Transmigrated As The Villainous Scumbag Wife Of A Disabled Tycoon - Chapter 36

36

Cheng Xing saw through Jiang Ciyi’s unspoken little thoughts and tactfully offered her a way out.

Jiang Ciyi’s expression showed hesitation, as if she still wanted to refuse, but Cheng Xing quickly said, “Please, just go with me. There’s no one else to keep me company.”

She even resorted to playing the pity card.

Jiang Ciyi paused for a moment. “You could ask Liu Ning or the others. You have plenty of friends.”

Cheng Xing shook her head. “They’re not my friends.”

Her words caught the attention of Sister Zhou, who was standing nearby.

You see, in the past, the young miss had a ton of fair-weather friends. Whenever she bought a new car or received new products from brands, she’d call those friends over to show off. When she was in a good mood, she’d even generously give away piles of stuff.

Among those friends, Liu Ning was the ringleader.

But now, the young miss was saying Liu Ning wasn’t her friend.

Could the sun have risen from the west?

Sister Zhou had also noticed that the young miss had been acting differently these past few days.

Ever since the banquet incident that landed her in the hospital, she’d become much gentler and kinder. She was more composed in her actions, and her demeanor had undergone a significant change—especially in how she treated the household staff. In the past, she’d boss them around, glaring and scolding, calling this one useless or that one clumsy.

The staff hired for Tinglan Mansion were carefully selected by Sister Zhou from a domestic help agency, each skilled in their own tasks. If it weren’t for the high wages offered here, they would’ve quit long ago.

When the young miss lived at the old family residence, she restrained herself somewhat because of the family’s presence. But once she moved to Tinglan Mansion, her true colors showed.

Knowing Sister Zhou was chosen by Madam to look after her, and fearing Sister Zhou might report back, the young miss had once tried both intimidation and bribery on her.

Caught in the middle, Sister Zhou knew she now served Miss Cheng and devoted herself to the role.

But who would’ve thought that now, the young miss would actually say “thank you” to all the staff, no matter how small the task? Her politeness had sparked several private discussions among the staff.

In the past, when Sister Zhou brought hangover soup to the young miss in the middle of the night after she’d been drinking, the young miss would frown and wave it away. A few times, she even knocked the tray over, spilling the soup on the floor, and scolded Sister Zhou as a powerless weakling who couldn’t even hold a bowl properly.

Sister Zhou could only swallow her frustration and clean up the mess.

But last night, when she brought porridge to the sick Miss Cheng, the young miss thanked her three times, full of gratitude and sincerity.

Three times!

Each one brimming with genuine emotion.

Sister Zhou could hardly believe it.

She couldn’t sleep for the rest of the night, replaying the young miss’s gentle and polite “thank yous” in her mind, trying to figure out when this change began.

After thinking it over, it all started the day she nearly got “killed” by Miss Jiang.

Perhaps this was the legendary “henpecked husband” effect.

Or maybe she matured quickly after getting married.

With this thought, Sister Zhou looked at Jiang Ciyi with gratitude. Just then, Jiang Ciyi wanted to serve herself some soup, but the bowl was placed a bit too far, and she couldn’t stand to reach it.

Sister Zhou quickly stepped forward to take Jiang Ciyi’s bowl. “Miss, let me.”

Jiang Ciyi nodded slightly. “Thank you.”

Sister Zhou smiled. “It’s my job. How much would you like?”

“Two-thirds.” Jiang Ciyi said.

Her measurement was precise.

Sister Zhou filled the bowl two-thirds full and handed it to her, then turned to Cheng Xing. “Miss, would you like some?”

Cheng Xing nodded, passing her soup bowl over. “I’ll have a bowl, thank you.”

Having lost a lot of fluids due to her fever yesterday, she was craving something to drink.

Sister Zhou beamed. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” Cheng Xing said again as she took the bowl.

Sister Zhou stepped back. “It’s my job. Enjoy.”

Cheng Xing looked up and smiled at her, and Sister Zhou felt a wave of contentment.

This was how an employer-employee relationship should be.

This was a job worth doing!

Cheng Xing had no idea what Sister Zhou was thinking. She only noticed that Sister Zhou seemed to be in a good mood, perhaps because of some happy event at home. Since yesterday, she no longer looked tense and guarded but instead wore a smile.

And that joy was contagious, lifting Cheng Xing’s spirits too.

