Chapter 39: Darling

The Bad Woman’s Peculiar Hobby

At a busy intersection teeming with traffic, a black sedan sped through. Instead of parking in the hotel’s underground garage like the other vehicles, it concealed itself along the hotel’s outer wall, avoiding the security cameras.

In the passenger seat sat a woman wearing a black baseball cap and a face mask. Her fitted white T-shirt and gray high-waisted jeans were a simple, ordinary outfit, yet on her, it exuded a sense of youthful vitality.

Her sitting posture caused her jeans to tighten slightly, outlining the alluring curve of her hips.

The man beside her felt his mouth go dry watching her. Unable to resist, his hand crept onto her knee. “Yueyue, I…”

He wanted to say they hadn’t seen each other in so long, and he missed her terribly.

Ever since Jiang Yue married that woman and got the certificate, she always had countless excuses to refuse meeting him. She even answered his messages and calls based on her mood.

In their original plan, getting married was never a step. But that woman was very conservative—she simply wouldn’t get pregnant without the marriage license.

They had barely endured until this stage. Once those four snake eggs fully formed, their plan could wrap up, and they could be together openly and honorably.

But at some unknown point, Jiang Yue’s ambitions had begun to swell. She wanted fame, wanted to be a big star. Despite only having a superficial grasp of any talent, her desire for meteoric success was enormous. If that day came, would Jiang Yue really still want to be with him…

Seeing that hand rest on her knee, Jiang Yue’s eyes behind her sunglasses flickered with weariness and impatience. She swatted it away. “How many times do I have to tell you? Keep your hands off me. He Zhiwen is still nursing; her sense of smell is incredibly sensitive. If she scents another snake on me, how am I supposed to explain that?”

She wouldn’t even give the man beside her a direct look. She pulled a bottle of unidentified liquid from her bag and poured it onto a handkerchief.

Watching this, the man’s heart leaped into his throat. He immediately thought of the female star he had lured to the hotel. “Yueyue, what are you…”

Jiang Yue cut him off. “You’re a grown man—stop being such a coward. It’s not murder. I told you, I’m just scaring Mi Ning a little. It won’t do anything to her. Look at you, so gutless. When are you ever going to get anywhere in life?”

The girl before him was barely in her early twenties. Her face hadn’t changed much from when she was seventeen or eighteen. It was such a familiar face, yet it made the man feel like he was looking at a stranger.

Jiang Yue hadn’t always been like this. She used to have a little rebellious streak, but she never did anything truly heinous. Certainly nothing like ordering him over the phone to kill newborn snakes that lacked Spirit Snake genes, or tricking a female star from the same company into a trap just because the woman said a couple of things that annoyed her.

Ever since Jiang Yue started university and got involved in the influencer scene, she’d become increasingly vain and obsessed with comparing herself to others. No amount of money was ever enough. She was like a completely different person from the girl he knew in high school.

Even so, the man was still hopelessly in love with her, willing to do anything she wanted him to do.

After preparing the chemical, Jiang Yue put it back in her bag and got out of the car, heading straight for the hotel. She kept her cap pulled down low the entire way.

She had deliberately chosen a hotel with multiple commercial shops in the same building. That way, if a staff member asked for her ID to register, she could pretend to be a customer visiting the shops on the other floors and sneak in without it.

Finding Mi Ning’s room number, Jiang Yue knocked. The moment the door opened, she violently shoved her way inside, slamming the door shut behind her.

Caught off guard, Mi Ning fell to the floor. When she saw who it was, a surge of rage and humiliation rose within her. But before she could even yell, the sudden handkerchief clamped over her mouth and nose. Terrified, she struggled violently.

Jiang Yue grabbed her hair, controlled the back of her head, and pressed the handkerchief down hard.

In less than thirty seconds, Mi Ning’s entire body went limp. Yet her mind remained horrifyingly clear. She collapsed weakly onto the floor, her expression filled with terror. “What… do you want?”

Jiang Yue dragged her onto the bed and opened her phone’s camera. “Nothing much. Just informing you of two things. First, I’m taking your song. Second, be more polite when you talk to me in the future. I don’t like it when people yell at me.”

She stripped off Mi Ning’s clothes, even removing her bra. She took photos while sneering mockingly. “Why is Sister Xiaoning dressed so slutty? Doing it for President Luo to see? Too bad President Luo can’t appreciate it. Maybe I’ll find a chance to share it with President Luo sometime.”

So that mockery in the training room about her getting in through the back door… it was resentment over having no back door of her own to use.

Her face twisted in humiliation, Mi Ning lay paralyzed on the bed, completely unable to move. She could only let Jiang Yue pose her like a doll. She never imagined one sentence could bring such sudden calamity upon her.

“Oh, and if you want to expose me, go right ahead. Then the whole world will get to see Sister Xiaoning’s breathtakingly hot photos. Even if you’re the victim, you’ll still be a slut trying to seduce company management. President Luo has a wife. Do I need to give you a lecture on the power of online backlash right now? If you don’t mind getting blacklisted, feel free.”

