After Transmigrating as a Disabled Villain - Chapter 2

Qin Chu had no idea who the County Magistrate’s daughter was. “Haven’t heard of it. I went to bed early.”

Yesterday was the Lantern Festival. The young lords and ladies, seeking an air of refinement, had rented several boats to host a poetry gathering. The original host had attended as well, but no one paid her any mind, so she ended up having a large boat all to herself.

After all, the Qin family didn’t lack money.

According to the little maid, the Eldest Miss Qin had been drinking to drown her sorrows. She had even taken a fall in public because she was drunk and was unconscious by the time she was helped into bed.

It was after that point that the current Qin Chu transmigrated.

Thinking of this, Qin Chu had a sudden epiphany. No wonder she didn’t feel any pain when she pinched herself last night—she had been hammered.

But then she remembered feeling pain later on. Sigh—my back hurts…

Who exactly was that woman? How did she end up in Miss Qin’s bed?

Thinking about it now, there was an 80% chance the woman had been set up and was acting against her own will. One thing was certain: the woman knew the original host, as she had called out her name.

Qin Chu rubbed her forehead and tried to pull her arm away, but Chen Xia held on tight.

“Cousin Qin, I’ll support you properly. I’ll make sure you walk just like a normal person.”

Chen Xia was very fond of her cousin—a fondness mixed with heartache. Their personalities got along perfectly. The only drawback was that her cousin had too much pride; because she was born with a limp, she cared far too much about the gaze of others.

She had made a fool of herself before by trying to act tough, attempting to descend a staircase alone only to end up splayed out on the ground. After that incident, the original Qin Chu had locked herself in her room for three full days.

Chen Xia planned to always walk on Qin Chu’s left side from now on to support her.

Qin Chu felt the strength in her left leg and declined. “It’s fine, I can manage on my own.”

She had walked a few circles in front of the mirror this morning. It just looked like she was walking on uneven ground. It was just a slight limp, not a broken leg; she was perfectly capable of walking independently.

Knowing her cousin was stubborn and fearing for her pride, Chen Xia had no choice but to let go.

The students at the academy soon noticed that the Eldest Miss Qin had returned from winter break a bit different. Before, even though she held her head high while walking despite her disability, it was a hollow front; she would get defensive if anyone looked at her for too long.

Now, she seemed completely indifferent to the stares of others, carrying herself with an air of superiority.

Just like her straw-bag of a brother, she acted like she was better than everyone else just because she had some stinking money. People smelling of copper coins didn’t belong in the county academy.

The world never lacks people looking for a fight, and one approached right then.

“Yo, isn’t this Qin the Cripple? Did it hurt when you fell last night? I thought you wouldn’t show your face at the academy today.”

Qin Chu looked at the newcomer. Since she didn’t recognize her, she didn’t respond immediately.

Chen Xia wasn’t about to let her cousin be insulted like that. She snapped back instantly, “Gu the Third, keep your mouth shut, or watch out for a beating.”

Miss Gu the Third sneered. “Opening your mouth to talk of killing and violence is a disgrace to refined culture. The county academy is no place for people like you.”

Chen Xia was furious and about to argue when Qin Chu grabbed her sleeve.

However, she was one step too late to stop her equally impulsive maid.

Guanzi rolled up her sleeves and charged forward, grabbing Miss Gu by the neck and starting a scuffle.

“Saying that about our Miss! See if I don’t tear your mouth apart today…”

“Ah! You wretched servant…!”

Miss Gu was no match for Guanzi. Even her personal maid got dragged into the beating. Guanzi took them both on at once without breaking a sweat.

Qin Chu’s eye twitched as she watched. Seeing that her maid wasn’t losing, she didn’t bother to stop it.

Soon, students brought a teacher over, and Guanzi was finally pulled away.

Master Li was over fifty years old, looking every bit the old-fashioned pedant. His first glance went to Qin Chu—that troublemaking waste of space again.

“Get your maid out of this academy.”

Guanzi huffed. “My Miss didn’t lift a finger. I’m going.”

Brawling wasn’t allowed in the academy, especially for maids and servants. They weren’t even allowed in the classrooms; they had to wait outside and remain silent. If they disturbed the order, they would be expelled.

Qin Chu said calmly, “This is Miss Gu the Third, right? She initiated the verbal provocation. Even if my maid was a bit rash, it was out of loyal protection for her mistress. Why are you only kicking her out?”

Miss Gu bit her tongue and didn’t argue back, instead standing tearfully next to Master Li to play the victim.

Master Li’s temples throbbed with anger. “Then both of you, master and servant, get the hell out!”

Qin Chu raised an eyebrow. Punishing without asking for the cause? It seemed this teacher had no sense of justice. The original host was a pretty poor villain; it felt like anyone could bully her.

“I can leave, but they must leave as well. Master, don’t favor your ‘own’ people over what is right, lest the academy becomes a filthy place where fairness does not exist.”

Qin Chu’s brow arched. If he wanted to punish her, fine, but she was taking someone down with her.

