Lin Mu felt so despicable.
He actually deliberately played the victim to gain the sympathy of the Angel-classmate.
However, it seemed this trick was very effective.
Even though she didn't seem to want to talk to him all morning, didn't she still come over to ask him questions at noon?
And she even cared about whether he ate well.
She probably didn't even realize that she had already started treating him as a special person.
In front of other classmates, Shiina always maintained that polite smile and approachable demeanor.
She skillfully handled conversations with her classmates, maintaining her "Angel" persona.
Only when facing Lin Mu would she drop that "good girl" mask and show a more authentic, slightly temperamental side of herself.
Because of this, Lin Mu felt even more strongly that taking her down at the beginning was the absolutely correct approach.
If he didn't do this, how could he become a special presence in Student Shiina's heart?
...
In the afternoon, there was a test.
Kato Megumi handed him the test paper, then turned around and began to answer.
Lin Mu also began to write furiously.
This was a math test; he couldn't say for sure about his past self, but with his awakened memories, these problems were incredibly simple.
Let's put it this way: any college student from China could thrive in a Japanese high school.
After all, math problems are truly simple, and the pace is slow.
Of course.
The prerequisite is that you seriously completed high school math, and your math wasn't taught by a physical education teacher.
Can you imagine?
In the morning English class, the teacher only taught a few grammar rules, had the students memorize a few words, and then let them freely communicate in English?
The curriculum was incredibly free and easy.
However, some people still found it difficult.
For those who are naturally bad at studying, they can only accept their fate if they can't learn.
After the math test, students started discussing the problems and checking their answers.
Then, Tobe Sho next to him let out a wail.
"I'm done for, I chose the wrong one, ahhh..."
Lin Mu didn't check answers with others; instead, he pulled out the laptop he bought with his part-time earnings from his briefcase.
He started playing online games.
He checked and found that someone named "Kayaba Akihiko" was developing a virtual reality game recently.
The game was still in the development stage and hadn't invited anyone to participate in testing yet.
He was currently playing an adventure-themed game, mainly teaming up with teammates to fight monsters and farm equipment.
However, Lin Mu's mouth twitched when he saw the priest who healed half of the monster's health, directly screwing over his teammate.
Then he looked at the female mage's name, "Tamaki Ako"?
Really?
Was it the one he was thinking of?
The heroine from the anime "Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta?"?
Tamaki Ako, the super serious otaku beauty who mistakes games for reality, causing her to confuse game knowledge with real-world knowledge?
Then he looked at his own game character's name.
It was Lin Tianzhen.
Well, why that name? Perhaps to commemorate his naive self during his chuunibyou phase.
Now he had graduated from chuunibyou and transformed from a human into a demon.
Seeing his 'wife' Ako still sending messages in the game, asking him to continue the dungeon, Lin Mu felt a subtle emotion.
He ignored "Wife Ako's" desperate pleas and logged off directly.
Playing games was supposed to be relaxing.
But Ako, you're going too far!
Just when they were about to finish off the boss, you just had to heal the boss's HP back, screwing over your teammates.
Lin Mu immediately lost interest in continuing to play.
And what was the game designer thinking?
Why could players also heal monsters?
It made him want to create a new character as a 'toxic healer' to screw over random teammates.
After the last class ended.
Students greeted each other and left school.
Some went to participate in club activities.
For example, Hayama Hayato, he was on the school's soccer team, so he naturally had to go to practice.
Lin Mu quietly followed behind Shiina Mahiru, who also didn't participate in club activities, maintaining a not too far, not too close distance.
They took the train together.
After all, they lived next door to each other, and their way home was the same.
This time seemed to be rush hour.
A large group of office workers squeezed in, causing the air to become murky.
Lin Mu frowned and quickly pulled Shiina Mahiru, then pressed her against the wall, shielding her with his body to create a relatively open space for her.
Shiina Mahiru blushed, secretly glanced at him, and lowered her head to whisper.
"Thank you."
She wasn't stupid; she naturally knew he did this to prevent others from taking advantage of her.
Lin Mu nodded lightly in response.
However, it was getting more and more crowded.
Even though the train was full, the conductor with white gloves outside kept pushing people in.
Lin Mu was a bit speechless.
With their assistance, Lin Mu and Shiina Mahiru were pressed intimately together.
The girl's face was flushed, her small hands pressed against his chest, her breathing a little rapid.
"I'm sorry, Student Shiina, this is beyond our control."
"It's okay... I know."
