Damn It! I Fell for the Hated Villainess Again! - Chapter 9

The draft Jiang Yao designed specifically for Li An’an earned Professor Peng’s approval. Next came the renderings and technical drawings. If all went smoothly, entering this piece in competitions would guarantee a top placement.

With the anxiety that had been weighing on her finally resolved, Jiang Yao’s spirits soared. She rushed back to school and immediately threw herself into creating the renderings, working tirelessly until the dormitory lights went out. Only then did she remember she hadn’t checked Yu Tanning’s reply.

As soon as she unlocked her phone, a forum notification popped up.

Jiang Yao glimpsed her own name and Yu Tanning’s in the notification preview and, driven by some inexplicable impulse, clicked on it.

She was used to seeing her name linked to insults, but she never expected this anonymous accusation to target Yu Tanning instead of her.

[Anonymous User: Yu Tanning, the External Relations Minister, is truly a master of manipulation! Her “selfless dedication” in switching to Jiang Yao’s dorm? Pure PR stunt! She’s just riding Jiang Yao’s coattails to gain sympathy and secure the next Student Union presidency. Even worse, when the other Student Union members realized her scheme, Yu Tanning acted like a dog guarding its food, making up excuses to keep others away from Jiang Yao, as if they were stealing her votes! Seriously? Yu Tanning, did you patent Jiang Yao or something? Stop with the unfair competition! I used to think you were easy to get along with, but you’re two-faced! What, does your family sell bedsheets or something?!]

[Little Bear Security: OP, are you brave enough to use your real name online? You’re the most ridiculous of all the people jealous of Senior Yu! If you’re such a conspiracy theorist, why didn’t you apply to room with Jiang Yao?]

[Ubiquitous Momo: So that’s why the Student Union members have been hounding Jiang Yao everywhere. It’s all about the upcoming elections.]

[No Cilantro (Grad School Bound): So, whoever wins Jiang Yao wins the presidency? Let’s think differently: if I win Jiang Yao, can I get a guaranteed spot in grad school?]

[Cui Guo: Don’t even think about it, upstairs. That would be the biggest stain on your academic record.]

Which Student Union coward is this anonymous Yu Tanning hater? You were so timid back then, but now you’re green with envy and acting crazy. You want all the benefits without any of the sacrifices? Stop trying to have your cake and eat it too!

Jiang Yao scrolled through the entire thread, her fingers tightening around her phone.

Was Yu Tanning being unfairly targeted because of her own unpopularity, or had Yu Tanning approached her with ulterior motives all along?

Jiang Yao had harbored doubts ever since Yu Tanning actively requested to switch dorm rooms. But the nights they’d spent together, the deliberately dimmed desk lamp, and Yu Tanning’s tired yet genuine smiles had wrapped around her thorny heart like delicate silk threads, softening its edges. She began to crave this rare kindness, convincing herself that having Yu Tanning as a roommate wasn’t so bad after all.

Confident in her own steely resolve, Jiang Yao believed she could always retreat unscathed. She chose to deceive herself, playing deaf and dumb.

Now that the pretense had been shattered, it felt like a sudden downpour. She was forced to abandon her bubble of tenderness, compelled to return to reason, to retreat into her original cold, prickly shell.

Lost in thought, her phone vibrated in her palm. Yu Tanning’s name flashed on the lock screen.

Jiang Yao stared at the blinking cursor, her finger hovering over the answer button. Should she confront Yu Tanning immediately, severing their ties in a heated argument? Or should she follow Yu Tanning’s example, maintaining a facade of normalcy while gradually drifting apart? Her heart churned with conflicting emotions, like a small boat caught in a storm, unable to find its way to shore.

It wasn’t until Yu Tanning’s third call that Jiang Yao numbly answered, bracing herself for the unknown storm brewing.

Yu Tanning’s voice, still groggy from jet lag, carried an urgency Jiang Yao hadn’t heard before. “Boss, have you seen the post on the school forum? The one about us?”

