The Heartthrob Halo Doesn't Work on the Villain - Chapter 12

555 glanced at the electric cooker Lin Yan had mentioned and immediately sensed another kitchen appliance about to fall prey to her culinary misadventures.

As she rummaged through cabinets for the cooker’s manual, 555 kindly began to guide her step-by-step.

See those function buttons? Just adjust the rice-to-water ratio, put everything in, plug it in, and select “Congee.”

Lin Yan, seemingly oblivious to her zero-point cooking skills, countered 555’s suggestion with a question:

“Isn’t that just plain congee? What’s so good about plain congee?”

The question itself wasn’t unreasonable, but paired with the chaotic, fire-scorched stovetop and the carbonized “fried egg” in the pan, it carried absolutely no credibility.

As a disembodied System, 555 had no control over its Host’s actions. It could only watch helplessly as Lin Yan, armed with a cookbook of dubious origin, tinkered with the premium ingredients that had been delivered. The result was a pot of “Seafood Congee” emitting an indescribable aroma.

555 now felt grateful for its lack of a physical form. Had it possessed one, it would have been forced to taste this culinary abomination—just like the newly graduated intern assigned to care for the little demon king, who was now being pressured to sample the dish that looked and smelled utterly inedible.

Despite the beaming smile of her sugar daddy, the young intern couldn’t bring herself to swallow the spoon of strange, fishy-smelling, and inexplicably eerie-looking substance being thrust at her. She gulped twice, then hastily retreated out the door, her entire body radiating refusal.

Lin Yan couldn’t force anyone to eat something against their will. She simply stared at the fruits of her hard-earned labor, falling silent for a moment. 555, assuming her confidence had been shattered, was about to offer comfort when her next words caught him off guard.

“Is it really that bad? I thought it tasted okay.”

So you really have no sense of smell or taste!

Seeing Lin Yan about to take a bite herself, 555 responsibly intervened. After all, he didn’t want his Host ending up in the hospital due to her culinary experiments.

I think you should just buy a dish from outside, pretend you made it, and give it to the Villain.

The suggestion was tempting, and Lin Yan nearly clapped her hands in agreement. But in the end, her stubborn pride led her to firmly reject 555’s idea, offering a seemingly convincing reason:

“Everyone’s cooking has a unique flavor. What if I get caught? That would hinder my Mission!”

But if you let the Villain taste your cooking’s unique flavor, she’ll definitely break off all ties with you.

Damn it! I really wanted to argue, but I couldn’t.

Seizing the opportunity, 555 offered another suggestion.

Of course, you could hire someone else to make simple breakfasts for you. As long as their cooking isn’t too outstanding—not Michelin-level like the chef we used to have—it’ll be easy to convince people you made it yourself.

That’s a good idea, but Lin Yan only heard half of it before immediately settling on a new strategy.

“Right! Why didn’t I think of hiring a tutor? I’m so smart, I’ll learn quickly. Xiao Wu, you’re actually useful for once…”

What? So I still have to do it myself? No way! This could be a matter of life and death!

Before 555 could recover and stop her, Void planted two quick kisses on its interface, causing the System’s old face to flush crimson. Though it was just a System, it was gradually developing human-like shyness, leaving it utterly speechless.

Lin Yan spent the entire morning experimenting with recipes. No one cared whether she attended class or not. Even teachers who might have wanted to intervene knew Lin Qi’s attitude and wouldn’t interfere too much, at most offering a mild lecture like that time in class.

Lin Yan’s sudden disappearances were commonplace to everyone except Lou Yubing, who had noticed her unusual behavior these past few days.

After the fourth class ended, Lou Yubing stared absently at the empty seat to her left, which had remained vacant all morning. She eventually withdrew her gaze without a word, though an unfamiliar emotion stirred within her chest.

How could I have believed she’d actually changed her ways, attending classes and leaving quietly? It seems a leopard truly can’t change its spots.

The cafeteria today served several of Lou Yubing’s favorite dishes, but when she sat down with her tray, she found herself lacking any appetite.

Perhaps it was because the constant chatter and endless questions that usually surrounded her had suddenly vanished, leaving her feeling strangely unsettled.

After a brief daze, Lou Yubing finally remembered to eat. Just as she picked up her chopsticks, the voice she had been thinking of just now sounded from behind her.

For a moment, Lou Yubing thought she was hallucinating. But when a hand tapped her shoulder and Lin Yan leaned in with a bright smile, she realized it was real.

She should have been happy—after all, she had seen the person on her mind in an instant. Yet her face instinctively hardened into its usual impassive mask.

“Don’t stand so close. You’re blocking my view of my food.”

At these words, Lin Yan’s already round almond eyes widened instantly. Glancing at the half-meter distance between them—farther than the people at the next table—she found the remark utterly absurd.

Does she expect me to rent out the entire street just to eat? What a terrible temper!

