My Female General Is A Villain (GL) - Chapter 12

Just as things were getting interesting, He Jiaojiao leaned in to listen. The specifics of the novel’s plot were fuzzy in her mind; she only remembered the broad strokes. The little details, however, were completely gone.

Her brain was a lost cause.

But now she finally understood why Yuwen Jingshen had suddenly and inexplicably married He Yuzhu in the book. It turned out they had been colluding all along, two ants on the same rope.

He Yuzhu nodded. “Soon. Just wait. I won’t let either He Wanqing or He Jiaojiao go.”

“I don’t care about the feuds between you sisters,” Yuwen Jingshen said, his voice languid and soft, with no hint of aggression. “What I care about, you should already know. I hope I haven’t misjudged you.”

As she tried to listen more closely, a stray cat suddenly appeared. Its body was pitch black, but its eyes glowed green, and it was staring directly at her. She wasn’t scared, but she had a sudden urge to cover its mouth.

Terrified of startling it, He Jiaojiao slowly raised a hand and put a finger to her lips, making a shushing motion. As if that wasn’t sincere enough, she put her hands together and prayed to it, just as she would in a temple.

The black cat seemed to be either toying with her or trying to get her killed faster. A sudden “shhhhhhh” sound rang out as it stepped on something, and He Jiaojiao’s heart skipped a beat.

The culprit, the black cat, calmly lay down beside her and closed its eyes, as if to rest.

Yuwen Jingshen was the first to sense something was off. He gave He Yuzhu a look, a subtle signal.

Hidden in the shadows, He Jiaojiao watched with a burning heart as He Yuzhu began walking toward her. Just then, a cat shrieked, and a strong hand yanked her away.

In the moment of panic, she managed to stifle the sound that was about to escape her throat, trusting that no matter the reason, this was at least in her favor.

He Yuzhu, frightened by the sky-shattering scream, froze. She knew the rumors about this courtyard and felt a flicker of fear.

He Yuzhu sighed in relief. “It was just a wayward stray cat.”

As He Yuzhu’s footsteps faded and silence returned, the tight string in He Jiaojiao’s mind finally loosened. The hand that had been clasped firmly over her mouth slowly moved away.

It was pitch black, and He Jiaojiao couldn’t make out the person’s face. She didn’t know where she was, but she could hear a steady breath and a very faint scent of sandalwood.

She knew this scent. It was Pei Ji. The first night they had shared a bed, she couldn’t sleep, but the scent of sandalwood had somehow put her at ease.

Though her body wasn’t great, her sight, hearing, and sense of smell were incredibly sharp.

“Pei Ji?” He Jiaojiao whispered.

Pei Ji’s hand, now released, stiffened. She hadn’t expected to be found out so quickly, especially since she hadn’t said a word.

She frowned, shaking her hand as if to rid it of the dust of He Jiaojiao’s skin. The scent of her perfume made her feel ill.

“Yes,” she grunted.

Even though she had already guessed it was her, hearing Pei Ji’s voice made He Jiaojiao sigh in relief.

“What are you doing here?” He Jiaojiao asked, curious. She felt like nothing could get past Pei Ji; she was like a god who appeared whenever trouble was brewing.

Pei Ji seemed to have anticipated the question and turned it back on her. “I should be asking you that. Second Miss, why are you sneaking around your own estate in the middle of the night? Are you here to look at the moon again?”

Pei Ji closed in on her, the faint light from the doorway casting a perfect sliver of light on her high nose bridge. Her voice held no emotion, but a low, dangerous current of air swirled around her, as if to tear He Jiaojiao apart.

Wow, so she was speaking to her like this now. Was she finally dropping the act?

So what if she was the main villain?

He Jiaojiao thought about it. She was, in fact, pretty incredible.

She took a moment to compose herself, forcing the awkward tone of the original owner. “Of course I came to see Brother Jingshen. With something so dangerous happening at the estate tonight, I couldn’t let him be in harm’s way. I have to look after and protect him.” As the words left her mouth, she felt a shiver of disgust.

The original He Jiaojiao was a pitiable character. She thought she was in a fated romance, but it turned out she was just a pawn.

She wasn’t even worth saving; she was flavorless, and yet they didn’t want to throw her away.

Now that the marriage was off, she was a discarded piece.

Pei Ji didn’t believe any of this, but there was nothing she could do. She would just let her say what she wanted. After all, everyone knew their “marriage” was one of convenience, with no real affection.

Pei Ji scoffed, leaning in to whisper in He Jiaojiao’s ear. Her tone was humble and peaceful, but her intent was clearly to provoke. “It’s a shame. The lover you yearn for is meeting with another woman. You’ve wasted your devotion.”

She loved seeing He Jiaojiao’s angry, frantic expression. A face filled with pain, resentment, and despair was a sight that brought her an odd kind of relief. No matter how much she suffered, she would get back up as long as she was alive.

But this time, He Jiaojiao didn’t lose control. Instead, she flashed her a smile, revealing a row of white teeth. It was a very ugly smile.

