The Heartthrob Halo Doesn't Work on the Villain - Chapter 4

Perhaps sensing Lin Yan’s lingering gaze, Lou Yubing finally turned her head. Seeing that Lin Yan was no longer twitching strangely, she pushed the desk back together.

Surprised by Lou Yubing’s self-awareness, Lin Yan raised an eyebrow slightly. Her hand slowly slid across the desk edge until she tugged at the worn, almost threadbare cuff of Lou Yubing’s cotton jacket.

“Hey, as my deskmate, shouldn’t you at least show some concern for me?”

Lin Yan’s usual voice carried a hint of coquettishness, further sharpened by her deliberately acerbic tone, which often grated on the ears. But now, her voice was soft, with a subtle, almost pleading undertone.

Normally, Lou Yubing would have ignored her completely. Yet this time, she inexplicably paused her hand, which had been flipping through her book.

Between them, silence was the most common form of communication. Lin Yan harbored no illusions of forging a close bond with Lou Yubing in such a short time. Instead, she quietly observed her deskmate.

Lou Yubing’s appearance remained as strikingly beautiful as ever, yet her face had an unnaturally pale, almost bloodless complexion, as if from malnutrition. And then there was her jacket…

She had noticed it earlier: the jacket was clearly a men’s style and quite old. The faux leather cotton coat was wrinkled where it should be, torn where it should be, and slightly ill-fitting. Considering her circumstances, it was likely a hand-me-down from other children at the orphanage who had outgrown it.

But wasn’t this person supposed to be attending school on a scholarship funded by her family? Shouldn’t she be receiving some kind of living allowance?

She always struggled to keep up with such details. This was a task best left to the dedicated 555.

The Lin Family provides Lou Yubing with a regular living allowance, but she sends most of it back to the orphanage each month, keeping only a small amount for herself. Her basic expenses… are mostly spent on textbooks and study aids.

No wonder.

For the orphanage?

Though the orphanage had only been mentioned a few times in the known plot, Lin Yan always felt an odd sense of unease about it.

What could drive such an intelligent, hardworking, and grateful person to commit such extreme acts?

After her conversation with 555, Lin Yan suddenly grew suspicious of the information about the Small World provided by the Temporal Bureau. Though skeptical, she had no choice but to follow this line of reasoning for now.

“Can you find out why she Darkened?”

Due to the failure of previous Missioners to safely withdraw from the book world, the Bureau lacks verifiable case studies. We can only roughly identify the source of the corruption. As for the subsequent normal plot progression, we cannot access it due to insufficient authorization.

“Roughly identify? So the problem might not be solely with her.”

Correct. However, the collapse of the Small World and the source of the corruption are undoubtedly deeply connected.

Lin Yan pondered for a moment, making a mental assessment. It wasn’t that she was overly cautious, but after so many previous failures, she had to be more vigilant. To solve the problem, she couldn’t afford to stray too far from the right path.

Her slightly glazed eyes suddenly flickered back to focus, and she heard a cold voice, tinged with anger.

“Are you even listening to me?!”

A flicker of confusion crossed Lin Yan’s face. Lou Yubing suddenly met those bewildered eyes, her throat going dry. For the first time, she wondered if she had been too harsh. Yet, memories of Lin Yan’s past misdeeds resurfaced, deepening the coldness in her expression.

Host, remember not to deviate too far from your character.

Lin Yan ignored 555’s warning, offering an embarrassed smile. The hand still resting on Lou Yubing’s sleeve curled slightly.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I thought you wouldn’t talk to me, so I was just spacing out. Could you repeat that?”

Having never seen Lin Yan lower her guard like this, Lou Yubing’s bright eyes remained tinged with suspicion, though her tone softened from its earlier sharpness.

“I said, don’t even think about cheating on the monthly exams. No matter what, I won’t let you copy my answers. Go find someone else.”

Monthly exams? Right, there was something like that scheduled for the next two days.

Hai City First High School was often considered a prestigious school, but that didn’t mean all its students came from wealthy families. Rather, it reflected the school’s exceptional teaching staff.

Of course, it wasn’t just the school’s exceptional faculty. To boost its college admission and high-score rates, Hai City First High School also went to great lengths to attract top students. As a result, many students like Xia Qiyu attended on full scholarships, covering tuition, room, and board—a key factor in the school’s renowned reputation. However, this prestigious environment also attracted wealthy families who would pay to secure their children’s admission, gradually earning the school its reputation as a “noble academy.” The exact amount required for admission depended on academic performance; someone like Lin Yan, for instance, would need to donate an entire building to even be considered eligible.

