After Transmigrating into a Book as Cannon Fodder, I Pampered the Villain - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Sisters

Yan Huaixi had always felt a sharp prick of annoyance whenever she heard Yu Yingxia calling this person or that person “Sister.” Initially, she thought she simply hated the sweet, cloying tone Yingxia used when uttering the word. But now, it suddenly dawned on her—what she hated was Yingxia calling other people “Sister.”

Yan Huaixi finally convinced herself of a “logical” explanation for why she disliked Yingxia getting close to others and why her heart felt so strange. It must be because I want to view her as a younger sister, just like A-Wu, she mused.

Based on this flawed self-assessment, Yan Huaixi chose a path that would leave her with unspoken grievances for a very long time to come.

“Elder Sister Yu, I… I came to see how A-Sheng’s recovery is going,” Yang Xunzhou said, offering a polite smile and trying her best to look reliable.

Unfortunately, she had no idea that Yan Huaixi already knew exactly what Yingxia had been doing at her place. In Yan’s mind, the word “reliable” had nothing to do with Yang Xunzhou.

She even felt that the title “Literary Saint” was a waste of the word “Saint” on this woman. Literary Saint? All she knows is how to write nonsense. She should be called the Literary Deviant. Yan imagined a scene where she revealed Yang’s true colors to the world, forcing the “Saint” to sit at the same table as a “Demon” like herself. The thought was quite amusing, and her lips curled slightly.

Yingxia, who was familiar with the villainess, noticed her right eyelid twitching uncontrollably. Someone is about to suffer!

“Thank you for your concern, Miss Yang,” Yan Huaixi said smoothly. In Yingxia’s shocked gaze, she naturally reached out and took the girl’s hand. “However, the wind is a bit chilly today, and her constitution hasn’t fully recovered. It’s best not to stay in the draft. Let’s head inside. If she catches another cold and develops a fever, I’m afraid her little head will turn simple from the illness.”

Yang Xunzhou, realizing her lapse, said hurriedly, “My apologies, I wasn’t thinking. Let’s go inside quickly.”

She was used to the perspective of a cultivator and had forgotten that a patient who had just entered the Path and whose body was weaker than a mortal’s could truly be knocked down by a light breeze. The elder sister is indeed more meticulous, Yang thought. Wait, A-Sheng went back alone in that rainstorm… could this illness be related to that? I should have insisted on seeing her home.

While Yang was lost in regret, Yan Huaixi had already led Yingxia back into the room. Yingxia was too terrified to speak. Yan’s behavior was bizarre—she was holding her hand. Since when had the germaphobic villainess started actively initiating physical contact?

Believing she had finally decoded her emotions, Yan’s smile deepened. She was in a splendid mood. Conversely, Yingxia’s heart sank further. She wondered if the villainess had come up with some new, twisted way to torment her.

“A-Sheng, your complexion still looks poor,” Yang Xunzhou noted once they were settled. “Let’s postpone the Wangxian Restaurant feast for a few days. You probably wouldn’t enjoy the food right now anyway. Recover first.”

Yingxia’s state wasn’t actually that bad—she had been consuming supplements and Yan’s blood, after all. But the series of scares she’d just endured, combined with the exhaustion of her new spiritual energy, made her look fragile enough to faint at any moment.

“When the time comes, Elder Sister Yu and Dr. Jiang must come as well. We shall celebrate for A-Sheng and thank Dr. Jiang for her miraculous healing,” Yang said with a bright smile.

In contrast to Yang’s brightness, Jiang Li looked like a storm cloud was hovering over her. “No… forget it. I… I have things to do. You all go celebrate.” Jiang Li waved her hands frantically. When Yang had said “my A-Sheng,” the Master’s expression had turned terrifying. She could already tell that a dinner with these people would result in a severe case of stress-induced indigestion.

“That’s a pity,” Yang sighed. She turned to Jiang Li again. “Doctor, is there any spiritual medicine that can speed up her recovery? I can send people to find it.”

Jiang Li glanced at Yan Huaixi. Receiving a silent directive, she replied, “That won’t be necessary. I have already administered the appropriate spiritual medicines.”

