Lin Yu was on the verge of complete breakdown.
"Oh? Isn't this Lin Yu?"
Jiang Che ignored Ye Mengyao and directed his gaze towards Lin Yu, a faint smile playing on his lips. The other classmates might not have understood the meaning behind Jiang Che's smile, but how could Lin Yu not? It was clearly a mockery.
"Jiang Che! Don't get too cocky. Sooner or later, I'll take back everything that belongs to me!"
Lin Yu threw out a harsh threat and then turned to leave. He would be back, of course.
Jiang Che watched Lin Yu's retreating figure, stroking his chin as his eyes grew increasingly profound. Now that Lin Yu had been expelled from the campus, many of the school-related plotlines would be triggered, which might lead the story in unpredictable directions. But deep down, he began to calculate. Lin Yu wouldn't be content to let things lie.
In the original story, Lin Yu primarily relied on two methods to build his network and enhance his strength in the early stages.
First: Setting up a stall on the street to cure and save people, encountering many influential figures and making connections with the powerful.
Second: Secretly participating in underground boxing matches, rapidly improving his strength through life-and-death battles.
Jiang Che could use these two points to target him.
You want to cure and save people?
Do you even have a medical license to do so?
Want to fight in underground boxing matches?
I'll just report you and send you straight to jail.
Jiang Che had been an avid reader of web novels for years, often criticizing the illogical plots in many urban-themed novels with over-the-top, satisfying plots. Now, those insights would come in handy.
...
"Wang Zheng, Liu Tie, come here!"
After class, Jiang Che immediately called over Wang Zheng and Liu Tie.
"Jiang Ge, what's the matter?"
"You're really amazing, saving Ye Mengyao all by yourself."
Jiang Che gave them a cold glance.
"Liu Tie, doesn't your family run a few underground boxing arenas?"
Liu Tie chuckled nervously, "Jiang Ge, what underground boxing arenas? We're running a legit business."
Underground boxing arenas were illegal, involving large-scale gambling and sometimes even resulting in fatalities.
Jiang Che didn't call him out on it. "Lin Yu is a Dark Force Ancient Martial Artist. He might show up at your family's boxing arenas to fight. When he does, just mess with him—don't engage him directly, just annoy him... If that doesn't work, call the cops on him!"
"Also, Lin Yu might start setting up a stall to treat people in the next couple of days... You guys take care of that. Every time he starts treating someone, call the cops and report him for practicing medicine without a license."
Jiang Che was practically hand-holding these two underlings on how to deal with Lin Yu.
While these two were pretty dumb, they were loyal enough. In the original story, they never betrayed Jiang Che, even after Lin Yu had made their lives miserable.
"Got it, Jiang Shao. You can count on us. We're professionals when it comes to messing with people."
"But Jiang Shao, is Lin Yu really a Dark Force Master? What if he attacks us? My dad's big client once had a Dark Force Master as a bodyguard. One punch can kill!"
Wang Zheng, the fat one, looked a bit scared.
"Are you stupid, Fatty? If we can't beat him, we just lie down! You know, fake an injury to extort him? Isn't that what you're good at?" Liu Tie quickly caught on, having already gained some experience in this area.
"Good, good. You're making progress!"
Jiang Che nodded.
Now that Lin Yu's dim-witted aura had worn off, Wang Zheng and Liu Tie's eyes were clear, their foolish gazes gone. Their 'smart' IQ had taken over again.
The two of them happily ran off.
Jiang Che's gaze then turned cold. If these two could handle things efficiently... he could save a lot of energy. They were promising talents, perfect little underlings for a villain.
...
For the entire morning, Ye Mengyao kept finding excuses to fawn over Jiang Che.
The once-aloof goddess had now turned into a complete simp, a complete reversal.
"Ye Mengyao, what exactly do you want? You used to ignore me... and now you're doing this? Are you trying to play with my emotions again?"
Jiang Che knew how to fish. If he just kept acting cold and didn't respond to Ye Mengyao, the girl might eventually lose interest.
But that wasn't the result Jiang Che wanted. Giving her a little bit of response... Ye Mengyao would overanalyze everything he said, leading to endless speculation.
Isn't that the same pattern many simps follow?
Even goddesses are no exception.
"Jiang Che... I was wrong about how I treated you before. I apologize!"
"I really didn't mean to play with your emotions. I was young... I didn't know any better."
"Can you give me another chance? Just one chance to like you?"
Ye Mengyao even outright confessed her feelings, something the usually reticent heiress had never done before. This was a bombshell for the other students in the classroom!
They couldn't understand why, just a month ago, Ye Mengyao had been indifferent and dismissive of Jiang Che, yet now she was chasing after him?
Was this the powerful charm of a hero saving a beauty?
Yu Wan'er lay on her desk, her face turned toward the window... for some reason, this scene made her heart ache.
"Bastard! What a big bastard!"
The little loli's thoughts were all in disarray. Ye Mengyao was her best friend, and their relationship had already transcended that of ordinary friends. Although Yu Wan'er never said it out loud, she had developed a somewhat vague feeling for Ye Mengyao.
On the other hand, there was Jiang Che.
This pair of little lilies... hadn't even had a chance to bloom before being ruthlessly trampled by Jiang Che, the big villain.
...
"Give you a chance?"
Jiang Che chuckled lightly, his smile tinged with self-mockery.
"Mengyao, do you think I chased you for so long... really because I liked you?"
"All I was chasing was the innocent, carefree little girl from my childhood. The one who would follow me around, wearing her princess dress, calling me Jiang Gege."
"But that little girl... has grown up and disappeared completely."
Jiang Che's voice carried a sense of letting go.
His words didn't directly mention Ye Mengyao, but every sentence was about her.
Heh... little girl, get flustered for me!