After Transmigrating into a Book as Cannon Fodder, I Pampered the Villain - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Bolster

Yu Yingxia had a bizarre and terrifying nightmare. She saw the original owner of her body entangled with a shadow that seemed to merge with her soul, whispering incessantly in her ear. The black mist surrounding her grew thicker until desire overrode reason, and she raised a blade toward the dying Yan Huaixi.

At the critical moment, Yingxia entered the body, but she couldn’t control it. She watched helplessly as her own hand plunged the blood-stained weapon into Yan Huaixi’s heart.

In the villain’s eyes, she saw disappointment and hatred. Burning tears slid down Yingxia’s cheeks as despair tore at her heart. Then, Yan Huaixi embraced her, triggering the Puppet Mark.

In the moment of death, she felt relief. But the nightmare didn’t end; she suffered in a loop of death, followed by that pitch-black shadow.

Until a soft hum reached her ears—a gentle melody, like a lullaby.

The distorted images of death were chased away by the song. Her tortured soul finally found peace. Instinctively, Yingxia hugged something tightly. The person seemed to struggle at first, but Yingxia only tightened her grip, refusing to let go.

Eventually, the other person stopped moving, and Yingxia drifted into a sweet, deep sleep.

Having been deprived of rest for so long, she slept until the sun began to sink in the west. When she finally woke, her body felt soft and her forehead throbbed slightly.

In her groggy state, she hadn’t realized where she was. In the 21st century, she had many bolsters and would randomly pick one to sleep with. Feeling a “bolster” in her arms now, she assumed she was back home.

However, the texture was different—softer, and it smelled incredible. Whenever she wanted to sleep in, she would bury her face in her bolster. She did exactly that now.

This bolster is high quality, she thought sleepily. I should buy a few more and replace all the old ones.

“Is it comfortable?” the “bolster” asked.

“Very comfortable…”

Yingxia’s eyes flew open. She looked up in terror into the expressionless face of Yan Huaixi. The surroundings were elegant and ancient—nothing like her home in the 21st century. She recognized the room instantly.

She let go immediately, scrambling to the far edge of the bed. Fortunately, Yan Huaixi had placed her on the inside, or she would have tumbled onto the floor.

“My… My Lord, I’m sorry, I didn’t know…” Yingxia stammered, her explanation a mess.

Yan Huaixi sat up. Her collar had been rumpled and pulled askew by Yingxia’s “burrowing.” As Yingxia realized exactly what she had been nuzzling against, her face flushed a vivid red.

How did she end up in the villain’s bed? And she held her like a pillow all night!

She remembered fainting, and Yan Huaixi catching her. But after that? She surely didn’t crawl into this bed on her own!

“You grabbed onto me last night and wouldn’t let go. I had no choice but to let you stay here,” Yan Huaixi said leisurely, draping her outer robe over her shoulders.

“…I’m sorry. Next time, you can just throw me on the floor.” Yingxia lowered her head, not daring to look. She was lucky Yan Huaixi hadn’t strangled her.

“On the floor? If you got sicker, wouldn’t that be my fault? Besides…” A glint of mischief flashed in Yan Huaixi’s eyes. “Forget throwing you down; I just tried to get you to let go of my hand, and you started whimpering and crying as if I were bullying you. Quite a nuisance.”

The more Yingxia heard, the more she wanted to bury her head under the covers like an ostrich. Crying when I can’t cuddle? Is that what I’m like when I’m sick?!

She knew Yan Huaixi was a germaphobe. Despair washed over her. How could she cause such a disaster?

As Yingxia shrunk into a ball at the foot of the bed like a frightened quail, Yan Huaixi frowned slightly. This terrified version of Yingxia wasn’t exactly what she wanted to see.

Yan Huaixi’s own feelings were a tangled mess she couldn’t quite decipher. She reached out and tilted Yingxia’s chin up. The cold touch made the “little rabbit” flinch.

After nearly a full day of rest, Yingxia’s color was better, though she still looked weary.

“However… based on what you said, are you hoping for a ‘next time’?”

Yingxia shook her head frantically. A next time would surely take years off her life.

Yan Huaixi laughed—a meaningful, lingering sound. “Guardian Yu, you ought to change your sleeping posture. Otherwise, anyone sleeping next to you might find themselves squeezed to death.”

