The Heartthrob Halo Doesn't Work on the Villain - Chapter 13

Xia Qiyu hadn’t expected Lin Yan to ask her to teach her cooking for Lou Yubing’s sake. The once arrogant young lady now radiated a shy, blissful aura, leaving Xia Qiyu momentarily stunned.

But as she took in the surroundings—the opulent decor so different from her own humble life—and recalled the warning she had given Lou Yubing just days ago, she knew that people like her shouldn’t entangle themselves with those of such a different social class. Xia Qiyu offered a faint smile and calmly declined.

“I’d rather not. Yubing and I are just ordinary friends; I don’t know her well enough. Miss Lin, you should seek help from a more qualified professional.”

Xia Qiyu’s voice was soft and gentle, conveying an innate warmth and approachability. Even after being rejected twice, it was impossible to feel angry—perhaps this was the Female Lead’s inherent charm. Yet beneath this friendly demeanor lay a subtle detachment. People like her seemed easy to get along with, but in reality, they were the most difficult to truly connect with.

Lin Yan frowned, equally troubled. She had initially hoped to kill two birds with one stone, making a grand impression on both the Female Lead and the Villain. But now that Xia Qiyu flatly refused to cooperate, the situation had become complicated.

Host, you could try approaching the Female Lead’s family. In the Plotline, her foster mother is currently gravely ill, but the family lacks the funds for treatment. She eventually dies from the illness, leaving a deep regret in the Female Lead’s heart and becoming one of the catalysts for her entry into the entertainment industry.

Family, huh?

“Xiao Wu, you said this is a catalyst for her entering the entertainment industry. If I intervene, won’t it disrupt the Main Storyline?”

555 paused for a moment, clearly processing the data, before presenting the results to Lin Yan.

Data analysis indicates that this variable’s impact on the Main Storyline is negligible. Moreover, it’s not the primary reason behind the Female Lead’s decision to pursue her own path.

Given 555’s earlier warning about the Small World’s extreme instability, Lin Yan couldn’t help but be cautious. One wrong move could lead to the world’s collapse, a risk far outweighing any potential gains. Now that she had accurate data, Lin Yan finally felt relieved.

Seeing the faint disappointment and listlessness on Lin Yan’s face, even Xia Qiyu began to wonder if she had been too resolute. But the next moment, she saw Lin Yan remain persistent.

“Classmate Xia, I know my repeated requests might seem presumptuous, but I genuinely believe you’re the best person for this.” After saying this, Lin Yan shyly touched her lower lip before continuing, “After all, as far as I can tell, you’re the only one who’s even remotely close to Big Ice Block… I mean, Yubing. She’s cold to everyone, but she treats you a little better. I not only want you to teach me some simple cooking, but also how to get along with her better…”

By the end, Lin Yan’s face was completely flushed, and her voice had faded to a mosquito-like whisper.

Big Ice Block? Is that her nickname?

Recalling Lou Yubing’s aloof, unapproachable demeanor, Xia Qiyu couldn’t help but smile. The nickname certainly fit.

The Lin Yan before her seemed like a teenage girl trapped in the throes of first love, a far cry from the rumored aloof heiress. It seemed judging someone without knowing them, relying on hearsay, was truly unwise.

But now, her foster mother was gravely ill, and her foster father shouldered the heavy burden of supporting the family. As a scholarship student from a disadvantaged background, Xia Qiyu had come to this school solely to ease her family’s financial strain and even contribute to household expenses. Her primary mission was to excel academically, sparing her parents any worry. Wasting time on such trivial matters was simply unacceptable.

Just as Xia Qiyu was about to refuse for the third time, Lin Yan’s next words froze her in place, rendering her speechless.

“Ah, I almost forgot! It’s only fair to offer something in return when asking for a favor. Classmate Xia, if you agree to help me with this, I’ll fulfill one request of yours, within my means, of course.”

Xia Qiyu closed her lips, her gaze drifting into a daze. She found herself utterly unable to reject such a tempting offer. She recalled the cakes Lin Yan had brought to their dormitory, one for each girl. Having tutored in numerous wealthy households, Xia Qiyu knew clearly that even such a small dessert might cost her a day’s wages. Yet for Lin Yan, it was likely just a casual gesture, a mere fraction of her allowance.

She wasn’t resentful of life’s inherent inequalities, nor was she envious of those who lived lives she could only dream of. Her surprise stemmed from hearing someone like Lin Yan use the phrase “reciprocity.”

The so-called “help” offered by the young masters and ladies in her class had always been mere commands. Over time, Xia Qiyu had forgotten that “help” always came with strings attached: affection for those close to you, and self-interest for strangers.

This ingrained belief was why she maintained a clear boundary between herself and these privileged classes. It was also why, when Lou Yubing brought Lin Yan to their dorm, Xia Qiyu, despite her inner turmoil, felt compelled to warn her. In hindsight, it seemed she was the one harboring resentment.

