Chapter 48. Puppy Love? The Played-For-A-Fool Kind (1)
“Little sister, heading home? Come hang out with us for a bit.”
Shen Wan’s current identity was that of a freshman in high school, and it was now time to go home after classes. Where there are schools, there are delinquents. These troublemakers’ favorite pastime was to make themselves look unsavory, dress sloppily, and loiter around school gates, alleys, and street stalls to bully well-behaved students.
They engaged in extortion and all manner of evil deeds.
Of course, teasing schoolgirls was also their entertainment. They generally wouldn’t bother groups of girls, but rather targeted those who appeared fair-skinned and docile—perfect victims for their bullying.
At the moment, Shen Wan was their chosen target for amusement. Most of the time, they wouldn’t actually do anything severe; they just enjoyed making girls cry, finding it entertaining. Perhaps their weak sense of social existence and failures in life led them to seek validation by intimidating young girls.
As Shen Wan pondered this, several delinquents in “tattered” clothes approached her. They surrounded her small, frail figure, her face already pale and seemingly helpless. She had stayed late at school for cleaning duty and had just left the building. By now, there were few people around the school, and even if there were, they wouldn’t intervene in others’ business.
“Little sister, why are you heading home so late?”
These delinquents stood with crooked postures, smoking cigarettes and blowing smoke rings in Shen Wan’s face while fidgeting their legs. One of them had his arms covered in faded tattoos. The blue dragon that once might have looked fierce now appeared almost cute, having grown plump along with its owner.
Shen Wan glanced at them pitifully. “I need to go home.”
“Hang out with us for a bit first. We’ll take you home later. Big brother has a ride,” said a buzz-cut delinquent with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. His lips were crooked, likely from habitual smoking. He pointed to a nearby spot. “Big brother’s got wheels, don’t worry.”
Shen Wan looked where he was pointing and saw a dilapidated electric scooter. She muttered, “An electric scooter? That’s so uncomfortable. I’d rather take the bus.”
The buzz-cut delinquent’s smile gradually froze. What was with this blatantly disdainful tone?
“What’s wrong with an electric scooter? Are you looking down on it?”
Shen Wan replied innocently, “I’m just being honest. Electric scooters are really uncomfortable. Buses and subways are much better. Brother, do you have any other vehicles? Like a BMW, Audi, or Bentley? If so, I might hang out with you guys. But for an electric scooter, forget it. It’s really uncomfortable and not cool at all. When it goes fast, I always feel like I’m going to fall off.”
These delinquents were only used to bullying small students. They wouldn’t dare do anything that could land them in jail. Teasing schoolgirls was just for fun. They enjoyed seeing little girls cry and run home to their mothers.
They had made many girls cry before, and today they had found another fair-skinned, seemingly docile target. With nothing better to do, they thought to amuse themselves.
Unexpectedly, this girl immediately expressed disdain for their electric scooter and asked if they had a BMW, Audi, or Bentley!
If they had such cars, would they be loitering around schools teasing girls? They’d be picking up women at high-end establishments instead.
They had zero interest in this scrawny, unfashionably dressed girl who hadn’t even gone through puberty.
Moreover, her words were particularly unpleasant. Dreaming of riding in a BMW or Audi—she should go back to sleep.
“Sister, how can you be so shallow and vain at such a young age?” The buzz-cut delinquent took a drag on his cigarette and blew out a melancholic smoke ring. “Riding an electric scooter actually brings a different kind of joy.”
Shen Wan looked at him expectantly and said, “What’s joyful about being exposed to sun and rain? It’s uncomfortable, and you might get caught and fined by traffic police. I really don’t see what’s enjoyable about riding an electric scooter.”
Buzz-cut: “It just is very enjoyable. You’re young, you wouldn’t understand.”
“Brother, if you had a chance to choose again, would you rather drive a BMW, Audi, or Bentley to cruise around with girls, or ride an electric scooter with a girl and enjoy the thrill of being chased by traffic police?”
The group of delinquents fell silent.
The surrounding air grew still.
It was too cutting. Young girls these days really didn’t know how to speak properly.
Not cute at all.
“Brother, are we still playing? If you have a BMW, Audi, or Bentley, I’ll hang out with you.”
The buzz-cut’s face darkened. He laughed coldly, “So young, yet so materialistic and vain. Brother has no interest in tasteless girls like you.”
