The Villain Recognizes the Female Lead as His Master [Transmigration] - Chapter 16

The Demon Realm, deep within a dense forest.

A man in white held a crossbow, the bowstring pressed against the neck of a burly figure clad in dark armor.

Wei Yang had been a prodigy since childhood, undefeated in battle. Yet today, he had lost to Yuan Shao’s disciple a nobody, whose spiritual weapon, no less, had been crafted by his own hands.

Could there be any greater humiliation?

Pinned down, Wei Yang pointed to a nearby water mirror. “Yuan Shao is in there locked away by our young master!”

Wei Yang was certain no one could emerge alive from that water mirror.

If Yuan Shao could, then he would accept his defeat with genuine respect.

The rain had poured all night, leaving the air outside exceptionally fresh. Even the breeze carried the scent of grass.

The chirping of birds outside the window slowly roused Chi Jinnian from sleep. But the sight that greeted her instantly banished all drowsiness, jolting her wide awake.

Before her was a delicate face, so close she could almost touch it. Long lashes cast faint shadows beneath the eyes, a high nose bridge, and lips naturally tinted like rose petals.

And she was nestled in the other’s embrace, her head resting on their arm, her fingers clutching their robe, clinging to Yuan Shao like a sloth wrapped around a tree.

Startled, Chi Jinnian instinctively recoiled. The movement woke the person beside her. Eyelids fluttered before slowly opening, meeting her gaze directly.

Chi Jinnian bolted upright. “M-Master!” She glanced at Yuan Shao, then at her own bedding on the floor, as if asking: How did this happen?

Yuan Shao seemed to understand her expression. “Last night, you turned over, and the thread wasn’t long enough. You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to disturb you. So I had to move closer.”

Chi Jinnian uttered an “Oh,” apologized to Yuan Shao, untied the red thread, and dashed out of the room.

The cool well water splashed against her cheeks, the icy sensation sharpening her thoughts: She had slept in Yuan Shao’s arms all night.

Chi Jinnian had a habit of hugging something while sleeping. In her original world, she would cling to a stuffed bear by her bedside every night. She loved the warmth and softness of burying her face in its plush body, the familiar scent bringing her comfort and peace.

But now, what she had clung to wasn’t a toy bear! It was a person! A person who might one day drive a sword through her heart!

At the thought, Chi Jinnian scooped another handful of spring water and splashed her face. After this night, she was more determined than ever to send Yuan Shao away as soon as possible.

If they stayed together any longer, who knew what might happen next!

Meanwhile, Yuan Shao sat alone, staring at the spot where Chi Jinnian had fled.

The tension and fear in her little disciple’s expression hadn’t escaped her notice. Yuan Shao didn’t understand,why had her disciple been so affectionate last night, only to wake up trembling with terror today? As if every hair on her body stood on end.

Her fingertips, gripping the edge of the bedding, turned white Was she really so repulsive?

The red thread still dangled from her wrist, but the other end the one who had claimed to be afraid had been the first to untie it.

Yuan Shao undid the knot on her own wrist, carefully coiled the thread, and tucked it into her sleeve.

When Chi Jinnian returned with breakfast, Yuan Shao had already finished washing up and was tidying the bedding.

Before entering, Chi Jinnian took a deep breath to psych herself up: Once they entered the Water Mirror and she returned Yuan Shao to the original male lead, Su Tingxi, she could extricate herself from this farce completely. After that, all she had to do was happily continue her role as the young mistress of the demon realm and peacefully wait for the grand finale.

With this thought, Chi Jinnian’s previously gloomy mood brightened a little, and she stepped into the room with a light gait. “Master, I brought breakfast.”

She poured soy milk into a bowl and pushed it toward Yuan Shao, thoughtfully adding a spoonful of sugar for her.

Then, she tore off a small piece of fried dough and pinched it between her fingers, ready to drop it into her own bowl of soy milk.

“Last night, was the floor cold?” Yuan Shao’s sudden question froze Chi Jinnian in place, her fingers clutching the fried dough tightly, unwilling to let go.

“It,it was fine.” What kind of question was that? Didn’t you sleep on the floor too last night?!

Chi Jinnian kept her head down, not daring to look at Yuan Shao’s expression, and urged, “Master, drink quickly. Soy milk doesn’t taste good when it’s cold!”

Seeing that Chi Jinnian didn’t want to dwell on last night, Yuan Shao didn’t press further and silently picked up her spoon, stirring the soy milk in her bowl.

