When Lin Ran left the school, a minor incident occurred.
He kept an eye out for Liu Ruxue the entire time, afraid of running into that jinx.
He didn’t bump into Liu Ruxue, but he did run into Lin Jian instead.
They crossed paths in the restroom while Lin Ran was using the urinal. Mentally, he cursed, *At least let me finish pissing first.*
Lin Jian didn’t bother with his usual pretentious "for my brother’s sake" act this time. Instead, he demanded, "What’s your relationship with Luo Yao?"
Lin Ran sneered, "None of your damn business. Get the hell away from me, or do you need another beating?"
"You… Fine! I’ll leave. But I’m warning you—Luo Yao might just be toying with you. A woman of her status would never genuinely care about someone like you."
"As your brother, I’m advising you to stay away from her. If something happens, don’t expect me to clean up your mess."
It was class time, so the restroom was empty except for the two of them. Lin Ran finished up, zipped his pants, and glanced at the urinal.
For some reason, it seemed clogged, filled with cigarette butts—probably some student’s doing.
Then he looked at Lin Jian’s resentful expression and thought, *This guy really can’t go three days without asking for a beating. How did I never notice he’s such a masochist before?*
Lin Jian kept ranting, "And don’t you feel guilty for taking so much money from the Lin Family? Don’t you want to kneel and apologize to Dad? Do you even know what kind of place he’s living in now because of you—"
Before he could finish, Lin Ran grabbed him by the hair and yanked him forward, slamming his face toward the urinal.
Lin Jian’s eyes widened in horror as the yellowish liquid loomed closer. He screamed, "Lin Ran! Let me go! What the hell are you—*glug glug glug!*"
Only after Lin Jian had "cleaned" the urinal did Lin Ran release him. Lin Jian collapsed on the floor, gagging.
"Ugh, you’re disgusting. Don’t you dare puke, or I’ll make you eat every last bit of it."
Lin Jian stared at Lin Ran in disbelief. Despite the smile on his face, there was something terrifying about him. *When did Lin Ran become like this?*
He didn’t dare vomit—he was afraid Lin Ran would actually force him to swallow it back down.
This new Lin Ran was violent, bloodthirsty, and sadistic. And for some reason, Lin Jian couldn’t even fight back. *How did he get so strong?*
Lin Ran wasn’t about to explain that he’d been reborn, that the last three years of his past life had honed him. He wasn’t on Luo Yao’s freakish level, but dealing with a weakling like Lin Jian was child’s play.
"You can go cry to the teachers or run home to Daddy. Doesn’t matter to me. If you think you can take me on, be my guest." He rinsed his hands, shook off the water, and walked out.
This time, Lin Jian wasn’t left bruised—just full of piss.
He couldn’t tell anyone, though. The humiliation would be unbearable.
If the school found out he’d chugged "enhanced beer," he’d be a laughingstock for life.
*"Ugh… Ugh…"*
After dry-heaving for a while, he rinsed his mouth, fixed his appearance, and stepped out—just as class ended and students flooded the halls. He silently thanked his luck for coming to the restroom during class. If anyone had seen him like this, he’d never live it down.
A few steps later, he ran into Liu Ruxue. Remembering the over a million he’d given her to pay off her debts, he pulled her aside to ask how things had turned out.
"Thank you, Lin Jian. I’ve settled the debt. I would’ve been ruined without you."
Lin Jian finally cracked a smile. "It’s nothing. You’re my favorite little sister, after all."
Tears welled up in Liu Ruxue’s eyes. For a moment, she forgot all about chasing Lin Ran again. Overcome with emotion, she stood on her toes and kissed Lin Jian.
Since the freshman orientation incident, Liu Ruxue’s life had gone downhill. Wherever she went on campus, people whispered behind her back. Fortunately, the world never ran short of simps, and she’d managed to keep her crumbling reputation afloat with the help of a few disposable admirers.
Lin Jian stiffened in shock and pushed her away. "Be careful—we’re at school."
Liu Ruxue licked her lips, puzzled. "Lin Jian, why does your mouth taste… weird?"
His face flushed. "Uh… probably the betel nut I ate earlier."
"*That* kind of betel nut? Naughty, Lin Jian!"
Lin Jian: *"…"*
Meanwhile, Lin Ran arrived at his company and realized many of his former classmates had become his employees, happily working as interns.
Wu Zhishang seemed to have bounced back from his heartbreak—his efficiency was impressive.
Most of the interns recognized Lin Ran and greeted him enthusiastically. As their boss now, he held the power over their internships. Combined with their prior connections, they were all working extra hard.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lin Ran suddenly remembered Luo Yao’s extravagant, commanding presence and decided to channel her energy.
"Everyone’s been working hard. I’ve decided to give you all a 10% bonus on top of your contract base pay this month."
The announcement was met with thunderous applause—even Zhang Xiaolong, who badly needed the money, was visibly excited.
After using his *"Limited-Time Luo Yao Experience Card,"* Lin Ran checked the time and left the office, driving toward the estate with Wang Bao tailing him.
But something felt off.
Lin Ran frowned and glanced back—sure enough, Wang Bao’s car was being boxed in by two other vehicles. He was trying to break free.
Then, out of nowhere, a massive truck swerved onto the road, blocking Lin Ran’s path. He slammed the brakes, narrowly avoiding a collision.
He didn’t step out to assess the situation. Something was clearly wrong—the truck had stopped deliberately.
Sure enough, two men jumped out and immediately started cursing at him. Lin Ran didn’t hesitate. He threw the car into reverse at full speed.
Their movements were too precise, their hands reaching toward their waists—trained professionals, just like Wang Bao.
*BANG!*
The rear of his car jolted as it collided with something. A quick look in the mirror revealed a black van blocking his escape.
A sultry voice purred from behind, "Oh? You’re sharper than you look, handsome."