Chapter 47: The Caged Bird Infected with a Vicious Disease (2) Part 2

The scumbag concealed his filthy intentions behind a mask of false kindness, gradually chipping away at the woman’s once-impenetrable emotional walls.

After spending some time together, the Female Protagonist developed feelings for this gentle, attentive man. When he proposed they start dating once more, she finally blushed and said yes.

This pitiful caged bird, who had spent more than twenty years trapped in a dark and hopeless prison, believed she had found the man who could heal her wounds.

Little did she know, the man who seemed so devoted on the surface was anything but faithful.

Group encounters that would baffle ordinary people were mere appetizers to him.

The most outrageous occasion came when he and his sleazy cronies rented an entire seaside villa for a nonstop three-day orgy.

In the story’s tragic end, the scumbag caught a sexually transmitted disease from his reckless promiscuity. The most innocent victim, the Female Protagonist, contracted the same illness from him and died just as her life should have truly blossomed.

That was exactly why Bai Qian had to stop the Female Protagonist from ever crossing paths with the male protagonist.

That man was far too filthy.

She had already foiled one attempt the night before. Until the male protagonist reaped what he sowed, Bai Qian would not drop her guard.

If the Female Protagonist ended up cast out of her home just like in the Original Plot, then Bai Qian needed to find some excuse to keep her close—under watchful eye—to prevent any contact with that scumbag.

The thought jolted Bai Qian to her feet from her seat in the shop.

If events were unfolding as in the Original Plot, the Female Protagonist would have been thrown out by now. Broke and adrift on the streets, she would be easy prey for that lecherous scumbag with sex on the brain—

Bai Qian abandoned the untouched food that had just arrived at her table. She hurried to the counter, scanned her phone to pay, and rushed to the roadside. Just then, a taxi pulled up right in front of her.

She paused, phone app half-open to call her own ride, and approached the back passenger door instead, figuring she’d wait for the occupant to exit before climbing in.

The door swung open, revealing a slender hand as pale and flawless as jade. And then, the very woman she had been searching for appeared before her.

Both froze, words momentarily failing them.

The driver’s irritated voice cut through from up front. “Miss, you still owe me for the fare.”

Jian Wanqing snapped out of it, but before she could respond, Bai Qian had already stepped forward and paid.

Having pocketed the cash, the driver glanced back, saw they clearly knew each other, and didn’t bother asking if Bai Qian wanted a ride. He simply turned away and drove off.

Jian Wanqing offered her thanks, then gave her a once-over. “You just came from the hotel?”

“Mm. What about you? Why’d you come back?”

Their exchange flowed with the easy familiarity of old friends who had known each other for years.

At the casual question, Jian Wanqing answered without thinking. “I’ve got nowhere else to go right now, so I came looking for you.”

She hurried to explain. “I won’t mooch off you, I promise. Don’t worry—even if I don’t look the type, I’m actually pretty handy. I can cook, clean, handle whatever needs doing. And I’m low-maintenance too. Just cover my room and board, and whether there’s pay or not… honestly, I don’t mind either way.”

Bai Qian: ?

As far as she recalled, in the Original Plot, when the Female Protagonist bumped into the male protagonist—who offered her a job and a helping hand—she grilled him thoroughly on every benefit and perk.

So why now? She wasn’t even inquiring about health insurance or weekends off, and was somehow willing to work for free?

Bai Qian was certain the Female Protagonist’s claim of being “handy” was nothing but a bald-faced lie.

Still, she couldn’t call her out on the fib. More pressing was correcting this bizarre shift in her job-hunting mindset. “Miss Jian, setting everything else aside, I really must warn you: the next time you’re looking for work, never—ever—say you’re okay working without pay. And—”

“Oh, come on, I’m not an idiot. Why would I work for free?”

“Then what about you?”

Jian Wanqing was straightforward. “Can’t you tell? On the surface, I want to be your nanny, but really, I want to be your girlfriend.”

Bai Qian: ??

“It might seem to you like I’m confessing too suddenly, but I never imagined I’d fall head over heels for someone I just met. I might not have many good qualities, but there’s one thing about me!” Jian Wanqing declared confidently. “Once I like someone, it’s for life. You’re the first person I’ve ever actively fallen for, so Miss Bai Qian, get ready—because I’m going to pursue you!”

Bai Qian: ???

“Of course, until you like me back, I absolutely won’t cross any lines. I might want to get handsy with you, but if you don’t give the nod, I won’t force anything. Oh, right—Miss Bai Qian, do you have a nanny at home right now?”

The barrage of information left her mind reeling, and she answered the final question on reflex. “No.”

