Forced into a Secret Marriage with the Villain, We Now Have a Child - Chapter 53.2

Yu Siyi stood under the streetlamp, the faint glow making her skin appear as pale and translucent as moonlight. She was dressed lightly—a simple camisole underneath a thin, oversized white shirt, tucked at the waist to accentuate her slender silhouette.

Without a second thought, Jian Chun took two steps toward her.

Behind her, Ling Zheng’s voice dripped with irritation. “Hey, she tells you to come over, and you just go? Since when are you so obedient?”

Jian Chun turned back to see Ling Zheng standing there, eyebrows arched, watching her intently. Ling Zheng had a confident smirk on her face, an air of regal entitlement as if victory was already hers.

Jian Chun pressed her tongue against her cheek, feeling a metaphorical headache coming on. She gave Ling Zheng a brief glance before turning back to Yu Siyi.

Yu Siyi wore a gentle, soft smile—exactly like the one Jian Chun had seen when they first met.

“Jian Chun, are you really just going to ignore me?” Ling Zheng called out.

Jian Chun’s relationship with Yu Siyi was already complicated enough; she didn’t have the mental energy to deal with Ling Zheng as well. She gave a dismissive wave behind her. “Go home on your own. I’m going home too.”

She didn’t stay to watch Ling Zheng’s reaction. It likely wasn’t a pleasant one.

To Jian Chun, Ling Zheng’s sudden interest was baffling. If she responded at all, it was purely out of courtesy for their past as schoolmates. More importantly, she and Yu Siyi were currently a “community of shared interests.” She couldn’t humiliate Yu Siyi in public; Yu Siyi was no ordinary figure, and Jian Chun wasn’t about to strip her of her dignity.

The walk to the gate took them down a tree-lined path, past a small rockery and flower bed.

“Why are you back today?” Jian Chun asked, maintaining a polite distance as she glanced at Yu Siyi’s outfit.

Yu Siyi wasn’t wearing a mask, but she had a hat tilted playfully to one side. Her long hair brushed against her shoulders, swaying gently in the breeze.

“I thought about delaying it,” Yu Siyi said in her usual languid tone, tinged with a hint of exhaustion. She reached out, slipping her hand under Jian Chun’s arm and hooking onto her.

Jian Chun froze. She looked down at the wrist entwined with hers, then back at Yu Siyi.

Yu Siyi met her gaze with a look of feigned innocence. “Is something wrong?”

Jian Chun shook her head. No need to make a scene. If she overreacted, it would look suspicious.

However, she soon found cause for alarm. Yu Siyi leaned her entire body weight against her, squeezing close and resting her head firmly on Jian Chun’s shoulder.

“You’re heavy,” Jian Chun grumbled.

Yu Siyi let out a soft, noncommittal hum.

Jian Chun clicked her tongue in exasperation. With her other hand occupied by her bag, she used her free hand to nudge Yu Siyi’s head away. Instead of moving, Yu Siyi nuzzled against her hand, a few strands of hair becoming messy in the process.

She isn’t even half as cute as a cat, Jian Chun thought, though she didn’t push again.

The school was quiet, save for the faint sounds of teachers’ voices drifting from the illuminated upper floors of the middle school building. The night breeze did little to cool Jian Chun’s rising internal heat. To her side was Yu Siyi, who had previously shown questionable intentions toward her; behind her was Ling Zheng, who for some reason was now doing the same.

It must be because I’m too beautiful, Jian Chun sighed to herself.

Uncle Liu was waiting by the car. He offered a rare, silent smile as the two of them approached.

Once inside the car, Yu Siyi leaned over. “Aren’t you going to tell me about what happened the past few days?”

“Tell you what? About how you got me trending on Weibo?” Jian Chun asked, suddenly feeling emboldened. Usually, when they were apart, things could be settled in a few words. But face-to-face… Jian Chun felt her backbone strengthening.

Yu Siyi sighed, her tone bordering on indulgent. “I told you, that wasn’t intentional.”

“Fine. Then there’s nothing else to say.”

“And your days?” Yu Siyi pressed.

“Nothing special. Classes as usual. Though Ling Zheng has been hanging around the school constantly. I don’t know what she’s up to—maybe she wants a job there?”

