When the Villain Falls Madly in Love with Herself - Chapter 5

This was Lele’s sixth year of suffering in this world, but clearly, the world had no intention of letting her go.

She listlessly watched the chattering girl introduce herself. The forced innocence on the girl’s face was like a layer of cheap paint, unable to conceal the calculation beneath.

Between the girl’s words, other voices pierced Lele’s ears, clear and grating.

Villain, System, Darkening Value, Affection…

Lele hadn’t even started school yet, and now a barrage of incomprehensible terms was being hurled at her. Sensing the strange person’s ill intentions, she didn’t bother investigating further and simply turned to leave.

Hey, hey, hey! Don’t go! I haven’t finished talking yet!

Lele rolled her eyes at the frantic shouting behind her and quickened her pace. What a weirdo.

System, we’re doomed! I’m going to fail again!  The girl’s dejected voice echoed behind her.

Forget it, forget it. This villain was always going to be tough to conquer. Let’s just go.  A cold, mechanical voice replied.

Lele didn’t want to comment on the woman’s clumsy acting, which was even worse than the worst actors she’d seen on TV. If she was going to act with an ulterior motive, she should at least put some sincerity into it.

A moment of speechless silence hung in the air.

When Lele turned back, the spot where the woman had stood was indeed empty.

As if a switch had been flipped, a flood of people began to swarm around her.

Men and women, young and old. Some flashed forced smiles, abruptly declaring their desire to be her friend, while others wore compassionate expressions, claiming they wanted to give her a home.

Without exception, they were all mentally conversing with that invisible System, their minds playing out the same clumsy script titled Redeeming the Villain.

At first, Lele agreed to go home with one woman. She was too curious about what a home was like. Even if it was a carefully crafted deception, she wanted to briefly experience that cotton candy-like, illusory warmth.

Lele, look! This room was specially prepared for you. Do you like it? The woman wrapped her arm around Lele’s shoulders, gently gesturing toward the pink-themed room overflowing with plush toys, her smile flawless.

Lele stood at the doorway, gazing at the impossibly beautiful room, her feet feeling like they were treading on clouds. Everything seemed like a fragile dream.

She had her own room now, but she still couldn’t resist writing her name on all her belongings, over and over again.

On her first day at kindergarten, she didn’t cry or fuss like the other children. She simply sat quietly on her little stool, watching the teacher.

How annoying, Lele thought, sneering inwardly as she observed the older children clamoring noisily around her.

The exhausted teacher, seeing her amidst the chaos, felt like she had discovered an angel in a den of demons—beautiful, quiet, and no trouble at all. Lele was promptly made class monitor.

After a few tests, the teacher was even more astonished. The child had a photographic memory and lightning-fast reflexes. Who wouldn’t adore a child so clever and beautiful? The teacher’s favoritism grew stronger.

With the teacher’s approval, some children began to flock to Lele. But there were always those who resented her.

Lele! Come out here! Let’s settle this one-on-one! Whoever wins becomes class monitor! A boy a head taller than Lele stood at the doorway, shouting aggressively at her.

Lele, boredly stacking blocks, looked up in confusion. She already had quite a few little followers behind her.

The little girl who had finally managed to play with Lele was instantly enraged by Lele’s pitiful glance. She kicked her stool aside and charged at the boy.

Wenjing grabbed Mi Xiaohui by the collar, raised her fist, and yelled, Mi Xiaohui, are you crazy or what?!

Mi Xiaohui immediately wilted, muttering under his breath, Violent girl, violent girl.

Taking advantage of their standoff, Lele calmly got up and went to find the teacher. Teacher, Mi Xiaohui is bullying the other kids.

The result was predictable both children were sent to stand in the corner as punishment.

Lele actually quite liked the kindergarten toys they were much newer and more interesting than the tattered ones at the Welfare Home. But someone always seemed to interrupt her when she was engrossed in exploring them.

Now that she was finally alone, Lele could finally play in peace for a while.

Just as she picked up a puzzle piece, another child approached, accompanied by a familiar stream of inner monologue.

