Teaching the Female Lead to Be Thick-Skinned, Not Shameless

Chapter 1: Feeling Like Anyone Can Take Advantage of You

The consequence of staying up all night reading novels was that one day, after pulling an all-nighter, Long Aotian closed his eyes and then found himself transmigrated into the role of a brainless, malicious male supporting character!

Not just any supporting character, but one whose corpse was found clutching half a moldy fried bread stick.

Readers familiar with urban wish-fulfillment novels would know that only by having the malicious male supporting character constantly stir up trouble could the plot between the male and female leads progress.

After fully assimilating the memories of this world, Long Aotian couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.

Especially when he looked around and saw a group of high school students in uniforms, the bitter smile on his lips gradually turned into pure misery!

"This is way too reckless, isn’t it?"

Before transmigrating, Long Aotian was an orphan from a welfare home. Having been bullied frequently due to his frail physique since childhood, he vowed never to let anyone bully him again, which is why he named himself Long Aotian.

The name had a great meaning—bold, domineering, and powerful.

But at some point, the name Long Aotian suddenly took on a completely different connotation.

Long Aotian would never forget the day he introduced himself to everyone.

The looks they gave him were a mix of shock and bewilderment, as if he had just told them a massive joke.

It wasn’t until a colleague explained it to him that he realized the name Long Aotian had become an internet meme.

It originated from a recently popular novel.

Puzzled, Long Aotian went home after work and searched for the novel his colleague mentioned.

In the novel, Long Aotian was a high school senior, but he was a delinquent student who didn’t care about studying.

Fighting and causing trouble were his daily routine, and arrogance was his defining trait!

That alone was bearable—after all, it was just a novel. Long Aotian continued reading patiently.

But the further he read, the more speechless he became.

He really wanted to point at the author’s nose and ask if they wrote it on purpose or by accident!

It was absolutely ridiculous. What was with the "crooked smile"?

And seriously, could anyone really be that stupid?

As the malicious supporting character, Long Aotian had to constantly stir up trouble to drive the plot forward.

And the so-called "driving the plot forward" meant having the malicious male supporting character, Long Aotian, repeatedly bully and torment the female lead, making her suffer and despair.

Finally, the male lead would appear like a ray of warm sunlight, illuminating the female lead who was trapped in darkness.

At this point in the story, Long Aotian could still tolerate it.

But what came next was downright outrageous!

The malicious male supporting character, Long Aotian, actually fell in love with the female lead while bullying her!

Holy crap, you’d need a decade-long brain injury to come up with such a half-baked plot!

And after seeing the female lead get together with the male lead, Long Aotian, consumed by jealousy, decided to challenge the male lead for the female lead’s affection.

Not only did he recklessly target the male lead, but he also intensified his physical and emotional abuse of the female lead.

To pad the word count, the author even threw in a subplot involving a white moonlight second female lead and a childhood friend third female lead.

Then came the most absurd part: because Long Aotian harbored hatred for the male lead, he vowed to steal all the women who liked the male lead.

So, not only did he torment the female lead, but he also relentlessly harassed the second female lead and tried to seduce and toy with the third female lead.

His methods included threats, bribes, coercion, and even drugging...

But in the end, none of it worked, and he ended up inadvertently paving the way for the male lead.

In short, amidst all the love-hate drama and plot twists, the malicious male supporting character, Long Aotian, who had committed countless evil deeds, met his end clutching half a moldy fried bread stick, dying miserably on the streets.

After staying up all night reading this ending, Long Aotian’s heart was in turmoil.

He couldn’t understand how such an idiotic plot could exist.

So, at the end of the story, he furiously criticized and cursed the author. But when he woke up, he found himself sitting in this classroom!

If he remembered correctly, before the class bell rang, the female lead would transfer into this class as a new student.

Thinking of this, a strong sense of survival instinct made Long Aotian suddenly stand up.

The commotion caused the entire class to turn their attention to him.

There was no time to explain.

The thought of his original fate—dying miserably on the streets while clutching half a moldy fried bread stick—made it impossible for him to sit through this class!

The best option was to drop out and stay as far away from the male and female leads as possible.

When Long Aotian sprinted to the school gate, he found it tightly shut, with a ring of barbed wire surrounding the walls.

After testing the height of the gate, Long Aotian took a running start, only to be tackled to the ground by three or four security guards.

"It’s you again! Can’t climb the wall, so you try to break through the gate? Do you really think we’re invisible?"

"Let me go! I want to drop out! I want to drop out!" Long Aotian struggled.

"Drop out? Hah, more like skip class! If you manage to escape, it’ll be a stain on our professional careers!"

Despite Long Aotian’s physical strength, he was no match for five security guards. Unsurprisingly, he was escorted back to the classroom.

Ding ling ling...

As the class bell rang, Long Aotian stared intently at the classroom door.

One second, two seconds, three seconds... Then, a middle-aged woman walked in from outside.

Her expression and sharp gaze made it clear to Long Aotian that she was the homeroom teacher!

After entering, the homeroom teacher gently tapped the desk.

She drew everyone’s attention and then calmly said, "Our class has a new member today. Let’s give her a warm welcome."

She then waved to the door and said, "Come in, Hu Yuying."

Hearing this name, Long Aotian’s heart sank into complete despair!

But then he froze for a moment before suddenly realizing something.

Wait a minute, he had just transmigrated here. None of the plot points where he bullied and tormented the female lead had happened yet. What was he afraid of?

As long as he didn’t follow the original plot and bully the female lead, he could avoid the fate of clutching half a moldy fried bread stick and dying miserably on the streets!

With this realization, Long Aotian instantly felt relieved!

His mood lifted, and his entire demeanor relaxed.

As the homeroom teacher finished speaking, a slender figure walked through the classroom door.

The girl was thin and wore a faded school uniform. Her youthful face had an unhealthy pallor, and she looked extremely nervous.

Her timid eyes glanced at the classmates below the podium before quickly lowering her head, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.

After taking a deep breath, she bowed slightly and softly said, "Hello, everyone. My name is Hu Yuying. I transferred here from Second High School."

As she spoke, her fair skin flushed with a faint pink due to her nervousness, giving off an irresistibly pitiable vibe.

"Her voice is soft and sweet, and paired with her pure yet shy face that blushes so easily, no wonder she gets bullied."

The moment Long Aotian saw Hu Yuying, he couldn’t help but comment in his mind.

