After Transmigrating into a Book, I Was Marked by the Beautiful Mad Villain - Chapter 19.1

The room fell into a sudden silence.

Outside, the male lead heard Shen Han’s words and called out clearly, “Alright, guest, I’ve placed it on the table by the door for you.”

The sound of the dining cart slowly faded away.

Left alone, Shen Han and Su Mi could only hear the faint sound of the flowing water from the outdoor hot spring in the distance.

Shen Han glanced at Su Mi twice, noncommittal, and said, “Come in.”

With that, she took the lead and walked toward the inner room.

Su Mi sucked in a breath, bracing herself to follow.

She wailed in her heart.

How could I run into the villain here too? Talk about bad luck!

When she invited Xu Nanqiao to this hot spring resort, she had indeed considered whether she might run into Shen Han.

After all, the Su family and the Shen corporation had close business ties. It was only natural for the business partner Su Ciyu mentioned to know Shen Han.

But Su Mi hadn’t expected to meet Shen Han in such an awkward and guilty-conscience-inducing scenario.

And… even if they met, why did she have to call her inside…!

She followed step-by-step behind Shen Han, wanting to cry but having no tears.

The floor was covered in a soft carpet, making Shen Han’s footsteps very light. Rounding the tea table and cushions, Shen Han placed the comb on a small square table in the inner room, pushed open the glass door, and walked out into the courtyard.

Night was approaching, and the mountain temperature was dropping rapidly. This courtyard was much larger than Su Mi’s, filled with swirling mist and facing the stretching distant mountains.

Su Mi stealthily placed the insulated bag in her hand onto the coffee table in the inner room. Seeing the villain enter the courtyard, she followed and swapped her shoes for slippers at the courtyard steps.

Shen Han walked straight to the edge of the hot spring pool.

Su Mi was dazed, still staring at Shen Han, unsure of what she was doing.

Then, she watched as Shen Han lowered her head. With a slight movement of her hands, her neck and shoulders arched back slightly, and the bathrobe slipped downward—revealing the beautiful lines of her butterfly bones and the curve of her back. Her skin was as white as snow, and it looked as if she was about to take the robe off entirely—

“I—I shouldn’t look!”

Su Mi subconsciously shouted, tightly covering her eyes.

What—what do you mean, Villain!!!

With a “thump,” her ears felt like they were on fire.

The flash of that ivory-white back she had accidentally glimpsed was stuck in her mind.

Behind her hands, her eyes were squeezed shut. If she could, Su Mi would have nearly held her breath.

Instead, she heard a soft chuckle from in front of her.

The sound of wooden slippers stepping on the grass drew closer. Shen Han seemed to stop right in front of her, carrying a crisp, cold fragrance.

“Is your courage really that small, Su Mi?”

Shen Han spoke in a lingering, whispery tone, yet it didn’t seem to carry much actual affection.

Icy, smooth fingertips lightly touched the back of Su Mi’s neck.

It felt like a block of ice had been pressed against her neck; Su Mi couldn’t help but shiver slightly.

Feeling the woman’s slender hand brushing against her neck, lingering in an ambiguous caress for a moment.

Su Mi thought hazily that if she were an Omega, this could be considered sexual harassment.

Shen Han didn’t stay on the back of her neck for long. After a gentle squeeze, she traced the jawline, tilted Su Mi’s chin up, and effortlessly pried away the hands covering Su Mi’s eyes.

Shen Han chuckled again.

“Why are your eyes still closed?”

Su Mi swallowed hard.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Su Mi’s eyelashes trembled as she quickly snapped her eyes open.

Contrary to what she had imagined, Shen Han wasn’t hovering very close. The distance between them was about an arm’s length. Her expression was indifferent, her eyes tinged with a cold weariness and laziness—she almost didn’t look like the same person who had just spoken those flirtatious words.

Shen Han’s bathrobe was draped loosely around her elbows. Her long hair was damp with moisture, resting against her collarbone in a way that drew the eye.

Inside the bathrobe, she wasn’t naked as Su Mi had assumed; she was wrapped in a bath towel.

