The Villainess’s Darling [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 20

Ning Xiao sat up straight and looked Yun Can’er in the eye. “Can’er, be honest with me, do you dislike drying my hair? If you do, you can tell me. I won’t be offended.”

Yun Can’er looked startled. “Why on earth would you ask that? I don’t dislike it at all.”

Her face flushed a soft pink. In truth, she cherished every second she spent touching Ning Xiao.

Ning Xiao’s mind was a complete muddle. Yun Can’er certainly didn’t look like she was annoyed, so why in the world did her “Blackening Level” keep climbing?

[Xiao Qi, give me a hint here, will you?] Ning Xiao pleaded with the system.

Ding! The System cannot track the specific emotional triggers of the Heroine. Please investigate on your own! 13579 replied with professional indifference.

Ning Xiao sighed. Right then. Typical.

At half-past nine, the two girls settled into bed. Because Ning Xiao’s bed was exceptionally large and Yun Can’er was so petite, they each took a side, leaving enough space between them for another person and a half to sleep comfortably.

Suddenly, Ning Xiao rolled over and brushed her hand against Yun Can’er’s arm. “Can’er?”

Yun Can’er had been staring blankly at the ceiling; the unexpected touch sent her heart leaping into her throat. After a moment to steady herself, she whispered, “Yes, Ning Xiao? Is something the matter?”

She lay there, body rigid, not daring to move an inch. She craved Ning Xiao’s presence so intensely that she feared losing control and doing something she could never take back.

“I can’t sleep,” Ning Xiao admitted. “What about you?”

Hearing Ning Xiao’s voice so close, Yun Can’er’s throat felt dry. “I can’t either,” she murmured.

“Then let’s talk!” Ning Xiao said, her voice suddenly bright with enthusiasm.

The small nightlight by the bed cast a warm, amber glow, softening the contours of Ning Xiao’s profile. When Yun Can’er turned her head, she could see her own tiny reflection mirrored in Ning Xiao’s clear, bright eyes.

“Talk about what?” Yun Can’er’s fingers curled into the sheets. She slowly turned onto her side, keeping her face partially in the shadows as she gazed greedily at Ning Xiao.

Propping her chin up with one hand, Ning Xiao leaned in. “Anything. Let’s talk about you—what you like to eat, what you do for fun and your hobbies. What about university? What do you want to study? What’s your biggest dream?”

Ning Xiao’s eyes were full of genuine curiosity. She had to understand Yun Can’er if she was ever going to figure out the reason behind the blackening. The system had told her that once the level reached 100%, she could control the plot, but Ning Xiao found the idea increasingly unsettling. “Blackening” was never a good thing. How could she bear to let the girl she cared for so much fall into darkness?

Yun Can’er blinked her dark eyes and said softly, “You’re asking too fast, I can’t keep up… Why don’t you go first?” She was just as desperate to know everything about Ning Xiao.

Ning Xiao reached out and tapped Yun Can’er’s forehead with a grin. “Fair enough. I’ll start.”

Ning Xiao began listing her preferences—not the ones the system had told her belonged to the “original” Ning Xiao, but her own.

“I love prawns, but I hate peeling them. I love chips and Coca-Cola. I adore good Chinese food, but I’m not a big fan of Western cuisine except for the chips and Coke, obviously. As for fun. I like badminton, swimming, and bowling. Oh, and my one true guilty pleasure is reading romance novels on LJJ. Regarding university… as long as I get in, any decent place in the capital will do. My parents want me to take over the family business, so I’ll probably end up in Finance. And my dream? To become the richest person in the world!”

Finished, Ning Xiao scooted a bit closer. They were now only a head’s breadth apart. “Your turn, Can’er. What about you?”

Yun Can’er silently memorized every single one of Ning Xiao’s likes. She paused to consider her words. “I like eating prawn shells. No!” She waved her hands in a panic, her face turning beet red. “I mean dried shrimp! Not shells!”

She had been thinking about how Ning Xiao liked prawns but hated peeling them, and her mind had jumped to the idea of peeling them for her. In her fluster, the words had come out all wrong.

Ning Xiao smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about it. Everyone has a slip of the tongue now and then.” She didn’t notice the hidden meaning behind the mistake at all.

While Yun Can’er felt a wave of relief, a tiny, sharp pang of disappointment flared in her chest. She took a breath and continued, “I like shredded potatoes, smashed cucumber salad, and tomato and egg stir-fry. I can’t stand onions, ginger, or garlic. I like swimming, and my hobby is just. Studying as for my goal. It used to be Hua University.”

“It used to be? What is it now?” Ning Xiao asked, puzzled. Hua University was the top-ranked institution in the country. With Yun Can’er’s grades, she could get in easily and have her pick of any department. Why the sudden change? Was she planning to go abroad?

Yun Can’er bit her lip, looking almost bashful. “My goal school is tied to my dream,” she said, meeting Ning Xiao’s gaze. I want to be a famous actress. I want to stand on a stage and have everyone’s attention on me. Even if I don’t have a classically beautiful face, I believe that if my acting is good enough, I can still stand out.

In that moment, Ning Xiao saw a light in Yun Can’er’s eyes that she had never seen before, something more brilliant than starlight and more dazzling than the sun. It actually made her dazed for a second.

Even if it was only for a moment, Ning Xiao was stunned. She was used to seeing her own stunning face in the mirror every day, yet she’d just been captivated by Yun Can’er!

Ning Xiao instinctively took the girl’s hand and said earnestly, “You can do it. I know you can.”

Yun Can’er’s face warmed. The heat from Ning Xiao’s hand felt even more comforting than the glow of the nightlight. She didn’t want to let go. When Ning Xiao eventually pulled away, Yun Can’er felt a momentary sense of loss. “Thank you for believing in me, Ning Xiao.”

“So, is your goal the Film Academy or the Academy of Fine Arts? I’ve heard the Hai-Media University is excellent too.”

Since Ning Xiao was staying in the capital, there was no way Yun Can’er would go anywhere else. “The Film Academy or Fine Arts would be perfect.”

Knowing that the path of an arts student was expensive, Ning Xiao added, “If you ever run into financial trouble, just tell me. Consider it an investment in a future superstar. I know you’ll pay me back a hundredfold one day.”

Yun Can’er had intended to refuse, but the words that left her mouth were: “Alright.”

If she owed Ning Xiao, then the connection between them would never be severed.

Around ten o’clock, once Yun Can’er had fallen asleep, Ning Xiao began browsing the system shop. She remembered seeing the word “Beauty” near the Memory Pills last time she’d looked. Perhaps there was something to enhance one’s appearance.

She navigated to the page, but the item next to the Memory Pills had changed to “Sharp Tongue Pills.” In fact, everything on the page had changed except for the Memory Pills themselves.

She had to ask: Xiao Qi, is there anything to help with appearance? I’m sure I saw something last time.

Ding! Searching System Database: Three items found: ‘Jade Skin and Bone Fluid’ 50 points; ‘Advanced Beauty Pill’ 70 points; ‘Glossy Ebony Hair Serum’ 30 points.

She couldn’t afford a single one of them.

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