“Brother, if you’re poor, just say so. Lying isn’t good. If you want to pick me up, hmph, come back tomorrow with a decent car.”
With that, Shen Wan pushed past them and walked towards the bus stop, muttering, “At least a bus is somewhat luxurious. I ride in luxury to school every day, much more comfortable than an electric scooter. I’d have to be brain-damaged to ride an electric scooter.”
The delinquents thought: Could she be any more blunt? Don’t they have any face to save?
As Shen Wan waited for the bus, several handsome boys emerged from nearby. Their shocked expressions revealed how impacted they had been by what they just witnessed.
“Wasn’t she supposed to be pure and unaffected?” Luo Junxin’s face was full of disbelief. “But the reality seems different. This girl is actually quite vain.”
Su Rong, leaning against the wall, pushed up his glasses and lowered his head thoughtfully. “Based on my analysis, when faced with these seemingly scary delinquents, she should have panicked and cried loudly. Her behavior was very abnormal. However, we haven’t interacted with her much yet. Perhaps she was just pretending earlier to escape the delinquents’ harassment. But her expression was also quite calm and composed. I’m conflicted and unsure what kind of girl she really is now.”
“In any case, it’s somewhat interesting, even if different from what we expected,” said Chai Mu, a boy exuding an unapproachable aura. “I think we can continue. Perhaps she’ll bring us a different kind of amusement? Vain girls and innocents are no longer interesting. Her two-faced nature—acting one way in front of people and another behind their backs—still piques my interest somewhat.”
Luo Junxin caught on and said with a smile, “Indeed. Let’s make a bet on who can win her over first. Since she likes Audis, BMWs, and Bentleys, we’ll drive these three cars to school from now on and see how she chooses. After she chooses, we’ll tell her it was just a joke. I wonder if she’ll cry.”
“That would certainly be very interesting.” Su Rong’s lips curled into an intrigued smile as he adjusted his glasses. “It’s getting late. Let’s go home.”
These three boys were the top heartthrobs of the high school. Luo Junxin was sunny and handsome, attracting countless female students. Su Rong was known as the cool, intelligent scholar, also very popular. As for Chai Mu, he was the legendary cold and aloof heartthrob, the most sought-after of all.
“188, do you think those three will still be interested in me?”
[188: “Wan Wan, I eavesdropped on their conversation earlier. They’re even more interested in you now. Wan Wan, your clever act backfired.”]
“Is that so?” A pure, innocent smile appeared on Shen Wan’s fair face. “It doesn’t matter. They’ll soon understand that I’m just a vain girl with nothing but money on my mind. By then, they’ll be very disappointed. Their pranks won’t work on me.”
Choosing one of these scumbags to be sweet on? Impossible.
The male lead of this world was Chai Mu, one of the three. It all started because the three of them had grown bored with everything else and couldn’t find anything interesting to do. By chance, they discovered a very special creature in school.
This little creature was the pitiful original host, a small white flower.
Her family was very poor, and she could only attend this school thanks to her excellent grades. The school waived all her fees, and as long as she maintained her position in the top three of her year, she could receive a large scholarship. She cherished this opportunity, so she studied hard every day, never allowing herself to be distracted by anything.
She was well aware of how out of place she was in this school.
Her father had died early, leaving her mother to raise her alone. Her mother had no special skills, just an ordinary woman, but the two lived a positive, upward-looking life, believing that as long as they worked hard, things would get better.
Such a special student naturally attracted attention. Similarly, a little country bumpkin, a weakling, was destined to be isolated and bullied at school. Even if not openly bullied, there was plenty of behind-the-scenes isolation.
After the mid-term exams in the first semester of her freshman year, her fate took a turn. Her existence caught the attention of three bored young men. They hatched an interesting game plan in a bar: they would all pursue Shen Wan simultaneously to see who she would choose in the end. Once she made her choice, they would find an excuse to say it was all a joke. After all, she was so poor, she should be happy with just a bit of money.
On this same day, the original host encountered the delinquents and was indeed terrified, hugging herself as tears fell uncontrollably. At the critical moment, these three handsome youths appeared like saviors, rescuing her from her earthly suffering.
From that day on, the four became almost inseparable.
Three handsome school heartthrobs simultaneously pursuing a poor country bumpkin, even if she was somewhat pretty, displeased countless female students. The original host, who had been isolated and ignored before, now became the target of deliberate attacks after becoming involved with the three.
