The Heartthrob Halo Doesn't Work on the Villain - Chapter 10

Hearing her usually mischievous daughter declare she wanted to move into the school dormitory to focus on her studies, Lin Qi almost doubted her ears.

As sharp as Lin Qi was, she knew perfectly well that Lin Yan’s mediocre grades were just a facade. She simply hadn’t wanted to call her daughter out on it. Yanyan had never shown much interest in academics anyway. In earlier years, Lin Qi had tried to push her, but she’d since come to terms with it. With the Lin Family’s wealth, there was no need to worry about Yanyan’s future security; her happiness was all that mattered.

So what was this sudden change?

The girl’s eyes sparkled like stars, even drawing Lin Qi’s gaze.

“What brought this on?”

Lin Yan’s gaze met the warm smile of the woman before her. If she hadn’t witnessed her mother’s ruthless decisiveness and sharp edge before, she might have believed this gentle demeanor was her true nature.

In her original world, Lin Yan lost her mother at birth. Only when she was older did she hear rumors that her mother had been a wealthy heiress who eloped with a commoner, only to be abandoned five months into her pregnancy. Lin Yan could never verify the truth of these stories. Raised on the charity of neighbors and supported by state aid for her education, she had experienced human kindness but never the love of parents.

The only thing she envied about this world’s version of herself, who shared her name, was this very aspect.

Yet she had never considered the question: If she was now inhabiting this body, what had become of the original occupant?

555 was summoned again and, upon realizing Lin Yan was grappling with this issue, provided a more detailed explanation.

Actually, I mentioned this when we first entered the Small World. During the background briefing, I explained that the Temporal Bureau had created the Host’s role in this world as the only daughter of Hai City’s wealthiest man. But your focus was always on the “wealthiest man” part, so you probably didn’t notice. Since I assumed you didn’t care, I didn’t elaborate further.

The mention suddenly jogged Lin Yan’s memory. She had initially been curious about this point, but the subsequent revelations about the “six-month ending” had stunned her into forgetting.

“So, this character only exists because I arrived?”

Yes. Whenever a Missioner enters a Mission World, the Bureau inserts a completely new character into the Small World. Every aspect of this character—appearance, personality, family background, experiences… everything—is intricately connected to the Missioner themselves. However, because it’s a fabricated role without memories from the Original World and subject to the Small World’s rejection and limitations, the planned plotline always leads to their elimination.

No wonder… This face was practically identical to her own from her teenage years. And no wonder the introduction described the Lin Group, Hai City’s entrenched local power, as inexplicably collapsing.

But if that’s the case, then…

“Hey, then why does the plotline I received have ‘Lin Yan’ obsessively infatuated with that Big Ice Block and doing all those stupid things?!”

She refused to admit it. She absolutely refused to acknowledge that this character had been crafted to match her own personality!

To ensure the mission’s success, the Bureau creates characters that closely align with the plotline and mission objectives. Besides, haven’t you always said Lou Yubing is exactly your type?

It was the truth, but Lin Yan still felt stung by the revelation, momentarily speechless. Just then, she felt two gentle taps on her shoulder.

“Yanyan? Why are you spacing out?”

Seeing her dazed expression, Lin Qi chuckled softly. “Mom’s just asking. I have no intention of interfering with your decisions.”

Lin Yan snapped back to reality. The gentle tone made her tear ducts ache. According to 555, every aspect of her—her background, experiences, preferences, and personality—had been meticulously crafted to create this entirely new version of herself. So, was her mother, who had sacrificed her own life to keep Lin Yan in this world, just like the woman before her?

Suddenly, Lin Qi found herself enveloped in a tight hug. Startled for a moment, her tense body quickly relaxed. She raised her arms to return the embrace, her hand rhythmically patting Lin Yan’s slender back.

Perhaps influenced by her surroundings, Lin Yan felt herself becoming childlike, bursting into tears so easily. How embarrassing, she thought.

She sniffled, but her voice still carried a noticeable rasp. Fortunately, no one was around to mock her.

“I just… I suddenly realized how immature I’ve been. Now I have a new goal: to get into my dream university through my own efforts. Commuting to and from school every day is such a waste of time, so I want to move into the dorms.”

Lin Qi listened intently, nodding slightly at the end.

