I Snatched the Male Lead’s "Cool Novel" Script - Chapter 11

A fondness for blue clothes, golden pupils, and the ability to wander freely in and out of Langdie Valley.

Combining these traits, Yan Yu quickly deduced the identity of the woman before her: she was Ying Fan, the master of water-based spirit arts and one of the “Five Little Guardians” of Langdie Valley.

Born in the Kingdom of Poseidon, she was a half-human, half-fish entity due to a unique fusion of her physical body and beast soul at birth. Ostracized by her own kin as a freak and left homeless, she eventually joined Yin Beiqing’s ranks.

Under normal circumstances, Ying Fan used spirit arts to take on a human appearance, but in reality, she possessed the face of a human and the body of a fish—resembling a mermaid from mythology.

“I’m not stealing. I wanted to plant these back,” Yan Yu explained.

Ying Fan didn’t care about her explanation. She stepped back, looked her up and down, and suddenly laughed while pointing at her. “I know you! You’re that sickly Goddess that Sister Ruan hates the most, aren’t you!”

“…”

“Why aren’t you talking?”

Yan Yu turned her back and continued planting. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Aren’t you curious why I’m here too?”

Yan Yu, of course, wasn’t curious; she knew the reason.

As a water-based Beast Master, Ying Fan delighted in water. In all of Langdie Valley, the highest quality water belonged to the Cobalt Rhodium Spring. The original book mentioned that she occasionally came here to enjoy herself behind Yin Beiqing’s back.

However, Ying Fan was right—compared to stealing bath time, stealing fruit required a far greater lack of fear of death.

Ying Fan shed her outer garment and submerged herself in the water. Her two long, slender legs immediately transformed into a scale-covered fish tail. The light blue scales shimmered under the moonlight, creating a dazzling effect.

She wagged her tail contentedly, rested her arms on the edge of the pool, and tilted her head to chat with Yan Yu.

“Actually, it wouldn’t matter even if you took some. The Valley Lord never cares about those few stalks of grass. No one looks after them anyway; they just absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and grow into a patch on their own.”

Listen to that, Yan Yu thought. If those outsiders who would pay a fortune for a single stalk heard this, they would die of envy.

Yan Yu gave a polite smile but actually increased her planting speed. It wasn’t that she was afraid; Ying Fan was actually the most good-natured among Yin Beiqing’s subordinates, but she had one major flaw…

“Hey, I heard you can bring the dead back to life. Is that true?”

“By the way, someone said you spent the whole night in the Valley Lord’s room. Did she summon you to serve her bed?”

“Tsk, tsk. Looking closely, these bruises on your neck and chin couldn’t be…”

“No!” Yan Yu interjected.

“Hahahaha!” Ying Fan doubled over with laughter. “Don’t be nervous, don’t be nervous. Let me ask something easier to answer. Sister Ruan said you know surgical suturing and your technique is excellent. Why don’t you help me sew one up sometime?”

Listen to that—who curses themselves like that?

“Why did you stop talking again? Do you hate me too?” Ying Fan flipped over, her tail splashing the water surface heavily, drenching Yan Yu.

Yan Yu sighed, silently patting away the water droplets. She felt a throbbing ache at her temples. She truly couldn’t handle talkative people; every encounter was a headache.

Such a beautiful woman, why does she have to have a mouth?

“I don’t hate you. I’m just naturally not fond of talking.”

“Is that so?” Ying Fan blinked. “Well, okay. Actually, it doesn’t matter if you hate me. I like to torment people who hate me for no reason. You also find me annoying, right?”

“I told you, I don’t hate you.” Yan Yu finally finished replanting the Lotus Beads. She stood up and wiped her hands clean. “Go back to your soak. I won’t tell anyone about tonight.”

“Quite loyal, aren’t you.” Ying Fan noticed that instead of heading back, Yan Yu was carrying her basket toward the back mountains. “Little Goddess, you’re going the wrong way. The back mountains are dangerous at night. If you trip or get bitten to death by strange insects or fierce beasts, no one will save you.”

Yan Yu suppressed the frustration in her chest. She couldn’t expect anything pleasant to come out of Ying Fan’s mouth.

“Thank you for the warning.” Yan Yu’s footsteps didn’t falter.

Swoosh— Ying Fan suddenly lunged out of the water. By the time she landed, her fish tail had turned back into beautiful human legs. She used spirit arts to dry her clothes and casually threw on her coat. “If you’re really going, I’m coming with you.”

