Saving the Pitiful Villain (GL) - Chapter 11

Yun Wu’s reaction was dull and cold.

Not only was Jiang Shangxue not angry, but she felt even more moved. She knew that for a child like Yun Wu, who grew up in a terrible and harsh environment, it was normal to subconsciously resist and be wary of other people’s kindness.

But deep down, she must still deeply crave acceptance and love.

With a gentle smile on her face, Jiang Shangxue spoke softly, “Now, put your bag down and go check out your room.”

With that, Jiang Shangxue turned and walked into the adjacent bedroom.

With a faint click of the door closing, the fleeting corner of Jiang Shangxue’s coat disappeared behind the door.

Yun Wu turned and looked around. Everything was new: the floor mat, the sofa, the coffee table… clean and spotless, with no signs of anyone having lived there before.

Yun Wu glanced at the balcony again. A row of lush lilies-of-the-valley was arranged there, with clusters of white blossoms hanging from the stems, gently swaying in the wind.

A faint, familiar fragrance wafted through the air.

But after only a moment, it vanished into thin air.

Yun Wu walked into the bedroom and set down her meager luggage.

She walked slowly around the room, her gaze sweeping over every corner.

It was a very dreamy room. Even though it was overwhelmingly pink, the layout and matching were far from tacky.

Moreover, even though there were no brand labels on anything, Yun Wu could tell that everything was expensive.

This room had clearly been specially prepared for her: spacious, bright, and very cozy.

Even if Yun Wu didn’t like pink, it was hard to hate it.

It was worlds apart from the cramped, lightless darkroom she knew for years, and the self-study room where she woke up in the middle of the night—it was something Yun Wu dared not even dream of in her previous life.

Her lips pressed tightly together, Yun Wu gazed at everything before her for a long time, her long eyelashes concealing her eyes.

She stood frozen with her back to the door. The bandage on her finger, which hadn’t been secured properly, had fallen off sometime ago.

The entire knuckle was red and swollen, and the exposed nail bed looked bloody and raw.

Jiang Shangxue, who had returned after finding the first-aid kit, immediately fixed her gaze on Yun Wu’s hand. She frowned slightly. How did it get this serious?

The door was ajar. Jiang Shangxue stopped at the entrance and lightly tapped a few times.

“Your finger needs immediate attention. We need to disinfect and re-bandage it. I’ll take you to the hospital later.”

Jiang Shangxue’s expression and actions were very natural, taking on the stance of a concerned elder. She walked over to Yun Wu, pulled her hand, and led her to sit on the living room sofa.

Only when Jiang Shangxue opened the first-aid kit and took out the hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the wound did Yun Wu abruptly react.

Jiang Shangxue’s face showed an appropriate level of worry, concern, and even a hint of urgency. The moment she raised her hand to tuck a stray hair behind her ear, Yun Wu distinctly felt a very foreign emotion that should not have existed between her and Jiang Shangxue.

This feeling made Yun Wu want to cry.

But in the next instant, Yun Wu uncontrollably felt a surge of anger.

It’s all fake.

Jiang Shangxue is purposefully putting on an act in front of me.

What right does she have? What qualification does she have to manage me?

Pulling her hand away, under Jiang Shangxue’s slightly bewildered gaze, Yun Wu lowered her eyes, concealing the cold hostility that was beginning to surface.

“Thank you, Auntie Jiang. I can handle it myself.”

Yun Wu’s head was bowed very low. She finished her sentence with forced restraint, stood up, and started to walk away.

Jiang Shangxue frowned. She reached out and grabbed Yun Wu’s wrist, forcing her to stop.

“Handle it? Do you call this inflamed swelling ‘handling it’?” Jiang Shangxue calmly countered, her tone not heavy.

Jiang Shangxue’s slender, delicate fingers were clasped around Yun Wu’s wrist, feeling somewhat cool.

