Volume Two: Those Years When I Was the School Bully
Invitation
The bell rang, signaling the end of class. The teacher turned and left without the slightest hesitation, as if simply completing a task—extremely cool.
Yan Ni hadn’t quite understood one of the major problems, so she could only ask Song Ci to help explain it.
She turned around rather abruptly, seeming to accidentally knock over a book. She faced forward again, looking at the blushing Song Ci and the math book she had just inadvertently knocked down.
“Um…” Yan Ni felt the atmosphere was a bit off. “There was a big problem the teacher explained that I didn’t get. Can you help me take a look?”
Song Ci pressed her lips together. “…Okay.”
Zhang Wei turned around, handing his phone to Wen Nuan, pleading, “Zhao-jie, quick, help me out! It’s my promotion match, and we’re losing badly. My marksman is trash.”
Wen Nuan took the phone. Zhang Wei was playing the top laner Cheng Yaojin1, and the situation was indeed difficult, but salvageable.
“Wait.” Wen Nuan’s fingers deftly maneuvered across the phone screen.
First, she took down the top lane’s second tower, then immediately went to support the already collapsing bottom lane. Relying on being tanky with lots of health, Cheng Yaojin was like one man holding a pass against ten thousand2, driving the opponents back to their base.
Then Wen Nuan sold off the tank items, replacing them all with damage items, and bought a resurrection armor. She led the main force straight to the enemy crystal.
Twin axes cutting through tangled hemp.
Cheng Yaojin took out three opponents, leaving their own marksman and mage to push the crystal, securing a direct victory.
Zhang Wei exclaimed excitedly, “Holy sh%t! Zhao-jie, you’re awesome! Truly worthy of being number one in the entire server region.”
He looked at Wen Nuan, surprised. “Huh? Zhao-jie, what happened to your lip? How’d it get split? It was fine just now, wasn’t it?”
Song Ci’s hand, writing out steps for Yan Ni, paused.
Wen Nuan smiled, touching her lip. “Bit it by accident.”
Song Ci’s fingertips trembled slightly as she continued explaining the problem to Yan Ni, but the tips of her ears quietly turned red.
Zhang Wei stood up. “How could you be so careless? Should I go to the school clinic and get you a Band-Aid?”
“No need,” Wen Nuan licked the small wound. “Saliva disinfects. It’ll be fine in a bit.”
Zhang Wei sat back down and created a room in the game. “Zhao-jie, wanna play together?”
“Which account platform are you on?”
“QQ3. Didn’t you always prefer playing on QQ accounts back then?” Zhang Wei said. “We all switched to QQ accounts just to team up with you, and we’ve been using them ever since.”
Wen Nuan glanced at Song Ci. “QQ account? I haven’t logged into QQ in ages. I’ve forgotten the password.”
“Recover the password?”
“The phone number originally linked to it was cancelled. Can’t get it back.” Wen Nuan waved her hand dismissively. “Forget it. I’ll just create a new one later. What rank are you now?”
Zhang Wei handed her his phone. “I’m Diamond now.”
“Alright, that’s just one night’s work. I’ll rank up by tomorrow, and we can play together then.”
“Okay, I’ll wait for you.” Zhang Wei trusted Wen Nuan’s skill; if she said one night, it meant one night.
Yan Ni looked at the steps Song Ci had written out; they were extremely detailed. She recalculated from the beginning and was suddenly enlightened.
“Song Ci, I know how to do it now! I finally understand this…” Yan Ni looked at Song Ci, who seemed to be spacing out, her eyes vacant.
She reached out and touched her arm. “Song Ci?”
Song Ci snapped back to reality, looking at the test paper. “What’s wrong? Which part didn’t you understand?”
“No, I understood everything. You explained it very clearly,” Yan Ni smiled. “What were you thinking about just now? I called you several times, and you didn’t hear.”
“Nothing much. Maybe just a little tired.”
“Okay then, catch some sleep during the break. I’ll go look over the paper first.” Yan Ni turned back around.
Song Ci looked at the IELTS dictionary in her desk drawer and fell silent.
“What are you thinking about?”
Song Ci looked up. “You can’t recover your QQ password?”
“Yeah. I didn’t use QQ much while I was abroad, so I didn’t pay much attention to it.”
“Then… do you still want your old QQ account?”
“Does it bother you?” Wen Nuan asked.
Song Ci pressed her lips together. “…No.”
