The Villain Recognizes the Female Lead as His Master [Transmigration] - Chapter 22.4

He emphasized the words “junior sister” as if they were being ground between his teeth.

Chi Jinnian thought to herself: How dare you ask? Wasn’t it you who casually drew a talisman on my arm?!

Though inwardly annoyed, she feigned panic on the surface and quickly waved her hands, “No, no! It’s not what you think!”

“Oh?” Su Tingxi set down his teacup. “And what exactly do I think?”

Chi Jinnian:

Feeling the weight of Su Tingxi’s intimidating aura, Chi Jinnian realized she was at a disadvantage. She took a moment to recall the thoughts she had organized before coming and then spoke slowly, “Young Master Su, you’ve misunderstood.”

The moment the words “Young Master Su” left her lips, it was clear that Chi Jinnian had pierced the thin veil between them.

Su Tingxi also dropped the pretense and said, “Since Miss Chi is a perceptive person, that’s excellent. I prefer speaking frankly with those who understand!”

He gestured for Chi Jinnian to take a seat.

Nervous and with legs that were indeed a bit unsteady, Chi Jinnian didn’t refuse and sat down.

After steadying her emotions, she finally spoke up, “Young Master Su, you must think that I harmed Immortal Master Yuan to entangle myself with you, don’t you?”

Su Tingxi stared at Chi Jinnian without answering, silently urging her to continue.

“Actually, that’s not the case, Young Master Su.” When Chi Jinnian raised her head again, she had somehow produced a handkerchief, dabbing at her reddened eyes. “If I truly wanted to harm her, why would I go through the trouble of preparing such a grand residence? Locking her in a dungeon would have been much easier. Why would I put on this act day after day with Immortal Master Yuan?”

As she spoke, another glistening tear rolled down her cheek. Chi Jinnian sniffled and lifted her gaze, her reddened eyes meeting Su Tingxi’s. “I did all of this for you!”

Su Tingxi didn’t quite believe her words, but he watched the red-eyed girl before him with interest, signaling for her to go on.

Chi Jinnian wiped her nose and continued, “There’s a weasel demon named Huang Er who has long coveted Immortal Master Yuan. I’m sure you’ve heard of him, Young Master Su. A few days ago, Huang Er proposed an alliance with me to target Immortal Master Yuan together. He kidnapped her and took her to his mountain stronghold, then announced to the world that he would marry her.”

Her voice was full of emotion as she spoke. “At first, I was indeed blinded by anger. But later, I remembered that the Immortal Master is your revered teacher, Young Master Su. If she suffered, you would be more heartbroken than anyone. I couldn’t bear to see you in pain, so I backed out.”

“But Huang Er wouldn’t let it go. That very night, he was set on holding the wedding ceremony. I didn’t even have time to send you word. Alone, I barely managed to rescue Immortal Master Yuan. Young Master Su, you didn’t see it the entire mountain was crawling with weasels chasing after us. Forget how ferocious each of them looked, the stench alone was”

At this point, Su Tingxi instinctively rubbed his nose. He was familiar with Huang Er’s odor. A whole mountain of Huang Ers? That would be.

Hearing this, Su Tingxi’s attitude softened slightly, though he wasn’t about to be completely fooled. He asked, “Even so, why did you call her ‘teacher’?”

At this, Chi Jinnian’s tears flowed even more uncontrollably. “Huang Er had fed Immortal Master Yuan a Heart-Losing Pill. When she woke up, she recognized no one and had lost all her powers. She only remembered having a disciple whom she held in high regard. If I had revealed my true identity to her, how could she have been willing to leave with me?”

This was a power fantasy centered on a female protagonist, so the male characters naturally weren’t as invincible as the heroine Yuan Shao, each had their own flaws. Su Tingxi’s greatest weakness was his soft-heartedness and susceptibility to flattery.

