I Don't Want to Be the Villainess Anymore - Chapter 47

Rong Xi noticed that ever since she started speaking this way, the frequency of Gu Si appearing in front of them had significantly decreased.

Over the next few days, Qin Yuzhen took several more days off—she had to film her personal promotional video and take photos. These materials would later be released separately and also be edited into the show’s promotional clips, though each person might only get a second or two of screen time.

Rong Xi’s gaze at Qin Yuzhen carried a hint of scrutiny.

Every time Qin Yuzhen went out, she was dressed to the nines, and she returned the same way. Rong Xi simply couldn’t believe she was going out to study like that.

But since Qin Yuzhen didn’t offer any explanation, Rong Xi had no way to follow her. She did consider checking the car’s navigation system for the route history, but she felt that doing so would make her seem like a creep.

After all, she was just curious.

Still, she didn’t have much energy to dwell on these matters. The math competition was drawing closer, and she just wanted to make the most of the remaining time to understand as many problems as possible.

So, she gathered her test papers and knocked on Qin Yuzhen’s door.

Qin Yuzhen was lying on her bed with a face mask on. Hearing the knock, she didn’t move. “Come in.”

Rong Xi pushed the door open and stepped inside. Seeing Qin Yuzhen lying there with her hands resting on her stomach, she froze for a moment. “You scared me…”

“What’s up?”

“There are a few problems I don’t understand.” Rong Xi slowly approached, standing by the bed and looking down at Qin Yuzhen. “Should I wait for you in your study?”

“Which problem?” Qin Yuzhen asked.

“This one.” Rong Xi held the paper up in front of Qin Yuzhen.

Qin Yuzhen glanced at it. “Got it. You can move the paper away now. I know how to explain it.”

Rong Xi: ???

Rong Xi thought Qin Yuzhen was joking, but then she actually started explaining.

“You can sit beside me or bring a chair over. You standing there makes me uncomfortable.”

Rong Xi: …

“Oh.” Rong Xi glanced around but didn’t see a chair. She eyed a heavy-looking one in the distance, thought for a moment, and then sat on the edge of Qin Yuzhen’s bed.

“I’ll continue then.”

“Okay.”

Qin Yuzhen closed her eyes. Her explanation was clear and logical, and for the calculations, she just had her system handle them in her head.

Unbeknownst to her, Rong Xi was staring at her as if she were some kind of monster.

“Got it?” Qin Yuzhen opened her eyes and looked at Rong Xi.

Rong Xi blinked, nodded, then shook her head.

Qin Yuzhen: …

“Were you spacing out just now?” Qin Yuzhen propped herself up on the bed and peeled off her face mask.

Rong Xi, knowing she was at fault, stayed silent.

Qin Yuzhen went to the bathroom to wash her face, and Rong Xi followed. “How do you calculate so fast? Is there some trick? That last answer had two decimal places, and you just casually worked it out like that?”

“Why are you obsessing over this? So you zoned out just because you were fixated on something like that?” Qin Yuzhen shot Rong Xi a sidelong glance.

Rong Xi pressed her lips together. “I…”

“I suggest you reflect on that.” Qin Yuzhen said.

Rong Xi stood there silently.

“Why do you insist on standing right here?” Qin Yuzhen asked, curious.

“Ah…” Rong Xi pondered for a moment. She wasn’t sure why she had ended up standing there, but when Qin Yuzhen walked over, she had instinctively followed.

“Then I’ll head to the study first.”

“I think so too,” Qin Yuzhen nodded.

As soon as Rong Xi stepped away from the doorframe, Qin Yuzhen closed the door behind her. Rong Xi turned to look at the shut door, blinked, and then immediately scurried away—how embarrassing.

After Qin Yuzhen finished freshening up and came out of the bathroom, she found Rong Xi sitting at the desk, scribbling something. Hearing the sound, Rong Xi quickly slid her test paper over the draft sheet and looked up at her.

“What are you doing?” Qin Yuzhen asked.

“Nothing much.”

Qin Yuzhen reached out and grabbed Rong Xi’s test paper.

Rong Xi didn’t let go.

“Weren’t you going to ask me about the problems?” Qin Yuzhen said.

“Don’t you remember?” Rong Xi still didn’t release her grip. “Sis, or could you wait for me to tidy up first?”

“Tsk.”

Qin Yuzhen let go, and Rong Xi sighed in relief. But the next second, Qin Yuzhen lifted the test paper with her left hand and snatched the draft sheet with her right.

Rong Xi: !!!

On the draft sheet was the side profile of a girl. Though unnamed, it was unmistakably Qin Yuzhen herself.

“Tsk.” Qin Yuzhen glanced at Rong Xi.

Rong Xi’s face flushed crimson. She took a deep breath. “How could you just grab my things?”

“I wanted to see what you were writing on the draft paper,” Qin Yuzhen said. “I thought it might be some wrong approach to a problem. Who knew you were secretly drawing me?”

“Who’s drawing you?” Rong Xi retorted. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Tsk.” Qin Yuzhen gave her a look and held the drawing beside her face. “Isn’t this me? It’s obviously a perfect match.”

Rong Xi: …

“You’re so annoying.” Rong Xi reached to take the draft sheet back.

