Chapter 110: From a Scumbag’s Ex-Girlfriend to His Stepmom (Part 9)

Yu Liuxue didn’t dare make a sound. She stood obediently in front of Song Linxian, her face full of innocence, though her bright eyes burned with intensity—like a puppy gazing adoringly at its master. Song Linxian lazily beckoned her over, and Yu Liuxue dove into her arms without hesitation. “Sister, why are you here?”

“You have no idea. While I was home visiting my family these past few days, I missed you so much I couldn’t eat or sleep. I tossed and turned all night. Without you by my side, even the bedsheets lost their warmth.” Afraid Song Linxian would question her, Yu Liuxue took the initiative and rattled off the excuse she’d just come up with.

She clung to Song Linxian affectionately, carefully holding her fingers, her pretty face tilted up in a bashful smile. “I’m really so happy to see you today!”

Song Linxian: “……”

She finally saw through her—this little thing was all talk, always running her mouth. But the moment things turned south, she’d immediately fold and apologize without a shred of backbone. No one flip-flopped faster than her.

Song Linxian leaned in and hooked a finger under her chin. “But weren’t you the one who ran off behind my back?”

Here it comes! Yu Liuxue’s body stiffened, and she instantly squeezed out two big, glistening tears, looking utterly pitiful. “Sister, how could you say that? You’ve been so good to me—how could I bear to leave you? I wish I could stick to you every second of every day!”

The System couldn’t help but applaud. Beautifully said! So convincing it almost believed her!

Before Song Linxian could respond, the little chatterbox in her arms kept going. “I actually did try to call you, but my phone suddenly ran out of credit. Then I got caught up with family stuff and forgot to top it up.” Yu Liuxue gave her a sweet, innocent smile. “Don’t worry, Sister—I swear I’ll never disappear on you again!”

Song Linxian’s expression didn’t change. “That’s the fifth time you’ve said that to me.”

Yu Liuxue: “…?” Really? That’s… kind of awkward.

Luckily, Song Linxian didn’t seem interested in holding it against her. She had come specifically to drag Yu Liuxue back to deal with Chi Yang. Chi Yang was hell-bent on marrying into the family, and since both she and Xu Cen were already in their forties, some things were better left to someone younger like Mu Wan to say. Besides, with Mu Wan around, Chi Yang might actually behave herself a little.

Once Yu Liuxue figured out Song Linxian’s plan, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of familiarity.

In the end, it was the System that cleared things up for her. “Host, isn’t your Sister Song just like you? Loves stirring the pot and fishing in troubled waters?”

Basically, she was just someone who enjoyed making a mess.

Yu Liuxue had a sudden epiphany. She rolled up her sleeves. “No one’s better at this kind of thing than me.”

Though Song Linxian’s goal was to bring Yu Liuxue back to cause chaos, before they left, she made sure to settle some scores at the hotel. Yu Liuxue lay on her side, wrapped tightly in Song Linxian’s arms from behind. A wandering hand on her leg gently stroked her skin, making her shiver. She quickly yawned. “Sister, I’m sleepy.”

Song Linxian paused, then let go and rustled around behind her. A moment later, she pulled out a silk sleep mask and gently covered Yu Liuxue’s eyes. “Go to sleep.”

As the words left her mouth, she deftly unhooked Yu Liuxue’s bra with one hand.

Under the warm red canopy, when Yu Liuxue opened her eyes again, she was half-dead. She swore under her breath, “System, I swear to the heavens, I’ll never tell another lie again! If I break this vow, I’ll—”

“Mu Wan, didn’t you still have three thousand yuan left on your phone plan?” came Song Linxian’s calm voice from behind.

Yu Liuxue instinctively turned around. Their eyes met, and she saw that beautiful face—smiling without warmth, with a faint hint of danger lurking beneath.

Three seconds later, Yu Liuxue frowned in mock confusion. “Then why couldn’t I get any calls through before? Maybe I was in a tunnel with no signal?”