After all, she looked so easy to bully, like anyone could push her around.

Chapter 2: Don't Be Afraid, I Won't Physically or Mentally Abuse You

The homeroom teacher noticed that Hu Yuying seemed a bit nervous and uncomfortable.

Pointing to the seats at the back of the classroom, the teacher said, "Hu Yuying, the seating arrangement is based on rankings. For now, sit there, and after the next test, we’ll rearrange the seats according to your grades."

Hu Yuying obediently nodded to the teacher and then made her way to the back of the classroom.

After sitting down, she began organizing her books and stationery.

She took out her textbook and focused on listening to the teacher explain the key points.

A moment later, Hu Yuying pursed her lips, her small hands unconsciously tightening, and her head lowering further and further...

Long Aotian raised an eyebrow. Was his gaze really that intimidating?

He had only glanced at her a couple of times, and yet she looked like she was about to cry.

Was she really that timid?

Long Aotian couldn’t bring himself to keep staring at her.

Although his reputation wasn’t the best, he swore he had never bullied any girls before the female protagonist transferred to the school.

After some thought, he decided to explain himself.

After all, he wasn’t the same villainous male lead from the original story, and he didn’t want to leave a bad impression on the female protagonist.

"Hu Yuying, don’t be afraid. I’m not a bad person—wait, no, I mean I’m not a bad guy. I’m actually quite kind. I would never harm or hurt anyone, especially girls. You can relax!"

Hu Yuying found Long Aotian’s words a bit strange, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on why.

She simply nodded timidly and softly replied, "Mm."

Seeing her nod, Long Aotian was satisfied. He thought to himself, "Good, it seems the female protagonist’s impression of me is starting to change."

In the original story, the female protagonist wouldn’t even acknowledge the original Long Aotian’s existence.

Now, she was nodding and even responding with a soft "Mm." Long Aotian was more than pleased!

"Then you can keep listening to the lecture. I’ll focus on studying too," Long Aotian said, pretending to flip through his textbook.

Hearing this, Hu Yuying secretly glanced at Long Aotian, afraid he might notice, and quickly looked away.

Her small hand gripping the pen tightened slightly.

After a moment of hesitation, she whispered, "Classmate, this is Chinese class. You’ve got the wrong book."

"Huh?" Long Aotian looked at the math book in his hand. "No wonder it felt off."

He quickly found his Chinese textbook and smiled at Hu Yuying. "Thanks."

"You’re welcome, it’s fine." Perhaps amused by Long Aotian’s slightly foolish mistake, Hu Yuying’s eyes curved into crescent moons, and her tone was no longer as reserved as before.

Long Aotian stared at her for a moment, captivated.

Her eyes were beautiful, bright, as if they held all the beauty and hope in the world.

Her lips curved gently, exuding a serene and innocent charm that made one want to tease her.

Maybe even make her cry, just to see her eyes turn red and her delicate, tearful expression...

Shaking his head, Long Aotian quickly dismissed the thought. It was too dangerous, and he had to stop it immediately!

But Hu Yuying just looked so easy to tease.

Taking a deep breath, he turned his attention back to the textbook.

In his previous life, Long Aotian had grown up in an orphanage, where simply surviving and having enough to eat was a struggle.

To make a living, he had dropped out of high school early and started working odd jobs.

In the end, his lack of education meant he could only do manual labor.

After much hardship, he finally landed a sales job, only to find himself transported into this novel on his very first day at work!

Though he didn’t know why he had been reincarnated into this story, it was clear that he had been given another chance to study.

This time, he was determined to seize the opportunity!

Three minutes later, Hu Yuying, who had been diligently taking notes, frowned slightly as a faint snoring sound reached her ears.

She glanced over and saw that the classmate who had spoken to her earlier was now asleep on his desk.

She looked at Long Aotian, then quickly at the teacher at the front of the classroom, worried that he might get called on.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of class, Hu Yuying felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

After the teacher left, the classroom became noisy.

Hu Yuying, being an introverted girl and new to the school, watched as her classmates chatted and laughed with their friends. She didn’t know how to join in.

She simply sat quietly at her desk.

Meanwhile, the other students were curious about the new transfer student.

Seeing Hu Yuying sitting so quietly, looking sweet and shy, a few outgoing girls approached her.

"Hi, I’m Li Qian. Want to be friends?" one of them said.

Hu Yuying’s eyes lit up with joy, unable to hide her excitement.

A soft smile appeared on her lips, and a faint dimple formed on her left cheek, radiating a natural, youthful charm.

Her gentleness seemed innate.

"You’re so cute. Let’s be friends too!" said a slightly chubby boy with darker skin, staring at Hu Yuying with a silly grin.

Hu Yuying hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded, surprised that she had made so many friends on her first day.

"If you agreed, then you’re my girlfriend now," the boy said with a smirk.

Hu Yuying’s smile froze. She looked up at the boy, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion, giving off an adorably clueless vibe.

It seemed she didn’t quite understand what he meant.

"Wang Shuo, if you keep talking nonsense, I’ll tell the teacher!" Li Qian glared at Wang Shuo, her eyes filled with disgust.

"Whatever. All you know how to do is tattle. Besides, she agreed to be my friend," Wang Shuo retorted, giving Hu Yuying a meaningful look before sauntering off toward the boys’ restroom.

"Don’t pay attention to people like him. If he bothers you again, just tell the teacher," Li Qian said, shooting a glare at Wang Shuo’s retreating figure.

Seeing Hu Yuying’s soft, easy-to-bully demeanor and her apparent naivety, Li Qian added, "Remember, there are two people in this class you shouldn’t mess with. One is Wang Shuo, and the other..."

She paused, pointing to Long Aotian, who was still asleep by the trash can near Hu Yuying’s seat.

"Every class has its troublemakers. Wang Shuo is one, and so is he.

"But he’s worse than Wang Shuo. He actually gets into fights. Wang Shuo has been beaten up by him before."

Hu Yuying followed Li Qian’s gaze to Long Aotian, who was lightly snoring and drooling.

"Got it?"

"Mm, I understand," Hu Yuying replied softly.

Chapter 3: Don't Like It Then Pick One You Do Like

Seeing Hu Yuying agree, Li Qian invited her to go to the restroom together.

For some reason, girls always seem to enjoy going to the restroom in pairs.

On the way, Li Qian also took the opportunity to introduce Hu Yuying to the dynamics of their class.

