The Black Lotus Villainess Only Wants To Possess Me - Chapter 12

Hearing Li Jia’s words, Ye Chengxing breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s good,” she smiled. “As long as it’s not bad.”

Li Jia lowered her gaze, the strange expression in her eyes deepening.

Bad? How could it possibly be bad?

Food of this caliber could leave even the most renowned chefs in the dust. Just these few dishes on the table alone would fetch record-breaking prices at auction.

Yet Ye Chengxing had genuinely seemed worried that Li Jia might not like it.

Li Jia was now certain that the Ye Chengxing before her was not the same Ye Chengxing from her previous life.

The Ye Chengxing she knew would never act this way.

As her doubts grew, Li Jia picked up her chopsticks again. She would find the answers herself. She couldn’t be sure what was going on with this “Ye Chengxing,” and any premature display of suspicion might alert her. She needed to proceed cautiously and verify her suspicions gradually.

She also needed to revisit those “old acquaintances” from her previous life when she had time. She needed to confirm whether everyone had changed, or if this transformation was unique to Ye Chengxing.

Watching Li Jia resume eating, Ye Chengxing could still hear the Omega’s words echoing in her mind: “It’s too delicious.”

So… Li Jia’s earlier pause wasn’t because the food was bad, but because she was amazed by Ye Chengxing’s cooking?

The moment this thought surfaced, Ye Chengxing quickly dismissed it.

Ahem, amazed? Ye Chengxing, don’t get too narcissistic.

It was just a meal. Li Jia couldn’t possibly change her opinion of her instantly after eating it, right?

Still, seeing Li Jia clearly enjoying the food made Ye Chengxing quite happy.

She genuinely considered Li Jia her own sister now. When she saw Li Jia was almost finished, she smiled warmly and asked, “Want some more? There’s plenty left.”

Although the dining table was near the floor-to-ceiling window, it wasn’t in direct sunlight, yet the lighting was still excellent.

The handsome young Alpha sat across from her, propping his chin on one hand and gazing at her. His long, wavy hair cascaded down his back, the strands seeming to be gilded with a warm, sunlit halo. His every word carried genuine concern.

This feeling… was unfamiliar.

Or rather, “somewhat unfamiliar” didn’t quite capture it—it was entirely foreign.

Li Jia felt a faint numbness at the tip of her heart.

When Li Jia realized that the Ye Chengxing before her wasn’t the same Ye Chengxing from her previous life, she felt a moment of panic.

Leaving aside those who had wronged her in the past, if this Ye Chengxing wasn’t the same person, then she shouldn’t be plotting revenge against her. The other woman knew nothing of their past conflicts and had no reason to bear the brunt of her vengeance.

Moreover, this Ye Chengxing had done nothing to harm her so far; on the contrary, her actions had been entirely beneficial.

“No need, I’m already full,” Li Jia replied to Ye Chengxing.

After a pause, she continued, “I’ll definitely repay you for this meal and all your help in the future.” Whether this Ye Chengxing had ulterior motives or hidden agendas, Li Jia wouldn’t hesitate to strike back if she detected any deceit. But if there were no such schemes, if she genuinely wanted to be kind to her…

Li Jia paused for a moment, startled by the thought, before continuing her hypothetical scenario.

If Ye Chengxing truly meant well, with no hidden agendas or ulterior motives, Li Jia would still repay her. She refused to owe anyone anything.

But these were just thoughts. No one would ever genuinely care for her.

Li Jia curled her lips into a self-deprecating smile.

Just a moment ago, Ye Chengxing had been smiling, waiting for Li Jia’s reply. But when she heard Li Jia’s answer, her eyes widened slightly in surprise.

How did Li Jia become so distant after just one meal? she wondered. People always say sharing a meal brings people closer. Why has it only made us more estranged? She’s even stopped calling me “Jiejie.”

