Saving the Pitiful Villain (GL) - Chapter 13

Yun Wu’s eyes slowly widened, and her mind went blank for a few seconds.

Yun Wu looked at Jiang Shangxue in disbelief.

“Auntie Jiang.”

Yun Wu’s reaction was strong. A few flashes of deep meaning crossed Jiang Shangxue’s eyes, but her expression remained light.

“It was a joke. Don’t worry about it. But if you take it seriously, Auntie won’t refuse.”

Yun Wu bit her lip and remained silent.

The atmosphere gradually became tense. Seeing Yun Wu frozen in place, Jiang Shangxue smiled, bent down, picked up the external medicine, and placed it on the side shelf.

“Go inside and rest for a while.”

“Mhm.”

Yun Wu avoided Jiang Shangxue’s gaze and nodded to her.

The moment she closed the room door, her stiff body immediately relaxed.

Her gaze fixed on her bandaged middle finger, Yun Wu couldn’t stop replaying the sentence Jiang Shangxue had just said in her mind.

Asking me to acknowledge her as my Godmother.

Stepmother becoming Godmother? How could she even think of that.

Absurd.

Her face was etched with deep wariness. Yun Wu understood Jiang Shangxue’s intentions less and less.

Rubbing her forehead hard, Yun Wu locked the door, quickly walked to the desk, and forced herself to calm her thoughts. She pulled out her computer to continue reviewing the latest economic news about the Yun Group.

The mouse abruptly stopped on a news headline.

【Huamei Pharmaceuticals to Form Strategic Alliance with Yun Group. It is reported that the two parties will jointly introduce the US blood test for cancer detection technology, which may bring a disruptive impact to China’s traditional pharmaceutical industry.】

“Huamei Pharmaceuticals,” Yun Wu murmured.

Her memory from the previous life confirmed that the blood test for cancer technology was the biggest commercial scam in the United States.

Two hundred major professional tests with just one drop of blood. How tempting! Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the technology, used her powerful marketing talent to continuously raise capital, establishing a lie in broad daylight.

However, the lie was eventually exposed, and Holmes was charged with fraud six years later.

Unfortunately, at the time, the Yun Group had invested heavily to introduce this technology and strengthen its weak points in the pharmaceutical field. After the scam was exposed, the company’s liquid capital chain broke, forcing them to survive by cutting off a limb, selling their two most valuable automobile production lines to Hengyuan at a low price.

This later became the start of Hengyuan’s entry into the automotive sector. Having lost its two most powerful production lines, the Yun Group was forced into a corner in subsequent competitions and had to completely withdraw from the Chinese automotive industry.

This was also the first major setback the Yun Group suffered after the death of Chairman Yun Yuandao. The facts of the previous life proved that the chain reaction triggered by this event made it impossible for Yun Wu to salvage the company, no matter how talented she was, leading to her ignominious defeat by Hengyuan and Shengyan.

It must be stopped, but how?

Yun Wu stared out the window, deep in thought. She still hadn’t figured out a feasible solution even when she went to bed.

The next day, Yun Wu woke up very early. The warm morning light streamed in, making the room look cozy.

Yun Wu drew open all the curtains and then went to the washroom to wash up, running straight into Auntie Chen, the housekeeper.

Jiang Shangxue had told Auntie Chen that another person named Yun Wu, a student at East Villa High School, was living in the apartment.

Auntie Chen greeted Yun Wu warmly. “You must be Wu Wu. I’m your house-helper, just call me Auntie Chen. Breakfast is ready. It’s on the table.”

Yun Wu froze for a moment, looking at the dining table, which held porridge, dumplings, eggs, and milk.

After a hesitation, Yun Wu whispered, “Thank you, Auntie Chen, but I’m only renting here. You don’t need to trouble yourself to make breakfast for me.”

“Nonsense! Madam Jiang said I am mainly responsible for cooking. How can you not eat it?”

Auntie Chen was from the north. She had an outspoken and meticulous nature and was an excellent cook.

