Transmigrated As The Villainous Scumbag Wife Of A Disabled Tycoon - Chapter 37

37

After stepping out, Cheng Xing leaned against the wall, her back pressed against the cool surface in an attempt to calm her racing heartbeat and the heat coursing through her body.

When this proved ineffective, she raised her hand and lightly slapped her cheeks, hoping to snap herself out of it.

Breathing in air free of Jiang Ciyi’s presence, she felt a slight relief wash over her.

Cheng Xing lowered her head and let out a soft breath, slowly regulating her breathing until her heartbeat returned to normal.

The atmosphere just now—she couldn’t quite explain why it had felt that way.

It was as if they were just playfully bantering like friends, and somehow, it had escalated into that.

Friends?

Cheng Xing froze for a moment. She had subconsciously categorized Jiang Ciyi as a friend.

This realization didn’t make her nervous. On the contrary, it brought her a strange sense of joy.

In the past, she would have scolded herself—why would she want to be friends with a mission target? Jiang Ciyi was just a target, a robot, nothing more!

Even if she was the heroine of this world, she was still just a robot.

But now, Cheng Xing only felt like she had made a friend in this new environment.

Perhaps in her original world, Jiang Ciyi was a robot, but here, Jiang Ciyi was a person—an ordinary person.

A person with emotions, joys, sorrows, and everything in between.

Cheng Xing rubbed her face again, reflecting on the fleeting, inappropriate thoughts that had surfaced in the dressing room.

Those thoughts didn’t seem respectful toward Jiang Ciyi, nor did they feel like something she would typically entertain.

She—wanted to kiss Jiang Ciyi.

Cheng Xing had never been in love. In her twenty-six years of life, the only semblance of romantic feelings she’d ever had was the vague affection she felt for a pen pal through letters sent across vast distances.

She had even imagined, before meeting her, renting a house together, commuting to work side by side, cooking and eating together, traveling, and shopping together.

If her family hadn’t been hovering over her when she was filling out her college applications, she might have chosen a university in her pen pal’s city.

Coincidentally, her pen pal’s address was a small county in Zhujiang City.

Also in the south.

During college, Cheng Xing had dreamed of traveling to Zhujiang, hoping for a chance encounter with her pen pal.

But every winter and summer break, she was kept busy helping her family, only able to sneak away for a day or two to nearby places.

So, until her death, she had never made it to her pen pal’s city.

That faint spark of affection had been snuffed out in its cradle.

And now, she found herself staring at Jiang Ciyi’s lips, feeling an urge to draw closer, even entertaining thoughts of touching her.

Was this… liking someone?

Cheng Xing pondered for a moment before shaking her head.

The kind of love she had always wanted was a connection of souls, a resonance between two people—like the way she and her pen pal had discussed everything from poetry to life’s ideals, even their current circumstances.

Of course, beauty was also an undeniable factor.

Cheng Xing was, after all, a sucker for good looks.

But what was wrong with that?

People wouldn’t even pick an ugly dog; they’d always choose one that looked nice.

Humans naturally showed more leniency toward attractive people, and beauty was often considered a scarce resource.

But if it was her pen pal, Cheng Xing could accept them even if their looks were below average.

Because their connection had started with a meeting of souls before any consideration of appearance.

Clearly, Jiang Ciyi’s looks hit every mark of Cheng Xing’s aesthetic preferences. Cheng Xing wanted to dress her up beautifully, so that seeing her every morning would feel like a burst of inspiration, fueling her motivation for the day. Not to mention, the idea of this beauty being appreciated only by her, being close only to her, was deeply satisfying.

Her possessiveness and vanity were immensely gratified in those moments—something few people could resist.

After all, it was as if her human flaws were being perfectly indulged.

Cheng Xing realized that earlier, she might have simply been swept up by the atmosphere and dazzled by Jiang Ciyi’s beauty.

Having sorted through her thoughts, Cheng Xing clasped her hands together and silently apologized to Jiang Ciyi in her heart, resolving to maintain a polite distance from her moving forward.

Although Jiang Ciyi was legally her wife, Cheng Xing only saw her as a cooperative partner.