“I believe in you, Yanyan. I’ll call the principal later, and we can arrange it quickly. But you’ve fallen behind in your studies. Should I arrange for tutors to come to the school and help you catch up?”

A sudden warmth surged through Lin Yan’s heart, but she immediately rejected the suggestion. No matter what, she couldn’t steal the Villain’s job!

“That won’t be necessary. I’ve already found someone!”

Understanding dawned on Lin Qi’s face. He pulled out his phone, signaling that he needed to make a call, but was stopped again at the corner of the sofa.

“Um… from now on, whether it’s a big or small project at work, you need to be more careful.”

Surprised by the sudden change in topic, Lin Qi rubbed the jade thumb ring on her thumb vigorously and moved closer to Lin Yan. She reached out to gently stroke the smooth crown of Lin Yan’s head, smiling with a hint of relief.

“Alright, I’ll listen to Yanyan.”

During high school, when public entertainment was virtually nonexistent, gossip spread like wildfire, even at Hai City First High School, renowned for its exceptional students.

But as the saying goes, “three men can make a tiger.” After countless discussions, the rumors about Lin Yan seeking tutoring from Lou Yubing grew increasingly outlandish.

Some claimed Lin Yan had been forced by her family, while others insisted there must be a secret relationship between the two. Still others speculated that Lou Yubing had found her birth family—some powerful clan from elsewhere—whom even the Lin Family, the local power brokers of Hai City, couldn’t afford to offend, hence their desperate attempts to curry favor.

The rumors swirled unchecked, and since neither party ever addressed the matter publicly, the speculation only grew more rampant.

Lin Yan listened as 555 reported on the Campus Forum threads about Lou Yubing, detailing how she had been lost and finally found her way back home after so many years. The threads described her family’s numerous branches, her ambitious stepsister vying for the family fortune, and the challenges of returning to a life of luxury—all told with such convincing detail.

If Lin Yan hadn’t been directly involved, she might have actually believed these tall tales. Given the posters’ wild imaginations and sheer boredom, she suddenly thought they should all become novelists.

“Any useful information?”

After a moment of silence, 555 replied honestly, “Not really. The rumor we spread about you being a scorned admirer who lashed out in anger doesn’t seem to have sparked much public discussion.”

What’s a scorned admirer?

“It’s someone who’s secretly been in love with the Top Student all along, but after being misled by rumors, they’ve finally turned over a new leaf and repented!”

“Understood. Turned over a new leaf and repented.”

Lin Yan stroked her chin, her thoughts shifting in a new direction.

“Has Lou Yubing seen any of this on the Campus Forum?”

Probably not. She doesn’t have a smartphone with access to the forum. Wait, she doesn’t even have a phone.

“No phone at all?”

In this modern world, nearly a century more advanced than her Original World, where shopping and consumption are almost entirely digital, not having a basic electronic device felt strangely incomplete.

Still, it’s just high school. It shouldn’t matter much. After all, when she was focused on studying, she never cared about such things either.

But this lack of communication would complicate her plans. It didn’t matter if others didn’t see the forum posts, but the Big Ice Block had to know.

Moreover, if they had a way to contact each other, Lin Yan would gain another method to boost her favorability. Even considering only that, she needed to find a way to get Yubing a phone.

Giving one wouldn’t be difficult or expensive. The real challenge would be convincing Yubing to accept it.

Lin Yan had underestimated the contagious nature of gossip. Even though Lou Yubing hadn’t directly seen the forum posts, as the person at the center of the rumors, it was as good as if she had seen them herself, since her roommates had.

Every time they encountered a new theory, they would bombard her with questions. Today, they happened upon the post Lin Yan had deliberately leaked.

“Yubing! Someone claiming to be an insider revealed that Lin Yan has liked you for a long time. But because you ignored her, she asked a few of us for advice. We jokingly suggested she act cold, but she took it seriously. We thought she’d given up on you, but then this whole incident happened!”

This revelation ignited the dorm’s excitement, sparking heated discussions and requests to share the forum post. Even Xia Qiyu glanced at Lou Yubing more than once.

Lou Yubing remained silent, but the way her hand absentmindedly flipped through the pages of her book betrayed her inner unease.

“It’s nothing. Just like all the other rumors—complete fabrications.”

