The people who had deliberately slowed their pace in the hallway couldn’t follow them inside and had no choice but to leave reluctantly.
The noise outside soon faded away.
Lu Feng frowned slightly. “What trick are you trying to pull now?”
“Trick?” Lin Ran raised her eyebrows. “Classmate Lu, you really know how to wrong me. What’s inside is my apology letter.”
“After careful consideration, I deeply regret what I did to you yesterday and have come here to make amends.”
Images from the equipment cabinet flashed through Lu Feng’s mind, causing a slight crack in his indifferent expression.
Lin Ran seized the opportunity. “What, afraid to accept it?”
After a stalemate of about five seconds, Lu Feng finally took the paper bag.
He didn’t open it, intending to stuff it directly into his backpack.
“Aren’t you going to look?” Lin Ran pressed.
Lu Feng continued his motion. “No need.”
“What if I wrote a love letter?”
“Even less reason to look.”
Lin Ran grabbed his wrist. “Open it and look now, and I promise I won’t bother you for a month.”
“Really?”
“My word is my bond.”
Lu Feng eagerly took out the bag, opened it, and retrieved the black envelope inside.
The envelope was sealed with an exquisite wax seal, looking quite refined.
He merely glanced at it before tearing it open.
Inside was a card. As soon as he saw the words on it, a surge of frustration welled up in his chest.
“Is this your apology letter?”
The young man’s cool eyes concealed anger as he flicked the card away with a swift motion of his fingers.
Lin Ran chuckled softly. “You believed me just like that?”
“Classmate Lu really is naive~”
The card was Lin Ran’s prank, with the words written on it: [Fooled you, silly dog.]
Lu Feng, furious, slung his backpack over his shoulder and turned to leave.
Just as Lin Ran was about to chase after him, the system’s notification sounded in her mind.
[Ding! A new plunder mission has been added.]
[Make the male lead, Lu Feng, actively kiss you. Time limit: within 24 hours. Mission failure: +20 misfortune points.]
[Reminder to the host: Short-term mission: Within five days, disrupt the original plot point ‘female lead confesses to male lead in the library’ (uncompleted). Mission failure: +20 misfortune points.]
Actively kiss her?
Lin Ran’s eyes lit up as she chased after the figure ahead, grabbing his backpack.
Lu Feng was forced to stop. “Lin Ran, that’s enough.”
Lin Ran smiled. “That was just a little joke. Now, let’s talk business.”
“You think I’d believe you again?”
“You’d better believe me, or I can’t guarantee whether your foster parents might encounter any difficulties.”
“Lin Ran—”
“Shh!”
As soon as Lu Feng opened his mouth, Lin Ran pressed her index finger to his lips. “This time, it’s real.”
Her expression was serious as she withdrew her finger.
Lu Feng slowly exhaled the breath he’d been holding, staring at her with an inscrutable look for two seconds. “Speak.”
“Let’s make a bet. If I win, you’ll be my servant for a month, on call and obedient to my every word.”
“If I lose, I’ll never bother you again. If I lie, may I be hit by a car and die.”
Lu Feng narrowed his cold eyes. “The wager.”
Lin Ran raised an eyebrow. “Within twenty-four hours, I want you to actively kiss me.”
A cool autumn breeze swept through the empty hallway.
Lu Feng let out a short, mocking laugh.
“Do you know what you’re saying?”
“Of course,” Lin Ran replied with a light laugh. “I’ve made such a harsh wager. Can’t you see my sincerity?”
“Or are you too afraid to bet with me?”
Lu Feng’s brow furrowed slightly.
This bet clearly favored him, and he couldn’t understand why Lin Ran would propose such terms.
But no matter what, as long as he didn’t actively kiss her within 24 hours, he would win.
“Fine,” he replied calmly.
Lin Ran curled her lips into a smile. “Student Lu, the 24-hour countdown begins now. Good luck.”
With that, she turned and left without any further entanglement.
