Villain Boss Chapter 159
Translated by Digitalian (ko-fi)
Chapter 159: A Defective Experimental Product
In the corridor, Gu Yunqing was squatting at the corner of the door when he saw Si Xu and Shen Bai coming out together. Gu Yunqing stood up silently and found an excuse to slip away.
After Gu Yunqing headed downstairs, Shen Bai took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, shook out a cigarette and handed it to Si Xu.
Si Xu glanced at it but didn't reach out to take it. "I’ve quit smoking."
"You’ve quit smoking?" Shen Bai was surprised. This guy used to smoke almost all the time, yet he just quit smoking like that?
"Jiang Ran doesn't like it." Si Xu felt that his reason for quitting smoking was sufficient, so he didn't understand why Shen Bai was so surprised.
"She said that smoking is bad for our health and one will get lung cancer easily."
Shen Bai had already put the cigarette in his mouth, but after hearing this, his hand that was about to light the cigarette shook and the lighter went out.
Si Xu stared at him.
Shen Bai lit the cigarette in his mouth calmly. "Si Xu, what do you want to talk to me about?" It was most likely because of Shen Youyou that Si Xu wanted to talk to him.
"I remember I warned you not to expect too much from that defective product," Si Xu said bluntly. "Over time, you seem to have forgotten my warning."
It was bad enough that Shen Bai had harbored unrealistic fantasies himself, but he was also dragging Jiang Ran into this mess.
"Si Xu, you can refuse." Unperturbed by Si Xu’s blunt words, Shen Bai exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke and studied Si Xu through the hazy smoke. "If you refuse, Ranran will listen to you."
If he didn't like it, he could just refuse.
Si Xu sneered. "Shen Bai, don't try to play your tricks in front of me—didn't you bring A117 here because you were sure you could succeed?"
Si Xu was a man who always spoke bluntly, leaving no room for retreat. Shen Bai chuckled miserably. "Since you've already figured it out, why did you ask me?"
Indeed, he had brought Shen Youyou here because he was sure Jiang Ran wouldn't refuse, and he was also sure Si Xu would listen to Jiang Ran.
Shen Bai was worried about leaving Shen Youyou in the Shen family’s house, and even more worried about leaving her with Shen Yang. He thought about it and could only think of Jiang Ran.
Whether it was Jiang Ran or Si Xu, they would be able to keep Shen Youyou safe until he returned.
"Si Xu, since you’ve figured it out, why did you agree?"
"It wasn't me who agreed, but Jiang Ran."
Shen Bai smiled. "You know what I mean—it's not like you to beat around the bush like that."
Si Xu brushed away the secondhand smoke that drifted in front of him and said calmly, "The base has been unstable lately, and I can't always be by Jiang Ran's side—I feel much more at ease with A117 by her side."
Shen Bai scolded, "You're such a scheming person, Si Xu." He had sent Si Xu a free bodyguard, and yet Si Xu acted as if he'd suffered unfair treatment and even talked to him in private. What a scheming, pretentious guy.
In response to Shen Bai's accusation, Si Xu simply replied, "Hah."
Of course, he hadn't called Shen Bai out to give him a light lecture.
"Have you been to the sanatorium?" Si Xu leaned against the wall and asked Shen Bai. "I heard from Gu Yunqing that Shen Lang went to the sanatorium."
"Wei Yage has woken up," Shen Bai said simply because he didn't like that female captain. "I just came out from there, and when I left, the old man was still chatting with her."
They were obviously full of resentment towards each other, but they had to put on a smiling face when they met. Didn’t they feel weary?
"Oh, they were still chatting?"
Jiang Ran killed Zou Yun, but Shen Lang did nothing in the base. There was no guarantee that Wei Yage wouldn’t vent her anger on Shen Lang.
Now the news about the two of them plotting against Chu Yuan was spreading all over the base, yet Shen Lang still visited Wei Yage openly.
"What did they talk about?"
