Chapter 55 Auntie, I Don’t Want to Try Anymore (Part 1)

“This female side character’s life is just too tragic, gosh.”

Qiao Ruo was the ex-wife of the male lead, Qin Feng. The two had met, gotten to know each other, and fallen in love in college. Right after graduation, they made their relationship official and got married, even holding a wedding despite strong opposition from Qin Feng’s mother, Liang Yin. Qin Feng came from a well-off family. Although his father had passed away early, his mother, Liang Yin, was a strong-willed woman. She raised her son on her own and, with the help of her close friend Liu Qingru, made a name for herself in the fashion industry, eventually becoming a wealthy businesswoman worth over a hundred million yuan.

When Qin Feng was young, Liang Yin was so busy with work that she had no time to care for him and had to rely on a nanny instead. As a result, Qin Feng grew up without parental love and developed a rebellious, willful, and extremely stubborn personality. As he got older, Qin Feng became more and more defiant, refusing to listen to anyone. By the time Liang Yin’s career had stabilized and she wanted to reconnect with her son, he had already shut her out emotionally.

Worse yet, after a huge argument between mother and son, Qin Feng brought Qiao Ruo home and declared she was the woman he planned to marry, demanding money from Liang Yin to hold a wedding. Not just any wedding—but a grand, extravagant event. Naturally, Liang Yin was so furious she nearly passed out on the spot.

From that moment on, Qiao Ruo became a thorn in Liang Yin’s side. She wanted nothing more than to get rid of her.

But Qiao Ruo truly loved Qin Feng. No matter how much Liang Yin made things difficult for her, she refused to leave him. When Liang Yin mocked her coldly, she pretended not to hear and endured in silence. When Liang Yin tried to manipulate her with threats and temptations, she played dumb and stayed quiet, leaving Liang Yin completely helpless.

As time went on, the conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law grew increasingly intense, spiraling out of control.

Qin Feng was Liang Yin’s only son. In her plans, she wanted to find the best possible socialite to marry him—someone whose family background and resources could perfectly complement theirs. That way, their children would live comfortably, receive the best education, and grow up with every advantage. If Qin Feng’s next generation was well-raised, then the Qin family would finally gain a firm foothold in the capital and join the upper class.

Climbing the social ladder was never easy. That’s why Liang Yin found it so hard to accept a girl from an ordinary background like Qiao Ruo. Qiao Ruo was gentle to a fault—timid, soft-spoken, and barely louder than a mosquito. Just the sight of her delicate demeanor was enough to irritate Liang Yin.

Whatever she did, she was hesitant and cautious. She completely lacked the grace and poise of a true heiress.

Liang Yin simply couldn’t imagine Qin Feng bringing Qiao Ruo to formal events. The very thought of it made her feel suffocated. Her old face flushed just from the imagined embarrassment. But the truth was, Qin Feng had brought Qiao Ruo home to spite her. Even he felt embarrassed to be seen with Qiao Ruo in public. So after they got their marriage certificate, Qiao Ruo became a housewife.

In this unequal relationship, Qiao Ruo became incredibly sensitive. She always felt like a plain girl like her didn’t deserve someone like Qin Feng. Coupled with Liang Yin’s constant coldness, her self-esteem plummeted. Even though the family had already hired a housekeeper, Qiao Ruo insisted on doing everything herself—mopping the floor, cooking, laundry—she handled it all.

She stopped dressing up, went bare-faced every day, wore old clothes that were convenient for chores, and toiled like a beast of burden in the Qin household, trying to suppress her inner unease and discomfort.

As Qiao Ruo aged, she didn’t take care of herself and didn’t know the first thing about going to a beauty salon. Gradually, wrinkles appeared on her face, and she constantly smelled like cooking oil. Meanwhile, Qin Feng was living it up outside, surrounded by fragrant young ladies and even more fragrant older women. Used to being around beautifully scented women, Qin Feng returned home, saw Qiao Ruo’s haggard face and smelled the kitchen grease on her, and suddenly couldn’t understand why he’d ever been attracted to such a dull, unfeminine woman.

