Chapter 41: Scoundrel, Get Out!

In the past few days, Li Zhuwang could clearly sense that Yaliying had grown much colder toward him. After thinking it over, he suspected it was likely because she felt guilty after that day when she encountered Ruiying face to face. Yaliying… she had always been so kind-hearted.

Right now, Ruiying was having lunch with Li Zhuwang, sitting across from him. Qin Shiluo’s gaze kept darting between the two of them, trying to catch some hint of intimacy, but she found that the two young people seemed even more distant than before.

Yet Ruiying seemed happier by the day—something didn’t add up.

Ruiying herself hadn’t expected this. She thought she would be in unbearable pain, but perhaps because her life was now more fulfilling, she found herself, oddly, happier than before.

After lunch, Ruiying helped clear the dishes, washed up, and then helped the auntie prepare fruit, bringing it out for Grandma and Qin Shiluo, who were watching TV.

Then, quite suddenly, she said, “Auntie, I’d like to move back home tomorrow.”

Her words startled Qin Shiluo. She had grown increasingly fond of Ruiying, charmed by the girl’s transformation—the once spoiled child had become elegant and serene.

“Why go back? You’re not happy living here?” Qin Shiluo rose hurriedly from the sofa and grasped Ruiying’s hand, her face full of concern. “Didn’t you say you’d cook Italian pasta for Auntie?”

For reasons she couldn’t explain, Qin Shiluo was on the verge of tears.

Seeing this, Grandma’s nose tingled, and she felt a wave of sadness.

Qin Shiluo shot Li Zhuwang a glare and said to Ruiying, “Don’t be upset. Young people need time to get along. Although Zhuwang has done some infuriating things lately, he’ll eventually realize his mistakes.”

Li Zhuwang was at a loss for words.

Ruiying gently patted Qin Shiluo’s arm. “It’s not like that. I just want to visit my mom. As for Zhuwang…” She smiled faintly, her eyes mingling reluctance and forbearance. “Since he doesn’t love me, there’s no point in holding on. No one would be happy that way. Besides, he told me himself that what’s done is done. He doesn’t want to turn back. He’s fallen for another woman and wants to spend his life with her…”

“He also said that if it would ease my pain, he’d promise me not to marry her until I could accept it—but he wouldn’t break up with her, either.”

These were Li Zhuwang’s exact words—Ruiying spoke the truth.

“Why drag two women into this?” she said, and though there was a certain pettiness in her words, it was a relief to her heart. Only now, as her feelings faded, did she see all his flaws.

Qin Shiluo nearly fainted at her words.

Seeing Qin Shiluo wipe her tears again and again, Ruiying felt a pang of guilt, but she had no regrets.

Li Zhuwang was mortified. Watching this scene, he suddenly realized that the future with Yaliying would be fraught with difficulties. He had never expected his mother to be so fond of Ruiying.

If he really got together with Yaliying, his mother would certainly oppose it.

Yet Ruiying’s transformation was undeniable, and Li Zhuwang found his gaze involuntarily drawn to her.

Ruiying noticed but only glanced at him coolly.

Qin Shiluo didn’t want Ruiying to leave, but the girl’s resolve was firm. When Ruiying packed her things, Qin Shiluo scolded Li Zhuwang harshly and told him to try to persuade her to stay.

Li Zhuwang said awkwardly, “Mom, you know I…”

“I don’t know!” Qin Shiluo cut him off, exasperated. “Ruiying is such a good girl. You can’t let her down!”

Her own marriage to Zhuwang’s father had been unhappy, so she didn’t want her son to become a heartless man.

Li Zhuwang didn’t dare contradict his mother. He grabbed the suitcase to see Ruiying out. He was about to load her luggage into the car when Ruiying said, “No need. Just leave it here.”

Li Zhuwang thought he should at least see her home, but before he could speak, a black Mercedes pulled up and honked softly.

He watched as Ruiying’s expressionless face lit up with a radiant smile.

…

Wasn’t the contrast a bit much?

He looked at the man in the car—Liu Minghe stepped out, perfectly tailored suit accentuating his tall, handsome frame, hair styled fashionably, looking absolutely impeccable, practically sparkling under the sun.

Liu Minghe walked over with a polite nod to Li Zhuwang, naturally took the suitcase from him, and asked Ruiying, “Ready to go?”

Ruiying nodded with a shy smile, while Li Zhuwang stood by, feeling like a mere bystander.

Liu Minghe walked beside Ruiying, pulling the suitcase. From the window, Qin Shiluo watched the scene unfold—comparing the two men, her heart broke.

