After Being Possessed by the Transmigrated Heroine - Chapter 11

Bai Niao’s ankle had once suffered a gunshot wound. The slender bone had been pierced by a bullet, leaving behind a memory of pain so deep it was impossible to forget.

Even though medical technology in the capital was extremely advanced, Bai Niao had remained unable to walk for a long time. During that period, she could only let herself be carried, unable to refuse or resist anything. That wound was a mark left from the most intense, volatile period of their relationship.

Later, Cheng Yu spent vast amounts of money and affection to nourish and compensate her—so much so that Bai Niao had almost forgotten they once had such a suffocating and soul-crushing history. He indulged her excessively, doting on her until she became hopelessly spoiled and lawless. It wasn’t until He Youting frowned and gave him a warning that Cheng Yu finally restrained himself a little.

Bai Niao had always been the type to remember the treats but forget the beatings. The old injury had healed long ago, leaving only a very faint white scar. Yet, the moment Cheng Yu gripped her ankle, Bai Niao’s body stiffened like a bowstring drawn to its limit.

Every memory came rushing back in an instant.

Bai Niao clung tightly to Cheng Yu’s neck, her voice laced with a sob. “I didn’t… I didn’t dream of him…”

Her fear had reached its breaking point, and tears began to go patter-patter down her face.

“I dreamed of you,” Bai Niao cried out. “I dreamed about how you used to always bully me and how you always made it hurt so much.”

She seemed to be made of water; once the tears started falling, there was no end to them. Bai Niao had a very delicate and fussy personality. The slightest inconvenience felt like a monumental grievance to her. Coincidentally, the people around her always coddled her to an extreme degree; even He Youting’s assistant had been fooled by this facade of hers.

Whenever Bai Niao went out to meet guests, someone followed her at all times for fear that she might be mistreated. Little did they know that with her temper, it was a miracle she wasn’t the one bullying others. Over the years, even the Zhong family knew she was protected by He Youting and didn’t dare provoke her.

That day, it was clearly Bai Niao who had lost her temper at the Zhong family for no reason, yet in the end, everyone felt the Zhongs were in the wrong. No wonder He Youting had been so enraged once he learned the truth.

Anyone could say Bai Niao was excessively spoiled. But not Cheng Yu.

Because he truly had mistreated her. Back when Bai Niao hated Cheng Yu the most, she had racked her brain trying to ally with others, willing to do anything to kick him out of her life. While Bai Niao had been personally trained by He Youting and had endured much hardship under him, the worst pain she had ever felt had all come from Cheng Yu.

Cheng Yu’s expression was cold, and his eyes were a void of darkness. However, after Bai Niao’s tears hit the back of his hand one after another, his temper abruptly vanished. Her tears were scalding, burning hot; if they fell on snow, they would melt it in an instant.

Perhaps she really had dreamed of him.

Cheng Yu shifted his posture to cradle Bai Niao, reaching up to wipe the tears from her face. “Don’t cry. That’s all in the past.” His movements were gentle, as if he were treating her like a fragile, priceless treasure.

Bai Niao was dim-witted and incompetent, but her ability to read people’s expressions had been forcibly honed by staying at their side. She possessed only one truly outstanding skill: her perception of other people’s emotions. Because of this, she was an expert at “pushing her luck.”

Having her body snatched these past few days had already made her life miserable. Now that she had suffered a fresh grievance, she couldn’t stop herself from wailing. The more Cheng Yu comforted her, the louder she cried.

“You’re too mean. You… you don’t like me at all, and you always bully me,” she sobbed. “And today you even sent me to the wrong place. I’m never coming back here again.”

How did this turn into him not liking her? In Bai Niao’s world, that was the ultimate sin.

Cheng Yu said with a hint of helplessness, “It’s not that I don’t like you.” His voice turned soft and low. “I’m sorry, I was careless today. I’ll make it up to you in a few days. Niao Niao can have whatever she wants, alright?”

As he spoke these tender words, Cheng Yu cupped Bai Niao’s face and kissed her forehead. This tactic used to be very effective. But perhaps it had been too long since they met, or perhaps she was truly furious this time, because Bai Niao rejected him outright.

Her tears kept falling as she said sorrowfully, “I don’t want your compensation. Call He Youting. I want to go back. I don’t want to stay here with you.”

Bai Niao cried and threw a tantrum. She hadn’t actually felt that aggrieved initially, but the more she cried, the more heartbroken she became.

“I really know I was wrong,” Cheng Yu said very softly. “I shouldn’t have sent Niao Niao to the wrong place, and I shouldn’t have spoken like that just now to scare you.”

Still, she was incredibly sad, and her tears wouldn’t stop. It wasn’t until a moment later, when a loud gurgle erupted from Bai Niao’s stomach, that her tears came to a sudden halt.

She was extremely vain and far too delicate to endure any embarrassment. Upon hearing her stomach growl, Bai Niao forgot all about crying. She wanted nothing more than to cover Cheng Yu’s ears and kick him out of the bedroom.