Thus, the high school’s inherent sense of urgency remained palpable. This Friday marked the first monthly exam since the start of the second semester of sophomore year.

Speaking of monthly exams, Lin Yan suddenly remembered her newly acquired mother in this world. During the information transfer, one detail had struck her vividly: after starting high school, for every point her total score exceeded the passing grade on each monthly exam, her daily allowance would increase by ten thousand yuan for that month.

Yes, that’s how absurdly lavish and inhumanely extravagant it was.

The diligent students who had been carefully recruited naturally wouldn’t resort to any cheating during exams. As for the pampered young masters and ladies, the school couldn’t and wouldn’t dare to discipline them. Consequently, First High School never bothered with seating arrangements during exams, which allowed Lin Yan to consistently “achieve” decent grades.

The original owner had long coveted Lou Yubing’s academic performance. As the perennial runner-up in their class and her deskmate, copying from Lou Yubing would undoubtedly boost her allowance significantly. But who was Lou Yubing? With her negative favorability rating, she would never agree to such a scheme. During exams, she would deliberately block Lin Yan’s view, making it impossible to cheat even with the legendary Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Listening Ear. Left with no other option, the original owner had resorted to bribing the student behind her for “assistance.”

However, the inflated nature of her scores was obvious to everyone, especially her own mother. Yet, one remained silent, and the other never questioned it. Lin Yan suspected that Madam Lin Qi, whom she had yet to meet, likely felt satisfied even if her daughter was deceiving her.

If not for her mother’s excessive indulgence, the original owner would never have developed such a spoiled personality. But such extravagance was only possible with considerable wealth.

Her thoughts drifting slightly off course, Lin Yan slowly lowered her head, revealing the round crown of her hair. She bit her lower lip tightly, looking visibly unhappy, and withdrew her hand from Lou Yubing’s sleeve.

For some reason, the sudden lightness on her wrist made Lou Yubing feel strangely uneasy. Her gaze fixed on Lin Yan, only to find her in such a listless state, she frowned and turned her head away.

“Even if you play the pitiful act, I won’t help you.”

Even Lou Yubing herself didn’t realize how much softer her voice had become compared to before.

From an angle Lou Yubing couldn’t see, Lin Yan smirked triumphantly before precisely seizing Lou Yubing’s nearest hand.

Startled by the unexpected touch, Lou Yubing instinctively tried to pull away, but Lin Yan’s delicate hands entwined her own, trapping her. Her phoenix eyes widened in shock.

“What are you doing?!”

Though she refused to admit it, every nerve in Lou Yubing’s body was now focused on that hand. The slender, jade-like fingers gripping hers were soft and fair, utterly unlike her own calloused fingertips and knuckles. Even a brief touch revealed that the other woman had never done manual labor.

“I wasn’t trying to copy you. Don’t overthink it…”

As if awaiting her response, Lin Yan’s clear, autumn-like eyes stared directly at her, devoid of any ulterior motive. For some reason, Lou Yubing couldn’t shake the feeling that those eyes were utterly pure, untainted by any trace of malice.

No, no, that’s wrong! How could I ever think that arrogant, rude young lady would have such pure, clear eyes?!

With this thought, Lou Yubing forced herself to turn away again, even closing her eyes. Her speech quickened, and her entire demeanor radiated a sense of exasperation.

“Fine, fine, I get it! Now let go of me!”

“No,” Lin Yan retorted petulantly, then her eyes curved into a smile. “Unless… you agree to do something for me.”

The person Lou Yubing remembered—always wanting something—had returned. Her expression froze, the loathing in her eyes deepened, and her voice turned icy.

“Tell me what it is first.”

Sensing the shift in Lou Yubing’s attitude, Lin Yan remained unfazed, her smile unwavering.

“Can you tutor me on weekends?”

Lou Yubing, who had already anticipated Lin Yan’s request, suddenly froze. She blinked several times before replying stiffly, “Why?”

After asking the question, Lou Yubing suddenly noticed that the person who had been smiling at her now seemed flustered, even a little panicked. The hands holding hers were beginning to sweat.

“You know, ever since I started school, I haven’t taken classes seriously. My previous grades don’t count. But now I’ve realized I want to study properly. I shouldn’t have treated you like that before. If I like you, I should work hard with you to get into the same university, not use hurtful tricks to get your attention…”

Her voice grew softer, sounding muffled and like that of a child who had done something wrong.

But Lou Yubing was stunned by just one sentence:

“You like me?”

Seeing Lou Yubing’s furrowed brow and frozen posture, Lin Yan decided to push further. She leaned in closer, kissed Lou Yubing’s cheek, and quickly pulled back, grinning like a cat that had stolen a treat.

