Transmigrated as the Villain and Driven Crazy by the Vengeful Male Lead - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Crashing Upon Meeting Young Master Su. Next time, no Transmission Seals…

Lu Shuyao discovered he was a bit of a deviant; he actually enjoyed seeing the Second Young Master’s face turn slightly red.

This was called “the beauty’s predicament.”

It is human nature to love beauty. Who doesn’t enjoy seeing a gorgeous lady looking pitiful and lost, and then lending a helping hand in a classic “hero saves the beauty” moment?

—Of course, watching a handsome man in a similar state wasn’t bad either.

“Heaven is kind to you. I brought some things back, and I was worried you wouldn’t be able to see them.” Lu Shuyao rummaged around behind the sofa and suddenly produced an armful of items, so vibrant they made the Second Young Master squint.

Half were wild mountain flowers, half were wild vegetables—multi-colored and strikingly bright against the room’s decor.

For a cripple who had lost the ability to move and lay in bed all day, such vivid colors weren’t necessarily a pleasant surprise. On the contrary, they could be seen as a form of humiliation or a trigger.

Su Cheyue kept a stony face. Lu Shuyao spread the items across the bed, took Su Cheyue’s hand, and wrote the word “People” (Min).

“Coming from Luzhou and entering Yangshuo City, everyone knew I was coming to care for the Second Young Master.”

Back then, there were too many prying eyes. The expensive gifts from the city folk had vanished the moment they entered the sect.

“On this trip down the mountain, they stopped me and shoved all this into my arms. It’s winter; I don’t even know how they kept these flowers and vegetables so fresh… This is ancient times with no electricity or machines! Ancient times!—Simply amazing.”

The wisdom of the ancients is no lie, Lu Shuyao thought admiringly.

“Look at this,” Lu Shuyao said, showing off his treasures like a proud merchant. He excitedly held up a bouquet of white pear blossoms. “From the Qingsang family in Tianjin Alley, off East Main Street. Do you remember that child? A year ago, he was plagued by evil energy and nearly died of a high fever. You stayed by him for three days and nights to force the evil out, saving his life. He said you like white pear blossoms best. Here, this basket of green pears is also from him; he said he grew them specifically for you.”

He set down the pears and picked up a string of purple sweet potatoes. “And this, from Old Granny Wang near the city gate. Her husband died but his soul refused to move on; you helped send him off—oh, wait, ‘guided’ him across. Granny Wang said you have a sweet tooth; these sweet potatoes are the sweetest thing she’s ever tasted in the city.”

“And this…” Lu Shuyao chattered on. Su Cheyue watched his lips move rapidly, and combined with the word “People” in his palm, he understood where these things came from and why they were here.

These items were completely different from the pills, wheelchairs, and bitter soups sent by the sect. They were ordinary things, the kind people wouldn’t look at twice.

But for an extraordinary person, being treated with “ordinariness” felt precious.

In the past, he only cared about the opinions of those close to him. For those he met briefly, helped with a sword, and then left behind, he had never used the Desire-Probing Pearl to read their hearts across hundreds of miles.

Su Cheyue’s fingertips twitched. When Lu Shuyao looked at him again, he felt as if he saw the ice in the depths of the man’s eyes slowly beginning to melt.

Clearly, he understood.

“They also said they miss the Second Young Master. They want to see you and talk to you.”

The system [Ding!] sounded: [Congratulations to the visitor. Male lead Su Cheyue’s Hatred Value has decreased by 5. Current Hatred Value: 2495. Keep up the good work!]

This was an unexpected joy. Lu Shuyao let out a surprised “Eh?”

Was it because of the windchimes or these local specialties? Since the notification came now, it was probably the specialties. He hadn’t expected that simply bringing back some souvenirs would make Su Cheyue this happy.

He thought about how back at school he’d bring food for those “grandsons” in his dorm every day, and they were never this grateful—they wouldn’t even call him “Daddy.”

While Su Cheyue didn’t call him Daddy either, this drop in hatred was much more practical! After all, Su Cheyue held the power of life and death; the hatred value was directly linked to Shuyao’s tiny life!

