Unforeseen Disaster

Waking from the pleasant sensation, Su Yuan felt a surge of strong resistance. She put on a cold expression, looking at the people around her like an iceberg.

Surprised expressions, hushed conversations, and several girls standing in the distance pointing at her. The buzzing, noisy sounds, though indistinct, made Su Yuan realize she had messed up this time, or rather, she had been made to mess up!

She didn't expect novel tropes to play out in her life, like the campus beauty finding a shield and falling for the protagonist's tenderness. That was all nonsense. Only those who couldn't distinguish reality from fiction while reading novels would think such things were plausible.

Su Yuan was practical and simple, never expecting her life to become exciting. In this regard, she had a good grasp of her role as a protagonist; usually, unfamiliar environments beyond daily routines bring unpredictable consequences.

Getting back to the point, seeing herself at the center of the storm, Su Yuan calmed down and observed quietly.

Undeniably, Xiao Yiyan was beautiful, a goddess-like figure in everyone's eyes, and that kiss earlier had stirred her heart, making it worth savoring. Perhaps if this had happened before her body changed, she would have been overjoyed and lost her judgment, but now... she was no longer her past self and had to approach this with a relatively calm mindset.

As she thought about it, a strong sense of incongruity washed over her. It felt like she was caught in a very foolish game.

Xiao Yiyan's background was nobler than most. From the arrogance and worldliness she displayed upon their first meeting, it was clear that this woman might be perfect but often unapproachable. A lifetime of valor, hidden from the world, it was incongruous how in this mundane modern era, she possessed a charm usually found only in ancient wuxia stories.

This was a puppet show. Would Xiao Yiyan, the lead actress and director, be so careless? She kissed herself in front of everyone; did she consider it an insignificant matter? Su Yuan couldn't help but furrow her brow.

A shield? She had no doubts about that.

As for why Xiao Yiyan chose her as a shield, perhaps Su Yuan was pleasing to her eyes, or perhaps it would be easy to get rid of her afterward.

Regardless of Xiao Yiyan's considerations, Su Yuan, having lost control of the situation, was very unhappy.

Even a nobody needs to make a comeback. Su Yuan knew what she lacked was an outburst!

Summoned at will, dismissed at will – that's for dogs!

The intense confrontation everyone expected didn't happen. While there was relief, there was also regret, as the subsequent developments didn't give her a chance to explode. The crowd gradually dispersed. Su Yuan vaguely remembered Lin Jun's resentful gaze as he left, sending a shiver down her spine.

Ignoring Xiao Yiyan, who was smiling brightly with relief, Su Yuan walked away expressionlessly.

Some people, some things, are useless to discuss.

Like punching soft cotton, Su Yuan felt hurt.

"Su... Su Yuan..." a small voice called out. Turning around, she saw a girl following her. It was... Yan Bing?

She was an introverted, shy, and somewhat timid girl from the External Relations Department. She usually didn't say much but had a pretty face, like a doll.

"Is something wrong?" Su Yuan asked, turning around.

"Um, you should be careful from now on. That Lin Jun..."

Su Yuan smiled and waved her hand. "I know. I'll try to avoid him from now on." She prepared to leave.

"No, that's not it," Yan Bing said anxiously. "His father is the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau..."

Thump. Su Yuan almost twisted her ankle. No, she had actually twisted it, though not too severely. Her eyes widened. "His father is the deputy director?"

Yan Bing nodded vigorously.

Looking up at the sky, which was hazy and overcast, as if about to collapse, Su Yuan knew this might be trouble. Damn it! The trouble Xiao Yiyan had caused her was no small matter. If she had wanted to display her "strong will" to Xiao Yiyan and Lin Jun with the heroic image that came to mind, reality had starkly told her – thankfully, she hadn't!

By stepping on Xiao Yiyan, she had also angered Lin Jun. We don't understand the world of the "rich." Fleeting pleasure brings endless trouble... This is what the weak have to consider when facing the strong in reality.

