Forced to Become the Female Villain's Doting Wife (GL) - Chapter 22.1

Jiang Cuo’s sudden words left Su Xianxian stunned.

What was all this about being “worthy” or “not worthy”?

Su Xianxian hadn’t realized that Jiang Cuo had followed her downstairs, let alone that she had overheard the conversation with Su Lian. Thus, she didn’t make the connection at all. In her mind, how could Jiang Cuo—the grand Female Villain—possibly do something like stalk a cannon fodder supporting character and eavesdrop on her? Wouldn’t that be beneath a villain of her caliber?

Su Xianxian assumed that because she had tucked Jiang Cuo’s textbooks into her desk without much ceremony, Jiang Cuo was subtly reminding her of their value. Since Jiang Cuo was taking the initiative to show goodwill, she had to give some sort of reaction; otherwise, how could the Big Villain be satisfied?

Thus, Su Xianxian took the textbooks out of her desk with both hands, holding them like a sacred imperial decree. She leaned forward and placed them on the desk, looking at Jiang Cuo with a face full of sincerity. Then, seeing Jiang Cuo’s expectant gaze turn into one of confusion, she grabbed Jiang Cuo’s hand and slowly covered it with her own right hand, looking as earnest as a subordinate thanking a boss.

“Thank you so much for your concern, Classmate Jiang! Last night, while I stayed by your bedside, I didn’t dare sleep for a second. I was reflecting on my academic shortcomings. I realized it’s because I spend every class sleeping or dazing off, so my foundation is too weak. Now, I can’t learn what the teacher says, and I’ve forgotten everything from before. These textbooks you gave me are perfect for reviewing the basics and helping me understand the current lessons. They are a massive help to my studies. Classmate Jiang, you are truly… too kind.”

A crack finally appeared on Jiang Cuo’s usually expressionless, cold face.

Was this Su Xianxian truly stupid, or just pretending? She was such a conspicuous person following her down there; did Su Xianxian really not notice?

Jiang Cuo silently tried to pull her hand out of Su Xianxian’s grasp. But Su Xianxian applied pressure as if refusing to let go, seemingly taking liberties with her in a subtle way.

Jiang Cuo let out a long internal sigh, choosing not to argue with her. If Su Xianxian really didn’t understand the meaning behind her words, surely after mentioning the textbooks, she would know to bring up the tutoring?

However, Su Xianxian’s mind was entirely focused on the fact that she was finally touching Jiang Cuo’s hand. This was increasing the fusion degree! Every minute held was another 0.1%. Oh yeah!

Consequently, until class started, Jiang Cuo didn’t hear what she wanted to hear. And while Su Xianxian held Jiang Cuo’s hand, she didn’t hear the Trash System notify her of any increase in the fusion degree.

Reluctantly and with some regret, Su Xianxian released Jiang Cuo’s well-defined, comfortable hand. She then felt a wave of irritation subtly rising from Jiang Cuo.

This left Su Xianxian baffled. I didn’t do anything, did I? Jiang Cuo should be able to accept this level of contact by now. Why is she getting angry again? How did I provoke her this time? As expected of the Big Villain, her temper comes out of nowhere.

Naturally, Su Xianxian couldn’t listen to a word the teacher was saying. Instead, she felt a sense of doubt regarding Su Lian’s provocation today. Logically, based on Su Lian’s reaction yesterday, she should have been scared off. Why was she clearly forcing herself to come and provoke her today? There had to be a reason.

Ever since Su Lian transferred to the school and revealed her identity as Su Xianxian’s sister—the illegitimate daughter of a mistress who destroyed a family—the rumors had spread. But Su Lian had been used to gossip and cold looks since childhood and didn’t care. She had long been brainwashed by Su Jianxiu to believe she was the righteous one. Furthermore, while she endured insults and prejudice growing up, only Su Jianxiu stood behind her, encouraging her, supporting her, and treating her gently.

Su Lian had gained nothing from Su Xianxian today. In fact, seeing Su Xianxian’s current reactions made her start to doubt the beliefs she had held onto for so long. She was no longer a child. The words Su Jianxiu used to coax her when she was little were once trusted implicitly, but now she was an adult. She was 18 years old, and she had begun to harbor doubts about the riddled stories Su Jianxiu told. It was just that she had to force herself to believe them.

When school was dismissed, everyone happily packed their bags to go home. Only Su Lian, with a pale face and drifting thoughts, rose unsteadily from her seat like a ghost.

