The Price of Jealousy

“Why ask what I’m doing? It’s perfectly obvious, isn’t it?”

At that moment, the aggrieved sorrow had vanished from Yixiya’s face, and even the dark aura above her head had completely dissipated. Yet, Yu Lian felt no relief; instead, her anxiety intensified.

‘Something is definitely wrong.’

This woman certainly hadn’t come merely to play a simple game before quietly departing. In fact, Yu Lian’s very life might be in peril.

“Miss Yixiya, please don’t do anything rash. You’ve infiltrated the Bai Manor, specifically the Second Miss’s private chambers. If any of the maids or the Second Miss herself were to find out, you’d be in serious trouble.”

“Who said I snuck in?” Yixiya tilted her head, then pulled out a token and tossed it onto Yu Lian’s chest. “I walked in through the main entrance; I wouldn’t stoop to sneaking around. I asked my mother for a Bai Manor pass. This was personally granted by Madam Bai herself. Seeing this token is like seeing her in person—who would dare stop me?”

The Yi and Bai families had been close for generations, and the family heads would exchange entry tokens. With such a token, one could move freely within the manor, unimpeded, except for restricted, forbidden areas.

‘Oh no, this woman came prepared!’

A chilling despair settled deep in Yu Lian’s heart. ‘Second Miss, if you don’t return soon, your concubine might just be gone. Please, come back!’

At that moment, Yu Lian desperately wished for Bai Muya’s sudden appearance.

“Miss Yixiya, please calm down, don’t be impulsive. Allow me to explain properly first.”

Seeing her opponent pull a pair of scissors from behind her back, sweat beaded on Yu Lian’s forehead. Yixiya pressed the scissors against Yu Lian’s chest, her expression one of cruel confidence. It was the look of a cat toying with a mouse, savoring the moment before the final blow. Killing her too quickly would be no fun at all.

“Then explain. I’m listening.”

“Erm, well, it’s like this: I only met the Second Miss for the first time today. She forcibly brought me back…”

“So, you’re boasting about how easily you seduced her? Is that it?”

“No, I’m not boasting to you, really. I’m stating facts. I didn’t seduce her; she threatened me with a sword and forced me to become her concubine. I don’t feel that way about her…”

Yixiya interrupted Yu Lian again, her expression darkening slightly. “So, the position I’ve worked so hard for, you obtained so easily?”

Yu Lian was on the verge of tears. ‘You’re not a normal person either! Can we even have a proper conversation?’

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean?”

“She’s the one who likes me, who wants to possess me! I don’t like her at all. If I could, I’d leave this place right now and never look back.”

“You say she likes you? Heh, what a delusional fantasy.”

‘Is that really the main point? Can’t you focus on something normal for once?’

Yixiya grabbed Yu Lian by the collar, pressing her face close. Yu Lian instinctively sniffed. ‘She smells so good. The little booklet didn’t lie; beautiful women naturally have a body fragrance.’

“Besides, whether you like her or not doesn’t matter. The important thing is that she likes you. As long as you’re here, her thoughts won’t be on me. So…”

“…I’ll just have to trouble you a bit. If you become ugly, she won’t pay attention to you or like you anymore. You can leave then, and we can all be happy, can’t we?”

“Don’t worry, it’ll only hurt for a moment. It’ll be over quickly.”

Yixiya released her grip, picked up the scissors from Yu Lian’s chest, and aimed them at her face.

Yu Lian’s pupils constricted. The scissors moved swiftly, but her reaction was just as fast. She shifted her head to the side, dodging the jab. The scissors pierced the bedding where her head had just been, leaving a small hole.

‘That force! You’re not just trying to disfigure me; you’re trying to kill me!’

Yu Lian’s breathing grew ragged. ‘If I hadn’t dodged just now, wouldn’t I have been finished? Good heavens, you really can’t confront a woman who’s lovelorn and jealous. It’ll cost you your life! She’s completely lost her mind!’

The dark aura above Yixiya’s head reappeared, becoming more substantial. She laughed maniacally, then raised the scissors again and jabbed downwards.

Yu Lian successfully dodged once more.

Constantly dodging wasn’t a solution, but with her limbs immobilized, what else could she do?

“Miss Yixiya, snap out of it! Don’t let jealousy cloud your mind! The Second Miss will scold you when she returns! I swear… Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah! Pardon me, behold my Iron Head Skill!”

While speaking and still dodging the scissor jabs, Yu Lian could no longer bear it. Finding an opening, she used her core strength to thrust her head upwards, sending the close-by Yixiya sprawling backward. The scissors flew from her hand, skittering across the floor and disappearing beneath the bed.

“You dare to defy me?”

Winded, Yixiya clutched her chest, gasping for breath. Sitting up, she glared fiercely at Yu Lian. Yu Lian noticed the dark aura above her head had dissipated considerably, realizing Yixiya had regained some of her senses.

“It was an emergency, a last resort, Miss Yixiya. You were trying to kill me! Look closely, all these little holes in the bed are ones you personally jabbed. Disfigurement isn’t done like this; it’s by slashing, not forcefully jabbing!”

“Oh, right, it’s slashing, not jabbing.”

Yixiya realized her mistake. She jumped off the bed, retrieved the scissors from under it, then sat back down on Yu Lian’s lower abdomen.

Yu Lian: “…”

‘Oh, crap, I said the wrong thing! Why did I teach her how to disfigure someone?’

Watching Yixiya approach again, her movements now much gentler, Yu Lian stammered, “Mi-Miss Yixiya, I… I beg you, don’t… don’t disfigure me! You have the token, don’t you? If you help me leave now, wouldn’t everyone be happy? There’s no… no need for such troublesome, bloody methods, right?”

“No, that won’t do. What if Ya’er finds you again? Wouldn’t all my efforts be in vain? Disfigurement solves everything. Ya’er doesn’t like ugly girls.”

“Then I’ll hide from her, run far away, leave this region, and live in an even more secluded place.”

“Really?”

“Mhm, mhm. If I’m lying, I’m a little dog.”

“Bark a few times first, then.”

“Woof, woof.”

“Wow, so obedient.”

A profound sense of humiliation washed over Yu Lian. To survive, to avoid being disfigured, she was truly desperate. With no one to save her, she could only rely on herself.

She had expected Yixiya to let her go after that, but to her surprise, Yixiya spun the scissors, opening the blades wide and aiming them at the neckline of Yu Lian’s dress.

“Before I let you go, let me have some fun first, hehe. I’m so curious what kind of exquisite jade is hidden beneath this skirt of yours.”

Yu Lian instinctively closed her eyes. Having transformed into a girl, she hadn’t even properly admired her own body yet, and now this female pervert was about to take advantage of her. It was utterly infuriating.

The expected sound of fabric being cut did not arrive. Instead, she heard the twisting, crunching sound of the scissors.

“What the hell? What kind of skirt is this? How is it harder than my scissors?”

Yixiya’s astonished voice came from in front, as if she had witnessed something incredible.

Yu Lian curiously opened her eyes and saw the scissors twisted into a strange shape.

‘Huh? Is my skirt made of iron?’

Yu Lian was aghast.

Yixiya dropped the broken scissors, slid down, and sat lightly on Yu Lian’s lap. She grabbed the hem of Yu Lian’s skirt with both hands and, under Yu Lian’s mortified gaze, yanked it upwards.

“I refuse to believe it! Let me see what you’ve got.”