After Transmigrating as a Scumbag Gong, I Ended Up with the Cannon Fodder - Chapter 14

“I absolutely refuse to marry Jiang Yan.” She had finally escaped the marriage Yin Man had arranged for her, finally felt she had gained her freedom. Just as she was celebrating Yin Man’s newfound repentance, her own father had thrown a bucket of cold water on her hopes.

He, who had always shown her such affection, now sought to clip her wings just when she was about to soar.

Hot tears streamed down Yin Youxia’s face as she stared at Yin Nanbai in disbelief. Wen Si remained silent, lacking the courage to defy her husband or advocate for her daughter. Just as she had urged Youxia to endure when Yin Man locked her away, she now offered only silent acquiescence.

But Youxia was not like her mother. She had not inherited Wen Si’s weakness, and she had always fought for her future.

Whether facing Yin Man or Yin Nanbai, she argued her case with unwavering conviction, a tenacity that terrified Wen Si.

It would have been better to finalize the marriage with Liu Siyin from the start, crushing Youxia’s hopes completely. Yet the young Miss herself had taken Liu Siyin back, along with the marriage arrangement, giving Youxia a glimmer of hope.

If he had truly married Liu Siyin, Yin Man would have been the sole villain, and the father-daughter bond between Yin Youxia and Yin Nanbai wouldn’t have been shattered.

Watching their fierce confrontation, Wen Si felt a pang of fear.

When Yin Man and Liu Siyin were brought back, they witnessed the father-daughter clash firsthand. Yin Youxia’s eyes burned with anger as she glared at the man she had once revered as a kind father. Yin Nanbai, abandoning his usual gentle demeanor, now stared coldly at his once-obedient daughter.

Yin Man sat in her wheelchair, being pushed by a caregiver, while Liu Siyin followed behind, supported by an attendant. Despite their disabilities—one crippled, the other blind—neither had lost their imposing presence. Yin Man watched the scene with amusement, showing no intention of intervening.

Wen Si noticed her and said, “Manman, you’re back.” She tried to use Yin Man’s arrival to diffuse the tension between father and daughter, but Yin Man ignored her, instructing the caregiver, “Upstairs.”

“Sister!” Yin Youxia, desperate for help, turned to Yin Man.

Having glimpsed a flicker of humanity in Yin Man earlier, Yin Youxia’s hopes were immediately dashed. Meeting her expectant gaze, Yin Man merely curled her lips into a sardonic smile. “Jiang Yan is doing quite well.”

“Then why don’t you marry her?” Yin Man’s faint smile lacked warmth. Though she wasn’t the original host and had no personal grudge against Yin Youxia, the thought of the later events in the book—and the fact that Liu Siyin had just been snatched from the brink of death—made her unable to warm up to Yin Youxia.

Such words were even more unbearable. Yin Man pressed her lips into a thin line. “What does she have to do with me?”

“Everyone in the Yin Family knows Jiang Yan once tried to seduce you. You’ve been like this since childhood, Yin Man—always dumping what you don’t want on me.”

Jiang Yan and her?

Under the ambiguous lighting, her delicate skin shimmered with a captivating glow. A faint blush tinted her fair cheeks, and her nearly transparent gown did little to conceal her slender figure. The usually haughty woman now knelt at Yin Man’s feet, her lips parting slightly. “Miss Yin.”

Her lustrous eyes, brimming with allure, lacked the expected tenderness or admiration. Instead, contempt radiated from them. Yin Man sneered, “You didn’t actually think I made you my personal physician because I was attracted to you, did you?”

“Jiang Yan, do you really think you’re worthy of sharing my bed?”

As the words fell, Yin Man savored the sight of Dr. Jiang’s face, twisted with humiliation and fury.

Memories belonging to the Original Host gradually resurfaced. Yin Man covered her eyes, concealing the helplessness in her gaze. This fragmented recall was proving terribly inconvenient. No wonder Jiang Yan’s attitude toward her was so strange. A proud and arrogant woman like Jiang Yan, having been scorned, must have wanted to skin Yin Man alive.

Considering Jiang Wan’s behavior, their sisterly bond seemed remarkably deep. Just how many people had the Original Host indirectly offended?

If she ever fell from grace, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Her thoughts drifted back to the unwritten future of the story. Though the ending remained unresolved, Yin Man’s later chapters clearly showed her gradual decline. Mei Xuying’s machinations drove a wedge between Yin Zhe and Yin Man, weakening her support. Even the family elders began to recognize Yin Youxia’s merits. If the story continued, Yin Man’s fate would undoubtedly be tragic.

Of course, she wouldn’t wait for that day to arrive. This wasn’t just for herself, but also for Liu Siyin. Having finally rescued Liu Siyin, she knew that only power could truly protect her.

It was rare for her to feel such a strong desire to protect someone.

Yin Man glanced sideways at Liu Siyin, her mood brightening slightly. In this world where everything seemed to belong to others, Liu Siyin was the only person she had saved.

“Yin Man, I’m your younger sister, not your subordinate! I have no obligation to clean up your messes!” Yin Youxia clearly misspoke; the Original Host hadn’t even touched Jiang Yan’s finger, at most admiring her delicate figure in a seductive nightgown.