Oh, so this was the reason why Si Xu had asked to talk to him in private. Shen Bai flicked the ash from his cigarette and said frankly, "They were just exchanging pleasantries. I think they'd only get down to business after I left."
Si Xu looked disappointed. "I see." He was about to go back to talk to Jiang Ran about looking after children. "You can go now."
Shen Bai followed him. "I still have something to tell Youyou."
Before he could finish, Si Xu closed the door. "Goodbye."
Locked outside, Shen Bai, "..."
……
After Si Xu and Shen Bai left, Jiang Ran and Shen Youyou stood there, staring at each other.
The little girl still had her cute hair buns. She was fair and tender, and looked harmless.
It was hard to imagine that this little girl had once nearly broken the leg of a grown man like Gu Yunqing.
Her stomach growled, and Jiang Ran remembered the breakfast that she was still having.
The little girl across from her heard the noise and blinked at her with her big, dark eyes.
Jiang Ran felt embarrassed to eat alone under the little girl's gaze.
She pulled out a chair and invited Shen Youyou to sit down. Shen Youyou obediently walked to the chair and sat down, awaiting her next instructions.
"Youyou, have you had breakfast?"
Shen Youyou looked at the crystal-clear dumplings in front of her and licked her lips. She looked eager to taste them, but she nodded honestly, indicating that she had eaten.
Jiang Ran thought her current wide-eyed, drooling look was really soft and cute, so she coaxed her gently, "I made these dumplings myself. Do you want to try them?"
With an expression of anticipation on her fair and tender face, Shen Youyou nodded vigorously.
Jiang Ran went to the kitchen and got a plate of steamed dumplings for her. She personally mixed the sauce and placed it in front of Shen Youyou. "Dumplings taste best with sauce."
With her own dumplings, Shen Youyou ignored the chopsticks placed aside, raised her hand to grab a dumpling, and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Hmm..." The little girl's eyes crinkled up, and a satisfied smile radiated from within.
Had she forgotten how to use chopsticks again? Jiang Ran waited for her to finish one dumpling, and when she reached for the second one, Jiang Ran grabbed her wrist. "Youyou."
The little girl looked at her, waiting for her order.
Jiang Ran picked up the chopsticks and handed them to her. "You have to use chopsticks to eat—I taught you last time. Do you remember how to use them?"
Shen Youyou held the chopsticks between two fingers, looking confused.
It seemed that she had forgotten.
Perhaps after their last separation, no one insisted that she eat with chopsticks, and so she reverted to the habit of eating with her hands.
"This is how you hold the chopsticks..."
Patiently repeating the instructions from last time, Jiang Ran watched as Shen Youyou clumsily picked up a dumpling, shakily bringing it to her lips, only to drop it mid-way onto the table. The little girl blinked, her free left hand quickly snatching up the dumpling from the table and putting it in her mouth.
She chewed the dumpling carefully, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster. Her eyes fixed on Jiang Ran, blinking occasionally.
How adorable!
Jiang Ran suppressed her smile and corrected Shen Youyou’s strength and angle. "This way... yes, separate them like this. Yeah, try again."
After repeating it several times, Shen Youyou successfully picked up a dumpling.
"Wow, you learned it so fast. Youyou, you're amazing!" Jiang Ran applauded her as a reward.
The little girl's lips twitched slightly, forming a subtle curve that signaled a smile.
She brought the dumpling to Jiang Ran's lips.
Jiang Ran was surprised but didn't hesitate. She opened her mouth and ate it. "Thank you, Youyou." She gently stroked the little girl's hair buns.
Si Xu walked in and witnessed this scene.
Looking at Jiang Ran's foolish smile and A117's expressionless face, he suddenly wondered whether his decision was right.
Jiang Ran had such a happy expression on her face. It seemed that she liked A117?
The man pursed his lips, his eyes sharp as he stared at the soft and adorable little girl. She was just a defective experimental product. What was so good about her?
