Transmigrated as the Villain’s Sword - Chapter 37

“…” Ling Chenyan fell silent for a moment, letting out a forced laugh. “I suppose… I don’t wish for it.”

To be honest, she wasn’t entirely sure whether she wished for it or not. On one hand, she felt that giving Zong Xian her contact information would be far more convenient, and besides, whether to give it was Guan Luowei’s freedom and had nothing to do with her. But on the other hand, a small, subtle voice told her that she didn’t want it.

Just as she was pondering where that tiny voice came from, a sudden chill touched her chin. Cold fingers gripped her jaw, forcing her to look up and meet a pair of dangerous eyes.

Guan Luowei leaned down, her breath only inches away. Those piercing eyes shimmered with a perilous luster, seemingly unsatisfied with her answer. “Suppose?”

The woman’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, the crease of her lids forming a cold, aloof arc. The pressure she exerted was immense. Ling Chenyan suddenly remembered that in the original text, Guan Luowei was a ruthless, cold-hearted villain. Her entire being was icy; even the fragrance she carried was cold.

It was only because she had always treated Ling Chenyan differently that Ling Chenyan had overlooked this chill, which had never been directed at her until now.

But now, she was gripping her chin with a body full of coldness, all because of an uncertain word.

A bizarre thought suddenly popped into Ling Chenyan’s mind: [Sys, do you think the Big Villain… has feelings for me?]

System: […You’re just realizing this now?]

Ling Chenyan laughed awkwardly and pulled her chin back. “It’s Your Highness’s private matter; you should decide for yourself. My opinion isn’t very important anyway, haha.”

Guan Luowei’s fingers slowly dropped back to her side. After a long silence, once the lingering warmth on the girl’s face had completely dissipated, she spoke flatly: “You’re right. Go to sleep.”

Watching Guan Luowei turn and get onto the bed, Ling Chenyan muttered dejectedly to the System: [Sys, we’ve even kissed, so why won’t she let me back on the bed?]

System: [Maybe what you said hurt her heart.]

Ling Chenyan: [But she’s been single for over twenty years—this is too sudden, I can’t handle it. Besides, I’m not from this world. I have to go back once the mission is done. What will happen to her when I leave? Moreover, I feel like she doesn’t actually like me… right?]

System: *[…] *

The System thought for a moment but decided not to voice its guess. Whatever; it was going back after the mission anyway. What did love have to do with a System?

That night, Ling Chenyan still didn’t get to sleep on the bed. As her breathing grew heavy, she thought: When will these days end? I miss the feeling of having a bed.

Outside the window, stars dotted the sky as night fully descended.

Guan Luowei, lying on the bed, suddenly opened her eyes and walked to the sword box. She looked at the silver sword lying peacefully inside. Her lashes trembled as she reached out a finger, but eventually, she let it fall.

Demonic energy gathered at her fingertips, nourishing the blade as she had done so many times before. Guan Luowei stood there, her mind uncontrollably flashing back to that night when the girl said she would stay by her side forever.

Now, it seemed, it was all a lie.

Guan Luowei’s lips curled into a mocking smile. Fine, let it be as she wishes.

The next morning, Ling Chenyan woke up feeling unusually refreshed, without the usual backaches. After she finished washing up, Guan Luowei happened to return.

Ling Chenyan’s gaze immediately fell on her empty hands. Her eyes dimmed slightly as she thought: Alright, no breakfast. I guess I don’t have to eat.

Guan Luowei’s eyes flickered. Her hand at her side instinctively moved behind her back, clenching slowly, while her face remained indifferent. “Time for the competition.”

“Okay,” Ling Chenyan replied, following her out.

But today, Guan Luowei’s pace was noticeably faster. Ling Chenyan chased after her, panting. Having skipped breakfast, her stomach was already starting to grumble. Her eyes lingered on the breakfast stalls along the street. Clutching the spirit stones in her pocket, she couldn’t help but step toward the roadside. “Boss, how much for a bun?”

The faster Guan Luowei walked, the more irritable she felt. The disappointed look on the girl’s face when she saw her empty hands had caused a pang in her heart. She didn’t need to eat, but the girl was still hungry.