Jiang Yao scoffed coldly. “What a coincidence. I just saw it when your call came through.”

“Boss, I’m sorry. I I owe you an explanation.”

The line crackled with background noise—loud English voices urging something. Jiang Yao could tell Yu Tanning was already at the business competition venue.

Jiang Yao had expected a furious, blood-boiling argument after answering Yu Tanning’s call. Instead, she found herself surprisingly calm.

Perhaps because their time together had been brief, all the resentment and bitterness were merely bean-sized seeds of malice. The emotional storm had swept through quickly, leaving no trace behind.

“Yu Tanning, I know why you switched dorms. But I don’t care. You were a decent roommate, and I didn’t lose out,” Jiang Yao said slowly. “But I’m warning you now: stop playing games with me. Once you become Student Union president, we’ll part ways amicably.”

“That’s not true,” Yu Tanning said, gripping the phone tightly, straining to ensure her voice carried clearly through the call. “I admit, initially, switching roommates was a strategic move for work. But after getting to know you, I don’t want to just be your roommate anymore.”

A moment of silence hung in the air before Jiang Yao replied earnestly, “Jiang Yao, I want to be your friend. I mean it.”

I want to be your friend—the words dropped like a pebble into a deep pool, sending ripples through Jiang Yao’s heart.

Jiang Yao bit her lip, listening to the faint static crackling through the receiver. Her voice, tinged with anger, rose sharply. “Yu Tanning, I already agreed to be your roommate! What more do you want? Are you just playing with me? You say you want to be friends—how can you prove it? How can you prove you’re not just saying this to win the student council election?!”

“I admit I’m a bad woman. Every interaction I have is calculated and strategic. I treated you the same way at first, manipulating you at every turn, creating the illusion of a close relationship to outsiders to advance my own interests.”

As Yu Tanning spoke, her voice softened. “But I have to admit, being with you has been the easiest and happiest time of my life. The way you pursue your dreams, your courage to stand against the world—that’s the version of you I admire most. Jiang Yao, you’re the first friend I’ve ever truly wanted to make. Because you’re both the first and the most important, I selfishly don’t want anyone else to copy my methods and steal you away.”

Yu Tanning chuckled softly, a hint of helplessness in her voice. “I’m sorry, Boss, I can’t prove my sincerity with just a few words. After my competition this afternoon, I’ll rebook the earliest flight back. Then I’ll personally show you how I feel. Okay?”

Is she crazy?! This sounds like a confession!

Jiang Yao gritted her teeth and tossed her phone onto the bedside table, burying her burning face in the covers and desperately trying to regain her composure.

Yu Tanning’s voice still lingered faintly from the bedside table, filled with cautious probing and a tender reluctance, flowing into Jiang Yao’s heart like the moonlight streaming through the window.

“Boss, are you asleep?”

“Why aren’t you answering?”

The urgent English voice on the other end of the line was loud and clear, while Yu Tanning’s voice trailed off like a drifting duckweed in the wind, sounding utterly pitiful. “Boss, they’re being so annoying, constantly pressuring me to go on stage.”

“Wait for me to get a good result, and we’ll celebrate when I get back, Boss.”

“Good night, and thank you for believing in me, Jiang Yao.”

Jiang Yao’s heart skipped a beat. She rubbed her burning cheeks, her lips moved slightly, but only a faint sound escaped her throat before it was cut off by the distinct click of the call ending.

Hugging her quilt, she sat on the bed, staring at the phone screen as it gradually went dark. Her breath caught in her throat, and she slammed her fist into the pillow.

“Yu Tanning! I hate you so much!”

Jiang Yao absolutely hated Yu Tanning! What she hated most was that even after all the drama, that saint Yu Tanning still insisted on covering her classes on time.

