Transmigrated As The Villainous Scumbag Wife Of A Disabled Tycoon - Chapter 20

20

Cheng Xing was aware of Jiang Ciyi’s embarrassment and discomfort at this moment, so she didn’t show any expression that might make her feel uneasy, maintaining her usual calm demeanor. “I’ll carry you there.”

“Thank you.” Jiang Ciyi said, sitting up to express her gratitude.

Cheng Xing smiled lightly. “No need to be so polite. It’s only natural.”

With ease, Cheng Xing lifted Jiang Ciyi and carried her to the bathroom, gently setting her down on the toilet. She lingered for a moment, hesitating.

“Uh…” Jiang Ciyi paused before finally speaking up. “Is there something else?”

Cheng Xing replied, “…Um, do you need me to help you with…”

“No need.” Jiang Ciyi firmly declined.

Cheng Xing let out an “oh,” awkwardly rubbing her earlobe as she stepped out.

She always got hung up on these little details.

After Cheng Xing left, Jiang Ciyi attended to her needs.

Meanwhile, Cheng Xing paced outside the door, trying to avoid hearing any sounds from inside to keep her thoughts from wandering.

As an experienced Chinese medicine practitioner, what kind of situations hadn’t she seen? Would she really lose her composure over something like this?

Just as Cheng Xing was mentally reassuring herself, a calm yet delicate voice came from the bathroom: “I’m done.”

“Coming!” Cheng Xing responded immediately.

All her scattered thoughts came to a halt as she pushed open the door.

Jiang Ciyi was sitting quietly on the toilet, her clothes neatly in place. Though her eyes remained cold, the awkwardness of the situation softened her expression slightly. Upon closer inspection, there was even a hint of shy embarrassment.

Cheng Xing carried her back to the bed and couldn’t help but comment, “You’re so light.”

“Oh,” Jiang Ciyi replied. “I guess so.”

“Do you even weigh ninety pounds?” Cheng Xing asked, trying to lighten the mood and build a connection.

“Probably not,” Jiang Ciyi said. “I had a checkup before the accident. Eighty-eight pounds.”

Cheng Xing was surprised. “Only eighty-eight?”

She estimated Jiang Ciyi to be about 165 cm tall.

Cheng Xing herself was 168 cm and maintained a weight between 100 and 110 pounds, largely due to the grueling demands of her graduate studies. Whenever her advisor pressed her about her thesis, she’d lose her appetite, revising draft after draft.

Every time she went home, her plate would be piled high with food, with everyone urging her to eat more.

Jiang Ciyi was now settled back in bed, tucked under the covers, her voice tinged with resignation. “I can’t gain weight.”

Cheng Xing teased, “…You’re really going to make people jealous.”

Her tone was playful, deliberately trying to make Jiang Ciyi laugh with a touch of teasing.

Jiang Ciyi gave a small smile, then closed her eyes. “I’m going to sleep.”

It was a clear dismissal.

Cheng Xing didn’t mind. She adjusted the bedside lamp to a warm, sleep-friendly yellow hue, then headed to the sofa.

She had barely settled down and started dozing off when her phone vibrated, waking her.

Initially, she planned to ignore it, but the phone kept buzzing.

Even Jiang Ciyi, lying in bed, couldn’t help but say, “Can you put it on silent?”

Since it was disturbing someone else in the room, Cheng Xing had no choice. She silenced the phone and checked the messages.

They were from Su Manchun, who was in Paris.

The first message was a photo of a shimmering lake. It was still a bright, sunny afternoon where she was, while Jianggang had settled into a quiet night.

Su Manchun’s artistic flair didn’t stop there. Seeing no reply from Cheng Xing, she sent a text.

Su Manchun: [I came here for a group project and realized it looks a lot like Chengming Lake, where we went together.]

Su Manchun: [Winter in Paris is colder than in Jianggang. I caught a cold a few days ago.]

Su Manchun: [But I’m taking medicine and trying to get better, so don’t worry.]

Su Manchun: [And don’t fly straight to Paris to see me. That’d be too exhausting.]

Cheng Xing was utterly confused after reading the messages.

What was the connection between these statements?

After mulling it over, she pieced together Su Manchun’s intent.

It seemed like Su Manchun, having chosen to study abroad, wasn’t ready to let go of the original Cheng Xing, who had been hopelessly devoted to her. So, she was keeping her on a leash with these messages—hinting at loneliness in a foreign land while “thoughtfully” discouraging Cheng Xing from visiting, all while crafting an image of strength and optimism.

…A triple play.

Her tactics were far more sophisticated than Xu Zhaozhao’s.