Hearing his usually mischievous daughter declare she wanted to move into the school dormitory to focus on her studies, Lin Qi almost wondered if his ears were failing him.

As intelligent as Lin Qi was, she couldn’t possibly be unaware that her daughter’s mediocre grades were just a ruse to appease her. She simply chose not to call her out on it. Yanyan had never shown much interest in academics, and though Lin Qi had pushed her a bit in her younger years, she’d since come to accept it. With the Lin Family’s vast wealth, there was no need to worry about Yanyan’s financial security; her happiness was all that mattered.

But what was going on now?

The girl’s eyes sparkled like stars, even Lin Qi couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances.

“Why this sudden change of heart?”

Lin Yan’s gaze met the gentle smile of the woman before her. Had she not witnessed Lin Qi’s ruthless decisiveness and sharp edge earlier, she might have believed this was her true nature.

In her original world, Lin Yan had lost her mother at birth. Only later did she hear rumors: a wealthy family’s daughter who had eloped with a lover, only to be abandoned five months into her pregnancy. Whether these rumors were true or false, Lin Yan couldn’t verify. Raised on the kindness of strangers and supported by state aid for her education, she had experienced human warmth, but never the love of parents.

The only thing Lin Yan had ever envied about this world and the girl who shared her name was this aspect.

But she had never truly considered the question: now that she was inhabiting this body, what had happened to the original girl?

555 was summoned again. Discovering Lin Yan’s confusion, it provided a more detailed explanation.

Actually, I mentioned this when we first entered the Small World. During the background briefing, I explained that the Temporal Bureau had created the role of the Hai City’s wealthiest man’s only daughter for you. But you were so focused on the “wealthiest man” part that you probably missed it. I assumed you didn’t care, so I didn’t elaborate.

As 555 spoke, Lin Yan suddenly recalled something. She had been curious about this point initially, but the subsequent revelations about the “six-month deadline” had stunned her, causing her to forget.

“So, this character only came into existence because of my arrival?”

That’s right. Every time a Missioner enters a Mission World, the Bureau inserts a completely new character into the Small World. This character’s appearance, personality, family background, experiences… every aspect is intricately connected to the Missioner themselves. However, because it’s a fabricated role without memories from the Original World and subject to the Small World’s rejection and limitations, the planned plotline always leads to their eventual elimination.

No wonder… This face was practically identical to her own in her youth. No wonder the introduction mentioned the Lin Group, the local power in Hai City, being inexplicably dismantled despite its deep-rooted influence.

But if that’s the case, then—

“Hey! Then why does the plotline I received have ‘Lin Yan’ being obsessively infatuated with that Big Ice Block, even doing a bunch of stupid things?!”

She refused to admit it. She absolutely refused to acknowledge that this character was based on her own personality!

To ensure the mission’s smooth completion, the Bureau crafts characters as closely aligned with the plotline and mission objectives as possible. Besides, haven’t you always said Lou Yubing is exactly your type?

What it said was true, but Lin Yan still felt a pang of hurt, leaving her momentarily speechless. Just then, she felt two gentle pats on her shoulder.

“Yanyan? Why are you spacing out?”

Seeing her turn her gaze blankly, Lin Qi even chuckled softly before adding, “Mom’s just asking. I have no intention of interfering with your decisions.”

Lin Yan snapped back to reality. The gentle tone made her tear ducts ache. According to 555, every aspect of her—her background, experiences, interests, and personality—had been meticulously crafted to create the person she was now. So, was her mother, who had sacrificed her life to keep her in this world, just like the woman before her?

Suddenly, Lin Yan threw her arms around Lin Qi. The older woman was momentarily startled, but in an instant, her tense body relaxed. She wrapped her arms around Lin Yan, her hand rhythmically patting the girl’s slender back.

Perhaps influenced by the surroundings, Lin Yan felt herself regressing into a child. How could she cry so easily? It was utterly embarrassing.

She sniffled, but her voice still carried a faint, raspy quality. Thankfully, there were no mocking voices to be heard.

“I just… I suddenly realized how immature I’ve been. Now I have a new goal: to get into my dream university through my own efforts. Commuting to and from school every day is such a waste of time, so I want to move closer.”

Lin Qi listened intently, nodding slightly at the end.

