Volume Two: Those Years When I Was the School Bully
Bent Again?
All night, Wen Nuan didn’t receive any news about the Blackening Value dropping.
Wen Nuan asked again, “Are you sure there was no notification about the Blackening Value decreasing?”
The System opened the data console once more: 【Really nothing. If the Blackening Value changes, there will be a notification. It’s impossible for it to happen silently.】
Wen Nuan glanced at the clock. It was already nine at night, and still no news at all.
Did the male lead actually succeed in taking advantage of the situation1?
Wen Nuan planned to take out her phone and ask Lu Yi what was going on.
Zero efficiency!
Before she could send the WeChat message, her father called.
Wen Nuan answered, “What’s up?”
“Sweetie, are you asleep yet?” Zhao Zhenhai2 asked cheerfully.
“Not yet, about to sleep soon. Are you still at the company?” Wen Nuan asked.
“Mm-hmm, just finished a three-hour meeting. See? Called my baby girl as soon as it ended. Did you miss Daddy?”
Wen Nuan sighed. “I remember we just saw each other yesterday.”
“Oh?” Zhao Zhenhai sounded aggrieved. “But Daddy misses his baby girl.”
“You know where I live, just come over.”
The family villa was too far from Third Experimental High School, so Wen Nuan had chosen a property close to the school from her family’s various real estate holdings to live in, located in Wutong Gardens3.
Zhao Zhenhai sighed, “Daddy has to catch a flight to M Country4 tonight.”
“To discuss cooperation?”
“Mm-hmm, working with the SJ Group. Planning to expand our business abroad later on. After all, you’ll be studying abroad for university, and Daddy can’t rest easy with you being alone.”
“Alright then.”
Zhao Zhenhai had already arranged a university in M Country for Wen Nuan. As soon as the domestic college entrance exams were over, she would go directly abroad for university.
Wen Nuan had no objection to this decision. After all, she planned to clear the female lead’s Blackening Value and then go abroad, never returning to the country, which could be considered cutting ties with the past.
“Sweetie, did you have fun at school today? Are you getting along okay with your old classmates?” Zhao Zhenhai originally didn’t know Wen Nuan had suddenly returned to the country. It wasn’t until two days ago when Wen Nuan called him to pick her up from the airport that he found out she was back.
Upon returning, she didn’t say much, just that she wanted to go back to her previous high school to continue her studies.
When Zhao Zhenhai asked Wen Nuan for her reasons, she only said she missed her old classmates and wanted to prepare for the Gaokao together with them.
Wen Nuan’s explanation was plausible, and Zhao Zhenhai was a doting father5 who always listened to Wen Nuan, so naturally, he didn’t overthink it. He just re-enrolled Wen Nuan, allowing her to return to Third Experimental High School.
“It was okay, I guess. Haven’t seen them in over a year, so things are a bit distant,” Wen Nuan thought about how Song Ci had treated her today.
Cold and resistant.
Hearing the slight dip in Wen Nuan’s tone, Zhao Zhenhai comforted her, “Sweetie, it’s okay. You’ve been apart for so long, it’s impossible to immediately return to the close relationship you had before. Let’s take it slow. Friendships won’t be broken by time.”
Wen Nuan nodded. “Mm-hmm, okay.”
“Alright then, Sweetie, Daddy’s heading to the airport now. I’ll call you again after I land,” Zhao Zhenhai chuckled. “Daddy will send you some more money. You’re in your third year of high school now, a crucial time, you need to get more nutrition.”
“Hey, Dad, I have enough money, you don’t need to send more, you…”
Wen Nuan looked at the disconnected call and the bank transfer notification text she had just received.
Zhao Zhenhai had sent her another 500,000 yuan.
Using half a million for nutritional supplements, only Zhao Zhenhai could pull something like that off.
Wen Nuan suddenly thought of the female lead’s thin frame. She was the one who really needed nutritional supplements.
The next day at school, as soon as the lunch break started, Wen Nuan immediately ran to Lu Yi’s classroom to find him and get an update.
Lu Yi was in Class 1 of the third year. Wen Nuan knocked on the classroom door, looked at Lu Yi in the front row, and called out, “Lu Yi?”
The attention of the Class 1 students immediately darted back and forth between the two.
Whispers arose.
Lu Yi glanced at Wen Nuan, instantly annoyed, and turned his head away, ignoring her.
Seeing his deliberate pretense of not hearing, Wen Nuan walked directly to his desk, placing both hands on it. “I called you, are you deaf?”
“What do you want?” Lu Yi snapped irritably.
Wen Nuan was taken aback by his attitude. “Hold on, where’s all this anger coming from?” Her eyes darted, then widened in surprise. “Don’t tell me you got rejected again last night?”
At the mention of this, Lu Yi’s anger flared even more.
He abruptly stood up and walked out.
Wen Nuan immediately followed. “Lu Yi, where are you going?”
“I’m going to eat, don’t follow me!” Lu Yi said angrily.
Seeing him like this, Wen Nuan felt she absolutely had to follow.