Yang Xunzhou had long ago realized Jiang Li was a cultivator, but she didn’t pry. Everyone had secrets. She pulled up a stool to sit by Yingxia’s bed. To Yingxia’s left was the unguarded Yang; to her right was Yan Huaixi, who was using a dagger to peel fruit for her. The blade was razor-sharp—excellent for peeling fruit, and likely just as good for cutting people. Yingxia felt the pressure mounting.

“A-Sheng, have you thought about what weapon to choose? Sabers, swords, talismans… or music? Or perhaps… painting?” Yang suggested. She felt Yingxia was a natural at art.

“You guessed correctly. I want to try painting first. I’m a total amateur at everything else, but I’m familiar with this,” Yingxia nodded.

“Painting is excellent!” Yang’s eyes lit up. “A thousand years ago, a master of the Painting Path gathered the sun, moon, stars, and rivers into a scroll, creating a small world. He lured his enemies into the painting and sat outside, controlling their fate with a few strokes. They were trapped there until they died.”

Yang described several legendary painters to Yingxia, painting a picture of the Path’s peak potential. “I practice the Literary Path, but I am more than capable of teaching you the basics. Once you’ve recovered, come to my house. I’ll teach you!”

Yang was completely oblivious to the terrifyingly possessive gaze directed at her from the side. Unfortunately, Yan Huaixi was currently disguised as a mortal and couldn’t easily volunteer to be the teacher herself.

Yingxia felt a surge of excitement at Yang’s words. Her eyes sparkled, wondering if she could ever reach such heights. Yan Huaixi gently squeezed Yingxia’s palm. “One day, you will be able to do it too.” She believed that with enough resources, Yingxia would grow quickly.

Blushing slightly at being read so easily, Yingxia lowered her gaze. Yan’s eyes softened; Yingxia’s reaction was exactly like that of a child who had just discovered the wonders of the Immortal Path.

But it’s strange, Yan thought. If this excitement is genuine, did she truly never encounter these things before? She remembered how Yingxia couldn’t even read the manual and needed every word explained. At the time, Yan thought Yingxia was being difficult on purpose, but what if she really was that ignorant of the cultivation world?

“Of course! Our A-Sheng is so smart and talented,” Yang added with a laugh.

Yan Huaixi “tsk-ed” internally. Who is ‘our’? She’s mine! Besides, she was a pure, simple girl until she met you and got corrupted by your ‘drawings’!

Yang felt that condemning gaze again. She could usually ignore negativity, but the “you-corrupted-my-child” look from Yan made her feel genuinely guilty. To break the awkwardness, she pulled out a jade brush. “Want me to show you a trick or two now?”

Yingxia was interested, but she peeked at Yan Huaixi first. Yan frowned and glanced out the window, her grip on Yingxia’s hand tightening. “Learn if you want,” she said.

Yang immediately drew an iron cage in the air. Her technique wasn’t beautiful, but that wasn’t the point. “See? In the Path of Painting, the function of what you create is tied to your intent. This cage can hold a dog, a cat… or something that is neither human nor ghost!”

Yang’s voice turned cold. The ink cage vanished, leaving only a chain in her hand. She jerked the chain, and the “vanished” cage was dragged into the courtyard from outside!

The cage crashed at the doorstep, kicking up dust. Inside was a struggling figure reeking of the familiar scent of a corpse. Yingxia began to cough from the dust and the stench. Yan Huaixi stood up, blocking Yingxia’s view and covering her nose and mouth with her sleeve.

“Speak. Why have you been lurking and spying on this place?” Yang kicked the cage further away.

The creature inside let out a sinister cackle, followed by a twisted expression of agony and excitement.

“It’s trying to commit suicide!” Yang realized.

A flash of crimson appeared in Yan Huaixi’s eyes. The creature caught her gaze, and its twisted excitement instantly froze. The excitement was replaced by pure, unadulterated pain. It shrieked—a high-pitched, inhuman scream.

Yan blocked Yingxia’s line of sight completely. She narrowed her eyes. A soul-like entity was being forcibly ripped out of the creature’s body. To an outsider, it looked like the thing was trying to shed its physical shell to escape.

As the soul tried to crawl away, Yang shouted, “Imprison!” A glowing character appeared, trapping the spirit in place.

Support After Transmigrating into a Book as Cannon Fodder, I Pampered the Villain