The Villains All Fell in Love with Me After Rebirth : Chapter 54 - Leisurely
Chapter 54: Leisurely
Wen Yan gazed into the boy’s crystal-clear eyes, where a steadfast light shone. Though the boy seemed slightly nervous, he remained resolute, meeting Wen Yan’s gaze without retreating or dodging.
He didn’t want to hurt him.
Gradually, Wen Yan suppressed the violent, bloodthirsty impulse that surged within him. Fixing his eyes on the boy before him, he recalled the moments back at the Emperor Star when the boy, feigning arrogance and defiance, had repeatedly stood up for him.
Even toward Wen Yan, the boy could be so protective—how could he bear to see him harm someone else?
How could he ever bring himself to go against his wishes?
After a moment, the coldness in Wen Yan’s gaze faded, replaced by a gentler look. In a hoarse voice, he said, “As long as everything is fine.”
With those words, the icy tension in the air melted away.
Judy heaved a sigh of relief, hastily picked up the boy, and fled, fearing that the little troublemaker might stir up more chaos.
As Ji Ling watched them leave, he sighed and trudged back inside.
Wen Yan followed Ji Ling to his room. Seeing Ji Ling sit silently by the bedside, he knelt down on one knee without a word. Carefully, he removed the boy’s soiled shoes, still bearing the imprint of the child’s forceful stomps. A trace of heartache flickered in Wen Yan’s eyes.
For someone as noble as Ji Ling, staying in this place was already a great grievance. Yet he showed no dissatisfaction and didn’t even get angry at being treated this way.
Wen Yan’s heart ached with both sorrow and tenderness. The boy’s kindness wasn’t reserved solely for him; in truth, it extended to everyone he encountered.
Back at the Emperor Star, the boy had used arrogance and recklessness to mask his kindness. But now, in this place, he was gradually letting his guard down, shedding his pretense, and revealing his true self.
This was the real Ji Ling—the one he loved.
Wen Yan couldn’t deny how despicable his own feelings were. He had taken advantage of the boy’s vulnerability to take him away from the Emperor Star, ensuring that he would be the only one by his side.
This was the person he had yearned for even in his previous life. But in that life, he hadn’t loved the boy the right way. In this life, he only hoped for Ji Ling’s happiness. His heart was dark and depraved, yet he could still selfishly have this boy all to himself. That alone should have been enough to satisfy him.
Ji Ling lowered his eyes, watching as the man tenderly removed his shoes. Wen Yan’s long fingers cradled his ankle with such care that it made him feel both shy and awkward. He instinctively pulled his foot back, worried that Wen Yan might suddenly act impulsively as he had last time—leaning in to kiss him without warning, which would have been unbearably embarrassing.
Wen Yan noticed the boy’s bashful withdrawal and didn’t stop him. After a moment, he stood and said softly, “You should rest. I’ll leave now.”
Watching Wen Yan’s retreating figure, Ji Ling hesitated before saying, “You don’t have to act like this. This isn’t the Emperor Star…”
I’m not some pampered young master who needs your constant servitude. We’re in a different place now. You don’t need to stick to these formalities, and I wouldn’t blame you if you stopped. Ji Ling truly didn’t understand Wen Yan’s persistence. It made him uncomfortable being served so meticulously every time.
Wen Yan lifted his eyes, a gentle light surfacing in their depths. He replied hoarsely and respectfully, “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here today. I would have long since perished at the hands of those nobles. You are my savior, and serving you is only right.”
Ji Ling: “...”
Ji Ling: [Did I save him in my sleep or something?]
System: [Maybe he just thinks you’re clueless and naïve.]
Ji Ling: […]
After a moment of contemplation, Ji Ling feigned a weary expression and said, “But this time, you saved me, too. So we’re even now.”
Please, just act normal already!
Suddenly, Wen Yan looked heartbroken. His deep eyes carried a trace of sorrow as he hoarsely asked, “Are you tired of me?”
Ji Ling: “......”
Fine, fine. Do whatever you want. If a grown man can’t understand concepts like dignity and self-respect, what more can I say? Should I really try explaining harmony, equality, freedom, and mutual respect to you?
Seeing that Ji Ling didn’t respond, Wen Yan lowered his eyes again in a submissive manner. “I’ll take my leave now.”
Ji Ling sighed as he watched Wen Yan’s departing figure and threw himself onto the bed to sleep.
………………
The next morning, after breakfast, Ji Ling leisurely wandered back to the pond at the rear mountain. Just as he was about to resume fishing, he noticed a small figure cautiously emerging from behind a rock. Big eyes glimmering, the little boy nervously stared at him.
Ji Ling looked at the child with a thoughtful expression, wondering if he should brace himself for another confrontation.
