Transmigrating into the Male Supporting Character’s Ex-wife
Chapter 53: Ruan Jiu Jiu sneezed.

Ruan Jiu Jiu sneezed.

Strange, was someone talking about her?

The first name that flashed into her mind was, surprisingly, Cheng Jun. Ruan Jiu Jiu stopped blankly for a moment, then suddenly let out a faint sigh. In the few days since she’d left, she’d always find herself wondering whether Cheng Jun was eating properly. It was probably that she’d gotten too used to her role as chef, so she was always worried that Cheng Jun wasn’t taking care of his health.

But anyways, Ruan Jiu Jiu believed that the occasionally-responsible Tu Nan would look after Cheng Jun. With him there, she could relax.

Ruan Jiu Jiu took a flight to a different city. This was a place she had randomly chosen off of a map. The cost of living here was a bit lower and getting around was convenient, so it could be considered a city suitable for residing in.

She had gone house-hunting ahead of time on the internet and found a place, then got in touch with the landlord. After confirming that everything was set to go, she moved in.

The house was in a residential building located in a block of apartments. It was a small studio apartment. In a flash, everything felt much more cramped.

Ruan Jiu Jiu made a circle around the place and discovered that it was missing a lot of things. She sat on the sofa and made a very long shopping list. After determining her next destination was a local chain supermarket, she changed into a coat and went out to go shopping.

Pots and pans, bowls and dishes, ladles and other cooking utensils, and water basins; rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, and other daily necessities, everything was essential.

By the time that not even half of the items on the shopping list had a check mark next to them, the shopping cart was already piled high and she couldn’t fit anything else in. To her eye, there was at least 20-30 kilos of stuff. Without any other options, Ruan Jiu Jiu decided to first buy this batch of things, drop it off at home, and then buy the rest of the things on her list.

Just when she was getting ready to line up to checkout, someone called out her name in astonishment.

“Ruan Jiu Jiu??”

The tone of their voice carried obvious traces of hesitation and disbelief. Hearing a familiar voice, Ruan Jiu Jiu subconsciously wanted to look back, but her reflexes quickly kicked in. She blocked her face and said in a muffled voice, “Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person.”

“It’s you.” It was Gu You’s voice.

He carried a few bags of fruit in his hand as he quickly walked over, confirming that Ruan Jiu Jiu really had cut her hair short and significantly changed her look and the way she dressed from before.

“What are you doing here?” …and looking as if you’re buying a huge load of home goods, too.

Gu You’s gaze landed on Ruan Jiu Jiu’s shopping cart, and he looked even more confused.

Ruan Jiu Jiu knew that pretending was useless, and finally dropped her hand with a nervous look. “You don’t need to ask any more questions, anyway it’s totally unrelated to you.”

“Are you alone?” His words swiftly hit the mark.

Ruan Jiu Jiu turned her head away. “None of your business.”

“…”

Gu You lined up behind Ruan Jiu Jiu. The two of them were totally silent, and contrasted with the hubbub of the supermarket, came off even more awkward. It was like there was a laser beam pointed at Ruan Jiu Jiu’s forehead, making her entire body cringe with discomfort. Before Cheng Jun totally aired things out publicly, Ruan Jiu Jiu definitely planned on protecting their secret. She wouldn’t let anyone discover that they had divorced, not even Gu You.

Very soon, it was Ruan Jiu Jiu’s turn.

The amount of items she was buying was truly huge, and they filled two large shopping bags to the brim. It looked even heavier than Ruan Jiu Jiu herself. She strained with all her strength until her face was red, trying to look nonchalant as she lifted up the two gigantic bags. But after she had only taken a few steps forward, her arms were already trembling.

“Let me get this.”

Gu You came forwards from behind and picked up one of the bags for Ruan Jiu Jiu. He stuffed the small bag of fruit into her hand and then picked up her other bag.

Ruan Jiu Jiu hastily protested, “I really don’t need any help…”

“Just take it as me repaying a favor to you, unrelated to anything else. That should be okay, right?”