Liu Minghe opened the car door for Ruiying, who bent to get into the passenger seat. As they chatted, Liu Minghe even fastened her seatbelt for her.

Li Zhuwang thought he should be happy—Ruiying was finally no longer an obstacle between him and Yaliying, and he needn’t feel guilty anymore. Yet, seeing her like this, his feelings were strangely complicated.

Once the car had driven far enough that Li Zhuwang was just a memory in the rearview mirror, Liu Minghe smiled and asked Ruiying, “How did I do just now?”

…Ruiying’s cheeks were still faintly flushed.

In fact, they’d planned this over the phone. Ruiying didn’t want to leave looking defeated—at least she wanted Li Zhuwang to see that she was not someone nobody wanted.

Even if it was just an act, she wanted him to feel unsettled.

Softly, she replied, “You were… very good.”

She had to admit, the way he leaned in to fasten her seatbelt was incredibly charming.

Liu Minghe caught her expression in the mirror and smiled, knowing he was making progress. A girl’s heart is soft—quick to forgive, easily moved.

So he felt his chances were good. He had even gone to Jin Yuan for advice these past few days. Though he knew he might not measure up to Jin Yuan, he was confident he was good enough. Someone like Jin Yuan was in a league of his own.

“Oh, by the way, Minghe, any progress?” After a while, Ruiying remembered the favor she’d asked of him.

Liu Minghe hesitated. “Not yet. I have a few leads, but nothing concrete. Could you wait a little longer?”

Ruiying nodded, looking as if she had complete faith in him, but Liu Minghe felt uneasy. In truth, he already knew, but for now, he didn’t want to tell her.

He hid it well. Ruiying had no idea. Once home, she focused on writing her travelogue. When Shen Xiuzhen asked several times about Li Zhuwang, she brushed her mother off.

Shen Xiuzhen wanted to persuade her daughter further, but Ruiying suddenly said, “I have a new goal now.”

…Shen Xiuzhen felt a headache coming on. “What? Are you joking?”

Ruiying took her mother’s hand. “Mom, I mean it. Why must it be Li Zhuwang? He’s in love with someone else. Am I supposed to snatch him back? What if, after we marry, he falls for someone else? He’s already broken off the engagement. Why should I subject myself to this humiliation?”

Shen Xiuzhen was surprised and speechless for a long while.

Gently, Ruiying added, “Mom, these past few days while I stayed at his house, he came home so late every night—there was even a night he didn’t come back at all. Would you really let me marry a man like that?”

Shen Xiuzhen sighed, stroking her daughter’s head. “If you can let go, that’s good.”

What Shen Xiuzhen feared most now was that Yaliying might reveal her secrets. She didn’t want Ruiying to find out.

·

Ruiying stayed home for two days and didn’t contact Ma Ling. Though they’d once been friends, after returning, Ruiying simply didn’t want to reach out.

Ma Ling heard from her own mother that Ruiying had come back and stayed with Zhuwang for several days. Immediately she felt annoyed and called Ruiying.

“Hey, why didn’t you tell me you were back? And you moved into Zhuwang’s house!”

In truth, Ruiying was soft-hearted and always lost arguments with Ma Ling. Even while abroad, she’d pondered their friendship and felt weary, wanting to let go.

So when Ma Ling called, she answered indifferently, “I’ve been busy lately.”

Ma Ling protested, “Busy with what? You quit your job!”

“I’m writing a travelogue,” Ruiying replied, a little displeased.

Hearing this, Ma Ling perked up. She’d wanted to write but lacked inspiration. Recently, her mother had introduced her to Yin E, whom she greatly admired, and they’d set a date to discuss screenwriting. Now, knowing Ruiying was writing too, she felt a twinge of competition.

“Will your travelogue be published anywhere?”

Ruiying thought about mentioning Liu Minghe but decided it wasn’t worth it and simply said, “I’m just writing for fun.”

Ma Ling immediately started gathering her things. “Wait for me—I’m coming over!”

Ruiying looked less than thrilled, but there was nothing she could do.

Ma Ling hurried downstairs, bumping into Zhao Yingchun. “Where are you off to?” asked her mother.

“Ruiying’s writing, I want to see!”

Though Zhao Yingchun held a grudge against Shen Xiuzhen, she had no issue with Ruiying. “Alright, don’t be late.”

As Ma Ling changed her shoes, she remembered something and whispered to her mother, “Weren’t you going to introduce Yaliying to my brother?”

