“What?! Everyone Except Me Is a Villain (GL) - Chapter 23

No. 9 clearly didn’t realize how threatening she looked. Her hand slipped into her jacket like she was about to pull out a weapon, and the tension in the air was so sharp that Zheng Si, who had only stopped out of caution, now looked like she regretted it.

The road through the villa district was wide, but even so, two cars parked side by side drew attention. Just then, a third car blared its horn and sped past. When Ning glanced over, she saw Zhen Wangzi lounging in the passenger seat, not driving, wearing his usual lazy smirk.

When he noticed Ning’s situation, his face lit up with shameless amusement, and he even whistled at them. The sound immediately caught both Zheng Si’s and No. 9’s attention especially No. 9’s. Without hesitation, she pulled out a small knife and hurled it toward his car. The blade hit its mark perfectly, stabbing straight into the tire, though neither the driver nor Zhen Wangzi had any clue what had just happened to them.

Ning couldn’t help it she laughed. It slipped out before she could stop herself, and both No. 9 and Zheng Si turned their sharp gazes on her.

When Ning laughed, her whole expression softened; her smile carried a kind of easy warmth that could disarm even the most feral beast. She hadn’t always been the smiling type, but once she realized how effective it was as a social weapon, she practiced until it became second nature.

“Sorry,” Ning said lightly, turning to Zheng Si. “My driver misunderstood. You just looked… a bit fierce, so she thought you were up to something.”

Zheng Si’s face relaxed into polite calm. “It’s fine. I’m used to people thinking that. I was only passing by and I have no interest in your young miss.” She adjusted her glasses as she spoke, eyes avoiding No. 9’s altogether a clear sign of social anxiety, though No. 9 didn’t notice in the slightest.

Instead, No. 9’s tone grew even frostier, like she was dealing with a potential threat. “There are fewer than ten families living here,” she said sharply. “Which family do you belong to?”

The Zhen family had originally owned this entire mountain. Years later, they’d sold off a few plots to build connections, turning the place into a so-called “elite neighborhood.” But after the family’s reputation soured, few dared to move nearby leaving the area eerily quiet.

“I don’t belong to any family,” Zheng Si replied, pointing to a European-style villa next door that looked completely out of place among the traditional Chinese architecture. “I just live next door.”

No. 9 blinked, then straightened and nodded. “Apologies, Miss Zheng Si. I didn’t realize it was you.”

Her tone shifted instantly from arrogance to respect, as if her earlier sharpness only applied to children like Ning. The sudden change puzzled Ning, who studied Zheng Si curiously—only to find Zheng Si doing the same. Something flickered behind Zheng Si’s eyes before she adjusted her glasses again, hiding whatever had surfaced.

The exchange left Ning slightly bewildered. Meeting Zheng Si in person was completely different from chatting with her online. On the internet, Zheng Si was eloquent, even charming; in reality, she was stiff and distant. Ning still couldn’t figure out how this woman ended up as one of the story’s villains.

“So you’re Professor Zheng Si? I’ve heard Mrs. Pei mention you,” Ning said, stepping forward with a friendly smile. “I’m Zhen Ning you can call me Ningning.”

She’d finally met all five of the “Chosen Ones.” According to the system’s logic, that should unlock something new.

But as she took another step closer, Zheng Si’s expression cooled again, her tone suddenly curt. With her long black hair, dark eyes, and preference for monochrome clothing, she radiated an aura that practically screamed keep your distance.

Realizing conversation was hopeless, Ning didn’t push further. She smiled again and politely excused herself.

Zheng Si remained standing in place long after Ning’s car drove away. Eventually, she murmured under her breath, “Pretty face, perfect proportions… what a masterpiece.”

Her expression softened; for a moment, she looked almost gentle. But as her fingers adjusted her glasses again, a faint glint of obsession crept into her eyes. “I wonder,” she whispered, “how beautiful she’d look on canvas.”

Behind her, the Zhen family’s old manor loomed a sharp contrast to Zheng Si’s own European villa. Even the buildings reflected her inner dissonance, torn between refinement and something darker.

Meanwhile, completely unaware of Zheng Si’s thoughts, Ning shivered inexplicably. A chill ran down her spine, though the system remained silent. She decided it must be leftover unease from the previous night’s long, dark corridor.

No. 9, oblivious to Ning’s unease, sat upright and focused on the road. Ning leaned back, closing her eyes for a short rest until a sudden notification chimed in her ears.

Her eyes snapped open. The Love App’s interface now showed every icon fully lit. Excited, Ning opened the Shop first, only to find an overwhelming list of items some from the modern world, others from the cultivation realm.

The app split them neatly into two categories: Modern and Cultivation. Modern items could be bought with Paradise Coins, while Cultivation items required something called Memory Fragments.

Curious, Ning searched the entire app for how to obtain those fragments, but found nothing. She switched to the Skills tab.

Beginner Sword Flight
Beginner Alchemy
Beginner Swordsmanship
It was like seeing all her past cultivation skills neatly catalogued. The difference was that now she could instantly acquire them if she had enough Memory Fragments. Scrolling further, she found even more outrageous skills, ones that could directly alter her base attributes.

Her heart pounded. She needed to know how to earn those fragments. But no matter where she looked, there was no explanation until she finally asked aloud, “How do I get Memory Fragments?”

Instantly, the Love App auto-navigated for her, opening the one tab she hadn’t checked yet: Special Missions.

Each mission was marked with a pink heart icon telling her exactly what kind of “love” this app expected.

Ning took a deep breath to steady herself. She already had a bad feeling.

Obtain a Chosen One’s first kiss – +100 Memory Fragments
Receive a Chosen One’s confession – +1,000 Memory Fragments
Experience a Chosen One’s ‘first time’ – +10,000 Memory Fragments

Of course. She hadn’t even scrolled further before she saw all the classic dating-game tropes lined up in bright pink text.

The missions stretched across 999 pages. The early ones were tame “have lunch together,” “hold hands,” and so on. But later missions specified poses, outfits, and “special events,” each unlocking exclusive abilities.

For example, the Photographic Memory skill required meeting all five villains every day for a week, with no more than a thirty-minute gap between meetings. Basically, it wanted her to become a full-time “schedule manager of love.”

The reward was tempting, but the cost borderline insanity. Ning decided to pass, at least for now.

“Miss, we’ve arrived,” No. 9’s calm voice interrupted just as Ning reached mission #234.

Reluctantly, she lowered her phone. The floating pink interface of the Love App shimmered faintly in her vision as she stepped out of the car.

No. 9 didn’t wait for thanks she was gone in seconds, clearly uninterested in small talk.

Unfortunately, one of the app’s missions required her to build rapport with NPC followers. The higher their affection, the more fragments and rewards she could unlock. Even her driver counted.

As Ning pondered this absurdity, she nearly collided with someone at the classroom door. Both froze, awkwardly shifting left and right before finally passing each other.