“Yeah, I like you.”

Perhaps sensing Lin Yan’s lingering gaze, Lou Yubing finally turned her head. Seeing that Lin Yan was no longer twitching strangely, she pieced the desk back together.

Surprised by Lou Yubing’s self-awareness, Lin Yan raised an eyebrow slightly. Her hand slowly slid across the desk’s edge until it reached Lou Yubing’s worn cotton sleeve, which had been washed so many times it was starting to fray.

“Hey,” Lin Yan said, tugging lightly on the sleeve. “As my deskmate, shouldn’t you show a little concern for me?”

Her usual voice carried a hint of coquettishness, made even more grating by her deliberately sharp tone. It always left a prickly feeling in the listener’s ears. But now, her voice was soft, with a subtle hook at the end.

Normally, Lou Yubing would have ignored her completely. Yet this time, she inexplicably paused her hand, which had been flipping through the pages of her book.

Between them, silence was the most natural form of communication. Lin Yan didn’t delude herself into thinking they could become close in such a short time. Instead, she quietly observed Lou Yubing.

Her appearance remained as captivating as ever, but her face had an unnaturally pale, bloodless complexion, as if caused by malnutrition. And her clothes…

She had noticed it earlier: the jacket was clearly a men’s style and quite old. The synthetic leather was creased where it should be, torn where it should be, and slightly ill-fitting. Considering her circumstances, it was likely a hand-me-down from other children at the orphanage.

But wasn’t this person supposed to be attending school on a scholarship from her family? Shouldn’t she be receiving some kind of living allowance?

She always struggled to keep up with such details. This was a job best left to the dedicated 555.

The Lin Family provides Lou Yubing with a regular living stipend, but she sends most of it back to the orphanage each month, keeping only a small amount for herself. Her basic expenses… are mostly for textbooks and study aids.

No wonder.

For the orphanage?

Though the orphanage was only mentioned a few times in the original plot, Lin Yan always felt an odd sense of unease about it.

What could drive such a clever, hardworking, and grateful person to commit such extreme acts?

After her conversation with 555, Lin Yan suddenly grew suspicious of the information the Temporal Bureau had provided about the Small World. Though she harbored doubts, she had no choice but to follow this line of reasoning for now.

“Can you find out what caused her Darkening?”

Due to the failure of previous Missioners to safely withdraw from the book world, the Bureau lacks verifiable case studies. We can only make a rough assessment of the source of the corruption. Further details about the normal plot progression remain inaccessible due to insufficient authorization.

“A rough assessment? So the problem might not be solely her fault.”

Correct. However, the connection between the Small World’s collapse and the source of the corruption is undoubtedly profound.

Lin Yan pondered for a moment, silently weighing her options. It wasn’t that she was overly cautious; after so many previous failures, she needed to be extra vigilant. To solve the problem, she couldn’t afford to stray too far from the right path.

Her slightly glazed eyes suddenly flickered back to focus, and she heard a cold, angry voice:

“Are you even listening to me?!”

A flicker of confusion crossed Lin Yan’s face. Lou Yubing suddenly met those bewildered eyes, her throat going dry. For the first time, she wondered if she had been too harsh. Yet, memories of Lin Yan’s past misdeeds resurfaced, deepening the coldness in her expression.

Host, remember to maintain your character.

Lin Yan ignored 555’s warning, offering an embarrassed smile. The hand still resting on Lou Yubing’s sleeve curled slightly.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I thought you wouldn’t talk to me, so I was just spacing out. Could you repeat that?”

Lou Yubing had never seen Lin Yan lower her guard like this. But given her recent string of unusual behavior, suspicion still lingered in her bright eyes, though her tone had softened.

“I said, don’t even think about cheating on the monthly exams. I won’t let you copy, no matter what. Go find someone else.”

Monthly exams? Right, there was something about that happening in the next couple of days.

Hai City First High School was often considered a prestigious school, but that didn’t mean all its students came from wealthy families. Rather, it reflected the school’s exceptional faculty and resources.

Of course, it wasn’t just the school’s strong faculty that mattered. To boost its college admission and high-score rates, Hai City First High School also went to great lengths to attract top students. Many students like Xia Qiyu attended on full scholarships, covering tuition, room, and board—a key factor in the school’s prestigious reputation. However, this exceptional academic environment also attracted wealthy families who would pay to secure their children’s admission, gradually leading to the school being labeled a “elite academy.” The amount of money required for admission depended on academic performance; for someone like Lin Yan, even donating an entire building wouldn’t guarantee a spot.

As a result, the high school maintained the intense pressure typical of senior secondary education. This Friday marked the first monthly exam since the start of the second semester of sophomore year.

