The Villain Recognizes the Female Lead as His Master [Transmigration] - Chapter 28.1

Inside the room, Wei Yang had already vanished without a trace, leaving only Chi Jinnian and the two mice that occasionally let out miserable squeals.

By now, the originally pitch-black mice, under the influence of the hot oil fumes, were faintly showing a reddish hue beneath their fur.

Seeing that Wei Yang had left and only her little disciple remained, Yuan Shao’s previously sinking heart eased slightly. “A-Nian.”

“Master!” Chi Jinnian said, securing the rope in her hand before approaching the two mice. “Have you two learned your lesson yet?”

The two mice, still dizzy from the earlier ordeal, quickly clasped their paws together. “We’ve learned, we’ve learned! Heroine, we’d never dare do it again!”

The plump one spoke up, “Heroine, look at me I’m old and truly can’t handle this kind of treatment. Please, have mercy and spare my life!”

“Spare you? Weren’t you saying the same thing last time? Seems like you only remember the reward, not the punishment!” With that, Chi Jinnian moved closer to Yuan Shao. “Master, what should we do with these two mice? If we let them go, who knows if they’ll do the same to others again!”

Seeing this, the thin mouse quickly raised its paws in surrender. “Heroine, you don’t understand we had no choice but to submit to Wei Yang!”

The plump mouse chimed in, “Exactly, exactly! We truly know we were wrong. How about this we willingly offer to form a contract with you and serve as your spirit beasts, attending to you from now on? Rest assured, if nothing else, when it comes to gathering information, our mouse clan has brothers everywhere. We guarantee you’ll know everything happening in the world without ever leaving your home! How much rice the Zhang family ate today, how many children the Li family had whatever you want to know, we’ll get the information for you!”

“Is that so?” Chi Jinnian turned to Yuan Shao. “Master, what do you think?”

Yuan Shao, however, reached out and ruffled Chi Jinnian’s stray strands of hair. “It’s up to you. As long as it makes you happy.”

Chi Jinnian thought for a moment before nodding. “Alright, then you two shall become my master’s spirit beasts!”

“But, miss.” the thin mouse spoke up. “A person can only form a contract with one spirit beast. How about this my second uncle is of a higher seniority, let him follow your master, and I’ll pair with you? That way, if the two of you can’t meet conveniently in the future, we uncle and nephew can relay messages for you!”

The thin mouse, terrified of being left behind and possibly thrown back into the oil pot, quickly made the suggestion. Before Chi Jinnian could respond, Yuan Shao interjected, “Although it might not be necessary, I think this is a good idea!”

Yuan Shao didn’t believe she would ever be separated from her little disciple, but she didn’t mind adding another bond between them.

Since Yuan Shao had agreed, Chi Jinnian couldn’t refuse. Following Yuan Shao’s lead, she drew a talisman on the thin mouse as well, thus completing the contract.

After forming the contract, she could sense the spirit beast’s location just by closing her eyes.

Su Tingxi had been waiting in the courtyard for a long time when he finally saw Yuan Shao and Chi Jinnian emerge together. To his surprise, as soon as they stepped out, Yuan Shao placed the mice from Chi Jinnian’s arms into his.

Su Tingxi was so startled he nearly dropped the two mice to the ground. “Master, what is this…?”

“These are A-Nian’s and my spirit beasts!” Yuan Shao said. “I’ll trouble you to take them back.”

“Spirit beasts?” For a moment, Su Tingxi was utterly confused. His master… had taken mice as spirit beasts? And together with Chi Jinnian?

The two mice were quite unbothered: “I’m Zhang Wei, and this is my nephew Li Tao.”

Chi Jinnian: “…”

No wonder they knew how much rice the Zhang family had eaten and how many children the Li family had given birth to! For a moment, Chi Jinnian felt deceived. She stared resentfully at Zhang Wei and Li Tao in Su Tingxi’s arms but was suddenly pulled away by a force on her hand.

It turned out that Yuan Shao was dragging her as they started heading down the mountain.

“Master!” Chi Jinnian was abruptly tugged and felt a bit dazed. She tried to free her hand from Yuan Shao’s grip, but Yuan Shao only held on tighter. “What? Haven’t you looked enough?”

