*first rewrite, unedited*
Chapter Title: What's Wrong with This Guy?
Hui still couldn't place why the plot had suddenly taken a turn of events. He couldn't think of anything that happened differently from when he first came here. His presence couldn't have had an immediate impact on the plot, could it?
Well, it doesn't seem that much different. They still treat me like shit, Hui pondered.
But Shuo had come inside their house when he never originally did. What impact would that have? He also didn't seem too pleased with Lin's behavior, which is just as unusual. Would this create a quicker break up? Hui had a lightbulb idea. He could use the cracks of their relationship to his advantage when plotting his revenge. If he could expose the both of them...Shuo will lose complete interest of Lin and break up with her, humiliating Lin. Lin would get double the damage, which is just as fair since Shuo wasn't the worst one out of the two. In fact, he was a victim just as well in the whole mess. Lin had manipulated him into bullying Hui, and once it got too far Shuo felt immense guilt to the point he became a hermit and died from overwork, similar to how Hui locked himself up and neglected his needs. Still, he wasn't completely free of the crime, and Hui would still make sure he got his chunk of the revenge wish.
Not wanting to lay in bed all day, Hui managed to carry himself to the computer and sit down in the chair. He couldn't just heal naturally. Not completely, anyway. He would need to find a way to go to the hospital, preferably once he had some money. He could also get a check up on the wounds that never fully healed and still ached. Hui winced, but not from pain. He feared he may have to get surgery of some kind to fix all his messed up injuries.
While on the computer, Hui looked up a list of jobs looking for employment. At his age, there weren't many a high school teenager could do. When his eyes landed on a help wanted post from the local library, Hui thought he could make it work. He had a vast knowledge of books thanks to his brother, and his brother had also worked in libraries in high school. It was simple enough, and he could feel somewhat close to his brother.
Hui sighed at the thought. He missed Ru so much. He had no idea when exactly he could get out of the system. He knew he had to be closer to getting out, since he had freewill. Hui had already deduced that only another person of some kind, probably someone powerful, had managed to overcome the Lord God. To his knowledge, only human transmigrators like him had fallen prey to the Lord God. The person had to have been skilled at hacking and have loads of spiritual energy to be so powerful. He wished he could meet the hero who unknowingly saved his life. Alas, he couldn't help but feel they were from two separate worlds.
Clicking on the apply button, Hui did his application and made sure to include his expertise in computers (gained from traveling to so many worlds) and his knowledge of books. Once again feeling homesick, Hui clicked out of the window that reminded him too much of his scholarly and literature fanatic brother. Hopefully, he would be getting an answer back and an interview in the next couple of days. Nobody from school really went to the library and Hui himself never showed himself much to the public, so he wasn't worried someone would spot him and cause trouble. Once he got enough savings, he would buy an apartment for himself.
Hui then deleted his browser history so as to delete that horrible link that would lead to his demise, and began strengthening the security on the computer so it wouldn't be easily accessed. From the knowledge the original had with all his time on this computer, it was easy for Hui to navigate it plus with all the knowledge he had of 21st century technology from the worlds he was in. A huge part of his life as a cannon fodder included him hacking into stuff to push the plot in the direction the system and AI wanted.
Once Hui was satisfied that there was no way Lin could access his computer if he wasn't around, Hui went back to his cot. It had taken him the majority of the day, and Lin should be coming back from her usual date with Shuo in an hour or so, around the same time their parents came home from work. Lin often went on dates with Shuo after school, and Hui wondered if they did more than that.
I can use their sex life to my advantage as well, Hui thought.
Hui also thought about his parents. Would they care if he got a job and moved out? Would they even notice with how little they pay attention to him? They basically forgot he even existed when he had barricaded himself into his room until it started to smell of his decay. They might have cared if they had known what he was doing out of hate of him succeeding, but they might not even notice that he was gone. He could easily sneak away from school for a day and move then when his parents are at work and his sister in school. While his parents may not notice, his sister might and she would even say something. But with his browser history deleted, and the idea of taking the computer with him, Lin will never find out where he went. She might confront him at school, but Hui was hoping by then he would have found the person who loved him to be his golden thigh and help defend him. As for the job, he applied for the days he knew Lin would be busy hanging out with friends.