Jiang Yao was still seething inwardly and refused to wear Yu Tanning’s clothes to class. Fortunately, Professor Lin was not only face-blind but also a staunch straight woman, completely oblivious to “Yu Tanning’s” sudden change in style. After class, the professor enthusiastically kept the “Department of Finance’s top student” behind, who had delivered a flawless presentation.

“Xiao Yu, your transcript is the most perfect submission I’ve received so far. I never imagined someone studying finance could have such novel insights into clothing fabrics.” Professor Lin warmly pulled Jiang Yao into a seat and picked up her transcript, rereading it intently. “I didn’t notice it the first time, but after hearing your presentation this morning, I realized you’ve actually managed to combine the underlying logic of financial models with textile structural design. It’s truly fascinating.”

Jiang Yao forced a stiff smile.

It’s all because that damn Yu Tanning was afraid of leaving any loopholes and crammed financial jargon into everything! She tainted my perfectly good research on clothing fabrics with the stench of money! I hate her so much!

Naturally, Jiang Yao couldn’t let this go unchallenged. “Professor Lin, you’re too kind. Actually, the model analysis methods from finance are secondary. The core lies in the inherent properties and aesthetic value of the fabrics themselves. Without understanding the fundamental attributes of the materials, even the most sophisticated models are just empty theory.”

“Take this section, for example,” she said, gently tapping a paragraph in the transcript about yarn density analysis. “While I’ve used warp and weft threads as metaphors for different investment assets, the core purpose is to achieve a dynamic balance between the fabric’s artistic patterns, luster, and breathability. I believe this balance is what truly matters.”

Professor Lin pushed up his reading glasses, his curiosity piqued. “Then, in your opinion, how can we reconcile functionality and artistry in today’s popular smart textiles?”

Jiang Yao recalled the prototype she had designed for Li An’an, and inspiration struck. “I don’t have a background in materials science, so please don’t scold me if this sounds naive. For instance, temperature-sensitive color-changing fabrics are trending now. If we prioritize sensitivity to temperature, we might sacrifice the smoothness of color transitions. So I was thinking, what if we blended temperature-sensitive materials with shape-memory spandex? This would achieve the futuristic effect of shape-shifting with body heat while preserving the traditional beauty of woven patterns through jacquard techniques.”

“Intriguing,” Professor Lin chuckled, his smile widening. He pulled open a drawer and handed Jiang Yao a swatch of fabric. “I’m working on a project with the Yu Group, focusing on applying temperature-sensitive materials in haute couture. Would you be interested in joining?”

“Yu Corporation?!” Jiang Yao hadn’t even had time to admire the temperature-sensitive fabric before the name struck her like a thunderbolt, leaving her ears ringing.

“Haha, what a coincidence, right? I initially thought it was your family’s company too,” Professor Lin said. “After reading your detailed notes, I felt you were destined for this project. I kept you here today to gauge your interest.”

Jiang Yao froze, as if struck by lightning. She swallowed hard, forcing a strained smile. “Ah, ah, that’s wonderful! Thank you so much, Professor Lin! I’m very interested!”

Don’t feel guilty!

Yu Tanning is so annoying! What’s wrong with getting back at her once?

Besides! That brat shares the Yu surname. If she joins the project team, she might even get adopted by a wealthy patron and skyrocket to success. By then, she’ll be thanking me for the opportunity!

*******

Meanwhile, Yu Tanning, fresh off the plane, received a series of bewildered messages from her mother:

[Xu Wan: Tanning, why did you sign up for the clothing materials project our company is collaborating on with Beijing University?]

[Xu Wan: Why are you suddenly interested in this? Won’t it interfere with your major coursework?]

Yu Tanning stared at her phone screen, Jiang Yao’s pouting face flashing in her mind. She couldn’t help but chuckle.

[Yu Tanning: Maybe the cat signed me up.]

[Yu Tanning: Don’t worry, Mom. It won’t interfere with my studies. The little cat’s got it covered [winking emoji].]

[Xu Wan: ?]

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