WCHM Chapter 8

T.N: Hello lovely people, I’m very happy and very grateful to announce I now have 21 supporters on Patreon, something I never even dreamed of achieving! Thank you very much for your love and for reading my translations, it’s something that makes me wake up happy and sit in front of my computer with a big grin on my face every day! So to thank everyone, here is one extra chapter of “When it comes to hooking men, I’m the Master!” 🤣 so anyway, that’s all I wanted to say, thank you to all my Patreon supporters. ❤️ a big shoutout to: Batool Atya, Lila joulu, Karla Carreon, Viola Karunia Lestari, aa, Nina Laidlaw, Rose Mary, Nakandi Alice, Judy Ann Ursabia, present, Rianna Yang, Lunem, Geet Sahu, Hajra Zahid, Sahansila Shrestha, Asia Al-hussiny, Jasmine Mercer, Ohiyo Ohiyo, FATHIMATH RIFNA, Jaideep Kaur, and Peachez, my very first subscriber!

 

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At A University, the assistant lecturer hiring process included not just rigorous online screening, but also one final round: an in-person interview. The three shortlisted candidates would have to meet with the department head, and placements would be assigned based on their personality and suitability.

 

That interview was scheduled for two days later in the afternoon.

 

Lu Chi had spent those two days thoroughly passed out, and when he finally woke up, he dressed neatly and rode the subway all the way to A University for the meeting.

 

Even now, the system was still in a state of shock.

 

[Host Baby, how did you even know A University was hiring assistant lecturers?! No, that’s not the point… When did you apply?!]

 

Lu Chi pretended to think for two seconds, then raised an eyebrow and teased: [Probably while you were busy hunting for “How to Be a Heartthrob 101.”]

 

During those first few days after he transmigrated, the system had been flailing with inexperience, desperately researching the network for “how to snag a sugar daddy” and binge-watching seduction crash courses, completely failing to monitor Lu Chi’s every move.

 

But after a whole week of frantic studying, it still hadn’t matched the results Lu Chi got from one lazy flick of his wrist.

 

Lu Chi chuckled softly, his eyes as pretty as twin crescent moons. [No need to rush now], he started explaining. [I only worked at FOM to pay off my debt, but I was never planning to sell myself.]

 

Back when he first arrived, the system had mentioned that the entire main cast was studying at A University, so obviously… Nothing made access easier than becoming a university assistant.

 

Besides, FOM was crawling with all sorts of people, from rich kids to heirs and party princes. Even with Lu Chi’s ability to navigate any social situation, there were still risks. Just that week alone, the spiked drinks he’d avoided were already too many to count, and, if not for the system’s alerts, he would’ve been taken out several times already.

 

Those rich brats blushed and stammered when talking to him face-to-face, but behind closed doors? They played dirty. The drugged drinks could knock out five grown men, and they even carried cameras with them. Even an idiot could guess what they were after.

 

At that time, Lu Chi had calmly poured the drugs right back into their mouths, stripped them naked, and dumped them in the alley behind the club overnight, right next to the trash cans. Unsurprisingly, he’d pissed off a few young masters.

 

Maybe that was why Manager Zhao started to hold a grudge, always finding excuses to guilt-trip and gaslight him. If Lu Chi weren’t his beloved money tree, he might have probably forced him to apologize to the little monsters who tried to drug him.

 

The system also thought back to all of that, shivering while crying: [Good thing the debt’s paid… I promise I’ll pick a better identity for the next world! I’m so sorry, Baby!]

 

Lu Chi gave a half-hearted nod and soon stepped through the grand gates of A University, carefully following his phone’s GPS as he made his way unhurriedly toward the academic offices.

 

A University was one of the country’s top schools. Since the new semester hadn’t started yet, the campus was still relatively quiet. Built near the sea, the roadways were lined with pine and palm trees, and the sunlight filtered through the blooming bougainvillea. The air was warm and fragrant.

 

It was the kind of school where students could thrive…

 

…But it was also the kind of school overflowing with wealthy kids and a razor-sharp sense of class division.

 

His interviewer was the dean of the Art Department, a woman wearing a loose, beige suit, with a calm and gentle demeanor. The nameplate on her desk read two simple characters: Lin Rong.

 

Lu Chi took his seat and met her eyes with easy confidence. “Dean Lin, nice to meet you,” he started.

 

Lin Rong nodded, putting down the file in her hands and smiling politely.

“Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Lu.”

 

The office was spacious and quiet, with the soft scent of tea lingering in the air. Lu Chi noticed two used teacups set off to the side and instantly realized the other two candidates had already been interviewed.

 

He rarely blushed, but just this once, a hint of color crept into his cheeks.

 

“Apologies. I’m late.”

 

In fact, Lu Chi had arrived a full half hour early, so he wasn’t late in the slightest.

 

It’s just that the other two candidates were too competitive!

 

Dean Lin smiled and shook her head. “Every candidate was called at a different time, so there’s no need to worry,” she answered. “You’re right on time, Mr. Lu.” Then, she handed him a cup of tea, asking: “Have a taste?”