Truthfully, aside from a few troublemakers, the class atmosphere was quite good.

On their way to the restroom, they happened to run into Wang Shuo, who was returning from the restroom.

"Hu Yuying, we meet again," Wang Shuo said, having previously teased her and noticed her reluctance to retaliate. He knew that a well-behaved girl like her would be easy to bully, and he couldn't resist the urge to continue provoking her.

Facing Wang Shuo's words, Hu Yuying pressed her lips together tightly, pretending not to hear him. She lowered her gaze, avoiding eye contact, and walked past him in silence.

This was just Hu Yuying's nature. Asking her to lash out or curse was something she simply couldn't do.

So, when faced with people or situations she disliked, she always chose silence, treating them as if they were invisible.

High school, at the age of seventeen or eighteen, is a time when saving face is of the utmost importance.

Being outright ignored in front of so many people immediately changed Wang Shuo's expression.

After all, he was one of the more prominent figures in the senior year. Even if a girl were to scold him, others would simply see it as playful banter between him and the girl.

But being completely ignored made him feel like he had lost face.

Returning to the classroom, Wang Shuo walked around the room and, as he passed Hu Yuying's seat, deliberately slowed his pace. With a nonchalant expression, he knocked her pencil case off the desk.

Then, with a careless smile, he returned to his seat.

When Hu Yuying returned to her seat, she found her pencil case on the floor, its contents scattered.

Being a simple-minded person, she assumed that a classmate had accidentally knocked it over without noticing.

She crouched down to pick up the scattered pens and the pencil case.

However, she noticed that one of the pens had rolled under Long Aotian's seat, half of it still crushed under his foot.

Cautiously, she tried to pull the pen out from under Long Aotian's foot.

At that moment, a lazy voice came from above her: "What are you doing?"

Startled, Hu Yuying looked up at Long Aotian. When her eyes met his drowsy, inquisitive gaze, she instinctively lowered her head.

In her mind, Li Qian's words echoed: "This guy really does hit people."

Did she wake him up? Would he hit her?

Flustered, she explained, "My pen fell on the floor. I didn't mean to wake you."

Hearing this, Long Aotian looked down at his foot.

Sure enough, he was stepping on a pen. He subconsciously lifted his foot.

Seizing the opportunity, Hu Yuying quickly picked up the pen and hurriedly returned to her seat.

Watching her actions, Long Aotian frowned slightly. After waking up from his nap, it felt like Hu Yuying was even more afraid of him than before.

After some thought, Long Aotian rummaged through his own pencil case, pulled out a barely used pen, and placed it on Hu Yuying's desk.

Back at her seat, Hu Yuying quietly let out a sigh of relief.

But the next second, she noticed Long Aotian reaching out toward her.

Her mind flooded with thoughts: "Don't provoke him. He's even more dangerous than Wang Shuo. He really does hit people."

Nervously clenching her hands, she instinctively closed her eyes and shrunk her neck.

The expected pain never came. Peeking through a narrow slit in her eyes, she saw a brand-new pen on her desk.

She glanced at Long Aotian.

He was resting his cheek on one hand, staring out the window, yawning widely.

Perhaps her gaze was too obvious, because Long Aotian turned his head and met her eyes.

"What's wrong? Don't like that pen? Then pick one you like," Long Aotian said, opening his pencil case.

Seeing his gesture, Hu Yuying was momentarily confused, then quickly waved her hands. "No, no, the pen isn't broken. It still works. You don't need to replace it."

With that, she returned the pen Long Aotian had placed on her desk.

Long Aotian didn't insist.

The class bell rang.

Hu Yuying composed herself and focused on the lesson.

For Hu Yuying, nothing was more important at this stage than studying.

Meanwhile, Long Aotian lazily sprawled across his desk, his eyes wandering toward the podium, looking utterly distracted and on the verge of falling asleep.

It wasn't his fault. He had stayed up all night reading a novel and had just fallen asleep when he found himself transported to this world.

Having not slept all night, it was only natural that he felt sluggish.

Plus, this was a math class, which felt like a lullaby to him...

By the end of the class, Hu Yuying had diligently noted down all the problem-solving methods the teacher had explained.

Every school's teachers have different teaching styles.

The math teacher at Second High School, where Hu Yuying had previously studied, had a completely different approach to solving problems compared to her current math teacher.

Mathematics is all about finding different paths to the same solution. Having an additional method to solve problems was nothing but beneficial for Hu Yuying.

Glancing at the pen in her hand, she inadvertently looked toward Long Aotian, who was sitting by the aisle: "He really can sleep."

"Hu Yuying, earlier outside, why didn't you answer me when I spoke to you?" Wang Shuo approached Hu Yuying's seat, looking at the sweet, soft-spoken girl.

Hu Yuying remained silent, simply preparing the books she needed for the next class.

Seeing her organizing her things and refusing to speak to him, Wang Shuo felt a surge of defiance.

The more someone refuses to talk to you, the more you want them to.

Especially after seeing Hu Yuying happily chatting and laughing with other classmates, it felt like she was treating him differently.

Feeling betrayed, Wang Shuo pretended to accidentally knock her pencil case off the desk again.

This time, he stepped on it and said, "Oops, my bad!"

With a smug smile, he returned to his seat.

The other students saw what happened but chose not to intervene.

Senior year is a critical time, and Wang Shuo, a troublemaker who didn't care about studying, had no intention of going to college.

Anyone who stood up to him risked becoming a target of his resentment, which could disrupt their own studies.

Even though it was obvious to everyone that Wang Shuo was deliberately bullying the new student, no one wanted to provoke a troublemaker during this race against time.

Hu Yuying looked at the shoe print on her pencil case, lowered her eyes, and picked it up.

Opening it, she found that all the pen casings inside had been crushed.

Seeing the shattered casings, Hu Yuying carefully picked out the fragments.

On her first day at a new school, encountering something like this would upset anyone.

As she removed the broken casings, a sense of grievance welled up inside her, and her eyes gradually reddened...

Chapter 4: When the avalanche occurs, no single snowflake is innocent

In sleep, Long Aotian was disturbed by the muted sounds of suppressed sobs.

With hazy eyes still heavy from slumber, he saw Hu Yuying attempting to put together scattered pieces of a broken pen shell, hoping to keep using it.

Seeing her distress, Long Aotian pulled out several pens from his pouch and placed them before Hu Yuying, “Don't cry, use mine.”

