After Transmigrating into a Book as Cannon Fodder, I Pampered the Villain - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Protecting One’s Food

Sanxi City.

This was a mortal town situated near the immortal mountains. Standing in Sanxi City and looking East, one could see rolling mountain ranges. Deep within those peaks stood the legendary leader of the righteous sects the Tianqiu Sect.

Cultivators would occasionally emerge from the mountains. Most were disciples of the Tianqiu Sect, and since Sanxi Town was an almost mandatory stop on their way out, the local businesses catered to cultivators.

Not long ago, a pair of sisters moved into the city. The elder sister was bedridden, and no one had seen her face, while the younger sister found work in the city’s bookstore.

The second Miss Yu was delicate and pretty with a pleasant temperament. She always had a smile for everyone and was exceptionally warm-hearted, often helping her neighbors with their chores.

It didn’t take long for her to become a familiar face. When the neighbors learned her sister was gravely ill and needed spiritual herbs from the immortal mountains, they helped her inquire about kind-hearted “immortals.”

Before long, they actually found a benevolent cultivator. This person not only brought spiritual herbs for the second Miss Yu every so often but, upon learning the sisters were alone and struggling, sold the herbs at a extremely low price—practically giving them away.

Today, that cultivator found some free time and delivered more herbs to the Yu residence.

Knock, knock, knock. A woman dressed in the moon-white sect uniform of the Tianqiu Sect knocked on the door of the small courtyard.

Hurried footsteps soon approached from within.

Opening the door, Yu Yingxia saw the elegant, aloof, yet somewhat stoic Fang Yuetong. Yingxia flashed a smile as radiant as spring peach blossoms, but no one knew that hidden behind that smile was a frustration more bitter than a bitter melon.

The person in front of her was indeed a good soul. It would just be better if her name weren’t Fang Yuetong!!!

Heaven knows that when Yu Yingxia first learned the name of this “kind cultivator,” she nearly had a heart attack from her previous life.

How can a person be this unlucky?

Fortunately, she had kept her composure and hadn’t shown any flaws. She had also disguised her face beforehand to prevent accidents, which was why she hadn’t been caught red-handed.

“Sorry to trouble you. If you aren’t busy, would you like to come in and sit?” Yu Yingxia was just being polite. There was a “Living Yama” in the house, making it inconvenient to host guests—especially Fang Yuetong.

She knew Fang Yuetong was busy lately searching for the missing Yan Huaixi and dealing with the mess left behind at the Changsheng Sect. The only reason she found time to deliver medicine was that the protagonist was a kind-hearted soul. She would surely be in a hurry to leave, just like before.

Even if, by some chance, Fang Yuetong wanted to stay, Yingxia had ways to coax her elsewhere.

Sure enough, Fang Yuetong shook her head. “I have matters to attend to; I won’t go in.”

“Is your sister feeling better?”

“Thank you for your concern, Miss Fang. She is much better. Oh, here is the payment for the medicine.” Yu Yingxia took out some spirit stones. Since this town did business with cultivators, there were places for ordinary people to exchange currency for spirit stones, so her producing them didn’t seem out of place.

Fang Yuetong reached out and selected a single low-grade spirit stone from Yingxia’s palm. “This is enough. These herbs only sell for a high price outside; they are actually all over the mountains.”

Yu Yingxia knew this was a lie. From the original owner’s memories, she knew that while these herbs weren’t rare, they were by no means “everywhere.” Fang Yuetong said this only to charge less and ease Yingxia’s psychological burden.

What a truly good person!

She would remember this favor on Yan Huaixi’s behalf.

“…Things are a bit chaotic outside lately. Try not to go out at night,” Fang Yuetong advised as she tucked away the stone.

Yu Yingxia paused. “Chaotic” in Fang Yuetong’s mouth likely wasn’t just ordinary trouble. Currently, Yingxia’s cultivation had been drained by the system to use as “fuel,” and she was lugging around an injured person. She needed to be extra careful. She asked as if casually, “What happened?”

Fang Yuetong knit her brows slightly, answering after a pause: “A demon escaped not long ago. Several bloodbath cases have occurred outside Sanxi City; it’s likely her doing. So, be careful.”

Yu Yingxia suppressed the urge to look back at the house. Instinct told her the “demon” Fang Yuetong mentioned was likely the Living Yama in her own room. But… it couldn’t be Yan Huaixi. She had only just woken up and was so badly injured—how could she have the chance to commit murders? Was the Living Yama taking the fall for someone else?

“I understand. Thank you for the warning.”

Seeing that she took the advice to heart, Fang Yuetong prepared to leave, but Yingxia called out to her.

“I made some sweet soup today. Would you like to take some for the road?” Yu Yingxia remembered the novel mentioned the protagonist liked sweet things. Today, to coax the Living Yama into taking her medicine, she had prepared some Sophora flower powder sweet soup.

Fang Yuetong’s eyes lit up, filled with expectation. This wasn’t the first time she’d had the second Miss Yu’s sweet soup; the girl’s cooking was excellent, and she enjoyed it very much.

Yu Yingxia went to the kitchen and poured some into a specially made bamboo tube, making it easy for Fang Yuetong to drink while traveling.

“Thank you.” Fang Yuetong’s eyes crinkled with a hint of joy as she took the tube.

After bidding farewell to Yu Yingxia, Fang Yuetong walked toward the edge of town. Her Master suspected the murders were Yan Huaixi’s revenge against the Tianqiu Sect after her escape, but she felt something was off.