Being in the system for so long makes one clever and wise, Hui concluded.
Closing his eyes, Hui went to sleep.
And an hour later, he was woken up by the yelling of his parents.
From up in his room in the attic, he could hear Lin complaining to her parents.
"I tried to make him go to school, I really did! But he was stubborn and insisted he get his 'beauty rest!' I don't understand why he's being like this. He's been acting very ungrateful towards me, too...What could possibly make him like this?" he could hear Lin sob. He rolled his eyes. Lin was a classified and a hundred percent pure bitch, he'll give her that.
"That spoiled brat! Unfilial son! We give him shelter, give him education, and he dares disobey us by throwing it all away like it's nothing? He dares to treat our precious daughter like some sort of slave? She does everything for him and he disregards her!" a man's voice boomed. Hui assumed that was his father.
"Really, Lin. You should not give Hui the time of day. You're too good and he doesn't deserve the kindness you give him. You should stop helping him," the mother sighed.
Lin was really an A-list actress, wasn't she? She fooled everyone. Hui felt bad for the original soul. He loved his sister even though she did similar things like this everyday. He believed she genuinely cared for him, and Hui thought maybe she did at first. But her selfishness won over and she couldn't take it anymore. It didn't matter now though, because he can only feel emptiness and resentment from the original soul to Lin.
I don't understand why female leads can be so fake, Hui sighed. He had yet to meet a good female lead.
Hui could hear steps stomping up the stairs. His door flew open, and the red face of his father appeared. Behind him, Hui could see the mother and Lin. Despite looking like him, his mother was nowhere near close to appearance of his actual mother. Good thing, because she was anything but a good mother and he didn't want the real Mrs. Sun being sullied by this vile woman.
"What is the one rule we gave you, Hui? It is to respect your family and go to school! Do you remember what I said last time you failed to go?" his father waved a threatening fist. Lin had tears in her eyes, and she buried her head into her mother's chest as the woman did her best to soothe her. For someone with such an ugly personality and fake tears, Lin still managed to look beautiful and graceful.
Stupid female lead halo.
"And you made Lin cry! She does everything for her though she doesn't have to! Your behavior is unforgivable and will not be tolerated any longer!" Mr. Sun roared.
Hui was glad he had no idea what his real father looked like or was like. He didn't want to compare him to this man.
On the other hand, why did this remind him about that one weird story? What was it? His brother told him about it once...
His brother always did love to make book analogies...
I'm really missing my family right now...
As the father came up to him and threw him off the bed, Hui looked at the family with resentment and hate in his eyes. The original soul had felt this way towards them ever since the plot went to Hell for him, and he was finally getting the chance to show them what he really felt.
The intense look in Hui's eyes made the father freeze as he gritted his teeth. The mother gasped and looked away, still holding Lin in her arms. Hui had to applaud Lin for manipulating people and getting them all wrapped around her fingers so she didn't have to do any work as long as she pulled the weak and distressed act.
There would be no redemption for her once he was through with her. It was people like her that Hui would make sure they got what they should've deserved all along.
His father slammed his foot onto of his chest. Hui could hear his ribs crack and was certain that either more broke or the injury got worse. He grunted in pain, but would not cry. He wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.
The father gritted his teeth once more and slammed his foot over and over again on his chest. With one last kick, he stomped on his already swollen ankle and with a loud gasp, Hui was positive it was broken now. He instinctively clutched it, curling his body into a fetal position.
Huffing, his father turned away.
Before he left, Hui wheezed out, "I stayed home because of Shuo..."
Perhaps saying his name would make them fearful. Hui wondered how upset Shuo would be if he found out his family made his injuries worse. He had been upset at Lin for making him go to school.
"I got beat up at school, and Lin made me go back today, but Shuo insisted..." each word was hard to get out.
