I Don't Want to Be the Villainess Anymore - Chapter 41

“Should I give you the podium?” Old Wang asked.

Liang Xuzhou stood up. “No need.”

Reluctantly, he sang Two Tigers. Since it was still school hours, people gathered outside the windows and doors to watch.

“Tsk, this kid’s only seventeen, yet he sounds so weak,” Old Wang shook his head.

Liang Xuzhou: “…”

“Sing another one!”

“Yeah, yeah, one more!”

“How about one song a day? Didn’t you say you’d force yourself to talk in a strained voice for thirty days?”

Liang Xuzhou turned and glared at the instigator before sitting back down, pretending not to hear.

“Alright, alright, class is starting.” Old Wang waved his hand. “By the way, which student is supposed to cross-dress this Saturday?”

“Old Li!”

“Li the Second!”

“Got it.” Old Wang nodded in acknowledgment. “Alright, take out your books and start reading.”

The recent six-city joint exams left students from the other five cities questioning their life choices. Seeing Rong Xi score 733 was already inhuman enough—who knew there’d be even more absurd scores like 746 and 745?

Qin Yuzhen’s essay this time spread even further than the last. Though the classical Chinese portion wasn’t as long, looking up the meanings took just as much time.

“Did you specialize in classical literature or something?”

Qin Yuzhen thought for a moment. “You could say that.”

“How much study does it take to reach your level…?” Rong Xi stared at Qin Yuzhen’s essay.

“Enough to make it as natural as speaking modern Chinese,” Qin Yuzhen replied.

Rong Xi: “…”

“Ugh.” Rong Xi sighed. She had lost two points on her essay this time. “It feels like you have several times more hours in a day than I do, even though you’re so… lazy.”

“Are you secretly studying in the middle of the night?” Rong Xi asked seriously.

“Guess.”

Rong Xi studied Qin Yuzhen’s face—no dark circles. Clearly, she slept soundly at night.

“Comparing yourself to others is just asking for frustration,” Rong Xi lamented.

Qin Yuzhen’s first-place ranking across the six cities brought face to the Rong family. Rong’s father even returned home to have a meal with her. Since Qin Yuzhen had come back, the four of them had eaten together fewer times than the fingers on one hand.

“There’s an auction on Saturday night. Xi Xi and Zhen Zhen should go—it’ll have things you girls like,” Rong’s father said.

“But I have evening classes,” Rong Xi glanced at Qin Yuzhen.

“Can’t you skip?” Rong’s father asked.

“It’s competition training. The exam’s coming up soon… it’s pretty important.”

Rong’s father looked at Rong’s mother.

“I have plans on Saturday night,” Rong’s mother said.

“Then I’ll go alone. No problem. Just tell me what you like, and I’ll bid for it,” Qin Yuzhen said.

“Alright. I’ll have Assistant Wang accompany you,” Rong’s father nodded.

“Sure.” Qin Yuzhen agreed.

Rong Xi wanted to go too, but she didn’t have the luxury of slacking off like Qin Yuzhen. As hard as it was to catch up, she still wanted to try.

The auction was scheduled for 6:30 PM on Saturday.

Qin Yuzhen left school at 3 PM to get styled and even took Monday off. When Old Wang found out she was attending a competition, he didn’t ask further.

Being first in some areas really did come with privileges.

Seeing that it was still early, Qin Yuzhen decided to indulge in a full beauty treatment. After finishing her styling and having a light meal, she arrived at the auction venue right at 6:30 PM.

Assistant Wang followed closely behind her.

“Miss, President Rong said you can bid on whatever you like. I’ll handle the payment.”

“Alright.” Qin Yuzhen nodded, showed her invitation to the attendant at the entrance, and stepped inside.

Her seat was in the center of the first row—a clear indication of the Rong family’s status.

In elite circles like this, most people knew each other, so Qin Yuzhen’s unfamiliar face drew quite a few curious glances the moment she entered.

Assistant Wang followed half a step behind her. Some attendees recognized him, and given his deferential attitude, they began speculating about Qin Yuzhen’s identity.

“Is she from the Rong family?”

“Has the Rong family ever had someone like her?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I heard she’s a distant relative of the Rongs, here to freeload.”

“She doesn’t carry herself like one. Besides, would a freeloading relative be invited to an auction like this?”

…

Qin Yuzhen took her seat, and Assistant Wang settled beside her.

“Miss, would you like a glass of wine?”

Just as Qin Yuzhen reached for it, Assistant Wang stopped her. “Miss, you’re still underage—you can’t drink. How about some juice instead?”

Qin Yuzhen: “…”

“I think I can handle it,” she said.

“No, you can’t.”

Qin Yuzhen shot him an annoyed look but accepted the juice he handed her.

“Who are you? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

Qin Yuzhen turned to see a woman sitting down beside her. The woman wore heavy makeup, bold red lips, and had voluminous wavy hair—strikingly beautiful, with an air of confidence and a hint of arrogance. Her strapless gown accentuated her flawless figure.

“Qin Yuzhen,” she replied. “Currently staying with the Rong family.”

“Juice? Underage?” The woman glanced at Qin Yuzhen’s glass.

“Mm.” Qin Yuzhen looked at Assistant Wang. “I still want wine.”

