From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

The night was deep, the moonlight was like water, but an eerie tension permeated the dormitory area of ​​the academy.

The students gathered in twos and threes in the corridor, whispering to each other and looking puzzled.

An invisible virus seemed to permeate the air, rapidly spreading a sense of unease.

"Have you heard? The reform plan is actually designed to allow the children of powerful families to seize more resources." A student lowered his voice, his eyes darting around.

"Yeah, they even said they wanted to increase the difficulty of the exam, but it's clearly just to make sure most people can't pass, and in the end, the rich and powerful will be the ones who benefit." Another student chimed in, his face showing indignation.

Standing to the side, Ms. Li listened to these rumors, and a nameless anger rose in her heart.

She knew that there must be conservative forces behind these rumors, but she didn't know how to refute them.

As night deepened, Yan Ruyu and Xu, the male protagonist, stood by the window, gazing at the darkness in the distance, the atmosphere heavy.

The male protagonist gently embraced Yan Ruyu and whispered in her ear, "Yu'er, be careful..." Yan Ruyu nodded, gripped his hand tightly, and her eyes shone with determination.

Meanwhile, Zhao Fuzi and several other conservative teachers gathered in a dimly lit room, their faces bearing sinister smiles, as if they were plotting something.

"Hmph, do they think they can win like this?" Master Zhao sneered, his eyes flashing with a cold light. "The real show has only just begun!"

After learning about the rumors circulating in the student dormitory, Yan Ruyu and Xu Nanzhu's expressions turned serious.

The two quickly discussed countermeasures, and Yan Ruyu took out the countermeasures suggested by the system and began to formulate a detailed response plan.

The next morning, the atmosphere in the academy's teachers' office was tense.

Master Zhao, his face flushed, argued forcefully, "The reform plan is destroying the academy's traditions. Your rash actions will only plunge the academy into chaos!"

The male protagonist, Xu, calmly and composedly responded: "Master Zhao, you are wrong. The original intention of the reform was to improve the quality of education in the academy and allow more talented students to stand out, not to let those scions of aristocratic families continue to monopolize resources."

Master Zhao was so angry that his beard trembled, but he couldn't utter a word.

The other teachers watched nervously from the sidelines, some with hesitant expressions, while others secretly agreed with Xu's point of view.

"You're fabricating something out of nothing, spreading alarmist rumors!" Master Zhao finally regained his voice, but it sounded even more powerless.

Xu, the male protagonist, said with a firm gaze and a calm tone: "Master Zhao, the students have begun to question the reforms, which is the last thing we want to see. I suggest we suspend the reforms, reassess them, and ensure that every step is taken steadily and in an orderly manner."

The atmosphere in the office reached its peak, and everyone held their breath.

Dean Zhou finally spoke, breaking the silence: "We do need to reassess, but we can't abandon the reforms because of that. Mr. Xu, Ms. Yan, do you have any specific plans?"

Yan Ruyu and the male protagonist Xu exchanged a glance, already having a plan in mind.

Yan Ruyu nodded gently, a confident smile playing on her lips.

“Master Zhao, since you have doubts about the reform, we might as well invite you to join our evaluation team to discuss the feasibility and impact of the reform together.” Yan Ruyu’s words were filled with unwavering determination.

Master Zhao's expression shifted unpredictably.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, and a student rushed in, panting, saying, "Young Master Xu, Miss Yan, please go quickly and check on the student dormitory..."

Yan Ruyu and Xu Nanzhu exchanged a glance; they knew that the real challenge had only just begun.

Yan Ruyu took a deep breath, a sly glint in her eyes.

She knew that to break the current deadlock, she had to find someone the students could trust.

The system notification sounded at the right time: "Found the retired teacher of the academy, Master Li. He is highly respected and can dispel the rumors." She immediately got up and led the male protagonist Xu straight to the old teacher's residence.

As the sun sets, its afterglow spills onto the old teacher's simple courtyard, which is filled with lush bamboo. A gentle breeze rustles through the bamboo, filling the air with a faint fragrance.

Yan Ruyu stood respectfully in front of the door and gently knocked.

The door creaked open, and an elderly man with white hair and beard appeared before us. His eyes were bright and piercing, as if he could see through the ways of the world.

"Master Li, I am Yan Ruyu, and I have a favor to ask of you." Yan Ruyu's tone was sincere and his posture humble, a stark contrast to his usual arrogance.

