The Villainess’s Darling [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 43

After class, Yun Can’er invited Shang Shaotan and Yuan Wei to join them for lunch at the canteen.

Yuan Wei chuckled, “I’ll pass. My girlfriend is waiting for me.” He gave Shang Shaotan a pointed nudge, silently urging him to decline as well.

Shang Shaotan met Yun Can’er’s gaze and pursed his lips. “Sure,” he said.

He still wasn’t ready to give up. Yun Can’er used to be just an average-looking girl; even if she’d become increasingly beautiful over the years, she was still a girl! How could Ning Xiao possibly like women? She must be being manipulated by Yun Can’er! He had to follow them and see exactly how Yun Can’er was pulling the wool over Ning Xiao’s eyes.

Yuan Wei patted his shoulder. “Take care, brother.”

He had a girlfriend to accompany and no time to comfort a scumbag friend who refused to face reality. He’d let Shang Shaotan follow them so he could finally, completely, lose hope in Ning Xiao.

With Yuan Wei gone, Shang Shaotan and Yun Can’er walked on either side of Ning Xiao toward the canteen.

Yun Can’er had no intention of letting Shang Shaotan walk next to Ning Xiao. On the way, she used the excuse of asking him a question to naturally slip between them, cutting him off completely.

“I’m actually really curious about Business Administration; the name sounds so prestigious. Shang Shaotan, could you tell me more about it?” Yun Can’er asked with wide-eyed curiosity.

Shang Shaotan: No.

However, since Ning Xiao also looked over with interest, he cleared his throat and said, “Alright.”

On the way to the canteen, Shang Shaotan seriously lectured her on the basics of his major. While he was mid-explanation, Yun Can’er reached out to hold Ning Xiao’s hand. Just as he reached the most important point, she suddenly turned her head and planted a kiss on Ning Xiao’s cheek.

Shang Shaotan:

How blind had he been in high school to ever like a girl like Yun Can’er?

After the kiss, Yun Can’er turned back to him with a shy smile. “Oh, you probably didn’t know, Ning-ning and I are together.”

Shang Shaotan’s expression was a sight to behold. “No… I didn’t!” Damn it! Who wants to know? If you hadn’t been kissing her every other second in class, how would I know?!

“Well, now you do” Yun Can’er said, unabashedly clinging to Ning Xiao’s arm. She beamed at him. “I just love Ning-ning so much that I can’t help myself. I hope you don’t mind.” She blinked innocently.

Shang Shaotan: “No, I don’t mind!”

He finally realized it: Yun Can’er was a total vixen. And Ning Xiao, usually such a proud, aloof person, was just letting herself be clung to and kissed at every turn.

Once they reached the canteen and sat down with their food, Ning Xiao and Yun Can’er sat side-by-side, while Shang Shaotan sat across from them.

Now feeling nothing but spite toward Yun Can’er, he said maliciously, “Yun Can’er, didn’t you borrow money from Ning Xiao for your tuition? Are you unable to pay her back, so you’ve decided to use yourself as collateral?”

This time, it wasn’t Yun Can’er who spoke. Ning Xiao looked up and gave him a cool, indifferent glance. “There is only one reason we are together.”

“And what’s that?” What else could there be besides money? Why was Ning Xiao defending her so much? Did she really not like him anymore? Shang Shaotan sat there, stiff and tense.

Ning Xiao took Yun Can’er’s hand and kissed the back of it. She smiled. “Because of love, obviously.”

The two shared a look, their eyes shimmering with intimacy. It felt as though pink, heart-shaped bubbles were floating all around them, making Shang Shaotan feel like he was sitting on a bed of needles.

Before the meal was even finished, he clutched his breaking heart and beat a hasty retreat.

“Finally, that eyesore is gone,” Yun Can’er laughed, leaning her head on Ning Xiao’s shoulder while peeling a prawn for her. “He’s so concerned with his pride; he definitely won’t chase you again after today.”

Ning Xiao pinched her cheek. “Shang Shaotan is nothing to me.”

Yun Can’er fed the prawn to Ning Xiao and waited for her to swallow before saying, “I know you don’t like him, but I can’t stand him liking you. I always feel like people he likes end up… liking him back. I’m not making much sense, am I?”

Ning Xiao: “I understand.”

[‘Xiao Qi, Can’er is so sharp. Are you sure the inhabitants can’t sense their situation?’]

Ding! No anomalies detected! It’s likely just a woman’s intuition!

After showing off at Hua University, Yun Can’er dragged Ning Xiao to the Beijing Film Academy (Jingying) to do the same.

For most girls aiming to be idols or stars, a public relationship can be a career hurdle. But Yun Can’er was different. Although she was beautiful and the newly crowned campus belle of Jingying, she planned to be a serious actress. She didn’t need to stay single for fans.

She wanted everyone to know Ning Xiao belonged to her—no one was allowed to steal her away! Especially not Jiang Yunyi!

As they walked through the campus gates, Yun Can’er suddenly remembered something. “Have you and Jiang Yunyi chatted lately?”

“We have,” Ning Xiao replied.

Yun Can’er had been so focused on Shang Shaotan that she’d forgotten about Jiang Yunyi. She immediately grew tense. “What did you talk about? Does he like you?”

