After Transmigrating into a Book as Cannon Fodder, I Pampered the Villain - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Bear It in Mind

An indescribable, ambiguous atmosphere quietly spread throughout the small room. Yu Yingxia found it difficult to endure; they were too close, their breaths intertwining. As someone whose heart was already as “crooked as a coil of incense,” she found it impossible to remain focused, and controlling her racing pulse was becoming a feat of strength.

Meanwhile, Yan Huaixi was entirely absorbed in studying Yingxia’s peculiar soul. She used her own spirit to lead Yingxia’s, checking it minutely, completely unbothered by how intimate such an act was for soul cultivators.

By the time she noticed Yingxia’s anomaly, the girl was flushed crimson, her eyes darting away, not daring to meet Yan’s gaze.

Yingxia’s soul trembled right beside her own. Yan Huaixi sensed a complex wave of emotions from the girl’s spirit shyness, and several other components she couldn’t quite decipher.

Yan Huaixi withdrew her power, a flash of playfulness crossing her fox-like eyes. She raised a hand and lightly brushed Yingxia’s cheek. The skin beneath her fingertips was incredibly delicate, tempting her to give it a pinch.

“Why is your face so hot?” she whispered. Her warm breath fanned Yingxia’s ear, and she felt a satisfying tremor ripple through the body beneath her touch.

Her fingertips traced a path from the cheek down toward the heart. Everywhere they passed, a strange sensation bloomed on Yingxia’s skin.

Yu Yingxia, having never experienced such intimacy, felt her mind go blank with a sudden “buzz.” Her temperature spiked further. Her soft peach-blossom eyes widened, betraying a look of utter disbelief, as if she were being bullied.

“M-My Lord…” Yingxia finally found her voice. She didn’t know why Yan Huaixi was suddenly acting so flirtatiously. She tried to shrink back, but the moment she moved, Yan Huaixi pinned her shoulder.

Yan Huaixi wouldn’t let her hide. Yingxia was forced to freeze in place.

Yan Huaixi sat up slightly, bringing them even closer. From this angle, she could clearly see Yingxia’s slightly pale lips and her eyes, which darted around like a startled fawn’s.

For some reason, Yan Huaixi thought of that storybook Yingxia had snatched away. It told the story of a junior sister who used extreme methods to pursue her elder sister after her love went unrequited. Because of that plot, a strange thought crossed her mind.

“Guardian Yu.” When Yan Huaixi wasn’t being harsh, her voice was dangerously deceptive. It sounded as if it were full of hooks, and those smiling hooks brushed lightly against the strings of Yingxia’s heart.

Yingxia had to exert all her willpower to keep her heart from leaping at the sound, fearing she might get snagged and become a fish in the villain’s pond.

“You wouldn’t happen to be harboring thoughts similar to that junior sister in the storybook, would you?” Yan Huaixi teased. She wanted to see how the girl would react.

Her voice was smiling, but Yingxia felt she could hear a hidden warning beneath the tone.

Yingxia clenched her hands. Her eyes were a swirl of complex emotions. Perhaps at some point, she truly had felt a spark for Yan Huaixi, but she was acutely aware of the woman’s suspicion and vigilance. Falling for someone like this was not wise.

Having grown up with a weak heart in her past life, she had long ago learned to master her emotions. She suppressed the flicker of wavering in her eyes and replaced it with a polite, gentle smile. “Your subordinate would never dare such an intrusion. Please, My Lord, do not joke with me.”

Yan Huaixi’s eyes narrowed, searching. Once she was certain those romantic feelings weren’t present in Yingxia’s gaze, she let go. She felt she should be relieved, yet an inexplicable complexity soured her mood.

“…That’s for the best. See that you remember those words.” The smile on Yan Huaixi’s face vanished.

Yingxia bowed her head slightly. Hearing those words, her chaotic heartbeat finally returned to normal. “Rest assured, My Lord. I will remember,” she said softly.