The reason Jiang Yue dared to do this was because she had absolute confidence Mi Ning wouldn’t give up the hard-earned starlight she’d only just begun to gain. Especially since the company was preparing to heavily promote Mi Ning. At this critical moment, she definitely wouldn’t dare let any scandal break.

After getting the photos, Jiang Yue even held the phone up to Mi Ning’s face, letting the woman admire her masterpiece. “How’s my photography? Did I capture that ‘Please enjoy, Master’ vibe?”

Mi Ning’s face was ashen. She wanted to snatch the phone away, but she didn’t even have the strength to wiggle a finger.

Her task done, Jiang Yue cleaned up and prepared to leave. But then she noticed the look in Mi Ning’s eyes—a chilling hatred, laced with contempt and ridicule, as if she were utterly beneath her, some stray cat or dog on the roadside.

This triggered Jiang Yue. She turned back to the bed, yanked Mi Ning off it, and pressed the black-and-white plaid heel of her shoe onto that face. The sole rolled threateningly. “Give me that look again, and believe me, I’ll stomp your face into a ruin.”

Terrified out of her wits, Mi Ning bit her lip hard, trembling, no longer daring to look at Jiang Yue.

Jiang Yue let out a triumphant snort and finally left the hotel room.

Back in the car, the man was responsible for driving her back to her residence. Afraid of being seen, he parked far down the street.

Seeing Jiang Yue start to unbuckle her seatbelt, he asked with a sliver of hope in his voice, “Yueyue… just a hug, please?”

His tone was almost pleading.

Jiang Yue got out of the car without looking back. From beginning to end, she didn’t spare the man a single glance.

As the elevator rose steadily, Jiang Yue put her hat, mask, sunglasses—all the items—back into her bag one by one.

She returned to the room to find He Zhiwen right in the middle of folding clothes. Seated on the sofa, He Zhiwen was taking clothes from a mountain-sized pile and folding them neatly, meticulously organizing them into sets.

Clothes for dance practice went in one pile, casual wear in another, outfits for promotional videos in yet another. The task of sorting alone was exhausting enough.

But He Zhiwen had more patience than the average person. Even doing such a tedious chore, her face held a faint, gentle smile.

Seeing Jiang Yue return softened her features even more. “Yueyue, I did some asking around about your colleagues for you. Lan Qianqian is a veteran in this circle, diplomatic and mild-tempered, easy to get along with. Miss Mi Ning has a good reputation overseas and is currently developing her career back here. She might have a bit of a temper, so some friction might be inevitable. As much as possible, try not to interact with her outside of work.”

She had spent time and effort asking friends and classmates who mixed in the entertainment circle to gather information. But since she didn’t know anyone truly well-placed in that circle, she could only rely on secondhand impressions, combined with various online gossip, to make rough assessments.

Though it wasn’t particularly useful, the process of doing it gave her a sense of participation in Jiang Yue’s work, a feeling of satisfaction.

Jiang Yue sat on the sofa, drinking ice water and finishing it in one go. Usually, the two of them were excessively affectionate together. Tonight was unusually strange; Jiang Yue sat silent for a long time.

Sensing the off atmosphere, He Zhiwen put down the clothes in her hands. “What’s wrong? Is work not going well?”

Jiang Yue had some dance foundation and could play Western instruments. She had been popular in school. But these talents were nothing compared to someone like Mi Ning, who came from a girl group background.

Assuming Jiang Yue had suffered a setback, she encouraged her. “It’s okay, no matter what, this show is just a stepping stone for your career. You’re still so young, so many opportunities await. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”

He Zhiwen was very gentle, and her personality was sunny and cheerful. Being with her felt warm and cozy all day long.

Unfortunately, these wonderful qualities couldn’t warm Jiang Yue, couldn’t warm someone selfish and cold-hearted to the core.

She stared at He Zhiwen and suddenly asked, “What about Xing Yue?”

She’d helped her find out which colleagues were easier to get along with, yet deliberately left Xing Yue out.

He Zhiwen’s expression faltered slightly. She turned back to folding clothes. “Mm… Xing Yue, she… has a good temper, treats people kindly, and formally studied vocal music. She’s great. But she’s quite a bit older than you. You two probably wouldn’t click as friends, so just normal interaction is fine.”

Watching He Zhiwen’s back, Jiang Yue’s eyes turned cold as snow, faintly laced with a few strands of anger. It was as if the woman before her had already done something to betray her.

She didn’t erupt. She just said, lightly, “My wife.”

Just a short two-word phrase, yet He Zhiwen’s expression instantly changed. She clearly recalled something. She nervously clasped her hands. “You… you know?”

The fact that she had a girlfriend for seven years was no secret. But she hadn’t told Jiang Yue about meeting up with her ex-girlfriend. Though she hadn’t done anything improper, this secrecy carried a hint of guilt.

This also led to He Zhiwen’s fluster. She wanted to say something but didn’t know where to begin.

Jiang Yue embraced her from behind, letting her lean back into her arms. “Wife, those are all things of the past. Don’t be afraid I’ll get angry. I’m not that petty. And Teacher Xing is just as you said, a very good and hardworking woman. I’ll learn a lot interacting with her. There’s no reason to be upset.”