"Thank you."

As Hu Yuying spotted the pens on her desk, she inhaled deeply, trying her best to hide the traces of her tears. But her slightly reddened eyes and trembling shoulders betrayed her.

Hesitant at first, Long Aotian asked: “What's wrong?”

Nothing,” replied Hu Yuying as she bit her lip and shook her head lightly.

Tears are streaming, yet she insists it's nothing. Do I look stupid?, thought Long Aotian.

He looked around the classroom and finally landed on Wang Shuo. A smirk on Wang Shuo's face as he stared at Hu Yuying left no doubt about what had transpired.

It was clear to him now.

In the original plotline that he was aware of, it was him, Long Aotian, who led the ridicule and bullying of Hu Yuying.

However, since he had traveled to this world and deviated from the original plot, someone else was now bullying Hu Yuying.

"Did I bother you?" Hu Yuying asked in a small voice after she collected herself.

"No, I was just waking up."

"Do you need this? You were sleeping the entire class time. You can check it if you want," Hu Yuying offered, even while using Long Aotian's pen. She didn't want to owe anybody anything.

Therefore, she offered her carefully compiled study notes to Long Aotian.

Considering his current academic level, getting into a university was a dream. A costly lesson learned: he didn't want to suffer from a lack of education ever again.

In the original story, Hu Yuying was a top student, maintaining excellent grades even under relentless bullying.

Her notebook, filled with key knowledge points, would certainly be a great help for Long Aotian.

Taking the notebook, Long Aotian paused, then said, "You know, if you're being bullied, you should tell the teacher.”

"It's useless," Hu Yuying said softly while lowering her gaze.

Her words stunned Long Aotian.

When reading the novel, he only skimmed over Hu Yuying's earlier experience.

He didn't know about her past before her transfer.

According to the original plot, Hu Yuying didn't dare to report when she was bullied by Long Aotian. It was likely related to her previous experience.

Long Aotian remained silent for a moment.

When reading the novel, it was only a means of entertainment.

But when he arrived in this so-called novel world, it became a different emotional experience altogether.

The people here, they are real.

They feel pain when hurt, they cry when they're sad, they laugh when they're happy, and they regret when they make mistakes...

Everyone here is struggling for their own lives.

If he hadn't traveled here with memories of the past, this world is as real as it can get.

As the author breezed over the plot, for Hu Yuying, it was her reality; she had suffered through it all.

The process had been painful and bitter, shaping Hu Yuying's resilient character as it stands today.

She sighed quietly.

Flipping through her notebook, she had marked each knowledge point with her own analysis.

It's like cooking a meal and bringing it to Long Aotian's mouth, all he needs to do is open his mouth, and he can eat it directly.

The break between classes ended.

When Long Aotian returned to the classroom, he saw Wang Shuo standing in front of Hu Yuying's desk, maliciously pushing her pencil case and books from the tabletop to the ground with his finger.

Long Aotian frowned and went back to his seat. Bullying starts small and escalates from there. Right now, Wang Shuo is targeting Hu Yuying's books, but if she continues to be too scared to resist, the bullying will inevitably become more personal.

Watching as Wang Shuo deliberately stepped on the pencil he himself had given Hu Yuying, crushing it underfoot, an image of Hu Yuying’s teary eyes looking at him, trying to force a smile and pretend that everything was okay, surfaced in Long Aotian's mind.

He couldn't help but think back to the time when he was at the orphanage, being bullied by the other children.

But he and Hu Yuying were different. He knew how to resist, and slowly, no one dared to bully him anymore.

Taking a deep breath, he was a youth of the new era, and bullying was happening right before his eyes.

Was he really going to just stand there and watch as Hu Yuying experiences the humiliation and bullying once again, as per the original script, and eventually walks down the road of despair?

There is no innocent snowflake in an avalanche.

How could he bear to watch Hu Yuying walk step by step into the abyss of despair and pain in front of him?

No matter what, he could not let this go on.

Time to change the script!

"Is this the third time?" Long Aotian knocked on the desk with his knuckles.

Upon hearing Long Aotian's words, Wang Shuo turned around and scowled at him, "This is none of your business, is it?"

In his past life!

Long Aotian dropped out of school and started working at a young age. After years of hardships, being tricked, fighting for his wages...

Even if he's now back to being eighteen, having shed the hardened shell formed by society, the sophistication in his eyes is something these school-going kids cannot match.

"What if I make it my business?" Long Aotian got up from his seat. His 6'1'' frame, broad shoulders, narrow waist, when standing up, immediately radiated an aura of manly authority and strength.

Faced with a Long Aotian who was significantly taller, Wang Shuo couldn't help but take a step back.

They had argued over a slight disagreement before.

In school, the worst it got was threatening each other with the people they knew, challenging them to a physical confrontation at the school gate.

But Long Aotian didn't play that way. He went straight for a punch, not bothering to save face just because they were all delinquents.

Having been beaten before, he knew how hard Long Aotian punched.

Wang Shuo's eyes flickered, completely beaten down by Long Aotian's imposing aura.

"Long, Long Aotian, the teacher said, if you hit someone again, you'll get a serious infraction."

Seeing the fear etched on Wang Shuo's face, a touch of a smile emerged on the corner of Long Aotian's mouth.

Bullies can also be afraid of being bullied, huh.

"Do you think I care?"

He pounded the table sharply after he finished speaking.

The noise startled Wang Shuo, causing him to back up another two steps while trembling with fear. Simultaneously, it attracted all the gazes inside the classroom.

"School is a place for studying, not for bullying. If any of you bullies have the guts to try to bully anyone, come to bully me first!"

Even though what he said was right, for some reason, when this sentence came out of Long Aotian's mouth, everyone felt it was kind of strange.

Outside the classroom door, Hu Yuying was staring blankly at Long Aotian who had spoken these words.

Sunlight was scattering on him, as if he was sparkling. An involuntary trace of blush spread in her eyes, she hurriedly looked down, leaning against the wall outside the classroom, trying to look composed and shifting her gaze elsewhere...

Chapter 5: Did I Scare You

"Thank you," Hu Yuying whispered softly as she returned to her seat, glancing at Long Aotian.

Her voice was as faint as a feather gently falling to the ground. If it weren’t for the aisle separating her from Long Aotian, he might not have heard her at all.

Long Aotian turned to look at her.

Facing his gaze, Hu Yuying nervously clenched her small hands, her eyes darting away, unable to meet his.

