Chapter 20: President, You Don’t Want This Photo to Spread, Right?

Chapter 20: President, You Don’t Want This Photo to Spread, Right?

“Click!”

As Spencer’s finger brushed the screen, the shutter sounded, capturing the chaotic scene in the Equipment Room.

Before me, Sakura Kyoko’s black hair was in disarray from the deep embrace we just shared.

Dressed in a disheveled manner, she held her head, looking rather pained as she crouched on the floor.

Right in front of her, Yan Huan was half-covered, one hand on his head, his face marred by a mix of confusion.

The atmosphere was thick with an indescribable tension.

With a splitting headache, Yan Huan turned to the blonde girl before him, memories from the weekend suddenly flooding back.

He recalled the keychain that seemed to be pulled by supernatural forces, and now, once again, Sakura Kyoko was attacked today.

This girl is definitely the host of the Modifier!

“Hey!”

Realizing this, Yan Huan quickly shouted to stop her from taking more pictures.

Meanwhile, Spencer looked at the photo captured on her phone, her gaze lingering on Yan Huan’s flustered expression before morphing into an even more sinister grin.

Like a little demon, she revealed a sharp canine tooth.

Hearing Yan Huan’s voice, she showed no sign of restraint, simply putting away her phone and casually tossing the basketball she was holding, as if returning it.

“Ah, sorry to interrupt your good time! I’m leaving now.”

With that, she turned and ran off.

Yan Huan opened his mouth to chase after her but suddenly remembered something, glancing back at the crumpled Sakura Kyoko who looked extremely uncomfortable.

He hurried to Sakura’s side, concerned about the strange aftereffects that could stem from the blonde girl’s Modifier.

After all, he had just endured a headache because of his Resistance; he couldn’t fathom how Sakura felt.

“Sakura, are you okay?”

However, what Yan Huan didn’t realize was that it was precisely because he had Resistance against the memory loss that he was suffering from a headache.

In reality, Sakura Kyoko wasn’t in pain at all; she was secretly observing the blonde girl who could shatter her barrier.

Having been cautious due to years of disguise, the fact that her barrier had been breached set off alarm bells in her mind.

Although she was unsure of the specifics, one thing was clear—staying hidden was vital!

Internally, she vowed that unless there was a 100% guarantee of not being exposed, she would never use this ability in front of others.

Thus, her act became even more natural.

“I—I’m fine. What just happened? Were we not here to return the equipment?”

Seeing that Sakura had also lost her memory, Yan Huan became increasingly certain that the instigator was the blonde girl.

He shook his head, saying, “I don’t know exactly what happened; I just remember we were locked up. It must be that girl’s doing. I’ll go get her back.”

“Ah? Wait, President!”

Sakura instinctively tried to stop Yan Huan.

If that girl could break through her barrier, wasn’t it possible she had some kind of other unsettling ability?

And the President knew nothing—if that girl had malicious intent towards him…

No, no, no!

Realizing this, Sakura hurriedly urged, “Let’s find the security first, President. That girl was in sportswear, she’s from our school; she won’t get far.”

“No, Sakura, you go inform the security and explain the situation. I don’t mind being involved, but it could be a hassle for you if you get dragged into this.”

Yan Huan shook his head, reminding her, “What if we wait to find the security and she transfers those photos elsewhere, claiming she never took them or has deleted them?”

Upon hearing this, Sakura’s body went stiff.

That’s right—her reputation wasn’t just her own.

Her family, entrenched in politics back in her homeland, placed immense importance on it. Even if she came to study alone in a foreign country, her name wouldn’t change.

If that photo got out and reached home…

The consequences would be catastrophic.

Having spent half a year with Sakura and even visiting her place at Linyi Gate, Yan Huan had a basic understanding of her.

Moreover, he was originally here for matters concerning the Modifier; he didn’t want to pull innocent Sakura into this mess.

