Villain Strategy Rules [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 47

That afternoon, Wen Zhixu brought along several bodyguards from home. To make the act more convincing, she also brought Tang Mo. The two of them arrived near Qin Nanxi’s home dressed in haute couture gowns and wearing meticulously applied makeup.

Qin Nanxi lived at the foot of a mountain, where a grove of peach trees stood. It wasn’t the season for blossoms, so only bare branches could be seen. However, nearly every household adored osmanthus trees—almost every home had one—filling the air with their fragrance. Combined with the crisp mountain breeze, it was the kind of place many would choose for retirement.

Inside the car,

Wen Zhixu adjusted her clothes. Having experienced many things, she remained composed without much emotional turbulence. In contrast, Qin Nanxi sat by the window, staring blankly outside, her hands clenched tightly, her face etched with worry.

As a child, she had lived here, dreaming of nothing but escape. But she was too young then, and she failed.

Now grown, she had managed to distance herself somewhat, yet her family still held her by her vulnerabilities. Every day, she agonized over how to protect what mattered most.

And now, suddenly, someone had stepped into her life, casting light into her dull, shadowed existence. What’s more, that person had promised to help her—to save her little cat.

After smoothing out her dress, Wen Zhixu said, “Nanxi, wait here for me. It’s a pure white cat, right? We’re still far from your village. Stay out of sight—no one will notice.”

Qin Nanxi snapped out of her daze and replied hoarsely, “Okay.”

She was terrified of this place. To her, it held nothing but painful memories. Others might see it as a seasonal tourist spot, but to Qin Nanxi, it was a cage—one that coiled around her, tightening its grip whenever she even thought of breaking free, suffocating her.

Wen Zhixu and Tang Mo stepped into the village. Their extravagant attire immediately drew curious glances, but the presence of bodyguards behind them quickly made the hardworking villagers avert their eyes.

Qin Nanxi had told Wen Zhixu that her family’s osmanthus tree was the largest and most beautiful in the entire village, but its steep price had deterred any buyers.

A million yuan was no significant sum to Wen Zhixu, but for Qin Nanxi, it might have taken over a decade of relentless effort to earn. That was why she had vowed to help Wen Zhixu get into a top-tier university. If she failed, she would retake the exams alongside her. After graduation, she would even work for the Jiang family without pay, slowly repaying the debt.

Mrs. Jiang adored Qin Nanxi, and knowing her daughter loved her only deepened that affection. But Wen Zhixu had explained that Qin Nanxi valued her independence—it was best to follow her lead for now. Besides, Wen Zhixu believed Qin Nanxi had a bright future ahead.

Truthfully, the most important thing was that once the task was complete and time stood still, Qin Nanxi wouldn’t have to struggle anymore.

Tang Mo cautiously asked, “Qingyue, do you think we’ll succeed?”

“Of course,” Wen Zhixu replied, lifting her chin confidently before glancing down at Tang Mo with a frown. “You’re not usually this timid. Be bold. If we discuss this matter casually, no one will suspect Qin Nanxi’s involvement.”

Though Tang Mo was typically fearless, knowing what they were about to do—and having witnessed Qin Nanxi’s fear—had affected her. Still, she quickly regained her usual composure and walked into the village alongside Wen Zhixu.

It was nearly dinnertime, and some of the farmers had returned home, sitting by their doorsteps enjoying the breeze and chatting while waiting for their meal.

When the crowd had mostly dispersed, Wen Zhixu noticed several elderly women chatting in the left front and signaled to her bodyguard. Upon receiving the instruction, the bodyguard approached the women and exchanged a few words before one of them followed him back with a cheerful smile.

At the sight of Wen Zhixu and Tang Mo, the woman’s eyes lit up even brighter. She fawned, “Oh my, these must be the young ladies! I heard you’re fond of osmanthus flowers. Every household in our village has them, and I’ll take you to the most beautiful one right away.”

Wen Zhixu replied, “Thank you, auntie.”

“Oh, goodness!” The woman beamed. “With such generous payment for my trouble, there’s no need for thanks. Let me take you there now.”

Qin Nanxi had told her that there was an elderly woman surnamed Li in the left front of the village center, a respected figure whose words carried weight. Wen Zhixu had promised her 20,000 yuan for her assistance, ensuring Li’s wholehearted cooperation.