“She was living abroad before this,” Yu Siyi noted.

“Oh.” Jian Chun didn’t follow up. She was just trying to change the subject.

The rest of the drive was quiet. Jian Chun watched the scenery until the cool air made her shiver. When she turned back, she found Yu Siyi leaning against her shoulder, eyes closed, seemingly asleep.

Jian Chun considered poking her awake but, thinking that Yu Siyi might have rushed back and was genuinely exhausted, she pulled her hand back. She sat perfectly still, back straight, for the remainder of the ten-minute drive.

When they arrived home, Yu Siyi showed no signs of waking. Uncle Liu glanced back, wondering why they weren’t getting out.

“Hey,” Jian Chun nudged her. “We’re home.” She pushed Yu Siyi’s head, her fingers getting caught in the silky strands of hair that spilled over her clothes.

Yu Siyi slowly opened her eyes, squinting against the courtyard lights. “We’re here?”

Inside, the staff were waiting. “Welcome back, Miss. Have you eaten? There’s soup on the stove.”

“I haven’t. What kind of soup, Auntie Li?” Yu Siyi asked lazily.

“Old duck soup, simmered for hours. I’ll bring some for both of you,” Auntie Wang chimed in from the kitchen. “Madam, would you like some rice too?”

“Just the soup for me,” Jian Chun replied.

Jian Chun went upstairs to drop off her bag. When she returned, Yu Siyi was already at the table with a small bowl of soup and some pickled vegetables. A large bowl filled with meat was waiting at Jian Chun’s seat.

Jian Chun sat down and began to eat. Between the mental and physical toll of teaching, she found these late-night meals to be the highlight of her day.

“How long are you staying this time?” Jian Chun asked.

Yu Siyi turned to her. “How long do you want me to stay?”

“I don’t think my opinion matters unless you’re planning to quit your job.”

Yu Siyi blew gently on her soup, took a sip, and then looked at Jian Chun. Her almond-shaped eyes were exquisite, shining like reflected stars. Jian Chun noticed that every movement Yu Siyi made—the way her lashes fluttered when she smiled—seemed perfectly, elegantly designed.

“You aren’t afraid of me anymore,” Yu Siyi said suddenly. It wasn’t a question; it was a statement of fact.

Jian Chun blinked, her eyes widening as if to say, Me? Afraid of you?

Yu Siyi looked down, a delighted curve appearing on her lips. “You know why I came back, don’t you?”

“What answer are you looking for?” Jian Chun countered. Should I say I know? That you came back because of Ling Zheng?

“What answer do you want to give?” Yu Siyi echoed.

Jian Chun let out a breath. “I think I need to talk to someone who doesn’t speak in riddles.”

Yu Siyi didn’t get angry. Her smile remained, though it softened into something more serious. She leaned in closer to Jian Chun’s face, her red lips near her ear. “Even if you don’t like me right now, even if you want me to be cold to you… I can’t bring myself to do it.”

Yu Siyi tilted her legs, pressing them against Jian Chun’s. Jian Chun instinctively pulled away, looking as if even a slight touch was an ordeal.

“Oh,” Jian Chun said flatly after a moment of processing.

Yu Siyi laughed and pulled back slightly. Jian Chun felt as though she was being teased. She turned back to her soup, stirring it vigorously until it cooled, then downed the rest in one go.

“You seem to have gained a little weight,” Yu Siyi remarked suddenly, resting her chin on her hand.

Jian Chun froze. She tucked in her stomach and walked upstairs with as much dignity and steady grace as she could muster.

In the bedroom, Jian Chun prepared for a shower. She had discovered that the “glass” bathroom wall had a switch to make it opaque. I’m so smart, she thought, even if I was a bit slow to find it.

When she came out, Yu Siyi was in the room, sitting on the sofa and seriously leafing through a notebook filled with dense printed text.

“Your turn,” Jian Chun said.

“Go ahead with your work, don’t mind me,” Yu Siyi replied.

Jian Chun sat at her desk to study. After a while, her neck began to ache. The teachers at school often recommended massage patches or blind massages for the strain of grading papers.

As she was rubbing her neck, a warm touch met her skin. Her heart skipped a beat. Before she could turn, her head was gently guided back.

“Is it hurting again? Let me massage it for you.”