Both of them, skilled in acting, were considering the supernatural aspect of the Modifier, wanting to protect each other from its influence.

At that moment, they both spoke simultaneously, “I’ll quickly bring her back; Sakura, you notify the security.”

“I’ll go with the President.”

But Yan Huan still shook his head, stating, “It’s enough if I go. You’re not feeling well, Sakura; you can’t keep up with her.”

With that, Yan Huan turned and left.

“I…”

Sakura instinctively reached out, trying to stop Yan Huan from leaving.

For some reason, her intuition warned her that if she let the President go alone after that girl…

Something terrible was bound to happen!

She gritted her teeth and stood up, but because of her weakened state, she felt a wave of dizziness even after just standing up from crouching.

Moreover, she desperately needed to go to the restroom.

Holding her head, Sakura walked out the door, her expression grim as she attempted to call Yan Huan back.

But looking outside, she saw Yan Huan had already dashed off in pursuit of the girl, his figure completely vanished.

“Meow-chan!”

“Meow?”

Outside the gymnasium, Yan Huan sprinted, mentally calling out for Meow-chan.

A black cat immediately sprang from the nearby bushes, responding to his call.

Running alongside him, it looked at him curiously and asked, “What’s wrong, meow?”

“I found the third host of the Modifier; she’s a student at our school! The one who made Ye Shiyu drop the keychain over the weekend! Just now, she attacked me and someone else with her Modifier! Meow-chan, tell me where she is now!”

Understanding immediately, Meow-chan’s four paws raced as it had picked up the scent of that girl from the weekend and rushed in a specific direction.

“This way!”

With Meow-chan leading the way, Yan Huan quickly arrived at the direction of the Teaching Building.

Classes had ended nearly half an hour ago; some students had already left, while others were participating in club activities in the activity building.

Thus, the Teaching Building was currently quite empty.

Meow-chan led Yan Huan on a light sprint until they reached the door of a room, turning to Yan Huan and saying, “This is it, meow!”

“Here…”

Yan Huan looked at the door, appearing hesitant.

The sign on the door read:

“Girls’ Changing Room”.

Well, at least there shouldn’t be anyone else inside right now.

Yan Huan glanced at the opened door of the changing room, noticing that the lock had also been broken, with evident kick marks on the door.

She had forced her way in just like she did with the Equipment Room.

Like the Equipment Room, the changing room was normally locked after classes.

And she had shown up half an hour late to return the ball and change clothes, obviously getting locked out.

Ordinary people would either turn away to come back tomorrow if they saw a locked door, or anxiously seek help from staff to get inside.

Only this girl had kicked down two doors, a glimpse into her personality.

This was clearly a very troublesome girl.

“Meow-chan, I’m going in to take a look; remember to hide your presence.”

“Meow~”

Yan Huan fearlessly stepped inside without hesitation.

Firstly, he needed to ensure that the photos of Sakura Kyoko couldn’t be leaked.

Secondly, he had to quickly comprehend the effects of the Modifier and the desires of its host while his Resistance could still fend off most of the effects.

Avoiding this was not an option; if he didn’t press forward now, wouldn’t he just wait for her to develop her abilities and dominate the World Line later?

Stepping into the girls’ changing room, he passed around a corner, revealing a spacious area divided by rows of lockers.

The space was eerily quiet; if it weren’t for the broken door lock at the entrance, Yan Huan would have doubted if anyone was actually inside.

“Bam!”

Just as he surveyed the inside, a sound of something crashing to the ground caught his attention.

He turned to see a water cup rolling across the floor.

A water cup? Over there?

Just as he was about to head that way, a slim arm shot out from a nearby corridor.

“Bang!”

It slapped down hard against the locker beside him, blocking his path.

Yan Huan raised an eyebrow and turned to see the blonde girl with an evil grin.

Spencer smiled, a white canine tooth gleaming past her lips, instantly capturing his attention.