Lin stiffened. She looked up from her mom, tears dried up. A look of fear crossed her face before she covered it with a blank look.
The father turned back around. With a look that could kill and was highly murderous, his father seethed, "How dare you use Lin's boyfriend and take Shuo as a shield! You really think he cares about you? Enough with your lies!"
And with that, the last thing Hui remembered was blacking out after a blow to his head.
***
Shuo was staring off to the distance, zoning out as his best friend, Fang Jian, was venting about some annoying classmate he was really starting to hate.
Shuo immediately stopped in his tracks and looked up at the sky, a disturbed look on his face that was marred with concern.
"—and no one wants to hear him brag about his grades. So he did better than all of us, so what? Big whoop, he's only the smartest because everyone else in the class doesn't do shit. If I really wanted to try, I would probably be smarter than him," as Jian rambled on, he finally noticed that Shuo had stopped walking and wasn't paying attention to him. "Come on, man. It wouldn't kill you to listen to me once in awhile."
When he didn't respond, Jian frowned. "Hey...are you all right? What's wrong?"
"I...have a bad feeling. I need to go check on something," Shuo said distractedly.
"Something, or someone? You don't need to be around Lin twenty-four seven. Speaking of which, when are you going to break up with her? You've dated her the longest. Usually they would be dumped by now. Don't tell me she's 'the one,'" Jian said in air quotes, a funny look on his face.
"No, not Lin. She told me not to drive her to school today," Shuo said. He seemed off and not completely there. Despite saying he wasn't going to check on Lin, he headed into the direction of her house instead of the school.
"I was wondering why we were walking to school. You usually drive," Jian furrowed his brow. "But she always asks you to drive her. She likes being dependent on you. Why would she say she didn't need a ride?"
Shuo stopped walking again. "That's what's wrong. I don't know. I'm going to see if..."
Trailing off, Shuo began running to the house. Jian sighed, not feeling like going after him. Though Jian never told him, he didn't like Lin that much. He saw her as a clingy girlfriend that tied down Shuo to her, unable to get away. He didn't trust her. She seemed to always have Shuo to herself. He feared that if Shuo didn't break up with her soon, he might end up marrying the girl. She was unlike his other girlfriends. Usually Shuo would have total control and the upper hand, but he seemed to be off his game with this one.
As he walked to school by himself, Jian couldn't help but think that Shuo seemed like a completely different person. It was like someone had replaced him. He was always laid back, but he looked extremely worried today and wouldn't tell him why. He just hoped it wasn't because of Lin.
Shuo rushed to the door of the Suns and knocked on the door frantically. Yesterday, he had told the school that Hui would be taking sick leave for awhile. The sick leave might take longer than what the school allowed, but Shuo had connections to make it happen. He could also easily tell the school he was late today because he helping out with charity, which wasn't a total lie.
Ever since he went inside their house for the first time, he felt something was off about the Suns. Usually he wouldn't bother going to any girl's house. When he dated, he made sure it was never at any of their houses. If they wanted more than just a date, Shuo would book a hotel. Being eighteen and the son of a wealthy family, people didn't ask questions when he suddenly requested a room. For some reason though, he went inside Lin's. And not even for her, for him. Shuo never did anything for Hui in the past when he was beat up, so why now? He couldn't place it either. Ever since two days ago, he just...felt like something was different about Hui. Something that made him do things he never would have done. And when he fought against him, he felt like he was seeing a completely different person. One that made him want to see more sides.
He shook his head. No, he didn't care about him. He never did. He just didn't want to listen to him complain at school.
But he never complained before, a voice said. Shuo scowled. He was sure he did. And it was annoying whenever he opened his mouth to do so.
At least, that's what he kept telling himself.
When Lin opened the door, Shuo no longer felt taken away by her beauty like he usually did when they had first began dating. It seemed that ever since two days ago, she had been losing her charm and attractiveness.