Yun Wu’s eyelashes fluttered. In her sight, Jiang Shangxue’s fingertips had a faint, soft pink hue and were very beautiful. In contrast, her own hands were covered in scars of various sizes—ugly and rough.

Acutely sensing that she was being observed and examined with a patient, seemingly meaningful gaze, the irritation in Yun Wu’s heart grew stronger.

She pursed her lips and struggled free, suppressing her voice into a low growl.

“I don’t want to go to the hospital, and whether I go or not is none of your business.”

Yun Wu buried her head and walked into the room, slamming the door shut.

Bang! The door closed with an exceptionally loud sound.

Jiang Shangxue froze in place, staring at the tightly closed door. For the first time, a trace of anger spread across her face. Why is she so careless with her own body?

But the anger didn’t last long, quickly replaced by thoughtful contemplation.

After a long while, Jiang Shangxue picked up her phone and made a call.

“Hello, Doctor Rong. I need to trouble you to come to the East Villa community.”

“Yes, right now… the situation is this…”

The soundproofing of the apartment was very good. Yun Wu couldn’t hear any outside movement inside the room.

She sat down at the desk, and with the occasional sharp pain radiating from her middle fingertip, she slowly and deliberately whispered, “Jiang Shangxue.”

Her tone was filled with confusion and probing, but the coldness was unmistakable.

Her appearance, personality, and attitude toward her were completely different, a total reversal.

These unpredictable changes deviated from Yun Wu’s original clear plan. The feeling of being out of control tore a small hole in her tightly suppressed and dormant restraint.

Yun Wu knew she shouldn’t have lashed out at Jiang Shangxue.

But she had lost control, all because of that fleeting, strange feeling.

A long time passed, and no one came to knock on the door.

The complete silence made the irritation in Yun Wu’s heart vanish without a trace. She maintained her stiff posture, her gaze fixed on the door.

Did Jiang Shangxue finally give up the act?

It makes sense. How could she willingly humble herself and put on a show in front of someone with a low birth like me, enduring the shame?

Yun Wu sneered, a hint of loneliness, which she herself didn’t even notice, hidden within the scornful smile.

She opened her backpack and took out the suit jacket Jiang Shangxue had left behind when she rescued her that night.

She hadn’t had a chance to return it yet; it might come in handy now.

Reason told Yun Wu that she should continue playing the act with Jiang Shangxue. Regardless of her goal, the Yun Group would be her best asset against Hengyuan and Shengyan.

Moreover, continuing the act would benefit her.

If Jiang Shangxue truly had been advised by someone and decided to place her bets on Yun Wu, removing a major obstacle for her, it might not be unacceptable.

Yun Wu took out the washed suit, opened the door, and froze.

A familiar figure stood at the doorway, her hand suspended in the air, seemingly about to knock. A doctor stood behind her.

Jiang Shangxue, with light makeup, was gentle and poised, but when she didn’t smile, her cold face retained a sense of aloof severity.

It strongly resembled the look of an elder scolding a junior.

Yun Wu parted her lips, wanting to speak, but a stone seemed lodged in her throat, preventing any sound.

Jiang Shangxue gazed at her placidly, clearly stating the potential consequences, just as she had done several times before.

“If the fractured nail isn’t completely removed, the nail will re-align, and later, the nail and nail bed will separate, leading to blackening of the nail, difficulty healing, easy infection, and persistent pain [1]. It could also potentially affect your college entrance exam.”

Yun Wu’s body stiffened. Under Jiang Shangxue’s severe gaze, she tightly clutched the jacket in her hand and nodded silently.

She actually saw a faint trace of anger in Jiang Shangxue’s eyes.

Anger because she hadn’t properly taken care of her injury.

Yun Wu was utterly taken aback. Not only had Jiang Shangxue not lost her temper with her, but she had also called a doctor for an at-home consultation.

Author’s Note:

[1] Referenced from Baidu: What to do when a fingernail separates from the nail bed.

Yun Wu: I don’t understand. Stepmother’s acting is too good.

Jiang Shangxue: Ungrateful!