“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
After a long pause, 101 finally spoke. “How did I not think of this sooner! If I’d known you were this stubborn, I should’ve just activated the electric-shock punishment right away. Let’s see if you’d still dare to stray from the plot so recklessly!”
Lin Zhao suddenly halted in her tracks and said in shock, “You’re not serious… right?”
“Of course I am—kidding!” 101’s voice took a sharp turn. “How could I ever use something like that on my host? Besides, my system isn’t even designed with such brutal punishment mechanisms, okay?”
Lin Zhao curled her lips slightly. “So you’re actually a soft-hearted system.”
“What do you mean, soft-hearted?!” 101’s voice rose several pitches. “Even though you’re an unreasonable, bad-tempered host who’s always picking fights with me, you’re still the host I chose myself!”
“Then you’ve got great taste—picking me at first glance.”
“I never should’ve told you that!”
101 sighed helplessly and couldn’t be bothered to argue with her anymore.
“Forget it. I won’t stoop to your level.”
Lin Zhao clenched her teeth, straightened her back, and slowly made her way toward the school gate, step by step.
101 said, “That’s not the direction of the classroom. Host, what are you doing now?”
“Shut up.” Lin Zhao rubbed her throbbing temples. “I just want to go home. If people see me like this, I’ll have to waste even more time explaining.”
101 didn’t say another word.
Not long after, Lin Zhao arrived at the Lin family villa.
She figured that at this hour, aside from the servants, no one else should be home.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and walked in.
The moment one foot stepped into the foyer—before she could even change her shoes—a stern voice rang out beside her ear.
“Stop right there!”
Lin Zhao froze, her brows instinctively knitting together.
She looked up and saw Lin Zhenhai walking toward her from the staircase.
Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his sharp eyes swept over her, taking in her disheveled state from head to toe.
“What happened to you?”His gaze fixed on the scratches on her neck and the dirt smeared across her school uniform. “Did you get into a fight?”
Already irritated and in no mood to deal with him, Lin Zhao brushed it off casually. “No. I fell by accident.”
“Fell?” Lin Zhenhai raised his voice.
“Do you think I’m a three-year-old you can fool? Lin Zhao, look at yourself! And you’re telling me this is from a fall?”
He strode over, disappointment filling his eyes. “How many times have I told you—girls should behave properly and watch their image! And you? All you ever do is cause trouble!”
“Can’t you put your energy into something worthwhile? Fighting, skipping class—what haven’t you done? Aren’t you ashamed?”
“What I’m doing is worthwhile.” Lin Zhao lifted her head and met his gaze.
“Worthwhile?”
Lin Zhenhai’s chest heaved with anger. “I think you’re just making trouble for me! Do you know people have already reported your nonsense at school to me? Where do you expect me to put my face?”
Lin Zhao, however, showed no concern at all.
She curled her lips. “Your face? Put it on your head.”
“President Lin, aren’t you always obsessed with saving face? If it’s that important, just wear it on your head so you don’t lose it.”
“You—” Lin Zhenhai’s face turned livid. He pointed at her, so furious he couldn’t speak for a long while.
After all, she was his daughter. Being angry at her was the same as being angry at himself.
He took a deep breath, forcing his rage down. “You’ve really grown wings—you’re completely out of control!”
“You’re not staying in the country anymore. Pack your things and leave tomorrow. Go abroad and let your mother watch you every day. At least you won’t embarrass me here!”
“I’m not going.” Lin Zhao refused without hesitation.
What a joke. If she left now, what about the mission?
Since she had accepted it, how could she abandon it halfway and flee overseas?
Besides, there were more important things she still hadn’t done.
This wasn’t the time to leave.
“You’re not going?”
Lin Zhenhai sneered. “Is it because you haven’t embarrassed me enough yet? Do you want the whole world to know that Lin Zhenhai’s daughter is a brainless thug who fights all day?”
“I’m telling you, Lin Zhao—this isn’t up to you!”
He continued, “Either you put away those ridiculous ideas of yours and go back to school obediently, or you get out of the country and never come back!”
Watching his unyielding stance, Lin Zhao began calculating quickly in her mind.
Lin Zhenhai had always responded to softness, not force. Head-on confrontation wouldn’t work.
After a few seconds of silence, she looked up calmly. “I can agree to study properly and behave myself. But I have one condition.”
Lin Zhenhai let out a cold laugh. “You think you still have the right to negotiate?”
Even so, he didn’t press her immediately.
He wanted to see what trick she was trying to pull.
Lin Zhao met his gaze and said slowly, word by word, “If I get a grade in the next exam that satisfies you, you’ll have the school transfer me to Class One.”
“Class One?” Lin Zhenhai frowned deeply.