“Auntie Chen, you really don’t have to,” Yun Wu refused again. She walked into the washroom to wash her face and brush her teeth.

Cold water flowed over her hands. Yun Wu looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her dark eyes held a faint coldness and confusion.

From the ridiculously low rent and the expensively decorated room to hiring a housekeeper to look after her.

Did Jiang Shangxue think she wouldn’t notice any of the abnormality?

Did she look that stupid?

The corner of Yun Wu’s mouth slowly curved into an arc, which was hard to tell if it was self-mockery or something else.

After washing up, Yun Wu reverted to her usual quiet, silent self. She returned to her room, grabbed her backpack, and was about to leave.

Just before she walked out the door, Auntie Chen suddenly rushed out of the kitchen and stopped her.

“Wu Wu, wait! Are you worried about being late? I’ve packed it for you. Take it and eat it on the way.”

With that, Auntie Chen forcefully shoved the packed breakfast into Yun Wu’s hand, the milk already sealed in a disposable box.

Seeing Yun Wu’s reserved manner, Auntie Chen feared she would be too shy to take it. As she handed it over, she said, “Madam Jiang specifically said that you are malnourished and that I must remember to prepare milk for you every morning.”

The breakfast was warm, and Yun Wu was a bit bewildered.

Just as Auntie Chen pushed her out the door, Yun Wu snapped back to attention and asked in return:

“Did Auntie Jiang tell you to prepare this for me?”

“Yes, of course, I have to listen to the owner.”

Auntie Chen swiftly closed the door and turned back to iron clothes.

She had originally come to the city to look after her grandson, but now that her grandson was in elementary school, she felt idle. Fortunately, she had been introduced to work in the same building. Since the owner was generous and the job paid well for little work, she naturally put more heart into it.

Taking the breakfast, Yun Wu entered the elevator, her brow lightly furrowed.

Yun Wu only stopped on the roadside outside the school gate. She looked at the breakfast in her hand. After a moment of hesitation, she opened it and began to eat.

Ye Mei and her crew of multi-colored buzz-cuts walked over, all sporting huge dark circles under their eyes.

“Boss, we were pushing towers until five in the morning. Is it reasonable to come to class at seven-thirty?”

“Yeah, Boss, why are you acting so weird? When did we ever show up to school on time?”

The few people walked forward noisily. Looking up, they saw Yun Wu standing on the roadside eating breakfast.

She wore a simple school uniform, and her skin was very fair. The morning sun made her cheeks slightly red. She was very beautiful, like the clear sky after a rain—very pure.

The buzz-cuts swallowed in unison. They knew Ye Mei liked girls.

Someone with a big mouth joked, “Boss, I think you’re only coming to class because you’re lustful, not because you want to study properly.”

Ye Mei rolled her eyes and looked up at the sky, immediately retorting, “What should I lust for if not beautiful girls? What are you saying, ‘how are you’?”

Not having had breakfast yet, Ye Mei strode over and patted Yun Wu’s shoulder.

“Yun Wu, what a coincidence! I haven’t eaten yet. Can I have some?”

The multi-colored buzz-cuts: ??? We haven’t eaten either! Can we have some?

Yun Wu turned her head at the sound. Ye Mei’s eyes were brightly fixed on the dumplings in her hand.

Yun Wu pursed her lips and subtly took a step back.

The movement clearly indicated an unwillingness to share.

Just as Ye Mei felt awkward, Yun Wu pulled a hundred yuan note from her pocket and pressed it into Ye Mei’s hand, her gaze sweeping over the buzz-cuts behind Ye Mei.

“You have too many people. What I have isn’t enough. Go buy some at the breakfast shop across the street now. You still have time. Consider it thanks for helping me find the apartment.”

The words seemed reasonable.

Ye Mei looked at the hundred yuan in her hand with a conflicted expression. Was she being insulted with money? Also, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Yun Wu simply didn’t want to share with her. Those dumplings looked like quite a lot!

She was a bit depressed, but Ye Mei was generally easygoing.

Yun Wu used to be an autistic weirdo. The fact that she was talking to her now was good enough.