Upon arrival, Wen Zhixu examined the osmanthus tree—it was enormous. A cat was tied beneath it with a tight rope, emaciated, with some leftover rice and noodles scattered nearby. Despite the cold weather, the old food had attracted swarms of flies, emitting a foul stench.

“Sister Qin!” Aunt Li called out loudly as soon as she entered, announcing their purpose. “Some distinguished guests are here to buy your osmanthus tree.”

The sound of a door opening came from inside, followed by the unlatching of the gate, revealing the homeowner.

A woman and a young girl—Qin’s mother holding the hand of a well-cared-for child dressed in the latest seasonal fashion, her fair skin suggesting she was likely a middle school student.

Qin Nanxi strongly resembled her mother. At first glance, Wen Zhixu knew she had come to the right place. The cat’s condition was dire—far from what Qin Nanxi had described. Covered in mud, its eyes bloodshot, the few patches where its white fur was visible were stained with dark red.

Qin’s mother sized up Wen Zhixu and her companion before declaring, “This osmanthus tree is quite old. I won’t sell it for less than a million.”

“Whether it’s worth a million isn’t up to you,” Wen Zhixu said, walking toward the tree. “It depends on whether I think it’s worth it.”

As she approached, Tang Mo covered her nose and complained, “What’s that smell?”

Qin’s mother nudged the girl beside her. “Take that damn cat away.”

Just as the girl stepped forward, Wen Zhixu stopped her. “Wait.”

Qin’s mother asked, “Is there something wrong, miss?”

Wen Zhixu circled the cat. “Is your cat pure white?”

At the mention of the cat, Qin’s mother’s expression darkened. But considering Qin Nanxi couldn’t possibly know such wealthy people—and even if hired, they surely couldn’t afford a million—she replied, “It is pure white, but this wretched thing isn’t friendly. It bites and scratches, so we had to tie it up to protect others.”

Wen Zhixu frowned, lightly covering her nose. “I’ll take the tree, and the cat too. Name your price.”

Hearing that someone was actually willing to pay a million for her osmanthus tree, Qin’s mother’s eyes gleamed. But then, upon the request for the cat, she simpered, “Oh, young lady, that wretched cat isn’t worth your money.”

Wen Zhixu lowered her gaze and said coldly, “Are you questioning my choice?”

Qin’s mother, worried that Wen Zhixu might change her mind, hurried forward to explain. But she was immediately stopped by the bodyguards after taking just one step, forcing her to remain in place as she said, “It’s not that I don’t want to sell it. This cat belongs to my eldest daughter, and she loves it dearly. If it goes missing, she’ll make a huge fuss.”

“Loves it?” Tang Mo sneered. “Is this how you treat something you love? Qingyue can’t even have a cat? In that case, perhaps this tree isn’t worth buying either.”

Wen Zhixu added, “Listening to others’ praises, I thought it was something truly precious. But now it seems rather ordinary. If you don’t want to sell, forget it. We’ll just buy one in Nanshi later.”

“Sell, sell, I’ll sell!” Seeing they were serious—and realizing the main purchase was the tree—Qin’s mother knew even if she used the cat to deceive Qin Nanxi later, she wouldn’t get a million. “I’ll sell it. A million, all-inclusive. Cash on delivery.”

Wen Zhixu nodded and stepped away from the spot. “Take the cat. The money’s here—count it yourselves.”

Qin’s mother hastily led the bodyguards into the room, with Aunt Li following to collect her reward. Wen Zhixu and Tang Mo stood in the center, their joy barely concealed.

Success was practically guaranteed, but Wen Zhixu had another plan—to ensure Qin’s mother wouldn’t keep a single cent.

“Sister.” A little girl suddenly approached them. “Are you here to help Nanxi-jie?”

Wen Zhixu paused, then asked, “Who’s Nanxi?”

“Sisters, you don’t have to lie to me. I’ll help you. I owe Nanxi-jie this.” The girl suddenly smiled and stepped closer, rising on her tiptoes. “I’ve seen you before—at my sister’s school. People say you’re pursuing her.”

Wen Zhixu asked sternly, “What do you want? To help your mother kill this cat and deceive your sister?”