After finishing her soup, Cheng Xing leisurely wiped her mouth. “So it’s settled then. Do you want to take a nap?”

Jiang Ciyi replied, “I usually don’t.”

“Then I won’t nap today either. Let’s head out early so we can come back early.” Cheng Xing checked her phone, browsing a guide to Jianggang Mall on Xiaohongshu, and decided to visit Chenhua Mall.

The guide said: The name might sound tacky, but the clothes are genuinely nice! Prices range from a hundred to tens of thousands—whatever you want, they’ve got it.

Plus, right across from Chenhua Mall was the luxurious Donglai Mall, where Jiang Ciyi had shopped yesterday.

If they wanted to put on a show, Donglai Mall would be the place to buy a few outfits.

With the plan set, Cheng Xing urged Jiang Ciyi to change into something else, preferably a dress with a thicker coat over it. They’d drive there, and the mall had air conditioning, so it wouldn’t be cold.

A dress would make it easier for Jiang Ciyi to try on clothes.

Cheng Xing shared her outfit ideas with Jiang Ciyi. Seeing Jiang Ciyi hesitate, she simply pushed her wheelchair to the elevator. “Come on, I’ll take you to the closet to pick something out.”

To avoid raising suspicion, Cheng Xing had discreetly familiarized herself with the place when no one was watching.

The original owner’s closet was connected to the master bedroom, spanning about a hundred square meters. It was filled with the season’s latest clothes from major brands, along with timeless pieces. All her bags were displayed in glass cabinets along one wall, while a custom-designed jewelry cabinet from an international designer held gifts from various brands.

From head to toe, there were countless styling options.

But… they were so ugly!!

When Cheng Xing was in graduate school, she lived in a three-person dorm. One of her roommates was a huge fan of celebrities and even planned to transition from studying traditional Chinese medicine to becoming a model.

Why a model and not a celebrity? Simple—she was tone-deaf and had no acting skills.

Her only asset was her figure.

At 1.74 meters tall with long arms and legs, she was a natural-born model.

But her family forced her to study Chinese medicine.

Since Cheng Xing lived close to home, she didn’t keep much at school. When her roommate’s belongings overflowed, Cheng Xing lent her her own cabinet space.

The two got along well for a time, and her roommate would often pat Cheng Xing’s shoulder, saying, “If I ever become a supermodel, I’ll make you my agent.”

Cheng Xing would laugh. “Sure.”

But by the time Cheng Xing graduated, her roommate still hadn’t made it into a modeling agency, only occasionally shooting flat-lay photos for online shopping platforms.

Back then, her roommate often dragged Cheng Xing to fashion shows—big international events, famous runways, and niche domestic and foreign brands. Cheng Xing had seen them all a few times.

Every time, she’d question, “Is this really good-looking? Can anyone actually wear this?”

Her roommate would pause, then say, “What’s fashion? It’s something ordinary people can’t appreciate.”

Cheng Xing: “…Sorry, I’m ordinary.”

Her roommate: “…Me too.”

And yet, so many of those outrageously ugly runway pieces—ones Cheng Xing was sure no one would buy—ended up in the original owner’s closet.

Her closet, like her car and her hair, reflected a consistent aesthetic: bold, but hideously over-the-top.

The fact that major brands managed to sell these ugly clothes to the original owner deserved a bow of respect.

But Cheng Xing couldn’t stand it. She refused to let the family’s money be wasted on such meaningless things!

Sure, the Cheng family wasn’t short on cash, and they indulged the original owner to keep her happy. But Cheng Xing put herself in their shoes: supporting someone who did nothing but spend money, who wasn’t gentle or well-behaved, only arrogant and troublemaking.

It might be tolerable for a while, but over time, they’d surely grow fed up.

And that’s exactly what happened in the original story.

The original owner, jobless and extravagant, eventually crossed Jiang Ciyi, leading to a joint retaliation from two of Jianggang’s most powerful families. Even Cheng Zimo and Cheng Zijing couldn’t save the situation, and the Cheng family went bankrupt.

Except for Guan Linmin, no one in the Cheng family had any hope left for the original owner. They assumed she was as good as dead.

But after Guan Linmin suffered a stroke from the stress of the original owner’s revenge and passed away in the ICU, the family’s resentment toward her grew even stronger. To settle the debts from Guan Linmin’s treatment, Cheng Zimo even betrayed the original owner’s whereabouts to Jiang Ciyi in hopes of securing a lifeline for the family.

