From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Even after Yan Rugo left the mansion, the feeling of being spied on lingered like a leech.

The bustling market was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder, with all sorts of shouts and laughter mingling together, creating a lively atmosphere like a boiling pot.

But behind this seemingly prosperous facade lies an unusual crisis.

She clutched the shopping list given to her by Madam Li in her left hand, while her right hand kept touching the dagger in her sleeve. She was extremely careful with every step she took.

The air was filled with the aroma of food, mixed with the smell of sweat, and fabrics of various colors, like a dazzling rainbow, swayed before my eyes.

Yan Rugo's brows furrowed more and more. She felt as if several pairs of eyes were watching her from behind, as if "surveillance had been activated" and she could be locked on at any moment.

She glanced around discreetly, trying to find the person spying on her, but the crowd was surging, and everyone wore a mask, making them difficult to identify.

She quickened her pace, weaving through the crowd, her eyes scanning her surroundings like radar, glancing back every now and then, trying to catch any suspicious clues.

Suddenly, she stopped abruptly as a group of uninvited guests appeared before her.

A burly man with a menacing face and bare chest, leading a group of thugs, blocked her way.

The man grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, his eyes sweeping over her body with unbridled abandon, as if he were looking at a lamb to the slaughter.

"Hey, isn't this the little maid from the Li family? Why are you shopping alone?" Niu Er's voice was as rough as sandpaper, carrying a strong hint of teasing.

Yan Rugo's heart tightened, and a chill ran from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.

She clenched her fists tightly, but her face showed a forced calmness, though her eyes betrayed barely suppressed anger and a hint of barely perceptible fear.

Seeing this, the people around her quickly went around her, afraid of getting into trouble. For a moment, a vacuum zone was formed around Yan Rugo.

Seeing this, Niu Er became even more smug. He stretched out his greasy hand to touch Yan Rugo's cheek, saying, "Little lady, don't be afraid, come with me, I'll make sure you eat and drink well..."

Yan Rugo's body trembled slightly. Just then, the system's voice rang in her mind: "Ding! Host detected to be in danger. Activate your rhetoric skill?"

A resolute glint flashed in Yan Rugo's eyes. She looked coldly at Niu Er, a mocking smile playing on her lips, and slowly uttered a sentence that Niu Er hadn't expected: "Are you sure... you want to play with me?"

Yan Rugo slightly raised her chin, her almond-shaped eyes narrowed, and a playful smile played on her lips, as if the group of thugs in front of her were not fierce demons, but street performers.

"Play? You think you can?" Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable confidence, like a knife chilled to the bone, piercing straight into Niu Er's chest.

She knew that a head-on confrontation was not the solution; intimidating the other party with her imposing presence was the best approach.

Niu Er's greasy hand froze in mid-air, and the smile on his face also froze.

His eyes widened as if he had seen something unbelievable, his eyeballs almost popping out of their sockets, as if to say, "Has this little brat eaten the gall of a bear and the heart of a leopard?" In all his years of mingling in the streets, this was the first time he had been challenged in such a tone, and for a moment, he was unable to react.

The onlookers stared wide-eyed, craned their necks, and whispered amongst themselves, as if they had witnessed some spectacular show.

"You..." Niu Er's face instantly turned a deep liver color. Enraged, he pointed at Yan Rugo, his thick chin trembling like a piece of fat about to fall off. "You brat, you don't know what's good for you! Brothers, get her!"

At Niu Er's command, the thugs, like a pack of hungry wolves, pounced on Yan Rugo with bared teeth.

They wore malicious smiles, their eyes gleaming with greed, as if they could already see the miserable state of Yan Rugo being bullied by them.

Yan Rugo's heart pounded, and a chill ran down her spine. She quickly looked around, trying to find a way to escape, but found herself surrounded by the group.

More and more people gathered around to watch the spectacle, crowding around like spectators at a play. No one dared to step forward to help; they simply pointed and whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with curiosity and amusement.

Yan Rugo bit her lip tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh. Her brain was racing, trying to find a way to escape.

Just then, she caught a glimpse of a fabric shop on the side, filled with all sorts of brightly colored fabrics.

Her eyes lit up, and a bold plan emerged in her mind.

The corners of her mouth rose slightly.

Yan Rugo turned around and, as slippery as an eel, rushed to the entrance of the cloth shop in a few strides.

She grabbed the door frame, made a graceful turn, and darted into the fabric shop like an arrow.

Manager Sun was fiddling with his abacus when he heard the noise at the door. Startled, his hand trembled, and the abacus beads clattered and fell to the ground.

He looked up and saw a simply dressed girl standing in front of him, panting.

The girl's almond-shaped eyes were wide open, and her face was flushed, like a frightened little rabbit, which softened his heart.

Just as he was about to ask a question, he saw a group of fierce-looking men outside, angrily walking towards the cloth shop.

Manager Sun immediately realized that this girl had probably gotten into some trouble.

He initially wanted to kick the girl out to avoid getting into trouble, but seeing her panicked eyes, his kindness overcame his fear.

He gritted his teeth, quickly pointed in a direction, and whispered, "Girl, quick, hide in the back!"

Yan Rugo glanced gratefully at Manager Sun, and without saying a word, she hid in the backyard of the cloth shop.

She had just hidden herself when she heard Niu Er's deafening shouts from outside: "You filthy woman, get out here! Hiding won't help, I'm going to catch you today!" His voice was so loud it seemed to overturn the small cloth shop.

While chaos reigned outside the cloth shop, Li Si, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, stared menacingly in the direction of the cloth shop.

Unlike the others, he wasn't drawn to the farce unfolding before him. Instead, he quickly scanned his surroundings, then found a secluded corner to continue monitoring the fabric shop's every move.

His gaze, like the forked tongue of a venomous snake, was cold and dangerous, sending chills down one's spine.

Yan Rugo hid in the backyard and saw Li Si's sinister eyes through the crack in the window. Her heart tightened and a sense of unease welled up inside her.

She hadn't expected the stalker to be so cunning, remaining completely vigilant.

She felt like a wild animal trapped in a cage, about to be captured by a hunter at any moment.

The shop was so quiet it was almost oppressive, with only the rustling of the fabric in the wind and Yan Rugo's slightly rapid breathing.

Manager Sun stood at the door, his face pale. He kept glancing outside, afraid that the thugs would rush in.

His body trembled slightly, and his hands gripped the hem of his clothes tightly, showing his anxiety.

Yan Rugo frowned, her mind racing. She had to come up with a solution as soon as possible to get out of her predicament.

She had to complete the purchasing task assigned by Mrs. Li, but she was clueless and filled with anxiety and unease.

Suddenly, she heard a loud commotion outside, so loud that it even drowned out Niu Er's cursing.

She instinctively walked to the window and looked outside.