Forbidden to Bully the Storybook’s Heroine – Chapter 103
by Little PandaExtra 1: The Original Female Lead is Reborn (7)
Jiang Yao brought Song Muyun back in a daze, feeling that something was off about that storybook. Wasn’t the Female Prince Consort a woman?
The princess should be a woman too. Could it be a princess who was actually a man disguised as a woman?
The question gnawed at her, so she couldn’t resist probing Song Muyun. “What kind of person is the male lead in your storybook?”
Song Muyun looked completely baffled. She turned to see Jiang Yao’s anxious expression and found it amusing, knowing that the current Jiang Yao wasn’t with her and likely knew little about relations between women.
She chuckled. “Jiang Yao, didn’t you see the title of this book? It’s a book about ‘mirror polishing’.1 There is no male lead.”
Jiang Yao: ???
!!!
“What? It’s about ‘mirror polishing’? You like reading books about women ‘mirror polishing’?!”
In her twenty-odd years of life, Jiang Yao had only ever known of storybooks about the love between men and women. This was the first time she had ever heard of ‘mirror polishing’. Women and women… how exactly were they supposed to be together? Did people actually read such storybooks?
Oh, right. Song Muyun loved to read them.
Jiang Yao’s eyes widened, a storm raging in her mind. Then she heard Song Muyun invite her again. “Will you read it with me when we get back? It’s so boring to read alone.”
…
She wasn’t interested in ‘mirror polishing’, but she was a little curious.
Jiang Yao mulled it over for a moment, but ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation. She nodded in agreement and took the initiative to sit on the soft couch. “Alright, I’ll read a bit with you,” she said hesitantly. “What’s ‘mirror polishing’ like?”
As she asked, Song Muyun had already climbed onto the couch and settled into her lap.
Song Muyun was always, intentionally or not, showing her affection.
And just as she had predicted, Jiang Yao was growing more and more accustomed to her closeness.
Like now, as Song Muyun sat in her lap, Jiang Yao didn’t show the slightest surprise, nor did she push her away. Instead, she instinctively wrapped an arm around her, holding her carefully.
Song Muyun’s long, thick lashes trembled, her narrow phoenix eyes glittering with starlight. She snuggled securely in Jiang Yao’s arms, not content with just resting her head against Jiang Yao’s soft chest. She opened her mouth to give an order. “Put your hand on my waist. It’s more convenient this way. We can read together.”
The hand that had been supporting her arm immediately obeyed, moving to encircle her waist.
After doing it, Jiang Yao was surprised at herself. Damn it, she was becoming more and more obedient to this little girl’s words.
Her waist was soft and slender, small enough to be encircled by a single hand. Jiang Yao usually tried not to touch it, feeling it was a private place on a woman’s body that shouldn’t be touched by outsiders. Yet Song Muyun seemed completely oblivious, constantly asking her to touch her, paying it no mind at all.
With a personality so unguarded, how could Jiang Yao rest easy letting her live alone?
A woman had to marry eventually. When that time came, how would she take care of herself?
Though it was a distant concern, Jiang Yao was already beginning to worry.
Song Muyun, unaware of the complex thoughts in Jiang Yao’s mind, felt a sense of ease wash over her as she was embraced. Even the heart that was always on edge seemed to relax. She obediently opened the storybook to read with her.
The first page described how the Female Prince Consort was a woman of unparalleled talent and intellect, who had taken first place in the imperial examinations to become the Top Scorer.2
It also described her as devastatingly beautiful. After becoming the Top Scorer, the number of suitors who came to propose was enough to break down her door, but all were refused.
The Female Prince Consort declared that she wished to establish her career first, and only then start a family.
Many returned home disappointed, but they couldn’t let go of such a beautiful and talented lady. Countless invitations were sent to her residence, all with the intent of slowly winning her over.
Most of the invitations were politely declined, but there was one she couldn’t refuse: an invitation from the Emperor’s most beloved Little Princess, Princess Fanghua.
She could skip other banquets, but not the Little Princess’s.
