Forced to Become the Female Villain's Doting Wife (GL) - Chapter 16

[Trash System: Congratulations, Host! Your fusion degree with this world has increased by 1%. The Host’s current fusion degree with this system world is 21%.]

Su Xianxian closed her eyes tightly, instinctively clinging to Jiang Cuo as if she were a life-saving straw. However, there seemed to be a slight error in her height calculations; she hadn’t expected that by standing on her tiptoes and lifting her chin, she could rest it right on Jiang Cuo’s shoulder.

A crisp, cold scent rushed into her nose—faint and very pleasant, mixed with the smell of clean soap bubbles. She had to admit, this height difference between her and Jiang Cuo was a perfect match.

“Can you get up now?”

Jiang Cuo lowered her voice, a hint of impatience bleeding through.

Su Xianxian immediately snapped back to her senses, released her hold on Jiang Cuo, and took two steps back. Having truly done something she felt guilty about this time, she kept her head down, staring at her own toes, not daring to look Jiang Cuo in the eye.

While her head was down, the Trash System displayed the system page before her: the two-thirds of her assets that had been frozen were now thawed. As long as she had money, she wasn’t afraid of social death.

Because Su Xianxian’s head was lowered, she didn’t see Jiang Cuo’s already crimson earlobes.

“Since Classmate Jiang already agreed to help with the ‘Little One,’ then follow me.”

Su Xianxian left it at that and turned to lead the way.

“Little One” tottered over and tugged at Jiang Cuo’s pant leg, gesturing for her to follow Su Xianxian. Jiang Cuo still wore that cold expression, looking as though she wouldn’t agree, but her legs honestly followed the puppy.

[Trash System: Host, you really are calculating. I didn’t expect you to have such a move.]

‘Don’t, don’t say that. I was forced by you guys. I’m an upright, outstanding youth. Taking advantage of people—I never do that.’

[Trash System: Congratulations to the Host for completing physical contact with Jiang Cuo. This has triggered the following daily random mission.]

[Friendly Warning: Today’s triggered random mission is a “Gambling Mission.” If the Host completes this mission perfectly, the fusion degree will reach 30%. Conversely, if the mission fails, the fusion degree will drop to 0%.]

Su Xianxian: “?”

‘So, does this “Gambling Mission” mean I have the right to choose? Can I choose not to do it?’

[Trash System: Of course. If the Host chooses to abandon this mission, the fusion degree will become 0% immediately.]

Su Xianxian: “…”

Wasn’t this just forced buying and selling? Bullying much?

[Trash System: Very well, the system has automatically determined the Host’s default acceptance. Today’s random Gambling Mission is: Please perform a heart-to-heart, honest confession to Jiang Cuo. The completion condition is: Jiang Cuo must be moved by the Host’s words. Friendly Warning: There are no restrictions on the content of the speech. Please improvise.]

Inside the villa, the servants saw “Little One” returning with Su Xianxian and Jiang Cuo and immediately acted with sharp intuition, bringing out the food the puppy used to eat. There was dog food, goat milk, calcium powder, and various snacks.

However, “Little One” just sat obediently at the door, wagging its tail and looking at Su Xianxian. Only after seeing that Su Xianxian didn’t frown or look impatient did it happily pitter-patter into the villa.

Even after the servants opened the food, the puppy ignored it, sitting in front of the bowls and staring intently at Jiang Cuo. There was anticipation in its eyes. It wasn’t until Jiang Cuo walked over to the food, squatted down, and poured the food into the bowl—and after Su Xianxian nodded in tacit approval—that “Little One” began to feast heartily.

The servants tactfully withdrew, leaving only Su Xianxian, Jiang Cuo, and the puppy eating noisily in the room.

Su Xianxian stood in front of Jiang Cuo, feeling the other girl’s scrutinizing gaze. Su Xianxian rubbed her palm with her thumb. It made sense; her behavior since arriving in this world was a huge contrast to the original host. Jiang Cuo was the future big villain; with her IQ, she could definitely sense the difference.

If she couldn’t come up with a suitable reason to convince Jiang Cuo, it would be difficult to continue their contact. Not to mention getting Jiang Cuo to truly trust her and become her friend, which was necessary to gain fusion points every day.

Su Xianxian walked to the sofa and gestured to Jiang Cuo. “Classmate Jiang, please sit. I’m not some monster; you don’t have to keep avoiding me like this.”

Seeing the sincerity in Su Xianxian’s eyes, Jiang Cuo didn’t refuse and sat on the sofa opposite her.

Su Xianxian spoke first. “I won’t hide it from you, Classmate Jiang. I have indeed changed quite a bit recently. That’s because I was very ill a few days ago. While I had a fever, my consciousness was hazy, and I looked back on many things that happened before.”

“Classmate Jiang saw it the other day—my father has remarried. My mother died when I was very young, and my father only cares about his new wife and her illegitimate daughter, Su Lian. I’ve lacked parental love since childhood, and I’m not as lucky as you, Classmate Jiang.”