The answer was so decisive that Yan Huaixi stared at her for a long moment. Finally, as if losing interest, she turned her side toward the wall and waved her hand. “Your soul is unique and cannot resonate with these manuals. I need to research where the problem lies. Go back and wait for my word.”

“Yes.” Yingxia had had enough fright for one day. The moment Yan Huaixi gestured, she retreated with uncharacteristic haste.

Because she feared the patient would catch a chill, Yan Huaixi’s room was usually kept shut, making it quite dim. In that dark, silent room, Yan Huaixi didn’t immediately study the soul’s oddities. Truthfully, her heart wouldn’t settle.

She kept replaying Yingxia’s words: “Your subordinate would never dare such an intrusion.”

When saying it, Yingxia had maintained her usual submissive posture, yet Yan Huaixi could feel the deliberate distance she was keeping as if she were working hard to clear any personal connection.

“Tch…” Yan Huaixi rubbed her brow, trying to push Yingxia’s face out of her mind. Strange. Why am I dwelling on this?

Back in the sunlight, Yingxia’s body finally warmed up. she pressed the back of her hand to her cheek where Yan Huaixi’s fingers had just been. Unlike the rest of her body, the skin there was burning.

Yingxia sighed. Her heart today had been on a roller coaster. If she still had the weak heart of her previous life, the stimulation alone would have caused a cardiac event.

As for Yan Huaixi’s words, she didn’t take them too seriously. The Great Villain was someone who loved to toy with people, especially “prey” she had already caught. Like a cat with a mouse, she probably just wanted to amuse herself after reading Yang Xunzhou’s book. Fine. I won’t hold it against a patient.

She composed herself. The issue of her soul was more pressing. Why couldn’t she cultivate? She still had to rely on Yan Huaixi to find the answer, which meant she had to keep serving her “Living Ancestor.” Obtaining the power to protect herself was the only thing that mattered; everything else was a distraction.

Yingxia waited for over half a month. During this time, Yan Huaixi recovered significantly. The Sword Intent in her flesh was mostly dispersed, her wounds no longer looked terrifying, and she could walk around the courtyard with support.

Yingxia placed a soft lounge chair by the stone table. When the sun wasn’t too harsh, she let Yan Huaixi bask in the light, preparing sweet soups that had been chilled in water—a perfect relief for the summer heat.

“The problem with your soul is very strange. I still have no clue and can’t guarantee a solution,” Yan Huaixi said, squinting like a cat as she reclined on the chair. “You could try manuals that don’t involve the soul. Though I’m not an expert in other paths, I can still teach you more than enough.”

She continued, “But if you want to reach the heights, we can’t be sloppy with the manual. Your spiritual roots are average; paired with an average technique, you’ll hit a ceiling at the Refining Qi into Spirit stage.”

Yan Huaixi turned to see Yingxia staring at her with sparkling eyes, clearly waiting for a better manual. She coughed and looked away from the girl’s intense gaze. “Wait a bit longer. At most a month, and I’ll get you a manual that suits your roots perfectly.” Yan Huaixi remembered where she had stashed her miscellaneous manuals; it would take some time to have someone retrieve them.

“Thank you, My Lord~” Yingxia smiled, her voice unintentionally becoming sweet.

Yan Huaixi snorted. Someone’s voice always gets sweet when they want something. I never see her act cute normally.

CRASH!

Just as a rare moment of harmony filled the courtyard, the sounds of shouting and smashing erupted from outside.

“What’s happening?” Yan Huaixi frowned, her peace disturbed. The foul stench in the air had thickened, and the number of “disgusting souls” nearby seemed to have increased. She instinctively leaned closer to Yingxia, hoping the peach-blossom scent would drown out the rot.

“I’ll go look.” Yingxia stood up warily and opened the courtyard gate. Nearby, the street was in shambles. Several injured people lay on the ground, and the air was tinged with the faint scent of blood.

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