Lu Shuyao immediately beamed, his eyes curving into crescents and revealing two rows of neat white teeth. The light in Su Cheyue’s eyes vanished instantly, and he returned to his expressionless stare.

“In that case,” Lu Shuyao pointed brightly to a long-neglected wheelchair in the corner, “let’s start by getting the Second Young Master out of the room. The sun is wonderful today.”

He wasn’t so noble as to want to save a disabled person’s fragile, dark soul; it was just that if Su Cheyue went out more, he’d throw fewer tantrums.

Seeing the wheelchair pushed over, Su Cheyue showed a look of resistance: “DO. NOT.”

Lu Shuyao didn’t care. He made a show of trying to lift and carry him. As expected, the latter struggled violently. Lu Shuyao ignored it and persisted. Finally, after a few rounds, Su Cheyue reached his limit. Amidst a fit of heavy coughing, he actually initiated a Transmission Seal.

Su Cheyue: [I’ll do it myself!]

“…” Lu Shuyao took a breath, crossed his arms in front of Su Cheyue, and said seriously: “If you want to do it yourself, fine. But next time, no more Transmission Seals.”

Saying this, he gently patted the man’s back to soothe his breathing.

The wheelchair was pressed against the bed, and the Second Young Master slowly shifted himself over. Lu Shuyao put a white coat on him, draped a blanket over his knees, and pushed him out of the room like they were going on a spring outing.

He hadn’t lied; it was a beautiful day. The snow in the courtyard had melted, and the temperature was perfect. Sitting in the wheelchair, Su Cheyue felt he could smell the crisp fragrance of plum blossoms through the melting snow.

The world was still beautiful; it hadn’t changed just because he had lost everything.

Su Cheyue looked across the courtyard and saw Li An practicing.

This courtyard was called Xieyue Pavilion (“Resting Moon Pavilion”), Su Cheyue’s residence. Though not a scholar, he was a man of refined tastes; the courtyard was filled with pear and plum blossoms. One bloomed in spring, the other in winter—one white, one red—decorating the two distinct seasons with absolute elegance.

However, since he became crippled, the disciple sent to care for him had acted like a “cuckoo in the nest.” Li An had filled the yard with iron and wooden training posts and often used the trees for target practice.

Currently, Li An was wielding his sword, bullying a plum tree that barely had any red blossoms left.

Su Cheyue’s smooth, blade-like brows furrowed instantly. Just as he touched the wheels of his chair, Lu Shuyao, ever observant, lightly patted the back of his hand to calm him.

Lu Shuyao stepped forward and shouted, “Li An!”

Li An turned around. He was expressionless upon seeing Lu Shuyao, but when he looked behind him, he almost dropped his sword.

The Second Young Master… is out of bed?? The Second Young Master… actually came outside?? The Second Young Master… is looking directly at me??

Li An froze for a few seconds before running over. “Second Young Master… can you see now?” he asked hesitantly.

“What,” Lu Shuyao arched an eyebrow, “is this the first time?”

Last time the man suddenly spoke, Li An hadn’t been this surprised.

Sure enough, Li An nodded. “The Second Young Master only spoke suddenly before; this is the first time his sight has returned.” He bowed. “Congratulations! I’ll go report to the Sect Leader immediately!”

Lu Shuyao was thinking whether to stop him, but Li An turned back on his own.

“Ah, look at my brain,” he slapped his sweaty forehead. “The Sect Leader ordered medicine to be taken once every seven days.”

What medicine?

Li An rushed to the small kitchen and came back moments later, holding a bowl of pitch-black liquid. Lu Shuyao peeked in; the soup was so dark he couldn’t even see his own reflection.

What the hell is this? Black fish juice??

Su Cheyue’s reaction was even stronger. His already furrowed brows nearly knotted together, his eyes full of rejection and disgust. He turned his head sharply away, his hand gripping the armrest.

“Don’t ask questions, Young Master. I’m just following the Sect Leader’s orders,” Li An said, stepping forward with an air of someone ready to force-feed Su Cheyue if he didn’t drink.

