Chapter 111: From a Scumbag’s Ex-Girlfriend to His Stepmom (10)

Chi Yang watched as Song Linxian strode quickly toward Yu Liuxue. Her usually cold eyes now held a trace of worry. In the blink of an eye, she reached Yu Liuxue and pulled her into her arms, gently stroking her head. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

Chi Yang: “……”

Xu Cen and Liu Yan, who had just arrived: “……”

Song Linxian’s heart was clearly leaning toward the South Pole. The one who almost got pushed down wasn’t even Mu Wan—so why was she rushing over to comfort her? It was Liu Yan who remained most concerned about Chi Yang, who was still sitting on the cold floor. He quickly crouched down, anxiety written all over his face. “Yangyang, are you hurt? Is your belly okay? I’ll take you to the hospital right now.”

As he spoke, he carefully scooped Chi Yang into his arms. She nestled against his chest, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. Crying and shaking her head, she choked out, “I’m fine. I was just so scared.” Her tear-filled eyes looked up at Liu Yan, pitiful and fragile. “Liu Yan, I almost lost our baby…”

The moment Yu Liuxue heard that, she knew the female lead was about to stir up trouble. Sure enough, Chi Yang, with tears glistening like dewdrops on a pear blossom, turned to her and said, “Mu Wan, I don’t know what I did to offend you, but how could you be so cruel? You even went after Liu Yan and my child. If you have a problem with me, take it out on me—but please, don’t take it out on the baby in my belly…”

In an instant, Liu Yan turned to Yu Liuxue, furious. Maybe he was too angry to think straight, because even before the elders could say a word, he was already shouting, “Mu Wan! You vicious woman! What did Yangyang ever do to you that you’d go this far?!”

The stairs were so high—if Chi Yang had really fallen, the baby would’ve been lost for sure. Liu Yan didn’t even want to imagine that possibility.

Seeing how fiercely Liu Yan was defending her, Chi Yang’s eyes flashed with smug satisfaction. She clung to his shirt, looking heartbreakingly delicate. Even though she hadn’t actually lost the baby, earning Liu Yan and Aunt Xu’s sympathy wasn’t a bad outcome.

Yu Liuxue’s brows furrowed, and she suddenly looked flustered and panicked. She clutched her stomach and cried out, “Sister, my stomach just started cramping. Do you think something’s wrong with our baby too?!”

Song Linxian raised an eyebrow slightly. Hm? Baby?

Liu Yan and Chi Yang stared at her like subway grandpas watching TikTok. “……” What baby? Where did you get a baby?

Xu Cen’s composed face twisted the moment she heard the word “baby.” No way. Could it be that Song Linxian liked Mu Wan so much that she even had her carry their child? She stared at Song Linxian in disbelief. If Song Linxian was having a second child, would she still care about Liu Yan? Or was she planning to dump him on her?

Everyone says a child born late in life is especially precious. If Mu Wan gave her a daughter, wouldn’t Song Linxian treat the mother-daughter pair like royalty?

Chi Yang froze. She had calculated everything, but never imagined Mu Wan would also be pregnant—and with Aunt Song’s, her future mother-in-law’s, child no less. Her fingers clenched involuntarily, and the sudden squeeze snapped Liu Yan out of his daze. He winced in pain, his face contorting. He looked down at Chi Yang, who, belatedly realizing what she’d done, forced a smile and slowly loosened her grip.

Liu Yan felt like ever since he broke up with Mu Wan, things had gone from ridiculous to outright insane. Was he, a guy barely in his twenties, about to become both a young dad and an older brother to two different kids?

He couldn’t help but imagine the day he’d take his biological child and Mu Wan’s child out together. The little one on his left would call him “Daddy” in a soft, milky voice, while the one on his right would sweetly call him “Big Brother.” Passersby would give them all sorts of strange looks.

Liu Yan nearly blacked out on the spot.