Su Xianxian really didn’t want to pay attention to Su Lian, but the girl’s current state was too eye-catching to ignore.

Jiang Cuo watched Su Xianxian from the corner of her eye while rubbing her throbbing temples. She thought Su Xianxian would notice her movement, but found Su Xianxian’s gaze entirely fixed on Su Lian in the back. An inexplicable surge of irritation rose in her heart. In a fit of annoyance, she packed her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and left on her own.

Su Xianxian acted as if nothing were wrong, leisurely packing her things. Seeing Su Lian walk out of the classroom in a daze, she followed unhurriedly.

Though Su Xianxian didn’t care about paper-people like Su Lian and Su Jianxiu, Su Jianxiu was constantly eyeing her money. If she left him unchecked, who knew what trouble the dog system would cook up.

[Trash System: Host, please don’t secretly curse “Little Trash” in your heart. Although this world is a book world created by the system, some minor plot directions are determined by the personalities of the characters, not the system. So, Host, you must pay attention to the movements of the people around you.]

Su Xianxian slung her bag across her shoulder and silently rolled her eyes. A system in a book world—could it be that it exists just to pad the word count? Talking so much just to tell me to watch Su Lian.

As Su Xianxian reached the school gate, she saw Su Lian in front of her suddenly being taken away by a parked black van. It happened so fast that Su Xianxian didn’t have time to react.

Kidnapping? Su Xianxian instantly sharpened her focus. Probably not; Su Lian shouldn’t have that much screen time.

[Trash System: Friendly reminder, Host! Congratulations on triggering a side-plot point. Upon completing this side-plot, the Host will receive a reward: a hidden plot setting.]

Su Xianxian raised an eyebrow. So this is what was waiting for me. She knew the dog system wouldn’t give her a reward so easily.

Su Lian never expected that after a muddled day, the greatest blow wouldn’t come from Su Xianxian, but from Su Jianxiu—the man she had worshipped as her faith and her sun since childhood.

Su Lian was dragged into the van by strangers, who informed her that her father, Su Jianxiu, had sent them to bring her there. To her surprise, when she got out of the car, she was at a psychiatric hospital.

At that moment, her eyes widened, her nerves sparked, and her fists clenched. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t find her voice. She thought she was there to visit her mother, but when she saw her mother’s cold body lying on a table, the blood in her veins seemed to freeze. Her mother’s features were somewhat blurred, her face pale—familiar yet strange compared to her memories.

Su Lian stood there dazed, her head ringing. She couldn’t even find a reason to cry. She had become a numb puppet, no longer knowing what she had been waiting for or hoping for all these years.

At that moment, Su Jianxiu walked in. He didn’t look very sad, just helpless and regretful. He patted Su Lian’s shoulder. “Lian’er, don’t be too sad. Your mother’s mental state was poor, and the hospital did its best to save her. But perhaps she didn’t want to be a burden to us. She climbed onto the rooftop but accidentally fell. It was an accident. I didn’t want to see this either. But you are a senior now; focus on your studies and don’t be too sad, or your mother won’t rest in peace.”

Su Lian, her face pale, looked back at Su Jianxiu. However, he didn’t spend much time comforting her, turning instead to handle other matters.

Just as Su Lian was about to convince herself to believe Su Jianxiu’s story, a stranger in a staff uniform handed her a thick notebook.

“Child, I just heard that man say your name is Su Lian. Remember, this was left for you by your mother. Whatever you do, don’t let that man—your father—see it. Your mother wasn’t mentally ill; she was imprisoned here. This was the only thing she asked of me, and I’ve done it for her.”

Su Lian’s fingertips were devoid of color as she pulled her drifting thoughts back and hesitantly took the notebook. She flipped to a random page. The handwriting was unfamiliar; her mother had left her when she was very young, so she would have to find something to compare it with later.

The words looked like a diary. As soon as she opened the first page, her eyes widened.

She wasn’t Su Jianxiu’s biological daughter, and her foster mother was not related to her either. She was adopted?! And her mother’s purpose in adopting her was to get close to Su Jianxiu.

Su Lian’s mind was even more of a mess now. In an instant, everything she had experienced, every value and belief she had built, collapsed.

The diary stated that Su Jianxiu was an utter hypocrite and a scumbag. Su Xianxian’s mother was named Xu Lian, while her foster mother was named Bai Qiu. Years ago, Xu Lian’s parents couldn’t accept their daughter’s love for another woman. Su Jianxiu, an opportunistic “Phoenix Man,” worked as a low-level clerk in the company and used his cunning to present himself to the Xu family. The two Xu elders then forced their daughter, Xu Lian, to marry him.