Speaking of monthly exams, Lin Yan suddenly remembered her newfound mother in this world. During the information transfer, one detail had stood out: after entering high school, for every point her total score exceeded the passing grade on each monthly exam, her daily allowance would increase by ten thousand yuan.

Yes, that’s how absurdly extravagant it was.

The diligent students who had been carefully recruited naturally wouldn’t resort to any cheating during exams. As for the wealthy young masters and ladies, the school had no authority over them and dared not interfere. Consequently, First High School never bothered with seating arrangements. This allowed Lin Yan to consistently “achieve” decent grades.

The original owner had long coveted Lou Yubing’s academic performance. As the perennial second-place student in the class and Lou Yubing’s deskmate, copying her answers would undoubtedly lead to a significant increase in her allowance. But who was Lou Yubing? With her negative favorability rating, there was no way she would ever agree to such a scheme. If she deliberately blocked her answers during exams, even Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Listening Ear couldn’t have copied them. Left with no other option, the original owner had to rely on bribing the student behind her for “assistance.”

However, the inflated nature of her scores was obvious to everyone, especially her own mother. Yet, one remained silent while the other asked no questions. Lin Yan suspected that Madam Lin Qi, whom she had yet to meet, likely felt satisfied even if her daughter was trying to deceive her.

Without her mother’s excessive indulgence, the original owner would never have developed such a personality. Of course, only those with substantial wealth could afford to raise a child in such a manner.

Lin Yan’s thoughts drifted slightly. She slowly lowered her head, revealing the round crown of her hair, her lower lip pressed tightly between her teeth, looking distinctly unhappy. The hand resting on Lou Yubing’s sleeve withdrew.

For some reason, the sudden lightness on her wrist made Lou Yubing feel strangely disoriented. Her gaze fixed on Lin Yan, only to find her in such a dispirited state, she frowned and turned away.

“Don’t try to play the victim. I won’t help you.”

Even Lou Yubing herself didn’t realize how much softer her voice had become compared to before.

From an angle Lou Yubing couldn’t see, Lin Yan smirked triumphantly, then swiftly seized Lou Yubing’s closest hand.

Startled by the unexpected touch, Lou Yubing instinctively tried to pull away, but Lin Yan’s delicate hands entwined around hers, trapping her. Her phoenix eyes widened in a glare.

“What are you doing?!”

Though she refused to admit it, every nerve in Lou Yubing’s body focused on that hand. The slender, jade-like fingers gripping hers were soft and fair, utterly unlike her own calloused fingertips and knuckles. Even a brief touch revealed that the other woman had never done a day’s manual labor.

“I wasn’t trying to copy you. Don’t overthink it…”

As if waiting for her response, Lin Yan’s clear, autumn-like eyes stared intently at Lou Yubing, devoid of any ulterior motives. For some reason, Lou Yubing couldn’t shake the feeling that those eyes were utterly pure, untainted by any impurity.

No, no, that’s wrong! How could she possibly think that arrogant, rude young miss would have such clean eyes?

Forcing herself to turn away again, Lou Yubing even closed her eyes, her words tumbling out in a rush, her entire demeanor radiating exasperation.

“Fine, fine, I get it! Now let go of me!”

“No.” Lin Yan retorted stubbornly, then her eyes curved into a smile. “Unless… you agree to do something for me.”

The Lin Yan who always wanted something was back. Lou Yubing’s expression froze, her eyes darkening with renewed disgust, her voice turning icy.

“Tell me first.”

Sensing the shift in Lou Yubing’s attitude, Lin Yan remained unfazed, her smile unwavering.

“Can you tutor me on weekends?”

Lou Yubing, who had already anticipated exactly what Lin Yan would say, suddenly froze. She blinked several times before replying stiffly, “Why?”

As soon as the question left her lips, Lou Yubing noticed the ever-smiling girl before her suddenly become awkward, even flustered. The hands holding hers grew clammy.

“You know, I haven’t taken my studies seriously since entering school. My previous grades don’t count. But I’ve realized I want to study properly now. I shouldn’t have treated you that way before. If I like you, I should work hard alongside you and get into the same university, not use hurtful tactics to get your attention…”

Lin Yan’s voice grew softer, sounding muffled and like that of a child who had done something wrong.

But Lou Yubing was only struck by one phrase, leaving her disoriented.

“You… like me?”

Seeing Lou Yubing’s furrowed brow and frozen posture, Lin Yan decided to add fuel to the fire. She leaned closer, kissed Lou Yubing’s cheek, then quickly retreated, grinning like a cat who had stolen cream.

“Of course I like you.”