The boy hesitated for a long time before biting his lip and muttering, “I’m sorry about yesterday…”
Ji Ling: “......”
Judy appeared with a grin, patting the boy on the head. “Admitting your mistakes makes you a good kid. If you want to play here, just ask Lingling. He’ll surely agree, right?”
The last part was directed at Ji Ling, and she winked at him.
Ji Ling couldn’t help but smile. He nodded, “Of course.”
Duang Xingxing’s face lit up with surprise as he looked at Ji Ling.
Under Judy’s encouragement, the two quickly made amends and reached a truce, agreeing to share the pond.
Duan Xingxing, being a magnanimous child, decided that Ji Ling’s friendliness meant he no longer held a grudge. Puffing out his chest, he declared, “From now on, you’re under my protection. Tell anyone you’re my friend, and no one in Luanshui City will dare bully you!”
Ji Ling nodded seriously, “Thank you for looking after me.”
Judy couldn’t hold back her laughter.
She then suggested a fishing competition while she busied herself gathering firewood nearby. The three enjoyed a cheerful meal of grilled fish, forming an instant bond.
For Ji Ling, who was usually pampered by everyone around him—so much so that even walking seemed unnecessary—this was a refreshing change. Relishing the joy of doing something himself, he eagerly volunteered to grill fish for Judy. Handing her a perfectly cooked fish, he smiled shyly, “This is for you.”
Judy took a bite and exclaimed, “You’re quite skilled at this!”
Ji Ling scratched his head with embarrassment. “Really?”
The feeling of being praised was genuinely delightful!
As the three laughed and chatted, Duan Xingxing suddenly fell silent. His gaze froze in fear as he stared behind Ji Ling.
Turning to look, Ji Ling saw Wen Yan standing there. But after yesterday’s incident, he no longer felt intimidated. He knew Wen Yan wasn’t scary if approached the right way.
To prevent Wen Yan from intimidating Duan Xingxing, Ji Ling reluctantly offered the grilled fish he’d just bitten into. “Here, this is for you. You can have it first.”
This one was originally prepared for himself, but he decided to let it go and roast another for him later. After all, there were plenty of fish today.
I wonder if Wen Yan would mind my saliva...
Ji Ling thought for a moment and was about to withdraw his hand. Maybe he should let Wen Yan wait, and he could grill a fresh one for him later...
But before he could make up his mind, Wen Yan naturally took the fish, bit into it slowly, and smiled, saying, “It's delicious. Thank you.”
Little Duan Xingxing had been nervous. He was somewhat intimidated by Wen Yan, always feeling that he was a cold and ruthless man. But today, Wen Yan seemed quite agreeable, leaving Duan Xingxing confused. Was he a bad guy or not?
Seeing Wen Yan's demeanor, Judy was relieved. It seemed he was no longer angry.
Wen Yan silently sat to the side, smiling as he watched them. After a while, Judy and Duan Xingxing, assured of his harmlessness, started to play around again.
Judy, who had become good friends with Ji Ling, worried that he might get bored staying home all the time. She enthusiastically invited him, “Tomorrow, I need to pick up some custom-made clothes from the tailor in town. Do you want to come with me? There are plenty of fun and delicious things in the streets, and we can take a stroll before heading back. You haven’t experienced the charm of Luanshui City yet, have you?”
Before Ji Ling could reply, Duan Xingxing's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, “I want to go too!”
Judy glared at him. “I won’t have time to babysit you tomorrow. Every time you go out, you run off and misbehave. Shoo, go play somewhere else.”
Duan Xingxing pouted with a look of grievance, feeling that Judy was putting romance before friendship. He thought it was all because he was still too young—his good looks couldn’t attract Judy yet, and Ji Ling had beaten him to it. Feeling upset, he took a big bite of his grilled fish.
Ji Ling was a little tempted. He hadn’t stepped out of the house even once these past days—not because he wasn’t curious, but because he was cautious in this unfamiliar place. Now that Judy invited him, he couldn’t refuse and said, “Sure.”
Then, as if he remembered something, he hesitated. After all, he was on the run. He looked at Wen Yan nervously and asked, “Brother, can I go out tomorrow?”
Wen Yan looked at the boy's expectant eyes, smiled, and nodded. “You can go wherever you like.”
Ji Ling was immediately overjoyed and decided to grill another fish for him later!
………………
The next day, Ji Ling woke up early to prepare for the outing. It wasn’t long before Judy arrived to pick him up. She wore a floral dress and a pink lace headband, a rare effort in dressing up. She smiled at Ji Ling and said, “Let’s head out.”
Ji Ling felt a bit nervous and asked the system in his head: [Does this count as a date?]
The system pondered: [It probably does…]
Hearing this, Ji Ling grew even more nervous. This was his first date with a girl since coming to the interstellar world!