Su Mi’s gaze swept over the white expanse in front of her, and she immediately jerked her eyes away as if struck by an electric shock.

Her voice had become dry at some point, and her face was flushed bright red as she said with effort, “Sister… You—stop teasing me.”

Shen Han showed a look of confusion. She reached out and pinched Su Mi’s cheek. Her hand was very cold; to Su Mi’s burning cheeks, it was like a traveler in the desert finding an oasis—she almost wanted to lean into it.

Su Mi subconsciously tilted her head toward the hand, then realized what she was doing and quickly straightened her posture.

Shen Han looked down at her. Her ice-blue eyes were exceptionally deep at this moment, carrying a trace of a phantom smile, yet remaining as cold as ice.

“You are very nervous,” Shen Han stated flatly, then asked, “Is your sexual orientation Alpha?”

Su Mi nearly choked on her own breath.

What—what does this have to do with sexual orientation!

Taking off clothes like that for no reason, anyone would misunderstand and feel embarrassed, right!

She quickly flicked her eyes up, but facing Shen Han’s strikingly beautiful face, she felt a wave of guilt and nearly let her mind wander elsewhere.

The courtyard with the hot spring was heavy with moisture. Aside from the swirling mist, water droplets clung to Shen Han’s eyelashes. Combined with those downcast, deep blue eyes, it really… it really was quite embarrassing.

Su Mi: “No… I—I like Betas.”

Shen Han repeated in a calm tone: “Betas?”

Su Mi hurriedly explained: “Yes, yes, I like Betas!”

Shen Han leaned forward slightly, and the distance between them closed significantly. The cold fragrance became even more pressing.

She let out a low “Hmm?”

The woman’s beautiful face was very close. She blinked, her eyelashes fluttered, and a tiny water droplet rolled off, landing on Su Mi’s face.

Su Mi felt as if she could hear that tiny droplet being instantly evaporated by her scorching hot face with a “sizzle.”

Shen Han asked slowly:

“Someone like your Sister, you don’t like?”

The end of her sentence rose, like it had a hook on it.

Su Mi’s heart trembled along with it.

…Heavens.

Wh—what does she mean?

Su Mi’s brain was a mess of tangled threads, and it felt like alarm bells were screaming wee-woo wee-woo inside her head.

Someone like the villain… whether I like her or not…

No, no, I definitely can’t say I like her…

In her desperation, unable to think of a better answer, Su Mi blurted out:

“Sister—Sister is like an elder in my heart! I like you, but it’s the kind of liking one has for an elder or a parent!”

That’s right, a benefactor is also like a parent!

For a moment, Su Mi thought Shen Han would get angry.

But she didn’t. Shen Han just froze for a second, her beautiful lips curling into an ambiguous smile.

She said casually, “Is that so?”

Su Mi nodded, then shook her head.

She tried to make amends, saying, “I mean, familial love! You know, I haven’t had a sister since I was little. You’re so good to me, I truly see you as my own elder sister!”

Shen Han glanced at her and said, “Haven’t had a sister since you were little?”

Well, that sentence did seem a bit ambiguous.

Su Mi scratched her cheek and said, “It’s basically what I mean… besides, I’m a firm believer in the AO pairing. A beautiful and powerful Alpha like you definitely deserves a gentle, kind, and generous Omega!”

Like Xu Nanqiao, right, Sister!

She blinked her eyes hard at Shen Han, trying to convey her meaning.

Shen Han froze.

For a split second, something else seemed to flash across her expression.

She gave a soft huff and said once more, “Is that so.”

Her tone was listless.

Su Mi opened her mouth, feeling that when the boss was in a bad mood, it was best not to invite trouble.

She nodded like a little woodpecker.

Seeing that Shen Han didn’t react, she said cautiously, “Sister, are you hungry? Should I bring the meal in for you?”

Taking Shen Han’s silence as consent, she scrambled out to bring the tray in, meticulously arranging the dishes one by one under the wisteria wooden trellis in the courtyard.

When she turned around again, she discovered that at some point, Shen Han had already entered the hot spring.