Gu You lightly carried the bags and quickly walked out of the supermarket.

“Which way to your place?”

Ruan Jiu Jiu somewhat unwillingly pointed in the direction of the block of studio apartments. This place was originally meant to be her secret hideout, but absolutely didn’t expect that on her first day here, she would be blind-sided by Gu You.

Gu You let out a smile. “What a coincidence.”

“What are you doing here?” Ruan Jiu Jiu asked with a gloomy look on her face.

Don’t tell her that the MC halo really did exist, and that was why no matter where she went she bumped into either him or Xu Bi Ying.

“My old family home is in this city. Speaking of which, it really is a big coincidence, my family lives just a few kilometers away from here. I was just passing by and bought some fruit.”

“Is that so.”

A thousand alpacas thundered through Ruan Jiu Jiu’s heart as she thoroughly cursed her situation out.

What kind of shitty luck was this?! A house she randomly chose ended up being in the neighborhood of Gu You’s family home??? She felt unwell all over!

Thankfully, Gu You wasn’t the type that liked asking too many questions. It was only after the two of them entered the apartment and Gu You put down the two bags that he glanced over the place and commented, “It hasn’t been long since you moved in.”

“That’s right…”

“A woman living alone in this place should be a bit careful. I’ll take a look at things to see if there’s anything wrong.”

Ruan Jiu Jiu scratched her head. “Really, that isn’t necessary.”

Gu You looked at her. Her short, ear-length hair had been mussed up into a mess. She didn’t look at all like a woman who had already been married for many years, instead, she looked completely like a young woman who hadn’t quite grown up yet. He couldn’t help but smile, and shaking his head, went around to give everything an inspection. He tightened up all the loose screws, and it was only after he had checked to make there really weren’t any issues that he prepared to leave.

Ruan Jiu Jiu sent him to the main door, full of gratitude. Suddenly, she remembered that Gu You’s bag of fruit was still at her place.

“Oh wait, your fruit—”

“It’s all good, just take it as a modest house-warming present.”

Gu You’s expression suddenly grew more solemn as he added, “If you encounter any issues, remember to give me a call. Don’t refuse for the sake of face.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Ruan Jiu Jiu closed the door, and leaning against it, slowly slid down to sit on the wooden floorboards. She let out a deep sigh of despair as she buried her face in her hands.

It’s over, everything’s finished, Gu You definitely found out that something was up with their relationship.

Sure enough.

On the outside, Gu You didn’t reveal anything, but after that he frequently found excuses to gift Ruan Jiu Jiu some things.

Sometimes it was meat, sometimes it was fruits and vegetables. At first, Ruan Jiu Jiu directly refused him, but she was no match for Gu You’s genuine and sincere persuasion. As a matter of fact, he really did do as he said. After dropping things off, he would occasionally say a few words asking Ruan Jiu Jiu how she had been doing lately. After a little chat, he would immediately leave. His behavior didn’t have a single hint of ambiguous meaning.

Ruan Jiu Jiu gradually let down her guard. Once in a while, she would also symbolically send Gu You off with some pastries or other tidbits that she had cooked, as a return gift. But no matter what, Ruan Jiu Jiu never had any intention of letting him stay behind to eat a meal.

Recently she had taken up freelancing, and had taken a few jobs doing sketches for others. She could be said to be making some money, and her lifestyle gradually began to settle down into a steady pace.

Gu You was sincerely happy for her.

On his way out the door, Ruan Jiu Jiu stuffed a box of small pastries into his hand. Gu You solemnly accepted, and after saying their goodbyes, he finally went downstairs.

He was unaware that the corner of his mouth had curved upwards. While turning the corner of the apartment building, a shadow brushed by him. Gu You was preoccupied with his own thoughts, and naturally didn’t notice that the other looked a bit familiar.

“…”

Cheng Jun took off his hat and looked back at Gu You’s figure as he departed.

He then lifted his head and gazed at the apartment building where Ruan Jiu Jiu lived, then turned and changed course towards the corner of the street where Gu You had already disappeared around. He sunk into a deep, long silence.