System: “…” Ha. A woman’s mouth is the devil’s playground.

Song Linxian slowly scrolled through her phone. “There’s no record of any outgoing calls either.”

Yu Liuxue: “…” Is it too late to apologize now?

After being thoroughly tormented by Song Linxian, Yu Liuxue ended up flying back on her private helicopter. Chi Yang was still holed up in her room, brewing some grand scheme, so Yu Liuxue had no choice but to keep getting pushed around by Song Linxian—at this point, they’d practically run through every trick in the book.

Just when she thought she was about to drop dead, Chi Yang finally made her move. Yu Liuxue was so excited it was like watching the sun rise over a golden mountain—she was ready to charge into battle and lay down her life.

After careful planning, Chi Yang confided in her closest girlfriends with a troubled look, telling them she was pregnant. While receiving their sympathy, the gossip-loving girls also spread the news that she was carrying Liu Yan’s child. Within a week, practically everyone in their circle had heard.

Once she achieved the desired effect, Chi Yang nestled into Liu Yan’s arms, crying like a weeping beauty. Stroking her rounded belly, she looked up at him with tear-filled eyes and asked casually, “Liu Yan, have you thought of a name for our baby?”

Liu Yan’s heart melted the moment he saw her cry. He softened his voice and replied, “It’s still too early to think about names. Besides, we don’t even know if it’s a boy or a girl yet.”

At the mention of the baby’s gender, Chi Yang lowered her head slightly and asked offhandedly, “Then do you want it to be a boy or a girl?”

Liu Yan didn’t really care. Boy or girl, it was still his own flesh and blood. “As long as it’s from your belly, I’ll love it.”

Chi Yang squeezed her palm and sighed softly. “Actually, I want two kids—a big brother and a little sister. That way, when the brother grows up, he can protect his sister, keep her from being bullied, and help you out too.”

Liu Yan thought about it. It did make some sense, but he frowned. “But… we can’t exactly choose the gender ourselves, can we?”

Chi Yang had already gotten the answer she wanted, so she brushed it off with a couple of casual remarks, then nestled back into Liu Yan’s arms, her tone soft and probing as she tried to gauge his thoughts. “Liu Yan, I heard from my parents about Aunt Xu and Aunt Song’s attitude. Honestly, I don’t think it’s a good idea to live with the in-laws after marriage—it’s just asking for conflict. But from what Aunt Xu and Aunt Song said, are they really planning to just wash their hands of you once we get married?”

“That’s normal. They never really took care of me growing up anyway,” Liu Yan replied nonchalantly, even cheerfully. “Yangyang, once we get married, we’ll receive 1.88 million. That’s more than enough for the down payment on this place. But… before that, you’ll have to put up with some hardship with me. Don’t worry though—I’ll build a better future for you and our child!”

Chi Yang: “…”

Something felt off.

Wasn’t Liu Yan supposed to be a rich second-generation heir? Shouldn’t his parents be buying him a house and a car outright for his wedding? She thought about the Liu family, the Xu family, and even his birth mother—they weren’t poor. So why couldn’t they pay in full? Why did he have to “work hard” for it himself? Chi Yang’s expression darkened. “But Liu Yan… aren’t your parents really wealthy?”

Liu Yan’s face turned serious. “Yangyang, no matter how much money they have, it’s still their money. They worked hard their whole lives for it—it’s their retirement fund. Yangyang, I can start from scratch and earn us a big villa and a Maserati. Don’t you believe in me?”

“It’s not that I don’t believe in you, it’s just…” Chi Yang hesitated. She did want to marry Liu Yan, but she had envisioned a life of luxury, not one where she’d be stuck at home raising kids and doing chores like a housemaid. She didn’t want to end up a worn-out housewife. What would her girlfriends think of her then?

Chi Yang was growing increasingly dissatisfied. This wasn’t the life she had imagined at all.