…
Song Muyun turned her head to say to Jiang Yao, “I have a feeling the Little Princess is the other female lead. Do you think she invited the Top Scorer because she likes her?”
Jiang Yao was skeptical. Based on her years of experience reading storybooks, she said, “It’s probably just because of her status. She’s the Top Scorer, after all. The Little Princess must have invited other female officials too, probably to win them over.”
Song Muyun said nothing, silently turning the page. And so Jiang Yao discovered that for this Lotus Appreciation Banquet, the Little Princess had only invited two or three close friends. The only other guest was the Top Scorer.
Stunned…
In disbelief…
The Top Scorer had clearly also expected a large crowd. She faltered for a moment upon seeing so few people, but she maintained her excellent composure and conversed with the Little Princess. The princess had a spoiled temperament, and when she couldn’t win an argument against the Top Scorer, she would resort to sophistry and tantrums. The Top Scorer had an excellent disposition and would always tolerate her with a helpless air.
Watching this scene, Jiang Yao’s brow furrowed. It remained locked until later, when the Top Scorer returned home. Before her seat was even warm, an imperial edict granting a marriage arrived.
It turned out the Little Princess truly did admire the Top Scorer in secret. From the day of the Palace Examination,3 when the Top Scorer had departed the great hall with an air of calm composure, the princess had been rushing in to see the Emperor. The glimpse as graceful as a startled swan4 she caught as they passed each other was enough to make her fall.
Moreover, when the Top Scorer had bowed, her posture was perfect and her features were elegant. She was neither timid nor overly excited by the princess’s presence, possessing a natural, dignified grace. The Little Princess had been captivated on the spot.
Inviting her to the palace was merely a way to find out if the Top Scorer disliked her.
Presumably, the Top Scorer’s gentle and courteous manner gave her courage, for that very day she went to beg her doting Father-Emperor to issue an edict.
Though unions between women existed, they were rare. Those sanctioned by imperial decree were even rarer. What’s more, the other party was the Top Scorer, the talk of the town. For a time, the capital was abuzz with gossip.
Reading this, Song Muyun snuggled against Jiang Yao’s back, her voice tinged with pride. “See? I told you she liked the Top Scorer~”
Jiang Yao: …
She couldn’t believe it. It was actually true. She had thought a story about love between women would be written with more subtlety and hardship!
After all, that was how the world was. But the reality was… the Emperor had directly issued an edict of marriage. There was no beating the mandarin ducks with a stick,5 no cliché plot of unrequited love.
“Jiang Yao, what do you think of the Little Princess? Is she a good match for the Top Scorer?” Song Muyun asked, tilting her head up from Jiang Yao’s embrace.
Jiang Yao always treated Song Muyun with care and consideration, and she answered her questions just as earnestly. She thought for a moment before saying, “In terms of status, they are naturally a match. But as for their personalities, I don’t think they’re a good match at all.”
Song Muyun hadn’t expected her to say that. She froze, her face full of confusion. “Why? Why aren’t they a match?”
Jiang Yao didn’t hesitate, speaking frankly. “That Little Princess’s personality is far too affected. She always needs the Top Scorer to go along with her, and if she doesn’t, she gets upset. Who acts like that?”
Jiang Yao was only commenting from the perspective of a reader, but for some reason, she angered Song Muyun. The moment she finished speaking, she was met with a fierce glare. Then, the young woman struggled out of her lap and ran off, looking as if she never wanted to speak to her again.
Jiang Yao sat where she was, momentarily unable to process what had happened.
By the time she did, Song Muyun was already making the bed.
A small, slender figure hugging a large pillow, even attempting to grab the quilt. Utterly ridiculous.
Her constitution was particularly susceptible to the cold, so Jiang Yao had specially ordered a quilt for her that weighed more than five kilograms. Not that it was used very often.
Worried, Jiang Yao walked over and pressed down on the quilt, not letting her pick it up. “What are you doing? Where are you moving them?”
The young woman’s voice was muffled. She felt she was becoming more and more unreasonable, just like the Little Princess in the book. Jiang Yao must be thinking she was affected and might even be starting to dislike her.