It was bad enough that his ex was dating his mom, but now they were racing to have kids too? Were they secretly competing with Chi Yang? A wave of sorrow welled up in Liu Yan’s chest. Even their pregnancies had to happen at the same time? What next—giving birth together, throwing joint one-month parties, co-parenting side by side? That would give them endless opportunities to bond…

Liu Yan’s eyes suddenly widened. No wonder!

The moment those words left her mouth, Yu Liuxue regretted it. The System, having watched the entire scene unfold, was so shocked its chip nearly short-circuited. It stared at Yu Liuxue in disbelief. Host, you really are… the type to charge headfirst into a wall and still not turn back, huh?

Yu Liuxue sneaked a glance at Song Linxian’s half-smiling, half-not expression and immediately panicked. “Sy-System, what do I even say to Sister Song when we get home?”

*I think I can still be saved.jpg*

System: “No need to explain, Host. Just go home and wait for death.”

Yu Liuxue: “……”

Just then, Chi Yang clutched her stomach in pain. As the only relatively sane NPC present, Xu Cen stepped forward to take control of the situation. “Liu Yan, what are you standing around for? Hurry up and take Chi Yang to the hospital to check on her and the baby!”

Liu Yan snapped out of it like waking from a dream. He quickly carried Chi Yang off toward the parking lot and rushed her to the hospital as fast as he could. Fortunately, both mother and child were fine. Only then did Liu Yan finally breathe a sigh of relief, feeling incredibly lucky.

Chi Yang bit her lower lip gently. “Liu Yan, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault—I made you worry.”

Liu Yan shook his head quickly. “It’s okay. I shouldn’t have let you meet Mu Wan alone. If I’d been with you, none of this would’ve happened. Thank goodness you and the baby are safe. If anything had happened to you two, I’d never forgive myself.”

Hearing that, Chi Yang curved her lips into a faint smile. “Liu Yan, you’ll always be good to me, right?”

Liu Yan nodded. “Of course. Once you give birth, we’ll get married right away. Everything I have will be yours. Whatever I can give you, I will.”

He said it with conviction, but Chi Yang didn’t believe a word. Back then, his love for Mu Wan had made everyone envious—yet he still broke up with her in the end. So really, all men were liars. Not a single word from their mouths could be trusted.

After Liu Yan and Chi Yang left, Xu Cen looked at Song Linxian with a hesitant expression. Song Linxian, unfazed, simply tightened her embrace around the slender waist in her arms. “She’s fine.”

After a brief pause, Song Linxian said, “I’ll come find you tomorrow. There’s something I need to discuss with you.”

Xu Cen knew full well that Song Linxian couldn’t wait to see her gone, so after agreeing on a time, she hailed a cab and headed straight to the hospital to check on Chi Yang. Though she didn’t like Chi Yang, the baby in Chi Yang’s belly was Liu Yan’s child—Old Liu’s grandchild, after all.

The moment Xu Cen left, Yu Liuxue found herself cornered by Song Linxian. Song Linxian lazily rubbed her fingertips against Yu Liuxue’s belly, her gaze fixed on Yu Liuxue’s reddening cheeks, a half-smile playing on her lips. “How many months along are you?”

Yu Liuxue jolted like she’d been electrocuted. Her survival instincts kicked in immediately, launching her into another round of desperate lies. “I’m sorry, Sister! I was just scared and started spouting nonsense!”

To make her lie more convincing, Yu Liuxue’s eyes welled up with tears, looking up at Song Linxian with a pitiful, doe-eyed expression. She looked so fragile, it seemed a light breeze could knock her over. She reached out and clasped Song Linxian’s hands tightly. “Sister, I didn’t push Chi Yang. She suddenly rushed at me and lost her balance. It all happened so fast—I was terrified, and then…”

“And then, what? You miraculously conceived a child on the spot?” Song Linxian asked with a sweet smile.

Yu Liuxue shivered again. “Sister, I…”

Song Linxian leaned in slightly, cutting her off with narrowed eyes. “Mu Wan, are you trying to tell me you want a baby?”

