Chapter 4: Playful Banter, Utmost Delight

Some cautiously went to the cafeteria, but it hadn't opened yet. Jiang Mo sat by the entrance, contemplating life.

In reflection, if he hadn’t foolishly gone out to buy breakfast, he might never have discovered Jiang Wanfeng’s love-stricken mind, nor had the chance to offer Chen Yajie timely help in her hour of need.

The explosive revelations came too fast and too many. Jiang Mo feared that if he encountered another beautiful girl, he’d be forced to jump into some ten-year pact again.

“The ten-year term has arrived! Where is the Elder of the Soul Hall? Where is Na Ran Yanran?”

But the system had assigned Jiang Mo far too many “Na Ran Yanran”s, and he felt that his system, which only handed out money and little gadgets, was far inferior to the old ring master.

Having too many entanglements with beautiful girls wasn’t necessarily a good thing; just look at the example of Makoto Ito.

However, if the ending was predetermined and Jiang Mo simply drifted through each day, he would be doomed to tragedy under the relentless pursuit of these girls.

Perhaps the system’s intention was to provide this information in advance, reversing cause and effect.

What a hassle.

Maybe it was better to confess directly to Jiang Wanfeng and just surrender to a blissful life imprisoned by this possessive childhood sweetheart.

On second thought, Jiang Wanfeng was still quite elegant and graceful.

She held a black belt in Taekwondo and had a well-trained physique, especially her leg and foot skills.

That was why Jiang Mo was always at a disadvantage in daily life; even if he couldn’t win a fight, he could at least talk back, but when the verbal barrage piled up, he’d still end up beaten. If she didn’t hold back, he’d be trampled underfoot.

Wait—Jiang Mo suddenly recalled with horror that whenever Jiang Wanfeng had beaten him before, her cheeks were always flushed red...

Damn it, everyone.

I thought you were the warm red of friendship, but you turned out to be the sneering gutter.

The sneer of a childhood sweetheart still chasing after me.

Just then, the cafeteria doors opened. Jiang Mo quickly showed off a bit, then returned to the classroom to prepare for exams.

There was a math test in the afternoon, so brushing up on problems to keep his skills sharp was wise.

After a while, the classroom gradually filled with bulky students.

Shian Middle School was a small-town school, not even comparable to those in the city.

This led most ordinary classes’ students to be lax and restless, quickly splitting into small cliques in the classroom, chatting nonsense—“Cheese Snow Leopard Chicken, you’re too beautiful,” “Who was kissing whom in the restroom just now,” “Which brand of cigarettes burns the butt more painfully…”

Jiang Mo sat alone, buried in his studies, completely separated from their world.

Here, when others weren’t studying, if you were, you became an outcast.

Gossip was inevitable.

“Jiang Mo, do you have a moment? Can we talk?”

Suddenly, his vision darkened slightly. Jiang Mo looked up.

There stood a sweet-faced girl, one hand twirling her hair behind her ear, the other pressing on his desk as she leaned in, sweetly and coaxingly asking.

Her bright eyes fluttered like a mischievous little fawn, the corners of her eyes curved with a fox-like charm.

Hu Yuen, Jiang Mo’s former first love, the system-designated “bad woman.” Just twenty-four hours ago, he was still completely bewitched by her.

Around her stood a group of boys and girls—her little circle. Jiang Mo used to belong there too.

That kind of clique was the absolute dumbest. If someone wasn’t there, they’d badmouth them. Barely grown up, holding their parents’ money, buying a few bottles of Snow Beer and thinking they could conquer the world.

Everyone thought they were the greatest, looking down on others with a sense of superiority, pointing fingers.

Jiang Mo, back then, couldn’t focus on studying and had little money, relying solely on his looks to survive in such a “popular” clique, using foolish laughter and exaggerated gestures to satisfy his goblin-like fantasies.

Immature.

No books read, no girls gained, Fiji cups from Pinduoduo.

