She Adopted Me After My Biological Mother Passed Away - Chapter 17

Treating the Brawler’s Wounds

Chi Yeyu straightened her long, crouched legs and walked over to Shi Shuxue. She observed her meticulously: four scratches on her face, bruising at the corners of her eyes, and a split, slightly swollen lip.

“The injuries are this severe? Is there anywhere else besides your face?” Her voice gradually lost its emotion, and the smile vanished from her face. “Let me see how that ‘cat’ managed to hurt you.”

Shi Shuxue turned her head away, avoiding her gaze, and said dismissively, “Just my face.”

“Just your face?” Chi Yeyu grabbed her, pulling down the zipper of her school jacket that was zipped to the top, and began unbuttoning her school shirt one by one. She was nearly driven mad with anger, where did this kid think she was going in the middle of the night dressed like this?

Sure enough, hidden beneath the school collar was another patch of red, swollen scratch marks.

“I’ve already applied medicine,” Shi Shuxue said, keeping her eyes downcast.

Chi Yeyu narrowed her feline eyes. “You applied medicine and then took a shower? Fine, you’re something else. Where else are you hurt? Be honest, don’t force me to strip you.”

Her tone sounded ominous. Instinctively choosing honesty, Shi Shuxue extended her wrist and whispered, “And my hands.”

Chi Yeyu gripped her wrist, finally showing her first smile of the night, though it was chilling. “Your teacher’s cat is quite impressive, it can scratch out five finger marks.”

The atmosphere didn’t relax with that smile. Chi Yeyu’s expression was terrifying. Shi Shuxue would have preferred she didn’t smile at all.

“…It wasn’t a cat. It was a person,” Shi Shuxue said.

Chi Yeyu asked, “So you’re not planning to explain it away as a cat spirit anymore? How did it happen?”

“…………”

“A fight?”

Shi Shuxue remained silent, her eyes sliding toward the floor.

“Shi Shuxue, you’re truly something. Not only do you get into fights, but you’ve learned how to lie too.” Chi Yeyu’s expression was a half-smile, but it wasn’t a pleasant one. She dragged her to the desk and asked, “Does it hurt?”

Shi Shuxue shook her head, but seeing Chi Yeyu’s sour face, she quickly changed it to a nod.

“Sit down. I’ll apply the medicine for you.”

The Silent Treatment

Chi Yeyu opened the first-aid kit on the desk, picked out a tube of ointment, and squeezed a bit onto her fingertip, rubbing it warm before looking up at Shi Shuxue. “Lift your face.”

Shi Shuxue complied. She felt a warm touch over the bruise at the corner of her eye, the touch was so light it was as if Chi Yeyu feared breaking a porcelain doll. However, the hand holding her chin possessed an inescapable strength, leaving her no room to hide.

The ointment had a faint minty scent, suppressing the burning pain beneath her skin. Chi Yeyu’s gaze fell on the scratches beneath her collar, and she asked softly, “How did you get all these injuries?”

“I got into a fight with classmates,” Shi Shuxue said, lowering her head.

“How many? School bullying? What was the cause? Did they come looking for trouble?”

Chi Yeyu’s fingertip moved gently along the scratches on her cheek. Shi Shuxue squinted her eyes at the ticklish sensation before saying, “Four of them. They were seeking justice for another classmate and cornered me in an alleyway. I was the one who threw the first punch.”

Four people. Chi Yeyu hadn’t expected this small girl to take on four people at once. She suspected the injuries went far beyond what was visible.

“Tell me which four.”

Shi Shuxue looked at her lowered eyelashes. “There’s no need. I’m not a child. I don’t need to go running to ‘parents’ for face after losing a fight.”

Chi Yeyu pulled her wrist over, carefully applying medicine to the finger marks, and said flatly, “Fine. I’ll find out myself.”

“Really, there’s no need…” Just as Shi Shuxue finished speaking, she was pressed against the back of the chair. The moment her spine hit the hard surface, she instinctively hissed in pain.

Those upturned eyes slowly widened, while the light-colored pupils constricted. Holding a cotton swab between her fingers, Chi Yeyu began to remove her clothes. Shi Shuxue reached out to block her, but Chi Yeyu pinned her down with one hand.

She had just showered, and the ends of her hair were still damp. For convenience, she had put on an undershirt before heading out. Chi Yeyu turned her around, pulling up the outer shirt along with the camisole, revealing the bruises on her back.

“With such a large injury on your back, you didn’t feel anything just now?” Chi Yeyu suppressed her anger, her voice low. Shi Shuxue’s skin was smooth and fair; the bruises on her white butterfly bones were exceptionally jarring.

Chi Yeyu’s suit jacket seemed to carry the cold air from outside. Exposed to the air and under such a direct gaze, Shi Shuxue didn’t feel the pain as much as she felt a wave of goosebumps. Anxious to put her clothes back on, she hurriedly said, “Let go, don’t look.”

“I’m applying medicine.” Chi Yeyu tossed the cotton swab into the trash and squeezed the ointment onto her hand. As she rubbed it against the skin, Shi Shuxue felt a dense, tingling sting an incredibly strange sensation.

Chi Yeyu’s voice sounded from behind her ear: “Next time someone dares to provoke you, no matter who it is, call me immediately. Don’t think about carrying it alone, and don’t try to fool me with lies again.”

