Arc. 1.5 

The Wicked Child of the Stepmother

The next day, while Nian Zhen was happily enjoying his breakfast in his school uniform, Xie Yanjing came down and sat across from him just as the housekeeper served his food.

Nian Zhen thought to himself. Big Brother, I only let you beat me once. Getting up earlier is no problem at all. I’m still growing, after all; skipping breakfast would be plain foolish.

Despite his internal musings, he greeted the male lead with a friendly tone.

“Good morning, Brother.”

“…”

Xie Yanjing gave him a quick glance before ignoring him entirely. Nian Zhen had done his part by greeting him, so whether Xie Yanjing responded or not was up to him.

In the Xie household, no one else was awake this early except for these two high school students. Chairman Xie usually rose about an hour later, as did Aunt Du. This meant that Nian Zhen could leisurely enjoy his delicious breakfast.

Xie Yanjing ate his breakfast at a measured pace, and his elegant table manners clearly reflected his upbringing. Though Nian Zhen couldn’t deny his good looks, he didn’t dare stare; the atmosphere around the male lead was too intense. He only needed to provoke the other party as required by the storyline—anything beyond that would simply be asking for unnecessary trouble.

The head housekeeper brought over a glass of milk for Nian Zhen, who drank it obediently. Is it just me, or is this household a little strange? Isn’t milk something you’re supposed to drink before bed, not in the morning? Anyway, the result’s the same Living here meant free meals, free accommodations, and food crafted by Michelin-star chefs. What’s there to complain about? If only he could enjoy this lifestyle longer; sadly, he knew he’d eventually have to provoke the male protagonist until he sought revenge.

Finally, after Xie Yanjing finished his breakfast, Nian Zhen followed him to the car. He kept quiet. It was obvious that the male lead treated him like air, as though he didn’t even exist. In simpler terms, he was completely invisible in his eyes.

And yes, this exact scenario had been playing out for two months now. Nian Zhen had come to realize just how difficult it was to play a white lotus.

The male protagonist is too indifferent!!

Xie Yanjing’s hatred level remained stuck at 30%, and while the system was growing anxious, Nian Zhen was even more so.

Over time, he successfully ingratiated himself with Xie Yanjing’s circle of friends. Yet, Xie Yanjing remained entirely unaffected. As a white lotus, he tried his best to present himself as Xie Yanjing’s younger brother in every possible way. Yet, not only did Xie Yanjing remain unresponsive, but he was also utterly uninterested.

Frustrated, Nian Zhen began planning a new strategy. Whatever Xie Yanjing hates, I’ll do it!!

Since subtle provocations weren’t working, it was time to try something more direct.

“Brother…”

Nian Zhen greeted Xie Yanjing as he sat down beside him, taking the spot Chun Long had saved for him. Earlier, he’d confided in Chun Long, acting downcast and teary-eyed as he mentioned how lonely he felt at home and how he wished he could be closer to his big brother. Feeling sorry for him, Chun Long had promised to help out.

Of course, he didn’t put on this act only for Chun Long; he also performed the same routine for Zhou Han, Feng Lang, Yu Heng, and Jin Hai when he was alone with each of them.

Naturally, all five thought that Meng Zhenzhen trusted and relied on them, and despite not liking Xie Yanjing, they still tried to help.

And that was exactly why this group had been so easy for Nian Zhen to win over—because none of them were truly Xie Yanjing’s friends!! If they had been real friends, his shallow white lotus act wouldn’t have worked.

[Ding!! The male protagonist’s hatred level toward the Host has increased to 35%.]

What was that?!! Just sitting close to him had raised the disgust meter! Nian Zhen’s mouth twitched. If I had known, I would’ve hugged Xie Yanjing—maybe that would have spiked his hatred to over 50%.

Playing it cold, are we? I’ll fill you with so much searing hatred that you won’t be able to keep that icy expression up any longer.

“Brother…”

Nian Zhen scooted a bit closer. Instantly, he was met with a cold, frosty stare as the male protagonist stood up, casting a look of annoyance at his friends.

The atmosphere grew tense, but white lotus Meng Zhenzhen wasn’t about to stop. Seeing that his brother was about to walk away, he quickly reached out to grab his arm.