He clearly remembered that in this clique of seven or eight people, there were more than thirty different subgroups, but each group had Hu Yuen.

After all, Hu Yuen was the prettiest and came from the best family.

She was also the most clear-headed but the most adept at being disgusting.

Thinking of having played with them before made Jiang Mo nauseous.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Mo silently cursed everyone under his breath, then, without changing his expression, said:

“No.”

“Actually… huh?” Hu Yuen was clearly unprepared for Jiang Mo’s reply. Her rehearsed lines faltered but soon recovered.

“Jiang Mo, I was harsh last night. Please don’t be mad, okay?”

Jiang Mo was the best among her little circle—good-looking, grades barely comparable to hers, but average family background. Still, he was a big fish not to be easily let go.

Hu Yuen knew the others were all trash, just playing around. Anyway, she would be promoted to another class soon.

Before that promotion, she wanted to test Jiang Mo’s “loyalty” with this excuse but ended up failing.

It made her uncomfortable, like a well-trained puppy suddenly rebelling.

Though she thought that way, Hu Yuen showed a wronged expression to Jiang Mo.

The petite girl’s sweet voice and small expressions stirred protective instincts.

But to Jiang Mo…

Get lost, you little she-devil!

“Jiang Mo, what are you pretending? Yuen came to make peace!”

“Aren’t you a man? Can’t you just yield?”

Seeing Jiang Mo silent, Hu Yuen’s lackeys began to push.

Classic. Too classic.

Hu Yuen heard it and frowned slightly but didn’t stop it.

“Oh, he’s just proud. Seeing Yuen come to make peace must make him secretly happy.”

Still pushing.

“Sure, bookworms find their worth only in doing problems.”

“Jiang Mo, stop studying. Your English is hopeless, and now math won’t catch up either.”

“Why not just apologize to Yuen? She’s being promoted, and you’ll owe her a favor.”

This bunch from Biyang, barely old enough, couldn’t even get along with their parents. They talked about favors as if mature and worldly.

At first glance, it seemed loyal, but in reality, it was just the vanity of “saving face.”

“Stop it. His family’s poor, he rents a place and even needs a girl to share expenses. Studying is his only way.”

“Hahaha…”

Jiang Mo couldn’t take it anymore. This bunch was despicable. He threw his pen on the ground and slammed the desk with a bang, striking the Wild Prison Heavenly Finger pose—

“Fuck all of you, you stinking bitches!”

At nearly 1.8 meters tall and solidly built, Jiang Mo’s sudden readiness to fight was intimidating enough to scare these punks.

These trash talkers only dared to bark; when it came to real fights, none dared to step forward.

His outburst stunned the entire group, including Hu Yuen.

“Yang Wei, stop hiding behind your cricket. Fake as hell. Who gave you the guts to mock someone’s family? Your Putian shoes’ Air Jordans are just marker drawings. Who do you think you are?!”

“Liu Wei, you’re no better. Your dog mouth’s always running, hiding in the bathroom stealing your dad’s second-hand phone to drool over the goddess. You smile creepier than a door lock. You have the nerve to say ‘he said, she said’? Eat shit!”

The boys named shrank back immediately. Jiang Mo pointed at another.

“And you, Huang Guifang!”

“Your QQ space’s practically your mom’s, always posting piano stuff or about being ‘on the way to green,’ and your ugly selfies get boosted by fake accounts saying ‘Ji Mi is so pretty.’ Ew, your hyaluronic acid face is soaked in marinade!”

“What are you staring at?! You’re a loser too…”

“You’re one too! Fuck you!”

“%￥##@#%#”

After this verbal barrage, the classroom’s atmosphere instantly chilled.

Only Jiang Mo maintained the Wild Prison Heavenly Finger stance, glaring at the group.

Everyone’s shortcomings had been exposed, many dark secrets revealed, leaving them dumbfounded.

Where did Jiang Mo get the dirt? From the great, all-knowing system, of course.

Praise the system!

