“Get up before you die. And get out.”
A cold, furious voice sliced through the silence, each word laced with venom.
Su Yue’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she stirred. Pain throbbed inside her skull like a hammer. Her eyes fluttered open to unfamiliar faces looming above her. Confused and dazed, her vision blurred.
What… was going on?
“I’ll give you one last chance—for my elder brother’s sake.” The man towering over her glared, his voice rigid with fury. “If you dare use such disgusting tricks again, I won’t let you off.”
The man—Jiang Muhang—was trembling with rage. His handsome face flushed red, his chest heaving from exertion and anger.
“Mu Hang, Dr. Jin said… your condition…” a soft voice tried to interject.
Jiang Xuan, the woman standing beside him, bit her lip. Her beautiful eyes were filled with concern, but her gaze toward Su Yue was cold and disgusted. Her voice was low, but clearly meant to be heard.
Earlier, Jiang Muhang had drunk a bowl of sugar water brought by a servant. Moments later, his body began to overheat. His breathing grew erratic, his vision blurred. Then, Su Yue had barged into his study in pajamas.
How could he not realize what was going on?
That brainless woman had drugged him.
He had always thought Su Yue was nothing more than a simple-minded fool. But never had he imagined she’d be bold enough to drug him.
Jiang Muhang clenched his fists, his body drenched in sweat. The medication Dr. Jin had given him was taking effect, but far too slowly. He still felt the searing heat crawling under his skin.
His gaze landed on the petite woman beside him—Jiang Xuan—and his expression darkened.
Taking a deep breath, he gritted out, “Take Su Yue back. Don’t spread a word about this. Let elder brother know, but not a soul more—not my parents, not the old man.”
Though Su Yue had schemed against him, this was still a scandal—one he didn’t want to be associated with.
The two servants at his side trembled under his glare and immediately nodded. “Yes, sir.”
As they helped Su Yue up, Jiang Muhang turned to Jiang Xuan, his voice softening. “Help me.”
Her pale face flushed as she reached for his hand, the heat of his skin making her heart race. She shyly nodded.
For her, what happened tonight might not be a bad thing.
——
Meanwhile, Su Yue stumbled along the path with the servants’ support, each step a stab of pain. Her head throbbed so intensely it felt as if it would split open.
She was certain—she had fallen hard earlier, and from the ache in her skull, the original owner of this body had likely died from that fall.
As the flood of memories rushed into her mind, Su Yue’s consciousness gradually awakened.
She was… inside a book.
It had just been a lighthearted romance novel she read to pass time. But when she opened her eyes again—she had become a character in it.
In the novel, the female lead had originally been married to the male lead’s older brother—Jiang Ci. But she lived a miserable life. Her husband was disfigured and blind, and her days were filled with fear and isolation. In her second life, she refused to fall into the same trap.
This time, Jiang Xuan used clever tricks at a banquet and managed to marry the male lead instead, leaving the original fiancée—Su Yue—pushed into the arms of the terrifying Jiang Ci.
The male lead, although obsessed with Jiang Xuan’s past engagement to his brother, eventually fell deeply in love with her. He would even risk his life to protect her.
And Su Yue? She was the laughable, brainless villainess. A decorative prop, always scheming to seduce someone, always the fool who made the heroine and hero’s bond even stronger.
The scene earlier—where she was accused of drugging Jiang Muhang—was from the novel. And just like in the book, her plan backfired. The male lead exposed her, and in panic, the original Su Yue had fled down the stairs… and died.
Not only did she gain nothing, but her foolish actions served to bring the protagonists closer together.
A stepping stone. Nothing more.
Now, the servants dragged her along a tree-lined path to a secluded villa at the edge of the garden. When they reached the door, one of them knocked carefully.
Moments later, the door opened, and they helped Su Yue inside, placing her weak body on the sofa.
One servant, visibly nervous, turned toward the figure bathed in shadows across the room and began recounting everything that had happened.