And this partner was someone she had fought hard to keep. Her ability to continue completing the system’s tasks relied entirely on the heroine’s kindness.

Cheng Xing was well aware of this and felt immense gratitude toward Jiang Ciyi.

She absolutely couldn’t allow herself to harbor such improper thoughts.

After giving herself this mental pep talk, Jiang Ciyi emerged from the room, wearing earrings and maneuvering her wheelchair.

“All set?” Cheng Xing asked. “Did you bring your phone?”

“Mm,” Jiang Ciyi replied, her tone carrying an odd, indescribable undertone.

Just moments ago, in the dressing room, she had gone through her own mental turmoil. When Cheng Xing leaned in to put on her earrings, the reverent look on her face had caused Jiang Ciyi to feel a fleeting moment of disorientation.

For a second, she had actually hoped Cheng Xing would kiss her earlobe, brushing against her skin.

It was probably a shameful thought.

So Jiang Ciyi furrowed her brow, unable to reconcile with herself.

She was used to being independent, with Zheng Shuqing as her only close friend. Zheng Shuqing, who had known her for years, understood her quirks and never got too close.

But Cheng Xing had been so close earlier, and Jiang Ciyi hadn’t minded.

Reflecting in the dressing room, Jiang Ciyi dazedly put on the other earring, attributing her reaction to the confined space that made it easy to lose one’s bearings.

And recently, Cheng Xing’s transformation had sparked her curiosity. For someone whose job demanded constant curiosity, it was hard not to probe into such a phenomenon.

As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat.

And it wasn’t just cats that curiosity could harm.

Curiosity and exploration only led to thinking—thinking about the other person.

The more she thought, the more inevitable these feelings became.

Jiang Ciyi decided to curb her curiosity about Cheng Xing and live out the next two months calmly.

Both of them, lost in their own thoughts, made their way out.

Just before leaving, Sister Zhou approached and asked, “Miss, should I arrange a driver?”

“No need, thank you.” Cheng Xing replied. “I’ll drive myself.”

“Alright, Miss.” Sister Zhou said. “Drive safely.”

“Okay. Could you please clear out the clothes in the dressing room at home and list them on a second-hand platform? Donate the proceeds to impoverished mountainous areas—some to schools and some to buy sanitary products for female students.”

Sister Zhou was stunned. “All of them?”

“Except for some classic brand pieces, sell the rest. Hold off on the jewelry for now; I’ll sort through it later.” Worried Sister Zhou might grow suspicious, Cheng Xing added, “Don’t worry, I’ll buy new ones.”

Sister Zhou smiled. “Alright, Miss.”

“One more thing.” Cheng Xing instructed. “Make most of the donations in the name of the Cheng Corporation, and a portion in the name of Cheng Zijing.”

“And you?” Sister Zhou asked.

“No need for my name.” Cheng Xing said with a smile. “Those things were mostly bought with family money. I don’t deserve to put my name on it. It’s just returning what was taken from others to others. Just follow my instructions.”

Sister Zhou nodded. “Understood. Have a pleasant shopping trip.”

Cheng Xing waved at her. “Thanks!”

Sister Zhou’s smile widened.

After hearing Cheng Xing’s conversation with Sister Zhou, Jiang Ciyi realized why she had felt uneasy earlier.

It was because Cheng Xing’s tone when speaking to her was the same as Sister Zhou’s tone when speaking to Cheng Xing!

It was so… service-oriented. Change her clothes, and she could pass for a customer service worker.

Jiang Ciyi inexplicably disliked this, but she said nothing, her face expressionless as she got into the car.

When Cheng Xing helped her into the car and noticed her cold expression, she gave a small smile. “Why so glum when we’re going shopping? Smile a little.”

Jiang Ciyi glanced at her sideways, saying nothing, her face blank.

Cheng Xing shook her head helplessly. “What would it take to make you happy?”

Jiang Ciyi: “…”

She didn’t know.

This expression was her default. She rarely showed joy or sadness.

