Rooftop of the School Building
A boy and a girl stood facing each other. The girl looked shy, her captivating peach blossom eyes shimmering with emotion. Meanwhile, the boy wore a serious expression, as if facing a great enemy. He subconsciously prepared to flee at a moment's notice.
'Why did this quiet, unassuming girl suddenly drop her disguise? And why did she call me up to the rooftop so early in the morning? Could it be… she's planning to silence me?!'
'That sinister smile… her hands hidden behind her back… that has to be a weapon!'
As Li Zhu's thoughts spiraled into paranoia, the seemingly harmless girl, Sakurai Yuko, finally spoke up.
"Li Zhu-kun, over the past few weeks, you've been the only person—aside from my parents—who has shown me such kindness and care. Without even realizing it, I think… I think I've fallen for you! Please accept this letter!"
The girl had sleek, shoulder-length black hair, and her delicate features were breathtakingly beautiful. Especially those charming peach blossom eyes, which seemed to hold a mesmerizing ripple of light. Dressed in a red school uniform, her slender and graceful figure stood out, and even the pleated skirt that reached just above her knees couldn't conceal her long, elegant legs. Just standing there quietly, she seemed to make the morning sunlight shine even brighter.
'Huh?! What's going on?!'
Li Zhu's small head was filled with big question marks. Why the sudden confession?!
This stunning girl now stood before him, face flushed with seven parts shyness and three parts nervousness. She bowed deeply at a perfect ninety-degree angle, eyes tightly shut, and with trembling hands, she extended the pink envelope she had been hiding behind her back.
…
Right. This was a romance game, after all. There shouldn't be any sudden appearances of yandere wielding cleavers.
Like hell there wouldn't!
Li Zhu knew all too well that this game was absolute bullshit!
A love letter…?
At least it wasn't a kitchen knife.
He let out a small sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry, Sakurai-san. You're a good person, but I have no interest in romance. The concern I've shown you was merely out of classmate camaraderie. Please don't overthink it."
Despite the wild thoughts running through his mind, Li Zhu kept his response calm and composed.
This Li Zhu, clad in a red blazer over a gray dress shirt and black slacks, had a lean yet upright posture. His face was partially obscured by oversized, thick-framed glasses, while his messy bangs deliberately covered most of his forehead.
Though his glasses and unkempt hair concealed much of his face, they did nothing to make him appear sloppy or greasy. Instead, they added a touch of cold, untamed elegance. If he ever took the time to properly groom himself, he could probably leave countless people stunned.
…But none of that mattered now.
A beautiful girl had just confessed her feelings to him, only to be met with merciless rejection.
Without hesitation, Li Zhu turned and walked away, not even sparing a glance at the heartbroken girl collapsing onto the ground behind him. Tears streamed down her cheeks, soaking the lonely love letter that had fallen to the floor.
One sentence, and he made a girl cry eighteen tears.
…
'Faced with a confession from such a beautiful girl? Of course, I had to reject her immediately!'
'A heroine confessing to a side character like me? Does she want me to die faster?!'
'But… does this mean my storyline as a background character in her route is finally over? Am I free now?'
That thought alone made Li Zhu breathe a little easier.
As he descended the stairs, the weight on his chest finally lifted—if only slightly. His footsteps became noticeably lighter as he headed back to the classroom.
Inside the Classroom
Li Zhu skillfully navigated through the room and took his usual seat—the very last one by the wall and the window.
His seatmate, who had arrived early, greeted him casually.
"Morning, Li-kun. You seem a little cheerful today?"
Li Zhu nodded, responding in a neutral tone, "Good morning, Kazama-kun. Did I really seem happy? Hmm… maybe it's because I finally resolved something that's been bothering me for a long time."
…
Three Months Ago
For reasons beyond his comprehension, Li Zhu had suddenly transmigrated into a dating sim—a game he had been playing on his computer but had never been able to clear.
