The Villain Has A Yuri Halo [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 61

On a frigid winter night, the north wind howled, threatening to tear the bare branches from the trees.

Li Ju pricked up her ears, listening to the wind’s fury outside. A wave of relief washed over her. Thank goodness Fu Wanbai had decisively cut off all of Fu Zhiqing’s escape routes. Let anyone who wants to live in that firewood shed—I’m definitely not going!

Li Ju hummed cheerfully as she made her bed. The thought of not having to sleep on that cold, hard bench-bed tonight made her hurry. Tonight, I’m going to sleep comfortably and get a good night’s rest!

Over the past month, Li Ju had grown accustomed to her multi-faceted role: serving as a maid, warming the bed as a young wife, and acting as Madam Lü’s so-called lucky charm.

Li Ju was content with the current situation. Once Fu Zhiqing’s health improved, it would be her time to shine. As Fu Zhiqing’s special adopted sister, she would finally enjoy days of being praised and fawned over.

It’s all Zhang Huizhou’s fault! Li Ju thought bitterly. If that annoying male lead hadn’t interfered with Fu Zhiqing, she might have even topped the imperial exams!

Li Ju sighed. No wonder the plot included a scene where Zhang Huizhou was killed. This “koi protagonist” seemed to be Fu Zhiqing’s nemesis. He brought endless good fortune to everyone else, but around Fu Zhiqing, she suffered nothing but misfortune, ultimately ruining her promising career under the weight of the powerful elite.

Is this world’s plot a love-hate story?

Tsk, how bizarre!

Li Ju’s mind buzzed with thoughts, but she didn’t forget to check on the sickly beauty.

Fu Zhiqing sat stiffly on the low couch, her beautiful face lowered. Her snow-white skin made her delicate lips appear even more vividly crimson. She frowned in deep thought, lost in some unknown worry.

Li Ju’s eyes twinkled mischievously. Though they would later become sisters, she decided to save the sisterly affection for later. Right now, they were wives about to share a bridal chamber. If she didn’t tease Fu Zhiqing now, she might never get another chance to tease her later.

As Li Ju passed the mirror, she glanced at her reflection. Her striking features, still youthful and innocent, gave her the perfect innocent look she needed. No matter what mischief she got up to, a few innocent blinks and a touch of flattery would always get her off the hook.

Li Ju suppressed the amusement in her eyes, concealing the mischievous glint in her smile. Without that sly, devilish grin, her entire demeanor transformed, making her appear like an innocent, naive girl untouched by the world’s harsh realities.

She approached Fu Zhiqing and crouched down, wrapping her arms around Fu Zhiqing’s legs as if curious why she wasn’t in bed at this late hour.

“Xiao Ju!” Fu Zhiqing startled at the sudden gesture, the discomfort in her throat momentarily forgotten.

Li Ju’s eyes curved into crescents as she pointed to her neatly made bed, as if expecting praise.

Fu Zhiqing sighed wearily, stroking Li Ju’s head as the girl leaned against her knee. Li Ju’s once unruly hair had grown soft and glossy under Fu Zhiqing’s care. “Xiao Ju,” she said, “you must remember what I’m about to tell you.”

Li Ju squinted slightly, thoroughly enjoying Fu Zhiqing’s gentle touch. She nodded attentively, ready to listen.

Fu Zhiqing’s cheeks flushed. Her usually sharp tongue faltered, the words catching in her throat. This was far too embarrassing!

But if she didn’t explain things to Li Ju, she feared Fu Wanbai would ask questions!

Fu Zhiqing steeled herself and whispered, “If Mother asks tomorrow if we slept together, just nod. If she asks if we slept naked or fully clothed, pretend you don’t understand and shake your head. And if… if Mother asks anything else, play dumb or cover your face in embarrassment and run away. These methods should work!”

Li Ju barely suppressed a laugh, marveling at how terrified the heroine had become—she was already rehearsing her wedding night!

Li Ju’s faint smile made Fu Zhiqing self-consciously take a sip of water. The cool tea instantly calmed her anxiety and agitation.

Am I worrying too much? Maybe Mother won’t ask those questions after all?

Fu Zhiqing patted Li Ju’s hair bun, a headache throbbing behind her eyes. She smiled gently. “Xiao Ju, are you mocking me?”

Li Ju feigned ignorance, shaking her head to indicate she didn’t understand what Fu Zhiqing was saying.

