The Crybaby Always Wants to Redeem the Villainess - Chapter 12

“Of course it’s true! Go on, Elder Sister!” Gu Zhirou covered her mouth, giggling.

“Alright, then!” Xiao Yi replied, plunging into the small grove of trees.

Moments later, she emerged with a wild rabbit in hand.

“Rou’er, look! I caught a rabbit!” Xiao Yi exclaimed, holding up the rabbit for Gu Zhirou to see.

“Wow, Elder Sister, you’re amazing!” Gu Zhirou clapped her hands in admiration.

Xiao Yi, feeling awkward, scratched her head and remained silent. Isn’t hunting a basic skill in the military camp? Everyone knows how to do it. What’s so impressive about that?

She crouched beside Gu Zhirou, watching her. Gu Zhirou looked up, puzzled. “Elder Sister, if you don’t kill it, how are we going to eat it?”

“Ah, right!” Xiao Yi drew her dagger and swiftly dispatched the rabbit.

After confirming the rabbit was dead, Xiao Yi turned to Gu Zhirou. “All done, Rou’er!”

Gu Zhirou stared blankly. “Elder Sister, you need to skin it and gut it first!”

“You don’t know how?”

“This, this, I don’t know how!” Xiao Yi said, glancing at Gu Zhirou. How does this little girl know so much?

Gu Zhirou shrugged, indicating she didn’t know either. “Elder Sister, I can’t help you this time. I don’t know how to skin it. I just heard Aunt Liu from the kitchen mention it.”

Xiao Yi felt frustrated, realizing she knew less than even a young lady from the inner chambers. “Did Aunt Liu tell you how to skin and prepare the rabbit?”

“No, but I know you have to start from the head.”

Xiao Yi… This is a world-class dilemma!

Afraid her technique might be too brutal, Xiao Yi told Gu Zhirou to wait while she went elsewhere to handle the task.

Gu Zhirou nodded, adding, “Remember to wash it thoroughly afterward! Otherwise, it’ll be too bloody to eat!”

“Wash it too?!” Damn, this is such a hassle!

“Of course! How could you eat it if it’s not clean? Would you even be able to swallow it?”

Xiao Yi imagined the unwashed rabbit and quickly shook her head. “I get it. You stay here and wait patiently. I’ll be right back.”

When Xiao Yi said she’d be right back, she truly meant it. She returned in no time at all.

If you asked her how she managed to handle it so quickly, despite admitting she didn’t know how, her reputation as a “female tyrant” would suggest she simply grabbed someone, threatened them, and had them take care of it for her.

“Wow, Elder Sister, you’re amazing! You learned so fast!” Gu Zhirou exclaimed, leaning closer and taking the already-prepared rabbit meat from Xiao Yi’s hands.

Xiao Yi eyed Gu Zhirou skeptically. “You really know how to cook this?”

“Of course! Don’t doubt me, Elder Sister. Xiao Rou’er is quite skilled too!”

“First, we roast it over the fire until the skin is crispy. Then it’s ready to eat!”

“Alright, if you say so, let’s get started.”

“Great! Elder Sister, go gather some firewood,” Gu Zhirou instructed.

Xiao Yi nodded and turned to leave.

Gu Zhirou began preparing the rabbit skin.

She sprinkled salt and chili powder over the rabbit meat. By the time she finished, Xiao Yi had returned. Together, they built a fire and began roasting the meat.

Gu Zhirou intended to do the grilling herself, but Xiao Yi, fearing she might burn herself, insisted on teaching her from the side. Xiao Yi built the fire, and once it was blazing, Gu Zhirou began roasting the rabbit.

“Aiyo, Xiao Rou’er, your skills are quite impressive!” Xiao Yi couldn’t help but praise.

“Hehe, right?” Gu Zhirou grinned proudly.

“Sigh, such a wonderful Xiao Rou’er… I wonder which lucky dog will end up with you in the future,” Xiao Yi teased again.

“Elder Sister, stop it! If you keep teasing me, I won’t make you any more delicious food!” Gu Zhirou blushed.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop,” Xiao Yi relented.

The two continued chatting and teasing each other as they roasted the meat.

