At that moment, Fan Tong and Qin Shousheng entered the classroom.
Like Fan Jian, both wore hats to conceal their faces, their heads lowered as if trying to shrink into themselves.
Seizing the opportunity, Wang Haoran pressed further. "Stop hiding. Take off your hats."
Reluctantly, the two complied.
In an instant, two swollen, disfigured faces came into view.
Fan Tong and Qin Shousheng's features were barely recognizable—bruised, swollen, and covered with abrasions, as if they had been beaten mercilessly.
The sight was shocking.
Xu Muyan gasped, instinctively looking away, unable to bear it.
Wang Haoran feigned surprise as he addressed the surrounding students. "How could this happen?! This was way too ruthless!"
"In my opinion, both sides are at fault here. I think Chu Bai should apologize to Fan Jian and the others and cover their medical expenses. What do you all think?"
"I can agree."
"No problem."
"I agree."
Since their boss had spoken up for them, Fan Jian, Fan Tong, and Qin Shousheng naturally followed suit.
Xu Muyan, hoping to resolve the matter quickly, nodded in agreement. "That would be for the best."
But would the Protagonist really apologize to the Villain so easily?
Of course not!
Could he still be called the Protagonist if he apologized?
Sure enough, Chu Bai scoffed and dismissed the idea without a second thought.
"Bah! Apologize? What a joke. Not happening!"
"Chu Bai, just apologize," Xu Muyan urged.
"It was obviously their fault. Why should I be the one to apologize? This is ridiculous!"
Like most protagonists, Chu Bai was stubborn and unwilling to listen to reason.
Even if Xu Muyan herself tried to persuade him, it would be useless.
[Ding! The Host has successfully disrupted the relationship between Protagonist Chu Bai and one of the heroines, Xu Muyan, altering the original plot. Reward: 200 Villain Points.]
[Ding! Xu Muyan's favorability toward Chu Bai has decreased by -10. Current favorability: 0 (Stranger level).]
[Ding! Chu Bai's Protagonist Halo has weakened by -20, while the Host's Villain Halo has strengthened by +20.]
That worked perfectly.
Hearing the system's three consecutive notifications, Wang Haoran couldn't help but grin to himself.
Under Wang Haoran's influence, the relationship between Chu Bai and Xu Muyan had completely reverted to that of strangers.
Meanwhile, his own favorability with Xu Muyan had risen to 10.
Compared to the Protagonist, he now held a clear advantage.
However, Wang Haoran knew better than to let his guard down. With Chu Bai's Protagonist Halo, he could easily regain Xu Muyan's favor if given the chance.
A mere 20-point reduction in Chu Bai's Protagonist Halo wasn't nearly enough.
Wang Haoran opened his attribute panel to check the latest updates.
[Host: Wang Haoran]
Strength: 189
Charm: 198
Villain Halo: 119
Villain Points: 400
[Skills:]
Driving: Proficient
Education (Academy Level): Advanced
Hand-to-Hand Combat (Elite Level): High
Finance Management: Beginner
Wang Haoran's Villain Halo had risen from 99 to 119, a significant increase.
So far, he had accumulated a total of 500 Villain Points, but after spending 100 points to analyze Chu Bai's attributes, he was left with 400.
Still, it wasn't enough to unlock the System Shop.
He needed to keep pushing forward.
After seeing Chu Bai's refusal to apologize, Xu Muyan sighed and returned to her seat, choosing to ignore him.
Meanwhile, Wang Haoran also went back to his seat, casually discussing something with his underlings.
×××[ Scene change]×××
In the classroom, Wang Haoran called his three underlings over to a corner for a private discussion
"Boss, we were really careless yesterday. I knew he could fight, but I didn't expect him to be that strong. Damn it!"
"Boss, after school today, I'll call some of our guys. We'll definitely beat Chu Bai and turn his face into a pig's!"
Fan Tong and Qin Shousheng spoke bitterly, still seething from their defeat.
"Shut up!" Wang Haoran snapped.
If he let them go through with their plan, he might as well be digging his own grave. Direct confrontation with Chu Bai would only make things worse.
Why?
Because that was exactly how the original plot was written by the stone-hearted author.
If he followed the expected routine, he'd meet a terrible end.
Fan Jian, slightly more perceptive than the other two, quickly spoke up. "Boss already told me—without his permission, we're not allowed to touch Chu Bai. So don't bring it up again."
"Huh? Is that true?" Fan Tong asked, confused.
Wang Haoran smirked. "Of course it is."