Shi Shuxue turned her head halfway, catching a glimpse of Chi Yeyu’s tense jawline, and whispered a “Got it.”

Seeing her skin shivering unsure if it was from pain or cold. Chi Yeyu reached out to turn on the air conditioner, raising the temperature by several degrees.

“Done. Don’t put your clothes on yet; just lie on the bed,” Chi Yeyu said, standing up.

Shi Shuxue resisted internally. “I’m not disabled. Give me back my clothes.”

Chi Yeyu went to the closet and pulled out a set of loose loungewear. Tossing the original school uniform into the cabinet, she suddenly spotted a filthy uniform inside. Pulling it out, she saw a hole burned into the shoulder by a cigarette.

The young girl had actually hidden her “battle armor.”

She let out a frustrated laugh. “Don’t wear anything then. Actually, don’t even leave the house. Stay home properly while I go to the school and have a word with every single person who bullied you.”

Shi Shuxue grabbed the loungewear and, regardless of whether it smudged the medicine, pulled it on. “Stop worrying about me. I can handle it myself. Aren’t you busy lately?”

“Yes, I am busy, and I have a short fuse,” Chi Yeyu looked at the injuries on the palm-sized face; the more she looked, the more it bothered her. “But I’m not so busy that I don’t have time for your affairs or to let my own kid be bullied at school.”

Feeling awkward after being seen, Shi Shuxue sat on the bed and said, “Go out. I need to do my homework.”

“Can you find a more believable excuse? With that empty backpack, how many assignments could you possibly have brought back? Stop studying and come down to eat.” As she spoke, she picked up the bag. It only contained a political science book. She gave it a shake, and a test paper fluttered out.

The red-checked paper drifted to the floor. Chi Yeyu leaned down to pick it up, her eyes widening in surprise at the score. “You got a perfect score in math?”

Shi Shuxue lowered her head and said, “Don’t go through my bag.”

“My god, Shi Shuxue, you’re this good at math?”

Chi Yeyu was only nine years older than her. She had attended high school domestically, and her graduating year’s exam was even included in Shi Shuxue’s practice materials. Thus, she still remembered high school math. Looking it over, she realized this wasn’t just a basic test; the last three major problems were quite difficult. Not only had Shi Shuxue solved them, but the paper was neat, with no “filler” lines.

“As expected of my kid, your brain is sharp,” Chi Yeyu praised, holding the paper up to the light. “Why didn’t you tell me? I should frame this. No, better yet, I should send a photocopy to everyone in the company.”

Shi Shuxue had never heard anything more horrifying. If Chi Yeyu actually printed her test for every subordinate, the company would be finished.

“Stop joking and teasing me…” she said.

Chi Yeyu folded the paper and tucked it back into the bag. “I was serious. But if you really don’t want me to, I won’t.”

Shi Shuxue hurriedly said, “I don’t want you to.”

“Fine, you’re the genius, you call the shots.”

A Question of Orientation

The temperature in the room rose quickly. Chi Yeyu, dressed warmly, felt a bit stifled. She took off her coat, draped it over her arm, and asked, “Coming down to eat, or should I bring it up?”

“I’ll go out,” Shi Shuxue replied.

Dinner was light, three simple dishes and a soup. During the meal, Chi Yeyu couldn’t help but stare at Shi Shuxue’s face, resting her chin on her hand. Noticing the gaze, Shi Shuxue asked, “What is it? Is there something on my face?”

“Yes, plenty,” Chi Yeyu said wistfully. She reached across the table, hooking her finger under Shi Shuxue’s chin. Her dry, warm hand tilted the girl’s face up as she leaned in to look, sighing. “Such a cute face, what a shame there are so many injuries.”

Shi Shuxue was unaccustomed to such care. With her mouth full of food, she mumbled a few sounds and pulled away from the fingers.

“Eat,” Shi Shuxue said, swallowing.

Chi Yeyu didn’t eat much, not even half as much as a growing high schooler. She lowered her head to reply to messages and said, “I’m full. Take your time.”

Recalling the rumors she saw today, Shi Shuxue asked, “Is it the online public opinion?”

“You saw all that?” Chi Yeyu smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle it.”

“They all say you…” Shi Shuxue frowned. The online comments were too extreme, describing Chi Yeyu as an ungrateful “white eyed wolf.” They even claimed her raising Shi Shuxue was just a tool to achieve her goals. But Chi Yeyu was clearly good to her and never neglected her material needs.

Shi Shuxue said, “I can help you clarify things.”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about what they say about me; those comments are bought. If you suddenly show up, it will only drag you into the controversy, affecting your studies and life. What you need to do now is spend less time on marketing accounts and short videos.”

Chi Yeyu patted her head. As she leaned over, her collar slipped, revealing her collarbone. “And most importantly, focus on healing your wounds.”

Shi Shuxue remained stuck on the topic, her mind filled with the online rumors. She thought of a conspiracy theory in one comment: that Chi Yeyu had been unrequitedly in love with Shi Xianyu for years. Failing to get her, she allegedly stole Shi Xianyu’s band and was now raising Shi Shuxue as a “stand-in.”

She didn’t believe Chi Yeyu had ulterior motives, but once the names Chi Yeyu and Shi Xianyu appeared together, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She blurted out the question:

“Chi Yeyu, what is your sexual orientation?”