Su Mi: “I’ve been in the top three in my school since childhood.”

System: “…”

Su Mi: “To be able to latch onto the villain, I thought the original owner should be quite smart… how could it be…”

Su Mi struggled to keep a straight face in front of Xu Nanqiao.

She carefully reviewed the original protagonist’s transcript.

It was clear that she hadn’t studied seriously for the past five years, but she seemed to have some talent in mechanical and mathematical subjects. The grades in these subjects were surprisingly better than in the simpler ones, though “better” didn’t mean passing.

Fortunately, the female protagonist was pure and kind-hearted.

Su Mi pursed her lips, showing Xu Nanqiao an aggrieved and sincere expression, and embellished a long story about wanting to study hard and get into a good university.

“…So, I really want to study hard this time,” Su Mi said, placing her hands in a prayer gesture, looking up at Xu Nanqiao like a puppy, and adding, “I know you’re busy with your studies too, but you’re the only one I know who’s both a friend and good at studying. I hope you can help me plan my studies and solve some problems.”

“Absolutely—absolutely won’t delay your study time.”

As the blonde girl spoke, her head slightly tilted, and the low twin buns on either side of her head bobbed up and down with the movement.

Xu Nanqiao was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, “Alright, Su Mi, I’ll help you.”

Su Mi’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Nanqiao! You’re the best!”

Xu Nanqiao smiled faintly, “But you need to be prepared. It’s going to be a lot of hard work.”

Su Mi nodded vigorously. “I understand. I’ll do my best!”

With a sense of determination, Su Mi felt a bit more confident in her plan. She knew that getting closer to Xu Nanqiao and understanding her better was the first step in ensuring Shen Han’s blackening value would decrease steadily. And who knew? Maybe along the way, she could genuinely improve her academic skills and make real friends.

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Xu Nanqiao, her face full of expectation.

Xu Nanqiao sighed, gripping her chopsticks. “Alright, it’s not a big deal. You almost made a book out of it. If you used this talent in your essays, your language scores wouldn’t be what they are.”

Su Mi chuckled.

She didn’t push her luck but instead put her arm around Xu Nanqiao’s shoulders like a good sister. “Thank you so much! I’ll definitely treat you to dinner this weekend!”

Xu Nanqiao: “Aren’t you treating Ai Yiyi and them this weekend?”

Su Mi: “There are two days in the weekend!”

Su Mi enthusiastically made a plan with Xu Nanqiao to help her with her studies whenever she was free.

Back in the classroom, Xu Nanqiao handed her a set of third-year junior high school test papers.

Afternoons at Loran Academy were for elective courses, even for sixth graders nearing the unified exams. The school didn’t interfere with the elective courses students chose, considering that most students here came from affluent backgrounds, with about half likely to study abroad, bypassing the unified exam track altogether.

Even those who planned to take the exams didn’t worry about their future education.

Xu Nanqiao chose pre-university preparatory courses, while Su Mi, looking through the original protagonist’s schedule, found courses like cooking and flower arranging.

Su Mi decided to skip those and stayed in the classroom to work on the test papers.

Having forgotten most of her high school knowledge and with the different curriculum in this world, Su Mi found the questions challenging. She bit on her pen cap, struggling with the answers.

Su Mi recorded her answers on the virtual screen of her optical computer, then adjusted them on the test paper Xu Nanqiao had given her to align with the original protagonist’s usual performance.

Engrossed in her work, Su Mi lost track of time.

When she finally finished the last question on the test paper and looked up, she realized over half an hour had passed since school ended.

Wait, two hours?

Su Mi snapped out of her focus, feeling a bit dazed.

If she remembered correctly, today was the day the male and female leads were supposed to meet in the little world plot.

Unsure whether her trio of friends had tried to block the female lead as in the original plot, Su Mi checked their group chat. They seemed to be discussing a new dessert exhibit at a nearby shop, planning to visit after school.

Feeling slightly relieved, Su Mi messaged Xu Nanqiao: Nanqiao, are you home yet?