At this thought, Song Muyun’s eyes welled up with moisture. She bit her lip and tugged at the quilt.
Jiang Yao was strong. How could Song Muyun possibly pull away a quilt she was holding down?
The young woman tugged for a long time to no avail, her chest heaving with frustration.
Suddenly, she threw down the quilt and pillow and glared at Jiang Yao with what she thought was a furious expression.
But she didn’t realize that with her reddened eyes brimming with tears, she looked utterly pitiful. It was enough to make Jiang Yao’s heart soften uncontrollably.
Her voice softened in turn, becoming incredibly gentle and patient. “What’s wrong? Can you tell me what’s upsetting you?”
Seeing that she still didn’t understand and was even asking her what was wrong, Song Muyun’s cheeks flushed with anger. In a fit of emotion, she blurted out her true feelings. “Don’t you find me affected? Since you do, I’ll just leave. I won’t be an eyesore here anymore!”
She was full of pride, but her words were strange. Jiang Yao didn’t understand at first and was simply stunned.
She felt greatly wronged. “When did I ever say you were affected? Weren’t we just chatting nicely a moment ago? Why did you suddenly get angry?”
At that, Jiang Yao suddenly remembered the word “affected”—it was her evaluation of the storybook’s princess. Could it be that Muyun had misunderstood?
Although she found such a misunderstanding hard to believe, Jiang Yao still explained patiently, “I was talking about the Little Princess. I wasn’t talking about you. What are you so angry about?”
She was met with another glare. Song Muyun said, “You must have been secretly thinking it about me!”
Jiang Yao: …
She hadn’t been thinking it before, but now she did feel it was a little true.
But it wasn’t a thought born of dislike. On the contrary, she found this affected Miss Song to be quite adorable and charming.
Just like any ordinary young maiden.
Jiang Yao felt a little guilty, but she still tried her best to deny it. “I wasn’t. Don’t misunderstand me. How could I possibly find you affected!”
“You did, you did! You must have been secretly thinking that I’m unreasonable and affected, and not good enough for you! QAQ”
Jiang Yao: Only snow in the sixth month could clear my name.6
Even if she occasionally thought Song Muyun was being unreasonable, how could she ever think she wasn’t good enough for her?
It wasn’t like she herself was some great catch!
Jiang Yao pressed a hand to her forehead, unable to figure it out. She tried to take the pillow from her, but Song Muyun refused to let go, clutching it tightly while glaring at her, looking fierce.
Jiang Yao had almost never seen her like this. She found it novel, but at the same time, a pang of tenderness rose in her heart. This woman was angry because of her.
She tried to explain, “I didn’t. I don’t think you’re not good enough for me.”
“You do! Didn’t you think the Little Princess was unreasonable and overly affected, not good enough for the magnificent Top Scorer?”
“But you’re not a princess, and I’m not the Top Scorer. How can we be compared?”
Song Muyun took unreasonableness to its extreme, continuing to be contrary. “I don’t care. You just think I’m not good enough. I’m not sleeping with you anymore, lest you see me every day and find me annoying.”
She was deeply aggrieved, hugging the pillow and pulling it hard towards herself. Jiang Yao completely forgot that it was Song Muyun who had insisted on sleeping with her in the first place. She subconsciously began coaxing her to stay, refusing to give her the pillow and quilt.
“My good girl, I don’t find you annoying. How could I? You’re so wonderful, it should be you who finds me annoying. You’re skilled in all the four arts, while I only know how to wield a sword. In the eyes of others, it’s I who am not good enough for you…”
The first part was fine, but as she spoke, Jiang Yao suddenly stopped, finally noticing the strangeness of it all. “Hey, wait. The two in the storybook are lovers. You and I are not lovers. On what basis are we judging whether one is ‘good enough’ for the other?”
This argument shouldn’t have even started!
They were the two female leads in a storybook, while she and Muyun were just friends.
Jiang Yao stared, her eyes full of sincerity. Song Muyun was at a loss for words.
A moment later, she lowered her head and mumbled, “You dense block of wood. How would you know what’s on my mind?”
