What to Do When You're the Villain and the Female Lead Likes You (Patreon)

Chapter 3: Chu Xiaoxiao, Physically Weak and Ailment-Prone

(Tn: Du Yinyin and Du Huakui are the same person)

In the main hall of the Spring Breeze Tower, an ordinary-looking protagonist was sitting in a corner. His appearance was unremarkable, but his gaze held the determination typical of a protagonist.

Despite being in a brothel, he never let go of his sword, for in the city of Yinjing where gold, silver, and power intertwined, the only thing he could rely on was the sword in his hand.

Chu Fan paid no attention to the exquisite wine in his cup. He sat upright, his gaze fixed on the entrance of the Spring Breeze Tower. His gaze only eased when a slender figure appeared.

Chu Xiaoxiao had an outstanding appearance, especially her innocent and lovely girl-next-door demeanor, which made her stand out even in a place as worldly as the Spring Breeze Tower.

Numerous pairs of eyes watched her intently along the way, but no one dared to make a move. Earlier, during the banquet, the notorious libertine and heir to the marquis title, He Yunxiao, had made it clear that he intended to enjoy the moonlight with Miss Chu. As a marquis's son, he wasn't someone one could provoke lightly.

Chu Fan observed his sister, his left hand tightly gripping the sword sheath.

Although Chu Xiaoxiao wasn't his blood sister, they had relied on each other for many years. They had no blood ties, yet their bond was stronger than blood. And yet that damn He Yunxiao, showing no respect for the law in Yinjing, dared to have impure intentions toward Xiaoxiao. Tonight, I shall eliminate this threat to the people!

Returning to her seat, Chu Xiaoxiao put her hand on the table, reaching for a crab.

"I want to eat this."

Chu Fan lightly tapped her hand with the end of his chopsticks and said gently, "Crabs are cold in nature, and your health has always been weak. Don't indulge yourself."

Chu Xiaoxiao stuck out her tongue at her brother, sweetly saying, "I know."

However, she quickly changed the topic.

"I went to the street next door just now and encountered a few beggars."

Chu Fan's heart skipped a beat, and his sword was unsheathed an inch in an instant. He asked anxiously, "Are you okay? How did those people treat you? Did you get hurt?"

Chu Xiaoxiao reassured him, "I'm fine. Luckily, Master He happened to pass by and helped me out."

Chu Fan furrowed his brow, "He Yunxiao? Doing a good deed?"

Chu Xiaoxiao tilted her head in thought, "He's quite different in private from the rumors. It seems like he deliberately puts on an arrogant facade."

He Yunxiao was now under her control as a puppet. He would be used to deal with bad women trying to seduce her brother. She couldn't just let him be killed recklessly.

Chu Fan completely trusted Chu Xiaoxiao's judgment. He immediately thought of He Yunxiao's father, Marquis He Yuanhao, a renowned general in the military. Furthermore, his own father, Chu Tianzhu, and the deputy general who was executed two years ago, Du Lie, were both respected figures in the army.

Could it be that He Yunxiao's usual arrogance was an act? This wasn't entirely impossible; in fact, it was quite likely!

Chu Fan relaxed his grip on his sword, which had been drawn. He picked up his wine cup and gazed at the clear liquid inside. He made up his mind to clear his father's name and bring justice to the Great Qi Empire.

...

To be honest, being a villain is really tough, but also really awesome!

After bidding farewell to Jiang Wuyou, He Yunxiao returned to the main hall of the Spring Breeze Tower and quickly got into the groove.

He ate and drank heartily, engaged in games and conversations, and flirted with the ladies on both sides.

Not only did no one find him obnoxious, but some even came over to socialize.

At first, his tablemates noticed that He Yunxiao seemed a bit different, but after he told a couple of lewd jokes, the atmosphere lightened up again.

However, this time, no matter how he joked, how he acted wildly, or how he made noise, He Yunxiao's gaze never fell in Chu Xiaoxiao's direction again.

