The rebirth of lickspittle

The buzz-cut man rubbed his jaw, which had almost been dislocated, and glared at Zhang Fan furiously.

"Where the hell did this punk come from? How dare you mess with me!"

Shen Chuchu, who had just sat down, didn't expect Zhang Fan to actually show up.

She froze for a moment in shock before yelling in panic.

"Zhang Fan! Call someone! Quick!"

Zhang Fan ignored her frantic shouts, his cold gaze fixed on the gang of thugs before him.

The buzz-cut man, feeling thoroughly humiliated by Zhang Fan's disregard, sneered viciously.

"You little hero wannabe, huh? Brothers, get him!"

The six men, seasoned in street fights, immediately spread out, encircling Zhang Fan.

Shen Chuchu's panic escalated. "Zhang Fan! Are you deaf? Call the police! You can't fight—what are you going to do?"

Zhang Fan tilted his head and responded calmly, "Do you really think you know me that well?"

Shen Chuchu froze, stunned. Didn't she know him? After all, they'd grown up together.

Taking advantage of Zhang Fan's distraction, the buzz-cut man clenched his fist and swung it viciously toward Zhang Fan's head, aiming for a sneak attack.

To his shock, Zhang Fan leaned back just in time, evading the punch with uncanny precision.

"What the hell? Does this guy have eyes in the back of his head? Brothers, take him down!"

Zhang Fan didn't waste any time. He grabbed the man's arm and twisted it sharply. A sickening crack accompanied the thug's screams of pain as his shoulder dislocated, leaving his arm limp.

Before the other men could react, Zhang Fan delivered a swift kick, sending two of them flying. In one fluid motion, he hooked his foot behind another man, who fell to the ground clutching his groin, writhing in pain.

Zhang Fan's moves were clean, precise, and merciless, each strike designed to incapacitate his opponents.

From a distance, Lin Feng observed the scene coldly, letting out a disdainful snort. "Just some flashy tricks."

Zhang Fan finished off the last thug with a knee strike, leaving him sprawled on the ground.

Only the buzz-cut man remained, kneeling before Zhang Fan with one arm hanging uselessly. He was drenched in sweat, paralyzed with fear.

Zhang Fan released his grip on the man's head, muttering disdainfully, "Your hair's prickly."

The buzz-cut man immediately slapped himself repeatedly with his free hand.

"I'm sorry, boss! I'm so sorry! I'll shave it all off tonight—no, right now! I promise!"

The slaps were hard, leaving his face swollen and misshapen, like a pig's head.

Zhang Fan stood silently, watching the self-inflicted punishment. The man didn't dare stop until his face was so swollen that his apologies became unintelligible.

Finally, Zhang Fan spoke. "Get lost."

The six thugs scrambled to their feet, fleeing in panic.

Shen Chuchu, still reeling from shock, stared at Zhang Fan in a daze.

But instead of gratitude, her voice turned cold as she asked, "Zhang Fan, why are you here?"

Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow. "Night run."

"Night run?" Shen Chuchu let out a bitter laugh, holding her head.

"A night run, and you just happened to run into me? And just happened to see me being harassed?"

Zhang Fan narrowed his eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

In her drunken state, Shen Chuchu entertained a suspicion. She stood up and, with a scornful look as if seeing through everything, walked toward Zhang Fan.

"Those men—you hired them, didn't you?"

"What?" Zhang Fan was taken aback by her accusation.

But Shen Chuchu seemed convinced.

"It all makes sense now. Why would they stop me out of nowhere, and why would you show up at just the right moment? I know you, Zhang Fan. You've never been a fighter, yet you managed to take down all six of them. The only explanation is that they're actors you hired. Isn't that right?"

Zhang Fan crossed his arms. He had mastered mixed martial arts through the system, something Shen Chuchu couldn't possibly know. Yet her self-assured logic amused him.

"And why would I do that?" Zhang Fan asked, his tone calm.

Shen Chuchu laughed again, as if the answer was obvious.

"Because you want me, of course! You've been chasing after me for so long—how could you just give up? It's all part of your plan, isn't it?"

"Oh?" Zhang Fan chuckled mockingly, though Shen Chuchu failed to notice.

Emboldened by alcohol, she continued her tirade, weaving a narrative:

"At the school gate, you acted indifferent to embarrass me, to lower my expectations of you. Then you bought a phone for Liu Wenshi to make me jealous—such an expensive phone, too! At the music hall, you pretended not to see me, but you didn't take back the tickets because you still cared. Even at the restaurant, you ignored me to mess with my head. And that song, 'Blue and White Porcelain,' you sang that for me, didn't you?"

As her words became increasingly wild, Zhang Fan stood silently, watching her dig deeper into her own fabricated logic.

Finally, the system's prompt appeared:

Choice 1: Admit to everything, becoming the ultimate simp. Reward: Shen Chuchu's smugness +10, Shen Chuchu's disdain +10.

Choice 2: Explain and go along with her assumptions. Reward: 80% discount at a psychiatric hospital.

Choice 3: Break her flawed logic. Reward: Ancient Medical Knowledge Meridian Chapter.

Zhang Fan's eyes narrowed. He had to get that medical knowledge.

With a single phrase, he shattered her delusion:

"Let's call off the engagement."

Shen Chuchu froze mid-laugh, her face stiffening in disbelief.

Zhang Fan's gaze remained cold as he continued, "You've been using my family name to get what you want, and I've let it slide because I couldn't be bothered to deal with you. But I've had enough. Canceling the engagement will make it clear to everyone that you and I have nothing to do with each other."

"No! You're joking, right? This isn't funny!" Shen Chuchu's voice grew louder, as if trying to drown out her own panic.

But Zhang Fan simply nodded, confirming his decision.

Shen Chuchu clenched her trembling hands behind her back, forcing a smile. "Fine! Do you think I care? I've been dreaming of this day! I don't want to marry you anyway!"

"Good," Zhang Fan replied indifferently.

As the tense conversation unfolded, Lin Feng approached with a smirk.

His junior sister tugged at his sleeve. "Brother Feng, where are you going?"

Lin Feng smiled gently. "Don't worry, just want to have a little 'friendly match.'"

For some reason, Lin Feng found Zhang Fan's face incredibly irritating.

After all, in the original script of his life, he was supposed to be the hero. But now, Zhang Fan had stolen his moment. How could Lin Feng tolerate that?