Villain Strategy Rules [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 45

After arriving home, Wen Zhixu noticed the location and a small smile curled at the corners of her lips. Following the address, Tang Jing had dropped them off at a small villa owned by Wen Zhixu, located in the suburbs. The place had tight security, few residents, and a tranquil environment—staying here for a while would undoubtedly lift one’s spirits.

At first, she had thought Jiang’s mother had sent the wrong address and even called to confirm. Later, Jiang’s mother explained that Wen Zhixu had changed the location at the last minute, as this place was quieter and more conducive to focused studying. Since Jiang’s mother had to attend a business meeting abroad, she agreed to the change.

The evening breeze carried a faint floral fragrance. The flowers in the garden, meticulously tended to, were in full bloom, their vibrant colors standing out against the lush greenery. Some even seemed to hide coyly behind leaves, as if peeking at passersby.

Tang Jing had other matters to attend to—she had an early flight the next morning and had only returned to pick up some documents. After dropping them off, she said, “If anything comes up, just call me. Aunt Jiang is away on business and won’t be able to look after you. Also, study hard—if you do well in the midterms, I’ll bring you gifts.”

Tang Mo, whose heart had been lifeless moments ago, instantly perked up at the mention of gifts. Excitedly, she blurted, “I want a car!”

She loved motorcycles, but her family had always refused, citing her young age, recklessness, and lack of worldly experience. But now she had realized—she couldn’t ride one yet, but once she turned eighteen, she could. Still, she needed to own one first.

Tang Jing chuckled. “Once you reach the middle of your class ranking, I’ll buy you any car you want.”

Then, turning to Wen Zhixu and the others, she added, “I’ll be back in two weeks and will bring gifts for you all.”

Wen Zhixu smiled. “Nanxi and I thank Second Sister in advance~”

Qin Nanxi had initially assumed the gifts wouldn’t include her—after all, she was just a tutor. But now that Wen Zhixu had spoken for her, she wasn’t sure how to react. After a moment’s thought, she politely said, “Thank you, Second Sister.”

Tang Jing grinned and ruffled Qin Nanxi’s hair. She adored this girl—well-behaved, beautiful, and, from what she’d heard, exceptionally bright. If she were her sister, she’d be the perfect little sibling.

Time was running short, and Tang Jing still needed to retrieve some things. Waving, she said, “I’m heading off now. Call me if anything comes up.”

“Bye, Sis.”

As soon as Tang Jing left, Qin Nanxi voiced her confusion. “Are just the three of us staying here?”

Wen Zhixu and Tang Mo exchanged glances before stifling a laugh. Wen Zhixu replied, “My mom isn’t home, and the main house is too big and crowded—it’d distract us from studying. That’s why we came here.”

Qin Nanxi glanced around. “Okay.”

Once inside, Qin Nanxi took in the two-story villa and asked, “Where will I be staying?”

Wen Zhixu answered nonchalantly, “In my room. This is a single-family villa—there aren’t many bedrooms.”

Yes! Perfect. This was the villa Wen Zhixu had handpicked—she had bought it because she loved the layout, thinking it would be a great place to stay during camping trips.

Qin Nanxi pointed at Tang Mo. “What about her? Will we all share a room?”

“No.” Wen Zhixu gestured to a small room on the right side of the first floor. “She’s staying there.”

The villa had three bedrooms in total, with an additional attic. But Wen Zhixu had specifically asked for the attic to be locked—otherwise, they really could have had one room each.

Qin Nanxi: “I can sleep there. Since you’re close with Tang Mo, you two can take the master bedroom.”

Wen Zhixu: “…”

Tang Mo: “…”

Their eyes met, as if saying:

“Why did you have to come along?”

“You think I wanted to?”

“What do we do now?”

“Figure it out yourself.”

Wen Zhixu’s mind raced until she suddenly thought of a perfect solution. “No, Tang Mo has terrible sleeping posture. If we share a bed, we’ll definitely get sick.”

She grabbed Qin Nanxi’s arm. “Nanxi, I’m used to sleeping with you. I’m not comfortable with Tang Mo.”

Through gritted teeth, Tang Mo said, “Right. Not comfortable.”

The light cast shadows on Qin Nanxi’s face, obscuring her smile as she lifted her suitcase. “Fine, then show me to my room.”

Wen Zhixu: “As you wish.”

Upstairs, Wen Zhixu noticed the layout was similar to before, though the flowers were different. Jiang Qingyue preferred more flamboyant blooms—the red roses on the balcony didn’t lose their vibrancy even under the cool moonlight. They swayed gently, their forms gradually taking shape like the mesmerizing demons described in books, slowly stepping into reality under the pale glow.

The room was simply furnished. Wen Zhixu helped wheel the suitcase to the closet, then hesitantly asked, “Should… should we shower first?”

“Alright.” Qin Nanxi nodded, glancing at the master bathroom. It wasn’t large, but it had a bathtub—apparently she enjoyed soaking. “You go first.”

Wen Zhixu lightly touched Qin Nanxi’s jacket, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Nanxi, I take long showers. Want to join me?”

Qin Nanxi turned her face away. “Never mind. You go ahead.”

