Transmigrated as the Villain and Driven Crazy by the Vengeful Male Lead - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Interlude: A Warm Theater — From the Neck All the Way Down, Kneading…

If Su Qingyang hadn’t discovered the damage to his cultivation while transferring spiritual energy, who knows how long this prideful Young Master Lu would have kept the secret.

So that was why he lost the duel to Li An and drank that bowl of medicine.

Why his flight path down the mountain was wobbly and his “throttle” so stingy.

Why, when Rou-rou (possessed by the raccoon) launched a sneak attack from behind, he was just as oblivious as Su Cheyue.

Why he chose to endure the excruciating pain of being hunted rather than stopping to fight.

And why… he chose to shield Su Cheyue from those claws with his own body instead of confronting the ghost head-on.

“My brother said your spiritual core, like mine, shows signs of being heavily damaged by ghostly energy.” Su Cheyue stared straight at him. “Why?”

Lu Shuyao was puzzled. If you know, you know, but why are you acting so relaxed and relieved? Who are you gloating at?

“The Purgatory of Evil Ghosts—what did you do?” Su Cheyue repeated.

Months had passed, and since Lu Shuyao didn’t want to dwell on his “epic fail,” many details were fuzzy.

…How was he supposed to say it?

Say he pushed him? But he was clearly trying to pull him up!

Say a System was messing things up? Even a ghost wouldn’t believe that!

Say he held on desperately at the edge of the abyss, never thinking of letting go until he lost consciousness…

Too melodramatic.

Under Su Cheyue’s prodding, Lu Shuyao sighed helplessly and gave a vague answer: “My skills weren’t up to par—er, no, I wasn’t as good as the ghosts. I was heavily injured by the spirits inside.”

Su Cheyue clearly didn’t buy it. “You are the most talented immortal young master I have ever seen. You wouldn’t be injured to this extent just as the Purgatory was opening.”

Being suddenly praised made the “tough guy” blush. Lu Shuyao’s face heated up, and he scratched the back of his head. “Really?”

“So, what is the truth?”

He pressed for answers. Lu Shuyao knew exactly what the man wanted to hear. He cursed the System for not recording the scene so he could play it on loop for Su Cheyue, brainwashing him with the fact that Lu Shuyao never wanted to harm him. Never!

The problem was, without video evidence, words were cheap. How could someone as cautious and clinical as Su Cheyue believe him?

“If I said,” Lu Shuyao took a breath, deciding to treat a dead horse as if it were alive, “I did it to save you, would you believe me?”

His expression was focused, his sincerity melting into those soft, puppy-dog eyes, shimmering with a faint light.

Su Cheyue locked eyes with him for a long moment. He didn’t say he believed him, nor did he say he didn’t. Suddenly, he withdrew all expression and turned his wheelchair away.

“Hey—where are you going?”

A surge of hot sincerity had been splashed onto millennial ice. Lu Shuyao didn’t want to admit it, but he felt a sting of disappointment. It was that familiar feeling: not being believed, not getting feedback, not being valued.

…

Su Cheyue didn’t return even by nightfall. Su Qingyang came once to bring medicine. Lu Shuyao couldn’t help but ask, “Where is the Second Young Master?”

After the raccoon incident, Su Qingyang’s attitude had softened. “It’s late; he should be asleep.”

“Asleep?” Lu Shuyao blinked. “Where?”

Su Qingyang looked at him as if he were insane. “In his guest room, obviously. Lu Shuyao, is your brain broken?”

…Do these brothers just love cursing people’s brains?!

Su Qingyang crossed his arms. “I heard from A-Yue that you two have always slept in separate beds. What, did you get so used to squeezing into one room that you can’t change back?”

Lu Shuyao: “…”

Thinking of the debt of gratitude for saving his brother, Su Qingyang stopped teasing. “He’s right next door. I was going to see him, but he was busy studying the Soul-Shifting Knot and kicked me out.”

Before leaving, Su Qingyang added, “Oh, right. The raccoon’s physical body has taken shape. We’ll head back in a day or two once you’ve rested.”

Lu Shuyao hummed in response, hesitated for a long time, and finally chose to lie down and sleep.