A few sweet words, and his pride would soar. As the male lead of the story, he received plenty of praise from female characters. The original Chi Jinnian’s actions allowed her to survive until the end, largely thanks to this trait of his. Because of it, Yuan Shao and Su Tingxi had frequent conflicts in the original plot.

So, to convince Su Tingxi, she had to play the victim and lay on the compliments thick, praising him right into his sweet spot!

“Only as a last resort did I assume the identity of ‘disciple’ to Young Master Su, making Immortal Master Yuan believe that the person in her hazy memories was me. That’s how I managed to bring her down from that mountain.” At this point, Chi Jinnian didn’t forget to flatter Su Tingxi: “In the end, it’s all because Young Master Su holds such weight in Immortal Master Yuan’s heart. Even the Heart-Loss Pill couldn’t completely erase your imprint in her mind. She remembers no one else, yet she still recalls having a disciple.”

These words struck a deep chord in Su Tingxi’s heart. His initially cold expression softened, and the corners of his lips slowly curled upward as Chi Jinnian spoke.

He had always known his master would never forget him! All those years of daily companionship, every shared moment, even though he hadn’t yet confessed his feelings, how could she simply forget? Now, all the preferential treatment Chi Jinnian received from Yuan Shao was entirely because of him, Su Tingxi!

But then, a thought occurred to Su Tingxi, and his eyes darkened again in an instant: “However, I heard that not long ago, the young mistress purchased a Heart-Loss Pill at a high price? It’s common knowledge that you dislike my master yet are on good terms with Huang Er. We had agreed to cooperate, so why this sudden change of heart?”

“Nothing escapes you, does it?” Chi Jinnian admitted candidly: “Before, Huang Er asked me for a Heart-Loss Pill, claiming that if I gave it to him, he could facilitate a match between us. In a moment of foolishness, I handed it over. But later, I came to my senses.”

Chi Jinnian raised her glistening eyes: “Loving someone doesn’t necessarily mean possessing them. Seeing them happy is enough for me. If staying by their side would bring them sorrow, then. I’m willing to step aside for their sake.”

Her words, spoken with such sincerity, moved Su Tingxi somewhat. Seizing the moment, Chi Jinnian decided to fan the flames further.

“Especially after these past few days together, I’ve come to realize just how wonderful Immortal Master Yuan truly is. No wonder she has earned the devotion of someone as exceptional as you, Young Master Su.” With that, Chi Jinnian suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Su Tingxi: “I understand perfectly, your heart has always belonged to Immortal Master Yuan alone. My actions today were merely to lend you a helping hand.”

In the original story, Chi Jinnian had been infatuated with Su Tingxi. A sudden, complete reversal would surely arouse his suspicion, so she added: “All I ask is that when you and Immortal Master Yuan are together under the moonlight, you might think of me, even if just for a fleeting moment.” Her gaze burned with intensity: “Even if only as the matchmaker, I would be content.”

Su Tingxi quickly helped her up: “Miss Chi! Please, rise and speak!”

The moment he addressed her as “Miss Chi,” Chi Jinnian knew she had won today’s performance.

As he guided her back to her seat, she said: “Sooner is better than later. Tomorrow happens to be the Qixi Festival, Young Master Su. I plan to arrange a scene for you and Immortal Master Yuan, one that will surely win her heart in a single stroke!”

Chi Jinnian knew that in the original story, Yuan Shao and Su Tingxi’s love story had begun on the Qixi Festival. That night, they stood by the riverbank, watching lanterns drift across the water under a sky ablaze with fireworks, their faces illuminated by the radiant glow. It was then that Su Tingxi first took.

Holding Yuan Shao’s hand, she comforted him, “Master, don’t worry. From today onwards, I will never leave your side and protect you from any harm!”

Yuan Shao looked at the young man’s sincere and passionate expression, his gentle tone filled with unwavering determination, and smiled slightly before nodding. “Mm.”