Yu Siyi’s voice was right at her ear, her warm breath carrying a faint, intoxicating scent. Her hands moved with perfect pressure—from the neck to the shoulders and down the back. It was a mix of relief and a dull ache.

“Easy,” Jian Chun whispered. “You’re going to snap my head off.”

“It’s not that fragile,” Yu Siyi laughed.

Jian Chun tried to tilt her head away, but she couldn’t escape the heat emanating from Yu Siyi. The warmth spread from her ears to her cheeks, making her feel restless.

“That’s enough. I need to study.”

Yu Siyi kept her hands on Jian Chun’s shoulders. “How long has Ling Zheng been pestering you?”

“She isn’t pestering me.” Jian Chun looked back. Yu Siyi’s smile had faded; her eyes were calm, focused, and intensely serious. “It’s only been a few days. She probably just hasn’t seen an old classmate in a long time.”

“You had lunch together?”

“Are you planning to cross-examine me?”

Yu Siyi fell silent, her eyes searching Jian Chun’s. “Jian Chun, we aren’t divorced yet.”

“Oh? So I’m not allowed to have secrets?”

“No. I just hope you can tell me these ‘insignificant’ things. I want to be a part of your life.”

Jian Chun turned fully. “Yu Siyi—I really don’t know which version of you is real. You said we should draw a line between us, and you were doing exactly that.”

“Can’t I change my mind?” Yu Siyi asked.

Jian Chun bit her lip, her tongue darting out to moisten the dry skin. She stared back, refusing to lose this confrontation. Since when had Yu Siyi become so unreasonable?

The air felt heavy with tension. Suddenly, Yu Siyi asked, “Did she touch you?”

“If holding hands counts—”

Yu Siyi gripped Jian Chun’s chin, her fingertips firm, forcing Jian Chun to look up. Jian Chun could hear her own heart thundering like a drum.

“You can go back to being cold to me,” Jian Chun said, her voice slightly muffled by the grip on her chin.

Yu Siyi’s composure cracked. “Jian Chun, do you really want to see me lose my mind?”

Jian Chun’s breathing quickened, but in this position, she didn’t even think to struggle. She realized that by not struggling, she was giving Yu Siyi an opening.

“I know you met her. I know you ate with her.”

“Others were there too,” Jian Chun pointed out.

Yu Siyi didn’t care about the others. The fact remained: Jian Chun and Ling Zheng had spent time together. Multiple times.

“I just like you,” Yu Siyi’s grip softened, her eyes almost pleading. “I just want you to be more honest with me.”

Jian Chun’s heart stuttered. Looking at Yu Siyi, she got the impression that the woman was genuinely hurting. Or maybe she was misinterpreting it.

“Let go. Let’s talk properly,” Jian Chun said.

Yu Siyi watched her like a predator afraid its prey would bolt the moment she looked away. Jian Chun reached up and pried Yu Siyi’s fingers away one by one. This time, Yu Siyi didn’t resist.

Jian Chun cracked her neck—a habit she was picking up lately. The room was silent. She knew Yu Siyi was watching her, though she couldn’t guess what was going through her mind.

She pulled a chair over. “Can we sit and talk?”

Yu Siyi sat down, her gaze never wavering. Jian Chun instinctively pulled the collar of her pajamas tighter. Even though she wasn’t exposed, she felt as if she were being scanned.

“I don’t know why your temper has become so short… but there’s something I need to make clear,” Jian Chun said.

Yu Siyi remained silent.

“I admit, you’re extraordinary. Many people like you.” Jian Chun started slowly, ensuring every word was clear. “Don’t look at me like that; it’s a bit scary.” She leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs in a relaxed posture. “If you like me, you have to let me like you back, right? You can’t force it. And don’t play cat-and-mouse games with me… I’m not that stupid.”

She pointed to her head. Yu Siyi finally spoke. “You knew?”

“I guessed a little.”

Yu Siyi’s attitude had shifted too quickly. Jian Chun had initially thought it was just Yu Siyi being graceful, but love couldn’t be faked that easily. There had to be an ulterior motive. Jian Chun had thought through every possible outcome so she could be prepared for whatever Yu Siyi was planning.

Ultimately, Yu Siyi’s goal was simple: to make Jian Chun fall for her.