What Do You Mean I’m Supposed to Be the Villain, But Everyone’s Chasing After Me? - Chapter 2:

Chapter 2: Caught Stealing, Senior Sister Searches the Body…

Xiao Hongyan suddenly woke from the soft shark-silk couch, her gilded armor digging into her palm. Inside the sleeping palace, dragon musk incense lingered, while moonlight filtered through nine layers of gauze curtains, casting eerie shadows on her pale face. She muttered, “I… had a nightmare?”

Fragments of broken memories stabbed into her mind like poisoned silver needles. In the dream, Ye Yan’s eyes carried false tenderness as his life-bound sword pierced through her chest. Li Changju held her broken body, weeping blood as demonic markings appeared on his neck. Everything felt so real. Xiao Hongyan let out a low laugh, her scarlet-painted fingertips stroking the twin Blood Phoenix daggers beside her pillow. Reflected in the blade were her own eyes, filled with bloodlust. The final words she had spoken before death in that dream—”Third Junior Brother, why must you…”—turned into countless venomous insects gnawing at her heart.

“Tracing Light Technique!” She formed the secret hand seal of the Scarlet Feather royal clan, and a wisp of crimson spiritual power condensed into a life wheel. When she saw the inscription on the light screen—”Xuantian Calendar, year 372, tenth winter month, nineteenth day”—the dagger slipped from her hand and fell with a clang. “It is today…”

The gauze curtains stirred without wind, and the golden chain of the Phoenix Prison at her wrist resonated with her killing intent, letting out a sharp hum.

In that dream, on this very day, Li Changju had been covered in blood, kneeling in the Punishment Hall. That fool bore the title of “lecherous thief” because someone under Ye Yan’s manipulation had tricked him into stealing Senior Sister’s clothing to frame Ye Yan. The plan was exposed, and he was punished with three months of confinement. Xiao Hongyan murmured, “In the dream, I even broke three of his ribs myself.”

She frowned deeply. “That doesn’t make sense. I clearly despise that Ye Yan likes Changju, so why, in the dream, was it the complete opposite? How could I ever like that disgusting Ye Yan?” Her voice lowered, bitter with regret. “Master and Senior Sister were blind in that dream. Third Junior Brother was only trying to make us see Ye Yan’s hypocrisy, yet you…”

The more she thought of Li Changju gradually turning into a great devil under their oppression, the more her heart ached. In the end, she had realized too late that the junior brother she always looked down on had been silently protecting them. And yet, for the sake of that utterly false Ye Yan, they had misunderstood and humiliated him again and again. “What have I done… I deserve to die!”

The mirror on her dressing table suddenly shattered. She stepped barefoot across shards of glass, blood trailing across the white jade floor, curling into strange runes. “Ye Yan, I will make you taste the agony of a thousand scorpions gnawing at your heart.” Her bloody fingertips traced Li Changju’s silhouette in the air, but when she drew the final stroke, her hand trembled. “As for Third Junior Brother…”

Her crimson palace robes spilled like a waterfall of blood. When she saw her twisted reflection in the broken mirror, she slowly licked away the blood at the corner of her lips. “I must see whether the events of that dream will truly become reality…”

…

Li Changju stood frozen as he looked at the red-clad woman before him. “You are… Second Senior Sister, Xiao Hongyan?” His eyes widened in disbelief.

She was enchantingly beautiful, her figure alluring, her brows like flames, her gaze filled with seductive charm. Every movement radiated temptation. Most striking of all were her lips, bright red and captivating, exuding unmatched allure. Beautiful as she was, he knew she was also dangerous, even insane.

She was the little princess of the Scarlet Feather royal clan, born with extraordinary talent but with a twisted, capricious personality. In the original plotline, she was the only female lead with a yandere-like nature. But why was she here? This wasn’t part of the novel’s plotline!

Terrified, Li Changju hurriedly stuffed the bellyband he had stolen behind him and stepped back.

Xiao Hongyan covered her mouth with a soft laugh. Third Junior Brother seemed… different. The more she looked, the more handsome he appeared—his face like jade, starry eyes shining, his straight nose and tightly pressed lips showing youthful determination. His refined temperament gave him the air of an aloof immortal—distant, untouchable, yet irresistible. Her eyes glowed red as she thought, Little brother, let’s see where you can run this time…

She rose gracefully, her long white legs emphasized by the scarlet dress, every step swaying with intoxicating charm, like a blooming mandrake flower. Danger radiated from her. Panicked, Li Changju bolted.

But Xiao Hongyan had already predicted his movements. A golden chain as thick as a finger snapped through the air, instantly binding him. “Steal something and still try to run?” Her voice was charming, but to him, it was bone-chilling.

Li Changju struggled, but the more he resisted, the tighter the chain constricted. She sneered, “Don’t waste your strength. This is the Phoenix Prison Chain. The harder you struggle, the more excited it becomes!” She turned and locked the inner room’s door before striding back toward him. Crouching gracefully, she lifted his chin with her finger and whispered, “Junior Brother~”

Frightened, Li Changju fell to the ground, scrambling backward until his back hit the wall. This was all wrong!

Xiao Hongyan stretched out her fair hand lazily. “Whatever you took… hand it over now. Unless you want Senior Sister to search you herself?”

Li Changju’s face twisted with confusion. He felt like he had seen this situation somewhere before, but definitely not in the novel.

She narrowed her eyes. “Not handing it over? Then Senior Sister will have to punish you.”

Her delicate foot pressed against his chest as she produced a whip from nowhere and lashed it in the air. The crack made Li Changju stiffen, his face flushing as sweat beaded on his forehead. Xiao Hongyan’s cultivation was two major realms above his. She was already at the 4th stage Hundred Convergence Realm, while he was only at the 2nd stage Essence Refining Realm. Bound by her chain, she could crush him like an ant if she wished.

In the original plot, Xiao Hongyan had never liked him. Now that she caught him stealing Senior Sister’s clothing, would she really kill him here? No, he had just transmigrated a few hours ago. He couldn’t die so soon! Quickly, Li Changju threw out the garment he had stolen and cried, “Senior Sister, I was wrong! I’ll never dare again!”

Xiao Hongyan glanced at the clothing with dissatisfaction. “Really, you only stole this? Not even her undergarments?”

“There’s nothing else! I only took this!” Li Changju swore, “I’m an upright man! I swear on it!”

She snorted coldly. “Do you think I’m so easily fooled? Senior Sister Bai has countless treasured artifacts and techniques, and you expect me to believe you were foolish enough to steal only one piece of intimate clothing?” Her foot pressed harder, making his chest ache as he gasped for air.

“I swear there’s nothing else!” Li Changju’s eyes shimmered with tears of grievance, as though enduring unbearable injustice. Strangely, this made Xiao Hongyan even more excited.

Her gaze shifted downward. With a sly smile she asked, “Then what’s this bulge here? Dare you say you haven’t hidden anything?”

Li Changju was dumbfounded. “???” He sneered coldly, “If Senior Sister doesn’t believe me, why don’t you search me yourself?” He was sure she wouldn’t dare.

But Xiao Hongyan suddenly smiled sweetly, her eyes narrowing like a fox who had succeeded in its scheme. “Very well!”

Li Changju’s eyes went wide. “???”