Chapter 110 Chapter 110: Accumulating Unease
Chapter 110: Accumulating Unease
For the next few days, Chi Xiaocheng lived a very monotonous life.
Chi Song had left, leaving her two thousand yuan for living expenses.
During the day, she would go to Dongfang Yang's coffee shop and sit for a while, then return in the afternoon to daze in her room. In the evening, Su Tao would punctually come over to have dinner with her.
She didn't want to overplay the yandere persona, so her 'Dr. Cheng' alter ego also reduced conversations with Su Tao, citing being 'busy lately'.
She no longer actively interfered with Su Tao's life.
She no longer forced her to make certain choices.
The information she occasionally learned was actively conveyed by Chen Qian, that busybody.
Whether it was an illusion or truly existing, the dark Chi Xiaocheng would only occasionally appear, dressed in a formal gown, in the dead of night.
She said nothing, forced nothing, induced nothing.
It was as if she were adding a touch of warmth to the empty, desolate house.
Or perhaps, she was constantly reminding her that Su Tao was drifting further and further away.
This uneventful routine continued for half a month. Under the various unavoidable high expenses, even without going out, Chi Xiaocheng's finances became difficult to sustain, so she began to earn money using her hacking skills.
Naturally, with only a basic set of hacking tools, she didn't do anything illegal. She merely strengthened firewalls for companies, businesses, or small workshops; or if someone's personal information was leaked online, she would counter-protect them.
She took on relatively small jobs online.
She would earn a few hundred to a thousand a week.
Even ordering takeout every day, it was enough for her to be self-sufficient.
December 20th.
The temperature was near freezing. Amidst the swirling snow, the windows began to etch one scratch after another onto the icy surface.
Because of the heavy snow, traffic accidents and gas explosions were frequently reported on the television news.
Her phone rang, and Chi Xiaocheng, holding Dàwáng, received another message from Chen Qian.
"Oh my god, that woman surnamed Lin came looking for Su Tao again! This time, it's said the dean of students even had to step in!"
"If Dongfang Yang hadn't stood on the school's side to back Su Tao up, the dean probably wouldn't have helped her. This morning, the two of them almost came to blows."
Chi Xiaocheng read the message and quickly typed a reply, asking, "Is Taotao hurt?"
Chen Qian: "No, she's not. But that woman surnamed Lin is so aggressive and pushy; I feel like I'm seeing my old self in her, and it's disgusting."
Chi Xiaocheng breathed a sigh of relief. A hint of malevolent strangeness flashed in her eyes, then was quickly suppressed.
Familiar with the early developments of the original novel, she knew who this woman surnamed Lin was.
Lin Fangya, the unfavored daughter of a mid-tier family in Jiuzhou City.
Unlike Chi Xiaocheng, who even as a villain, had an inseparable and complicated role in the original novel's relationship with Su Tao.
Lin Fangya was a pure cannon fodder villain, appearing solely to be put in her place.
In the early stages, she was aggressive and pulled off some tricks, only to be thoroughly humiliated by the protagonist, Su Tao.
Lin Fangya was unfavored at home and held a low status. After meeting Ye Liang at a certain banquet, she had long wanted to use the CEO's influence to rise in status.
Her pursuing him naturally wouldn't impress Ye Liang. In the original novel, it was out of jealousy that she targeted Su Tao.
And this time, with Ye Liang hospitalized, Lin Fangya naturally became hostile towards Su Tao, beginning to target her and play small tricks in her daily life.
This was the worldview of a female-centric novel; as a strong female lead, Su Tao wouldn't have a smooth journey herself.
Beside her, the dark Chi Xiaocheng in the elegant gown appeared again, asking curiously, "This Lin Fangya dares to target your Su Tao like this, aren't you going to stab her?"
In the past, Chi Xiaocheng would certainly have been angry.
In order to play the yandere, she had etched the idea 'Taotao is mine' into her mind, using it to display her possessive pathology, forcing Su Tao to focus her attention and thoughts on her.
But now, Chi Xiaocheng was unmoved by the dark figure's enticement beside her. "Taotao hasn't told me about this, so she definitely doesn't want me to worry or get involved."
"This supporting female character can't hurt Taotao."
That was the key point.
After all, she was just cannon fodder waiting to be humiliated, who didn't even survive past chapter 50 in the original novel.
Interfering without being asked would make her worry and dislike it.
The dark Chi Xiaocheng chuckled softly and didn't incite her further.
Instead, she cast a deep gaze at the front door, which Chi Xiaocheng hadn't really stepped out of for the past ten days.
Do you think staying cooped up in this house, pretending to be well-behaved, will keep someone?
What if one day, opening that door brings bad news? What will you do then?
A mask is a mask, after all!
That night, Su Tao once again arrived at the house as promised.
Only, unlike usual, she was clutching her arm, and drop after drop of bright red 'peach juice' dripped onto the floor along her fair, delicate forearm.
Her face suppressed her pain. After opening the door, she used her back to close it again, then asked, "Xiaocheng, could you get the disinfectant and gauze?"
Chi Xiaocheng froze for a moment, a trace of unease rising in her heart.
She immediately retrieved the emergency first-aid kit. "Taotao, what happened?"
"Who bullied you!"
In the next sentence, her voice carried a hint of uncontrollable fury.
Su Tao paused, revealing a forced, helpless smile. "The elevator was on the top floor, and it would take too long to come down. I wanted to see Xiaocheng quickly, so I took the stairs, but I wasn't careful and fell, hurting myself."
Su Tao opened the first-aid kit and skillfully disinfected and applied medicine with Chi Xiaocheng's help.
But Chi Xiaocheng didn't think it looked like a fall injury at all.
If she had fallen, why weren't Taotao's clothes dirty?
Curious, she asked, "This doesn't look like a fall injury, does it? Taotao, you can tell me anything."
Su Tao smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm fine. This small injury on my arm won't leave a scar; it'll heal in a bit."
"Alright."
Chi Xiaocheng's spirits dropped slightly.
The dark Chi Xiaocheng reappeared beside her, squatting down and looking at Chi Xiaocheng's arm.
Chi Xiaocheng didn't need to hear; she knew what this figure wanted to say, nothing more than words like 'she's hiding things from you'.
She still chose to trust Su Tao.
Since Su Tao wasn't willing to say, she wouldn't press her.
Su Tao also quickly changed the subject, no longer dwelling on the injury, and instead said, "Xiaocheng, are you free this weekend in a few days?"
"Weekend?"
"Yes, December 25th. I borrowed a car from Dongfang Yang, and once I get my driver's license on the 24th, how about we go for a drive, and I'll give you a surprise too?"
"A surprise?" Chi Xiaocheng was a little excited. "What kind of surprise?"
Su Tao spread her hands. "It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, would it? Anyway, I prepared it carefully."
Chi Xiaocheng leaned her face close to Su Tao's, her expression full of anticipation. "Is it a reward for being well-behaved lately?"
Su Tao was stunned again for a moment.
She smiled subtly. "You could say that."
Suddenly, a certain belief in her heart once again suppressed the unease.
Chi Xiaocheng triumphantly glanced at the dark Chi Xiaocheng beside her, as if to say: See? Taotao still cares about me.
Chi Xiaocheng was very happy and slowly asked Su Tao, "So, Taotao, will you sleep here tonight?"
Su Tao averted her gaze. "Sorry, Xiaocheng, I still have something else to do today."
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