Fu Zhiqing wasn’t about to let her off the hook. She mischievously ruffled Li Ju’s hair bun and deliberately removed the wooden hairpin to admire Li Ju’s waist-length hair.

Li Ju reluctantly looked up, tucking a stray strand behind her ear. Despite her quiet demeanor, she possessed a maturity beyond her years. The upward glance, framed by a faint smile, revealed a subtle allure in her eyes.

Fu Zhiqing gently scratched Li Ju’s chin, her smile tinged with bitterness. “I wonder if I’ll ever see you as a sixteen-year-old again,” she murmured. “You’ll be even more beautiful in three years.”

Li Ju nodded emphatically, her certainty unwavering. Not just sixteen, she thought. This female lead even died with me when I was seventeen.

You will.

Fu Zhiqing chuckled softly, pulling Li Ju onto the soft couch beside her.

Lost in thought, Fu Zhiqing suddenly felt a pang of cowardice, unable to meet Li Ju’s gaze. Those excessively clear eyes seemed to see through all her own darkness.

She was different from Li Ju, burdened by selfish desires and ambition.

Fu Wanbai had poured all her hopes for her daughter’s success into Fu Zhiqing, making her the first girl from Shangyang Village to attend private school.

Despite the teacher’s initial prejudice, his brilliance couldn’t be denied. He had to admit she was the most gifted student he’d ever taught.

With her photographic memory, diligent study habits, and exceptional talent, Fu Zhiqing passed the Scholar exam at just thirteen years old.

This made her not only the first female Scholar in Shangyang Village, but also the first in all of Yang County.

She was showered with attention, praise, and admiration.

She didn’t study and learn to read just to hear people praise her as a “heaven-blessed daughter.” She did it to satisfy the burning ambition in her heart.

She took her mother’s surname because her father had married into the Fu Family. Fu Wanbai, the family’s only daughter, was known for her intelligence, refinement, and virtuous character. Many sought her hand in marriage, but she had no intention of marrying out. Instead, she planned to recruit a son-in-law.

Since childhood, Fu Zhiqing had been the subject of village gossip. People said her mother had gone to great lengths to recruit a son-in-law to preserve the Fu Family’s bloodline, only to produce a daughter who couldn’t uphold the family’s legacy. Why bother recruiting a son-in-law at all? they sneered. She might as well have married out from the start.

Such remarks filled Fu Zhiqing with loathing, as if her very existence as a girl would ruin Fu Wanbai’s life.

She knew there was no point arguing with these people. She would prove her worth with her own skills and slap them in the face with her achievements!

A thirteen-year-old Scholar was a rare and remarkable feat.

Fu Zhiqing’s success spoke for itself. The gossips, in perfect unison, fell silent about their past whispers. They flocked to Fu Wanbai, ingratiating themselves as if they had never spoken ill of her.

These changes were exactly what Fu Zhiqing had anticipated. She had also foreseen the cold indifference the Fu Family would face in their later decline.

Fu Zhiqing was no refined scholar; she’d even dared to curse her own father and had already drafted Fu Wanbai’s divorce papers. Conformity was utterly foreign to her nature.

Yet her conscience surfaced whenever she faced Li Ju, reminding her that she was a frail, sickly woman nearing death. Madam Lü’s words were not to be taken seriously, let alone acted upon tonight.

She had indeed read many books, and even skimmed a few scandalous novels borrowed from her classmates. But she simply couldn’t bring herself to do that to Li Ju!

Her slender fingers, devoid of any soft flesh, made Li Ju glance at her gaunt cheeks. If only she were a bit fuller, Li Ju thought, Zhiqing would be an unparalleled beauty. As she was now, so thin and tall, holding her felt like embracing bones.

Cough… cough…

Before long, the familiar cough echoed through the room.

Li Ju skillfully prepared water and medicine, a routine she had performed countless times this past month.

She cradled Zhiqing in her arms, helping her steady her breathing. Zhiqing pressed her dry lips together and looked up at her.

Whenever she coughed, Zhiqing’s expression darkened with gloom, her listless demeanor grating on Li Ju’s nerves.

Seeing Fu Zhiqing’s downcast expression, Li Ju nudged her gently. Fu Zhiqing’s eyes softened with warmth as she asked, “What’s wrong?”

Mother told me the same things you just said.

She wanted me to take off your clothes.

She even showed me how to hold you comfortably.

Was Mother worried you’d get cold without your clothes? That’s why she told me to hug you so tightly.