They still didn’t know why Li Zhuwang had broken off the engagement. Zhao Yingchun had always looked for an opportunity to pair Yaliying with Ma Jun, but recently, Ma Ling had seen Zhuwang and Yaliying together two or three times.

Strangely, when Li Zhuwang was with Ruiying, Ma Ling always felt compelled to interfere, but with Yaliying, she had no such urge.

Zhao Yingchun was surprised. “Really? They’re together?”

The situation between Yaliying and Li Zhuwang was unclear. After the broken engagement and Ruiying’s departure abroad, Yaliying’s plans for revenge against him were shelved. At that time, even Shen Xiuzhen hadn’t realized who was behind it; she only found out later. Zhao Yingchun had no idea. But hearing this, she sensed something and decided she ought to meet with Shen Xiuzhen.

“Go on, this doesn’t concern you,” she said, shooing her daughter out and then calling Shen Xiuzhen. Since she’d finally found a way to get the upper hand, she seized the chance under the guise of caring for a friend and made plans to meet.

·

When Ma Ling arrived at Ruiying’s house, she immediately noticed the change in her friend. Never one to hold back, she lavishly praised Ruiying and asked to see her writing.

Ruiying had only written about ten thousand words, but since Ma Ling wanted to read it, she didn’t object.

Ma Ling quickly finished reading but wasn’t interested in travelogues and soon turned to Ruiying’s photos.

Ruiying didn’t mind. Just then, Liu Minghe called about a barbecue, so she answered the phone.

Ruiying’s social media was buzzing. As she clicked through her photos, she accidentally opened a chat window—a flood of messages appeared. They were from her close group, but curiosity got the better of her, and she read a bit more.

[Ji Eun: Hey, we agreed to go shopping together! Are you coming or not? Youngjae and I are about to leave!]

[Rachel: …I’m changing clothes. It’s such a hassle deciding what to wear every time I go out.]

[Ji Eun: I want to hit you.]

[Rachel: Hahahaha]

[Jin Yuan: Enough, get downstairs.]

[Ji Eun: Hahahahaha]

[Lee Youngjae: Birdbrain, hurry up!]

[Ji Eun: Is Ruiying coming, Minghe?]

[Ji Eun: Minghe, Minghe, Minghe…]

[Lee Youngjae: Why so affectionate? He’s a man on a mission to woo his girl.]

[Rachel: Jealous celebrities really are pathetic.]

Ma Ling read the chats carefully. She recognized Lee Youngjae—the hot celebrity recently rumored to be marrying Han Ji Eun. She also knew Jin Yuan, the newly appointed president of Empire Group, whose romance with RS International’s Rachel was the talk of the town.

So Ruiying knew them all?

As Ma Ling pondered, more messages popped up.

[Minghe: I just called Ruiying. She’s not at her computer. Behave yourselves.]

[Jin Yuan: You’re too slow at courting her.]

[Lee Youngjae: Hahahahahaha.]

[Minghe: Get lost!]

[Rachel: Minghe, you’re out of character.]

…So Minghe was pursuing Ruiying? Couldn’t he see how sad she was?

Just as Ma Ling was thinking this, Ruiying came in, hurriedly closed the window, and looked a bit flustered.

Ruiying didn’t seem bothered and ignored the laptop, instead heading to the wardrobe. She chose fitted black trousers, a sapphire blue coat, and boots with a slight heel. Once dressed, she noticed Ma Ling staring intently at her.

“I’m going out shopping. Are you heading home?” Ruiying asked.

Ma Ling suddenly said, “I saw Zhuwang on a date with another woman.”

Ruiying paused for a moment but showed no other reaction. Did Ma Ling think she didn’t know about her own broken engagement?

“Oh, I know. We’ve broken up peacefully,” Ruiying replied, shutting down the computer and heading out with Ma Ling.

Ma Ling wanted to ask more, but Ruiying was so different now that she didn’t know how to begin.

·

Meanwhile, Yaliying suddenly remembered that when Ruiying was in Beijing, she had posted a photo in which Liu Minghe could be vaguely seen.

It all made sense now—Ruiying left the country heartbroken and met Liu Minghe, so it wasn’t impossible for them to develop feelings for each other.

A sense of urgency gripped Yaliying. If that was the case, stealing Zhuwang would be pointless.

She steadied her nerves. Now… the only option was to expose Shen Xiuzhen and Yin Zhengkui’s secrets.

Author’s note: The plot may not match the TV series exactly—I watched it a long time ago, and now it’s hard to find “Mermaid Lady” online. Honestly… except for Ruiying, I don’t really like any of the characters in this drama. They’re all so frustrating.

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