Qiao Ruo had once been quite pretty—bright and charming, famously the belle of their department. If she hadn’t been, Qin Feng wouldn’t have fallen for her in the first place.

But over time, Qin Feng came home less and less, and the number of women around him grew. One day, Liang Yin deliberately revealed this to Qiao Ruo. Qiao Ruo immediately burst into tears, refusing to believe it. But soon after, Qin Feng brazenly brought another woman home to spend the night.

Qiao Ruo knew her husband was in the next room, fooling around with another woman, but she couldn’t muster the courage to confront him and ask why. That blow devastated her. She fell seriously ill and couldn’t recover, yet blamed herself for not being good enough, not being perfect. Like someone possessed, she dragged her frail body around the house, gritting her teeth as she scrubbed every inch of the floor and tidied every corner.

She believed that if she could just keep the house clean and orderly enough, her husband would come home more often.

Her appearance became so pitiful that even the housekeeper hired by Liang Yin couldn’t bear to watch anymore. The woman finally said, “Ma’am, just let me handle this stuff. You should be out shopping, maxing out Mr. Qin’s credit card, that’s what you should be doing…”

Before the housekeeper could finish, Qiao Ruo snapped at her with cutting words. She thought the woman was mocking her for failing to keep her husband’s heart, and for the first time, she exploded in anger and tore into the housekeeper. After that, no one tried to talk sense into her again. Qiao Ruo’s condition worsened as she sank into sorrow, and in that huge house, no one cared if she lived or died.

She cried every day, her complexion worsened, and she became more and more unkempt.

Meanwhile, as the male lead, Qin Feng, after years of flirting around, suddenly encountered the woman who truly made his heart race—Guo Zao, the female lead. Guo Zao was a proper heiress, but unlike other socialites, she was quiet, introverted, and shy. She blushed at the slightest interaction.

Yu Liuxue, reading this, let out a theatrical cry, “Oh~! This woman is dangerously sweet!”

System: “……” Shut up!

Guo Zao was adorable, petite, and had a top-tier appearance with a gentle and elegant aura. Qin Feng fell for her at first sight. He shamelessly began pursuing her, delighted by the way her face turned red whenever he flirted with her. He could never get enough—each time, it felt like his bones melted under her charm.

At first, Guo Zao kept her distance. She found Qin Feng sleazy and roguish, unwilling to say even half a word to him. But the harder it was to get her, the more determined Qin Feng became. He began loudly declaring his feelings for her and forbade anyone else from courting her.

Qin Feng was dead set on winning Guo Zao over. He started waking up early every day to drive her to and from work, quit smoking, stopped drinking at bars, and refused to touch any woman other than Guo Zao—including Qiao Ruo.

They say men aren’t clueless about women’s feelings—they just pretend to be. The truth is, he simply didn’t love you enough. In front of the woman he loved, Qin Feng was not only thoughtful but also self-sacrificing. When Guo Zao had cramps during her period, he fussed over her like a mother hen, wishing he could take the pain for her. When she was hungry, he drove dozens of miles to buy her favorite desserts, just to please her.

Seeing how sincere he was, Guo Zao still couldn’t open her heart—because she knew Qin Feng had a wife at home: Qiao Ruo.

Just as Guo Zao was about to reject Qin Feng, a sudden crisis struck the Guo family business. In less than a month, her family went bankrupt.

The female lead instantly went from a pampered heiress to a fallen noble. Qin Feng, heart aching for her, took the initiative to tell Liang Yin that he wanted to join the company to learn the ropes—his goal: to become stronger so he could help Guo Zao pay off her debts. At this point, Guo Zao also realized she couldn’t turn Qin Feng down anymore. If she rejected him, her parents would marry her off to some rich old man.

Marriage was a lifelong commitment. Rather than going down that road, she might as well agree to Qin Feng’s pursuit. At least Qin Feng was handsome and genuinely liked her. If she married him, it wouldn’t be too shameful, and those fake friends wouldn’t be able to gossip behind her back anymore.

