When the Scumbag A Got the Dog-Licking Script - Chapter 24

Since painting the balcony scene that night, Yu Jinzhao hadn’t picked up her brush for three days. She didn’t know where to begin—light and shadow, color, darkness… all these elements swirled in her mind, making her reluctant and afraid to start.

She had always had a habit: when faced with confusion or unresolved issues, she would lie on her bed, stare at the ceiling, and empty her mind.

Back in college, her dorm room had bunk beds with desks underneath. When she climbed into bed, she was always close to the ceiling, and the white ceiling always helped her clear her thoughts.

This wasn’t the familiar white ceiling from her memories, nor was it the ceiling of her old rented apartment. Instead, it was a meticulously decorated, luxurious ceiling, its original appearance completely obscured.

When she was in school, she attended the old campus. The dorm buildings were aging, and if you looked closely, you could see cracks left by time, and occasionally, loose paint peeling from the walls.

Such imperfections were impossible here, yet she felt her heart floating in mid-air, ungrounded. The school she rarely missed now slowly surfaced in her mind.

Those were truly good times—carefree, unrestrained, and full of youthful spirit.

Yu Jinzhao sighed softly, not out of despair, but out of confusion—confusion about the unknown, confusion about her own emotions.

She lay with her hands behind her head, her gaze drifting aimlessly, her thoughts wandering to who-knew-where.

Next door, Pei Daowan remained unaware of Yu Jinzhao’s inner turmoil. She felt a mix of embarrassment and annoyance. After all these years, she still had confidence in her beauty, but Yu Jinzhao’s repeated rejections had bruised her pride.

It wasn’t about romantic feelings; it was about proving that Yu Jinzhao was no different from anyone else—just an ordinary person with the same base desires, not the “good person” everyone claimed her to be.

Several times, knowing Yu Jinzhao was attracted to women, Pei Daowan had subtly flirted with her. Yu Jinzhao seemed genuinely fond of her, but that affection was too pure, too innocent—not the kind Pei Daowan wanted.

She had never loved anyone, nor did she love Yu Jinzhao. The idea of love itself held no appeal for her.

Because of her striking looks, she had faced constant jealousy and ostracism. She despised humanity and had no desire to spend her life with anyone.

The only people she cared about in this world were her mothers, but…

That beast, Yu Xincheng!

The System jolted awake, startled. Normally, it wouldn’t appear without Pei Daowan’s command, but sensing its Host’s intense emotional turmoil, it panicked, fearing she might repeat her past life’s self-destructive path.

“Host! Host! Calm down! Calm down! You must stay calm! That beast Yu Xincheng isn’t worth sacrificing yourself for! Just use Yu Jinzhao’s identity to gradually approach him, and you’ll have no trouble uncovering his crimes!”

“Shut up!”

Pei Daowan’s irritation intensified. She could tell herself she was using Yu Jinzhao, but she didn’t want to hear such words from the System.

The System felt like crying, but no tears came. What to do? What to do? Someone help me!

Suddenly, Yu Jinzhao came to mind. She wasn’t asleep yet—she could definitely help!

“Yu Jinzhao! Yu Jinzhao! Hurry, wake up!”

The System didn’t care what Yu Jinzhao was doing; it immediately began calling out to her consciousness.

Yu Jinzhao blinked, recognizing the System’s voice. It hadn’t appeared in ages.

“What is it?”

“The female lead is experiencing intense emotional fluctuations and showing signs of darkening. You need to go comfort her immediately!”

“Me?”

What right did she have? What status did she possess to presume to comfort Pei Daowan?

“Yes, you’re the one. Hurry up and go.”

Yu Jinzhao pressed her lips together and asked the crucial question: “What caused this?”

“Uh… well…” The System stammered, unable to answer and too afraid to reveal the truth.

Yu Jinzhao’s gaze turned cold. She had finally realized that this System was utterly useless, only appearing when Pei Daowan needed help.

“If you don’t tell me, I won’t go.”

Rushing to comfort someone without knowing the cause could backfire. Besides, if comfort truly worked, the world wouldn’t be filled with so much love, hatred, and resentment.

