I Could Never Fall In Love With A Villain - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: I Want to Get to Know You

The night breeze brushed the stray hairs near her ears, and a chill seeped into her collar, but it successfully dispersed the lingering scent of alcohol.

Cabs were hard to come by on the bar street, so Mu Yin walked a few hundred meters to the main road. Traffic flowed like a river, but the world felt quiet, devoid of much human chatter. Having had a few drinks, Mu Yin felt thirsty. She scanned her surroundings and fixed her gaze on a 24-hour convenience store.

The glass doors slid open with a welcoming chime. Mu Yin headed straight for the beverage cooler. It was late, and there were few customers, so voices carried easily through the aisles.

“Excuse me…”

“Could I add you on WeChat? I’d really like to get to know you, if that’s okay?”

A girl’s voice, bold yet shy, drifted from behind a shelf. Mu Yin had no intention of eavesdropping; she just wanted her water and to leave. But the voice that responded next sounded far too familiar—

“Sorry.” Though polite, the tone was cold and left no room for negotiation.

Mu Yin took two steps back and glanced sideways. Standing behind the shelf was Pei Che. His height and presence were striking, making him impossible to miss even in a cramped convenience store. He stood with his head slightly lowered, his expression detached—a textbook “do not disturb” posture.

The girl was exceptionally brave to approach him. She was pretty and clearly confident, persisting despite the initial rejection.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

Pei Che’s tone turned even flatter: “That’s none of your business.”

Normally, anyone else would have retreated by now. No matter how handsome the guy was, who would want to keep pressing against such a cold face? But the girl only wavered for a second before becoming firm again. Her smile remained bright. “If you don’t have a girlfriend, can we at least be friends? I really want to know you.”

A little sun, Mu Yin thought. The heroine, Liang Yunxi, was also a “little sun” type—which meant this was Pei Che’s supposed type. However, in this world, no matter how beautiful or excellent a girl was, if she wasn’t the lead, she was just “Passerby A.”

The hero and heroine were destined to be together. This girl’s attempt was doomed.

Mu Yin grabbed her water and headed for the counter. She walked past the shelf without looking, pretending not to see Pei Che. But she felt a gaze land on her. He had definitely seen her.

Whatever, we aren’t close, she thought. Right then—

Mu Yin didn’t expect to run into Pei Che at a convenience store. This stroke of luck from the heavens left her ecstatic.

Mu Yin: “…”

Seeing a girl hitting on Pei Che, Mu Yin felt a surge of discomfort—she didn’t even have his WeChat yet! No, she had to stop this. Mu Yin fixed the girl with a dark, sinister gaze…

Mu Yin: “…”

Mu Yin stopped in her tracks and directed that “dark gaze” at Pei Che instead. Perhaps her eyes really were quite dark, because Pei Che immediately looked over. Their eyes met. Mu Yin expressionlessly looked away and turned toward the girl who was pulling out her phone.

She stepped forward. The girl noticed her approach and looked confused.

Mu Yin decisively pulled out her own phone. “Wow, you’re so beautiful! Can I add your WeChat?”

“…”

The girl froze for a long moment before mechanically opening her app. “Su-sure…”

The two girls swapped contacts. Mu Yin lavished her with praise: “Your profile picture is so cute. It suits you—you’re like a little sun.”

“Thank you,” the girl stammered, blushing with genuine happiness. “You’re very beautiful too. It’s nice to meet you.”

“To celebrate our new friendship, let me buy you this drink, okay?”

“I couldn’t possibly—”

“Don’t be polite! This flavor is great, try it.”

…

The “Good Intentions” of an Arch-Nemesis

After paying, the girl left with her drink, completely forgetting about the handsome stranger’s WeChat. Mu Yin was satisfied. Her life points jumped up several days.

As a reward, Mu Yin grabbed a popsicle at the register.

“Eating ice in this season will give you diarrhea,” a cool voice said.

Pei Che walked up to the counter to pay. He didn’t look at her, but the comment was clearly directed her way.

Heh, arch-nemesis. Mu Yin wasn’t about to play nice. She countered sharply, “Professor Pei, are you always this fond of meddling in other people’s business?”