Ning Xiao chuckled at her jealousy. “Nothing much. He wanted to cast me in a drama, but I turned him down.”

“He… wanted to cast you? Where would he get those resources?” Can Jingying freshmen cast people now? Or was it just an excuse to hit on her?

“Jiang Yunyi isn’t simple; he has a background,” Ning Xiao explained. “According to him, being enthusiastic toward me in front of you last time was partly because he really wanted to cast me, and partly to tease you. He saw right through your feelings for me.”

Back then, they weren’t even together yet. “How did he see it?” Yun Can’er asked. She had always been terrified of rejection and never dared to show her feelings too openly.

“What did he want you to act in?” she asked curiously.

“A wuxia drama called Flying Petal Order. He wanted me to play the male lead’s ‘white moonlight’ (first love).”

“And who is the male lead?”

“Jiang Yunyi, I assume.”

Yun Can’er felt a wave of inadequacy. They were both freshmen, yet Jiang Yunyi was already landing lead roles while she was still attending classes and waiting for an opportunity.

Seeing her slump, Ning Xiao added, “His parents are actors; he grew up on sets. He just didn’t act as a child, so you haven’t seen him on screen. He inherited his parents’ looks and talent, and he has their industry connections. It’s normal for him to be the lead.”

This didn’t comfort her; it only made her more jealous. “Jiang Yunyi is so amazing, and even you’re full of praise for him… I’m jealous!”

Ning Xiao couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m actually upset and you’re laughing!”

Ning Xiao blinked innocently. “But Jiang Yunyi likes men. I don’t think there’s any need to be jealous of him.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier!” Yun Can’er covered her face, her ears turning red with embarrassment. Her jealousy had been so “justified” in her head, but knowing he liked men made her feel like a silly little (vinegar jar/jealous person). How humiliating!

“Alright, I admit I kept it from you on purpose because you look so cute when you’re jealous,” Ning Xiao whispered. “I like it.”

Yun Can’er peeked out from behind her hands. “Really?”

“Really,” Ning Xiao affirmed. “It’s my fault, not yours.”

With Jiang Yunyi officially removed from the list of romantic rivals, they headed to the dorms. Yun Can’er stayed in a four-person room, and her best friend there was her roommate, Liu Xiaoke—the one who had guessed she had a “girlfriend” before.

Besides wanting to flaunt in front of Jiang Yunyi, Yun Can’er wanted to introduce Ning Xiao to Xiaoke. When you love someone, you want to introduce them to all your friends.

She messaged Xiaoke to see if she was in, and Xiaoke replied she was in the dorm.

“Ning-ning, let’s go straight to my room. Xiaoke will be so shocked to see you!”

They reached the sixth floor. Ning Xiao’s breathing was steady, while Yun Can’er was flushed and panting from the climb.

“You should start running at the track every morning,” Ning Xiao teased. “Acting is physical work. What if you get cast in a wuxia drama?”

Yun Can’er covered Ning Xiao’s mouth. “Quiet! Don’t let Xiaoke hear us~”

Ning Xiao blinked, wanting to ask if she was sure only Xiaoke was inside, but Yun Can’er was too nervous and was holding her mouth shut tight. Ning Xiao could only pray it was just Xiaoke.

Yun Can’er gave her an excited look, then gestured toward the door, trying to figure out the best way to push it open for maximum surprise. Ning Xiao pointed to a spot near the top middle. Yun Can’er took the advice, gave the door a firm shove, and burst in.

“Xiaoke! Surprise… huh???”

Yun Can’er, holding Ning Xiao’s hand, froze. Instead of a surprised Liu Xiaoke, she saw…

“What are you two doing?!” she gasped, pointing at two girls kissing on a bed.

If one of them hadn’t been Liu Xiaoke, she might not have been so shocked. The surprise she’d planned for her friend had turned into a shock for herself.

The two girls scrambled apart, faces flushed, straightening their clothes.

“Can… Can’er, why are you back so suddenly?” Xiaoke stammered.

Ning Xiao squeezed the back of Yun Can’er’s neck, whispering in her ear, “Snap out of it. Stop staring.”

 It was a lot to take in.

“Wu Yi, Xiaoke, when did you two get together? We live in the same dorm every day and I never noticed?!”

Wu Yi, who was usually quite stoic, climbed down from the bed with a faint, expressionless smirk. “As of today.”

Xiaoke, face still beet red, added, “Actually, I’ve been lusting after Wu Yi’s face for a long time. I only worked up the courage to confess today. I thought you wouldn’t be back, so…”

Yun Can’er:  So, it’s my fault…

Guilt rose in her heart for interrupting their moment. “I’m sorry, Xiaoke. I should have asked first.”

Xiaoke waved her hands frantically. “No, no, it’s fine! I’d kissed her enough anyway. Look, my lips are all swollen! If you hadn’t come back, Wu Yi probably would have kissed the skin right off them!”

Yun Can’er immediately turned to look at Ning Xiao. “You’ve never kissed my lips until they were swollen.”

She felt like she’d lost to Wu Yi and Xiaoke!

Ning Xiao:

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