Forced to Become the Female Villain's Doting Wife (GL) - Chapter 20

“Took liberties.”

These two words were not heavy, yet they served as a biased summary of the entire incident.

Su Xianxian couldn’t care less about her stiff body; her pupils shook with shock. She watched Jiang Cuo utter such slanderous words from those thin lips.

“I…”

Su Xianxian bit the bullet to speak, only to find that in Jiang Cuo’s slightly reddened eyes, there was an extreme persistence, and her thin lips were pursed tight. This made the wound on Jiang Cuo’s lip look somewhat… stubborn?

Jiang Cuo’s expression suggested she had already arrived at a certain answer. No matter how Su Xianxian explained, Jiang Cuo seemed determined to believe this conclusion—as if she had seen it with her own eyes.

But as soon as Su Xianxian opened her mouth to say a single word, Jiang Cuo released her grip on Su Xianxian’s wrist, and her slender fingers reached toward Su Xianxian’s face.

Su Xianxian watched as that hand approached until a warm index fingertip pressed against the wound on her lower lip. Jiang Cuo’s nails were trimmed very short, flush with the flesh of her fingertips, clean and white with pale crescents at the base.

Gently, Jiang Cuo used her fingertip to stroke the wound on Su Xianxian’s lower lip. Her piercing gaze was so persistent that for a moment, Su Xianxian didn’t know how to explain or find words to brush it off.

However, staying in this stalemate was no good. Su Xianxian was half-bent over, and her legs were beginning to tremble. Her legs had been incredibly numb in the equipment room and had only just recovered. Who could endure this?

Thus, Su Xianxian was forced to explain, but she didn’t expect that Jiang Cuo’s finger had no intention of leaving. Just as Su Xianxian started to speak, Jiang Cuo’s finger suddenly slipped into her mouth. The soft tip of her tongue was pressed by Jiang Cuo’s finger.

Su Xianxian could even feel Jiang Cuo seemingly retaliate by using her fingernail to press firmly against the tip of her tongue. Only then did Jiang Cuo’s tightly pursed lips slightly relax. There was a subtle upward curve at the corners of her mouth.

Those phoenix eyes softened significantly. Her thin lips parted, and a few petulant words escaped: “Little liar.”

Su Xianxian dared not move an inch, terrified that Jiang Cuo would remember this part too. She had no idea how Jiang Cuo’s brain would process and rewrite this scene; in the end, it would probably all be her fault.

“Little liar, don’t even think… about taking advantage of me.”

Su Xianxian stood there dazed. Unexpectedly, after finishing that sentence, Jiang Cuo let her hand fall, her head tilted, her eyes closed, and her breathing became shallow and even. She had fallen asleep again.

Su Xianxian sat back on the chair and let out a long sigh, patting her little heart which had almost jumped out of her chest. Jiang Cuo’s “drunk personality” was actually quite terrible; no wonder the future Jiang Cuo was so hard on herself in this regard. If she had to face such a Jiang Cuo every day, her heart would probably suffer from failure.

What did she mean, “don’t take advantage of her,” and that they were “even”? This was straight-up slander! She was perfectly innocent.

Su Xianxian felt that today’s Jiang Cuo showed a massive contrast, revealing many sides she would never show on a normal day. Could it be that when Jiang Cuo said they were “even,” she was referring to the time Su Xianxian’s bandaged finger accidentally poked her mouth? Good lord, how long ago was that?

That meant even though Jiang Cuo hadn’t talked to her for a while, she had been brooding over it. Truly, one doesn’t become a great female villain for no reason; she started holding grudges at such a young age.

And when did she ever take advantage of her? She was clearly the one being coerced! It’s all the fault of this trash system for issuing such strange missions that made her look so perverted. And wasn’t this making things harder for her? Otherwise, with her sincere heart, Jiang Cuo would have believed her long ago.

The more Su Xianxian thought about it, the angrier she got. She had been framed for taking advantage of someone out of nowhere. She looked down at Jiang Cuo, who was sleeping deeply with an extremely peaceful face.

Since Jiang Cuo was so adamant…

Su Xianxian suddenly had a mischievous thought: she might as well live up to the reputation. Since the blame was already pinned on her, it would be a disservice to Jiang Cuo if she didn’t actually do something.

Su Xianxian looked left and right. Seeing no one at the door, she sneakily reached out both hands toward Jiang Cuo’s cheeks. She pinched the soft flesh on both sides of Jiang Cuo’s face, pulled them into a funny face, and then immediately retracted her hands. She sat back on the stool primly. Like a child who had stolen a piece of candy, she raised her chin high and exhaled triumphantly.