Thinking of this, Guan Luowei’s footsteps paused. She lowered her lashes and asked, “Do you want breakfast?”

People bustled around them, their shouts and chatter filling the air. As a gust of wind blew past, Guan Luowei suddenly turned around, only to find the girl behind her had vanished.

On the other side, a well-fed Ling Chenyan stood in the crowded street, faced with a dilemma. Which way did Guan Luowei go?

The city was shoulder-to-shoulder with people. Even when she jumped, she couldn’t see much, so she simply squatted by the road. While dejectedly pulling at the grass by her feet, she thought Guan Luowei was truly hateful.

She took her first kiss and then wouldn’t let her sleep on the bed. Crucially, she didn’t even give her food, walked so fast, and didn’t wait for her. Truly despicable!

The more Ling Chenyan thought, the more aggrieved she felt. She snapped a blade of grass in half. As she stared at the grass, a shadow suddenly fell over her head.

Guan Luowei had walked back frantically, finally finding the girl pulling grass by the roadside. When she stood before her, breathing heavily, the girl finally looked up—but her eyes were as red as a little rabbit’s.

Guan Luowei’s clenched fingers behind her back tightened further. She opened her mouth, but her voice came out raspy and thick: “Why are you here?”

The girl stood up, sounding deeply hurt. “You walked too fast. My stomach was hungry; I couldn’t keep up with you at all.”

In that moment, it was hard to describe how she felt. Guan Luowei felt as if her heart had been wrung. Self-reproach and regret swirled in her mind. After a long while, she spoke: “It won’t happen again.”

Ling Chenyan wiped her eyes, looking at her timidly. “You mustn’t lie to me.”

“I won’t,” Guan Luowei nodded earnestly, her gaze softening. “What do you want for breakfast?”

“Buns!”

“Alright.”

Everything seemed to return to normal. Guan Luowei finally stopped walking so fast, and the two slowly strolled toward a bun shop. Ling Chenyan followed contentedly at her side.

Before Guan Luowei could speak, the shopkeeper let out a “Yo!” and looked at the girl. “Miss, you’re back again?”

Back… again…

Guan Luowei froze. She slowly turned her head to look at the girl who was trying to sneak away. A cold smile curled on her lips. “What does ‘back again’ mean?”

“…” Ling Chenyan stammered, “I… I don’t know.”

Hearing the lie, Guan Luowei’s eyes turned cold. She turned around and strode away.

Ling Chenyan hurriedly trotted after her, grabbing Guan Luowei’s sleeve. “Highness, listen to me! I was really hungry and couldn’t keep up. The buns on the street smelled too good, I couldn’t help but buy two…”

Guan Luowei stopped. Her gaze fell on Ling Chenyan’s hand gripping her sleeve. She said coldly, “Let go.”

“Oh.” Ling Chenyan let go dejectedly. As Guan Luowei prepared to move again, Ling Chenyan grabbed her sleeve tightly and refused to let go. “Highness, I—I didn’t mean to lie. I just saw you ignoring me today, so… I wanted you to acknowledge me.”

Pedestrians passed them by, occasionally staring at the two people pulling at each other. Guan Luowei felt annoyed and said in a cold voice, “Let go!”

Ling Chenyan let go sorrowfully, her deer-like eyes shimmering with tears.

Guan Luowei didn’t know what to say. Yesterday, it was the girl who wanted to draw a line between them, yet today when she was a bit cold, the girl was the one feeling hurt.

Guan Luowei’s chest rose and fell slightly. Finally, she said, “Go to the competition first.”

Ling Chenyan wiped away her tears. Guan Luowei had never been this cold to her before. She wanted to cry from the hurt, but since she was the one who said those things first, she held it in. She sucked back her tears, nodded, and said, “Okay.”

This time, Guan Luowei didn’t intentionally speed up, but the distance between them was vast, as if an invisible barrier separated them.

They reached the hall in silence. Perhaps as fate would have her, Ling Chenyan ran into Chen Juan as soon as they entered.

Chen Juan’s eyes lit up. She smiled at them. “What a coincidence.”

“Indeed,” Ling Chenyan said with a forced smile. “Are you competing too?”

