The Villainess’s Darling [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 1

Soft sunlight filtered through the glass window, resting on her body with a gentle, radiating warmth.

Ning Xiao’s thick, curled lashes flickered before her thin eyelids slowly blinked open, revealing eyes as clear as autumn waters.

“Hmm?” Ning Xiao let out a confused hum as she realized she was sitting in an empty classroom.

She distinctly remembered falling asleep in her own bed. How had she woken up slumped over a school desk?

Host, you have already been inside the novel for two days.

A mechanical voice suddenly echoed in her mind, heartlessly laying out the reality of her situation.

Ning Xiao: “…”

Her mind cleared, and the memories came rushing back.

Two days ago, she had transmigrated into the tragic novel she’d been reading before bed. She was bound to this mechanical voice System 13579 and tasked with playing out the plot in place of the original villainess, also named Ning Xiao, who had died unexpectedly. By successfully following the script, she would earn points to exchange for prizes in the System Mall.

Ning Xiao remembered the very first question she had asked System 13579.

“If I refuse to take the original villainess’s place, what happens?”

How did the system answer?

Your soul can no longer return to the real world. If the Host refuses to follow the plot, you can only die in this body. However, if you earn enough points to buy the ‘Soul Return Pill’ from the mall, you can return to your original body without any side effects.

To stay alive and return home, Ning Xiao had no choice but to agree. Fortunately, she was only forced into “autopilot” for one minute during key plot points; the rest of the time, she was free to do as she pleased.

Before transmigrating, Ning Xiao had just finished the book. The heroine, Yun Can’er, had been abused and mistreated since childhood. Reading it had made Ning Xiao’s heart ache, and she had desperately wanted to beat up anyone who bullied the girl.

Who would have thought that in a twist of fate, she would become the person who bullied the heroine the most?

Host, in ten minutes, the male lead will confess to the heroine in the bamboo grove on the back hill. Once he is rejected and leaves in a fit of rage, it will be your first plot point!

Ning Xiao stood up, left the classroom, and headed toward the back hill.

During the lunch break, the sprawling campus felt exceptionally empty.

After walking for a short while, Ning Xiao spotted a small, frail figure just ahead.

Host! That’s the heroine!!! System 13579 screeched excitedly.

“I can see that,” Ning Xiao replied.

She recognized the black burlap tote bag in Yun Can’er’s hand, which had a supermarket logo printed on it.

In the entirety of Bo Ming Private High School, no one but Yun Can’er would use a promotional grocery bag to carry their books.

The first half of Yun Can’er’s life was an absolute tragedy. She had been swapped at birth in the hospital. Her current parents felt she didn’t look like a member of the tall, refined Yun family, and since she was “just a daughter,” they had essentially ignored her since she was a child.

Her two older sisters were experts at reading their parents’ moods; they bullied her constantly, both openly and in secret, knowing their parents wouldn’t lift a finger to stop them.

Despite her family’s average circumstances, Yun Can’er had shown a natural talent for academics, winning numerous awards in various competitions. The principal of Bo Ming Private High School happened to be a judge for one of those competitions. Admiring her talent, he called the Yun family before the high school entrance exams, offering a 500,000-yuan scholarship and a full ride for tuition and living expenses to entice her to study there.

Naturally, the Yun parents agreed. They took the 500,000 yuan and immediately used it to transfer Yun Can’er’s two older sisters into Bo Ming as well.

At school, the sisters carried designer backpacks worth at least four figures, while Yun Can’er was left with a supermarket giveaway bag.

“Xiao Qi, Yun Can’er is so pitiful. I don’t want to bully her,” Ning Xiao said, watching the thin, silent silhouette ahead.

The mandatory plot doesn’t require the Host to do anything manually. As long as you are at the designated location at the right time, your body will be automatically controlled for one minute. Once the task is over, you can do whatever you want~ Earning points is super easy!

System 13579 paused for two seconds. Wait, Host, why are you calling me ‘Xiao Qi’?

Because 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 are all odd numbers (Qi Shu).

Ning Xiao’s conscience wasn’t eased by the system’s explanation. Even though she knew Yun Can’er was a fictional character, she couldn’t just justify bullying the weak for the sake of her own survival.

She followed at a distance and found a hidden corner to watch the male lead’s confession.

