The Heartthrob Halo Doesn't Work on the Villain - Chapter 20

Xia Qiyu’s shout instantly snapped Lou Yubing out of her thoughts. Before she could mask her surprise, Xia Qiyu quickly covered for her.

“Alright, it’s my fault for not noticing you. Come in, I’ll mop the floor again later.”

There were only two pairs of slippers prepared here, likely bought by Lin Yan at some point. Xia Qiyu wasn’t sure if the two women would mind sharing a pair, but her suggestion seemed the best way to handle the situation.

To Lou Yubing, however, these words stung like a reminder of who was the host and who was the guest.

Lou Yubing neither took off her shoes nor stepped inside. She stood rigidly on the entryway mat, her voice cold as she addressed Xia Qiyu.

“Say what you need to say. I’ll leave after that.”

Lou Yubing couldn’t bear to stay any longer. The mere sight and sound of this place filled her with suffocating unease. She had come prepared to accept Lin Yan’s overtures, but now she wanted nothing to do with it.

Xia Qiyu, ever perceptive, immediately sensed Lou Yubing’s anger. Yet no matter how gently she spoke, she couldn’t soothe her mood. It was as if simply standing before Lou Yubing, breathing through her nostrils, was an offense.

This feeling baffled Xia Qiyu. Her thoughts suddenly shifted, and she realized something.

Could it be because of Lin Yan?

Just now, she had seen Lin Yan waiting anxiously downstairs. In this building, the only person Xia Qiyu knew well enough—and who might bother to wait for her—was Lin Yan. The realization flashed through Xia Qiyu’s mind, striking her as somewhat peculiar.

Xia Qiyu had an excellent memory. She recalled that even as a child, Lou Yubing had always been cold and aloof, rarely initiating conversations and showing little emotion. The other children at the orphanage avoided playing with her. It was precisely this unusual demeanor, coupled with a later incident, that had drawn Xia Qiyu’s attention to her. Yet in recent days, Lou Yubing’s emotions had been stirred far more than ever before. Though most of the time it seemed like she was simply getting angry repeatedly, this was still unprecedented.

Dismissing further speculation, Xia Qiyu, certain that Lou Yubing was only threatening to leave and wouldn’t actually do it, carried the bag toward the kitchen. She planned to put away the jars and bottles first, then prepare the ingredients, all while reminding Lou Yubing to follow her.

“Come in. I need to hurry; otherwise, I won’t be able to keep my promise.”

Lou Yubing didn’t leave. After hesitating in the entryway for a moment, she followed Xia Qiyu into the kitchen. Xia Qiyu calmly selected ingredients from the refrigerator, then bent slightly at the waist to wash vegetables at the sink. A shadow flickered in her peripheral vision, and she smiled knowingly, but this time she didn’t give Lou Yubing a chance to speak.

“I wanted to apologize. Last time, I spoke to you with prejudice. I hope my words didn’t affect you.”

Both women knew exactly what “those words” referred to. But Xia Qiyu’s apology only drew a cold snort from Lou Yubing. “You’ve changed quickly,” she said. “In just a day or two, you’ve learned to defend others. I wonder what favors Lin Yan promised you.”

Lou Yubing had always believed Xia Qiyu was her kindred spirit—a smiling tiger who concealed her fangs, feigning virtue before the crowd. If Lou Yubing hadn’t witnessed Xia Qiyu begging for help with her mother’s illness, she might never have realized that, deep down, Xia Qiyu loathed being humiliated by others’ money and power, just as Lou Yubing did.

When Lou Yubing spoke those words, she made no attempt to restrain herself. Instead, she deliberately aimed to make her tone even more sarcastic. Today, she was determined to tear off her facade. Why should she be the only one seething with anger while Xia Qiyu remained so composed?

But Lou Yubing hadn’t anticipated Xia Qiyu’s reaction. Instead of getting angry, Xia Qiyu smiled brightly.

“You’re right to say that. After all, Ayan has been a tremendous help to me. I owe you an explanation for my past ignorance and slander against her.”

Ayan… Lou Yubing thought, how intimate.

Seeing Xia Qiyu completely deviate from the expected script, Lou Yubing’s expression darkened further. She leaned against a nearby counter, crossed her arms, and completely failed to notice the bitter jealousy dripping from her words.

“Oh? Do tell. How exactly did she help you?”

Lou Yubing asked this purely to hear a joke. She wanted to see what kind of enchantment Lin Yan had cast on Xia Qiyu to make her so devoted in just a couple of days. But before long, Lou Yubing’s amusement vanished.

Xia Qiyu turned to face Lou Yubing, staring at her for a long moment before glancing away. She took out some meat and vegetables to wash and thaw. “She lent me five hundred thousand yuan. That’s why my mother was able to get into surgery this morning.”

At these words, Lou Yubing’s hand, curled in the crook of her arm, tightened slightly, and the light in her eyes dimmed considerably. Yet, as if determined to prove something, she forced a smile.

