Transmigrated into a Historical GL Novel as the Scumbag Heroine - Chapter 8

Watching the radiant spark in Qiu Luo’s eyes, Cheng Yu’s expression grew more serious. She fell silent for a moment before finally nodding.

“I can agree to this. Let’s draft a preliminary agreement. We can negotiate the price later. If what you say is true, you can go ahead and plant with confidence. If this works out, my family’s restaurants will need plenty of fruits.”

If Qiu Luo failed to grow seedless watermelons, the Cheng family wouldn’t suffer any loss. But if she succeeded, it would only bring benefit—there was no downside.

Especially that line—”exclusively supplied to Cheng’s establishments.” Cheng Yu was quite pleased. That clause must be included in the contract.

If Qiu Luo could truly cultivate such seedless watermelons and provide them exclusively, Cheng Yu could use that to expand her business reach and gain a stronger foothold in the marketplace.

With Cheng Yu’s agreement, Qiu Luo finally felt at ease. Sales were no longer a concern. As for how to sell, well—that was the female lead’s problem now.

“Yes, a formal contract is necessary,” Qiu Luo said.

Business is business. This way, both sides could rest assured.

From their discussion alone, Cheng Yu could already tell that Qiu Luo had a real interest in commerce. Recalling what she’d heard earlier, she couldn’t help but ask, “I heard you’ve been very diligent with your studies. Why the sudden interest in business? Are you still planning to take the provincial exam next year?”

Though Qiu Luo didn’t seem especially gifted in academics, she made up for it with effort. With continued diligence, passing the provincial exam wasn’t out of reach.

Qiu Luo shook her head slightly. She wasn’t the original Qiu Luo, after all. The original had stopped studying entirely after marrying Cheng Yu into wealth and later, twisted by greed, ended up in prison.

As for her, she knew nothing of poetry, essays, or imperial exams. Money and happiness were far more appealing.

“I’m planning to go into business,” she said frankly. “Not taking the exam. I’m getting older—I need to start thinking about how to make money.”

It was a joke, but seeing Cheng Yu’s stunned expression, she quickly added,

“Just kidding. You’re still young—twenty-something is a great age.”

If she remembered correctly, the female lead was three or four years older than the original Qiu Luo.

In both modern times and now, Qiu Luo was twenty, so Cheng Yu must be twenty-three or twenty-four—still young indeed.

Cheng Yu smiled faintly and picked up her brush. Funny, they’d known each other for barely ten days, yet were already about to sign their second contract.

“Take a look. Anything you want to add?”

Qiu Luo walked to the desk. The calligraphy on the white sheet was elegant and bold—quite pleasing to the eye.

She read through it carefully. Even if the business partner was the story’s noble heroine, when it came to personal interests, caution was still necessary—especially since they weren’t that close yet.

After reviewing it, she took the brush to sign her name—then hesitated.

Instead, she handed the brush back. “I hurt my hand recently. It shakes when I write. Let’s just use a fingerprint and a stamp instead.”

She could read traditional characters but writing them was difficult—and her handwriting differed greatly from the original Qiu Luo’s. Better not to risk suspicion.

Cheng Yu glanced at her slender, unblemished fingers.

“Was it serious? Did you see a doctor?”

Qiu Luo instinctively felt guilty, and her fingers trembled right on cue.

They locked eyes. No words spoken, but each thinking the same thing—reminiscing about that reckless night.

Her voice faltered. “It’s not from that night when we…”

Oops. That just made it worse.

Cheng Yu pressed her lips together, gaze shifting sideways. Clearly, she understood what Qiu Luo had almost said.

“Anyway, I’m fine now. I’ll head back,” Qiu Luo said hurriedly. The atmosphere had grown oddly tense, and she felt flustered.

They were here to talk business—why did it suddenly feel like something else entirely?

Cheng Yu turned and replied calmly, “The contract should be in duplicate. I’ll draft another.”

“No need,” Qiu Luo waved a hand. “I’ll just stamp and fingerprint this one. You can copy it later.”

With that, she quickly affixed her seal, bid a hasty goodbye, and left.

Only after stepping outside did she realize—wait, what if Cheng Yu writes something sneaky?

So much for being cautious and thorough! She’d gotten careless.

But going back now to check would only make things more awkward.

Qiu Luo grew anxious. All her earlier thoughts about romance had evaporated. Hopefully, the female lead had a trustworthy character and wouldn’t take advantage of her…

In the study, Cheng Yu looked at the sheet—only a fingerprint and a red seal, not a single word written.

She twirled the pen in her hand for a moment, then put the sheet away without adding anything.

Just then, her maid Xiao Miao burst in: “Miss! Something’s happened—Concubine Tang is pregnant!”

Earlier that morning, Concubine Tang had gone to greet the Madam. Midway through the visit, she’d suddenly cried out in dizziness and collapsed.

