Chapter 8 - What To Do if You’re the Villain and the Heroine Likes You

He Yunxiao stood behind the Spring Breeze Tower, in the secluded courtyard, hands behind his back. This place was shielded from the lively streets by the immense edifice of the Spring Breeze Tower. It was said to be the private property of the tower's owner, yet He Yunxiao was unaware of the details. Nonetheless, it remained desolate year-round, with scarce signs of life. The moonlight cast looming shadows of trees and figures, while the gentle breeze rustled the leaves, creating a continuous shushing sound. As He Yunxiao watched the swaying shadows on the ground and the hazy lights of the Spring Breeze Tower in the distance, he suddenly felt a sense of detachment, as if he had traversed through time. Not long ago, he was just an ordinary laborer, working for the sole purpose of ending the workday and starting anew the next day... Even though it was unexciting, he found contentment in the repetitive routine. If it weren't for Chu Chu, the Soul-Eating Pill, and the disputes with the protagonist, what would he, as a nobleman, have done? He didn't have any particularly grand ideals; he simply intended to marry a few beautiful wives and lead a stable life. He was unapologetically fond of beauty. "Why should my son-in-law not desire a beautiful, gentle, and virtuous wife? What's wrong with that? It's for the sake of everyone in the world! The saying, 'Beauty and harmony bring peace to the world,' conveys this principle." With these thoughts, standing with hands behind his back, He Yunxiao felt a strong surge of passion, compelling him to take action. Turning around, he coincidentally caught sight of Chu Chu approaching as planned. This was a story of ideals being defeated by reality. He Yunxiao swiftly transformed into a lackey, standing at attention. Faced with the ethereal and authoritative Chu Chu, he decisively set aside his son-in-law pride, refraining from moving or glancing freely. After all, she was a ruthless character who would not hesitate to eliminate anyone who crossed her. "Big Sister Chu! I have something to discuss..." Chu Chu's aura became menacing. "Who allowed you to address me like this?" He Yunxiao was taken aback. He couldn't address her by name or call her "Chu Chu" like the protagonist, could he? "How should I address you then?" "Whatever." What? Starting off with the toughest question? Would a girl say "whatever" and truly mean it? It was more like, "Whatever you say, as long as it pleases me." He Yunxiao felt a prickling sensation on his scalp. He was afraid of misspeaking again and drawing Chu Chu's wrath by ringing the bell to lighten the mood. Although he had "resistance enhancement" and the pain from the Soul-Eating Pill was no longer unbearable, as a normal person, He Yunxiao preferred not to experience undue pain. "Miss Chu?" He tentatively inquired. Chu Chu closed her eyes. Oh no! No "whatever" this time! "Lady Chu? Beautiful Chu? Mistress Chu? Sister Chu?..." Ding! Chu Chu didn't even bother to move, directly ringing the bell. This time it wasn't a warning; it was a punishment! The bell kept ringing, the continuous pain causing He Yunxiao to fall to the ground, his body contorting in agony. "Ah! Beautiful Chu, I was wrong..." He Yunxiao immediately begged for mercy. Chu Chu frowned slightly, seemingly disliking the sight of He Yunxiao pleading. [Chu Chu's Favorability: 30 to 10] Oops, he forgot that she preferred men who embodied "Do not mock the poor youth". He Yunxiao swiftly altered his approach and exclaimed, "Chu Chu! You've gone too far. Although I was at fault initially, your torment violates righteousness and justice. Evil deeds will surely lead to self-destruction!" "The strong dictate the universe, and justice is for the weak." "Good is rewarded with good, and evil is repaid with evil. Engaging in wrongdoings will only lead to self-destruction!" "It's better to seek my favor than to seek justice from the heavens." Chu Chu looked at He Yunxiao on the ground, and his fervor seemed to displease her. [Chu Chu's Favorability: 10 to 5] He had to remember that she liked "Do not mock the poor youth" kind of men. He Yunxiao instantly changed his tone and said, "Miss Chu, do you really have the antidote for me?" Chu Chu didn't say a word and handed over a pill. He Yunxiao accepted it without questioning its authenticity and chewed it slowly. He pretended to swallow it, while keeping the chewed remnants in his mouth. Then, he brought his face close to her delicate hand. [Chu Chu's Favorability: 5 to 1] To avoid arousing suspicion, He Yunxiao refrained from using any internal force. After a brief moment of preparation, he bit down on Chu Chu's offered hand without hesitation. No matter how powerful martial arts may be, she was still just a delicate young lady! Knowing that Chu Chu possessed unrivaled martial skills, He Yunxiao bore no mercy, biting down with all his might. His teeth tore through the skin, drawing blood instantly! Due to the thorough chewing, the remnants of the pill in his mouth also began to take effect. The potency of the pill