Because she started working early, entering the police station at a young age, where the atmosphere was serious and filled with seasoned professionals, she had been specially recruited by Chief Lin. With no notable credentials, just a bachelor’s degree and a youthful, doll-like face, no one believed she could handle being a forensic doctor at Jianggang Police Station.

Chief Lin had pushed against all opposition to place her in this role, so she had to appear steady, doing everything in her power to ensure he wasn’t criticized.

Her first case as an intern was the infamous headless dismemberment case that shocked all of Jianggang.

Weighing less than ninety pounds, she wore a raincoat and waded through a sewer to collect body parts. To identify smells, she couldn’t even wear a mask. The stench of decay mixed with the sewer’s odor was so bad she couldn’t eat for three days. But working on the front lines accelerated her growth, and she built up considerable strength from it.

In such a serious environment, how could she dare to smile?

Smiling and crying were both difficult for her.

Growing up, her environment offered little room for joy.

The only person she could rely on was her elderly grandmother. Her deadbeat father would occasionally return home, throwing tantrums and demanding money, taking the savings her grandmother had painstakingly saved, leaving Jiang Ciyi’s tuition unpaid.

On the first day of school, her grandmother would drag her to the teacher’s office to beg for a few days’ grace on tuition, while Jiang Ciyi stood there, too ashamed to lift her head.

Jiang Ciyi didn’t know how to smile, nor could she understand why Cheng Xing loved to smile so much.

Especially this version of her.

The old Cheng Xing’s smiles always carried a shadow, as if a dark cloud lingered over her face. But this Cheng Xing’s smiles were bright and sincere, infectious to those around her.

Several times, Jiang Ciyi found herself smiling faintly, influenced by her.

Only afterward did she realize there was nothing particularly funny.

Jiang Ciyi felt she had smiled more in the past few days than ever before.

So, she looked at Cheng Xing with genuine confusion in her eyes.

After a moment, Cheng Xing pursed her lips. “Forget it.”

Forcing someone to smile was no different from forcing something unwanted on them.

Cheng Xing wasn’t the type to impose. She leaned over, pulled the seatbelt across Jiang Ciyi, and secured it, then moved the wheelchair to the trunk.

Only then did she walk around to the driver’s seat.

Sister Zhou, standing at the door, watched all this with a faint smile.

A maid couldn’t help but ask, “Sister Zhou, what’s got you so happy?”

Sister Zhou gazed at the sports car driving out of Tinglan Mansion, her tone light. “Didn’t you hear? Miss just said ‘thank you’ to me again.”

“I heard,” the maid replied, puzzled. “Miss has been so polite these past few days, like she’s a different person. It’s kind of scary.”

“Scary?” Sister Zhou shot her a look. “She hasn’t changed into someone else. She’s just matured after getting married. It’s all thanks to Miss Jiang’s guidance.”

The maid was shocked. “What does this have to do with Miss Jiang? Before, Miss locked her in the attic…”

She stopped, not daring to continue.

Sister Zhou gave her a stern look. “Don’t bring up the past. We don’t gossip about the family’s affairs. Understood?”

“Yes, yes, Sister Zhou,” the maid quickly hushed.

“Miss Jiang was just indulging her before, not bothering to argue. In relationships, when one is weak, the other is strong. When Miss Jiang grabbed a scalpel and looked ready to fight Miss, Miss got scared. Now look how gentle and well-behaved she is.” Sister Zhou said, as if she had cracked the code to marriage. She headed toward the living room. “Look at how inseparable they are now. I need to tell Madam.”

The maid stood frozen—really, is that how it works?

She couldn’t shake the feeling that Miss Jiang had genuinely wanted to kill Miss that day.

The maids had privately gossiped that someone as accomplished and beautiful as Miss Jiang, young and successful, was far too good for their Miss.

No matter how rich someone was, with a reckless and temperamental personality, always throwing fits, why would anyone put up with it for money?

Right after the marriage, locking her in the attic—Miss Jiang wasn’t crazy enough to fall for someone like that, was she?

But this current version…

The maid shivered at her own thoughts, quickly shaking her head and muttering, “There are no ghosts, there are no ghosts. Miss Jiang’s guidance…”

Like she was brainwashing herself, she shuffled toward the kitchen.

