The Foolish Wife Turned Scheming After Her Recovery - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Oh My Little Ancestor, This Was the Kind That Shaves Ten Years off My Life

As soon as Xie Yanqing left, Lu Zhili’s playmate was gone too. Her father managed a massive corporation, and her mother had founded a clothing brand. Ever since they returned from abroad, they’d been too busy to stay home. The only ones who could keep Lu Zhili company now were a bunch of servants and a cat.

Little Cake was a Maine Coon with black and gray stripes. Two years ago, when Lu Zhili had just had her accident, her aunt Lu Mo had brought it to her, claiming it was for companionship.

Initially, Fu Shuang had been against keeping a cat at the villa. After all, silly little Lu Zhili could barely take care of herself, let alone a pet. But from the moment she saw the kitten, she was smitten. She even handed over the Black Forest cake in her hand to the butler without a second thought.

So, after Lu Zhili’s relentless pleading and threats to cry and kneel at her grandfather’s memorial tablet if they refused, the Maine Coon officially became a member of the Lu household—and was named “Little Cake.”

Yes, the inspiration came entirely from the Black Forest cake the butler had been holding.

Maine Coons are known for their gentle and affectionate nature. In the early days of Lu Zhili’s condition, Little Cake had indeed been a great source of comfort. She’d watched the kitten grow from a tiny ball of fluff into a long, majestic cat.

Right now, Lu Zhili was lying on the lawn in the yard with the cat in her arms. Around her were rows of cat snacks and some human cookies. Behind her was a large thermos cup painted with a mermaid. It all had a very childish charm.

“Miss, how about we have eggplant fritters and yam pork rib soup for dinner?” Aunt Chen asked from not far away, her tone as gentle as if coaxing a child. She looked on fondly at the girl and her cat.

But Lu Zhili didn’t seem to hear her. She didn’t answer or move. Girl and cat lay there, staring intently at something.

Housekeeper He walked over and patted Aunt Chen on the shoulder. “Go ahead and cook. Ever since the accident, the young miss hasn’t been picky with food. She’ll eat whatever we make.”

“Alright then, I’ll go prepare. It’s still early anyway.”

Though their expressions held regret, neither of them voiced it aloud. The car accident two years ago was a nightmare they all preferred not to remember.

Housekeeper He and Aunt Chen had both served at the Lu family mansion, looking after the old master. Together, they’d worked for the Lus for over thirty years and had practically raised Lu Zhili. After the old man passed, Lu Zhusheng initially intended to let them retire. But when Lu Zhili got into the accident, they volunteered to come to the villa to care for her.

Thankfully, though she had become mentally impaired, her memories had frozen around the age of seven or eight, and she still recognized the two of them. Not only did she accept them, she clung to them affectionately.

Just then, Lu Zhili finally got up from the ground and ran excitedly toward Housekeeper He. “Auntie He! Look what I caught!” Little Cake jumped nimbly from her arms and followed behind.

Lu Zhili had something in her hand and was practically bursting with pride, eager to show Housekeeper He.

“Auntie He, look, look!” Lu Zhili held something delicately between her thumb and forefinger, forming an enthusiastic “OK” gesture right in front of Housekeeper He’s face.

Only then did Housekeeper He realize what the girl had caught.

“It’s a ladybug! Little Cake spotted it first!”

Housekeeper He, terrified of bugs: Oh my little ancestor, this is the kind of shock that shaves ten years off my life.

Lu Zhili immediately noticed Housekeeper He’s expression shift and quickly backed up two steps. “Auntie He, are you scared of bugs? I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to.”

Our dear Zhili is truly a child who knows when to apologize.

Housekeeper He collected herself and looked at her lovingly. “Yes, I’m a bit scared of bugs. But the one you caught is very pretty. Should I get you a glass jar to put it in?”

Lu Zhili thought for a moment and then shook her head. “No need. I think it looked best when it was on the leaf.” She opened her fingers, and the bug spread its wings and fluttered away.

Housekeeper He looked at the girl with eyes full of heartache. Such a good, sweet child—how could she have suffered so much?

Lu Zhili didn’t understand the thoughts of adults. She simply gazed up joyfully at the bug soaring into the sky, as if she, too, had grown wings and flown away.

But the next second, Little Cake, who had been obediently lying by her feet, suddenly sprang after the bug. Lu Zhili panicked and quickly chased after her.

Housekeeper He watched the girl and her cat dash off across the yard, smiling as she shook her head and went inside to prepare some fruit juice.

…

“Xiao Yu-jie, thank you for coming all the way today! Next time, I’ll visit the studio instead!” The young girl clung to the doorframe, reluctant to see her off.

“It’s really nothing. You just rest well. Injuries like this take a hundred days to fully heal,” Yu Yao said as she pulled on the back of her shoes and tucked her curls behind her ears. “The studio’s not going anywhere. You can come when you’re fully recovered.”

The girl wiggled her cast-covered leg and pouted. “Ugh, I’m so unlucky. I even fell just going down some stairs.”

Yu Yao: “Alright, stop saying things like ‘unlucky.’ Say more positive stuff—it’s good psychological reinforcement.”