“You refused to draw me properly when I asked, yet here you are sketching me in secret.” Qin Yuzhen examined the drawing. It was clearly a casual sketch, but it was well done—capturing her essence without any distortion.

“I already said I’d draw you properly during winter break or after graduation,” Rong Xi said, eyeing the paper in Qin Yuzhen’s hand. She didn’t understand why she had impulsively started drawing Qin Yuzhen—it seemed like an unconscious act.

Now that she’d been caught, she couldn’t be bothered to explain further. At most, Qin Yuzhen would just tease her about it.

Then she watched as Qin Yuzhen folded the draft sheet and tucked it into a nearby drawer.

Rong Xi: ???

“My little sister’s first drawing of me—shouldn’t that be kept safe?” Qin Yuzhen said.

Rong Xi: …

“Alright, which part don’t you understand? I’ll continue explaining.”

Rong Xi slid the test paper over. “The problem from earlier—I still don’t get it. Can you go over it again?”

Qin Yuzhen gave her a look.

“Don’t worry, I won’t space out this time. I was just shocked earlier,” Rong Xi said.

During regular school hours, Rong Xi had never noticed that Qin Yuzhen didn’t use draft paper.

“Mm, you’d better not space out,” Qin Yuzhen said, sitting down beside her.

Rong Xi had prepared three problems, but since it was already late when she arrived, by the time they finished the second one, it was nearly midnight. She yawned, rubbed her eyes, and slumped onto the desk.

“Tired?” Qin Yuzhen asked. “Let’s leave the rest for tomorrow.”

Rong Xi glanced at Qin Yuzhen. “Actually, I can hold on a bit longer, but if you’re tired, we can talk tomorrow.”

“Let’s talk tomorrow. You should go to sleep.” Qin Yuzhen gave Rong Xi’s head a gentle push. “I feel like you’re about to pass out any second.”

“I think I can manage,” Rong Xi said, then yawned again.

“Go to sleep.” Qin Yuzhen tidied up the test papers.

“But if I don’t understand it today, I’ll feel uneasy…”

“It’s already past midnight,” Qin Yuzhen checked the time. “There are still nearly twenty-four hours left in the day. Don’t worry, you’ll definitely figure it out today.”

Rong Xi: “…”

Qin Yuzhen hauled Rong Xi to her feet.

“Go to bed.”

Rong Xi sighed as Qin Yuzhen forcibly ushered her out the door. She had intended to keep thinking about the problem once she got back to her room, but exhaustion overtook her, and she fell asleep within minutes of lying down.

Qin Yuzhen, however, wasn’t ready to sleep yet. She retrieved a glass of red wine from her system space and leaned against the railing.

“Host? Are you feeling down?”

“No, I’m fine,” Qin Yuzhen swirled her glass. “Just a little bored.”

“Ah, midnight melancholy.” The system fell silent.

Qin Yuzhen: “…”

Over the next few days, Rong Xi monopolized every break Qin Yuzhen had between classes.

“Little sister, could you give your big sister a little break?” Qin Yuzhen propped her chin on her hand and sighed.

Rong Xi did a quick mental calculation and realized she really hadn’t given Qin Yuzhen any downtime—even when they went to get water, she was still asking questions.

“Big sister, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,” Rong Xi said sheepishly, sidling up to Qin Yuzhen and playfully massaging her shoulders in apology.

Qin Yuzhen rubbed her temples. Although the month-long punishment period had ended, Rong Xi had retained the habit of speaking like this, slipping into it from time to time.

“I’ll come back with you during P.E. this afternoon, but please spare me during breaks.” Qin Yuzhen had nearly dozed off again during class earlier and was called up by Old Qian to solve a problem on the board.

“Big sister, is there anything you’d like to eat? I can go to the convenience store for you,” Rong Xi offered sweetly.

Qin Yuzhen gave her a look. “Go ahead, anything is fine.”

“Okay, I’ll go during the next break,” Rong Xi said.

When the next break arrived, Rong Xi grabbed her wallet and headed out.

Qin Yuzhen was curious about what Rong Xi would bring back.

The convenience store was a bit of a walk from the classroom building, but perhaps because Qin Yuzhen sometimes dragged her along for runs, Rong Xi felt her stamina had improved. By the time she reached the store, she was only slightly out of breath.

“Host, Rong Xi is going to run into the male lead at the convenience store,” the system announced.

Qin Yuzhen rested her head on the desk. “Oh.”

“I thought you’d go check it out.”

Qin Yuzhen ignored it.

Rong Xi filled her basket with various snacks. At first, it didn’t seem too heavy, but once she packed everything into a plastic bag to carry back, she realized just how much she’d bought.

“Are you alone?”

“Yeah…” Rong Xi glanced at Ye Yunshen, who was holding two bottles of water.

“You bought all this?” Ye Yunshen frowned at the bulging bag in Rong Xi’s hands.

“Mm-hmm,” Rong Xi nodded.

“Is Qin Yuzhen making you do her errands?” Ye Yunshen’s first thought was that Qin Yuzhen had ordered her around.

Rong Xi: ???

“What does this have to do with my sister?” Rong Xi shot Ye Yunshen an annoyed look. “You’re being really weird.”

“Let me help you carry these back. There’s too much—you can’t manage it all.” Ye Yunshen stepped forward to take the bags from her.

“No need.” Rong Xi was clearly displeased.