Villainous Stand-in (12)
After watching the movie, Song Xuyi used the excuse of not feeling well to go back home. It took quite a while to calm down the strange flutter in her heart, convincing herself that it was just because she was bewitched by beauty.
Life afterward seemed pretty much the same as before. Inspired by the system, aside from class time, Song Xuyi used every bit of free time to work hard on her drawings.
But it also seemed somewhat different from the past:
The number of followers on Song Xuyi’s manga account kept growing, and in Song Xuyi’s daily life, there was now also a Li Yuqing.
When she realized that she was always unconsciously attracted to Li Yuqing’s beauty, Song Xuyi initially planned to distance herself from Li Yuqing. However, Li Yuqing was just too considerate and sensible, so Song Xuyi had no idea where to start: When Song Xuyi was focused on drawing her manga, Li Yuqing would never disturb her. But whenever it was time for school, Li Yuqing would wait at Song Xuyi’s door. And at lunch or dinner time, Li Yuqing would regularly knock on the door, using the excuse of Father Song and Mother Song’s request to pull Song Xuyi to eat together and then take a walk.
Song Xuyi originally thought that once she got used to Li Yuqing’s beauty, she would become immune to it. However, for some reason, recently Li Yuqing has been in an extremely good mood. This good mood showed on her face, making her look radiant, like a demon who had absorbed souls, making it even harder for Song Xuyi to look away.
“If you can’t control yourself, just listen to the Heart Sutra!” The system seemed very experienced, looking at Song Xuyi blushing and her heart racing every time she got mesmerized by Li Yuqing. It spoke in a worldly tone, “It’s not your fault, it’s just that the enemy is too cunning.”
Even the system itself had been enchanted by Xiaoxing that Li Yuqing was taking care of. Every mealtime, it wanted to see that little kitten, let alone Song Xuyi.
Song Xuyi sighed, deeply agreeing. Following the system’s advice, she downloaded the Heart Sutra. In the monks’ calm and serene chanting, Song Xuyi felt her whole being elevated, finally feeling a bit calmer when facing Li Yuqing.
At school, Li Yuqing still had a lot of admirers, but there were no more overly aggressive pursuers like Zhang Cai.
Zhang Cai disappeared from the campus.
No one talked about Zhang Cai stalking Li Yuqing or even trying to harm Li Yuqing while drunk. The version circulating on campus was that Zhang Cai’s father had another young son, and Zhang Cai was recently caught using drugs. Zhang Cai’s father didn’t want to tolerate this troublesome eldest son anymore and forcibly sent him to a rehab center…
Although the whole thing about Zhang Cai seemed a bit strange, Song Xuyi still felt somewhat happy hearing that bad people get their comeuppance.
During this time, probably because of chanting the Heart Sutra, Song Xuyi hadn’t dreamed of Li Yuqing at night anymore.
Time slowly passed in this atmosphere, and in the blink of an eye, it was almost winter break for Song Xuyi. Father Song and Mother Song called, saying they wanted Song Xuyi to come home for the New Year. Song Xuyi thought that she had been getting too close to Li Yuqing recently, and even the Heart Sutra was losing its effect. So she thought she would take the opportunity to go home and calm down, not being constantly teased by Li Yuqing and feeling flustered all day long.
After finishing the last final exam, Song Xuyi hesitated all the way, originally planning to tell Li Yuqing about going home for the New Year. But unexpectedly, she saw Old Master Song downstairs.
At first, when Li Yuqing moved out, Song Xuyi thought Old Master Song would come after her. However, there was no movement from Old Master Song’s side for several months. Song Xuyi even thought that Li Yuqing moving out might have been with Old Master Song’s consent. But now it seems that wasn’t the case…
Why did Old Master Song show up this time?
“Yuqing, you’ve suffered a lot during this time!”
Old Master Song frowned, acting like he didn’t see Song Xuyi standing nearby. He put on the same pitiful act that Song Xuyi had seen in her dreams and coughed: “I didn’t expect you to hide in this small house. It took me a long time to find you…”
“The previous incident was because Song Shi went too far. I’ve already kicked that little caregiver out of the Song family. Song Shi’s condition has been deteriorating again recently, so I can only thicken my face and ask you to come back—”
Is he trying to ask Li Yuqing to go back and soothe Song Shi again?
