Everyone Thought The Fake Heiress Had Her Reasons Ch. 4
Tang Xiaoyu had already placed the medical kit by the bedside. Upon hearing this, her slender white hand paused. “I promised to protect you, and I won’t break my word.”
No matter how much resentment existed between her and Ming Jiao, she wouldn’t stand by and ignore the other’s danger. This wasn’t just about not wanting the Ming family to grieve over losing her—it was a matter of principle.
Ming Jiao naturally knew that given her character, once she made a promise, she would keep it and give it her all. However, she was now more curious about the medical kit.
The original owner had only been kicked out for a short while and hadn’t yet acquired necessities like a medical kit, so it was unlikely that Tang Xiaoyu had found it in the house.
If it wasn’t found in the house, did she have a delivery person bring it over?
But when Tang Xiaoyu took out gauze and some unfamiliar medications from the kit, Ming Jiao dismissed this unreliable guess.
The System chimed in at the right moment, 【Host, this medical kit is probably something the protagonist carries with her.】
Before Ming Jiao could wonder where Tang Xiaoyu had hidden such a large kit, it added, 【I suspect the protagonist might have spatial-type abilities.】
Ming Jiao openly expressed envy for such a power. She had instinctively learned to communicate telepathically with the System, 【I’ve heard that abilities like these come with beauty-enhancing, youth-preserving, all-healing spiritual springs, and even the ability to farm, build houses, and raise small animals.】
The System fell silent for a long moment before asking with difficulty, 【Who told you that?】
Ming Jiao, 【Ennn, other novel protagonists told me.】
System: Alright, Host, I understand why you’re so knowledgeable—clearly, you’re a hardcore novel enthusiast.
Tang Xiaoyu opened the medical kit and, seeing Ming Jiao lost in thought, spoke up, “Alright, take off your clothes.”
Ming Jiao shyly said to the System, 【Taking off clothes? Are we already at the ‘repay with my body’ stage? That’s too fast—I’m not ready yet.】
The System was speechless, 【Host, you’re so mischievous!】
It was obvious that the protagonist just wanted to check her injuries, but the host clearly only dared to joke like this with the System—she remained quite proper in front of the protagonist.
Ming Jiao nodded and began unbuttoning her dress. Fortunately, it wasn’t a pullover style, or she would have needed scissors to cut it open.
Tang Xiaoyu quickly glanced at the wound and indeed saw that what should have been a large, gruesome injury had healed into a thin line. Otherwise, the other wouldn’t still be so energetic.
But such rapid healing couldn’t be solely due to her intervention.
A thoughtful glint flashed in Tang Xiaoyu’s dark eyes, but she didn’t press further. The events of the night had convinced her that Ming Jiao had secrets, but now wasn’t the time to explore them, and Ming Jiao wouldn’t honestly reveal them anyway.
Her gaze shifted to the large, faint bloodstains on Ming Jiao’s smooth, fair skin, resembling red blossoms blooming on polar snow—a tragically beautiful sight.
Suddenly, Tang Xiaoyu felt somewhat uneasy, her fingertips, which had already rested on Ming Jiao’s shoulder, growing warm.
She quickly withdrew her hand and straightened up.
Seeing Ming Jiao watching her with those clear, contrasting peach-blossom eyes, as if puzzled, Tang Xiaoyu composed herself and said, “I’ll fetch a basin of water.”
Ming Jiao smiled. “Alright, thank you.”
·
By the time she returned with the water, the inexplicable unease in Tang Xiaoyu’s heart had faded. She lowered her gaze, dampened a clean towel, and gently wiped the blood from Ming Jiao’s body.
Ming Jiao felt the comfort of warm water touching her skin and sighed to the System, [She’s so attentive even to someone she dislikes—what an absolute saint.]
The System replied, [Indeed. So, Host, don’t repay kindness with enmity. Consider a different way to show gratitude.]
Suggesting something like “offering herself in marriage”? Absolutely not!
Ming Jiao nearly laughed aloud and quickly shifted her focus to Tang Xiaoyu’s delicate, porcelain-like face.
This eyepatch was truly remarkable. Even standing this close to Tang Xiaoyu and knowing exactly who she was, Ming Jiao couldn’t detect even a hint of familiarity.
Tang Xiaoyu swiftly finished wiping the blood from her body, then brought out medicine and bandages to dress her wounds. As she moved, a few strands of her long hair, tucked within her cloak, slipped loose and brushed against Ming Jiao’s shoulder.
Resisting the urge to twirl one of those strands, Ming Jiao felt the beautiful, silky hair—like seaweed—tickling her shoulder, and an inexplicable itch stirred in her heart as well.
Just as she was wrestling with this strange sensation, Tang Xiaoyu’s calm voice sounded beside her ear, “Your wounds are healing quickly, but I still recommend you see a doctor.”
With that, the bandaging was complete, and Tang Xiaoyu retreated to a polite distance.
Truthfully, that stab must have damaged her internal organs. If not for Tang Xiaoyu’s timely rescue and the System’s quick awakening, she’d already be a corpse.
Ming Jiao felt a fleeting sense of loss as the warmth and faint fragrance withdrew. Even with the window closed, the room seemed to grow chilly again. Collecting herself, she carefully rose, selected a loose dress from the wardrobe, and changed into it.
“A mere fatal injury—hardly worth mentioning.” She casually freed her disheveled long hair from the collar and smiled lazily, radiating charm—though she added, before Tang Xiaoyu’s gaze could turn any colder, “If you’re worried, I’ll drop by the hospital tomorrow.”