Something must have happened between the male and female leads last night, otherwise Lu Yi wouldn’t be this furious!
Lu Yi put down the chicken leg in his hand and looked at Wen Nuan, who was staring intently at him. “What exactly do you want?”
“Let’s talk.” Tapping his finger on his lunch tray, Wen Nuan smiled. “Tell me, after you took Song Ci home yesterday, did you take advantage of the situation, press your advantage6?”
Lu Yi sighed. “…Zhao Wen Nuan, I’m starting to find you quite interesting, you know?”
“I’m asking about you and Song Ci, why are you suddenly talking about me?” Wen Nuan looked wary. “You freaking haven’t fallen for me, have you?”
“….” Lu Yi gave a cold laugh. “Would I fall for a troublemaker like you only if I thought my life was too easy?”
“….Have I been too nice to you lately, making you forget that I like to use force to settle things?”
She cracked her knuckles, the sound crisp and clearly threatening.
Lu Yi: “…..”
Truly a rascal even worse than a punk.
“Hurry up, what happened between you and Song Ci last night?” Wen Nuan said impatiently.
Lu Yi put down his chopsticks, sighed, and asked, “I took her home, showed my interest, and then got rejected by her again.”
Rejected again?!
Could it be that the female lead really doesn’t like the male lead anymore?
“Reason, what was her reason for rejecting you?”
Lu Yi glanced at her. “Just doesn’t like me, what other reason is needed?”
Song Ci had told him to keep it a secret, so he couldn’t tell Zhao Wen Nuan. He had to find a random excuse to brush it off.
Wen Nuan frowned. “She just directly told you ‘I don’t like you,’ with no reason, like maybe something about you she felt wasn’t suitable?”
Lu Yi thought for a moment. Maybe the gender wasn’t suitable.
“Or perhaps, did she say who she likes, and that’s why she rejected you?”
Lu Yi looked deeply at Wen Nuan, letting out a long sigh.
Wen Nuan: “…..”
What the heck?
Why did the male lead’s gaze seem to hold a hint of disappointment, like looking at someone who fails to meet expectations7?
“Why are you looking at me?” Wen Nuan tapped the lunch tray. “I asked you a question, didn’t I? Hurry up and answer!”
Annoyed by her tapping, Lu Yi pushed the tray aside and asked curiously, “Zhao Wen Nuan, have you ever liked anyone?”
“Why are you asking that?” Wen Nuan frowned.
“Just curious. You’re allowed to ask all sorts of questions, but I can’t ask you one?” Lu Yi said speechlessly.
Seeing Wen Nuan unwilling to answer, he looked up at Song Ci, who was slowly walking over, and asked aloud, “Does your silence mean you already have someone you like?”
Wen Nuan nodded. “Yes, I have someone I like.”
It’s You Jiayi, but unfortunately, she doesn’t exist in this world.
Lu Yi saw Song Ci freeze in place, a clear trace of sadness flashing through those limpid eyes.
The System shouted: 【Oh my god, the female lead’s Blackening Value has risen to 9.5!】
Wen Nuan paused, incredulous. “Why did it rise?”
【Maybe you should turn around and look?】 the System suggested.
Wen Nuan whipped her head around and saw Song Ci standing behind her, her face cold and indifferent.
Lu Yi picked up his tray, stood up, patted Song Ci’s shoulder as he passed her, and walked straight away.
What did the male lead patting the female lead’s shoulder mean?
Didn’t Song Ci reject Lu Yi?
Why would she still have intimate contact with Lu Yi?
【Is patting a shoulder considered intimate contact?】 the System wondered.
Wen Nuan immediately replied, “Of course it is! Before, besides me, Song Ci never let anyone else touch her, okay?”
The System pondered for a moment, then asked tentatively: 【Host, are you… jealous?】
“….” Wen Nuan was speechless. “Jealous my ass! You know perfectly well who I like!”
【Then the female lead’s Blackening Value is already at 9.5, what are you going to do?】 The System looked at the still-rising value. 【If it keeps rising like this, we’ll be expelled from this world.】
Wen Nuan looked at Song Ci walking past her, feeling frantic. “I don’t even know why she’s blackening!”
She had already told Song Ci the truth about the issue between her and Lu Yi, so Song Ci couldn’t possibly misunderstand anymore.
Yet Lu Yi confessed to Song Ci again, and was rejected by Song Ci again.
What on earth was going on?
The female lead in this world wasn’t like You Jiayi. You Jiayi had her own dreams, her own direction forward. Initially, before Wen Nuan knew You Jiayi liked her, she could still help You Jiayi with her career to lower the Blackening Value.
But Song Ci was different.
Her family was well-off. Although her parents were divorced, she never cared about it, so she naturally wouldn’t blacken due to lack of parental care, otherwise she would have blackened the first time Wen Nuan met her.
Song Ci’s grades were also excellent, always ranking in the top three in the entire school. She didn’t need special help with her studies either.
