Forced into a Secret Marriage with the Villain, We Now Have a Child - Chapter 30

Jian Chun felt she had been a bit too quick-tongued. Taking a sharp breath, she wondered why on earth she had just blurted out her inner thoughts like that.

Under the weight of the other girl’s gaze, Jian Chun offered a simple, concise explanation of what she meant. Once finished, she gave a friendly little smile, attempting to thaw the frozen atmosphere.

When Yu Siyi wasn’t smiling, she exuded a crushing sense of pressure. Her eyes would narrow like a cat’s, and her tone would drop several degrees, making it feel as though Jian Chun wasn’t a classmate, but a criminal under interrogation.

After a few tense seconds, Yu Siyi withdrew her gaze and turned toward the counter, her slender fingers clutching the menu.

“Boss, we’re ready to order.”

Once Boss Lin took the menu, Yu Siyi ignored her surroundings and began to toy with her phone. Her hands were beautiful—the fingers long, distinct, and ivory-smooth. Under the restaurant lights, they shimmered with a silvery-white luster, tipped with rounded, rosy-pink nails.

Jian Chun looked away, fished her own phone out of her pocket, and pretended to be engrossed in a game.

Internally, however, she was agonizing. Why is there no follow-up? I was so honest about just wanting to see the notes… Looking at Yu Siyi’s current demeanor, Jian Chun figured the girl really did want her to grovel a bit.

Jian Chun clicked her tongue, feeling her scalp tingle. Did she really need to put on a submissive act? Did she have to pinch her throat and speak in a high-pitched, servile tone? For some reason, she was reminded of the eunuchs in Qing Dynasty period dramas.

The atmosphere in the shop was stifling. Yu Siyi played on her phone and ignored her, and Jian Chun had no topics to start a conversation with. Jian Chun didn’t have many games; she was currently playing a small farming simulator—developing her town, harvesting crops, picking fruit, and delivering goods to the residents.

Before long, the owner began serving the food. The aroma was enough to whisk Jian Chun’s soul away, making her mouth water. The griddle-cooked fish arrived in a massive pot; the fish peeked out from the top, while the rest was buried under side dishes. Some slightly wilted lettuce lay on top, followed by bean curd skin, and finally, potatoes and lotus root at the bottom.

The drinks arrived as well. Seeing that a young miss like Yu Siyi likely wouldn’t lift a finger, Jian Chun took charge. She filled their glasses and even wiped Yu Siyi’s chopsticks for her.

Presenting them with both hands in a respectful gesture, Jian Chun’s voice involuntarily softened by several degrees. “Go ahead and eat. Do you want rice? I’ll scoop some for you.”

Yu Siyi’s hand paused as she took the chopsticks. She flicked a glance at Jian Chun.

Jian Chun beamed, worried her service wasn’t up to par. “Is something wrong?”

Yu Siyi’s response was succinct: “Just eat.”

“As you wish!” Jian Chun proceeded to serve Yu Siyi a mountain of white rice.

Yu Siyi stared at the rice, then looked back at Jian Chun, her brow furrowed into a fine frown.

Jian Chun served herself a small portion. The lettuce was crisp, sweet, and fragrant; she finished half a bowl of rice just with the side dishes. The fish was equally delicious. She consciously avoided the side of the pot facing Yu Siyi, only picking from her own half.

The rest of the dishes arrived in quick succession. People flowed in and out of the shop, the owner greeted guests warmly, and the kitchen echoed with a cacophony of sounds. Overall, it was a lively scene. Yet, their little corner seemed sequestered from the world; the two of them ate in a silence that felt strangely eerie.

Once Jian Chun finished, she gulped down a glass of water. Fearing Yu Siyi would beat her to the bill, she stood up to pay. She reached for her phone as she approached the counter, only for the owner to pull a face and say, “Oh, no need. Little Sister Yu has a running tab; she settles everything at once.”

“Huh?”

“Weren’t you supposed to be my guest—” Jian Chun turned back to Yu Siyi in confusion. Yu Siyi was still seated, elegantly dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

Watching her unhurried manner, Jian Chun couldn’t hold back. “Didn’t we agree I was treating…” Her urgent tone slowed as she added, “And about those notes…”

Yu Siyi walked over to her side. Tilting her head slightly to look at Jian Chun’s profile, she said, “My treat.”

Jian Chun: “?!”

Jian Chun grew anxious and moved to stop her. “No, no, no, let’s not do this. We aren’t even that close. If you treat me, I’ll have to treat you back next time. It’s too much trouble—”

Heh, could she really let Yu Siyi pay? What kind of person was Yu Siyi? Would she really be kind enough to just give her a free meal? This “tit-for-tat” socializing would cost a fortune. Jian Chun didn’t think Yu Siyi had fallen for her; the girl was famously aloof and looked down on all her suitors. Jian Chun figured her own active pursuit had likely landed her on a blacklist already.

