Licking Dog 010

Despite Gu Shaoting's desperate attempts to defend himself, the fallout from the incident was too severe—his small shop was ultimately shut down, and he once again found himself unemployed.

Listening to the system's report about the protagonist's diminishing aura, Jiang Ran couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction.

Crushed by the setbacks, Gu Shaoting couldn't understand what was wrong with him. Why had nothing gone right these past few years? Suddenly, it dawned on him—his streak of misfortune seemed to have started after he got together with Lin Xue. No, even earlier—ever since he met her!

He stared at Lin Xue, a flicker of fear in his eyes. Could it be? Was this woman somehow jinxing him?

Meanwhile, Lin Xue was enduring a scolding from her mother over the phone.

"You even stole money now? Have you lost your mind? Every penny of that was earned through my sweat and tears! You don’t make a single cent yourself, yet you dare say you’ll pay it back? With what? Huh? Relying on that orphan, are you? Mark my words, you’ll regret this!"

Lin Xue retorted defiantly—even if Gu Shaoting was an orphan, he was still the one she had chosen.

Enraged by her defiance, Lin's mother snapped, cutting ties outright. When Lin Xue tried calling back, the line was busy—she had been blocked.

"Shaoting... I have no home now," Lin Xue murmured, tears welling up.

Gu Shaoting’s suspicions wavered at the sight of her tears. His heart softened slightly. "It’s alright. We have plenty of time to turn things around. One day, I’ll make sure everyone knows—Gu Shaoting is no ordinary man!"

Yet as Lin Xue gazed at him, another figure crossed her mind.

Fang Zhiyi was surprised when Lin Xue called. He had assumed he’d already strayed from the protagonist’s storyline.

"Um, Fang Zhiyi... could you lend me some money?" Lin Xue’s tone lacked its usual arrogance, even sounding somewhat pleading.

"Money, cars, wives—none of them are for lending," Fang Zhiyi replied flatly, flipping through a book.

"You... After all this time, don’t you trust me?"

Oh, I trust you alright—just like how, in the end, the original owner never saw a single penny repaid.

But Fang Zhiyi glanced at Little Hei and changed his tune. "Fine. But you’ll sign an IOU."

"An IOU? Fang Zhiyi, I never took you for this kind of person!" Lin Xue’s composure shattered. She had swallowed her pride to ask, and now he demanded a written agreement?

Fang Zhiyi stared blankly at the phone before chuckling and shaking his head.

Sure enough, a few hours later, Lin Xue texted:

"Fine. I’ll write you an IOU."

"An IOU—I’ll send you the format," Fang Zhiyi replied, leaving no room for negotiation.

He had studying to do. With Jiang Ran fixated on the protagonists, this was his chance to recharge. He couldn’t let her win too soon.

When Lin Xue handed Gu Shaoting the money, he froze. Upon learning it was borrowed from Fang Zhiyi, his expression darkened. The thought had always bothered him, but faced with the cash, he bit back his words.

The protagonist remained the protagonist. Gu Shaoting decided to start a campus business, and Jiang Ran, of course, wouldn’t let him off easily—she sabotaged him at every turn. Yet despite her efforts, his venture survived.

"Fang Zhiyi funded their business?" Jiang Ran tapped her fingers. "No wonder. That human charger is such a nuisance."

But she wasn’t worried. With the system, she had endless tricks up her sleeve.

The points she’d earned from undermining the protagonists were still in her account. Jiang Ran splurged on a slew of tools.

The system was thrilled. This performance was outstanding. Sure, the host was a bit obsessive, but she sure knew how to spend points.

For the next three years of university, Jiang Ran pulled out all the stops to crush the protagonists. Delivering food? She couldn’t touch Gu Shaoting, so she targeted his part-time student workers. Setting up stalls on campus? She filed five complaints a day.

Under her relentless assault, Gu Shaoting’s protagonist aura wore thin.

Of course, it wasn’t just her doing. Gu Shaoting himself played a part. Having tasted the thrill of money, he indulged whenever he had cash to spare. While Lin Xue was at school, he’d play the big shot at nightclubs—only to realize how quickly money vanished.

When funds ran low again, Lin Xue turned once more to Fang Zhiyi. He lent without hesitation. To him, money was trivial—a small price for peace. Thanks to this human ATM, Gu Shaoting and Lin Xue barely scraped by for three years.

Yet repeated failures left Lin Xue numb. The once-proud girl was now too beaten down to lift her head. Gu Shaoting, meanwhile, gave up entirely, resigning himself to any job after graduation.

Just before graduation, Lin Xue vanished—her diploma mailed to her by proxy.

Only when Gu Shaoting came looking for her did he realize she was gone. Furious, he couldn’t believe she’d abandoned him—after he’d saved her life! It never crossed his mind that without Lin Xue’s help, his fate might’ve been worse.

She must’ve run to Fang Zhiyi! Recalling how easily she’d borrowed from him over the years, Gu Shaoting was convinced they’d been involved. But then again, maybe losing this jinx was for the best. Whistling smugly, he moved on.

Lin Xue wanted a fresh start elsewhere. Reflecting on her years with Gu Shaoting, her heart was a storm of emotions.

"Was my judgment that poor?" She gazed at the sky—homeless, with nothing to her name.

"From today on, I’ll live for myself," she vowed silently.

Post-graduation, Gu Shaoting’s life spiraled. As Jiang Ran’s primary target, he faced her schemes daily—showing up late to interviews, "accidentally" spilling drinks on bosses, even shattering dishes in restaurant kitchens. Over time, he gave up, living hand-to-mouth, working one day and loafing for three. His protagonist aura had shattered completely.

Jiang Ran wasn’t done. She revealed herself to Gu Shaoting, flaunting her company, luxury cars, and lavish meals.

As expected, regret consumed him. Heart pounding, he drunkenly confessed his feelings to Jiang Ran, the once-overlooked girl next door.

Jiang Ran burst into laughter. Gu Shaoting mistook it for approval—until she pointed at a mirrored wall. Turning, he saw his reflection: a crumpled suit, disheveled hair, a drinker’s nose, and sunken eyes. The bright young man was long gone.