From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Rugo stood at the end of the corridor, the afterglow of the setting sun casting dappled light and shadow on her face, making the worry in her eyes even more obvious.

She frowned, her slender fingers tapping the bracelet repeatedly, once, twice, three times...

Like a silent war drum, it beats against the stagnant air around it.

The red light of the system alarm was flashing faster and faster, as if urging her to take action quickly.

"What is it?" she murmured to herself, a hint of barely perceptible anxiety in her voice.

The red light from the bracelet seemed to be a guide, and following the faint light, her gaze locked onto an abandoned courtyard in the northwest corner of the mansion.

That courtyard was locked year-round, overgrown with weeds, and eerily quiet. People in the manor said it was haunted, and no one dared to go near it.

"System, are you sure this is the place?" Yan Rugo asked silently in her mind, the red light on the bracelet flashing even more intensely, as if confirming her guess.

As night fell, the mansion fell silent.

Yan Rugo changed into a night outfit, gracefully scaled the wall, and silently slipped into the abandoned courtyard.

The courtyard was quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind adding to the eerie atmosphere.

She slowed her pace and carefully observed her surroundings.

Suddenly, two dark figures emerged from the shadows and blocked her path.

"Who goes there!" one of them shouted sharply, his tone full of vigilance.

Yan Rugo was startled, not expecting there to be guards here.

She tried to remain calm and cupped her hands in greeting, saying, "I am..."

"You don't need to say anything!" another guard rudely interrupted her. "Trespassing is an unforgivable crime!" The two men drew their swords from their waists, their cold glints gleaming, pointing them directly at Yan Rugo.

Yan Rugo thought to herself that things were not going well; it seemed that tonight was likely to be a dangerous night.

"Wait, I just..." She tried to explain, but the two guards didn't give her a chance and swung their knives at her.

She quickly dodged to avoid it, her heart filled with anxiety.

Am I really going to be defeated here tonight?

"Stop!" A clear voice came from outside the courtyard.

The voice was like a gentle breeze rustling willow branches, carrying a familiar languor, yet sounding exceptionally pleasant at this moment.

Yan Rugo looked up and saw Xu, the male protagonist, dressed in a moon-white long robe and holding a folding fan, gracefully approaching, as if a banished immortal had descended to earth.

A faint smile played on his lips, and his eyes held a deep, unfathomable quality.

The male protagonist walked up unhurriedly, and with a gentle wave of his folding fan, he blocked the two menacing guards behind him.

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority: "You two, how dare you block my way? I want to go into this courtyard and take a look. Do you have a problem with that?"

The two guards, who had been so arrogant, deflated like punctured balloons when they saw Xu, exchanging bewildered glances but daring not to utter a word.

Of course they recognized this young master of the Xu family. Not only was he of noble status, but he was also a distinguished guest in the mansion. Who would dare to offend him easily?

The guards exchanged glances and could only respectfully step aside to clear the way.

Seeing this scene, Yan Rugo breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time, an indescribable sense of gratitude welled up in her heart.

The way she looked at the male lead was like he was grasping at a lifeline, full of dependence and trust.

This man usually acts harmless, but he's actually quite reliable when it really matters!

Xu, the male protagonist, seemed to sense something and turned to look at Yan Rugo. His smile deepened, but a subtle glint flashed in his eyes.

He raised an eyebrow, as if to say, "See? I'm that amazing!"

The two walked one after the other into the depths of the courtyard.

It was darker and damper here than outside, and the air was filled with a rotten smell.

The male protagonist opened his folding fan and gently fanned himself, blowing away some of the surrounding dust.

Using the faint moonlight, Yan Rugo carefully observed her surroundings.

They arrived at a dilapidated room with the door locked and covered in dust.

Yan Rugo picked up a stone from the ground, gently knocked on the door lock, and pushed the door open to enter.

The room was empty except for a few old tables and chairs, and some moldy files were piled up in the corner.

The male protagonist picked up a file, flipped through it, and frowned slightly.

"It seems things here are more complicated than we thought," he said in a low voice.

Yan Rugo stepped forward and examined the contents of the file with him.

In the dim light, the two carefully read the case file, occasionally exchanging whispers and discussing the points of doubt.

Their eyes met unexpectedly, and a hint of ambiguity seemed to fill the air.

Yan Rugo looked into Xu's eyes and felt that his eyes were as deep as the starry sky, as if they were about to suck her in.

The male protagonist was also gazing at her, his eyes so tender they seemed to be overflowing with affection.

It was extremely quiet all around, with only the two of them breathing softly and the rustling of leaves in the wind. Everything became slow and subtle.

Just then, Xu, the male protagonist, suddenly took a step closer to Yan Rugo and said in a low voice, "Rugo, I've noticed that this place seems to be..." He paused, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from afar, breaking the silence of the night.

Yan Rugo and the male lead Xu exchanged a glance, both feeling a chill run down their spines.

The male protagonist gave a gentle signal, and the two quickly hid in the shadows of the eaves, holding their breath and observing their surroundings intently.

A furtive figure slowly emerged in the moonlight, looking around as if searching for something.

He held a note in his hand, stuck it on the wall, and then quickly left.

"This person is definitely suspicious!" Yan Rugo said in a low voice, a sharp glint in her eyes.

The male protagonist nodded, and the two decided to follow the man's trail.

They followed closely behind him, traversing winding paths until they finally arrived at a small courtyard within the mansion.

The man handed the note to a servant with a cunning expression. The servant took the note with satisfaction and smiled sinisterly: "It's done. You did a good job!"

Yan Rugo and Xu, the male protagonist, exchanged a glance, and the doubts in their hearts gradually became clear.

The next day, as expected, various rumors began to circulate in the mansion, saying that she and the male protagonist Xu had an unspeakable secret in a mysterious corner.

These rumors spread rapidly like a plague, leaving the two feeling angry and helpless.

"What kind of ridiculous rumors are these! It's utter nonsense!" Yan Rugo was so angry that she almost slammed her fist on the table, her beautiful face filled with grievance.

The male protagonist gently held her hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, we will definitely find the source of the rumors."

They began a secret investigation, and through a series of covert inquiries, they finally discovered that the originator of those rumors was actually Zhang San, a servant whom Yan Rugo had offended before.

Yan Rugo presented irrefutable evidence and went directly to Zhang San.

When Zhang San saw Yan Rugo, his face turned pale and cold sweat poured down his forehead.

He frantically protested, "This...this is all a misunderstanding, I don't know anything!"

Yan Rugo gave a cold laugh, slammed the evidence on the table, her eyes filled with unwavering determination: "The evidence is all here, what else do you have to say?"

Zhang San was speechless. When Madam Li heard the news, she rushed over, severely reprimanded Zhang San, and finally expelled him from the mansion.

Although Yan Rugo breathed a sigh of relief, a hint of unease still flickered in her eyes.

She realized that these rumors were just the tip of the iceberg, and the conspiracy behind them might be even more terrifying.

In the stillness of the night, Yan Rugo sat by the window, gazing into the distance, her eyes reflecting the moonlight, her heart filled with worry.

The male protagonist walked to her side and gently patted her shoulder: "Ru Ge, this is just the beginning, we can't stop."

Yan Rugo took a deep breath and nodded: "I know. We will not give up until we find out the truth about this conspiracy."

She stood up, her eyes resolute, as if she were ready to face even greater challenges.

The two figures were elongated in the moonlight, as if foreshadowing a future that would not be smooth sailing.