All of this was observed by Chu Fan, who was skilled at paying attention to details.

He Yunxiao's actions just confirmed his suspicions. This man was indeed tarnishing his own reputation in order to protect his family.

Soon, the opening ceremony of the banquet ended, and the newly arrived courtesan, Du Yinyin, appeared with a maid holding a bronze gong.

Although the guests in the hall had already caught a glimpse of Du Huakui during the opening, they were still captivated by her beauty.

Pitch-black eyes, crimson lips, elegant brows like distant mountains, and skin as fair as snow.

Expressionless, seemingly cold and indifferent, her brows were lightly furrowed, showing hints of sorrow.

Du Huakui folded her hands in front of her and walked gracefully with a slight bow. Her walk wasn't the typical manner of a courtesan but rather the refined etiquette of a young lady.

Her demeanor made many people think of her identity.

The daughter of General Du Lie!

This added a certain allure to her, causing even those who weren't initially interested in vying for her attention to feel their breath quicken.

As she approached, people finally noticed her attire.

Even He Yunxiao, who had rich experiences from his past life, couldn't help but be impressed.

This girl had a naturally cold and aloof disposition, like an icy beauty. Yet, she was now dressed in thin silk, and as she moved, her delicate shoulders and thighs were partially concealed, revealing a tantalizing hint.

It sparked curiosity, enticing people to want to see more.

The owner of the Spring Breeze Tower was truly talented!

He Yunxiao couldn't help but sigh.

Du Huakui reached the center of the hall, the center of the arena. Originally, this was where she was supposed to announce the rules for the martial competition, but unexpectedly, she made eye contact with Chu Fan in the audience.

He Yunxiao inwardly felt something was amiss. Wasn't the protagonist's halo a bit too formidable? Could they even make eye contact?

However, what was even scarier than the protagonist's halo was the bell in Chu Xiaoxiao's hand!

Ding-ling!

A sound only audible to those who had ingested a Soul-Devouring Pill rang in He Yunxiao's ears.

In an instant, millions of ants seemed to be gnawing at his bones, muscles, and veins.

The pain was indescribable, worse than death itself.

If it weren't for the "poison resistance boost" he had acquired earlier, He Yunxiao would probably be writhing on the ground in agony right now.

He endured the momentary pain and realized that Chu Xiaoxiao was calling on him to do something.

Damn it! Chu Xiaoxiao, just you wait!

Dealing with someone like Du Yinyin required standing out from the crowd. Otherwise, why would she ignore everyone's blatant stares and focus solely on the protagonist's "clear" gaze?

He Yunxiao understood this, but he couldn't use it. Because of his well-known reputation, every citizen in the city, everyone with eyes and ears, wouldn't believe that He Yunxiao's gaze was clear.

So, he adopted a "Gebiyan" posture, lay down lazily, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Miss Du, stop dragging your feet. Let the martial competition begin already!"

Standing on the platform, Du Huakui was disturbed by He Yunxiao's shout and naturally turned her head to look at him.

First, she was surprised by He Yunxiao's handsome appearance, but then she felt a tinge of regret.

Such a good-looking appearance was being squandered on a carefree second-generation rich kid. It truly was a waste of natural beauty.

Du Yinyin wasn't someone who was solely enamored by appearances like Jiang Wuyou.

After all, she was the daughter of Du Lie, and she had been educated in the ways of talented scholars and loyal citizens from a young age.

He Yunxiao might be handsome, but his behavior was unacceptable to her. She would never like someone of such character.

【Du Yinyin's favorability has decreased from 30 to 25.】

Du Huakui withdrew her gaze from He Yunxiao, her cold voice announcing the rules for the martial competition.

In essence, the participants would spar with each other, and Du Yinyin and four other courtesans from the Spring Breeze Tower would assign scores. Each point was represented by a gold flower. The top ten with the most gold flowers would proceed to the next round of the "falling flowers" competition.