In the misty vapor, she leaned lazily against the stone edge of the pool, revealing only her smooth shoulders and arms. Her soaked, straight long hair floated gracefully behind her.

A pair of long, slender eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and her breathing was steady.

In this scene, she looked somewhat like a forest spirit taking human form.

And she was probably just an… innocent passerby who had stumbled into the spirit’s cultivation grounds?

Su Mi felt her face heating up again. She stood awkwardly for a moment before stepping closer.

Squatting by the edge of the pool, Su Mi said softly, “Sister, the meal is ready.”

Shen Han didn’t open her eyes, giving a faint “Mm” in response. “Thanks. I’ll eat in a bit. If you have things to do, go ahead.”

Why so polite all of a sudden…

Su Mi complained inwardly. Looking closer through the hazy mist, she realized Shen Han’s state seemed a bit off.

Did her face look a little red?

Could the spring water be too hot?

She remembered that Shen Han’s body temperature was always on the lower side. Would soaking like this be bad for her?

Su Mi hesitated for a moment, then went into the bathroom of the inner room, took several rolls of towels, dampened them, and brought them to the poolside on a small tray.

Before speaking to notify her, Su Mi secretly reached out to test the water temperature.

…It was actually quite cool.

Su Mi looked at the mist rising from the pool in disbelief, confused. Was this some special scientific principle?

Even though Shen Han’s eyes were closed, she seemed to perceive everything Su Mi did.

Her voice was colder than before, dragging her words with a weary tone as she said, “Weren’t you going to deliver food to someone? If you don’t go now, it’ll get cold.”

She really sounds like she’s in a bad state…

Just a moment ago she was saying all those things to her, and then suddenly it was like her energy had been drained, and she had become listless.

Su Mi was a bit worried but didn’t dare say anything, especially after just having her sexual orientation questioned by the villain.

If she said more, and the villain thought she was being insincere, what then?

She took two steps, then couldn’t help but look back twice.

Shen Han had probably reached the limit of her patience.

She opened her eyes, looking deeply at Su Mi, her voice heavy: “If you aren’t leaving, are you coming down to join me?”

Su Mi: !

She shook her head violently, giving a dry laugh: “Of course not… Sister, I’ll head out first. Contact me anytime if you need anything!”

After saying that, she grabbed her things and bolted.

There were so many staff members at this resort; Shen Han was a grown woman, surely she couldn’t just vanish?

Besides, with just a word from Shen Han, plenty of people would rush to serve her. Why did she have to force herself into being suspected? Really…

Hmph.

Su Mi was huffing as she reached her own door. Subconsciously, she checked the blackening value.

Wait.

She slammed on the brakes, stopping in front of her door.

Was she seeing things?

The blackening value digits she had just called up in the top right corner were currently fluctuating wildly.

Sometimes it was +2, sometimes -3, sometimes +1.

The fluctuations weren’t huge, but every time it moved, the number occupying her field of vision would jump, making Su Mi’s heart skip a beat.

She was terrified that if Shen Han got upset, it would jump straight to 100% and the world would end.

This was the first time she had directly witnessed the process of the blackening value fluctuating.

But why?

The villain’s mood seemed to have turned sour all of a sudden.

Could it be because she said her sexual orientation was Beta? That shouldn’t have anything to do with Shen Han, right?

Su Mi was bewildered. After hesitating for a long time, she decided to go back and check.

The hallway was still deserted. Su Mi’s legs were faster than her brain; she made it to the door of Shen Han’s room, but then didn’t quite dare to go in.

What would she say if she went in? Sister, I’ve come to soak in the hot spring with you?

She’d be shredded by the villain…

Su Mi shrunk her neck, standing at the door. Her hand went up and then down, unable to find the resolve to knock.

She watched the blackening value jump and twitch.

—Suddenly, it stopped.

The blackening value stopped at 85%.

It was 3% lower than when she finished reading the other day.

Eh?

Su Mi was stunned.

Why? What kind of internal emotional turmoil had the villain gone through?

While Su Mi breathed a sigh of relief, she was also very curious.