With a face that seemed easy to bully and a personality so gentle, speaking in such a soft tone—who wouldn’t take advantage of her?

"Have you ever thought about changing?" Long Aotian suddenly spoke up.

In situations like this, Long Aotian could rely on his reputation as someone no one dared to mess with to stand up for Hu Yuying.

But outside this classroom, in the real world, or even in college, if Hu Yuying remained the same, wouldn’t she just be bullied in a different place?

Hu Yuying lowered her eyes slightly. Of course, she had thought about changing. She had tried to change, to fight back, but in the end, it only led to even worse bullying.

She had also tried reporting it to her teachers, but all she got in return was, "It takes two to tango. Why do they bully you and not others? Sometimes you need to look at yourself for the reason."

Over time, Hu Yuying began to doubt herself.

Were they bullying her because she really wasn’t good enough? Was it truly her fault?

No one had ever stood up for her before, as if she was born to be bullied.

So when faced with the first person who spoke up for her, Hu Yuying didn’t know how to respond.

Seeing Hu Yuying lower her head again, Long Aotian frowned and said sternly, "Lift your head up!"

Hearing his words, Hu Yuying obediently raised her head, though her eyes still avoided his gaze.

Perhaps because Long Aotian’s gaze was too intense, Hu Yuying felt her cheeks begin to burn.

Instinctively, she wanted to lower her head again.

"Don’t move," Long Aotian said again.

When speaking to someone, people naturally look at them. Hu Yuying was no exception. She looked up at Long Aotian, her lips parting slightly. Their eyes met briefly, and she clenched her hands lightly. "Wh-what do you want?"

Seeing Hu Yuying’s flushed face but not lowering her head, Long Aotian nodded in satisfaction. "Good. You should be more confident. At eighteen, you should be like a flower, blooming boldly and freely."

"Look at you, speaking so softly, always lowering your head..."

At this point, Long Aotian’s expression turned displeased. "Look, you’re about to lower your head again. You’re not an ostrich—no, even ostriches don’t lower their heads as much as you do."

Hu Yuying lacked confidence and was too used to being bullied, always submitting to whatever came her way.

Whenever something happened, she immediately lost her confidence.

People like her, even when faced with injustice, wouldn’t dare to speak up and would silently endure the bullying.

"I... I understand," Hu Yuying said softly.

"Understanding isn’t enough. You need to act bravely."

Hearing this, Hu Yuying lowered her eyes and gave a faint "Mm."

Although she didn’t lower her head again, the weak "Mm" said it all.

Long Aotian sighed inwardly.

After being bullied for so long, he couldn’t expect Hu Yuying to change overnight.

It would take time.

The plot had already been altered by him.

Based on the current situation, no one in this classroom would dare to bully Hu Yuying anymore.

But if Hu Yuying’s submissive nature didn’t change, once she left this classroom, those who wanted to bully her would still do so.

Since he had already changed the course of events, he might as well take the opportunity to guide Hu Yuying, helping her regain her confidence and face injustice and setbacks bravely.

At the very least, she should be able to stand up against bullying in the future.

It wasn’t her fault—it was the fault of those who enjoyed tormenting the weak!

Thinking this, Long Aotian asked, "Have you ever wondered why Wang Shuo dares to bully you and not others?"

Hu Yuying glanced at Long Aotian cautiously, her lips lightly pursed. "Did I do something to upset him?"

"Nonsense!"

Hu Yuying trembled slightly. Long Aotian’s gaze was terrifying.

Long Aotian was speechless. What had this girl been through in the past? Why did she always blame herself first whenever something happened?

Was it her fault for looking soft and easy to bully?

Of course not!

"Who’s in the wrong when Wang Shuo bullies you?"

Hu Yuying peeked at Long Aotian. Though she didn’t dare to meet his eyes directly, she couldn’t help but steal a glance. Then, she tentatively whispered, "Is it Wang Shuo’s fault?"

Long Aotian almost laughed in frustration.

Seeing his exasperated expression, Hu Yuying’s eyes dimmed. So it was still her fault after all?

In a low voice, tinged with a hint of grievance, she corrected herself, "It’s my fault."

"Yes, it is your fault!"

"You should have grabbed his hair, looked at him with disdain, and told him in a venomous tone, 'You’ve messed with the wrong person. I’m not someone you can push around!'"

"Huh?" Hu Yuying was stunned, staring blankly at Long Aotian.

Although Long Aotian’s words were crude, they didn’t make her feel uncomfortable or repulsed.

"What do you mean, 'huh'? People always pick on the weak. You’re just too easy to push around. No matter who’s right or wrong, everyone wants to take a jab at you!"

"Try being fierce with me," Long Aotian said.

Hu Yuying nodded, took a deep breath, clenched her teeth, and with eyes that looked like they were holding back a world of grievances, she muttered with little conviction, "I’m not wrong!"

After saying this, she cautiously looked up at Long Aotian and asked in an almost inaudible, slightly embarrassed voice, "Did I scare you?"

"Scare me? No, but you did excite me!"

If he didn’t know she was trying to act tough, he might have thought she was deliberately teasing him, trying to win him over!

Long Aotian sighed softly. "You’re starting from scratch. From now on, stick with me. I refuse to believe I can’t change you from being a pushover!"

Hearing this, Hu Yuying lowered her eyes and remained silent.

Long Aotian looked at her, puzzled. "What, don’t you want to change this submissive nature of yours?"

"No, that’s not it," Hu Yuying suddenly looked up, her eyes glistening with tears.

This time, Hu Yuying’s gaze didn’t waver as she looked at Long Aotian.

But this look made Long Aotian uneasy. Why was she crying after just a few words?

He quickly glanced around, hoping no one would think he was bullying her!

Hu Yuying took a deep breath, her voice filled with suppressed emotion. "I really want to change."

No one wanted to change more than she did.

She didn’t want to be a pushover anymore.

Everyone always assumed that "it takes two to tango," and even when she was the one being bullied, they told her to look for the reason within herself.

But only Long Aotian had asked her if she wanted to change.

Yes, she wanted to—more than anything...

Chapter 6: The 99th Confession

Class 1, Grade 12.

"No way, I just reached the peak of my life..."

A young man with delicate features suddenly woke up from his seat.

Gasping for breath, he was momentarily stunned by the surrounding noise.

"This... this is the classroom?"

His mind felt chaotic at the moment.