“Wow, you really dared to chase me into the girls’ changing room, huh? Such boldness.”

She had just changed into a fitted white printed T-shirt paired with black sports shorts, showcasing her impressive figure.

Getting closer, Yan Huan could even see the outline of her underwear.

She stood barefoot, her posture suggesting she wanted to wall slam him, evident from the teasing smile on her face.

However, due to her shorter height, she had to look up at him, which made Yan Huan appear utterly composed.

He glanced down at the girl with her fluffy blonde hair, coldly asking, “Where’s your phone?”

“What phone?”

“The phone you just used to take pictures.”

As Spencer listened, she tilted her head slightly.

Some strands of blonde hair fell over her strikingly beautiful face, imparting an air of mischief.

Her blue eyes sparkled with amusement, throwing a creepy light through the gaps of her hair.

Even indoors, at that moment, her golden locks seemed to reflect sunlight, becoming particularly dazzling.

“Yeah, I took a picture. What of it?”

An unknown energy emanated from the girl, silently wrapping around Yan Huan, who remained blissfully unaware.

He suddenly felt as if the girl before him appeared taller, and that sinister grin became increasingly irksome.

Even the sound of her voice in that moment felt annoying:

“Is this photo important to you?”

“That photo to me…”

Though he harbored a strong disdain for this unpleasant girl, his true feelings began to flow out uncontrollably.

All defenses, all games dissipated in the invisible air, and Yan Huan quickly realized something was off.

The girl’s Modifier could influence consciousness!

Had it not been for his Resistance, he would have easily imagined himself revealing something transparent about his inner thoughts.

“That photo isn’t important to me, but it’s crucial for Sakura.”

“No matter what, hurry up and delete that photo.”

“For Sakura, as long as I can get her to delete that photo, I’m willing to do anything…”

Yan Huan’s heart stirred, for with the presence of the Resistance, he felt like an observer calmly analyzing the conflicting side of himself affected by the Modifier.

His internal state was highly contradictory.

He detested the girl before him, yet for some inexplicable reason, he felt unusually weak against her aggressiveness.

Simultaneously, there blossomed a bizarre affection for Sakura Kyoko, as if he would sacrifice anything for her.

This odd emotion led Yan Huan to find some strange parallels within his mind, revealing incredulity beneath his impassive mask.

No way, could this girl’s Modifier be…

Although he couldn’t hear what Yan Huan was about to say, the girl’s mischievous grin didn’t fade.

She took a step back and retrieved her phone, displaying the photo she had just taken.

“You were so gentle in front of your girlfriend over the weekend, yet here you are in the Equipment Room with another girl on a Monday. No wonder I recognized you—you’re Yan Huan, the illustrious President of Far Moon Academy, aren’t you?”

“What would happen if this photo were to spread? The reputation of that vice president named, oh, ‘Sakura Kyoko’ would be ruined! I really can’t bear to do that, teehee.”

Spencer tilted her head back, nearly naturally stating what Yan Huan had anticipated.

Her expression brightened as she stared at him, holding her phone, threatening, “President Yan, you definitely don’t want this photo to spread, right?”

“…”

Yikes!!

Run away, there’s a bull!!!

Yan Huan’s heart sank in terror.

Looking at the blonde girl before him, her elegant face and impressively striking figure intensified his déjà vu in a certain direction.

Back when he consumed related works, he frequently encountered a line:

“Ordinary people relate to the blonde; a few relate to the victim.”

And gods typically embody the heroine.

Now, Yan Huan felt like he wanted to write a book called:

“On the Explanation of Why Yan Huan is a God?”

Now he finally understood the gist of the effects of the Modifier. The thoughts bubbling inside him were a glimpse into what it entailed.

But she must possess abilities beyond just influencing thoughts; otherwise, how could the earlier secret room have been constructed?

The problem was that he couldn’t reveal his Resistance; he mustn’t let her realize that the Modifier hadn’t taken effect.