Yin Man had intended to offer a kind explanation, but the words came out twisted: “Yin Youxia, let’s get one thing straight: I didn’t reject Jiang Yan. I simply found her unworthy of my attention.”

“You—!” That was even worse, making Yin Youxia feel utterly humiliated.

Irritated, Yin Man often struggled to control her body’s impulsive reactions. Fed up with the unpleasantness, she decided to leave. “Keep arguing if you want. We’re going upstairs.”

“Yin Man!” The hysterical shout from behind was just noise to her. Thankfully, her nanny only listened to her and didn’t stop. Otherwise, Yin Man would have been tempted to lock Yin Youxia up to teach her a lesson and force her to shut her mouth.

The alien thought patterns tormented her. A dense, throbbing pain surged from her knees upward, and her breathing grew heavy. The person pushing her wheelchair immediately noticed her distress. “Miss, are you feeling unwell?”

The voices around her sounded muffled, as if filtered through a membrane, making it impossible to hear clearly.

A foreign voice gradually drowned out the concerned words: “Even in death, I remain the master.”

“Do you want to strike? You do, don’t you? Don’t suppress your body’s desires.”

“Get out!” Yin Man violently shook off the hand reaching for her. The servant stumbled backward, and Yin Man instinctively grabbed the soft whip leaning against the door, lashing it out.

Dazed and disoriented, she didn’t know what she had struck. The growing cacophony of voices around her only fueled her agitation.

“Miss, should we take you to the hospital?” They had seen Yin Man in this state countless times. The servant didn’t even flinch as the whip struck her arm, instead leaning closer. This only provoked Yin Man further: “Get away from me!”

“Sister Man.” Even without her sight, there were still many inconveniences. For instance, when someone wanted to comfort her, they had to be guided by another hand to touch the back of her hand.

The veins on the back of Yin Man’s hand bulged slightly, and her palm was slick with sweat, both betraying her agony.

“Sister Man, are you in terrible pain?” The commotion was growing, but she hated being unable to see what was happening.

Liu Siyin’s worry was etched on his face, his genuine anxiety radiating a warmth that gradually calmed Yin Man.

“You—” As she touched Liu Siyin’s soft, boneless hand, her agitated heart gradually settled. The clamor in her ears faded, and the pain slowly receded, making her wonder again if Liu Siyin truly was her medicine.

Or perhaps, to put it another way, her arrival might have been for Liu Siyin’s sake. Only when she was near him did she feel like herself—that kind, gentle version. Only with Liu Siyin by her side did Yin Man feel distinct from the Original Host, as if they were separate beings who would never merge into one.

“It doesn’t hurt,” she murmured, shaking her head slightly. Her body, already aching from the pain, protested, but Yin Man gritted her teeth, refusing to groan. She didn’t want Liu Siyin to worry. But he said, “No, I know you’re in pain.”

Even without seeing her, Liu Siyin could sense her suffering through her breathing and touch.

Suddenly, she felt that perhaps she had come for him, and that Liu Siyin was living for her.

If she didn’t come, Liu Siyin would surely die.

If Liu Siyin died, she would be devoured by the Original Host.

Without preserving her own goodness, without friends or family of her own, she would become one with this world.

“Liu Siyin, if I told you I came to save you, would you believe me?” She hoped Liu Siyin wouldn’t find her words laughable, because she was speaking with utmost sincerity.

Liu Siyin’s reply was even more earnest: “I believe you.”

The welts from Yin Man’s earlier, frantic whipping still marked her arm. Yin Man touched the slightly raised, reddened skin, her eyes welling with tears. “Does it hurt?”

Liu Siyin gently shook his head.

But how could it not hurt? Such a brutal lash.

“Aunt Zhang, fetch the medicine.”

Hearing her command, everyone sprang into action.

Aunt Zhang and Aunt He had cared for Yin Man for many years. They had been with her since her mother was still alive, tending to her every need—dressing her, feeding her, carrying her up and down the stairs. As they aged, it became increasingly difficult to lift Yin Man, and her violent outbursts—hitting people, smashing things—were commonplace. They couldn’t even dodge; any attempt to evade her wrath only made her more furious. These were hardships the aging women could no longer endure.

They had repeatedly requested to resign, but Yin Man refused to let go of anything she wanted, including people.

Since she wouldn’t release them, no one dared cross her.

Aunt Zhang and Aunt He had been with Yin Man for over twenty years, watching her grow up from childhood. They remembered a time when her temper wasn’t so volatile and still held some affection for her. They often wondered if things would have been different if her mother hadn’t died. This was the first time they had seen Yin Man control her temper since her mother’s passing.

While applying ointment to Liu Siyin’s wounds, Aunt He couldn’t help but remark, “Miss Liu, you’re truly our lucky star. Even the Young Master can’t control the Miss’s temper.”

Seeing Yin Man merely gaze at Liu Siyin without a word, Aunt Zhang chimed in, “One word from you, and the Miss loses her temper completely.”

“You should have become the Miss’s wife sooner.”

Liu Siyin blushed, embarrassed. “Sister Man is naturally a gentle person.”

It was as if she could see through this physical shell and into her soul.