Chapter 17: The Villain

Lie Zhanfeng walked back into the kitchen, the familiar scent of spices and simmering broth enveloping him as he entered. He rolled up his sleeves, the steady flick of his wrist a testament to his practiced movements. The small fire in the stove crackled as he added oil to the pan, watching it heat up as he prepared the ingredients for the meal. His focus was split, half on the food and half on the book he had read in his previous life. As the oil warmed, he began chopping vegetables with practiced precision, his knife slicing through the ingredients with ease.

His mind, however, was far from the task at hand. Lie Zhanfeng's thoughts were tangled in the memories of the book that had become his last anchor before death. He had never finished reading it, and that unfinished knowledge gnawed at him. He died just before he could see the outcome of Xie Dongyi’s struggle for the inheritance, leaving the story incomplete in his mind. Now, he could only piece together the fragments of what he remembered, trying to make sense of a plot he could no longer see to its end.

The book had described Xie Dongyi as being born with mediocre talent. That was the narrative. But the more Lie Zhanfeng thought about it, the more he was convinced that something about that description was off. The actions Xie Dongyi took and the feats he managed to accomplish did not match the “mediocre” label the book had given him. That discrepancy in the narrative bothered Lie Zhanfeng. He had always been a keen observer, and the details in the book didn’t quite add up. If Xie Dongyi was truly so mediocre, then how could he accomplish everything he did? There had to be something the book had missed, or perhaps, something intentionally left out.

While stirring the broth, Lie Zhanfeng's gaze briefly flickered toward the wooden chopping board, where he had already prepared the vegetables for stir-fry. He had already added ginger and garlic to the hot oil, and a fragrant, savory aroma began to fill the kitchen. He paused, his thoughts returning to the book.

There were gaps—many of them—that frustrated him. The book never went into detail about Xie Dongyi’s life within the Xie Family estate. It made vague mentions, but it failed to capture the depths of his suffering. There was that passage, for example, where Xie Dongyi was imprisoned in a dark room without explanation. The book never clarified why the Xie Family head had chosen to do that to his own nephew. The details of Xie Dongyi’s imprisonment, the isolation, the confusion—it was all glossed over, left to Lie Zhanfeng’s imagination.

The only thing the book did mention was that Xie Dongyi was eventually released, but not without cost. He was thrown out of the Xie Family, his life spared only because Xie Ruyue, the favored cousin, had pleaded for his survival. Lie Zhanfeng scoffed as he flipped the vegetables in the pan, the sizzling sound filling the room. How convenient, he thought bitterly. The narrative, as always, twisted things to fit a certain mold, painting Xie Dongyi as an afterthought, someone whose importance was tied to the whims of others.

Lie Zhanfeng shook his head as he added the vegetables to the wok, the sound of sizzling garlic filling the air. He couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of anger at the way the story painted Xie Dongyi. The book seemed to reduce him to nothing more than a pawn, a victim, a villain whose purpose was to fuel the plot of others. As he stirred, his mind flashed to the next section of the book.

Xie Dongyi had left the Xie Family and ventured down the path of demonic cultivation. The book described him as becoming a formidable force, a powerful demonic cultivator who targeted the Xie Family, especially Xie Ruyue. Yet, the book’s portrayal of him as a villain did not sit well with Lie Zhanfeng. Xie Dongyi, as written, was a shadow of a villain—he had no agency, no voice. He was the archetype of the "ungrateful sinner," a label slapped on him without any real consideration of his actions or intentions.

The narrative also highlighted Xie Ruyue as one of the key heroines in the story, favored not only by fate but also by Zhao Tianyun, the so-called "son of destiny." With Zhao Tianyun at her side, along with the other five wives who made up his illustrious harem, Xie Ruyue enjoyed unparalleled protection. Each of the heroines had their own talents and fortunes that bolstered Zhao Tianyun’s rise to power, making him nearly untouchable.

Xie Dongyi’s every effort to challenge this group seemed destined to fail, particularly against Xie Ruyue, whose virtue and righteousness were constantly emphasized by the narrative. The more Lie Zhanfeng thought about it, the more one-sided the story appeared. Xie Dongyi’s struggles and growth were overshadowed by the protagonists' triumphs, reducing him to a mere stepping stone for Zhao Tianyun and his wives’ victories.

As he added the final seasoning to the dish, Lie Zhanfeng’s mind lingered on one of the most unexpected twists in the book. It had revealed that Xie Dongyi’s lineage was far from ordinary. His mother had not been a simple cultivator but someone from a renowned and powerful family in a distant continent. She had been transported to the Lingwu Continent by accident, where she met Xie Dongyi’s father. Together, they had built a life, but their union was tragically short-lived.

Before her death, Xie Dongyi’s mother had left behind crucial clues meant for her descendants. These clues were tied to a secret realm, a space imbued with the power and heritage of her bloodline’s ancestors. According to the book, this realm was deeply tied to Xie Dongyi’s lineage, meant to serve as a haven and inheritance for the family.

The inheritance itself was shrouded in mystery. The book didn’t explain its full nature, but it was clear that it was something of immense value—so much so that it would draw the attention of countless powerful figures. What baffled Lie Zhanfeng was how the protagonist’s group, led by Zhao Tianyun, managed to enter the secret realm despite it being connected to Xie Dongyi’s bloodline. The book left that detail frustratingly vague, adding to the growing list of unanswered questions.

As the son of luck, whenever there's a great treasure, Zhao Tianyun would fight for it.