Cheng Xing and Jiang Ciyi arrived at Chenhua Mall.

Cheng Xing patiently pushed Jiang Ciyi from store to store. Whenever she spotted something she liked, she’d encourage Jiang Ciyi to try it on.

Jiang Ciyi had her own opinions, not automatically trying on everything Cheng Xing handed her, only picking items that caught her eye to try in the fitting room.

She tried on a few pieces, and they all looked great.

Cheng Xing felt like she was dressing up a doll from her childhood, filled with a sense of accomplishment, tempted to buy out the entire mall for Jiang Ciyi.

But she wasn’t that extravagant.

And even if she wanted to, Jiang Ciyi wouldn’t allow it.

Cheng Xing only picked high-quality items. To prevent Jiang Ciyi from regretting and wanting to return them, she avoided having her change multiple times, instead having the store clerks cut off the tags at checkout.

They wore the clothes from one store while shopping at the next.

After browsing Chenhua Mall for over an hour, Cheng Xing decided to buy Jiang Ciyi a couple of expensive outfits, so they headed to the Donglai Mall across the street.

After all, she wasn’t the one paying.

While heading downstairs, Cheng Xing noticed a young woman holding a milk tea.

They hadn’t seen where it was sold despite shopping for so long, so she approached and politely asked, “Miss, where did you get your milk tea?”

“There’s a Jing Shang Sister shop at the southeast entrance on the first floor,” the woman replied. “That’s where I got it.”

“Got it, thanks,” Cheng Xing said, then bent down to ask Jiang Ciyi, “Are you thirsty? Want some milk tea?”

Jiang Ciyi shook her head. “I’m fine.”

She wasn’t used to drinking sweet beverages.

At work, her days were filled with the taste of bitter coffee.

Just like her life.

But when the elevator doors opened, Cheng Xing pushed her toward the southeast entrance. “There’s no place selling mineral water nearby, so I’ll take you to get milk tea.”

A line had formed at the milk tea shop. The sound of the wheelchair’s wheels rolling across the floor drew attention, and people turned to look. They saw a beautiful woman in a wheelchair, their gazes filled with surprise, curiosity, and pity.

There was no malice in their looks, but the underlying message was clear—a beautiful woman like her, why was she disabled?

These looks made Jiang Ciyi uncomfortable. She quietly observed everyone in line, and one person even “kindly” asked, “Do you want to cut in front of me?”

This kind of “kindness” made Jiang Ciyi frown, but before she could retort, Cheng Xing spoke up first, politely declining, “No need. Thank you for your kindness.”

Her tone was courteous yet distant. She then raised her voice slightly, “We’re not lacking anything compared to others. Please don’t stare with curiosity—it creates pressure for others.”

Her words weren’t entirely polite, but because they came from her, they felt oddly courteous, avoiding offense.

The people in line lowered their heads.

One young woman in the queue said, “Sorry.”

A chorus of apologies followed.

Most of the people in line were women, who tended to be more empathetic, so the atmosphere quickly lightened.

Jiang Ciyi turned to look at Cheng Xing, who just smiled at her and leaned down to whisper, “They’re probably looking at you, not the wheelchair.”

Jiang Ciyi pursed her lips, giving a faint, self-deprecating smile. “Is that so?”

“Yeah,” Cheng Xing said. “You don’t even realize how beautiful you are.”

Jiang Ciyi stared at her, stunned.

Seeing her slightly confused expression, Cheng Xing patted her head like she was comforting a child. “They’re just jealous of your looks.”

“And here’s a little secret,” Cheng Xing whispered in her ear, her warm breath brushing against Jiang Ciyi, who instinctively turned her face away but said coldly, “Why do you have so many secrets?”

Cheng Xing asked, “Do you want to hear it?”

Jiang Ciyi: “…Yes.”

“I’ve been looking at you for days, and I’m still stunned every time you come out after changing clothes.” Cheng Xing said with a smile. “You’re really beautiful, Jiang Ciyi. Don’t doubt yourself.”