Until a concerned voice reached his ears: "Brother Chen, are you okay?"

"Are you too excited about preparing for the 99th confession today?"

Hearing the phrase "99th confession," Ye Liangchen's body stiffened, and he immediately turned to look at the speaker.

A chubby face, small eyes...

"Gao Quan? Gao Quan, you're still alive? That's great, that's great!" Seeing Gao Quan, Ye Liangchen vigorously pinched his chubby cheeks.

"This time, I'll protect you well, and I won't let anything happen to you again!"

"Brother Chen, did you have a dream and go crazy? Haven't I always been alive and well?" Gao Quan, seeing Ye Liangchen so excited, didn't know what to say.

"You don't understand, but it's okay, everything is on me."

Ye Liangchen said solemnly.

In Gao Quan's eyes, he might have just taken a nap.

But that wasn't the case; in fact, he had traveled back in time.

In his dream (let's call it his previous life),

In the dream, he was already 28 years old, and everything happening now had already been experienced once in the dream.

In the dream, Gao Quan died at 25, beaten to death by Long Aotian and his men while trying to save him.

And he spent three years bankrupting Long Aotian, making him die like trash on the street, holding a half-rotten fried dough stick, miserable and alone.

In the end, he could only marry three stunning beauties in loneliness, inherit Long Aotian's corporation, become the CEO, and reach the peak of his life!

However, on the wedding day, seeing the three stunning brides, he got too excited, leading to insufficient blood supply, causing cardiac arrest...

"Brother Chen, hurry, stop spacing out, Li Qingxue is back, it's your turn."

Hearing Gao Quan's reminder.

Ye Liangchen instinctively looked towards the classroom door.

His expression became somewhat dazed.

The girl had just returned from outside, her fair cheeks bearing a faint smile. Even in her school uniform, her graceful figure was hard to conceal. As she chatted and laughed with those around her, every movement, every smile, was beautiful and elegant.

She just stood there, constantly drawing everyone's attention.

"Wow, the power of a first love is truly strong..." Gao Quan teased, seeing Ye Liangchen's mesmerized expression.

Snapping back to reality!

Glancing at the pink love letter on the desk.

Ye Liangchen took a deep breath, picked up the love letter, and walked step by step towards Li Qingxue.

Everyone, seeing Ye Liangchen holding the love letter and walking towards Li Qingxue, couldn't help but jeer and tease.

After all, Ye Liangchen's crush on Li Qingxue was no secret in the class.

And Ye Liangchen himself had said that since transferring schools in the fourth grade, he and Li Qingxue had been in the same class, then middle school, high school, as if fate had destined them to be together.

The phrase Ye Liangchen said the most was, "I hope we can be together in university too."

And including this time, he had confessed to Li Qingxue a total of 99 times!

Now, seeing Ye Liangchen holding the love letter, everyone thought he was going to confess for the 99th time.

Seeing Ye Liangchen approaching with the love letter, Li Qingxue looked embarrassed and was about to speak!

Ye Liangchen suddenly said, "You were once my treasure, held carefully in my hands, cherished in my mouth, the first love that occupied my entire youth."

"But I've figured it out, feelings can't be forced, let's just be friends. I've caused you a lot of trouble before, but not anymore."

Saying this, Ye Liangchen tilted his head at a 45-degree angle, revealing a relieved smile.

"I hope you find happiness and meet someone better."

Then, he tore the love letter in half and threw it into the trash.

Everyone was shocked.

Even Li Qingxue couldn't help but frown slightly, not understanding the meaning behind Ye Liangchen's actions.

"Damn, Brother Chen, are you crazy? You've been chasing Li Qingxue since middle school, it's been six years now, how can you just give up like that?"

To Gao Quan's words, Ye Liangchen curled his lips, glancing at Li Qingxue out of the corner of his eye.

Seeing Li Qingxue stunned, staring blankly at the trash can.

The curve of his lips deepened.

No one knew, only he, having experienced it once, knew that this confession would not succeed.

Because Li Qingxue had always only seen him as a friend.

Only by giving up would she realize that she had already fallen in love with him without noticing.

In the dream, it was like this.

After deciding not to chase Li Qingxue anymore, she started to feel uneasy, then kept recalling his kindness.

Finally, she regretted it and wanted to reconcile with him.

But in the dream, having been rejected by Li Qingxue 99 times, his heart was hurt.

He chose not to forgive her.

Li Qingxue regretted deeply, determined to pursue him, experiencing everything he had done for her.

Many things happened during that time.

The turning point in the dream was when Li Qingxue was forced by Long Aotian, and he happened to encounter it. After all, she was his first love from his youth, and he couldn't bear to see her being forced by another man.

He chose to save Li Qingxue from Long Aotian's clutches.

From then on, the two finally reconciled, and Li Qingxue opened her heart to him, confessing her deep feelings...

Since he already knew this confession would end in rejection.

Ye Liangchen chose to preserve some dignity.

Publicly tearing up the love letter, he actively cut ties with her.

This way, in others' eyes, he wasn't such a desperate, pitiful figure.

Now, all he had to do was wait for Li Qingxue to regret and come find him.

Then he would reject her, because forgiving her too easily would make her take him for granted again.

He had more important things to do now.

That was to save his treasure girl.

Thinking of how Long Aotian would bully and torment his treasure girl, Ye Liangchen couldn't help but get angry!

Just as he was about to confront Long Aotian head-on, for some reason, Ye Liangchen suddenly gave up on the idea.

And deeply furrowed his brows.

In the dream, after being rejected by Li Qingxue, it took about half a month to meet the treasure girl.

At that time, she was bullied by Long Aotian to the brink of despair, almost broken!

One rejected by his first love, one bullied and tormented, two wounded souls easily resonated.

The treasure girl in the dream often said she was grateful to him, for being like a ray of sunshine in her darkest moments, dispelling the endless darkness and saving her from the abyss!

So Ye Liangchen hesitated, if he went now, would he still be her light? Would he still be the salvation of her life?

After a moment of internal struggle, Ye Liangchen decided to follow the path of his previous life, but he could care for her in advance, leaving a strong impression!

Chapter 7: Brief Suffering is for a Better Encounter in the Future

"Brother Chen, where are you going? Class is about to start."

Seeing Ye Liangchen get up to leave the classroom, Gao Quan quickly asked. Today, Brother Chen seemed completely off.

