I Turned Out to Be the Paranoid Villain's White Moonlight - Chapter 9

After a long, relaxing soak in the tub, Zhan Yao’s mood improved considerably.

It was nearly noon, and the butler was already arranging lunch. Zhan Yao wrapped herself in a plush bathrobe prepared by the servants, sat at the vanity, and applied a face mask while ordering a servant to bring up a menu.

What a joke—they had already started cooking without even asking her preferences.

“Miss Zhan.” A few minutes later, a servant knocked and entered with a menu. Xiao Yue, who was supposed to be serving her, had likely fled after reaching her limit; this was a new face.

This woman’s name was Ah Fang. She looked older than Xiao Yue and had a rather sharp, mean face. Catching sight of Zhan Yao sitting there so pretentiously with a face mask on, she let out a quiet, mocking huff. “I’ve brought the menu.”

“Mhm.” Zhan Yao nodded. “Put it there.”

After speaking, she went back to meticulously applying essential oil to her hair.

Ah Fang stood there for a long time. Seeing her dallying, she became impatient and raised her voice: “Miss Zhan, I said I brought the menu!”

Zhan Yao glanced at her. “I heard you. I’m not deaf.”

“The stove downstairs is still on,” Ah Fang said sourly, as if looking for a fight. “Everyone is waiting. Why don’t you put aside whatever you’re doing and see if you’re satisfied with the menu? Don’t waste everyone’s time.”

With that attitude, a stranger would have thought she was the mistress of the house.

“Oh?” Zhan Yao was amused. “Do you all have some vital appointment later? Are you attending a state banquet or flying off to walk the runway at Fashion Week? Or is Yu Wanqiao so poor she’s going bankrupt tomorrow, and the family can’t afford a little gas and a few kilowatts of electricity?”

“This…” Ah Fang was stunned. She had never encountered someone like this. “How can you speak of President Yu that way? Please show some respect!”

Respect. So they did know the meaning of the word.

“Did you learn the rules on your first day of work?” Zhan Yao stood up, crossing her arms as she looked Ah Fang up and down. “Your uniform isn’t up to standard. Sleeves and pant legs should be down, and hats should be worn properly. If I find so much as a single hair in my food or water in the future, I will fire one person for every strand found.”

“And next time you speak to me, use ‘You’. I don’t usually nitpick, but as you said, it’s a matter of respect. I wouldn’t want a guest to visit and be unable to tell who the actual master is.”

“Ah, and this is for the sake of your President Yu.” She smiled, her face sweet and innocent while her words were sharp as a blade. “I’m saving her the embarrassment of people wondering where she found such undisciplined ‘deities’ to serve her.”

“As for this menu,” she said, tossing it back after a brief glance. “Go down and bring a new one. List the ingredients and seasonings. Meat must be graded by standard. Seafood must have its catch time specified. List every spice and the exact heat levels used for cooking. Make it clear and detailed.”

“W-what’s the point of that?” Ah Fang was dumbfounded.

“No point at all.” Zhan Yao’s lips curled into a grin. “But I just love wasting your time.”

“…”

“Don’t try to half-ass it,” Zhan Yao added before Ah Fang could speak. “I have picky tastes, and my skin and stomach are far too sensitive. Everything I eat, wear, and use must be the best. If I get sick, none of you will escape the consequences.”

“Oh, and most importantly, I’m very fragile emotionally. I can’t stand seeing frustrating things or hearing nonsense.” She clutched her chest, feigning distress. “When I’m in a bad mood, just being touched by someone I dislike might trigger an episode. When that happens, your beloved, ‘great’ President Yu will certainly have a word with you.”

“Is… is it really that serious?” Ah Fang seemed thoroughly spooked, looking dazed.

Zhan Yao didn’t answer. She simply reached her hand out toward her. “Why don’t you touch me and find out?”

Blackmail! Absolute blackmail!

Ah Fang didn’t dare provoke her. Forgetting her original intent to “discipline” the newcomer, she grabbed the menu and ran out without looking back. As she ran, she muttered: “List the ingredients… meat grades… seafood catch times…”

Once she was gone, the room became quiet again. Zhan Yao, still in her mask, wandered over to the wardrobe and opened it.