“No.” The girl shook her head. “I just wanted to confirm. Even if my mother had refused earlier, I would’ve helped you. Because this is what I owe my sister.”

Previously, when Qin Nanxi had tried to buy the cat, her younger sister had inadvertently sabotaged her by casually mentioning it. Qin Nanxi had no access to wealthy contacts, and Qin’s mother had rejected all offers to buy the cat alone.

The girl pulled a letter from her pocket. “Please give this to her.”

Seeing no malice in the girl, Wen Zhixu accepted it. “Alright.”

As the girl returned to the room, Tang Mo whispered anxiously, “What if she tells her mother? Should we steal the cat now?”

“No,” Wen Zhixu refused. “I trust her.”

“Besides, if we take the cat outright, she’ll go to Nanxi’s school, and that’ll backfire. By buying it now, she might stay away out of guilt, at least for a while.”

The Qin family wasn’t poor—just plagued by the mother’s gambling and favoritism. Qin Nanxi had been raised solely to support her.

Soon, Qin’s mother emerged from the room, beaming. “The amount checks out. When will you come to dig up the tree?”

Wen Zhixu replied, “Someone will arrive shortly. Let’s sign a contract and fingerprint it—this tree and the cat are now mine.”

Qin’s mother grinned broadly. “Good, let’s do it now.”

Aunt Li chimed in, “Qin sister-in-law, your days will be much easier now. Our family never had such luck.”

After the contract was drafted, Mother Qin pressed her fingerprint onto it. Wen Zhixu then left two bodyguards behind to wait for the tree diggers while taking the others—and the cat—with her as they departed. Throughout the journey, Wen Zhixu was deeply worried, fearing that Qin Nanxi’s younger sister might harm her.

Qin Nanxi kept gazing out the window until a familiar figure came into view, at which point she sighed heavily.

Once in the car, Wen Zhixu urged anxiously, “Hurry to the vet—this cat seems to be in critical condition.”

“Guigui, Guigui,” Qin Nanxi called the cat’s name softly. The cat seemed to recognize her, lifting its heavy eyelids with effort and letting out a faint meow in response to its owner.

The driver sped through the empty rural roads, arriving swiftly at the animal hospital.

After an examination, the vet took the cat into surgery. Its right leg was covered in wounds and showed signs of fractures, whimpering at even the slightest touch.

Once the cat was taken away, Qin Nanxi stared dejectedly at the closed door. She sat on a bench, the setting sun casting its light on her back, elongating her shadow across the empty hall. Tears fell with the wind, drop by drop, staining her clothes.

After making the necessary arrangements, Wen Zhixu approached Qin Nanxi and sat beside her, gently patting her back. “It’s going to be okay. The vet said it’s just superficial injuries. I… we can nurse it back to health.”

With someone by her side, Qin Nanxi’s emotions surged uncontrollably. She burst into tears, her face drenched as she buried herself in Wen Zhixu’s shoulder, sobbing, “Am I just a failure? Should I even exist in this world? I can’t protect anyone… I’m just worthless…”

“No, no,” Wen Zhixu murmured, rubbing her back soothingly. “You’re incredible. The fault was never yours—it was always theirs. You protected everything. You protected Guigui, and you… protected me too.”

“If you hadn’t held me back that day, a rock might have smashed my head in.”

Qin Nanxi continued crying into her shoulder for about fifteen minutes before realizing she had soaked Wen Zhixu’s clothes. She lifted her head, her blurred vision gradually clearing. “I’m sorry… I’ll wash your clothes for you.”

Wen Zhixu nodded. “Mhm.”

Qin Nanxi asked, “Did everything else go smoothly?”

“It did.” Wen Zhixu recalled the earlier events and vividly recounted them to her. “You should’ve seen Auntie Li—she kept sweet-talking the whole time. At first, your mother didn’t want to sell the cat, so I said I wouldn’t buy the tree either. Auntie Li panicked and rushed to persuade her. Without her, your mom might’ve kept hesitating.”

Hearing about her mother’s attitude, Qin Nanxi’s expression grew calm. Sure enough, even at the last moment, she had tried to squeeze every bit of profit from her.