After a long time had passed.

Cheng Jun took out his phone and dialled a number.

The sound of his calm voice was totally distinct in the quiet courtyard. “Invite Gu You back to the club, give whatever reason you want.”

Ruan Jiu Jiu was on her way home.

Lately, Gu You stopped constantly popping up in her life, letting her relax. She didn’t need to waste so much effort wracking her brains for reasons to reject him.

She carried a bag of vegetables in her hand, having managed to catch the supermarket discounts just in time so she got them quite cheaply.

It was hard to cook for only one person. She frequently cooked up a whole pot of food, enough for two, out of habit, and ended up having to slowly finish everything herself, stuffing herself until she felt nauseous and never wanted to see said dish again. The moment Ruan Jiu Jiu recalled that she needed to cook again tomorrow, she felt a headache coming on again.

Maybe it would be better for her to be lazy and just order takeout. These vegetables could go a while without spoiling.

Ruan Jiu Jiu’s pace was brisk. Since she lived on her own, she had to be a bit more careful of her surroundings. If she was targeted, she would be in great danger.

But at this time, she couldn’t shake off a strange feeling that made her scalp feel numb and her whole body uncomfortable.

Ruan Jiu Jiu glanced behind her.

These days, she always had this strange feeling. It even gave her nightmares when she went to sleep. There weren’t many pedestrians on this stretch of the road, so no matter how brave Ruan Jiu Jiu tried to be, she couldn’t shake off her apprehensiveness. She quickly sped up her walking pace.

Just then, shouts of rowdy jeering sounded out from behind her. “What are you so scared of? Hey little girl, where do you live? Let me take you home.”

Ruan Jiu Jiu was just about to swing her bag of vegetables around like a flail when someone moved a step ahead of her and swung a fist, punching the other’s head askew and giving them a nosebleed. With another fist, the man was then in so much pain he started to wail and shout that he would report them to the police.

The turn of events that happened in front of her eyes gave Ruan Jiu Jiu a scare.

It was only until she clearly saw who the hooligan’s attacker was, that she was totally dumbstruck. “Cheng Jun?”

Cheng Jun reached out with an arm and protected her behind himself. He lowered his head to stare at the man lying on the ground, crying and yelling for his mom and dad. The chilliness in that pair of long and slender eyes’ pupils made the man tremble. Forgetting his cries about reporting them, he quickly scampered off in terror.

Ruan Jiu Jiu still felt a lingering fear.

…Hold on a second.

“Why do you know where I live? Have you been following me for the past couple of days already?”

Cheng Jun: “…Just passing by.”

Ruan Jiu Jiu: “…”

Cheng Jun: “…”

“Didn’t I say already, not to come find me?” Ruan Jiu Jiu took a few steps back, then stopped in place. “Thank you, I’ll definitely pay more attention to my surroundings in the future. You should head back, too.”

Cheng Jun didn’t respond, he only continued to stare silently at her.

“You can go now,” Ruan Jiu Jiu sighed.

He still didn’t say a thing.

Ruan Jiu Jiu turned around, and continued walking towards the direction of her apartment building. Behind her, Cheng Jun acted like he was afraid that she was angry and followed her at a large distance. From start to end, he never approached closer, and once Ruan Jiu Jiu went up the stairs, he remained standing far away at the entrance of the small neighborhood, watching the hallway lights turn on, one by one, as she made her way up.

Once Ruan Jiu Jiu returned to her apartment, she locked her door. After taking a look through the peephole in the door, she didn’t see Cheng Jun’s figure and hoped that that guy already left.

Outside, it had already started to snow.

White snowflakes fluttered about enthusiastically like confetti falling from the sky, forming a sight beautiful enough to strike an impression in one’s heart.

Ruan Jiu Jiu cracked her window open slightly to air her room out. At this time, she carelessly took a glance outside, and to her shock, discovered that in the boundless sheet of white stood a black figure.

He was sitting on a flight of stairs outside, motionless, as snow began to pile up on top of him.

His figure from behind was solitary, yet desolate.

“…”