Every Day the Villain Continues to Fail
[Quick Transmigration]
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Pei Xinan looked furious, his face icy and his grip on Ruan Yao's wrist so tight it hurt, leaving a vivid red mark on the pale skin.
Ruan Yao, already feeling guilty over Pei Xinan's injury, couldn’t bring himself to complain about the pain. He nervously asked the system, "System, is he mad at me?"
The system responded promptly "Yes, he is"
Could it be because Ruan Yao had claimed to be his boyfriend?
Ruan Yao pondered seriously, chin in hand.
It made sense someone like Pei Xinan, the story's protagonist, would probably despise a scandal-ridden celebrity like him.
If roles were reversed, Ruan Yao would be furious too.
Pei Xinan’s expression was stormy, but his gaze kept drifting to Ruan Yao’s face.
Ruan Yao seemed clueless about why he was upset, which only made him look more pitiful.
What really annoyed Pei Xinan was how, the moment he turned his back, swarms of admirers seemed to flock to Ruan Yao.
He should just tie him up and keep him close, where no one else could get near him. The thought didn’t strike him as odd, even though they were practically strangers who’d only worked together on a magazine shoot.
"Ding... Detected a 10% increase in the protagonist's dislike meter"
Ruan Yao was numb to it by now. After a moment’s hesitation, he let Pei Xinan keep holding his wrist and meekly apologized, "Please don’t be mad"
Pei Xinan’s mind, which had been racing through dark fantasies of confinement and control, came to an abrupt halt. He coughed sharply, turning his face away to stare out the window, his tone icy.
"I’m not mad"
At least he wasn’t completely hopeless. Pei Xinan watched Ruan Yao’s conflicted expression in the window’s reflection, fighting to keep his lips from curling into a smile.
"You are mad" Ruan Yao insisted, blinking slowly. He thought to himself, Why is this kid so stubborn?
"I’m sorry.
To show his sincerity and because he needed to boost the protagonist’s favorability Ruan Yao leaned closer to Pei Xinan, lowering his head.
Pei Xinan stiffened.
A faint, floral scent wafted into the young man’s nostrils. Against his will, Pei Xinan turned to look at Ruan Yao. The blue-haired beauty had his head bowed, revealing the delicate curve of his nape and the small, smooth bone at the base of his neck.
Pei Xinan’s fingers itched to touch it, or maybe even bite it. He wondered if Ruan Yao would cry out in pain, his voice as sweet and soft as a kitten’s.
When Pei Xinan didn’t respond, Ruan Yao assumed he wasn’t being sincere enough. He lifted his gaze, his round eyes filled with nothing but Pei Xinan’s cold, handsome face.
"I’ll do anything if it means you’re not mad at me" Ruan Yao said, completely unaware of the implications.
To Pei Xinan, those words were like a detonation in his brain, obliterating all rational thought. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to maintain a composed facade, though his voice betrayed a hint of eagerness.
"Anything?"
Ruan Yao, looking utterly clueless, blinked slowly, his long lashes fluttering.
"Yes, I swear"
Pei Xinan’s imagination spiraled out of control again. He’d already pictured luring Ruan Yao home, and now, with Ruan Yao innocently offering himself up, it was impossible not to think of all sorts of inappropriate scenarios.
His throat tightened as he struggled to keep his voice steady.
"Fine. I’ll start with three conditions."
Ruan Yao’s fist clenched. A tiny version of himself in his mind rolled up his sleeves, ready to teach this brat a lesson. This kid is so annoying and stubborn. Maybe I should just beat him up.
The system panicked, wrapping its mechanical arms around him.
"No! Beating up the protagonist will ruin your character’s integrity!"
Pei Xinan lowered his gaze, his fingers gripping Ruan Yao’s chin as he stared deep into his eyes. There was something unnerving about his intensity, as if he could see straight into Ruan Yao’s soul.
To accommodate Pei Xinan’s hold, Ruan Yao had to lean even closer, practically sitting on Pei Xinan’s lap.
The car swerved slightly as the driver, startled, nearly hit the guardrail.
Pei Xinan’s voice was sharp. "Focus on driving"
The poor driver broke into a cold sweat, knowing better than to glance back.
"Y-yes, sir"
Ruan Yao shifted uncomfortably on Pei Xinan’s thigh, trying to find a better position.
Pei Xinan’s jaw tightened, his grip on Ruan Yao’s chin tightening.
"Are you trying to seduce me?"
Ruan Yao: "..."
The corners of his eyes were tinged with a faint red, his hands clutching Pei Xinan’s wrists as he timidly squeezed out a few words from between his lips,
“It hurts”
He had meant to say that Pei Xinan was gripping his chin too tightly.
But the 18-year-old, full of youthful vigor and rebellious energy, clearly took it in a different direction.
The hand on his chin paused for a moment before sliding down to rest on his slender waist. Pei Xinan’s tone was icy.
“Even if it hurts, bear with it”
Ruan Yao was on the verge of tears. This kid was impossible to please.
His long lashes trembled as he spoke in a soft, delicate voice “The buckle on your belt is digging into me. It’s hard and really uncomfortable”
Pei Xinan was wearing casual pants, there was no belt.