But now, even if she had ten thousand times the courage, she wouldn’t dare knock on the villain’s door again.

Just as she decided to turn and leave, the optical brain on her wrist suddenly vibrated.

Shen Han: I understand you respect your elders, but please leave the area outside my door.

…

Silence spread through the quiet hallway.

Su Mi’s face flushed deep red as she frantically replied on the optical brain.

: Okay, Sister!!!!

Help me.

She ran back to her and Xu Nanqiao’s room as if flying.

Xu Nanqiao was sitting in the inner room reading when she heard the sound of the door.

She looked up, a bit worried. “Su Mi, why were you gone for so long?”

Su Mi caught her breath. Thinking about her current “running for her life” appearance, she was too embarrassed to say she had met Shen Han.

She made up an excuse: “There was no one in the hallway, it was a bit scary, so I took a longer route.”

Xu Nanqiao walked over to open the food box and said, “True… the trial opening means there are few people. I didn’t even dare to go out just now.”

Su Mi: “Why would you go out, to find me?”

Xu Nanqiao shook her head. “It felt like someone was standing at the door for a while; the smart control system alerted me a few times. I thought it was you at first, then I remembered we use optical brain registration for the rooms, so it’s impossible for you to be locked out. Since I’m unfamiliar with this place, I didn’t dare move from the room.”

Su Mi: …

Case closed.

Your hot spring resort is way too smart.

She wiped her face, wanting to cry.

The villain was already mysteriously suspicious of all sorts of things.

Now, in front of her, she probably wouldn’t be able to explain herself even if she had a hundred mouths.

Fortunately, nothing happened the next day. When Su Mi drove Xu Nanqiao away from the hot spring resort, she couldn’t help but look around throughout the trip, terrified that a plot character might pop out from somewhere.

A few days later, the midterm results came out.

Su Mi had a clear and accurate understanding of her role as a “cannon fodder” and didn’t intend to pull off a stunning academic performance.

When she took the exams, she selectively answered questions with a specific goal. The final results were worthy of Xu Nanqiao’s tutoring over the past few weeks—she ranked in the upper-middle of the class.

Compared to the original host’s grades, this was already very good.

Xu Nanqiao seemed even happier than if she had placed first herself.

Su Mi happily accepted the praise and said, “Then you should treat me to milk tea. I’ve been craving the one from the shop where you work for a long time.”

She was being quite unreserved.

Xu Nanqiao was speechless. She pinched Su Mi’s cheek and said, “I tutor you, and you get a reward for doing well? Where does such a profitable deal exist?”

Su Mi giggled and brushed it off.

After the midterm results were out, there was a parent-teacher meeting at Loran Public School on Friday afternoon.

However, since the unified exams weren’t that important for most of the students at the public school, this meeting was more like a survey for the teachers to gauge the students’ post-graduation plans—confirming how many intended to study abroad, how many were going to domestic universities, and whether they needed recommendations from the school…

Su Mi almost felt like she was the only one in class looking forward to it.

On the day of the parent-teacher meeting, she didn’t even take a nap at noon. She enthusiastically brushed through two sets of practice problems. When the music signaling the end of the lunch break played, she grabbed Xu Nanqiao and ran downstairs.

A long corridor for receiving parents had already been set up below the teaching building.

Su Mi and her friend found a nearby tree to wait under.

Even though Su Mi had mentioned this to Wen Zisu and the others as soon as the meeting was scheduled.

Before leaving today, she had specifically mentioned it again.

It made Wen Zisu laugh, saying that he and Su Ciyu had arranged for Su Yi to go to an afternoon daycare a week in advance just to attend this meeting, and the daycare teacher was curious if their family was having some major event.

Hearing that, Su Mi hummed sheepishly.

Besides looking forward to this, Su Mi was also curious to see Xu Nanqiao’s mother.

Xu Nanqiao’s mother was named Xu Rou. In the original text, she was a somewhat pale and neurotic beautiful Omega.

Due to certain accidents, her gland at the back of her neck completely lost its function after giving birth to Xu Nanqiao. This resulted in a weak body, making her unable to work for long periods.

.