Lin Yan, unaware of the impact her simple words had had, assumed Xia Qiyu was merely struggling to voice her thoughts. She reassured her, “You don’t have to say anything now. You can tell me later when you’ve thought it over.”

At these words, Xia Qiyu gradually regained her composure. The fingers of her lowered hand curled slightly, and her gaze toward Lin Yan remained hesitant.

It wasn’t that she had no needs. On the contrary, her family’s financial straits and her foster mother’s worsening illness weighed heavily on her mind. But Lin Yan had only asked for such a small favor. Would it be presumptuous to ask for something more?

Why doesn’t the Female Lead just ask you for money directly?

Seeing them entangled in this dilemma for so long without resolution, 555 couldn’t help but ask. Logically, Xia Qiyu’s foster mother’s condition had reached a critical point, and with a promise of financial assistance from the only daughter of Hai City’s wealthiest man, there should be no hesitation. She should simply state her needs directly. This was the only glimmer of hope for saving her loved one’s life, and given Xia Qiyu’s sentimental nature, she would never let such an opportunity slip away.

The cold, mechanical program, Leng Bingbing, clearly still struggled to grasp human emotions. No matter how advanced its artificial intelligence became, it could only calculate the optimal choice based on its mechanical brain. Even 555, who had developed independent thought and yearned to escape the Temporal Bureau, remained unable to comprehend humanity’s “irrational behavior.”

“She’s afraid I’ll refuse,” Leng Bingbing explained. “In her eyes, the favor she needs from me is something any passerby could easily provide, while what she wants is far from a small sum. Beyond that, she fears losing one of the few people in this school who still treat her with respect.”

Lin Yan hadn’t missed the shock in Xia Qiyu’s eyes when she offered to help. Over the past few days, she had become acutely aware of the stark social hierarchy that permeated this small world, even within the school campus.

Yet Xia Qiyu would eventually speak up. She needed the money and would have to accept Lin Yan’s offer. Right now, she was merely waging her final internal battle.

As Lin Yan conversed with 555, she maintained her upward gaze and a gentle smile toward Xia Qiyu, as if patiently awaiting the moment Xia Qiyu would initiate the conversation.

What Lin Yan hadn’t anticipated was that when Xia Qiyu finally steeled her resolve, the word she uttered was “borrow.”

“Lin Student, I… I want to ask you to lend me 500,000 yuan. I promise I’ll repay you in the future. If you’re worried, I can sign an IOU, leave my fingerprint—anything you want. I know this is a lot to ask, but my mother is sick, and I desperately need the money.”

In a single breath, the previously composed Xia Qiyu’s eyes reddened with emotion. Overwhelmed by her own words, she lowered her head, which had been held high just moments before.

Lin Yan had initially worried that giving Xia Qiyu such a large sum of money might extinguish her obsession with wealth, disrupting her “leveling-up” plotline. But hearing Xia Qiyu use the word “borrow” put her at ease, and she smiled.

“Alright. Do you need the money urgently? I can transfer it to you right now.”

Seeing that Lin Yan responded to her request without hesitation, simply agreeing with straightforward sincerity and asking no questions about how the money would be used or when it would be repaid, Xia Qiyu couldn’t help but feel like she was dreaming.

“Don’t you have any questions?”

Lin Yan had anticipated this question. As soon as Xia Qiyu finished speaking, she replied, “Of course not. Since you’re borrowing the money, the decision on how to use it is yours. By giving you the money, I’m showing my trust in you. What reason would I have for concern?”

Before Xia Qiyu could respond, Lin Yan continued, “Where should I transfer the funds?”

This was real, not one of the usual tricks Xia Qiyu had endured. A faint, inexplicable feeling rose in her heart as she frantically reached into her shirt pocket, pulling out a square piece of paper she had unfolded countless times. After several folds, she finally flattened it out before Lin Yan.

“Just transfer the money to the account listed here.”

Xia Qiyu had handed this slip of paper to others before, but this was the first time she did so with her back straight and her head held high. She recalled the humiliations she had endured: being called a “poor wretch” and having her spine poked in disdain as expensive liquor was splashed over her. They had pointed fingers at her, mocking that she would never earn such money in her lifetime, and that even if they lost it, they wouldn’t waste their charity on someone like her.

Lin Yan acted swiftly. Her card’s high tier meant that even a transaction of this magnitude required minimal formalities. After all, the wealthy abhor inconvenience; if one bank proved troublesome, they’d simply switch to another. Before Lin Yan had even put her phone down, the brick-like phone in Xia Qiyu’s school uniform pocket vibrated.

Snapping out of her unpleasant memories, Xia Qiyu pulled out the worn phone and checked the notification confirming the deposit. Only then did she truly believe she wasn’t dreaming.

Her voice, though still composed, trembled slightly as she smiled joyfully. “Thank you, Lin Student.”

“Just call me Lin Yan, or A-Yan if you prefer.”

Hearing this, Xia Qiyu paused to consider before finally responding.

“Alright, A-Yan.”