Scumbag A's Plan to Save the Heroine - Chapter 23

“No, no need!”

The petite Omega snatched her pink backpack and retreated several steps, as if she had encountered a ferocious beast.

Fu Jin Yan nodded and didn’t press the matter. He had more important business to attend to today. After apologizing, he strode toward the Principal’s office without lingering.

Only after the menacing, battle-scarred Alpha had disappeared from sight did the Omegas who had been walking with Meng Yuan dare to approach.

One of the male Omegas feigned concern, gently taking Meng Yuan’s delicate hand and asking in a soft voice, “Yuan Yuan, are you alright? We were just gossiping about Fu Jin Yan getting reprimanded. What terrible luck to run into him like that! By the way, what did he say to you? He won’t hold a grudge against us, will he?”

Meng Yuan came from the wealthiest family among these Omegas, and she often looked after her close friends at Noadon.

But adversity reveals true colors. Now, over such a minor incident, they had abandoned her without a second thought.

Meng Yuan’s petite frame and penchant for delicate colors had always given others the impression of fragility and vulnerability. Yet, having grown up in a prominent family, she saw through their repulsive facades with ease.

Under the scorching sun, the Omega girl, dressed in a white dress and school uniform jacket, seized the opportunity to grab the boy’s hand. She feigned panic, her voice trembling as she cried out, “Nono, what are we going to do? Fu Jin Yan said he’s memorized all our faces. Once he resolves this matter, he’ll punish every single one of us who mocked and ridiculed him. He’ll make sure none of us get our diplomas!”

Hearing this, the male Omega, Nono, panicked. He hastily shook off the girl’s hand, desperate to distance himself. “You’re the one who attended the Fu Family’s banquet and spread those rumors about Fu Jin Yan! If he wants revenge, he should only target you! We only gossiped about him behind his back to agree with you!”

“Is that so?” Meng Yuan smiled, smoothing her wind-tossed bangs. She glanced at the others who had been gossiping with them, her voice soft as she asked, “Do you all feel the same way?”

Actions often speak louder than words. The Omegas, led by Chen Nuo, huddled together, making Meng Yuan feel even more like an outsider.

Meng Yuan had a sweet and lovely face. Even with a cold expression, she still gave the impression of smiling sweetly. She let out a cold laugh, turned her back, and strode forward, quickly putting distance between herself and the others.

In the small group, a timid Omega nudged Chen Nuo, the most decisive among them, and asked hesitantly, “Yuan… Meng Yuan comes from a wealthy family. Even if Fu Jin Yan wanted to cause trouble for her, he probably couldn’t do much. But without her protection, what will we do?”

Chen Nuo blew on his freshly manicured nails, seemingly unconcerned. He said confidently, “Let her go. If Fu Jin Yan starts trouble, we’ll just pin everything on her. There are so many of us; if we stick together, few at Noadon would dare bully us anyway.”

Fu Jin Yan, with his long strides, quickly reached the other side of the corridor.

The Principal’s office was located on the top floor of Noadon’s tallest building. Though regularly cleaned, the Principal himself was rarely seen there. Today wasn’t even a scheduled inspection day, yet Lei Ke had received a notice and arrived early to wait in the office.

A knock sounded, and Lei Ke immediately stood up.

The visitor was a student from Noadon, dressed neatly in the school uniform. Upon closer inspection, one could see wounds covering every inch of exposed skin, and dried bloodstains inside the uniform. Lei Ke couldn’t bear to look any further and awkwardly averted his gaze.

Fu Jin Yan had always been respectful and deferential to his elders, never overstepping his bounds, which had earned him their favor. He humbly handed over his application and only sat down after the Principal had taken his seat and begun reviewing the document.

Lei Ke unfolded the three-page application, reading it word by word, line by line. The more he read, the more alarmed he became, shaking his head in disbelief. He finally spoke, his voice earnest, “Jin Yan, are you sure about this? The rumors about you and Bai Ziming are just gossip, exaggerated and sensationalized. If we let things cool down for a while, everyone will forget. Why insist on dropping out? You only need a few more credits to graduate. It would be such a waste, considering your outstanding academic record!”

Hearing the Principal’s praise, Fu Jin Yan offered neither agreement nor denial. He forced a smile and replied, “This is my father’s decision.”

Last night, the Fu Family’s ancestral mansion had been a scene of both fire and ice.

The eldest son’s public humiliation at the banquet had ignited Fu Fu’s anger, while the younger son’s foolish act of handing him a cane had chilled the old man’s paternal affection to the bone.

Whether it was Fu Jin Yan’s extraordinary luck or his superhuman physique, he arrived at the hospital covered in bl00d and gore. The doctors, trembling with anxiety, spent hours examining him, only to discover superficial injuries.

The whip strikes had been delivered with such precision that not a single one had struck a vital organ. After disinfecting the wounds, applying some ointment, and bandaging him up, the doctors found themselves with nothing more to do.

Within half an hour, Fu Jin Yan, who had fainted from the pain, regained consciousness. Having not eaten all day, his first thought upon opening his eyes was for water. But the moment he lifted his head, he abandoned the idea. He forced himself to sit up on the bed and respectfully addressed his father: “Father.”

After all, this was the heir he had cultivated for twenty years, the son who had stayed by his side the longest. Fu Fu’s paternal heart couldn’t bear to see him suffer. He pressed his hand to his forehead, closed his eyes, and softened his tone: “Lie back down.”

But before Fu Jin Yan could obey, Fu Fu’s expression hardened as he demanded: “Do you know where you went wrong today?”

Fu Jin Yan gritted his teeth and replied bitterly: “I failed to properly handle my past relationships. I underestimated Zhi Qiu’s desperation and her willingness to use such a drastic measure to retaliate against me. I should have deployed more security personnel and thoroughly inspected the banquet equipment.”

“You’re completely wrong!” Fu Fu avoided the wound on his son’s forehead and struck him sharply on the head, his voice dripping with disappointment. “Think harder.”

The battered figure on the hospital bed frowned, meticulously replaying the evening’s events in his mind.

The Inner Cabinet meeting, the stolen wine glass, the cryptic remarks… A flash of insight struck Fu Jin Yan. He suddenly realized something. The smug look on Fu Jinxing’s face as he watched his brother being punished surfaced in his memory, and the truth rose to the surface.

You can guard against a thousand enemies, but not a traitor within your own family.

It had been so obvious all along. Fu Jin Yan lowered his head in frustration, raising his arm to slap himself hard, but a pair of large, wrinkled hands stopped him. He looked up at his father.

The middle-aged Alpha’s eyes were lined with wrinkles, and his once-straight posture had long since stooped. Even sitting in a chair, he needed to lean back against the backrest for comfort.

The Fu Family had always been a model of “spare the rod, spoil the child”—at least, that’s the education Fu Jin Yan had received since childhood. But this time, amidst the father-son silence, he heard his father, who had always demanded results without caring about the process, whisper:

“Tell me about what happened with Zhi Qiu and Bai Ziming.”