She described in detail the current state of the academy and the original intention of the reform. Master Li listened quietly, with a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

Finally, he nodded slightly, his aged voice filled with strength, "Reform is an inevitable trend. I am willing to do my part for the future of the academy."

When Master Li publicly clarified the rumors in the academy's square, the conservative forces' faces instantly turned ashen.

Master Zhao's eyes widened, almost popping out of their sockets. His finger trembled as he pointed at Master Li, but he couldn't utter a single word.

The other conservative teachers looked at each other, their faces filled with shock and panic.

The students crowded around, and Master Li's voice resounded throughout the square like a great bell: "Reform is to give everyone the opportunity to change their own destiny!" The students cheered and jumped for joy, as if a long-awaited rain had come after a drought, and a powerful force was once again gathered.

As evening fell, the sunset glowed like fire, dyeing the entire sky red, and the library of the academy was filled with the fragrance of books.

Yan Ruyu and the male protagonist Xu sat side by side by the window, with various books piled on the table.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating their faces as if they were coated with gold.

The male protagonist looked at Yan Ruyu tenderly, and Yan Ruyu returned the tender smile. Their eyes met, and it was as if the whole world had quieted down.

The books around them stood quietly on the bookshelves, silently witnessing the beautiful love between them.

"Yu'er," the male protagonist Xu said softly, his voice gentle yet firm.

Yan Ruyu nodded, a confident smile on her face. "Yes, let's change it together!"

They continued flipping through the book, their fingertips accidentally touching, and they smiled at each other.

The books on the bookshelf seemed to be whispering secrets, as if blessing the perfect couple.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the library.

Yan Ruyu and the male protagonist Xu looked up at the same time, and a familiar voice came: "Yu'er, Young Master Xu, I..."

Young Master Qian stood before the crowd with a look of regret. Just moments ago he had been arrogant, but now he looked like a wilted eggplant.

He lowered his head, his voice trembling slightly: "I...I was wrong! I was blinded by greed and believed those rumors. Reform is the right thing to do, I support it!" He suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with sincerity, as if he wanted to throw his previous ignorance to the ground.

The conservatives froze instantly. Master Zhao's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and his beard trembled like a tree branch in a gale, as if he were about to faint at any moment.

He pointed at Young Master Qian, his fingers trembling, and stammered, "You...you traitor!" The other conservative teachers also looked like they had seen a ghost, their mouths agape as if they could swallow an egg, their eyes almost popping out of their sockets. It was a scene of utter disbelief.

The students around him stared at him in disbelief, as if he were an alien. Who would have thought that the young master Qian, who had led the trouble, would be "whitewashed" in an instant?

Immediately, discussions erupted, like popcorn bursting in a pot.

Holding a thick draft, Mr. Sun excitedly walked up to Yan Ruyu and Xu Nanzhu, his voice trembling slightly: "Look, this is the draft of the new academy system that we rushed to finish overnight! This is the culmination of our hard work, balancing fairness with efficiency!" He introduced each clause of the draft in great detail, as if he were introducing his most beloved child.

Upon seeing this, the conservative forces immediately became enraged, their faces contorted with jealousy and anger, like cats whose tails had been stepped on.

Master Zhao was so angry that he jumped up and down, pointing at the draft and cursing, "This is utter nonsense! This is going to destroy the foundation of the academy!" The other conservative teachers also had contorted faces, wishing they could tear the draft into pieces and throw it into the furnace to burn.

Dean Zhou looked at the students' enthusiastic response, and then at the seemingly well-considered draft. His brows furrowed, and an inscrutable expression appeared on his face, as if he were carefully weighing something.

However, they still face another challenge.

Sufficient resources are required for the full implementation of the new academy system.

Yan Ruyu looked at Xu, her brows furrowed, and worry spread in both of their eyes.

The male protagonist sighed softly, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

Seeing this, the conservatives grinned maliciously. Master Zhao snorted and said sarcastically, "See? I told you they couldn't do it. Now you know." The other conservative teachers echoed him, looking at Yan Ruyu and Xu Nanzhu as if they were clowns.

As the sun sets, the academy's playground is empty and desolate, with only the autumn wind blowing weakly. In the distance, towering trees sway in the wind, making a mournful sound, as if telling of their current predicament.

"We..." Yan Ruyu was about to speak when she heard a familiar voice, tinged with hesitation, come from behind her.