Ah! The Villains I Forced to Turn Evil Can Read My Mind

Pei Che's deep eyes glinted with a cold intensity as he stared at him without speaking.

Qiao Chuchu struggled to get up from the bed and managed to stand. Pei Che quickly reached out to support her: "You're awake? Do you need to use the bathroom?"

Qiao Chuchu pushed him away, staggering into the bathroom and locking the door behind her.

When she came out, a crowd had gathered at the door.

They were all dressed in their casual home clothes, looking at her with concern, as if they had been living together all along. In unison, they asked, "How are you feeling? Any better?"

Qiao Chuchu: "..."

She felt as though her fever had addled her brain, making her reactions slow. She stared at them for a while, unable to recall what she was supposed to do. The only thought that crossed her mind was—

【There are so many people here.】

They exchanged glances, their worry deepening.

Pei Youchuan poked his head forward: "Did the fever fry your brain?"

Weisheng Biehe elbowed him: "If you don’t know how to talk, just don’t."

Qiao Chuchu, feeling dizzy and heavy-headed, returned to the sink and began to wash up.

Pei Fengnong pushed through the crowd: "Let me adjust the water for you."

He adjusted the water temperature, motioning for Qiao Chuchu to wash, and stood by with the facial cleanser.

Qiao Chuchu didn’t have the energy to move much, so she went along with the help.

Pei Youchuan stood beside her, handing her the cleanser, then used a towel to wipe her face, and finally passed her the toothbrush, assisting her every step of the way.

Although Pei Fengnong was careful, his touch was still a bit rough, leaving Qiao Chuchu feeling like a calf that had been licked by a cow, her cheeks being tugged this way and that.

Feeling slightly more awake, she swayed back toward the bed: "You all can leave now. I want to be alone."

【These guys are so tall and talkative. It feels like my room is filled with talking refrigerators. It’s too crowded.】

They: "?"

Are they refrigerators?

Pei Che washed his hands and stopped her: "Open your mouth, let me see."

Exhausted, she opened her mouth.

Pei Che turned on his phone flashlight: "Say 'ah.'"

Qiao Chuchu weakly complied: "Ahhhhh—"

Pei Che leaned in, carefully examining her throat, his brow furrowed.

Her throat was severely inflamed.

As he continued to look, his expression suddenly changed.

Qiao Chuchu, noticing his reaction, kept her mouth open: "Ahhh? Ahhhhhhhhh?"

What’s wrong? Is her throat in bad shape?

Pei Che didn’t answer, his eyes growing more complex and somber, his chest rising and falling slightly.

He reached out: "Don’t move. I can’t see clearly."

His slender, pale fingers entered her mouth, one at first, then two, pressing down on her tongue.

The others: "?"

Pei Che licked his lips and withdrew his hand: "The inflammation is severe. If the fever doesn’t break by today, we’ll have to go to the hospital."

Qiao Chuchu pushed him away irritably: "Got it."

She walked out of the crowd, climbed back into bed, and went back to sleep.

Pei Che, with his hands behind his back, rubbed his fingers together for a moment, then turned to leave the bathroom.

Weisheng Wenzhan, however, pushed him back: "Wait, don’t leave yet."

Wenzhan stepped forward first, and the others, with suspicious looks, surrounded him, blocking the bathroom door.

Weisheng Biehe closed the door behind them.

Pei Che raised an eyebrow, calmly scanning each of their faces: "What? Is there a problem?"

Weisheng Wenzhan lowered his voice: "Your actions just now were a bit off, don’t you think?"

"What’s off about it?" Pei Che’s expression remained unreadable, as if he had no idea what they were talking about. "I was checking her throat. Did I do something wrong?"

Pei Youchuan scoffed, cutting straight to the point: "Second Brother, don’t lie. You pressed her tongue with your fingers? Do you do that with all your patients?"

Pei Che replied with confidence: "I washed my hands."

Pei Fengnong’s face darkened: "Second Brother, this isn’t about washing your hands."

Pei Youchuan added: "Exactly! Even the idiot Fourth Brother figured it out. You were just being inappropriate!"