“Underage. No alcohol,” Assistant Wang insisted.

The woman laughed. “Your guardian is quite strict.”

“I’ve introduced myself. What about you?” Qin Yuzhen set her glass on the small table in front of her.

“Chu Can.” Chu Can arched a brow. “You don’t know me.”

“I’ve only been in City A for a month,” Qin Yuzhen said. “How about giving me your contact info, sister? Then we’ll officially be acquainted.”

Chu Can chuckled. “I don’t just give my number to anyone. Besides, your guardian probably wouldn’t approve of you knowing me.”

“I don’t have a guardian,” Qin Yuzhen said. “And why should anyone else have a say in who I want to know?”

Chu Can accepted a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. “Then let’s talk again after you turn eighteen.”

Assistant Wang watched anxiously from the side. Once Qin Yuzhen settled back into her seat, he leaned closer and whispered, “Miss Chu isn’t the easiest person to get along with. Rumor has it she swings both ways.”

“Oh.” Qin Yuzhen crossed her legs casually.

“She’s been in the tabloids multiple times,” Assistant Wang added.

“Oh.” Qin Yuzhen glanced at him. “She hasn’t done anything heinous or illegal, has she?”

Assistant Wang: “…”

“She doesn’t exactly fit the standards of a refined lady. Her reputation in the circle isn’t great either.”

Qin Yuzhen gave Wang Assistant a look of disdain. “Are you living in the past or something?” Even she, an ancient person, wasn’t as old-fashioned as Wang Assistant.

“I sleep in class every day and read novels. Do you really think I’m a good student?”

Wang Assistant opened his mouth but said nothing.

“But I’m still ranked first,” Qin Yuzhen said, resting her chin on her hand. “Such a boring standard of judgment.”

Wang Assistant was left speechless.

The auction soon began.

Qin Yuzhen flipped through the small catalog in her hands. Rong Xi had told her to buy whatever she liked, but Qin Yuzhen was convinced this was just another way for Rong Xi to torment her.

She had a feeling that if she didn’t buy what Rong Xi wanted, the girl would start whining again—”Wahh, sister doesn’t care about me at all!”

If there weren’t so many items up for auction, she would’ve just bought everything and let Rong Xi pick what she wanted later.

“This bracelet is called ‘Starry Sky,’ designed by the renowned streamer-designer QW. The entire piece is—”

The host on stage rambled on with the introduction.

Qin Yuzhen glanced at the picture and considered it. The bracelet would probably look stunning on Rong Xi’s wrist.

“Starting bid: 200,000.”

“250,000.”

“300,000.” Qin Yuzhen raised her paddle.

“450,000.” Chu Can, sitting nearby, called out.

“600,000.” Qin Yuzhen said lazily.

Chu Can chuckled. “650,000.”

“1,000,000.”

“Quite the bold move, young lady.”

“Thanks.”

The bracelet was successfully won by Qin Yuzhen. She took it, glanced at it, then set it aside. A single bracelet had cost her a million. Thinking about how she still had to compete in that tournament, fighting tooth and nail just to earn that much—and after taxes, who knew how much would be left—the more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

The system sensed Qin Yuzhen’s shifting mood and shrewdly deduced the reason, so it wisely stayed silent.

“This is a jade necklace from the 1960s, restored twice—”

Qin Yuzhen had little interest in the next few items, and Chu Can beside her didn’t seem inclined to bid either.

Then, the two of them clashed over another necklace.

“Are you doing this on purpose?” Qin Yuzhen asked, puzzled.

“Just a coincidence in taste, that’s all,” Chu Can replied.

The necklace’s price had already soared from 500,000 to 3,000,000. Qin Yuzhen chose to back out, letting Chu Can take it for 3,000,000.

“I thought you’d keep competing with me.”

“It’s not something I particularly like—just passable. No need to spend that much money on it.” Qin Yuzhen took a sip of juice.

“You really don’t like losing, do you?”

“What’s there to lose or not lose?” Qin Yuzhen said. “If I kept bidding, the Rong family would’ve covered the cost for me anyway.”

Chu Can clicked her tongue.

Rong Xi: Sister, what did you buy?

Qin Yuzhen glanced down at her phone.

Qin Yuzhen: So far, just a bracelet. Someone snatched a necklace I wanted.

Rong Xi: You actually let someone take something from you?

Qin Yuzhen: The other person was really good-looking.

Rong Xi: ???

Rong Xi: Where are your principles?

Qin Yuzhen laughed.

Qin Yuzhen: I don’t have any.

Rong Xi didn’t reply—probably too annoyed.

“Boyfriend?” Chu Can asked.

“Little sister,” Qin Yuzhen said.

“Really?” Chu Can’s tone was clearly skeptical.

“Why would you assume it’s a boyfriend?” Qin Yuzhen countered.

Chu Can pondered for a few seconds: “Your expression looked like you were talking to a lover. Most people are heterosexual these days, so I couldn’t just ask if you were speaking to a girlfriend.”

Qin Yuzhen laughed, with a hint of mockery: “You’re very beautiful…”

“Though you didn’t outright insult me, I caught your drift.” Chu Can swirled her wine glass. “Why the sudden jab? Feeling guilty?”