Qin Shousheng's eyes lit up. "Oh! So Boss already has a plan to deal with Chu Bai!" He grinned, only to wince in pain as his swollen face reminded him of his injuries.
Wang Haoran leaned back lazily. "That depends on you."
The three immediately straightened up. "Boss, just give the order!"
Wang Haoran's expression remained calm. "Go and inform the teacher that Chu Bai beat you up."
"Yes, Boss, we'll—wait... what?!"
Fan Jian, ready to charge ahead, suddenly froze mid-sentence, his face filled with shock.
"???"
Fan Tong and Qin Shousheng were equally dumbfounded.
Wang Haoran held three distinct identities at school—the top student, the most handsome boy, and the feared school bully.
Under his protection, Fan Jian, Fan Tong, and Qin Shousheng strutted around the school with arrogance, enjoying the status that came with being his underlings.
But now, after being beaten so badly, they were faced with an unthinkable dilemma.
Go to the teacher and complain?
That was spineless.
Wouldn't that ruin their reputation?
As a school bully, the only acceptable way to handle conflicts was through fists and brute force. That was the rule they had always lived by.
Running to a teacher? That would be humiliating!
Did Boss Wang Haoran not care about his image at all?
The three were utterly dumbfounded.
"What's the matter? Why are you all staring at me like that?" Wang Haoran asked, glancing at his three bewildered underlings.
"A serious fight broke out between students. Naturally, it must be reported to the teacher so they can handle it properly. That's the best course of action."
He looked at them with a righteous expression. "Did you really think I'd just send people to deal with him?"
"I, your Boss, am the son of a wealthy family, raised with an excellent education and a strong moral compass. Since childhood, I've been a model student, a paragon of virtue and learning. As one of the top ten students in the school, how could I stray from the righteous path?"
Fan Jian, Fan Tong, and Qin Shousheng exchanged glances.
They couldn't refute a single word.
It made sense!
And so, the three little underlings, each with a swollen face and bruised nose, reluctantly walked into the Moral Education Office to file a complaint.
The next moment, the classroom door swung open, and the rhythmic click-clack of high heels echoed through the room.
A stunning beauty stepped inside, She has long, flowing red hair that cascades down her back, framing her beautiful yet serious face. Her stylish glasses rest on her nose, adding an air of intelligence and authority.
Her name was Song Zhenyu—24 years old, the school's English teacher.
Despite her youth, she had already built a reputation as a strict and hot-tempered educator. She was highly competent, and when it came to discipline, her punishments were anything but light.
After realizing that four students were missing from her class, Song Zhenyu's expression darkened with annoyance.
It was their third year of high school, a critical time with limited preparation before exams. Skipping her morning class was simply unacceptable.
The students in the class could almost see flames flickering above their beautiful teacher's head.
Yet, despite her irritation, Song Zhenyu remained as breathtaking as ever.
A beautiful woman is always a beautiful woman—even her anger was captivating.
Watching her, Wang Haoran couldn't help but sigh inwardly. But just as he was lost in thought, an idea flashed through his mind.
"Teacher Song... she must be one of the heroines, right?"
The Protagonist had X-Ray Vision and was a student—and if one followed the usual tropes, a gorgeous teacher being a female lead wasn't just possible—it was practically standard.
Wang Haoran considered using the system to analyze her, just to confirm his suspicion.
But spending 100 hard-earned Villain Points for that alone? It didn't seem worth it.
After a moment of thought, he decided to let it go.
He currently had 400 Villain Points, and he needed 100 more to unlock the System Shop. There was no rush—he could afford to be patient.
At the front of the class, Song Zhenyu's sharp gaze swept across the room.
"Does anyone know why Chu Bai, Fan Jian, Fan Tong, and Qin Shousheng didn't come to class?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of annoyance.
As the teacher, Song Zhenyu immediately noticed the empty desks and identified the missing students at a glance.
Before she could ask further, Wang Haoran stood up and reported,
"Teacher Song, Chu Bai beat Fan Jian, Fan Tong, and Qin Shousheng violently. He injured them so badly that their faces were disfigured. The Deputy Director of the Moral Education Department called them away."
"What?! They fought?"
Hearing this, Song Zhenyu's anger flared—her voice rising sharply, echoing throughout the classroom.
She took a deep breath and gave a swift order:
"Everyone, start your individual study. Wang Haoran, you're in charge of the class."
Without wasting a second, she turned on her heel and rushed out.
Her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she hurried down the hallway, making her way to the Moral Education Department in record time.
To continue...