The Lazy Villainess

My days have gotten busier, which I'm thankful about. Even though I promised to relax in this life, I know that if I don't do any work I will die of boredom. Besides, I have a goal now: be a good person, so that my entire family isn't annihilated.

I have met my teacher, a strict man named Chen Zhu. He looks thirty something years old and is totally my type. His cheekbones and lips make me drool. Chen Zhu is my martial defence teacher, and makes me do stretches and push ups every day. I don't complain however, as his attractive face keeps me going. (What? A woman like me can have crushes too, you know?) But more on him later.

My entire family is surprised that I'm not even complaining even though my body is aching all over.

My relationship with my siblings have improved greatly and I find myself chatting with my little brothers more. I have to stop myself from pinching their cute chubby cheeks.

I have also been secretly practicing that military escape move, which I call 'Ninja Flow' because it resembles something I saw in a movie.

I also have to start visiting my father now and the first day I went, it was quite nerve wrecking. I walk in and there he is writing his usual doc.u.ments with a focused expression on his face. Seeing that he was working, I walked in as slowly me quietly as I can. I sat down silently in the usual place Laing sat down when she visited. Laing usually grinds the ink, so I imitate the technique she used to do it, so no one suspects anything. I think my father and brother are on to me. These few days, they've been keeping an eye on me and it is starting to give me the creeps.

He notices that I'm sitting next to him and almost jumps.

"My goodness," he says, coldly, "Why didn't you say something when you came in?"

'BECAUSE father, you don't like it when I talk, remember?' I wanted to say, but obviously I couldn't.

'Oh, I saw you doing work, so I didn't want to disturb you' I say slowly.

He huffs and goes back to signing doc.u.ments while I go back to grinding ink. In my previous life, I worked an office job and I typed and wrote many reports and I was itching to do some work like that.

I take a look at what my father was doing and he was calculating tax payments. Bah, maths was never my strong suit.

I look around the room and subconsciously wander over to his bookshelves. He doesn't notice anything at first, but when he realises that I'm gone, he watches me browse the books.

He has a lot of books on philosophy and I take one out to read it. It has many poems and some random quotes. I notice my father staring at me and almost drop the book.

I hurriedly put back the book and continue to grind ink. My dad, Song Duong, looks like those handsome, middle aged father-of-the-protagonists I see in manwha. He looked younger than his age, and before I knew it, I was daydreaming about him with another man, like the creepy fujoshi I am. He noticed my dreamy expression and looks perplexed.

After a while he dismisses me and I run out of the room as if my life depends on it. Even though I am more busy, I don't want to be stuck within walls, I want to roam around town.

Begging father and brother for permission to go outside never works and mother is always has an excuse as to why she can't let me go.

A few days pass, and it is time for my family to visit my grandmother, Hai Fang.

I grudgingly got dressed, this time a simple dark purple dress with black embroidery. The maids sat me down and after a long time of struggling, mostly on my part, they managed to get my hair into a beautiful bun.

When I went outside, I see my family getting into beautiful carriages and there were two of them. One for the males and one for the females. I followed mother into the female carriage and when a maid offered to help me up, I refused because I am an independent woman. I don't need help from others. Besides, as a tomboy it would hurt my pride. I sit silently with my mother and enjoy the scenery. I can see paddy fields here and there, and large manors as well as shops and stores.

When we arrive a servant boy hurriedly opens the door and my father is already helping my mum down the carriage steps. I however refuse my older brothers hand and walk down. He looks kind of shocked, but never mind him. My family also was surprised at my dressing choice, and I don't blame them, but hopefully they don't start questioning things.

I walk behind my father and mother and next to my older brother, with my little brothers following behind, as custom demands.

The servants announce our arrival, and I feel really giddy as it feels like I'm in a drama. We walk through the courtyard and in to the majestic hall where I see other very well dressed nobles sitting and enjoying tea. I recognise them all thanks to Laing's memories.

There was Laing's cousins, Song Shie and Song Sui. In the book, they were her henchmen and dirtied their hands for her. They eventually ended up with a more horrible fate than Song Laing, as they were flogged to death by order of the crown prince.

I will avoid them so they don't end up dying painfully. One by one, my family each greeted my grandmother, who looked surprisingly young for her age. I mean, these ancient women really knew their beauty hacks.

When it was my turn, I stood respectfully under my grandmother's scornful gaze and did the customary curtsey and said, 'Laing wishes grandmother longevity and hopes grandmother has peace in life'

That is how Laing would greet her grandmother, but right after she would annoy her grandmother by pestering her with questions.

I'm not going to pester this lady, so I respectfully turn to my seat. Everyone looks very surprised and suspicious because I hadn't pestered my grandmother.

Lady Hai Fang looks very surprised, as she looks like she was waiting for me to jump on her. Well, I'm no longer a little pest, so that won't be happening.

I sit next to my cousins and my mother and act as if everything is normal, avoiding any social interaction. All of their eyes are on me and I feel beyond uncomfortable.

"Lai'er…" my mother whispers to me, "Are you feeling sick?"

I touch my forehead to check my temperature and it is just normal. 'No mother, I'm perfectly fine', I say smiling.

After a while everyone's attention goes back to my grandmother, who thanks everyone for coming to her home. My father makes a toast to her, and since I'm allowed to drink alcohol, I also join in. I drank a lot due to depression in my previous life and I am curious about what the alcohol tastes like in this world.

I take a swig and almost immediately, I get hit with the very strong taste of alcohol. However, it tastes really good, unlike those cheap store bought wines I had to deal with in my last life.

My grandmother calls for the maids to bring us food, but I drink more of that wine. I am so drunk at this point, I am scared that I might let something slip.

But then in the midst of this, I spot this really pretty maid and subconsciously wander over to her. Everyone else is enjoying their time so they don't notice me gone, except for my father and brother who are both watching me.

The maid is quietly standing there minding her own business, when she notices me stumbling drunkenly towards her.

My father and brother are following close behind, to watch me. The maid hurriedly bows, and says, "Forgive this servant for not recognising your ladyship!"

Aish, these maids are at it again.

I pull her up and lean on her shoulder. She helps me sit on one of the seats. I pull her to sit next to me and she looks terrified. Heh, her expression looks cute.

'Heh, you look cute…' I slur. She looks like she is going to cry, but my mind isn't working.

I lean in and kiss her on the lips. I am about to make out with her when I feel really tired. I guess it's all that yoga and exercise I've been doing.

Next thing I know, my body is falling to the floor, and something cushions my body before it hits the floor.

And that's why kids, they say drinking is bad for you. I am in a truckload of trouble…