Compared to the other furniture, the wardrobe’s size and style were acceptable. While she was bathing, the butler had already hung up the few clothes she brought. They looked incredibly sparse now that they were hanging. Zhan Yao felt an itch to fill the empty space immediately.

As she was thinking, her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a WeChat message from Yu Wanqiao, sent during a break in her work.

【Is the house okay? If you need anything, just ask.】

What perfect timing. Zhan Yao smirked and took a photo of the nearly empty wardrobe.

【Do you see what’s wrong here?】 she asked.

Yu Wanqiao was silent for a moment before a reply came:

【I just transferred a few million to your card.】

【Spend it however you want.】

After lunch, Zhan Yao took a nap.

Thanks to her brief “training” session, the lunch flavors and seasoning were actually quite satisfactory. The chef’s skill was good; he just needed a bit of guidance to suit her palate. But that was fine—she had plenty of time. A “wealthy wife” in a lonely mansion needs a hobby, and since her “wife” would likely be working late often, she had to entertain herself.

Empty, capitalist life… Zhan Yao sighed.

The System was speechless: “…” Just shut up already.

Time flew by, and Zhan Yao woke up refreshed. No one dared disturb her; the villa was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. She finally had a good sleep.

When she finished dressing, a car was already waiting at the door. Since she hadn’t had time to buy many new clothes, she was still wearing a simple white dress—looking pure and youthful. However, after the morning’s events, no one treated her like a “regular” student anymore. Someone helped her into the car, and a line of servants stood by, wishing her a safe trip.

Zhan Yao nodded, slid on her sunglasses, and drove off looking effortlessly cool.

She arrived at the city’s largest luxury shopping center—a property of the Chuansheng Group. It had everything: fashion, jewelry, dining, and cinema. Zhan Yao went straight to the second floor and walked into a designer boutique.

She had an unlimited budget thanks to her “Golden Thigh,” so she didn’t hold back. If she liked it, she bought it. She hopped from store to store, enjoying the sheer thrill of spending.

“Are you happy?” the System asked. Even the AI was getting jealous of the host’s lifestyle.

“Very happy,” Zhan Yao said. She had found several pieces she truly loved. “And it feels great.”

“But do you know what feels even better?” Zhan Yao asked.

“What?”

Zhan Yao handed her card to the clerk and said grandly: “Swiping the card.”

“…” Fair enough.

Two hours passed. The three bodyguards following her were already laden with bags. Zhan Yao decided to call it a day, fearing the wardrobe wouldn’t fit any more.

As she turned to leave, a flash went off nearby. Click.

Zhan Yao paused and glanced sideways. She saw a man nervously fiddling with his phone. He was thin, greasy, and oily. Despite the designer labels he wore, he looked “peasant-like.” Zhan Yao recognized him immediately—he was one of the rich kids sitting with Xu Yingxi at the bar that night.

Reporting back to the dog-scum, are we?

Zhan Yao signaled her bodyguards. One of them snatched the phone before the man could lock the screen. It was an open chat with Xu Yingxi.

【Hey, Old Xu, I saw your girlfriend.】

【At the shopping center. She bought a ton of clothes and jewelry. I estimate she spent at least a million. Are you guys back together? Where does a student get that kind of money?】

【Or did she dump you for someone else? This little chick is capable; whoever he is must be a nouveau riche to throw money around like that.】

【Let me take a picture for you.】

The text ended right before the photo he just took. Zhan Yao stared at the photo for a long time.

“What are you doing? Let go of me!” the man struggled, but he couldn’t break the bodyguard’s grip. He started to panic. “It’s not my fault! Xu Yingxi told us to do it!”

“I-I won’t do it again!” he begged. “I’ll apologize! I shouldn’t have reported your location to her, I shouldn’t have sneakily taken photos…”

He sounded sincere, but he clearly hadn’t realized his biggest crime.

How could he take such an ugly photo of her?!

Zhan Yao zoomed in and out on the photo. She couldn’t believe such terrible photography existed. He had the nerve to be a stalker with those skills? She was furious. “Give him a couple of hits to help his memory!”

“Yes!” the bodyguard prepared to strike, but Zhan Yao stopped him at the last second.

“Wait. Don’t hit him here; it’s bad for business. This is a Yu family property.” She pointed toward the exit. “Toss him outside first!”

