Blame the Villain – Chapter 247

Real World (1)

When Song Xu Yi woke up, she found herself lying inside a massive nutrient tank.

Surrounding her was a warm, water-like nutrient solution. In the instant she regained consciousness, her mind felt heavy and groggy. It took her a while to gradually regain her senses, and she slowly opened her eyes.

A mechanical voice sounded from above:

“Welcome home, madam.”

Despite clearly being an electronic sound from a machine, Song Xu Yi inexplicably felt a pang of melancholy in her chest.

“What’s happening?” Song Xu Yi blinked her eyes. Something seemed to have crossed her mind, but for a moment, she couldn’t quite grasp it. She slowly sat up as the lid of the chamber automatically opened. The woman who had been waiting outside, the housekeeper Zhong Jie, extended a friendly hand to help her up. “Madam, you’re finally awake.”

Song Xu Yi was momentarily dazed, then after a while, she realized that the person before her was Zhong Jie, the housekeeper who had been taking care of her for years. She glanced at the electronic screen in the laboratory and realized that only twelve days had passed. However, inexplicably, upon seeing Zhong Jie, she felt a sense of unfamiliarity, as if… it had been a long time since she had last seen Zhong Jie.

The surroundings were very clean, and the floor seemed to reflect shadows. The decoration remained the simple and clear style that she had always liked, completely different from the mess it was in when Song Xu Yi came in originally.

Looking at the scene around her, Song Xu Yi realized belatedly and composed herself, then she stood up with Zhong Jie’s help. “How is Rong Yu doing now?”

“Miss is doing well now, she’s in the process of recovery. Thanks to your help, her recovery has been accelerated.” Zhong Jie smiled upon hearing Song Xu Yi’s question and glanced at her. “Madam, would you like to go and see Miss?”

“Did I really help her?” Song Xu Yi looked at Zhong Jie in disbelief. Zhong Jie nodded with a smile, and a smile appeared at the corner of Song Xu Yi’s lips as well.

At this moment, she felt a bit strange in her heart. She thought she should be feeling excited. After all, even though they were in a contractual marriage, she had secretly admired Rong Yu for years. However, somehow, even though she was happy now, Song Xu Yi didn’t feel as excited as she had imagined.

Perhaps it was because she had originally intended to talk to Rong Yu about getting a divorce?

Song Xu Yi took the clothes Zhong Jie handed her and entered the bathroom to take a shower. The warm water flowed down from her head, and in her mind, the image of the last time she saw Rong Yu emerged once again. Rong Yu had closed her eyes, her face that could captivate anyone had lost its color, and she lay in the nutrient chamber motionless. In that moment, Song Xu Yi’s heart seemed to plummet into an abyss. It was then that she realized she cared for Rong Yu more than she had thought.

Being able to help her wake up now was a way of repaying the favor she owed her, but Song Xu Yi didn’t dare to look at Rong Yu. She was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to control her emotions again, unwilling to let go of their marriage.

It had been three years since they got married, and it was time to seek freedom.

Song Xu Yi couldn’t help but recall the scene of her first meeting with Rong Yu.

Song Xu Yi’s life had always been somewhat tumultuous.

She had lost her parents at a young age and was raised by her grandmother. During her childhood, she was frail and often fell ill. She even went missing for more than ten days when she disappeared during a cliffside memorial for her parents who had passed away.

At that time, everyone thought she was dead. Later, the emaciated Song Xu Yi was found at her grandmother’s doorstep. Upon waking up, she couldn’t remember what had happened during those ten-plus days, but she developed a fear of darkness. With her grandmother’s companionship, she gradually overcame her struggles and no longer feared the dark. She aspired to get into a good university, but her plans were disrupted when her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s on top of her preexisting heart condition.

Due to her grandmother’s Alzheimer’s disease and heart condition, Song Xu Yi was busy earning money for medical expenses. Her academic performance gradually declined, and her high school grades weren’t exceptional enough for admission to a top medical university. However, among art exam candidates, she could be considered a top student.

Following the recommendation of her talent agency, Song Xu Yi switched to studying performing arts.

