I Don't Want to Be the Villainess Anymore - Chapter 4

Qin Yuzhen and Rong Yao had already completed one activity at the kindergarten by the time Rong Xi hurriedly arrived. She looked flustered, with beads of sweat still glistening on the tip of her nose.

“Here, wipe it off.” Qin Yuzhen handed her a tissue.

Rong Xi murmured a quiet “thank you” before sitting down on the small stool next to Rong Yao.

“She didn’t bully you, did she?” Rong Xi thought she had lowered her voice.

Qin Yuzhen shot her a glance and crossed her legs.

“No, I bullied her instead,” Rong Yao shook his head, looking up at Qin Yuzhen with undisguised admiration. “Big Sis is super amazing! Just now in the obstacle race, we got first place! The second-place team couldn’t even catch up!”

As he spoke, he proudly showed off the little red flower sticker on his hand.

Qin Yuzhen gave a light humph, tilting her chin up slightly. “Well, of course. Who do you think I am?”

Rong Xi glanced at Qin Yuzhen again, unsure of what to say.

The next parent-child activity was a competition where the kids had to tidy up their desks. Rong Yao worked at lightning speed—clearly desperate for another red flower—and indeed ended up winning first place.

“Seems like you didn’t really need me here,” Rong Xi remarked.

“I only asked if you were coming, not that you had to,” Qin Yuzhen replied.

Rong Xi: “…”

“Besides, who said we don’t need you?” Qin Yuzhen handed her a small booklet. “Three-legged race and tug-of-war.”

“Tug-of-war?” Rong Xi thought she had misheard.

“Yeah, I already signed you up.”

Rong Xi looked down at her slender arms and legs, pressing her lips together. “I don’t have much strength.”

“You’re still stronger than a kid, at least.”

Rong Xi: “…”

Later, Rong Xi realized that the real nightmare wasn’t the tug-of-war—it was the three-legged race.

Rong Yao carefully stuck his newly earned red flower onto his hand, treating it like a treasure.

“Let him stand in the middle,” Rong Xi suggested.

“It’s fine.” Qin Yuzhen waved her off before crouching down to tie the rope around their legs.

“We should take it slow. Falling would be bad.”

“Why did you tie the straps so loose?”

“We should call out the steps—left foot on one, right foot on two. Should we practice first?”

“No, that’s too slow.” Qin Yuzhen cut her off, eyeing Rong Xi’s incessant chatter.

Rong Xi turned to look at her.

“How much do you weigh?” Qin Yuzhen asked suddenly.

Rong Xi blinked, her voice dropping slightly. “Why are you asking that?”

“You’re not, like, two hundred pounds, right?” Qin Yuzhen scrutinized her.

Rong Xi: “…”

“Ninety pounds!” Rong Xi bit her lip. “How could I possibly be two hundred pounds?”

The referee signaled for everyone to get ready. All the teams lined up behind the starting line, poised to begin. Rong Xi tried to loop her arm through Qin Yuzhen’s, but the latter simply wrapped an arm around her waist instead.

Before Rong Xi could react, the referee blew the whistle.

The next second, she felt her feet leave the ground as she was practically carried forward.

She could hear Rong Yao shrieking in excitement.

Suddenly, she understood how the two of them had dominated the obstacle race earlier.

The three-legged race wasn’t long—just fifteen meters—but Rong Xi and Rong Yao were practically dragged across the finish line by Qin Yuzhen.

Everyone else was left far behind.

Upon reaching the destination, Qin Yuzhen immediately untied the rope from her legs and noticed Rong Xi’s bewildered expression. “What’s the matter?” she asked.

“You’re really strong.”

“Yeah.”

“Host, why is your competitive spirit so intense? It’s just a kindergarten activity,” the system said, exasperated. “Did you notice the teacher’s expression? And the other parents’ looks?”

“So what? Does this princess need to care about what others think?”

Rong Yao went to the teacher to collect his little red flower. Too shy to outright brag to the other kids, he subtly rolled up his sleeve a bit to show off the flower on the back of his hand.

“This kid is pretty amusing.”

“Indeed,” the system commented. “Just like you.”

After a short break, Rong Xi was called over for the tug-of-war, her face a picture of resigned despair.

The teacher arranged them into formation, with Rong Xi positioned in the middle.

Qin Yuzhen watched as Rong Xi took a deep breath and, at the signal, immediately yanked the rope backward with all her might—clearly giving it her all.

“Wouldn’t this be a good time to take a photo?” Qin Yuzhen mused.

The system fell silent as it observed Rong Xi’s flushed face, which looked like she was wearing a mask of agony.

Qin Yuzhen pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of Rong Xi. She was thoroughly satisfied with the result—perfect composition, lighting, and it captured Rong Xi’s entire face in crystal clarity.

Though they won the tug-of-war, Rong Xi was completely drained.

When she saw the photo on Qin Yuzhen’s phone, she nearly fainted—her face took up nine-tenths of the screen.

“Big sis…”

“Looks great, right?” Qin Yuzhen raised an eyebrow.

“Big sis! Delete it!” Rong Xi grabbed Qin Yuzhen’s sleeve.

“Not good?”