But in the battle for the inheritance, Xie Dongyi actually won, defying the odds! For once, the villain had triumphed. But before Lie Zhanfeng could learn what happened next, his life had ended in an instant, struck down by lightning. His thoughts trailed off as he finished plating the food. The broth simmered on the side, ready to be served.

As he set the plates on the table, Lie Zhanfeng let out a quiet sigh. He could feel the weight of the unfinished story pressing against him, but for now, the food was ready. He had to set those thoughts aside, at least for the moment.

Lie Zhanfeng poked his head into the room and called out with a cheery grin, “Kid, food’s ready! You wanna eat at the table or in bed?”

Xie Dongyi, still lying on the makeshift bed, glanced at him warily. “The table,” he muttered. He braced himself to get up, wincing slightly at the stiffness in his body, when suddenly Lie Zhanfeng strode forward and picked him up as if he weighed nothing.

“Wait—what are you doing?” Xie Dongyi protested, his face darkening in annoyance.

“Carrying you, obviously,” Lie Zhanfeng replied, unfazed by the resistance. “You’re injured, and I don’t want you keeling over halfway there.”

“I can walk,” Xie Dongyi insisted, but his objection fell on deaf ears. He could only grit his teeth and endure the indignity as Lie Zhanfeng carried him to the table, setting him down with a satisfied nod.

“There. See? No effort at all.” Lie Zhanfeng flashed him a grin, ignoring the young man’s glare.

They began eating in silence. The food was simple—vegetables stir-fried with a touch of spice and a bowl of rice—but it was warm and hearty. Xie Dongyi, despite his injuries, ate without hesitation. The meal provided enough nourishment to replenish some of his energy.

Still, Lie Zhanfeng couldn’t help but sneak glances at the boy. Something about saving Xie Dongyi in this strange new world gave him a sense of purpose. If he could ease the kid’s burdens, even a little, it felt like he was doing something right.

Once they finished, Xie Dongyi quietly rose, limping slightly toward the kitchen. “I’ll clean the dishes.”

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Lie Zhanfeng said, stepping in front of him with an exaggerated wave of his arms. “You’re still injured!”

“It’s just washing dishes,” Xie Dongyi said, unimpressed.

“Not happening.” Lie Zhanfeng firmly turned him back around. “Go rest. Let me handle it.”

Before Xie Dongyi could argue further, Lie Zhanfeng scooped him up again, carrying him back to the bed. “You!” Xie Dongyi was about to say something when he realized that he didn't know Lie Zhanfeng's name. But he shut his mouth and didn't ask anyway.

Lie Zhanfeng didn’t notice Xie Dongyi's expression, instead he comforted, “Relax, kid. This is just me being a good host.”

Back in the kitchen, the dishes were cleaned in record time. As a cultivator himself, Lie Zhanfeng made quick work of the task, then returned to find Xie Dongyi staring at the ceiling, deep in thought.

“So,” Lie Zhanfeng began, leaning against the doorway, “what’s your plan from here?”

Xie Dongyi’s expression faltered. His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. For a moment, he looked entirely lost.

Lie Zhanfeng cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “You can stay here if you want,” he offered, his tone casual. “I could use a helper for the farm.”

Xie Dongyi turned his head to look at him, his gaze unreadable. Then, with an arched brow, he gave Lie Zhanfeng a pointed look, as if saying, ‘A helper? You didn’t even let me wash the dishes.’

Lie Zhanfeng coughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “That’s different! You’re still injured!”

Xie Dongyi raised an eyebrow. “You’re willing to hire me even though I don’t know the first thing about farming?”

“It’s no trouble,” Lie Zhanfeng said with a casual shrug. “Besides, we’re partners now. I’ll help you deal with Rong Qi.”

'And the Xie Family, Zhao Tianyun, his harem, and everything else waiting to stand in your way', he thought, keeping the rest of his resolve unspoken.

Xie Dongyi blinked, startled. For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond.

When no one else had been there to help, Lie Zhanfeng had saved him. When he had no place in this world, Lie Zhanfeng had offered him a home.

A quiet warmth spread through Xie Dongyi’s chest. He inclined his head slightly, hiding his expression. “Alright,” he said softly. “Thank you.”

Lie Zhanfeng grinned again, not noticing the faint flush on Xie Dongyi’s cheeks. “Great! Now rest up. We’ve got work to do tomorrow.”

Lie Zhanfeng was about to leave the room when Xie Dongyi suddenly sat up straighter on the bed, his expression unusually serious. "Wait," Xie Dongyi called, his voice steady despite his injuries. "Let me introduce myself again, properly this time. My name is Xie Dongyi. And you are?"

Lie Zhanfeng blinked, caught off guard. A sheepish smile spread across his face as he scratched the back of his head. "Ah, right. Guess I forgot to introduce myself, huh? Sorry about that." He straightened up, his tone warm. "Name’s Lie Zhanfeng. Just a simple farmer in this village."

Xie Dongyi nodded, his gaze lingering on Lie Zhanfeng for a moment. “Lie Zhanfeng…” he repeated thoughtfully. “I’ll remember that.”

Lie Zhanfeng smirked, leaning casually against the doorframe. “You’d better. I’m not exactly easy to forget.”

Xie Dongyi’s lips twitched slightly, almost forming a smile, but he quickly masked it. "We'll see about that."

In that moment, something unspoken passed between them—a connection neither fully understood, but both could feel.