Ye Chengxing had no idea that Li Jia’s earlier friendliness had been a test to expose her true nature. Now that Li Jia had confirmed she wasn’t the Ye Chengxing from her previous life, she naturally withdrew her deliberate attempts at intimacy.

But precisely because Ye Chengxing was unaware of this, she felt bewildered and confused.

She frowned slightly, pondering for a few seconds.

Could Li Jia be feeling overwhelmed by all this?

Well, from Li Jia’s perspective, my actions must seem rather sudden.

Ye Chengxing racked her brain, desperately trying to figure out how to ease Li Jia’s anxiety. She began to earnestly spout nonsense: “You don’t need to repay me… um, I have so much money I don’t know what to do with it. I just love helping others. The better the people I support do, the happier I am. If you really want to repay me, just study hard and get into a good university.”

“If you do exceptionally well on the exam, I’ll still cover all your tuition and living expenses. Don’t feel embarrassed or pressured. Your success makes me happy, and you deserve all of this.”

After Ye Chengxing finished her earnest-sounding nonsense, she reflected on it and felt her logic was surprisingly coherent.

With this arrangement, Li Jia wouldn’t feel like she was solely receiving Ye Chengxing’s kindness. If it wasn’t a one-sided favor, the pressure on Li Jia might ease a little, right?

Li Jia gazed at Ye Chengxing, realizing this Ye Chengxing was truly different from the others.

How could someone like this exist?

She could easily claim the moral high ground, positioning herself as a benefactor, yet she awkwardly stumbled through inventing a reason to place them on equal footing, all to alleviate Li Jia’s psychological burden.

As she looked at Ye Chengxing, the scene gradually overlapped with a memory deep within her mind.

In that faded, yellowed memory, a newly differentiated Omega girl gazed gratefully at her Manager, eager to repay her kindness. The Manager simply stroked her hair gently and said, “If you want to repay me, just take good care of yourself.”

“If you want to repay me, just take good care of yourself.”

“If you want to repay me…”

Though merely a memory, it felt as if it had materialized and was assaulting her from all directions.

Stop it. Don’t think about it anymore.

Please, just stop.

Li Jia closed her eyes, trying to banish the images, but the memories replayed relentlessly, inescapable.

Her fingers involuntarily dug into her palm, inflicting a nearly self-destructive pain.

Her prolonged silence prompted Ye Chengxing to look up, noticing Li Jia’s distress.

One glance was enough. Ye Chengxing immediately stood up and followed her gaze. The Omega was clenching her palm so tightly it looked like she was trapped in some terrible memory. Her face was pale, and bl00d dripped between her fingers, yet she seemed oblivious to the pain.

Li Jia vaguely heard Ye Chengxing’s voice.

The Alpha seemed to sense something was wrong, but instead of recoiling in disgust or backing away like the people in her past life, she stepped forward with concern.

This stark contrast to her memories jolted Li Jia back to reality. The pain in her palm finally registered, belatedly spreading through her awareness.

As Li Jia watched Ye Chengxing approach, she suddenly felt an urge to hide her hands behind her back. But before she could react, Ye Chengxing had already grasped her wrist.

The warm touch spread from her wrist, causing Li Jia’s lashes to flutter. She clenched her hand even tighter.

Ye Chengxing noticed Li Jia’s still-clenched fist and the few drops of bl00d that had already dripped onto the floor. Her earlier suspicions were now confirmed. She coaxed gently, her voice soft as a spring breeze: “Li Jia, can you hear me? We’re out now. This is our home. Those people won’t come here again. So please, open your hand and let me take a look, okay?”

She coaxed patiently, showing endless patience.

Li Jia sat on the chair, watching Ye Chengxing kneel before her, holding her hand. The visible tension and worry in Ye Chengxing’s eyes were unmistakable.

Memories and reality overlapped, intertwined, then rapidly separated.

Suddenly, Li Jia opened her tightly clenched hand.

In that moment, she realized it didn’t matter whether Ye Chengxing’s kindness was genuine or feigned.

She had long since lost the ability to trust anyone.