Whatever that stuff is, it’s clearly bad!

Lu Shuyao was an expert at reading faces, especially Su Cheyue’s current one. He stepped in front, thinking fast: “Hey, Junior Brother Li An! Interested in a bet?”

Li An’s hand was already at Su Cheyue’s chin. “If the Young Master has something to say, wait until I finish feeding the medicine—”

“Don’t you want to know why you practice so hard every day, yet your Nascent Soul phase remains blocked and you can’t form a stable spiritual core?”

The black juice nearly splashed. Li An turned, his eyes full of confusion and frustration. “You know why?”

How should I know your business? You’re either untalented or practicing wrong! Lu Shuyao thought. But he played it coy: “If you bet with me and you win, I’ll tell you. If you lose, the Second Young Master skips this bowl of… medicine. And don’t tell the Sect Leader about his sight returning yet. How about it?”

Li An was puzzled. “Why not tell the Sect Leader?”

Lu Shuyao replied, “We should wait until he’s stable. If you report it now and he relapses, the Sect Leader will think you lied about military intelligence.”

Li An thought that made sense. As for the medicine…

Lu Shuyao said, “Is there really a difference if he drinks this bowl or not?”

Li An pondered. It didn’t seem to make a big difference. He had thought the medicine helped the five senses return, but the timing didn’t actually line up.

“Exactly,” Lu Shuyao coaxed. “So, do you dare to bet?”

Li An calculated. Lu Shuyao was a top talent from a prestigious family; getting a pointer from him wouldn’t be a loss! “What’s the bet?”

“Who can clear these training posts with the fewest sword strikes,” Lu Shuyao pointed at the courtyard.

Li An didn’t know Lu Shuyao had lost his cultivation. “Your cultivation is higher than mine; isn’t it bullying to compete in sword skills?”

Lu Shuyao put his hands behind his back and smiled. “I’ll try not to use spiritual energy.” Not like I have much left anyway.

Li An was still hesitating. Lu Shuyao sighed, thinking this guy really couldn’t afford to lose. “How about this?”

He flipped his palm and summoned a long sword—Zhanquan, the sect treasure Lu Qingsong had passed to him. Zhanquan, like Su Cheyue’s Dangyan, was a top-tier legendary weapon. Even Su Cheyue was moved seeing it.

It reminded him of his missing Dangyan. He remembered that before falling, Lu Shuyao had asked to borrow it for protection. In that crisis, he hadn’t doubted and handed it over. So now, his sword was likely in the hands of this smiling youth in purple. Why hide it?

Lu Shuyao didn’t notice the sharp, scrutinizing gaze behind him. He continued dealing with Li An: “You use this one. Happy now?”

Li An was overjoyed. He tossed his scrap metal sword aside and took Zhanquan. To someone of his level, even touching a divine sword like Zhanquan was a dream, let alone using it!

Li An eagerly swung at the posts. His spiritual energy was unstable, and he couldn’t handle Zhanquan well. The sword light scattered messily, and his footwork was a shambles, nearly making him fall.

However!! Gold will always shine. Zhanquan released its power regardless. A few thin arcs of sword light swept out, and half the training posts in the yard collapsed. The yard suddenly looked much cleaner.

Li An cupped his fists proudly: “I hope you’ll be lenient, Young Master.”

“Who said I’d be lenient?” Lu Shuyao grinned, lightly kicking the iron sword on the ground up into his hand.

During the month he’d spent recovering at Qifeng Ferry, he had practiced hard. Although his cultivation recovery was slower than a snail, he didn’t back down.

He looked at the remaining rows of iron posts, took a deep breath, and struck!

Under the bright sun, the handsome youth’s ponytail flew high. His eyes narrowed with focus. As the sword flew out, Lu Shuyao even let out a small smile.

…

However.

The very first second his “peacocking” failed, Lu Shuyao instinctively looked at Su Cheyue.

Su Cheyue still had that face as cold as the moon, and his eyes clearly read: Fake. Keep faking.

Lu Shuyao thought bitterly: Why… why do I always crash whenever I’m around Su Cheyue?