“No,” Chen Juan gave a strange smile. “I’m here for the drama.”

Matches where only Dao-couples participated were often the most intense, as everyone wanted to show off for their partners.

“However,” Chen Juan smiled, glancing at Guan Luowei, “Miss Ling’s ‘partner’ is so strong, she’ll surely crush the competition.”

Ling Chenyan pulled Chen Juan aside awkwardly and whispered, “We aren’t a Dao-couple.”

Chen Juan’s eyes widened. “Huh? You’re not?”

“Shh!” Ling Chenyan quickly covered her mouth. “Quiet! we’re only competing because we want the championship prize.”

Chen Juan nodded with an expression of complete disbelief. “I don’t believe you.”

Nonsense. Anyone with eyes could see how much that cold woman cared about her. If that wasn’t love, what was? Could it be that Ling Chenyan still didn’t know?

Chen Juan’s eyes sparkled. She gave Ling Chenyan a suggestive look. “It’s fine. You aren’t now, but you will be soon.”

Ling Chenyan: “…”

She gave Guan Luowei a sheepish glance from the corner of her eye, but the woman’s expression hadn’t changed at all. She looked back and said, “We really aren’t. Sigh, I can’t talk anymore; we have to get to our match.”

With that, she hurried toward the back of the arena. Chen Juan scratched her head in confusion, looked at the remaining Guan Luowei, gave a sheepish laugh, and said, “After you, after you.”

Guan Luowei relaxed her clenched fingers, looked at her once, and followed Ling Chenyan.

Guan Luowei’s strength was naturally unmatched. Over the next half-month, she swept through the competition with ease and secured the championship. However, during these two weeks, the words between them grew fewer, and they even began to avoid each other intentionally.

On the day of the award ceremony, the two stood on the stage. Both were top-tier beauties. The crowd cheered, their gazes burning as they swept over the pair. Perhaps because Guan Luowei’s aura was too strong, few dared to look at her directly; most gazes fell on Ling Chenyan.

The stares were varied and messy. Guan Luowei pursed her lips. Her Great Transcendent pressure surged toward those with ill intentions, causing many to spit blood and fall unconscious.

Ling Chenyan saw the chaos below and didn’t know what had happened, but the gazes that made her uncomfortable significantly decreased. She glanced at the cold woman beside her, but before Guan Luowei could look back, she hurriedly looked away.

Qingtan presented the prizes. She naturally sensed the unusual atmosphere between the two. Her expression unchanged, she handed them the grand prize.

After stepping off the stage, faced with the many eyes around her, a bamboo hat was suddenly placed on Ling Chenyan’s head. Ling Chenyan looked up to see Chen Juan’s smiling face.

“Great job,” Chen Juan said. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Ling Chenyan replied, though she didn’t take any credit for the win.

“Ah, don’t mention it,” Chen Juan said. “If I wasn’t running out of time, I’d love to stay a few more days.”

“Oh?” Ling Chenyan asked. “Are you leaving Xiling City?”

“Yeah. The old man and lady at home are nagging me to get back, otherwise they’ll break my legs. They even sent someone to fetch me today.”

Ling Chenyan looked at the middle-aged man beside her and nodded in greeting. She pulled Chen Juan aside and whispered, “Then what about your ‘Grand Quest for Freedom’?”

Before Chen Juan could speak, the middle-aged man beside her—who had excellent hearing—spoke up: “Freedom? The Master and Madam are so worried their hair is turning white, yet the Miss still wants freedom?”

Chen Juan hissed and said quickly, “No, no! Uncle Qin, I’ll go back with you right now, but I have to say goodbye to my friend first.”

She pulled Ling Chenyan to the side to talk privately.

Guan Luowei stood behind them, not saying a word. The hand she had raised to pull out a bamboo hat had long since dropped. She watched the girl under the tree, who was smiling for the first time in a long while, and felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.

Lately, they had been avoiding each other as if by agreement. For the first time in her life, Guan Luowei realized that her emotions were entirely tied to another person.

But this person is eventually going to leave me.

Guan Luowei lowered her eyes, not noticing a woman in a qipao approaching her.

