After the Paranoid Female Lead Lost Her Memory, She Insisted on Pursuing This Cannon Fodder - Chapter 9

Shen Yuan?

The Shen Yuan whom the Young Miss hated with all her heart, whom Young Master Wang Ba discarded like worn-out shoes, and whom the entire Lin Family regarded as a thorn in their side?

As a seasoned veteran of the Lin Family, Aunt Wang was well-versed in the past.

Shen Yuan’s maternal grandmother had saved the life of the Lin Family’s matriarch—Lin Zhaoyue’s grandmother. The matriarch, in gratitude, had jokingly arranged a betrothal between their grandchildren.

The betrothal had been half in jest, but after the Shen Family fell into misfortune, Shen Jinbing, that old gambling fiend, suddenly remembered the arrangement and demanded money from the Lin Family under the pretense of honoring the agreement.

However, it was Shen Yuan’s grandmother, not that gambling fiend, who had saved the matriarch’s life. The matriarch, who despised Shen Jinbing, declared:

“This isn’t feudal society anymore. My betrothal means nothing. The decision rests with the younger generation of the Lin Family.”

Shen Jinbing slapped his forehead and decided to throw Shen Yuan at the Lin Family, forcing her to ingratiate herself with them and climb the social ladder.

Meanwhile, the Lin Family’s only two grandchildren—Lin Zhaoyue and Lin Wangba—both loathed Shen Yuan. With this outsider’s arrival, they rarely returned to the main residence.

Especially the Young Miss.

Aunt Wang remembered vividly how the Young Miss never failed to torment Shen Yuan at every encounter.

Though Shen Yuan always silently endured the Young Miss’s torment, the venomous glares she cast at her still sent shivers down Aunt Wang’s spine whenever she recalled them.

Come to think of it, Aunt Wang couldn’t remember ever seeing Shen Yuan smile.

The Young Miss might seem wicked, but her cruelty was crude and childish.

Aunt Wang, having weathered countless storms in her life, saw through Shen Yuan’s wolfish ambitions at a glance. She had no doubt that given the chance, Shen Yuan would crush the Young Miss without mercy.

And now, the Young Miss had willingly brought this dangerous element back home…

Could it be?!

Snapping out of her reverie, Aunt Wang seized the maid’s hand.

“What’s the situation between them now? Did the Young Miss ride Shen Yuan back, or did Shen Yuan lead the Young Miss by her chain?”

The maid blinked in confusion.

“Aunt Wang, you’ve been indulging in too much gossip lately. I can’t keep up…” The maid’s cheeks flushed crimson.

“Aiya, forget about that! Just tell me what’s going on between them!”

In Aunt Wang’s mind, there were only two possibilities for why the Young Miss had brought Shen Yuan back: either she intended to keep her as a dog to humiliate, or the power dynamic had already shifted, with Shen Yuan now back to humiliate the Young Miss!

The maid scratched her head, recalling the scene she had just witnessed, her voice hesitant.

“Uh… neither, Aunt Wang. The Young Miss was walking ahead, with Miss Shen following behind…”

“Walking ahead? That’s good. It seems the Young Miss still has the upper hand…” Aunt Wang sighed in relief, patting her chest.

“But…” The maid trailed off, hesitating.

“But what? Speak up!” Aunt Wang urged impatiently.

“But Miss Shen… she seems to be pursuing the Young Miss,” the maid whispered.

Aunt Wang: ?

Noticing Aunt Wang’s incredulous stare, the maid quickly added, “Anyway, Miss Shen was smiling constantly, even offering to carry the Young Miss’s bag, asking if she was cold or warm—she was so attentive!”

“Smiling?!” Aunt Wang exclaimed, even more astonished. “Shen Yuan smiling at the Young Miss? Her eyes used to look like she wanted to devour her whole! I’ve never seen her smile at the Young Miss before!”

Aunt Wang’s mind conjured Shen Yuan’s icy face and those eyes, always filled with gloom and hatred. She simply couldn’t imagine that Shen Yuan ever smiling at Lin Zhaoyue.

“It’s true, Aunt Wang!” The maid nodded vigorously, her voice firm. “I saw it with my own eyes! Miss Shen not only smiled, but she kept calling Zhaoyue’s name, ‘Zhaoyue, Zhaoyue,’ so affectionately!”