Pei Che lowered his eyes. “Just a friendly reminder.”

“Thank you,” Mu Yin said, her voice dripping with frost. “My smart toilet at home provides an excellent experience. Even if I have diarrhea, I’m not worried.”

As she threw out that line, she thought she saw the corner of Pei Che’s mouth twitch into a smile. But when she looked closer, he was back to his usual indifferent self. Ignoring him, she tore open the popsicle and walked out.

Outside, she realized she was near Jiabei University. No wonder she ran into him.

While waiting for her ride under a tree, she scrolled through her phone while gnawing on the popsicle. She finished it quickly and spent the remaining time boredom-biting the wooden stick. When her car arrived, she tossed the stick into the trash and left.

Outside the store, Pei Che stood for a long moment before moving. His gaze swept over the trash can. It was somewhat full, and the popsicle stick was visible, clearly showing deep teeth marks. He retracted his gaze and crossed the street.

…

The Meeting of the “Heirs”

“Mr. Mu, here is all the information on Liang Yunxi.”

Morning sunlight streamed through the 33rd-floor windows onto the meeting room floor. The secretary placed a file on the black marble table. On either side of the table sat Mu Xuan and Song Jinxun.

Song Jinxun adjusted his cufflinks, his voice gentle. “Why do you want the file of an intern? And why come here personally just for this?”

Mu Xuan opened the file. “It’s not what you think.”

“And what exactly am I thinking?”

Mu Xuan sneered. “Something filthy.”

“I haven’t said a word,” Song Jinxun smiled, sipping his coffee. “But since I’ve met your request, can you tell me why?”

After finishing the file, Mu Xuan looked up. “Fine. But I want to meet her first.”

Liang Yunxi was an intern at Song’s company; meeting her wasn’t hard. Song Jinxun asked, “With what purpose?”

“Our companies are collaborators. Isn’t it normal to have a meeting and bring an intern along to take notes?”

Song Jinxun’s smile remained, but his eyes were steady. “Mu Xuan, your behavior makes me even more curious about this person.”

Mu Xuan curled his lip. “Suppress that curiosity. Don’t forget, you have a fiancée.”

The mention of Mu Yin caused Song Jinxun’s smile to fade slightly. Their families were tied by profit, so the two men were on good terms—at least on the surface. But they never talked about Mu Yin. Mu Xuan was distant from his half-sister, and Song Jinxun viewed the marriage as a business transaction, lacking any personal contact or affection.

Silence filled the room. Mu Xuan seemed to realize his slip but then chuckled. “Endure it. A lifetime passes quickly.” He was intentionally trying to annoy Song Jinxun.

“…” Song Jinxun kept his gentle smile. “If she wants to stay at the Mu house after the wedding, I’d highly approve. With her brother’s care, I’m sure her life will be easier.”

Silence again. After their verbal sparring, they returned to their facade of friendship. Song Jinxun turned to the secretary: “Go arrange it. Have this intern… Liang Yunxi, attend the next meeting.”

…

The Professor and the Student

Cai Xiaochun: Let’s go get our nails done. Mu Yin: Not going. Cai Xiaochun: Why not? Oh~~ I heard you’re back at the office. Have you turned a new leaf to become a model employee? ^_^ Mu Yin: Not working. Cai Xiaochun: 0.0 Then what are you doing? Mu Yin: Going to school.

Ignoring Cai’s flood of question marks, Mu Yin looked up at the gates of Jiabei University. It was a prestigious, historic institution. She walked through the leaf-strewn paths to an office building and found the room she was looking for.

She knocked. “Hello, Professor Xu. I’m Mu Yin. I received a recommendation from my undergraduate tutor to consult you on some matters. Thank you for making the time.”

Professor Xu, a kind man in black-rimmed glasses, smiled. “You’re here. Sit, sit. I’m very casual, no need for formalities.”

Mu Yin relaxed and sat down. There was another knock at the door.

“Professor Xu.” “Come in.”

The door opened. A strikingly handsome man entered, silhouetted against the light. His eyes were as calm as water, looking at Mu Yin as if they were strangers.

Mu Yin’s internal monologue: “…”

Why is it the arch-nemesis again?

Pei Che.