Chapter 16: Sowing Discord

"Ling Tian, you're just bragging!" Dai Jin found Ling Tian's claims completely unreliable.

"Hmph, I'll go find her right now. Which class is Li Youran in?" Ling Tian suddenly realized he hadn’t checked Li Youran’s information yet. He had originally planned to win over Lin Youya first, but now decided to pursue both at the same time.

"Come on, boss, you don't even know anything about Li Youran and you’re already calling her your wife? No one brags as shamelessly as you do. Pathetic!" Yuan Bao couldn’t help but chime in, clearly unimpressed by Ling Tian.

"What background?" Ling Tian only knew, from Zhang Yue, that Li Youran was the classical beauty of the Chinese Department. Other than that, he was completely clueless. Still, since she was a recognized beauty, she was certainly qualified to be his wife.

Ling Tian paid no heed to the others’ disdain. For trivial matters like this, a man ought to have a thick skin. But when it came to dignity and principles, there could be no compromise.

"Li Youran, the classical beauty of the Chinese Department—she isn't a student here, but rather a newly appointed advisor who just started this year. She's twenty-two, holds a master's degree in classical literature, and is a direct disciple of the renowned scholar Tian Xingzi. She loves traditional attire and is said to wear the clothing of the era she lectures about. She has no fewer admirers than Lin Youya," Yuan Bao recited all he knew, his tone betraying his admiration. Dai Jin nodded repeatedly, while Shi Xiaocai seemed uninterested.

"Yuan Bao, you’re a computer whiz. Do me a favor—help me gather more information on Li Youran, and get her teaching schedule too."

Ling Tian could have done this himself, but over dinner yesterday he learned Yuan Bao was an amateur hacker—he’d be more thorough.

"Heh, no problem. But are you really planning to pursue Li Youran?" Yuan Bao doubted Ling Tian’s ability; Li Youran was simply too stunning for most men to approach.

"Just wait and see. Lin Youya and Li Youran will both be my wives." Ling Tian believed in himself. In his previous life, he had served the country with distinction; in this life, his mission was to protect beautiful women.

With such a wealthy background, striking looks, and his own talents, there was no beauty Ling Tian couldn’t win—unless he didn’t want to.

...

News of Ling Tian pursuing Lin Youya spread quickly, but most people dismissed it with a laugh. Dreamers like him were everywhere, and no one believed he had a chance. Lin Youya was not someone just anyone could pursue; even her Porsche was out of reach for most.

Yet, two people had taken a dislike to Ling Tian—one was that burly male student, the other, a female teacher.

In the principal’s office.

The female teacher strode in with an angry sway, her expression thunderous.

"Ms. Wang, is there something you need?" The principal was surprised; teachers rarely visited his office without reason.

He wore a black suit, was nearing fifty, but stood straight and looked pleasant enough. Gold-rimmed glasses rested on his nose, lending him an air of scholarly dignity.

"Principal, a student named Ling Tian from Finance Class One talked back to me today," Ms. Wang began to complain, her voice a mix of coyness and grievance.

"Ms. Wang, young people can be brash, and it’s indeed wrong to talk back to a teacher. But you’ve taught for over a decade; you should know not to let students upset you," replied the principal, unconcerned. Nowadays, students were hard to manage, and backtalk was nothing unusual.

"But principal, Ling Tian went too far, he... he..." The teacher was so furious she could hardly speak. Ling Tian’s words had nearly made her faint with rage, striking her sore spot—but repeating them would be too humiliating.

"What did he do?" The principal watched her agitation, noting the heaving of her ample chest, and wondered if Ling Tian had harassed her. With her figure and attire, she was certainly provocative. If he weren't happily married, he might have been tempted himself.

"He—Principal, you must expel him!" The teacher still couldn’t bring herself to repeat Ling Tian’s words, but her tone grew ever more indignant.

"Ms. Wang, the school can't expel a student without due cause. At most, talking back warrants a reprimand—not even an official demerit," the principal said patiently.

"Principal, he said I had irregular periods right to my face, and claimed my chest was fake! Anyway, if you don’t expel Ling Tian, I won’t teach his class." Ms. Wang had always been fawned over by men, never insulted like this.