But Cheng Xing, tasked with winning over Jiang Ciyi by the system, had no interest in the original Cheng Xing’s messy romantic entanglements.

After a moment’s thought, she replied bluntly: [It’s one in the morning, Miss Su. Did you know that?]

Su Manchun’s status changed to “typing.”

[Sorry, Xingxing, I didn’t mean to disturb you.]

Instantly, she positioned herself as the wronged party.

Cheng Xing saw through it and didn’t indulge her: [Yes, you did.]

The “typing” status lingered for a while before a response came: [I just saw this and felt inspired. You don’t have to reply.]

Cheng Xing: [Got it. I’ll remember to mute my phone.]

Su Manchun: […]

Two seconds later, a notification appeared: “The other party has recalled a message.”

Su Manchun’s exasperation was instinctive, but the recall was to save face.

Cheng Xing, too tired to engage further, fully supported Su Manchun’s decision to pursue her dreams abroad over staying with the original Cheng Xing. After all, a career was far more reliable than love.

But she despised Su Manchun’s greedy, have-it-all attitude.

Su Manchun: [I’m sorry. I didn’t realize our friendship would change after you got married. I’ll try not to bother you in the future.]

Cheng Xing replied expressionlessly: [That’s something you don’t need to try hard to do.]

Cheng Xing: [Since you know I’m married, there’s no need for us to stay in touch. Please delete me. Thanks.]

Su Manchun: [Xingxing, are you saying this out of anger?]

Cheng Xing: [No.]

After sending the message, Cheng Xing took a screenshot of the conversation, saved it, and deleted Su Manchun.

The world felt peaceful again.

Meanwhile, in a Paris café where Su Manchun was working on a group project, she sent: [You weren’t like this before.]

The moment she sent it, a red exclamation mark appeared.

“You are not friends with this user. Please add them as a friend first.”

Su Manchun gripped her phone tightly, her light pink nails turning pale from the pressure. A classmate nearby noticed and asked in English, “Gracia, what’s wrong?”

Su Manchun snapped out of it, lowering her eyes. Her long lashes cast shadows in the sunlight, making her look pitiful. “It’s nothing.”

The group resumed their lively discussion, but Su Manchun opened her phone and messaged her sister, Su Lengyue: [Sis, have you seen Cheng Xing recently?]

Su Lengyue, still awake and swamped with a criminal defense case, replied briefly: [Yeah, why?]

Su Manchun: [Has she been acting strange lately?]

Su Lengyue took off her glasses, leaned back in her leather chair, and replied nonchalantly: [She’s always been a mess. Good thing you went abroad, or marrying her would’ve been a nightmare.]

Su Manchun: [What do you mean?]

Su Lengyue gave a concise account of what happened at the Cheng family’s gathering, throwing in some criticism of Cheng Xing. She mentioned that Cheng Xing had married Jiang Ciyi, Jianggang’s renowned forensic pathologist and genius, but treated her poorly after the marriage, showing a completely different side from before.

Su Manchun: [Sis, is she like this because of me?]

Su Lengyue, always protective of her younger sister, recalled how their mother died after giving birth to Su Manchun, and their father sent her to be raised by others. When she returned to the Su family, she was frail, like a bean sprout. Their father, a philanderer with six children, only valued those with ambition and ignored Su Manchun.

As the daughter of his first wife, Su Lengyue held a different status but had clashed with their father over her career choices. Still, she never held it against Su Manchun and had always been kind to her.

Su Lengyue didn’t think much of Cheng Xing but reassured her sister: [Cheng Xing’s just rotten. Don’t let her fool you.]

After a pause, Su Manchun said: [Sis, I want to come back to China.]

[Xingxing must be acting this way because of me. She’s a kind person.]

Su Lengyue: […]

If this weren’t her sister, Su Lengyue would’ve called her naive and blind.

How could someone like Cheng Xing be associated with kindness?

Su Lengyue sent a voice message in a cool tone: “What would you come back for? She’s married. You’d only be a mistress if you returned.”

“If I come back, Xingxing will divorce her.” Su Manchun said. “She only married that woman to spite me.”

Su Lengyue laughed in exasperation. “Where do you get that confidence? The Cheng family wouldn’t let her mess around like that. For families like ours, marriage isn’t a game.”

“But marrying me would be far better than marrying that woman. The Cheng family would weigh the pros and cons.”

“What about your studies? You can’t take a leave of absence within a year. Manman, I worked hard to get you this opportunity. If you miss it, there won’t be another.” Su Lengyue said bluntly. “Are you really going to give up your dreams for her?”

Su Manchun fell silent.