Much better.

She wanted Jiang Cuo to know she wasn’t to be trifled with. Though she, Su Xianxian, had a good temper, she wasn’t that easy to bully. Humph!

Meanwhile, Su Lian returned home after school and opened her bedroom door dejectedly. The room was as dark as ever, without a single light.

Since elementary school, Su Lian had never seen a scene like other families, where the parents prepared a meal, the house was lit with warm lights and smiling faces, and they ate dinner together after school. She wondered how her mother was doing in the psychiatric hospital lately. She hadn’t received a letter from her in a month. And she didn’t know when her father would return tonight.

The nanny had already prepared dinner and left it on the table. Su Lian didn’t have to cook, but looking at the dinner that lacked any warmth, she had no appetite. She tossed her bag on the sofa and waited for Su Jianxiu.

Su Lian’s mind was filled with the scene of Su Xianxian staring her down with such strength. Su Xianxian had changed. Her way of speaking, her conduct, and her reactions were not the same as before. Since the day she and her father went to the villa, Su Xianxian was different. But the way Su Xianxian was now seemed to have some kind of magic, making Su Lian unable to look away.

Full of doubt, Su Lian curled up on the sofa and eventually fell asleep. It wasn’t until past 10 PM that she was woken by the sound of the door opening. Su Jianxiu returned stumbling, reeking of alcohol.

Su Lian had waited specifically for him today because today was the day her mother usually wrote to her.

“Daddy, why are you back so late? You work so hard. You must take care of your health. Mommy is sick, and I only have you. I can’t let anything happen to you. I’ll grow up quickly and work hard to earn money so you can enjoy a good life soon.”

Su Lian knew that to achieve her goals, she had to please people. She wasn’t Su Xianxian; she couldn’t just throw a tantrum and get whatever she wanted. Since she was little, Su Jianxiu told her that even if he was her father, as long as he spent money on her, she had to be grateful.

Su Lian’s look of admiration put Su Jianxiu in a great mood.

“Truly my good daughter. If your sister were half as sensible as you, I wouldn’t have to suffer like this every day. Your mother’s condition worsened recently. I don’t have much money on hand, so you’ll have to suffer a bit for now. I need to prioritize the money for your mother’s care.”

Whenever Su Lian heard news of her mother, her mood would improve. As long as Su Jianxiu used this excuse, Su Lian would set aside any doubts.

“Daddy… is it because Mommy is unwell that she didn’t send a letter? But why not let her use a phone? We can use video calls now so we can see her face.”

Before, Su Lian didn’t think of this without a phone, but now that there were better communication methods, why was her mother still writing letters? Su Jianxiu used to say writing helped control her illness, but now that it had worsened, why not use a more convenient method?

Faced with Su Lian’s questioning, Su Jianxiu frowned, appearing impatient. “The cosmetics you picked out have already been sent for her birthday. You just need to study hard and be obedient. Your mother won’t have to worry about you while she’s in the hospital. Be good. It’s late; go to sleep.”

Su Lian could only bite her lip and nod silently. After she went upstairs, Su Jianxiu loosened his tie, walked to a storage room reeking of alcohol, and took out a box. He brushed off the dust and pulled out a small stack of documents. At the top were the words: Personal Accident Insurance.

The insured person was Su Lian’s mother, but the sole beneficiary was Su Jianxiu.

Su Xianxian kept watch over Jiang Cuo all night. Finally unable to hold out, she leaned her head against the bed and fell asleep. The first ray of the morning sun shone through the window into the ward. One person lay peacefully sleeping on the bed, while the other sat on the recliner with her head resting by the bedside—even in sleep, she maintained a protective stance. The sun touched both their faces, warm and beautiful like a warm-toned oil painting. It was an extremely cozy scene.

A top student’s biological clock meant Jiang Cuo woke up precisely at 6:30 AM.

Su Xianxian, having been a hardworking wage-slave in her previous life, also had a strong biological clock. However, she had spent the night watching the IV drip and stayed in a light sleep for fear that Jiang Cuo would wake up to vomit, as the doctor had warned. She was utterly exhausted. She remained in a deep sleep even as Jiang Cuo opened her eyes and alertly scanned the room.

Jiang Cuo wanted to sit up immediately, but the ache throughout her body made her abandon the idea. Her left palm throbbed. She lifted it and saw tiny wounds where splinters had been; they had been cleaned and were starting to scab over. Just as she was about to let out a soft hiss of pain, she felt a sting on her lip.