“Ah Ci, do you know what I hate?” Wen Nuan’s fingers twirled a strand of Song Ci’s hair near her ear, round and round.
“You hate people who lie to you.”
Wen Nuan chuckled softly. “You know that. So… does it bother you?”
Song Ci’s eyes darkened. “I left messages for you on QQ, but you never replied.”
Actually, what she wanted to ask more was: In that year, why didn’t you ever contact me?!
Wen Nuan had already left this mission world long ago back then, so naturally, she couldn’t reply to Song Ci’s messages.
She could only find a plausible excuse to fudge it.
For example.
“Actually, I went abroad for treatment that year.” Wen Nuan put on a troubled expression.
System: 【……This excuse sounds really unreliable!】
Song Ci froze. “Treatment?”
What illness?
“Tongzi, quickly think of a major illness for me that sounds serious but isn’t actually a big deal?” Wen Nuan called out internally.
【Bipolar disorder!】
“What kind of illness is that?”
【Bipolar disorder is a type of mental illness involving bipolar affective disorder, primarily manifesting as emotional highs and lows. When emotions become excessively high or excited, it’s easy to have an episode.】
Wen Nuan: “…..So this is…?”
【A mental illness.】 The System replied with a metaphorical smile. 【But it fits your previous persona quite well, don’t you think it’s suitable?】
“…..”
Considering the original host’s persona—moody, arrogant, domineering, prone to tantrums—bipolar disorder did seem quite fitting.
Wen Nuan frowned, her expression grave. “I think you could probably sense that my temper wasn’t very good before. I was prone to fighting and causing trouble at the drop of a hat.”
She sighed deeply. “That’s because I had a mental illness called Bipolar disorder.”
Bipolar disorder!
Mental illness!
These two terms sounded incredibly serious. Song Ci was so frightened her face turned pale. “Is it serious? Is it cured now? Are there any side effects?”
Wen Nuan reassured her, “I’m already better. After more than a year of psychotherapy, I’ve recovered. I can control my temper and emotions very well now. See? Since I came back, haven’t I stopped losing my temper and hitting people?”
【What about when you argued with the female lead about why she wouldn’t be friends with you? You kicked a stool then. Does that count as not losing your temper?】 The System listed examples. 【Beating Yu Zitong until she was hospitalized, beating Qiang-ge half to death—does that count as not hitting people?】
Wen Nuan: “…..”
Seriously knows how to argue for the sake of arguing.
The System smiled metaphorically: 【Perhaps Host has forgotten, but we remain Host’s steadfast support, providing you with the most convenient information services. Whatever you want, we have it here.】
Wen Nuan: “…..Get lost!”
Song Ci let out a breath of relief. “Then… are you still undergoing treatment now?”
Wen Nuan shook her head. “I’m already better. Why would I still need treatment?”
“But… is there a possibility of relapse with this kind of illness?” Song Ci was still worried.
Wen Nuan wasn’t too sure either. “Probably not.”
Probably?!
Song Ci secretly made a mental note to research this condition thoroughly when she got home.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were abroad…”
Song Ci was filled with remorse. Thinking about her own coldness towards Wen Nuan after she returned, she felt immense heartache for her.
“It’s okay. I left the country in a hurry back then and didn’t have time to explain things clearly to you. Later, I went through over a year of closed treatment, which caused so many misunderstandings between us.” Wen Nuan gently touched her face. “But it’s all in the past. We just need to be together properly from now on.”
Song Ci nodded repeatedly. “Mm-hmm.”
System: 【Blackening value decreased. Current female lead blackening value is 3!】
Although the reason was completely fabricated, explaining things had lowered the female lead’s blackening value, resolving the knot in Song Ci’s heart.
As for the bipolar disorder matter, she just needed to coordinate with Zhao Zhenhai later.
At noon, Wen Nuan and Song Ci went to the cafeteria for lunch and happened to run into Lu Yi.
Lu Yi glanced at the two of them. He had heard some rumors today, saying that Zhao Wen Nuan and Song Ci had walked into campus hand-in-hand, acting intimately.
As a result, he had been subjected to meaningful glances all morning, mostly pitying and sympathetic.
Everyone probably thought he had been simultaneously abandoned by both Zhao Wen Nuan and Song Ci.
At this thought, Lu Yi lifted his proud chin, shot Wen Nuan a sideways glance, and strode away coolly.
He wasn’t some pitiful man tragically abandoned; he was a bright, sunny, kind-hearted pillar of the nation.
Wen Nuan: “…..”
