The Villain Recognizes the Female Lead as His Master [Transmigration] - Chapter 7

“Not causing trouble” was Chi Jinnian’s excuse for keeping her “treasure” hidden away.

Because she simply didn’t dare bring Yuan Shao back to her demon palace. Yuan Shao was a renowned immortal from the Upper Cultivation Realm, famous for her constant cries of “eradicate demons and uphold righteousness,” with “protecting all living beings” as her lifelong mission, even in the demon realm, her reputation preceded her. If Chi Jinnian took her back, forget about reforming her golden core, she wouldn’t even make it past the Foundation Establishment stage before meeting her end at the hands of the current Demon Lord, who also happened to be the original Chi Jinnian’s father.

Speaking of the Demon Lord, he had been scheming from the very beginning to dig out Yuan Shao’s inner core. Bringing Yuan Shao back now would be like delivering a lamb straight to a wolf’s jaws.

“Master, I noticed you didn’t eat much for dinner. Was the food not to your liking?” Chi Jinnian adjusted the bed curtains for Yuan Shao. The crimson gauze was embroidered with magnolia blossoms, edged with white satin elegant and simple, perfectly matching Yuan Shao’s style. A crescent-shaped jade hook held the curtains in place; a gentle tug would shut out the world beyond.

“Don’t worry, Master. I’ll come every day to bring you meals. You won’t be left alone.” Chi Jinnian’s eyes shone with unwavering determination.

Hearing this, Yuan Shao pressed her lips together, the words on the tip of her tongue refusing to come out. Faced with Chi Jinnian’s bright, earnest gaze, she could only nod slightly and murmur, “Alright.”

By the time Chi Jinnian left Peach Blossom Spring, night had fully fallen, and stars twinkled overhead. Hands tucked into her sleeves, she strolled through the bustling night market.

Yuan Shao was finally settled, but another problem loomed, how was she supposed to get her hands on the Ningbi Pill? Not to mention the mountain of debts left behind by the original Chi Jinnian, Just thinking about it made her head throb.

Rubbing her temples, she accidentally bumped into someone walking toward her.

The man was around her age, a head taller, and clad in armor, Chi Jinnian collided with enough force to leave a red mark on her forehead.

“Sorry, sorry” she reflexively apologized, but the other party wasn’t having it. “Are you blind or just doing this on purpose?”

Sure, she’d been lost in thought, but if they’d collided, didn’t that mean he hadn’t been watching where he was going either?

“I already apologized! Besides, it takes two to tango don’t you share some blame here?”

Seeing Chi Jinnian stand her ground, the man finally looked up. His eyes swept over her face before he scoffed and turned away.

The disdain in his expression was unmistakable.

What was that supposed to mean? Judging by his attire, he was at best a general probably just a bodyguard. Did being an official make him so high and mighty? She was the Demon Realm’s young mistress, practically equivalent to a crown prince! And this was the treatment she got?

As irritation flared within her, Chi Jinnian straightened her back. “Hey!”

The man turned.

“Do you know who I am?”

Another cold snort. “Who in the demon realm doesn’t know you, Young Mistress? I’d recognize you even if you were reduced to ashes!”

Oh-ho! So he knew her identity and still had the nerve to act like this?

“It’s too dark, I can’t see the road. You’re going to hold this lantern and escort me to the palace gates!” Chi Jinnian snatched the lantern from one of his subordinates and shoved it into the man’s hands. “Hurry up! My father’s waiting for me to come home for dinner!”

Perhaps invoking the Demon Lord did the trick. Despite his men’s protests, the man gritted his teeth, took the lantern, and spat out, “Let’s go, Young Mistress.”

Although his attitude was poor, it didn’t matter. In the end, he would still have to agree to her demands.

Chi Jinnian wasn’t doing this to humiliate the other person, she genuinely didn’t know the way. Her reputation for being directionally challenged was well-known, and this was her first time in the demon realm, after all.

The man ahead walked swiftly, his strides long and purposeful, forcing Chi Jinnian into a near-jog just to keep up.

“Slow down!” Chi Jinnian called out from behind. The man finally paused, turning back with a mocking smirk to look at her panting form. “My apologies, Young Mistress. My legs are long, so my steps are naturally bigger.”

