My Villainess Is Definitely Not a Black Lotus - Chapter 38

Fu Jianxu was jolted awake by a sharp, stabbing headache.

She instinctively reached up to rub her temples, only to find her arm pinned down by something soft. Opening her eyes, she found herself face-to-face with a sleeping face mere inches away—Ji Xiaoyu was curled up in her arms, her eyelashes fluttering gently with each breath, and suspicious red marks still lingered on her skin.

Fu Jianxu ……

Fu Jianxu’s mind froze. She mechanically lowered her gaze and saw her bare shoulder had slipped out from under the covers due to her sudden movement. Bl00d rushed to her ears, turning her as red as a shrimp tossed into boiling water.

Sister Jianxu, you’re awake? Ji Xiaoyu had opened her eyes without her noticing, her voice soft with sleepiness. Seeming too embarrassed to look at her directly, she buried her face in the blanket, leaving only her dewy eyes visible. Her voice was barely a whisper Last night…

Fu Jianxu’s throat was parched. She swallowed hard.

Last night? She only remembered craving alcohol so badly that she secretly drank alone in a corner. After that… after that? What had happened after that?

Last night… I… I just drank too much and fell asleep, right? she heard her own dry voice ask.

Ji Xiaoyu visibly stiffened at the words, then buried her face completely under the covers. A moment later, the blanket began to tremble gently.

Fu Jianxu’s pupils constricted. No, what’s wrong with her? Is she crying?

She rubbed her throbbing temples, instinctively reaching to pull back the covers and check on the girl. But her hand froze mid-motion as the scene from when she first opened her eyes flashed back both of them naked, the girl’s body dotted with marks.

Her face drained of color.

No… could I have… lost control after drinking?

No, no, no, no, no!

Her hand trembling, she touched her right hand, then smacked her lips in terror—nothing felt amiss. There… there shouldn’t be any aftereffects, right?

But… what about the girl’s body…?

Fu Jianxu’s certainty wavered. So… even if she hadn’t gone all the way, she’d definitely done something wrong…

Slap!

She closed her eyes and slapped herself hard.

Even if the girl is beautiful and has the kindest heart in the world…

Fu Jianxu, is that any excuse for your beastly behavior?!

Slap!

She’s only sixteen! Fu Jianxu, you’re a monster! She slapped herself on the other cheek.

The crisp sound of the two slaps echoed sharply in the silent bedroom. Ji Xiaoyu, curled up under the covers, flinched violently and finally couldn’t stay still any longer. She scrambled to sit up, her disheveled hair parting to reveal reddened eyes and damp lashes still clinging to undried tears.

Sister Jianxu…

The blanket slipped as she moved, exposing her bare shoulders to the cold air, instantly raising goosebumps. But the girl seemed oblivious, only urgently grabbing Fu Jianxu’s wrist as she raised her hand again.

Don’t… Sister. Don’t hurt yourself…

Fu Jianxu’s gaze darted away, unable to meet the girl’s clear eyes. She hastily tucked the fallen blanket back around Ji Xiaoyu.

Her voice hoarse, she said, I was drunk last night. I must have… I must have done something terrible to you…

Before she could finish, the girl in her arms suddenly blushed crimson.

Ji Xiaoyu buried half her face in the blanket’s edge, the usually quick-witted girl now stammering, S-Sister didn’t… didn’t do anything wrong… We’re wives, after all. These… these things are natural…

Fu Jianxu froze, staring in disbelief at the young woman before her.

Ji Xiaoyu, wrapped in the blanket like a cocoon, revealed only her fluffy head, the tips of her ears peeking through her hair, flushed crimson. Her eyes were lowered, the corners still tinged with a lingering blush, like a touch of rouge. Most striking was her rosy lips, a tiny split visible at the corner.

Fu Jianxu’s heart skipped a beat.

She hastily averted her gaze, mentally berating herself Fu Jianxu, have you lost your mind? What are you thinking? Haven’t you always treated her like a little sister?

E-even if we’re wives… she stammered, you can’t just… ignore my wishes…

A rustling sound came from within the blanket. Ji Xiaoyu shrank further inside, her ears burning even brighter. As long as it’s Sister… I’d do anything… anything at all…

Fu Jianxu stood dumbfounded, completely frozen in place, her cheeks burning fiercely. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

What’s happening? My little sister… is now my wife?

Or is this all because of my unilateral wrongdoing?

No, it’s not entirely unilateral. Judging by her shy and bashful demeanor, it’s clear this is mutual. But… why does something still feel off?

When Fu Jianxu woke up, she realized the unfamiliar double bed beneath her wasn’t hers. As she dressed, she replayed the events of the past few days in her mind

She had indeed dreamed of the young girl recently, but her memories were of perfectly normal scenes. She couldn’t recall dreaming of anything remotely explicit…

How could she have acted so beastly?

Could it be that she had harbored improper feelings for the girl all along, but refused to acknowledge them? And that her subconscious desire to be close to the girl had manifested in this sleepwalking act?

Fu Jianxu tied the last strap of her cotton-padded coat, slipped on her shoes, and unconsciously smoothed her hair. The girl was so beautiful, perfectly aligned with her aesthetic preferences. Had she fallen for her long ago?

Perhaps she simply couldn’t bring herself to accept the idea of taking a young girl as her wife, being a modern woman, and so refused to admit her feelings?

The more Fu Jianxu pondered, the more it made sense. She couldn’t find any other explanation for her absurd behavior. Once she had convinced herself, she quickly tied her hair up.