Qingtan looked at her and smiled softly. “Miss Guan has won the top prize, yet she is still unhappy. Why is that?”

Guan Luowei’s face remained flat. “The opponents were too weak.”

“Is that so?” Qingtan saw through her but didn’t say it. Instead, she said meaningfully, “It’s just that Miss Guan is too powerful. If you could be as bold in other matters as you are in the arena, winning would likely be very simple.”

Guan Luowei blinked and remained silent.

“Miss Guan,” Qingtan said, “you have helped me much, so I will say one more thing today. Some people are missed simply because one doesn’t speak or acts too self-assured. You should hold on tight; Miss Ling is quite charming.”

“I know,” Guan Luowei said.

Though she was slow with emotions, once someone pointed it out, she realized her feelings for Ling Chenyan were not ordinary. But Ling Chenyan’s feelings for her had always been unclear, and she had never responded. Since she would eventually leave, the “correct” decision was to snuff out these feelings now.

“Forget it.” Seeing her expression, Qingtan knew what she was thinking. “Since Miss Guan knows what she’s doing and has made up her mind, I won’t say more. I only hope you don’t regret it later.”

As Qingtan’s footsteps faded away, Guan Luowei’s gaze grew dark.

But… can I really let go? Guan Luowei asked herself. The answer, in fact, was already there.

On the other side, Chen Juan asked with a heavy face, “What’s going on between you and that ice beauty?”

Ling Chenyan’s eyes flickered. “Nothing’s going on.”

“Really?” Chen Juan clearly didn’t believe her. She glanced at her. “Don’t tell me you can’t see that she likes you.”

Ling Chenyan gave an awkward smile. She thought that even if she hadn’t noticed before, she did now that Chen Juan had said it. But the key issue wasn’t Guan Luowei; it was her. She had thought about it for a long time. She might indeed like Guan Luowei a little—perhaps more than a little—but…

Seeing that she didn’t want to talk, Chen Juan shook her head. “Don’t regret it! Someone like Miss Guan… you have no idea how many people like her.”

Uncle Qin was starting to urge her. Chen Juan called out to him, then said to Ling Chenyan, “Think about it carefully! I have to go home and get scolded now. I hope we meet again in the martial world!”

Ling Chenyan smiled at the spirited girl. “Alright. Until we meet again.”

Chen Juan’s eyes darted around, and she suddenly lunged forward, pulling Ling Chenyan into a hug. She shouted loudly, “Hahaha! Miss Ling, wait for me!”

In the distance, Guan Luowei’s fingers tightened abruptly. She looked away from the “eyesore” of a scene.

Ling Chenyan pushed her away, feeling both amused and annoyed. She whispered with red ears, “What are you doing?”

“Hee hee! I’m leaving anyway, so I’m helping you out,” Chen Juan giggled. “Look at your ice beauty’s reaction!”

Ling Chenyan glanced sideways and indeed saw Guan Luowei looking away. She said helplessly, “Just go already.”

“Psh,” Chen Juan clutched her heart. “You’re that eager to see me go? So heartbreaking.”

Ling Chenyan smiled. “How about you take me with you?”

“No, no, no!” Chen Juan looked back at Guan Luowei with fear. “If you came with me, my parents would likely be burying me by tomorrow.”

The two laughed for a bit longer before Chen Juan finally had to go. She looked at Ling Chenyan, tears slowly welling in her eyes. “I’m leaving.”

Her sadness made Ling Chenyan uncomfortable. “Why are you crying? Our friendship isn’t that deep, is it?”

Chen Juan: “…?” Why speak such harsh truths? “I’m not crying for our parting!” She clenched her fists as two lines of tears fell. “I’m crying for my soon-to-be-lost freedom!”

“…” I knew it.

Parting was usually sad, but between them, it felt almost comical.

The girl in black waved one last time, turned around, and boarded the flying boat as if marching to her death. The ground vibrated as the boat ascended, becoming a tiny dot and slowly vanishing from Ling Chenyan’s sight.

Silence returned. When Ling Chenyan looked up, Guan Luowei was nowhere to be seen.

System: [Host, there’s something I don’t know if I should say.]

