Abused Female Lead And Beautiful Villainess (Quick Transmigration)

Li Zhan’s lips pressed into a thin line as he sat stiffly on the sofa, his gaze unable to tear away from the two women behaving intimately across from him. Though they weren’t doing anything inappropriate, anyone could see their relationship was far from ordinary.

“Ah Zhan.”

Dong Zheng, sensing the shock this revelation might cause Li Zhan, didn’t rush to explain further, giving him time to process. Love comes when it comes; it’s uncontrollable. From her observations over the past few months, Ah Zhan didn’t seem to harbor romantic feelings for Shen Wan, and Shen Wan appeared indifferent to him as well. This was why she decided to tell Li Zhan – he’d find out eventually anyway.

“Auntie, what did you want to tell me?” Li Zhan had steeled himself mentally, utterly baffled by the strange events of the past month. Could his aunt’s news align with his suspicions?

Dong Zheng took Shen Wan’s hand, her eyes twinkling with joy. “Ah Zhan, this is Shen Wan.”

Li Zhan thought to himself: He knew who this woman was – Shen Wan, all too familiar, frequently freeloading meals and lodging here, the epitome of shamelessness.

“The past is behind us,” Dong Zheng continued. “Let me reintroduce you two. She’s my girlfriend now.”

Li Zhan finally exhaled deeply. Thanks to his mental preparation, he didn’t jump up in shock upon hearing that Shen Wan was now his aunt’s girlfriend. Still, this relationship felt profoundly odd. His ex-girlfriend becoming his aunt’s partner – what a peculiar turn of events.

Though he harbored no lingering feelings for this ex-girlfriend, the situation remained strange.

Moreover, seeing his aunt’s eyes filled with adoration for Shen Wan made him uneasy, sensing his prime position in his aunt’s heart might be at risk.

“We’re going to get married in the future,” Dong Zheng added. “So she’ll be your aunt-in-law then.”

Li Zhan thought: Indeed, this was precisely why he dreaded hearing Dong Zheng’s announcement.

He glanced at Shen Wan, who sat obediently beside Dong Zheng, wearing a faint smile. Her gaze toward him seemed peculiar, almost… loving? The very thought sent a chill down Li Zhan’s spine.

To hell with that loving look!

A woman several years his junior, whom he’d now have to address as aunt-in-law, instantly lowering his generational status – who could possibly be happy about that?

“Ah Zhan, let’s eat. Zheng Zheng and I just finished preparing the meal,” Shen Wan spoke up appropriately, gazing at Li Zhan with that maternal look that nearly pushed him over the edge. “We heard you’ve been busy at the company for over two weeks straight. You look quite haggard and have lost weight. Zheng Zheng and I will make some nutritious soups for you. We’ll call you over to have some later.”

Li Zhan felt utterly dejected, but his growling stomach couldn’t be ignored.

Earlier, suspecting something amiss with Xia Xuan, he hadn’t yet investigated the matter. He’d left the company under the pretext of visiting Dong Zheng, and now realized he hadn’t eaten for over half a day. Looking at the table full of delicious dishes, how could he resist?

“Eat slowly. If you like it, come every day. No one’s fighting you for it.”

Li Zhan’s chopsticks froze midair. He glanced up at Shen Wan, seeing her maintain that loving, caring expression. He took a deep breath.

Don’t get angry!

The situation was set in stone. His aunt clearly adored this woman, so what could he do? He’d just have to endure it!

However, he would never, under any circumstances, call her “aunt-in-law.”

Dream on if they thought he’d address her as such!

Li Zhan was completely unprepared when, after the meal, Shen Wan went upstairs and returned with a thick red envelope, placing it in his hands. He stared at it blankly, at a loss for words to express his complex and troubled emotions.

“Hurry up and thank your aunt-in-law,” Dong Zheng urged, seeing Li Zhan’s dumbfounded expression. “Take it, don’t be polite. It’s a gesture of goodwill from your aunt-in-law.”

Li Zhan gripped the hefty envelope, gritting his teeth. Judging by the feel, it contained a generous sum.