With her mind made up, Guo Zao’s scheming side emerged. She first put on the act of a stubborn little white flower, even using this reason to reject Qin Feng:

“Qin Feng, I’m no longer the high-and-mighty princess I once was. Now I’m just a debt-ridden Cinderella. I don’t want to drag you down.”

The moment Qin Feng heard this, his protective instincts flared up. Without a second thought, he said, “As long as you agree to be with me, your debt is my debt. I’ll help you pay it off.”

Guo Zao immediately put on a deeply moved expression, and the two kissed on the spot. Passion ignited, they ended up in bed together. Qin Feng took Guo Zao’s first night and cherished her even more, practically wishing he could hold her in his palm and shower her with love.

After securing Qin Feng’s promise, Guo Zao began scheming to edge out Qiao Ruo and officially become Mrs. Qin. After all, Qin Feng no longer had feelings for Qiao Ruo. Since love was gone, she wasn’t really breaking up someone’s marriage.

Just as Guo Zao was getting ready to confront Qiao Ruo, Qiao Ruo was suddenly found to be pregnant.

Qiao Ruo had listened to someone else’s advice and drugged Qin Feng when he returned home, hoping to save their hollow relationship with a child.

When they got the news, Qin Feng and Guo Zao were both stunned and immediately looked grim. Qiao Ruo was pregnant—and it was Qin Feng’s child. Though it wasn’t consensual, Qin Feng had promised Guo Zao he wouldn’t touch Qiao Ruo again. Now, he’d broken that promise. At this moment, Guo Zao gently said, “It’s okay, Qin Feng. I’m willing to wait for you. I’m also willing to quietly stand behind you. I don’t care about titles.”

“As long as your heart is with me, that’s enough.”

The more she said things like this, the more Qin Feng wanted to give her everything. So he went to Liang Yin, and the mother and son discussed the situation. They believed that even a declining Guo family still held more value than Qiao Ruo. If the Guo family made a comeback, it would be worth far more.

So Liang Yin took action.

While Qiao Ruo was pregnant, Qin Feng didn’t visit her even once. On top of that, Liang Yin constantly belittled her—her background, her appearance, her education—mocking her every day as someone who didn’t belong in high society. She kept telling Qiao Ruo how perfect Qin Feng and Guo Zao were together, how well-matched they were in looks and talent. The more Qiao Ruo heard, the more infuriated she became. Her heart filled with sorrow, and already plagued by serious illness, she was eventually angered to death by Liang Yin.

After she died, the Qin family quickly sent her body back to her small hometown and permanently cut ties with the Qiao family.

Qiao Ruo’s parents were simple farmers, barely literate. They only knew their daughter worked far away and rarely called home, so they had no idea what was going on. When Liang Yin told them that Qiao Ruo had committed suicide out of shame after an affair and realizing she was the third party, the couple believed it wholeheartedly. They only mourned their daughter’s misfortune and blamed her for being unclean and dishonorable—bringing shame on them in the village.

After Qiao Ruo’s death, Qin Feng clung to Guo Zao every day, putting on a full adult-rated romance. Not only that, but he suddenly skyrocketed into the role of an elite CEO, becoming the city’s most sought-after bachelor. Thanks to his financial power, the Guo family really did make a comeback—and became even more powerful than before.

As the saying goes, “True love reveals itself in hardship.” Qin Feng’s unwavering support quickly won over Guo Zao’s parents, and the couple naturally held a grand wedding. What followed was a million-word, shameless, post-marriage story of baby-making, endless misunderstandings and reconciliations. After having one son and one daughter and raising them to adulthood, this morally bankrupt soap opera finally came to an end.

Yu Liuxue was dumbfounded. “Alright, what’s Qiao Ruo’s wish?”

The system immediately replied excitedly, “The supporting female lead has a simple wish—just one. She wants those two scumbags to get what they deserve: Guo Zao ruined her family, so someone should ruin hers and let her feel what it’s like to be betrayed by her husband and despised by her mother-in-law. And Qin Feng? He abandoned her coldly. A man like him doesn’t deserve a successful career or a happy family. He should live like a rat in the sewers, never seeing the light of day.”

“Wait a second.” Yu Liuxue interrupted. “That’s just one wish? Did your P.E. teacher teach you math?”