Fortunately, her tears had finally stopped.

Cheng Yu pretended he hadn’t heard a thing. He quickly coaxed her in a low voice, “Let’s have some dessert first, okay? Xiao Zhang said you didn’t eat much tonight. If you keep crying, your stomach will start to hurt.”

Attendants were waiting outside the living area. The servants had reported that Bai Niao hadn’t eaten well in the evening, leaving her favorite foods untouched. Cheng Yu had already ordered a meal to be prepared and set out.

Bai Niao had been eating poorly lately. Zhuang Han ate vegetables every day, and by extension, Bai Niao had to eat like a vegetarian too. Occasionally getting to eat a sandwich cookie was enough to make her happy for a long time. She still felt quite wronged, but sitting in Cheng Yu’s lap, she nodded with teary eyes.

Cheng Yu carried Bai Niao to the washbasin, leaning over to wash her tear-stained face. He then changed her into a fresh nightgown before carrying her out of the bedroom. She cared deeply about her poise; even in front of the servants, she wanted to appear flawless.

But when she was sat down at the dining table, Bai Niao was still very unhappy. She said with a nasal voice, “I’ll eat by myself. I don’t want you to feed me.”

There were few people in this world who dared to snub Young Master Cheng. It was often said in public that Major General Cheng appeared as gentle as a spring breeze but was actually sharp-natured and an exceptionally rigorous military commander. Yet, all the servants nearby saw that after Bai Niao made such a willful remark, Cheng Yu only smiled faintly. “Fine. We’ll do as Niao Niao says.”

Once Bai Niao’s emotions flared up, they were hard to control. She hadn’t intended to cry that much, but Cheng Yu’s scare had sent the tears straight down. Her life recently had been truly dismal poor sleep, poor food, losing her body, and living in constant fear every day.

Luckily, Cheng Yu wasn’t angry and didn’t blame her. When she was throwing her tantrum earlier, she felt very emboldened, but now that the mood had passed, she felt a lingering fear.

Cheng Yu was different from Duan Xiran or Gao Zhan. When she cried, Duan Xiran and Gao Zhan were completely helpless against her. But Cheng Yu would actually analyze and judge her based on her willful words. Moreover, among all of them, Cheng Yu was the one who loathed that person the most.

To be honest, Bai Niao didn’t even know where Cheng Yu’s hatred for him came from. If that man hadn’t dumped her, she would have been married with a baby by now and wouldn’t have fallen into their hands. They were all powerful elites, but they didn’t belong to quite the same circle. That man spent most of his time abroad, while Cheng Yu spent long periods in the military district; the two had hardly even met. Yet, Cheng Yu simply detested him.

Even though she knew Cheng Yu liked her, Bai Niao didn’t dare mention a single word about that man in his presence. However, she had no intention of hiding the events of the past few days from him; she was dying for someone to help her come up with a solution.

Bai Niao was supposed to be dining by herself, but somehow, as she ate, she ended up sitting on Cheng Yu’s lap. He held a small golden dessert fork and fed her pudding.

Bai Niao was mentally immature, and her tastes were just as immature. She always loved things children liked but wouldn’t allow anyone to point it out. Her thoughts were the same she just followed whatever came to mind. Previously, seeing the gardener planting flowers had inspired her to start gardening herself. But she knew nothing about it; every day she did nothing but water them. Even her thick gardening books remained untouched on her desk after she glanced at the first few pages on day one. Even Cheng Yu knew more about horticulture than she did.

But Bai Niao would never admit it. She always felt she was already very smart and mature.

One look at Bai Niao’s face and Cheng Yu knew she had something on her mind. She was hesitating in her thoughts, trying to figure out how to speak. They hadn’t seen each other for too long, and reuniting while she was “with” someone else inevitably created a rift. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to tell him; she just didn’t know how.

Bai Niao was sometimes very bold and other times exceptionally cowardly. Before his birthday, she had wanted to see him but hesitated until that night, only then daring to tug on He Youting’s sleeve and ask softly if she could call him.

Bai Niao was a heartless child. But it was those occasional flickers of genuine emotion that would suddenly strike a person’s heart.

Fiddling with the hem of her skirt, Bai Niao waited until she finished the entire cup of pudding before looking up. She said with total seriousness, “I think I’ve been possessed by a ghost lately.”

Her expression was earnest. Although it was late at night, she showed no sign of talking nonsense.

As she sat on his lap, Cheng Yu’s fingers paused slightly while using a wet wipe to clean the corner of her mouth. No wonder He Youting asked him to help find a Taoist priest and spoke so cryptically during their daytime conversation.

However, Cheng Yu instinctively thought of more. When they first got together, Bai Niao went through a period where her mental state was very poor—worse than when she had just broken up with that man. She would easily zone out, and sometimes she would burst into tears while eating. Back then, they didn’t understand why.

Until one day, Bai Niao fell from the second-floor balcony. Since then, He Youting had a psychologist come over every once in a while.

Cheng Yu’s expression shifted, and he was dazed for a moment. But Bai Niao’s brow was already furrowed; she shook his arm. “Listen to me seriously!”