He looked up at Shen Wan, who beamed at him. Ever since Dong Zheng had revealed their relationship, Shen Wan’s gaze toward him had changed, now filled with the kind of loving care reserved for younger generations.

No matter how coldly he behaved or refused to address her properly, she showed no signs of anger. She maintained an air of not holding a grudge against a child.

Li Zhan felt on the verge of a breakdown.

His life had truly taken a surreal turn.

He’d picked up a scrawny girl off the street who was nearly sold by her parents. After their breakup, she’d used his connections to start a security company and was now thriving. These days, many big shots he did business with would casually mention how impressive Shen Wan’s bodyguards were. Even more incredibly, Shen Wan had become his aunt’s girlfriend, with marriage plans on the horizon.

He clutched the red envelope tightly, glancing at the two women before him, fingers intertwined, wearing matching home outfits and slippers. His heart filled with resignation.

Looking around the flower-filled living room, he was certain his aunt had it decorated to please this woman. The new decor items, so different from his aunt’s usual style, were likely changed for Shen Wan’s sake.

He knew these tactics all too well!

After all, Dong Zheng was his aunt. Family members often shared similar traits.

“Thank you,” Li Zhan finally managed under Dong Zheng’s watchful gaze, uttering just those two words. The phrase “aunt-in-law” remained stubbornly lodged in his throat.

No, he would never call Shen Wan aunt-in-law in this lifetime.

Fearing Dong Zheng might confront him, he hastily made an excuse about having urgent matters to attend to and fled.

As he closed the door, he instinctively glanced back, just in time to see his aunt wiping something white – probably a grain of rice – from the corner of Shen Wan’s mouth.

How sickeningly sweet!

Li Zhan quickly shut the door, breathing in the fresh outdoor air. Thinking of Xia Xuan’s unusual behavior, a frosty expression settled on his face.

“Don’t mind him. Ah Zhan will come around eventually. Once he recognizes your good qualities, he’ll willingly call you aunt-in-law,” Dong Zheng consoled Shen Wan.

Shen Wan shook her head hurriedly. “No need to force it. Let him address me however he likes.”

188 thought: This little white lotus act, who knows where she learned it from, but it’s quite convincing.

Shen Wan pondered, unsure when Li Zhan’s opponents might hatch another devious plan. She couldn’t help but worry about Dong Zheng’s safety.

Calculating the timeline, it would likely happen within the next month or two.

In the original plot, after Dong Zheng’s incident, Li Zhan’s personality changed significantly. Understandable, given that she was his only remaining family member. How could he possibly feel at ease?

Shen Wan furrowed her brow, strategizing on how to protect Dong Zheng while also considering how to drop hints to Li Zhan, urging him to swiftly deal with his adversaries. Such an unpredictable factor was far from ideal.

As for Xia Xuan, she wondered if Li Zhan harbored any suspicions yet. Li Zhan was a clever man; after such a significant leak of documents, he would surely investigate the matter once he regained his composure. After thoroughly vetting everyone in the company, he would inevitably turn his suspicions toward Xia Xuan.

But given his feelings for Xia Xuan, it was hard to predict his actions.

Unbeknownst to Shen Wan, Li Zhan had begun investigating Xia Xuan that very day upon returning home.

He wasn’t just looking into Xia Xuan’s activities since her return to the country; he’d ordered a comprehensive investigation into every aspect of her life from childhood to the present.

He didn’t want to suspect Xia Xuan, but of all the people with access to his office, she was the only one not yet ruled out. Without that mysterious text message and his backup plan, the company would have suffered losses in the billions, facing numerous complications. Even if it didn’t shake the company’s foundations, it would have caused widespread panic, eroding the shareholders’ trust in him. Any subsequent issues would have been even more catastrophic.

No matter how much he cared for Xia Xuan, he had to uncover the truth.

Xia Xuan’s behavior was far too unusual.

While Li Zhan secretly investigated Xia Xuan, she too felt uneasy.

This unease wasn’t due to Li Zhan; she never imagined he would suspect her.

Since they’d known each other, Li Zhan had never refused her demands. Even when she’d initiated countless breakups, he’d never mistreated her. Each time she wanted to reconcile, he’d welcome her back with a bouquet of roses.