[Ding!! The male protagonist’s hatred level toward the Host has increased to 45%.]

Of course, Xie Yanjing shook off his grip immediately, and Nian Zhen froze in shock. The protagonist’s eyes were openly filled with disdain as he walked away without a backward glance.

Tears gathered in Nian Zhen’s eyes, and he lowered his head, as if to hide his sorrowful expression.

Looks like he was right—Xie Yanjing really can’t stand people touching him. Hehe.

Soon enough, rumors spread around the school that Xie Yanjing despised Meng Zhenzhen, the stepmother’s son. Given Xie Yanjing’s high status, it was Meng Zhenzhen who bore the brunt of the gossip.

Nian Zhen got his first real taste of being bullied at school.

In the morning, his desk was missing.

In the afternoon, his homework notebook vanished.

By evening, his shoes were gone.

And that was on top of the constant whispers and stares. If he were a real white lotus and not someone with his own iron will, he’d probably have dropped out by now.

None of these people had ever been sincere with him. The moment they knew Xie Yanjing disliked him, they began bullying him to curry favor.

But this wouldn’t last long.

Nian Zhen had intentionally provoked Xie Yanjing to show his disdain in public because he needed to establish himself as Xie Yanjing’s enemy!!

As a proper white lotus, he’d been acting like the good person, always trying to get closer to Xie Yanjing. He had never done anything bad (?) to the male lead. If he had openly antagonized Xie Yanjing from the start, he would’ve looked like the bad guy. He needed a reason—an excuse for why he hated Xie Yanjing.

Now that he had it, there was no need to hold back. Time to escalate the villainy!! From now on, Xie Yanjing could forget about ever having another good day.

[Host, you’ve got this. Go, Host. The system is cheering for you!!]

After enduring a week of bullying, Nian Zhen decided it was finally time to make use of Aunt Du.

Du Yao, meanwhile, still hadn’t conceived, so she’d been focused on taking care of her health, pampering herself, and keeping Chairman Xia’s attention.

That morning, she realized she’d missed her period. She’d been so caught up in her self-care routine and deepening her relationship with Chairman Xie that she hadn’t noticed. Now, thrilled and hopeful, she rushed to the hospital for a check-up.

She was pregnant!! Already over a month along.

Du Yao beamed with satisfaction, returning to the Xie mansion while considering how she might surprise Xie Heng. In high spirits, the mistress of the Xie family ordered a feast to be prepared, planning to announce the good news at dinner.

But that evening, she saw her son arrive home with bruises on his face.

“Who did this to you?”

Du Yao was genuinely shocked. Could there really be someone in school brave enough to harm a child under Chairman Xia’s protection?

Or had her foolish son crossed the wrong prominent family?

Before she could demand an explanation, Meng Zhenzhen, hearing her question, burst into tears right there in the dining room.

Du Yao, and the household staff too, were taken aback as Nian Zhen cried pitifully, tears streaming down his face like rainfall, his body shaking with sobs as if he had finally reached the breaking point.

“Zhenzhen, who did this to you? Tell me, sweetheart,” Du Yao, moved by his pitiful demeanor, unexpectedly uttered words of comfort—a rarity for her.

“B…Brother…” Nian Zhen stammered, unable to form coherent words.

But that was enough for Du Yao to catch the whole story!!

“What did Young Master Xie do to you? Quickly, tell me everything.” Her voice, feigning concern, was laced with excitement.

Though Nian Zhen rolled his eyes inwardly for the tenth time, he continued to sob quietly.

“Brother hates me, so everyone else bullies me. Hic, hic, hic.”

Nian Zhen pouted dramatically before beginning his fragmented recount of events. The details didn’t matter—what truly mattered was ensuring they had to understand was that everyone picked on him because of Xie Yanjing’s attitude.

[Ding!! The male protagonist’s hatred level toward the Host has increased to 50%.]

Now that’s what you call outright slander. Nian Zhen intentionally kept his words vague, allowing others to jump to their own conclusions. Even if Xie Yanjing could somehow prove his innocence, it would only seem like a misunderstanding on Nian Zhen’s part. No matter what, he would still be the victim here, and Xie Yanjing wouldn’t be able to just brush it off.