"Uh..." The principal was left speechless, struggling to suppress a laugh. The student had indeed gone too far. Yet, the name Ling Tian sounded familiar; after a moment, he recalled a few things.

"You said the student’s name is Ling Tian? Is he the new transfer to Finance Class One?" The principal’s tone suddenly became stern.

"Yes, that’s him! I’ve never seen him in my class before, and he also harassed Lin Youya during class. Principal, you must expel such a student." The teacher assumed the principal had heard other rumors about Ling Tian and hurried to embellish the story, hoping the principal would expel him.

"Expel him? Easier said than done! Listen, I’d sooner expel you than him!" The principal’s expression darkened, his tone thick with dissatisfaction.

"Principal, aren’t you going to do anything after he insulted me like that?" The teacher, brainless and busty, failed to grasp the situation or notice the principal’s mounting displeasure.

"He talked back to you? I’d thank him for the opportunity if he talked back to me! Don’t provoke him again—he’s not someone you can afford to mess with. You may go." The principal gestured for her to leave.

"Hmph!" The teacher was clearly indignant, but dared not protest further. With a sullen sway, she left the office.

...

In the student dormitory area of Jianghai University stood four white European-style villas, strikingly prominent among the buildings. Everyone knew these villas were not for ordinary students, nor could one simply pay to move in.

If no suitable student was found, the school would rather keep the villas empty than lower the residency standards.

Currently, two villas were vacant, while the other two housed residents, both of whom were famous at Jianghai University.

One was the campus belle, Lin Youya from the Finance Department. In front of her villa bloomed roses of every color; a red Porsche was often parked outside. Few had seen the interior, but it was rumored to be as lavish as a European palace.

Lin Youya, with princess-like beauty and grace, and the wealth of royalty, was a goddess many male students could only admire from afar.

The other villa’s resident was equally renowned: Li Feng, a member of the Li family, business tycoons of Jianghai City. He was twenty, a student in the Economics and Management Department, and famous not just for his residence or family name.

Mention of him brought one word to mind: playboy. Rumor had it he’d slept with over a hundred women at the university, and many girls considered it an honor to enter his villa. Some even dreamed of marrying into the Li family. His name was Li Feng.

In an age where marrying well mattered more than studying, many female students targeted rich heirs, hoping to transform from sparrow to phoenix. Li Feng, with his wealth and looks, was their prime target—except for one formidable rival: Lin Youya next door.

Li Feng had fancied Lin Youya since her first day at university, making her his quarry from the start. He had tried every trick in the book, but always failed.

He had money, but Lin Youya seemed wealthier.

He was handsome, but among her suitors were those even more so.

He tried to win her favor, but she remained unimpressed. Having exhausted every means, Li Feng’s last resort was to eliminate rivals: whenever a particularly promising pursuer appeared, he would use threats or bribes until the competitor backed down.

At that moment, an uninvited guest arrived at Li Feng’s villa—a burly student recently humiliated by Ling Tian.

"I have some business with Young Master Li. Would you please inform him?" The student was stopped by Li Feng’s bodyguards before he even entered. Given Li Feng’s status, he was at risk of kidnapping or robbery, so he always kept two bodyguards.

"Our young master doesn’t see just anyone. What do you want?" The bodyguard didn’t recognize the student and wasn’t about to let him in.

"It concerns Miss Lin Youya. I’m in her class—my name is Wang Jun." The student quickly introduced himself.

"All right, wait here." Hearing it was about Lin Youya, the bodyguard hurried inside to report.

Soon, Wang Jun was invited in. In the living room, Li Feng sat drinking tea with a beauty in his arms—a girl he’d only just wooed, still in the honeymoon phase. Unconcerned by Wang Jun and the bodyguards’ presence, his hand roamed beneath the girl’s clothes, cupping her ample chest. The girl blushed, head bowed shyly—after all, she was a university student, not the sort to sleep around, and still had some sense of shame.

"You wanted to talk about Lin Youya? What is it?" Li Feng looked up, speaking lazily.

"Young Master Li, there’s a guy named Ling Tian pursuing Miss Lin," Wang Jun said, knowing Li Feng’s feelings for Lin Youya and his powerful family. He hoped to play one against the other by sowing discord.