Thus, he could only proceed as if the Modifier were indeed active.

Fortunately, this girl didn’t know that his relationship with Sakura was purely platonic.

Sakura wasn’t interested in him, and he had no ulterior motives towards her, which meant that this girl’s accusation against Sakura was unfounded.

Having realized this, Yan Huan structured his thoughts accordingly.

So, let’s start the operation, Yan Huan.

Activating perfect expression control!

His expression of disdain towards the girl intensified, a combination of anger, apathy, and concern for someone flickering behind the surface, rendering his face somewhat complex.

Spencer, merely watching his expression, couldn’t contain her excitement.

Yes, President, only such a reaction signifies you belong to someone else.

Only this way will my plunder become even more meaningful!

Spencer licked her lips, eagerly awaiting his response.

“…”

After a brief contemplation, Yan Huan finally sighed, his icy demeanor looking almost defeated.

He glanced at Spencer and asked, “What do I need to do for you to delete that photo of Sakura?”

Spencer’s selfishness grew, her excitement reaching a peak, yet she suddenly looked puzzled.

What exactly should she have him do?

Deep down, Spencer already had an answer emerging.

Just this weekend, she witnessed Yan Huan’s patient smile towards Ye Shiyu. That something was what she wanted to snatch away.

But was she merely after a smile?

No, she instinctively felt that it couldn’t be that simple.

She knew that beneath that smile lay something precious.

Yet she was somewhat foolish; at the moment, she couldn’t articulate what it was.

Hence, now she could not provide specific demands to Yan Huan.

She rubbed her chin, deep in thought for a while.

But perhaps thinking too hard was draining her, causing annoyance to set in.

“Hm… I can’t think of anything right now. I’ll let you know when I do.”

With no other option, she ended up speaking casually and turned to leave.

But Yan Huan couldn’t let her go; he quickly grabbed her wrist.

Spencer’s expression darkened instantly, veins in her arms bulging as if a furious lion was about to explode.

“What are you doing?!”

In that instant, Yan Huan even felt like he was wrestling a real lion!

This girl was incredibly strong!

But Yan Huan was quick to react; rather than stubbornly holding onto her, he leaned closer just before she could break free.

“Bang!”

Mimicking her, he slapped the locker behind her, creating a loud noise that sealed off her escape route.

You dare to wall slam me?!

Spencer tilted her head back, needing to look up due to their height difference to see Yan Huan’s face.

Yan Huan kept a stern gaze on her, saying coldly,

“Hold on… I don’t even know your name or which class you’re in, and you just want to walk away?”

“Oh? And what if I want to leave?”

Spencer had a tendency to use rhetorical questions when she was angry.

At that moment, Yan Huan had a rough understanding of her desires.

Every time he mentioned Sakura Kyoko, her expressions reflected enthusiasm.

Spencer’s facial responses were incredibly transparent; whatever her inner thoughts, her expressions conveyed them.

For instance, right now, her cold smirk indicated that she was genuinely irritated.

Thus, Yan Huan decided to leverage her obvious reaction towards Sakura, ensuring she deleted the photo.

Looking at Spencer with a mix of indifference and disgust, he shifted his focus slightly and stated,

“The girl you saw over the weekend is not my girlfriend; she’s my older sister. I only like Sakura.”

“Delete the photo of Sakura, and I’ll agree to one condition; if you don’t delete it, and Sakura gets affected, I swear, this is not over!”

As expected, with every word he uttered about his affection for Sakura, Spencer’s anger gradually dissipated, replaced by excitement.

The more Yan Huan expressed his fondness for Sakura, the more she craved to take something precious from him, reveling in the pleasure it brought her.

Hearing Yan Huan declare that he only liked Sakura Kyoko and had no interest in straying made her ravenous with anticipation.

Hurry up—such a devoted person, solely meant to belong to someone—serve him up!