Xu Nanqiao replied quickly: On my way home, why?

Su Mi: How are you getting home? Do you need a ride?

Xu Nanqiao sent a cat emoji: No, no, I’m heading to my part-time job at the convenience store. It’s a short walk.

Walking!

Su Mi asked the system, “I remember you mentioned that major plot points in this world can’t be skipped?”

The system popped up: “Yes, Host. For example, we’re about to reach the plot point where the male and female leads meet ^^.”

The system’s pink pixel bubble even wagged its little tail, looking quite pleased.

Su Mi: Tsk.

Although she hadn’t expected that merely warning her friends would avoid the plot entirely, seeing it unfold was still frustrating.

Frowning, Su Mi quickly packed her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

She called Xu Nanqiao while walking out of the classroom.

Xu Nanqiao answered, sounding puzzled, “Su Mi, what’s up?”

Su Mi: “Where are you? Stay where you are. I finished my test papers and can come pick you up.”

Xu Nanqiao laughed, “No need. It’s just a twenty-minute walk, and I’ll be there after a small alley.”

Su Mi: “But—”

Suddenly, Su Mi heard Xu Nanqiao cry out.

“What are you doing?!”

The smart communication device didn’t pick up distant sounds, but Xu Nanqiao’s panicked voice came through clearly.

It seemed she was blocked.

Cursing under her breath, Su Mi reached the underground garage, jumped into her new sports car, and sped off.

Switching to the car’s fastest mode, Su Mi felt the rush of acceleration as she lifted her wrist, using her optical computer to activate plan B:

The location from Xu Nanqiao’s earlier conversation was sent to Loran Academy’s security office.

Before the afternoon self-study session, Su Mi had sent a message to the security office as a precaution, mentioning a rumor of students planning to ambush someone after school.

Loran Academy, with its high-profile students, had excellent security. Su Mi’s message had been acknowledged immediately. Now, sending the location update, she received a prompt “Received” in return.

What took Xu Nanqiao twenty minutes to walk took Su Mi’s sports car only four minutes.

She parked hastily by the roadside, grabbed a golf club from the trunk—one of the custom ones Shen Han had given her—and followed the map on her optical computer.

When Su Mi got into her car, Xu Nanqiao’s communication had already cut off, either voluntarily or involuntarily.

The system, not much help beyond providing plot summaries, remained silent.

Su Mi wasn’t worried, estimating the security team’s arrival time as she rounded a corner and spotted several figures at the alley’s end.

Hiding the golf club behind her, Su Mi quietly approached and saw seven or eight teenagers surrounding the alley entrance.

They hadn’t started fighting yet.

But according to the original plot, just when those people were about to make a move, the male lead was supposed to make his entrance.

Su Mi didn’t get too close at first. The alley was narrow, and getting too close would easily get her noticed.

She stopped a little way from the alley entrance, holding her breath and listening intently.

She heard one sentence.

The lead thug spoke in a strange, high-pitched voice, saying something filthy about how the female protagonist served some young masters at the noble school and suggesting she should serve him now. His words were full of vulgar and dirty language.

Su Mi: “…Hey.”

With a scowl on her face, she walked out, carrying her golf club.

Then she lifted her foot and kicked the last thug hard.

The group, not expecting it, was standing close together. When Su Mi kicked the last one, the others lost their balance and tumbled forward, falling over each other in a heap.

Su Mi locked eyes with Xu Nanqiao and the lead thug at the end of the alley.

“Su, Su Mi!”

Xu Nanqiao, pale and sweating, cried out in surprise.

She looked much worse than Su Mi had expected, very weak, with cold sweat all over her face, looking like she could collapse at any moment.

The lead thug seemed amused, whistling. “Another pretty girl.”

He waved his hand, and the unreliable thugs surrounded both of them.

“Don’t be afraid.” Su Mi held the club and grabbed Xu Nanqiao’s cold hand, looking around at the people surrounding them.

