After Transmigrating as a Scumbag Gong, I Ended Up with the Cannon Fodder - Chapter 19

Before the conflict could escalate further, Wen Si was already sobbing uncontrollably, her face streaked with tears.

Yin Zhe loathed women’s tears. The incessant crying irritated him so much that he lost all focus on work. Snatching back his phone, his features hardened into a cold mask. “Stop crying!”

Wen Si wasn’t much older than them. She had married Yin Nanbai at eighteen and was still under forty. Yin Zhe, only eleven years younger, struggled to see her as an elder. Combined with Yin Man’s domineering attitude and Wen Si’s tendency to weep, their interactions often resembled those between a superior and subordinate.

Overwhelmed by Yin Zhe’s imposing presence, Wen Si’s tears trembled in her eyes, but she dared not let them fall. Her voice, thin and weak as a mosquito’s buzz, barely audible, she whispered, “I’m sorry.”

All of this filled Yin Youxia with humiliation and rage.

The people before her were her mother and brother, yet her mother acted nothing like a mother, and her brother nothing like a son.

This had been the pattern for years. In this family, Yin Zhe’s word was law, Yin Man was tyrannical and unreasonable, and Yin Nanbai ruled with an iron fist. Only Wen Si and Yin Youxia had to swallow their pride, enduring constant humiliation and injustice.

From the moment Yin Man first locked her up, Yin Youxia had dreamed of escape, yearning for a life free from restraint, where she wouldn’t have to obey anyone.

Wen Si always told her that if she was obedient, Yin Man would treat her well, Yin Nanbai would treat her well, and even Yin Zhe would give her a second glance.

But being obedient only made Yin Man see her as easier to manipulate, treating her like an indestructible clay doll to be kneaded and bullied at will. Yin Zhe, on the other hand, would never give her a second glance; his eyes were fixed solely on Yin Man, his younger sister. He cared only about Yin Man’s happiness, sometimes even forgetting her name.

Yin Nanbai treated her relatively well, but he showed no kindness toward Wen Si. He kept countless mistresses—mature, innocent, and everything in between—and hadn’t stayed home overnight in years. She had witnessed all of this firsthand, and now he was trying to destroy the freedom she had fought so hard to gain.

She truly didn’t want to marry Jiang Yan. Marrying Jiang Yan would make her nothing more than a pawn in Yin Nanbai’s schemes, a weapon to use against Yin Man and Yin Zhe. She wasn’t stupid; she was intelligent.

She simply couldn’t bear to see Wen Si suffer any more. She wanted to become strong enough to free Wen Si from her fear of them, to give her an equal footing to negotiate with Yin Nanbai, instead of this constant fawning, obedience, and subservience.

When Yin Man offered to take Liu Siyin, Yin Youxia truly believed her sister had changed for the better, caring enough to worry about her. But the truth was, Yin Man remained the same cold-blooded person she had always been. She still didn’t treat Youxia like a younger sister or Wen Si like a mother; Liu Siyin was likely just a new toy she found amusing.

Yin Youxia had fantasized countless times about Yin Man becoming a good sister, someone who respected their mother, like Mei Xuying—a gentle, warm sister who always smiled and comforted her.

If only Mei Xuying could be my sister, she thought. I would be so obedient and well-behaved, just to earn her affection.

Of course, Mei Xuying would never be her sister, and she would never be Mei Xuying’s younger sister. Both of them had suffered under Yin Man’s poison for years. Youxia knew Mei Xuying’s interest in her stemmed from their shared fate, perhaps even a degree of manipulation. Mei Xuying had repeatedly tried to turn her against Yin Man, likely hoping Youxia would become the sword that pierced her sister’s heart. Yet Youxia believed there was genuine affection mixed in with Mei Xuying’s motives.

Otherwise, why would she have torn off her beautiful mask at the hospital, standing in opposition to Yin Man?

