Forced into a Secret Marriage with the Villain, We Now Have a Child - Chapter 3

Niannian’s chubby finger traced letters on Jian Chun’s palm, stroke by stroke. It was slow, but the pressure was firm, poking straight at Jian Chun’s heart.

She has my last name?

Jian Chun was dazed.

Another question immediately followed: How was she conceived? But that was clearly not a question for a child. Jian Chun felt a wave of awkwardness just thinking about it.

Niannian finished writing and stopped. She tilted her pudgy little face up, her eyes—filled with what looked like scattered starlight—blinking at Jian Chun without looking away.

Jian Chun was so moved by the sheer cuteness that she couldn’t help herself; she reached out and poked the girl’s round cheeks.

Through a series of questions and answers, Jian Niannian—who had no concept of being “interrogated”—poured out everything. Jian Chun learned that Niannian was four years old, had just had a birthday, and was in the middle class at Tongxin Kindergarten.

Just as Jian Chun was about to ask more about their family situation, her eyes drifted toward the door. She saw Yu Siyi leaning against the doorframe.

The house was fully air-conditioned, so Yu Siyi had taken off her coat. She wore only a form-fitting dress that perfectly accented her narrow shoulders and slender waist. Her soft silhouette, like that of a perfect model, radiated charm; one look was enough to see her natural allure. Her chestnut-colored hair was draped over her chest, and a faint smile played on her face.

There were two crisp knocks on the door before Yu Siyi’s voice rang out, gentle and soft. “Niannian, why did you run up here by yourself?”

Niannian turned around with a large movements, rolled across the bed, sat up, and began fumbling with her short legs to put on her shoes.

“Mama, I came up to tell you it’s time to eat!” Niannian scrambled off the bed as she spoke to Jian Chun.

The floor was carpeted, so her feet wouldn’t get cold. Yu Siyi walked over, knelt in front of Niannian, and skillfully helped her put on her shoes.

Jian Chun watched Yu Siyi. The chestnut curls fell beside her face, framing a high bridge of the nose. Under the lights, her skin was pale and luminous. Her expression was tender, her long lashes cast shadows downward, and her lips held a trace of an indiscernible smile.

She looked nothing like the Yu Siyi Jian Chun remembered.

Suddenly, Yu Siyi looked up, and their eyes met.

Jian Chun jerked her gaze away, stood up, put on her shoes, and grabbed a jacket. Being without a bra made her feel strangely… exposed.

“Mama, carry me!” Niannian turned and lunged toward Jian Chun.

Even if Jian Chun didn’t like Yu Siyi, she had no ill will toward the child. She knelt and picked her up.

Niannian turned happily in her arms. “Mama smells good.”

However, just as the “chubby cotton ball” turned, she was intercepted and taken by Yu Siyi.

Jian Chun’s arms were suddenly empty. Her movements lagged for a beat as she looked up to see Yu Siyi already walking away with the child.

Walking behind them, Jian Chun watched their backs with a complex expression. Yu Siyi stopped, and both mother and daughter turned around—their fair faces looking like they were carved from the same mold—to look back at her.

Jian Chun’s scalp felt numb. Gritting her teeth, she forced a smile and followed them.

Downstairs, two nannies were already setting the table. Yu Siyi set Niannian down and waited for Jian Chun.

Jian Chun paused and came to a halt. She looked at Yu Siyi, her facial muscles twitching. “What?”

“What do you mean, ‘what’?” Yu Siyi stepped two paces closer, bringing with her a faint, cool fragrance. She reached out, about to pinch Jian Chun’s tender cheek, but Jian Chun flinched back a step in alarm.

Yu Siyi’s hand froze mid-air. A flash of confusion crossed her eyes, but it was quickly masked by her persistent smile.

Jian Chun realized her reaction was too much. Blood rushed to her head. She wanted to act natural, but her face remained stiff. “Don’t be so touchy-feely.”

Yu Siyi’s lashes lowered, her gaze settling firmly on Jian Chun’s eyes, making her feel goosebumps. Jian Chun stared back. After a moment, Yu Siyi pursed her lips and smiled.

“Let’s eat,” Yu Siyi said.

Jian Chun breathed a sigh of relief. If she couldn’t leave this world, she had to prepare for two possibilities: making things work with Yu Siyi, or leaving her. Neither sounded particularly easy.

Probably because Yu Siyi was home, dinner was lavish. A plate of poached fish was placed in front of Jian Chun. The scent alone made her mouth water; she never had treatment this good back at her school. But when she remembered why she was getting this treatment, her appetite dipped slightly.

Niannian was supervised by a nanny and ate everything put in her bowl, regardless of whether it was meat or vegetables.

Jian Chun ate slowly, unable to resist stealing glances at Yu Siyi. Yu Siyi ate methodically and preferred the salad; she was a vegetarian.