 

Lu Chi accepted it obediently and took a polite sip. Maybe it was because he’d also grown up in an orphanage, just like the identity the system had assigned to him, but he had a natural fondness for older women.

 

In truth, his temper hadn’t been particularly mild when he was alive. In the entertainment industry, with no backing and a face too beautiful for his own good, Lu Chi attracted more than his fair share of predatory attention. Without a sharp edge, he would’ve been eaten alive by investors or “colleagues.”

 

But in front of older women and his adorable fans, Lu Chi always gave off a quiet, grounded calm.

 

He liked the intensity of their motherly love, even finding comfort in it.

 

Across from him, Lin Rong studied him with a steady gaze. Lu Chi was sipping tea with his head lowered, thick lashes casting faint shadows on his fair face. He looked so well-behaved that, for a second, he reminded her of A University’s infamous mascot, a stray cat that was mischievous by default, but inexplicably well-mannered around teachers.

 

He was even “dressed” like that cat: white shirt, black slacks, and white sneakers.

 

The cat’s paws were white too, with a black and white body.

 

Lin Rong cleared her throat, the corners of her lips curving unconsciously. “I looked over your resume, Mr. Lu,” she said. “Very impressive. It says here you play several instruments?”

 

Lu Chi nodded and humbly set down the teacup before answering: “I can play piano and violin, and I dabble in guitar and drums. I also have some experience with sketching and contemporary dance.”

 

He had worked himself to the bone in his previous life.

 

He’d started piano in elementary school. Back then, the orphanage had been visited by some big-name officials, and several wealthy donors had gifted items, including a secondhand piano.

 

Lu Chi could read sheet music instinctively and wasn’t afraid to improvise, showing real talent. The head matron of the orphanage refused to let that go to waste. She scraped together the money to enroll him and a few other girls in lessons. Later, Lu Chi joined a talent show, where one self-composed, self-performed stage number catapulted him into viral fame.

 

But the trolls came with it, calling him a pretty-face orphan with no substance.

 

His fans, furious, cried while writing thousand-word rebuttals online, with some of them even losing hair over the stress.

 

As for Lu Chi, he continued to post thirst traps and taunting selfies while taking class after class: acting, stunts, instruments, diving, dance…

 

By age twenty-three, a wire stunt had permanently damaged his lower back. His lungs and heart were wrecked from underwater shoots, and an explosion scene had fried the nerves in his left hand until he could no longer feel heat or cold.

 

And yet, under the blinding spotlight, he still lifted the Best Actor trophy with a cocky, dazzling grin, saying: “Thanks for the support, everyone! Stay with me forever, okay?”

 

That was the height of his fame.

 

And then, death came.

 

The director shouted “cut”, the credits rolled until the end, and Lu Chi went to rest in peace.

 

The scent of tea floated through the air.

 

Lu Chi smiled faintly and said with confidence, “Dean, I’ve got a lot of skills. I even know a bit of martial arts. Whatever students need, I can handle it.”

 

Lin Rong kept her tone mild but asked: “Even their… Romantic needs?”

 

“….”

 

Well… Not that part.

 

Although the main characters would definitely be on board.

 

Lin Rong studied his face again, admitting he looked even more stunning in person than he did in the photo. Beautiful and sharp, but dressed modestly and clean, with soft black hair that fell over his brow. If his resume hadn’t said twenty-seven, she would’ve assumed he’d just graduated.

 

How odd… The resume also said he graduated from A University’s Arts Department. But why did she have no memory of a face like that? However, there was no time to dwell on it. Taking another sip of tea, she half-teased, half-warned: “Mr. Lu, I’m sure you know your looks are rather exceptional. While A University doesn’t explicitly ban student-teacher relationships, they’re certainly not encouraged.”

 

“…”

 

Lu Chi blinked, fingers lacing together like a guilty schoolboy.

 

Starting work and already fishing for men… Of course, he had to look innocent.

 

But Lin Rong soon added, “That being said, your private life is your own. The school won’t interfere. But the Arts Department isn’t like other departments. The students tend to be… Eccentric. If anyone gives you trouble or becomes too persistent, don’t hesitate to report it to me or another superior.”

 

Artists who came from wealthy families also tended to be… Dramatic.

 

Bringing in a new assistant so good-looking, Lin Rong could already predict the chaos to come. The Fine Arts majors were always yelling about needing more male nude models, after all…

 

She shook her head, brushing off the thought, and reached out with a smile, saying: “Well then, welcome to A University! Please take care of us, Teacher Lu.”

 

……………..

 

By the time Lu Chi left the admin building, it was already dusk.

 

Freshly minted as Teacher Lu, he strolled under the leafy school path, twirling a sun umbrella overhead. The system buzzed in his ear, practically vibrating with excitement: [Congratulations, Baby! Now we can seduce the main characters to our heart’s content! Wahaha!]

 

So excited, huh? Lu Chi thought as he casually ducked into the campus convenience store to reward himself with a giant ice cream cone.