"Thank you."

She smiled gratefully, straightened her back, and limped towards the dormitory.

Upon reaching her dorm, she stretched out her hands and slumped onto the desk, feeling exhausted.

"Su Yuan, come quickly! You're on the campus forum!!" Gao Jun shouted.

"Mm, that's to be expected," Su Yuan replied indifferently.

The campus forum was buzzing. Goddess Xiao's Mysterious Boyfriend Appears!, The Underdog's Comeback: A Real-Life Love Story of a Commoner and a Princess!, Goddess Publicly Kisses Weak Male Student! One page had several posts related to the incident.

There was even a well-composed photo of the scene, capturing the moment Xiao Yiyan kissed Su Yuan. Xiao Yiyan's face wasn't visible, but Su Yuan's surprised expression was captured without reservation.

Su Yuan clicked on the page and looked. Resting her head on her hand, she thought maliciously, does this photographer have a grudge against me? In the photo, I look so foolish.

Su Yuan became famous.

Her popularity soared!

As the subject of a scandal, she was admired, gawked at, and resented by the masses.

"This is bad..." After reading the posts, Su Yuan became even more troubled.

"Su Yuan, you have to hold on," Ji Yehao said, appearing behind her at some point, looking at her with extreme sympathy.

People fear fame as much as pigs fear getting fat. Su Yuan wasn't just famous now; she was infamous, brimming with hatred.

Su Yuan waved her hand and slumped onto the desk again. "Ye Hao, can you bring me back a pork chop rice for dinner? I'm thinking that when heaven is about to bestow a great task upon a person, they must first temper their spirit and endure hardship. Let's get through this tribulation first."

"Su Yuan, this tribulation of yours won't be easy to pass. I think the odds are stacked against you," Gao Jun interjected abruptly.

Su Yuan shot him a sharp, hateful glare and snapped, eyebrows raised, "You jinx!" But then she thought, I really am suffering an unjust disaster this time.

That evening, while waiting for Ji Yehao to bring back dinner and gnawing on her pork chop rice, Su Yuan's pleasant phone ringtone sounded. Her first heavenly tribulation had arrived.

She picked up her phone and saw an unfamiliar number. Su Yuan tossed the phone aside and continued eating.

But the caller seemed determined to make her answer. The phone kept ringing loudly. Frowning, Su Yuan reached out, picked up the phone, and pressed the answer button.

"Hello!"

"Are you Su Yuan?"

She frowned, "Who is this?"

"Tell me if you are Su Yuan!"

"So what if I am? What's your problem!"

She hadn't provoked him, so why was his tone so awful? Su Yuan immediately hung up.

"What's wrong, Su Yuan, an enemy?" Ji Yehao asked, confused.

"I don't know, the voice isn't familiar. He sounded arrogant and really aggressive. It's definitely nothing good!"

Her phone rang again, as if it didn't want her to finish her pork chop rice.

"You should answer it. Ask what's going on. You can't just let him keep calling," Gao Jun suggested.

After hesitating, Su Yuan decided to follow Gao Jun's advice. When she saw the number, she chuckled. She gestured to Gao Jun and Ji Yehao, saying, "He even changed his number to call again."

"Su Yuan, get to the small sports field behind the mountain immediately. I'll be waiting for you there. If you don't come, you'll regret it!" It was the same voice. Without waiting for Su Yuan to agree, he hung up.

"Who is this guy, acting so high and mighty!" Staring at her phone, Su Yuan paused, but then decided to persist... in eating her pork chop rice.

At the small sports field behind the mountain, a guy in a white tracksuit was squatting on some metal sports equipment, smoking a cigarette. He blew smoke rings that slowly rose into the air. "Damn it, it's been half an hour. Even crawling here would have taken about this long. Why isn't that brat surnamed Su showing up yet!"

"Shit! Is that bitch going to stand me up?"