Li Ju spun these outrageous lies with a perfectly straight face. Fu Wanbai had never said any such things, and Li Ju was confident Fu Zhiqing would keep this secret buried deep inside. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have dared to make up such nonsense.

She was going to great lengths to distract Fu Zhiqing from her gloomy mood!

Fu Zhiqing, you should be kneeling down to thank me right now!

Fu Zhiqing covered her mouth and abruptly sat up from Li Ju’s embrace, her face flushed crimson. The woman’s beauty was radiant, her vitality restored in an instant.

Li Ju smiled innocently, showing no sign of her fabrication.

But Fu Zhiqing looked like she was about to shatter. She stammered, “M-Mother… Mother told you all that?”

Li Ju nodded obediently, her eyes wide with feigned curiosity. Eager to hear Fu Zhiqing’s explanation, she pressed again, “So, why did she say that?”

Fu Zhiqing immediately retorted, “Of course not!”

Li Ju’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Fu Zhiqing suppressed the urge to cough, her brow furrowed in exasperation. “Naturally, you should listen to me.”

Fu Zhiqing fell silent. She knew Fu Wanbai held the true power in their household, but she couldn’t possibly agree to that.

Li Ju’s bright eyes shone with unwavering trust in Fu Zhiqing, as if her illness were merely a passing cold that would vanish with the warmer weather.

A lump of cotton seemed to lodge in Fu Zhiqing’s throat, choking back any words that might shatter Li Ju’s faith. She knew her own body best—she might never truly recover.

But why burden this world with another soul who had lost hope?

All the hardships and burdens were enough for her to bear.

Fu Zhiqing pulled Li Ju into her arms, enveloping the petite chestnut-haired girl in her aura. The scent of medicine, still not particularly pleasant, lingered around Li Ju’s nose. Yet, having grown accustomed to it, Li Ju found that this medicinal fragrance would gradually settle in her heart, bringing her an addictive sense of comfort.

“You smell so good,” Fu Zhiqing murmured.

Li Ju rolled her eyes in mock disdain. Thank goodness it’s Fu Zhiqing, she thought. If anyone else said that, I’d slap them.

“Is it your natural scent?” Fu Zhiqing sniffed at Li Ju’s exposed neck, its skin as pale as snow. Even the strands of hair draped over her collar seemed to carry her fragrance.

Fu Zhiqing chuckled softly. “It’s a floral scent. How come I never noticed it before?”

Li Ju shook her head. Floral scent? she wondered. Wait, there’s that unknown entity parasitizing my body. Could it be the source of this fragrance?

She couldn’t help but recall A’Ci’s complaints from that day. Every word had accused Li Ju of infidelity, questioning why she would cultivate so many white roses in the system space when she already possessed A’Ci, her own unique flower.

A’Ci’s incessant questioning finally ceased when Li Ju entered the new world. This was because after growing four leaves, A’Ci’s abilities had significantly improved, allowing her to do much more.

For instance, Li Ju no longer forgot A’Ci’s existence due to the Program’s emotional purging. As A’Ci described it, the flower had taken deep root in Li Ju’s Sea of Consciousness, and the Program’s attempts to erase her traces were now as futile as a storm trying to uproot a firmly established tree.

Thus, in Li Ju’s memories, she knew that another unknown entity resided within her.

However, Li Ju couldn’t ask A’Ci whether the floral fragrance was related to her. The flower had exerted every ounce of her strength to prevent Li Ju from forgetting her, and now she had retreated to sleep and recuperate.

Li Ju offered Fu Zhiqing a reciprocal compliment, saying, “You smell wonderful too.”

Fu Zhiqing chuckled, “Wonderful? I’m practically pickled in medicine! Bitter and astringent, my whole body reeks of medicinal herbs.”

Li Ju secretly pouted in dissatisfaction, only to be caught red-handed by Fu Zhiqing.

Fu Zhiqing chuckled, “Still scolding me behind my back?”

Li Ju shot her a look that screamed, How could you accuse me of such a thing? Then, with a wounded air, she hopped off the low couch.

“Where are you going?”

Where am I going? Li Ju thought to herself. To lie on the soft, fluffy bed, of course! This low couch is as hard as a rock!

Li Ju marched straight to the canopy bed, flopped down, and turned her back to Fu Zhiqing.

Fu Zhiqing suppressed a laugh, but the thought of Li Ju actually taking her mother’s advice and stripping off her clothes made her nervously lick her lips.