After a long pause, she replied: [Sorry, Sis, I was being impulsive.]

Su Lengyue offered a few more words of advice before returning to her case files.

The criminal defense case she was handling was connected to Cheng Xing’s wife, Jiang Ciyi.

Since Jiang Ciyi’s car accident, the Jianggang police had forbidden private contact with her.

As a criminal defense lawyer, Su Lengyue’s client was a murder suspect. On the previous New Year’s Eve, the suspect, driven by lust, followed a woman into her home, stole jewelry worth nearly a million yuan, and, when she resisted, slashed her arm twice with a knife before accidentally killing her.

The suspect denied the charge of rape and murder, admitting only to theft and the arm injuries.

The surveillance footage from the day of the crime had been damaged, and the forensic report indicated the victim’s fatal wound was in the abdomen. She had been assaulted while unconscious, with semen found in her body. DNA tests confirmed it wasn’t the suspect’s, but the police believed he had an accomplice, though interrogations yielded no results.

Her client insisted he acted alone.

The case hadn’t yet reached its second trial, and many details were still withheld from the defense.

To find more weaknesses in the case, Su Lengyue needed to speak with the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy—coincidentally, Jiang Ciyi.

Su Lengyue was eager to meet her.

Cheng Xing didn’t sleep well. Despite her physical exhaustion, nightmares plagued her.

She woke at six in the morning after nearly falling off the sofa.

The small noise woke Jiang Ciyi, who asked groggily, “What happened?”

Cheng Xing checked her phone. It was still early, so she soothed her. “Nothing. Go back to sleep.”

Jiang Ciyi paused. “Did you fall off again?”

Cheng Xing: “…”

The incident of falling off the hospital bed would likely haunt her forever.

She coughed lightly. “Almost, but I didn’t.”

The room fell quiet for a moment before Jiang Ciyi lowered her voice and said softly, “Why don’t you sleep on the bed?”

Cheng Xing: “?”

Jiang Ciyi clarified, “On the other side.”

“Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?” Cheng Xing hesitated. Sleeping on the sofa had been uncomfortable, with strange, disjointed dreams.

“Fine, forget it.” Jiang Ciyi said sleepily, not pressing further.

Cheng Xing: “…”

Missing the moment made climbing into bed feel awkward.

But after glancing at the sofa and then the bed, Cheng Xing decided not to torture herself. She carefully climbed onto the bed.

The other side of the bed dipped slightly, with a wide gap between them.

Cheng Xing whispered, “I’ll just nap for a bit.”

Jiang Ciyi turned her face. “Suit yourself.”

Sharing a bed for the first time felt unique.

At first, Cheng Xing caught the faint scent of gardenia from Jiang Ciyi—likely her body wash. It was subtle but captivating.

She only took up a small space, the double bed’s blanket tucked tightly in the middle, hiding everything.

Soon, sleepiness overtook her, and her wandering thoughts faded.

When she woke again, something was brushing against her face, like someone teasing her.

For a moment, she thought she was back home.

Without opening her eyes, she grumbled and shifted her head, but the sensation persisted. Annoyed, she slowly opened her eyes.

She saw a fluffy head, and her face was close to it—Jiang Ciyi’s hair brushing against her cheek.

At first, Cheng Xing thought Jiang Ciyi had a bad sleeping posture and rolled over to her side. But looking closer, she realized she was the one who had rolled over in her sleep, ending up next to Jiang Ciyi.

Instantly wide awake, she prepared to sneak back to her side before Jiang Ciyi woke, pretending nothing happened.

But as she carefully moved, she heard a calm greeting: “Awake?”

Cheng Xing: “…”

She shifted away, forcing a stiff smile and greeting, “Hi~”

Jiang Ciyi, eyes clear and awake for some time, responded coolly, “Hi.”

Cheng Xing: “…”

She could feel Jiang Ciyi’s gaze silently judging her for acting cute.

Retreating to her side, Cheng Xing turned away and apologized. “Sorry, I’m a restless sleeper.”

Jiang Ciyi let out an “oh” but didn’t mention what happened while Cheng Xing was asleep, only saying, “It’s fine. You slept soundly.”

Cheng Xing: “…I didn’t say anything weird in my sleep, did I?”

Jiang Ciyi paused. “What do you think?”

Now more anxious, Cheng Xing recalled her dreams about her family. She mumbled, “If I said anything weird, just pretend you didn’t hear it.”

Jiang Ciyi replied, “Mm, I didn’t hear anything.”

Cheng Xing found her too agreeable and turned in surprise, noticing a faint smile on Jiang Ciyi’s lips.

