Villain Strategy Rules [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 18

Chaoyao lowered her gaze, emotions she had long suppressed slowly surfacing. “Wouldn’t this… affect you?”

She had never wanted Wen Zhixu to help her from the very beginning. These disciplinary actions and reputational damages would only affect her, not Wen Zhixu in the slightest. But if Wen Zhixu intervened, even if it was just a word, there would still be consequences.

She didn’t want Wen Zhixu to take risks, nor did she want to hold her back.

Wen Zhixu locked the car door and took Chaoyao’s hand. “It’s fine. I’m just giving them a heads-up. I won’t actively tell them you’re my little sweetheart now—otherwise, it wouldn’t be me who’d be affected, but you.”

If she outright told her grandparents about her relationship with Chaoyao now, there’d be no need to rewrite the ending—it’d be game over. But as for her father, there was no need to worry; he’d probably investigate on his own.

Still, why was Chaoyao’s corruption value still at 50%? And why was her favorability stuck at 90%? It seemed like nothing could change it no matter what she did.

Chaoyao held Wen Zhixu’s hand, stopping her in her tracks. “Actually… you don’t need to be so good to me.”

Wen Zhixu asked, “Then what about you? Will you be good to me?”

Chaoyao suddenly raised her hand in a vow, her eyes gleaming. “I will.”

Wen Zhixu pressed further, “Then if you can be good to me, why can’t I be good to you? Besides, you have the right to know about this, and you need to think for yourself too.”

Chaoyao fell silent, tacitly accepting Wen Zhixu’s decision.

The villa was still lively, with everyone decorating the front yard for the New Year’s atmosphere. Wen Zhixu took Chaoyao straight inside, but her parents weren’t home. Instead, her phone rang.

“My dear sister, you’re really back—and you brought Chaoyao too. Come to the pool. I’ve got a surprise for you.” The caller was Song Chaoyao, who must have been watching the surveillance feed, having spotted Wen Zhixu’s arrival.

Wen Zhixu turned to Chaoyao. “I heard you took on three people last time and still beat Song Chaoyao. How do you feel about a one-on-one today?”

Chaoyao smiled. “How much of a chance do you want me to have? A hundred percent? Zero? I can do either.”

Wen Zhixu grinned. “I want a perfect score.”

With that, she led Chaoyao to the pool in the backyard. Her parents were rarely home due to their busy schedules, leaving Song Chaoyao free to indulge in her antics.

In the original host’s memories, Song Chaoyao loved to play—and she played with both men and women.

Sure enough, as soon as they reached the pool, Wen Zhixu saw a group of shirtless men in the water, their eyes blindfolded with black cloth. Upon closer inspection, their wrists seemed to be tied.

“Surprise!” Song Chaoyao suddenly appeared. “Let’s play, my sister and my… dear friend.”

Just as Song Chaoyao was about to pounce, Chaoyao sidestepped, gently gripping Wen Zhixu’s shoulder and pulling her behind her.

Song Chaoyao frowned. “You only brought Chaoyao today to deal with the disciplinary issue, right? Such a small matter—why bring her along? You could’ve just said the word. This is unnecessary.”

Wen Zhixu replied calmly, “Of course I know a word would suffice. But if someone can casually hand out punishments now, who’s to say they won’t tamper with college entrance exam results later? And Chaoyao’s grades are excellent—she could easily work at the family company, don’t you think?”

In the original story, Chaoyao never returned to campus, so she wasn’t harassed by Song Chaoyao again. But now that Wen Zhixu has altered the course of events, there’s no guarantee. By bringing Chaoyao into Song Chaoyao’s father’s sight, even if Song Chaoyao wants to do something later, he won’t dare act openly.

After all, what official would want to appear in the public eye in a negative light?

“So, this is how you see me,” Song Chaoyao leaned against the railing, looking down at the row of men below. “Sister, what do you think of these vulgar men?”

Wen Zhixu: “You’re insane.”

Song Chaoyao tilted his head, lips curling into a sudden smirk before he leaped down. Water splashed everywhere, and the men immediately began flailing, desperate to find him.

Their hands and feet were bound—standing wouldn’t drown them, but if they tried to swim, they’d lose balance. Unless someone untied them, they were trapped.

Meanwhile, Song Chaoyao, the star of this twisted show, lounged at the edge of the pool, grinning at Wen Zhixu. “Sister, look at them. Willing to risk their lives for a measly million. Isn’t that the definition of vulgarity? They’re just playthings.”

Wen Zhixu glanced at Chaoyao beside her. Her expression was strange, eyes filled with disgust and fury. “What’s wrong?”

Amid the chaos in the pool, the wind lightly lifted Chaoyao’s hair. She replied calmly, “Nothing. I’m just wondering if she’s going to kill someone. Not all of them are greedy—some were coerced.”

Host, the female lead was once thrown in like this—on the day she was expelled.

The system’s timely explanation clarified Chaoyao’s reaction, earning an internal thumbs-up from Wen Zhixu.

Finally… it proved useful. This upgrade wasn’t a waste.

Wen Zhixu released Chaoyao’s hand, first removing her own jacket before slowly slipping off Chaoyao’s. Underneath, Chaoyao wore only a thin camisole. The brush of fingertips against skin sent a rush of warmth through her, leaving no room to feel the cold wind.

“Shall we put on a little show of heroism?” Wen Zhixu asked with a smile.

Understanding her meaning, Chaoyao chuckled softly and nodded. Hand in hand, they leaped into the pool.

The water was temperature-controlled, the splash soaking the edges. Song Chaoyao watched as they swam to the others, untying their restraints.

Wen Zhixu: “The ropes are off. Choose—money or your lives.”

Chaoyao had been right—some were forced, but others weren’t. Some truly wanted the money.

