Are you in a relationship

After distancing himself from Tang Manman, Lin Yu had been harboring a lingering doubt in his mind.

Since he hadn’t followed the original plotline of the adult manga, would the subsequent events still unfold in this world as they were supposed to?

For instance, would he still encounter the other three female leads in the days to come?

Or perhaps he might meet them, but would the timing, location, and circumstances of their interactions change?

This question troubled Lin Yu endlessly. He couldn’t find an answer, but logically speaking, making different choices now would likely lead to different outcomes in the future.

Yet, in this adult manga world, things didn’t seem to work that way.

He had clearly distanced himself from Tang Manman, and his daily routines, habits, and lifestyle were now vastly different from the original delinquent protagonist’s.

By all reasoning, his life trajectory should have completely diverged from the original path.

And yet, here he was today, in this very bar, encountering the second female lead—whose name he still didn’t know.

It was as if an invisible hand was orchestrating everything behind the scenes.

It had guided him here through a series of choices and coincidences, leading him straight to her.

Recalling the choices he’d made—this morning at the crossroads, and that night outside the stationery shop—Lin Yu exhaled a long, weary sigh.

At this moment, he felt the presence of something intangible, something he couldn’t grasp or see clearly.

Was this what people called fate?

Rubbing his temples, Lin Yu pushed aside these abstract thoughts. Seeing the second female lead’s face today had jogged his memory, reminding him of more details from the original manga’s plot.

According to the original storyline, the second female lead had also come looking for the thug known as Brother Xue, with the exact same purpose—to seek justice for her bullied younger brother.

In the original plot, Brother Xue had treated her just as poorly, even attempting to hit her.

At that moment, the original delinquent protagonist—who had been freeloading—showed up, stopped Brother Xue, and took the second female lead away, promising to resolve her brother’s bullying problem.

Then came the kind of scene readers would eagerly anticipate.

"Miss, surely you wouldn’t want your adorable little brother to keep suffering at school, would you?"

And just like that, the second female lead fell into his clutches...

...

Wait.

Lin Yu stroked his chin, feeling like he’d forgotten something.

Ah!

That’s right!

He smacked the table as the overlooked fragment came back to him.

No wonder things felt disjointed!

The second female lead’s intimate scenes weren’t just one—there were two!

And the reason she left such a deep impression on him was largely because of that second scene.

Disgusting!

Absolutely vile!

Even in an adult manga notorious for its depravity, that scene stood out as particularly twisted!

But...

What exactly happened in that scene again?

Lin Yu clawed at his hair in frustration, unable to recall the specifics. All he remembered was how disturbing it was—so much so that it had traumatized his younger self.

In fact, his later hatred for cheating-themed stories and his transformation into a staunch advocate for pure love could be traced back to that very scene!

As he dwelled on it, a sharp headache suddenly struck, forcing him to stop thinking about it for now. He decided to revisit the memory later, once he’d recovered.

Rubbing his temples in annoyance, Lin Yu got up and left the bar where the fateful encounter had taken place.

On the way home, he reflected on his life since crossing into this world. Overall, things weren’t too bad. Sure, he’d taken a brick to the head, and his delinquent hairstyle still hadn’t been cut.

But at least he’d made good progress on his main objectives.

Not only had he saved the first female lead, Tang Manman, but he’d also secured his university tuition.

Just thinking about Tang Manman lifted his spirits considerably.

Since he’d sent her away that night, she hadn’t reappeared. By rough estimate, it had been at least ten days since he’d last seen her.

It seemed her feelings for him were nothing more than simple gratitude.

Still, he couldn’t let his guard down.

To avoid unnecessary complications, he’d continue keeping his distance once they returned to school.

In high spirits, Lin Yu cheerfully made his way back to his tiny rented apartment...

...

"Manman, tell me honestly—has someone been bullying you at school lately?"

Tang’s mother, her usually gentle face now clouded with barely suppressed anger, had just returned home after hearing unsettling rumors about her daughter. The thought of anyone mistreating her precious girl was nearly unbearable.

At first, Tang Manman was stunned by the question. Then, almost immediately, her mind flashed back to the incident from days ago.

But since Lin Yu had already resolved the matter, she shook her head innocently and replied:

"No, nothing like that."

"Nothing?"

Tang’s mother’s soft voice rose sharply, almost shrill with disbelief.

She hadn’t expected that answer. The rumors swirling outside planted an even more alarming suspicion in her mind.

"Then... are you dating someone?"

"At school?"

Her peach-blossom eyes—identical to Tang Manman’s—bore into her daughter, searching for any hint of deception.

"No, of course not."

Tang Manman answered reflexively, puzzled by her mother’s sudden line of questioning.

"No boyfriend?"

"Then why are so many students at your school calling you...

‘Sister-in-law’?"

Tang’s mother pressed, bewildered.

Hearing the title, Tang Manman’s cheeks flushed crimson. She waved her hands frantically, stammering:

"N-no, it’s not what you think!"

"It’s just a misunderstanding!"

The sight of her daughter’s flustered, bashful demeanor made Tang’s mother’s heart sink.

Even if Manman wasn’t officially dating anyone, it was clear she had feelings for someone.

"What misunderstanding? Explain it to me."

Her tone was stern, her concern for her daughter’s school life undeniable.

"Well... I was being bullied at school."

"But—but the person who bullied me wasn’t him! It was someone else."

"He stepped in and saved me when I was in trouble."

"And then..."

"And then..."

She hesitated, unable to continue.

"And then what?"

Tang’s mother pressed urgently.

Suddenly, a dreadful thought struck her, and she nearly shouted:

"Did he use that to force you into being his girlfriend?"

"No! It’s nothing like that!"

Tang Manman shook her head, her cheeks flushed red. She shot a slightly embarrassed and reproachful glance at Tang's mother before continuing to explain,

"When I was being bullied, there were a lot of people around. He said from then on, I’d be under his protection and no one was allowed to pick on me again."

"Maybe because of that line, a lot of people misunderstood the nature of our relationship."