Tang Xiaoyu averted her eyes from Ming Jiao’s radiant smile, looking toward the gradually fading moonlight. “Your life is your own.”
The implication being: Why would she be concerned?
Unnoticed, most of the night had passed, and dawn would soon break.
The System couldn’t help interjecting, [Host, I feel like you’re always teasing the protagonist.]
[Am I?] Ming Jiao pondered for a moment before saying, [Maybe it’s the charm of a life-saving grace. I just can’t help myself.]
The System, […]
·
After changing, Ming Jiao didn’t return to bed but walked over to the window instead. “The view from here is quite lovely. It’s just a bit horrifying to think someone might jump in through the window in the middle of the night.”
Tang Xiaoyu turned her face, the lamplight enhancing the mysterious beauty of her features beneath the black veil eyepatch.
Ming Jiao continued, “Can you tell me about superpowers now, and the other side of this world?”
Tang Xiaoyu seemed puzzled. “Aren’t you tired?”
Ming Jiao tilted her head in thought. “A little, but the pain is keeping me awake.”
She leaned against the windowsill. “You must be tired though—feel free to use any of the guest rooms. I should change rooms too. If the cleaning aunt sees this tomorrow, she might think I’ve committed murder.”
Although she lived alone in this house, the security outside was thorough. It wouldn’t be fair to blame them for failing to stop a superhuman.
This was typical of the Ming family’s thoughtfulness and soft-heartedness. Even though they were deeply disappointed in the original owner, when they sent her away, they still ensured she had a comfortable, safe place to call home.
Tang Xiaoyu gave a soft hum in response, then turned and walked out of the room, the hem of her clothes fluttering sharply in a clean arc.
Ming Jiao watched her retreating figure. “Can you tell me your name?”
She guessed Tang Xiaoyu wouldn’t reveal her real name—to avoid trouble in every sense—but when two people interacted, they needed some form of address.
Sure enough, Tang Xiaoyu’s cool, detached voice drifted back. “Nightingale.”
It sounded like a codename.
“My name is Ming Jiao.”
This was her name, and also my real name.
Ming Jiao said softly, “I’m truly grateful for what you did tonight.”
The snow-white fingertips Tang Xiaoyu had resting on the doorknob paused briefly, but she said nothing more.
Once she left, the scent of blood that hadn’t fully dissipated in the room seemed to rush back all at once.
Ming Jiao tilted her head, gazing at the faintly visible moonlight, and suddenly let out a light laugh. What a long night—but thankfully, dawn was about to break.
·
Ming Jiao moved to another guest room to rest and didn’t wake until nearly noon. She was startled awake by a nightmare—a man in black grinning as he drove a knife into her chest, then mercilessly pulled it out. In that instant, the sensation of flesh being sawed back and forth by the cold, sharp blade was almost chilling.
She reached out, struggling to resist, but her fingers swept through empty air, jolting her awake.
[Host, are you okay?] The System’s familiar voice came through, carrying a sense of stability that helped dispel the nightmare and return her to reality.
[I’m fine.] Ming Jiao sat up. Compared to yesterday, when she was cold, weak, and wracked with pain as if soaked in ice water, she felt much better now.
Though she’d had a nightmare, her rest hadn’t been too poor, so her spirits were quite good.
[It’s already noon.] She glanced at the sky outside the window. [Tang Xiaoyu must have been up for a while.]
Ming Jiao smoothed her disheveled long hair, planning to go out and check. Speaking of which, if Tang Xiaoyu hadn’t returned home all night, wouldn’t the Ming family be worried? Did they know about her hidden identity?
She pondered but couldn’t make sense of it, then heard the System say, [She’s been up for a long time. The hourly housekeeper already came and left.]
Ming Jiao immediately felt relieved that she had locked the room where the incident occurred last night. But with Tang Xiaoyu around, she would have helped cover things up, right? Though she wondered if the housekeeper found Tang Xiaoyu’s attire strange.
After a quick wash, she soon saw Tang Xiaoyu on the first floor and realized she had overthought things.
Tang Xiaoyu had removed the cloak from her uniform, leaving what looked like an exquisitely tailored little suit.
With the cloak gone, she had also swapped her mysterious black lace eyepatch for a pair of silver-rimmed glasses. Her seaweed-like long hair was tied into a low ponytail, lending her an intellectual and elegant beauty.
However, the glasses clearly served a similar function to the eyepatch. The Tang Xiaoyu Ming Jiao saw still bore no resemblance to the one in her memories.
Tang Xiaoyu sat at the dining table flipping through a hardcover book. Hearing footsteps, she knew who it was and slowly looked up. “I’ve already prepared lunch. You woke up just in time.”
Ming Jiao was still wearing the loose nightgown she had changed into the previous night. Walking down the stairs where light and shadow intertwined, her face—once as vibrant and captivating as a red rose—now resembled a white rose, fresh and elegant, with an added touch of fragile, pitiable delicacy.
Her gaze unintentionally swept over the snow-white, delicate collarbone before discreetly shifting away.
Ming Jiao, meanwhile, couldn’t help but confide her emotions to the System. [System, she actually cooked for me!]
The System had learned to play the straight man, [She truly is an unparalleled great person.]
Ming Jiao couldn’t help but chuckle softly, [Congratulations, you’ve even learned to answer before being asked.]
The System fell silent, [Host, I am artificial intelligence, not artificial stupidity.]
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
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