The Fake and Real Heiresses Fell in Love (GL) - Chapter 11

“Huh?” Yao Yanyan was stunned. “Why?”

Hong Xiaonuan: “I don’t know the exact details, but Cheng Xuan has always been isolated at school.”

Afraid that the kind-hearted young lady would go out to help, Hong Xiaonuan reached out, trying to grab Yao Yanyan’s arm: “Miss, let’s go back quickly. Don’t worry about her.”

Hong Xiaonuan’s cold attitude made Yao Yanyan uneasy. Everyone in this cursed novel seemed to harbor an inexplicable hostility toward Cheng Xuan. Cheng Xuan was like a living target, bullied, exploited, and treated with the world’s indifference just to fulfill the author’s future setting of a tragic and powerful heroine.

But why?!

Yao Yanyan initially thought Cheng Xuan’s misery would begin after returning to the rich family. Who knew the author had already started laying the groundwork so early?

A family that favored sons over daughters, being treated as having no human rights, being isolated at school, and now learning that she was also being bullied.

This is truly too miserable! Why must all the malice fall on her?!

She didn’t want to get angry at Hong Xiaonuan. She struggled to suppress her fury and shook off Hong Xiaonuan’s hand: “If you want to leave, then go.”

After speaking, Yao Yanyan rummaged through her bag, pulled out her phone, and called Uncle Zheng.

The call connected quickly. Uncle Zheng’s tone was formal: “Miss, what’s wrong?”

“Come to the vicinity of the Flower and Bird Market right now. Some thugs are causing trouble for me.”

Yao Yanyan’s voice, shaking with anger, startled Uncle Zheng on the other end. He thought Yao Yanyan was crying, and his tone was anxious: “Miss, do you have a precise address?”

Yao Yanyan looked at Hong Xiaonuan and handed her the phone: “Where is this? Tell the person on the phone the exact address.”

Hong Xiaonuan looked at Yao Yanyan. The young lady, who had been gentle and kind since they met, now stood before her. The setting sun bathed her, and her very light-colored eyes stared intently at Hong Xiaonuan, without a trace of her usual sweetness, instead showing a dangerous ferocity.

It was the height of August, and Hong Xiaonuan broke out in a cold sweat she couldn’t control. She stammered: “The… the street opposite Hong’s Food Store.”

The blonde-haired girl leading the group stomped out her cigarette butt, then pulled another one from her pocket, lit it, and walked up to Cheng Xuan. She snorted and then grinned.

Her smile was full of malice. Cheng Xuan’s gaze was placid, as if her soul had already drifted away, leaving only her body standing there.

The girl blew a puff of smoke at Cheng Xuan: “Get rid of the stink on you, you stinky elder sister.”

The provocative remark made the delinquent students behind her laugh. They laughed as if they had heard an exceptionally funny joke: “You can’t get rid of the smell on the stinky elder sister. You have to take her to the river to scrub her clean, ha ha ha ha!”

“Yeah, she was born stinky.”

“Let’s give the stinky elder sister a free bath!”

They burst into laughter. The blonde girl laughed so hard she could barely stand straight, slapping Cheng Xuan’s shoulder: “Did you hear that, Sister Cheng Xuan? I’m being charitable and taking you for a free bath, ha ha ha, no need to thank me.”

With that, the girl grabbed Cheng Xuan’s collar and leaned in with a smirk.

Cheng Xuan’s eyes showed no fear. Seeing her approach, she lowered her gaze and met her eyes. Her pupils were pitch-black, like a deep, unfathomable black lake, which unsettled the girl.

Then, the girl watched with wide eyes as Cheng Xuan forced a slight smile.

“Shit,” the girl swore. Her smirk vanished, replaced by a face flushed red with sudden anger: “What the hell are you looking at?”

“Speak up! What the hell are you looking at?!” The girl violently shook Cheng Xuan’s collar. “F*ck your mother, speak!”

Cheng Xuan looked down at her as if she were a clumsy clown, and with effort, said: “Don’t touch me…”

“Huh?” The girl hated Cheng Xuan’s unyielding demeanor the most. Hearing “don’t touch me,” her temper flared up again.

“Shit.” The girl yanked Cheng Xuan’s collar and started walking forward. “You’re just being stubborn.”

“Let’s go! We’re taking her to the river! Wash that stinking mouth of hers!”

“I think your stinking mouth is the one that needs washing!” A shout of anger came from behind Cheng Xuan. The blonde girl turned back with a fierce expression and saw a girl appear from nowhere, carrying a large broom taller than herself.

She was frail, dressed simply, with long, straight black hair obediently draped to her waist. She strode up to Cheng Xuan, panting slightly, and said: “Little brats, let go of her hand!”

The blonde girl froze as she clearly saw her face. Hearing her command to let go, she subconsciously released her hand.

The girl was truly beautiful. Her face was small and sharp, her features more refined than celebrities on TV. She looked a little tired, with a faint blush on her pale face. Her light-colored eyes glared fiercely at everyone, like a startled, expensive cat, incredibly beautiful.

“You…” The blonde girl finally tore her gaze away from her face, saw Cheng Xuan protected behind her, and yelled angrily: “Who the hell are you!”

Cheng Xuan was shocked. She grabbed Yao Yanyan’s sleeve, about to pull the delicate young lady behind her, when she heard the young lady unleash a high-pitched cry: “I am your father!”

