Transmigrated into a Scummy Alpha Playboy in Ancient Times (GL) - Chapter 5

As soon as Shen Xingyue lay down with Su Muyu in her arms, the girl instinctively burrowed closer for warmth. Shen Xingyue let out a soft laugh, tightened her embrace, and smiled to herself. After taking care of Su Muyu all night, surely that -200 favorability score will budge tomorrow morning.

It had been a long day. Her head still throbbed from the injury, and the system had dumped so much foreign information into her brain. Holding Su Muyu close, Shen Xingyue’s eyelids gradually grew heavy. Before long, she drifted off into a deep sleep.

In a haze between sleep and wakefulness, Su Muyu felt warm—so warm, as if she were sitting beside a stove, basking in the gentle heat. Even her perpetually cold hands and feet had warmed up. She let out a soft sigh. Only in dreams can I feel warmth like this…

Beichuan’s climate was bitterly cold. Out of the year, only three months saw mild weather; the rest was an endless stretch of ice and snow. Back at home, she had been an unfavored daughter born to a maid. Each month, she, her mother, and her younger sister were given only the barest amount of firewood. They would only light a brazier when they absolutely couldn’t stand the cold anymore.

As for the Prince’s estate? That was even worse. The Princess would rather see her freeze than grant her comfort—punishing her at will, even threatening to give her away to others.

Every day in this manor felt like torment. But she didn’t dare die. She couldn’t die.

If she died, what would become of her mother and little sister? Su Muyu didn’t even want to think about it.

She could endure the insults and the kneeling. But she wouldn’t bow her head. Not to anyone. Not even Shen Xingyue.

Her thoughts swirled. There has to be a way out. I need someone of my own—someone I can trust. Only then could she gather money and resources to send to her mother and sister. Her sister was still so young. Her mother’s health was poor. There was only an old nursemaid looking after them. In this kind of cold, she didn’t know how much longer they could survive.

Su Muyu clung to the warmth, reluctant to wake. But she knew this comfort would only last for a moment. After kneeling in the snow for so long yesterday, she no longer expected to live long enough to see her sister grow up. She just hoped to last a little longer.

Slowly, she opened her eyes.

What she saw wasn’t the hard, icy bed she was used to—but Shen Xingyue, still fast asleep. She was curled up right in her arms.

Su Muyu froze.

Her gaze flicked toward the bed canopy, then down at the two thick brocade quilts covering both of them. There was no doubt—she was in Shen Xingyue’s bedroom.

Her face instantly turned pale.

So this is her new way of tormenting me? Su Muyu bit her lip so hard the color deepened, turning a darker red.

She had already prepared herself for the worst on the day of their wedding. If she was going to be Shen Xingyue’s consort, then consummating the marriage or forming a bond was inevitable. For her mother and sister’s sake, she knew there was no escape. And even if she ran—where could she go? Beichuan was frozen all year. Without money or work, she’d freeze to death in a day.

So whether she fled or stayed… the outcome was the same: suffering.

At the moment, she wasn’t worried that Shen Xingyue would force herself on her. But afterward? What if she decided to give her away to someone else? If that ever happened, Su Muyu knew she’d have no choice but to take her own life.

The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. But she had no options. She had no one to rely on. Even Princess Shen Yijia, the Fifth Royal Daughter, had only met her twice. If she tried to escape the estate, Shen Yijia might not help her at all.

There was no solution. Every path led to a dead end.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

She didn’t dare wake Shen Xingyue—not knowing what she might provoke. For now, she stayed still, pretending to sleep.

Shen Xingyue woke to the sound of a grumbling stomach.

She blinked her eyes open and was immediately met with Su Muyu’s stare. Still half-asleep, it took her a moment to remember where she was.

Right—this was a world inside a book. And the person in her arms was the novel’s female lead—the one who held her life in her hands.

The two of them were still wrapped together. Shen Xingyue felt a little awkward. She was straight and didn’t really know Su Muyu that well. Waking up while cuddling her like this… it was a little too intimate.

Su Muyu, however, simply stared at her silently—expression unreadable, lips tightly pressed together.

Another growl echoed in the room.

Shen Xingyue glanced down toward Su Muyu’s stomach. The room was quiet, and they were the only two people present. It wasn’t her stomach, so it had to be Su Muyu’s.

She cleared her throat and said gently, “Hungry? I’ll have them prepare some breakfast—and water for washing up.”

Su Muyu hadn’t expected Shen Xingyue to be so calm.

Just moments ago, her heart had been pounding, fully braced for another round of punishment. But instead, Shen Xingyue was offering food? She wasn’t sure what to think.

She hesitated, then cautiously replied, “I… I’m a little hungry.”