Yu Siyi didn’t give her a chance to overthink. She stated bluntly: “You can’t copy my notes.”

Jian Chun: “…”

Jian Chun: “??”

Jian Chun had many thoughts, none of them fit for polite company. She suppressed the surge of anger at being played; she felt like this “free” meal had only served to fill her stomach with frustration.

The two walked one after the other. This area was a bit far from the main gate but close to the school’s side entrance. They had to cross the road and pass a couple of residential houses to reach it. The side gate had fewer shops and was quite secluded. At night, the streetlights flickered, creating an atmosphere straight out of a horror movie. Of course, it was daytime now, and the sun was out in full force.

Jian Chun took a step and instinctively looked back. She felt something was off. A sound reached her ears—weak, tiny, carried by the wind and swirling around her, making the hair on her arms stand up.

“Hey, did you hear something?” Jian Chun quickened her pace to catch up with Yu Siyi.

Yu Siyi ignored her.

Jian Chun called out urgently, “Yu Siyi, are you even listening to me?”

Yu Siyi finally acknowledged her with a lukewarm, infuriating tone: “Are you talking to me?”

Jian Chun rolled her eyes.

As they walked, the sound grew closer. Jian Chun found it strangely familiar. To their left was a ditch that ran from the front of the teaching buildings to the outside of the school. Because the school was old, the ditch was exposed and covered in a thick, vibrant layer of green moss.

Jian Chun bent over and tilted her head. Sure enough, she came face-to-face with a group of little creatures.

She recoiled a few steps and accidentally bumped into someone. While stammering an apology, she turned to see Yu Siyi behind her, and her feelings grew even more complicated.

“Why are you standing right behind me?” Jian Chun asked.

“You’re the one who backed into me,” Yu Siyi replied.

Fair point. Jian Chun dropped it.

“There are kittens,” Jian Chun said, pointing at the tiny things inside.

“Mm,” Yu Siyi offered a simple hum.

It was dark and hard to see clearly, but one could make out two white-furred ones. Jian Chun rubbed her nose and stepped back further; she really couldn’t see any more than that. She was wondering what to do when Yu Siyi started to walk away.

Jian Chun panicked. “Hey, Yu Siyi!”

“What?” Yu Siyi turned back.

“There are kittens—I don’t know if a stray had them or if they were abandoned…” If they were left alone, they might starve to death.

“Don’t they have you?” Yu Siyi asked.

“I’m allergic.” Jian Chun frowned, her expression collapsing. She wasn’t the type to show off; she didn’t view her physical ailments as a “personality trait” to be flaunted for sympathy or attention.

She looked at Yu Siyi, hoping she would at least stay and help brainstorm a solution. If she weren’t allergic, she would have gone down to check on them herself. But it looked difficult—one might have to crawl on the ground or stick their head into a hole filled with spiderwebs or rats…

Jian Chun successfully scared herself and took a deep breath. Reluctantly, she looked at the only person who could help—Yu Siyi.

Yu Siyi was also looking at her. The moment their eyes met, as if receiving a signal that she was allowed to speak, Yu Siyi said: “I have mysophobia (fear of germs).”

Jian Chun: “…”

Cleanliness is a struggle; Jian Chun can only sigh.

After her sigh, Jian Chun huffed. It seemed Yu Siyi’s condition was even more severe than hers. How infuriating.

Jian Chun wanted to roll her eyes. “Can you put the mysophobia on hold for a second?”

Yu Siyi’s face was the definition of “no.”

Jian Chun asked, “Then can you at least see how the kittens are doing?”

Yu Siyi countered, “Can you?”

Jian Chun could not.

She had assumed Yu Siyi was omnipotent. She was wrong. Looking at the clearly indifferent Yu Siyi, she felt angry at her own helplessness. But it was out of her control—whenever she got near animals, she’d sneeze at best, and at worst…

When she was a child, her family had tried to keep pets, but Jian Chun would always break out in various symptoms. Her family thought she was being difficult—that she didn’t have the life of a princess but certainly had the “princess sickness” of being overly delicate. Even her grandparents felt her condition was unacceptable; every time she visited the countryside, she got sick, which was considered a “bad omen.” Eventually, the family stopped keeping animals altogether. But in the rural areas, who doesn’t keep cats and dogs to guard the house? Consequently, Jian Chun stopped visiting, and the family bond drifted apart.

Memories resurfaced, and emotions surged. This body of hers had the same affliction. Suppressing her helpless rage, she ignored Yu Siyi and turned to head toward the school gate.

Fortunately, it was a holiday, so getting in and out was easy. The moment she stepped out, tears began to well up in her eyes. She was being too emotional. She hated how, even though she had moved on from everything, she was still reminded of the past injustices she had suffered. Her long-suppressed emotions were finally breaking through the dam.