Even though sugar had been added, Yuan Shao found it tasted faintly sour and bitter.

After breakfast, Yuan Shao watched as Chi Jinnian pulled out the same set of men’s clothing she had brought last time from the wardrobe and asked, “When are we going to that place you mentioned?”

Chi Jinnian replied, “No rush. Let’s prepare today and set off tomorrow.” The Water Mirror was perilous. According to the original book, the initial surroundings appeared lush and vibrant, but the higher one climbed, the colder it became. Along the way, they would encounter all kinds of harsh weather, so they naturally had to be well-prepared.

Yuan Shao was the main female lead, and though she faced no real difficulties, this was Chi Jinnian’s last chance to cling to her coattails. Thorough preparations would also buy some time for the male lead, Su Tingxi.

Chi Jinnian first took Yuan Shao to Yihui Hall to have cloaks tailored for both of them.

She instructed the attendant that the cloaks must be warm, capable of shielding against wind and rain, made of lightweight fabric, and most importantly stylish.

The attendant knew Chi Jinnian was a valued guest of their shopkeeper and naturally didn’t dare slack off. He brought out the finest mermaid silk for her to choose from.

Just as Chi Jinnian was overwhelmed by the dazzling array of colorful fabrics, Yuan Shao slowly walked to the third-floor balcony, which offered a clear view of the stage below. One of the perks of the VIP area was that conversations from below could be heard, but those above couldn’t be overheard by those downstairs.

This ensured the privacy of the upper-floor guests while allowing them to stay fully informed about the happenings below.

Sure enough, standing there, Yuan Shao overheard a conversation between a man and a woman at one of the casual seating areas downstairs.

The woman said, “We’re getting married next month. I’ve prepared the jade hairpin for you. Have you gotten the bracelet for me? I thought the one just now looked really nice.”

The man replied, “I’m a bit short on funds right now. Yihui Hall’s might be a bit out of reach. Can you wait a little longer? I’ll make it up to you after we’re married, okay?”

Hearing this, the woman immediately flared up and snapped, “Why should I?! It’s tradition for both the man and woman to exchange jade hairpins and bracelets at the wedding. Why do other girls get theirs, but I have to wait until after we’re married?!”

The woman’s anger inadvertently raised her voice, drawing the attention of many onlookers around them.

What followed was nothing more than the woman lamenting all the man’s past wrongdoings, compounded by today’s incident, leading to a heated argument between the two. Yuan Shao disliked listening to such domestic squabbles and thus retreated back into the house.

At that moment, Chi Jinnian had just finished selecting the fabric and style for the cloak, and the tailor came to take their measurements. The tailor appeared to be of some age, likely already married. Unintentionally, Yuan Shao’s gaze fell upon the other’s wrist, where a jade-green bracelet rested.

The tailor suddenly shook her wrist and asked, “Young master, are you staring at my wrist because of this?”

Caught off guard, Yuan Shao smiled sheepishly. “It’s nothing, I just thought it looked quite nice.”

“Are you getting married, young master?” the tailor remarked with a smile. “Such a handsome young man, why so soon!”

Yuan Shao: “?”

The tailor explained, “You must not be from around here. We have a custom here, when getting married, the bride presents the groom with a hairpin, symbolizing that from then on, all his affections must stand upright for her. In return, the groom gives the bride a bracelet, signifying that the girl is now bound to him and henceforth belongs to him. Look at mine, my husband gave it to me when we married. If you need one, I can have the shop assistant bring some bracelets for you to choose from later.”

Hearing this, Yuan Shao suddenly remembered something. With a dark expression, she declined tersely and turned to leave the room, heading downstairs. She strode straight to the counter and abruptly seized Chi Jinnian’s wrist as she was handing over the payment.

Startled by Yuan Shao’s sudden action, Chi Jinnian stammered, “Mas. Master?”

For some reason, she detected a flicker of anger in Yuan Shao’s eyes. But, but she hadn’t provoked her at all! How could she turn so hostile so quickly? Could it be… the Heart-Losing Pill had worn off?

Yuan Shao gripped Chi Jinnian’s delicate, fair wrist. The girl’s skin was tender, as if it could be squeezed to draw water, and the slightest pressure would leave a red mark. “I remember you used to wear a jade bracelet here.”

At the mention of her bracelet, Chi Jinnian’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly replied, “Y-yes, that’s right.”

Yuan Shao’s gaze burned intensely as she tightly clasped Chi Jinnian’s wrist and demanded, “Where did that bracelet come from?”