Especially after waking up from his nap, it was as if he had become a different person.

In the past, Brother Chen would never have spoken to Li Qingxue like this.

Yet, the undeniable truth was that he not only said it but also tore up the love letter without a shred of mercy and threw it into the trash right in front of Li Qingxue.

Ye Liangchen felt a warmth in his heart. He had always considered Gao Quan his closest brother.

With a smile, he replied, "I'm fine. I’m just going to the bathroom before class starts."

After saying this, he walked straight past Li Qingxue’s seat without even a pause in his steps.

Watching Ye Liangchen leave, Li Qingxue furrowed her brows slightly, sensing that something about him had changed drastically today.

At that moment, her deskmate whispered, "Are you okay, Qingxue?"

"I don’t understand what Ye Liangchen is doing!"

Just a while ago, Ye Liangchen had asked them to help him with his confession, but now it had turned out like this.

Li Qingxue shook her head gently. "I’m fine," she said, then looked away.

Ye Liangchen left Class 1 and headed toward Class 7, where Long Aotian and Hu Yuying were.

As he reached the door of Class 7, Ye Liangchen’s pupils constricted, and his heart trembled violently!

From a distance, he saw Long Aotian standing in front of Hu Yuying. The classroom was noisy, so he couldn’t hear what was being said, but he noticed Hu Yuying suddenly lower her head.

In his dreams, whenever Hu Yuying lowered her head and her eyes, it usually meant she was about to cry.

He knew her too well.

Clenching his fists tightly, his eyes narrowed with resentment. "Long Aotian, you’ve already signed your death warrant. I’ll prepare a lot of moldy fried dough sticks for you. Just you wait!"

After uttering these harsh words, his gaze softened in an instant, looking at Hu Yuying with deep affection. "Don’t be afraid. Just wait a little longer. Soon, I’ll appear in your world like a ray of light."

"I will be your salvation, the son of the sun who leads you out of the darkness."

"All the pain Long Aotian has caused you, I will spend my life healing."

After saying this, Ye Liangchen gritted his teeth and looked away.

He was afraid that if he kept watching, he wouldn’t be able to hold back his tears.

All this suffering was for the sake of their eventual reunion. He had to endure it.

Only when Hu Yuying was at her most broken, her most desperate, would his appearance hold the most meaning.

Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the surging emotions in his heart and headed to the restroom.

......

"I want to, I really want to," Hu Yuying said, her eyes red but her voice surprisingly firm.

"I want to change. I don’t want to be bullied anymore."

Long Aotian sighed inwardly as he looked at the determined Hu Yuying. If she hadn’t been pushed to her limits, this shy and gentle girl would never have been so resolute.

"Good!"

Long Aotian said solemnly, "From today on, you’re my little follower."

"I’ll set some basic training for you. If you want to become stronger, you’ll have to give it your all!"

Teaching someone how to fish is better than giving them a fish. Only by changing herself could Hu Yuying truly avoid being bullied in the future.

"Thank you," Hu Yuying said, her lips pressed together tightly as she expressed her gratitude sincerely.

He seemed different from the person Li Qian had described.

Even though they had just met today, he had taken the initiative to talk to her, lent her a pen, helped her stand up to Wang Shuo, and now he even wanted her to be his little follower.

She was truly grateful to Long Aotian.

"No need for thanks. If you see me down on my luck in the future, helping me out would be the best thanks," Long Aotian said slowly.

If the plot had truly changed, then his original ending would no longer exist.

But what if it hadn’t?

Being nice to the female lead now might at least leave him a way out if things went wrong.

After all, in the original novel, Hu Yuying had eventually become a rising star in the business world, founding her own company and establishing an anti-bullying foundation.

She had made significant contributions to the world.

Someone as kind and gentle as her didn’t deserve such a life.

Hearing this, Hu Yuying lowered her eyes humbly.

It also strengthened her resolve to study hard, make money in the future, and help Long Aotian when he needed it.

"Now, I’m going to give you today’s task."

Hearing this, Hu Yuying immediately straightened up.

"Go find Wang Shuo and make him apologize to you, as well as compensate you for the stationery he ruined."

"Huh?" The courage Hu Yuying had mustered instantly dissipated.

She glanced furtively at Wang Shuo.

Wang Shuo was 1.72 meters tall and weighed over 180 pounds.

To Hu Yuying, his build was like a small mountain.

Before even approaching him, she already felt scared and timid.

"What, are you afraid?" Long Aotian raised an eyebrow. What he needed to do now was help Hu Yuying slowly overcome her fears.

Hu Yuying didn’t answer, but like before, she instinctively lowered her head.

Timidity and cowardice seemed to have become second nature to her. Lowering her head and avoiding eye contact gave her a sense of security.

But these were just excuses to escape reality.

The best way to overcome fear was to face it head-on.

Thinking this, Long Aotian stood up and grabbed Hu Yuying by the back of her collar.

"Brother Long..."

"Shut up!"

"You’ll get to speak later!"

As he said this, Long Aotian dragged Hu Yuying toward Wang Shuo’s seat.

This scene happened to be seen by Ye Liangchen, who had just come out of the restroom.

Watching the tall and robust Long Aotian drag Hu Yuying like a little chick, his heart ached terribly.

Gritting his teeth, he quickened his pace and left the door of Class 7.

He didn’t have the courage to see how Long Aotian would bully Hu Yuying.

Once he was out of Class 7’s vicinity, he leaned weakly against the wall.

Taking a deep breath, his expression was one of deep sorrow. "Just endure it a little longer. Only when you’ve fallen into the abyss will my appearance be your salvation."

"Then, I’ll rush into your world like a hero, bathed in golden light, to love and heal you."

Gao Quan, who had been worried about Ye Liangchen, came out and saw this scene.

So, Brother Chen wasn’t being carefree; he was desperately hiding his pain.

(Since middle school, he had liked Li Qingxue and pursued her.) Giving up someone he had liked for six years was like cutting out a piece of his heart.

Walking over, Gao Quan gently patted Ye Liangchen’s shoulder. "Brother Chen, are you okay?"

Ye Liangchen looked up, forcing a smile to mask his inner sorrow. "I’m fine. Let’s go back. Class is about to start!"

He glanced back at Class 7.

In his heart, he whispered, "This temporary suffering is just for a better reunion in the future. Yuying, hold on. Everything he’s done to you, I’ll make him pay back a thousandfold..."

