Transmigrated As The Villainous Scumbag Wife Of A Disabled Tycoon - Chapter 39
39
Cheng Xing didn’t know how much Jiang Ciyi had understood.
From beginning to end, Jiang Ciyi showed no obvious emotions, as if nothing in the world could escape her keen observation.
Cheng Xing didn’t dare to dwell on the issue further, fearing the system would continue deducting her strategy value and punish her.
This time, Jiang Ciyi had nearly pushed Cheng Xing to the edge of a cliff, only to pull her back at the last moment.
Pushing her to the edge was unintentional and reasonable, but pulling her back was deliberate and unexpected.
Cheng Xing hadn’t anticipated Jiang Ciyi being this perceptive. While driving to get her hair dyed, she was distracted, her peripheral vision constantly drifting toward Jiang Ciyi.
After a few glances, Jiang Ciyi said lightly, “Focus on driving.”
Cheng Xing coughed lightly. “Alright.”
At the hair salon, they were greeted by a familiar stylist. Cheng Xing quickly explained her request.
She wanted a natural hair color, nothing too vibrant.
The stylist presented a color chart, and Cheng Xing ultimately chose a dark ash-brown.
Dyeing hair was a time-consuming process. After sitting down, Cheng Xing thought about finding something for Jiang Ciyi to do. But when she turned around, she saw Jiang Ciyi already wearing earphones, her phone tilted horizontally, watching a show.
Cheng Xing didn’t bother her further and closed her eyes to communicate with the system: [Why did you say I was cheating? Am I supposed to live as the original host forever? I’m not the same person as her. Our personalities are different. It’s only a matter of time before someone figures it out.]
[Awwoo! Being found out and deliberately guiding someone to that conclusion are two different things~ And are you sure you want to admit you’re from another world? Are you certain you won’t be dragged off for experiments?] The system’s cute, mechanical voice echoed in her mind, rebutting her logically.
Cheng Xing: [What if I’m not afraid? I trust Jiang Ciyi.]
[Awwoo! If you really trusted her, why did you hold back half the truth? It’s exactly because you didn’t tell her everything that the Interstellar Fate Bureau spared you from punishment. Otherwise, you would’ve faced severe consequences that day!]
Cheng Xing: […]
She had to admit, the system made sense.
But—
“According to your rules, it’s impossible for me to reach a strategy value of 100.” Cheng Xing said helplessly. “The original host did so many terrible things to her. Reconciling with the original host is impossible. The truth about the car accident will come up eventually. What am I supposed to do then? Don’t you ever think about that?”
The system went silent.
A few minutes later, it responded: [Awwoo! That’s beyond my comprehension~]
Cheng Xing: “…”
[Awwoo! Don’t lose heart, Host. All restrictions will be lifted once your strategy value reaches 80%. As per the rules, any attempt to boost your strategy value through shortcuts below 80% is considered cheating and will result in punishment from the Interstellar Fate Bureau.]
“So, as long as my conquest value hits 80%, I can admit I’m not the original Cheng Xing and even divorce Jiang Ciyi?” Cheng Xing asked.
System: [Awwoo! Theoretically, yes.]
Cheng Xing felt a bit more reassured.
After that, she had no more questions, and the system fell silent.
Three hours later, Cheng Xing’s hair color changed from blonde to dark ash-brown, a natural shade leaning toward black.
After the stylist finished blow-drying her hair, Cheng Xing checked herself in the mirror and was finally satisfied.
This was her true self.
Outside, the sky had darkened, streetlights were glowing, and Jianggang City was once again alive with its bustling, vibrant nightlife.
Having had a milk tea in the afternoon, Cheng Xing wasn’t hungry, but it was time for dinner.
She was about to call Jiang Ciyi to head home when she turned and saw Jiang Ciyi intently staring at her phone.
If she remembered correctly, Jiang Ciyi had been in this exact position since before the hair dyeing began.
In other words, Jiang Ciyi had been sitting still, in the same posture, for three hours.
…Is this the focus of a top student?
