NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2:
Chapter 2: Three Soul-Piercing Questions:
“Yang Lu, didn’t you hear what I said? Take your junk and get out of here! I don’t like you! Don’t ever show your face around me again!”
Sitting across the room, Lin Xiaohan, the CEO of Brilliant Group, finally lost her patience and glared at Yang Lu with disdain.
She looked at the gifts Yang Lu had brought with a look of utter disgust. To be honest, she found this guy incredibly annoying, clinging to her like a leech. She had told him countless times that she would never like him, but he just wouldn’t listen…
Lin Xiaohan expected Yang Lu, as usual, to start stammering apologies, pick up his gifts with a downcast expression, and leave. She knew this pathetic man too well.
But, to her surprise, this time Yang Lu responded with a cold tone.
“And what if I don’t take them away?”
After speaking, Yang Lu took a good look at the novel’s first female lead, Lin Xiaohan. She was the CEO of Brilliant Group and one of the main protagonist’s designated love interests.
She truly lived up to the role of the lead female lead—her features were flawless, her long hair flowing gracefully, and her presence had an indescribable allure. She was dressed in a professional suit that added to her cold, elegant beauty, more impressive than any top-tier celebrity on TV.
For years, he had been her loyal dog, even rejecting his parents’ requests for him to date other women.
And what did he get in return? Only Lin Xiaohan’s contempt and disgust. Yet he’d always willingly accepted his role as a spare tire, and looking back, the current Yang Lu was at a loss for words.
Despite her cold, aloof exterior, she acted as if talking to any man was a rare favor.
But whenever she was around the protagonist, her brain shut down, and she’d smile brightly no matter how much he teased her. He’d nearly gone for a kitchen knife when he first read this part.
Honestly, with his current strength, it would be easy to slap Lin Xiaohan.
The problem was, this would undoubtedly provoke the Soldier King. He practically treated Lin Xiaohan as his personal possession.
Yang Lu currently had only 200 villain points, while the protagonist points were close to 10,000. The gap was massive.
Yang Lu’s cold reply caught Lin Xiaohan and her secretary off guard.
Was he sick today?
This was a stark contrast to his usual groveling.
Lin Xiaohan quickly stood up and sneered, “If you won’t take them, then I don’t want to see this trash.”
With that, she threw his gifts to the floor. To her, anything he gave was garbage.
Did he really think that by giving a few meaningless gifts and hanging around her, she would like him? Was he out of his mind?
“I will never like you! Never!” she declared, her voice filled with disdain.
The secretary beside her shot Yang Lu a pitying look. The CEO might’ve gone a bit overboard, but she had given him more than enough chances. He had only himself to blame.
Pathetic people often have themselves to blame.
As expected, the secretary thought, he’d soon pick up his gifts, mumble apologies, and leave.
Did this guy actually think he could win over their beautiful CEO? What a joke.
But what happened next left the secretary in utter shock. She even forgot to breathe, too stunned to react.
Smack!
Yang Lu walked up to Lin Xiaohan, and without hesitation, slapped her across the face.
Yes, he slapped the CEO. How could he possibly dare?
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Mission completed. Slapped the female lead, earned 500 villain points, and three lottery chances. Note: Points vary based on the setting and number of onlookers.]
As soon as Yang Lu finished, the system chimed in his mind.
Earning 500 villain points and three draws made him quite pleased. But he was more intrigued by the system’s note about points being influenced by the surroundings.
This meant that slapping the female lead in public versus slapping her with only one witness made a difference. He’d have to remember that next time.
The more public the setting, the better. He was already feeling a thrill, like playing with fire.
Initially, he had been hesitant, mainly because the soldier king was a force to be reckoned with. But since Lin Xiaohan practically offered her cheek, he might as well oblige her.
He had to admit, her cheek was surprisingly smooth, and his hand slipped off effortlessly. The sensation was oddly satisfying.
Lin Xiaohan took a few seconds to process the slap. She hadn’t expected Yang Lu to actually dare to hit her.
Her eyes reddened, and tears threatened to run down as she covered her cheek, now bearing a distinct red handprint. She glared at Yang Lu, furious.
“You… you dare… hit me?”
She spat the words out, one by one, struggling to contain her shock. No one had ever treated her this way.
The secretary finally snapped out of her daze and rushed toward Yang Lu, but his fierce glare stopped her in her tracks.
What on earth? This guy was terrifying! Could this be the same simp from before?
Seeing Lin Xiaohan’s face, Yang Lu felt a wave of satisfaction and spoke coldly.
“What, can’t I hit you? Today, I’m going to make you understand!”
“Lin Xiaohan, you act all noble and elegant, but ask yourself, what did I ever do wrong? All I did was like you, yet you throw the gifts I gave you on the ground. Where’s your conscience?”
“You say you despise vulgar people, yet you happily accept it when someone call you their ‘first wife.’”
“Lastly, you never should’ve thrown that gift away. You can’t just insult it like that!”
“I don’t need to waste my time explaining things to someone like you. Goodbye—or rather, never again!”
Yang Lu turned and left, his heart soaring like he’d just had the best tea in the world.
Lin Xiaohan always pretended to be pure and innocent, yet she was the opposite.
Take her bodyguard, Zhao Ritian, for example. He often flirted with her, calling her his ‘first wife.’ She pretended to be annoyed, but she secretly loved it.
What a hypocritical woman! That slap was long overdue!
Not to mention, the gift he’d brought her was probably the most valuable thing she’d ever received, and she just threw it on the ground.
Who did she think she was?
The old Yang Lu must have been out of his mind to like someone like this!
With that, Yang Lu walked away, leaving Lin Xiaohan and her secretary utterly dumbfounded.