The man was given a “lesson” and fled with a black eye.

Zhan Yao sat back in the car, her mood slightly dampened by the interlude. But she cheered up once she got home and started trying on her new purchases. Time passed quickly.

Dinner was steak. When Zhan Yao came downstairs, the servants laid out the cutlery, helped her with her napkin, and served the food. Zhan Yao cut a piece and chewed. “Keep up the good work,” she said.

The staff breathed a sigh of relief, but before they could fully relax, she spoke again: “Why is this orange juice?”

“I asked for red wine, didn’t I?”

The servant hesitated. “This… this was President Yu’s arrangement.”

Yu Wanqiao?

“Is she back?” Zhan Yao asked.

“No,” the servant shook her head. “President Yu called. She said she’s tied up and will be back late. She also told us not to let you drink at night—just orange juice.”

“…”

Was this in the contract? Since when did she get to decide what I drink?

There was an eight-year age gap between them. They say three years is a generation gap, so they had about two and a half. Yu Wanqiao probably viewed her as a child. In her real life, Zhan Yao used to be a lightweight, but she had built up a tolerance over years of banquets. Now, however, her body was only twenty-two again.

Fine. She’d listen for once. “Mhm, I see.”

Zhan Yao finished her steak, went upstairs, and washed up. Yu Wanqiao still wasn’t back. The villa was a duplex, and both their rooms were on the top floor—opposite sides. Zhan Yao tried on more clothes until she felt drowsy. Yu Wanqiao had promised to come back early, but it was already 10:00 PM!

She wanted her beauty sleep. But since she promised to wait, she washed her face again and sat on the bed, playing with her new clothes while nodding off.

After a while, she heard a soft knock. Then, gentle footsteps approached and stopped in front of her. Zhan Yao opened her eyes and met the gaze of the person standing there.

It was Yu Wanqiao. She was staring at her.

Zhan Yao jumped, fully awake now. Yu Wanqiao must have just returned; she still carried the cool air of the night and was still in her suit. She stood silently by the bed, her beautiful “peach blossom” eyes fixed on Zhan Yao. She was stunning—the kind of beauty that felt like a deliberate attack on the senses.

But even so, it was startling. Zhan Yao let out a yelp: “Ah!”

Yu Wanqiao paused and stepped back slightly. “I… did I wake you?”

“No,” Zhan Yao clutched her chest, unwilling to admit she’d fallen asleep. “I wasn’t sleeping.”

“Then you were…?”

Zhan Yao bullshitted: “I was closing my eyes to think.”

She demonstrated: eyes closed, eyes open, then hitting her right fist into her left palm. “Ah! I’ve figured it out!”

“…” It was unintentionally funny.

Yu Wanqiao knew she was lying but didn’t expose her. “I’m sorry. Some emergencies came up. I’ll be back earlier next time.”

She looked at the clothes on the bed. “Did you buy these today?”

Zhan Yao nodded proudly. “Yes.”

“Very beautiful,” Yu Wanqiao said.

Zhan Yao’s taste was impeccable; she always chose things that suited her perfectly. “Which one do you think looks best?” she asked.

Yu Wanqiao fell silent, actually taking the time to choose. “That dress,” she said, pointing to a pale purple gown. Zhan Yao had tried it on—it was a perfect fit and accentuated her figure beautifully.

Yu Wanqiao has good taste, Zhan Yao thought. Since Yu Wanqiao paid for the shopping spree, Zhan Yao decided to wear that dress tomorrow as a gesture of thanks.

“What else did you do today?” Yu Wanqiao asked. Although the butler had reported everything, she wanted to hear Zhan Yao talk.

Zhan Yao frowned playfully. “I was very busy.”

“I improved the servants’ aesthetic sense, enriched their knowledge, and cultivated their artistic refinement.”

“I tested their patience and improved their cultural literacy. I made them multitask with cooking and writing.”

“I even gave your bodyguards some training. Outdoor hiking, weight-bearing exercises.”

“I’ve worked myself to the bone for this family,” Zhan Yao concluded dramatically.

“Excellent,” Yu Wanqiao’s lips turned up slightly. She handed over a diamond brooch she had bought for her at lunch. “You’ve worked hard, Yaoyao.”

“This home couldn’t function without you.”