She had always been diligent. Even though she was only a minor celebrity and her looks weren’t outstanding, she faced countless disapproving glances due to her refusal to take shortcuts. She had a persistent and determined aura, showing no fear of hard work while acting. She didn’t shy away from roles to make money. Her acting skills were honed through numerous experiences. Despite limited natural talent, Song Xu Yi’s acting skills were average, but her hardworking attitude earned her the favor of several directors. With increased appearances on television, she gradually gained a small following.

The earnings in the entertainment industry’s lower rungs weren’t substantial. The expenses for her grandmother’s illness were high, and Song Xu Yi had little time to spend with her. Moreover, as an elderly person, no matter how much money there was, it couldn’t extend her lifespan. When Song Xu Yi turned twenty-three, a doctor cryptically informed her that her grandmother’s life expectancy could at most hold on for another year.

Song Xu Yi requested a leave of absence from her talent agency and resigned from all her commitments in that year to focus on taking care of her grandmother.

However, one day, Song Xu Yi received a call from her talent agent. The agent had accompanied Song Xu Yi throughout her journey and could be considered half of her family. Knowing that Song Xu Yi’s circumstances were unique, the agent wouldn’t contact her without a significant reason. But this time, an unexpected situation arose. The agent informed Song Xu Yi that Rong Yu wanted to see her.

At first, Song Xu Yi thought she had misheard the name. After all, there was no connection between someone like Rong Yu and herself. Rong Yu was one of the rising stars in the business world three years ago. Her background was a mystery, her identity was shrouded in secrecy, yet the holographic smartphones developed by her company dominated the global market, revolutionizing technology. She had even become one of the top ten wealthiest people on the wealth rankings.

Now, from elderly individuals in their eighties to young children, everyone adored all the groundbreaking products developed by Rong Yu’s company. Some tech bloggers even prophesied that if Rong Yu’s company claimed they would develop a spaceship to send people into space the next day, they would believe it.

However, Rong Yu herself remained extremely enigmatic. She had never shown her face in public. All her commands and communications were delivered through pre-recorded and processed voice messages by her secretary. People knew she was a woman, but details about her appearance, age, and other information were completely unknown. There were even speculations that Rong Yu might not be an individual but a team. Yet, Rong Yu had never addressed or debunked any rumors.

For someone this mysterious to express a desire to meet Song Xu Yi, it was hard for Song Xu Yi to believe.

The voice of the talent agent on the phone carried a hint of disbelief, but she continued to persuade Song Xu Yi, “It’s true, Xu Yi. You know we have holographic phones now. Scammers can’t fool people anymore. The person who called me is really Rong Yu’s secretary!”

“You think, could it be… Rong Yu is your fan? That’s why she wants to meet you?”

There was a momentary silence from Song Xu Yi. Given Rong Yu’s wealth and status, even the most popular celebrities would be willing to meet her. Song Xu Yi couldn’t fathom the reason Rong Yu would want to meet her. However, she didn’t dwell on it for long before replying to the talent agent. She explained that her grandmother had caught a cold and was bedridden these days, and she was occupied with taking care of her. She couldn’t find the time to meet Rong Yu. If Rong Yu truly wanted to meet her, Song Xu Yi could only trouble her to visit her home.

The talent agent was somewhat surprised by Song Xu Yi’s response. But she understood the importance of Song Xu Yi’s grandmother to her. Even though she thought Song Xu Yi might miss some opportunities by taking this approach, she knew that over the years, Song Xu Yi had missed many opportunities due to her steadfast principles. This was a familiar pattern to the talent agent, so she didn’t insist on anything and replied to Rong Yu’s side as Song Xu Yi instructed.

On Rong Yu’s end, she took down Song Xu Yi’s address and didn’t reply further.

The talent agent sighed deeply, feeling that things might have turned sour on the other end. However, she also understood that Song Xu Yi wasn’t to blame. After inquiring about Song Xu Yi’s grandmother’s condition and offering a few comforting words, she hung up the phone.

Afterward, Song Xu Yi focused entirely on taking care of her grandmother, putting this matter completely out of her mind. Until one day, while she was fetching water outside, she saw a woman in her own grandmother’s small courtyard who was so stunning that she almost didn’t seem real.