The moment she turned, the smile vanished, replaced by her usual cold demeanor.

Cheng Xing grinned. “Jiang Ciyi, were you just laughing at me?”

“No.” Jiang Ciyi denied. “You saw wrong.”

“No way I saw wrong.” Cheng Xing leaned closer, gripping the blanket, their eyes meeting across a small distance. Her eyes sparkled, less cold than before, like a melting iceberg flowing with gentle water. Cheng Xing insisted, “You were definitely smiling.”

Without waiting for a denial, she added, “You look beautiful when you smile.”

Realizing it sounded off, she quickly clarified, “Not that you’re not beautiful when you don’t smile. It’s just that your smile makes you seem more approachable.”

Initially, she had been a bit intimidated by Jiang Ciyi—a woman who could wield a scalpel and threaten her life with a single stroke.

But now, she only felt pity and regret for her.

Jiang Ciyi’s expression grew colder, unaccustomed to compliments, especially from Cheng Xing, who seemed like a weasel flattering a chicken with ulterior motives.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Cheng Xing threw off the covers. “It’s getting late. Let’s get up.”

Jiang Ciyi stared at her silhouette, watching her stretch, her long limbs moving fluidly as she performed a few Tai Chi movements with ease.

It all felt so natural.

These were things the original Cheng Xing didn’t do.

The previous night’s family banquet had been chaotic, and the matriarch, placated by Xu Zhaozhao, left early to visit a Taoist temple at the foot of Chuncheng Mountain for spiritual retreat.

With the matriarch gone, the house buzzed with activity.

It was Guan Linmin’s birthday, and she had invited a crowd.

Prominent socialites from Jianggang’s elite circles, along with their children, arrived bearing gifts to celebrate.

By the time Cheng Xing and Jiang Ciyi got up, the old mansion was already lively.

The grand hall had been completely transformed from the night before, showcasing the power of wealth.

Stepping into the hall felt like entering a luxurious banquet venue—champagne roses and elegantly dressed guests mingling.

Cheng Xing, feeling socially overwhelmed, pushed Jiang Ciyi’s wheelchair and hesitated at the entrance. She whispered, “How about we skip going down? We can have the food brought up.”

Before she could finish, Guan Linmin’s voice came from the side, laced with affection. “Xingxing, your friends have been here for a while, asking about you, but you were still asleep, so I didn’t wake you. You’re finally up.”

“Happy birthday, Mommy.” Cheng Xing said first, then glanced downstairs. “My friends? Which ones?”

“The Lius, the Chens, the Hans.” Guan Linmin said, giving her a sidelong glance and holding out her hand. “Don’t you know your own friends? Why ask me? Where’s my gift?”

Cheng Xing playfully swatted her hand. “Who gives gifts this early? I’ll give it to you tonight.”

In truth, she hadn’t prepared anything.

Guan Linmin let it slide and turned to Jiang Ciyi in her wheelchair, saying with a touch of haughtiness, “Jiang Ciyi, do you want to come down and meet everyone? You haven’t appeared at a Cheng family banquet yet. This could be your official introduction.”

Jiang Ciyi glanced at her legs, then up at her. “Do you think I’m presentable like this?”

“Everyone already knows Xingxing married someone with a disability,” Guan Linmin said. “It’s not something to hide. As long as you don’t brandish a knife at our Xingxing or bully her, what’s the problem? But I’m warning you—”

Cheng Xing nudged her, cutting her off. “Mom.”

Guan Linmin rolled her eyes helplessly. “I give up. You’re always protecting your dear wife. Do you even see me, your mom, anymore?”

“What are you talking about?” Cheng Xing linked arms with her, coaxing softly. “My wife and my mom are both important.”

“Hmph.” Guan Linmin scoffed. “Your wife comes first, right?”

Cheng Xing: “…”

As she scrambled for a way to smooth things over, Jiang Ciyi spoke gently. “She definitely loves you the most. Last night, she kept calling for you in her sleep.”

Cheng Xing: “…?”

Guan Linmin’s face lit up, but then she thought of something alarming and grabbed Cheng Xing’s wrist, saying earnestly, “I know you love me, but you can’t call for me while sleeping with your wife.”

Cheng Xing: “…?”

Things were veering in a strange direction.

Then Jiang Ciyi added, “She knew it was your birthday and prepared a special gift for you.”

Guan Linmin’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. “Really? Xingxing, you’re truly Mommy’s little sweetheart.”

Faced with Guan Linmin’s expectant gaze, Cheng Xing looked desperately at Jiang Ciyi, who was smirking mischievously.

Cheng Xing: “…”