But Liu Yan didn’t notice. He was still lost in his own dream. “I’ll start at my dad’s company from the bottom. The salary’s only four or five thousand a month, but I’ll learn a lot. Once I’ve built up enough experience, I’ll become a manager, then a director, and eventually take over the company…”

With every word Liu Yan spoke, the world in front of Chi Yang grew darker. By the time he finished, she couldn’t listen anymore. Her face was pale. “Liu Yan.”

Liu Yan quickly stopped. “Are you feeling nauseous again? I’ll go get—”

Chi Yang shook her head and grabbed his arm, her mood sinking. “I’m fine. I just… I want to be alone for a bit. Liu Yan, you should go.”

Liu Yan actually left. Chi Yang bit her lip in frustration. How could this man be so insensitive? She lay back on the bed, her heart full of confusion and disappointment. None of this was what she had planned. If she had to start from scratch with Liu Yan and be the woman behind his success, would he still love her once he made it? Would he stay faithful?

Would he cheat?

She’d be the one bearing his child, raising it, managing the household—would that guarantee his love forever? Once the spark of love faded and Liu Yan no longer had feelings for her, she’d be a divorced mother. How could she ever find a good man again?

Chi Yang’s eyes grew resolute. One last try. If it still didn’t work… then screw it all. Let everything fall apart.

The female lead was about to make her move, and Yu Liuxue immediately went on alert. As the designated villainess in this melodramatic world, it was her job to drive the plot forward. She snapped her fingers. “System, let’s guess what the heroine’s next move will be… I’m betting she’ll use me to get rid of the baby and earn a truckload of sympathy points.”

System: “…” As expected of you—peak melodrama!

Chi Yang waited patiently. Two weeks later, the opportunity finally came. It was the birthday of a wealthy socialite who had rented out an entire hotel for the celebration and even invited celebrities to liven up the party. The atmosphere was electric.

Yu Liuxue arrived early with Song Linxian, while Chi Yang had already dressed up meticulously at home. She’d even broken the heel of her high heel on purpose, planning to tumble down the stairs in front of everyone and pin the blame on Mu Wan. Mu Wan was Liu Yan’s ex-girlfriend—she had both motive and opportunity. This way, Chi Yang could not only get rid of the baby but also gain everyone’s sympathy.

First, the miscarriage wouldn’t be her fault—it was because someone had pushed her. Second, once the baby was gone, she’d have no ties left to Liu Yan. If he turned out to be just a clueless dreamer, she could still cut her losses and find someone better.

Chi Yang’s scheme was airtight. When Liu Yan came to pick her up, he was worried. “Yangyang, there’ll be a lot of people at the party. It’s not safe. Why don’t you stay home and rest? I’ll stay with you.”

Not go? That wouldn’t do at all. Chi Yang shook her head weakly. “I’m going stir-crazy at home. It’s rare to have something fun going on—let me go out and get some fresh air.”

Seeing how pale and downcast she looked, Liu Yan gave in. She had been cooped up for a while, and a change of scenery might do her good. As long as he stayed by her side the whole time, nothing should go wrong.

The two arrived shortly after Song Linxian and Yu Liuxue. As soon as Chi Yang got out of the car, she began scanning the crowd for Yu Liuxue. “Have Aunt Song and Aunt Xu arrived yet? If they have, let’s go greet them.”

But after searching for a while, she still couldn’t spot Yu Liuxue. Chi Yang felt a wave of disappointment. Had she not come yet?

Liu Yan had no idea what she was really up to. He smiled gently. “You’re pregnant—it’s hard to move around. Just rest here. I’ll go say hi to Mom and the others.”

Chi Yang: “…”

What had she ever seen in Liu Yan?

But since things had already reached this point, she couldn’t push any further without seeming suspicious. She sat quietly in a corner, but her thoughts were already racing toward Yu Liuxue. She was desperate to know where the other woman was and when she’d get her chance to execute her plan.

