Chapter 13 – Campus Arc: A Glamorous Romance – The Cinderella Sweetheart’s Endless Love (13)
Since Bai Tang was “injured,” Hudson applied for a leave of absence on his behalf to prevent any risk of infection.
Feeling guilty for abandoning Bai Tang on his first mission, the system decided to help him before going into hibernation. To prevent Bai Tang from being completely in the dark—and to ensure the mission progressed smoothly—it left behind a Plot Tracker that allowed Bai Tang to check the storyline’s progress at any time.
Under Hudson’s orders, Bai Tang was forced to “recover” in the dormitory. He didn’t mind at all—if anything, he was happy to have a break. Attending classes was a headache, and just hearing that heavily accented English made him want to doze off.
While Bai Tang was “recovering,” the plot moved forward at lightning speed.
Since Hudson and Tian Lingxue were photographed together while strolling around campus, die-hard fangirls of the male lead took it upon themselves to play detective. Like Sherlock Holmes, they dug deep and managed to identify the mysterious girl in the photo—even though only her back was visible.
Tian Lingxue: an exchange student from abroad.
In other words, she had no local background or connections.
Rubbing their hands in anticipation, the fangirls prepared to carry out what they believed to be a “righteous” mission.
Just as in the original storyline, Tian Lingxue soon became a victim of school bullying. She was drenched with water while using the restroom, her books mysteriously disappeared, and countless other small acts of harassment occurred daily.
However, Tian Lingxue wasn’t the type to be easily bullied. She wasn’t some weak little doormat who let people walk all over her.
She deliberately left out a few valuable items as bait and hid her phone in a concealed spot, recording everything on video. Naturally, the evidence was crystal clear—who had touched her belongings was undeniable.
Unlike typical school-life female leads, Tian Lingxue didn’t rush off to confront the culprits directly. After all, they outnumbered her. Walking into their den alone wasn’t seeking justice—it was just plain stupid.
She saved backup copies of the video and reported the incident to the school administration. She even called the police.
Before the bullies could react, they were swiftly taken down in one fell swoop. However, since some of them came from influential families, the ones without connections became scapegoats and were expelled, while the rest got away with just a warning from the school. Those who escaped punishment were smug about it, but their resentment toward Tian Lingxue only deepened.
The incident caused quite a stir, spreading like wildfire across campus. Even though Bai Tang hadn’t stepped foot outside, he could still hear the gossip.
“Lingxue, are you okay? I heard everything…” Bai Tang called Tian Lingxue. If it weren’t for the mission requiring him to break up the main couple, he would have genuinely admired this kind of female lead—courageous and decisive. He couldn’t help but feel a little guilty toward her.
“I’m fine, don’t worry about me. What about you, Tang Tang? You sound much better! Is your throat still hurting?” Tian Lingxue rambled on, completely unaware that a few shadowy figures were sneaking up behind her.
“I’m much bette—”
“Who are you?!”
A furious shout erupted from the phone, followed by muffled scuffling noises.
“Lingxue? Lingxue!” Bai Tang shouted, but all he could hear were the sounds of a struggle.
In the original storyline, the female lead also experienced campus bullying. She was ultimately saved by the male lead, which led her to see him in a new light. After going through several ordeals together, she slowly developed feelings for him—feelings that eventually blossomed into love.
Bai Tang had called Tian Lingxue to warn her, hoping she wouldn’t get ambushed at night. He hadn’t expected the plot to progress so quickly.
Panicked, he listened to the sounds of fighting over the phone, his worry mounting. Hanging up, he immediately dialed Hudson.
“Beep—beep—beep—”
Hurry up and pick up… Hurry up…
“Tang Tang, what’s the matter? I’ll be back soon—” Since the previous incident, this was the first time Bai Tang had actively sought him out. Hudson was in a great mood, and the corners of his lips curled into a subtle smile.
“Hudson, go save Lingxue. Now.”
Hearing Bai Tang’s anxious tone, Hudson assumed that Bai Tang had snuck out to meet Tian Lingxue while he wasn’t around.