Yu Liuxue: “!!!” No, I don’t! That’s not what I meant! Don’t say that!

Her stunned expression was so amusing that Song Linxian’s interest was piqued. With one hand, she casually undid the lacing on the back of Yu Liuxue’s evening gown and said nonchalantly, “Since you want it so badly, I’ll grant your wish.”

Before Yu Liuxue could react, the world spun around her. By the time she came to her senses, Song Linxian was already carrying her toward the parking lot. Yu Liuxue quickly looked up. “Sister, I don’t like kids! Really, I don’t like them at all! I think they’re the worst!”

Song Linxian remained unmoved. “But I do.”

Yu Liuxue: “…” Then how come you don’t seem to like the male lead that much? Was Liu Yan just some bonus you got for topping up your phone overseas?

Yu Liuxue was convinced Song Linxian had to be a Scorpio—beautiful, vengeful, and the type to keep a mental notebook of every grudge, waiting to settle the score all at once. Lying in bed, wincing, she couldn’t help but sigh, “Sister Song just keeps getting more and more powerful…”

The System grew wary again. Sure enough, it heard its Host mutter with a dreamy look, “If only every day could be like this.”

System: “…” That’s not what you were saying a minute ago.

Xu Cen and Song Linxian met at a beauty salon. Song Linxian held a paper cup, her expression calm. “Mu Wan didn’t push anyone yesterday.”

Xu Cen was sharp—she instantly caught Song Linxian’s meaning and frowned. “But she’s already carrying Liu Yan’s child. If we keep delaying the wedding, it might affect us down the line…”

Song Linxian smiled faintly. “The child is Liu Yan’s, no doubt.”

Xu Cen was taken aback. “You mean…”

Song Linxian’s face remained impassive. “If she’s willing, that would be ideal.”

Yu Liuxue quickly learned of Song Linxian and Xu Cen’s plan from the System. As the person most eager to see the male and female leads split up, she rolled up her sleeves and immediately found herself a wealthy, eligible bachelor. She had previously arranged with Chi Yang to pick up some bird’s nest from her house, so just as Chi Yang returned home, Yu Liuxue arrived at the door with a bag of health supplements. Liu Yan’s face darkened—why did Mu Wan cling like a damn leech?

Yu Liuxue handed the supplements to Liu Yan with a pained expression, then sat beside Chi Yang with a concerned frown. “I’m so glad you and the baby are okay. I’m really sorry, Chi Yang. It was all my fault yesterday. You rushed at me so suddenly, I got scared and—”

With every word she spoke, Chi Yang’s face grew stiffer. Afraid Yu Liuxue might blurt out the truth in front of Liu Yan, she quickly cut her off. “It’s okay, Mu Wan. I know you didn’t mean it.”

Liu Yan: “?”

She tried to hurt you and your baby, and you’re still being this kind and forgiving? What is this—true love?!

Yu Liuxue smiled gently. “Chi Yang, thank you for forgiving me. I still feel really guilty, so I brought you some good stuff. I hope you give birth to a big, chubby baby boy!”

While the two exchanged pleasantries, Liu Yan quietly sat to the side, eyes locked on Chi Yang, afraid she might fall under Mu Wan’s spell and develop feelings she shouldn’t have. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones, but Chi Yang found talking to Mu Wan utterly exhausting. She turned her head and said to Liu Yan, “Liu Yan, could you go to my room and grab Mu Wan’s bird’s nest for her?”

Liu Yan agreed without hesitation.

The moment he left, Yu Liuxue’s phone rang right on cue. She covered the receiver and gave Chi Yang an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I need to take this.”

She stepped out onto the balcony, and after a while, her voice grew louder and more agitated. Bits of her conversation drifted into Chi Yang’s ears: “I already told you, I don’t need a blind date! I have a girlfriend already! What?! He’s worth over a billion? Has a yacht at home?! So what? I’m truly in love with my sister! I’m not changing my mind—he can go date whoever he wants!”