He Jiaojiao waved a hand. She wanted to clarify their relationship. “Jingshen is my good friend from childhood. If a good friend finds someone he likes, why would I, as his sister, not be happy? I would give them my sincere blessing.”

Then, she acted like a damsel from a folk tale, pulling on Pei Ji’s sleeve and drawing out her words in a long, melodious tone. “Besides, I already have a husband. I’ve thought it through. Since we are husband and wife, then, my dear husband, how about we live a happy life together and be a couple of lovebirds?”

Acting was so hard. How did actors develop a sense of belief in their characters? Her face was starting to cramp from smiling.

Pei Ji had never seen He Jiaojiao like this. Her few words made her feel dizzy, her eyes wide with bewilderment. She angrily yanked her sleeve away. She was certain He Jiaojiao had lost her mind.

He Jiaojiao, who still couldn’t see her clearly, suddenly leaned in. A beam of moonlight from the doorway fell on half of her chubby cheek, making her skin look soft and supple. Her long, thick lashes fluttered.

At that moment, a clear voice sounded in her head.

 “Master, Pei Ji’s favorability toward you is decreasing!“

System 19 nearly burst into tears.

He Jiaojiao: “???”

How was this possible? She had been so dedicated in her flattery, so how could the number be going down?

He Jiaojiao: “What is it now?”

Nineteen: “-150%… -151%… -152%… -153%…”

He Jiaojiao: “Goddammit! I’m not doing this anymore! All my progress is gone! How can a person be this difficult?”

System 19: “Careful, careful! If you give up now, not only will I disappear, but you’ll be erased, too!”

He Jiaojiao: “…”

Why was her life so miserable?

He Jiaojiao: “Where were you earlier? Why didn’t you answer when I called for so long?”

Nineteen: “I was sleeping. We get tired and need rest, too, Master.”

It seemed she was the only chosen laborer.

He Jiaojiao’s smile froze. By the time she came back to her senses, Pei Ji was no longer in front of her. A gust of wind blew, the sound sharp and piercing like a baby’s cry. She grabbed the door frame with one hand, lifted her skirts with the other, and carefully walked forward.

After stepping over the threshold, she hurried to catch up with the figure ahead.

*******

She finally made it back to her own residence, her exhaustion apparent only when she saw Qingyao.

Qingyao bowed respectfully. “Miss, Master-in-law.”

She noticed the distressed look on Qingyao’s face, her expression complex and hard to read as she looked at her, then at Pei Ji, and then glanced toward the room.

“What’s wrong, Qingyao? What’s so hard to say?” He Jiaojiao couldn’t help but ask.

Qingyao gestured to the room. “Miss… you should see for yourself…”

He Jiaojiao, baffled by her behavior, pushed open the door and walked in. She saw a small figure pacing back and forth in the room, hands behind her back like an adult, sighing every now and then. When she heard the door creak open, the figure spun around.

Before He Jiaojiao could even figure out what was happening, the small thing rushed forward and hugged her around the waist.

“Mama!”

The two words hit her like a lightning bolt, and nearby, Qingyao covered her eyes in mortification.

Pei Ji let out a sneer, a subtle twitch at the corner of her lips.

He Jiaojiao quickly pulled the child away, waving her hands at the two of them. “It’s a mistake, a mistake,” she said with an awkward laugh.

Then, she lowered her head and asked the child, “Miaomiao, why didn’t you go home?”

Miaomiao pouted, her eyes welling up with tears. “You said you were coming back for me. Why didn’t you… I waited for so long…” she mumbled pitifully.

Qingyao immediately stepped forward and whispered, “The Ninth Princess brought her. She said she wouldn’t leave until she saw you. She also said… that she was your long-lost daughter and would go wherever her mother went. I didn’t know what to do, so I settled her in your room for now.”

Qingyao’s voice was hesitant, and her heart was racing. She was terrified of the general and the Old Madam finding out. Even worse, if the rumors spread, her miss’s reputation would be completely ruined. The gossip alone would be enough to drown her.

He Jiaojiao instantly understood. Miaomiao had said this to get them to let her stay.

In ancient times, women gave birth early, and since she was already twenty, it wasn’t impossible for her to have a child.

He Jiaojiao lightly tapped Qingyao’s head. “What are you thinking? Your miss is a virtuous person. Get those unsightly thoughts out of your head.”

Qingyao nodded vigorously, completely believing her.

He Jiaojiao crouched down, stroking Miaomiao’s head with a gentle motion that reminded her of how her grandmother in the other world had treated her. “I’m sorry, Miaomiao. But if you don’t go home, your family will be so worried about you. They’ll be frantic.”

Miaomiao turned her head away, muttering softly, “They won’t be…”

“How about this? You can stay here for the night, and tomorrow I’ll take you back. Is that okay?”

Miaomiao didn’t answer. She simply turned and lay down on the bed, ignoring them.

Her small back was curled up in a ball, looking especially pathetic.

Pei Ji watched it all, her tightly knit brows never loosening. He Jiaojiao’s eyes were filled with a soft, warm light, and her movements were so gentle. It was a complete change from her usual demeanor.

A complicated thought, one she couldn’t quite decipher, settled in her eyes.