Once the rabbit was golden-brown and cooked through, Gu Zhirou handed a piece to Xiao Yi. “Here, Elder Sister, try it and tell me what you think.”

Xiao Yi took a bite and praised, “Mmm, not bad! It’s quite delicious, the flavor is exceptional.”

“If you like it, eat more.”

The two began eating piece by piece, mostly finished by Xiao Yi.

Gu Zhirou ate only a little, claiming her appetite was small and she couldn’t eat much, though whether this was true or not remained unclear.

Xiao Yi wiped her mouth contentedly. Glancing at the sun, she decided it was time to move.

The pair walked to the pipe’s exit, gazing at the deserted official road. Xiao Yi first settled Gu Zhirou in a hidden spot.

“Rou’er, be a good girl and wait here for Elder Sister. I’ll come back for you as soon as I’m done, okay?

No matter what happens, don’t come out unless I come for you. If you disobey, Elder Sister will throw you into the mountains to feed the wolves!”

Gu Zhirou thought, Ayi’s gone bad! She always threatens me now! Still, she nodded obediently.

Though the hiding place was concealed, it offered a clear view of the official road and any passing travelers.

After everything was prepared and the group still hadn’t passed by, Xiao Yi began to doubt the accuracy of her information. Just as she was about to give up, she heard the sound of approaching hooves and quickly hid beside the official road.

Moments later, several carriages appeared on the road, followed by a dozen large chests being transported behind them. Xiao Yi’s eyes lit up at the sight.

Damn, this is all money! According to her intel, this was the private property of a high-ranking court official.

If I get my hands on all this, I could live lavishly for the rest of my life!

Just as the carriages were about to pass her hiding spot, Xiao Yi yanked on the rope she had set up. The speeding carriages collided violently, causing chaos and panic.

“Ambush! Protect the cargo!” the elderly escort leader shouted from behind a carriage.

After a moment of silence, the old man tried to stand up, but his legs gave way, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

Xiao Yi strode out boldly.

“Aiya, old man, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you getting up?”

“If you don’t get up, how will this big convoy move forward? Tell me.”

“You probably won’t even make it to the Capital with all this, will you?”

“Why not let this old lady take it back for you? How about that?”

“Y-y-y-you!” The old man sputtered, pointing at Xiao Yi, too furious to speak.

“What ‘you, you, you’? Do you even know who this old lady is?”

“I don’t care who you are! Do you know who these goods belong to? If you try to steal them, you won’t even know how you died!”

“Why would I want to know how I’m going to die? Knowing would ruin the fun!”

“What have you done to us?” The old man tried to summon his inner energy but found himself completely drained.

“Nothing much. Just happened to have some Soft Gold Powder on me. Must have accidentally spilled some!”

The crowd stared in disbelief. Couldn’t she at least try to make her lies sound convincing? This is full of holes! How could something like that just “spill”? Does she think we’re three-year-olds?

Xiao Yi rolled her eyes at the crowd, her anger rising.

“Hey, I said it spilled, and it spilled!”

“How dare you! Where did this shrew come from, daring to steal from Prince Jin’s Manor?”

“Who’s calling for ‘things’?”

“The ‘things’ are calling for you!”

“Oh~ So you’re calling for me? So your name is ‘Things’?”

“And another thing, you little shits! Your grandmother isn’t some shrew—she’s Xiao Yi! Open your damn eyes and remember that!” Shrew, shrew, shrew! How dare they call her such a vile name?

“Wait, what did you say your name was?” Say it again! Was he hallucinating? Were they all hallucinating? Did this woman just say her name was Xiao Yi?

“Listen up, you little bastards! I’m Xiao Yi, the Eldest Miss of General Xiao’s Estate, the ‘female tyrant’ you all love to gossip about!”

“If you’re Xiao Yi, then what’s her name?” The man pointed to a heavily made-up, grotesquely obese woman tied up behind him. Her tiny eyes widened in confusion.

“What’s her name? What’s that got to do with me?”

“She’s also called Xiao Yi!”

Xiao Yi… No, how could anyone impersonate such a notorious piece of trash? Are they insane?

Xiao Yi stared at the dead-fat pig for a long moment, then nodded silently. Definitely insane. And seriously deranged!

Could her current infamy be tied to these imposters?