I Could Never Fall In Love With A Villain - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: What a Coincidence…

Mu Yin’s first instinct was to delete him as a friend. However, before she could act, Mu Xuan called out to her, his brow furrowed.

“A few days ago, did Song Xingyao come to the office looking for you?”

Hearing the name, Mu Yin paused her movements. She looked up, her expression natural and composed. “So what if he did?”

Though she looked calm, she was annoyed. Song Xingyao was truly a magnet for trouble. As expected, word had already reached Mu Xuan’s ears. It made her wonder—just how many people in this circle were constantly watching her? A simple meeting at the end of the workday had spread instantly.

Mu Xuan’s frown deepened. “What did he want?”

Mu Yin smiled playfully. “I didn’t realize my brother had a habit of prying into people’s privacy.”

Her teasing failed to elicit the usual response. Mu Xuan stared at her expressionlessly, clearly demanding a proper answer.

A proper answer was out of the question.

“What could he want? Just something related to Song Jinxun. It wasn’t a big deal.” She spoke vaguely, using a light tone to brush the matter aside. But Mu Xuan had run the Mu Corporation long enough to know the ways of their social circle; he wasn’t a fool.

“Stay away from Song Xingyao,” Mu Xuan warned sternly. “His purpose in returning to the country is clear: he’s here to fight Song Jinxun for the family inheritance. The Mu family doesn’t need to get involved in their brotherly feud. Don’t be foolish enough to associate with him.”

He added meaningfully, “Remember, your fiancé is Song Jinxun.”

The atmosphere in the dining room turned heavy. Lin Ying, sensing an opportunity to perform, chimed in: “Exactly! Your brother is right. You need to get along with Jinxun. You can’t let him find out you’re in contact with Xingyao. It would cause a huge misunderstanding.”

Then she whispered an add-on: “If you aren’t sure which brother will win the inheritance, just keep it a secret. Don’t get caught!”

“…”

After a cold side-glance from Mu Xuan, Lin Ying shut her mouth.

Mu Yin put down her chopsticks and said calmly, “I have an idea.”

“?”

“Why don’t you send someone to break Song Xingyao’s legs? That way, what you’re worried about will never happen.”

“…”

Mu Yin’s brain must have been caught in a door, Mu Xuan concluded. He suppressed his exasperation and sneered, “Mu Yin, this is a society ruled by law.”

“Oh. It’s just that you don’t look very ‘proper.’ You look more like one of those overbearing CEOs who dance on the edge of the law.”

“…”

Mu Yin continued with a smile, “That’s a shame. If you actually did it, the position of Mu family heir might finally transfer to me.”

The more casual she sounded, the harder it was for Mu Xuan to lose his temper without looking like he couldn’t take a joke. The lecture he had planned was effectively derailed. He couldn’t tell if she was too stupid and wore her thoughts on her sleeve, or if she was incredibly clever.

Mu Yin slipped away successfully.

…

The Ambition of a Villainess

Back in her room, she pulled out her phone to finish deleting Pei Che. Her eyes caught the articles in the chat window, and her finger paused.

Maybe I’ll delay his ‘death sentence’ for a bit.

She began to read. What was a cursory glance earlier turned into deep immersion. Her mind raced, sparks of inspiration flying. She sat at her computer, fingers dancing across the keyboard, recording data and ideas.

Before coming to this world, her career was in AI and healthcare. She had been halfway through a major project when she arrived here. But she was still alive. This might be a book world, but her heart was beating. She was real. As long as she was alive, she could continue her dream.

It was a pity everything had to start from scratch. All her previous files and plans were now just fragmented memories. Thus, the materials Pei Che provided were invaluable.

When she focused, she forgot everything else. By the time she stood up, it was after midnight. Her body was exhausted, but her mind was buzzing with excitement. She checked her phone and found a message from Pei Che sent two hours ago.

Pei Che: If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask.

Hah. This guy was basically mocking her lack of knowledge. Mu Yin sneered. She decided to keep him as a contact a bit longer—just so she could prove her brilliance and leave him speechless later.

…

The Encounter at the Dorm

For the next few days, Mu Yin left early and returned late. Mu Xuan assumed she had returned to her old socialite life and ignored her. In reality, she was working on an AI demo. Using her management degree as a cover, she invented a “technical partner” and led a small team recommended by Professor Xu.

Today, after a meeting with Professor Xu at Jiabei University, Mu Yin walked toward the parking lot. As she reached her car, she spotted a girl on a bicycle riding through the flower-lined paths.

It was Liang Yunxi. The girl’s face carried a trace of anger.

“Liang Yunxi,” Mu Yin called out.

The girl braked hard, looking surprised. “Miss Mu… what a coincidence.” She tried to hide her mood, but her smile was forced.

“Just call me Mu Yin.” Mu Yin was curious. If the heroine was upset, it might affect the plot. “Do you have time? Want to take a walk?”

Liang Yunxi looked down at her business attire, which had a sticky stain on the skirt. “I’m sorry, I’m a bit… inconvenienced right now.”

“No problem,” Mu Yin smiled. “I have plenty of time. Go to your dorm and change. I’ll wait.”

Liang Yunxi relaxed. “I’ll be quick!”

As Liang Yunxi pedaled off, Mu Yin followed toward the dorm area to make the meeting easier. She found a shaded spot to wait. But instead of the heroine, a different familiar figure appeared.

Pei Che.

He walked through the sunlight, looking like a refreshing breeze. His black hair was perfectly neat, giving him an unexpectedly youthful air. He spotted her and began walking over.

Mu Yin’s internal alarm went off. The hero and heroine both at the same university? That meant—

Encountering Pei Che at Jiabei University, Mu Yin gives a delicate, coquettish smile.

Mu Yin sneered internally.

Mu Yin won’t miss a chance to spend time with Pei Che! But she suddenly thinks of Liang Yunxi… If she comes down now, she’ll ruin their precious alone time. Mu Yin uses her ‘not-so-clever’ brain to come up with a plan. Unfortunately, her scheme fails. Pei Che sees right through her… Just then, Liang Yunxi appears. For Pei Che, time seems to freeze…

Good grief. It was bad enough being a villainess, but why did she have to have a “destined to fail” ending in every scene?

Pei Che noticed a flicker of resentment in Mu Yin’s eyes. He paused, considering walking the other way. But the next second, Mu Yin stepped forward. The sunlight hit her chestnut eyes, making them look vibrant and dazzling.

“What a coincidence… Professor Pei.”

Mu Yin admired her own acting—she had accepted her fate in three seconds. To keep her life points, she had to play the “dim-witted villainess” role.

“Yes, quite a coincidence,” Pei Che said calmly. “But this is the dorm area. Why are you here?”

Mu Yin had a sudden “brilliant” idea. “I’m lost.”

“?”

“So, Professor Pei, could you lead me to the school gate?”

“…”

Even Mu Yin felt the excuse was stupid, but she didn’t want to waste energy being clever with her nemesis. The plot said she had to be easily seen through, so she would play the part, act as a background prop, and wait for the “romantic encounter” between the leads. It didn’t hurt her either way.

Pei Che was silent for a long time. Just as Mu Yin was growing impatient, he spoke.

“Fine. Let’s go.”