Recognizing her usual resistance, Wen Zhixu knew being too pushy might backfire. Instead, she took Qin Nanxi’s hand and gently traced a circle on it, feigning a pitiful tone. “Can we go on a date tomorrow?”

A tingling sensation spread from Qin Nanxi’s palm throughout her body. Memories surfaced, and her eyes gradually filled with sorrowful resentment. She was afraid—afraid that investing her heart again would only lead to another game.

She withdrew her hand. “I came here to tutor you, not to study.”

Wen Zhixu thought for a moment, then proposed, “What if I take a test tomorrow? If I pass, will you go on a date with me?”

Though she’d been out of school for years, she’d learned much in the previous world. During classes, Wen Zhixu could answer most questions but pretended otherwise to stay in character. This time, she wouldn’t hold back—she could always claim Qin Nanxi gave her private lessons, potentially boosting Qin Nanxi’s popularity.

Qin Nanxi frowned, wondering if she’d misheard. Wen Zhixu usually scored no higher than 50 on quizzes—how could she suddenly pass?

Well, she’d see what tricks Wen Zhixu had tomorrow. She’d wake early to prepare a custom test, making it impossible to cheat.

“Fine.”

–

The next day, Qin Nanxi awoke a little past five. Gazing at Wen Zhixu sleeping beside her, she realized this might be the first time she’d looked at her so closely. Outside, the sky remained dark, save for a faint beam of light filtering through the window onto Wen Zhixu’s face.

Her delicate and petite features, thick lashes, fair skin tinged with a faint blush, and cascading dark hair—soft as silk—seemed to drape over her like a sheer black veil. Bathed in the gentle daylight, she looked like a celestial being under divine protection.

Wen Zhixu was sound asleep, oblivious to Qin Nanxi’s burning gaze. Qin Nanxi quietly slipped out of bed and drew the curtains. Everyone had been exhausted yesterday, forgetting to close them.

The room plunged into darkness, and Wen Zhixu let out a satisfied hum. Qin Nanxi leaned closer, her fingers hovering just above Wen Zhixu’s heart. After a long pause, she traced an invisible circle in the air and murmured, “I really want to see… what’s in your heart.”

She had promised Wen Zhixu yesterday—she would prepare a test for her. If she passed, Qin Nanxi would agree to a date. Though the chances were slim, wasn’t her main goal to tutor her anyway?

Wen Zhixu was roused by a tantalizing aroma. Out of habit, she reached for the space beside her, only to find it cold. Her eyes snapped open, and she bolted upright, a sudden surge of fear gripping her—had she lost something? But the scent grew stronger, and she sniffed carefully. It was coming from downstairs.

After changing, Wen Zhixu headed down to find Tang Mo already seated at the dining table, arms casually propped on the surface, eyes fixed intently on the kitchen as if some rare treasure lay inside—one that might vanish if she looked away for even a second.

“Tang Mo,” Wen Zhixu called out. “What are you doing?”

Startled, Tang Mo nearly slipped off her chair. She rolled her eyes at Wen Zhixu and said, “Qin Nanxi’s making noodles. Smells amazing. It’ll be ready soon.”

“What?”

Wen Zhixu walked into the kitchen and saw Qin Nanxi seasoning the dish. “When did you wake up? I didn’t know you could cook.”

“Don’t remember. I can manage a little. It’s passable—won’t starve,” Qin Nanxi replied.

“Need any help?” Wen Zhixu asked.

Qin Nanxi pulled a carton of milk from the fridge. She figured Wen Zhixu must have been exhausted lately—usually, she went for morning runs, but today she had slept until eight. Maybe it was because her arm hadn’t fully healed from that injury.

“Just warm up the milk and wait with Tang Mo. I’ll handle the rest.”

The fridge was stocked with ingredients Wen Zhixu had asked the housekeeper to prepare in advance. The housekeeper also delivered fresh produce daily, but shouldn’t she have arrived by now?

Wen Zhixu quickly sent a message to cancel. If Qin Nanxi could cook, and she could help a little, then the two of them could manage together. A cramped space, wisps of steam rising, passing seasonings to each other, feeding one another bites of their homemade meal…

So, there was no need for the housekeeper to come.

Wen Zhixu set the milk on the table and nudged Tang Mo. “Did you make plans with your senior today?”

“Wanted to,” Tang Mo whispered, glancing toward the kitchen where Qin Nanxi was busy. “But isn’t Qin Nanxi supposed to tutor us? I’d love to go out, though.”

Wen Zhixu smirked. “Don’t worry. Just give it two hours, and you’ll get a whole day of fun. Worth it?”

“What kind of question is that?” Tang Mo frowned. “Of course.”

An hour later…

Tang Mo stared at the math test paper before her, covered with handwritten questions by Qin Nanxi that had then been printed in two copies. Though not formatted like a standard exam, it covered all the knowledge from the past few months.

“Is this what you meant by two hours in exchange for a day?” Tang Mo felt like she must have misheard, so she asked again.

Wen Zhixu reassured her, “Just relax and take the test. Passing is enough.”

With a clatter, Tang Mo’s pen fell to the floor. Her voice trembled as she repeated, “Passing?”