“I believe in you, Yanyan. I’ll call the principal later, and we can arrange everything quickly. However, you’ve fallen behind in your studies. Should I arrange for tutors to come to the school and help you catch up?”

A warmth Lin Yan had never felt before surged through her heart, but she immediately rejected the suggestion. No matter what, she couldn’t steal the Villain’s job!

“That won’t be necessary. I’ve already found someone!”

Understanding dawned on Lin Qi’s face. He pulled out his phone, signaling he was going to make a call, but was stopped again at the corner of the sofa.

“Um… in the future, whether it’s a big or small project at work, you need to be more careful.”

Surprised by the sudden change in topic, Lin Qi rubbed the jade thumb ring on his thumb vigorously. He moved closer to Lin Yan, reached out, and gently patted her smooth head, smiling with genuine relief.

“Alright, whatever Yanyan says.”

During high school, when legitimate entertainment was scarce, gossip spread like wildfire, even at Hai City First High School, renowned for its exceptional students.

But as the saying goes, “three men can make a tiger.” After countless discussions, the rumors surrounding Lin Yan’s tutoring sessions with Lou Yubing grew increasingly outlandish.

Some claimed Lin Yan was being forced by her family, while others insisted there must be a secret relationship between the two. Still others went so far as to suggest Lou Yubing had been found by her birth family—some powerful clan from another region—whom even the Lin Family, Hai City’s local overlords, couldn’t afford to offend, hence their desperate attempts to curry favor.

The rumors swirled unchecked, and since neither party ever addressed the matter, the speculation grew even more unrestrained.

As 555 reported the latest posts about Lou Yubing on the Campus Forum, Lin Yan listened to tales of her supposed years of hardship abroad, her eventual reunion with her family after so long, the numerous branches of her clan, and the ambitious stepsister vying for the family fortune. According to these accounts, life in the wealthy family was far from easy—all told with such conviction that they sounded utterly true.

If Lin Yan hadn’t been one of the parties involved, she might have actually believed these absurd stories. Given the wild imaginations and sheer boredom of these people, she suddenly thought they should all become novelists.

“Any useful news?”

After a moment of silence, 555 replied honestly.

It doesn’t seem so. The rumor we spread about you being a scorned simp who lashed out in anger hasn’t sparked any public discussion.

What’s a “simp”?

“I’ve secretly admired the Top Student for ages! But after listening to malicious rumors, I’ve finally turned over a new leaf and repented wholeheartedly!”

Understood. Turned over a new leaf, repented wholeheartedly.

Lin Yan stroked her chin, her thoughts shifting in a new direction.

“Has Lou Yubing seen any of this on the Campus Forum?”

Probably not. She doesn’t have a smartphone with access to the forum. Wait, she doesn’t have a phone at all.

“Not even a phone?”

In this modern world—a world nearly a century more advanced than her Original World—where shopping and consumption are almost entirely digital, lacking a basic electronic device felt strangely incomplete.

Still, it’s just high school. It shouldn’t matter too much. After all, when she was focused on studying, she never cared about such things either.

But this complicates her next move. It doesn’t matter if others don’t see it, but that Big Ice Block must know.

Moreover, if they had a way to communicate, Lin Yan would gain another means to improve her relationship with Lou Yubing. Even considering just this, Lin Yan needed to find a way to get her a phone.

Giving her a phone wouldn’t be difficult or expensive, but convincing Lou Yubing to accept it would require some careful planning.

Lin Yan had underestimated the viral power of gossip. Even though Lou Yubing hadn’t seen the forum posts directly, as the person at the center of the rumors, it was as good as if she had seen them herself, since her roommates had.

Every time they saw a new theory, they would bombard her with questions. Today, they happened to stumble upon the one Lin Yan had deliberately leaked.

“Yubing! Someone claiming to be an insider revealed that Lin Yan has liked you for a long time. But because you ignored her, she asked a few of us for advice and jokingly suggested she act cold toward you. She took it seriously! We thought she’d given up on you, but then this whole incident happened.”

This revelation ignited the entire dorm’s enthusiasm. Everyone started discussing it, begging for links to the forum posts. Even Xia Qiyu glanced at Lou Yubing a couple of extra times.

Lou Yubing remained silent, but her absentmindedly flipping through the pages of her book betrayed her inner unease.

“No, it’s just like all the other rumors—complete fabrications.”