The worst part?
He hadn't become the protagonist.
No, he was now a minor villainous side character.
And that was a huge problem.
Because Li Zhu vividly remembered that this cursed game was not some wholesome, sugar-coated, family-friendly romance game.
No.
This was a dark, tragic, and cruel game aimed at mature audiences.
The plot was absolute dogshit, filled with absurd melodrama, and the difficulty was insanely high.
At some point, he had even started doubting whether the game had a proper ending.
But that wasn't the biggest issue.
The real problem was that, no matter how the story played out, side characters always died.
In fact, even if the protagonist made a single misstep, he could end up dead, too.
Li Zhu himself had gone through certain storylines and died over ten times before managing to progress. And even then, he eventually got stuck again…
In short:
This game's difficulty was pure hell.
And now, he had transmigrated into it—as a disposable villain.
…
A death flag waiting to happen.
Faced with this massive survival crisis, Li Zhu did everything he could to alter his fate.
Thankfully, he still remembered some of the game's key storylines. He used this information gap to secretly plan ahead, set up countermeasures, and—most importantly—avoid danger.
If he couldn't win, he could at least run away.
After countless efforts, the original plot changed.
He successfully avoided his scripted demise.
This proved one thing—the world didn't forcefully correct itself.
Things could be changed!
He could survive!
And just as Li Zhu was celebrating his small victory…
That quiet, unremarkable girl suddenly confessed to him.
…
The story was already spiraling out of control.
But Li Zhu didn't care.
As long as he was still alive, nothing else mattered.
Who needed a damn harem ending, anyway?
During Chinese class, Li Zhu gazed out the window, his thoughts repeatedly drifting back to this morning's confession.
'Why did she confess to me?'
Sakurai Yuko, the unassuming girl of the class and one of the main heroines, had suddenly dropped her disguise and confessed to him, a mere side character.
Her unexpected move had completely stunned Li Zhu.
Was she trying to get him killed?
Thankfully, the confession had been made in private. If she had done it in front of everyone, who knew how many people would have started eyeing him with hostility?
'Tell me, what exactly do you see in a side character like me? If I steal the protagonist's girl, wouldn't that make him a cuckold? Wouldn't that mean I'd end up as a corpse floating in some school reservoir?!'
Thinking about it now, he was so glad he had rejected her.
The more he thought about it, the more he broke out in a cold sweat.
'I was just one careless step away from dying!'
The Original Storyline
In the original story, the original Li Zhu had been a top student in his first year of high school. As the designated antagonist of Sakurai Yuko's storyline, he was portrayed as a brooding, obsessive stalker.
Upon accidentally discovering Sakurai Yuko's true appearance, he became utterly smitten and started relentlessly pursuing this supposedly plain, yet secretly breathtaking beauty.
But after being repeatedly and coldly rejected, his twisted mind snapped.
As someone who had always excelled in everything, he simply couldn't handle such crushing rejection.
Consumed by his warped emotions, he hatched a plan—a kidnapping attempt involving chloroform.
In the end, however, the heroine's plot armor activated.
The protagonist arrived just in time to save her.
With his crime exposed, the original Li Zhu had jumped off a building, shattering into pieces upon impact.
…
The current Li Zhu had only one thing to say about that:
"Dude, if you don't know how to pursue a girl, fine. But kidnapping and drugging her? Are you out of your damn mind?!"
"Seriously, that kind of psycho deserves to die!"
…Wait.
Wasn't he technically scolding himself?
Either way, it didn't matter.
Now that Sakurai Yuko had dropped her disguise, she really was stunning.
Even more beautiful than the CG artwork he had seen in the game.
No wonder the original Li Zhu had been willing to go to such extremes…
'Wait, what the hell am I thinking?! That's the protagonist's harem member!'
'I need to stay as far away from her as possible!'
About Sakura Academy
Sakura Academy had middle school, high school, and university divisions.