Lele, let’s be friends…

Cliché. This was a new idiom Lele had just learned. She couldn’t be bothered to respond and continued fiddling with the puzzle piece in her hand.

System, if I can’t successfully win her over, will I die?  the child asked nervously.

No,i the System replied coldly. iYou just won’t earn any Points. If it’s really impossible, we can just move on to the next target.

The woman breathed a sigh of relief and was about to try again when Lele suddenly looked up, her eyes vacant and staring.

Ah—! she yelped, nearly falling backward in fright.

Won’t die?

Does that mean I can live forever and ever and ever?

I want to live forever too.

If a person’s life is infinitely long, they wouldn’t care about wasting time, would they?

The thought coiled around Lele’s heart like a venomous snake. If a person’s life were infinite, would they even care about wasting such a trivial amount of time?

If that were the case, perhaps… she would have been willing to answer Li Xin’s last phone call, giving that foolish, flickering light a little bit of worthless time?

System, such a wonderful thing—why do so many others get to have it, but not me?

A poisonous thought, a mixture of unprecedented jealousy and fierce possessiveness, sprouted in her heart and began to grow wildly.

Come with me after school, Lele said, beckoning with a crooked finger.

The child froze for a moment, then her face lit up with wild joy, and she nodded eagerly.

The woman’s home wasn’t far from the kindergarten. Once Lele learned the way, she stopped letting her pick her up. She led the child through a maze of narrow alleys, finally stopping in a secluded, deserted corner.

The child followed warily, frantically consulting with the System in her mind about a plan.

Lele quietly listened to their conversation, which ultimately resulted in a accept your fate strategy. ……

Why does she seem to… despise us?  the child wondered, confused.

It’s you, not us,  the System clarified, distancing itself.

W-what do you want? the child stammered, trying to sound calm. Before she could finish, she was slammed against the cold brick wall with brutal force.

Ouch! Her head smacked painfully against the wall. Immediately, something cold and hard pressed against her neck.

A knife!

Lele held the blade to the child’s throat, her icy gaze sweeping over her, searching for the System’s location.

The child was terrified by her piercing stare, on the verge of tears. She raised her hands in surrender. W-what do you want? I-I’ll give you anything!

Knowing she was from the Welfare Home, the child assumed Lele was going to rob him and frantically reached into his pocket.

Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Conjure up some money!  she screamed at the System.

I have a feeling… she’s not after money,  the System replied, its own circuits tingling with unease.

Lele’s gaze finally locked onto the child’s head. Her voice, as cold as the wind from the depths of the earth, slowly cut through the air Give me the System in your brain.

Ah—!!!

Warning! Warning! Severe violation! The Host must not reveal the System’s existence to the target!  The System’s shrill alarm and the child’s scream erupted almost simultaneously.

The child was terrified out of his wits.  You said she was young and her Darkening Value was low?! This is what you call low?!

Too noisy. Hurry up, Lele said, her thumb impatiently rubbing the knife handle.

Do you want to immediately spend 10,000 Points to forcibly exit this world?!  the System demanded urgently.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Hurry! Now! Immediately!  the child sobbed, confirming.

Lele was caught completely off guard. One moment the child was there, and the next, he vanished before her eyes.

Bad luck, running into a coward, she muttered, pursing her lips. She tossed the retractable toy knife back into her backpack. No surprise, good stuff like this isn’t easy to get.

There’s plenty of time, she thought. Judging by the number of people I’ve met so far, there’ll be plenty more opportunities.

Woof! Woof!

Lele’s thoughts were interrupted. She turned to see a scruffy gray puppy cowering in a dark corner, its back arched and barking fiercely at her.

But its tiny frame made the display more comical than threatening.

Lele met the puppy’s wet, wary eyes for a moment. Silently, she pulled a sausage from her backpack—a reward from her teacher she’d been saving.

Carefully breaking it in half, she placed one piece on the ground near the puppy and began nibbling on the other half herself.

The puppy caught the tempting scent of meat. It paced anxiously in place, its tail tip twitching slightly, drool nearly dripping from its mouth, yet its extreme caution kept it rooted to the spot.

