"Of course I knew."
Anran's response escaped her lips before she even realized, reacting instinctively to Chu Yi's question.
She had fallen for him back in junior high—drawn to his striking looks and the air of wealth he carried effortlessly. She even recalled the moment she saw his photo on the wall of her room—how she instantly launched into a whirlwind of cleaning, putting more effort into tidying that corner than she ever had in her own home.
All of it, simply because she liked him.
Watching her flustered behavior, a faint smile crept across Chu Yi's lips. With the wisdom of two lifetimes behind him, how could he not see through the girl's affections?
This little thing—she had clearly fallen for him.
It had already been several days since he transmigrated into this world, and yet, he hadn't even enjoyed a single proper indulgence. It didn't suit the identity of a rich, powerful villain at all. Instead, he was starting to resemble the eunuch protagonists found in some ridiculous novels.
Today, he thought, would be the perfect time to put an end to that.
Not only would it affirm his masculinity, but he'd also gain some villain points in the process. A win-win situation. After all, Anran was technically one of the story's female leads.
Having made up his mind, Chu Yi slowly approached.
Anran, meanwhile, was overcome with shyness at his nearness. Her face flushed like a blooming peach blossom—soft, tender, and utterly captivating. Her small hands fidgeted nervously, wringing the towel between them, betraying the storm of confusion within her heart.
It was the first time she'd ever been so close to her secret crush. Her mind was a blank canvas.
"Be my girlfriend," Chu Yi said firmly, raising a brow at her.
Anran froze.
It wasn't just the directness of his words that stunned her—it was the overwhelming masculinity radiating from him, pouring over her like waves. She found herself lost in it, too flustered to respond.
Moments passed before she finally came back to herself, cheeks aflame with excitement, ready to give a shy and joyful reply.
But then, Chu Yi's next words turned her blood cold.
"You should know who I am—a young heir to a hundred-billion-dollar conglomerate," he said calmly. "In my life, it's unlikely you'll be the only woman."
"I won't be marrying you either."
"My future wife will be a wealthy heiress, the daughter of a noble family. As for you... you'll hold the place of a concubine."
"Can you accept that?"
His words, light in tone yet heavy in meaning, fell upon Anran like a stone.
As the destined villain, Chu Yi had no intention of keeping only one woman by his side. He wanted to lay the truth bare from the start—to avoid any unnecessary complications later.
Anran bit her lip, cold sweat forming on her brow.
What she had dreamed of was a pure and devoted love, the kind where two people shared a simple life—arguing, laughing, growing together.
That dream was the very reason she had loved Chu Yi for so many years.
Yet now, the man she had longed for… was asking her to accept the role of a mistress.
Yes, she adored him with all her heart.
But must that love be shared?
Her eyes welled with grievance, and she was just about to refuse him when she hesitated.
Because what Chu Yi said next—was brutally resolute.
"Very well. If you can't accept it, I won't force you," he said, with an indifferent smile. "Let's pretend none of this ever happened. We'll go back to being strangers."
With that, he turned away.
Chu Yi had no intention of forcing a girl as pure as Anran. Love, after all, should be mutual. Besides, as the heir of a massive conglomerate, he had no shortage of admirers. It was only a matter of taste.
But Anran stood there in silence, conflicted.
Though Chu Yi's sudden change shattered her expectations—though part of her now resented him—after all those years of infatuation, was she really ready to let go?
And if she agreed, even if she couldn't have all of him... at least she would have part of him.
According to what she knew, Chu Yi hadn't officially declared love to anyone else yet.
If anything—she might be the first.
The first girl he'd ever confessed to.
Perhaps that meant something...
Torn between pride and longing, Anran hesitated.
Chu Yi, seeing her wavering, let a smirk of triumph tug at his lips.
Unlike other men, he could clearly see—Anran's heart was already leaning toward him.
She just needed one final push.
And that final push—would be his initiative.
Without further hesitation, Chu Yi leapt forward.