Sure enough, half left immediately, while the rest remained, gasping for air in the pool.

The moment those who fled reached the edge, Song Chaoyao announced, “A million each for those who left. The rest—throw them out.”

The remaining men panicked, scrambling madly for the exit. But Song Chaoyao didn’t give them a chance. With a single glance, his bodyguards hurled them out, clothes and all.

Laughing wildly, Song Chaoyao called out, “See, sister? The more they want something, the greedier they become. And I refuse to give it to them.”

The three of them locked eyes in the swimming pool. Chaoyao took a step forward and responded, “Originally, I didn’t care if you made me bear all the consequences, but now…” She walked up to Song Chaoyao, her face darkening as she lowered her voice, “The person I love wants me to be happy, so I choose happiness. And you—how convincing is your act?”

Song Chaoyao frowned, gripping her wine glass tightly, the corners of her eyes slightly raised in guarded suspicion. “Who is this person you love?”

With a smile, Chaoyao answered, “Song Nuan. She’s the one I love.”

A sharp crack echoed as the glass shattered in Song Chaoyao’s hand, shards scattering across the water’s surface. She pressed the last remaining fragment against Chaoyao’s neck. “Who do you think you are, daring to love the same person as me?”

Song Chaoyao had a secret—one only Chaoyao knew. She was in love with her own sister.

While Chaoyao’s friends might have envied her achievements, what truly unsettled Song Chaoyao was the fear that Chaoyao might expose her. She had threatened her, tempted her, yet still saw her as a threat. The only solution… was to erase Chaoyao from her world.

Seeing the confrontation escalate, Wen Zhixu rushed over and pulled Chaoyao aside. “What are you trying to do?”

Song Chaoyao released her grip, letting the glass shard fall. The water around her was now littered with fragments. She stepped toward Wen Zhixu, standing tall—right atop a broken piece. The sole of her foot was cut, bl00d slowly staining the water red. “Sister… who is really your sister?”

“What is going on here?” Mr. Song’s stern voice suddenly rang out from the backyard.

Song Chaoyao grabbed Wen Zhixu’s arm. “So, how will you explain this? Will you say I lost my mind, or that Chaoyao provoked me?”

Host, don’t you think something’s off?

“Obviously. I don’t even know how these two started fighting.”

But the answer was clear—who was the villain and who was the victim was plain to see.

Wen Zhixu picked up a shard, watching as the clear water gradually turned crimson. “Why do you think I’d choose you? First of all, our relationship isn’t even close enough for me to speak up for you.”

Mr. Song commanded, “All of you, come see me in the front yard later.”

Song Chaoyao climbed out of the pool, her legs dangling like flawless jade, slender and straight. The wound on her foot, soaked in water, throbbed. Her eyes were rimmed red, making her look pitiful.

Wen Zhixu turned to Chaoyao. “Your clothes are wet. Let me get you a change.”

She led the way to her room, retrieving two outfits from the wardrobe. “Which one do you want to wear?”

Suddenly, Chaoyao embraced her. Their damp bodies pressed together in the air-conditioned room, water droplets from their hair trailing down their skin. “Do you really want to leave this place? If you do, I’ll help you. If you don’t, I’ll still help you.”

Wen Zhixu was baffled—hadn’t everything been fine moments ago? She returned the embrace, their warmth mingling, her pink-tinged fingertips brushing Chaoyao’s lips. “I want to leave. Let’s leave together. No one can stop us—except ourselves.”

Chaoyao whispered, “I’m not worthy of you. I’ll only hold you back.”

“You won’t.” Wen Zhixu reached over to turn off the light, cradling Chaoyao’s face before pressing a kiss to her lips. “You’re amazing. So amazing. Will you take care of me in the future?”

In the darkness, Chaoyao nodded. “Yes.”

They changed into clean clothes and arrived at the front courtyard, where Song Chao’s foot injury had already been treated. Song’s father was sitting nearby. He glanced up at Chaoyao and asked, “You must be Chaoyao. I suppose Song Nuan bringing you to see me isn’t just about Song Chao framing you.”

Chaoyao lowered her gaze, looked at Song Nuan, and said, “Yes. Before I came, you must have investigated everything about me. I’m an orphan with no intention of finding my relatives. Perhaps if you ignored this matter, no one would ever know. But now I understand—what isn’t mine, I shouldn’t claim.”

Song’s father chuckled lightly. “Aren’t you afraid?”

Chaoyao: “I only have one life. There’s nothing to fear.”

Song’s father stood up. “I know about your situation. I won’t interfere, but whether you succeed depends entirely on your own abilities.”

“Song Nuan, I’ll handle her. You don’t need to say what you intended—everything will be resolved by your own efforts.”

Wen Zhixu remained calm. She had long known Song’s father would investigate everything, including her relationship with Chaoyao. But he wouldn’t intervene. With many juniors in the family, whoever could break through would have to rely on their own skills. After all, family matters shouldn’t be aired publicly. Every move he made could easily be noted, so the best approach was to let the younger generation fight their own battles.

Song Chao looked displeased. “What’s this about?”

Wen Zhixu: “You don’t need to know. Just don’t show your face around us again.”

Song Chao smirked. “Oh, but I can’t. There’s a gathering tomorrow—Uncle Wang’s son is coming. How about you beg me, sis? Maybe I’ll help you?”

Afraid Chaoyao might misunderstand, Wen Zhixu lowered her voice and whispered, “You know how it is after graduation—arranged meetings are unavoidable. But you’ll trust me, right?”

Chaoyao nodded. “I will.”

Wen Zhixu pressed further, “What if I end up getting married later?”

Chaoyao: “If that’s what you want, I’ll crash the wedding.”