Aunt Wang gasped.

A conspiracy! This is definitely a conspiracy!

“What about the Young Miss? How did she react?” Aunt Wang pressed.

“The Young Miss…” The maid’s expression turned subtle. “She kept scolding and grumbling, saying things like, ‘Don’t think I’ll be nice to you’ and ‘I just want to torment you.’ But…”

“But what?!” Aunt Wang’s heart leaped into her throat.

“But the Young Miss’s face… was super red!” The maid gestured with her hands. “And I got the feeling she was… almost enjoying it…”

“Enjoying it?!” Aunt Wang nearly fainted.

This is beyond dangerous!

At least one of them—no, maybe both—are possessed!

This is absolutely unacceptable!

Aunt Wang sprang to her feet, grabbed the mop that had fallen to the floor, and marched menacingly toward the door.

“Come on, take me to see! I want to know what Shen Yuan is up to!”

Aunt Wang charged to the entrance, just as Lin Zhaoyue and Shen Yuan entered one after the other.

Shen Yuan was carrying several shopping bags, dressed in a hospital gown and worn-out disposable slippers, looking utterly disheveled.

Yet her face was flushed with color, devoid of any gloom or hatred. Instead, she wore a gentle smile, her gaze fixed intently on Lin Zhaoyue.

This unnatural scene only heightened Aunt Wang’s suspicion. She gripped the mop tightly, holding it horizontally in front of her like a wall, blocking Shen Yuan’s path.

“Back! Back! Back!”

Startled by Aunt Wang’s aggressive stance, Lin Zhaoyue instinctively shielded Shen Yuan behind her. “Aunt Wang?! You… you need to calm down.”

“But Young Miss, you used to…”

“Ahem! Ahem!”

Lin Zhaoyue coughed loudly, cutting Aunt Wang off. She shot the older woman a warning glance, then pulled her aside and whispered, “Aunt Wang, keep your voice down! Shen Yuan… she has amnesia now.”

“Amnesia?”

Aunt Wang’s body stiffened.

Such a cliché plot, she thought, but somehow it feels perfectly plausible given the Young Miss’s history.

“Yes, she was in a car accident and suffered a brain injury. Now she remembers nothing.”

“A car accident…” Aunt Wang immediately sensed something was off. “Young Miss, tell me honestly, was this accident…?”

“O-of course not!” Lin Zhaoyue quickly denied, glancing guiltily at Shen Yuan, who was staring at them blankly, seemingly unable to understand a word they were saying.

“Don’t worry about the details for now. The main thing is she has amnesia and still thinks I’m her fiancée… well, ex-fiancée. And she’s trying to get back together with me.” Lin Zhaoyue’s voice trailed off, and she scratched her head awkwardly.

“But the nurse said her brain is fragile and shouldn’t be stressed. So, please warn everyone else: let her do whatever she wants. No explanations, okay?”

After all, the nurse—and even the system—had warned her not to further provoke the main heroine, whom she had already crushed twice. For the sake of the heroine’s brain health, it was best to inform the servants and prevent them from accidentally revealing the truth.

“O-okay.”

After hearing Lin Zhaoyue’s explanation, Aunt Wang’s unease only deepened.

Didn’t the Young Miss despise Shen Yuan? Why is she suddenly concerned about whether her brain is being stimulated?

Could it be… she’s actually enjoying this?

Aunt Wang cast a complex look at Lin Zhaoyue, then glanced at Shen Yuan, who stood beside her, docile as a kitten. Her worldview felt utterly shattered.

“Alright, Young Miss, I’ll do as you say,” Aunt Wang sighed. “But you must be careful! Shen Yuan… she’s not as simple as she seems.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know!” Lin Zhaoyue replied dismissively.

Just then, the system chimed in:

Ding ding! Host, there’s a crucial plot point you need to complete…

After hearing the system’s description, Lin Zhaoyue exclaimed in disbelief:

This… this doesn’t seem right!

After all, the main heroine was in her current state.

You’re the villainess! This is perfectly normal! If it’s too much, you can always…

Lin Zhaoyue gritted her teeth. Fine!

She turned to Shen Yuan, reclaiming her villainess persona, and barked:

“Aunt Wang, take her to wash up. She’s filthy!”