Worst of all was her head; it was groggy, and her eyes felt swollen. She held her head for a while before the ceiling came into focus. She realized she was in a hospital ward.

Then, steady breathing nearby caught her attention. Su Xianxian was leaning close to her pillow, her hands folded under her face. Her head was tilted, pressing her soft oval face slightly out of shape, her lips pouting as she slept sweetly.

Jiang Cuo’s gaze froze for a few seconds. Instead of sitting up, she silently turned her body toward the side where Su Xianxian was sleeping. She propped her head up with one arm to get a better angle to see Su Xianxian’s sleeping face.

Fair skin, a small nose, butterfly-like eyelashes, and those closed eyes… Unexpectedly, when Su Xianxian closed her eyes, she looked so well-behaved.

Normally, when those round almond eyes were open, she was full of lies, not even blinking while telling them. She was quirky and clever; even when she was deceiving people, they would be willing victims. Like a vortex, she drew people in so they couldn’t get out.

As Jiang Cuo’s gaze lingered, it eventually landed on Su Xianxian’s slightly pouting lips. The wound on the lower lip was extremely conspicuous, ruining the soft beauty and catching Jiang Cuo’s attention. Seeing that red, swollen wound, Jiang Cuo felt a sudden sharp pain in her own lower lip.

Her brain felt like fireworks exploding, scenes playing like a highlight reel of a drama. The location of the pain on her own lip seemed to match Su Xianxian’s injury. Jiang Cuo’s gaze went blank as she dove into her memories to find out what happened yesterday.

After drinking that bottle, she stumbled halfway, was taken to a dark classroom, and then saw Su Xianxian. What did Su Xianxian say and do after that? She could only see Su Xianxian’s mouth moving, but she couldn’t hear a sound. After that, she lost all memory.

As Jiang Cuo fell deeper into the flow of memory, she unconsciously reached out her hand. Her index finger pressed against Su Xianxian’s wound. She stroked the injury on Su Xianxian’s lower lip.

Those scenes were blurry like a dream in her head. She could almost see them, but when she tried to clarify a specific moment, she couldn’t grasp it. She could only vaguely remember saying something like… “took liberties”?

She could remember the strong smell of alcohol. And her thoughts when she first got drunk: she suspected someone had intentionally harmed her by giving her alcohol disguised as a drink. Su Xianxian had found her and brought her here. Initially, she suspected Su Xianxian, but the anxiety in Su Xianxian’s eyes was too real. It’s usually hard to believe that human eyes cannot distinguish a lie.

Jiang Cuo didn’t know if she had already compromised in her heart, believing Su Xianxian was unrelated to the incident and was wholeheartedly looking after her.

However, the warm touch and slight pain made Su Xianxian’s eyelashes flutter. She frowned slightly and muttered in displeasure: “What is it? Who is it? Can’t a person get some sleep?”

These mutterings brought Jiang Cuo back to her senses, but she didn’t retract her hand. Instead, as if finding something novel, she narrowed her eyes, her face looking innocent while her hand continued its movement.

An inexplicable curiosity rose in Jiang Cuo’s heart. She wanted to know why Su Xianxian was doing all this. What was her angle?

Su Xianxian was annoyed for a long time, and since the irritating touch on her lip wouldn’t go away, she was forced to open her eyes. She saw a well-defined, extremely fair hand held in front of her. Looking further up, the owner of that hand was staring at her with wide eyes.

Logic flooded back instantly. Su Xianxian sprang up from the recliner like a coiled spring. She sat up straight and saw that Jiang Cuo had long been awake, lying in bed and watching her calmly. Those eyes seemed to say that she remembered everything from yesterday and was waiting for an explanation.

Recalling the series of events after Jiang Cuo got drunk, Su Xianxian’s scalp tingled. How could she ever wash this clean? Su Xianxian was as nervous as she had been during job interviews in her past life. Jiang Cuo was like an interviewer on the bed, imposing without even being angry.

And the word “took liberties” that Jiang Cuo had muttered while half-conscious yesterday made Su Xianxian alert. Instead of letting Jiang Cuo manipulate her, she might as well explain first. With the silver tongue she developed in the corporate world of her past life, surely she could handle a high school student like Jiang Cuo.

She had to seize the initiative, explain clearly, and leave no room for Jiang Cuo to find fault or say anything strange.

“Classmate Jiang, you’re finally awake! Do you feel better? Your grandparents were worried, but don’t worry, I told them you just felt a bit unwell and I took a leave for you from school. The ambulance belongs to a private doctor, and this is my private hospital. No one found out the reason you were admitted. Also, I didn’t let your grandparents pay; I’ve already covered the medical bills.