Almost at the same time, 101’s voice sounded in her head. “Host, why do you want to go to Class One?”
The two voices overlapped, making Lin Zhao want to cover her ears.
Lin Zhenhai reacted first, speaking with certainty. “I get it—you want to go to Class One to chase Gu Zhuoxiao! Lin Zhao, I warn you, you’d better give up on that idea!”
“I get it—the host wants to go to Class One to find Xu Ning! Host, absolutely not!”
Lin Zhao felt like her head was about to split in two.
Lin Zhenhai was ranting in front of her, while 101 was chattering endlessly in her head, perfectly in sync, driving her temples to throb violently.
She had meant to explain things to 101 in her mind, but the double noise irritated her so much that she blurted out—
“Shut up. I wasn’t talking to you!”
The instant the words fell, the living room plunged into dead silence.
The anger on Lin Zhenhai’s face froze, disbelief flooding his eyes.
He stared at Lin Zhao, pointing at her nose, his voice trembling. “Y-you… what did you say? You said you weren’t talking to me? Lin Zhao, you’re really something! You’ve grown bold enough to disrespect your own father!”
Trembling with rage, he turned and strode toward the display rack in the corner of the living room.
There lay a rosewood ruler—the Lin family’s ancestral disciplinary tool. Every time the original owner disobeyed, a brutal beating was unavoidable.
“I think you’re asking for trouble!”
“If I don’t teach you a lesson today, you’ll never know your place!” Lin Zhenhai grabbed the ruler and charged at Lin Zhao.
Lin Zhao’s face changed instantly.
Was this a joke? She was already covered in injuries—forget fighting back, even running was difficult.
“Hey! Don’t go too far!” Lin Zhao backed away while shouting. “I’m your daughter, not your enemy! Beating me with family rules all the time—what kind of hero does that make you?!”
“I’m going too far?” Lin Zhenhai raised the ruler, advancing step by step. “You’re disrespectful and constantly causing trouble. Today, I will teach you a proper lesson!”
As his figure loomed closer, Lin Zhao’s back hit the wall. There was nowhere left to retreat.
Gritting her teeth, she turned and bolted toward the other side of the living room.
“Stop right there!”
Lin Zhenhai chased after her, red-faced and furious. “Let’s see me break your legs today!”
“Then stop chasing me!” Lin Zhao shouted between gasps as she ran, cursing the system a thousand times in her heart. “This is all your fault! If you hadn’t been yelling in my head, would I have said that? Are you happy now?!”
101 sounded a little guilty—yet oddly amused. “Host, how is this my fault? You’re the one who spoke without thinking.”
“But seriously, run faster—he’s about to catch you!”
“Just shut up!” Lin Zhao snapped through clenched teeth, dodging sideways as Lin Zhenhai swung the ruler.
The ruler grazed her arm and slammed into the sofa armrest with a dull thud. A deep mark instantly appeared in the solid wood.
Lin Zhao’s heart skipped a beat, and she ran even faster.
She circled the sofa and coffee table again and again, with Lin Zhenhai close behind, still cursing nonstop.
The once-luxurious, quiet living room instantly descended into total chaos.
“Lin Zhao, stop right now!” Lin Zhenhai panted, sweat covering his forehead. “You can run, but you can’t hide. You’re getting beaten today no matter what!”
The ruler whistled through the air and came crashing down. Almost purely on instinct, Lin Zhao screamed with everything she had—
“STOP!”
The shout tore her throat raw, forcing Lin Zhenhai’s hand to freeze midair.
The living room fell silent.
Supporting himself on his knees, Lin Zhenhai breathed heavily, then looked up at her with a cold snort. “What? Can’t run anymore? Weren’t you pretty capable?”
Lin Zhao leaned against the wall, all her strength drained, barely able to lift a hand.
Bent over, she gulped down air.
After a full half-minute, she finally managed to raise her head, licking her dry lips. Her voice was hoarse.
“Dad… I apologize for what I said earlier.”
Lin Zhenhai was clearly startled.
He raised an eyebrow, lowering the ruler, though his expression remained grim. “Now you know how to apologize? Why didn’t you think of that earlier?”
Looking at him, Lin Zhao’s eyes held just the right amount of sincerity. “Dad, I know what I did today disappointed you. Whether you scold me or hit me—it’s all because you care.”
“I shouldn’t have talked back, and I shouldn’t have made you angry.”
She paused, her tone growing even more earnest. “But what I said earlier was true. I really want to study properly. Haven’t you always wanted me to have a good future? I’ve finally figured it out.”
Lin Zhenhai crossed his arms and stared at her coldly. “Go on. What scheme are you plotting now? You think I’ll believe you just because you sweet-talk me a little?”