Thinking of Song Shi’s manic behavior during his episodes, Song Xuyi pressed her lips tightly together.
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But Li Yuqing didn’t respond. She lowered her head, and no one knew what she was thinking.
A trace of impatience flashed in Old Master Song’s eyes, but he still forced a kind smile on his face: “Yuqing, I know you’ve been wronged. Don’t worry, I know you have a mental illness, but Grandpa won’t look down on you. Besides, Grandpa asked the doctor, and your illness is due to psychological pressure and is unlikely to be hereditary. Rest assured, the future Mrs. Song will only be you—”
Mental illness?
Song Xuyi didn’t expect to hear such information and looked at Li Yuqing beside her in shock. From Song Xuyi’s angle, she could only see Li Yuqing’s flawless and delicate profile. Li Yuqing’s eyelashes fluttered, but she still didn’t speak, seemingly agreeing with Old Master Song’s words…
Song Xuyi didn’t expect the always compliant Li Yuqing to defy his orders. Old Master Song’s expression clearly turned cold. He glanced around, as if remembering something, and directed his anger towards Song Xuyi—
“Did Song Xuyi say something to you?” Old Master Song’s gaze at Song Xuyi was as sharp and cold as an eagle’s, almost piercing through ice: “Their family is all disobedient, you must not learn their bad ways…”
Old Master Song’s gaze was terrifying. If the original owner were here, seeing Old Master Song would surely have scared her. However, the one standing here now was Song Xuyi.
Song Xuyi frowned and hadn’t had time to retort when Li Yuqing, beside her, had already lifted her head—
“Grandpa Song, I’m not going back with you.”
Li Yuqing’s lips curved slightly. Her face still held that usual polite and gentle smile, but something had changed invisibly: “Thank you for nurturing me all these years, but I feel quite good living here alone these days.”
“Is that so?” Old Master Song squinted his eyes, his usual action when furious. But since they were outside and Li Yuqing was quite eye-catching, curious onlookers had already started to glance over. Old Master Song had to forcibly suppress his anger, squeezing out a smile devoid of warmth and assuming an elder’s caring demeanor: “You youngsters, you’ve all grown up and your wings have hardened!”
“If you want to live outside for a while longer, I’ll allow it. But although the world outside is vast, it’s also very dangerous. If a pretty young girl like you encounters any trouble, you must remember to come home…”
Rather than concern, Song Xuyi felt it was more like a threat.
“I understand. Thank you for your concern, Grandpa Song.” Li Yuqing, however, seemed not to catch the underlying meaning in Old Master Song’s words and responded with extreme obedience, but she did not bow her head as usual.
Old Master Song cast a heavy gaze at the two of them, then turned and got into his car, driving away without lingering.
With a heavy heart, Song Xuyi followed Li Yuqing upstairs, unable to help but glance at Li Yuqing several times—
Li Yuqing is the villain. The plot summary did not provide much description about Li Yuqing, and it was the first time Song Xuyi heard about Li Yuqing having a mental illness.
However, thinking of the repressed life Li Yuqing had endured for many years, thinking of Li Yuqing in the dream, frantically rubbing her own arms… Song Xuyi felt that Li Yuqing’s illness was not incomprehensible: Growing up in the oppressive Song family, always enduring Old Master Song’s overbearing orders, it was indeed possible for Li Yuqing to be driven to illness.
And the look of distress in Song Xuyi’s eyes was noticed by Li Yuqing, who had turned her head.
Li Yuqing was taken aback, a trace of a smile appearing in her cold eyes, but that smile quickly vanished as Li Yuqing averted her gaze. When she spoke, her voice carried a touch of well-timed choke—
“Xuyi, did you know? Song Shi’s condition has worsened, but I can only alleviate it; I have no power to cure Song Shi’s illness.”
“On the surface, Grandpa Song seems to value Song Shi, putting the company in Song Shi’s hands, but behind the scenes, he still controls the overall situation himself. He is opportunistic and unscrupulous, and many of his ideas conflict with Song Shi’s. However, Song Shi has no power to defy him…”
“Grandpa Song will never realize that he himself is the culprit behind Song Shi’s madness… Of course, even if he did realize it, he wouldn’t correct his ways. In this world, he only ever cares about profit.”