These repeated incidents led Xia Xuan to believe Li Zhan would never leave her, that she had him firmly under her control.

Her real concern was the person who had asked her to scan the documents.

That individual held compromising information about her. Even though she believed she had Li Zhan wrapped around her finger, if he were to see that evidence, their relationship would likely crumble. This was something Xia Xuan couldn’t allow. She had decided she would spend her life with Li Zhan.

She had no idea that it was precisely her docile behavior that aroused Li Zhan’s suspicions.

Meanwhile, Shen Wan had little information about Li Zhan’s opponents. This mysterious boss remained enigmatic until the very end, always pulling strings from behind the scenes. Unable to predict when they might target Dong Zheng, Shen Wan sent another message to Li Zhan using the new card one day when Dong Zheng wasn’t paying attention.

This message was equally concise, containing only two names: Yao Shanqing and Yao Heng.

Yao Shanqing was the mysterious boss from the original plot, while Yao Heng was his adopted son, also the story’s second male lead and the biggest obstacle between the main couple.

If Yao Shanqing harbored any grudges, they likely stemmed from long ago, but Shen Wan wasn’t interested in those details. By providing these clues to Li Zhan, she hoped his intelligence and protagonist’s aura would enable him to expose Yao Shanqing.

One night, Li Zhan received a message from the previous unknown number, instantly perking up. He immediately tried calling back, only to find the phone switched off, as expected.

Seeing the names Yao Shanqing and Yao Heng, he fell into deep thought. He’d never heard of Yao Shanqing, but Yao Heng was familiar. Yao Heng managed a company only slightly smaller than Li Corporation, operating in similar industries – they were competitors.

So, what did the mysterious person mean by sending him these two names?

Shen Wan thought: Obviously, it’s to prompt you, the male lead, to deal with the main antagonist. It’s your duty as the protagonist.

Given his previous experience, Li Zhan didn’t dismiss these names as a joke. Yao Shanqing and Yao Heng must be significant somehow.

During dinner at Dong Zheng’s, Li Zhan remained lost in thought, his brow furrowed.

Shen Wan chuckled to herself. This Li Zhan was truly shameless. She’d politely invited him for a meal, and now he showed up every day to freeload.

Li Zhan sensed Shen Wan’s gaze and his mood improved considerably.

Don’t think you can rule the roost here just because you’ve bewitched my aunt with your charms, he thought. I’m her blood relative, her nephew. Since my aunt has agreed to let me come for meals, why shouldn’t I? Lately, Xia Xuan hasn’t been clinging to me as much, and I don’t feel like being overly affectionate with her either. Everything can wait until I’ve uncovered the truth.

“Chairman Shen’s culinary skills have improved,” Li Zhan commented after finishing his meal and wiping his mouth. Seeing Dong Zheng had gone to the kitchen, he added in a low voice, “Don’t think you can drive a wedge between my aunt and me just because you’ve captivated her.”

“Ah Zhan, when will you start calling me aunt-in-law?” Shen Wan responded, unfazed. Children always have a rebellious phase, she thought.

If Li Zhan would call her aunt-in-law, she wouldn’t mind him coming over for meals every day.

Hearing this, Li Zhan’s face contorted briefly. To hell with “aunt-in-law,” he thought.

“I have work to attend to. I’m leaving now. Chairman Shen, please let my aunt know,” he said. Whether he accepted it or not, Shen Wan was his aunt’s girlfriend. They were inseparable, showing no restraint even in his presence, completely disregarding his feelings.

[188: “Wan Wan, are you really going to leave everything about the main antagonist to Li Zhan? Won’t you step in to help?”]

“Li Zhan is so intelligent, and he’s the male lead. Dealing with the main antagonist should be a breeze for him. Besides, I’m not sitting idle. I’m helping him protect his aunt, preventing any sneak attacks from behind. Now he can go all out without worries.”

“He doesn’t seem to be as affectionate with Xia Xuan lately. I suspect he’s grown suspicious of her. Once he uncovers Xia Xuan’s secrets, he’ll know what to do.”

188 suddenly felt a twinge of pity for Li Zhan.