“Then congratulations. But to get her to lend you that much money, you must have endured quite a bit of humiliation, right?”

Every word Lou Yubing spoke today carried a barb. Initially, her barbs had been directed at Xia Qiyu, and Xia Qiyu had dismissed them, assuming they were just Lou Yubing’s way of venting her anger. But now that the venom had shifted to Lin Yan, Xia Qiyu couldn’t help but stop what she was doing, her brow furrowing slightly.

“How could you think of her that way?”

As she spoke, Xia Qiyu suddenly recalled the genuine sincerity on Lin Yan’s face when she had asked for help a few days earlier, and the bashfulness in her words and expression when she had asked Xia Qiyu to keep it a secret for now. She felt a surge of anger on Lin Yan’s behalf.

In this world, where many people undergo a secondary differentiation during adolescence, and where s3x education and legal systems are comprehensive, serious incidents are rare. High school students dating is perfectly normal. From the moment Xia Qiyu first saw Lin Yan in their dorm room, she had sensed her feelings. At the time, she had mistakenly assumed Lin Yan was just another spoiled young woman looking for casual amusement, which was why she had warned Lou Yubing.

Now, she knew Lin Yan wasn’t like that. And from her observations, Lou Yubing seemed to reciprocate Lin Yan’s feelings. If they both felt this way, why did Lou Yubing say such harsh things, deliberately trying to hurt Lin Yan?

Thinking this, Xia Qiyu suddenly felt a surge of annoyance. She glanced Lou Yubing up and down before adding, “She didn’t embarrass me at all. She agreed readily, and I could tell she briefly considered just giving me the money outright. But she probably realized how that would hurt my pride and didn’t suggest it.”

Xia Qiyu didn’t mention that Lin Yan had also asked for her help with something, honoring her promise of confidentiality. Feeling she had made her point clearly enough, she resumed her previous task, completely missing Lou Yubing’s sudden pallor.

The dull ache in Lou Yubing’s chest had intensified into a sharp, piercing pain. She felt utterly ridiculous. Last night, she had deliberately dredged up all the good memories of Lin Yan, concocting excuses for her past taunts. Today, she had eagerly sought Lin Yan out, hoping to confess her feelings. And now?

Lin Yan was clearly kinder to others, even considerate of Xia Qiyu’s feelings. But what about her? Why had Lin Yan never shown her even a shred of such consideration?

Lou Yubing knew her constant overthinking made her sound like a lunatic, but she couldn’t control herself. Why Xia Qiyu? Why her again? Why, every time I encounter her, am I always the one left behind, the one who can’t compete?

Even now, Lou Yubing still remembered the day the couple came to the orphanage to choose a child they felt a connection with for adoption. The woman was incredibly gentle. Apart from Dean Mother, no one else in the entire orphanage had ever rescued her from the roughhousing of the unruly boys. Yet on her very first visit, this woman chased away the bullies and even pulled a handful of candies from her pocket to give to Lou Yubing.

Later, Lou Yubing learned that the woman was a teacher. She and her husband were unable to conceive but longed for children, so they applied to adopt a child from the orphanage.

That was the first time Lou Yubing had ever wanted to be chosen, the first time she had actively tried to connect with someone. But in the end, the couple chose Xia Qiyu. They said the little girl had a sunny, cheerful smile, while Lou Yubing’s personality was too gloomy, too unlike what one would expect from a child her age.

Once, it had been her parents; now, it was Lin Yan—everyone had abandoned her, choosing Xia Qiyu instead. Even in class rankings, she couldn’t surpass Xia Qiyu, always trailing behind as the eternal second-place finisher.

Lou Yubing suddenly felt there was no point in staying any longer. A hollow ache seemed to have been carved out of her heart. She turned to leave, but Xia Qiyu spoke calmly, “I don’t care what you’re thinking, but Ayan went to the hospital alone late last night for an IV drip. You should be showing her more concern today, not coming here bristling with anger and accusations.”

Xia Qiyu’s words stopped Lou Yubing in her tracks, an involuntary flicker of worry crossing her face.

“She’s sick?”

“Acute gastritis. Probably brought on by hunger.”

Lou Yubing froze, her mind replaying Lin Yan’s pitiful expression from yesterday. So she wasn’t faking it. She wasn’t lying.

Lou Yubing knew Xia Qiyu’s mother had been hospitalized for some time, and she often visited the hospital. They had returned together yesterday because they had both been there.

“Is it serious?”

When they met at noon, Lin Yan didn’t mention the matter to her.

She didn’t know how to feel, and Xia Qiyu remained turned away, not even lifting her head.

“She’s bouncing around just fine,” Xia Qiyu said. “But stomach care takes time. If she doesn’t take proper care, she’ll have plenty of uncomfortable days ahead.”

After she spoke, the small space fell silent for a long moment. Xia Qiyu glanced back curiously, only to see Lou Yubing speaking up.

“Do you have her contact information? Could you pass on a message for me?”

“Just tell her I’m waiting for her here.”