Meanwhile, Yu Liuxue was secretly observing Chi Yang. She was so focused that she didn’t even notice when Song Linxian came up behind her. Song Linxian watched her silently, noting the shifting expressions on her face—frowning one moment, smiling the next. Curious, she followed her gaze to Chi Yang, who was seated beside Liu Yan.

Chi Yang’s belly had grown noticeably—no amount of clothing could hide it now. She was also glancing around, clearly searching for someone.

Song Linxian narrowed her eyes. Could her son’s girlfriend be looking for Mu Wan? But why? She was already pregnant with Liu Yan’s child, and Mu Wan… was now on her side.

A sudden sense of foreboding rose in Yu Liuxue’s heart. The moment she noticed Song Linxian standing beside her, she jolted in shock. “Sister, what are you doing here?”

There was something dangerous in Song Linxian’s gaze that made Yu Liuxue instinctively take a step back, her heart pounding. What’s going on? What did I do wrong this time? Did she catch me in another lie?

Seeing her reaction, Song Linxian’s suspicions were instantly confirmed. She stepped closer, her voice low as she called her name, “Mu Wan.”

Yu Liuxue forced a smile. “Sister, is there something you need?”

“Do you think she’s pretty?”

Yu Liuxue: “…!” That’s not it! I didn’t! I’m innocent! I was gathering intel!

But Yu Liuxue had told so many lies by now that Song Linxian didn’t believe a word she said. Not only did she not believe her, she even dragged her into a corner for a proper scolding. By the time Yu Liuxue finally managed to escape and looked around, Chi Yang was already gone.

She couldn’t help but panic. Hopefully, Chi Yang hadn’t really gone through with her plan—what if she ended up pushing her down somewhere and causing her to miscarry?

From a distance, Chi Yang spotted Yu Liuxue looking anxious and Song Linxian with her usual calm expression. Her heart leapt with joy, and even her steps grew lighter. Though Liu Yan was usually a bit dense, she immediately noticed Chi Yang’s odd behavior. “?”

Why does my girlfriend look so happy every time she sees her ex?

She keeps saying there’s nothing between her and Mu Wan, but clearly, she’s still into her and just doesn’t realize it! A wave of sorrow washed over Liu Yan again. Her girlfriend was about to become a mother, yet she still couldn’t let go of her precious white moonlight?

What does Mu Wan have that I don’t?

I’m strong, ambitious, and good-looking—perfect husband material!

Once the Sherlock Holmes in Liu Yan’s brain kicked in, it wouldn’t stop. She noticed Chi Yang’s unusually bouncy steps, the fleeting glimmer of relief in her eyes, and even the barely audible sigh of contentment. Liu Yan clenched her fists and stared warily at Yu Liuxue, full of suspicion.

Yu Liuxue, suddenly on the receiving end of the male lead’s hostility, was utterly baffled: “???”

Chi Yang had thought her plan for today was doomed. She’d searched everywhere and still hadn’t found Yu Liuxue. Just as she was about to give up, she suddenly saw her walking out of the restroom. In that instant, it felt like a thousand fireworks exploded in her mind.

Afraid that Yu Liuxue might slip away again, Chi Yang instinctively quickened her pace. “Aunt Song, Mu Wan!”

A flicker of displeasure crossed Song Linxian’s eyes. Why did her son’s girlfriend sound more affectionate when calling her girlfriend than when addressing her?

Was her son’s girlfriend secretly after her own girlfriend?

As Chi Yang drew closer, she immediately sensed the intense hostility radiating from her future mother-in-law. She subconsciously slowed her steps. Had she gotten too excited and let her composure slip, upsetting Song Linxian?