“Qingyue… thank you,” Qin Nanxi said with a faint smile.

Qingyue… Qingyue… Hehehe… Not Jiang Qingyue, just Qingyue!

Wen Zhixu’s heart swelled with joy at the thought. But then she suddenly remembered the little girl’s words and quickly pulled out a letter from her pocket. “Your sister asked me to give this to you. She figured out who we are.”

Qin Nanxi frowned slightly and replied indifferently, “I expected as much. My sister is sharp—but she’s the one who benefits most from the family’s schemes.”

“I can tell.” Wen Zhixu placed the letter into Qin Nanxi’s hands. “I’ve delivered the letter, but whether you want to read it… that’s your choice.”

The cat had just been taken into the operating room. Qin Nanxi’s gaze lingered on the letter as the evening light cast her shadow over it. Wrestling with her emotions, she finally opened it.

“Dear sister, if you’re reading this letter, it means you’re almost free from this family. Congratulations. I owe you an apology, and I hope you can escape this place. If there are any issues with your household registration later, feel free to contact me at any time. My number: 1XXXXXXXXXX.”

“I’ll do everything in my power to help you live a stable life from now on. I secretly gave Guigui the anti-inflammatory medication prescribed by the vet. I know you’ll save it, and I hope you won’t forget me.”

“You know I can’t betray Mom. I’m sorry.”

“Your regretful younger sister.”

Qin Nanxi finished reading the letter expressionlessly, her heart a whirlwind of conflicting emotions she couldn’t quite name. She didn’t hate her sister, but she couldn’t bring herself to like her either.

To her, the letter was an apology, a promise, and in a way, tacit support. Her sister was encouraging her to leave this family.

Perhaps it had been predetermined from the start—she was born to be exploited. Cooking as a child, caretaking during school years, and even her future worth had all been meticulously calculated by her mother.

Seeing Qin Nanxi frozen in place, Wen Zhixu gently asked, “She didn’t bully you, did she?”

Her pupils refocusing, Qin Nanxi snapped out of her painful reverie. She smiled faintly and shook her head. “No. Maybe… I’m free now.”

“Of course!” Wen Zhixu grinned. “Don’t dwell on the past. Guigui will definitely recover, and you’ll definitely have a good life.”

“Oh,” Qin Nanxi suddenly interjected, hesitating. “Do you guys… dislike cats? I don’t have a place to keep it right now, so I might have to bring it to the dorm.”

“Not at all!” Wen Zhixu replied softly. “We all like it. It’ll have three moms from now on.”

Just then, the operating room door opened. The doctor called out, “Guigui’s owner?”

Qin Nanxi stood up, with Wen Zhixu close behind. “How is Guigui?” she asked anxiously.

“It’s doing well,” the doctor reassured. “There were some gastrointestinal issues, and the most serious injury was a fractured leg. The surgery went smoothly, but it’ll need to stay hospitalized for a few days to recover. You’ll need to settle the payment now.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Qin Nanxi said, stepping in front of Wen Zhixu. “Where do I pay?”

The osmanthus tree had already cost Wen Zhixu quite a bit, though she kept insisting it was just like buying flowers for the house and didn’t need to be repaid.

But Qin Nanxi refused to impose further. She didn’t want to trouble others too much.

With the cat hospitalized and night falling, Tang Mo was waiting alone at home. Wen Zhixu and Qin Nanxi didn’t linger outside and soon headed back.

On the way, Qin Nanxi dozed off against Wen Zhixu’s shoulder. The immense stress had kept her nerves taut, and only now, with some relief, could she rest briefly.

Suddenly, a mechanical voice broke the silence in the car.

“Host, the corruption value has dropped to 30%.”

Wen Zhixu: “…”

“You mean, after all that—fighting, changing dorms, helping her break out of her shell—it only dropped by 40%, but a single cat reduced it by 30%?”

Wen Zhixu knew the cat would make a significant impact, but not this much! She had worked so hard, done so much, only for the results to be on par with a cat.

Was the cat more important than her?

No, definitely not. It must be because of me—my influence must have played a part. Wen Zhixu frantically reassured herself.

Observation: The drop wasn’t just from one thing.

Instantly, she felt better. As long as she and the cat were on equal footing, that was fine~