“Sorry, Host. I don’t go to school. So I don’t have a teacher.”

Yu Liuxue: “…” Impressive.

No matter how much Yu Liuxue protested, she couldn’t change the mission assigned by the supporting character. She had no choice but to accept reality. Right now, Yu Liuxue had transmigrated into Qiao Ruo’s body just after graduation—before anything happened with Qin Feng, and before she was brought back to the Qin family.

But that moment was fast approaching.

She was sitting in a café, Qin Feng across from her.

“Qiao Ruo, come home with me today. I’ll introduce you to my mom,” Qin Feng said casually, his tone more like a command than a request.

Yu Liuxue blinked a few times, then suddenly shook her head and softly said, “I can’t, Qin Feng. I’ve got a job interview later.”

The company she was about to interview at happened to belong to Liang Yin’s close friend—Liu Qingru. Back when Liang Yin’s husband died in a car crash, she was still young and had just given birth to Qin Feng. She was devastated and had no idea how to go on. It was Liu Qingru who stepped in, helped her buy a small stake in her company, and taught her how to do business and raise a child.

You could say that without Liu Qingru, there would be no now-wealthy Liang Yin.

Calling Liu Qingru Liang Yin’s lifesaver wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

After hearing this, Qin Feng frowned and said lightly, “Why are you interviewing for a job? After you meet my mom today, we’ll go register our marriage. From now on, you’ll live off me. You won’t have to work. I’ll take care of you.”

Yu Liuxue thought to herself, So this is how Qiao Ruo got tricked by this scumbag. She furrowed her brow in mock hesitation, thinking for a long moment before reluctantly rejecting Qin Feng. In a quiet voice, she said, “But my parents aren’t in good health, and the house needs repairs. I can’t take your money to support my parents, can I?”

That made sense.

Qin Feng fell silent. He was willing to support Qiao Ruo because she was frugal, and once they got married, she would be his woman—naturally, he should provide for her. But if she used his money to support her family, he wasn’t so keen.

After thinking for a moment, he offered a solution. “Come meet my mom today. I’ll have her give you a position at the company. Just go through the motions—doesn’t matter what you do.”

Yu Liuxue couldn’t help thinking: Is this guy an idiot? Her brows furrowed even tighter as she continued in a low voice, “But… what if I don’t perform well? Won’t people in the company talk about me? What if they look down on me because I’m a referral and it ends up dragging you down too?”

That was a legitimate concern.

Qin Feng, in a rush to go drink, stood up irritably and said flatly, “Whatever. Go for the interview if you want.”

“I’m out.”

After Qin Feng left, Yu Liuxue stared at the two cups of coffee on the table. He didn’t pay?! She checked her balance—and nearly blacked out. Just how poor is this Qiao Ruo?!

A balance of only 200 yuan—seriously?

After paying 90 yuan for the coffee, Yu Liuxue was left with just a little over a hundred yuan to her name. As she walked out of the café, she muttered under her breath, “I’ve never been this broke before. Qiao Ruo’s been working part-time for years and lives frugally. How does she not even have a thousand in savings?”

Then, prompted by a friendly reminder from the system, she checked Qiao Ruo’s past expenses—and nearly cursed out loud.

Just a week ago, for Qin Feng’s birthday, Qiao Ruo had gritted her teeth and bought him a pair of Yeezys and an LV men’s bag, completely draining all her savings. That was also why, after a fight with Liang Yin, Qin Feng had impulsively decided to bring Qiao Ruo home to meet his parents—and even considered getting married.

Yu Liuxue was full of regret and started blaming the system. “Why couldn’t you throw me into this book earlier or later? Why did you have to choose the exact moment when I was flat broke? What’s your deal?!”

System: “…” I’ve been wronged…

Money spent was like water spilled—there was no getting it back. Heart aching, Yu Liuxue grabbed a bus card and headed off to the interview. Qiao Ruo had studied design, and the job was for a fashion designer position. Sitting on a bench at the bus stop, Yu Liuxue applied Qiao Ruo’s cheap lipstick—just over ten yuan—and grumbled as she smeared it on, “I’ve never used lipstick this cheap before. System, look at my lips—are they swelling? Am I allergic? They feel hot. And tingly. And burning.”

