After Transmigrating into a Book as Cannon Fodder, I Pampered the Villain - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Ridicule

Yan Huaixi, who was quietly washing vegetables, suddenly felt a probing gaze. She looked up and locked eyes with Yu Yingxia.

“What is it?” Yan tilted her head slightly, a trace of a smile lingering in her eyes.

Yingxia’s heart skipped a beat. she turned away and continued kneading dough as if nothing had happened. “I just think… you treat Fang Yuetong very differently.”

“Oh? How so?” Yan’s tone carried a hint of genuine interest.

“Your attitude toward her isn’t like that toward an enemy. It’s very different from how you treat… Yin Duo. Sometimes, I feel like your tone with her is like that of an elder dealing with an underachieving junior. Perhaps I’m overthinking it.” Though Yingxia walked back her words, she felt it wasn’t an illusion.

Yan Huaixi was a person who sought vengeance for the smallest slight. Anyone who wanted her life would usually be repaid a thousandfold—like the previous Sect Master or Yin Duo. During the early days of caring for her, Yingxia used to wake up from nightmares and check if her head was still attached to her neck.

But Fang Yuetong was the one who had actually stabbed Yan, yet the harshest word Yan had for her was “stupid.” It sounded less like an insult and more like a senior’s frustration with a junior’s lack of sense.

Was it just because Fang had been deceived? Unlikely. Yan Huaixi was petty; she didn’t possess such a vast, forgiving heart. Seeing them together today confirmed it: Yan was cold on the surface, but she harbored no real hostility. She even let the homeless “Samoyed” into the house!

Comparing their treatments, Yingxia felt quite tragic. She had cleaned up the original body’s mess and was nearly killed for it, while Fang stabbed Yan and got the “guest of honor” treatment. Yingxia wanted to cry from envy.

“That little girl is different,” Yan said, placing the washed vegetables into a basin. “She was stolen by Yin Duo shortly after she was born. Part of that was my fault, so I can’t blame her for what happened.”

Yingxia stopped kneading, stunned. She was actually hearing Yan Huaixi reflect on her own mistakes? And what did she mean by saying it was “her fault” that Fang was taken?

“Still curious?” Yan used her wet hand to pinch Yingxia’s cheek.

Yingxia instinctively rubbed her face to dry it, forgetting her hands were covered in flour. She ended up smearing white powder all over herself like a calico cat. The culprit, Yan Huaixi, actually had the nerve to snicker. Yingxia gave her a “vicious” glare.

“Alright, don’t be angry. I’ll wipe it off.” Yan obediently used a clean handkerchief to tidy Yingxia’s face.

Yingxia could only glare; she didn’t have the courage to retaliate. But Yan’s words had piqued her curiosity. Was there a deeper connection? The system’s data didn’t specify, but there were hints pointing toward the Guanyue Villa fire decades ago.

However, Yingxia knew Guanyue Villa was Yan’s ultimate taboo. Anyone who pried usually ended up in a bad way. She didn’t want to end up mining in the middle of nowhere or being a “feeder” for living corpses. She quickly snuffed out her curiosity. Who knew if Yan’s playful words were a trap?

Just as she was grumbling internally, she saw Yan approaching the stove. Remembering past disasters, Yingxia’s internal alarms blared. She turned just in time to see Yan about to pour half a ladle of cold water into a pot of hot oil prepared for frying meatballs…

“MASTER!!!” Yingxia lunged forward and grabbed Yan’s arm, her face pale.

Yan Huaixi looked utterly innocent, staring at her like a bad cat about to cause trouble.

“Master, please… go outside and play? Maybe go for a walk?” Yingxia “invited” her out, none too subtly.

Yan looked wounded. In a soft, almost pouting voice, she said, “I just wanted to help you.”

Yingxia almost softened. When Yan hid her sharp edges and acted spoiled, she was dangerously persuasive. But the image of cold water hitting hot oil kept Yingxia firm.

“Master… Sister. For your sister’s safety, please go out and play.” After crowning Yan with the “Good Sister” title, the villainess was forced out of the kitchen, looking quite displeased.

“Sigh…” Yan leaned against the kitchen door and sighed.

Then, a shadow approached. It was Fang Yuetong. The girl stood there with her bowl, looking innocent. “I heard Miss Yu scream. Did something happen?”

“Nothing,” Yan said, immediately straightening up to hide her embarrassment.

“…You caused trouble in the kitchen, didn’t you? Otherwise, Miss Yu wouldn’t have kicked you out.” The usually slow Fang Yuetong guessed the truth instantly!

Yan glanced at her. This brat—why was she slow when she should be smart, and smart when she should be slow? If she used this intuition on her own sect, she would have realized it was a den of filth long ago! Yan turned away in a huff.

Fang didn’t mind. She slipped into the kitchen, saying, “I’ll go help Miss Yu.”

Yan let out a sharp, angry laugh. A-Wu wasn’t this annoying. It must be the bad feng shui of the Tianqiu Sect that raised such a brat!

A moment later, the kitchen door opened again. Fang Yuetong was pushed out by Yingxia in the exact same manner.