Eat, Lele said flatly, pointing to the sausage on the ground as she chewed.

Hunger finally overcame fear. The puppy darted out tentatively, snatched the sausage, and retreated back to its corner in a flash.

The dog devoured the sausage, its eyes fixed on Lele, wary of her kicking it at any moment—a fate it had endured too many times before.

Once finished, the dog, sensing Lele’s lack of malice and even a hint of generosity in sharing her food, cautiously approached and licked her palm in a gesture of gratitude.

Perhaps it was the psychological effect of wanting something she couldn’t have, but the sausage didn’t taste as good as the grilled sausage she’d smelled on the street that day. Still, having never tasted either, she couldn’t compare.

When she returned home, the woman had already prepared dinner and was waiting for her.

Lele, did you have fun at kindergarten today? The woman asked, her eyes crinkling slightly as she placed a bite of food on Lele’s plate.

Lele lowered her gaze, avoiding the offered food, and ate something else instead, giving a curt hm in response.

Sigh, no progress at all. Is this child’s heart made of stone?  the woman sighed inwardly.

Host, our time in this world is almost up. If it’s not working… should we just give up?  the System suggested.

After analyzing numerous conversations, Lele speculated that they had entered a game world, and she was a minor boss while they were the players. If they cleared the game, they would receive substantial rewards otherwise, they could spend Points or endure a certain period to leave.

And she, clearly, was an exceptionally tough nut to crack.

Lele scoffed inwardly. The so-called love and warmth these players offered were so fake that they were less genuine and valuable than the stray dog in the alley that had licked her hand in gratitude.

Immediately afterward, she silently condemned herself. Even that stray dog, after receiving half a sausage from her, had known to approach and lick her hand to show its appreciation.

Yet she, enjoying the woman’s hospitality and security without any reason, felt not a shred of gratitude.

System, System! Look!  The woman’s delighted voice suddenly exploded in Lele’s mind.

Although her Darkening Value hasn’t changed, her Affection Value toward me has increased by 1 point! 1 point!

What?!i The System sounded equally astonished. iWait, let me have the backend estimate…

Oh my god, Host! The Points earned from her 1 point of Affection Value… one, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand… a hundred thousand! We’ve hit the jackpot! A hundred thousand Points!

Hearing her elated voice, Lele was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t realized such a trivial amount of affection could earn so many Points.

Perhaps I can use this to get even more, she thought. These players can exchange just 1 Point for a significant amount of this world’s currency.

I can’t get the System for now, but at least I need money. Lots and lots of money.

Eh? Host, something’s wrong! The Affection Value… it’s dropped back to zero?  The System’s voice was filled with confusion.

Ah? All that excitement for nothing…  The woman’s face instantly fell.

Not for nothing, Lele suddenly said, lifting her head and staring directly at the woman with a gaze so sharp it was completely unlike that of a kindergarten child. I was just testing you.

The woman froze, slowly turning to look at Lele in disbelief. She stammered, Le-Lele, what are you saying?

I’ll exchange 10 Affection Points for money, Lele replied calmly.

The woman was completely petrified, her mind blank. After a few seconds, a flicker of panic flashed deep in her eyes, followed by signs of frantic, silent communication with the System.

Lele pursed her lips, secretly unsure whether the other party would honor the deal.

After what felt like an eternity, the woman seemed to finally reach an agreement with the System.

She took a deep breath, struggling to maintain her composure, but a barely perceptible tremor still crept into her voice. You… how much do you want? I’ve only just started… I don’t have many Points yet…

One hundred thousand.

That’s… what? The woman’s carefully constructed calm shattered instantly. She had braced herself for the child to demand an exorbitant sum.

But this was… a lion cub asking for a mouse.

Lele only wanted to cure her illness first, before dealing with anything else. Auntie had said it would cost a lot of money, and this amount would surely be enough.

She had been remarkably prescient.

Unfortunately, Lele was only in the middle class of kindergarten, having just learned numbers up to ten today. To her, a hundred thousand was already a vast fortune.

Deal! The woman’s eyes gleamed with undisguised excitement. Children really are so easy to fool!