Jian Chun watched for a while and then quickly retracted her gaze. Even though she hadn’t been “caught,” her heart rate quickened. Just as she was scolding herself for acting like a guilty thief, a piece of salad appeared in her bowl.

Jian Chun turned to look at Yu Siyi.

Yu Siyi retracted her chopsticks and said, “I saw you looking this way several times.”

Jian Chun nearly choked on her own saliva. She saw me?!

“Oh, I was just thinking about trying some. Thanks.” Jian Chun forced a bright smile.

By the time dinner was over, the sky was pitch black. Outside, the wind and snow had picked up, but it was warm inside.

Jian Chun looked out the window. She had wanted to go explore, but she had no desire to step out now. As she felt a wave of anxiety, Jian Niannian pulled her toward the sofa.

“Mama, My Little Pony!”

Niannian couldn’t change the channels herself yet. The household was strict; she was only allowed to watch cartoons after completing certain tasks. Niannian followed the rules perfectly, watching for a short while after dinner every day.

Jian Chun took the remote and searched for a moment. The theme song began, and a bunch of colorful ponies appeared, making Jian Chun feel a bit frazzled.

Beside her, Yu Siyi was sending voice messages. Her voice wasn’t loud, but an occasional snippet drifted over; when she spoke, her tone was cold and sharp.

In a momentary shift of the television screen, the black display reflected the woman’s silhouette. She was sitting sideways on a dining chair, one hand draped over the back—an indisputably commanding posture.

This sight gave Jian Chun a sudden flash of familiarity. This was the Yu Siyi she knew.

With her mind blank, Jian Chun accompanied Niannian until 8:00 PM. The cartoon ended, and it was time for Jian Niannian to go to bed. The girl climbed the stairs herself without needing to be carried, her small body looking remarkably nimble.

Jian Chun declined the nanny’s help and went to Niannian’s room to help her wash up. The child’s limbs were chubby, like lotus roots. While washing, Jian Chun had to be careful with the water temperature and ensure every nook and cranny was clean.

As Jian Chun washed her carefully, Niannian smacked her lips. “Mama, you’re so slow today.”

Jian Chun pinched the girl’s nose. If I’m not slow, how can I stall for time?

Jian Chun lingered in Niannian’s room for a long time, reading three fairy tales, though Niannian fell asleep during the first one. Jian Chun sat by the bed, looking at the child’s sleeping face by the dim light of the wall lamp.

She felt numb. She wasn’t even ready for marriage, and yet she had a kid.

The child’s room was beautifully decorated—the princess room of every little girl’s dreams. It was huge, like a miniature castle, both luxurious and exquisite. Photos hung on the walls. As Jian Chun headed for the door, she saw one right by her hand.

It was a photo of the three of them. They all looked very happy.

Jian Chun tapped her head and quietly closed the door.

At 8:30 PM, Jian Chun returned to her room, just as Yu Siyi was taking clothes from the wardrobe.

Yu Siyi’s lips curled up. “Taking a shower?”

The moment the words left Yu Siyi’s mouth, Jian Chun’s mind began to race. She looked at Yu Siyi, thought of the suggestive photos and everything that had happened that day, and quietly increased the distance between them.

“You go first. I’ll wait a bit,” Jian Chun said, sitting further away.

She was about to grab her phone to kill time when she saw Yu Siyi put the clothes back down. Jian Chun instinctively stood up, watching the woman who seemed to radiate charm every second.

“Chun-bao, let’s shower together.” Yu Siyi leaned into Jian Chun’s ear. As she spoke, the warmth of her breath misted over Jian Chun’s ear.

The tips of Jian Chun’s ears began to burn, like a spark spreading across her entire body, turning into a prairie fire. She gave a light cough and, suppressing her displeasure, said, “Um—”

Yu Siyi hooked a lock of Jian Chun’s hair, twining it around her finger as if she were reeling in Jian Chun’s breath and heartbeat. She looked at the woman beside her. For some reason, Jian Chun seemed exceptionally shy today.

Her fluttering lashes, her flushed face, her shifty eyes when she spoke…

It was as if they had returned to years ago—the first time they had been so close, the first collision of raw, scorching emotions.

Yu Siyi lowered her head, bringing Jian Chun’s hair to her nose. The scent of the shampoo, identical to her own, made her feel particularly comfortable.

Yu Siyi cupped Jian Chun’s face and said, “Chun-bao, I want you.”

Jian Chun froze for half a second. Her eyes panicked. Avoiding the other’s gaze, she stammered, “I… I’m going to sleep with Niannian.”

Yu Siyi grabbed Jian Chun’s hand. In a tone that brooked no argument, she smiled. “Stay with me.”

Yu Siyi pressed against her. As Jian Chun looked up, Yu Siyi wrapped her arms firmly around Jian Chun’s waist.