Though reluctant to disturb Jiang Ciyi, who was engrossed in her show, Cheng Xing wanted to take her home for a proper meal to maintain a regular schedule. She stepped forward and patted Jiang Ciyi’s shoulder.
Jiang Ciyi looked up, her eyes slightly red from staring at her phone for so long.
Cheng Xing frowned, her tone sharp. “You’ve been staring too long. Don’t you know to take a break?”
Jiang Ciyi’s expression didn’t change, and she didn’t respond. The next moment, she removed her earphones and calmly asked, “What did you say?”
Cheng Xing: “…”
Had she been talking to thin air?
But she wasn’t upset. Looking at Jiang Ciyi’s red eyes made her heart ache. She repeated, “Don’t your eyes hurt? You’ve been looking at your phone for too long.”
“It’s fine.” Jiang Ciyi put her phone away, closed her eyes briefly to relieve the strain, and asked, “Done?”
“Yeah.” Cheng Xing’s voice was a bit muffled, clearly displeased. “The dyeing’s finished.”
Jiang Ciyi glanced at her new hair color and said lightly, “It looks nice.”
Her voice was soft, and Cheng Xing didn’t catch it. She leaned closer. “What?”
Jiang Ciyi raised her hand, her palm gently cupping Cheng Xing’s ear, her voice still cool and detached. “I said, your new hair color looks even better.”
Cheng Xing broke into a smile. “Good enough, then.”
Her tone lightened up. “So, what do you want to eat tonight? Home or out?”
“Either’s fine.” Jiang Ciyi said. “Up to you.”
“You kept me company while I got my hair done, so you get to choose.” Cheng Xing replied.
Jiang Ciyi paused. “I don’t have anything in mind. Let’s go back.”
“Alright, home it is.” Cheng Xing pushed her wheelchair toward the exit, but Jiang Ciyi turned her head, giving her a few meaningful glances.
Cheng Xing noticed and asked what was wrong, but Jiang Ciyi just shook her head. “Nothing.”
Jiang Ciyi was only wondering why Cheng Xing could so easily use the word “home.”
Home…
That was Cheng Xing’s home.
But not hers.
Jiang Ciyi no longer had a home.
She lowered her eyes, her mood sinking.
Once in the car, Cheng Xing noticed her dejection and asked, “What were you thinking about just now?”
“Nothing.” Jiang Ciyi didn’t think Cheng Xing was a good listener and urged her to drive, trying to change the subject.
But Cheng Xing stayed put in the driver’s seat, playing coy. She rested one arm on the steering wheel, her slender, fair fingers slightly curled, tapping rhythmically. The sound echoed in the confined space of the car, as if slowly breaking down someone’s psychological defenses.
Her voice softened. “You were fine before we left, but something seemed off when we came downstairs. Can you tell me why?”
Jiang Ciyi pursed her lips. “It’s nothing.”
Her tone was flat, betraying no joy or anger.
But Cheng Xing could tell she wasn’t happy.
Cheng Xing disliked cold wars, no matter who they were with.
If there was a problem, it should be addressed and resolved. Keeping it bottled up would only strain relationships.
Worst of all, the other person would be upset, and she’d be clueless about it.
Even if they reconciled later, the issue would linger as a knot in their hearts.
Cheng Xing wanted to untie this knot and turn it into a cute bow.
“You have to tell me so I can comfort you,” Cheng Xing said, then corrected herself. “Or if I did something wrong, you need to tell me so I won’t do it again.”
Jiang Ciyi still refused to speak, exhaustion creeping into her expression. She tried to shift the topic again. “I’m a bit tired. Let’s head back early to sleep. I have work tomorrow morning.”
Cheng Xing stopped tapping her fingers and leaned closer to Jiang Ciyi. “Really?”
“Really…” Jiang Ciyi started to brush her off, but seeing Cheng Xing’s sincere gaze, she faltered. Her tone shifted. “Why do you need to know? Have we known each other that long?”
“I want to know,” Cheng Xing said. “At least right now, I want to know.”
“Why?” Jiang Ciyi looked at her, puzzled. “Does my happiness or sadness matter to you?”
“It does,” Cheng Xing nodded. “If you’re upset because of me, I’ll feel guilty.”
