The Heartthrob Halo Doesn't Work on the Villain - Chapter 5

This direct approach seemed to have completely disoriented Lou Yubing. Lin Yan had already planned her next move: Lou Yubing would wipe her cheek in disgust, and Lin Yan would persist with three refusals and three pleas. But to her surprise, Lou Yubing simply murmured a response and immediately turned away.

During morning reading time, the classroom was filled with the sound of students reciting aloud. Coupled with the others’ fear of Lin Yan’s family background, no one noticed this brief exchange, and no one dared to look or listen too closely. The incident passed as swiftly as a gentle breeze.

Yet Lou Yubing was far from calm beneath her composed exterior.

Though she had long since shaken off Lin Yan’s hand and was now hugging her English textbook, reading with her usual earnestness, the fluctuating favorability rating that constantly broadcasted in Lin Yan’s ears never ceased its erratic dance. Starting at -99, it climbed upward with noticeable surges and dips, repeatedly rising and falling before finally stabilizing near zero.

Exceeding her initial expectations, Lin Yan’s slender, willow-leaf eyebrows arched slightly, betraying her obvious good mood.

“This guy is clearly a pushover. I wonder what kind of bad friends the original Lin Yan had, thinking she could just break someone’s wings. Did she read too much angsty teen fiction?”

“Still, it’s a good thing she didn’t do anything truly irreversible. Otherwise, things would have been even harder for me.”

555 was still on high alert, too preoccupied to banter with Lin Yan.

Thank goodness nothing went wrong this time. Didn’t I tell you not to deviate too far from your character?

Expecting Lin Yan to promise not to repeat her mistake, 555 was taken aback when she casually replied, “How is this deviating from my character?”

Lin Yan spoke without a hint of embarrassment or guilt. 555 was about to use her earlier, almost flirtatious, remarks to call her out, but she spoke first.

“Let me ask you a few questions first, okay?”

Unsure what she was up to, 555 had no choice but to play along.

Fine.

“First question: Did the original Lin Yan always have feelings for Lou Yubing?”

Of course! Wasn’t that clearly stated in the plot? Even though he didn’t understand why she was asking, 555 dutifully replied,

Yes.

“Second question: Was the original Lin Yan always a poor student, but maintained a good relationship with her family? And did Lin Qi place great importance on her studies?”

According to the character summary, in this world, Lin Yan grew up in a single-parent household with only her Omega mother. Since birth, her only memories were of Lin Qi. Despite her demanding work schedule, Lin Qi never spared any time for her only daughter, raising her personally and even calling daily while on business trips.

This dynamic only began to shift after Lin Yan entered middle school. Perhaps it was adolescence, or perhaps she had her own thoughts and feelings, but the original Lin Yan grew increasingly distant from Lin Qi. Even so, their family relationship remained harmonious.

Precisely because of this, 555 immediately responded after Lin Yan finished speaking.

Yes.

“That settles it.” Having achieved her goal, Lin Yan touched her fingertip to her lip, a slight smile curving her lips as she asked her final question: “Third question: If a struggling student suddenly has an epiphany and wants to study properly, softening her tone slightly, she asks the person she likes to tutor her. This would both please her concerned mother and allow her extended, intimate time with her crush. What’s wrong with that?”

Her words suddenly robbed 555 of his ability to think. As he followed her logic, it actually seemed to make sense!

Wait, no, no, this feels like I’ve been brainwashed…

The items in her bracelet space hadn’t made a sound in ages. Lin Yan knew what 555 was pondering and glanced sideways at Lou Yubing, who was pretending to remain calm.

“And the results this time were decent. If I keep working hard, I should be able to improve further.”

“Besides, I know my limits. You’d better focus on other matters.”

She didn’t need to spell it out. After all, the higher-ups were still monitoring this Small World. A subtle hint would suffice, and she trusted 555 would understand.

The worldview of this fictional world was fundamentally similar to her own. Though her high school knowledge was a bit rusty, Lin Yan was picking things up quickly. She just needed more time to refine her skills.

Since Lin Yan had no intention of cheating on this monthly exam and wanted to maintain her “genuine slacker” persona with Lou Yubing, she spent the entire exam biting her pen, leaning sideways, and occasionally letting out a “tsk” or two, feigning frustration while actually dozing off with her eyes closed.

555 had even “praised” her for her audacity, remarking that she didn’t seem to care about shattering her newly established “diligent student” image. Lin Yan couldn’t care less. Given Lou Yubing’s usual refusal to spare her even a glance, how could he possibly be looking around during the exam?

Her assessment proved accurate. Since enrolling in this school, Lou Yubing had found his greatest joy in studying, and the most beautiful sound to him was the school bell signaling the start of class.