Pei Fengnong: "? Who are you calling an idiot?"

Weisheng Biehe, twirling his prayer beads, gave a sinister smile: "Mr. Pei Che, it seems like you’re the most cunning one in the Pei family."

Pei Che, now surrounded, remained calm.

He said nonchalantly, "I think you’re all just jealous. After all, the Weisheng family has no room for mistakes. One misstep, and you’ll end up like Weisheng Huailing, earning my sister’s dislike."

Biehe frowned: "What does Huailing have to do with this?"

Pei Che sneered: "Oh, you don’t know? It seems Weisheng Yucan didn’t tell you. Huailing kissed Qiao Chuchu today, and we haven’t settled that score yet."

Pei Youchuan and Pei Fengnong, successfully distracted, joined forces: "Yeah, how do you manage your brother?"

Weisheng Wenzhan’s brow furrowed: "..."

Weisheng Biehe’s expression cracked for the first time: "That kid kissed Qiao Chuchu? Was it a deep kiss or a peck? How long did it last?"

Pei Youchuan, furious at the mention, snapped: "How would we know? He didn’t kiss me! I just want to know how he had the audacity to kiss Qiao Chuchu. I haven’t even kissed her yet!"

Pei Fengnong hissed in a low voice: "Keep it down. Qiao Chuchu can hear you, and why are you saying your true feelings out loud?"

Weisheng Biehe’s face darkened with anger: "I never expected that kid would be crazy enough to force a kiss!"

Pei Che stood a few steps away, watching them argue in hushed tones, his fingers still lightly rubbing together.

The soft, warm sensation lingered.

A faint smile threatened to appear on his lips, but he quickly suppressed it, adopting a stern expression: "Gentlemen of the Weisheng family, your brother has offended my sister. Don’t you think you owe us an explanation?"

Weisheng Wenzhan, his face grim, saw right through his ploy: "You really found a good excuse to divert attention, didn’t you?"

Pei Che smiled, like a cunning fox, and raised an eyebrow challengingly: "I’m just a brother trying to seek justice for his sister. What’s wrong with that?"

Qiao Chuchu glanced toward the bathroom.

Shadows of people moved inside.

They were whispering about something.

Her head was pounding, and her throat felt like she had swallowed razor blades. She couldn’t sleep peacefully.

She desperately wanted water but didn’t have the strength to call for anyone.

Weisheng Lin pushed the door open, carrying a thermos: "Huh? Where did everyone go?"

His eyes then fell on Qiao Chuchu, who was rolling around in bed.

Qiao Chuchu was wearing a geometric-patterned pajama set reminiscent of Crayon Shin-chan, lying twisted on the bed like a limp snake.

He brought the water to her side: "Are you awake?"

Her eyes lit up at the sight of the cup: "Is it cold water?"

Weisheng Lin shook his head: "Warm water. I set it to 60 degrees. Do you want some?"

Her interest waned: "Thanks, I’ll just have a sip."

Weisheng Lin could sense her disappointment. He poured the water and handed it to her: "Do you really dislike drinking hot water that much?"

Qiao Chuchu took a sip, soothing her throat: "My throat feels so hot. Drinking hot water just makes it worse."

She set the cup down and sneaked a glance toward the bathroom, whispering hoarsely: "Can you ask Xiao Xie to bring me some cold water? I’ll drink more, and they won’t notice."

"No, they said you can’t drink cold water when you’re sick." Weisheng Lin glanced around cautiously, making sure no one was listening, and explained: "I mentioned giving you cold water yesterday, and they gave me the cold shoulder for hours. That’s why I brought you hot water."

Qiao Chuchu sighed, taking a few sips: "Thank you. Sorry for the trouble."

Weisheng Lin frowned, sensing her low spirits.

Qiao Chuchu lay back down, ready to rest.

Someone gently tapped her shoulder.

She opened her eyes to see Weisheng Lin holding a bottle of mineral water, glancing nervously toward the door: "Drink this quickly. I haven’t touched it yet."