The system finally couldn’t take it anymore and rolled its eyes. “Host, be honest with me—are you trying to go flirt with some women?”

Oops. Busted.

Three days after the interview, Yu Liuxue got a callback for a second round. A few more days later, she was officially hired. She was overjoyed and reported to work right away—only to realize she had no money. So she was forced to wake up at the crack of dawn every day to ride over an hour of subway to and from work. After long days, she’d come back to the dorm utterly exhausted, unwilling to even move—let alone remove her makeup.

After just a week of working, Yu Liuxue felt like she’d aged ten years.

Yesterday, Qin Feng had another massive fight with Liang Yin. He showed up outside the company building with a grim face to wait for Yu Liuxue. She staggered out of the revolving doors like a beaten-down mutt. Upon seeing him, her face immediately soured.

She stopped in front of him and said weakly, “What now?”

Qin Feng grabbed her hand and said, “Today I’m taking you to meet my mom.”

Yu Liuxue’s heart secretly leapt. Here it comes. Showtime!

Suddenly, she yanked her hand out of his and loudly questioned, “Qin Feng, have you ever considered my feelings?! Do you have any idea how exhausted I am? I’m so tired I could drop dead. And you? All you care about is one-upping your mom, forcing me to go along with your plans!”

“Have you ever thought about me? No. You only think about yourself! How can you be so selfish?!”

Qin Feng: “…?” Has my girlfriend lost her mind?

Yu Liuxue, eyes shimmering with tears, confronted him, “Do you know what I’ve been through at the company this past week? They bullied me because I’m new—copying, making tea, fetching water, ordering takeout, buying milk tea—I had to do all of it! And after I placed the orders, they didn’t even reimburse me!”

“To get you a birthday present, I spent all my savings from the past few years. Now I’m five thousand yuan in debt on Huabei!”

Qin Feng cut in at the worst possible time, “Wait, your Huabei limit’s that high?”

Yu Liuxue: “???”

Is that the point here?!

Realizing he’d messed up, Qin Feng quickly pulled out his phone and sent her a 520 yuan red packet on Alipay. Yu Liuxue took a glance, held out her hand, and said, “Not enough to cover Huabei.”

“Qin Feng, how are you so stingy? I bought you expensive shoes and a designer bag, and you won’t even help pay off my Huabei debt.”

The system jumped in quickly: “Host, please—this is emotional blackmail.”

“Exactly. I’m blackmailing him.”

Qin Feng had no choice but to transfer 5200 yuan to her. Once the money came through, Yu Liuxue lost all interest in talking to him. She flagged down a taxi and said, “I’m going back to school. Bye.”

Qin Feng stared after her retreating figure, suddenly coming to a realization. Wait—if you’re broke, why are you taking a taxi? A single ride costs three to four hundred yuan, you know?! Is that how you racked up over five thousand in debt on Huabei?

Though a million curses swirled in his heart, Qin Feng could only swallow them back down.

What happened to Qiao Ruo? She used to be so frugal. What kind of shock did she go through to start spending like this?

Too bad—he wouldn’t be able to use Qiao Ruo today to piss off Liang Yin.

Meanwhile, Yu Liuxue happily sat in the taxi and told the system, “I’m just taking back what’s mine. Tell me—when Qiao Ruo and Qin Feng were together, did he ever buy her any gifts? No. His girlfriend uses lipstick that costs a few bucks and he doesn’t care. What kind of male lead is that? I’ve never seen such a stingy CEO type.”

“Even after that 5720 yuan, Qin Feng still owes me tens of thousands more.”

System: “…” Math genius, are you?

The system was still reeling from Yu Liuxue’s sheer shamelessness when she suddenly asked, “By the way—how old is Liu Qingru? Is she married? Is she pretty? Is she into men or women?”

Liu Qingru was Liang Yin’s best friend. Yu Liuxue figured she couldn’t be that young anymore.

The system immediately got wary. “What now? Host, are you going after aunties too?”