Jian Chun looked up at the sky, blinking rapidly, and took several deep breaths. She wandered around outside until she found a shop selling braised meats. She picked out two types of liver and happily asked the owner to chop them up into small pieces so she could carry them back.

She decided she would just stand at a distance and lure the kittens out with the food.

On her way back, Jian Chun’s steps were lighter. She hurried back, only to see a familiar figure. A skirt hem trailed on the ground, casting a small shadow. The girl was squatting with her back to Jian Chun, facing the ditch.

Curiosity piqued, Jian Chun wondered why Yu Siyi was still there. She didn’t say anything, nor did she try to hide her footsteps. As she drew closer, she saw four kittens lined up neatly on the ground. They were blinking in the sunlight, their tiny pink noses twitching as they let out soft, heart-melting mews. They were clumsily trying to crawl in different directions.

The kittens’ eyes were open, and they were tiny and fluffy. As Jian Chun approached, she noticed stains on Yu Siyi’s pristine white skirt.

Keeping her distance, Jian Chun asked, “Why are you still here?”

Yu Siyi poked a kitten’s head, picking up a stray that was trying to crawl away while letting out a muffled cry, and plopped it back into the group. She stared calmly at Jian Chun for a long time before arching an eyebrow. “Curing my mysophobia?”

Like I’d believe that.

There were some things one simply couldn’t say to Yu Siyi’s face, so Jian Chun kept the thought to herself. She handed the bag of meat to Yu Siyi. It smelled great, though it was heavily braised. Jian Chun remembered her family back home used to buy this for their cats, though she wasn’t sure if these kittens could eat it yet…

Yu Siyi frowned at the chopped meat in the plastic bag, then reached in as if she had given up on ever being clean again. As she fed them, the kittens seemed to catch the scent and scrambled over each other to climb onto her hand.

Jian Chun was filled with envy. As the sun shifted westward, she moved half a step to stay in the shade, coincidentally blocking the light that was hitting the top of Yu Siyi’s head.

“So, are you cured?” Jian Chun asked idly.

Yu Siyi frowned, holding a kitten with a look of pure disdain while the little creature innocently wiggled its butt at Jian Chun. “My mysophobia is a little better.”

Jian Chun’s facial muscles twitched. “Your face says otherwise.”

They waited outside for quite a while, but no mother cat appeared. Jian Chun decided to wait another couple of days to see how things went. Usually, when kittens are born at home, they are given away after a month; few people keep an entire litter. If they are born outside, it’s even simpler—they just become strays. These kittens were still so small…

Jian Chun talked about her plan the whole way back, while Yu Siyi remained silent. Once they entered the teaching building, Yu Siyi ignored her completely and went straight into the restroom. Probably to wash her hands, Jian Chun thought.

Actually, the braised meat smelled quite good. On the walk back, the scent lingering on Yu Siyi’s hands had made Jian Chun’s mouth water, but she had managed to restrain herself.

There were more people in the classroom now than there had been in the morning. Jian Chun put some water on her desk, pulled the curtains, and used books to create a shaded nook. She laid out her school uniform jacket, preparing to take a quick nap.

Just as she was finishing her preparations, a loud thump sounded on her desk.

Jian Chun looked up. Yu Siyi was standing beside her, holding a thick notebook. Looking down at her, Yu Siyi said in a tone devoid of any comfort: “Here are the notes. Stop crying.”

Jian Chun froze for a long moment before snapping back, “You’re the one who’s crying!”

“Crying over every little thing.” Yu Siyi’s eyes narrowed slightly—a tiny movement, a look of pure judgment—but Jian Chun caught it.

Jian Chun had been called out, but she didn’t bother defending herself. Nothing was more important than the notes right now. So what if Yu Siyi likes being flattered? Jian Chun gritted her teeth and flashed Yu Siyi a bright smile.

“Stupid,” Yu Siyi evaluated.

Fine, let me be stupid then. Jian Chun happily flipped through the notebook. Yu Siyi’s handwriting was beautiful—an indescribable aesthetic that made the whole notebook look like a professionally printed hardcover.

She flipped quickly through one page, two pages, three…

The notebook was thick, loose-leaf, with each subject color-coded. However—the chapters weren’t consecutive, the key points were incomplete, and some parts were so abbreviated that likely only the person who wrote them would know what they meant.

Jian Chun blinked. She was bewildered.

“Wait—!” Jian Chun called out to the retreating Yu Siyi, her eyes flashing. “Do you even take notes?”

Yu Siyi turned back and smiled. “A brain is sufficient.”

“Then why did you lend them to me?” Jian Chun’s voice was low, her tone incredibly complex.

“Weren’t you the one who wanted to borrow them?” Yu Siyi asked.

Jian Chun gave Yu Siyi a long, complicated look. Finally, she took the “blame” Yu Siyi had tossed her way and pinned it firmly on herself.

She felt like she had been well and truly played.