I Don't Want to Be the Villainess Anymore - Chapter 5

As soon as the car stopped, Rong Xi quickly got out. She wanted to rush straight to her room, but her feet remained firmly planted where she stood.

Lunch was already prepared, and the two of them entered the dining room together, sitting across from each other.

The meal was lavish, though Rong’s mother was still absent.

Qin Yuzhen propped her chin on her hand and picked up a piece of braised pork.

“You’ll be starting school tomorrow. I can introduce you then,” Rong Xi said softly.

Qin Yuzhen glanced at her. “I just wanted to chat with my little sister. Does she dislike me that much?”

Rong Xi fell silent for a moment before finally making up her mind. “Sister, can you speak normally?”

“Oh, little sister doesn’t even like the way I talk. How heartbreaking.”

Rong Xi felt like crying. She stopped speaking and silently focused on her meal.

After lunch, however, Qin Yuzhen returned to her room on her own, not actually asking Rong Xi to introduce anything. Seeing Qin Yuzhen leave, Rong Xi also hurried into her room, hanging a “Napping—Do Not Disturb” sign on the door and locking it to prevent Qin Yuzhen from coming to find her.

Though she suspected that if Qin Yuzhen really wanted to see her, she’d probably just knock instead of walking away.

According to the script, Qin Yuzhen would join Rong Xi’s class tomorrow. But since Rong Xi was in the advanced class, the original host—unable to keep up—would soon be demoted to the regular class. This plot point was also a source of conflict between the original host and Rong Xi.

But there was no way Qin Yuzhen would end up in the regular class.

Sitting on the balcony, legs crossed, Qin Yuzhen hummed a tune, already looking forward to the beauties around Rong Xi.

By evening, both Rong’s father and mother had returned, and the family finally gathered around the dinner table.

Qin Yuzhen and Rong Xi sat side by side, while Rong’s parents sat across from them.

Rong’s father had originally planned to hire an etiquette teacher for Qin Yuzhen to correct the bad habits she’d picked up in the countryside.

To his surprise, from her posture while walking to her table manners, there was nothing about Qin Yuzhen that needed fixing.

If Qin Yuzhen was from the village, then the other young ladies might as well have come from the backwoods.

“Your school arrangements are settled. You’ll be in the same class as Xi Xi. It works out since you’re both in the science track.”

“Got it,” Qin Yuzhen nodded.

“Xi Xi, help look after Zhen Zhen. She’s new here and unfamiliar with things.”

“Okay,” Rong Xi also nodded, though she didn’t think Qin Yuzhen needed any looking after at all.

“The exams here might be a bit harder than what you’re used to. Xi Xi has always been in the top three of her grade, so if you have any questions, you can ask her,” Rong’s father added. “We’ll arrange a tutor for you later.”

Qin Yuzhen curled her lips into a humble smile. “Alright, I hope my little sister won’t find me annoying.”

Rong Xi: That’s not what you said earlier.

The family ate in silence. Once the topic of school was covered, there was little else to say.

After dinner, Rong’s father went straight to his study.

“Zhen Zhen, I’ll take you shopping on Saturday to buy some things you like,” Rong’s mother said.

“Okay,” Qin Yuzhen nodded, offering a docile smile.

Rong’s mother nodded in satisfaction, feeling that Qin Yuzhen seemed much more agreeable now compared to when she first arrived. After a few more words of advice, she too left the table.

“Host, it seems like Mother Rong doesn’t really like Rong Xi either.”

“Overthinking it. She’ll probably call Rong Xi over for a chat tonight. Right now, she’s just putting on a show to avoid making me feel unbalanced,” Qin Yuzhen said. “Don’t you have the script?”

“I didn’t read it. It’s not like you follow it anyway,” the system paused. “Don’t worry, I’ll check it right away.”

“You gave me the nickname ‘Salty Fish’ back then, but it’s really because you’re the lazy one, isn’t it? Can’t even be bothered to skim through it.” Qin Yuzhen scoffed.

The system fell silent.

Back in her room, Qin Yuzhen packed her school things and tossed them onto the sofa.

The thought of going back to school made her sigh. Waking up early was truly an irritating ordeal.

Sensing Qin Yuzhen’s rising temper, the system made itself even less noticeable.

At six in the morning, Qin Yuzhen was jolted awake by knocking on her door.

She took a deep breath, sat up in bed, and suppressed her anger long enough to mutter, “Got it,” to the person outside.

“Host, calm down. Back in the village, you woke up even earlier.”

“That bed was uncomfortable, so I couldn’t sleep anyway. Getting up didn’t feel like a big deal.” With a dark expression, Qin Yuzhen dressed and washed up. By the time she went downstairs, her mood had improved slightly, but it was still obvious to everyone that she wasn’t happy.

Rong Xi timidly greeted her with a “Good morning.” Qin Yuzhen glanced at her sideways and gave a curt response.

After a moment, Rong Xi couldn’t help but ask, “Did you not sleep well?”

“Just not fully awake yet.” Qin Yuzhen looked at Rong Xi and smirked. “Daring to talk to me first? Not scared anymore?”

“Who’s scared of you…” Rong Xi pursed her lips. “I was just asking.”

