Transmigrated into the Villain's Cannon Fodder Ex-Wife (Transmigrated into a Book) - Chapter 20

Compared to Lin Chu’s irritation, Yan Mingge was remarkably calm as he shifted his gaze away.

“It’s not even two pounds of flesh.”

Lin Chu: “…”

If it weren’t for remembering that this guy would be the big villain in the future, she would’ve really wanted to kick him to death.

Successfully provoking his little wife, Yan Mingge had a faint smile on his lips as he turned his head. He shot something from his hand, and the entire room was plunged into darkness, effectively concealing his surprisingly red ears.

Lin Chu was silently cursing the villain in her mind when suddenly, she heard Yan Mingge ask, “You told me in the alley yesterday that your name is Lin Chu?”

Perhaps due to the extinguished candlelight, or because her senses had sharpened in the dark, Lin Chu felt that Yan Mingge was speaking very close to her. His warm breath brushed against her ear, sending a tickling sensation through her.

However, despite the closeness, Lin Chu couldn’t feel any romantic thoughts towards this villain. Her nerves instantly tensed, and she forced herself to keep her voice steady, 

“Yes, that was my name before I was sold into the Cen household as a maid.”

Her original family was poor, and she had been sold as a maid when she was just four or five years old. She had little memory of her biological family.

Her status as a servant came only after she was sold, and any records of her existence began from that time. So even if Yan Mingge tried to investigate, he wouldn’t find anything.

Even though the room was completely dark, Lin Chu could still feel Yan Mingge’s gaze on her face.

At that moment, when her life had been on the line, she wasn’t sure why she blurted out that line. Now, Lin Chu felt like vomiting blood in regret. She quickly fabricated an excuse, 

“In my hometown, there’s a saying that if someone dies, their name must be remembered. On certain holidays, people burn paper money to ensure they can rest in peace.”

“You’ve thought it through, even about what you’ll do as a ghost.”

Yan Mingge’s voice was low, as if he had something on his mind.

Lin Chu awkwardly laughed twice and continued her lie, “Of course, life is hard. But if someone burns a little more paper money for me after I die, I’d probably be more at peace.”

Yan Mingge was silent for a moment before suddenly laughing, a desolate laugh tinged with a hint of sadness. 

“Then remember my name. I’m Yan Heng, from the capital.”

These words inexplicably made Lin Chu’s heart ache.

She knew he would eventually become the final villain, but he was unaware of his fate. Every time he went to battle, he might have been prepared to die in the sands of war.

She turned her head, wanting to see Yan Mingge’s expression at that moment. But in the darkness, she could see nothing.

She only heard Yan Mingge’s voice again, 

“Go to sleep.”

Lin Chu, her mind in chaos and exhausted from the day’s events, soon fell into a deep sleep.

No dreams throughout the night.

The next morning, as soon as the sky lightened, Lin Chu, who was accustomed to waking early, got out of bed.

As she dressed, she glanced down at her chest, still unconvinced about how small it was.

Compared to Jiang Wanxue’s flat chest, she thought her body was quite well-endowed!

Realizing what she was doing, Lin Chu immediately broke into a cold sweat.

Ignoring the strange thoughts in her mind, she quickly finished getting dressed and was about to head to the kitchen to prepare some medicine. But when she opened the door, she saw Jiang Wanxue walking toward her, holding a tray with a maid behind her.

Jiang Wanxue was wearing the same white embroidered robe from yesterday, with a moon-white outer coat embroidered with orchids. Her hair was styled in a fallen horse bun, with a jade orchid pin inserted in her hair, simple yet elegant. Although her face was powdered, it couldn’t hide the dark circles under her eyes, adding a touch of haggard beauty.

It seemed Jiang Wanxue hadn’t slept well last night.

“Cough… I woke up early today… Cough… I made medicine for Yan Gege in the kitchen and also made some soup… Cough…”

Jiang Wanxue stood outside the door, holding a handkerchief to her mouth, coughing violently. The maid beside her was holding a bowl of brown medicinal soup and a small soup cup.

Had she caught a cold after playing the zither in the yard last night in that thin clothing?

