Blame the Villain – Chapter 33
by Little PandaThe Villainous Scientist (13)
Starting From Scratch: Little Marshal x Mad, Dark, Sickly Scientist
Song Xuyi had noticed lately that Jiang Qianyu had become very strange.
In the past, Jiang Qianyu never studied in the dormitory. Lately, however, whenever Song Xuyi returned to their room, she would find Jiang Qianyu intently staring at her light-brain.
Then, Song Xuyi realized that Jiang Qianyu had also begun stealing glances at her from time to time. Sometimes, those eyes would inexplicably fill with sorrow; other times, when their eyes met, Jiang Qianyu would actually… blush?
It was truly bizarre.
What was wrong with her?
What troubled Song Xuyi even more was that even suppressants seemed unable to control Jiang Qianyu’s pheromones anymore. Several times in the middle of the night, Song Xuyi had woken up with a start to find the entire room thick with a heavy, inescapable scent of honey peach. She had no choice but to scramble into the bathroom and inject herself with a suppressant…
Song Xuyi suspected that something had gone wrong with Jiang Qianyu’s research. After much consideration, she decided to have a talk with her. If Jiang Qianyu were facing some sort of trouble, perhaps Song Xuyi could help ease her mind.
“Has something been… off with your body lately?” Meeting Jiang Qianyu’s puzzled gaze, Song Xuyi hesitated for a moment before gently voicing her suspicion. “Your gland… it seems to get a bit out of control in the middle of the night recently…”
Jiang Qianyu was taken aback, and then her face slowly flushed. Her gaze drifted as she lowered her head, not daring to meet Song Xuyi’s eyes.
Perhaps because her life was no longer one of constant upheaval, Jiang Qianyu’s face had gained a bit more healthy color. She was already as beautiful and delicate as a porcelain doll, but lately, her air had grown increasingly mature. In particular, the red mole at the corner of her eye added an indescribable allure to her once-youthful demeanor whenever she looked around, making one’s heart skip a beat.
Only now, looking at Jiang Qianyu closely, did Song Xuyi belatedly register these changes, and her throat tightened involuntarily.
Song Xuyi turned her face away, her own cheeks quietly flushing red.
“Why does she seem to be getting prettier and prettier?” Song Xuyi murmured softly to the System.
The System hesitated for a brief moment before replying, “Perhaps she is just growing into her features?”
In truth, it knew far more than Song Xuyi did. For instance, it could clearly see that the books Jiang Qianyu was reading on her light-brain were titles like 《How to Pursue and Please an Omega》 and 《How to Attract Your Beloved》. Combined with Jiang Qianyu’s sudden shift in attitude toward Song Xuyi lately, it was incredibly easy for the System to draw a certain conclusion.
But since Song Xuyi did not ask, the System would not volunteer the information. Instead, it merely reminded her once more, “Xuyi, the first rule of the Task-Doer guidelines is ‘no dating’.”
Song Xuyi did not hear the System clearly, because Jiang Qianyu had already lifted her head once more.
“Xuyi, I’m fine.” Jiang Qianyu’s eyes held an emotion that Song Xuyi could not fathom. Biting her lower lip, she stared unblinkingly at Song Xuyi. “If… I mean, if someone caused you irreparable harm, and that person now realizes their mistake and wants to make amends, would you… ever consider… forgiving them?”
Ever since Jiang Qianyu realized her feelings for Song Xuyi, she had been gearing up to pursue her. Knowing she had deficiencies when it came to interpersonal relationships, she had started consulting relevant books. Yet, after finishing the first book, her burning heart felt as though it had been doused in a bucket of freezing water, chilling her to the bone: in all the wide world, she was the single person least likely to ever win Song Xuyi over.
The foundation of a comfortable romantic relationship required honesty and openness, yet she was riddled with secrets. She had even… once caused Song Xuyi to plummet from heaven to the abyss. Out of sheer ignorance, she had even studied Song Xuyi’s gland in a semi-coercive manner…
What right did someone like her have to pursue Song Xuyi?
Yet even though she knew she was unworthy, Jiang Qianyu still did not want to give up:
She truly liked Song Xuyi so much—so much that the mere thought of leaving her made the world lose all its color…
And so, seeing that Song Xuyi still cared about her, Jiang Qianyu could not help but voice the confusion in her heart.
Hearing Jiang Qianyu’s words, Song Xuyi knit her brows.
She had always regarded Jiang Qianyu as a villain bent on revenge, so upon hearing this, the first thing that came to her mind was the hatred between Jiang Qianyu and the Emperor. Could something have changed in the relationship between Jiang Qianyu and the Emperor?