“When I moved out, I deliberately left that mental illness diagnosis report in the room. Grandpa Song should have seen it a long time ago, but he only came to find me now. It’s probably because Song Shi’s condition has become uncontrollable, so he thought of me. Otherwise, I would have been discarded by the Song family.”
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“Since Grandpa Song has come, he will probably use many tactics. But why should I be at his beck and call all my life, a puppet of the Song family?”
……
“Xuyi, I actually know you don’t like me clinging to you, but the time I’ve spent with you has been the happiest days of my life, and I haven’t had another episode.” Li Yuqing gazed at Song Xuyi, with a hint of tears in her beautiful eyes: “I want to be with you, to live happily for a lifetime, to live like a human being.”
“Xuyi, please don’t hate me, okay?”
……
Song Xuyi was stunned in place and looked up at Li Yuqing.
She didn’t know why Li Yuqing suddenly said these words, and she knew that Li Yuqing’s words were half-true, half-false. Li Yuqing is the big villain; she is a hidden viper, not as pitiful as she made herself out to be…
However, if Li Yuqing was trying to elicit her sympathy by playing the victim, then her goal was achieved.
Song Xuyi couldn’t help but feel sorry for Li Yuqing—Li Yuqing’s words indirectly admitted that she had a mental illness.
Li Yuqing should have grown up carefree, pampered by the Li family, with her biggest worry being her studies, not like now, being forced into a mental illness…
Song Xuyi couldn’t bear to watch Li Yuqing cry: The sight of Li Yuqing crying carried a kind of broken beauty, making one involuntarily feel pity for her.
Amid the system’s screams of “Xuyi, don’t be bewitched by her,” Song Xuyi bit her lower lip and held Li Yuqing’s hand: “I promise you, I will try my best to protect you and help you get better. I will never abandon you—”
Song Xuyi didn’t expect Old Master Song’s tactics to come so quickly.
First, someone sprayed red paint on the gate of Li Yuqing’s house, and shortly after, Li Yuqing was robbed while walking on the street…
Due to these unexpected events, Song Xuyi didn’t dare to return to her own parents’ home and stayed across from Li Yuqing to guard her. However, as the New Year approached day by day, Song Xuyi thought it would be lonely for Li Yuqing to spend the holiday alone in her house, so she decided to take Li Yuqing back to her parents’ home…
Soon, the Spring Festival arrived.
Li Yuqing behaved very virtuously, preparing a sumptuous New Year’s Eve dinner with Mother Song in the kitchen. Father Song was on the phone, extending New Year greetings to friends and colleagues. Meanwhile, Song Xuyi sat on the sofa holding a tablet, updating the promised special New Year chapter for her readers.
“Happy New Year, great author!”
“Hugging the diligent great author and giving a kiss…”
……
The readers’ comments in the comment section moved Song Xuyi. Just then, the meal was served. Li Yuqing’s culinary skills were as good as always. Song Xuyi was in a pleasant mood and couldn’t help but eat a bit more.
Especially a certain sour and sweet soup, which was Song Xuyi’s favorite. She couldn’t help but drink several more bowls.
However, while eating, Song Xuyi began to feel something was off. Her vision started to blur, and her eyelids began to droop–
“Oh no!” Mother Song suddenly exclaimed, “That soup had quite a bit of green plum wine as the base. I forgot that Xuyi can’t drink alcohol!”
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“Now she’ll probably sleep for a day or two again…”
Song Xuyi could no longer hear Mother Song’s words.
She had fallen into a deep sleep. When she opened her eyes again, she once again saw Li Yuqing—
But in the dream, contrary to reality, the Li Yuqing had flushed cheeks, teary eyes, clearly looking drunk.
And even more unfortunately, when Song Xuyi appeared, Li Yuqing was in the middle of changing clothes…
The author has something to say:
I didn’t expect that I would add an extra update either~
Honored Jinjiang VIPs, you aren’t sad now, right~~~ (#^.^#)
LP: Re-translated on July 23, 2024
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, cliffhanger o(ã… ã€°ã… )o
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, cliffhanger o(ㅠ〰ㅠ)o