Being glared at for no reason at all left her quite puzzled.
【The male lead’s current mood is understandable. After all, you stole the female lead away from him, leaving him with nothing. In the original plot, you were the second female lead. For the second female lead and the female lead to get together… it’s good enough the male lead isn’t beating you up.】 The System analyzed meticulously.
Wen Nuan: “……”
That makes a lot of sense.
“Logically speaking, shouldn’t there be a second male lead in this world?”
If she was the second female lead, shouldn’t there be a second male lead?
System: 【Are you planning to get the male lead and the second male lead together? Are you even human? Forcing them to be gay?!】
“…..Just kidding. But seriously, where’s the second male lead?”
【The second male lead’s timeline hasn’t arrived yet. It requires both the male lead and the female lead to get into Ningjiang University. They will meet at university.】
“According to the original plot, the second male lead would compete with the male lead for the female lead, right?” Wen Nuan pondered. “If the female lead and I go to Ningjiang University, will we encounter this plot development too?”
System pouted: 【That’s assuming the female lead goes to Ningjiang University. Otherwise, the plot won’t be triggered, and you won’t meet the second male lead.】
“Alright.”
However, Wen Nuan thought about Zhao Zhenhai constantly expanding his business abroad, and her own plans to attend university overseas. Song Ci had also mentioned wanting to go abroad for university to find her. By that calculation, the female lead wouldn’t meet the second male lead.
【If the female lead doesn’t go to Ningjiang University, will the male lead still go?】
Would a change in one world’s primary subject’s plotline affect another primary subject?
【Yes. As long as a BUG like you doesn’t interfere, the male lead will follow the original world’s main storyline. At most, his destined person will be reselected. As for who that will be, it depends on the Heavenly Dao / Fate.】 The System stated.
Wen Nuan: “…..”
Who are you calling a BUG?
Wen Nuan didn’t attend evening self-study sessions, but seeing that Song Ci hadn’t finished her test paper yet, she didn’t leave early either, waiting nearby for her.
Song Ci was so engrossed in writing that by the time she finished the last major problem, she looked up to find the classroom empty. A glance at her watch showed it was already 8 PM.
She suddenly remembered Wen Nuan didn’t attend evening self-study. Could she have left already?
Song Ci immediately took out her phone to call Wen Nuan. The phone rang from just outside the door, the sound echoing loudly in the empty corridor.
She stood up and ran outside, bumping right into Wen Nuan who was walking in.
“Where are you going?” Wen Nuan looked at the rushed and flustered Song Ci.
“Where did you go?” Song Ci asked quickly.
They both spoke at the same time.
Wen Nuan waved the cigarette in her hand. “Had a smoke by the door. What about you? Where were you going?”
Song Ci sighed in relief. “I thought you’d left.”
“Where would I go?” Wen Nuan asked, puzzled.
“You never attend evening self-study. I thought you’d gone home after school ended.”
Wen Nuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You’re still here. Would I leave by myself?”
She glanced at Song Ci’s desk. “Finished the paper?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Alright then, pack up. Let’s go. I’ll walk you home.” Wen Nuan stubbed out the cigarette and threw it in the trash bin.
“Okay.” Song Ci returned to her seat to pack her things.
Wen Nuan leaned against the front lectern, waiting for Song Ci to finish packing.
Song Ci slung her backpack on and walked over. “I’m ready.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
Taizhou Fu wasn’t far from Third Experimental High School, about a twenty-minute walk.
Wen Nuan walked Song Ci to the entrance of her apartment building and reminded her, “Turn on the lights when you get home. Don’t rely on your good night vision all the time. If you accidentally bump into something, you’ll be the one suffering, understand?”
Song Ci nodded obediently. “Okay.”
“Alright, head on up. Rest early.”
“Will you still come pick me up tomorrow morning?” Song Ci asked.
Wen Nuan nodded. “Yes. Let me know what you want for breakfast, and I’ll buy it for you.”
“Okay.”
Wen Nuan looked down at their still-clasped hands and said tactfully, “You should head up then. Let go?”
“Wen Nuan?”
“Hm?” Wen Nuan responded.
Song Ci pulled Wen Nuan’s hand and placed it on her own chest, nervous and shy. “How about… you don’t leave, okay?”
Wen Nuan: “….”
The author has something to say:
System: 【Oho! The female lead is indeed awesome!】
Wen Nuan: Why does this illness sound familiar?
Main God (sharpening knife.jpg)
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