“?” Chi Jinnian hadn’t expected that just glancing at Su Tingxi would make Yuan Shao so angry. It seemed the power of the original plot was still strong. Even though the two hadn’t watched the fireworks together today, fighting side by side against monsters could still foster feelings.

In that case, she had become the extra one. All her efforts and schemes couldn’t compare to a single shared event between the male and female leads. If that was the case, there was no need for her to frantically push Yuan Shao and Su Tingxi together anymore. As long as she didn’t get involved or act as the third wheel, the two would naturally come together.

Lost in thought and not watching her step, Chi Jinnian suddenly felt a sharp pain in her forehead. Looking up, she realized she had bumped into Yuan Shao.

Her forehead had had a rough day first hitting the door, now colliding with a person. Rubbing her forehead, she looked up at the other.

“What were you thinking about?” Yuan Shao asked.

Chi Jinnian lifted her head and met Yuan Shao’s gaze fixed intently on her. Those originally charming peach-blossom eyes now held a trace of coldness.

“Nothing, nothing.” Chi Jinnian lowered her head.

But to Yuan Shao, this behavior seemed like guilt. Su Tingxi caught up from behind, and Yuan Shao switched to holding Chi Jinnian’s hand with her right, placing Su Tingxi on her left side.

Seeing her little disciple silent but with the red mark on her forehead reappearing, Yuan Shao’s attitude finally softened a bit.

“Let me see.” She lifted Chi Jinnian’s chin, forcing her to meet her gaze. After a long moment, she said, “I’ll apply some medicine for you when we get back.”

With those words, she continued leading her two disciples down the mountain.

By the time they returned to Peach Garden, it was already past midnight.

After entering, Yuan Shao suddenly comforted Su Tingxi, “It’s been a long night, you must be tired. Rest early.”

Su Tingxi, initially thinking Yuan Shao was concerned about him, felt his low spirits lift instantly and quickly waved his hands, “Not tired, not tired. Then, Master, you should rest early too.”

Yuan Shao nodded, then pulled Chi Jinnian back into the room.

Only after being dragged inside did Chi Jinnian realize she would probably have to stay there for the night again. But with the romantic plot between the male and female leads just showing a glimmer of progress, she didn’t want to stick around as a third wheel.

“Master, it’s too late, I should first”

“First, the medicine!” Before Chi Jinnian could finish, Yuan Shao cut her off, pressing her down to sit on the bed.

During their last trip to the Water Mirror, Chi Jinnian had prepared plenty of medicinal ointments. Yuan Shao found the jar for reducing redness and swelling and, incidentally, tucked her not yet fully cleansed bracelet into the deepest part of the drawer. After washing her hands, she brought the ointment over to Chi Jinnian, knelt down, dipped her index finger into the white cream, and gently massaged it onto the slightly reddened spot on Chi Jinnian’s forehead.

Yuan Shao seemed somewhat angry, speaking little, but her movements were exceptionally gentle.

Her originally relaxed brows furrowed slightly as she gently applied the ointment to Chi Jinnian’s forehead in slow circles, softly blowing on it.

Yuan Shao’s fingers were cool, and she carried a faint scent of mint. Being close to her in the summer felt surprisingly comfortable.

Under Yuan Shao’s gaze, Chi Jinnian grew a bit nervous. She wanted to take the ointment from Yuan Shao’s hand. “Master, let me do it myself.”

But Yuan Shao pulled the hand holding the ointment behind her back. “Stay still!”

She dipped her fingers into the white ointment again, then closed the lid. Pressing down on Chi Jinnian’s shoulder to keep her from rising, she rubbed her fingertips against the other’s skin once more.

Her little disciple’s skin was delicate. Though the impact hadn’t been severe, it had left a red mark truly, she was fragile.

When Yuan Shao first met Chi Jinnian after losing her memory, the girl would burst into tears at the slightest provocation. At the time, Yuan Shao often wondered if she really had such a delicate disciple.

But now, Yuan Shao felt that it was only natural for a young girl to be cherished and a little fragility was nothing to worry about. Especially at this moment, with her little disciple’s eyes fixed entirely on her, Yuan Shao found the feeling quite pleasant.