Crazy Finishing Blows

Xu Muyan listened to her mother's account from the side, finding it utterly nerve-racking.

She had never expected that so much could happen during the afternoon Wang Haoran took off.

"Dad, I told you that you misunderstood Wang Haoran. He's not like those other rich second-generation kids. Do you believe it now?" Xu Muyan huffed.

"Old Xu, I think you must have gotten it wrong. Yan Yan even used his phone to call me. How could he possibly have any improper intentions?" Lawyer An said.

Xu Zheng glanced at Chu Bai. "But I heard him say that Wang Haoran gathered a bunch of lackeys at school to throw their weight around all day, and that he had lots of girlfriends."

Hearing that, Xu Muyan shot Chu Bai a shocked look and said to Xu Zheng:

"What are you talking about? There are indeed quite a few students at school who follow Wang Haoran's lead, but he doesn't go around throwing his weight around. Wang Haoran gets excellent grades, no worse than mine. Where would he find the time to run around causing trouble with his lackeys? As for having lots of girlfriends, that's even more ridiculous."

"Is that so?" Xu Zheng asked Chu Bai.

Chu Bai lowered his head guiltily.

He had indeed smeared Wang Haoran like that, but he had not expected Xu Zheng to repeat it right in front of everyone.

"I exaggerated a little." Chu Bai forced himself to awkwardly answer Xu Zheng.

Xu Zheng frowned.

He could tell that Chu Bai liked his daughter, but smearing someone else because of it was truly rather immoral.

"Chu Bai, that wasn't right of you." Xu Zheng mildly reprimanded Chu Bai.

"Uncle Xu, compared to how he nearly got someone killed, this is nothing at all." Wang Haoran could not help twisting the knife further.

"Nearly got someone killed?" Xu Zheng was startled.

"You don't know about it yet? Here's what happened." Wang Haoran recounted Chu Bai's performance catching the thief at the Jade Factory that afternoon.

"I heard President Tang mention that. She originally wanted to sue him, but because the Principal stepped in, President Tang let the matter drop," Lawyer An said.

The way Xu Zheng looked at Chu Bai immediately changed.

Ding, the host has successfully twisted the knife. Supporting character Xu Zheng's impression of protagonist Chu Bai has dropped to zero. Xu Zheng has left the protagonist's camp and is currently neutral.

Ding, the host has influenced the course of the plot and received 100 Villain Points.

After receiving the system notifications, Wang Haoran secretly chuckled.

That was only the first cut. The second one had yet to come.

Going by the time, Fan Jian should have arrived by now, right? Had that guy dropped the ball? Wang Haoran was a little worried.

It was all because of the Silly Author who had created this novel and assigned him such a brain-dead lackey.

Damn! Just then, the sound of bicycle brakes came from the roadside.

Fan Jian had finally arrived.

After parking his bicycle, he swept his gaze around before walking toward the riverbank.

"Did you take the money I dropped?" Fan Jian demanded of Chu Bai.

"What nonsense are you spouting? What money of yours did I take? You lost your money, so you came looking for me? What a joke." Chu Bai was nervous inside, but he remained outwardly composed.

"I took the shortcut, and I didn't run into anyone else along the way. I only bumped into you. I clearly remember that the money was still on me before I ran into you, but it was gone afterward. If you didn't pick it up, then who did? Did you hide it in your backpack?" Fan Jian glanced at the bag behind Chu Bai.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Chu Bai curled his lip disdainfully, yet his hand instinctively grabbed his backpack.

"Open your bag and let me take a look. If it's not there, I'll apologize to you."

"No need. And I'm not letting you see my bag."

"Let me see it!" Fan Jian grew anxious and charged forward to grapple with Chu Bai.

But with Fan Jian's build, how could he possibly be a match for Chu Bai?

Fortunately, Xu Zheng stepped in just in time and pulled the two apart, allowing Fan Jian to avoid a beating.

Wang Haoran stepped forward. "Fan Jian, you dropped your money on the road. Who knows who picked it up? It's really unreasonable for you to come directly to Chu Bai and demand it."

