Chapter 354: The Ugly Female Lead?

When the female lead gets bullied, the protagonist usually isn’t far behind.

But this time, it clearly couldn’t be Ye Qiu.

Ye Qiu was the assassin landlord type of lead and definitely not the kind who healed wounds or cured birthmarks. The girl with the black mark on her face probably belonged to Lu Chen’s storyline.

Just think about it. Growing up with a giant birthmark across her cheek, how many stares and cruel jokes had she endured? A girl like that had to be fragile beneath the surface, her heart constantly guarded.

If the protagonist healed her disfigurement, would she not fall head over heels and offer herself in gratitude?

Wang Haoran scanned the area, thoughts running fast. He even used his X-ray vision to sweep several hundred meters, but Lu Chen was nowhere in sight.

He paused, uncertain for a second. Then he remembered—Jiang Gaoxuan had ambushed Lu Chen with a sack over the head, throwing off the script. Lu Chen’s dick was fed to a dog.

He should still be recovering from his injuries. Moving around was probably difficult, let alone swooping in for a classic hero-rescues-beauty moment.

That meant someone else had to step in.

Wang Haoran sighed inwardly.

Looks like I’ll have to do it myself.

From the neighboring table, the taunts continued.

“Ugly freak, are you deaf? Hurry up and apologize to Young Master Wang!”

“His coat’s clearly a designer, easily worth thousands. You’re paying for that, too!”

The boys kept spitting venom without shame. The barbecue owner’s daughter bit her lip hard. Her eyes turned red, but she refused to let the tears fall.

“I’m the owner here,” a man stepped forward nervously. “My last name’s Yu. It’s our fault—my daughter’s clumsy. I’m so sorry, just say the word and we’ll pay whatever it costs.”

“Shiqing,” the owner’s wife chimed in quickly, “apologize to the gentleman.”

The couple rushed over, leaving the grill unattended. Their tone was full of humility. They ran a small business and they couldn’t afford to cross paths with some rich heir. If this goes out of control, they’ll never know peace.

Wang Haoran didn’t answer right away. He stood up from his seat instead.

Yu Shiqing shrank back a step, afraid he might strike her.

But what she didn’t expect was for Wang Haoran to walk straight over to the next table and slap each of the trash-talking boys across the face—ten times each.

The boys were stunned. Their minds couldn’t catch up to their swelling cheeks.

Across the room, the owner and his wife exchanged wide-eyed glances. Even their daughter blinked in surprise.

“Apologize to her,” Wang Haoran said coldly.

They didn’t understand what was happening, but they sure didn’t want another round of slaps. Stammering, they turned to Yu Shiqing and muttered apologies before leaving in shame.

“Hold it. You planning to skip out on the bill?” Wang Haoran raised his voice.

The boys froze, doubled back, paid their tab, and bolted like frightened dogs.

Only after their footsteps vanished did the owner’s family finally breathe again.

Yu Shiqing looked at Wang Haoran differently now. Her eyes held something softer.

【Ding! Favorability from female lead Yu Shiqing +20. Current total: 40 (Very Friendly)】

【Ding! Host has altered the storyline. Gained 1500 Villain Points!】

“Young Master Wang,” the owner said again, still uneasy, “your jacket’s ruined. Please, tell us what it’ll cost to replace.”

“No need. I can wash it,” Wang Haoran replied casually. “Go on, get back to work.”

“Thank you, thank you,” the couple said gratefully, beaming as they returned to the kitchen.

But as she left, the woman called over her shoulder, “Shiqing, help the young master clean his coat.”

Yu Shiqing hesitated, then turned to Wang Haoran in a small voice. “Oil stains are harder to wash out the longer they sit. If… if it’s alright with you, could you take it off?”

He nodded and handed the jacket over.

“Please wait a moment,” she murmured, then slipped into the back room with it.

“I’ll go wash my hands,” Wang Haoran smiled to Song Zhenyu before following.

She heard the footsteps behind her and turned.

“Got oil on my hands,” he said easily. “Thought I’d wash up too.”

Yu Shiqing nodded and led him upstairs to a second-floor bathroom.

At the sink, Wang Haoran turned on the faucet and ran his hands under the water. After a few seconds, he stepped aside. Yu Shiqing moved forward, soaked the stained part of the coat, then sprinkled on some detergent and began to scrub gently.

He stayed where he was, eyes drifting. Now up close, with his perception active, he saw clearly what he had missed before.

Aside from the birthmark, Yu Shiqing’s figure was flawless—slim waist, long legs, perfect curves. Even a glance stirred heat in his blood.

She paused, sensing something, and turned. Catching his gaze, her head lowered instantly. She checked her bangs in a flustered motion, worried the hideous mark had somehow slipped into view.

Every move she made screamed quiet shame.

“You’re actually very beautiful,” Wang Haoran said gently, his tone warm, like a boyfriend reassuring his lover. “You just need to believe it.”

Yu Shiqing’s eyes widened slightly. Her head dropped even lower. “If I’m considered beautiful,” she whispered, “then there aren’t any ugly girls left in the world.”

“You’re focusing too much on the wrong thing,” he said. “You’ve got soft, pale skin and a figure most girls would envy. Haven’t you noticed?”

“But all those so-called good parts…” she lifted a hand to her cheek and pressed gently against the dark mark, voice faint. “They mean nothing next to a flaw like this.”

“There will always be someone who sees past the flaw and notices what’s worth admiring,” he said.

She gave a soft, bitter laugh. “Anyone who looks at me twice probably has nightmares afterward.”

Wang Haoran frowned. Persuasion wasn’t working. He took a step forward.

“Trust me,” he said seriously. “I don’t think that way. In fact… I think you’re pretty special.”

She froze, stunned by the sudden closeness. Then, without fully knowing why, she lifted her hand and pushed her bangs aside. The full extent of the birthmark lay bare across her face.

“You still think so?” she asked, almost daring him to lie.

Only half a meter separated them. The mark was ugly—no way around it. His gut reaction flinched. But Wang Haoran forced down the emotion and kept his face steady.

The truth was, this girl’s sense of self-worth had been crushed by the scar on her face. He couldn’t fix that, nor could Bian Suwen. But Lu Chen? He definitely could.

The problem was once Lu Chen steps in and heals her, Yu Shiqing would become a stunning beauty. And once she does, capturing her affection would become a lot harder.

But right now, while she still lived in the shadow of self-loathing, her guard was down. She was vulnerable.

Better to move now.

He braced himself. It wasn’t like kissing her would cost him a limb.

With that, Wang Haoran pressed one hand against the wall beside her in a classic wall-slam, leaned forward, closed his eyes, and kissed her—focusing in his mind on how beautiful she would be without the birthmark.

Yu Shiqing’s eyes flew wide, caught off guard, arms stiff at her sides. But his movements were confident, practiced, and something in his touch slowly pulled her in.

Her tension softened, her eyes fluttered shut, and her lips responded.

【Ding! Favorability from female lead Yu Shiqing +10. Current total: 50 (Budding Affection)】

【Ding! Host has altered the storyline. Gained 1800 Villain Points. Lu Chen’s Protagonist Halo -90. Villain Halo +90!】