And such a cheerful and lively young lady at that!
Seeing Ji Ling hesitate, looking shy, Judy walked over, grabbed his hand, and pulled him outside with a hearty laugh. “The tailor shop is a bit far from here. If we keep delaying, it’ll be dark by the time we return.”
Ji Ling's cheeks flushed slightly as he followed her out.
Leaving the city lord’s mansion and stepping onto the bustling streets, the noise of people and vendors’ shouts immediately surrounded them. Ji Ling curiously observed everything. This planet, primarily agricultural, was filled with laborers dressed in simple clothing, with rough skin but cheerful smiles. They seemed to be living good lives.
Back on the Emperor Star, Ji Ling had only seen impeccably dressed, beautiful men and women, like living in a decadent palace. Here, it felt like a countryside village—no extravagant lifestyle but full of natural beauty and simplicity, free of pretense and scheming.
If he had to choose, Ji Ling preferred it here. It reminded him of his hometown's countryside, of days spent catching fish and chasing chickens.
Judy hailed a carriage and first took Ji Ling to pick up her clothes. On the way back, she treated him to street food.
To Ji Ling’s surprise, the food here was excellent, and he found it all very novel.
The two laughed and chatted until dusk.
Passing by a small alley, Judy suddenly smiled at Ji Ling and said, “My house is nearby. Want to come in for a bit?”
Wow, a girl inviting me to her home! Should I go or not?
Ji Ling hesitated for a moment, then shyly said, “Um, sure.”
Judy was delighted, her dimples showing as she beamed. “I have some homemade flower tea. You’ll love it!”
Ji Ling blushed slightly.
Seeing his bashful demeanor, Judy couldn’t help but laugh. Ji Ling was so shy—shyer than even the girls here. She led him to her home, a three-bedroom red-brick house. It was simple but cozy, with a small backyard where chickens and ducks clucked and quacked.
Judy tidied up the clutter on the sofa and told Ji Ling, “Have a seat.”
She went into the kitchen and soon came out with a pot of flower tea. The teapot was made of rough clay, but the tea inside was clear, with petals floating on top. Judy looked at him expectantly. “Try it. How is it?”
Ji Ling took a sip. Though it couldn’t compare to the finest teas of the Emperor Star, it had its own charm. Not wanting to dampen the enthusiastic girl’s spirits, he smiled and said, “It’s delicious. I like it.”
Judy was thrilled and even packed some of her tea for him. “If you like it, take some home. I’ve made plenty!”
Then she glanced at the sky and smiled. “We should head back. Otherwise, your brother will worry.”
Ji Ling agreed and stood up.
Just as they were about to leave, the door was suddenly kicked open from the outside! A group of burly men stormed in, filling the small living room. The leader, a man with a sinister look, gave Judy a cold glance and said harshly, “Take her away.”
Judy recognized them as members of the city’s largest gang. The leader was Massa, the top enforcer of their boss, Becton. Massa was rumored to be a formidable evolutionary! Judy panicked, her face full of fear. “What are you doing?”
Massa sneered, raising an eyebrow. “Your father has sold you to me, so come with us.”
Judy's eyes widened in disbelief. “That’s impossible!”
Massa chuckled coldly. “What’s impossible? You’ve heard about the plan to build a gene evolution agent's repository in the Mohr Star within three years, haven’t you? The price of gene evolution agents will drop significantly. Anyone with money can travel to Mohr’s main planet to buy them. Your father sold you for 10,000 star coins. With that, he can afford an evolution agent. Even if it doesn’t extend his life, it’ll strengthen his body. Selling his daughter is a great deal for him.”
Judy stood frozen, her face filled with despair. Her father sold her?
Just for a gene evolution agent?
Ji Ling’s face turned livid with rage. His fists clenched tightly as fury and disbelief filled him. Yet beneath the anger was a tinge of helpless sadness.
He understood that Jing Sui’s intentions were good. Promoting gene evolution agents had always been his goal, and Gabriel’s too. To wrest the monopoly on gene evolution agents from the nobility, they’d sacrificed much and stained their hands with blood to create the current situation.
Now this hard-earned opportunity they fought so desperately for was being exploited by unscrupulous villains as a weapon to harm others.
For the countless commoners at the bottom of society, the thought of obtaining a gene evolution agent was once an unattainable dream. Since it was impossible, they resigned themselves to their current lives, much like mortals who knew an immortal elixir could grant eternal life, but understood it was beyond their reach. They submitted to the celestial beings above and accepted their fate without resistance or delusional hopes.
But one day, everything changed. What was once out of reach was now temptingly close. With a little more effort and a bit more struggle, the so-called immortal elixir was within grasp. You could grow stronger, live longer, and even become like those celestial beings, all without a hefty price.
