The Villain’s Wishes Backfire and the Protagonists Take the Hit - Chapter 3:

Chapter 3:

“Sorry? I do sympathize with your situation, but breaking something means you have to compensate for it. If I don’t pursue this and word gets out, how am I supposed to do business?” Chen Zhuo’s lips curled into a faint smile.

What system? 

What Son of Destiny? 

Even without those, he could still take the female lead for himself.

This… this was what a real villain should be, not some puppet controlled by a system.

I’ll only make one move. You so-called Sons of Destiny… watch and learn.

“I don’t have money to pay. I… I can write you an IOU.”

“An IOU? That still needs to be repaid. In your condition… do you think you can pay it back?”

“In a couple of days… in a couple of days my allowance will be issued, and I’ll have money to pay.”

“If you use next month’s money in advance, what about the gap next month? Rely on eating even less again?”

Chen Zhuo paused for two seconds, looking at the pitiful Jiang Qiuli, then continued, “How about this. My supermarket is a student startup project, so the school gives rent reductions. The condition is to hire work-study students. You can take this spot so I can report it to the school.”

Jiang Qiuli raised her head and looked at Chen Zhuo with hesitation, “I…”

“What? I’m offering you a job, and you’re refusing? That’s quite disrespectful,” Chen Zhuo frowned.

Jiang Qiuli shook her head and said softly, “N-no… it’s not that. My mom is in the hospital and needs someone to take care of her. I don’t… don’t have time to work.”

As a financially struggling student, the school had arranged work-study positions for her before.

She tried it for a few days, running between classes, the hospital, and work.

There were frequent time conflicts.

After weighing it all, she resigned from the position.

“Do you have time on weekends?” Chen Zhuo asked after thinking for a moment.

“Mm.” Jiang Qiuli nodded.

“Then let’s do this. My supermarket needs to clean up trash every week. You come every Saturday to handle it. I’ll pay you 100 yuan each time for garbage cleanup. You take care of disposing of the trash yourself.”

This was indeed an existing expense for the supermarket.

Since business in a university followed waves of customers at specific times, hiring too many staff wasn’t cost-effective.

So there wasn’t a dedicated cleaner. Everyone usually took turns doing it.

Whoever did it would get an extra 100 yuan in wages and a pile of cardboard.

“Ah?” Jiang Qiuli froze for a moment, then shook her head vigorously.

“What? You’re unwilling even for this?” Chen Zhuo grew a little impatient.

This female lead… although her temperament stirred sympathy, her personality was too strange.

He was a villain, not some obedient, fawning protagonist.

“N-no, it’s not that. The pay is too high. I… I can’t accept such a high wage.”

Chen Zhuo was stunned for a moment.

He hadn’t expected that to be her concern.

In his previous life, he had used the system to take all the female leads.

He understood each of them to some extent, but there were too many… he hadn’t truly understood them deeply.

This time, he would have to understand them properly.

“Quite obedient.”

Chen Zhuo couldn’t help himself and reached out to pinch Jiang Qiuli’s cheek.

In his previous life, he had wished for medical skills, saved Jiang Qiuli’s mother, and earned her gratitude. She had thrown herself into his arms.

Only later did genuine feelings develop.

So, he hadn’t truly understood her at the beginning.

“Ah?”

The sudden touch on her face made Jiang Qiuli instinctively step back.

But the corridor was narrow, and behind her was the cold wall.

There was nowhere to retreat.

She could only let Chen Zhuo pinch her cheek.

“Ah what? You can’t pay now, so this is the interest I’m collecting.”

Chen Zhuo shrugged.

Realizing what had just happened, Jiang Qiuli’s face flushed red instantly.

Her wheat-toned skin, paired with that faint blush, looked like a ripe apple.

Irresistible.

“O-okay.”

After thinking for a long time, Jiang Qiuli nodded, her face still red.

