Villain Strategy Rules [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 14

Chaoyao’s expression softened, but soon a wave of shyness washed over her. Her cheeks gradually flushed pink. A young girl’s heart is like the stars in the sky—one moment shining brightly to express her affection, the next hiding herself away, peeking from behind the darkness.

Host! The female lead’s darkening value is dropping rapidly—it’s already down to 60!

The system’s untimely appearance disrupted Wen Zhixu’s anticipation.

“Shut up for a second. Don’t ruin the mood.”

Host, are you no longer on my side?

“Was I ever?”

Wen Zhixu was on a roll teasing the system, but her posture remained unchanged. The two of them simply gazed at each other, neither making the next move.

Chaoyao seemed unable to hold back any longer. She spoke first: “If a girl liked you, what would you do?”

Wen Zhixu pretended to think for a moment. “I’d consider whether I liked her back. If I did, I’d treat her well—love her, cherish her. But if I didn’t, I’d tell her honestly to avoid misunderstandings.”

“I want to tell you, I—” Before Chaoyao could finish, someone interrupted.

“Why are you two still here?” Yang Yue poked her head in, wearing a red cap. “Teacher Song, didn’t we agree to go to the aquarium later? Let’s go—Teacher Zhang is already waiting outside.”

Wen Zhixu quickly put some distance between herself and Chaoyao, stammering, “Y-yeah, let’s go.”

Then she added, “Is there room for Chaoyao? She’s about to take her college entrance exams—she could use some relaxation.”

Chaoyao seemed about to say something, but Wen Zhixu took her hand without looking back, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Sure,” Yang Yue said after a quick headcount. “There’s one spot left. But Teacher Zhang brought her girlfriend, by the way.”

“G-girlfriend?” Chaoyao asked, puzzled.

“Oops,” Yang Yue froze. “Corrupting the youth.”

“Hey,” Wen Zhixu slung an arm around Chaoyao’s shoulders. “She’s my kid.”

Yang Yue swatted Wen Zhixu’s hand. “No respect—you’re still a teacher.”

Wen Zhixu chuckled. “It’s fine. Chaoyao’s an adult—we respect her choices.” Then she turned to Chaoyao. “Do you want to come?”

“Yes.”

Yang Yue rolled her eyes and urged, “Hurry up, let’s go explore the ocean.”

Wen Zhixu packed Chaoyao’s bag for her, then led her outside. Chaoyao, momentarily caught off guard, stumbled slightly, her forehead bumping against Wen Zhixu’s shoulder. Her dark hair brushed against her face as she smiled, then straightened up and followed Wen Zhixu.

Zhang Zhiwan and her girlfriend had made up—just as Wen Zhixu had predicted. No matter how bad their fights got, they always reconciled within a month. So, whenever Zhang Zhiwan invited them out to drown their sorrows, Wen Zhixu never assumed it was a breakup party.

The moment Yang Yue got in the car, she said, “You two better behave this time. You always give me a headache.”

Zhang Zhiwan’s girlfriend was the younger sister of Yang Yue’s friend, named Sun Lianyin, who was still in college. The two had fallen in love at first sight, but because they rarely saw each other, they often argued.

Sun Lianyin tried to change the subject, pointing at Chaoyao. “Who’s this?”

“Song Nuan’s,” Yang Yue replied.

The car suddenly fell silent, especially for Zhang Zhiwan. She sharply turned her head with a suspicious look, eyeing the two sitting together before asking, “She’s lying, right?”

Wen Zhixu felt this was rather abrupt. If Chaoyao didn’t have much goodwill toward her yet, it might backfire. “Isn’t she part of my family? All these kids are mine.”

In a corner, Chaoyao’s gaze dimmed briefly, but it was fleeting, and she quickly resumed her usual calm demeanor.

Zhang Zhiwan: “Yang Yue always exaggerates. That night, I only took a tiny sip of alcohol, but she told my girlfriend I drank an entire case.”

“Tsk,” Yang Yue put her hands on her hips. “Why won’t you admit it? I should’ve followed Teacher Song’s example and checked the surveillance footage. That night, I even had a drink with Teacher Song, but you were crying on the phone begging me to come. I had no choice but to leave Chaoyao to take care of Teacher Song.”

With so many people around and the past being brought up, Chaoyao, afraid Wen Zhixu might find out, hurriedly interrupted, “Teacher Yang, shouldn’t we get going? Otherwise, we might run out of time.”

Zhang Zhiwan also didn’t want Yang Yue to continue and chimed in, “Hurry up, you’re the slowest one here.”

Cut off by two people at once, Yang Yue lost interest in elaborating. Now, her mind was preoccupied with how to take the best photos and capture the perfect moments during their outing.

Wen Zhixu stifled a laugh. Though she couldn’t remember much about that night, it seemed to be the turning point when Chaoyao stopped pushing her away and gave her more opportunities.

Now that university students were on break, the aquarium—a popular dating spot—was already packed. Under the blue ambiance, everyone felt like they were in an underwater world, surrounded by marine life and shimmering reflections. Occasionally, bold fish would swim close to the glass, observing the crowd.