So, people would stop at nothing. To obtain an ‘immortal elixir,’ they would risk everything, even abandoning their conscience.
For instance, someone would sell their own daughter for a gene evolution agent.
But does this mean Jing Sui was wrong? Ji Ling didn’t think so. Jing Sui and Gabriel must have foreseen this. To them, this was a painful yet necessary step in progress.
When Ji Ling lived on the Emperor Star, he remained aloof, seeing the development of gene evolution agents as a boon for the empire. It wasn’t until now, faced with its darker, hidden consequences, that he truly saw the harsh reality—a mere glimpse of it, no less.
Ji Ling felt a pang of sorrow. Yet he knew this was inevitable. Human desire was sometimes the most terrifying and uncontrollable force.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped in front of Judy and said coldly, “What you're doing violates Imperial law. You know that, don't you?”
Massa, who had been ignoring Ji Ling, finally looked him over—a thin, frail-looking boy. Massa froze momentarily before bursting into wild laughter. “Imperial law? You're talking to me about Imperial law?”
He stepped forward, cracking his knuckles with a menacing grin. “Where did this naive young master come from, daring to meddle in my affairs? Those noble lords in the empire don’t care about places like this. Go ahead, report me. See if you can even leave Luanshui City alive!”
Ah, vast territory, insufficient oversight, and rampant corruption—no wonder Jing Sui was so determined to reform.
Ji Ling raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? Either way, you're not taking her with you today.”
The thugs roared with laughter. Was this kid insane? Suicidal, perhaps? They surrounded him, intent on teaching him a harsh lesson. If he died, so be it.
He brought this upon himself.
Ji Ling wasn’t crazy. He may have been meek around the bigshots back on the Emperor Star, earning a reputation as a C-grade physical weakling—a well-known ‘useless young master’ often reduced to a trembling chicken in their battles—but that was on the Emperor Star! He was up against the empire’s top-tier SSS-level powerhouses there.
Here? He was a C-grade evolutionary.
Born of noble blood and raised on gene evolution agents like daily meals, he wasn’t ordinary.
Among elites, he was a pitiable weakling. But among ordinary, unevolved people, he was undeniably strong—at least mid-level in terms of evolution.
Though lacking combat experience, the overwhelming power gap compensated for that. Without hesitation, Ji Ling swung at the thug closest to him.
Massa hadn’t expected the skinny boy to strike first. He prepared to retaliate but was caught off guard by the speed and force of Ji Ling's punch, which slammed into his abdomen like a boulder, sending him stumbling back several steps and nearly spitting blood!
Gaining confidence from his successful strike, Ji Ling charged at the thugs, swinging his fists wildly. Despite his lack of technique, his raw strength left the group writhing on the floor in agony.
Judy stared, dumbfounded.
This shy, boy-next-door figure was actually a formidable evolutionary?
Massa was equally stunned.
He had once used a low-grade gene evolution agent, granting him enough strength to dominate Luanshui City. But today, this seemingly frail boy had thrashed him without breaking a sweat!
As Massa lay on the ground, he stared at Ji Ling in terror. This had to be an evolutionary—at least D-grade or higher!
Ji Ling approached him, looking down coldly. “Get lost.”
Relying on brute force for the first time and achieving such satisfying results, Ji Ling suddenly understood the allure of power. Strength truly was intoxicating…
Massa's expression shifted before he suddenly dropped to his knees, crying shamelessly. “We’ll leave! We didn’t recognize your greatness, Master Evolutionary. Please forgive our offense!”
Ji Ling, embarrassed by the groveling, sternly replied, “Don’t come after Judy again!”
Massa nodded fervently. “We won’t! Absolutely not!”
He appeared ready to retreat, but as Ji Ling let his guard down, Massa’s eyes flashed. From his boot, he drew a sharp knife, aiming for Ji Ling's throat!
The glint of steel reflected in Ji Ling’s widened eyes. His body froze in shock, unable to react.
In the next instant, Massa’s wrist was severed, blood gushing everywhere as he collapsed, screaming in pain.
The entire altercation took less than two seconds.
Ji Ling, drenched in cold sweat, couldn’t believe the groveling man had attempted an assassination. He looked up, startled, at the long-haired man who had appeared behind him.
Wen Yan’s eyes were devoid of warmth as he stepped forward, crushing Massa’s other wrist underfoot with a sickening crack. Leaning down to meet the thug’s terrified gaze, Wen Yan spoke in an icy, deliberate tone. “Surrender comes with a price. Don’t you agree?”
The author has something to say:
Ji Ling: I really need to discuss this ‘never staying cool for more than three seconds’ issue with the author.
Wen Yan: Young Master, I’m here.
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