That’s when Shen Qingxue found the original owner, subjecting her to the same torment she’d inflicted on Jiang Ciyi, leaving her in a state of utter despair, unable to live or die.

So, Cheng Xing refused to let herself remain idle.

That wasn’t her style, though she hadn’t yet figured out what to do.

Her expertise and skills left her with only two paths: opening a Chinese medicine clinic or working in a hospital’s acupuncture department. But she lacked a medical license here, and the original owner was a spoiled, partying rich kid with abysmal grades. Suddenly opening a clinic would raise suspicions, and working in a hospital faced the same issue.

Both paths were dead ends.

For now, Cheng Xing could only take things one step at a time, focusing on clearing out the original owner’s garish belongings and adopting a simpler style, keeping only what was necessary.

From the original owner’s massive closet, she managed to find a sleeveless, orange-yellow dress that suited Jiang Ciyi. The vibrant color stood out among the other clothes but looked perfect on Jiang Ciyi’s fair skin, which could pull off any shade.

For herself, Cheng Xing threw together a casual look: a white high-neck base layer, loose black pants, black Martin boots, and a diamond necklace. She tied her hair up neatly, keeping things understated.

After finishing her outfit, Jiang Ciyi suddenly called out, “Try these.”

Cheng Xing turned to see her holding a pair of stud earrings by the jewelry cabinet. “They should match your outfit.”

Cheng Xing didn’t have pierced ears. She’d always been afraid of the pain and the risk of infection in winter, so she’d never gotten them done. In her most fashion-conscious years, she’d bought ear clips online, but they hurt her ears, and she couldn’t stand the discomfort, so they sat unused.

But the original owner had pierced ears—three in the left, two in the right.

Cheng Xing took the earrings from Jiang Ciyi, hesitating before trying to put them on. The original owner likely hadn’t worn earrings in a while, as the piercings were nearly closed. It stung when she tried, and she winced.

Seeing her struggle, Jiang Ciyi said, “If they don’t go in, don’t force it.”

Cheng Xing shook her head. “You picked them out for me, so they must look good. How could I not wear them?”

She pushed harder, her ears turning red from the pain, her face contorting, but the earring still wouldn’t go through.

Jiang Ciyi watched her for three minutes before finally saying, “How about I help?”

Cheng Xing didn’t hesitate. “Sure.”

She handed over the earring and squatted down.

To let Jiang Ciyi help, she had to get close but not fully squat, tilting her body to one side. This meant bending one knee in a half-squat, which was tiring. At first, she managed to hold the position.

Jiang Ciyi held the earring in one hand, her other hand brushing behind Cheng Xing’s ear. Her cool fingertips grazed the warm skin there.

The contrast of cool and warm made Cheng Xing’s body tremble slightly.

Her half-squat turned into a single-knee kneel.

Now her body was even closer to Jiang Ciyi.

The floor was covered in soft, expensive carpet, so her knee didn’t hurt.

But Cheng Xing felt the position was oddly intimate.

She could still feel Jiang Ciyi’s touch on her ear. Perhaps because of the prolonged contact with her warm ear, Jiang Ciyi’s fingers warmed up too.

This made Cheng Xing feel even hotter.

To steady herself, she grabbed the handle of Jiang Ciyi’s wheelchair.

The silver metal was cold, contrasting with her burning palm. She felt like her body was about to catch fire. In the perfumed air of the original owner’s closet, she caught a faint scent of gardenia from Jiang Ciyi.

Cheng Xing’s throat bobbed unconsciously. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing heart.

But the more she tried, the faster it beat.

The next moment, Jiang Ciyi’s voice sounded close to her ear. “Done.”

Finally… Cheng Xing let out a breath of relief.

Then Jiang Ciyi said, “Now the other side.”

Cheng Xing stood up in a flustered rush, avoiding Jiang Ciyi’s gaze as she reached for the other earring. “I’ll do it myself.”

“You know how?” Jiang Ciyi asked.

“It looked pretty simple when you did it,” Cheng Xing said. “I think I’ve got it.”

Jiang Ciyi glanced at her. “Cheng Xing.”

“Yeah?”

Cheng Xing, thinking she’d calmed down, turned to look at her, only for her heart to start racing again at a single glance.