Jian Wanqing’s smile grew even brighter. Behind her, the invisible wolf tail that had been quietly curled up sneaked its head out.

“Well then, Miss Bai Qian, congratulations! You now have a free, twenty-four-seven live-in nanny at your service! By the way, your nanny’s got a soft, delicate body that’s easy to topple—feel free to make a move on her anytime.”

Bai Qian gave her a blank look. The “soft and delicate” part was certainly true.

“To avoid any misunderstanding, Miss Bai Qian, let me explain again: I’m only this unguarded because it’s you. If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t dream of it. If you have no other questions, you can take your little nanny home now!”

Jian Wanqing’s confession was bold and direct, and the affection shining in her eyes was so intense it was impossible to ignore.

Just like in the Original Plot, she was still a ticking time bomb, ready to go off at any moment.

The only difference was that in the Original Plot, the worry had been for the Female Protagonist herself—Bai Qian had feared she’d run into the male lead.

Now, on top of worrying about the Female Protagonist crossing paths with the male lead, Bai Qian inexplicably felt a twinge of unease about her own future.

“Miss Jian, I can introduce you to some other jobs that might suit you better.”

The woman shook her head. “I don’t need anything else. I just want to be your nanny!”

“…”

Jian Wanqing probably realized her demand was a bit much. After all, though they’d already done the most intimate things, they hadn’t actually known each other long.

Having never pursued anyone before, she faltered. After hesitating, she compromised. “Fine, then introduce me to a new job. But it has to be one where I only see you five days out of the week—no, wait, one where I don’t see you at all five days. Otherwise, if I catch sight of you, I won’t be able to focus on work.”

Bai Qian: “…”

Seeing her fall silent, Jian Wanqing grew anxious. “I’ve already agreed not to be your nanny. Are you really going to be so heartless as to forbid me from even liking you?”

“Never mind. Just come home with me.” Bai Qian rubbed her throbbing temples. “Remember what you said—no doing anything you’re not supposed to without my permission!”

Letting this one roam free outside was too risky; who knew when she might bump into the male lead again? Better to keep her where she could watch.

She had no idea why this woman had fallen for her at first sight, but judging by her persistence, that infatuation wasn’t fading anytime soon.

So, her next steps were simple.

One: Teach Jian Wanqing how to live independently.

Two: Reject the Female Protagonist! Reject the Female Protagonist! Reject the Female Protagonist! Worth repeating three times!

~~~

Before heading home, Bai Qian took Jian Wanqing out for lunch.

Then they stopped at a pharmacy, where she bought some ointment to reduce the swelling.

All the way, Jian Wanqing’s mouth never stopped moving.

“Can I call you Bai Qian? ‘Miss Bai Qian’ feels so distant. Yeah, I’ll just call you Bai Qian!”

“Bai Qian~ Bai Qian~ Your name is so pretty, just like you—gorgeously beautiful! I really like you. It’s weird, though. When I see other good-looking people, I just think they’re attractive. But with you, my heart starts pounding. It’s that feeling—you know, the one! Do you get it?”

Bai Qian kept her eyes calmly on the road ahead, gripping the steering wheel. “No, I don’t. And I don’t want to. Thanks.”

“It’s okay if you don’t get it~ I’ve got a mouth; I can tell you~ Bai Qian, you still haven’t explained why you were waiting there yesterday. Before you met me, did you flirt with anyone else? Am I your first choice? You’re my first choice—and you’ll be my only one from now on!”

“…”

“Actually, before I met you, I wasn’t this talkative at all. My father had me so terrified of him that I didn’t just hold back from chatting like I do now—I didn’t even have a single friend. To be honest, I don’t really know what it feels like to like someone, but I think I like you! I love your scent and want to cling to you forever. I want to keep doing what we did yesterday over and over. There are so many things I never even dreamed of doing before, but after meeting you yesterday, they all suddenly flooded my mind at once. So this must be what liking someone feels like!”

The little caged bird who had finally escaped her prison didn’t care whether her feelings would be returned. Just confessing to Bai Qian how much she adored her was already enough to fill her with joy and excitement.

If they could do even more intimate things, that would be perfect!

Brimming with delight and secretly looking forward to the new life ahead, Jian Wanqing followed the woman through the door—only to be met with an unexpected sight on the shoe cabinet: a warm family photo.

Jian Wanqing felt as if she had plummeted into an ice cellar. Her face twisted into an expression of utter disbelief and betrayal. She glared at the little girl cradled in the original host’s arms in the picture, her voice laced with resentment and sorrow as she cried out, “You already have a child! And yet you seduced me last night! Now you’ve brought me back here—do you want me to play the other woman? You heartless scumbag woman!”