[Say it.]

[Actually… you can stay in this world even after the mission is complete.] The System had debated this for a long time, but seeing Ling Chenyan’s lack of smiles lately, it finally spoke up. If the host’s mood is bad and the mission fails, what then? the System reasoned to itself.

Ling Chenyan was quiet for a long time before saying, [I know.]

System: [??? Then what are you hesitating for?]

As if seeing the System’s confusion, Ling Chenyan said: [I just said that to mess with you. I’ve read plenty of these ‘transmigration’ novels; I obviously knew I could stay. But… I just don’t feel ready. It’s my first time liking someone after being single for so long; I’m a bit nervous.]

[………………] The System was silent for a very long time. [This reason is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Absolutely absurd.]

[That’s why I told you it was because I had to go back,] Ling Chenyan giggled. [That reason was much easier for you to accept, wasn’t it?]

[Just destroy me,] the System said. [So during these last two weeks, the only ones who were actually sad were me and the Big Villain?]

[I’m sad too! I can’t sleep on the bed!]

*[…] * The System chose silence. It felt its feelings had been cheated, and it even began to pity the Big Villain.

Seeing that the System was quiet, Ling Chenyan returned to the inn. She spent a long time mentally preparing herself before opening the door. To her surprise, Guan Luowei wasn’t alone; someone else was there.

At that moment, Guan Luowei was being pinned onto the bed by that person, her collar in disarray.

Zong Xian stood up abruptly, looking back with a cold, sharp gaze. “Who is it?!”

Guan Luowei saw the newcomer at the same time. her expression shifted but quickly returned to normal. She didn’t speak.

Ling Chenyan slowly stepped into the room, looking at Zong Xian. “It’s me.”

The voice was familiar. Zong Xian, with her excellent memory, immediately remembered who she was. She knelt on the floor at once. “This is a misunderstanding! Young Madam, listen to—”

“No need to explain.” Before she could finish, a cold voice interrupted. Guan Luowei stared at Ling Chenyan and said icily, “She is not your Young Madam. Don’t make me say it a second time.”

“Yes!” Zong Xian kept her head low and didn’t speak again.

Guan Luowei pulled her collar straight. Looking at the silent girl, her heart ached as if pierced, but remembering the scene of the girl laughing with Chen Juan and being hugged, she stiffened her jaw.

Ling Chenyan said calmly to Zong Xian, “I have something to say to your Highness. Leave.”

Zong Xian looked up at Guan Luowei. Guan Luowei’s eyes flickered as she said coldly, “Leave.”

Zong Xian stood by the door and pulled it shut. She didn’t go far, staying just outside to keep watch. Inside, the girl’s voice rang out slowly: “Who are you planning to make your ‘Young Madam’?”

“What does it have to do with you?”

The girl seemed to pause, then asked, “Is it Zong Xian?”

Zong Xian’s heart jumped into her throat, only for that cold voice to speak again: “What does it have to do with you?”

The girl seemed to let out a light laugh. “Did you give Zong Xian your contact info?”

Still the same answer: “What does it have to do with you?”

Outside the door, Zong Xian looked at her communicator, a bitter smile curling on her lips. On the surface, every word from Her Highness was cold and distant, but Zong Xian knew it was just a front.

Even Zong Xian could hear the trace of petty stubbornness in those words. It seemed that when facing the girl, only that phrase could keep Her Highness from losing her composure. Zong Xian understood that in Her Highness’s heart, the “Young Madam” truly existed. She closed her eyes and slowly walked away.

Inside the room, Ling Chenyan looked at the cold Guan Luowei and sighed in her heart. The person I provoked, I have to be the one to coax her back.

She hadn’t had it easy these past few days either. Every time Guan Luowei intentionally gave her the cold shoulder, even though she knew Guan Luowei cared for her, she couldn’t help but feel affected.

While she wasn’t quite ready to fully embrace someone’s love yet, she could at least soothe her first and take things slowly.

Ling Chenyan took a step forward and squatted before Guan Luowei. She lightly tugged at her sleeve, looking at her with watery eyes, and said softly:

“Master, all of this… has everything to do with me.”