With a wave of her hand, Ye Mei led the buzz-cuts across the street to buy breakfast, all puffing and panting.

Yun Wu, meanwhile, finished all the dumplings and drank all the milk.

She felt a little stuffed. She could have shared some with Ye Mei, but at the time, Yun Wu didn’t know why, but she simply didn’t want to share with anyone else.

The first class at East Villa High School started at eight o’clock. Ten minutes later, Jiang Shangxue woke up.

Auntie Chen hadn’t left yet and was watering the lilies-of-the-valley on the balcony.

“Morning, Auntie Chen.”

“Morning, Madam.”

Jiang Shangxue finished washing up and sat down at the dining table, slowly sipping her porridge. There was no newspaper here, so Jiang Shangxue picked up a document related to the Yun Group to read.

Before starting, she first asked, “Auntie Chen, did Wu Wu eat her breakfast properly?”

“Madam, don’t worry. Girls are often shy. She didn’t want to eat at first, but I insisted on giving it to her.”

“Good, I understand.”

As long as she accepted it, Jiang Shangxue’s mood improved considerably. After finishing the document, she figured that since she had seen Yun Wu wearing her school uniform the past two days, she should probably buy her some clothes. She could have Uncle Li deliver them later.

Conveniently, a few brands had sent Jiang Shangxue their selection catalogs for the next season.

After breakfast, Jiang Shangxue seriously began choosing clothes for Yun Wu. She picked simple, youthful styles—short, long, thin, and thick.

Jiang Shangxue also deliberately chose several bright-colored items. Yun Wu was too sullen. Wearing brighter colors would make her look more lively and be better for her.

She placed the order immediately. If things moved quickly, they would be delivered to the Yun Mansion by noon.

At the same time, Jiang Shangxue promptly sent a message to Uncle Li, instructing him to deliver the clothes to Yun Wu after school that afternoon, but to make sure Yun Wu didn’t know she was the one who bought them.

Accustomed to Jiang Shangxue’s recent out-of-the-ordinary behavior, Uncle Li was calm this time and quickly agreed.

The morning sun wasn’t harsh, making people feel warm and drowsy.

However, it was rare for students in the twelfth grade at East Villa High School to feel sleepy. They weren’t worried about the Gaokao (college entrance exam), but rather the independent admissions exams held by various prestigious universities before the Gaokao.

The scope of the admissions exams was unlimited, the questions were notoriously tricky, and the style of the questions varied every year.

This was the first exam that determined whether they would qualify to enter the nation’s advanced research institutes early.

Even Zhao Changming and Xu Chacha, who consistently ranked first and second in their grade, were visibly nervous and barely moved during breaks.

Except for the small group like Ye Mei. Their families had hired private tutors to specifically coach them for the Gaokao. They would have no problem passing the required score for a regular undergraduate degree, and going abroad for a golden education was also not an issue.

They had no intention of achieving any earth-shattering scores, so they were fearless.

Worst case, they just go home and inherit the family fortune. No big deal~

The slacker students had their own happiness and chose not to compete with those striving to be the rare few.

Ye Mei, who had yawned countless times while slumped on her desk, looked at the math test paper in front of Yun Wu, who wore a cold expression. She wanted to speak but ultimately closed her mouth.

She glanced at the paper—it was a collection of multiple-choice questions from two years ago by Old Man Ge, the “Question Master of Death.”

One hundred multiple-choice questions on one test paper.

Yun Wu had been staring at the math test for half an hour. Ye Mei had long heard of Yun Wu’s glorious record of being dead last in her grades.

Another half hour passed, and Yun Wu still hadn’t started a single problem.

Ye Mei clicked her tongue, about to offer some comfort, when she saw Yun Wu, expressionless, start writing at lightning speed.

From the first question to the last, she finished everything without a single pause, completing the entire thing in one minute.

Ye Mei was speechless. “If you can’t write it, don’t write it! Don’t rush. Randomly writing won’t work.”

Author’s Note:

The “blood test for cancer” incident is based on a real-life event in the United States.