In the original plot, when Xu Nanqiao was cornered by the thugs sent by the original protagonist, she didn’t appear this fragile. Instead, she had declared her independence confidently.

But these thugs looked different from those described in the original story. They seemed more like lower-class drifters, their eyes dull and their clothes ragged and disheveled.

Perhaps one of the three friends had other ideas about Shen Han…

After hearing Su Mi say she saw Xu Nanqiao as a sister-in-law, they impulsively wanted to ruin Xu Nanqiao.

As Su Mi’s thoughts raced, the lead thug spoke, confirming her suspicions.

He looked at them with a wicked smile. “Hey, is this your classmate? If one of you enjoyed our company, how about the two of you join together for some fun?”

Another thug chimed in, “A Beta, huh? That means you can take it better, right?”

The thug Su Mi had kicked shouted, “This chick kicked me earlier. I should go first and have some fun!”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ll get your turn! Move aside!” the lead thug laughed.

The lead thug laughed loudly. “Girl, you rushed in here, but I can’t enjoy you first. Your friend is an Omega. I need to mark her first.”

After he said this, Xu Nanqiao, hiding behind Su Mi, shivered and clutched her hand tighter.

Su Mi estimated the time, knowing she needed to stall a bit longer.

She asked, “Do you know which school we’re from?”

The thug replied, “Isn’t it that Loran Academy? We’ve had plenty of girls from there, hahaha.”

Such bravado.

Su Mi raised her golf club, pointing it at the thugs. “Guess how much this club costs?”

One spat, “A flimsy golf club, how much could it be worth…”

Before they finished, Su Mi said, “A hundred thousand.”

Thug: “…”

Su Mi knew whoever sent them must have assured them that the female protagonist, a special enrollee at Loran, had no family influence or money.

But how much could they have been paid? Probably not more than a few hundred thousand.

Su Mi continued, “There’s a whole set of these clubs in my car’s trunk.”

“Oh, and I came here in a top-tier limited-edition sports car, only available to SVIP customers from the world’s number one brand, Amissa. Guess its market price?”

“Finally, guess what my family’s business is and how powerful they are?”

Su Mi felt two light vibrations from her optical computer on her wrist, indicating the security office had surrounded the area.

Su Mi decided to take a risk.

The male lead must be around already. According to the plot’s inevitability, some crisis would soon occur, prompting the male lead to heroically intervene.

She needed to take control of the situation. At the very least, she had to weaken the male lead’s impression on Xu Nanqiao.

Facing the uncertain and fierce gaze of the lead thug, Su Mi pulled Xu Nanqiao back and patted her hand reassuringly.

Though Su Mi didn’t know golf, she had learned some martial arts. She gauged the distance and, while the thugs were distracted by the expensive club, swung it sideways.

The club, already raised, swung sideways, and the head struck the lead thug’s face hard.

Blood and broken teeth flew from his twisted mouth.

Before anyone could react, Su Mi kicked him hard in the lower body.

She turned swiftly, hitting another thug in the face with the club.

“Su Mi!!”

Xu Nanqiao screamed in fear.

The remaining thugs rushed forward to attack, but Su Mi used the club as a weapon, hitting each one as they came at her. She knew she wasn’t very strong, so she focused her hits on sensitive and painful areas.

She stood her ground, listening intently for the sound of the security team’s boots approaching from outside the alley.

Just as she was about to turn around and pull Xu Nanqiao into a dramatic ending pose, she heard Xu Nanqiao scream from behind her.

Turning around, she saw a thug grabbing Xu Nanqiao’s wrist, about to do something.

Before Su Mi could react, a figure dropped from the top of the alley wall, landing with a swift sidekick that sent the thug flying, rolling two or three times.

The boy, also in a Loran Academy uniform, with short chestnut hair and a cool expression, caught the trembling Xu Nanqiao.

“It’s alright now,” he said.

Su Mi: …

Su Mi: …

Su Mi: …

“System, I want to hit the male lead,” Su Mi said.

Author’s Note:
Su Mi: Did you do this on purpose or by accident?