Ruan Yao, the fool, hadn’t thought of that, but Pei Xinan caught on immediately.
He gritted his teeth, pulling Ruan Yao even tighter against him.
“Ruan Yao, you’re doing this on purpose.”
The first rule Pei Xinan set for Ruan Yao was that, during the time he was taking care of him, Ruan Yao wasn’t allowed to speak to any other men. Not even a smile was permitted.
Ruan Yao thought the protagonist must have some kind of issue.
The system tried to comfort him.
“He’s probably just worried you’ll cause trouble for him. Cool guys hate it when people make trouble for them”
Ruan Yao huffed.
“I’m not the type to go around causing trouble”
The second rule was that Ruan Yao had to obey whatever Pei Xinan said.
Ruan Yao thought to himself that if this didn’t increase the favorability, he’d definitely punch Pei Xinan into a pig’s head once the mission was over.
As for the third rule…
Pei Xinan hadn’t thought of it yet when the car pulled into the apartment complex.
Ruan Yao, despite being a minor celebrity, and Pei Xinan, a top-tier idol, lived in a neighborhood frequented by big names in the entertainment industry.
Paparazzi were always lurking, waiting to catch some explosive news.
Ruan Yao perked up his ears, curious about what else Pei Xinan might demand.
“The third rule is to wear this hat”
Pei Xinan pulled out a wide-brimmed fisherman’s hat and plopped it onto Ruan Yao’s head. The hat was too big for Ruan Yao’s small head, covering most of his face.
From Pei Xinan’s angle, all he could see were Ruan Yao’s faintly colored lips, which sparked all sorts of inappropriate thoughts.
He coughed lightly, finally releasing Ruan Yao.
“Let’s go up”
Ruan Yao was dressed in a simple T-shirt and shorts, his slender limbs glowing under the sunlight. He looked like a tall, thin teenager, nothing that would attract media attention or lead to headlines like "Pei Xinan Spotted Living with a Mysterious Woman."
Pei Xinan’s arm was freshly bandaged, making many tasks difficult. Ruan Yao eagerly took over all the small chores, acting like an obedient little maid.
If only he were wearing a maid outfit, Pei Xinan’s thoughts strayed again.
Ruan Yao washed some cherries and placed them in front of Pei Xinan, his round eyes curving into crescents, light spilling from his dark, feathery lashes.
Pei Xinan didn’t usually like sweet things, but seeing Ruan Yao’s smiling face, he couldn’t help but pick one up.
Ruan Yao happily popped a cherry into his mouth, the dark red fruit caught between his soft, pink lips.
When his teeth bit into the flesh, the crimson juice burst forth, staining his pale lips with a rich, alluring color.
Pei Xinan felt like he was going mad.
He wanted to taste the juice on Ruan Yao’s lips, to lick it off slowly and see if it was as sweet as he imagined.
When night fell, Ruan Yao dutifully prepared the bathwater for Pei Xinan.
He tied up his blue hair, which had grown to the nape of his neck, and wore a pink bear apron over his T-shirt. No one knew where he’d found it.
The steam in the bathroom flushed Ruan Yao’s cheeks, his amber eyes misty and unfocused.
When Pei Xinan pushed open the bathroom door, he saw Ruan Yao standing by the tub, lost in thought, the steam curling around him.
The moisture gave his soft, pale skin a dewy, almost ethereal glow.
“What are you thinking about?” Pei Xinan asked after watching him for a while, curious about what could have Ruan Yao so distracted.
Ruan Yao, too deep in thought, didn’t hear him at first. When Pei Xinan repeated the question louder, he jolted awake, taking a step back.
“I wasn’t thinking about anything.”
As he spoke, his foot slipped on a puddle of water that had spilled onto the floor.
For a moment, Ruan Yao froze, but Pei Xinan lunged forward, grabbing his wrist just in time to slow his fall.
Still, Ruan Yao tumbled into the bathtub, the warm water soaking him completely.
His clothes clung to his slender frame, the thin fabric nearly transparent against his pale, pink-tinged skin.
In that moment, a line of poetry flashed through Pei Xinan’s mind: "Spring chill grants a bath at Huaqing Pool, warm waters smooth as jade."
A seductive beauty.
Ruan Yao looked up at him with those wet, misty golden eyes, his blue bangs plastered to his pale cheeks.
Now he truly looked like a siren.
How could someone look even more beautiful when drenched?
Pei Xinan felt a tingling sensation crawl over his skin, like ants marching across his body. The unbearable itch threatened to shatter his composure completely.
Ruan Yao, clearly embarrassed, gripped the edge of the tub with his slender fingers.
“I’ll change the water for you”
Pei Xinan, as if in a trance, murmured without thinking “No need. You can join with me”
"Ding… Detected a 20% increase in the protagonist’s favorability"
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Author’s Note:
Pei Xinan, the pure-hearted warrior fueled by imagination, and Ruan Yao, the little housekeeping robot.
Attention: Always wear non-slip slippers in the bathroom. This scene is purely for the sake of a wet T-shirt fantasy.