Yingxia maintained a strained smile. “Sister, take the guest to play. Don’t come back until I’ve finished cooking.”

Both of them are kitchen hazards! They really are one family!

The kitchen door shut. Yan Huaixi burst into laughter. Fang had walked in looking so confident, yet she was just as useless as Yan herself.

“What did you do?” Yan asked the now-pouting Fang.

“I… accidentally poured half a jar of salt into the pot,” Fang confessed honestly.

Yan laughed for a long time. When it looked like Fang was about to dig a hole in the ground to hide in, Yan finally said, “Go back to the room. Don’t bother her.” A rabbit bites when cornered; if they kept at it, Yingxia would truly be furious.

Due to the “help” of the two geniuses, dinner took twice as long as usual. Yingxia wanted to hang a sign on the door: No Villains or Heroines Allowed.

At the dinner table, Fang Yuetong dropped a bombshell. “I’ve decided to rent the courtyard next door. I’ll live there until this matter is resolved.”

Yingxia felt like a Samoyed had just followed her home looking for a master. If their identities weren’t so awkward, she’d welcome Fang—she was kind and powerful. But… Yingxia suspected if she dropped her disguise, Fang’s sword would turn her into a kebab instantly.

She peeked at Yan, who was calmly eating dessert, seemingly unconcerned about the risk of exposure.

“The corpse-refiners are still around,” Fang explained. “If I leave, they might retaliate against you. If I’m here, they won’t dare move. And if they do, I can catch them!”

Fang had already rented the place. She even plastered the Yu courtyard with protective talismans before she left. “If anything happens, just yell my name. I’ll hear you.”

Once Fang disappeared into the night, Yan set up a soundproof barrier. “Why the sigh? Don’t want her here?”

“No,” Yingxia said. “I’m just thinking… there aren’t many Void-Reaching cultivators in the world, yet there are two in this tiny town. If the enemies come, there might be four. Sanxi City could be leveled in an instant.”

She had wanted to take Yan into a peaceful seclusion, but the System had dropped them right under the enemy’s nose. Yingxia cursed the System internally. Still, Fang’s presence brought a strange sense of security. Maybe the Heroine would drop from the sky to save her from a Boss?

She glanced at the “Boss” beside her, only to find Yan staring back. Yingxia looked guilty immediately.

“What are you thinking?” Yan leaned in close.

“I…” Yingxia’s mind raced for an excuse.

“Are you badmouthing me in your head?”

“I wouldn’t dare!” I’m not badmouthing, just stating facts! Yingxia didn’t realize her soul was broadcasting her emotions. Yan, a master of soul arts, was essentially “reading” her.

In the past, Yan would have punished her. But now, she wanted to be a “Good Sister.” Thinking of A-Wu, she simply ruffled Yingxia’s hair again. “Don’t worry. If a fight breaks out, I’ll get you to safety first.”

Yingxia was touched. Yan hadn’t punished her and even gave a guarantee. Her heart softened. “If it comes to that… I hope you’ll come to safety with me.”

“Master? Protector Yu? Why are you standing at the door?”

Jiang Li had returned, holding a book. She looked confused at the two women who were practically stuck together.

“Tsk.”

Someone clicked their tongue in the dark. Jiang Li knew it was the Master. Oh no! Did I walk in at the wrong time? I should have jumped the wall!

Yan Huaixi naturally took Yingxia’s hand. “Let’s go in. Don’t forget your Soul Path lesson tonight.”

As they entered, Jiang Li rubbed her eyes. Protector Yu’s methods are no joke. If she can enter the Master’s room at night… is their relationship really that simple?

Jiang Li looked at the book in her hand—a “special edition” treasure she’d found in a secret bookstore today. It had exquisite illustrations. She flipped a page by candlelight. So beautiful! This artist’s style is so unique… the way they use ‘concealment’ to create ambiguity is amazing!

The bookstore owner had said the artist was ill, so new works were delayed. Jiang Li had even offered to heal the artist for free just to get more content.

Suddenly, a cold hand landed on her shoulder. Jiang Li nearly threw her poison before seeing it was Yan Huaixi.

“What are you reading?” Yan’s eyes fixed on the book Jiang Li was hiding.

“Just… a boring novel to pass the time,” Jiang Li lied. She assumed Yan wouldn’t care.

But thanks to Yingxia, Yan was very interested in novels now. “You were laughing quite happily for it to be ‘boring’.” Yan narrowed her eyes.

Jiang Li, a master of self-preservation, handed the book over. “I found this at the bookstore… you might not like it.”

Yan flipped it open. She recognized the art style immediately. It was another story similar to the one about the Daoist Sovereign. So, Yingxia had drawn many of these? Yang Xunzhou really did corrupt her!

Yan tucked the book into her sleeve. “I’ll take this. It looks interesting. I’ll return it when I’m done.”

“Yes…” Jiang Li looked miserable. Wait… the Master thinks that story is ‘interesting’? Does that mean she and Yingxia really… She gasped. She never imagined the “opportunist” Yu Yingxia would actually manage to climb into the Master’s bed!

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