Shiina Mahiru replied softly, but breathing his scent at such close proximity, her body felt a little weak.
The images of that night, and being cherished by him in the morning, resurfaced in her mind, making the girl even more embarrassed.
She didn't blame him for being so close to her; after all, rather than letting strangers touch her, she preferred him holding her.
Today was just too unlucky; the train was never this crowded before.
Lin Mu saw Shiina Mahiru's slightly flushed face, obediently nestled in his arms, and his heart couldn't help but tremble.
The girl's small, palm-sized face, fair and tender skin, paired with those delicate and cute cherry-colored lips, were right before his eyes at close range.
He only needed to lower his head to kiss her.
To taste that sweetness and softness.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Mu controlled his naughty thoughts and firmly blocked the others behind him.
He would never give anyone the chance to touch her.
After a while, they arrived at a station.
The crowded train finally became less packed, and only then did Lin Mu reluctantly release her slender waist, maintaining a relatively safe distance from her.
He couldn't help it; if he continued to hold her, his little brother would protest.
Shiina Mahiru held her briefcase, her head down, somewhat afraid to meet his eyes.
She hadn't spoken to him all day, only asking him one question at noon.
He also seemed very calm, and she even thought he was angry with her.
However, when faced with the situation just now, his first reaction was to pull her and protect her.
This touched the still sad and fragile Shiina Mahiru.
Lin Mu watched her lower her head to thank him, her face showing a conflicted expression, and after glancing around to make sure no one from their class was present, he couldn't help but reach out and gently pat her head.
"Don't mention it, protecting you is what I should do."
Shiina Mahiru felt the warmth on her head, her eyes slightly moist, and she turned around, facing away from him.
After a while, she turned back solemnly, looking at him with her sparkling golden eyes.
"It's not what you should do... I will repay you."
Lin Mu smiled slightly, "Alright, I'll look forward to the Angel-classmate's repayment."
Hearing him use the nickname her classmates gave her, Shiina Mahiru felt incredibly embarrassed.
She pouted, glared at him exasperatedly, and protested, "Don't call me [Angel]! I hate it."
"Uh... you're so popular, praised and admired with such a beautiful title, isn't that good?"
Lin Mu feigned confusion, but in reality, he was subtly trying to open her heart.
To draw them closer.
The "Angel" persona was just Shiina Mahiru's facade for outsiders, but with truly close people, she would show a more individualistic side.
The perfect angel beauty in everyone's eyes was, in essence, just a girl longing to be treated gently.
As an "Angel," Shiina Mahiru provided pleasant emotional value to those around her, making people feel a refreshing atmosphere as soon as they saw her and talked to her.
But constantly providing pleasant emotions to others, Shiina Mahiru must also get tired, right?
For example, Hayama Hayato, that guy has a personality that is gentle to everyone.
Although it was deliberately cultivated, a facade, she occasionally felt tired of dealing with everything around her.
Her angelic smile was for everyone, but that little bit of her own personality was unique to Lin Mu.
She would only show it in front of Lin Mu.
Lin Mu hoped she would continue to be a little more willful in front of him.
Venting some of her emotions would also make her feel more comfortable.
"…"
Facing his question, Shiina Mahiru was silent for a few seconds, then turned her head and said unhappily, "Anyway… I just don't want to be called that by you… I'm not an angel either."
Lin Mu shrugged and said accommodatingly, "Then I'll just call you Student Shiina."
"Whatever, just don't call me angel."
Shiina Mahiru nodded slightly, glanced at him, then quickly looked away.
She didn't know how to interact with Lin Mu.
She had endless topics to discuss with other classmates, and if she had nothing to say, a smile would naturally lead them to continue the conversation.
Even for casual chats between classmates, she was used to smiling at everyone.
However, facing Lin Mu, the man who had taken her body and seen her in such a disheveled state more than once, Shiina Mahiru's heart was still in turmoil.
She had already decided not to pay attention to him, wanting to forget those things.
But he unreasonably approached her again.
Just now, he had even held her tightly, protecting her in his arms.
Her mood was complex, and she was silent.
Lin Mu's voice sounded in her ear.
"Student Shiina, we've arrived, it's time to get off!"
"Oh."
She snapped back to reality and quickly followed him off the car, walking towards the rental house.
Her peripheral vision caught Lin Mu's face, and she muttered to herself.
Tonight… I'll make an extra portion of food.
She remembered that he only ate a sausage and a piece of bread for lunch, and she couldn't bear to see it.