“No need.” Yan Yu lowered her head and quickened her pace.

“Don’t be like that. Since you’re so loyal, I’ll look after you for once.” Ying Fan smiled and draped her arm over Yan Yu’s shoulder, unceremoniously leaning her full body weight onto her. “Once you enter Langdie Valley, you’re one of us. Why be polite with your own people? Besides, you just said you’d keep my secret. Doesn’t that mean you see me as a good sister? How could I refuse you?”

Who’s being polite with you?!

“Why don’t you have any meat on your bones? You’re hurting my arm.”

“What are you doing in the back mountains so late?”

“Hey, hey, Little Goddess~ talk to me!”

“Gathering herbs,” Yan Yu replied through gritted teeth.

To treat her qi deficiency, the Lotus Bead petals alone weren’t enough; she also needed the roots of Soul-Gathering Grass. This wasn’t a particularly rare herb, and she remembered the original book mentioned that the back mountains of Langdie Valley grew many exotic flowers and grasses naturally. She wanted to try her luck.

Unlike the Lotus Bead, Soul-Gathering Grass looked much like common weeds. Most people couldn’t distinguish it from up close. Since the back mountains weren’t strictly under the jurisdiction of Langdie Valley, the chances of being caught for taking a few stalks for medicine were low.

“I see. You should have said so earlier; I know the paths here well.” Ying Fan hooked her arm around Yan Yu’s neck, pulling her close. “There are more herbs to the east. I’ll take you.”

Yan Yu felt stifled, but her strength was far too inferior compared to Ying Fan’s. After struggling once and finding it useless, she let her lead the way.

The further east they went, the denser the woods became, and the light dimmed accordingly. Yan Yu kept her eyes fixed on the ground, stopping to pick anything that looked like Soul-Gathering Grass and placing it in her basket.

The forest was filled with various scents—pollen that made one sneeze, the smell of grass and mud after rain, and… a familiar cold fragrance.

“Who’s there!”

“Crap! Boss!” Before Yan Yu could react, Ying Fan jumped.

A slender black shadow suddenly drifted out from nowhere, standing still in front of Yan Yu.

Yin Beiqing narrowed her eyes, her gaze coldly sweeping over Ying Fan’s arm draped over Yan Yu’s shoulder.

“Good evening, Boss! I just remembered I’m on guard duty tonight. I’ll go get ready for work now!” With that, Ying Fan lunged into a puddle by the roadside. After a mysterious flash of spirit art, she vanished without a trace.

Only Yan Yu remained, standing in silent confrontation with a clearly displeased Yin Beiqing.

Yan Yu’s heart was racing. She felt that this time, she was truly doomed.

Yin Beiqing lowered her eyes, her gaze landing on the basket in Yan Yu’s hand. Yan Yu guiltily tried to hide it behind her back, but the other woman reached out and curled her fingers—the meaning was obvious.

Yan Yu pursed her lips and handed the basket over.

However, the woman took the basket and, without even looking at it, casually tossed it onto the muddy ground nearby. Then, with her other hand, she pulled a bundle of items from her wide sleeve like a magic trick. “Take it.”

Yan Yu reached out dazed to catch it. She looked down and realized—wasn’t this exactly the Soul-Gathering Grass she had spent ages looking for, only to find two tiny stalks?

“…” What does Yin Beiqing mean by this?

Yan Yu couldn’t fathom Yin Beiqing’s thoughts, but she noticed the woman was staring at her again with that look—the one that suggested she wanted to swallow her whole. Yet, she refused to say a word.

At this moment, every second of silence was torture for Yan Yu; her heart grew more and more anxious.

Was this the legendary “give a sweet date, then hit with a stick” tactic?

The Soul-Gathering Grass in her hand was the sweet date… so where was the stick? How did she plan to torment her now?

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Have you no manners?” Yin Beiqing said with a wooden face.

“Huh?”

“Can’t you say thank you?”

Yan Yu finally realized. She looked at the grass in her hand, then looked up at the person whose hands were behind her back, chin slightly tilted, with a face that practically shouted “I am noble, kneel and thank me immediately.”

Understood. Understood.

She respectfully held the bundle of Soul-Gathering Grass with both hands and bowed ninety degrees to Yin Beiqing. “Thank you very much, Valley Lord.”

“…”

Are you worshipping Buddha?