Chapter 77 - I Don’t Want to Be Turned Into the Female Protagonist by the System
### Chapter 77: Liu Li's Speculation The bell rang. Su Qi felt a wave of relief—never had a 45-minute class felt so long. She didn’t expect, however, that as soon as class ended, she would be surrounded by a crowd. "Group leader, group leader, sign my name, please," a male student wearing a white half-sleeve shirt pleaded, holding a carbon pen and stretching his shoulders in excitement, his face flushed suspiciously. "Su Qi, are you really a boy? Can I add you on WeChat?" a petite girl holding a phone with a pink case asked, only to be pushed aside by An Ning. "Group leader, I want to buy your panties!" someone shouted. The scene suddenly erupted into chaos. A black mass of people focused their gazes on Su Qi, leaving her feeling dizzy and not knowing where to place her hands. At that moment, English teacher Liu Li intervened, "Su Qi, come to my office!" The crowd exchanged puzzled glances but reluctantly made way for Su Qi. After all, this was the teacher’s domain. Following behind Liu Li, Su Qi, who under usual circumstances would have been nervous at the thought of being summoned to a teacher's office, felt surprisingly calm. This calm came from the system’s recent notification: [Random Encounter Mission: Striving to Avoid Failing] has been completed. This meant she had already earned Old Lady Liu’s approval. Upon entering the teacher’s office, Su Qi’s striking appearance and her dazzling JK uniform instantly drew everyone's attention. Not only the teachers but also the students talking with the teachers paused to look at her, disrupting their thoughts. It wasn't that Su Qi's beauty was overwhelming, but she exuded an aura of purity and innocence, compelling people to focus on her. Awkwardly experiencing such intense scrutiny for the first time, Su Qi moved closer to Liu Li for comfort. Observing Su Qi's nervous appearance, with her delicate fingers intertwined and slightly flushed, Liu Li’s heart softened. The innocent actions paired with Su Qi’s pure demeanor swallowed Liu Li’s harsh words. Liu Li couldn’t help but think back to her childhood when she fought with boys and faced her teacher’s scolding. She had looked just as uneasy. Back then, Liu Li wondered why the teacher sided with her even though both parties were injured. Looking back, it was clear. Given a choice between an uneasy little girl and a rigid, stubborn boy, who wouldn’t naturally take the girl’s side? Seated in her own chair, Liu Li pulled up an adjacent empty one for Su Qi and found two cups. She took out a bottle of Huiyuan juice from the storage cabinet and poured two glasses, handing one to Su Qi and keeping one for herself. Do teachers drink juice too? Su Qi had always thought teachers drank only tea and goji berries. Noting Su Qi’s curious gaze, Liu Li said, “Wondering why I drink peach juice instead of tea?” Su Qi was amazed by the accuracy of a woman's sixth sense. Liu Li couldn't help but laugh and fume simultaneously at Su Qi’s expression of "How did you know?" It was amusing because this girl wore all her emotions openly on her stunning face, which was smooth and elegant, supplemented by cute expressions. Not liking her would be difficult, given her demeanor of an innocent girl. Yet, Liu Li felt indignant. Here was someone who looked easily deceivable posing as a boy and living in the boys' dorm for over a year. It was like sending a lamb into a tiger’s den! Facing Su Qi directly now, Liu Li was 100% certain that Su Qi was a girl! Previously, Su Qi had been Liu Li’s model student—not causing trouble, being quiet (though Liu Li wasn’t sure if she paid attention), always sitting in a corner, almost invisible. Yet, she constantly aced the final exams. This drew Liu Li’s attention, prompting her to observe Su Qi more closely. With long hair obstructing her eyes, Su Qi emanated an aura of somberness. Nonetheless, her androgynous beauty always left an indelible impression. At the time, Liu Li wondered how such a handsome boy could have such a demure personality, like a girl in disguise. Unexpectedly, she was indeed a girl. Su Qi took a sip of the Huiyuan juice, relishing its fruity aroma. She wondered how such a good juice brand could go bankrupt so suddenly. Could the company president have had an unreliable system like hers? As Su Qi delicately sipped the juice like a kitten, Liu Li found her increasingly adorable. However, this deepened Liu Li's confusion as to why Su Qi pretended to be a boy and lived in the boys' dorm for so long. Suddenly, Liu Li remembered the uproarious gossip from the school forum last night, detailing Su Qi’s experiences with university loans, part-time jobs, and even developing an H-game (although Liu Li didn’t know what an H-game was). She assumed Su Qi must have had some unspeakable troubles. Liu Li asked, “Su Qi, do you have any difficulties you can’t talk about?” She actually wanted to ask about the cross-dressing but refrained due to the presence of other teachers and students. “No, Teacher Liu,” Su Qi looked at Liu Li, puzzled by her uncharacteristic hesitation. Liu Li was usually so decisive, yet today she even gave her a cup of juice. Curious indeed, but this juice was so tasty~ Liu Li, watching Su Qi’s innocent delight as she sipped the juice, couldn’t help but feel frustrated. This pure demeanor made Liu Li feel as if she were punching a pillow. “Do you have anything to say about the dorm situation?” Liu Li asked directly. If Su Qi insisted on staying in the boys’ dorm, Liu Li would have to investigate further. Another question popped into her mind: “Who are your roommates?” “Wang Dongxu, Wu Wei, and Han Yixing,” Su Qi answered. While Liu Li had no reaction to Wang Dongxu and Wu Wei, she was well acquainted with Han Yixing, a well-known wealthy second-generation kid from Su City, whose family generously donated to the school. Liu Li’s mind immediately conjured a story: Su Qi was deeply indebted to the Han family, forced by Han Yixing to cross-dress and live in his dorm. These wealthy scions indeed played dangerous games, exploiting an innocent girl. Unbelievable! Liu Li’s perception of Han Yixing dramatically shifted from a diligent student to a vile predator. Once a woman fixates on a theory, she won’t change unless faced with undeniable truth. As a result, Han Yixing was labeled a predator without warning, and Su Qi’s family unfairly judged as exploitative. While driving, Han Yixing felt a shiver. Is it getting colder? ... In a villa in Zhejiang province, Su Junlu sneezed and muttered, “Must be that brat Su Qi cursing me.” A mature yet still charming woman, Lu Ran—Su Qi’s mother—handed him a jacket. She scolded, “Don’t blame Su Qi for your poor health. It's been over a year; will you never mend the relationship?” Lu Ran continued angrily, “It’s because of your stubbornness that Xiao Qi ran away. Who knows if he’s lost weight out there, always so delicate, he must have suffered a lot without his parents.” “It’s your fault for dressing him like a girl when he was little, making him so effeminate. Our family has a military background, for goodness’ sake! I insisted he enroll in a military academy, but he chose computer sciences instead. Does he even respect me? Good riddance if he doesn’t come back. Less trouble!” Su Junlu’s eyes bulged with anger when he talked about Su Qi. “Su Junlu, you’ll sleep alone tonight.” Lu Ran left, slamming the door behind her, the sound echoing through the quiet villa. In the kitchen, the startled housemaid almost dropped a bowl. After placing the washed bowl on the rack, the maid heard another slam. She saw Lu Ran storming back with a man’s shirt, muttering angrily, “Freeze to death, you bastard.” Su Junlu: ...