As if sensing her unease, Li Ju, who had been sulking just moments ago, suddenly sat up. Unlike Fu Zhiqing’s shy restraint, Li Ju’s eyes burned with anticipation and eagerness.

She patted the bed, making the warmth on Fu Zhiqing’s cheeks intensify.

Come on.

I just aired the bedding yesterday. It’s so comfortable!

Normally, Fu Zhiqing avoided coughing like the plague, but now she desperately wished she could cough up her lungs, heart, liver, spleen, and kidneys just to escape this predicament.

But her body seemed determined to betray her. The more she tried to cough, the less she could manage.

Damn throat, just cough already!

Li Ju frowned, her delicate willow brows furrowing in frustration, her eyes losing their usual sparkle.

Don’t you want to sleep in the same bed as me?

Fu Zhiqing suppressed the panic in her eyes, trying to relax and appear calm. Her earlier reaction had clearly frightened Li Ju.

“Of course I do,” she said slowly, approaching the canopy bed with graceful, lotus-like steps. She sat beside Li Ju, their hands resting so close on the edge of the bed that a slight shift would bring them into contact.

Fu Zhiqing glanced sideways, marveling at Li Ju’s long, dark lashes.

Sensing her gaze, Li Ju smiled warmly and reached out to remove Fu Zhiqing’s outer robe.

But Fu Zhiqing caught her hand gently. “There are clean nightgowns in the cabinet,” she said softly. “Fetch one for me, and we’ll change before settling in for the night.”

Li Ju didn’t argue. She stood on tiptoe to retrieve a nightgown from the cabinet.

Kneeling halfway beside the bed, she held the nightgown with focused intensity, determined to help Fu Zhiqing change.

Fu Zhiqing tried to come up with an excuse, but Li Ju knew the most effective way to deal with scholars like her was to act directly and skip the chatter.

“Xiao Ju!”

“Your sash, it’s coming undone!”

Li Ju pretended to be mute, unable to speak. As for why she didn’t use sign language? Well, her hands were a bit occupied at the moment.

Leaning against the soft pillows, Fu Zhiqing blushed helplessly as Li Ju changed her clothes.

“The charcoal fire is making it so hot in here,” she said, trying to convince herself. “It’s so hot, my face is turning red.”

That’s not from the heat, Li Ju thought, it’s clearly from embarrassment.

But Li Ju kept her thoughts to herself, focusing on her task.

Only after Fu Zhiqing was dressed in her nightgown did Li Ju finally meet her gaze, a mischievous smile in her eyes.

Fu Zhiqing covered her face with her hands, but she could still see Li Ju’s teasing through the gaps between her fingers.

The memory of Li Ju’s mercilessly stripping her earlier made her blood boil.

“What are you looking at?!” she snapped, her voice sharp with anger.

Li Ju smiled shyly and signed her reply:

Fu Zhiqing pointed an angry finger at Li Ju, nearly choking on her own breath. Her willow-leaf eyebrows arched sharply as she snapped, “Are you asking for a beating?!”

Li Ju darted behind the screen in a flash, not forgetting to grab another set of nightclothes before she went.

Fu Zhiqing froze, then pressed a hand to her forehead and burst out laughing.

What was this? After having her completely exposed, Li Ju had the nerve to scurry behind the screen to change her nightclothes.

Well, that certainly taught me something new.

The night was quiet as they lay side by side, maintaining a respectful distance between them.

Fu Zhiqing, who should have been asleep, found herself wide awake. She turned to glance at Li Ju, who lay beside her with her eyes closed, seemingly fast asleep. Feeling indignant, Fu Zhiqing leaned closer. The thought of having been so thoroughly outmaneuvered spurred her into action.

She wrapped her arm around Li Ju’s waist and slipped her hand beneath the hem of her nightgown.

The icy touch of her fingers made Li Ju shudder.

Fu Zhiqing whispered, “You were pretending to be asleep, weren’t you?”

Li Ju puffed out her cheeks. It was just changing clothes! Did she really need to make such a fuss in the middle of the night?

She glared at Fu Zhiqing, then abruptly turned over to stare back at her, her gaze unwavering.

Li Ju shifted her legs, and Fu Zhiqing gasped softly as she realized her own legs were trapped. A strange warmth spread through her, a longing for the heat radiating from Li Ju’s body.