“Hm? What did you say? Still angry?”
Even with Jiang Yao’s excellent hearing, most of her attention had been focused on recalling their previous conversation, so she hadn’t clearly heard what Song Muyun said.
And there was no way Song Muyun would actually repeat such a thing to her.
She had no other intentions right now. If she confessed rashly, she might even provoke a negative reaction.
But she was truly hurt. Was that considered being affected?
Song Muyun knew herself well. She considered herself… even more affected than the Little Princess in the storybook.
Since Jiang Yao didn’t like the Little Princess, she definitely didn’t like her either. The delicately raised young woman couldn’t bear this speculation. Her heart ached terribly. She didn’t reply, only looked at Jiang Yao with a pair of extremely pitiful, wet eyes.
Seeing this, Jiang Yao found that for some reason, she could no longer say the words to defend herself. She was soft-hearted. The cold, hard expression she often wore for others melted into gentleness and helplessness when faced with Song Muyun.
“Alright, alright. Whatever you say. I misspoke and made you sad. I apologize. Don’t be angry anymore, okay?”
She was apologizing, but it didn’t feel perfunctory. She genuinely wanted to coax her, to make her stop being angry.
Song Muyun’s snow-white teeth gently bit her lip. A moment later, as if deflating, her shoulders slumped. “Forget it. I wasn’t that angry to begin with.”
A lie. She was actually very angry, but she was afraid that if she kept making a fuss, she would seem even more affected in Jiang Yao’s eyes.
She didn’t want to be that kind of person. She wanted to leave only good impressions in Jiang Yao’s heart, no bad ones.
Jiang Yao had been prepared to spend a long time coaxing her, but who knew she would suddenly stop being angry and back down? It left Jiang Yao feeling a bit unused to it. Not that angry? If she wasn’t that angry, why did she try to run off with the quilt? She was clearly bottling up her anger, not daring to make a scene with her.
Just as she was about to leave, her wrist was suddenly grabbed. Song Muyun froze, not turning back, waiting for what Jiang Yao would say next.
Jiang Yao looked at her back, frowned, and said with a serious expression, “If you’re angry, just say it. I’ll keep coaxing you until you’re happy. Don’t keep it bottled up inside. You’ll make yourself sick.”
Song Muyun’s other hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched into a fist. Only then did she turn back to look at her.
Although the young woman said she wasn’t angry, her red-rimmed eyes didn’t look like she wasn’t angry at all.
Jiang Yao let out a sigh of relief. Good thing she had stopped her just now.
She didn’t know what it was, but a moment ago, she just felt that she couldn’t let Muyun leave like that, or something terrible might happen.
“Are you unhappy because you think I’m not treating you well enough?”
After thinking it over, Jiang Yao came to this conclusion. If she wasn’t good enough to her, why would Song Muyun think she found her annoying? It was utter nonsense. This young woman was an elegant and otherworldly fairy. Who was she to find her annoying?
Jiang Yao took a handkerchief from her sleeve and gently wiped the traces of tears from the corners of her eyes.
She could have held back her tears, but with Jiang Yao speaking to her in such a soft voice and acting so gently, the grievances in her heart multiplied until they suddenly burst forth like a floodgate opening. Crystalline teardrops fell in strings, each one striking Jiang Yao’s heart, making it ache with pity.
Jiang Yao had to come to her place to study every day, and had been forced to talk about Song Muyun’s past a few times. Her brother had said he was becoming harsher with Song Muyun simply because he wanted to see her cry and hear her beg for mercy, but she never cried, and she never begged.
Every time they talked about these things, Jiang Yao would get angry enough to beat her brother up. But now, she couldn’t help but think, Jiang Huai’s methods were so cruel, yet he couldn’t make her cry. But I made her cry.
Had she done something even worse than Jiang Huai?
Jiang Yao was completely bewildered, but she couldn’t dwell on her own thoughts.
She was about to pull her into an embrace and pat her on the back, to comfort her like one would a child, but before she could raise her hand, Song Muyun had already thrown herself into her arms, aggrieved.
