Transmigrated into a Historical GL Novel as the Scumbag Heroine - Chapter 9

Cheng Yu’s smile was faint, but her gaze was firm. With just one sentence—”Exclusively supplied to me, Cheng Yu”—she made her intentions unmistakably clear.

Qiu Luo immediately relaxed. So, she wasn’t backing out, just changing the contract’s recipient.

To Qiu Luo, it didn’t really matter whether she supplied to Cheng Yu personally or to the Cheng family. Either way, the deal stood.

Relieved that Cheng Yu wasn’t there to break the agreement, Qiu Luo handed over the contract and turned to fetch paper and brush. With a cheerful smile, she said, “If that’s the only change, then it’s simple. I’ve got no objections.”

Cheng Yu nodded lightly, the smile still on her lips. “Two copies.”

The contract was quickly redrafted with just the single change. They each stamped their fingerprint and private seal—one copy apiece.

Only then did Qiu Luo ask, “What made you change your mind? Are you planning to build a private enterprise now?”

Cheng Yu didn’t hide the truth. Thinking of her father’s abrupt shift in attitude, the smile faded from her lips.

“Father wants me to focus solely on my studies. He wants me to take the juren exam next spring and follow the official path.”

Qiu Luo blinked in surprise. If she remembered correctly, in the original novel, although the heroine was a gifted scholar and had topped her cohort in the qualifying exam, she eventually gave up her literary ambitions.

Because the Cheng family had been merchants for generations and she was their only child, the heroine had abandoned the scholarly path to enter the business world instead.

She hadn’t disappointed anyone. With her brilliance and strategic mind, she quickly elevated the Cheng family business and became a prominent figure in the ancient commercial scene.

The story made it clear: as much as she excelled in literature, she loved commerce more.

After all, money couldn’t buy everything, but it certainly made life easier—and judging by the plot, the heroine valued freedom and ease.

Qiu Luo probed gently: “So, are you really going to abandon business and focus entirely on your studies?”

Cheng Yu quietly tucked away her copy of the contract and asked instead, “What do you think?”

Qiu Luo understood instantly. She carefully folded her own copy and raised her brows.

“I think personal happiness matters most. We only get one life—just a few short decades—so why not live joyfully?”

She already understood Cheng Yu’s true choice. This amended contract was all the answer she needed.

Cheng Yu nodded in agreement. “I couldn’t agree more.”

She, too, believed happiness came first. She loved the freedom of the marketplace—the thrill of strategy, of making sharp decisions and seeing results.

Qiu Luo now fully realized that Cheng Yu intended to hide this business from her family and build something of her own. As her contractual fiancée and partner, she gave a serious assurance:

“In a hundred days, my family’s seedless watermelons will exceed your expectations. But since this is now a deal between the two of us—not between me and the Cheng family—Miss Cheng, would you be willing to take our partnership one step further?”

If the heroine no longer had the Cheng family or its restaurant chain behind her…

Qiu Luo had a new idea.

Cheng Yu lifted her eyes, calm and curious. “I’m listening.”

The sun was beginning to set. Soft amber light filtered through the paper windows, casting a warm golden glow over their faces.

Qiu Luo pulled out two fresh sheets of paper and placed them on the table.

“I have no objection to exclusively supplying you with the seedless watermelon. But I wonder—what are your plans for sales and distribution? If you’re open to it, we could expand our collaboration.”

Watermelon was a wonderful fruit—her personal favorite. Whether spring, summer, autumn, or winter, she could eat it anytime.

In the modern world, watermelon wasn’t just served in fruit platters. It became juice, shaved ice, jelly desserts, lozenges… The possibilities were endless.

As someone obsessed with making money, Qiu Luo knew better than anyone that the female lead—favored by fate in the original story—succeeded at anything she attempted.

Working with her now, at the very start of her journey and before she gained her family’s backing, was a golden opportunity.

Cheng Yu’s brow furrowed slightly as she looked at her, then picked up the brush and said simply, “Go on.”

That was a clear sign she was interested—and wanted to see what Qiu Luo had in mind.

Qiu Luo drew in a deep breath.

“I assume your first plan is still to work with restaurants—after all, that’s the Cheng family’s area of expertise. But serving seedless watermelon only as part of fruit platters is too limited.

We could expand the market. I can provide the ideas and tools—you’d handle the sales side. I can even supply the seedless watermelons for free. You’d cover other expenses, and we split the profits 50-50. What do you say?”

Admittedly, that wasn’t exactly fair to Cheng Yu. After all, she’d be providing the venue, managing operations, handling labor and sales. Qiu Luo would only be providing the product.