I also investigated what happened yesterday. It was all Su Lian’s doing. She couldn’t stand me and decided to target you. I gave her a stern warning yesterday to come at me if she has a problem and never bother you again, or I’ll show her what for! If you feel fine now, you can get up for class. There’s half an hour left. My butler is ready outside to take us straight to school.”

After speaking, Su Xianxian placed her hands on her lap with a standard professional smile. She was concise and comprehensive, clearing up the whole situation while scrubbing away the bits that shouldn’t be said—the parts that could cause misunderstanding. After finishing, Su Xianxian wanted to give herself a thumbs up. Dealing with clients in her previous life had trained her to explain things clearly without even needing to think.

Jiang Cuo was just a high school senior, a kid at most. How could she be a match for an old fox of the corporate world?

But just as Su Xianxian was feeling smug, thinking Jiang Cuo would surely understand her, she looked at Jiang Cuo’s expression. Unexpectedly, Jiang Cuo still had that calculating look, as if she understood everything and could see through her—as if she could see Su Xianxian’s underlying guilt.

“Classmate Su, why is your lower lip split? And your neck—why is there a bandage?”

Jiang Cuo’s questions hit the nail on the head. It was as if she had pierced through the layers of mist Su Xianxian had created with a single needle. Reminded by Jiang Cuo, Su Xianxian immediately covered her neck. She instantly regretted it; wasn’t this like the man who stole the bell and covered his own ears? Besides, why was she guilty? She was the victim here, okay?

“Ah, yesterday I was in a hurry to get you onto the stretcher and accidentally bumped my mouth. I also accidentally bumped the wooden shelf in the equipment room.”

Jiang Cuo’s face and eyes were written with disbelief.

Su Xianxian suddenly grew bold, adopting a “dead pig isn’t afraid of boiling water” attitude. She decided to use her final move. At worst, she’d throw away her pride. She just couldn’t swallow this anger. If Jiang Cuo really remembered everything, she would just point it out directly. Trying to play her for a fool—did she think she was easy to bully?

[Trash System: Congratulations, Host! Since Jiang Cuo is awake, the system has detected that Jiang Cuo’s current Disgust Value is 50. Fusion degree with the system world +5%. Current fusion degree is 45%.]

Su Xianxian raised an eyebrow after hearing the notification. Her aura instantly surged; she was no longer afraid. If the Disgust Value had dropped, it meant Jiang Cuo didn’t actually remember what happened yesterday! She didn’t know the origin of the wound on her lip or the bandage on her neck!

So why was she acting like a coward? And to think she thought Jiang Cuo’s aura meant she knew something and was judging her.

Su Xianxian stood up, hands on her hips, looking down with a pout and a glare, and began her accusation:

“Classmate Jiang, why are you interrogating me the moment you wake up? As if I did something to wrong you! You were the one who drank a stranger’s drink and trusted people too easily. If I hadn’t noticed and brought you to the hospital, your reputation would be ruined by now! It’s truly hard to be a good person these days. It’s hard to do good and remain anonymous, and it’s even harder to have that goodness remembered.”

Su Xianxian got more into it as she spoke, adding three parts acting, four parts exaggeration, and three parts self-pity.

Jiang Cuo sat up silently, her aura softening slightly. Seeing Jiang Cuo seemingly bowing her head, Su Xianxian immediately launched her attack. Weakness only invites bullying, while strength suppresses others. Su Xianxian leaned her neck toward Jiang Cuo and tore off the bandage, revealing two clear sets of teeth marks.

“Classmate Jiang, look at this! I was too embarrassed to say anything, but since you keep asking, I can only confess. Take a good look at these teeth marks. Do they look familiar? Do you want to match them with your own teeth? You were the one who bit me! I was kind enough to settle this for you, but you got drunk and started acting like a rogue—like the fable of the farmer and the snake, you bit my neck. Look, it’s going to scar! How am I supposed to find a partner in the future? People will think I’m a playboy! I only covered it with a bandage out of necessity. Do you think this is easy for me?”

Su Xianxian scanned Jiang Cuo’s expression with her peripheral vision while she spoke. Finally, she added fuel to the fire, turning the tables completely. She exhaled through her nose indignantly.

“I was trying to be tactful and not make a fuss. But if this happened to anyone else… Classmate Jiang, this would be considered taking liberties!”

Author’s Note:

Su Xianxian: Didn’t expect that, did you? I’m bouncing it back.

Jiang Cuo: The beauty is bewildered.