After Becoming Everyone's Most Hated, I Was Forced Into a Happy Ending - Chapter 3

The bar was hazy with smoke.

Ning Zixu lounged with an arm over my shoulder, quietly studying my profile through his open collar.

“Has Young Master Chi turned over a new leaf?”

He was the original owner’s childhood friend.

I gave a dry laugh. “Mind your own business.”

In the original novel, Ning Zixu had never taken “me” seriously. That meant I wasn’t too worried about him realizing that the universally hated Chi Yi had gotten a new soul.

“Well? What did you want me for?”

Ning Zixu took a hard drag on his cigarette. “Do you want a guaranteed place in graduate school?”

I froze, rapidly flipping through the plot in my head. Apart from Chi Qi, everyone in the main cast was a college senior. Ning Zixu came from a dynasty of medical and biological researchers. With an authoritative research team behind him, publishing papers and securing patents came easily.

He had a grudge against Chi Su, so he planned to bring me onto the team and offer me a few benefits. In return, during the public review period for graduate-school recommendations, I would fabricate evidence and report Chi Su.

It might not work, but causing Chi Su trouble was enough.

Ning Zixu was explaining his plan as if it were settled when I cut him off.

“Can’t do it.”

His hand stopped. “Why?”

I couldn’t help rolling my eyes. Was a guaranteed graduate-school spot some gift from heaven? Was it more important than staying alive?

Besides, the original novel was a one-to-many romance. Ning Zixu and Chi Su had gone from enemies to lovers. Why would I stick my head into a battle between immortals?

And the original owner really was an equal-opportunity hater. He had not only reported Chi Su, but turned around and stolen Ning Zixu’s core patent.

Ning Zixu ought to thank his lucky stars I wanted no part of it.

I waved away the smoke and got to my feet. “You’re a good student. Try smoking less.”

Ning Zixu acted as if he couldn’t hear the sarcasm. He caught my wrist.

“A-Yi, I need you—”

Before he could finish, someone—or something—tripped me. I stumbled and fell on top of him.

Pain exploded through my teeth.

Fuck!

I’d smashed my mouth into the corner of Ning Zixu’s.

“You fucking—”

We spoke at the same time. His face was a picture of disbelief.

Before he could lose his temper, I struck first. “Why the fuck are you still holding me? Let go, you goddamn pervert.”

His face turned first green, then red. He looked away and released me.

When he didn’t pursue it, I silently breathed a sigh of relief. As the fake young master, I was now someone anybody in this circle could step on.

Before leaving, I repeated myself three times over.

“I’m staying out of the graduate-school business. I absolutely, positively will not make trouble for Chi Su.”

Who could have guessed the slap in the face would come so quickly?

After the semester began, I went to the laboratory to hand in some paperwork and overheard people bad-mouthing Chi Su.

“Look at that broke-ass outfit. A nine-yuan-ninety T-shirt and jeans washed nearly white. Everything on him costs less than a hundred.”

“So what if his grades are good? I don’t get why those girls trail after him.”

“Pretty boys live off their faces.”

Malicious laughter rose and fell. I frowned instinctively. When I heard they planned to frame Chi Su, I crouched outside the laboratory to wait for him.

He appeared not long afterward.

I stopped him with one arm. “Don’t go in.”

His features were cold and severe. “Move.”

I pressed my lips together and refused to budge. The moment he entered, a two-million-yuan instrument would be “destroyed” by his hand.

I wasn’t trying to help him.

I just couldn’t bear seeing that much money wasted.

“Chi Su, I’m gay. Take one more step, and I’ll kiss you!”

At this point, Chi Su hadn’t yet awakened to his sexuality. Sure enough, he stopped.

But he quickly regained his composure. “And then?”

I stared at him blankly.

Was the reason a protagonist became the protagonist really just an iron psyche and an unmatched capacity for acceptance?

Chi Su walked around me and headed for the laboratory.

Out of options, I gritted my teeth and stuck out a leg. Caught off guard, he tripped.

I reached to help him up, but a callused hand got there first.

I looked up into a storm-dark face.

“Who gave you permission to bully him?”