Ling Nanxu’s eyes scanned the crowd for barely a moment before locking onto his next target. But the moment he found him, an overwhelming sense of irritation rose in his chest.
This guy is way too good-looking. Ling Nanxu cursed silently, his lips twitching as he noticed the gorgeous girl standing beside the man. That girl, he knew well.
Honestly, there wasn’t a single student in the Art Academy who didn’t know her.
She was the one and only publicly recognized campus belle of the academy—Lu Yan.
In a school overflowing with beauties, for someone to stand out and be acknowledged as the undisputed number one meant her looks were on another level entirely. No exaggeration, Lu Yan was the dream girl of at least ninety percent of the male student body.
Ling Nanxu was one of them.
As he watched, Lu Yan leaned in close to the handsome guy next to her. They whispered back and forth, smiling, looking… intimate. A spike of jealousy stabbed through Ling Nanxu’s chest. Their gestures, their expressions, everything about them screamed couple.
So Lu Yan already had a boyfriend?
【Ding. The host has caused mental instability in protagonist Ling Nanxu. Gained 800 Villain Points. Ling Nanxu’s Protagonist Halo -40. Host’s Villain Halo +40.】
That level of intimacy was still within range.
He could still poach her. Once he decided, Ling Nanxu didn’t hesitate. He adjusted his expression, appearing casual as he strolled toward the pair.
A few seconds later, he walked within several meters of them. Slowing down, he pretended he was just passing by and brushed past Wang Haoran.
“Oh no—” a sweet and delicate cry rang out.
Feigning a misstep, Ling Nanxu stumbled toward Wang Haoran, hoping the man would instinctively reach out and catch him. That was his move. His method of “digging the corner” wasn’t through Lu Yan—it was to hook Wang Haoran.
Ling Nanxu wasn’t stupid. He understood his own strengths.
In male attire, he was just average-looking. In an academy full of pretty boys, he didn’t stand out. Especially compared to Lu Yan’s boyfriend, who was in another league entirely.
So, trying to charm Lu Yan as a guy was pointless.
But in female attire, everything changed.
In that state, Ling Nanxu’s attractiveness multiplied. His appearance, figure, and aura were so refined that he could compete with Lu Yan directly. In some areas, like his exaggerated curves, he even had the edge.
Of course, that was only because he used padding to enhance his figure, deliberately shaping it into an almost absurd hourglass. It was all fake, supported by gear hidden under his clothes.
He was a guy, after all. He understood exactly how much visual impact a dramatic curve could have on other men. With those enhancements, he was confident that in terms of allure, he could outshine Lu Yan.
But what puzzled him was that even though he pretended to fall, the handsome man barely glanced at him and made no move to help.
Left hanging mid-act, Ling Nanxu awkwardly regained balance and stopped stumbling. Standing straight again, he subtly puffed out his chest toward the man, hoping to get at least some reaction.
Still nothing.
That cold, indifferent expression didn’t even flicker.
That’s strange.
Ling Nanxu started to second-guess. Was it because Lu Yan was here? Maybe the guy didn’t want to look at other women in front of his girlfriend.
Yeah, that must be it.
No man could resist this kind of figure. Especially not when combined with his level of facial beauty.
But something felt off. Even if the guy was pretending not to care, he should still be giving off a reaction deep down. At the very least, Ling Nanxu should have received a few system points.
Yet despite flaunting himself, not a single point came from this man.
Ling Nanxu’s thoughts twisted in confusion.
“Hey, are you from our school? I don’t think I’ve seen you before,” Lu Yan asked curiously.
Wang Haoran remained stone-faced beside her, showing no interest, but Lu Yan leaned in, smiling politely at Ling Nanxu. Someone with looks like this shouldn’t be unknown around campus.
“I just transferred in,” Ling Nanxu replied in a soft and sweet voice.
“Oh, that makes sense,” Lu Yan nodded, then introduced herself. “I’m Lu Yan. What’s your name?”
“Ling Nanxu.”
He didn’t bother with a fake name. The campus was huge, full of students. He wasn’t popular, and besides, his name sounded girlish enough already.
“That’s such a pretty name,” Lu Yan complimented.
“Yours is lovely too,” Ling Nanxu replied with a practiced smile. Then, his eyes flicked briefly toward Wang Haoran. He looked calm and unreadable, but Ling Nanxu still asked, “Is this your boyfriend?”
“Yep,” Lu Yan said proudly. She hooked her arm around Wang Haoran’s and gave it a few playful swings, the motion making her generous curves shift and mold against his side.
Ling Nanxu saw everything. Jealousy surged again, hot and bitter.
【Ding. The host has caused mental instability in protagonist Ling Nanxu. Gained 800 Villain Points. Ling Nanxu’s Protagonist Halo -40. Host’s Villain Halo +40.】
Wang Haoran remained silent, eyes locked on Ling Nanxu with a calm that masked a dangerous urge. He really wanted to flatten that fake woman’s smug face with a punch.
But the crowd around them was thick. This wasn’t the place.
More importantly, Ling Nanxu wouldn’t survive that punch.
And killing him now would ruin everything. A dead protagonist couldn’t be farmed for points.
Just then, the system pinged a new notification. Wang Haoran’s expression twitched slightly before understanding flashed across his eyes.
Without a word, he gently pulled his arm from Lu Yan’s grasp and draped it across her soft shoulders. His hand slid down, resting openly, confidently, on her full curve.
【Ding. The host has caused mental instability in protagonist Ling Nanxu. Gained 1200 Villain Points. Ling Nanxu’s Protagonist Halo -60. Host’s Villain Halo +60.】
Ling Nanxu’s eyes nearly popped from their sockets. He felt like he had been smacked in the chest. His breath caught, and his lungs refused to work for a few seconds. The display was shameless, vulgar even. Who does that in public?
He scolded Wang Haoran internally, labeling him a degenerate.
But even as he ranted in his mind, part of him secretly wished he could switch places and feel what Lu Yan was feeling right now.
Of course, that was nothing more than fantasy.
Ling Nanxu opened his mouth, wanting to criticize Wang Haoran, but there was no legitimate excuse. They were a couple. Public displays of affection weren’t anyone else’s business.
Still, he was pissed.
His only hope was that Lu Yan would be angry. Maybe she’d be embarrassed, maybe she’d slap her boyfriend across the face.
That would make everything worth it.
But a few seconds passed, and the reaction he expected never came.
Instead, he saw Lu Yan’s red lips press tightly together, her eyes glistening with emotion. She wasn’t angry at all. Her face was glowing, her expression soft and full of affection.
Not even a trace of complaint.
Ling Nanxu felt his chest seize up again.
【Ding. The host has caused mental instability in protagonist Ling Nanxu. Gained 800 Villain Points. Ling Nanxu’s Protagonist Halo -40. Host’s Villain Halo +40.】
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