After Saving The Disabled Villain, I Was Attacked In Return! - Chapter 61

Jiang Yu pinched the bridge of her nose, unsure if Liu Xueyun was truly a menace. But if she threatened Qi An, Jiang Yu wouldn’t mind helping her end this painful life early.

Qi An glared at Liu Xueyun, her eyes brimming with murderous intent. No one could steal what was hers, especially not Jiang Yu.

After years of lying low, Qi An could clearly see Liu Xueyun’s transformation and ambition. But the woman was still too inexperienced, her very bones trembling with timidity. She only dared to manipulate small matters and vie for petty advantages.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yu had her own assessment: trying to be friendly with Gu Meng was pointless. Her heart was already blackened, convinced the world owed her. Such a person was destined to be cannon fodder.

“Miss Jiang Yu… may I call you Ningning?” Liu Xueyun asked timidly as they approached the Main Hall, her face a mask of caution. Jiang Yu was about to agree—it’s just a nickname, after all—when she felt someone tug at her sleeve.

Jiang Yu turned to look at Qi An, suspicion in her eyes. Suddenly, she understood something. So even before this villain went dark, she was this possessive?

I never realized you could be so possessive about friendship. Still a little confused, Jiang Yu didn’t want to upset Qi An. Qi An’s silent departure earlier had frightened her.

“Don’t…” Qi An spoke before Jiang Yu could say anything, her face unyielding as she stared down Liu Xueyun. A faint smile played on her lips, as if she wasn’t afraid of Liu Xueyun at all.

Liu Xueyun gazed at Qi An’s ethereal beauty, now filled only with the urge to tear her face apart. The fleeting shadow in her eyes didn’t escape Qi An’s notice.

Qi An raised an eyebrow, curious about what Liu Xueyun might do to her. But for now…

Qi An stepped in front of Jiang Yu and gently straightened her cloak. Jiang Yu’s cheeks were rosy from the cold wind outside. She looked up at Qi An, her heart feeling sweet.

Off to the side, Liu Xueyun seethed with anger, her teeth grinding in frustration. Yet she had to maintain her subservient facade, her inherent insecurity leaving her unsure of how to speak.

The three of them arrived at the Main Hall, all tacitly avoiding any mention of Gu Meng. When it was time for lunch, Madam Grand Secretary suddenly remembered she had this granddaughter and hurriedly instructed the servants to deliver the meal to her.

Lunch at Grand Secretary Shen’s residence was different from the General’s Residence. Qi An couldn’t sit down to eat with Jiang Yu, so she stood beside her, serving her food with such refined grace that it was impossible to tell she was merely a maid.

In contrast, Liu Xueyun exuded self-doubt. She sat frozen, only daring to glance at others with cautious, furtive glances—unflatteringly, she looked almost shifty-eyed.

Yet Liu Xueyun persisted in her efforts to disgust Qi An. She kept scooting closer to Jiang Yu, using her chopsticks to pile platefuls of dishes onto Jiang Yu’s tray. Jiang Yu, who had initially pitied her, was surprised to find this girl suddenly so attentive to her.

Jiang Yu, who had always struggled to refuse others, had no choice but to eat everything Liu Xueyun served her, even forcing a smile of approval. Shen Yun and the others were too busy to notice, but when they occasionally glanced up, they saw Liu Xueyun persistently serving Jiang Yu.

“I never expected… that your daughter would get along so well with my Ningning. It’s high time you properly guide Yun’er. If she could just act with a fraction of your grace, she’d be a perfectly poised young lady.”

Shen Yun analyzed the situation for Shen Lian, who had never imagined Liu Xueyun could find such a close friend.

Jiang Yu, who had previously looked down on Liu Xueyun, now willingly included her in their activities.

Touched by this, Shen Lian resolved to support her third sister, Shen Xi, at the banquet the next day. Throughout the meal, Shen Xi remained dispirited, her mind consumed by images of her daughter’s disheveled state after being rescued earlier.

The seeds of resentment took root in her heart.

Qi An stood beside Jiang Yu, observing Liu Xueyun’s unusually attentive behavior. A smirk played on her lips as she leaned in close, her red lips brushing Jiang Yu’s ear. “Ningning, is there anything else you’d like to try?”

Though Liu Xueyun was solicitous, she mostly served dishes within easy reach. Jiang Yu, who actually disliked sweet foods, forced herself to eat them, unable to refuse.

Qi An watched it all unfold. Jiang Yu chewed on her chopsticks, her almond-shaped eyes darting to the meatballs before she tugged at Qi An’s sleeve.

Qi An chuckled softly and elegantly placed a meatball on the small plate in front of Jiang Yu. Her pale, graceful hands held the silver chopsticks, and her pristine white robes remained spotless—completely unlike the harried maidservants bustling about the manor.

With the much-desired meatball finally within reach, Jiang Yu’s delight was unmistakable. Shielded by Shen Yun’s protective presence, she abandoned all formalities and popped the meatball directly into her mouth, her cheeks puffing out like a little hamster hoarding food.