She glanced at the girl still wrapped in the quilt, her face flushed crimson. Fu Jianxu carefully gathered the girl’s clothes, folding them neatly in order and placing them by her pillow. Then she turned away, giving the girl privacy to change.

Fu Jianxu’s ears flushed crimson. The image of the little girl, wrapped in the quilt and looking shy, inevitably surfaced in her mind, along with the lingering tear tracks at the corners of her eyes and her watery-eyed whisper, I’m willing.

She hadn’t expected the little girl’s attitude toward this matter to be so…

But then another thought struck her, and the heat in her cheeks cooled.

In the little girl’s eyes, Fu Jianxu was still the same person she’d always known. Fu Jianxu was her wife, and anything Fu Jianxu did to her was perfectly natural.

As this realization sank in, a bitter pang welled up in Fu Jianxu’s heart. She ground her teeth. Damn you, original owner! How did you manage to marry such a wonderful wife?!

Sister Jianxu, let’s go wash up. Sister Zhenzhen and the others must be getting worried, Ji Xiaoyu’s voice called from behind.

Fu Jianxu startled again, quickly arranged the little girl’s shoes, and fled the room as if escaping.

What’s wrong with me?! I can’t even look at the name Sister Jianxu anymore!

She’s my sister, not my wife! How did this happen…?

Chen Zhen had thoughtfully prepared fresh willow twigs for them to use as toothbrushes. While rinsing her mouth, Fu Jianxu noticed a faint stinging at the corner of her lips, a telltale sign of last night’s intensity. She dared not dwell on just how passionate things had gotten…

Her ears flushed crimson again. Fu Jianxu, what are you thinking?! You need to control yourself next time! The little girl is still so young!

No! There shouldn’t be a next time at all!

By the way, I got drunk last night. Did I say anything I shouldn’t have? Fu Jianxu spat out her mouthwash and turned to ask the young girl beside her.

Nothing too bad, Ji Xiaoyu replied with a smile, wrapping a willow branch. It’s just that Sister Jianxu got particularly… enthusiastic when she was drunk. She kept talking to everyone, especially… Brother Xiao…

Fu Jianxu’s pupils constricted sharply, and her toothbrushing slowed.

She had never been drunk before and didn’t know if she would start rambling nonsense. But someone as timid as her… surely not, surely not… she couldn’t have blown her female lead disguise, could she?

After finishing her morning routine, she nervously approached the main hall. Just then, Fu Zhixiao strode in from outside, his face dark and carrying a basin of today’s offal. Dark circles hung prominently under his eyes.

Her heart thumped. She called out weakly, B-Brother Xiao… G-good morning…

Fu Zhixiao slammed the basin down, sneered coldly, and fixed her with a stare. Didn’t you say you didn’t like being called ‘Brother Xiao’? If you don’t like it, you don’t have to use it.

Fu Jianxu’s face flushed crimson, darker than pig liver. What earth-shattering thing had she done last night?! Just as she wanted to crawl into a crack in the floor, Zhou Daya and Hao Hong stepped through the doorway.

Exactly! We’re so close, you can call me whatever you want, Zhou Daya said, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she rushed over, eager to stir up trouble. But Sister Jianxu, who’s Dazhuang? I’ve never heard of him. And what’s Zhixiao got to do with Miss Xie?

Fu Jianxu’s expression changed drastically.

Her vision blurred.

Heavenly Grandmother! She’d actually spilled plot details from the original novel!

I-I was just drunk! she stammered, stamping her foot in panic. Brother Xiao, let me explain—

Fu Zhixiao stood by the table, arms crossed, his brow furrowed. Zhou Daya had sidled up unnoticed, her eyes darting around, clearly waiting for gossip.

I-I visited your house a few times and noticed Aunt Chunhao trying to set you up with Dazhuang. But he’s lazy and doesn’t even help with the fields—he’s completely unworthy of you…

Fu Jianxu racked her brain, sweat beading on her forehead. She was desperately trying to guess what she’d revealed and how to cover it up. If she’d had this kind of quick thinking during her college entrance exams, she might have scored a few more points.

That’s right, Ji Xiaoyu’s clear voice chimed in, lifting her head from behind the counter, her eyes glistening. A few days ago, when we went to Full Moon Pavilion together, Sister Jianxu kept teasing Brother Xiao about how his eyes kept wandering to Miss Xie. She joked about it several times that night. I guess she just blurted it out when she was drunk.

Fu Jianxu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, casting a grateful glance at Ji Xiaoyu. The young girl’s ears flushed slightly as she lowered her head to continue keeping the accounts.

Fu Zhixiao’s gaze swept back and forth between the two women before he let out a cold snort, picked up his axe, and headed to the backyard to chop firewood. Fu Jianxu, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders, quickly grabbed a vegetable basket and hurried into the kitchen.

Behind the counter, Ji Xiaoyu called out softly to Fu Zhixiao’s retreating figure, Brother Xiao, don’t mind her. Sister Jianxu gets silly when she’s drunk. Last night, she even called me a bad person!

Zhou Daya tugged at Hao Hong’s sleeve, muttering, Dazhuang—what a powerful name! Much better than my Big Ya. Her eyes suddenly lit up. Hey, do you think it’s too late for me to change my name to Zhou Dazhuang?

Hao Hong shoved a steamed bun into her mouth. Shut up already! If you changed your name to Dazhuang, your old lady would twist your ear off first.