She quickly turned away, lowering her voice to mumble, “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” Jiang Ciyi said lightly. “It’s just a bit hot in here, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, a little,” Cheng Xing said, licking her lips. “It’ll be better once we’re outside.”

“Mm.” Jiang Ciyi placed the other earring in her palm, her tone calm. “Your face is really red.”

Cheng Xing instantly turned as red as a boiled crab, from her face to her neck, as if her private thoughts had been exposed. She coughed lightly, making an excuse. “Probably because it’s too hot.”

When Jiang Ciyi had put the earring in, she’d held it at the piercing and gently rubbed the skin behind until it stretched enough for the earring to slide through.

Cheng Xing thought it seemed simple, but when she tried, it wasn’t so easy.

After some struggle, she managed to get it in, though her face, previously normal, now looked like she was boiling, flushed with heat.

Once done, she looked at Jiang Ciyi and felt something was missing from her ears.

She circled the jewelry cabinet and found a blue diamond necklace, like tears of the ocean, and a pair of matching blue diamond drop earrings.

Cheng Xing brought them to Jiang Ciyi. “Want to try these?”

“Are you dressing me up so much before we go out so you don’t have to buy me anything later?” Jiang Ciyi didn’t take them.

Cheng Xing shook her head immediately. “No way! I’m putting these on you now so you look beautiful before we go. It has nothing to do with buying more later. If you want, we can get plenty.”

Jiang Ciyi glanced down, knowing the items were expensive, and shook her head, telling her to put them back, saying she didn’t need jewelry.

But Cheng Xing didn’t fully give in. “Even if you don’t want the necklace, you should at least wear the earrings. I’m wearing the ones you picked for me, so you should wear some too. That’s only fair.”

Jiang Ciyi looked at her. “Fair?”

Cheng Xing nodded, her gaze earnest, without any ulterior motive.

After a long stare, Jiang Ciyi’s lips curved slightly. “Fine.”

Cheng Xing grinned like a happy puppy who’d won a negotiation. “I’ll help you put them on.”

Jiang Ciyi instinctively shrank back, about to refuse, but Cheng Xing was already behind her, studying her ears closely.

“I’ll do it myself,” Jiang Ciyi said.

Cheng Xing shook her head. “I’ve got this.”

In front of them was a full-length mirror. Jiang Ciyi could see Cheng Xing standing behind her, slowly leaning down toward her ear. The blue earring gently poked into her piercing, and Cheng Xing’s warm fingertips brushed her earlobe, softly rubbing the small patch of skin.

Jiang Ciyi’s ears were sensitive, trembling at the touch. Cheng Xing held her ear, sliding her fingers from top to bottom, lingering at the earlobe.

Cheng Xing’s movements were careful, and Jiang Ciyi felt her heartbeat rise to her throat.

She rarely let anyone get this close.

Even with her, they’d never been this close before.

Perhaps it was her personality—Jiang Ciyi had never been particularly close to anyone. Even when she and Cheng Xing were dating, whenever Cheng Xing leaned in for a kiss, she’d instinctively turn away.

After enough times, Cheng Xing called her a buzzkill and stopped trying.

But now…

Jiang Ciyi didn’t seem to mind her touch as much.

In the mirror, her face started to flush, her cheeks tinged with red.

“Done.” Cheng Xing said, satisfied with her work. In the mirror, her lips were so close to Jiang Ciyi’s earlobe that her warm breath grazed it as she spoke.

Jiang Ciyi’s body trembled slightly.

Noticing, Cheng Xing stepped back, rubbing her nose awkwardly. “Sorry.”

Jiang Ciyi gripped the wheelchair’s handles, hoping the cold metal would cool her down, but it didn’t help.

The air in the closet felt inexplicably stifling. Cheng Xing moved to her other side, holding the second earring. “Shall I continue?”

Their eyes met in the mirror, and Jiang Ciyi pursed her lips. “I’ll do it myself.”

Cheng Xing let out an “oh” and coughed lightly, the sound carrying a hint of something unspoken.

Jiang Ciyi held out her hand, her pale palm smooth with few lines. Cheng Xing placed the earring in it, her fingertip accidentally brushing across her palm.

It felt like a feather gliding over her skin.

Cheng Xing glanced up, her eyes meeting Jiang Ciyi’s again. Those cool, clear eyes held something she couldn’t quite read.

The air in the closet was too hot. Cheng Xing pulled her hand back, saying in a low voice, “I’ll wait for you outside.”