But good partnerships needed clear boundaries, especially since they weren’t family. Fifty-fifty was a fair offer—not too high, not too low.

Qiu Luo expected Cheng Yu to bargain. Her bottom line was 30%. Any less, and she’d rather just stick to supplying fruit and collect passive income.

What she didn’t expect was that Cheng Yu didn’t even haggle.

She merely paused, slightly furrowed her brow, then refined Qiu Luo’s wording and wrote out their third contract.

Qiu Luo was stunned. So straightforward? She didn’t even try to negotiate?

Cheng Yu had no intention of bargaining. To her, leaving the Cheng family and starting a business under her own name was both a risk and an opportunity.

Qiu Luo’s seedless watermelon lowered the risk and increased the potential reward.

A 50-50 profit split? Totally acceptable.

Right now, Cheng Yu wasn’t aiming for quick profits—she wanted a foothold. She needed to establish a presence in the business world.

Once her reputation was secured, the road ahead would be easier.

You couldn’t rush success. Sometimes, sharpening your tools came before chopping wood.

Just like in studying, business needed patience. Plant the roots well, and the tree would grow strong.

Qiu Luo beamed. “Then it’s settled. Don’t worry—if I come up with anything new in the future, you’ll always be the first to receive it.”

Cheng Yu smiled faintly. “A promise is a promise.”

She genuinely looked forward to working together.

They exchanged a cheerful glance, both in excellent spirits.

Just then, the maid Xiao Miao knocked on the door.

“Miss, we need to head back now. It’s getting late.”

The sun had set. Although Qiu’s village wasn’t far from town, the roads would be dangerous in the dark, and the gates would close soon.

Besides, her mistress had already gone missing for one night during the Mid-Autumn poetry gathering. She couldn’t afford another.

Cheng Yu gathered the two contracts and said gently, “I’ll head back now.”

Qiu Luo nodded and walked her to the gate.

It was already dark. The coachman drove more cautiously this time, not as quickly as before.

They still had time to make it back before the gates closed.

Back at the Qiu household, Qiu Erlang had just returned from outside.

“Big Sis, why didn’t you ask Sister Cheng to stay the night? It’s so late—sending her back now is kind of rude, isn’t it?”

“Stay where? We only have two rooms. She didn’t come alone—she’s got a maid and a coachman. Should we have them sleep on the floor?”

Qiu Luo shot him a look, then patted the contracts tucked safely into her coat. Her heart brimmed with hope.

She had officially deviated from the original host’s path. Clearly, staying on the heroine’s good side was the smartest move.

Like the saying went: even a pig can fly if it’s caught in the wind.

And right now, she’d hitched herself to the heroine’s rising tide. How could she not get rich?

If she could earn enough, she’d live freely—travel the rivers and mountains, enjoy the world. That was her ultimate dream.

Qiu Erlang dismissed her concerns.

“I could’ve gone out for the night! If it helps you marry into the Cheng family, I’d sacrifice anything! Sleeping on the street’s no big deal for me!”

Qiu Luo gave him a look. “Stop dreaming. Go clean up—we need to monitor the watermelon fields tomorrow. There can’t be any slip-ups. Whether we live rich or poor depends on your performance.”

Qiu Erlang puffed out his chest.

“Don’t worry! I may not be good at much, but keeping workers in line? That I can do.”

He wasn’t skilled or literate, but he could supervise the fields and keep people from slacking—especially now, when his future prosperity depended on it.

His sister had passed the exam and formed ties with the wealthiest family in town. Erlang’s confidence in her was soaring.

But Qiu Luo remained wary.

She wasn’t ready to hand things over entirely—not yet. Better to watch the fields herself starting tomorrow. She couldn’t risk mistakes.

One error might cost her more than money—it might break the heroine’s trust.

She’d only just climbed aboard this ship. She wasn’t about to fall overboard now.

Just as they were talking, the Cheng family’s carriage turned back around.

Qiu Luo’s face twitched. She gave her brother a frosty look.

“Erlang, I think the most important thing in life is keeping your word. I really admire your sense of sacrifice just now—so either go find somewhere else to sleep tonight, or sleep in the courtyard.”

Erlang blinked, speechless. He hadn’t meant any of that! He’d been sure Cheng Yu wouldn’t stay, so he talked big—never imagining his words would boomerang on him before the tea even got cold.

He opened his mouth, met his sister’s meaningful gaze, and sighed in defeat.

Behind him, Qiu Luo reminded sweetly,

“And clean your room properly. Don’t let her maid think we’re uncivilized.”