A physician had been summoned. The diagnosis: pregnancy.

Upon hearing this, Father Cheng scolded his wife and rushed off to escort Concubine Tang back to her quarters with great care.

Cheng Yu’s expression cooled. “Be careful what you say. This is good news.”

Her father had always hoped for a son. Now, in his fifties, to have such fortune… it was good news.

But her heart felt heavy. She went to see her mother.

Madam Cheng, as expected, was quietly wiping away tears. When she saw her daughter, she forced a smile.

“Yu’er, you heard, didn’t you? That Tang woman made it seem like I mistreated her. I didn’t even say anything harsh before she fainted. And your father…”

She stopped herself, realizing these grievances weren’t suitable to tell her daughter.

Cheng Yu gently took her arm.

“Mother, I know you’re not that kind of person. You’ve never mistreated her—people like them just love to play the victim.”

Her kind reassurance made Madam Cheng tear up again. Her daughter understood her, but her husband—who’d shared her bed for decades—apparently did not.

The love of their youth now felt like a cruel joke. In her husband’s eyes, she was a bitter old woman, incapable of even tolerating a concubine.

Cheng Yu sighed silently. People always chase novelty.

A man who once swore eternal devotion now looked down on the aging wife beside him, all for a younger body.

It was as if the only one aging in this house was her mother. Father Cheng still saw himself as youthful and virile, convinced that young Concubine Tang truly adored him.

How laughable is a man who has no self-awareness.

“Don’t be sad, Mother. You still have me. One day, Father will come to his senses.”

Madam Cheng scoffed softly.

“He’ll only grow more foolish with age. I’m not worried about myself—I expected this from the moment she entered our home. I’m worried about you.”

She didn’t elaborate, but Cheng Yu understood. And her mother’s concern was not unfounded.

Because just days later, Father Cheng—once content to drink wine and live a leisurely life—began taking back control of the family business.

He was proud of Cheng Yu’s talents, yes. But if she were a son who could carry on the family name, he’d be even prouder.

Now, with the promise of a son from Concubine Tang, his once-trusted daughter no longer seemed so agreeable.

If she kept all the power while he aged, what would happen then?

So, he began to rein things in.

“Yu’er, I’ve been feeling reinvigorated lately. I believe I can manage things for a few more years. But I’ve thought it over—you really should go to the capital and sit the imperial exam.

A daughter of mine, with such scholarly talent, should become a top-ranking official. You can’t let business hold you back.”

Cheng Yu looked at her once-loving father. His words were dignified, but his eyes gleamed with wariness and calculation.

Just one sentence dismissed all her efforts of the past year. He would no longer allow her to manage the family’s affairs.

Though she preferred business over bureaucracy, Cheng Yu knew she had no power to object.

Father Cheng still held the reins. Everything belonged to the Cheng family—not to her.

“Yes, Father. I’ll begin preparations immediately.”

Hearing her so obedient, he felt a rare flicker of guilt. “Good girl. You’ve always been so reliable. Don’t scrimp on anything—you have full access to the household funds.”

Cheng Yu nodded. But once back in her study, she took out the unsigned, unstated contract and told her maid,

“Xiao Miao, prepare the carriage. We’re going to Qiu’s village.”

It was late autumn. Leaves swirled in the wind like withered eggplants struck by frost.

Qiu Luo was sweeping leaves at the gate when she saw Cheng Yu step down from her carriage, assisted by her maid. She quickly set her broom aside and walked over.

“Cheng Yu? What brings you here this late?”

She glanced at the darkening sky. Surely nothing urgent… Wait—could it be she changed her mind? She doesn’t want the seedless watermelons?

Turns out she guessed right.

Once inside, Cheng Yu produced the blank contract, face serious.

“We need to rewrite the agreement. If your seedless watermelons really succeed, they won’t be supplied to the Cheng family’s restaurants.”

“…What?”

Qiu Luo pulled out her copy and compared it to the completely blank one in Cheng Yu’s hand. Her heart sank. She knew it—never should’ve let her guard down. Her golden opportunity had flown the coop.

“How do you want to rewrite it?”

So much for integrity. Not very heroine-like behavior.

Seeing the flicker of anxiety in her eyes, Cheng Yu chuckled.

“Just one change. The watermelons won’t be exclusive to the Cheng family—they’ll be exclusive to me. Supplied to me, Cheng Yu, personally.”

Trusting others is risky. Even one’s own father can fail.

Only by relying on herself could she ensure her and her mother’s future.

If Concubine Tang truly bore a son, things would only worsen for her and her mother.

Cheng Yu had always known: to survive, you must seize control. Even if she had to let go of the Cheng business, she would build her own.

Before things got any worse, she had to prepare—

A future where, even without the Cheng name, she could stand tall.

A future where her mother would still have security.