The System steeled its resolve, closed its eyes, and risked being forcibly shut down by Pei Daowan: “It’s related to her mother. Her mother died under unnatural circumstances. Tonight, seeing something triggered her memories, reminding her of her mother.”

Yu Jinzhao’s pupils constricted sharply. Unnatural circumstances! The investigation results from a few days ago now seemed to confirm her suspicions.

Perhaps the truth wasn’t as simple as the original owner forcefully taking Pei Daowan. Could it have been intentional?

Yu Jinzhao abruptly cut off her train of thought. Seeing only a part of the whole, like glimpsing a leopard through a bamboo tube, I can’t make any baseless assumptions before the full truth is revealed.

“Alright, I understand.”

Yu Jinzhao acted swiftly, without hesitation. She immediately got out of bed, put on her pajamas, and prepared to knock on Pei Daowan’s door.

Knock, knock, knock!

As expected, there was no response. Undeterred, Yu Jinzhao continued knocking.

“Go away!”

Pei Daowan naturally knew what the System had told Yu Jinzhao. She wanted to see no one and say nothing, preferring to be left alone in quiet solitude.

The sharp, icy tone of “Go away!” instantly froze the atmosphere that had been gradually warming between them over the past few days.

Sensing the futility, Yu Jinzhao stopped knocking and spoke in a low voice, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what exactly happened or what you’ve been through. I won’t tell you to let it go. I just want to say that if you’ve been treated unfairly, try to seek justice through proper channels.”

After a pause, Yu Jinzhao continued, “When the law fails to protect your rights, you can consider necessary measures. But the most important thing is to protect yourself. Don’t sacrifice yourself, because once you’re gone, you’re truly gone.”

“Your loved ones wouldn’t want you to live in pain. Of course you should seek justice for them, but the process must be as righteous as the outcome. Only then can everyone live in the light.”

The room remained silent, but the sharp command to “Get out!” never came. Yu Jinzhao stood motionless, her words hanging in the air. With unwavering patience, she waited quietly by the door, separated only by the barrier of wood.

After an indeterminate stretch of time, a soft creak announced the door’s slow opening.

Yu Jinzhao gradually made out Pei Daowan’s figure. Her eyes were slightly reddened, her expression stubbornly resolute, but there were no traces of tears. She looked cold and unapproachable.

Their gazes locked. Yu Jinzhao’s eyes seemed to hold a bottomless lake, deep yet encompassing, as if they could draw Pei Daowan’s entire being into their depths.

Pei Daowan’s eyes were dark and unfathomable, a flicker of fire dancing within them. Time seemed to freeze, all surrounding noise fading into nothingness. In the stillness, something seemed to flow between them.

The next moment, Yu Jinzhao was enveloped in a fierce embrace. The icy fragrance, mingled with the chill of snow, filled her nostrils—for the first time, she truly experienced this cold, ethereal scent.

It was like snow slowly releasing its fragrance under the sun’s warmth, crisp and cool with a hint of moisture, rising like mist and drifting gently through the air. Not cloyingly sweet, but a refreshing coolness that pierced the heart.

Yu Jinzhao froze for a moment, then slowly extended her arms, carefully avoiding certain areas, and gently returned Pei Daowan’s embrace.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. It’ll all pass.”

Pei Daowan didn’t respond with words, only tightening her grip on Yu Jinzhao’s arms.

Yu Jinzhao embraced her completely, with a calm and accepting demeanor.

After a long while, Pei Daowan slowly released Yu Jinzhao. She seemed a little embarrassed, her gaze darting away, avoiding Yu Jinzhao’s expression.

Taking advantage of her height, Yu Jinzhao clearly saw a conspicuous flush on Pei Daowan’s earlobe, as vibrant as a blooming peach blossom in spring, or like a tiny, flickering flame—faint but impossible to ignore.

Yu Jinzhao tactfully refrained from asking what had happened. Instead, she asked, “Feeling better now?”

Pei Daowan didn’t answer directly, only mumbled a “Thank you” before fleeing into her room.

For the first time, Yu Jinzhao saw a hint of awkwardness in Pei Daowan’s retreating figure. She stared at the closed door for a long time, motionless, while the person who had fled inside remained completely silent.