The only one spared was Hu Yuen.

Besides toying with people’s feelings, no real dirt could be dug up on her.

“Apart from that... Jiang Mo... don’t you think you’re in the wrong too?!”

“Yeah, how can you insult people?!”

“We say these things only for your own good, not to make things worse!”

A few braver ones started whining from the crowd, gossiping.

Jiang Mo couldn’t help but laugh in anger.

They were the ones who deserved to be scolded.

Luckily, he had no morals and was almost kidnapped by them.

Dropping all pretenses, he embraced a wicked life.

Just as Jiang Mo was about to retort again, Hu Yuen, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke:

“Stop it, you’re going too far.”

She suddenly grabbed Jiang Mo’s hand, looked around, her fox-like eyes sparkling with a peculiar energy.

“This is between me and Jiang Mo. You don’t need to get involved.”

“Jiang Mo, let’s handle this privately, okay?”

She winked at him, signaling to talk outside.

Staying here was just going to invite endless bickering; he had already vented enough.

Jiang Mo didn’t refuse.

The group watched as Hu Yuen, the clique’s core, led the recently scolded Jiang Mo away, feeling dazed.

After some time, someone shouted:

“Damn idiot!”

“He’s gone now. What’s the point of shouting?”

The onlookers laughed.

The classroom fell silent again.

—

In the hallway corner, the girl excitedly circled Jiang Mo like she’d discovered treasure.

“Jiang Mo, you were so fierce just now.”

“Jiang Mo, can you really get promoted? Your grades still seem lacking.”

“So what?”

“Jiang Mo, how could you say those things? You weren’t like this before.”

“Being foul-mouthed is a pleasure.”

“Jiang Mo, you’ve secretly liked me all along, right? Last night’s words weren’t a lie, were they?”

“I loved you.”

“Don’t love me anymore? Then why are you following me so obediently?”

“Because I want to.”

Jiang Mo feigned indifference, staring intently at Hu Yuen.

[Staring for one minute…]

[Two minutes…]

[Three minutes, system temporarily deactivated.]

He took the opportunity to cool down his skill cooldown. There was a math exam coming up, and with Hu Yuen coming to him willingly, how could he refuse?

“Jiang Mo… your eyes look a little weird…” Hu Yuen showed a nervous sweat-drop expression.

“I’m done.” With the system off, Jiang Mo felt relieved and turned to leave.

Hu Yuen: “?”

This guy… really!

The girl quickly grabbed him again, coaxing:

“Hey! Could you curse me too?”

No… girl.

Hearing this, Jiang Mo’s steps froze.

The system had shut down too soon. Now he really wanted to use it to see what this enchantress was thinking.

So young and already infatuated with the Ace admirer?

No thanks.

Jiang Mo tried to shake her off, but she kept grabbing him.

“Let go, or I’ll scream,” Jiang Mo grumbled. “I actually have a fetish—I want to lick any girl’s hand I touch.”

Hu Yuen was instantly disgusted and finally let go.

“Jiang Mo, I actually know those people are terrible.”

“Oh.” Jiang Mo walked on, letting her follow.

“But you’re different.”

“That’s good enough.”

“Jiang Mo, can you walk slower?”

“You… really!”

Suddenly, the girl jogged up, standing before him with crossed arms and a frown.

“If all you can do is talk big, then you’re worse than them.”

“So what?” Jiang Mo shrugged, replying with his signature phrase.

“Besides talking big, do you only know how to brush things off?” Hu Yuen’s sweet tone gradually faded; her gaze turned cold and narrowed, revealing a teasing expression.

Jiang Mo feared she might next mock him with a disdainful face.

This little she-devil’s triumphant!

Jiang Mo stepped forward and pushed her aside.

“No matter how much I say to a little bitch, it’s all useless.”

“You’re insulting me?”

“The first insult is free. The second costs extra, and with a bubble voice, it’s ten bucks more, darling.”

“You chargeI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.