Saving the Pitiful Villain (GL) - Chapter 20

The surrounding area was filled with the cold, judgmental pointing of pedestrians.

Yun Wu looked at them, feeling cold all over. She felt as if she had been dragged into a strange, inescapable vortex.

She had done nothing, yet purely based on Jiang Juan’s twisted, black-and-white performance, she had been transformed from a victim into a despised mistress?

Yun Wu remotely recalled the moment before her death in the previous life.

She fell from a tall building, filled with hatred and despair, clinging to her last breath.

Even in that final moment, all she felt was the world’s disgust.

“That crazy woman deserved to die. I heard she was obsessed with CEO Zhao of Hengyuan and, out of unrequited love, committed arson and murder.”

“Good riddance. A person with such antisocial tendencies would only be a disaster if they lived.”

“…”

Yes, she was a disaster, a filth that should never have existed in this world.

Destined to be purged. Destined for no one to truly care. They all wanted her to die sooner.

Yun Wu tugged at her stiffening lips. She felt both pathetic and ridiculous.

She wanted to laugh out loud, but found she couldn’t make a sound. Without realizing it, she saw that her face was already covered in tears.

Sensing the dampness near her neck, Jiang Shangxue was first startled, then overcome with continuous sadness and heartache.

Jiang Shangxue heard every word of the surrounding people’s commentary. She kept holding Yun Wu’s hand tightly, pulling her close into her embrace.

It was a warm embrace filled with a faint fragrance.

Logic could not overcome longing. Yun Wu closed her eyes, letting Jiang Shangxue cover her ears and wipe away her tears, stroke after stroke.

Jiang Shangxue lightly patted Yun Wu’s back, comforting her like a child.

“Don’t listen. They are all talking nonsense. It’s not like that. Wu Wu is a good girl, a good child.”

In Yun Wu’s past seventeen years of helplessness, how much more injustice had she endured?

She was only a seventeen-year-old girl. She should be sitting in a classroom, dreaming of a beautiful future.

If her childhood had been a little warmer, a little more cared for, would the scene in her dream not have happened? Would she have had a completely different life?

The crowd grew larger, and Jiang Juan continued her zealous performance.

Jiang Shangxue held Yun Wu, wanting to take her to sit on an empty bench in the square for a moment.

A woman who considered herself a concerned citizen emerged from the crowd. She blocked the path of the two, acting aggressively.

“You’ve done something heinous. Are you trying to run away?”

Seeing someone come to her aid, Jiang Juan wailed even louder, thinking that Jiang Shangxue and Yun Wu must be scared now. She hoped they would wisely pay her off, adding fuel to the fire with her continued lament.

“This car is worth a fortune! And my child is seriously ill! I was just about to sell the car to pay for his treatment!”

Jiang Juan’s crying was dramatic, full of emotion, and utterly tragic.

Jiang Shangxue was genuinely amused by the absurdity. She glanced at her watch and said coldly.

“I have already called 110. The police car should be here soon. You can rest assured that I definitely will not run away.”

“Drunk driving and defamation. I’d like to see if you can still twist the facts once you’re in jail.”

Jiang Shangxue’s natural demeanor was gentle, but when she frowned and spoke sharply, her aura became incredibly strong, leaving both the woman blocking the way and Jiang Juan momentarily stunned.

They watched as Jiang Shangxue led Yun Wu to the long bench and sat down, showing no intention of running.

At this point, someone in the crowd reacted and wanted to step forward to check if the man lying unconscious by the car was simply drunk or had been knocked out by the crash.

Hearing this, Jiang Juan panicked. She immediately sprang up and dramatically threw herself onto her son, weeping loudly.

“We are so unfortunate! We are being openly framed and slandered!”

She looked completely hysterical, her voice high and piercing as if it would shatter the sky, which deterred those who wanted to investigate further.

The night wind blew gently. Jiang Shangxue ignored the commotion on the other side.

Yun Wu lowered her head, tears clinging to her long eyelashes, the redness around her eyes still present. Her restrained appearance worried Jiang Shangxue.

She brushed the grass clippings off Yun Wu and gently stroked her earlobe. “Wu Wu, be good. The days ahead are brand new. Promise Auntie you’ll forget all those bad things. Don’t look back; look forward, okay?”

There was no moon tonight, and the sparse stars were dim.

Yun Wu looked up, quietly staring at Jiang Shangxue.