Additionally, rewards could be obtained through tipping, granting extra gold flowers.

In this way, the ultimate winner would either possess exceptional martial skills or abundant wealth, ensuring that both the Spring Breeze Tower and its patrons profited greatly.

After explaining the rules, Du Yinyin's eyes swept over Chu Fan and He Yunxiao before leaving the stage and heading towards the second-floor observation platform.

She was conflicted.

On one hand, she greatly admired Chu Fan and didn't want someone like him to compete for her favor in a martial competition. On the other hand, she hoped that something could happen between them. Compared to those profligate men who engaged in malicious activities, she would rather commit herself to a virtuous gentleman.

Regarding He Yunxiao, Du Yinyin had different thoughts.

He Yunxiao's father, Duke He Yuanhao, was a renowned general. He excelled in both military strategy and warfare, surpassing even his father in his capabilities. Given such a background, how could he have raised someone like He Yunxiao, who lacked any sense of discipline and bullied both men and women?

She planned to discuss with her friend, Sister Wuwu, during the scoring process and lower He Yunxiao's score, ensuring he fell out of the top ten. Hopefully, this would compel him to change his ways and focus on the right path.

On the observation platform, with the maid holding a bronze gong at the ready, the five scoring judges were introduced, and the martial competition was declared open!

However, what surprised everyone was that this time, there were two courtesans participating in the scoring process!

The other courtesan was none other than Jiang Wuyou, a well-known dancer from the Perchance Pavilion!

Normally, among the five judges, there would be one courtesan and four red cards. The red cards wouldn't be awarded to the most popular ones; rather, they would be given to those with a bit less fame. Having two courtesans participating in the scoring was a bit irregular, but no one raised any objections.

Having extra beauty was something to be enjoyed.

For the competitor, being noticed by Du Huakui or Jiang Wuyou was a delightful thing.

The already bustling competition registration became even more lively. In the end, even Chu Fan stood up to register. He Yunxiao, however, remained seated and took no action.

He simply couldn't register.

If I go to compete, wouldn't I be offering my neck to Chu Fan's blade?

Du Yinyin frowned as she watched He Yunxiao. He wasn't making a move even when the registration was ending.

Not only was he not registering, but he even ordered a table full of delicious dishes. It seemed like he was planning to feast and drink.

Seeing He Yunxiao's behavior, Du Yinyin even started to doubt her own thought process.

She had heard that he was fond of indulging in alcohol and women. Why wasn't he showing any interest in her? Could it be that her appearance wasn't pleasing to his eyes?

However, He Yunxiao wasn't an important person to Du Yinyin after all. She dismissed these thoughts and refocused her attention on the arena. The reason was that Chu Fan, with his clear gaze, was now participating in the martial competition.

"The martial competition begins!"

As the bronze gong resounded, the audience cheered, and both Chu Fan and his opponent moved into action.

At this moment, He Yunxiao, who was in the crowd below, also took action.

He loudly cleared his throat, instantly attracting many gazes. Then, amidst the crowd's attention, he lifted an entire table of food with a single hand, swaggering past the martial platform and heading towards the second-floor observation platform.

"Damn! He Yunxiao is really something!"

"Lifting an entire table of food with one hand, he must be at least a seventh-rank martial practitioner!"

"Not just that, look at the wine in the bowls on the table, it's as steady as a mirror, not a ripple in sight. He Yunxiao's cultivation is definitely higher than seventh rank!"

The entire audience's attention was focused on He Yunxiao, and no one paid any attention to Chu Fan on the martial platform.

This included Du Yinyin.

She watched as He Yunxiao carried the table over, her brows furrowing slightly.

Is he trying to get my attention with such a method? What childish tricks.

However, unexpectedly, He Yunxiao didn't even glance at her. Instead, he walked over to Jiang Wuyou, carrying the table.

He only showed a dazzling smile to Jiang Wuyou.

"Sister Jiang, fine wine, exquisite cuisine, and beautiful women, which one do you want?"