The candle in the room had long since been extinguished, making it impossible for Fu Zhiqing to see Li Ju’s sign language. Li Ju, not bothering to explain, reached under the covers with her free hand and grasped Fu Zhiqing’s fingers, which still rested on her waist.

Guiding Fu Zhiqing’s hand to her abdomen, Li Ju calmly closed her eyes, ready to rest.

Fu Zhiqing quickly understood her intentions.

A faint tremor ran through Fu Zhiqing’s heart. Is she trying to warm me up? she wondered. And she’s not even angry, even after I tried to scare her with my fingers.

She felt like a lost traveler in a frozen wasteland, desperate to cling to any flicker of warmth she found.

She yearned for warmth.

Fu Zhiqing carefully pulled Li Ju into her arms. Li Ju patted her gently, as if coaxing her to sleep and stop overthinking.

Fu Zhiqing smiled. On this bitterly cold winter night, she no longer felt the chill.

Shangyang Village was a relatively prosperous place, where most families could afford to send their children to private schools to learn to read and write. Traditionally, only sons were sent to study, but after Fu Zhiqing’s success, some parents who doted on their daughters gritted their teeth and sent them to school as well, hoping to produce another Fu Zhiqing.

What a pity, the Village Chief thought as he stood at his gate, spotting Fu Wanbai’s retreating figure in the distance. If only Fu Zhiqing hadn’t met with misfortune, Shangyang Village would be bustling with excitement again.

“You old fool, still spying on the Fu family?” Meng Xiuhua, his wife, snapped.

The Village Chief quickly closed the gate and ushered her into the courtyard. “Are you still holding a grudge because she refused your marriage proposal back then?” he said. “I’ve told you countless times, Madam Fu is no ordinary woman. Marrying her would have been your biggest regret! You hate nothing more than those pretentious, bookish women!”

“Who said I hate bookish women? I simply despise Fu Wanbai! I warned you back then that Liu was no good, but that stubborn girl wouldn’t listen. Now she must be regretting it to the core.”

Meng Xiuhua’s complaints made the Village Chief chuckle. “Everyone has their own fate. If it weren’t for Young Liu, Zhiqing wouldn’t even exist.”

Hearing Fu Zhiqing’s name, Meng Xiuhua’s expression softened with pity. “Old man, is there really no hope for that child?”

The Village Chief felt a pang of heartache as well. Anyone who had met Fu Zhiqing couldn’t help but praise her. He sighed. “I can only hope that the girl Madam Fu brought back can truly help Zhiqing.”

Meng Xiuhua immediately bristled. “What are you saying? Are you making that poor girl a scapegoat? Keep such thoughts to yourself and stop spreading rumors. If Fu Wanbai turns against her, what will you do then?!”

“Madam Fu’s temperament…”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence before Meng Xiuhua’s nagging cut him off. “Spare me that nonsense! Fu Wanbai’s heart is as narrow as a needle’s eye. I’ve never liked her anyway.”

“Alright, alright, we’re both worrying needlessly. I just saw Madam Fu taking the girl out. They seemed to be getting along well.”

“Where did they go? Why are they running around in this freezing weather instead of staying home?”

Li Ju was also dying to know why Fu Wanbai had gone out!

It wasn’t until Fu Wanbai led her into a household that Li Ju realized who they were visiting.

“Madam Lü, this is Xiao Ju, the girl I mentioned to you.”

Li Ju lowered her head, feigning timidity and avoiding Madam Lü’s gaze. But Madam Lü’s next words startled her.

“Her appearance is decent enough. Let her stay with me for a few days so I can cleanse her of any lingering impurities. This will hasten your daughter’s recovery. Remember to give Zhiqing this medicinal pill—it’s crucial that she takes it.”

Li Ju’s eyelid twitched. What kind of development is this?! Why does it feel so ominous? Serving Fu Zhiqing was one thing—at least it guaranteed a few years of comfortable living. But serving Madam Lü? That was entirely unnecessary!

“This… why must I leave Xiao Ju here? Fine, I’ll defer to Madam Lü’s judgment.”

Li Ju pinched her palm, sighing inwardly. Ugh, how annoying! Why make things difficult for a mute girl like me?

“I disagree.”

The wooden door creaked open, and Fu Zhiqing entered, covering her mouth with a handkerchief as she coughed softly. Though frail, her eyes held a sharp, piercing gaze.

Li Ju’s face lit up with relief. My sworn sister is actually a decent person after all!