Villain Strategy Rules [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 25

Spring City High School in the early morning.

“Hey, did you guys hear? Chaoyao is back.”

“Wow, are we going to see the top students duke it out again?”

“What top students? It’s more like a total domination. With her here, who else can take first place?”

“…”

Somehow, news of Chaoyao’s return had already spread throughout Class 1 of the senior year. On the first day of school, everyone gathered together, chattering nonstop.

Zhang Lixin was the first to arrive in the classroom. She heard every word of her classmates’ discussions clearly. Her hands clenched tightly around her test papers, crumpling a corner that had once been smooth.

Why? Why did she have to come back! She was already gone—she could have disappeared forever with her shame. Why did she have to return now?!

“Ah, Chaoyao, you’re back!” A girl’s voice snapped Zhang Lixin out of her thoughts.

Chaoyao looked at her familiar classmates. Some had thrown stones when she was down, while others had stayed indifferent. But in the end, she only hated two people.

“Yeah.”

She took a seat at an empty desk in the back, pulled out her prepared study materials, and got straight to work.

She had promised Teacher Song she would get good grades. No matter how well she had done in the past, she couldn’t afford to slack off now.

Students trickled into the classroom one after another, and soon everyone quieted down to focus on studying. Senior year students cherished every minute of these last few months.

Zhang Lixin had long lost any motivation to study. The past played vividly in her mind. She was a child from a poor rural area—her family had sacrificed everything to send her here. She had arrived full of passion and determination.

Chaoyao was the first girl she had befriended. She thought they were kindred spirits, but she was wrong. Chaoyao was always the top-ranked student, the school’s pride, the role model everyone admired. No one ever cared about her background.

But Zhang Lixin was different. She was always second best, always the backup choice.

She had thought everything would end after the college entrance exams. But then disaster struck. Song Chaoyao appeared. She bullied students mercilessly. Just because Zhang Lixin hadn’t given her the answers during one exam, she had suffered an entire semester of torment.

Zhang Lixin’s hands turned purple from how tightly she had been clenching her fists. She stood up abruptly and walked over to Chaoyao’s seat, stammering, “Chaoyao… back then, I didn’t actually want to…”

“Enough.” Chaoyao set down her pen and looked up. “What’s done is done. I don’t want to bring it up, and you don’t dare to either. From now on, you live your life as a lackey, and I’ll focus on my studies. We’ll stay out of each other’s way.”

Zhang Lixin panicked. “No, that’s not—”

“Zhang Lixin.” Chaoyao leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “You once told me your parents were counting on you to succeed. You weren’t the mastermind behind what happened to me. Out of respect for our past friendship, I won’t hate you—but I won’t forgive you either.”

The warning bell rang. Zhang Lixin’s face paled, and she hurried back to her seat without another word. The next second, Song Chaoyao walked in.

Chaoyao smirked. This was the choice Zhang Lixin had made back then—no one had forced her. Now, whatever life she was living, she had brought it upon herself.

Song Chaoyao noticed Zhang Lixin’s flustered expression and snapped, “What’s wrong with you?”

A classmate in the front row whispered a reminder, “Chaoyao is here.”

While others might not know Chaoyao well, many classmates were aware of some inside stories. However, pressured by the school, they kept their mouths shut. Because of this, no one treated Zhang Lixin kindly—after all, Chaoyao had helped her, only for her to turn around and betray her.

Song Chaoyao frowned as she spotted Chaoyao in the back row. Their eyes met, filled with nothing but hatred.

“What if she’s here? Are you scared of just one Chaoyao?”

The class bell rang, and Gao Xing strode into the classroom in her high heels. She didn’t mention Chaoyao’s return at all, acting as if nothing had happened, and began the lesson directly.

Chaoyao found it dull. Though Gao Xing was her homeroom teacher, she disliked her.

Gazing out the window, her thoughts drifted to Wen Zhixu. Sometimes, she even felt that returning to school wasn’t necessary. But Wen Zhixu disagreed—she believed students belonged in school, where they could bask in the vibrant energy of youth.

Lost in thought, she seemed to see Wen Zhixu appear before her. Just like always, sunlight gently brushed her hair, her skirt swayed in the breeze, and the lush trees framed her like a backdrop. The sunlight stretched her shadow, her graceful figure resembling a flower blooming amidst the greenery, impossible to look away from.

Wait—this wasn’t an illusion.

Because Yang Yue was there too…

Chaoyao snapped to attention, rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn’t mistaken before staring at them in confusion.

Wen Zhixu sighed. Of course! She and Yang Yue had come specifically to check on Chaoyao, worried she might be bullied after just returning. And now? She was daydreaming during class!

Who knows who she learned this from—not even paying attention in class.

Wen Zhixu pointed at her own eyes, then at Chaoyao, signaling her to focus. Finally, she gestured toward the pavilion and pulled out her phone, indicating she’d be waiting there.

After being together for so long, Wen Zhixu trusted that Chaoyao would understand.

A flush of warmth spread across Chaoyao’s face. She nodded, pulled her gaze back, and started paying attention to the lesson.

As soon as class ended, Chaoyao got up to head to the pavilion. But before she could leave, Song Chaoyao blocked her way.

“What a coincidence, seeing you again.”