As the most prestigious school in the entire country—known for its elite education and luxurious facilities—it was a place that nurtured the future leaders of society.
At least, that's how the game described it.
In reality?
It was a full-fledged aristocratic school, funded by several of the nation's largest financial conglomerates.
When Li Zhu had played the game, he hadn't given it much thought.
But after personally experiencing it…
All he could say was—money really does buy everything.
The school's extravagance was maxed out.
The campus was vast and magnificent, its architecture grand yet elegant. The entertainment facilities were top-notch, and the students' accommodations and meals were first-class, on par with five-star hotels.
Most students were heirs to noble families who had attended Sakura Academy's middle school division and moved up naturally.
A small number of students, however, had earned their place through academic excellence, passing the national entrance exam to enroll.
For students like Li Zhu—who had gained admission through merit—the school provided generous benefits:
Tuition was fully covered
High scholarships were awarded based on academic performance
Additional financial aid was available
Essentially, the school ensured that even students from financially struggling families could study without worry.
But none of that mattered to Li Zhu.
No matter how amazing the school was—
He had to stay alive to enjoy it.
His Attempt to Drop Out
A month ago, Li Zhu had taken the ultimate survival measure.
He had gone directly to the principal and requested to drop out.
If he could leave this death trap of a school, he'd be free from all danger once and for all.
But the principal had not given him an immediate answer.
Instead, he had asked,
"Li-kun, why do you suddenly want to withdraw? Do you feel uncomfortable here? Or is there another reason? Tell me, and I will do my best to help you."
At that moment, Li Zhu's inner thoughts were screaming—
'If I told you staying here is a life-threatening risk, would you even believe me?!'
Outwardly, he replied with a composed and respectful tone,
"Thank you for your concern, Principal. It's not the school's fault—it's a personal issue. My home is far from here, and I can only visit my mother during long holidays. As you know, I was raised in a single-parent household, and my mother worked extremely hard to support me. I'd like to transfer to a school closer to home so I can visit and take care of her more often."
The principal's eyes softened.
"What a filial child."
Then, after a brief pause, he continued,
"How about this—come see me again in a week. By then, I'll have a solution for you."
"Thank you, Principal."
"No need to thank me. One of our school's core missions is to support our students. Now, go back to class."
One Week Later…
Li Zhu was completely dumbfounded.
'Wait… are rich people allowed to just do whatever they want?!'
The principal's "solution"?
He had relocated Li Zhu's mother to a residential area near the school.
Not only that—
He had also secured her a job, ensuring that everything was completely free and fully taken care of.
"Now, you and your mother can see each other anytime!" the principal had declared cheerfully.
Li Zhu had tried to refuse, but the principal had only smiled and said,
"You should invite your mother over for tea sometime."
…
Somehow, that innocent smile had felt oddly threatening.
'Damn it, I really can't leave this place, can I?'
The game's core story revolved around the students of Sakura Academy.
If a villainous side character like him escaped, how would all the melodramatic events unfold?
Clearly, the plot wouldn't allow it.
Plan B: Survive & Retire
Thankfully, Li Zhu had a backup plan.
As the designated villain in Sakurai Yuko's storyline, all he had to do was:
Treat her nicelyPrevent her from experiencing any mistreatmentWhen the protagonist finally appeared, help them get togetherThen, gracefully fade into the background
With that, his role would be over, and he could safely retire from the story.
He could then enjoy a peaceful and lazy life—far away from this dangerous place.
…At least, that was the theory.
Reality?
Much less cooperative.
Now that he had avoided death, Sakurai Yuko had unexpectedly confessed to him instead.
This had completely caught him off guard.
"The script isn't supposed to go like this! This isn't how the story plays out! I don't get it—I just don't get it at all!"
Sighing deeply, Li Zhu leaned back in his chair, his hands resting behind his head.
He had spent the entire Chinese class lost in thought…
Completely unaware of the teacher's piercing glare.