On the journey back to Jingzhou from Anhe County, Lu Chenyuan sat with his eyes closed, seemingly resting, but his mind was rapidly replaying the original plotline of the novel.
Solving Lu Ruoxi's most pressing survival and academic problems was only the first step.
A far greater threat, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, still had its eyes fixed on her.
Li Jinchuan.
In the original storyline, Li Jinchuan had employed numerous ruthless tactics to completely shatter Lu Ruoxi's psychological defenses, making her harbor deep-seated hatred toward the Lu family so she would willingly become his weapon of revenge.
One of those tactics was eliminating the only light in Lu Ruoxi's life—a quiet classmate who had secretly admired and protected her.
Lu Chenyuan remembered that boy. He came from a poor family, was introverted by nature, and aside from academics, was one of the few people who could actually hold a conversation with Lu Ruoxi.
He would sneak a roasted sweet potato into Lu Ruoxi’s desk drawer in winter. When Zhang Cuilan publicly humiliated her on the street, he would muster the courage to step in.
Even after Lu Ruoxi was admitted to Jingzhou University, this boy pushed himself to the limit to enroll in an ordinary college in the same city—just so he could continue silently watching over her.
Yet, this kind and harmless young man ultimately met his end in a staged "accidental" car crash, orchestrated by Li Jinchuan after he intervened to protect Lu Ruoxi one last time.
His death became yet another weight that crushed Lu Ruoxi, pushing her irrevocably into the abyss of vengeance.
Lu Chenyuan would not allow such a tragedy to repeat itself.
That boy was not just a glimmer of warmth in Lu Ruoxi’s bleak life—he was also a crucial piece Lu Chenyuan could now place on the board.
He needed someone familiar to Lu Ruoxi, someone she wouldn’t instinctively reject, to serve as her first line of defense in the daily life he couldn’t always oversee.
"Lin Yuan," Lu Chenyuan opened his eyes, his gaze deep and unreadable.
"Yes, Mr. Lu." Lin Yuan, who had been driving in silence, responded immediately.
"Look into someone else for me," Lu Chenyuan’s voice was steady and firm.
"Anhe County First High School, Class 1 of the senior year—Ye Ruoxi’s classmates. I want detailed profiles on all the male students: family backgrounds, personality traits, daily habits, and especially… any interactions they’ve had with Ye Ruoxi."
"Any specific criteria for screening?" Lin Yuan asked.
"Poor family background, resilient personality, reliable character. Preferably… with some hidden talent."
Lu Chenyuan’s fingers tapped lightly against his knee, as if sketching the vague outline of a person in his mind.
Though puzzled by his boss’s sudden interest in a few high schoolers from a remote county, Lin Yuan never questioned orders. He simply noted them down with precision.
"Understood. I’ll have the results within three days."
"No, two." Lu Chenyuan corrected. "Time isn’t on our side."
"Got it."
Upon returning to Jingzhou, Lu Chenyuan plunged into work, untangling the intricate web of interests within Lu Corporation.
The original host’s memories were like an extensive database, and he—like a methodical programmer—was meticulously reviewing each line of code, searching for fatal bugs and backdoors left by others.
Two days later, in the afternoon, Lin Yuan placed a freshly encrypted file on Lu Chenyuan’s desk.
"Sir, we’ve identified the person who fits your requirements."
Lu Chenyuan opened the file, and the profile of a boy named Su Yang appeared before him.
In the photo, the lanky teenager wore the same school uniform as Ye Ruoxi. His delicate features carried a quiet determination that belied his age.
Family Background: Single-parent household. Father deceased. Mother bedridden with a chronic illness. Survived on odd jobs and meager government assistance.
Academic Performance: Top of his class, second only to Ye Ruoxi.
Personality: Introverted and soft-spoken, but classmates described him as "dependable" and "always willing to help."
Extracurricular Activities: According to investigators, Su Yang worked part-time at a computer repair shop for two hours after school each day.
Beyond that, he spent nearly all his free time in the library—just like Ye Ruoxi.
Attached were several long-distance surveillance photos. One showed Su Yang draping his jacket over Ye Ruoxi’s shoulders as she slept at her desk.
Another captured him on a rainy day, tilting his umbrella so far toward the girl beside him that his own shoulder was soaked.
These details aligned perfectly with the boy from Lu Chenyuan’s memories.
But what truly caught his attention was the final section of the report.
Special Skills Assessment: Su Yang exhibited remarkable talent in computer science.
The owner of the repair shop claimed that Su Yang could effortlessly solve complex software malfunctions and data recovery issues that even seasoned technicians struggled with.
Further investigation revealed that Su Yang was highly active on a specialized domestic programming forum.
Though his anonymous ID was obscure, several of his posts—particularly on low-level algorithm optimization—and the compact, efficient code of his self-designed mini-programs demonstrated a level of expertise far beyond his age and background.
Conclusion: He was an uncut gem, brimming with untapped potential, limited only by his lack of exposure and resources.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at Lu Chenyuan’s lips.
A genius.
Another genius buried in the dust.
The original novel had treated him as nothing more than a faceless "guardian" to advance the plot, unaware that he was a rare talent in his own right.
"It seems this investment will require additional funding."
Lu Chenyuan closed the file and instructed Lin Yuan,
"Contact him. Say that the ‘Young Talents Support Program’ wishes to discuss a… transaction regarding his future."
"Also, dispatch a team—small, skilled, and discreet. Starting today, they are to provide 24/7 covert protection for Ye Ruoxi and Su Yang."
"Yes, sir!"
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
or! A blessing for those who struggle with love, a guidebook for dating novices. Quickly match with your dream goddess! Complete walkthroughs earn rewards, and perfect walkthroughs unlock limited achievements!】 Shen Yi, an ordinary office worker, accidentally downloads a mini-game called Dating Simulator. The mini-game is simple: randomly search for dating targets, simulate dates, and receive rewards upon successful confession. Rewards include but are not limited to money, attributes, and skills. The higher the evaluation, the better the rewards, with perfect ratings unlocking mysterious achievements. Shen Yi plans to use this mysterious mini-game to continuously pursue targets and improve himself, making his life better and better. ...... However, after several successful walkthroughs, Shen Yi suddenly notices something strange - the targets he previously simulated dating seem to be searching for him in real life?
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