Lin Chu gave her a once-over and politely said, 

“Mrs. Han is already ill, and yet you’re still taking care of these things?”

Jiang Wanxue shook her head repeatedly. 

“Cough… I arrived at the inn rather late yesterday and didn’t get to see Yan Gege… Cough… Sister-in-law… Cough… may I go in and see Yan Gege?”

She looked at Lin Chu with pleading eyes, exuding a pitiable aura.

Lin Chu’s eyelid twitched slightly as she thought, I haven’t done anything to you, so why are you acting like I’ve bullied you?

“Just listen to what Mrs. Han is saying,” Lin Chu said with a faint smile. “My husband mentioned last night that Mrs. Han was playing the zither in the courtyard because she missed her late husband. My husband and Young Master Han shared a close friendship, and you are like a half-sister to him. So why speak so coldly?”

As Lin Chu brought up the events of the previous night, Jiang Wanxue’s face stiffened, though she kept a polite smile. After coughing delicately a few times, she replied weakly, 

“Sister-in-law, you have taught me a valuable lesson.”

Lin Chu’s gaze sharpened. Taught her a lesson? She had simply pointed out that Jiang Wanxue had deliberately played that tune in the courtyard the previous night, though for whom remained unclear. And yet, Jiang Wanxue had twisted her words to sound like she was the victim of an undeserved scolding.

A flicker of irritation crossed Lin Chu’s face, but she quickly masked it with a bright smile. If you want to play the delicate white lotus, I won’t make it easy for you.

“Ah, Mrs. Han, I was only saying that your tone seemed a bit harsh,” Lin Chu said sweetly, her words carrying a sharp edge. “I certainly didn’t suggest you play the zither for your late husband. But if I may point out, the tune ‘Butterfly Loves Flowers’ doesn’t seem appropriate for mourning. And to claim it was a ‘lesson’—well, anyone who didn’t know better might think I was bullying you.”

When the words “Butterfly Loves Flowers” came from Lin Chu’s mouth, Jiang Wanxue’s face immediately became somewhat unpleasant.

She thought that apart from Yan Mingge and the Sixth Prince, no one else could recognize the song.

She had followed Han Zichen for five years and had learned to observe men’s hearts closely. The song “Butterfly Loves Flowers” was indeed meant for Yan Mingge, a gamble on his lingering feelings for her.

As for the Sixth Prince… a young, naive boy. Jiang Wanxue believed that she still had the charm to win his heart.

Men were naturally powerless against weak and helpless women.

She was only sixteen when she married Han Zichen, and now she is just in her early twenties, a flower in her prime.

Han Zichen is dead, but his legitimate wife still has children. When Han Zichen was around, she was quite favored. However, now that Han Zichen is gone, if she were to return to the Han residence, she believes the Madam would keep her tightly in check.

Her son is also a fool, so she cannot rely on him to survive in the Han residence for decades.

Now that she is still young and beautiful, Jiang Wanxue won’t let go of any opportunity before her.

One of her cousins became a concubine to the legitimate son of the Zeng family and later was brought into the family as a wife.

Jiang Wanxue cast a fleeting glance at Lin Chu, and within her autumn-like eyes seemed to lurk a poisoned dagger, sharp and deadly. However, she quickly masked her expression with a soft smile.

“Sister-in-law, you’re joking,” she said delicately.

Lin Chu couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable under Jiang Wanxue’s earlier gaze. Still, knowing not to push too hard, she softened her tone and took a step back. 

“Come in, Mrs. Han.”

When Jiang Wanxue approached Yan Mingge, she seemed to sense his indifference. Perhaps aware of the awkwardness caused by the arranged marriage and the earlier poisoning incident, she made a quick excuse about feeling unwell and left for her room after exchanging only a few pleasantries.

Later, after helping Yan Mingge wash up and preparing his medicine, Lin Chu noticed his reluctance to drink it. She thought over the situation and wondered if his hesitation stemmed from Jiang Wanxue’s involvement.

“She caught a cold last night,” Lin Chu began, attempting to explain. “She got up early today to make this medicine and soup. Maybe she felt guilty about what happened before and wanted to apologize.”

