Chapter 6
After all that commotion, the bell rang. Everyone returned to their seats, Yao Yao included.
I could feel her watching me through the entire lesson.
I could not stand it anymore.
So what if she had the heroine’s halo? Even if the male lead and second male lead joined forces against me, I had to confront her. All I, Yu Taozi, wanted was to study, get into a good university, and make Gran happy. What had I ever done to anyone?
The instant class finally ended, I flung down my pen, rose decisively, and strode toward Yao Yao.
Yao Yao stood and walked toward me too!
At the same time, Zhou Fanjun and Yin Hengyu, who had been watching the show, both got up.
The four of us converged in the center of the classroom, forming a bizarre little gathering.
Before I could speak, Yao Yao grabbed my wrist. “Thank you, Yu Taozi.”
I blinked and asked blankly, “For what?”
“Thank you for giving me the courage to resist school bullying. I always felt inferior because of my family, but after seeing you, I realized how wrong I was. I want to learn from you and live with my head held high.”
When she finished, Yao Yao bowed solemnly. Then she said, “Let’s walk home together after school, all right? I truly admire you. I have so much I want to say.”
Me: “…”
You city people were impossible to understand.
“No. She’s teaching me things tonight,” Yin Hengyu said.
“She hasn’t restored my reputation yet. Can you two stop fighting me for her?” Zhou Fanjun cut in impatiently. “One word from my father could get both of you expelled. You know that?”
Yao Yao grew angry too. “One more threat and I’ll report you all the way to the central government! I’ve put up with you for ages, you know that?”
Let me say it again: I truly could not understand you city people.
While the male and female leads pecked at each other like fighting chickens, Yin Hengyu quietly dragged me aside. In a low voice, he asked, “Forget them. First tell me why the dog left after you barked twice. How did you learn dog language?”
…I truly could not take any more.
From that day on, the main cast developed an intense interest in me.
After they brought me breakfast for seven days straight and nearly came to blows over whose food I took one extra bite of, the comments finally exploded.
[I can’t stand it! I came to watch the romantic entanglement between the male lead, the heroine, and the second male lead, with the freakish supporting girl getting humiliated on the side. What is this?]
[Exactly! Why did the freakish supporting girl get the irresistible heartthrob script?]
[Once again, I demand to switch back to the city channel.]
But as they argued, the mood abruptly shifted.
[Shit up! I support Yu Taozi getting the irresistible heartthrob script! Neither of those men deserves our precious heroine. Let the supporting girl play with them instead.]
[Heh, I’ve wanted to say this for ages. Is being loved by the male lead supposed to be a good thing? He’s such a poser.]
[Come to think of it, it wouldn’t be bad if the supporting girl suffered in the heroine’s place. Later, the male lead tortures the heroine physically and emotionally. Right before the college entrance exam, his parents threaten her and she nearly misses the test. After they grow up, they lose several more years while she lives in misery…]
With a thump, a takeout bag landed on my desk. I jolted from head to toe and looked up to see Zhou Fanjun.
He lifted his chin and said with studied nonchalance, “This bread is all over the internet lately. I had someone line up for it.”
Remembering the comments, I edged back warily.
“Why are you trying to butter me up? I don’t have time to restore your reputation.”
“That? I don’t care about it anymore.” Zhou Fanjun looked perfectly indifferent.
“Then why are you following me around every day?”
The corner of his mouth curved upward. He leaned close, lowered his voice beside my ear, and said, “Because I’ve suddenly realized you’re interesting. Looking closely, you’re actually quite pretty. Yu Taozi, you’ve successfully caught my attention.”
His warm breath brushed my ear, and every hair on my body stood on end.
But I did not move.
Anyone who has raised pigs knows that when a pig gets excited and starts charging around the pen, you must never yell or make a fuss. That will only excite it more.
It could kill you with one headbutt.
As carefully as possible, I drew my neck back to put some distance between us. With a friendly smile, I said, “Why don’t you go back to your seat? Here, try some of this bread too.”
Just as I expected, he took the piece I had broken off and returned to his seat, thoroughly satisfied. He even looked back and raised his eyebrows at me.
Usually, after you lure a pig back into its pen with feed, it gives a few happy grunts to show its satisfaction. This was perfectly reasonable.
I had not expected Zhou Fanjun to be so much harder to handle than a pig. As the male lead of this world, he had money and power, lacked love from his family, and had a twisted mind. Whoever he liked was doomed. Before, it had been Yao Yao. Now, it was me.
His little fangirls started causing endless trouble for me. A girl from the next class nearly threw the notes I had worked so hard on into the toilet.
But after I chased her up and down four floors with a mop, no one dared set their sights on my notebook again.
They turned to dirty tricks, such as wedging a mop under the restroom door to trap me in a stall, or spreading rumors that Zhou Fanjun and I had an improper relationship.
With Yao Yao and Yin Hengyu stepping in to stop them, the situation became an utter mess. Some people said I went for both men and women and had single-handedly deceived all three of their hearts.
I acquired a nickname at school.
The Devious Country Girl.