After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Turned on Easy Mode - Chapter 3

For the past few days, Wu You had shut herself up in her room—partly to sort through the plot and decide on her next move, and partly to dodge her own “scripted death.”

In the original, Wu You had been lured out and then murdered. The original’s martial arts weren’t weak, but she lacked vigilance. Maybe the plot really had shifted—no one had come to lure her out, even by this point.

Then again, that seemed impossible. A crazy-beauty like Zhao Qingzi, who repaid every slight—Wu You had poked a hole that big in her; how could she let her go so easily?

She set down the pen she’d been using to draft plans and stretched long and hard.

She tapped her heavy head. These last few days had stifled her. Afraid of Zhao Qingzi’s revenge, she’d sealed her doors and windows. Before transmigrating she’d been an ordinary med student; after landing in a novel, Wu You realized she might be better suited for the acting department.

What a pity… her major didn’t seem all that useful here—other than knowing human anatomy well enough to make her fighting more lethal?

Wu You shivered. Wouldn’t it be nicer if the world were full of love and peace? All the fighting and killing—so bad.

As she was woolgathering, a voice came from outside the door: “Miss, Miss Zhao from the Yongding Marquisate is here.”

Here she comes! Of course amateur acting can’t fool a true master. What was she hoping for…? This was someone who had everyone dancing in circles.

Even her own brother, who was with her day and night, hadn’t realized until the very end that his meimei was a cold-blooded monster.

She steadied her emotions and was about to plead illness and refuse. Then she thought again: if she stayed home and didn’t go out, Zhao Qingzi would have no way to make a move. Besides, a grudge had already formed between them—if she kept dodging, it would never be untied.

Zhao Qingzi wasn’t a mindless killer; she wasn’t interested in things that brought no benefit. And she cherished those who were good to her—her gege, for instance.

Having decided, Wu You chose to meet Zhao Qingzi. If she could, along the way, dissolve some of the malice toward her, so much the better.

At the same time, in the General’s residence main hall, Zhao Qingzi sat in her wheelchair with only a little maid behind to help her move. She was dressed in white again today, looking quite plain.

Her hair was fixed with a single green jade hairpin, and a faint smile hung at the corners of her mouth.

Zhao Qingzi let her gaze sweep the hall. The Wu household was a military family; everything was simply appointed. The Daxin court valued the civil over the military, and even with enemies surrounding its borders, that bias had barely changed.
(TN: “Daxin” is the dynasty name in-universe.)

Her eyes darkened; a trace of mockery and disdain flashed there. Her imperial uncle on the throne was truly spineless. If it were up to her, there’d be nothing to fear—just go to war, beat the wolves and tigers until they were cowed; would they still dare bare their fangs?

The moment Wu You entered the hall, she caught a glimpse of the girl’s mocking smile—and a heartbeat later, the same face wore gentle obedience again.

She couldn’t help thinking: what a waste if this one doesn’t go into acting.

“Miss Qingzi, forgive the wait.”

Hearing Wu You’s voice, Zhao Qingzi felt a flicker of joy, but she didn’t show it. She only smiled lightly and replied, “Miss Wu hasn’t slighted me; there’s no need. I came today regarding my gege. He troubled you a few days ago—he only lost his composure out of concern for me. Please don’t worry about it.”

No, what really worries me is you…

She grumbled that in her heart, but answered properly that she hadn’t taken it to heart.

She glanced at Zhao Qingzi’s left shoulder, but the clothes hid any sign of a wound.

Seeing her eyes fixed on the injury, that sweetness that wouldn’t be controlled bubbled up in Zhao Qingzi again; her heartbeat picked up a notch.

Ever since that day, Zhao Qingzi had sent people to keep tabs on Wu You, wanting to grasp her movements. The reports said she hadn’t gone out for four days and had refused every invitation from her pack of wastrel friends.

Completely unlike her former, always-on-the-run style. Worried, Zhao Qingzi decided to come herself.

Shutting herself in all day is no good. I’ll have to find a way to get her out. I’m absolutely not trying to go shopping with her, hm!

Zhao Qingzi felt her palms grow a little damp. She twisted the handkerchief in her hand, unsure how to begin.

Watching the blush on her face and the handkerchief being wrung out of shape, Wu You was startled. How much must she hate me? Her face is red with anger—she must be imagining that handkerchief is me.

Once she’d worked herself up, Zhao Qingzi gathered her courage and spoke across to Wu You: “Might I have the fortune of inviting Miss Wu out today?”

At those words, the color drained from Wu You’s previously rosy cheeks. A voice in her mind screamed: Here it is! Here it is! So I can’t escape after all!

To save her life, Wu You’s acting leveled up on the spot. She coughed a few times, voice turning hoarse and weak.

Her face showed fervent longing mixed with helplessness. “I’m overjoyed by your invitation, Miss Zhao, but I’ve caught a chill lately and feel truly unwell. I must beg your pardon for declining your kindness.”