She was so magnanimous, even agreeing with He Zhiwen’s praise of Xing Yue.

He Zhiwen’s hanging heart didn’t settle. Instead, she felt even more uneasy, a strange creeping sensation.

Yet when she looked up to see Jiang Yue’s face, the girl was, as always, smiling tenderly at her. It was the same expression He Zhiwen had seen for two years—as if no matter what happened, Jiang Yue’s attitude toward her was always the same, endlessly doting.

She used to find it sweet. Now, she found it strange.

“You’re really not angry?” she asked, her limbs gradually turning cold.

Jiang Yue didn’t answer her question. She leaned down to kiss her, her hand resting on He Zhiwen’s chest, her voice a husky, rough murmur. “Did you have any engorgement today? Those little ones won’t be out for another two months. Let me help you? Mm… I want to cherish my wife.”

Her senses quickly shifted, and He Zhiwen found herself carried to the bed by Jiang Yue.

Truthfully, He Zhiwen didn’t want children so early. She was even somewhat resistant. But Jiang Yue had told her she wanted to be a mom, that she liked little snakes, wanted to marry her, wanted to be together forever…

As a professional, Tan Xiang’e had great confidence in her technique. She numbed Xing Yue’s legs with a large application of anesthetic and prepared to start with her scalpel.

An instrument sat in the room. Its screen was currently displaying a clear pattern of lines, along with patches of snake scales. Unfortunately, the screen was monochrome, so no color could be seen.

Xing Yue’s leg was exposed, the gauze already removed, revealing surgical marking lines drawn all over it. Looking at the setup, Tan Xiang’e seemed capable of carving flowers onto her leg.

“I’m starting now. Have you arranged for Miss Bu to come? Without a snake tongue to lick the wounds, the pain after the anesthetic wears off will be terrible. You won’t be able to walk.” This subsequent pain-management step was crucial. She would need to hook out the regenerating nerve endings one by one. Without the healing step of a snake’s tongue, the wound wouldn’t close.

Xing Yue would be unable to walk normally.

“She’s coming a little later. It won’t be a problem.” Xing Yue told Tan Xiang’e not to worry.

Little did she know, the company’s rule allowed only one assistant per participant. Xing Yue had given the spot to Tan Xiang’e, so Bu Yao couldn’t get in. At first, she thought Bu Yao wouldn’t be affected by the rule, but she’d forgotten Bu Yao was currently at odds with her family. If Madam Bu didn’t relent, no one could break the rule.

Just ten minutes ago, Xing Yue had been coaxing her over the phone.

“Stop crying. And don’t go to your mother. I can manage on my own.” Xing Yue also had a snake tongue. She could heal herself.

It would just be much more strenuous.

Bu Yao was sulking, her tearful voice thick, like a delicate flower broken by the rain. “No, I want you! He Zhiwen lives right next door to you. What if you two rekindle your old flame?”

“The two of them are living together. How is there any room for me to rekindle anything?” Xing Yue couldn’t help but laugh despite herself.

Bu Yao cried even louder. “Oh, so you’re saying if He Zhiwen wasn’t living with her wife, you’d have a chance?!”

“That’s not what I meant… Fine, fine, I was wrong, I shouldn’t have said it that way. I’m wrong about everything. Just give me a chance, Eldest Miss.”

After much sweet-talking, she finally coaxed her into calming down. In the end, Bu Yao demanded Xing Yue turn on a video call so she could watch her lick the wounds herself.

“Do you really want to watch?” Xing Yue asked. Imagining the scene, she teased, “Eldest Miss is so naughty, wanting to watch me lick myself. How did you develop such a bad woman’s hobby? Unlike me, I just think about it, but never say it out loud.”

This woman was learning to be wicked.

Her teasing finally improved Bu Yao’s mood slightly. Otherwise, she might have kept crying for who knows how long.

Tan Xiang’e began operating the scalpel. Due to the heavy anesthetic, Xing Yue’s pain was relatively mild during the process. It still hurt, but it wasn’t as sharp and intense as she had imagined.

She’d also expected blood to flow freely, but it wasn’t like that. It was just cutting the epidermis slightly, following the marked lines to carve the curve of snake scales. A faint trace of blood oozed out, not overly gruesome.

By the time Tan Xiang’e finished this minor surgery, her back was drenched in sweat. It wasn’t highly difficult, but it required meticulous patience and technical precision.

“Dr. Tan, thank you for your hard work. Go back and rest first.” Xing Yue saw her out.

Her own face was alarmingly pale. Her legs were covered entirely in styptic herbs. She had to wait half an hour for the herbs to work before she could use her snake tongue to lick the wounds. But the anesthetic wouldn’t last that long. Already, the pain had drained the color from her lips. Even her breathing was shallow, afraid that any deep breath or slight movement would pull at the wounds from every angle, causing her to break out in even more cold sweat.

Right now, Xing Yue didn’t dare move, let alone try to heal herself.

Sweat dripped into her eyes. She was shaking from the pain. She dialed Bu Yao’s number. “Darling, maybe you should go back and beg our mother after all.”