"Shuo? I thought I told you—" Lin smiled forcefully. Shuo noticed it. Her body was trembling and sweat made her neck glisten. She was nervous.
And I'm about to find out why, Shuo pushed open the door and shoved past Lin. She squeaked.
Shuo noticed the Suns sitting on a couch in the living room. They must have been off today.
"Why haven't you gone to school yet?" Shuo asked Lin as he made his way to the attic. He remembered everything from his first time there. The Suns took notice of where he was heading and went after him.
"Shuo! What a pleasant surprise! Lin said she didn't need a ride because she's not going to school today. We decided to all take a break day today. It's been rough for us," Mr. Sun said with a smile. Shuo could also tell it was forced.
Lin was panicking on the inside. She knew Shuo would be harder to fool than anyone else without something to make it easier for him to believe. And after yesterday, Lin wasn't sure he would be easily convinced where Hui is concerned.
Why does he treat him differently all of a sudden? She pouted in frustration. Suddenly he's paying attention more to him than me! I'm his girlfriend, not him!
When Shuo went into the attic and saw Hui on the ground, injuries looking worse than yesterday, he was livid. His ankle was obviously broken now, bending in an abnormal way. There was a nasty bruise on his head that wasn't there before, most likely what had knocked him out. The fact that he was on the gross floor probably made it all worse. He could be sick now, for all he knew.
"He must've fell off his bed!" Mr. Sun laughed nervously, acting like it was no big deal.
"Fell off his bed?" Shuo repeated. "That doesn't look like he fell off his bed. And why are you not that concerned?"
Shuo knew Hui was bullied and not that well liked, but Lin always treated him like a brother and Shuo assumed he had a family that looked after him well. But after yesterday, with Lin's carelessness and the condition of his room, Shuo wasn't so sure anymore.
Does his family not like him either? For a brief moment, Shuo felt bad for Hui. But he quickly erased the feeling.
"Wang," the mother addressed formally. "As my husband said, we've had a rough few nights. Forgive us if we do not seem concerned, we are just tired at the moment. I assure you, we do care."
Shuo wasn't convinced. He even began to wonder if they usually ignored him like this whenever he was injured.
"I thought I said he needed rest so he could heal," he looked accusingly at Lin. "Now he's even worse. I told you that I didn't want him complaining and being hurt at school, didn't I?"
When the three Suns all stiffened and fear crossed their features, he knew they had been careless about his wish.
I guess I have to take matters into my own hands, Shuo narrowed his eyes.
"I thought you guys would care about your son. He's your son, your flesh and blood! How many times does he get injured like this and you have the same careless attitude? And this room! There is no way that this is healthy. I thought people just hated him at school, I would never have guessed he got similar treatment at home," he glared at all of them. He couldn't imagine getting this treatment from his own loving parents. It was too cruel, even the biggest freak on the planet didn't deserve this.
At this point, Hui had rose from consciousness. He saw Shuo glaring accusingly at his family, but in his fogged up mind and pounding headache, he wasn't sure that it was real. When Shuo noticed Hui had woken up, he marched over to him. "You! I thought I told you that you need to get better so you don't cause a fuss at school! You are really causing me too much trouble, but I see that there is no choice! Pack whatever you want, you will be living at my house until you get better. Understand?"
Huh?
Eeeyyy, pretty sure it's obvious Shuo is a tsundere now, huh? He won't be stubborn like this forever so don't worry. I am excited for this arc to play out because I already know what I'm doing for it and I can't wait to write!
Character Files
(Once again, these are all from pinterest. I don't own any pictures and most likely do not know where they originally come from, so credit to their owners!)
Name: Fang Jian
Meaning: Fang meaning house, Jian meaning strong, healthy
Age: 18
Height: 6'0" (approximately 182 cm)
Hair: brown, kind of shaggy
Eyes: brown; like Shuo, laid back and filled with mirth but can have a cold look towards people he doesn't like
The Suns look like your generic elderly, bitter couple, (lol) so they don't have any pictures because they are basic (and not that important to the story).
~Outcast