She quickly straightened up, adopting the refined poise of a wealthy heiress. Every movement was graceful and elegant. She turned to Yu Liuxue. “Mu Wan, didn’t you say you’d come to my place to pick up some bird’s nest when you had the chance? It’s been over half a month now. If it weren’t for my inconvenient condition…”

Reminded by the female lead, Yu Liuxue suddenly recalled that she had indeed said something like that. She gave an awkward smile. “Sorry, I totally forgot. How about I go home with you today and pick it up?”

Chi Yang’s eyes lit up, and she eagerly agreed, “Sure!”

She couldn’t help but smile to herself. Mu Wan had walked right into this one. After confirming the plan with Yu Liuxue, she turned to Song Linxian. But before she could say a word, Song Linxian had already turned to Liu Yan and said, “It’s too crowded here. Take her somewhere quieter to rest.”

On the surface, it sounded like concern for Chi Yang’s well-being, but the underlying message was clear—she was being sent away. Chi Yang bit her lower lip in frustration. She had worked so hard to seize this opportunity. How could she give up now? But Song Linxian had spoken, and she had no choice but to obey.

After sitting quietly and playing a game for a while, Chi Yang seized the moment when Liu Yan wasn’t paying attention and quickly sent Yu Liuxue a message: “Meet me on the second floor.”

Yu Liuxue was just about to check her phone when she felt Song Linxian’s casual gaze land on her. She blinked guiltily. “Sister, one of my classmates is here today. I wanted to go say hi… Just five minutes, I’ll be right back, okay?”

Under her pleading gaze, Song Linxian slowly nodded.

Yu Liuxue left with a perfectly straight face, but Song Linxian’s eyes lingered on her back, unreadable. Chi Yang also found an excuse to slip away from Liu Yan. She was a little worried that Yu Liuxue might not show up, but when that beautiful figure slowly approached, she was momentarily stunned. She had to admit—Mu Wan was truly stunning.

In the past, she had that serene, aloof beauty that made people feel she was putting on airs. But now, perhaps because she had Song Linxian’s support, her confidence had bloomed into something bolder. Yet this new aura wasn’t off-putting—in fact, it was rather charming. She seemed lively and playful.

While Chi Yang was lost in thought, Yu Liuxue had already walked up to her.

“Chi Yang, you wanted to see me?” Yu Liuxue glanced around subtly. This was a blind spot for surveillance cameras, but it was connected to multiple stairways—people could pass by at any moment. Clearly, Chi Yang had carefully chosen this spot. Yu Liuxue couldn’t help but complain to the System, “If she’s this smart, why not use that brain to make money instead?”

The System replied, “Isn’t that just like you, Host? You’d rather lie back and enjoy life than work hard too.”

Yu Liuxue: “?” Was that shade?

Chi Yang snapped out of it and gave a soft smile. She had already messaged Liu Yan, Xu Cen, and Song Linxian, telling them she had something important to discuss with Mu Wan. Now all she had to do was pretend to twist her ankle, fall down the stairs, and pin the blame on Mu Wan. Then everyone would pity her.

With victory seemingly within reach, Chi Yang’s smile grew brighter and brighter. “Mu Wan, I really do feel bad for what I’m about to do to you… but I have no choice.”

“Mu Wan, you know… if you hadn’t been Liu Yan’s ex-girlfriend, I never would’ve chosen you.”

As Chi Yang said those words, she caught a glimpse of someone rushing over from the corner of her eye—it was Liu Yan! Her heart leapt with joy. Without missing a beat, she reached out to grab Yu Liuxue’s hand, then pretended to be pushed by her. Twisting her ankle, she leaned backward and fell dramatically toward the hard staircase.

Yu Liuxue: “!!!” That fast?!

Just then, Song Linxian strode out from the side and caught Chi Yang. Pulled back by Song Linxian, Chi Yang landed ungracefully on the ground, sitting in a heap. She saw Liu Yan and Xu Cen running toward her in a panic, and at the same time, Song Linxian’s calm voice sounded in her ear, “Mu Wan, did she scare you?”

Chi Yang couldn’t help but go: “?”