Chapter 8: Thank You for Taking Me as Your Follower

Hu Yuying had no means to resist Long Aotian, or rather, she didn’t dare to resist at all. She was effortlessly brought before Wang Shuo’s seat.

Seeing Long Aotian leading Hu Yuying over, Wang Shuo looked somewhat uneasy and turned his gaze toward Long Aotian.

“Speak,” Long Aotian signaled Hu Yuying to go ahead.

The commotion had already drawn the attention of the entire class, who instinctively looked over.

Feeling the weight of everyone’s stares, Hu Yuying grew increasingly nervous. She clenched her fingers tightly, her lips trembling slightly.

After a few breaths, Hu Yuying finally mustered her courage and looked at Wang Shuo. “You need to apologize to me.”

Hearing this, Wang Shuo first glanced at Hu Yuying.

When Wang Shuo glared at her, Hu Yuying instinctively stepped back, her body trembling uncontrollably. She didn’t even notice the marks her nails were leaving on her palms.

“Y-you need to apologize to me,” Hu Yuying repeated, her voice trembling slightly, though she tried to maintain a calm exterior.

But Wang Shuo remained silent, and the surroundings seemed to fall into an eerie quiet. Hu Yuying could clearly hear her own heartbeat, her face growing paler by the second. Her eyes flickered to the side.

Seeing Long Aotian’s figure, she felt a momentary sense of calm.

Wang Shuo first looked at Hu Yuying, then turned his gaze to Long Aotian.

Noticing Wang Shuo’s glance, Long Aotian tilted his head slightly and suddenly smiled, his tone lazy but laced with arrogance. “Didn’t you hear her? Should I repeat it for you?”

Though he appeared carefree and nonchalant, his gaze was sharp—no, more accurately, his aura was overwhelming.

Wang Shuo swallowed dryly.

This is how people are. When they encounter someone weaker, they feel they can bully them and act arrogantly. But when faced with someone stronger, even if they’re still resentful inside, their attitude inevitably softens.

Looking at Hu Yuying, Wang Shuo felt that if he didn’t apologize, Long Aotian would definitely beat him up.

It was clear that Long Aotian was now protecting Hu Yuying!

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have thrown your things on the ground,” Wang Shuo apologized.

Hearing Wang Shuo’s apology, Hu Yuying’s tense heart instantly relaxed.

She couldn’t quite describe the feeling—it was as if her entire being had suddenly become lighter. It wasn’t just physical relief but more of a psychological one.

Upon hearing the apology, Hu Yuying instinctively wanted to say, “It’s okay!”

But before she could speak, her shoulder was nudged twice.

She looked at Long Aotian, who raised an eyebrow and gave her a meaningful look.

Hu Yuying immediately understood. She took a deep breath and, though still lacking confidence, said, “Y-you also need to replace the stationery you ruined.”

Wang Shuo pursed his lips, unwilling but with no choice. He nodded because he couldn’t beat Long Aotian, and because facing Long Aotian gave him the illusion of confronting those tough guys from the streets.

He had no doubt that Long Aotian actually knew people from that world. “Fine,” he said.

He immediately pulled out a handful of pens from his pencil case.

As a professional slacker, these pens were just for show in his case, so they were still quite new.

Hu Yuying only took five pens, as that was how many of hers had been ruined.

She returned the rest, not taking more than what was owed.

This marked a new beginning. Long Aotian turned and left, and Hu Yuying quickly followed.

Back at her seat, Hu Yuying looked at the pens in her hand and couldn’t help but smile.

She wasn’t happy because she had gotten five pens. She was happy because of the apology and the entire process of being compensated for her damaged belongings.

In the past, if she was bullied, she was just bullied. If her pens were ruined, they were just ruined.

No one would apologize to her, and no one would replace the things they had damaged.

It was as if damaging her things and bullying her were just natural.

But today was different. Not only did she receive an apology, but she also got compensation for her damaged items.

This was something she wouldn’t have dared to dream of before!

“Thank you, Long Aotian,” Hu Yuying said. She had already thanked him countless times that morning, but she still wanted to say it again.

It seemed like all she could do was thank him.

“Why thank me? You were the one who found the courage to stand up for yourself. Damaging your things should naturally be compensated for,” Long Aotian glanced at Hu Yuying and continued slowly, “If you don’t have the guts, nothing will change.”

What Hu Yuying lacked most was encouragement and affirmation from others. A casual word of encouragement like this could gradually help her regain her confidence.

Hu Yuying wasn’t foolish. She knew that without Long Aotian standing behind her today, she wouldn’t have had the courage.

By noon, Long Aotian glanced at Hu Yuying, who was still writing notes. “Let’s go eat.”

Hu Yuying hesitated for a moment and whispered, “I-I’m not really hungry yet.”

“Who asked if you were hungry? You’re my follower now.”

“Follower, understand? That means wherever I go, you follow.”

“Let’s go!”

“O-okay,” Hu Yuying stood up, first tidying her things, then glancing at Long Aotian’s messy desk.

She quickly organized it as well before following Long Aotian out of the classroom.

Walking behind Long Aotian, she noticed how tall he was—at least compared to someone like her.

Watching his back, Hu Yuying carefully avoided stepping on his shadow, afraid to tread on it.

“Classmate, wait a moment.”

Long Aotian kept walking because, according to the original novel’s description of the villainous supporting character Long Aotian, he didn’t think anyone would call out to him.

“Wait, classmate.” Two figures jogged up to Long Aotian.

It was two girls, slightly out of breath, with apologetic expressions. “Sorry, classmate. We’re doing a campus promotion. Could we trouble you for a moment?”

Long Aotian looked at one of the girls, his lips twitching slightly.

She was delicate, beautiful, and elegant—very pretty. Seeing her, Long Aotian couldn’t help but recall the original novel’s description of the female lead, the “white moonlight.”

Before Long Aotian could react, the girl had already pointed the microphone at him. “Classmate, what improvements do you think the campus cafeteria needs?”

Due to their height difference, even though the girl tried her best to hold the microphone up, it still fell short.

Long Aotian frowned slightly and subtly bent down a little. “I haven’t eaten there yet, so I don’t know what needs improving.”

After speaking, he straightened up. “We’re heading to the cafeteria now. Sorry.”

Then he led Hu Yuying toward the cafeteria.

Li Qingxue had interviewed many people, but no one had responded like him before.

And that gesture of bending down—it was quite gentlemanly...