started to corrupt Chu Chu's skin ferociously. From the very beginning, He Yunxiao didn't believe that the notorious Chu Chu would truly provide him with an antidote! She was only fixated on Chu Fan and him. Without my little influence, she would have put an end to my life long ago. One could only marvel at Chu Chu's martial prowess. In the instant she was attacked, she reacted quickly, using her other hand to strike his abdomen forcefully. Then, she utilized her inner force to expel the invading effects of the pill from her skin. The bleeding from her hand ceased quickly, but the impression of He Yunxiao's teeth remained. Her skin suffered, and the imprint, deep and unsightly, was not easily repairable—a matter that would require considerable effort. This woman, who disregarded the world, furrowed her brows for the first time. [Chu Chu's Favorability: 1 to 20] Despite being injured by Chu Chu, He Yunxiao stumbled to his feet. Thanks to the vitality overextended by the Soul-Eating Pill, his body was recovering swiftly. "If you were to kill me now, all our efforts against Chu Fan and Du Yinyin would be in vain." "Are you threatening me?" Chu Chu covered her injured hand with a gauzy scarf, maintaining her indifferent demeanor. He Yunxiao, having deciphered Chu Chu's temperament, had a strategy to deal with her. Much like dealing with an irritable cat—claws out first and she would always be fiercer than you—He Yunxiao had his methods. First, confront her, then offer flattery, followed by some treats to make her let her guard down, and finally, present a little box for her to jump into. "Confront her" meant not showing weakness, placing himself on an equal footing with her. "Flattery" meant showering praise, even if it may not work, just give compliments first and foremost. At present, He Yunxiao entered the second stage. He directly said, "Miss, your martial skills are unparalleled and it is doubtful someone can threaten you." Chu Chu remained expressionless and silent. It was challenging to coax validation from an upper-class demeanor like Chu Chu's; typically, silence was confirmation enough. He Yunxiao wasted no time in moving on to the next stage, "Treats". He went on, "Du Yinyin now holds a favorable impression of me. If things go as planned, she won't have any dealings with Chu Fan anymore." Mentioning "Chu Fan," Chu Chu surprisingly refrained from snapping back. "Fine." He Yunxiao swiftly began to line up the "box". "However, Chu Fan is exceedingly outstanding. It's going to be difficult to keep him out of Du Yinyin's sight for long. Unless, I reduce her affection for him, then the two will live as strangers, and she will no longer focus on Chu Fan." Naturally, Chu Chu didn't know how to do this, nor would she allow He Yunxiao to gain the upper hand in the conversation. "Just say what you mean. I don't like beating around the bush." "Alright. But I don't know how to address you properly. 'Miss' is inconvenient if used continually." Seemingly delighted that He Yunxiao was about to resolve the issue with Du Yinyin, Chu Chu's mood lightened. "Whatever." He Yunxiao's lips twitched; another "whatever". As if sulking, he blurted out, "Since Chu Fan calls you 'Chu Chu', I'll call you 'Chu Chu'." Silence. He Yunxiao dared not even breathe. "If you can sever Du Yinyin's attachment, I will spare you this time." "I can, but I need your cooperation." Bang! Chu Chu raised her hand, striking He Yunxiao with formidable inner force, causing his internal organs to tremble, pushing him back ten steps. "You went back on your word!" "Each vow has its own terms." "You promised to spare me just now." "Not this time." "Chu Chu!" Bang! "Chu Chu!" Bang! Clutching his chest, He Yunxiao decided it was no longer a game. This woman was too difficult; if he couldn't match her in words, she'd resort to a direct confrontation. He didn't beat around the bush and simply said, "You need to cooperate with me. I plan to provoke Chu Fan and goad him into beating me up. Du Yinyin won't appreciate someone who bullies the weak, so this will lower her favorability towards him. But I'm afraid Chu Fan might just beat me to death, so I need your help." Chu Chu remained silent. "Chu Chu?" "Show me." With that, a surge of inner force struck He Yunxiao. After a few strikes, He Yunxiao had become quite adept at it. Using his own energy to counteract the strike, he swayed slightly but only took a step back. While the goal of this "date" seemed to be resolved, He Yunxiao suddenly realized a significant matter. "Chu Chu, you said 'each vow has its own terms'?" Chu Chu unleashed another surge of inner force. "You don't believe me?" "Then, the antidote to the Soul-Eating Pill you gave me, is it not genuine?" Chu Chu couldn't be bothered to respond and turned to head back to the Spring Breeze Tower. He Yunxiao grew anxious. Damn, the antidote was actually real! "Chu Chu, do you have any more?" The inner force struck once again, and Chu Chu didn't show any interest in answering. With the antidote gone, He Yunxiao scratched his head. "How much longer can I live?" Chu Chu cheerfully said, "One year."