But with the three protecting her, they quickly retaliated, and many people no longer dared to bully her. However, each of the three had a devoted admirer whose family background was no less impressive than theirs, so they weren’t afraid of them. Of course, with the three protecting her, she didn’t suffer much bullying.
Many things happened in between, leading the original host to choose Chai Mu in the end. At this point, Chai Mu didn’t want to break up directly, suddenly feeling that maintaining such a relationship wasn’t bad. He found the original host interesting and hadn’t grown tired of her yet.
The other two felt the same, but not having been chosen by the original host, they unconsciously grew jealous. Inadvertently, they exposed this news, breaking the original host’s heart and causing her to leave Chai Mu. Chai Mu was a cold person who wouldn’t allow her to leave. But with the other two in the picture, they wouldn’t let him be with her smoothly either.
The four became entangled, with the original host like a small duckweed, drifting with the current, unable to control her own fate. Did she like Chai Mu? Of course she did. But Chai Mu had hurt her, and she couldn’t get over it. The other two’s entanglement caused Chai Mu to misunderstand her every time, until finally, his jealousy turned to hatred, and he forcibly took her in a classroom. He even took photos to blackmail her, and from then on, she became his possession.
Later, many more things happened, and the three young men became mortal enemies, all stemming from conflicts over the original host. The original host was not only forcibly taken by Chai Mu but also by the other two, completely changing her life. In the end, battered and bruised, Chai Mu won—she was pregnant with his child. Perhaps because the other two were more vicious, Chai Mu repented too quickly and kept trying to make amends. Finally, with a heart full of scars, she chose Chai Mu.
The two reconciled and lived happily ever after.
Then, the readers of this book exploded with anger.
Three rapists, and not one was punished. The other two were only defeated in business by Chai Mu. The female lead even ended up with one of the rapists. This was too morally bankrupt; they couldn’t accept it.
So, Shen Wan, as a task taker, came to this world.
“Sigh, the Super-Strength Pills are really expensive. Fortunately, I bought the low-grade version this time. As long as I can protect myself, it’s fine. Using high-grade goods in this world could easily lead to fatalities. Even if it’s a world of paper characters, we still need to follow the rules, right?”
[188: “Wan Wan, indeed, we can’t cause fatalities. If they try to do something to you and you accidentally maim them while resisting, you might end up in prison. To borrow a phrase, after all, you’d be unharmed, just nearly raped, while they’d lose their manhoods or be injured. So you’d have to bear criminal responsibility.”]
Shen Wan’s expression twisted. “How troublesome.”
“I don’t want to work hard anymore. I want to find a powerful backer with a deep background,” Shen Wan said with a lifeless expression. “Preferably a very cute young lady to keep me. I’ll be obedient.”
188: Not even pretending to pretend anymore?
188 wanted to say more but suddenly felt Shen Wan’s attention drawn away by something. Following her gaze, he saw a exquisitely beautiful girl walking out of the school gates. Her face was so pretty, like a Barbie doll, that it was impossible to look away.
“188, what do you think of her?”
[188: “Wan Wan, the gap between you is too big. She’s the daughter of a financial tycoon. She won’t be interested in you.”]
“Love knows no age or status. Perhaps I’m the destined one she’s been searching for through thousands of lifetimes?” Shen Wan’s gaze remained fixed on the girl.
188 wondered why his host was always so certain about beautiful girls. He had figured out a pattern: any woman who caught his host’s eye would inevitably end up spending their life together. No matter how the woman had treated the original host before, once his host took over, love would quickly blossom.
He suspected… what secret did his host have? It was really driving him crazy.
“You, why are you staring at me?”
While Shen Wan was staring blankly, the girl didn’t board the bus but instead walked up to Shen Wan, looking her in the eye.
Yes, they were both petite and looked particularly cute.
Shen Wan thought this body of hers was quite pretty. With this height, if she dressed up a bit, she’d definitely be a cute girl.
But compared to the one in front of her, she admitted defeat.
No competition.
A pink outfit from head to toe—cute hair accessories, cute face, cute shoes, cute dress, cute necklace, and an extremely cute backpack. Every inch of her exuded an adorable aura.
“You’re so cute,” Shen Wan blurted out.
Ji Meng raised an eyebrow. “Hello, are you waiting for the bus alone? By the way, why were you staring at me? Is there something wrong with my outfit?”