Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 315: I’m Just an Anomaly

Song Lianhe stood before the window, watching Chun Hua flap its wings and fly into the air.

’No matter what, even if it’s just a bird, as long as it lets me know there’s still someone here on my side, supporting me, I can be fully recharged!’

But just then, after circling once in the air, Chun Hua suddenly dove down—

Immediately after, cries of pain came from the bushes in the garden.

"Ah! What was that?!"

"It’s a hawk!!"

Watching the figures flee in panic, Song Lianhe finally realized.

’Someone’s been spying on me!’

’No need to ask, it must be men sent by Zhou Junlin. Song Xilan doesn’t have that kind of ability yet.’

Song Lianhe pondered for a moment before closing the window.

She stayed in her room all afternoon. By the time she came out, dusk had fallen. Her stomach suddenly rumbled, and only then did she realize in shock that no one had taken care of her meal!

’Isn’t this just too pitiful?’

She forced herself to calm down. ’Impulsiveness won’t solve anything.’

As Song Lianhe stepped out of her room and was crossing the garden, a small stone suddenly flew right at her face—

THWACK.

It hit Song Lianhe square on.

She clutched her forehead, bending over in pain.

"Who’s the blind fool who did that?!"

A person walked up to her, their tone indifferent. "I thought you’d be able to dodge it."

Song Lianhe looked up at the culprit. "I have every reason to believe you did that on purpose!"

Yin Huan still had a nonchalant expression. "Oh. Then I guess I did."

Song Lianhe gritted her teeth.

’I really want to stab her with a needle!’

Song Lianhe straightened up. A red welt had formed on her forehead. Her skin was so fair and delicate that it made the mark stand out even more.

She just shot Yin Huan a glare and continued walking.

’I’m mad. I don’t want to deal with her!’

Yin Huan raised an eyebrow and followed her at an unhurried pace. "Who exactly are you?"

"Hah, a Witch! You’d better stay far away from me, or I might cast a spell and toss you into a snake pit!"

"Are you angry?" Yin Huan tutted. "You’re so petty~"

"I’m petty?" Song Lianhe couldn’t hold it in any longer. "How about I try hitting you in the head with a stone!"

"It’s not like I can’t dodge."

"..."

Song Lianhe really didn’t want to talk to her anymore.

’When I first took this little girl in, she was so sweet and well-behaved!’

’Give me back my Jiu’er!!’

Seeing Song Lianhe enter the kitchen, Yin Huan followed her in.

Song Lianhe deftly found two flatbreads and a bowl of vegetable soup, then sat down and began to eat in earnest.

Yin Huan glanced over. "You’re just eating this?"

Because of E Jintang, Yin Huan was treated especially well at the E Mansion. E Jintang would give her and her mother any delicacies he had.

Her palate had grown discerning during this time, so seeing Song Lianhe’s flatbread and vegetable soup, she wrinkled her nose in disdain.

Song Lianhe snorted. "I’m lucky to have anything to eat at all! If I’d come any later, even this might have been gone."

Yin Huan faltered, eyeing her up and down with suspicion. ’She seems so capable and all-powerful, yet here she is in the kitchen, gnawing on dry flatbread?’

"No one’s bringing you food?"

Song Lianhe took a bite of the cold, hard flatbread and said, as if struck by a sudden thought, "Around here, I’m an outcast."

Just then, E Jintang came looking for them.

"Jiu’er! What are you doing here?"

When facing E Jintang, Yin Huan showed another side of herself—smiling and very well-behaved.

"I’m keeping my sister company while she eats."

"Sister?"

Meeting E Jintang’s gaze, Song Lianhe introduced herself almost as a reflex.

"Ah! You’re the doctor who cured Princess Consort Ling!!"

E Jintang strode forward and pulled her to her feet. "I was just looking for you! Quick, come with me and check on my mother! She’s been coughing at night and can’t sleep!"

Treating a patient was an undeniable duty, especially when that patient was Mrs. E.