“You’re right! I’m super lucky!” The girl beamed, then tried to coax her again. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay for dinner? We could have a little outdoor gathering in the yard. This villa neighborhood is so quiet and beautiful. When the sky darkens, you can even see the stars—they’re super bright and sparkly.”

“I came to work today. Staying for dinner doesn’t seem right. And you should be resting, not hosting a gathering.”

“Sigh, fine. Then when I’m healed, I’ll invite you for a camping trip instead. I’ll call all the girls from your studio, too. It’ll count as a team-building trip!” The girl seemed naturally enthusiastic and grew more animated the more she spoke.

“Okay, okay. When you’re better, we’ll all come celebrate. But for now, I really have to go. Yezi is already waiting for me outside the villa, and she’s got other plans later.”

“Alright then, take care!”

Yu Yao waved. “Bye-bye.”

After they parted ways, Yu Yao walked alone out of the villa. The girl was an old customer of her studio, and since she’d injured her leg and couldn’t go out, Yu Yao had personally delivered her previously ordered items.

It was Yu Yao’s first time visiting this particular villa. Apparently, it had been specially bought for the girl to recover in peace.

Looking around at the greenery, Yu Yao couldn’t help but sigh. No wonder the property values here were so high—this environment was worth every cent. Even the air felt cleaner than the city center.

Just as she was about to enjoy the scenery a little longer, a shadow suddenly flashed before her, and something soft and heavy crashed into her arms. Reflexively, she reached out and caught it.

“Little Cake!”

The voice was extremely familiar, but Yu Yao couldn’t quite place where she’d heard it. She looked down at the completely unfazed cat in her arms, its fur smelling faintly of pet shampoo—strangely pleasant and even a bit addictive.

She looked up toward the voice and saw a girl standing barefoot on a tree branch. Her ankles were red from the bark, and she wore a white dress already smudged with dirt. Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, swaying gently in the breeze. Her amber eyes sparkled, and her delicate features radiated joy.

“Ah! Princess!”

Lu Zhili hadn’t expected to see the princess from up in the tree. It was just like a scene out of a movie—their fate had arrived.

But before she could climb down, a sharp pain struck the back of her head. Everything went black, and she lost consciousness.

To Yu Yao, the scene played out in slow motion. The tree-climbing girl, like a woodland sprite, suddenly closed her eyes and went limp. Her body swayed, then dropped from the branch.

“Watch out!” Yu Yao cried, instinctively letting go of the cat and spreading her arms.

Lu Zhili crashed heavily into her embrace.

The impact knocked Yu Yao backward, her elbows and tailbone slamming against the stone pavement. A dull, stinging pain bloomed—probably scraped raw.

But her own injuries were the least of her concern. Just as she was about to call for help, a group of bodyguards in black suits and earpieces appeared out of nowhere. They efficiently removed Lu Zhili from Yu Yao’s arms, checked her injuries, and even secured the startled cat before it could run.

Then another wave of people came rushing from the villa, led by a gray-haired woman. “Contact Dr. Feng right away! And call Mr. and Mrs. Lu! Bring this young lady inside too!”

Housekeeper He hurried over, her face pale as she quickly took charge, years of experience allowing her to manage the chaos smoothly. She ensured both Lu Zhili and the unfamiliar yet helpful woman were taken care of.

By the time Yu Yao collected herself, she was sitting in the Lu family’s villa living room, a nurse gently treating her injured elbow.

“The wound on your elbow has been cleaned. Do you have any other injuries?” the nurse asked softly.

The dull ache in her tailbone made Yu Yao squirm. She was about to respond when a car screeched to a halt outside. Moments later, two figures rushed into the villa.

Lu Zhusheng and Fu Shuang had already been briefed en route. Lu Zhusheng remained in the living room out of politeness, while Fu Shuang immediately dashed upstairs to check on their daughter.

Yu Yao recognized them at once. Her studio specialized in original jewelry and had some online popularity. She’d seen Fu Shuang’s face countless times while preparing a proposal. She also knew Fu Shuang’s husband was the renowned head of Shengtian Group. She just hadn’t expected Lu Zhili to be their daughter.

“Miss Yu, we’re truly grateful for what you did for our daughter. I heard you were injured too. Don’t worry, we’ll compensate you fully. Thank you so much,” Lu Zhusheng said sincerely.

Yu Yao hadn’t expected such heartfelt gratitude. She quickly responded, “Uncle, you’re too kind. Miss Lu and I have met once before, and I’m just glad I caught her in time. It’s just a scraped elbow—nothing serious.”

Lu Zhusheng sighed in relief. “Please stay here for observation. Let the staff know if you need anything.” Even as he spoke, his eyes kept drifting toward the staircase, clearly worried about his daughter.

Yu Yao, being understanding, immediately said, “Uncle Lu, please go check on Miss Lu. I’m really fine.”

Lu Zhusheng gave her a grateful look, reminded the staff to take good care of her, and hurried upstairs.

The nurse quietly withdrew once she heard Yu Yao say she was fine. Housekeeper He went to prepare some refreshments. The spacious living room was now quiet—just her and a dejected little cat curled up in a corner.

Yu Yao let out a sigh, shifting uncomfortably.

If she’d known it would hurt this much, she wouldn’t have tried to act tough. Now she couldn’t sit or stand comfortably. It was truly a dilemma.