“My grandparents also passed away when I was very young. My father doesn’t fulfill his duties as a parent and is constantly eyeing the inheritance my grandparents left me. That’s why I grew up trusting no one.”

“I covered myself in thorns, stinging anyone who came near. I thought that was the only way to protect myself. But after being sick, I suddenly realized that I’ve grown up. I’m not a little girl who can be bullied anymore. I have other ways to protect myself now; I don’t need to hurt others.”

“Classmate Jiang, you are the person I’ve spent the most time with since transferring to this high school. I know that although you are cold on the outside, you are kind-hearted. Even though I did so many hateful things to you, you still didn’t push me away.”

“I don’t know how those rumors started in class, but I am sincerely wishing to be friends with you. I used to be a little jealous that you had the love of your grandparents while I had nothing, but I’ve thought it through now. What others have belongs to them. I have things others don’t, too. I just need to cherish what I have and hold on to my own happiness. I’ll treat myself well and stop hurting others.”

Su Xianxian spoke with extreme seriousness, hand over her heart. This was a combination of the original host’s feelings—words that had been suppressed for so long with no one to tell. The original host had also yearned for friends, but after experiencing too much deception and calculation, she hadn’t dared to trust again.

But Su Xianxian was different; she was an adult with mature values, while the original host was just a girl longing to be loved. Su Xianxian wanted to build a good relationship with Jiang Cuo to get what she needed, and she wouldn’t mistreat Jiang Cuo in return. Moreover, Jiang Cuo was no ordinary person.

Jiang Cuo’s gaze was heavy as she stared at Su Xianxian’s face.

“Those are my thoughts. As for how Classmate Jiang chooses to respond, that is your business. Whether or not you forgive me for my past mistakes, I will make up for them in the future, just for my own peace of mind. Alright, ‘Little One’ is finished eating. I’m going to give it a bath.”

After speaking, Su Xianxian stood up. Ignoring the dirt on the puppy, she picked it up and headed toward the bathroom. Though she appeared calm on the surface, her heart was racing. She didn’t know if Jiang Cuo would buy it.

Jiang Cuo stared at Su Xianxian’s retreating back. She didn’t leave; instead, she stood up and followed. She saw Su Xianxian put the puppy into the bathtub. Su Xianxian didn’t call for servants, choosing instead to wash the puppy herself.

“Little One is shy around strangers; I’m afraid she’ll get hurt, so I don’t need the servants to wash her.”

Jiang Cuo watched as Su Xianxian gently and skillfully brushed the puppy’s fur, applied shampoo, and rinsed it repeatedly. Although the puppy resisted slightly, it remained obedient, occasionally letting out a few soft “awoo” sounds toward Jiang Cuo as if trying to ask for help.

“I’ve said it before, you don’t need to explain all this to me. I don’t care. We are just classmates.”

Jiang Cuo stood tall at the doorway, her beautiful phoenix eyes fixed on Su Xianxian’s hands. Her long ponytail draped over her shoulder, her back straight and elegant.

Su Xianxian’s heart skipped a beat. It was true; she and Jiang Cuo were just classmates. Her detailed explanation did seem a bit redundant.

“Classmate Jiang wouldn’t understand. When a lonely person sees a beam of light, they want so desperately to grab hold of it.”

Su Xianxian brushed the puppy’s fur while answering. At this point, she suddenly paused, stood up straight, and turned around. Her round apricot eyes looked earnestly into Jiang Cuo’s phoenix eyes. Word by word, she said: “And for me, Classmate Jiang, you are that beam of light.”

The bathroom was now filled with the scent of bubbles. The little Samoyed had transformed into a “little seal,” with a tuft of foam standing on its forehead—it was incredibly cute. Su Xianxian’s sleeves were rolled to her elbows; there was foam and water on her hands, and droplets of water from the puppy’s shaking were stuck to her body, face, and hair.

It was the first time Jiang Cuo had seen Su Xianxian looking so unrefined, yet so down-to-earth. And it was this down-to-earth, almost unconvincing appearance, paired with such a serious expression and shocking words, that did it.

Jiang Cuo’s eyelashes fluttered, and her thumb slightly brushed her fingertip. Her cold phoenix eyes narrowed. The blush that had just subsided crawled back onto her earlobes, making her look a bit flustered. For some reason, her heart beat faster than usual.

“Classmate Jiang, I don’t mean to morally kidnap you. I’m just being honest about my thoughts. I also hope you won’t be so resistant to me or avoid me. If you find it offensive, just act like I never said it.”

Jiang Cuo said faintly, “Mm.”

Su Xianxian: “Mm?”

She had said such a long, dramatic speech and only got an “Mm”?

Jiang Cuo’s shoulders, which had been crossed, slumped slightly. Her tone held a trace of faint helplessness and a hint of compromise she hadn’t even noticed herself.

“I understand, Classmate Su.”

Author’s Note:

Su Xianxian: Classmate Jiang

Jiang Cuo’s wrong response: Su Xianxian

Jiang Cuo’s correct response [voice slightly raspy, tone deep]: Classmate Su