But she was still hungry. However, E Jintang was strong as an ox. Before being dragged away, Song Lianhe’s quick eyes and hands allowed her to snatch a flatbread to eat on the way.

Yin Huan knew Mrs. E disliked her, so she didn’t go looking for an unpleasant reception. E Jintang took Song Lianhe to see his mother alone.

By the time Song Lianhe finished examining Mrs. E, the moon was high in the sky.

She sighed and sat down on the veranda, pulling the handkerchief-wrapped flatbread from her robes.

She took a bite and almost broke a tooth. It was dry and scratchy in her mouth. But she was hungry and had no choice, so she forced herself to eat it in small nibbles.

Footsteps approached from behind.

Assuming it was Yin Huan, Song Lianhe didn’t turn around, saying lazily, "Whatever it is, it can wait until I’ve had a bite to eat."

She took another bite, hissing as she touched her cheek. Just chewing made her teeth ache.

"You’re just eating this?"

Startled by the sudden voice, Song Lianhe spun around, still clutching the half-eaten flatbread in her hand.

Zhou Junlin slowly approached, his cold, sharp gaze sweeping over her.

Song Lianhe composed herself. "I stayed in my room a bit late, and it was already dark when I came out."

"So, no one brought you dinner?"

Song Lianhe pouted. "Yesterday was fine. I suppose it’s because the Princess Consort’s poison has been cured."

She might as well have had the words "You burn the bridge after crossing it" written on her face.

’The reason for this is easy enough to guess.’

’Song Xilan may be managing my arrangements on the surface, but she’d never let me be comfortable behind the scenes.’

Zhou Junlin pressed his thin lips together. "This won’t happen again."

"Oh? We’ll see about that."

Song Lianhe showed not a shred of fear or politeness toward him, treating him as casually as she would a hired hand.

This displeased Zhou Junlin greatly.

But seeing her still gnawing on that hard, crumbly piece of flatbread, he couldn’t help but furrow his brow.

"Gu Ha."

"Your subordinate is here!"

Gu Ha came up from the bottom of the steps.

"Go prepare some food and have it sent to Doctor Song’s room."

Although Gu Ha was reluctant, he still answered, "Yes."

Song Lianhe looked up at Zhou Junlin. ’I have to admit, even though I don’t like him, he has all the responsibility and awareness a male lead should have.’

Just as she habitually glanced at the top of his head, she was shocked to find his halo had vanished!

Startled, she unconsciously stood up, walked forward in a daze, and stared at him without blinking.

’How did the male lead’s halo disappear?’

She couldn’t believe it. She rubbed her eyes, then opened them again and stood on her tiptoes to get a better look.

It was still empty.

As the woman suddenly leaned in close, Zhou Junlin stood his ground, his dark eyes narrowing warily, as if trying to see what trick she was playing.

Unlike the incense worn by other women, Song Lianhe had a natural, fresh scent of herbs, with even a faint trace of bitterness. But for some reason, he didn’t find the aroma unpleasant. In fact, the closer he got, the more he found it had a unique, clean sweetness.

The man lowered his gaze, deliberately ignoring the scent that was gradually captivating him, and said coldly, "What are you doing?"

"I..."

Song Lianhe’s expression froze. She quickly retreated a few steps. "I... I saw a mosquito!"

Zhou Junlin raised an eyebrow. As if he believed her.

He glanced at her, then suddenly asked, "What happened to your forehead?"

’My head?’

She raised a hand to touch it, but the man before her—as cool and noble as the clear breeze and bright moon—grabbed her wrist. "Don’t touch it."

Song Lianhe looked at him, confused.

"You’re a healer, yet you don’t even notice when you’re injured yourself?"

She wasn’t used to being so close to the male lead. She broke free from his grasp, took another step back, and looked away. "...Haven’t you heard that a healer can’t heal themself?"

Her rejection was so obvious that Zhou Junlin’s face darkened again.

It was as if some perverse switch in him had been flipped. He gave a low, ambiguous chuckle and closed the distance between them. "If that’s the case... then I shall be the one to treat you."