I Don't Want to Be the Villainess Anymore - Chapter 15

Rong Xi found Qin Yuzhen to be an exceptionally troublesome person. Not only was she slow at getting things done, but she also had an excessive number of demands.

“Wouldn’t it look better if you put this pair of shoes next to that one?”

“I think clothes should be arranged by color scheme, but then the lengths don’t match.”

“Suddenly, I feel like the way you hung those clothes earlier isn’t very pleasing either. Should we take them down and start over?”

…

At first, Rong Xi would patiently respond to Qin Yuzhen’s comments, but eventually, she simply stopped talking and pretended not to hear—it was the best way to deal with her. She couldn’t help but wonder how Qin Yuzhen’s previous parents had raised her to develop such a princess-like personality.

Qin Yuzhen soon noticed Rong Xi’s silent treatment and let out a soft sigh.

Rong Xi paused while organizing a bracelet and glanced up at her.

“Ah, I know I’m demanding. Forget it, you can go. I’ll do it myself,” Qin Yuzhen said as she hung up the clothes in her hands. “It’s not like we have school tomorrow. I can stay up all night if I have to—it’s fine.”

Rong Xi: “…”

“Then how do you want to hang them? There’s so much stuff—you’ll get used to it. I think it looks fine now,” Rong Xi said. “If you really can’t stand it… maybe just switch to a different closet? Ditch the glass doors and get an opaque one so you can’t see inside.”

The system burst out laughing. “Rong Xi is such a clever little thing.”

“You’re quite smart,” Qin Yuzhen said dryly.

Rong Xi lowered her head, slightly embarrassed.

“Do you think I was complimenting you?” Qin Yuzhen glanced at the closet. “Just go. I’ll handle it.”

“Seriously?” Rong Xi looked at her in surprise. If Qin Yuzhen did it herself, she’d probably take two all-nighters to finish.

“Yes, go.” Qin Yuzhen waved her off.

“Oh.” Rong Xi set down what she was holding and shuffled out, glancing back at Qin Yuzhen several times before finally saying, “If you really want to redo it… I can come back tomorrow to help.”

“No need.”

Rong Xi pressed her lips together and quietly closed the door behind her.

“Rong Xi seems upset.”

“She’s upset about not having to work?” Qin Yuzhen pulled out a long-forgotten item card.

“She probably thinks you were rejecting her.”

“Was it that obvious?” Qin Yuzhen raised an eyebrow.

System: “…”

Back in her room, Rong Xi took out a new notebook. Inside, she had written a line: Qin Yuzhen Research Manual. She figured there was an 80% chance Qin Yuzhen would smack her if she ever saw that title.

Traits:

-Talks a lot—especially when roasting people.

-Lazy—won’t pick up a racket or milk carton; avoids tasks whenever possible.

-Slow—took an hour to hang three pieces of clothing.

-Demanding—made 800 requests about organizing clothes in one hour.

-Drama queen—expert at pretending to be well-behaved.

-Athletic—got destroyed in badminton.

-Strong—can lift two people while running.

Weakness: None found yet.

Qin Yuzhen finished organizing her walk-in closet in just three minutes, though she waited until the next morning to have the packaging taken out. When Rong Xi came downstairs, she was shocked to find Qin Yuzhen already sitting on the couch.

“Did you pull an all-nighter last night?” In her view, Qin Yuzhen couldn’t possibly be up this early—the only explanation was that she hadn’t slept at all.

“No, I just woke up early,” Qin Yuzhen took a sip of milk. “I’ve already cleaned up the walk-in closet. It’s practically a model of organization now—you can use it as a reference if you want.”

Rong Xi thought she could add “narcissistic” to that notebook of hers.

“No need. Are you sure you actually cleaned it? You didn’t just shove everything into the closet, did you?” Rong Xi still didn’t believe her.

“Tch. If you don’t believe me, go see for yourself.” Qin Yuzhen snorted lightly.

System: “Host, do you have no shame? It’s not like you cleaned it yourself.”

“Tell me, if I finish my homework using a pen, did I finish the homework or did the pen finish it?” Qin Yuzhen retorted. “So, if I used an item card to clean the room, then of course it was me who cleaned it.”

The system shut its mouth. Arguing with Qin Yuzhen was a battle it never expected to win.

Rong Xi went back upstairs and opened the door to Qin Yuzhen’s walk-in closet. She was stunned. Everything was arranged completely differently from yesterday—clearly, everything had been taken out and reorganized. And it did look pleasing to the eye, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint why.

Rong Xi went back downstairs and sat beside Qin Yuzhen, giving her a concerned look. “Pulling all-nighters isn’t good for you.”

“I didn’t pull an all-nighter. Do you see any dark circles under my eyes?” Qin Yuzhen wiped her mouth.

Rong Xi leaned in for a closer look. Qin Yuzhen’s skin was flawless—dark circles were nowhere to be found.

“Efficiency, got it?” Qin Yuzhen leaned back on the sofa. “There’s nothing I can’t do well.”

Rong Xi: “…”

“I’m going to have breakfast.” Rong Xi stood up and quickly left the living room.

Qin Yuzhen smirked and leisurely walked out the door, only to spot Rong Yao hiding behind a tree, sneaking around. The moment he saw Qin Yuzhen, he ducked back.

“What are you doing?” Qin Yuzhen walked over and hauled Rong Yao out from the bushes.

Rong Yao straightened his collar. “I came to see Sister Xi Xi.”