The comment left Lin Yan frozen in the aisle, rooted to the spot. But it was lunchtime, and the constant flow of students made her immobility a real obstruction.

Before any passing classmate could remind her, Lou Yubing shot Lin Yan a withering glance, her tone dripping with impatience.

“Are you blind? Sit down already! You’re blocking the way, you know.”

Lin Yan lowered her head, biting her lip tightly. If Lou Yubing weren’t her mission target, she’d have punched her without hesitation.

With such a venomous tongue, what could my character possibly like about her? As a wealthy and beautiful heiress, she was used to being fawned over, not being bossed around by some orphaned nobody from a charity home.

Lin Yan dutifully sat down across from Lou Yubing, though she remained sullen, resentment still simmering in her heart. Little did she know, since her arrival, Lou Yubing had stopped her wandering thoughts and finally focused on her meal.

In truth, Lin Yan hadn’t come to the cafeteria solely to find Lou Yubing. She had even considered hiring one of the cafeteria aunties to teach her how to make breakfast. When it came to everyday cooking, no one could match the expertise of these seasoned cooks.

As she pondered this, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision.

Whether it was the “Villain effect” or Lou Yubing’s unapproachable aura, their table remained sparsely occupied despite the crowded cafeteria.

This delicate balance was about to be shattered. When Lin Yan saw the newcomer, her eyes lit up instantly.

She had been fretting over how to approach the Female Lead, but now these two coincidences had unexpectedly sparked a solution.

After all, it’s just breakfast. Surely anyone can make that, right?

Lost in her assumptions, Lin Yan seemed to have forgotten how she had nearly “blown up the kitchen” earlier. Her entire being nearly lunged toward Xia Qiyu.

“Yubing, Lin Student, there are no other seats available. May I sit here?”

Lou Yubing was visibly surprised to see Xia Qiyu. She instinctively shifted slightly to make room for her.

Compared to Xia Qiyu’s gentle and polite demeanor, Lin Yan felt Lou Yubing’s foul temper even more acutely.

The intense gaze was impossible to ignore. Xia Qiyu, with her keen sensitivity, quickly noticed Lin Yan’s movements. Their eyes met abruptly, Xia Qiyu’s face filled with confusion.

“Lin Student… is there something you need?”

Hearing Xia Qiyu’s voice, Lou Yubing also noticed Lin Yan’s unwavering gaze. Her brow furrowed instantly, but she remained silent.

Lin Yan knew her gaze was too direct, but she had never bothered to conceal her feelings. When Xia Qiyu asked, she even rested her chin on her hand, her smile so radiant it was impossible to refuse.

“Actually, I do need Sister Xia’s help. Could you come with me after we finish eating? We can talk about it on the way.”

Lin Yan’s sudden address of “Sister” stunned both women. Xia Qiyu recovered first, considering the matter seriously for a moment before finally nodding in agreement.

Seeing Xia Qiyu’s approval, Lin Yan happily grabbed her phone and called for someone to clean up the messy kitchen and restock the large refrigerator.

She was so focused on her plans that she completely missed Lou Yubing’s darkening expression and the oppressive atmosphere that had settled in the air. It wasn’t until Xia Qiyu finished eating and Lin Yan prepared to leave with her that a cold voice stopped them. Lin Yan turned to face Lou Yubing’s emotionless face.

“Lin Yan, if you skip class again, I won’t tutor you anymore.”

Confused by this sudden mention of skipping class, Lin Yan found it utterly baffling. But with her mind and heart preoccupied with other matters, and remembering Lou Yubing’s earlier coldness, she assumed this was just an excuse to avoid her. She offered a few perfunctory assurances, emphasizing her determination to never break the rules again, flashed a few charming smiles, and then whisked Xia Qiyu away, disappearing in a flash.

Xia Qiyu wasn’t worried about her somewhat eerie favorability score dropping any further. After the number had plummeted to zero, Lin Yan hadn’t seen it fluctuate even once. Even if it did decrease, it could only go into negative territory—there was essentially no room left for it to fall.

Throughout the journey, Xia Qiyu’s mind drifted through various scenarios, but she never imagined Lin Yan’s “help” would involve teaching her how to make breakfast.

Staring at the dazzling array of ingredients before her, Xia Qiyu was momentarily stunned. After blinking several times, she finally remembered to decline.

“Lin Student, you… you should really find someone with professional expertise. Someone like you should have no trouble finding a chef in Hai City. I’m really not good at this.”

Xia Qiyu couldn’t understand why Lin Yan suddenly wanted to learn to cook. If she truly desired it, the best chefs in Hai City would likely be vying for the opportunity to teach her. Why would she ask Xia Qiyu?

To her surprise, Lin Yan looked at her with an expression that implied Xia Qiyu was the only one who could help. A shy yet radiant smile lit up her face as she said, “But you’re her roommate! You must know her better than anyone else… like her preferences and tastes, right?”