In other words, tomorrow marked the starting point of their romantic storyline. Therefore, Chi Jinnian had to seize this golden opportunity, a rare chance to simultaneously win favor from both the male and female protagonists!

Chi Jinnian said, “If you want to be accepted by someone, you must first understand them. As a young lady, does Young Master Su know who in this world understands women best?”

Su Tingxi shook his head.

“Of course, women understand women best!” With that, Chi Jinnian pulled out a small booklet from her sleeve and handed it to Su Tingxi. It was the script she had hastily prepared before coming here.

Su Tingxi hesitated before taking the booklet and opening the first page. Instantly, he was shocked by its contents and couldn’t help but flip through it further.

As Su Tingxi’s fingers traced the pages, Chi Jinnian explained in sync, “Young Master Su, this is specially designed for you and Immortal Yuan. Women love shiny things—it’s the same principle as bowerbirds decorating their nests with glittering objects to attract mates. Moreover, women especially value atmosphere and romantic settings. As long as we cater to their preferences, we’ll surely succeed in one go!”

By the time Chi Jinnian left Su Tingxi’s room, it was nearly midnight. She yawned, thinking that this hurdle was finally cleared. Su Tingxi was very satisfied with her plan and had even removed the talisman seal from her hand. Seeing how Su Tingxi couldn’t put down the script she had written overnight, Chi Jinnian thought to herself this was a sure win!

She glanced at Yuan Shao’s tightly shut door, assuming she must already be asleep.

Tomorrow, the romantic arc between Su Tingxi and Yuan Shao would begin, and she could gracefully step back.

As for the ending, perhaps Su Tingxi would speak up for her. After all, as their matchmaker, maybe Yuan Shao would show mercy and spare her life!

Tonight, there were no stars in the sky only a solitary, bright moon hanging in the night, casting a clear reflection on the lotus pond in the backyard.

Chi Jinnian gazed at the moon above. It suddenly occurred to her that Yuan Shao was a truly good person, pure and untainted, just like the moon in the sky.

If not for the roles of protagonist and antagonist, Chi Jinnian felt that she and Yuan Shao could have been great friends. Yet, someone so kind was fated to be her adversary.

She wondered how Yuan Shao would react if she ever learned the truth that she had deceived her time and time again.

The night breeze carried a hint of coolness, brushing against Chi Jinnian’s cheeks and pulling her back to reality. After all, she was just a supporting character her existence merely served to drive the plot forward.

With that thought, Chi Jinnian yawned again and began walking toward the gate, ready to return and get a good night’s sleep.

But just as she reached the center of the courtyard, the lights in the main room suddenly turned on. Then, the tightly shut door creaked open.

Yuan Shao stood there, holding a candlestick, draped in an outer robe with her hair loosely tied, clearly having just woken up for some unknown reason.

She was equally surprised by what she saw. Rubbing her eyes as if to confirm this wasn’t a dream, she finally spoke, “A’Nian?”

“Mas, Master…” Chi Jinnian stood frozen in place.

“Weren’t you supposed to return tomorrow?” Yuan Shao held a candlestick in one hand, standing at the doorway.

“I” Chi Jinnian hesitated.

She couldn’t very well tell Yuan Shao that she had rushed back in the middle of the night to see her CP!

Her toes fidgeted against the brick floor, unwilling to answer.

Yuan Shao glanced at Chi Jinnian, then in the direction of Su Tingxi’s room, recalling the origin of the bracelet Su Tingxi had mentioned earlier in the day. A vague understanding dawned on her. It seemed her little disciple hadn’t returned for that reason after all.

“Master,” Chi Jinnian suddenly spoke, interrupting Yuan Shao’s thoughts.

Yuan Shao looked up to see the garden filled with blooming kapok flowers, a riot of colors. Yet the girl’s face was even more radiant than the crimson blossoms behind her, the soft moonlight casting an ethereal glow upon her.

She let out a gentle sigh, raising her sparkling almond-shaped eyes, and said, “I came back to see you.”