“That imposter is terrifying,” she said with lingering fear. “If she finds out my consciousness is still here, she might actually kill me.”

Bai Niao sighed sadly. “I can only wake up at night when she’s asleep. You’re so capable, you absolutely have to help me.”

It was two or three in the morning, and the sky was pitch black. Cheng Yu picked Bai Niao up in his arms and gave her a comforting kiss on the forehead. “Don’t be afraid. It’ll be okay.”

She was getting sleepy. Bai Niao was afraid of Cheng Yu, but in his arms, she felt a strange sense of security. She was nearly asleep before they even reached the bed.

“Tell Mr. He too,” Bai Niao muttered drowsily. “I’m only awake at night. The one talking normally isn’t me.”

Cheng Yu stroked her hair and softly said, “Okay.”

Once tucked into the covers, Bai Niao fell asleep quickly. She wasn’t picky about her bed; as long as it was comfortable, she could sleep well anywhere. Before long, her breathing became slow and steady.

Cheng Yu stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, one hand in his trouser pocket, and made a call to He Youting. “Is that German doctor still in contact? Have him come over.”

His private residence was in a prime location, a quiet sanctuary in the heart of the city. Outside were lush trees, and the summer night was cool and serene, like a romantic estate from a poet’s pen.

Looking at the fountain in the distance, Cheng Yu said softly, “It doesn’t look like dissociation. It might be schizophrenia.”

“By the way, who has she met recently?” he continued. “Send me a list and the contents of their conversations as well.”

Because she went to bed late, Bai Niao was completely unable to wake up at the same time as Zhuang Han the next morning. By the time Zhuang Han finished breakfast, Bai Niao had only just barely woken up. Realizing once again that she couldn’t control her body, she felt almost entirely numb.

Cheng Yu had already left for business, leaving only his personal bodyguards to drive her back in the morning.

Zhuang Han had a very good impression of Cheng Yu—even better than her impression of Duan Xiran. Although she had transmigrated through books many times, she wasn’t yet ready for intimacy with the male leads. However, their relationship with the original heroine seemed different from what she had imagined. Cheng Yu held a distinguished status, yet he was actually quite respectful toward the heroine. He wasn’t a “gentleman” in the conventional sense, but he was certainly the type of man who was easiest to fall for. He truly deserved to be the “Top Popular Male Lead” among a group of gifted elites.

Zhuang Han was in a great mood. Before leaving, she asked someone to lead her around Cheng Yu’s estate again.

Bai Niao wasn’t used to staying up late; at this point, she was so tired she could have slept standing up. It wasn’t until Zhuang Han passed by the flower beds that Bai Niao woke up again.

She had forgotten the reason she wanted to come to Cheng Yu’s place was that she missed the little flowers she had planted. Bai Niao peered longingly at the flower bed, wanting to get a good look at her blossoms. Before she could see them clearly, she heard Zhuang Han talking to her System in her mind.

Zhuang Han frowned and said, “I was wondering why the gardener would let such ugly flowers stay in the center. Turns out the original host planted them.”

The original host was very willful. The male lead didn’t want her to plant them there, but she insisted. She didn’t really take care of them either; the gardener has been helping her.

Furthermore, the original host’s taste is really poor. She just likes these cheap-looking, garish flowers.

Bai Niao, who was originally sleepy, was instantly jolted awake by anger.

Cheap flowers? She thought they were the cheap humans and cheap AI! What right did they have to judge the flowers she raised?

Bai Niao was fuming with rage, wishing she could use the amateur boxing skills she’d learned to give these two bastards a thorough beating. But then, she heard Zhuang Han smiling as she said to the accompanying attendant, “Could you help me remove these flowers?”

“I was immature before and caused you all so much trouble,” Zhuang Han said with a hint of guilt. “Thank you for working so hard to take care of these flowers for so long.”

She spoke very properly and was polite to the servants. However, after Zhuang Han finished speaking, the expressions on their faces weren’t the relief or approval she expected. Instead, they were filled with blatant shock and surprise.

“Eldest Miss, do you find the colors unsatisfactory?” the bodyguard asked quickly. “Or do you want to plant new flowers instead?”

Zhuang Han frowned.

“No,” she said softly. “I just feel it’s not good to trouble you all like this. From now on, I don’t want to do such willful and unreasonable things anymore.”

The attendants looked at each other, all of them appearing somewhat at a loss.

The bodyguard offered a strained smile and said, “Eldest Miss, you don’t need to worry about us like that. The Major General just didn’t want you to tire yourself out; he actually supported you in planting these flowers from the start.”

These words sounded gentle, but they were actually using Cheng Yu’s name to pressure her.

Zhuang Han felt a sudden sting to her self-esteem. She truly didn’t understand what was wrong with Cheng Yu’s subordinates. Clearly she was the master, so why was such a simple request being blocked over and over again?

“Don’t you understand?” Zhuang Han’s brow furrowed deeply. “I said, I want all these flowers removed.”