“You !” Adding insult to injury! This was outright mockery of her stature!

Chi Jinnian admitted she didn’t have Yuan Shao’s tall, graceful figure, but she wasn’t that short, was she?!

“I was just admiring the scenery and got distracted, so my steps were smaller,” Chi Jinnian insisted, refusing to acknowledge that her struggle to keep up was due to her shorter legs. Absolutely not!

The man curled his lips slightly but said nothing, resuming his brisk pace.

But when Chi Jinnian passed the same rouge shop for the third time, she realized he was toying with her.

“Hey!” she shouted, stopping him again. “You’re messing with me!”

As if his scheme had finally succeeded, the man laughed openly. “How could I dare? It’s just too dark, and I must’ve taken a few wrong turns.”

“A few?! We’ve circled this place three times!” Chi Jinnian gritted her teeth.

“I thought the Young Mistress enjoyed spinning in circles like this,” he retorted, his expression turning cold, clearly done with the conversation as he strode ahead once more.

Just as Chi Jinnian wondered if he was leading her in a fourth loop, the man spoke up as if reading her mind. “I have business to attend to as well. Keep up!”

After another turn, Chi Jinnian finally saw the gates of the Demon Palace. The grand architecture bore no resemblance to the stereotypical demonic realms from dramas it looked no different from an imperial palace.

“It was this close all along?! Why did you make me walk in circles for so long?!” Chi Jinnian shot him a resentful glare, but the man showed no remorse.

“Just helping the Young Mistress work up an appetite before dinner,” he said with a straight face.

Too exhausted to argue, Chi Jinnian hurried inside. Her knees ached, and her calves felt like lead.

But to her surprise, the man didn’t stop at the gates he followed her in. The guards at the entrance bowed in unison.

“Young Mistress!”

Chi Jinnian: “Hmm.”

“General Wei.”

Chi Jinnian: “Huh?!”

Her head snapped around in shock, her gaze landing on the man behind her. The black armor he wore faintly bore a single character Wei.

General Wei, Wei Yang!

Her sworn rival!

This General Wei was known for his competitive nature. Despite his youth, his military achievements were illustrious, earning him the title of the Undefeated General in the demon realm. He had once rendered great service to the Demon Lord. Later, after being injured, he encountered Yuan Shao. Due to his impaired mobility, he lost to her in a duel. From then on, this unyielding warrior bowed before her, not for any romantic reason, but simply because she had defeated him.

In the final battle, when Yuan Shao stormed the Demon Palace, it was Wei Yang who charged at the forefront as her vanguard.

But after all, the female lead belonged to the male lead, he was merely a supporting character. Even after forsaking his demonic bones for Yuan Shao, willingly undergoing marrow cleansing, and being abandoned by all, he still failed to earn so much as a backward glance from her.

As for his relationship with Chi Jinnian, their enmity had been forged long before Yuan Shao appeared.

Back then, they were both young, having just laid their foundations in cultivation. Like the gap between a model student and a delinquent, Wei Yang was the type who studied and trained diligently every day, while the original Chi Jinnian either sneaked off to watch operas or holed up in her room reading romance novels. Over time, one mastered all manner of martial arts, while the other honed nothing but a love-struck mind.

During the “academic examinations,” Chi Jinnian, desperate to save face, stole the Frost Arrow, a magical artifact Wei Yang had painstakingly refined and claimed it as her own, securing the top spot.

For someone as fiercely competitive as Wei Yang, having his glory stolen by Chi Jinnian was unforgivable. From then on, an indelible grudge took root between them.

As for that Frost Arrow, Chi Jinnian had gifted it to the male lead, Su Tingxi, the very first time they met.

When Chi Jinnian snapped back to reality, she saw Wei Yang bending one arm while straightening the other, squinting one eye as he took aim at her before suddenly releasing his grip. “I wonder, Young Mistress, how well my Frost Arrow has served you? Your… generosityI’ve never forgotten it.” As he spoke, he tapped his armored chest with a finger.

The message was clear: Wei Yang still remembered the Frost Arrow incident and was ready to exact revenge at any moment.

Great. Between the Frost Arrow and now forcing him to carry her lantern today, Chi Jinnian felt a headache coming on.