Cheng Xuan: ???

The delinquent students all stood up. No one took this delicate-looking girl seriously. Several of the male thugs whistled and moved to snatch the large broom from Yao Yanyan’s hands.

No.

Cheng Xuan’s heart sank. Everything seemed to move in slow motion in her eyes. Her mind went blank, and she reached out to grab Yao Yanyan’s arm, but grasped only air.

She looked up. The delicate young lady had already charged into the circle of thugs, swinging the broom in a powerful sweep that kicked up dust. The thugs’ eyes were immediately stung by the dirt, and they bent over coughing. Yao Yanyan seized the opportunity, wielding the broom fiercely, accurately hitting everyone on the head, waist, and backside.

“Sh*t! Who the hell kicked me!”

“Oh my god!”

“Aaaah!”

For a moment, all that could be heard were the muffled groans of the thugs. Seeing she had taught them enough of a lesson, Yao Yanyan threw the broom into the crowd, not caring if it hit anyone, grabbed Cheng Xuan’s hand, and ran. As she ran, she looked back and shouted: “If you bully Cheng Xuan again, I’ll skin you alive!”

After shouting her threat, she ran as fast as the wind. The angry curses of the thugs behind them were left unheard, swept away by the speed of their escape.

The sky gradually darkened. A faint moon hung in the sky. It was a hot August night. The wind was dry and warm. Yao Yanyan ran in front, her black-brown hair catching a glimmer of light, looking ethereal and beautiful. The hand tightly gripping hers, however, felt so real.

Cheng Xuan’s heart pounded like a drum. She could barely distinguish whether it was from the danger when the young lady charged into the fight or from something else.

“This way!” Yao Yanyan shouted, pulling Cheng Xuan into a dark alleyway.

“Ha… ha…” Yao Yanyan had poor stamina. Running that distance had nearly exhausted her. She had no strength left to stand and crouched on the ground without any pretense.

“…I’m exhausted.” Yao Yanyan propped herself on her knees and looked up at Cheng Xuan standing beside her.

Cheng Xuan seemed not tired at all. She leaned against the alley wall, her eyelashes lowered. The dim light highlighted her excellent features. Her whole body was trembling slightly. When she met Yao Yanyan’s gaze, she lowered her head as if she had been burned.

Yao Yanyan let out a huge breath. She still wanted to lecture her like a big sister: “Why didn’t you run just now?”

Her question seemed to strike the heart. Cheng Xuan was speechless. Yao Yanyan’s tone became firmer: “If I hadn’t come, were you planning to just let them take you away?”

“Why didn’t you know to run?”

Yao Yanyan’s gaze was as bright as a knife’s edge, stinging Cheng Xuan’s heart. She spoke with difficulty: “…I couldn’t run.”

She forced the words out one by one: “If I ran… they would come to my house to find me. And my mom… she would hit me too.”

Those two brief sentences were enough for Yao Yanyan to understand everything.

There was no one behind Cheng Xuan. Everyone in this world was indifferent and full of malice toward her. Her compromise just now was simply choosing the safest way to avoid the worst possible outcome.

Yao Yanyan’s eyes turned red with heartache. She belatedly felt a burning pain in her palm.

“Hiss…” She inhaled sharply. Before she could even look at what was wrong with her hand, someone crouched down in front of her and gently held the back of her hand.

“How did you break the skin?” Cheng Xuan frowned deeply. Yao Yanyan’s hands were fair and delicate. A small, bright red cut now crossed her palm. Cheng Xuan felt immense distress: “Does it hurt?”

Yao Yanyan was stunned. When she realized what was happening, her hand was already touching Cheng Xuan’s slightly calloused, cool palm: “Eh? No, it doesn’t hurt.”

“You…” Cheng Xuan remembered the large broom she had brought out of nowhere—the rough, hand-cutting wooden strips were bound with wire. She couldn’t help but look at Yao Yanyan with a hint of reproach. She lowered her head to carefully check if any wood splinters had gotten into the wound.

They were very close. The same cherry blossom scent mingled between them. Yao Yanyan couldn’t help but take a deep breath, and the heat in her face inexplicably rose.

Cheng Xuan didn’t notice the young lady’s anomaly. Her mind was entirely focused on the unsightly wound. After confirming that no splinters were embedded, she helped Yao Yanyan stand up: “Let’s go to the small clinic.”

“Ah… oh.” Yao Yanyan was led by the hand, walking behind her. The breeze of the summer night passed through their hair. The village’s dim yellow streetlights turned on. Yao Yanyan’s hand felt warm, and holding Cheng Xuan’s cool hand felt very comfortable.

Suddenly, Yao Yanyan looked up and called out: “Cheng Xuan.”

Cheng Xuan looked at her, her eyelashes dark.

“You don’t have to be afraid anymore,” she said, her voice as sweet as the summer night’s gentle breeze.

“I called Uncle Zheng. He’ll take care of those students later.”

“I will protect you, Cheng Xuan.” She squeezed her hand slightly, tightening her grip on Cheng Xuan’s hand.

Under the streetlight, Cheng Xuan’s usually unyielding face slightly froze. Her eyes, once as cold as a deep pool, were like a tiny pebble had dropped into them, stirring a shallow ripple.

“So don’t be afraid, Cheng Xuan. I’m here.” She smiled, her amber pupils like melted honey, utterly gentle.