When she first arrived in Sanxi City, she had suspected the identity of the Yu sisters. After searching the Changsheng Sect, she realized that besides Yan Huaixi, the Left Guardian was also missing. Their sudden arrival in Sanxi City was suspicious.

However, her tests showed that the second Miss Yu was an absolute mortal, and there was no familiar power in the elder sister’s sickroom. Thus, Fang Yuetong dismissed her doubts.

She opened the bamboo tube and took a sip. There were many golden, slippery bits in the soup—the Sophora powder? The texture was unique and quite delicious.

Fang Yuetong glanced back at the small Yu courtyard. I’ll come again next time!

Unaware that she had been designated as a regular sweet soup shop by the protagonist, Yu Yingxia closed the door and rubbed her temples. She had a headache.

“System? Are you still there?” she called out in her mind, hoping against hope.

Only dead silence responded. The system had unbonded and vanished.

Yu Yingxia cursed under her breath. The reason they were here was that the unreliable system had specifically found her a “most dangerous place is the safest place” location! It said that because Sanxi City was at the foot of the Tianqiu Sect, the enemy would never guess they’d dare live here. She really should thank the system for not teleporting them directly into the Tianqiu Sect!

Worse yet, during the teleportation, the system had drained all her cultivation for energy and even took a portion of the patient’s power. At that time, Yan Huaixi’s breathing had almost vanished; Yingxia thought she was going to be buried with her!

Fortunately, the villain’s vitality was incredibly tenacious. Once they arrived, Yingxia traded everything the original owner had that could be converted into energy for a system repair program. Only then did Yan Huaixi’s vital signs stabilize.

After completing the request, the system left. But after it vanished, a bigger problem emerged—the plot had changed!

In the original story, after the protagonist invaded the Changsheng Sect, Yan Huaixi committed suicide. Fang Yuetong then found all the evidence of her Master’s crimes, including the murder of her parents. She confronted him, the cornered Yin Duo ambushed her, and finally, after a master-disciple death match, Fang Yuetong killed her enemy and attained enlightenment to become an immortal.

That was the end. Yan Huaixi’s death was supposed to have no impact on the protagonist’s ascension, which is why the system allowed Yingxia to “steal” her away.

So, when Yu Yingxia realized the kind cultivator was the protagonist—and that she hadn’t even become an immortal yet her head throbbed. Through further subtle probing, she discovered that the protagonist’s villainous Master wasn’t dead, and the evidence hadn’t even been discovered!

Yu Yingxia had assumed that with the Master dead and the protagonist ascended, no powerful figure would obsess over the missing Yan Huaixi. Instead, the “finished” story had veered into the unknown. The Tianqiu Sect was hunting Yan Huaixi everywhere. With a massive headache, Yingxia could only take things one step at a time.

A thick scent of medicine wafted from the kitchen. Yingxia rushed back to pour it out. Now, her biggest headache was how to coax the Living Yama into taking her medicine.

She’s so badly injured, yet she won’t take her medicine or rest properly. A toddler is easier to handle!

Yu Yingxia carried the medicine to Yan Huaixi’s room. As she pushed the door open, the room was filled with the heavy scent of herbs mixed with a faint smell of blood.

“My Lord, the medicine is ready.” Yu Yingxia placed the bowl on the low cabinet by the bed.

The pale woman lying on the bed opened her eyes. There was an unidentifiable smile in her gaze. Yingxia didn’t know if it actually counted as a smile, but she instinctively tensed every time she saw it, like a small animal sensing danger.

“Why aren’t you calling me ‘Sister’ anymore?” Yan Huaixi propped herself up. A few strands of long hair fell over her shoulder, which she tucked behind her ear.

It had to be said that once you removed the blood-soaked aspect, Yan Huaixi was a charismatic person, both inside and out. If this were her previous life and the other was a law-abiding citizen, the female-attracted Yu Yingxia might have actually tried to pursue her.

Unfortunately… the person before her was a Living Yama. Even if Yingxia had any such thoughts, they had been scared away by the original owner’s “fireworks” of blood.

“Please forgive me, My Lord. That was a tactic of expediency. Your subordinate has no intention of overstepping.” After her respectful reply, she heard Yan Huaixi let out a light chuckle though it carried a faint chill.

Yu Yingxia sighed internally. Is this ancestor happy or not?

“Did that little girl leave?” Yan Huaixi dropped the topic of the title.

“Yes. Furthermore, I’ve heard there have been several murders outside the city. According to Fang Yuetong, someone seems to be trying to link those murders to you.” As Yingxia spoke, a cold hand was placed on her head.

Yingxia froze, thinking she’d said something wrong. Then she heard Yan Huaixi say: “You didn’t hit your head. How did you suddenly become smart?”

Yu Yingxia took a deep breath, trying to suppress her frustration. Before she could flatter her, a fragrance mixed with the scent of blood suddenly drew close.

“But a smart person doesn’t give my things to others.” This time, Yan Huaixi didn’t hide her displeasure.

Her things?

How could she possibly give the Living Yama’s things away? She wasn’t tired of living. Wait… could Yan Huaixi mean the sweet soup she gave Fang Yuetong?

A flash of realization hit Yingxia. she quickly improvised an explanation: “My Lord, the sweet soup I gave Fang Yuetong was just the failed initial batches and scraps. I prepared the best portion for you. It’s currently cooling in the well; as soon as you finish your medicine, I will fetch it for you.”

The dangerous aura that had terrified Yingxia vanished. Yan Huaixi said lazily, “Bring the sweet soup first.”

Yu Yingxia breathed a sigh of relief and made another mental note about this villain in her heart.

Not only is she moody, willful, and hates taking medicine… she’s also protective of her food!

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