But she had no standing to choose forgiveness on Jiang Qianyu’s behalf.
Moreover, the Emperor in Song Xuyi’s memory was suspicious, cunning, and insidious. She worried that Jiang Qianyu might fall into his trap. After all, although Jiang Qianyu possessed her own methods, she was still a bit outmatched compared to the deeply scheming Emperor who had held high power for so many years.
Song Xuyi thought it over and decided to subtly advise Jiang Qianyu: “Whether you forgive them depends on the specific circumstances. But if someone truly wants to make amends, they must at least be sincere, seeking forgiveness without any coercion, threats, or manipulation. You can’t just listen to what they say; you have to look at what they do.”
“Many people talk a good game, but most of them turn right back around and make the exact same mistake…”
Jiang Qianyu’s face paled slightly. “What if that person sincerely promises never to hurt her again?”
“Then that still depends on the situation,” Song Xuyi said. She felt it was highly unlikely, but if the Emperor truly changed his suspicious and paranoid nature, it would be a blessing for the common people. Therefore, she did not completely rule it out. “How much someone puts in—time is the best answer. It’ll eventually show…”
Jiang Qianyu lowered her head, lost in thought. Song Xuyi sighed and gently patted her dark hair. “There’s no need for you to worry so much. As your friend, if you ever run into trouble, I’ll always help you.”
But Jiang Qianyu only pursed her lips tighter.
Xuyi had absolutely no idea that what she wanted was not a friend…
She wanted to embrace Song Xuyi, to kiss her, and to do everything to her that she had done in her dreams.
Yet, for Xuyi to even regard her as a friend now was already a blessing.
“I understand.”
Jiang Qianyu suppressed all her longing and looked up. Recalling the methods for pleasing a beloved she had read in those books, she offered Song Xuyi a gentle, obedient smile: “Let time prove everything.”
For the rest of her life, she would do everything in her power to make amends, slowly turning into the kind of person Xuyi liked…
One day, Xuyi would understand her heart.
Looking at Jiang Qianyu’s smile, Song Xuyi assumed she had finally let go of the heavy burden in her heart. Feeling a touch of relief, she smiled back.
She did not see how the gaze in Jiang Qianyu’s curved eyes grew increasingly dark as she stared at her.
In the days that followed, Song Xuyi was pleased to find that Jiang Qianyu seemed to grow more and more cheerful.
If the old Jiang Qianyu had been like an unblossomed bud sealing herself away in a tiny space, she was now like a blooming rose, utterly charming and captivating.
Song Xuyi noticed that Jiang Qianyu was smiling more and more. She had started learning to greet the instructors they passed, was no longer so hostile toward Alphas, and had even seemingly become friends with the Alpha Chen Xi…
Aside from Jiang Qianyu’s still-uncontrolled pheromones and her seemingly growing fondness for clinging to her, everything appeared to be heading in an excellent direction.
While Song Xuyi worked hard to practice piloting her mech, the Imperial Star was likewise beset by constant turmoil:
Half a year after the “death” of the former Marshal Song Xuyi, the Emperor appointed the female lead, Zhao Man, as the new Marshal.
Everyone was taken aback by the Emperor’s decision. He had never liked his daughter Zhao Man and had always ignored her. That Zhao Man had been able to secure a high-ranking position in the military was entirely due to her own merit and the achievements she had carved out for herself.
Was the Emperor’s promotion of Zhao Man an indication that he intended to pass the throne to her?
For a time, undercurrents surged on the Imperial Star as various major factions began to quietly realign themselves…
Song Xuyi was also stunned for a moment when she heard the news.
There had been no such development in the original plot outline. In the original storyline, the position of Marshal had remained in the original host’s hands right up until Jiang Qianyu led her forces to breach the Imperial Star.
Upon taking power, Zhao Man completely abandoned her previous low-profile demeanor and issued a series of directives. For instance, she demanded that the combat forces of all major planets report their troop strengths to the Imperial Star. She also drafted a plan to gather the finest forces from across the interstellar space to launch an offensive against the Zerg in one year’s time. Simultaneously, she introduced new training methods for each military unit and developed several simulated battlefield training grounds…
There was much to recommend in these directives, showing that Zhao Man had indeed not been slacking off over the years but was genuinely getting things done.
With the issuance of these orders, Zhao Man’s reputation among the populace grew higher and higher.
Yet in Song Xuyi’s eyes, this was not necessarily a good thing. The Emperor was naturally paranoid; the better Zhao Man performed, the greater a threat she posed to him.