Her hair and clothes were messy, and she looked a little disheveled, but the gentle smile on her face remained, carrying a touch of cautious tenderness.

In the dim light, Yun Wu seemed to see a sky full of stars in Jiang Shangxue’s eyes.

The wind rustled around her ears. Yun Wu’s heart trembled suddenly, and then slowly calmed down.

She softly called out, “Auntie Jiang.”

The girl pursed her lips, her dark, thick eyelashes trembling slightly. Her two hands were tightly clasped together. Her face showed neither grievance nor resentment, a look of wanting to speak but unable to.

The warm yellow streetlamp shone diagonally. Jiang Shangxue waited for a long time, but Yun Wu still didn’t speak.

After a thought, Jiang Shangxue embraced her again.

“Wu Wu, you need to become strong. Grow to a height they can never reach. That is the best revenge against them, not being tripped up by them. They are not worth it.”

Jiang Shangxue’s voice was very soft and gentle.

It was like a wisp of spring wind quietly merging into winter.

Yun Wu was slightly stunned, and a hint of confusion gradually emerged in her eyes. But seeing Jiang Shangxue’s earnest expression, she slowly nodded.

“I know, Auntie Jiang.”

“Good girl.”

Jiang Shangxue reached out to tuck Yun Wu’s scattered hair behind her ear and then leaned over to straighten her collar.

Yun Wu couldn’t help but slow her breathing. Her previous chaotic emotions became calm.

The crowd gathered nearby grew larger. Seeing that Yun Wu had calmed down, Jiang Shangxue patted the back of her hand reassuringly.

“I’ll go handle the rest of the matter. You wait here obediently. We’ll go home soon.”

Yun Wu nodded and watched Jiang Shangxue walk away, her eyes growing complex.

Jiang Shangxue was right. She couldn’t be tripped up.

But forgetting and letting go were too hypocritical. She wanted those who had insulted her to become impoverished, to regret their actions day and night, unable to sleep. The suffering she endured, she would repay them a thousandfold.

Jiang Juan’s husband, Wang Ba, arrived even before the police car. He was also driving a Porsche, the latest model 438, which was very eye-catching.

Seeing Jiang Shangxue’s composed look, Jiang Juan finally backed down. Jiang Shangxue wasn’t like the women before, who would just pay to end her histrionics.

So, she had called Wang Ba.

After listening to Jiang Juan’s lament, Wang Ba angrily shook his burly frame and prepared to confront Jiang Shangxue. He had initially looked at his son and assumed it was drunk driving. But upon hearing Jiang Juan say that the woman had run out into the street first, he figured he shouldn’t be too kind.

After all, only a fool wouldn’t seize a chance to make money.

However, to everyone’s surprise, Jiang Shangxue called out Wang Ba’s name first.

“Wang Ba, you were promoted to Sales Director of Junyuan Construction Company last year. Your primary business source is the Yun Group. In early March this year, the Yun Group discussed, and plans to terminate, its contract with Junyuan due to quality issues.”

Wang Ba froze. His aggressive demeanor immediately dissipated. “Who are you? How do you know about my company’s affairs?”

The Yun Group’s plan to terminate their contract was still confidential. Wang Ba had only been promoted to Director because he secured the Yun Group’s business.

Now, before he could bask in his success for long, the contract was about to be terminated. He had spent the last two days desperately pleading with everyone he knew, begging the Yun Group not to terminate the contract.

The police car arrived just at that moment. Jiang Shangxue shifted her gaze to Jiang Juan and said to Wang Ba with a half-smile.

“To have such a ‘virtuous’ wife, no wonder the Yun Group wants to terminate its contract with Junyuan. You’ll likely see the termination agreement by tomorrow at the latest.”

If the Yun Group terminated the contract, it meant Wang Ba’s resignation was imminent.

Jiang Shangxue didn’t waste any more breath. She found the police and was the first to report the situation.

Jiang Juan hadn’t expected Jiang Shangxue to actually call the police. She immediately panicked and resorted to her old tricks, rushing to the officer taking the report and starting to wail loudly.

She flailed her arms and legs, becoming hysterical.

The police officer had rarely seen this kind of scene. He backed away several steps. “Ma’am, please speak calmly. I can hear you.”

Jiang Juan hysterically fabricated a story, tears and snot streaming down her face, looking utterly miserable.

Jiang Shangxue stood calmly to the side, waiting for Jiang Juan to finish. She smiled faintly. “There is a camera installed at the side gate of the community. Officer, you can check the security room now.”