Chi Yang perked up. Worth over a billion? Owns a yacht? And single? Was there really such a golden opportunity right under her nose?

Yu Liuxue soon came back inside. Chi Yang quickly pretended to be nonchalant, gently stroking her belly. Yu Liuxue gave an awkward smile. “I wasn’t too loud just now, was I? Sorry if I disturbed you.”

She let out a long sigh. “My mom’s always meddling in things that don’t concern her. I’m already with Sister Song, but she insists on setting me up with some forty-year-old rich guy. So what if he’s rich? I don’t like him! She’s basically trying to sell me off for status!”

Yu Liuxue looked righteously indignant, but Chi Yang was secretly thrilled. “Forty’s not that old… is it?”

“How is he not old? You haven’t seen him in person—he looks like he’s rushing to reincarnate…” Yu Liuxue rattled off every adjective she could think of, and finally leaned in close to Chi Yang, whispering, “Lately he’s been desperate to find a wife. You better watch out—don’t let him set his sights on you.”

“I’m telling you, he’s that guy from the south side of town, the one surnamed Wang…” Suddenly, Yu Liuxue clammed up and sat upright with a straight face, as if nothing had happened. Liu Yan stared at her, completely confused but also on high alert. What was Mu Wan just doing? Why was she standing so close to the mother of my child?

Was she trying to take advantage of my girlfriend?

Liu Yan’s expression darkened instantly. He handed the bird’s nest soup to Yu Liuxue and said coldly, “You can leave now. Yangyang just got back from the hospital—she’s tired and needs to rest.”

Yu Liuxue took the container and beamed at Chi Yang. “Chi Yang, I’ll transfer the money to your phone, okay?”

Liu Yan was practically grinding his teeth in anger. Mu Wan was clearly taking advantage of his girlfriend’s innocence. Pushing Chi Yang yesterday was bad enough, but now she was using Chi Yang’s kindness to get close to her? Thank goodness he showed up in time—who knows what else Mu Wan might have tried?

Yu Liuxue had achieved her goal and bolted with her things, feeling quite pleased with herself.

Liu Yan sat down beside Chi Yang with concern in his eyes. “Yangyang, are you okay? Did Mu Wan bully you just now? Did she do anything inappropriate?”

Chi Yang shook her head gently. “No. Liu Yan, don’t think so badly of Mu Wan. She’s actually a good person.” She even brought me such valuable intel. Although Mu Wan didn’t manage to say the man’s full name, she did mention the south side of town and his surname—shouldn’t be too hard to track him down from there.

Chi Yang was already making mental calculations.

When Liu Yan heard Chi Yang say Mu Wan was a good person, he looked utterly incredulous. They say pregnancy makes a woman dumb for three years—turns out it’s true. Chi Yang used to be so sharp. How could she not see through Mu Wan’s scheming ways now?

Liu Yan was helpless. No matter what he said, Chi Yang probably wouldn’t remember it anyway. So he made a silent vow in his heart: he would protect her and their child no matter what, and never let them suffer even a bit of harm.

Chi Yang, meanwhile, couldn’t stop thinking about that man surnamed Wang. As soon as Liu Yan left, she immediately asked her girlfriends about him. What she found out made her heart race. The man was forty-three, in the lumber business, owned countless properties and cars, and had remained single all these years because he was waiting for the woman fated to be his. Who would’ve thought he’d wait this long? Not only that—he’d already bought a villa and a car for his future wife, and even planned their honeymoon. That luxury yacht? Prepared specifically for the honeymoon.

The more Chi Yang learned, the more excited she became. If she weren’t heavily pregnant right now, she’d have rushed over to stage a “chance encounter” and start her own Cinderella story.

Thinking about it, Chi Yang couldn’t help but regret her past decisions. If she had known this earlier, she wouldn’t have been so impulsive. What’s so great about Liu Yan anyway? He’s broke, and in less than a year, he went from having two moms to three. Just the thought of having to serve three mothers-in-law in the future made her dizzy—she might as well drop dead now.