Since both Yin Nanbai and Yin Zhe wanted her to become that sword, she might as well become it. As if drawn by some invisible force, Yin Youxia lunged forward, grabbed the steak fork from the table, and thrust it forcefully toward Yin Man’s neck. Her wrist tightened as Yin Zhe seized it, his gaze icy. “Yin Youxia, are you trying to die?”

The fork was about to pierce Yin Youxia when Yin Man cried out, “Brother! Don’t!”

Yin Zhe flung Yin Youxia aside. Her frail body flew across the room, crashing heavily to the floor with a loud thud. Wen Si panicked, dropping to her knees at Yin Man’s feet. “Manman, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry! Please lock her up! She’s the one who did wrong! Just lock her up! Please spare her life! Spare her life!”

Will this shorten my lifespan?

Yin Man gazed at the kneeling woman before her, her eyes filled with hesitation. She lacked the original owner’s decisiveness and resolve, still caught up in trivial thoughts. Before she could speak, Yin Zhe calmly summoned his men and ordered, “Lock her in the basement.”

This wasn’t the first time, so the process was carried out with practiced efficiency.

Each of Yin Youxia’s transgressions was met with darkness. She rarely made mistakes anymore, but this time there was no escape. Clutching her chest, her expression a mix of sorrow and relief, she cried, “Just kill me already!”

“Youxia, be good. It’s just for a day.”

Just for a day?

“Do you even know how terrifying it is in there? How dark it is? So many eyes staring at me, the air so still, so suffocating—I can’t breathe!” Tears of terror streamed from Yin Youxia’s hollow eyes as she recalled the day, years ago, when she developed claustrophobia.

So dark. Not a single glimmer of light. Only the sounds of tearing and howling, and pairs of hideous eyes glaring at her.

The noise was deafening—the sound of claws scraping against the wire mesh. Their claws were so sharp, so keen, it seemed they could tear through the wire at any moment.

The stench was overwhelming, a thick, metallic reek of bl00d permeating the air. These dogs had been raised on raw meat; she might become their next meal.

In the darkness, her frail body curled into a tight ball, a weak voice barely audible: “Sister Youxia is scared. Sister, please let Youxia out. Please?”

“Youxia doesn’t want to be eaten.”

Yin Youxia was terrified, her lips pale, beads of sweat constantly forming on her forehead. Her soft whimpers reached Yin Man’s ears, stirring a flicker of compassion. “You can leave now,” Yin Man said. “That’s all.”

“Manman, she still shares half our bl00d,” Yin Zhe said. Could he think she wanted Youxia dead? A flicker of confusion crossed Yin Man’s face, then realization dawned. Yin Zhe had never been particularly kind to Youxia, but he hadn’t been cruel either. As long as Yin Man didn’t bully her, they mostly coexisted peacefully. In fact, Yin Zhe had never shortchanged any family member when it came to money.

No wonder Yin Youxia never considered causing Yin Zhe any real harm, even when she finally plotted to bring him down in the original story.

“Woof! Woof! Woof!” When misfortune strikes, it truly never comes alone. Xiao You suddenly darted out from nowhere, sending Yin Youxia into a complete frenzy. She curled up into a tight ball, muttering frantically, “Don’t eat me! Don’t eat me!”

How could she be so terrified of such a tiny dog?

In the living room, everyone except the terrified Yin Youxia and the invisible Liu Siyin stared at her with a mixture of fear and unspoken accusations, as if she were some heinous demon or a merciless executioner.

“Take her to a psychiatrist,” Yin Man said, thinking she was finally showing her compassionate side. But the others’ gazes only grew more fearful. Yin Zhe hesitated, while Mei Xuying struggled for a moment before stepping in front of Yin Youxia. “No! Her condition can’t withstand your meddling right now!”

What?

She was just trying to get her medical help! How was that meddling?

Is this woman completely insane?

Still puzzled, she felt Liu Siyin’s hand gently touch the back of her own. He pleaded softly, “Sister Man, please don’t make Youxia see a hypnotist again. Last time, she was sick for half a year before she recovered.”