Su Jianxiu’s goal was solely the Xu family’s assets. He forced Xu Lian to get pregnant and give birth to Su Xianxian. Xu Lian suffered a mental breakdown and died from a fall. However, since Su Jianxiu appeared, Xu Lian had protected Bai Qiu very well. After learning of Xu Lian’s death, Bai Qiu was heartbroken and decided to seek revenge, adopting a girl to get close to Su Jianxiu.

Bai Qiu, looking like a gentle and pitiful woman from the south, gradually won Su Jianxiu’s trust. Unfortunately, the medicine Bai Qiu used didn’t kill him; it only made him infertile, which was why she had to adopt a child. Eventually, Su Jianxiu discovered the truth. He forcibly imprisoned Bai Qiu in the psychiatric hospital. Knowing Su Lian wasn’t his biological daughter, he developed a perverted plan to wait for her to grow up for his own satisfaction.

Su Lian felt her skin crawl as she read this. Bai Qiu had endured the humiliation by Su Jianxiu’s side just to find evidence that he had killed Xu Lian, as the police had ruled her death an accidental fall. Bai Qiu refused to give up; she wanted Su Jianxiu to face justice.

Su Lian’s head felt like it would explode from the information overload. But she finally understood why her mother had always gently told her since childhood to get along with Su Xianxian.

Suddenly, the familiar sound of leather shoes approached from behind. Su Lian’s years of survival instincts kicked in, and she reflexively suppressed all her outward terror and shock. She couldn’t be sure the diary was real, but she couldn’t entirely discount it either. If Su Jianxiu was truly as described, she couldn’t show her grief over Bai Qiu’s death. If she was too heartbroken, Su Jianxiu would reveal his ugly true self.

Sure enough, Su Jianxiu returned. Su Lian immediately hid the diary in her clothes, clutching it tightly so he wouldn’t see anything unusual. Su Jianxiu patted her shoulder. Seeing that she appeared much calmer than before and that her eyes showed a sense of detachment from Bai Qiu, he was satisfied.

Su Jianxiu was in a hurry to go to the insurance company to file the death report for Bai Qiu’s “accidental death” so he could claim the massive payout.

“Lian’er, did you listen to me? I have things to handle. Someone will take care of your mother’s body. You must study hard and not disappoint me. I don’t have time to take you home, but the uncles outside will drive you. Wait for me at home and don’t be too sad, or you’ll harm your health.”

In the past, Su Lian would have thought her father was the best person in the world after hearing such gentle words. But now, after reading the diary, she felt the middle-aged man before her—though glamorous on the outside—had eyes full of nothing but calculation and false sentiment. Su Lian felt sick to her stomach.

She adjusted her state, curved her lips into a submissive, fake smile, and said, “Okay, Daddy. Don’t work too hard and take care of your health. Now that Mommy is gone, only you and I are left to rely on each other. I don’t want to lose you too.”

Su Jianxiu was extremely satisfied. He reached out to pat her cheek and then turned to leave. Once he was gone, Su Lian frowned and rubbed her cheek hard with the back of her hand. Holding the diary, she heard the footsteps of the men waiting for her fade away. Panic set in. Who could she rely on now? If the diary was true, the fate awaiting her back with Su Jianxiu was exactly what the diary predicted.

She wouldn’t allow it.

Su Lian reopened the diary and tore out the first half-page that recorded she wasn’t the biological child of Bai Qiu and Su Jianxiu. Finding no way to dispose of the scrap, she balled it up, stuffed it into her mouth, and forced herself to swallow it. The dry paper scratched her throat, bringing tears to her eyes. But her face was resolute; she wanted to live—to live like a human being. Even if she couldn’t escape the stigma of being an illegitimate daughter or a mistress’s child, it was better than living as a slave to the true Su Jianxiu.

Su Xianxian sat in her butler’s car and instructed him to follow the black van. The butler obeyed without question. As they neared the destination, realizing the butler might be in the way, Su Xianxian told him to park in a hidden spot. Just after parking, she saw Su Jianxiu get out of another car and enter a building labeled “Psychiatric Hospital.”

Su Xianxian was baffled; this plot point hadn’t been in the book. At that moment, the butler turned around with a thoughtful expression.

“Eldest Miss, how did you know about this?”

Su Xianxian: “Huh?”