The only thing that could cause Song Ci’s Blackening Value to increase, school bullying, Wen Nuan had already resolved for her. With her protecting Song Ci, Song Ci wouldn’t be bullied by those guys for the remainder of their third year.
So, what was the reason for the frequent increases in the Blackening Value?!
【Why not just ask her directly? Ask her what unfulfilled wish she has?】 the System offered a plan.
“Wish?” Wen Nuan was rendered speechless by the System’s choice of words.
The System said awkwardly: 【…. Heart’s desire.】
“That could work. Just ask Song Ci directly, what exactly is making her unhappy?”
No sooner said than done. Taking advantage of the lunch break, Wen Nuan went back to the classroom to find Song Ci.
Song Ci was looking at her notebook, the densely packed text on the page resembling her own mind – messy and disorganized.
Zhao Wen Nuan has someone she likes.
Zhao Wen Nuan has someone she likes…
Seeing the person appear before her, she skillfully hid her emotions and asked calmly, “Need something?”
Wen Nuan said sincerely, “Can we talk?”
“I don’t want to talk to you.” Song Ci closed her notebook.
Wen Nuan choked, remembering the strange expression on Lu Yi’s face when she questioned him about Song Ci’s reason for rejection.
She said in a low voice, “Your reason for rejecting Lu Yi, I want to talk to you about that.”
Song Ci’s expression changed. “What did he tell you?”
Seeing her expression shift, Wen Nuan immediately became certain there was something fishy8 about Song Ci’s reason for rejecting Lu Yi last night.
She leaned forward, placing both hands on the desk, looking into Song Ci’s clear eyes. “Talk somewhere quiet or talk right here in the classroom, you choose.”
Song Ci lowered her gaze, stood up, and walked out.
Wen Nuan followed her.
The two went up to the fifth floor. Song Ci tried to get the key to the equipment room from the top of the doorframe, but the previous student had placed the key too far in, and she fumbled for a long time without finding it.
Seeing her struggle, Wen Nuan stepped forward, reaching up. “Let me.”
Song Ci felt the warmth behind her, the close proximity, the soft touch. She lowered her head, biting her lip.
Wen Nuan got the key and opened the door.
Few people ever came to the equipment room. It was filled with teaching aids. Wen Nuan sat on a desk, watching Song Ci lock the door from the inside.
She turned around, her body pressed against the door, looking at Wen Nuan. “Talk?”
Wen Nuan swung her legs, her posture lazy. “Why did you reject Lu Yi?”
Song Ci paused, then seemed to let out a mocking laugh. “You already know, don’t you? Why bother asking me?”
She knew?
Did the female lead mean her rejection of Lu Yi had something to do with her?!
Don’t tell me the female lead still thinks she likes Lu Yi?
Wen Nuan sighed deeply. “Lu Yi likes you. From the very beginning, the only one he liked was you. Why do you still doubt his feelings for you?”
Seeing her sigh, Song Ci gave a sarcastic smile. “Are you saying that just because he likes me, I have to be with him?”
“That’s not what I mean. I mean that you and Lu Yi are very suitable for each other. You two make a good match,” Wen Nuan explained.
After all, they were the male and female leads chosen by Heaven’s Dao, naturally a match made in heaven.
“Zhao Wen Nuan, don’t you think you’re a bit… hypocritical and disgusting?”
Wen Nuan froze. “…Huh?”
“You know exactly why I rejected Lu Yi, yet you deliberately say these things to humiliate me?” Song Ci forced a smile. “Is it very interesting?”
Reason?
How would she know the reason?!
Could this reason be the key to Song Ci’s blackening?
Wen Nuan’s eyes darted. She hopped off the desk, walked up to Song Ci, and deliberately put on a cold, mocking tone. “Me, hypocritical and disgusting? Don’t you think your reason for rejecting Lu Yi is even more hypocritical and disgusting?”
She planned to bluff the truth out of the female lead!
Song Ci’s pupils trembled, a tearing pain surging in her chest.
She opened her mouth, as if utterly exhausted, and said weakly, “So in your heart, me liking you is that disgusting to you?”
“…!!” Wen Nuan’s eyes widened, unable to believe what the female lead had just said. “What did you say?”
Song Ci’s eyes stung, the rims turning red.
She said, word by word, “Zhao Wen Nuan, how I wish… you had never come back!”
Maybe with enough time, she could have completely forgotten her.
Wen Nuan watched Song Ci slam the door and leave, those tear-filled eyes seeming somewhat familiar.
Song Ci crying looked a bit like Little Crybaby.
Wen Nuan patted her numb head, calling the System: “What the heck is going on?”
How did the female lead get bent again?!
Again?
That word was quite subtle.
The System was also completely baffled9. 【Host, I think you need to look for the cause within yourself for this matter. Do you have some kind of special hidden attribute that specifically serves to turn female leads gay?】
Wen Nuan: “…..”
The author has something to say:
Wen Nuan (frantically): Why did the female lead get bent again?
System (calmly): Please look for the cause within yourself.
Female Lead: I agree with the System’s point of view!
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