Yun Can’er’s appearance was plain; the male lead certainly wasn’t confessing because he was captivated by her beauty.

The male lead, Shang Shaotan, had been a golden boy since birth. He was brilliant, handsome, and hailed from one of Feng City’s top elite families—in fact, Bo Ming Private High School was part of his family’s estate.

Shang Shaotan had expected to be the top scorer in the city’s entrance exams. To his shock, a dark horse named Yun Can’er appeared out of nowhere, beating him by ten points. Naturally, he was bitter.

After starting school, he realized she was in his class. Determined to outdo her, he doubled his study time, yet he still couldn’t knock her off the top spot in the first monthly exams.

Last week, during a gathering with his friends, someone joked that being in love makes grades drop. They suggested Shang Shaotan use a “honey trap” if he seduced her, she’d surely fall for it, and the top spot would naturally return to him.

With his high self-esteem, Shang Shaotan initially refused. But while playing a game later, he lost a bet and had to agree to one request from his friends. They unanimously told him to confess to Yun Can’er.

Caught up in the moment, he agreed, which led to this very scene.

His “bad-influence” friends wanted to bring a camcorder to film it. Shang Shaotan started to refuse, but the words died in his throat. Deep down, he wanted to see Yun Can’er make a fool of herself in front of everyone.

Five minutes later, Shang Shaotan walked into the bamboo grove and stopped in front of Yun Can’er.

Her hair was thin and tinged with a faint reddish hue. Her skin was the pale sort that came from a chronic lack of sunlight. Only her eyes were dark and quite striking.

“Shang Shaotan, why did you ask me to come here?” Yun Can’er asked, pursing her pale lips.

Even though they were in the same class, they had almost never spoken. She could feel a subtle, lingering hostility from him, which she assumed was due to him being ranked second in their grade.

Her eyes flickered. She wondered if he had brought her here to beat her up to vent his frustration.

The Shang family was powerful, and they owned the school. Even if he hit her, he probably wouldn’t face any consequences.

She glanced to the left. There was a small path there. If he actually tried to attack her, she might be able to escape through it.

As she pulled her gaze back, her eyes suddenly froze.

Barely three or four meters away, behind a cluster of green bamboo, she saw the edge of a silver-gray school uniform sleeve.

Shang Shaotan had actually brought backup.

“Can’er, look at me, okay?” Shang Shaotan gritted his teeth, forcing a look of deep affection.

Yun Can’er looked up. Her pitch-black eyes caught the sunlight like polished obsidian. For a moment, Shang Shaotan dithered, a flash of genuine surprise crossing his eyes.

He had never noticed before, but her eyes were actually quite beautiful.

“Go ahead,” she said.

“Can’er, you probably don’t know this, but I’ve been noticing you for a long time…”

Yun Can’er lowered her lashes, thinking absentmindedly: How could I not know? If jealousy were a blade, your stares would have pierced through me long ago.

“Can’er, I like you. Will you be with me?”

Yun Can’er had tuned out the entire middle section of his speech. Snapping back to reality only to hear the confession, she looked at him in sheer astonishment.

Was there something wrong with Shang Shaotan’s brain? Why would he confess to someone he hated?

“Can’er?” When no response came for a long time, Shang Shaotan prompted her, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

As if startled, she recoiled. Her skin turned even paler, and a misty veil of tears clouded her dark eyes. “No. Minors shouldn’t be dating.”

Shang Shaotan was momentarily speechless.

He had confessed to Yun Can’er, and he had been… rejected?!

A surge of anger rushed from his chest to his throat, leaving him choked for words.

Yun Can’er met his gaze fearlessly, her expression almost carrying a sense of “do your worst.”

Furious, frustrated, and humiliated, Shang Shaotan stormed out of the bamboo grove.

His friends didn’t bother hiding anymore; they grabbed the camera and scrambled to chase after him. They had known him for years, and this was the first time they had seen him lose his cool like this. This Yun Can’er was truly a warrior.

Host! The moment has arrived! Go get ’em! System 13579 sounded the charge.

Ning Xiao took a deep breath. She stepped out onto the path by the green bamboo and turned, unexpectedly locking eyes with a pair of dark pupils.

In those eyes, Ning Xiao saw an endless night, a flowing galaxy, and a silent, deep sea. They were darker than any color, yet more radiant than any light.

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