“Alright, I’ll tell them to hurry,” Shen Xingyue said with a smile.

Still holding her gently, she sat up with Su Muyu in her arms, reached toward the bedpost, and pulled the bell rope.

“Have them bring warm water for washing, and prepare breakfast,” she instructed. “Also, call for Zhou Miao—I want her to check on the Princess Consort again.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Yiliu answered quickly, immediately setting the maids in Feixue Courtyard into motion. One went to the kitchens, another to fetch Zhou Miao.

With everything arranged, Shen Xingyue looked down at Su Muyu still leaning against her and gave a soft cough. “Does your head still hurt? Is there anywhere else you feel unwell?”

“I still feel a bit dizzy. My body’s weak… but it’s nothing serious,” Su Muyu replied cautiously, unable to figure out what Shen Xingyue really meant with all her gentle words and concern. Is she treating me kindly because she sees me as a stand-in for her sister?

That thought brought clarity.

So that’s what this is all about. No wonder Shen Xingyue was suddenly acting so gentle—she must’ve come up with a new way to torment her. Since Shen Xingyue wanted to play, Su Muyu could only go along with it.

“Let’s get up for now. We’ll eat something, then have Zhou Miao come check on you again. Do you need help getting dressed?” Shen Xingyue asked, assuming Su Muyu was still too weak to move on her own.

To Su Muyu, this so-called thoughtfulness was nothing short of laughable. Shen Xingyue had never cared about her wellbeing before. Making her kneel in the snow had been a regular punishment. This sudden tenderness had to be another game—something new to amuse herself. And when she grew bored?

Su Muyu didn’t even dare think about what her fate would be.

“No need. I can manage on my own,” she said coolly. The idea of letting Shen Xingyue help her dress was unbearable. As much as Shen Xingyue loathed her, she felt the same way.

“Alright, I’ll let go then—sit up slowly,” Shen Xingyue said gently, releasing her hold and sliding out of bed to get dressed.

The garments for Qianyuan women weren’t that different from what ordinary women wore, but Shen Xingyue’s robes were made of the finest materials. Today, she chose a soft moon-white gown, the fabric highlighting her fair skin. A silk belt tied neatly around her waist, accentuating her slender figure.

Her dark hair hung freely over her shoulders. Following the memory provided by the system, Shen Xingyue tied her hair into a simple bun and inserted a single white jade hairpin. She didn’t like heavy accessories, and the minimalist style gave her a graceful, elegant look.

By the time she was done getting ready, Yiliu and a few other maids entered, carrying warm water and toiletries. Shen Xingyue turned her gaze toward the bed and saw Su Muyu still sitting there, quietly watching her.

Only then did it hit her—the previous Shen Xingyue had never once had new winter clothes or warm bedding made for Su Muyu, even after marrying her. The few garments Su Muyu had brought with her were already faded and worn from frequent washing, completely useless against the cold.

Realizing this, Shen Xingyue immediately turned to Yiliu. “Go to my wardrobe and pick out a few sets of clothes for the Princess Consort to wear. After breakfast, send someone to take her measurements and prepare some new outfits for her.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Yiliu answered promptly. She left and soon returned with several beautiful outfits, laying them out for Su Muyu to choose from.

Su Muyu was caught off guard by the gesture and let out a cold, inward laugh. So she really is treating me like her sister. Shen Xingyue’s obsession with her elder sister must run deep.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Su Muyu said with a faint nod. But her tone carried no warmth.

Shen Xingyue could sense her indifference but still replied, “No need to thank me. It was my oversight before—it won’t happen again.”

Su Muyu casually pointed to a set: a white cotton inner robe paired with a soft blue outer gown.

Though she still felt slightly dizzy, she could stand. She dressed herself and washed up quickly, then took a seat at the table, waiting for breakfast with Shen Xingyue. A brazier nearby glowed warmly, and for the first time since entering the estate, Su Muyu felt genuinely warm.

Since her arrival at the Prince’s manor, the amount of charcoal she received each month was pitiful. Her quilts were mostly thin and patched. No one looking at her would believe she was the Princess Consort.

Soon, delicate dishes and pastries were served one by one.

As Shen Xingyue sat across the table, she kept stealing glances at Su Muyu. The glaring red -200 floating above her head was no longer visible—Shen Xingyue had asked the system to hide it because it was too annoying to look at. But now, she was curious again.

Surely after all the effort I put in last night, it must have gone up a little… right?

She called to the system in her mind, asking to display Su Muyu’s favorability score again.

And the moment it appeared in red not far above Su Muyu’s head…

Shen Xingyue almost wanted to just close her eyes and never open them again.