The next day was sunny. Lu Shuyao intentionally didn’t prepare breakfast for Su Cheyue. He planned to wait for the Second Young Master to come scold him, so he could “servilely” attend to him with his injured body to trigger pity and drop some hatred points.

Calculated!

Despite his internal alarm clock ringing at 8:00 AM, Lu Shuyao kept his eyes wide open and refused to get out of bed. He waited until the sun was high in the sky, but the moon-like figure in the wheelchair never appeared.

What’s the deal? He’s usually up by now.

Lu Shuyao couldn’t lie still anymore. He climbed out of bed, feeling a bit dejected, and pushed open the window.

The window faced the backyard trees. Beyond that was an alleyway filled with breakfast stalls. The scent of steamed flour and sweet, sticky porridge drifted over. The smell of red bean paste was sweeter than a first love.

Lu Shuyao didn’t have a first love, but he was hungry. He decided that even if Su Cheyue wouldn’t eat, he would.

Just as he was about to close the window, he heard a slight movement. He peeked out, and his eyes lit up.

A beautiful calico raccoon cat was pacing elegantly along the rafters under the neighboring window. It seemed attracted by the alley’s scents, poking its round head out to look.

The neighboring room was Su Cheyue’s. A cat coming from his room…

The Racoon-Ghost who had just gained a body?

Lu Shuyao was the type to forget the pain once the scar healed—and his scars hadn’t even healed yet. But seeing such a cute cat, gray and white with soft fur dancing in the light, he forgot the terrifying monster from the night before. He forgot this was the culprit who turned his handsome back into a mess.

Lu Shuyao waved at it. Realizing it didn’t have a new name yet, he just said, “Come here.”

The calico cat was startled. Its front paws pulled back instinctively, but its back paws lost their rhythm. It nearly performed a “cat-style faceplant” on the beam.

Lu Shuyao burst out laughing. “What’s wrong? Not used to having a body yet?”

“Has your new master not woken up yet? Are you hungry? Want a red bean bun? Go wake him up, and I’ll buy you one.” Lu Shuyao nodded toward the alley.

The cat remained unmoved. It took a few steps toward him, then stopped, perking up its furry ears. It puffed out its chest and gave a long, haughty “Meow—”

It looked exactly as arrogant as Su Cheyue.

Lu Shuyao found it hilarious. “Quite protective of your master, aren’t you?”

He realized that at this distance, he could reach out and scoop the cat up.

And so he did. Lu Shuyao was experienced with cats; he slid his lean arm under its belly and lifted it with one hand.

The cat was terrified. Its front paws scrambled against his hand while its back legs hung stiffly in the air as if it didn’t know how to use them. Its center of gravity shifted, and it nearly tumbled. Lu Shuyao quickly supported its tailbone with his other hand.

“You act like you’ve never used four legs before,” Lu Shuyao teased.

He finally brought the disobedient cat inside. The cat’s nose was pink, its breathing shallow, and its apricot-shaped eyes darted around anxiously.

“Don’t be scared, I won’t take revenge.” Lu Shuyao placed it on the small cot, letting its head rest on his arm while he stroked its back.

He hadn’t touched a cat in a long time. Looking at this one, he felt a strange sense of fate. The more he looked, the more it resembled…

“Juanjuan,” he whispered.

Then he shook his head. There was no cat named Juanjuan in this world.

Lu Shuyao looked into its eyes, his heart softening. Possessed by some impulse, he leaned down and did what he used to do to Juanjuan: he bumped his nose against its wet nose and nibbled the tip of its ear.

Juanjuan had been aloof but loved that. This raccoon cat, however, had an even bigger temper. After its ear was nibbled, it froze for a second before exploding in fury. “Meow! MEE-OW! MEOW!” It screeched, struggling violently, its pink paw pads swinging at Lu Shuyao.

Lu Shuyao didn’t expect such a reaction. In his daze, those cries almost sounded like Su Cheyue shouting his name in anger.

LU! SHU! YAO!

…It seemed pets really do take after their masters.

