The Lovelorn Dragon Protagonist's Irresistible Little Scumbag Wife

Ruan Xia woke up groggy after getting drunk at a nightclub and discovered that he'd been bound to a "scum shou redemption System".

[You are the scummy original spouse of the male lead in a live-in son-in-law novel.]

[At home, you're scummy because you force the male lead to give up his career and become a full-time househusband... doing your laundry and cooking for you every day, putting on your shoes, and licking your feet.]

[Outside, you're scummy because you flirt with everyone and are fickle in love... putting one green hat after another on the male lead's head.]

Ruan Xia: ?

Before the System could finish its lines, Ruan Xia interrupted it. "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm not scummy at all. I'm obviously my hubby's sweetest little darling! O(∩_∩)O"

*

The System guides Ruan Xia through missions to redeem his scummy reputation.

On Qi Yi's birthday, the System advises Ruan Xia on choosing a present. But as Ruan Xia browses, he ends up going to a private club with a "business partner" and partying all night. He rushes home the next day at noon, still smelling of someone else's perfume.

Ruan Xia says, "It was just a business dinner. Hubby will understand~"

On their wedding anniversary, the System orders Ruan Xia to plan a romantic candlelit dinner, but... the person he ends up dining with is a certain A-list celebrity. That night, their CP supertopic shoots to the top of the trending list.

Ruan Xia says, "It was just for show! Hubby wouldn't be so petty!"

When Qi Yi falls ill, the System nearly drops to its knees, crying and begging Ruan Xia to go to the hospital and look after him, but...

Ruan Xia: "I'm in a bit of a hurry right now... It's just a minor illness. Hubby's a grown man; he can look after himself."

Then the System watches helplessly as Ruan Xia throws a lively welcome-home banquet for his ex-boyfriend, who's just returned from abroad.

System: ...

Is this what being a sweet, thoughtful darling looks like?

Guess I'm just not worldly enough :)

After this string of operations, the System is in despair. It can only wait for the plot to officially begin, when Qi Yi will abandon and take revenge on Ruan Xia, leaving him with a tragic end. But then it discovers...

Huh? Why isn't the affection score going down? Why has it gone up to 10,000% instead?

*

In the eyes of others, Qi Yi is an absolutely hopeless romantic. He's even written himself a handbook for being a good husband.

"A considerate hubby must fully support his wife's career."

"The legal spouse must be calm and magnanimous. It's just one meal... I absolutely mustn't give those rotten men who want to steal my wife a chance to take advantage!"

"You need to reflect on yourself. Why did you have to get sick? Aren't you just making trouble for your wife?!"

Could an ultimate self-gaslighting romantic really be the same person as the arrogant, invincible male lead who rules the world?

The System submits an error report in its work log and receives a reply:

"The source of the error has been identified. The world was once destroyed and has now restarted for the second time."

Qi Yi once resented Ruan Xia for constantly claiming to love him while treating him cruelly in every way.

But after living through the rise and fall of a lifetime, Qi Yi finally realizes that his little wife... had been ill for a long time.

Being "scummy" was simply the armor he used to protect himself.

Back before the divorce, seeing his wife still able to run and jump, laughing and playfully acting spoiled with him,

Qi Yi finds himself in tears before he even realizes it.

Ruan Xia is startled. "Hubby, why are you crying? Don't cry, don't cry. Your wife will give you a hug!" Then he bares his teeth. "Did someone go and spread rumors to you again? I'll get someone to beat his head in!"

Qi Yi wipes away his tears and glances at the medicine bottle Ruan Xia always carries with him.

"When you're feeling down, don't take medicine. Take me instead, okay?"

Ruan Xia freezes, then turns bright red. "Y-You pervert!"

In the middle of the night, Qi Yi watches Ruan Xia sleeping in his arms, still mumbling "I love you." He writes in large letters on the title page of his handbook for being a good husband:

"My wife is a particularly pitiful little rascal, and also a particularly adorable little fool... I have to take good care of him."

Reading notes:

The gong is completely faithful in body and mind, a 100% devoted husband and an utterly hopeless romantic. The shou is a sweet, adorable little cupcake, a clingy sweetheart, naturally scummy, and a total heartthrob. 1v1, mutual devotion. The shou has no ex-boyfriend; that's a misunderstanding.

Theme: Pursue sincere and faithful love.