This isn’t enough. It’s just the beginning.

Xie Yanjing must be listening from outside the room. Heh, Brother… make sure you hear everything. Witness the perfect act of my white lotus act giving Du Yao all the ammo she needs to make your life miserable.

Hate me, Brother. Hate me even more!!

“Don’t worry, Zhenzhen. “I’ll make sure you get justice!!”

Du Yao was fully immersed in her role, tears flowing as she promised. And so, mother and son performed a heartfelt drama, each tear reinforcing their supposed love and concern. Of course, the one who’d suffer the consequences was Xie Yanjing.

When Chairman Xie returned home, he immediately noticed the strange atmosphere. He found his wife seated on the sofa in the living room, eyes red and puffy from crying.

“Yaoyao, what’s wrong?”

Chairman Xie sent the servants away, then sat down beside her, taking her hands as she bit her lip as though struggling to hold back tears.

“Ah Heng… Chairman Xia, I think it would be best if I moved out of the Xie family,” Du Yao shook her head as if fighting to keep her voice steady.

Nian Zhen, who was in his room icing his bruises and watching the scene via the system’s live feed, spoke up. Bravo, Aunt Du. Your acting is on point. No wonder you managed to snag Chairman Xia.

“Yaoyao, why are you saying that? I want you to stay here. Don’t worry about anyone else,” Chairman Xie thought that perhaps his father had been pressuring her.

“But Young Master Xie can’t stand the sight of the two of us. How can I tolerate this?!!” Du Yao’s voice was thick with supposed hurt.

“Today, Zhenzhen was hurt at school. He told me he wanted to drop out—he can’t handle the bullying any longer. I had no idea he was being harassed. I always thought he was doing well…” Du Yao’s sobs deepened, her voice broke, and in her flowing white dress, she looked like an innocent goddess in anguish. Chairman Xia’s heart softened as he struggled to keep his emotions in check.

“People saw that Young Master Xie couldn’t stand him, so they bullied Zhenzhen to win his favor. You know, Xie Heng, what Zhenzhen endured growing up in the Meng family. I’ve been a terrible mother. I couldn’t even raise my own son by my side, so he had to be bullied by others. I thought he’d be safe with the Xie family. But if he’s still being tormented here, how am I supposed to live with myself?!!”

When it comes to righteous words, leave it to the villains—they deliver them so passionately!!

Du Yao didn’t blame Xie Yanjing directly but implied that others saw Xie Yanjing’s contempt for Meng Zhenzhen and used that as an excuse to bully him. Although Xie Yanjing hadn’t directly done anything, he was the cause. Du Yao positioned herself as the weak, protective mother, reminding Chairman Xie of the hardships Meng Zhenzhen had suffered in the Meng family to emphasize just how pitiable her son was. How could his heart withstand such a tale?

 That was because he knew well that Xie Yanjing truly despised Du Yao, so it wasn’t surprising that his son’s disdain extended to Meng Zhenzhen as well.

“Don’t worry, Yaoyao. It’s my fault for not raising my son better.”

“Please don’t blame Young Master Xia. He’s done nothing wrong; I’m only his stepmother, and Zhenzhen is merely a guest here. I don’t want to trouble you or your son. I…I will… ugh!!”

Du Yao sobbed, unable to finish her sentence before suddenly retching. Xie Heng was visibly alarmed.

"Yaoyao, what’s wrong? Let’s go to the hospital."

“It’s… it’s nothing, just morning sickness.”

Du Yao inhaled her smelling salts, letting the words slip as if by accident. But Xie Heng, who had heard her, was already shocked.

“What did you say? Morning sickness?!! Are you… are you pregnant?” His voice brimmed with joy.

Lifting her up, Xie Heng shouted out loud.

“Assistant Hu, call Dr. Ping right away!!”

With that, he carried Du Yao back to their room. Out of sight, Du Yao allowed herself a small, satisfied smile.

Nian Zhen could have applauded her. This strategy deserved a perfect score. Now, Xie Yanjing would truly be in for a hard time.

What should this white lotus Nian Zhen do next time?