That wronged and delicate appearance really made it seem like Jiang Yao had bullied her.
Heaven as her witness, Jiang Yao really hadn’t!
“Don’t cry, don’t cry. Which words of mine did you not like? Tell me, and I won’t say them again in the future, okay?”
Song Muyun had a bad habit. Whenever she got angry, she would clam up, only knowing to burrow her head into Jiang Yao’s chest. Her fluffy head bumped against her chest again and again.
It was actually a bit unreasonable, but Jiang Yao didn’t find it annoying at all. On the contrary, she felt a little pleased.
It was as if this was how it was supposed to be. She should be nestled in her arms, charming and delicate, never suffering the slightest grievance. The moment she felt wronged, she would come and torment her, and she would always be happy and bright.
Song Muyun used the fabric of Jiang Yao’s clothes to wipe away the tears she couldn’t control, staining a patch of the fine brocade a darker shade. Only then did she manage to stifle her sobs, leaning against her, no longer trembling.
Her voice still sounded a little wronged as she said forcefully, “You’re not allowed to think I’m affected, and you’re not allowed to hate me!”
Jiang Yao was dumbfounded. A giant pot had fallen from the sky and trapped her again.7 So it was still about this issue.
If she had to say, Yun’er was no young lady from a noble family; she was clearly a very petty person.
She had only said the princess in the storybook was affected. What did that have to do with her? Why did she insist on applying it to herself? And then she had to pick a fight with her over it. How wronged she was!
Jiang Yao sighed and wrapped her arms around Song Muyun, who was leaning against her. “I really never thought you were affected, much less hated you.”
She wasn’t a good-tempered person. If she truly hated someone, would the young woman in her arms still be in one piece?
To be able to pamper someone in her own residence like this, it was obvious she was incredibly fond of her.
“Can you please not let your imagination run wild?”
A fluffy head was patted, not heavily, but it was embarrassing.
Song Muyun refused to leave her embrace, her voice muffled and lacking confidence. “How would I know if you’re telling the truth? I’m usually much more unreasonable than the Little Princess in the storybook. I always need you to coax me and give in to me. You must secretly think I’m affected and hate me.”
Just the thought of Jiang Yao hating her made her feel wronged and sad. She couldn’t bear it, couldn’t bear the thought of Jiang Yao hating her.
Jiang Yao listened closely to her inner thoughts and suddenly wanted to laugh. So she knew she was usually unreasonable and always needed to be coaxed and spoiled. No wonder she got so angry. She must have thought Jiang Yao was making veiled attacks on her.
Seeing how much she cared about this, she had no choice but to explain, “I have thought you were being affected before, but I have never hated you.”
“How could I ever hate you?”
Perhaps finding the statement particularly amusing, Jiang Yao could barely contain her laughter. She lowered her head and said it again, her voice filled with an irrepressible, overflowing mirth.
Song Muyun pushed her away in anger, her watery eyes widening. “You really do think I’m affected!”
…
She felt the need to remind her, “You said so yourself just now. It’s not just me who thinks so.”
“Besides, what’s wrong with being affected? Being affected is also very cute.”
“But when you said the female lead was affected, you didn’t sound like you liked her at all! You didn’t seem to think she was cute in the slightest!”
Jiang Yao felt she was guilty of a crime. The once-renowned talented woman of the capital had been raised by her into a simpleton.
She rubbed Song Muyun’s rounded shoulders, holding her like a child, her eyes full of helpless indulgence. “I don’t even know that female lead. Why should I like her? Why should I think she’s cute? You, on the other hand, were carefully raised by me to be this way. No matter how affected you are, I still find you cute. Do you understand?”
Jiang Yao coaxed her. Song Muyun was still unsure, and looked up to ask, “Really?”
“How could that be false? When have I ever lied to you?”
Song Muyun lowered her head and thought carefully. It seemed… Jiang Yao really didn’t lie to her.
And Jiang Yao was right. She didn’t know the Little Princess, so why should she like her or think she was cute? If Jiang Yao really did like her or think she was cute, then she would be the one to get upset!