The words sounded fair enough that even Chu Bai was surprised, and he could not help lowering his guard.

But just then, Wang Haoran snatched Chu Bai's bag away. "I believe Chu Bai didn't take it. If you don't believe me, I'll open the bag and show you!"

He possessed Grandmaster Wing Chun and could throw more than a dozen punches in a second. His movements were lightning-fast, so snatching the bag was naturally effortless.

Chu Bai did not even have time to stop him.

As soon as the bag was opened, a bundle of red banknotes was revealed inside.

"Uh..." Wang Haoran fell silent.

Fan Jian knew it was time for his performance. He immediately said, "That's my money! I told you Chu Bai picked it up, yet he still tried to deny it."

Pointing at Chu Bai's nose, his furious voice carried a sobbing note:

"I withdrew that money to pay for my grandmother's treatment. You actually wanted to pocket it for yourself? You're absolutely despicable! Do you know that if my grandmother doesn't get this money for treatment, she could die?"

Of course, Fan Jian had made up the part about his grandmother being ill.

Whenever he asked for leave, he often used excuses like that: grandmother sick, grandfather sick, father sick. In any case, every relative connected to Fan Jian had been "sick" at least once.

The more he told the same lie, the more experienced he became at telling it.

Other than Wang Haoran, who knew the truth, everyone else believed Fan Jian.

The looks Xu Muyan and her parents gave Chu Bai changed.

Ding, the host has manipulated events from behind the scenes. Supporting character Xu Zheng's impression of protagonist Chu Bai has decreased and is currently at the level of disgust.

Ding, the host has influenced the course of the plot and received 100 Villain Points!

Wang Haoran received the system notifications.

The Villain Points reward he received only came from Xu Zheng.

There was nothing from Xu Muyan or Lawyer An.

That was because Xu Muyan had already found Chu Bai disgusting before this, and Wang Haoran had already received a reward once.

This reward could not be farmed repeatedly.

As for Lawyer An, she did not belong to the protagonist's camp. She had even already joined Wang Haoran's side.

Therefore, even if Lawyer An despised Chu Bai, it would not generate any Villain Points reward.

"I did pick up this money, but I wasn't actually planning not to return it to you. I only wanted to scare you a little, since you were so arrogant earlier," Chu Bai tried to excuse himself.

But that explanation was truly weak and unconvincing.

It could not change Xu Muyan and her family's disgust toward him.

Wang Haoran was more than happy to see this situation.

As long as Chu Bai had no chance to build goodwill with Xu Muyan's family, their disgust would remain.

"Hiss..."

Suddenly, Xu Zheng staggered and clutched one side of his lower abdomen, pain appearing on his face.

Xu Muyan and her mother were startled and hurriedly asked what was wrong.

But Xu Zheng quickly returned to normal.

"There was a stabbing pain in the left side of my lower abdomen just now, but it's fine now."

"Are you really all right? Should we go to the hospital for a checkup?" Xu Muyan asked worriedly.

"Your dad is in great health. Why would I need to go to the hospital over something this minor?" Xu Zheng refused outright.

"Husband, maybe you should still go get checked," Lawyer An added.

"No, no. I said I'm fine." Xu Zheng had made up his mind.

He had always been very healthy. He did not even catch a cold once a year, and he was practically strangers with places like hospitals.

Standing nearby, Wang Haoran saw Xu Zheng's resolute attitude and fell into thought.

Xu Muyan's family now had a terrible impression of Chu Bai. Could this sudden issue with Xu Zheng be Chu Bai's Protagonist Halo activating, creating an opportunity to win back their affection? Wang Haoran had encountered similar situations several times before.

But Chu Bai's ability was X-ray Vision, not some divine doctor protagonist ability. Could he really help Xu Zheng treat his illness? Right, X-ray Vision!

Wang Haoran suddenly woke up to the realization and immediately concentrated, activating his X-ray Vision to examine the spot on Xu Zheng's lower abdomen that he had just clutched.