Yu Jinzhao shook her head with a soft smile. This was truly the first time she had felt Pei Daowan open her heart to her, even if only for a fleeting moment. In that instant, Yu Jinzhao had clearly sensed a feeling of being relied upon.

Humans need emotional support, without exception. Yu Jinzhao didn’t know her purpose for being here, so she clung to Pei Daowan as her emotional anchor.

Tonight, she finally truly felt Pei Daowan’s emotional fluctuations. The previous fleeting moments of intimacy and distance had been mere surface bubbles. Only in that embrace did she genuinely sense the real Pei Daowan.

She sighed inwardly, relieved that her long-standing efforts had finally elicited the response she craved.

She couldn’t help but hum a little tune, her voice not particularly quiet. Since she was still standing outside the door, Pei Daowan could clearly hear her humming.

Having composed herself, Pei Daowan no longer perceived Yu Jinzhao’s voice as calm and collected. Instead, it sounded like the smug gloating of a petty villain, radiating an air of “the underdog’s triumph.”

Furious, Pei Daowan flung the door open, snarling, “Is that supposed to be pretty? Stop singing!”

Yu Jinzhao hadn’t expected Pei Daowan to open the door again. She leaned against the frame, her eyebrows arching playfully, a mischievous smile hinting at a hint of wantonness.

“I actually think it sounds quite nice. I sang it at a freshman welcome party back in college, and a lot of people complimented me on it.”

Something about those words seemed to trigger Pei Daowan. Her voice turned sharp with resentment as she gritted her teeth, “Attention-seeking.”

Yu Jinzhao’s smile remained unchanged. “I do wish I could truly capture someone’s attention, especially a certain someone’s.”

The final phrase, “a certain someone,” was delivered with deep meaning, her gaze fixed intently on Pei Daowan.

Pei Daowan couldn’t help but want to sigh and rub her forehead. How had she never realized Yu Jinzhao had the potential to be such a playboy?

“Stop teasing!”

Yu Jinzhao’s eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze long and luminous, as if boundless tenderness lay hidden within their depths. Her pupils seemed to hold a shallow river, reflecting Pei Daowan’s own image.

After a long moment, Yu Jinzhao averted her gaze, gathering her composure. She murmured wistfully, “If only we could have met under different circumstances…”

Perhaps then, I would have fallen hopelessly in love with you, and I would have fought to win your heart.

Pei Daowan didn’t respond. She didn’t know what to say, nor did she delve into the deeper meaning behind Yu Jinzhao’s words. She wanted to retreat into her shell like a turtle.

Yu Jinzhao continued, “Actually, I’m not really someone who’s obsessed with looks. I’m certainly moved by beauty and can be captivated by it—that’s human nature, and I’m just an ordinary person, so I can’t avoid it. But what’s more enduring than physical beauty is the person themselves—the soul beneath the surface.”

“When I first saw you, I was truly stunned. I felt you were the most beautiful person I had ever seen. This isn’t flattery; it’s simply stating a fact. Later, I became drawn to other qualities—things I can’t quite articulate or put into words.”

Pei Daowan remained silent. Yu Jinzhao felt a pang of frustration but pressed on, “I want to understand you—your past, your childhood, your likes and dislikes, your…”

Yu Jinzhao suddenly paused, unsure how to continue. She had never truly loved anyone before. The youthful infatuation she had experienced in her youth barely qualified as love. Now, standing before Pei Daowan, she realized with a jolt that everything she had felt before was pale and insipid.

She couldn’t explain the motivation behind her words, nor did she understand the psychology driving them. All she knew was that the overwhelming emotion had struck her so suddenly, so unexpectedly, that Yu Jinzhao was completely unprepared to defend against it.

She didn’t even know when she had started to feel drawn to Pei Daowan. They had only known each other for a little over two months, and if she counted, they hadn’t even exchanged that many words.

She found it all rather baffling, because there was no logical basis for her feelings. Perhaps it was love at first sight—or rather, love at every sight, each time they met!

“I agree to let you understand me!”

Yu Jinzhao’s eyes lit up almost instantly, the shock still lingering in their depths. She stared intently at Pei Daowan, her gaze bordering on impolite.

“You…”