Yingxia’s face burned. She vaguely remembered rubbing and nuzzling the “bolster” in her daze. If that wasn’t a dream… if she had really done that to Yan Huaixi…

Yan Huaixi felt satisfied. Compared to Yingxia keeping a fearful distance, she preferred seeing her subordinate this flustered and shy.

“I… I will find a way to control it.” Yingxia avoided her gaze. Maybe I should tie myself up with a rope before bed?

Wait, as long as she didn’t sleep in the same bed as Yan Huaixi, it didn’t matter how she slept! The key was maintaining a safe distance.

Suddenly, she felt her cheek being pinched. She looked up blankly at Yan Huaixi, her expression saying: Why did you do that?

Yan Huaixi simply thought those flushed cheeks looked soft and easy to pinch. She was never one to deny herself what she wanted, and she certainly offered no explanation.

“You’ve slept long enough. Get up. I found a doctor last night; he said you fainted from exhaustion and blood deficiency. He prescribed some medicine. From today on, you’ll be taking it with me.” Yan Huaixi smirked, looking triumphant.

“Yes.” What else could Yingxia say? She had to indulge this “Master” who was so childish about her own medicine. If it meant the villain wouldn’t hold last night against her, she’d drink three bowls a day!

Thinking of last night, Yingxia remembered the song that had rescued her from the nightmare.

“My Lord, last night…” Was it you who helped me?

“Hmm?” Yan Huaixi raised an eyebrow. “What? Do you want to know what else you did to me last night?”

No! She didn’t want to know! Yingxia shook her head like a rattle.

Looking at Yan Huaixi’s mischievous face and remembering how easily she usually radiated killing intent, Yingxia couldn’t imagine her humming a lullaby. Maybe that part was just a dream.

“If you’re fine, go eat. Remember your medicine afterward. Put whatever Yang Xunzhou wants you to do on hold. Once you’re better, you can toss and turn however you like.” Yan Huaixi finished dressing and left the room. Only then did Yingxia’s body relax.

She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. Crisis averted.

But… was it her imagination? Yan Huaixi’s tone seemed much gentler. Her parting words almost sounded like genuine concern.

Yingxia didn’t notice the corners of her mouth curling upward. A villain’s concern was rare indeed. Did this mean the tension between them was finally fading?

Wait—she usually did the cooking. What about today? Don’t tell me Yan Huaixi tried to cook!

Yingxia’s face paled. She scrambled into her clothes and rushed out. Her legs were still weak, but her mind was filled with the memory of the time Yan Huaixi tried to stir-fry a dish and produced a plate of pure carbon!

The illness won’t kill me, but her cooking definitely will!

Fortunately, Yan Huaixi had no intention of poisoning her patient. Using her slightly recovered spiritual power, she had sent a phantom to a restaurant to bring back a meal.

Seeing the familiar food box, Yingxia exhaled in relief.

Yan Huaixi caught her reaction immediately and snorted. “What? Did you think I cooked it myself?”

Yingxia was so embarrassed she wanted to sink into the floor. “No, I was just worried about your injuries. Your hands shouldn’t be lifting heavy things.”

Yan Huaixi knew it was an excuse. Seeing her subordinate had just recovered, she decided to drop her original plan of “cooking personally and feeding her.”

“A spatula is not as exhausting as you are.” Yan Huaixi slightly pulled her collar open. Yingxia couldn’t look away in time and saw a faint red stain on the white bandages.

Yingxia’s expression changed instantly. She realized the culprit was likely her own restless sleeping!

“Why didn’t you say anything?!” Yingxia immediately pushed her into a chair, ran to her room for the medical kit, and began skillfully tending to the wound.

She looked distraught. Yan Huaixi’s wound had been almost closed, and now, because of her, it would take days longer to heal.

“It’s not a big deal. Eat first. You have medicine to take,” Yan Huaixi said dismissively. Fang Yuetong’s sword intent was gone; the rest was just a minor flesh wound.

“This is an injury from Fang Yuetong! How can it not be a big deal?” Yingxia’s tone was stern. It was rare for her to look so fierce, and even Yan Huaixi was momentarily taken aback.

Yan Huaixi thought that the only other person who could make her “behave” with that tone was her mother.

“I’m sorry,” Yingxia apologized, her voice low and dejected.

Yan Huaixi looked at her, playing with a lock of Yingxia’s hair. She smiled carelessly. “It’s fine.”

For this Yu Yingxia, her tolerance and boundaries had reached a level that would make her other subordinates weep with envy. Yan Huaixi’s requirements for her had dwindled until only one remained.

Don’t betray me.

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