Chapter 3: Green Hat

[System, what the hell is happening?!]

Shen Tian was completely confused.

This wasn’t how the plot was supposed to go at all!

Meanwhile, Ye Chen stood beside the bed, circulating his Qi calmly as he used a low-level healing technique called Healing Breath.

A faint stream of energy flowed from his fingertips, slowly removing the aphrodisiac from Ling Shuangxue’s body.

The technique itself was fairly simple.

Using Qi to cleanse toxins, drugs, and impurities without physical contact.

Of course...

Ye Chen deeply regretted that last part.

[What a shame...]

[If I could place my hands directly on her skin, the effect would probably be better.]

[Man... her skin looks ridiculously soft.]

Despite those thoughts, Ye Chen maintained a righteous expression on the surface.

After all, he knew this was his "hero saves the beauty" moment.

Naturally, Ling Shuangxue heard every single disgusting thought loud and clear.

Her expression grew colder and colder.

At this point, even without the mind-reading ability, she could already tell exactly what kind of man Ye Chen was.

Meanwhile, Shen Tian watched everything unfold with increasing anxiety.

Because the plot had already gone off track.

Badly.

Ling Shuangxue should’ve been grateful toward Ye Chen right now.

Instead, she looked at him like she was evaluating whether or not he belonged in a trash can.

Worse...

She kept glancing at Shen Tian afterward with obvious confusion in her eyes.

[System, explain this bullshit.]

[Host, to answer your question...]

A brief pause followed.

[...I have no idea.]

Shen Tian’s eye twitched violently.

[You useless system, obviously something happened!]

[The plot is completely off!]

[Don’t tell me the entire story is changing already!]

For the first time since transmigrating, Shen Tian genuinely started getting angry.

He didn’t mind acting out villain scenes.

But if the plot became unpredictable?

Then he’d have no clue when the protagonist might suddenly kill him or if he would fail his role.

[Host, please calm down.]

[I will investigate the reason behind the abnormal plot deviation.]

Shen Tian clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Everything was supposed to be simple.

Play the villain.

Get beaten up.

Collect rewards.

Go home.

Yet somehow things had already become a complete mess.

[Listen carefully.]

[If anything else changes in the plot, I’m demanding compensation.]

[I expect bonus rewards for suffering through this bullshit.]

[Understood, Host.]

[The system will now focus on identifying the cause.]

After that, the system fell silent.

Shen Tian exhaled slowly.

Meanwhile, Ling Shuangxue had fallen into an entirely different kind of shock.

The restraints around her wrists and ankles had already been removed by Ye Chen, allowing her to sit upright on the bed.

Yet instead of focusing on Ye Chen...

Her eyes remained locked onto Shen Tian.

’Villain role?’

’Plot?’

’System?’

’What exactly is he talking about?’

And why did it sound as though he already knew what was going to happen?

The more Ling Shuangxue thought about it, the stranger Shen Tian became in her eyes.

Unfortunately, Ye Chen completely misunderstood her gaze.

Seeing Ling Shuangxue staring toward Shen Tian, his brain instantly reached a conclusion.

[Young Miss must want revenge.]

A heroic smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Young Miss, now that you’re safe," Ye Chen declared proudly, "I’ll beat him for you!"

His tone was overflowing with confidence and arrogance.

Shen Tian immediately snapped back into character.

"You think you can touch this young master and leave in one piece?!" he shouted coldly. "Do you even know who I am?!"

He pointed arrogantly at himself.

"I’m the son of the Shen Family! One of the Top Four Families in this very country!"

"You think titles like that scare me?!" Ye Chen laughed loudly.

He began rolling up his sleeves as he walked forward confidently.

"For Young Miss Ling, I’d offend even all Four Great Families if I had to!"

His heroic declaration echoed throughout the room.

Then immediately after...

[Damn, that definitely hit her right in the heart.]

[Women love lines like that.]

[At this rate, she’ll probably fall for me before tonight even ends.]

[I’m too smooth.]

Ling Shuangxue’s eyelid twitched slightly.

Her headache instantly became worse.

’Disgusting trash.’

That was the only thought in her mind right now.

Taking a slow breath, Ling Shuangxue raised one hand slightly.

"Stop."

Silence.

Both Shen Tian and Ye Chen looked toward her at the same time.

Then Ling Shuangxue spoke again.

"Leave."

For a moment, Ye Chen’s eyes lit up brightly.

He immediately misunderstood.

Turning toward Shen Tian with a smug expression, he sneered, "Yeah, you heard the Young Miss. Leave."

Then he emphasized loudly:

"Leave us alone."

A pause.

"I need to personally escort the Young Miss home safely."

Another pause.

"Just us alone."

The meaning behind his words could not have been more obvious.

Shen Tian scoffed internally.

Honestly, he was already tired of this nonsense.

The plot had gone completely off-script, his system had disappeared to investigate whatever bug was happening, and this protagonist looked one step away from proposing marriage after knowing Ling Shuangxue for five minutes.

[I’m too tired for this shit.]

"This isn’t over!" Shen Tian declared coldly, deciding to at least maintain his villain dignity before leaving.

However...

Before he could even take a single step...

"No."

Ling Shuangxue’s icy voice rang out once more.

"Young Master Shen can stay."

Her cold eyes shifted directly toward Ye Chen.

"I want you to leave."

The room instantly fell silent again.

Even the atmosphere seemed to freeze.

Ye Chen’s confident expression completely stiffened.

"...Huh?"

For several seconds, he genuinely didn’t know how to respond.

Meanwhile, Shen Tian himself looked equally confused.

[...What the hell is happening anymore?]

Then suddenly...

[This wasn’t supposed to happen!]

The panic in Ye Chen’s inner voice exploded instantly.

Ling Shuangxue almost wanted to laugh coldly.

’So even Young Master Shen knew this situation was strange.’

"Young Miss," Ye Chen forced out awkwardly, "I really don’t think you should be left alone with this spoiled, lustful brat!"

His eyes locked onto Shen Tian with hostility.

Because in Ye Chen’s mind.

Ling Shuangxue was already his woman.

And there was absolutely no way he would allow another man to stay alone with her.

Not even for a moment.

After all...

Ye Chen didn’t want a green hat on his head!