Su Yue lay there, aching all over. But the moment she turned her head toward the man, a shiver ran down her spine.
In front of the floor-to-ceiling window, a man sat in silence.
The room was dimly lit, the heavy grey curtains sealing off the sunlight. The gloom hung thick in the air.
Her back was damp with sweat.
This was her husband—Jiang Ci.
In the business world, Jiang Ci had once been a legend. He had single-handedly built the Jiang family’s Hengyuan Group into a corporate empire, increasing its profits tenfold. Ruthless and calculating, no one who dared oppose him survived unscathed. Rivals went mad, vanished, or died mysterious deaths.
People whispered his name in fear.
But then… came the fire.
The explosion disfigured his face and blinded one eye. After the news broke, the entire upper class of City B sighed in relief. The beast had finally been caged.
And now, that very man sat not far from her.
“Get out,” he said coldly, before the servant could finish her report.
The woman’s knees buckled as she bowed and backed away quickly, dragging her fellow servant with her. The door clicked shut behind them.
Silence fell again.
Su Yue winced. Every inch of her body throbbed. The pain was suffocating.
Her eyes darted to Jiang Ci, who slowly rose and walked toward the bed.
Was he going to hit her?
She stiffened, her heart pounding in panic.
But instead, the man simply lay down.
He didn’t spare her a glance.
Su Yue exhaled shakily.
According to the original Su Yue’s memories, she always slept on the sofa. This lonely, hard sofa… what kind of married life was this?
As the night deepened, Su Yue lay curled on her side, her thoughts spinning.
Tomorrow. She would figure things out tomorrow.
——
Morning arrived, but the curtains still kept the room in darkness.
A woman’s voice rang out, sweet and soft—yet to Su Yue, unbearably annoying.
She turned, trying to avoid the sound, but the cramped sofa gave her no room. With a yelp, Su Yue toppled to the floor.
The woman—He Xiaoqin—smirked as she watched Su Yue’s disheveled figure.
“Master, Young Madam is awake,” she said sweetly while arranging breakfast at the table. She had heard the gossip: Su Yue had drugged the second young master last night. What an idiot.
But when her gaze accidentally landed on Jiang Ci’s scarred face, she flinched and quickly looked away. Only a woman like Su Yue could be paired with such a terrifying man.
Suddenly—
“Get out!”
The roar split the air.
“I-I’m sorry, Master! I didn’t mean to!” He Xiaoqin trembled, stepping back in horror. She had accidentally brushed against Jiang Ci’s hand while setting down the tray.
She’d heard what happened to the last person who did that.
They didn’t have all their fingers anymore.
“Please don’t… don’t cut off my hand…”
“I said—get out.”
His voice was flat, ice-cold.
Pale and shaking, He Xiaoqin fled, forgetting the tray.
On the floor, Su Yue was curled in agony.
She moaned weakly.
The pain had gotten worse overnight. She had hoped sleep would help, but now her head felt like it was splitting open.
Jiang Ci didn’t even blink. He ate his breakfast in complete indifference.
Suddenly—DING DONG!
A sharp bell rang in her mind.
Su Yue clutched her head, gasping. The sound wouldn’t stop—it echoed like a school bell, loud and unbearable.
Her whole body trembled.
“Jiang Ci!” she cried out. “Call a doctor. My head—my head hurts so much!”
The pain stabbed deep into her skull. Her soul felt like it was being ripped apart.
Jiang Ci continued eating.
“Jiang Ci!” she shouted, her voice cracking with pain. “Please, I’m begging you!”
At last, the man paused.
“You have a headache?” he asked, his tone devoid of emotion.
“Yes,” she panted. “I feel like I’m dying… please…”
He delicately forked a piece of cake, chewed, swallowed.
And said flatly, “Then die.”
That calm voice, so light, so casual—yet it struck like a blade.
Su Yue stared at him, breath caught in her throat.
The man in front of her was more terrifying than the rumors had ever described.