At this moment, Guanzi whispered a bit of advice: “Miss, you don’t have to go with me. It’s not the first time I’ve been kicked out. I can go buy candied haws outside. It’s too stifling in here anyway; I don’t even dare to speak loudly.”

Master Li’s brow furrowed. Usually, this “straw-bag” would just stiffen her neck and leave, but this time she talked back. Was she actually in the right?

He looked at the whispering students around him and found a graceful way to back down: “All servants who were fighting, get out. Everyone else, disperse.”

Once Master Li left, Guanzi and Miss Gu’s maid headed outside.

Miss Gu was dissatisfied with the result. “Qin the Cripple, you wait. I’ll get you sooner or later.”

Qin Chu took a deep breath and walked toward her.

Miss Gu took two steps back. “What are you doing? You want to hit me?”

Qin Chu looked her up and down and said gloomily, “You look decent enough, but why don’t you speak human? The forest is truly big enough for all kinds of birds; just because you’re wearing a human skin doesn’t mean you’re not a beast.”

Miss Gu froze. “What do you mean by that?”

“Haha, she’s calling you an animal,” a bystander whispered helpfully.

Miss Gu was instantly enraged. “Qin the Cripple, I’ll fight you!”

Before she could even touch Qin Chu, Qin Chu sat down on the ground and said lazily, “My leg is already lame; if it breaks, Miss Gu will have to compensate me with a brand-new one.”

The crowd: “…”

They had never seen such shamelessness—a blatant insurance scam!

Chen Xia covered her face. Her cousin’s move was brilliant, but it really sacrificed her dignity.

Miss Gu scrambled a few steps away. “Stop trying to frame me! Your leg was already lame!”

Qin Chu’s tone was casual. “Is that so? Why do I feel like my limp got worse just by you being near me? It seems I’ll have to send people to your manor to demand an explanation.”

Miss Gu’s face turned red with fury. “Qin the Cripple, you’re shameless! I didn’t even touch you!”

Seeing Miss Gu stomp away in fear of being extorted, Chen Xia helped Qin Chu up. “Why bother with someone like her? We should have just beaten her. Don’t degrade yourself.”

That said, seeing Miss Gu flee for fear of being scammed felt quite satisfying.

Qin Chu brushed off her clothes. “I am a kind person, but when dealing with someone like that, whoever is ‘kind’ is a fool.”

She suddenly felt that transmigrating wasn’t so bad. Rich and a “Great Villain”? Being a villain was great—she intended to keep enjoying it.

Chen Xia nodded in agreement. “That makes sense. I’ve learned something.”

Qin Chu rolled her eyes. “Learn something good instead. Extorting people is immoral and wrong.”

“Then why did you scare her just now?”

“Because she was immoral first. You don’t need to discuss morality with people like that. Anyone who tries to use logic with her is a fool.”

Chen Xia’s eyes were full of admiration. Her cousin was so impressive; after just one winter break, she had become even more domineering.

There were only three classes in the morning.

The first was on Confucian Classics, taught by that same Master Li. Qin Chu’s vision went dark; she could only understand about half of every five sentences. It was a headache.

When the class ended, Master Li looked at Qin Chu in surprise. The “straw-bag” hadn’t slept and had actually looked quite attentive. Had her personality changed?

The same question arose in the minds of Master Sun (Policy Analysis) and Master Tang (Poetry and Prose)…

At noon, while eating lunch, Qin Chu thought about the teachers’ words and sighed. “After winter break, I’ve forgotten all of the Four Books and Five Classics. What am I going to do about the exam tomorrow?”

Guanzi’s eyes widened. “Miss, you actually remembered the Four Books and Five Classics before? Didn’t you usually just sleep through class?”

Qin Chu cleared her throat. “I have my moments of wakefulness.”

“Yes, you never slept during Arithmetic, but you never woke up for any other class,” Chen Xia teased. Because her cousin was born with a limp, she had no hope for a career in officialdom (civil service). She came to the academy specifically to learn arithmetic so she could eventually take over the family business.

Qin Chu breathed a sigh of relief. Boy, I overestimated this villain. Now she didn’t have to worry about failing the exam.

After lunch, as they walked toward the academy gates, they saw Miss Gu talking to another woman. As they approached, Miss Gu pointed toward them.

Qin Chu looked over.

The woman standing next to Miss Gu wore a vibrant red robe (ruqun). Her features were cold and elegant, yet there was a trace of charm in her expression—a dignified, natural allure. Her makeup was light, and she was as beautiful as a painting.

Qin Chu raised an eyebrow. This person… why does she look familiar?

The woman’s gaze paused on Qin Chu for a moment before quickly shifting away, as if it were just a casual glance.

Seeing her mistress staring even after the others had walked away, Guanzi warned her nervously, “Miss, that is the County Magistrate’s daughter, Qiu Jinning. Master told us we can provoke anyone in the academy except her.”

Because they couldn’t afford the consequences.

Chen Xia agreed. “Gu the Third only dares to cause trouble because her older sister married the Eldest Young Master of the Qiu family. Since Qiu Jinning hangs out with Gu the Third, she probably isn’t a good person either. Commoners shouldn’t fight with officials; it’s better to stay away from them.”