“Oh.” Qin Yuzhen took a sip of milk.

The Rong family’s breakfasts were varied, with different dishes every day.

By the time Qin Yuzhen finished eating, Rong Xi hadn’t touched her milk.

“Aren’t you going to school?” Qin Yuzhen wiped her mouth.

Rong Xi glanced at Qin Yuzhen, then at the milk in front of her. She picked up the glass, closed her eyes, furrowed her brows, and downed it in one go. Afterward, she shuddered twice and let out a long exhale.

“Pfft.”

Qin Yuzhen couldn’t help but laugh.

Rong Xi looked over, slightly embarrassed, and muttered, “Milk is seriously disgusting.”

“Then don’t drink it.” Qin Yuzhen stood up, slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked out.

Rong Xi hurried after her. “How can I not drink it? They prepared it for me.”

“Just say you don’t want it.”

“That feels rude.”

“Then keep drinking.” Qin Yuzhen got into the car.

Clutching her backpack, Rong Xi sat down beside Qin Yuzhen—this time without deliberately keeping her distance. She really didn’t want to hear Qin Yuzhen’s sarcastic remarks again.

Their school was a prestigious institution in City A, one of the top high schools in the region.

The school had three types of classes: international, advanced, and standard.

The international class was for students preparing to study abroad, while the advanced and standard classes were for those taking the domestic college entrance exams.

As the car stopped at the school gates, Qin Yuzhen looked out the window. The architecture leaned toward a European style, with the main buildings in a shade of red she couldn’t quite name.

As expected, the female lead was still the female lead. After Rong Xi got out of the car, about ninety percent of the people around turned to look at her. Of course, quite a few also glanced at Qin Yuzhen, mainly because she wasn’t wearing the school uniform. Everyone at this school had custom-made uniforms, and Qin Yuzhen would have to wait a while before she could wear hers. Today, she had just come in casual clothes.

Qin Yuzhen walked beside her. All the necessary procedures had already been completed—she just needed to find her homeroom teacher now.

“I’ll take you to the homeroom teacher’s office,” Rong Xi said, then lowered her voice to explain, “These are all classroom buildings. The domed building behind them is the library. The cafeteria is further back. Just follow me at lunchtime, and I’ll take you there.”

“And the sports field is over there. There’s also a gymnasium where you can swim…”

Qin Yuzhen noticed that Rong Xi was talking much more than she did at home, as if she had entered her own territory. Many people greeted her along the way, and some even came over specifically to say hello—her popularity was undeniable.

The teachers’ offices were all next to the classrooms. After Rong Xi dropped Qin Yuzhen off, she quickly left.

Qin Yuzhen knocked on the door and entered.

The homeroom teacher looked up at the sound and adjusted his glasses. “Ah, you must be Qin Yuzhen.”

“Yes,” Qin Yuzhen replied. “Hello, teacher.”

“My surname is Wang. The kids in class all call me Old Wang—you can do the same.” Old Wang covered his mouth and coughed a few times. “I took a look at your previous school records, and they don’t seem particularly strong. The advanced class moves at a fast pace, and I’m not sure if you’ll be able to keep up.”

“Don’t worry, teacher. If I can’t keep up, I’ll transfer back to the regular class on my own,” Qin Yuzhen said with a smile.

“Alright. If you don’t understand anything, make sure to ask the teachers.” Old Wang gave a few more reminders, then glanced at Qin Yuzhen. Honestly, when he first saw her transcript, he hadn’t been keen on accepting her. But now that he met her in person, she seemed like a well-behaved kid, which improved his impression slightly. “Alright, come with me. I’ll take you to the classroom. Try to get along well with your classmates.”

“Okay, thank you, teacher.”

Qin Yuzhen followed behind Old Wang, her lips curling slightly as she spotted the sign for Class 1, Grade 12 up ahead.

The class was already full, and the atmosphere was noisy. When Old Wang entered, it quieted down for a second before the chatter resumed, with everyone turning their attention to Qin Yuzhen.

“Isn’t that the girl who came with Xi Xi this morning?”

“She’s pretty good-looking.”

“How did she manage to transfer straight into the advanced class? That’s so unfair.”

……

Whispers of all kinds filled the classroom. Qin Yuzhen stood beside the podium, her smile unwavering.

Rong Xi sat in the second row, her expression darkening as she listened to the murmurs around her. She glanced at Qin Yuzhen with concern.

“Alright, settle down. This is our new classmate, Qin Yuzhen. I hope everyone gets along with her.” Old Wang tapped the desk and scanned the seating arrangement. “For now, take the last seat. We’ll be rearranging seats in a few days anyway.”

Qin Yuzhen nodded. “Got it.”

She liked that seat—it was perfect for zoning out and doing her own thing. As she walked over, she noticed her deskmate already curled up in the corner, fast asleep. It was strange that someone like this existed in the advanced class.

Qin Yuzhen pulled out the chair and sat down.

“Host, the male lead is in the international class, in the building next door.”

“Oh.” Qin Yuzhen stuffed her backpack into the desk compartment. “Has he had any interactions with Rong Xi yet?”

“At the moment, they’re still in the acquaintance phase and not very familiar with each other.”