But that Mr. Wang was different. His parents were gone, no siblings, a simple family setup. If she married him, she’d be a princess—no, a queen.

The more she thought about it, the more thrilled she became. Just as she was about to “accidentally” dial his number and pretend she called the wrong person, her parents came home.

“Yangyang,” her mother said, “Liu Yan’s mother finally gave in. She agreed to give you five million as a post-marriage fund.”

Only five million? Chi Yang frowned. Compared to a billionaire tycoon, she couldn’t even look at such a measly sum anymore.

Her mother continued, “Yangyang, you’re almost six months along. It’s better to settle things with Liu Yan sooner rather than later, or else—”

Chi Yang cut her off with a calm expression. “Mom, I don’t think being unmarried and pregnant is anything shameful. What happened to me was partly because I was impulsive, partly because I was foolish. I rushed into things and ended up like this. So now, I don’t want to rush anymore. I want to take my time—have the baby first, then decide.”

Her mother quickly passed on Chi Yang’s thoughts to Xu Cen. Xu Cen and Song Linxian exchanged a look, and after digging a little deeper, they immediately zeroed in on the troublemaker—Yu Liuxue. Song Linxian pinned her to the bed.

“Your mom’s forcing you to go on blind dates? With a man?”

Yu Liuxue: “…” The mood was serious, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Song Linxian was using this as an excuse to scold her.

Yu Liuxue quickly tried to explain. “It’s not like that, I—”

Another round of scolding.

Yu Liuxue looked utterly defeated. “System, I’ve sacrificed so much for this mission. Not just my brain cells—I’ve sacrificed my body, my beauty, my everything. I’ve poured all my passion and blood into this land. System, I—”

The System expressionlessly muted its Host.

No matter what the Host said now, it wasn’t going to believe a single word from this liar ever again.

Back when Chi Yang was desperate to marry into the Liu family, Xu Cen and Song Linxian wouldn’t budge. They didn’t make things hard for her, but they weren’t exactly enthusiastic either. But now that Chi Yang had a new target and was ready to give up on the Liu family, suddenly they were all eager to push her into marrying Liu Yan.

Chi Yang let out a cold laugh. Once she married Uncle Wang, she’d be the high-and-mighty matriarch of a wealthy household. Even Song Linxian and Xu Cen would have to speak to her politely. She had no interest in the Liu family anymore.

The more friendly Xu Cen and Song Linxian acted, the more resistant Chi Yang became. Back then, you couldn’t be bothered with me. Soon, you won’t be able to reach me even if you tried. She played dumb and gave Xu Cen no clear answer, using the excuse of needing to rest and focus on her pregnancy to avoid the topic altogether. She stayed home all day, barely even seeing Liu Yan.

Liu Yan was growing increasingly frustrated. He had no idea what was going on with his girlfriend. After finally persuading both his stepmother and biological mother to support the marriage, he had rushed over, excited to share the good news—only to find that Chi Yang didn’t want to see him.

Liu Yan was puzzled. Had he accidentally upset her?

But they hadn’t even seen each other much lately.

Could it be… because of Mu Wan? Of course! That day, Mu Wan and Chi Yang were whispering together, and the moment he showed up, they suddenly stopped and acted like nothing had happened. Mu Wan must’ve been seducing his girlfriend behind his back and trying to drive a wedge between them!

Liu Yan was so furious he ground his teeth. How had he ever fallen for Mu Wan in the first place? There wasn’t a woman on earth more vicious than her!

While Chi Yang had been keeping to herself and refusing visitors, she’d managed to get that man’s phone number—and even his WeChat. She started by pretending she’d mistaken him for someone else, striking up a casual conversation. Then, bit by bit, she carefully crafted the image of an innocent girl who’d been cruelly deceived.

She’d even set her own photo as her profile picture. Maybe he thought she looked pretty, because he started messaging her often, venting about his troubles at work. Their chats had gone on like that for nearly half a month.