Spencer’s tone softened a little, her anger fading, “Not happening. What if I delete it and you don’t keep your end of the deal?”

Yan Huan confirmed this was indeed effective.

“…You take a photo of me as a substitute. As you can see, I’m in the girls’ changing room right now, right? If I meet your terms, you’ll delete the photo.”

Yan Huan hesitated; it seemed he was wary of his reputation.

Yet that hesitation dulled significantly in the wake of his feelings for Sakura.

He seemed ready to make a sacrifice for Sakura’s sake.

“As long as, don’t let Sakura know.”

At the end, Yan Huan emphasized.

“…Fine, it’s a deal. By the way, I’m Aria Spencer, just transferred to Class C this year.”

The grin on Spencer’s face was positively infectious; she raised her phone and snapped a picture of Yan Huan.

Subsequently, in front of him, she deleted the earlier photo.

“In the Recently Deleted Folder, it’s gone too.”

“Alright, alright, whatever you say, President Yan.”

“What about the cloud? Is there a backup in the cloud?”

“There’s none. But, do you really like that Sakura girl that much?”

Yan Huan couldn’t be bothered to answer, but as he watched the possible storage sites fade, he felt he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Moreover, with all the relentless questions and the eventual relief, Spencer interpreted it as a standard answer.

Satisfied, she gestured for Yan Huan to leave.

She then sat down, raised her toes, preparing to put on her white socks.

Yan Huan couldn’t be bothered to look at her and turned to leave.

But inside, it felt like he had developed a basic impression of this girl named “Aria Spencer.”

This girl seemed a bit dim-witted.

He genuinely didn’t care if she leaked his photo; there were too many points to defend and explain; naturally, Sakura understood the situation.

Not to mention, he had no intention of letting her leak that photo; he intended to continue utilizing this so-called condition to delve into the fragments of the Modifier.

He not only gained greater insight into the Modifier’s effects but also successfully got her to delete Sakura’s photo.

All things considered, this was a win-win without any cost!

Disheartened, Spencer exited without a cloud overhead.

“President!”

Upon leaving the changing room, as Yan Huan made his way outside the Teaching Building, he happened to run into Sakura, who had just led a security team in a circle.

Seeing Yan Huan, Sakura hurried towards him, concern apparent in her voice.

“How did it go, President?”

“Ah, I found her; she deleted the photo in front of me.”

“Deleted it?”

Sakura could hardly believe it.

That girl who could shatter her barrier simply deleted the photo just like that?

Of course, Sakura trusted Yan Huan; if he claimed that photo was likely deleted, she was merely worried that the girl might have done something in secret while he was oblivious.

Much like her own situation.

“Then—”

Before she could ask further, Spencer emerged from the Teaching Building, having changed her shoes, sporting a mischievous grin that deepened upon spotting Yan Huan and Sakura, particularly directed at Sakura.

That smile suddenly sent a chill down Sakura’s spine.

Spencer approached Yan Huan, casting a glance before realizing he was ignoring her.

But she didn’t mind; she focused on Sakura and said,

“Don’t worry; I’ve obeyed the President’s orders and deleted the photo. Sorry, Sakura Vice President, it wasn’t intentional.”

She emphasized the title “Sakura Vice President” with a slight bite.

Yet Sakura only glared at her, a displeased expression fixed on Spencer’s irritating smile.

A moment later, she suddenly turned away, stoically pointing at Spencer while addressing the nearby security personnel.

“That’s her! She broke the door to the Equipment Room in the gymnasium.”

“Young lady, please come with us; we need to call your parents.”

Spencer’s expression faltered slightly as several security guards approached.

She quickly turned to Yan Huan, seemingly seeking help.

“President Yan?”

However, Yan Huan simply yawned lazily, pretending not to see, as they led her away forcibly.

“Hey, can’t I just pay for the damage?!”

“Do we really need to go to that place? You still need to call my parents?”

“Hey!! Are you even listening to me?!”