At that, Zhao Qingzi blurted in alarm, “Since that’s the case, why aren’t you taking medicine?” No sooner had she said it than she realized it sounded wrong—under normal circumstances, she shouldn’t know whether the other party had taken medicine.

Wu You noticed the slip too, but exposing it on the spot might shame her into anger, so she smoothly picked up the thread.

“As one who trains in martial arts, I’m sturdy. Embarrassing to say, but I’m terrified of taking medicine—the bitterness.”

Seeing that Wu You hadn’t noticed anything amiss, Zhao Qingzi quietly exhaled. Then, hearing that, she looked quite disapproving.

“Good medicine is bitter but benefits your health. You should care for your health—don’t let a small sickness become a serious one. In those years, my legs were—”

She cut herself off, clutching the cloth over her lap; her body trembled.

Watching her, Wu You felt a pang as well. The original mentioned that Zhao Qingzi loved dancing most of all; if her legs had been healthy, she would have been the brightest girl in the capital.

Seeing Zhao Qingzi sink into sadness, head bowed slightly, Wu You noticed there was only a simple jade hairpin among that fall of black hair.

Her heart stirred. Remembering she was “down with a chill,” she raised a sleeve to cover her face and stepped closer. She removed the butterfly-shaped gold hairpin from her own hair and gently set it into Zhao Qingzi’s.

The pin was a bit flamboyant, like Wu You herself, yet it didn’t look out of place on Zhao Qingzi.

Wu You marveled inwardly: with a face like that, anything looks good.

The motion startled Zhao Qingzi out of her grief. She lifted her eyes and found a face suddenly close. Wu You’s sleeve hid most of it, leaving only a pair of smiling eyes. A beauty mark lay beneath one eye; the outer corners tilted up—those eyes alone held endless allure.

Seeing her in a daze and not knowing what it meant—but keenly aware that boosting favorability was the priority—Wu You said, “I appreciate your kind thought, Miss, but I can’t accompany you out today. Please accept this hairpin as an apology. It’s a small gesture, but it carries my sincere intent.”

She deepened her smile. “May Miss live happily all her life, with everything going your way.”

Zhao Qingzi hardly knew how she made it out of the General’s residence. All she could see in her mind were those seductive eyes.

Back in her room, she took her habitual seat by the window. Whenever her thoughts were in disarray, she would sit there, letting the wind brush her cheeks while the leaves whispered, until her heart settled.

Lately, though, that method worked less and less. Whether she opened or closed her eyes, it was the sound of that person’s voice, that person’s face. Just now, the moment she shut her eyes—those upturned eyes again.

She couldn’t help muttering, “What a little fox spirit!”

No one was around, so no one saw that the usually over-gentle young lady could also snarl in flustered anger.

She reached up and pulled the pin from her hair. It was all gold; two butterflies nestled together at the top—one all silver-white, the other with ruby-studded wings.

She thought again of how that troublesome person most often wore red, as vivid as the rubies on those wings. Her face flushed. Zhao Qingzi tended to overthink; the design felt full of hidden hints.

She spat lightly. “Shameless!”

Wu You had no idea her casual gift had set Zhao Qingzi thinking so much. She herself was basking in the joy of a narrow escape.

Judging from today as well, Zhao Qingzi must have people tracking her movements—how else would she know Wu You wasn’t taking medicine…

To avoid arousing suspicion, Wu You had a maid buy medicine for colds, decocted it daily, then brought it into the room and poured it into the potted plants.

The room instantly filled with the smell of medicine, covering the scent of incense. In fact, she wasn’t entirely lying to Zhao Qingzi: she truly didn’t like medicine and was truly terrified of bitterness.

Pinching her nose, eyes watering, Wu You vowed: To live to the finale, I’ll endure!

A heroic zeal surged in her chest. Even without a cheat, with my wits I can still live smoothly—maybe I’ll even become a legend of this world and go down in history!

Thinking of that bright future filled her with drive. She picked up a brush and wrote furiously, plotting out her next steps.

Suddenly another thought: if I want stability, couldn’t I just cozy up to the male lead…? But the moment that thought appeared, what rose up was the inferno from her dream—and Zhao Qingzi burned to ash.

Those despairing eyes would not leave her mind…

She hasn’t begun to do evil yet. She can still be saved. If I team up with the male lead, maybe I can only save my own life, and the siblings will still die.

At that, Wu You set the brush down. A headache unlike any she’d felt before throbbed through her. If only I weren’t in this body. I’d love you without restraint. But the mistake is made; even if I’m going to reform you, I have to be careful how.

Ah, being a savior is really hard. With too many plans crammed in your head, it’s suffocating and miserable.

Zhao Qingzi must be suffering more than I am. Why didn’t she learn to bear things together with her gege…

In a few days it will be the Hundred Flowers Banquet—the start of her stepping onto the wrong path. I have to think of a way to save her…