Lin Yu finally understood why Tang Manman seemed to have such a run of bad luck, facing two bullying incidents in one day. The second incident, it turned out, was a direct result of the first. Watching Purple-Hair seeming to chase after her, Lin Yu suspected Tang Manman might not have a peaceful day ahead.

Should he step in and give Purple-Hair a lesson? The thought entered Lin Yu's mind and, after some contemplation, he found it a workable solution. As long as Tang Manman remained unaware of his involvement, it wouldn't tie him to her in any way and yet could help her maintain her usual serene life. The perfect plan!

Resolved to set Purple-Hair straight, Lin Yu entered the campus with a spring in his step. All that was needed now was the right moment to introduce Purple-Hair to the fist of pure love without anyone else around.

However, Lin Yu found himself troubled. Given Tang Manman's celebrity-like beauty, she was likely coveted by more than just Purple-Hair. What would he do if Red-Hair or White-Hair emerged after he dealt with Purple-Hair? Discipline them one by one? That could be so time-consuming! And it wasn't just about the effort; what if Tang Manman was cornered in some alley or taken away by a slew of 'Hairs' to face indecent acts? What then?

Lin Yu felt like an overprotective father, worrying endlessly about the safety of his beautiful girl. "I need a permanent solution to Tang Manman's harassment problem," he pondered, scratching his head in frustration. The carefully groomed Iori Yagami hairstyle that once was, was now a muddled mess courtesy of Lin Yu.

"Forget it," Lin Yu decided not to tax his brain cells any further and focused on the task at hand – to let Purple-Hair truly taste the fist of love from the administrator of the pure love forum.

...

During a break after the morning exercises, with students dispersing for rest, Lin Yu seized the opportunity to pull Purple-Hair away from his lackeys. Handling Purple-Hair wouldn't be a problem for a martial arts expert like Lin Yu, but considering the recent merge of the two school areas, he preferred to handle things discreetly to avoid becoming a target himself.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Dragging Purple-Hair into the same secluded alley where he had bullied Tang Manman the day before, Lin Yu didn't care for the pleasantry on his face or his weak protestations. A solid punch landed in his stomach.

Releasing Purple-Hair and observing his rapidly changing face color and his shrimp-like curled-up body, Lin Yu nodded in satisfaction. The force of the punch hadn't diminished since before his transmigration.

Lin Yu kicked the crumpled figure on the ground and cursed like the thugs from his memory, "Listen here, I don't care who you are. Stay away from Tang Manman, got it? If I find you or your guys harassing her again, I'll break your legs and have you begging on the overpass!"

Satisfied with Purple-Hair's nodding, Lin Yu left the alley and treated himself to a beverage from the newly opened supermarket on campus before returning to the teaching building.

The building had eight stories, with troublesome students from A Campus assigned to floors five through eight and well-performing B Campus students occupying floors one to four.

Lin Yu's class was on the eighth floor, and with the elevator being used to move A Campus materials, he had to climb eight flights of stairs – an exhausting ordeal.

As he reached the fourth floor and prepared to climb further, he noticed a crowd on the corridor attracted his attention.

People were craning their necks trying to see what was going on. Lin Yu, ever curious, couldn't resist a chance to see what the commotion was all about.

Squeezing through the crowd, perhaps aided by his intimidating hairstyle and the tattoo peeking out from his neckline, Lin Yu got a front-row view of the action. A cluster of girls encircled someone, flanked by a few flamboyant-haired boys – the hallmark signs of school bullying.

Lin Yu wasn't a saint, but he wasn't heartless either. He preferred staying close to the action rather than stepping into the unknown.

Leaning against the wall with his sweetened drink in hand, ready to spectate, he suddenly recognized one of the bullying group – a girl with long purple hair – the girlfriend of Purple-Hair!

Noticing her and the high school year the ruckus was occurring in made Lin Yu uneasy. His fears were confirmed when he caught sight of Tang Manman in the mix.

Oh, Tang Manman, what cursed luck have you got? Perhaps it's time to consult a fortune-teller...

Halting the internal ridicule midway, Lin Yu had a sudden, sorrowful realization. Tang Manman had always been an unwilling victim. None of the bullying she endured was something she wanted or incited. She had done nothing wrong, yet her striking face made her a constant target.

Such sad circumstances dampened Lin Yu's spirit for mockery.

What had she done wrong to deserve such treatment? She was truly pitiable.