Watching her walk away with such ease, Lu Feng felt a growing sense of unease, an ominous premonition stirring within him.
As Lin Ran turned to leave, the system’s voice echoed softly in her mind.
【Host, do you know how low the probability is of making someone who despises you kiss you willingly?】
“Zero.”
【Then why—】
“That’s exactly why I intend to win.”
The wind lifted the ends of Lin Ran’s hair as she walked with firm steps, her expression indifferent.
What she wanted was never just to complete the system’s task.
Otherwise, there were plenty of ways to cheat or deceive her way to success.
What she wanted was to break the pride of this unattainable flower, to make him willingly lose the bet!
The system fell silent.
From her resolute answer, it was now eagerly anticipating its host’s next move.
＊
Lin Ran returned to her sports car and called Chen Chao.
Chen Chao was one of her few close friends.
In the original story, she was the willful and spoiled heiress, while he was the playboy son of a wealthy family.
Though he loved to have fun, he was generous to his friends and girlfriends.
The call connected quickly.
“Sis Ran, what brings you to call little old me today?”
“Go on, what’s up?”
Just as Lin Ran was about to speak, Lu Feng’s tall and elegant figure passed in front of her car.
He walked straight ahead, as if he hadn’t even noticed the eye-catching red sports car.
Lin Ran’s gaze swept over him, a mocking smile curling her lips as she spoke into the phone. “Lu Feng’s adoptive father works at your family’s factory. Make sure he’s fired today.”
“Is that all? Such a small matter～”
“Wait, I’ll take care of it right now.”
“Thanks.”
Lin Ran hung up, a flicker of darkness passing through her eyes before she dialed a second number.
……
＊
With no classes in the afternoon, Lu Feng was alone in the drafting room.
The pencil scratched softly against the sketch paper as a design for a modern art gallery gradually took shape under his hand.
Sunlight fell on his profile, outlining his clean and sharp jawline.
“Brother Lu Feng.”
A gentle voice sounded at the door.
Su Wanyu held a box of fresh cut fruit, dressed in a light blue tracksuit, looking fresh and gentle.
She trotted forward, her ponytail swaying lightly behind her, a sunny smile on her face.
“I knew you’d be here. I brought you some fruit.”
Lu Feng set down his pencil, his expression softening slightly. “Thank you, but you should have it.”
“I’ve already eaten.” Su Wanyu pushed the box toward him without hesitation and naturally took a seat beside him.
“I picked these out specially at the fruit shop at noon. They’re so fresh～”
“You never eat on time. That’s not good for your stomach.”
“Thank you,” Lu Feng replied simply, picking up his pencil again.
“Oh, right…” Su Wanyu folded her hands on her knees, her voice softening. “The library is getting a new batch of books tomorrow. I checked, and there are a few foreign books you’ve wanted to borrow but couldn’t find before.”
“Would you… like to go check them out together?”
As she spoke, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her skirt.
This invitation was her way of preparing to confess her feelings.
She had decided to confess tomorrow.
These past two days, rumors about Lin Ran and Lu Feng have been spreading all over the school.
Lin Ran’s pursuit has become even more intense than before.
Her childhood friend belongs to her.
So she couldn’t wait any longer.
Looking at the girl’s flushed face, Lu Feng fell silent.
He knew Su Wanyu’s feelings for him and understood that he should cherish them.
But an untimely image flashed through his mind—a bright, charming, and alluring face.
Arrogant, unreasonable, pinning him against the wall for a forceful kiss, and making that absurd twenty-four-hour bet with him.
“Lu Feng?” Su Wanyu called softly, noticing his distraction.
Lu Feng snapped back to reality. “I’m sorry, tomorrow I might…”
Before he could finish, his phone rang.
The piercing ringtone sounded particularly jarring in the empty art studio.
Lu Feng glanced at the caller ID—Father.
He frowned. His adoptive father rarely called him on his own initiative, especially during work hours.
He answered the call. “Dad?”