 

However, the system was still on a roll: [Once the plot ends and the main couple is confirmed to have zero emotional ties left, I can send you to the next world! So easy!]

 

Lu Chi raised an eyebrow, recalling something Dean Lin had said in the office earlier: “Actually, we’ve always known that the atmosphere at A University isn’t exactly healthy. But humans are social creatures, and… Schools are too. There are many things we want to change, but we’re powerless to do so.”

 

So he bit off the top of the ice cream, calmly raining on the system’s parade: [Don’t celebrate just yet. According to your rules, the main couple can’t end up together, and they can’t die or suffer any irreversible damage either. The first part is easy, but the second… Not so much.]

 

The system faltered, stuttering: [How could that be?! This is a “feel good” novel!]

 

Lu Chi chewed on his ice cream, voice indifferent as he answered: [Oh, yeah, feeling super good… The whole thing is bullying from start to finish!]

 

Overflowing with positive vibes, my ass!

 

In the original plot, the protagonist Shou, Gu Yanyan, entered A University dreaming of shedding his “poor and pathetic” roots and rewriting his fate. However, he was mocked and ostracized by his wealthier roommates, with things escalating from snide remarks to arguments, then physical altercations, and finally, bullying.

 

As for Gu Yanyan, he started with self-loathing, moved on to hatred, and ended in indiscriminate revenge. Throughout the novel, he did it all: plagiarizing others’ work, slipping blades into his dancer roommate’s shoes, poisoning anyone who had ever mocked him…

 

And yet, thanks to plot armor, or someone protecting him behind the scenes, he was never caught. Not once in four years.

 

But each time his bottom line moved, his moral compass also blurred further.

 

The original novel said:

 

“Gu Yanyan was like a rat flailing in a death spiral, dreaming his ugly-duckling dreams of swanning glory. But a duckling is still a swan, whereas he… No matter how hard he tried, his birth was a sin: poverty, inferiority, and filth.”

 

And Liang Zhiyu?

 

He was the villain who lit the first match.

 

Arrogant, self-important, masking his instability behind false depth. Neglected by his parents and hollow on the inside, he had status thanks to the Liang family, yet condemned to forever live in the looming shadow of Liang Jiashu, a peerless genius who crushed him from the moment they were born.

 

Everyone praised Liang Jiashu to the point that even Liang Zhiyu himself couldn’t deny it: his cousin was a thousand times more talented than he was.

 

Unable to compete with the strong, he turned his blade on the weak, with his character setting being:

 

“Liang Zhiyu had to step on people’s faces to feel alive. Watching them writhe in misery gave him a twisted rush. But the high always passed, and left behind a monstrous, suffocating void that devoured him, until he couldn’t even face his own soul anymore.”

 

But then… What about Liang Jiashu, the man who watched it all happen?

 

He saw it, said nothing, and sometimes, even made it worse.

 

What kind of role was he really playing?

 

Whatever the answer, Lu Chi knew one thing: it for sure wasn’t good.

 

And now, thanks to a few plot deviations, he had three new flavors of bad-boy main characters, each more mentally unstable than the last. So far, he managed to play with them like they were dogs, but over time, even the best-trained dogs could break their chains and bite.

 

Finally, the system started panicking: [W-We can change your character settings! We’ll swap your role from seductress to innocent little flower, okay?! No love triangles! No bloodshed!]

 

Lu Chi laughed. Licking the last bit of his ice cream, he flagged down a taxi.

 

“FOM, please.”

 

Cool air rushed through the car as Lu Chi pulled out his phone, fingers tapping as he passed over the 99+ unread messages.

 

[Change what? Isn’t it more fun this way?], he asked, with a wide grin on his face. After all, he became famous while still young, a blazing star.

 

And it was strong, volatile emotions that made his heart race.

 

Just like a butterfly, beautiful and as light as a breeze. And yet, just a flap of his wings could stir up a storm.

 

The taxi rumbled forward. Just as it pulled from the curb, Lu Chi rolled down the window and turned his head, glancing quickly in a certain direction.

 

………………

 

Dusk fell.

 

Liang Jiashu sat on the sofa with his head bowed, tapping open the chat box for the thirty-second time. Their first conversation had ended two days ago, and, since then, Lu Chi hadn’t replied once.

 

Not even after Liang Jiashu sent him ten million yuan.

 

On the coffee table were fresh surveillance photos: Lu Chi in a white shirt and black slacks, biting into an ice cream cone by the A University gate, basking like a sun-loving sunflower.

 

From beside him, a private investigator handed over the final photo, hesitantly saying: “Young Master, I think Mr. Lu may have spotted our tail…”

 

Liang Jiashu paused, looking at that photo.

 

Under the streetlight, the man in the cab had turned his head slightly and winked directly at the camera, flashing a smug, stunning smile.

 

As if saying:

 

“Bad dog, I’ve caught you again.”

 

 

 

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Enjoyed this chapter? You can support me and read up to Chapter 17 here, with 5 new chapters coming on the first week of the next month! Happy Reading!