Toward the end of the year, Zhao Man suddenly fell ill for a period of time. Upon her recovery, she abruptly submitted a new plan to the Emperor, throwing him into a towering rage.
—Zhao Man proposed that the military should recruit talent without restriction. Regardless of whether they were Omegas or Betas, as long as they possessed sufficient skill, they should be allowed to enter the military and earn promotions.
This proposal sent the Emperor into a massive fury, ordering Zhao Man to remain confined at home to reflect on her actions for several months. It likewise provoked dissatisfaction with Zhao Man among the upper-class Alphas.
This was also entirely outside Song Xuyi’s expectations. Although the original story outline mentioned that Zhao Man would sympathize with the plight of Omegas due to Zhou Sui, she would never have expressed such direct support for the Omega population.
After all, the ruling Alphas were in the minority. Somehow, the reason behind Zhao Man’s confinement leaked out. Since it was so rare for an influential noble to speak up for Betas and Omegas, many Beta planets and Omega organizations quietly pledged their allegiance to Zhao Man’s banner.
Huang Fu had specifically sought out Song Xuyi once because of this news, asking for her thoughts on Zhao Man. The original host had not had much contact with Zhao Man, only knowing her to be stubborn and possessing a ruthless determination to never stop until her goals were met. Nonetheless, Song Xuyi advised that Blue Star should not get involved, and that it would be best to take a wait-and-see approach.
After all, these were troubled times. Externally, the Zerg were watching like tigers stalking their prey; internally, the political situation was in constant flux. The Emperor was paranoid and treacherous, and there was no telling what schemes he might conjure up before the dust settled. It was safer to remain cautious.
Hearing Song Xuyi speak with considerations that seemed to fully treat herself as a native of Blue Star, Huang Fu was extremely gratified. He dragged her out to drink heavily once more. After getting drunk, Huang Fu revealed that the military department had already coordinated with other planets and finished the battlefield deployments; in a few months, Song Xuyi would need to participate in combat training exercises. Song Xuyi did not pay much mind to this piece of information, but beside her, Jiang Qianyu lowered her eyes, deep in thought.
Soon, Song Xuyi entered her second year, and the news that this batch of students was about to go out for combat training exercises swept through several combat academies.
Blue Star bordered the frontier, and the planet designated for the combat training exercises was not far off. It was called the Insect Egg Planet. Long ago, the Insect Egg Planet had been a gathering ground for the Zerg, but for some unknown reason, it had been abandoned. This time, the military had specially gone to the front lines, captured a batch of Zerg, and released them onto the Insect Egg Planet to force these soon-to-be soldiers to familiarize themselves with fighting the enemy.
After all, the interstellar political landscape was unstable, and weak planets could easily become political sacrifices. It was time for Blue Star to demonstrate its strength.
Having trained for a full year, the students were incredibly excited at the thought of finally facing actual Zerg. The grin on Chen Xi’s face stretched practically from ear to ear as she thumped her chest and guaranteed to Jiang Qianyu, “Boss, don’t worry! When the time comes, I’ll have my live-stream equipment mounted right on my head. I’ll fight as close to Song-jie as possible and make sure to live-stream all of her valiant moments to you…”
She did not notice that Jiang Qianyu had been rushing about lately, forced by various military doctors to cram down survival knowledge for the battlefield.
After all, on Blue Star, an outstanding medical researcher was far more precious than any soldier. Even though everyone knew Jiang Qianyu was an Alpha capable of defeating Chen Xi, the battlefield was unpredictable, and no one could foresee what might happen. If anything were to happen to Jiang Qianyu, Blue Star would lose a hard-won opportunity for medical advancement.
Yet neither the dean nor the principal could sway Jiang Qianyu, leaving them no choice but to anxiously see her off onto the spaceship.
Unlike the medical school instructors, who looked as solemn as if they were attending a funeral, the students headed for the battlefield were all filled with joy. Chen Xi dutifully squeezed her way forward through several compartments to reach the one where the Mech Academy students were gathered, preparing to report Song Xuyi’s situation to Jiang Qianyu. However, when she saw Jiang Qianyu resting her head on Song Xuyi’s shoulder, seemingly suffering from dizziness, her jaw nearly hit the floor!
“B… Boss?!”
Jiang Qianyu turned her head to spare her a glance, calling out, “Chen Xi.” Discerning the deep displeasure lurking in Jiang Qianyu’s eyes, Chen Xi shrank back. Forcing down her immense shock, she tactfully turned and retreated to her own cabin. Only when she was next to Song Xuyi would the boss ever act this delicate and polite; normally, when Chen Xi tried to get close, the boss would not even spare her the time of day.