In Anran's startled gasp, he reached out with both hands, taking what he wanted.
…
Outside the fourth ring road of Modu.
At Ye Fan's home.
In the bedroom, Ye Fan sat silently.
Beside him, his mother Wu Xiuhua—dressed plainly—was gently applying herbal ointment to his bruises.
"Son, those injuries on your face… they're from that Chu Yi, aren't they?" she asked softly.
Ye Fan looked up, startled. "Mom, you could tell?"
"Of course I could. You think your mother's some naïve fool?" Wu Xiuhua snorted. "I could tell from the moment I saw that brat—Chu Yi is no good."
"Just like that heartless girl you dated before. Hmph."
"Her father didn't approve, fine. You broke up. But did he have to turn it into a public scandal and shame us in front of the whole school?"
Her voice trembled with anger.
"Mom, that's enough," Ye Fan said, frowning.
"You're still thinking about her, aren't you?" she asked suspiciously.
"No, I'm not," he replied quickly.
"Good. In that case, I expect you to return to school the day after tomorrow. Study hard, get into a university, and give your mother something to be proud of."
"And about Ruoxin—that girl seems decent. Sure, she's a few years older, but she's capable, kind, and unpretentious."
"She comes from a poor mountain village too—I'd say she's a perfect match for us."
"If you make it into university, I'll swallow my pride and go speak to her for you."
Not giving Ye Fan a chance to respond, Wu Xiuhua stood and left the room, closing the door behind her.
Ye Fan was left in silence, bitterness shadowing his expression.
"Yunting…"
But the next moment, he pulled himself together.
In his mind, the image of Liu Ruoxin resurfaced—a graceful, intelligent woman who stirred something deep within him.
Elsewhere, Ruoxin was standing in the bathroom, about to do laundry, when a frown crept onto her face.
Her gaze locked onto a small hole in the wall—directly facing her.
This hole hadn't been there before. It was clearly new.
Chu Yi had drilled it earlier, while pretending to fetch alcohol.
As for Ye Fan's own peephole attempt, he had already sealed that up, covering the area with a desk to hide the trace. Chu Yi had found it before and used it to frame Ye Fan.
Despite Ye Fan's caution, he couldn't outmaneuver Chu Yi's schemes.
Ruoxin's eyes burned with fury.
She had always regarded Ye Fan as a younger brother—just a boy she cared for. Even if her demeanor had been a bit more affectionate, it had been harmless.
But now?
To think he would try to spy on her like this?
Her heart burned with indignation. She wanted to confront him immediately.
But after a moment, she regained her composure.
That hole hadn't been there the last time—so she hadn't actually been seen.
Her expression turned icy, losing the warmth she usually wore.
At that very moment, a mechanical voice echoed in Chu Yi's mind as he lay on his bed:
"Congratulations, host. Through manipulation, you've successfully driven a wedge between Liu Ruoxin and Ye Fan. You've earned 1000 Villain Points and stolen 5 Luck Points from Ye Fan."
"Heh—success, huh?"
Chu Yi's eyes sparkled with a hint of surprise.
He had honestly thought it wouldn't work. In the original novel, Ye Fan, even after being caught spying, had still been forgiven by Ruoxin—because of some sob-story backstory involving a rich heiress.
That's why Chu Yi hadn't exposed Ye Fan directly at first.
One: Ye Fan hadn't yet succeeded.
Two: Chu Yi couldn't gauge Ruoxin's exact feelings for him.
But now?
It seemed the tide was turning.
A grin tugged at his lips.
He stood, got dressed, and prepared to leave the room.
Today, he intended to intercept a fortuitous opportunity originally meant for Ye Fan—one granted by the very heavens themselves.
Even with his system, Chu Yi couldn't help but covet it.
Once he was ready to go, his gaze fell on the sleeping girl on the bed—Anran.
He could tell she was awake, stirred by his movements.
But too shy to face him, she had buried her face deep under the covers.