Hmph.
Song Muyun was very possessive. Jiang Yao was very good and gentle to her. She liked Jiang Yao very much, and she also wanted… to monopolize that kindness and gentleness.
Jiang Yao could feel the body in her arms gradually softening, slumping limply against her shoulder. Then she looked up at her warily and emphasized, “Then you’re not allowed to dislike me being like this, okay? You said I’m cute this way.”
She was still worried. Jiang Yao had no choice but to reassure her again and again to put her heart at ease. “Mm, I like you just like this. Really.”
She repeated that she liked it, and Song Muyun’s lips finally curled into a smile. She burrowed her entire body into Jiang Yao’s embrace, hugging her, her bright, beautiful eyes curving into crescents.
“Don’t you dare lie to me. If you lie to me, I’ll be unhappy.”
Jiang Yao chuckled, her expression full of gentleness. “Mm, I won’t lie to you. I won’t make you unhappy.”
Song Muyun felt that Jiang Yao was already starting to like her a little. Otherwise, why would she be so good to her, so willing to indulge her?
She wasn’t like this with other people!
So thought Song Muyun, who had personally witnessed Jiang Yao beat someone up.
“Mm, I’m not angry anymore. Let’s go back and read the storybook.”
Song Muyun lowered her head, her cheeks slightly red, and tugged on Jiang Yao’s sleeve. “Still reading? I never knew you loved reading storybooks so much.”
Years ago, she had seen Song Muyun standing by the lake, composing poetry. She had thought she only loved to read things like poetry and music scores.
“I only like to read storybooks about women. I don’t like reading about men.”
“You don’t like men?”
“Is there anything worth liking about men?”
She was already sitting on the bed, looking straight at Jiang Yao with serious eyes. She truly seemed to believe there was nothing worth liking about men.
Jiang Yao raised an eyebrow, somewhat agreeing with her. “True, there isn’t. Then are you not going to get married in the future?”
She looked like she really detested men.
Song Muyun opened the storybook, her voice soft and earnest. “That’s right. I’ll have you support me for a lifetime. Will you get tired of me?”
Jiang Yao paused, then shook her head. “Of course not. If you really don’t marry, then I’ll support you for a lifetime.”
“Then it’s settled. We’ll be together for a lifetime.”
Song Muyun flipped to the page she wanted to read, then raised her clear eyes to look at her.
Although Jiang Yao felt that what she said was always a little different from what she herself had said, upon reflection, the meaning was more or less the same. So she sat down beside her and nodded seriously, as if making a promise.
The author has something to say:
I’m tearing my hair out. I want to fleece Jinjiang and get the full-attendance bonus for this month. If you all come across an extra you like, please subscribe. If you don’t like it, then don’t buy it. Also, if there are any extras or scenes you want to see, you can let me know~ I’ll see if I can write them.
Footnotes
- A classical and literary euphemism for female homosexuality, literally meaning ‘mó jìng’ (mirror polishing).
- The ‘Zhuàngyuan’ (状元) was the scholar who achieved the highest score in the final imperial examination, a position of immense prestige and the pinnacle of a scholar’s career.
- The ‘diànshì’ (殿试) was the final and highest level of the imperial civil service examinations, held in the presence of the emperor himself.
- Original: jīng hóng yī piē (惊鸿一瞥). A chengyu (four-character idiom) describing a brief but breathtaking glimpse of beauty that leaves a lasting impression, like a startled swan in flight.
- An idiom, ‘bàng dǎ yuānyāng’ (棒打鸳鸯), which means ‘to beat the mandarin ducks with a stick’. Mandarin ducks are a symbol of faithful love in Chinese culture, so the phrase means to forcibly separate a loving couple.
- Literally ‘liù yuè fēi xuě’ (六月飞雪). In Chinese literature, snow falling in summer is a classic motif signifying that a terrible injustice has occurred, so great that it disrupts the natural order.
- A slang term ‘tiān jiàng dà guō’ (giant pot from the sky), referring to unexpectedly taking the blame for something one didn’t do.
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