Song Xuyi had naturally seen Chen Xi as well. Seeing her leave without looking back after a brief greeting, she asked in some confusion, “What was she doing here?”
“Who knows?” Jiang Qianyu murmured softly. Displeased that Song Xuyi’s attention had been stolen by Chen Xi, she gasped sharply and wrapped her arms around Song Xuyi’s waist. “Xuyi, maybe it’s just been too long since I was last on a spaceship, but my head is spinning. Can I rest against you for a bit?”
For over a year, Song Xuyi had treated Jiang Qianyu like a younger sister. Since Jiang Qianyu so rarely showed such a vulnerable side, Song Xuyi’s heart immediately ached with concern for her; she could not possibly have guessed that Jiang Qianyu harbored other intentions.
Yet, to the onlookers, this scene presented an entirely different picture.
A gorgeous, spirited girl sat with another girl leaning against her shoulder. From time to time, Song Xuyi would bow her head to ask how she was doing, her words intimate and her tone exceedingly gentle…
Over the past year, Song Xuyi had made quite a name for herself at school. Her mech-piloting skills were superb, yet despite her fame, she remained humble and warm toward others, which naturally won her a great deal of admirers. Although everyone knew Song Xuyi and Jiang Qianyu were close, the post-interstellar concept of lifelong fidelity1 only applied to Omegas. There were no such restrictions on Alphas, many of whom had multiple partners. Those who still harbored designs on Song Xuyi had originally planned to approach her to make small talk or even confess their feelings, but upon seeing the girl resting on her shoulder, they could only depart one by one, thoroughly disheartened…
Watching the departing figures of these people and breathing in the scent of sweet orange from Song Xuyi’s body, Jiang Qianyu quietly curled her lips.
Sometimes, she truly wanted to hide Xuyi away so that no one else could lay eyes on her. Xuyi was simply too wonderful, and she attracted far too many admirers. Yet Xuyi was open and upright, and her dream was to charge ahead and strive in the military. Unwilling to do anything that might make Xuyi dislike her, Jiang Qianyu could only suppress her desires, employing other tactics to drive away those who coveted Xuyi…
Soon, the spaceship arrived at the Insect Egg Planet.
The Zerg devoured all living things. Because the Insect Egg Planet had once been occupied by them, the entire planet was now nothing but endless stretches of ravines and hills, with not a single trace of vegetation or life in sight. Aside from the howling wind, not another sound could be heard across the globe.
After disembarking, the group headed straight to the military training outpost.
A row of capsule dormitories had already been erected at the outpost. Normally, students from the same academy would lodge together, but seeing that Jiang Qianyu still seemed deeply uncomfortable, Song Xuyi took the initiative to ask the instructors to assign the two of them to the same dormitory.
Every combatant wished to foster good relations with those from the medical school, so the instructors naturally would not reject Song Xuyi’s request.
According to ancient human tradition, arriving at a base called for a bonfire party to celebrate, a custom that was preserved even in the interstellar era. As night fell, people used fuel to build raging fires that reached toward the sky, carrying various ingredients out of the capsule dormitories.
Song Xuyi had originally planned to stay in the room to keep Jiang Qianyu company, but seeing that Jiang Qianyu’s complexion had improved slightly, she brought her along to join the bonfire party.
By the time they stepped outside, almost everyone else had already gathered.
Jiang Qianyu from the medical school—who was rumored to be arrogant, overbearing, and prone to skipping classes at will on account of her exceptional talent—proved to be incredibly humble when facing Song Xuyi’s instructors. She was polite and proper in her interactions, seemingly a completely different person from the proud, haughty figure of the rumors.
Jiang Qianyu acted as though she did not hear the quiet murmurs around her, quietly eating her food by Song Xuyi’s side.
—The books said that almost everyone preferred to associate with those who were progressive and positive, whereas negative energy would eventually wear out their welcome.
In the past, Jiang Qianyu had not even cared about herself, so she naturally had not cared about others’ opinions of her.
But she cared about Song Xuyi’s perception of her: birds of a feather flocked together, and the kind of girl Xuyi liked would surely be bright, upright, and proactive.
And so, Jiang Qianyu disguised herself as such.
As it turned out, Jiang Qianyu’s disguise was exceptionally effective. Xuyi seemed to have gradually forgotten the version of her that had offended her in the past, beginning to step-by-step accept her closeness and tolerate her acting spoiled…
Furthermore, Jiang Qianyu had made a special discovery: Xuyi seemed to be extremely fond of her face. On certain occasions, she would involuntarily blush when looking at her features.