What unspeakable things did the Original Host do to deserve this?!

She didn’t relent, and Yin Zhe didn’t intervene. As someone moved to drag Yin Youxia away, Mei Xuying froze for a moment before resolutely crouching down and pulling Yin Youxia into her arms. She glared at Yin Man. “You might as well send me with her.”

“That day, she actually thought you had changed for the better. She rushed to tell me, so excited that she might finally have a sister. I still remember the radiant smile on her face. She genuinely wanted a sister, but she forgot that you, Yin Man, have no humanity!”

Under Mei Xuying’s scathing accusations, Yin Man felt almost unforgivable. But couldn’t someone please tell her what the Original Host had actually done?!

“Miss, you’ve already had Youxia hypnotized before, forcing her to relive her childhood traumas over and over, to repeatedly touch that past despair. Now you want to hypnotize her again? Don’t you think that’s cruel?”

It was a miracle Yin Youxia had survived to adulthood without becoming a psychopath.

Wait, she did become a psychopath later on. By the end, Yin Youxia was a madly beautiful villainess. No wonder, really—being raised by such a monstrous abuser would inevitably leave its mark.

The Original Host had truly lived by the principle of ruthless cruelty, showing no mercy even to her own family. But watching Aunt He rush to protect Yin Youxia, it was clear why Mei Xuying and Yin Youxia had managed to overthrow the Original Host’s towering influence. If even the two elderly women who had raised her since childhood were now siding with Yin Youxia, how deeply unpopular must she have been?

Even Liu Siyin pleaded for Yin Youxia’s mercy. Yin Man glanced at him, his face pale, lips trembling slightly, and the hand he held trembled in hers. He was afraid.

Afraid of her ruthlessness?

Yin Man patted the back of Liu Siyin’s hand reassuringly, but his trembling only intensified. Looking at Mei Xuying’s righteous indignation, Yin Youxia’s pitiful vulnerability, and Wen Si’s stunned silence, she felt like the archetypal wicked villainess.

No, her current body was the archetypal wicked villainess.

Yin Youxia trembled uncontrollably in Mei Xuying’s arms, her tears soaking a patch of Mei Xuying’s clothes. Bl00d seeped from her palms where her nails had dug into her flesh.

So pitiful.

Yin Man’s heart softened, and guilt began to gnaw at her.

But why should she feel guilty? Yin Youxia’s misfortunes weren’t her fault, were they? They were the Original Host’s doing.

Having enjoyed all the benefits of this body, shouldn’t she bear at least some responsibility?

“Aunt Zhang, take Xiao You upstairs.”

“Brother, hurry back to the company. There’s still so much work to do.”

“Cousin, take Youxia to the doctor. Remember, it’s for medical treatment, not hypnosis!”

She added that last part specifically, and Wen Si let out a sigh of relief.

Mei Xuying stared at her as if she’d seen a ghost, her eyes wide and fixed. Yin Man ignored her, instructing Aunt He to push her upstairs. She’d been dealt a cruel hand—doing nothing, yet becoming the ultimate villain.

Everyone feared her, and everyone wished for her death.

She sighed softly. Liu Siyin asked, “Sister Man, are you sad about Youxia?”

“I—” She was sad for herself.

Yin Man squeezed Liu Siyin’s hand. Liu Siyin’s palm was clammy with sweat, the sweat of fear and tension. Yin Man sighed again. “You’re afraid of me too, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not afraid of Sister Man. You’ve always been so kind to me. If I were afraid, I wouldn’t have pleaded for Youxia.”

“Then what are you afraid of?”

“The dark. Basements.” Liu Siyin forced a smile, though it looked strained. “The Liu Family’s basement was so dark. There were wolves down there, and a long time ago, my aunt even kept a tiger.”

So, her fear of the dark stemmed from being locked in basements.

Yin Man silently tightened her grip on Liu Siyin’s hand. “Trust me,” she said. “No one will ever lock you up again.”

“I believe you.”