they cared about you.

Whether it was money or not, the thought behind it mattered more. Qiu Luo couldn’t help thinking: maybe Cheng Yu did care about her—enough to care about her brother too.

With Qiu Erlang’s post–New Year shop assistant job settled, Qiu Luo took the chance to visit a few other shops. She had to admit—Cheng Yu had real business talent.

Though she rarely visited in person and usually sent her maid to check the books and collect reports, all the shopkeepers followed her orders meticulously. Everything ran smoothly and steadily.

That meant Qiu Luo didn’t have to worry much—just check in occasionally.

Before long, New Year’s Eve arrived at the Cheng residence.

Madam Cheng glanced at her daughter, who seemed a bit distracted, and teased,

“Judging by your expression, are you missing Qiu Luo?”

Cheng Yu smiled faintly, but her tone carried a touch of melancholy.

“I wonder how she’s spending the holiday.”

Madam Cheng understood the source of her daughter’s wistfulness.

The Qiu siblings had no elder relatives. They had relied on each other for years, and their New Year was likely a lonely one.

She sighed.

“If your father were still the man he once was, we could’ve invited them over for reunion dinner. It would’ve been a warmer celebration.”

Her husband had once doted on her and followed her lead—such a thing would’ve been easily arranged back then.

But times had changed. Now, he hung on the words of Concubine Tang, treating his legal wife with contempt and impatience.

If Madam Cheng invited the Qiu siblings without his consent, it would surely cause unpleasantness.

Cheng Yu replied calmly,

“No need to trouble yourself. Father likely isn’t concerned with others right now.”

It had been days since he’d shown his face—too busy attending to Concubine Tang. Ever since her pregnancy was confirmed at Mid-Autumn, eight or nine months had passed—she was due soon.

That was why he no longer objected to her proposed marriage and even supported it.

Because Qiu Luo came from a poor background, she posed no threat to the family’s status.

Before, he had wanted her to marry into wealth, like the Shen family. Now, he’d rather she wed someone powerless and unimportant.

Unlike ordinary families where siblings supported one another, the Chengs were too wealthy—wealth could blind.

Now completely under Concubine Tang’s influence, Father Cheng wasn’t thinking about his daughter’s happiness. He was worried she might compete with his precious son for the family inheritance.

Madam Cheng understood this too. She lowered her head slightly, eyes stinging.

After all, this was the man she had loved for years—her husband. Yet now, he had become a stranger she had to guard against.

At that moment, Concubine Tang appeared in the courtyard, supported by two maids.

“Little sister greets elder sister,” she said in a syrupy tone, but with no genuine respect.

Madam Cheng raised her eyes and responded coolly,

“You’re heavily pregnant. Focus on resting—you don’t need to greet me anymore.”

In truth, since the pregnancy, Concubine Tang hadn’t stepped into the main courtyard. Her arrival today was like the sun rising in the west.

Tang paused, then said with feigned innocence,

“Elder sister mustn’t say that. The doctor advised me to walk more. My courtyard is too cramped, and I just happened to walk here. You don’t mind, do you?”

Normally, concubines weren’t allowed in the main courtyard—they lived in side wings. Tang was no exception.

But now, her words hinted at a deeper desire—to claim the main courtyard. And perhaps, after giving birth, even covet the position of legal wife.

The implication made Madam Cheng boil with silent fury. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, her daughter gently took her arm.

Cheng Yu smiled faintly and said,

“Aunt Tang isn’t an outsider. She can walk wherever she likes. Mother, I have something to tell you—let’s go inside.”

She led her mother back to their rooms, ignoring Concubine Tang standing outside.

Once inside, Madam Cheng grasped her daughter’s hand.

“Yu’er, once you pass the provincial exam, I’ll accompany you to the capital for the metropolitan exam. Let her have this courtyard—it means nothing.”

Cheng Yu patted her mother’s hand and replied softly,

“Alright. If you no longer want to return, then this house isn’t worth coming back to.”

Their father didn’t care for her mother, was suspicious of her, and they had to contend with a scheming concubine. Could this even be called a home?

Madam Cheng nodded. Just then, a shrill voice rang out from the courtyard.

“Ow! Hurry, call the physician!”

The entire household descended into chaos.

Madam Cheng remained calm—she had anticipated this day. She just hadn’t expected it to come this soon.

Tang couldn’t even wait until childbirth—she couldn’t wait to cause trouble.

Lying in bed with exaggerated cries, Tang was already plotting how she’d twist the story later.

She had expected Madam Cheng to scold her, giving her the perfect excuse to play the victim.

But those two didn’t take the bait. No matter—she rubbed her belly and whispered,

“Good son, Mother will clear every obstacle for you. This Cheng family will belong to us, just us.”

When Father Cheng finally arrived, he found Tang clutching her belly, weeping softly.

Startled, he asked,

“What happened? Is the baby alright?”

Tang sobbed,

“The physician said I’ve upset the fetus. If it happens again, the baby might not survive. Please don’t be angry—it’s all my fault…”

As she spoke, she watched his expression, her maids chiming in at just the right moments to support her tale.

They claimed Tang had woken up feeling stiff and stifled. She’d decided to take a walk and pay respects to Madam Cheng. But Madam Cheng ignored her, slammed the door in her face, and made her wait in the cold.

With her legs aching and nerves frayed, Tang had upset the fetus.

“That wicked woman—she just can’t stand our Cheng family having an heir!” Father Cheng raged and stormed off to confront the main courtyard.

Facing her furious husband, Madam Cheng didn’t even lift an eyelid.

Father Cheng became angrier.

“Tang is pregnant! Not only did you not care for her—you made things worse! Do you realize what could’ve happened?!”

She listened to his accusations with calm indifference and quietly asked,

“So whatever she says, you believe. And whatever I say—doesn’t matter, does it?”

It wasn’t about who said what anymore. He had already made his choice. Between his pregnant concubine and his legal wife, he had chosen the former.

Father Cheng paused, irritated.

“Are you saying she made it up? Did you even speak to her? Did you not close the door on her? If something happens to that child, I swear I’ll— I’ll…”

“You’ll divorce me? Why wait? Write the letter now. That way, if anything happens, you won’t have to blame me.”

“You—you’ve become so unreasonable. So narrow-minded. Always talking about misfortune. You couldn’t give me a son, and now you resent others who can, don’t you?”

Madam Cheng was silent for a long time, then let out a bitter smile.

Father Cheng, seeing that expression, felt his rage flare—but also a twinge of guilt.

They had once loved each other deeply. For a brief moment, he considered letting it go.

But then, Madam Cheng’s next words reignited his anger.

“If you still care at all, write the divorce letter now. Better than turning into enemies in the future.”

She was done. This house no longer felt like home.