After glancing around to ensure no one was watching, Jiang Yu quickly picked up another meatball and offered it to Qi An. Before long, Qi An found herself feeding Jiang Yu quite a few.

Qi An diligently served Jiang Yu small portions of every dish—just enough to satisfy her appetite. This further overshadowed Liu Xueyun, who, undeterred, continued to focus on her vegetables.

Jiang Yu, blissfully unaware of Liu Xueyun’s discomfort beside her, finished the meal with a full belly. Rubbing her stuffed tummy, she announced she was going for a stroll outside.

The adults had mostly settled their matters. Tomorrow’s banquet seemed flawless, though who knew how many hidden currents were swirling beneath the surface? Jiang Yu, despite the improved meals these past few days, had grown thin from the stress and exhaustion. She unconsciously pinched her cheek.

Jiang Yu walked ahead, Qi An following behind. Qi An didn’t miss the gesture. Her eyes, shimmering like starlit rivers, held Jiang Yu’s gaze as she asked in her usual cool tone, “Ningning, why are you pinching your cheeks?”

Somewhere along the way, Qi An had shed her icy demeanor, the one that limited her to a few words a day. Now, especially around Jiang Yu, she displayed a warmth and compassion she rarely showed others.

Jiang Yu, convinced that Qi An was truly her closest friend, often let her girlish charm shine through.

“Qi An, Qi An, pinch my cheeks! I’ve been losing weight lately,” Jiang Yu pouted, her soft cheeks drawing attention to their slight thinness.

Qi An chuckled, raising her cool hand to pinch Jiang Yu’s warm cheeks. She even stroked them a few times with the pad of her finger, as if seeking a reward. The ticklish sensation made Jiang Yu laugh and dodge away.

“Qi An! What are you doing…?” Jiang Yu reacted, feeling a little flustered. She touched the spot on her cheek where Qi An had pinched her, still feeling the warmth of Qi An’s fingertips.

Qi An chuckled. “Didn’t you ask me to pinch and see if you were losing weight?”

Qi An’s infectious laughter made Jiang Yu avert her gaze. Qi An didn’t tease her further. They had originally just wanted to stroll around the Shen Residence, but unexpectedly, someone followed them.

“Jiang Yu… could I go with you?” Liu Xueyun seemed to have mustered up all her courage to ask. Her plain features now looked pitiful and hard to refuse.

Jiang Yu instinctively felt a twinge of unease around Liu Xueyun, but she steeled herself and reluctantly agreed to take her along.

After wandering the Shen Residence for about an hour, Shen Yun sent one of her maids to fetch Jiang Yu. Since this wasn’t an official family visit, Jiang Yu couldn’t stay overnight at her parents’ home. Shen Yun needed to return to her residence to prepare for the banquet the next day.

Jiang Yu breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to escape walking with Liu Xueyun. But just as she was about to return to the Main Hall, Qi An asked her to go back first, saying she needed to speak to Liu Xueyun alone.

“What do you want to say to her?” Jiang Yu asked, worried. Did Liu Xueyun do something to upset her? Though Jiang Yu didn’t particularly like Liu Xueyun, she knew that anything Qi An did would be serious.

Qi An met Jiang Yu’s gaze. Thinking Jiang Yu was worried about Liu Xueyun, her heart sank. “It’s nothing,” she said slowly. “I just need to say a few words to her.”

Jiang Yu nodded, glancing back at Qi An several times before following Shen Yun’s maid back to the hall.

Liu Xueyun had overheard the exchange between Jiang Yu and Qi An. She had steeled herself to try and get closer to Jiang Yu, but her unfamiliarity and low self-esteem made even raising her head a struggle.

“I know you feel inferior,” Qi An began, her words like a bombshell. “You’ve always seen yourself as nothing more than a servant.” She stepped closer, each deliberate movement making her face seem more menacing.

Liu Xueyun froze, then began backing away. Qi An refused to let her off the hook. “If you don’t want to go back to your old life, you should work to improve yourself, not try to steal someone else’s.”

Qi An’s words were sharp, like a sword piercing Liu Xueyun’s fragile self-esteem.

“You… you’re lying!” Liu Xueyun stammered, unable to think of a better retort. It was a weak defense.

Qi An stood motionless, her cold eyes piercing Liu Xueyun as if she could see right through her. “Since you know your place as a servant, stop daydreaming. Jiang Yu is not someone you can aspire to.”

Qi An had exposed Liu Xueyun’s delusions, leaving the girl’s eyes red and swollen.

A biting wind swept across the courtyard. Servant girls from the Shen Residence passed by with trays, deliberately avoiding any courtesy toward Liu Xueyun. Everyone knew that a low-born Miss was considered inferior even to a personal maid.

Qi An seethed with irritation. Had Jiang Yu’s earlier kindness been directed solely toward this lowly girl? What about her own past interactions with Jiang Yu? Had that been nothing more than pity?

Qi An realized she had a weakness: she constantly overanalyzed Jiang Yu’s treatment of her, fearing the woman was either plotting against her or merely pitying her.

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