Chaoyao: “If you don’t want to see me, you can leave. After all, you don’t belong here either.”

Song Chaoyao slammed a fist against the door. “Get lost! You’re the one who doesn’t belong here.”

Eager to meet Wen Zhixu, Chaoyao had no interest in engaging with Song Chaoyao. She shoved her aside. “Move.” Then she turned and walked away.

The office was right next to them. If Chaoyao got into a fight on her first day back, Song Nuan would definitely find out and only dislike her more. So Song Chaoyao turned to Zhang Lixin and said coldly, “During P.E. this afternoon, lure her to the rock garden. I need to talk to her.”

Zhang Lixin looked uneasy, Chaoyao’s words from the morning still fresh in her mind. “I… I can’t…”

Song Chaoyao’s expression darkened. “I won’t say it twice. If you can’t do it, you know the consequences.”

Zhang Lixin’s tuition, living expenses, even her grandmother’s medical bills—all were paid by Song Chaoyao. She didn’t dare refuse, nor could she speak a word of this to anyone.

When Chaoyao arrived at the pavilion, Wen Zhixu and Yang Yue were already waiting.

The moment they met, Wen Zhixu scolded, “You weren’t even paying attention in class!”

Chaoyao smiled, “I’ve already studied all this. I was missing you during class, so I looked at the scenery to distract myself.”

“Eww…” Yang Yue pouted, “You two are too much. One says they dream about the other, the other says they miss them during class. Why don’t we just have Teacher Song become your instructor?”

Chaoyao’s eyes lit up, “Is that possible?”

“No way!” Wen Zhixu immediately refused. What nonsense was this? She didn’t know anything about teaching.

“Exactly, I’m not qualified at all. Have you considered that teachers for advanced classes need to be exceptional?”

“Hahaha,” Yang Yue laughed. “I was just joking.”

Chaoyao caught the main point, “Why did you two come here today anyway?”

Wen Zhixu took Chaoyao’s hand and drew a circle in her palm: “Just came to see you, and you have PE class today. Last night I read the stars and predicted Song Dynasty would cause trouble today.”

Chaoyao held Wen Zhixu’s hand, “PE is in the afternoon. You can walk around campus now—it’s quite large.”

Wen Zhixu: “You forgot? I graduated from this high school. I know this place well.”

Chaoyao: “Then let me take you out.”

Wen Zhixu shook her head, “You need to attend class. Even if you’ve mastered everything, you should review properly. The college entrance exam isn’t child’s play.”

Chaoyao lowered her voice: “Okay, then wait for me at noon. I’ll take you out to eat.”

“Seriously.” Yang Yue suddenly separated them, pointing at Wen Zhixu: “You, have you considered I didn’t go to high school here? I gave up my rest time to come with you. Can’t you show me around?”

Then to Chaoyao: “And you, you’re still a student! If I hadn’t stopped you, would you two have kissed? This is puppy love!”

“Also, class is starting. You should go back now!”

Wen Zhixu: “Alright, alright. Chaoyao, go to class. I’ll give Teacher Yang a tour, okay? The school cafeteria has great food at noon. We’ll go early to get meals—my treat for whatever you want.”

Hearing about good food slightly calmed Yang Yue. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Fine!”

Wen Zhixu told Chaoyao: “Go to class first. Come straight to the cafeteria at noon—I’ll have your meal ready so you can take a proper nap.”

Chaoyao nodded, “Mhm.”

Wen Zhixu: “Now let’s tour the campus, okay? Miss Yang?”

Yang Yue: “Of course! Let’s go now.”

Wen Zhixu rolled her eyes, “As you wish!”

After morning classes ended,

Chaoyao went straight to the cafeteria where Wen Zhixu and Yang Yue were already waiting with food. They sat in a relatively secluded spot, but their striking presence made them noticeable despite trying to stay low-key.

Wen Zhixu suddenly asked: “Song Dynasty doesn’t eat in the cafeteria, right?”

In her memory, Song Dynasty had always had meals delivered by servants since childhood, though in high school Song Nuan deliberately avoided family arrangements and refused this service.

Chaoyao shook her head, “Someone brings her meals, but…”

Wen Zhixu asked: “But what?”

Chaoyao pointed behind them, “But her deskmate Zhang Lixin just arrived… so Song Dynasty will know soon too.”

Zhang Lixin knew Song Dynasty cared about Song Nuan, but didn’t realize Song Dynasty had romantic feelings—she just thought Song Dynasty valued this sister and sought her approval.

So now that Zhang Lixin had seen Wen Zhixu, Song Dynasty would be arriving shortly.

Sure enough, halfway through the meal, Song Chaoyao, having received the message, came to the cafeteria and sat directly across from Wen Zhixu. “Mom and Dad want you to come home tonight,” he said.

Wen Zhixu didn’t even bother to look up. “Not going.”

Previously, she had traded her inheritance rights for the basement address. Now, whether she went back or not wouldn’t change anything.

Song Chaoyao insisted, “You have to go back. If you don’t, Grandpa will drag you back for an arranged marriage.”

Wen Zhixu set down her chopsticks. “Do you really think that’ll work? Didn’t someone already take care of it?”

Song Chaoyao smirked. “Not quite.”