“That’s more like it,” Chen Zhuo said with satisfaction, then continued, “Owing money isn’t a big deal. You just need to pay interest. How much you owe and how long you take can all be negotiated. Look at those news reports about female college students taking loans… they’ll even provide photos. If you’re really short on money, you can borrow from me.”

Jiang Qiuli’s face turned even redder. She didn’t dare meet his eyes.

Turning her head aside, she softly muttered, “Pervert.”

Pervert?

Chen Zhuo was instantly displeased.

He was a villain… being called a pervert was an insult.

He raised his hand.

A gust of wind brushed past Jiang Qiuli’s ear.

Bang~

His palm pressed against the wall.

By the time Jiang Qiuli realized what had happened, she could already feel Chen Zhuo’s breath in front of her.

With his arm braced against the wall, he trapped her between himself and it.

“Let me introduce myself. My name is Chen Zhuo, a third-year student in Public Management. That makes me your direct senior. From now on, remember to greet me as Senior.”

Jiang Qiuli’s lips were sealed as if glued shut.

This time, though, she didn’t resist.

Chen Zhuo didn’t mind. He glanced at the time on his watch, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

If he remembered correctly… there were twenty minutes left.

In twenty minutes, according to the original plot, the Son of Destiny Ye Fei would arrive and stage a heroic rescue.

So, within these twenty minutes, he had to settle Jiang Qiuli.

A perfect plan had already formed in his mind.

Chen Zhuo remained silent. Jiang Qiuli, pressed against the wall as if trying to merge into it, finally couldn’t endure it anymore.

She shifted to the left, trying to escape.

“If you dare step out, I’ll make you pay the money immediately,” Chen Zhuo said coldly.

Inside, he had already cursed countless times.

That damn protagonist… couldn’t he come earlier?

His arm was getting tired!

“I…”

Jiang Qiuli immediately froze.

“Didn’t you say I already paid the interest just now?” she said softly, with a hint of unwillingness.

It sounded so gentle it could melt anyone’s heart.

“Ahem… I said it could count as interest. I didn’t say it covered all the interest. It’s just part of it.”

“You—”

Jiang Qiuli was left speechless.

When someone has no shame… they’re invincible.

“Alright, I was just joking. Actually, I want to help you. If you leave, where am I supposed to find you?” Seeing that she wasn’t trying to run anymore, Chen Zhuo continued seriously.

“And when I said I’d lend you money, I didn’t mean you had to give me photos. I was just giving an example. What I mean is, as long as the interest is appropriate, if you’re really short on money, you can come to me.

I don’t have many strengths. I just like helping female classmates… no, I mean helping classmates.”

“Really?”

Jiang Qiuli still felt that the man in front of her had bad intentions, but she was too short on money.

If what Chen Zhuo said was true, it could solve her urgent problem.

When people are in extreme hardship, even the most absurd words… as long as there’s a sliver of hope, they will choose to believe.

“Of course it’s true. I’ve also experienced the lowest point in life. Back then, more than twenty men wanted to beat me every day. I barely escaped their clutches and achieved what I have now.”

Images of several Sons of Destiny flashed through Chen Zhuo’s mind, and a trace of sorrow passed through his eyes.

“You mean bullying?” Jiang Qiuli asked seriously, sensing his sadness.

“Yes, bullying. You don’t know… there were more than ten of them, and I was alone. And behind me, there were still many women I had to protect.”

“Then you’re really strong.”

Jiang Qiuli thought of her own past and felt a faint resonance with him.

“That’s why I want to help you. I see my past self in you. But don’t worry… the interest I want isn’t those kinds of photos. You can repay through labor or items.”

“If that’s the case… thank you.”

That’s how people are. Once you place someone into your inner circle…

All their previous offenses are automatically overlooked.

At this moment, Jiang Qiuli had already forgotten Chen Zhuo’s earlier teasing.

She even felt a slight fondness toward him.

Chen Zhuo looked at her expression and knew his preliminary task was complete.

Now… it was time to witness a miracle.

“System, come out. I want to make a wish!”