To her surprise, Yan Mingge’s response nearly made her choke.

“What if she poisoned it?” he asked, his tone calm but unsettling.

Lin Chu blinked, stunned. “Well… you don’t need to be so suspicious. I actually found her medicine bottle earlier and took it to the pharmacy. The doctor said it was just flour. I don’t think she really intended to harm you.”

Yan Mingge chuckled softly.

“The flour was something I swapped in,” he said.

Lin Chu’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“It was that day,” Yan Mingge added, his tone casual.

Lin Chu’s mind raced back to that morning when she had slept unusually late and later noticed mud on his boots. She realized that he must have gone out to pour out the medicine and replace it with flour.

“Why… why would you go through all that trouble?” she stammered.

Yan Mingge paused for a moment before speaking slowly. 

“I’m afraid you might use it to poison me..”

Lin Chu felt a mix of awkwardness and frustration. What could she say? She never intended to harm him, yet he was always so guarded against her.

That’s just how the villain is, she reminded herself, though her mood soured slightly. Half-jokingly, she asked, 

“So now you’re not afraid I’ll poison it?”

Yan Mingge looked at her, his gaze steady. “You won’t.”

She gave a faint smile. Of course, she wouldn’t—unless she had a death wish.

Despite the lighthearted exchange, an unspoken tension lingered between them. On the surface, everything seemed fine, but their relationship felt stuck in a quiet stalemate.

Meanwhile, Jiang Wanxue remained persistent, waking up early every day to prepare medicine and soup. It wasn’t until a few days later that Lin Chu learned Jiang Wanxue had been making medicine not only for Yan Mingge but also for the Sixth Prince. Whether or not he drank it was unclear.

During this time, Lin Chu saw Han Junye only once. The boy mostly stayed in his room. On that particular day, she spotted him in the yard, staring at the plum blossoms. She intended to approach him, but the moment Han Junye saw her, he quickly ran off, as if afraid of people.

Lin Chu noticed that his temperament was becoming increasingly reclusive.

She attempted to speak to Jiang Wanxue about it, but her concerns were dismissed with a few sharp words. Since Han Junye was someone else’s son, Lin Chu decided not to press the matter further.

Watching Jiang Wanxue deliberately cozy up to the Sixth Prince, Lin Chu became certain that Jiang Wanxue intended to pursue him.

What is she thinking? Lin Chu wondered. Setting aside the Sixth Prince’s mischievous and unreadable nature, even if he liked Jiang Wanxue, the royal family would never allow a married woman to enter the palace.

As the first snow blanketed Qiang City, Yan Mingge’s injuries had nearly healed. That morning, he spent hours talking to the Sixth Prince. Whatever agreement they reached was unclear, but in the afternoon, Yan Mingge suddenly announced that they could pack up and go home.

It seemed Han Zichen’s situation had been suppressed, and with the Sixth Prince present, Feng Yan dared not make any further moves. The Sixth Prince even arranged a carriage for their departure.

For Lin Chu, this was her first time riding in a carriage in this ancient world. Curiously, she lifted the curtain to peek outside. The snow had transformed Qiang City into a silver landscape, and the streets were eerily quiet.

Yan Mingge rode alongside the carriage, clad in plain armor that exuded an air of authority and warrior-like strength. His presence was striking, far surpassing even the Sixth Prince’s charm, though his commanding aura often overshadowed his refined looks.

“What are you looking at?” Yan Mingge broke the silence.

“Nothing,” Lin Chu replied, letting the curtain fall back into place. “I was just wondering—when we left, I noticed the servants had prepared a carriage for the Sixth Prince too. With this heavy snow, where is he planning to go?”

Yan Mingge seemed willing to talk, so he explained, “Half a month ago, the General invited him to a banquet, but the Sixth Prince declined. This time, the General extended another invitation, so he couldn’t refuse.”

Lin Chu blinked in surprise. “The General is hosting a banquet for the Sixth Prince today?”

Her eyes widened as a sudden realization struck her. In the original story, the barbarians attacked the city on this very day.