So, after Su Heng’s sudden and unexplained departure, the welcome banquet ended up being just Su Wanli and Meng Wange sharing a quiet meal.
Although neither of them had much to say to the other, the atmosphere in the dining hall wasn’t particularly awkward.
Having just “successfully” completed the system’s assigned mission and not yet received her next task, Su Wanli was silently enjoying her well-earned moment of peace, indulging in the lavish feast laid out before her.
Who knew what kind of crazy mission the system would throw at her next—better eat while she could.
She had to admit, the meal truly lived up to the standards of a prestigious family.
Not only were there several elegant-looking Western dishes, but each person had their own small bowl of double-boiled soup, its aroma a perfect blend of seafood and black pepper.
As for chicken, duck, and fish, there was no shortage of variety.
Perhaps the Su family head didn’t know what Meng Wange liked to eat, so he had the chefs prepare a mix of Chinese and Western dishes, even adding in homestyle dishes like braised chicken with mushrooms—covering all bases.
However… Meng Wange didn’t seem to have much of an appetite.
Her expression remained neutral, making it hard to tell whether she liked the food or not.
She simply used her silver knife with practiced precision, slicing her steak into pieces exactly one centimeter thick, then calmly brought each bite to her mouth, occasionally taking a sip of the red wine beside her.
As expected of the female lead—she even ate with such elegance.
Though she hadn’t gone out of her way to dress up, there wasn’t a single flaw visible from any angle.
Just watching a beautiful girl like her eat was a top-tier visual experience.
Even the faint lipstick mark left on the rim of her wine glass looked vivid and seductive.
The slight sheen of oil on her lips looked… oddly delicious…
“…”
Meng Wange silently set down her knife and fork, placed them neatly on the table, then picked up a napkin to gently wipe her mouth.
She turned slightly and smiled at Su Wanli.
“…Is something wrong, Miss Su? Do you need anything?”
Caught off guard, Su Wanli suddenly felt like she’d been caught peeking.
She instinctively waved her hands.
“Ah? No, not at all. I was just thinking… how can someone even look that good while eating?”
“…”
“…Ah.”
***
The moment the words left her mouth, Su Wanli realized she’d messed up.
‘Damn it. There goes my villain score.’
Sure enough, before Meng Wange could even react, the system display showed Su Wanli’s villain score plummeting from 95 down to the low 80s.
Thankfully, Meng Wange’s response was quick.
Faced with such an unexpected comment, she only froze for a second before recovering smoothly.
She cleared her throat gently and smiled.
“Ahem, you’re too kind. Miss Su, you’re naturally stunning. I couldn’t possibly compare.”
Whether it was the system being merciful or Meng Wange’s smooth response earning her some bonus points, the villain score finally stopped free-falling at 82.
‘Phew… Thank you! Good thing you thought I was being passive-aggressive!’
Unknowingly, Su Wanli’s gaze toward Meng Wange had taken on a hint of gratitude.
Since that worked out, she figured she might as well double down and raise her villain score back to a safer level—maybe up to 90.
Taking a deep breath, Su Wanli curved her lips into a mischievous smile and walked over to stand behind Meng Wange.
“Is that so? You really think that?”
“Of course,” Meng Wange nodded, resting her arms on the edge of the table.
“Even without my makeup, your beauty is one in a million.”
“Mmm, I see… but how come I get the feeling that compared to me… Father seems a lot more satisfied with you?”
Although Su Wanli had no idea why Su Heng’s favorability toward Meng Wange had suddenly dropped to fifty just now, it had always hovered around seventy or eighty before that—so what she said wasn’t exactly wrong!
Maintaining her wicked smile, Su Wanli leaned down, casting her shadow over Meng Wange’s body.
Her lips moved close to Meng Wange’s ear—
“Quite the trick you’ve pulled, Wange. I didn’t even realize when you managed to twist my father around your finger like this. Is your next move pretending to be the obedient daughter and trying to steal my place as the heir of the Su family?”
“…No, I just—”
Meng Wange frowned slightly, her lips parting.
“That’s enough. No need to explain. I won’t believe a word you say. I’ll see everything with my own eyes, and if I feel even the slightest threat—then you won’t stay in the Su family for even one more second.”
Watching her Villainess Meter gradually climb back up to 95, Su Wanli nodded in satisfaction at her own performance, ready to finish with a dramatic flourish.
She grabbed the fork next to Meng Wange, stabbed it into the piece of steak Meng Wange had just cut, and then shoved it into her own mouth.
As she chewed, she leaned in close and whispered into Meng Wange’s ear—
“Meng Wange, remember your place. Your surname is Meng—and it’ll always be Meng. You’ll never be a Su for as long as you live.”
Mm! Perfect! That was exactly the kind of villainess vibe she was going for! A petty provocation like this had its own charm too.
It had only been a couple of hours, but she was already getting the hang of these villainess antics.
As expected of herself!
At this rate, the Su family fortune would practically fall into her lap!
But… why did Meng Wange’s expression not look like someone quietly enduring humiliation or holding back hatred?
Instead, it looked… strange?
“Of course, Miss Su. I understand,” Meng Wange said after a slight pause, smiling gently.
Then she took a spoonful of soup from her own bowl, blew on it softly, and brought it to Su Wanli’s lips—
“This seafood soup is delicious too, not just the steak. As expected of the Su family’s chefs. Would you like to try a taste as well?”
Hiss—
Su Wanli’s pupils dilated slightly.
‘This—this was…’
More shockingly intimate than her earlier compliments by tenfold—this was a feeding scene!?
But… was this allowed? She was supposed to be the villainess, and yet she was being hand-fed by the heroine? And in such a close, flirtatious way…
Of course not!
‘But what should a proper villainess do in this situation? Loudly refuse? Slap her hand away? Insult her, maybe say, “How dare you humiliate me like this!”?’
But come on, this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be hand-fed by a stunningly beautiful girl!
Opportunities like this didn’t come twice, Su Wanli! Were you really going to throw this away just to keep your villainess score high?
No way! To hell with the system—she was going to drink the soup fed to her by this beautiful girl! No one could stop her—
Wait, no. Calm down, Su Wanli.
Even if she drank the soup, she could justify it as still being in-character as a villainess.
Maybe say that refusing would make her look weak, or she couldn’t allow herself to be overpowered by the heroine’s presence, or—
Yes! She could totally spin this her way!
***
“Oh, my apologies. Does Miss Su not like this kind of contact?”
Unexpectedly, Meng Wange gave her a sweet smile and pulled the spoon away, placing it gently back into the bowl.
“Let me serve you a fresh portion instead. Please return to your seat.”
Su Wanli was stunned.
“…Eh?”
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