From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Rugo accepted the mission without hesitation.

So what if it's SSS-level?

She's not the love-obsessed villain from the original book; focusing on her career is what she should be doing!

Besides, with the system as our cheat code, what's there to be afraid of!

She moved gracefully toward the family shop, her steps firm, as if each step was on the beat of victory.

The shops were bustling with people, and the shop assistants were busy serving customers. The abacuses clattered incessantly. On the surface, it was lively and bustling, but there was an underlying tension, like the calm before a storm.

Yan Rugo spotted Manager Li hiding behind the counter at a glance. This guy is definitely up to something!

"Manager Li, how's business lately?" Yan Rugo asked with a smile, her tone as friendly as a neighborly older sister.

Manager Li forced a smile that looked more like a grimace: "Reporting to Miss, business... is alright." His eyes flickered, and he dared not look directly at Yan Rugo.

"Oh? Is that so?" Yan Rugo's eyes sparkled, and a playful smile appeared on her lips.

She subtly activated the system's psychological analysis skills, instantly exposing Manager Li's inner thoughts to her: Oh no, oh no, could it be that Miss has discovered something?

I haven't received the benefits that Zhang the rich businessman promised me yet!

"Manager Li, what's with the sweat on your forehead?" Yan Rugo stared at him with a half-smile. "Is it because it's too hot?"

Manager Li shuddered in fright, beads of sweat dripping down his face like broken pearls: "No...no, I'm just...a little hot."

"Really?" Yan Rugo pressed on. "I heard that there are some discrepancies in the shop's accounts recently, is that right?"

Manager Li's face turned deathly pale instantly, and he stammered, "This...this...Miss, who told you this? This is pure slander!" The surrounding shop assistants all stopped what they were doing and stared at Manager Li in shock.

"Slander?" Yan Rugo sneered. "Manager Li, are you sure you want me to produce evidence?" She pulled out an account book from her sleeve. It was a forged account book that she had redeemed from the system. The numbers on it were exactly the same as the numbers that Manager Li had falsified.

Manager Li panicked completely, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

He looked at Yan Rugo in horror, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a word.

“It seems Manager Li won’t shed a tear until he sees the coffin.” Yan Rugo threw the ledger on the counter. “Then…” She paused deliberately, her gaze sweeping over the shop assistants around her. “Then let’s report it to the authorities.” “Report it to the authorities?” A gentle, refined voice came from outside. Xu, the male protagonist, had appeared at the shop entrance at some point. He walked in slowly, his gaze falling on Yan Rugo with a hint of barely perceptible concern.

He walked to Yan Rugo's side, gently tucking a strand of her wind-blown hair behind her ear, his movements as tender as if he were handling a precious piece of porcelain.

"Ru Ge, what happened?"

Yan Rugo was stunned for a moment, then her cheeks flushed and her heart began to pound uncontrollably.

When did this guy arrive?

And in front of so many people...

She glanced furtively at the men around her and noticed that they were all suppressing laughter, their eyes darting back and forth between the two of them with suggestive glances.

Yan Rugo felt her face getting even hotter, like a ripe apple.

"Ahem," Yan Rugo cleared her throat, trying to appear calm. "It's nothing, just a small matter." She glared at Manager Li. "Manager Li, aren't you going to tell the truth?"

Manager Li was so frightened that he stammered out the whole story of how he colluded with the wealthy merchant Zhang to falsify accounts.

The surrounding staff erupted in commotion, their eyes filled with disdain as they looked at Manager Li.

Just then, several fierce-looking burly men stormed into the shop. The leader was none other than Zhao Hu, a trusted confidant of Young Master Xu.

"Yan Rugo, our second young master told you to get out of here! This is not a place for you!" Zhao Hu shouted arrogantly, spitting everywhere.

"Whether I should come or not is none of your business!" Yan Rugo met his gaze without fear. "This is my family's shop. I can come and go as I please. Who do you think you are?"

“You…” Zhao Hu was stunned by Yan Rugo’s imposing aura and was speechless for a moment.

The burly men behind him exchanged glances, not daring to make a move.

Passersby stopped to watch and pointed at the group.

The scene was extremely tense, with the air thick with the smell of gunpowder.

Yan Rugo gave a cold laugh and slowly pulled out from her sleeve...

He pulled out a handkerchief and slowly wiped his hands. "Looks like you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin..."

What Yan Rugo pulled out wasn't a weapon, but a packet of chili powder!

With lightning speed, she suddenly sprinkled chili powder at Zhao Hu and the others.

The pungent chili powder instantly filled the air, catching Zhao Hu and the others off guard. They were choked by the fumes, tears streaming down their faces, and coughing incessantly.

"Cough cough cough... What the hell is this?!" Zhao Hu covered his eyes and rolled on the ground in pain.

The other burly men weren't in much better shape; they were all like ants on a hot pan, in a sorry state.

"A mere trick, yet you dare to show off your meager skills before an expert?" Yan Rugo sneered, striking while the iron was hot to finish them off!

She kicked out and struck Zhao Hu squarely in the stomach, sending him flying.

The other burly men were terrified when they saw this and scrambled out of the shop.

"Hey, why are you running away? I haven't had enough fun yet!" Yan Rugo shook her head with feigned regret, looking just like a mischievous little devil.

Manager Li watched in stunned silence, a sense of awe and respect for Yan Rugo welling up within him.

Young lady, you've really been hiding your true abilities!

The once bustling shop was now empty except for Yan Rugo and the male protagonist, Xu.

Instead of praising her wit and courage as usual, Xu took her wrist and led her to a secluded corner, his tone tinged with reproach: "You were too impulsive! What if they had weapons?" Yan Rugo was slightly taken aback, not expecting his reaction.

She blinked, looking a little aggrieved, and said, "But, they're bullying me..." Looking at her pitiful expression, the male lead's heart softened, but his tone remained serious: "Don't take such risks again next time, understand?"

As night fell, Yan Rugo returned to her room, her mind replaying everything that had happened that day.

The male lead's reaction today was really strange...

Is he concerned about himself?

Thinking of this, Yan Rugo's cheeks couldn't help but blush slightly.

Just then, the system suddenly made a "ding" sound, and a new notification appeared in front of her: Young Master Xu's next plan is related to an abandoned temple in the suburbs. Please go and investigate.

An abandoned temple?

That's a notoriously dangerous place...

Looking at the pitch-black night outside the window, Yan Rugo couldn't help but feel a little hesitant.

“Never mind…” Yan Rugo sighed softly and picked up the dagger on the table.