The commotion pulled at his wounds. He hissed in pain, caught its paws, and acted spoiled: “I was scratched like this by you, even got a puncture wound. It still hurts.”

“It hurts so much,” he exhaled softly. “Don’t move, let me hold you for a bit, okay?”

Though the cat had no magic left, it seemed to understand him. Its struggling slowed, though it kept meowing at him.

“Good boy,” Lu Shuyao said, pushing his luck. He smiled and reached out his “evil claws.” “I’ll make you feel better.”

He began to pet it.

From the neck all the way down, kneading its belly.

The meows faded into a familiar purr—the sound a cat makes when it’s comfortable. However, this cat was breathing very heavily and rapidly. He could even hear its heart thudding like a drum against its chest.

Lu Shuyao was confused. He looked into its eyes again, and his own heart skipped a beat.

In the sunlight, he thought they were amber. Looking closely now, they were dark brown.

Through those eyes, he seemed to see another pair he looked at every day—resolute but often filled with anger. Looking at them was like facing cold lightning or a basin of hot water; it made a lonely person want to get close, yet fear being burned.

And right now, those eyes were slightly moist. If he looked too long, there was a faint illusion of tender surrender.

He stopped moving. Man and cat stared at each other in a daze.

[Congratulations, Visitor. Protagonist Su Cheyue’s hatred points have decreased by 100. Current hatred points: 1400. Keep up the good work!]

The sudden announcement snapped him out of it. Immediately after, there was a knock at the door.

“Lu Shuyao, are you up yet?” It was Su Qingyang.

The cat in his arms gave one last meow, flipped over clumsily, and scrambled out the window.

…Watching it flee, Lu Shuyao felt something was very off. Why did that cat look so… guilty?

He opened the door, confused. Su Qingyang peered inside anxiously. “Is A-Yue here with you?”

“No,” Lu Shuyao said.

“That’s strange. It’s late, but there’s no movement in his room.”

Lu Shuyao was distracted. “…Have you knocked?”

“I did, no answer.” Su Qingyang frowned. “Did you two go do something behind my back last night? Why can’t either of you get up today?”

Lu Shuyao: “…”

Su Qingyang dragged him to knock on the door next door. A deep voice from inside said, “Enter.”

They opened the door. Su Cheyue was still lying in bed. Lu Shuyao’s first instinct was to look for the cat; he found it curled up by the bed, licking its fur with feigned boredom, showing no reaction to their entry.

“What’s wrong? Are you unwell?” Su Qingyang felt his brother’s forehead. “It seems a bit hot.”

“I’m fine.” Su Cheyue turned his head away and whispered, “I stayed up late taking care of the raccoon’s body.”

Su Qingyang asked, “How is the Bone-Molding Pill? And the Soul-Shifting Knot?”

Lu Shuyao looked over and found Su Cheyue looking at him too. The moment their eyes met, Su Cheyue looked away.

“The body works well, but it hasn’t used a real form in a long time, so it’s not walking smoothly,” Su Cheyue answered quickly. “I haven’t tried the Soul-Shifting Knot yet.”

Lu Shuyao suddenly felt a sense of relief.

“No matter, we can look at it when we return to the sect.”

Su Cheyue looked at Lu Shuyao again. Even Su Qingyang noticed the weird atmosphere and stepped aside. “Do you two have something to say?”

“No,” they said in unison.

Su Qingyang was deeply suspicious.

…

Lu Shuyao returned to his room, closed the door, and immediately summoned the System to demand an explanation. “What was that hatred point drop just now?”

The System replied mechanically: [Visitor, I am only responsible for reporting progress, not explaining reasons.]

“Then you didn’t even do that right! Wasn’t it 2500 the night before last? How did it jump down to 1400?”

[Due to high frequency reporting during the Racoon-Ghost dungeon, the System suffered a temporary glitch. After recovery, this is the current value.] The System countered, [The Visitor should be happy that hatred points are dropping. Why are you so angry?]

“…I’m just angry at your dereliction of duty and your ghost-like behavior!”

“Of course I’m happy,” Lu Shuyao muttered to himself. “I can’t wait to leave this hellhole and leave him behind.”