The camera at the East Villa community side gate was installed very discreetly and couldn’t be seen unless one looked closely.

“What? A camera?” Jiang Juan’s reaction suddenly intensified.

The officer taking the report frowned inwardly. He thought, They are both women. Why is the difference so huge?

Miss Jiang spoke calmly, logically, and with evidence. Meanwhile, this Auntie Jiang was acting like she was on drugs, spraying spit all over him, flailing her limbs, and twisting her face as if she were having an epileptic seizure.

Since their stories were completely contradictory, the police first tested the alcohol level of Wang Gui, who was lying unconscious on the side—it was severely over the limit.

Then, they prepared to check the surveillance footage. Jiang Juan’s face turned ashen. She didn’t know what she was thinking, but she suddenly rushed in front of the police, lay down, and started acting.

She became increasingly wild, even rambling that Jiang Shangxue and the police were colluding to frame them.

The surrounding onlookers were dumbfounded by the display.

“What is going on here? Maybe they really were drunk driving first.”

“Looking at the situation… we’ll know for sure when the police check the surveillance.”

The few people who had previously followed the gossip and criticized Jiang Shangxue and Yun Wu immediately shut their mouths, feeling extremely guilty.

The police tried to help Jiang Juan up, but she adamantly refused to budge.

“Ma’am, your behavior constitutes obstruction of justice. Please move.”

Jiang Juan had never encountered such a serious approach. She felt dizzy.

It wouldn’t take long to check the surveillance. The truth would be clear. Jiang Juan’s face was like dirt. Not knowing what else to do, she suddenly threw herself in front of Jiang Shangxue, bowing and begging for forgiveness.

“I’m old, and I have a bad heart. Please, take pity on me and let me off.”

As she spoke, Jiang Juan looked like she was about to faint.

Her audacity was unmatched. She’s trying to morally bind me? Several police officers couldn’t help but shake their heads. What a mess.

Jiang Shangxue’s expression was calm. After cooperating with the police and finishing her statement, she prepared to leave. Jiang Juan kept blocking her, refusing to let go.

Yun Wu watched from a distance. Seeing this, she walked over.

Jiang Shangxue frowned. “Madam Jiang, instead of using this time to beg for mercy, you should be thinking about which lawyer to hire. Besides drunk driving and obstructing an officer, I will also sue you for defamation.”

Wang Ba, who had been standing by, felt utterly disgraced. He suddenly wondered if the contract termination had something to do with Jiang Juan. Did this stupid woman offend someone important?

Growing more furious by the second, Wang Ba rushed over and slapped Jiang Juan across the face.

“Ah!”

Jiang Juan was stunned. A mouthful of bloody foam spilled out.

Wang Ba still felt unsatisfied. He slapped her several more times. “You idiot! Always causing me trouble everywhere!”

“Ah, ah, ah, ah!”

Jiang Juan screamed in pain but dared not resist. She relied on the little bit of living money Wang Ba gave her to show off.

Jiang Juan wailed heartbreakingly, her voice growing louder, hoping that being more pitiful would make someone stop Wang Ba. “Ah, ah, ah, ah!”

Wang Ba was tall and strong and didn’t hold back. Each slap was harder than the last. The false teeth Jiang Juan had gotten were even knocked out.

It was a miserable event, but some onlookers couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “She deserved that. She was the one who caused the crash, but she just had to be greedy and try to extort money.”

“Yeah, tsk, tsk, tsk. That sound… I’ve never heard a pig slaughtered like that back in my village when I was a kid.”

Wang Ba was in full swing when Yun Wu quietly walked over, watching the farce with an expressionless face.

Jiang Shangxue saw her approach and immediately pulled her close, covering her eyes.

“Don’t look. Let’s go home.”

“Okay.”

A soft scent drifted gently. Yun Wu hesitated, then tugged at Jiang Shangxue’s sleeve.

The two left the crowd. Jiang Shangxue held Yun Wu’s hand, walking step-by-step toward the East Villa community.

On the long street, the light and shadow were hazy, stretching their shadows long.

Walking along, Yun Wu suddenly stopped. “Auntie Jiang, I forgot something. Wait for me.”

Jiang Shangxue watched Yun Wu turn and run back. In the green belt, she carefully picked up the severely deformed little yellow duck cotton candy.

The orange-flavored, little yellow duck cotton candy.