And her strategy value would drop, possibly triggering a punishment.
Jiang Ciyi sighed. “So you absolutely have to know?”
Cheng Xing was resolute. “I want to know, Jiang Ciyi.”
She called her name gently, drawing out the last syllable with a soft, lingering tone, warm like a spring breeze, carrying an indescribable tenderness, different from her usual speech.
Jiang Ciyi frowned. “Is my happiness or sadness that important to you?”
“It is.” Cheng Xing answered instinctively.
After she spoke, the air in the car seemed to thin, tinged with a subtle awkwardness.
Their eyes locked. Jiang Ciyi bit her lower lip, her cold, blade-like gaze clashing with Cheng Xing’s.
But to Cheng Xing, she seemed like a trapped beast struggling. She let out a soft breath and reached out to pat Jiang Ciyi’s head. Jiang Ciyi turned her face away.
It felt like they’d been arguing, but even in an argument, Jiang Ciyi remained so composed.
“Don’t be mad, Jiang Ciyi.” Cheng Xing said gently.
“I’m not.” Jiang Ciyi replied, her voice muffled.
She just didn’t like being looked at like that, being cared for like that.
She was used to hiding away to lick her wounds alone, like when her grandmother passed away. She’d been quiet, needing no one’s comfort, only time to heal.
This broken life hadn’t killed her; it had only made her stronger.
When Cheng Xing had locked her in the attic, she trembled endlessly in the suffocating darkness, hungry, unaware of time’s passage, every second an ordeal. But she endured.
She wasn’t afraid of people being cruel to her; she feared their kindness.
This sudden concern was more than she could bear.
Jiang Ciyi instinctively wanted to push it away, but when Cheng Xing spoke to her gently, she realized she might have overreacted.
Such intense emotional fluctuations were rare for her. She was usually calm, rarely stirred by anything.
She disliked these emotional swings and took a deep breath to steady herself. “I’m fine. Let’s go back.”
“Is it because you don’t like me saying ‘home’?” Cheng Xing suddenly asked.
Jiang Ciyi turned her head in surprise.
Though she said nothing, her expression betrayed her feelings.
Seeing her reaction, Cheng Xing knew she’d guessed correctly.
Instead of lecturing, she smiled lazily. “Don’t think you’re the only one with sharp observation. I’m pretty smart too.”
Jiang Ciyi only looked at her, especially into her eyes.
Cheng Xing met her gaze, seeing her own reflection in Jiang Ciyi’s pupils, and smiled. “You kept saying ‘go back,’ but never ‘home.’”
Jiang Ciyi couldn’t hold her gaze and turned to look out the window at Jianggang’s lively nightscape.
“But Jiang Ciyi, that is your home,” Cheng Xing said. “Even if we divorce in the future, it’ll still be your home.”
Cheng Xing looked at her back, lonely yet resolute, and felt a pang of sadness. She patted Jiang Ciyi’s back gently. “If you’re willing, you can always see me as family. I’ll love you.”
Jiang Ciyi’s voice was cold. “No need to lie to me.”
“As a friend,” Cheng Xing said. “As family.”
From the car window, Jiang Ciyi could see Cheng Xing’s face, though it was blurred and indistinct.
Cheng Xing’s voice was warm. “Who says love only comes in one form? We can be family who love each other forever.”
“Do you even believe that yourself, Cheng Xing?” Jiang Ciyi said. “Legally, we’re married.”
Cheng Xing froze, momentarily hesitant, but then said firmly, “I believe it. And like you said, we’re legally married, so right now, we’re each other’s closest person.”
Cheng Xing rubbed her back, trying to offer some warmth.
This Jiang Ciyi was too lonely.
Indeed, she was brilliant.
But at this moment, Cheng Xing could only think of one phrase: Too wise, too wounded.
No matter how remarkable a heroine she might become, in this moment, she was like a homeless, unloved little girl.
“Jiang Ciyi,” Cheng Xing called softly. “Right now, I’m the only one on your household registry. So I’ll always be your family, unconditionally, and I’ll love you unconditionally.”