Later, Chi Yang could clearly sense that he was starting to take an interest in her.

Another month passed, and the man finally said outright that he wanted to meet her. He didn’t even try to hide it—he told her he didn’t care that she’d been with another man or that she was pregnant. Chi Yang breathed a sigh of relief. Two months of careful planning hadn’t gone to waste. She agreed to meet him, but didn’t tell anyone. She planned to go alone.

Yu Liuxue looked at Liu Yan standing before her. He might be a heartless jerk who used women and tossed them aside, but right now, she actually felt a little sorry for him.

Song Linxian tugged on Yu Liuxue’s hand. “Let’s go.”

Yu Liuxue followed her. “Sis, where are we going?”

“To meet a friend.”

When they arrived at the hotel, Song Linxian stepped out to make a call. Yu Liuxue, with nothing better to do, wandered out of the room for a stroll—and in the blink of an eye, she spotted Chi Yang, heavily pregnant. Yu Liuxue blinked in surprise. Chi Yang saw her too. Her heart jumped, and she instantly panicked—but then she thought it through. With Uncle Wang backing her from now on, why should she be afraid of someone like Mu Wan?

If Mu Wan hadn’t suddenly gotten close to Song Linxian back then, Chi Yang might’ve already gotten everything she wanted. With old grudges and new ones piling up, Chi Yang looked at Yu Liuxue—still without any official status—and felt a wave of satisfaction. She rubbed her belly and walked over with a smile.

“Mu Wan, long time no see. Hope you’ve been well.”

Just thinking about how, in the future, both Song Linxian and Mu Wan would have to treat her with courtesy made her lips curl into a smug smile.

“Mu Wan, we’ve known each other a while now, haven’t we? But let me give you a little reminder—until the very end, no one knows who the real winner will be.” She gave a light laugh. “Sure, you’re with Aunt Song now, and you’re carrying her child. But who knows who’ll be treating whom with respect in the future?”

Just then, someone walked up from behind. Chi Yang instantly recognized the man—and clearly, he recognized her too. He had refined features, a slim build, wore glasses, and looked cultured and gentle—not at all like someone in his forties.

“Yangyang?” the man asked tentatively.

Chi Yang smiled. “Uncle Wang, you’re here.”

He nodded. Chi Yang walked over to him, beaming, then shot a triumphant glance at Yu Liuxue. Yu Liuxue scowled and rubbed her nose. So what if he was an older man? Even if Chi Yang married him, he was still just a nouveau riche.

Just then, Song Linxian returned from her call. The man had been chatting happily with Chi Yang, but the moment he saw Song Linxian, his expression changed. His eyes lit up with admiration and excitement.

“Jie, what are you doing here?!”

Chi Yang: “…?” *subway grandpa looking at phone.jpg*

Wait—did this mean she’d have to treat Mu Wan with deference in the future? Even politely call her “sister-in-law”?!

Song Linxian’s expression was calm. “Handling something.” Then she pulled Yu Liuxue over and said to the man, “This is my girlfriend, Mu Wan. We’re heading abroad soon to register our marriage and have the wedding.”

The man looked like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over his head. He fell silent.

The senior he’d secretly loved for years was getting married? And her partner was a young, beautiful girl? He looked at Yu Liuxue and thought to himself, *Well, I didn’t lose too badly. After all, age isn’t on my side.*

Chi Yang couldn’t help but glance anxiously at the man. She tugged on his sleeve. “Uncle Wang…”

Suddenly, Liu Yan stormed over, his face dark. “Yangyang, what are you doing here?! Didn’t you say you were staying home to rest during your pregnancy? Why are you here?!” He looked at the man, his brows furrowing so tightly they could crush a fly. “And who the hell is he?”

The man answered gently and warmly, “Hello, I’m Chi Yang’s destined man—Wang Zhenqi. Nice to meet you.”

Yu Liuxue instinctively replied, “Nice to meet you, too.”

Wang Zhenqi: “……”