Rong Xi: “…”

“Host, do you really have no self-awareness about whether it looks good or not?” the system snapped.

Ignoring it, Qin Yuzhen looked at Rong Xi, sighed, and lowered her head. “Ah, this was our first photo together at an event. And you want to delete it just like that. Well, I guess you don’t think it’s worth keeping as a memento.”

Rong Xi bit her lip. “We can take another one. This one only has me, not you…”

“I was just trying to take a nice photo of my little sister,” Qin Yuzhen said before pulling out her phone and deleting the picture. “Fine, if you really don’t like it, I’ll delete it. No big deal.”

Seeing Qin Yuzhen’s sorrowful expression, Rong Xi felt a pang of guilt.

“Then let’s take another photo together,” Rong Xi said. “I do want a picture with you…”

“Alright.”

Qin Yuzhen took out her phone again. Rong Xi had been about to suggest she take the photo herself, but it turned out Qin Yuzhen’s selfie skills were actually quite good—meaning the earlier atrocity had been intentional!

Rong Xi shot Qin Yuzhen a glare, her eyes brimming with indignation.

“Look at the camera and smile. I won’t delete this one,” Qin Yuzhen said.

Rong Xi took a deep breath. So she wasn’t even pretending anymore. Forcing a bright smile, she turned toward the camera.

Just as Qin Yuzhen pressed the shutter, Rong Yao suddenly jumped into the frame, startling Rong Xi.

In the photo, Qin Yuzhen wore a serene smile, Rong Yao flashed his eight pearly whites, and Rong Xi once again donned her mask of agony.

“Rong Yao!” Rong Xi exclaimed as she looked at the photo, glaring at Rong Yao. She didn’t dare glare at Qin Yuzhen, but Rong Yao was fair game.

“So handsome! Saved. I’ll get this photo printed tomorrow and hang it in my room,” Qin Yuzhen said with satisfaction, ruffling Rong Yao’s hair and giving him an approving look.

“Big sister!” Rong Xi turned to Qin Yuzhen, her eyes pleading. “Big sister…”

Qin Yuzhen pocketed her phone, pretending not to hear, and patted Rong Yao’s shoulder. “Alright, the event will be over soon. Eat well, and Rong Xi and I will head out first.”

“Okay!” Rong Yao nodded.

Once outside the kindergarten, Rong Xi followed Qin Yuzhen, occasionally casting hesitant glances her way.

“Big sister, about that photo…”

“It’s really nice.”

“Can you not print it?” Rong Xi lowered her request, trying to compromise.

Qin Yuzhen glanced down at her. “I’ll think about it. Say something nice?”

Rong Xi paused, her ears turning slightly red as she seemed to think of something. She pursed her lips and glanced at Qin Yuzhen. “Big sister, you’re so beautiful and kind-hearted. I know you wouldn’t let that photo spread around, right?”

“We’ll see,” Qin Yuzhen chuckled before quickly getting into the car.

Rong Xi pouted, already regretting her decision to come. On second thought, Qin Yuzhen couldn’t have done much to Rong Yao—just teased him a little.

“Are you going back to school this afternoon?” Qin Yuzhen asked.

“No,” Rong Xi replied, sitting as far from Qin Yuzhen as possible, pressed against the car door.

“Xi Xi, do you dislike me? Why sit so far away?” Qin Yuzhen feigned innocence, her voice soft and delicate.

After a brief silence, Rong Xi reluctantly scooted closer—though still maintaining a considerable distance—prompting Qin Yuzhen to close the gap herself.

The system could practically see the despair written all over Rong Xi’s face.

“Host, aren’t you afraid this girl might snap one day?”

“Tch, could she possibly outdo me?” Qin Yuzhen raised an eyebrow.

“Host.”

“Hmm?”

“You’ve got a real talent for playing the villainess. It comes naturally to you.”

“Dream on. This princess is the heroine,” Qin Yuzhen scoffed, shifting her leg slightly. Rong Xi flinched beside her, looking up with startled confusion.

The air in the car seemed to freeze for a moment.

“Xi Xi, I don’t bite,” Qin Yuzhen said with a gentle smile, leaning closer.

“Mhm,” Rong Xi nodded, stealing a glance out the window and mentally calculating how much longer the ride would take. Spotting a 90-second red light ahead, her heart sank.

“Xi Xi, could you show me around the school this afternoon?” Qin Yuzhen batted her eyelashes.

Rong Xi nodded. “Okay.”

“Thanks, Xi Xi.”

The driver chuckled from the front seat. “You two get along so well. Mr. Rong would be thrilled to see this.”

Rong Xi: “…”

“Absolutely! I adore Xi Xi—she’s beautiful, sweet-tempered, and so patient with me, a country bumpkin who knows nothing about the city,” Qin Yuzhen gushed, wrapping her arms around Rong Xi’s.

Rong Xi stared at Qin Yuzhen, her expression dazed.

How can someone be this two-faced—and such a good actress?!

“It’s alright, sister. Feel free to ask me anything you’d like to know.” Rong Xi offered another gentle smile.

“You’re so sweet, Xi Xi.” Qin Yuzhen giggled playfully.

System: Host, you’ve got the vibe just right.