How strange!
Long ago, when Xuyi had lusted after her looks, she had felt nothing but revulsion, wishing she could gouge her eyes out. Yet lately, seeing Xuyi blush because of her only filled her with secret delight…
Sitting beside Song Xuyi and eating the food she had roasted and handed over, Jiang Qianyu felt incredibly warm inside, finding Song Xuyi more and more perfect in every way.
Meanwhile, the feast was gradually building to its climax.
The night temperature on the Insect Egg Planet was quite cold, but thanks to the bonfire that burned higher and higher, no one felt the chill at all. The lively clamor ignited this silent land, with deep smiles on everyone’s faces. Though Jiang Qianyu had never liked noisy gatherings, she could not help but show a trace of a genuine smile in such an atmosphere.
Gradually, the students began to drink. Once everyone was well-fed and sufficiently drunk, some of those with low alcohol tolerance, egged on by the rowdy crowd, wrapped their arms around their partners and began kissing right then and there…
Jiang Qianyu’s gaze fell upon the kissing couple. She turned her head to look at Song Xuyi, who was currently averting her gaze with a strict “see no evil” expression, and her eyes darkened: If it were me, I would definitely do a better job than them! I’ve already learned plenty of theoretical knowledge on my light-brain. Even if Xuyi doesn’t know how, it doesn’t matter; I’ll teach her…
Unfortunately, she had no idea how long it would be before Xuyi would accept her…
Just then, another group of students from a different academy came over to toast Song Xuyi.
Song Xuyi had an excellent tolerance for alcohol, so Jiang Qianyu was not worried about her getting drunk. Meanwhile, Song Xuyi, worrying that Jiang Qianyu could not hold her liquor, blocked all the drinks intended for her.
Jiang Qianyu happily enjoyed Song Xuyi’s care, eating food by her side when a voice suddenly sounded from above: “A toast to Miss Jiang!”
“Miss Jiang wouldn’t be too afraid to drink a toast from me, would she?”
Jiang Qianyu looked up and recognized the face of a familiar girl. Remembering that this person had stopped Song Xuyi three times insisting on giving her gifts, Jiang Qianyu’s gaze darkened.
She had originally planned to feign physical weakness and lean against Song Xuyi to let her handle the drink as before, but seeing the trace of jealousy and hatred hidden in the girl’s eyes, Jiang Qianyu’s eyes flickered, and she changed her mind.
Ignoring Song Xuyi’s attempt to stop her, Jiang Qianyu drained the cup in one gulp, deliberately letting herself choke. She began to cough violently, her face flushing red in an instant.
The girl apparently had not expected Jiang Qianyu to actually accept the cup. She stared blankly at Song Xuyi, who was busy patting Jiang Qianyu’s back, then grit her teeth and stepped aside with reddened eyes.
“Qianyu, how do you feel? If you’re uncomfortable, you must tell me!” Song Xuyi did not pay any attention to the girl standing to the side, focusing entirely on caring for Jiang Qianyu. Jiang Qianyu had seemingly never drunk alcohol before, and now she was sitting there silently in a daze, which was truly worrying…
Just then, another burst of jeers and cheers erupted from somewhere else. Watching the couple kissing opposite them, Jiang Qianyu quietly clenched her fists.
It was time!
She held her breath and turned her head to look at Song Xuyi…
The girl was already breathtakingly beautiful, and now, having consumed alcohol, her cheeks and the tip of her nose were dusted with a crimson flush. As she looked over with moist, glistening eyes, she appeared even more dazzlingly gorgeous.
Abruptly confronted with such stunning beauty and stared at by Jiang Qianyu’s wet eyes, Song Xuyi’s breath caught. Her face flushed once more, and she embarrassedly turned her face away…
Jiang Qianyu… why was she getting prettier and prettier!
Her heart beat faster and faster. Lost in the shock of such beauty, Song Xuyi did not notice the familiar scent of honey peach drawing closer and closer to her. Suddenly, another massive roar of cheers erupted around them, louder than any before, and someone seemed to shout Song Xuyi’s name…
Stunned, Song Xuyi turned her head, only for her lips to brush against something soft and slightly cool, like the gentle petals of a rose…
“They kissed! They actually kissed!…”
The roaring cheers shook the heavens!
Were these… Jiang Qianyu’s lips?!
Song Xuyi’s eyes widened—
She met Jiang Qianyu’s gaze. Within Jiang Qianyu’s beautiful eyes lay a burning, intense, and unmistakable emotion that she had not had time to conceal…
She?!
…
The author has something to say:
The girl who offered the toast: Crying from anger T_T…
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