Walking as a group of five was too crowded. They visited a few exhibits, but the crowds and unfamiliarity made it hard to enjoy themselves fully.

Seizing the chance to boost her favorability, Wen Zhixu pulled Chaoyao aside to explore on their own. The others didn’t mind, only reminding them to meet at the aquarium’s front entrance by nine.

The two arrived in front of a glass wall where a mermaid performance was underway. The area was packed, and by the time they got there, only a corner spot remained.

The mermaid wore a red tail, her crimson curls flowing distinctly in the water. Her face was adorned with blue mermaid makeup, and she blew bubbles toward the audience. The lighting made it hard to distinguish reality from illusion.

Wen Zhixu held Chaoyao’s hand and pointed at the mermaid. “Look, a mermaid!”

The mermaid seemed to notice them. She swam closer, locked eyes with them, then winked and blew a kiss.

Having visited aquariums before, Wen Zhixu knew some mermaids posed with visitors—one popular pose was a “cheek kiss” through the glass. She whispered, “Want a kiss?”

The next moment, something soft brushed her cheek. The mermaid hadn’t come closer, but Chaoyao leaned in and kissed her.

The mermaid, who had just swum past, covered her mouth in surprise at the unexpected display of affection. After waving awkwardly, she decided she was intruding and quickly swam away.

Chaoyao’s kiss was light and brief. “Okay,” she said afterward.

Wen Zhixu realized there had been a misunderstanding, but what was done was done. Had she… just won the beauty’s heart?

Host detected a sudden surge in affection levels, while the darkening value gradually decreases.

Wen Zhixu believed that Chaoyao was inherently a wonderful girl. Her misfortunes were caused by others—she should have been a beautiful, kind-hearted young woman all along. Her ability to love and hate fiercely was her natural strength.

Wen Zhixu slowly leaned in, gently touching Chaoyao’s lips with her fingers before standing on tiptoe to plant a soft kiss. She whispered, “Do you like me?”

“Mhm.” Chaoyao lowered her eyes with a slight nod, then worried her response might seem too forward and added, “If you don’t like me, I won’t bother you.”

Warmth flooded Wen Zhixu’s heart as her thoughts grew tangled. “Do you want to be with me?”

Chaoyao looked up, her eyes shimmering. “C-can we?”

“Miss Chaoyao,” Wen Zhixu playfully booped her nose, “you’re quite bold.”

“Just turned eighteen, haven’t even graduated yet, and already daring to date—even confessing to your own teacher.”

Chaoyao smiled. “Maybe this is my only chance to be brave. If I don’t seize the moment now, I might never dare again.”

Wen Zhixu was willing to date, but everything felt too rushed. She feared that after completing her mission and disappearing, Chaoyao might revert to her old ways, leading to tragedy repeating itself. What she truly wanted was to completely transform Chaoyao—to see her standing in sunlight surrounded by friends, not darkness.

Crossing her hands behind her back, Wen Zhixu said, “Then let’s wait until after your college entrance exams.”

Suddenly Chaoyao asked, “Do you think I’m strange? I don’t have many hobbies—just reading books. I’m not as calm as I appear… I’m not really a good person.”

Wen Zhixu pressed a finger to Chaoyao’s lips. “They’re coming. We’ll talk about this tonight.”

Yang Yue and the others appeared in the distance, having heard about mermaid performances in the area. By the time they arrived, the show had ended with few spectators remaining. Sharp-eyed Yang Yue immediately spotted the two figures in the corner—bodies nearly touching, their exact actions unclear in the dim light, but the atmosphere was undeniably intimate.

“Teacher Song!” Yang Yue called out loudly.

Wen Zhixu blinked as if saying, “See? I told you they’d come.”

Yang Yue approached. “You’re here too? They said there were mermaids—when did you arrive? Did you see them?”

“Of course we did,” Wen Zhixu replied proudly. “The mermaid was gorgeous, swimming through the water like the real thing.”

Zhang Zhiwan added, “Don’t worry, there’ll be more shows. My partner’s hungry—want to grab dinner together?”

Chaoyao instinctively checked the time and saw it was nearly 9 PM. She whispered to Wen Zhixu, “What if we can’t make it back by ten?”

While the orphanage had no curfew for teachers, children faced punishment if they returned after 10 PM. Knowing this, Wen Zhixu asked, “You’re not going back tonight?”

Yang Yue shook her head. “Nope.”

Not wanting to inconvenience Chaoyao, Wen Zhixu said, “Chaoyao needs to return by ten. Should I take her back first?”

Zhang Zhiwan reassured them, “It’s fine tonight. I already spoke with the matron—she knows Chaoyao’s out. But if you want to enjoy other New Year festivities, there’s plenty happening outside.”

The aquarium was about to close soon, and the crowd inside was thinning out. Everyone had other plans afterward. Wen Zhixu was concerned that with too many people around, Chaoyao wouldn’t truly enjoy the experience, so he proactively suggested, “Then the two of us will go somewhere else. I’ll book a hotel for her later, and we’ll return together tomorrow?”

Yang Yue replied, “Sounds good. Remember to check in tomorrow.”

Wen Zhixu responded, “Will do.”