Only in the classroom could he escape the torment of the “rats” who bullied him, only there could he avoid constant suppression. While others yearned for the freedom outside the classroom, for him, only learning offered true liberation.

Yet no matter how hard he tried, he seemed unable to surpass one person: Xia Qiyu.

He had always resisted comparing himself to others, believing that doing his best was enough. But each time he saw his unchanging rank on the report card, a pang of disappointment still struck his heart.

Lou Yubing harbored no particular feelings toward Xia Qiyu, but she was undeniably the only person in their class who treated him with even a semblance of kindness. The others either distanced themselves out of fear of becoming targets themselves or joined the ranks of his tormentors, becoming accomplices in his suffering.

Despite everything, she still wanted to stay at the school. The Lin Family’s subsidies were substantial, and combined with scholarships and regular donations to the orphanage, the money would ease the worry lines on Mother Superior’s face.

If not for Lin Yan’s past humiliations, she would have been genuinely grateful for the Lin Family’s kindness.

As her thoughts drifted to this, Lou Yubing’s pen, which had been gliding smoothly across the answer sheet, paused momentarily. The words Lin Yan had spoken during yesterday’s morning reading class flashed through his mind, stirring his heart into turmoil once more.

Like… me?

He had never considered such a thing, nor had he ever shared the others’ enthusiasm for discussing the romantic entanglements in novels. Now, as the thought surfaced, he dismissed it as merely a consequence of his mishandling of the situation.

Lou Yubing had been earnestly contemplating how to resolve this trouble decisively when, in the next instant, images of Lin Yan’s past domineering commands and humiliations resurfaced. Seeing his reaction, the others secretly mocked him for being so forgetful.

She couldn’t explain why she hadn’t been able to get angry yesterday when she met those clear, innocent eyes. She had even foolishly agreed to that unreasonable request. Now, reflecting on past events, she had finally come to her senses.

If Lin Yan asked her to tutor him this weekend, she would make things clear. Whether his declaration of affection was genuine or not, she would simply minimize their future interactions.

Meanwhile, Lin Yan was leisurely waiting for the exam bell to ring so he could submit his half-blank test paper and avoid sitting there doing nothing. Suddenly, a continuous notification sound kept ringing in his ear, indicating that Lou Yubing’s favorability points were plummeting again. He couldn’t help but turn to glance at Lou Yubing, who was calmly answering the exam questions.

Why is this guy still daydreaming during the exam? He’s even managed to drop his favorability points back below zero after I finally got them to zero! How am I supposed to complete my mission?!

For a brief moment, Lin Yan thought Lou Yubing’s name was perfectly fitting. True to his name, he was just a big block of ice, always brooding and keeping his emotions hidden beneath a cold exterior.

Even without guessing, Lin Yan knew this guy was thinking about the original owner’s foolish actions.

Being this passive wouldn’t do. She needed to take the initiative.

After waiting a while longer, the exam bell finally rang. One by one, the students left the classroom to wait for the proctor to collect their papers before returning for the next session.

The sounds of post-exam discussions outside the classroom drifted in. Lou Yubing packed up his things, ready to leave, when his left pinky and ring fingers were softly grasped.

He turned to see Lin Yan, half her face visible as she lay sprawled on the desk. Her small face, usually so assertive and spirited, lacked its usual warmth and looked deathly pale, completely drained of color.

Lou Yubing felt a slight tremor in his heart, forgetting even to pull away. His brow furrowed tightly as he leaned closer.

“Lou Yubing, could you take me to the school infirmary? My stomach hurts…”

The sincerity in the girl’s expression seemed genuine, but just moments ago, he had declared his intention to distance himself from her. Torn between conflicting feelings, Lou Yubing was about to refuse when the grip on his hand suddenly tightened. He looked up to meet those tear-filled eyes.

“It really hurts…”

Unable to reason with her, Lou Yubing turned her back, crouched down, and patted her own shoulder.

“Get on.”

It was break time after the monthly exams, and the corridor was packed. The sight of someone carrying another on their back—especially when the protagonists were the two “infamous” and perpetually at odds individuals—naturally drew curious glances.

Both girls were slender, but Lin Yan could feel the solid strength in Lou Yubing’s back, likely from her regular physical labor. Despite being only 160 cm tall, Lin Yan felt securely supported by the 175 cm Lou Yubing, who carried her steadily without letting her slip, even after walking a considerable distance.

Feeling completely secure, Lin Yan draped her arms over Lou Yubing’s shoulders, her earlier feigned weakness completely gone. Even 555 would have praised her performance as an “Oscar-worthy” act.

Hmm… Lin Yan thought, retracting her earlier assessment of Lou Yubing as a “big ice block.” At least, the sensation of being held wasn’t icy at all—it was warm and comforting.