Song Xu Yi was part of the entertainment industry, and anyone who entered the entertainment industry was not unattractive. She had seen her fair share of top-tier celebrities and even encountered some “beauty tyrants.” Song Xu Yi had thought that over the years, she had developed some immunity to physical beauty. Now, she realized she had overestimated herself. In the face of absolute beauty, all her self-control crumbled…

It was at this moment that Song Xu Yi finally understood that there truly existed a kind of ultimate beauty in the world, the kind that could sweep someone off their feet with just a glance.

Why would such an incredibly beautiful woman come to her home?

In the past few days, the temperature had dropped a bit. The woman was wearing a black windbreaker, her gaze stern. Yet, a small red mole at the corner of her eye added a touch of captivating charm to her whole demeanor.

When her eyes met Song Xu Yi’s, the woman squinted and softly inquired, “Song Xu Yi?”

Only then did Song Xu Yi confirm that the woman was addressing her.

For some reason, she suddenly regretted not putting on makeup at this moment. Her completely bare face was being directly observed by the woman. She could only lean against the door frame and avert her gaze slightly, saying, “Yes.”

“May I ask why you’re here?”

“I am Rong Yu,” facing Song Xu Yi’s widened eyes, the woman introduced herself. Seemingly in a hurry, after a brief introduction, she dropped a piece of shocking news on Song Xu Yi: Rong Yu claimed to have taken notice of Song Xu Yi’s acting skills. As her family was pressuring her to get married and she didn’t have a suitable partner in mind, she wanted Song Xu Yi to enter into a fake marriage with her to appease her family. Rong Yu also offered a generous compensation for this arrangement.

Song Xu Yi didn’t understand why Rong Yu was making such a request. While same-sex marriage was accepted in this era, Rong Yu’s proposition instinctively made Song Xu Yi wary. After careful consideration, she politely declined Rong Yu’s offer. She didn’t dare to accept this unexpected opportunity and, in truth, didn’t enjoy acting. Her everyday work was already like acting, and she didn’t want to wear a false face in her personal life. Moreover, she needed to take care of her grandmother and didn’t have the time or energy to engage in a pretense with Rong Yu.

Rong Yu didn’t get upset by Song Xu Yi’s refusal. She gracefully bid her farewell and inquired about the elderly woman in the courtyard, introducing herself as Song Xu Yi’s friend. She left her phone number with Song Xu Yi, mentioning that she could be contacted if needed. Then, she hurriedly left in her car.

Song Xu Yi originally thought she would never need that phone number in her lifetime. However, unexpected events followed. Possibly due to her advanced age, her grandmother regained consciousness over a month later. But the old lady couldn’t let go of Song Xu Yi, her only remaining family in the world. Afraid that Song Xu Yi would feel lonely after her passing, the elderly woman tried to stay optimistic in front of her, eating heartily. However, Song Xu Yi saw her wiping away tears several times.

Song Xu Yi felt deeply troubled, unsure of how to ease her grandmother’s concerns. At this moment, an idea crossed her mind almost as if guided by fate. She thought of Rong Yu—maybe she could agree to Rong Yu’s proposal of a fake marriage:

Although Song Xu Yi couldn’t understand why Rong Yu would be interested in her, she knew she lacked money and power. Despite possessing some degree of attractiveness, her beauty paled in comparison to Rong Yu’s unparalleled allure. However, if what Rong Yu said was true, agreeing to a fake marriage could serve both of their needs perfectly. Rong Yu would have a wife to appease her family, and Song Xu Yi could put her grandmother’s worries to rest by getting married.

Yet what troubled Song Xu Yi was that over a month had passed since Rong Yu’s last visit. She had no idea whether Rong Yu had found someone else in the meantime. After all, the last time Song Xu Yi had rejected Rong Yu, she had recommended many beautiful and talented single actresses who were interested in same-sex relationships, in order to avoid offending the influential figure.

Song Xu Yi hesitated to contact Rong Yu, unsure of what to do. She found herself lost in thought as she absentmindedly stared at her phone. She even spilled soup on her grandmother while taking care of her. In the end, Song Xu Yi realized that she couldn’t continue like this. It was time to make a decision. So, she mustered her courage and dialed Rong Yu’s number—

The author has something to say:

In reality, Little Song and the little villain are indeed legally married, hehe.

Mutual hidden crushes.