“Then why were you hiding here?”

Rong Yao didn’t answer. The system piped up in a mocking tone: “Obviously because he didn’t want to see you.”

“Hiding from me?” Qin Yuzhen lowered her head.

Rong Yao glanced at her. “I wasn’t…”

“Tch. So much for our revolutionary friendship.” Qin Yuzhen shook her head. “I worked my butt off to get you to first place, and now you hide when you see me.”

“I wasn’t hiding from you! I was just checking if Uncle was home…” Rong Yao said. “I’m scared of him.”

“He’s not.”

“Good.” Rong Yao sighed in relief. “I came to do homework with Sister Xi Xi.”

“What homework? Why not ask me instead?”

Rong Yao tilted his head to look at Qin Yuzhen, skepticism in his eyes. “Because it’s an art assignment—a family activity where we have to draw a corner of the house with a parent. Can you even draw?”

Qin Yuzhen scoffed. “Obviously.”

“Even if you can, you’re definitely not as good as Sister Xi Xi. She even won awards for her drawings before—she’s super amazing.” Seeing Qin Yuzhen’s unchanged expression, Rong Yao drew a circle in the air. “There were so many people at the award ceremony, and it even made the news.”

Rong Xi, who had just hurried out, blushed. “That was back in middle school. It’s not worth mentioning.”

“Why is there nothing to say?” Rong Yao pulled out a piece of drawing paper and moved closer to Rong Xi.

Originally, it was supposed to be an activity just for Rong Yao and Rong Xi, but Qin Yuzhen had forcefully inserted herself into their plans.

“Everyone has to draw three paintings,” Rong Yao said while glancing at Qin Yuzhen. “I was thinking of having Sister Xixi draw two, but if yours turns out well…”

“Whether I’m even willing to give it to you is another matter entirely.”

Rong Xi watched Rong Yao’s aggrieved expression and silently lowered her head, taking out her paints. She couldn’t help but think that Qin Yuzhen truly had no conscience—even bullying a child.

The three of them each chose different styles: Rong Xi worked on an oil painting, Rong Yao on a childlike drawing, while Qin Yuzhen had someone fetch her traditional Chinese painting supplies.

Each selected a different corner to depict. Qin Yuzhen painted the garden pavilion and its surrounding scenery, Rong Xi also chose the garden but focused on the glass greenhouse, and Rong Yao opted for the exterior of the villa. He was very serious, and the way he kept sneaking glances at Qin Yuzhen made it clear he was determined to outdo her.

As a princess, Qin Yuzhen was well-versed in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. In her heyday, her artworks were priceless. The thought that these paintings would end up as Rong Yao’s kindergarten homework made her sigh inwardly. The fact that she had even picked up a brush was already generous—yet Rong Yao remained ungrateful.

“Host, you were the one who insisted on painting.”

“Didn’t I tell you not to pry into my thoughts?”

“I couldn’t help it.”

Qin Yuzhen rolled her eyes.

Rong Yao finished first, placing his drawing neatly on the coffee table. Instead of leaving, he waited in the living room. Qin Yuzhen and Rong Xi completed theirs around the same time.

Rong Xi set her painting on the table and glanced at Qin Yuzhen.

“Wow! Sister Xixi, you really haven’t lost your touch.”

“What kind of nonsensical idiom is that?” Rong Xi gently pinched Rong Yao’s cheek before looking back at Qin Yuzhen.

Noticing her gaze, Qin Yuzhen said, “It looks great.”

Rong Xi smiled, satisfied.

“What about yours?” Rong Yao asked.

“Over there on the table,” Qin Yuzhen pointed. “It’s not completely dry yet, so it’s hard to move.”

Rong Yao went over to look, and Rong Xi followed curiously.

Before seeing the painting, Rong Yao had already prepared his critique about how ugly it must be. But upon seeing it, he was at a loss for words. Though he had no formal training, he still had an eye for beauty. Yet, he held back and said nothing.

“It’s beautiful,” the honest Rong Xi remarked, sensing the emotions Qin Yuzhen had poured into the artwork.

“Of course,” Qin Yuzhen walked over and glanced at the silent child beside her. “Well? Is it good enough for your homework?”

Rong Xi noticed the signature on Qin Yuzhen’s painting—her calligraphy was just as exquisite, lacking only a seal.

“But I still think Sister Xixi’s is better,” Rong Yao said.

Qin Yuzhen ignored him.

Despite his earlier complaints, Rong Yao handled the painting with great care when he took it away.

“When did you start learning to paint…?” Rong Xi couldn’t help but ask after Rong Yao left.

Qin Yuzhen paused for two seconds. “Self-taught.”

Rong Xi gave her a look—that was definitely not a skill one could master alone. “No way.”

“You already know our family is poor, don’t you?” Qin Yuzhen said. “Little sister, sometimes it’s better to just accept that I’m an all-around genius.”

Rong Xi: …

“Speaking of which, when do you have time to paint a portrait of me? I can paint one for you in return.”

Rong Xi had a feeling that painting Qin Yuzhen’s portrait would definitely not be a good task, but judging by Qin Yuzhen’s expression, there was clearly no room for negotiation.

“Actually, I’m not very good at portrait painting.”

“But I just searched your award-winning work—it was a portrait,” Qin Yuzhen said. “And it was of Rong Yao, no wonder he was so excited.”

“I don’t think I can capture your essence.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, little sister.”

Rong Xi sighed—it seemed there was no way to avoid this after all.