Had his teasing earlier revealed that she wasn’t the original Chi Jinnian? Subconsciously, she glanced up at him, only to shudder at his devilish smirk. She quickly turned and hurried in the opposite direction, eager to escape the brewing trouble.

Yet, as Wei Yang watched her retreating figure, his eyes darkened for a fleeting moment. Something about Chi Jinnian today felt… different.

She had seemed lost in thought the entire way, not even noticing when he deliberately led her in circles.

But then, recalling Chi Jinnian’s usual behavior, Wei Yang scoffed silently, chiding himself for overestimating her.

Who was she? She was Chi Jinnian! The only thing that could distract her to the point of not watching where she walked was probably another pretty face she’d set her sights on.

After carefully reviewing the novel’s plot and confirming that the original Chi Jinnian had no grudges with the palace servants, she cautiously asked a maid to guide her.

The maid stopped before a palace called Peach Garden.

Yes, Peach Garden. The name sent a jolt through Chi Jinnian, reminding her of Yuan Shao, hidden away in her own peach grove and the look in her eyes before she left. It felt like something had struck her heart.

Why did she feel this pang of guilt, like a child caught in wrongdoing?

Shaking off the thought, Chi Jinnian stepped through the courtyard gate.

The moment she entered, a man in white robes rushed toward her and threw himself at her or rather, at her legs. “Young Mistress, you’ve finally returned! This servant has missed you terribly!”

Chi Jinnian:

Then, three more men, all clad in pristine white with jade crowns binding their hair, rushed at her, wailing about how long they’d waited…

Bewildered, Chi Jinnian blurted, “What kind of scam is this? Tackling someone the moment they walk in, I’m a decent person, you know!”

Sure enough, two proper young ladies soon appeared, dressed in the same high-waisted ruqun as the palace maids she had seen earlier, though in different colors, one in purple and the other in pink, both paired with white silk shawls. The other maids outside wore green.

These two must be maids of higher status!

“Young Mistress is back. Scram, all of you! Don’t crowd her, let her bathe and change first,” the pink-clad girl spoke up first, hands on her hips as she shooed the men away. Surprisingly, the men immediately obeyed, clearly heeding her words.

Seeing that she had authority, Chi Jinnian quickly darted behind the two maids, afraid the men might pounce on her again like ravenous tigers.

“Sister Caiwei, Sister Caiyue, you don’t understand, we just missed her so much,” one of the men whined, nervously twisting the wide sleeves of his robe.

Caiwei and Caiyue were Chi Jinnian’s personal maids. They were fairly loyal and had helped her with many tasks, though they didn’t have much screen time. Still, compared to the other NPCs outside, at least their clothing colors set them apart.

While reading the novel, Chi Jinnian had always assumed Caiwei and Caiyue were twins. But now, seeing them in person, she realized they looked nothing alike Caiyue had a soft, round face with a cute charm, while Caiwei had sharp, striking features, exuding an air of dominance.

As for the four men, they were “substitutes” the original Chi Jinnian had collected, all modeled after the male lead, Su Tingxi. No wonder they were all dressed in pristine white, like celestial beings descended to earth. Chi Jinnian couldn’t help but grumble inwardly: 1V4? Didn’t Jiang Literature ban anything below the neck? Did I take a wrong turn? Is this Flower Market instead?

Spotting her allies, Chi Jinnian discreetly poked Caiwei’s arm and shot a glance at the men, signaling: Get rid of them!

Caiwei seemed to understand, nodding firmly with an “I got this” expression. She patted Chi Jinnian’s shoulder reassuringly before turning back to the men. “What’s the point of crowding her now? Let her freshen up first, you can serve her properly tonight!”

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater]

Chi Jinnian: Did I take a wrong turn? Is this Jiang or Tang?

Author: Jiang or Tang, with all the red locks in my inbox, do you really think that’s an issue?!

This Wei Yang, though a villain, later becomes a major source of comedic relief and contributes significantly to Chi Jinnian and Yuan Shao’s romantic development truly an MVP. (To be precise, any supporting character with decent screen time plays a role in advancing the romance.)

Chi Jinnian: I think you’re forcing me to turn gay!