No! I couldn't do that like I had in the past!
After all, he'd said plenty of unpleasant things yesterday, too.
Yet when he came over today to check the results, he found that most of the girls in the class not only didn't hold it against him, but had even displayed "favorability UP" feedback.
That forced Bai Lan to suspect that most of the girls in Class D were lovestruck girls who apparently liked the "overbearing CEO" type.
To confirm this, he even conducted a special test. The result only further confirmed his theory.
The lovestruck girls in Class D really did seem to develop favorable feelings toward boys who spoke roughly.
After all, Kushida was one of the people in Class D who seemed to be lovestruck!
Therefore, Kushida might be like that, too.
If Bai Lan followed his usual habits and deliberately said those harsh, unpleasant things to scare her away, wouldn't he be "rewarding" her instead?
Wouldn't her favorability toward him rise even further after receiving that "reward"?
Thinking of this, Bai Lan hurriedly swallowed the words in his mouth.
"Phew, luckily I reacted quickly! I almost gained a wave of favorability."
With the suspicion that she liked him hanging over him, Bai Lan couldn't help becoming rather conspiratorial.
Come to think of it, Kushida asking Bai Lan to help her befriend Horikita might actually just be a strategy.
Once Bai Lan agreed to Kushida's request, what would happen next?
To help Kushida befriend Horikita, Bai Lan would inevitably have to set aside a certain amount of time to accompany her, offer her advice, and even act together with her.
Besides, what kind of person was Horikita?
The difficulty of becoming her friend was incredibly high!
It definitely wasn't something that could be accomplished in a short time. It might not even succeed in the end!
In that case, Bai Lan and Kushida would inevitably have prolonged and frequent contact.
With enough contact, feelings would develop.
Furthermore, during that period, Kushida would definitely run into setbacks multiple times.
After each setback with Horikita, she might come to Bai Lan to confide in him and seek comfort.
As he comforted her again and again, their relationship would continue to deepen...
With enough contact, developing feelings would be unavoidable.
Once those feelings had built up enough,
Bai Lan probably couldn't guarantee that he would be able to stop himself from secretly developing feelings and falling in love.
By then, he would be bound by those feelings, making it impossible for him to consider dropping out again.
It would be as if he had been tied up with a dog leash, unable to escape this place and losing the freedom he yearned for forever...
Terrifying!
What a scheming girl!
Of course, the latter part was merely speculation.
Based on the information available, Bai Lan only knew that she was probably a lovestruck girl who liked the "overbearing CEO" type.
To keep her from liking him,
Bai Lan had to change the image of an "overbearing CEO" she had of him.
If he wasn't going to be an "overbearing CEO," then what should he be?
Go in the opposite direction and become a warmhearted knight or a universally attentive nice guy?
No, no, no!
Bai Lan couldn't stand that.
He wanted to drop out so he could go out and roam free. He yearned for a broader world and a freer life.
If dropping out instead meant tying himself down, losing his freedom, and no longer being himself, wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse?
Therefore, Bai Lan planned to choose one of his favorite behavioral patterns that differed greatly from an "overbearing CEO."
The most important part of an "overbearing CEO" was being "overbearing"!
Domineering!
High-handed!
Tyrannical!
Following the extremely yang and rigid path of "If a god blocks my way, I'll kill the god; if Buddha blocks my way, I'll kill Buddha,"
the opposite of yang and rigidity was yin and softness.
Of course, Bai Lan couldn't pretend to be effeminate.
He couldn't do anything soft and feminine.
But he could be vicious, venomous, sinister, and cunning!
Since you liked yang and masculine men, then he would play dirty with you!
Poisonous Strategist Bai Lan, reporting for duty!
"25, you've got real talent. Come learn how to roast people with me!"
Bai Lan planned to use a scheme to toy with her mercilessly.
Once she came to her senses, she would realize deeply that she had been toyed with and that her intelligence had been insulted.
At the same time, she would realize that Bai Lan wasn't the "overbearing CEO" type they liked, but a complete "old schemer"!
Her favorability would instantly collapse.
Then love would turn to hate!
She would definitely come to resent Bai Lan!
Not to mention that Kushida was also one of the core figures in the class, the little angel beloved by everyone in the class.
Once the others discovered that Kushida had been bullied, they would definitely want to avenge her.
When they learned that Bai Lan was the one who had bullied Kushida, and found out how he had bullied her,
the "overbearing CEO" image Bai Lan held in the hearts of the lovestruck girls would collapse first, and their love would turn to hate as well.
Then the boys, driven by their old grudges and their desire to gain the attention of the little angel and the other girls,
new grudges and old...
In the end, the entire class would come to hate Bai Lan!
As for how to toy with Kushida...
Bai Lan glanced at Kushida's adorable, little-angel-like appearance. Inspiration struck him, and an idea instantly formed:
"Such a pure little angel... I wonder what she'd look like after being corrupted. I really want to see it!"
With that thought, Bai Lan came up with a plan.
Imagining the little angel turning into a fallen angel under his scheme, Bai Lan couldn't help grinning and even laughing out loud.
"Ke ke ke ke ke..."
It was still the villain's signature laugh.
Kushida saw that Bai Lan hadn't said anything for a long time and seemed to be thinking.
Rather than feeling disappointed, Kushida grew even more expectant.
After all, he hadn't refused. He had only chosen to think it over.
In fact, it was better that he had chosen to think first instead of agreeing right away.
That showed he was seriously considering whether helping her befriend Horikita was feasible, rather than casually brushing her off. He seemed extremely serious and responsible.
For a moment, Kushida felt that Bai Lan was very dependable and worth relying on.
Kushida: Bai really is such a good guy!
Kushida was thinking just that.
However, at that moment, she heard Bai Lan let out a "ke ke ke ke ke" laugh.
Kushida: ???
At this point, Bai Lan spoke: "You came to the right person if you want me to help you befriend Horikita! Do you want to know how to quickly grow closer to Horikita and find common ground with her?"
Hearing this, Kushida abandoned her investigation into Bai Lan's strange behavior, her eyes lighting up as she said, "Yes! I want to know!"
Bai Lan: "Befriending Horikita is very difficult. To have common ground with Horikita, you need to learn the appropriate skills!"
"Skills? That's fine, I'll work hard! Please teach me!" Kushida nodded and bowed, causing a rippling swell.
Bai Lan: "Good! That's the spirit! From now on, you'll study how to roast people with me!"
"Okay! I'll study hard..." At that point, the little angel's expression suddenly changed. "Wait! R-roasting people?"
"Don't worry about being unable to learn. I think you have quite a talent for it!" Bai Lan said in the tone of someone comforting an insecure underachiever.
"No, no, no! I'm not worried about my talent..."
Kushida: I know my own talents perfectly well!
Kushida hurriedly explained, "Why do I need to learn... something like that to befriend Horikita? Can't we become friends by doing fun things together?"
Bai Lan shook his head, then said somberly in the tone of a devil persuading Adam to eat the forbidden fruit, "Kushida Kikyo, who do you think you're trying to befriend? That's Horikita Suzune!"
"Those are just the ordinary ways people make friends! Is Horikita Suzune a normal person?"
"No! She's completely abnormal!"
"Horikita is a very hardworking person!"
"Do you know how hard Horikita works?" Bai Lan challenged Kushida.
Before you continue