Forced into a Secret Marriage with the Villain, We Now Have a Child - Chapter 41.1

Once Jin Ziye scrambled out of the office, Jian Chun fell into deep thought. She sat at her desk, head resting in her hands, contemplating a question she had long ignored.

Yu Siyi liked her.

Jian Chun didn’t doubt the truth of it; the fact that Yu Siyi had married her was proof enough of her feelings. Yu Siyi had once claimed it was “love at first sight.” Nonsense, Jian Chun thought. Pure nonsense.

What could have possibly attracted her? Her looks? She couldn’t compete with Yu Siyi there. Her intelligence? Yu Siyi surpassed her in that, too. Was it her “inner beauty”? Jian Chun licked her dry lips, trying to recall how much “inner beauty” she actually possessed, but she couldn’t find a lead.

She vaguely remembered their first meeting—a scene she had tried desperately to forget because of how awkward it was.

The First Meeting

Back then, Jian Chun had just arrived in this world. Unprepared for her new reality, she had taken two days off school. When she finally decided to visit the campus, she chose to walk the few stops to familiarize herself with the environment.

She was penniless. Her predecessor had been vain, generous to a fault with friends, and quick to squander any cash. Walking through the commercial district, Jian Chun could only sigh at the street food she couldn’t afford.

Then, she noticed someone following her. She confronted the person, only to discover it was a girl who was lost—and who happened to attend the same school. Jian Chun was so relieved she didn’t think twice. It wasn’t until they arrived at the school that she realized the girl she had brought back was Yu Siyi—the very person her “original self” had bullied and cornered just days prior.

The irony was palpable: she had no idea who Yu Siyi was, yet they had chatted quite harmoniously on the way to school. When the truth came out, her carefully composed mood collapsed. She tried to soften the relationship, but Yu Siyi’s cold indifference made it impossible to pursue further. She decided then to stay away from the main characters of the “story.”

Yet, her group of “sisters” insisted on picking fights with Yu Siyi. Recalling it now, Jian Chun felt like a fool. Could it be that Yu Siyi fell for my idiocy? She amused herself with the thought, but her face soon returned to its numb expression.

The Secret in the Mirror

During afternoon classes, Jian Chun felt a twinge of anxiety. She felt as though the students’ gazes were overly focused. Has someone discovered my secret? Are those eyes saying, “I know a huge piece of gossip”?

She knew this was just a “guilty conscience” talking.

After school, Jian Chun sent a message to the Class 9 teacher, Yi Xueyang, asking to grab dinner. It turned out Yi Xueyang had a blind date. Jian Chun watched her friend apply makeup in the office.

“Why do it on a weekday?” Jian Chun asked. “To save my weekend for binge-watching dramas,” Yi Xueyang replied, dabbing on blush. “Blind dates need to be handled quickly.”

They chatted about the pressures of marriage and the “fear of marriage” (tokophobia/gamophobia). Yi Xueyang complained about the societal expectation for women to sacrifice their careers for the home. “Why doesn’t he just hire a nanny? Women bear the burden of childbirth, and men act as if they own the world just because of one extra piece of anatomy!”

Jian Chun listened, feeling a sense of relief. Because of Yu Siyi, she had a “natural protective shield” against the pressures of the dating world.

The Wish Wall

After parting with Yi Xueyang, Jian Chun went to a familiar small restaurant, Lin’s Shop. She stood before the “Wish Wall,” a crowded space covered in sticky notes. High above was a photo of the owner with Yu Siyi—a local landmark for fans.

Jian Chun climbed onto a small stool to find a specific note. Her eyes widened, and her breath hitched.

A vow to grow old together, written on this paper, a red leaf alliance. To stay with you forever, never forgetting my wife. Jian Chun & Yu Siyi.

Between the names was a small, youthful heart. The handwriting was messy, but Jian Chun recognized her own script. Yu Siyi’s signature, however, looked unpracticed—nothing like the elegant, stylized signatures she saw on posters today.

The date on the note was eight years ago. Jian Chun closed her eyes. Whenever she tried to stop caring, the world seemed to conspire against her.

The “Motherly” Presence

Later that evening, after tutoring a few students, Jian Chun left the school and ran into Jin Ziye. Unlike the other boys his age, he was aloof and arrogant, but he stiffened when he saw Jian Chun.

“Big Sis,” he said, much to the confusion of his friend, Ma Xiaoming.

Jian Chun offered him a lift in her car. In the backseat, Jin Ziye’s curiosity finally boiled over. “How long have you and Yu Siyi been together? Are you really married? What’s it like being a superstar’s wife?”

“Jin Ziye,” Jian Chun said coldly. “Shut up. No gossip.”

After dropping him off, Jian Chun headed home. Meanwhile, in the darkness near his apartment, Jin Ziye was intercepted by a shadow. It was Yu Siyi.

“Shall we talk?” Yu Siyi asked, gesturing toward a car hidden in the shadows.

Jin Ziye sat in the backseat, terrified. Did Jian Chun snitch on me? He sat stiffly as Yu Siyi began to speak in a cold yet strangely melodic voice.

“I’ve known your teacher since she was just two years older than you,” Yu Siyi said, her smile soft but her eyes sharp. “She helped me once, and we became friends. She was a brilliant student… she went from the bottom of the class to the top ten in no time. Isn’t my Chunbao (Darling Chun) adorable?”

Jin Ziye, thinking of Jian Chun’s stern “copy these formulas” face, forced a nod.

“You called me… what?” Yu Siyi asked when he hesitated. “Uh, Mother? (Shimu—Teacher’s Wife/Mother figure),” Jin Ziye stammered.

Yu Siyi smiled, satisfied. “Good. Look after your teacher for me. I worry she’ll be bullied at school.”

Jin Ziye nodded vigorously. “Don’t worry, Mother! It’s on me!”

As he stepped out of the car, his head was spinning. His father didn’t even have Yu Siyi’s phone number, yet here he was, her newly appointed “guardian” for Jian Chun.