I Slapped the Villain After 99 Rebirths Chapter 07
I made a decision: I was going to win Joseph over.
The live chat had been pushing me for a while, and their final argument sealed the deal: [Do you want to keep repeating junior year?]
That convinced me instantly.
Once I’d made up my mind, I decided to start with the SATS as my entry point.
According to the book’s plot, Joseph went abroad after the SATs. And that’s where he took his first step into
the criminal world.
I had to make him stay in the US for college.
First, I needed to make him like me so my words would carry weight.
With the chat’s help, I figured out Joseph’s likes and dislikes.
I started bringing him snacks every day.
He always got his chocolate milk, one bottle per day.
I paid for everything with the money he’d sent me on Venmo.
Even so, it still hurt to see the balance drop.
I usually brought the snacks during the last study hall period before the final bell.
That’s when people get hungry and want something to munch on.
After a week of this, I decided to take it further.
Joseph’s grades were great. I pretended to need his help studying.
I went to him with my books and asked him questions, but he didn’t want to be bothered.
He barely looked up. “Busy.”
I glanced at the game on his phone. Speechless.
“Fine. I’ll find someone else.”
I grabbed the chocolate milk I’d just put on his desk, stuck a straw in it, and drank it right in front of him.
I also took back the snacks and shoved them in my pocket.
But the moment I turned to leave, Joseph grabbed my arm.
He reached into my hoodie pocket and pulled out the snacks, his eyes locked on the chocolate milk in my
hand. “That was mine.”
I pulled the straw out of my mouth. “I didn’t finish it. You want it?”
Joseph made a disgusted face. “Who wants something you’ve slobbered on? Gross.”
I laughed, deliberately provoking him. “You think that’s gross? In the future, you’re literally swallowing my
saliva all the time.”
Joseph’s expression froze.
Then he shouted angrily, “Emily!”
I stopped bringing Joseph snacks.
The chat called this fishing.
I didn’t go near him for three days.
He only messaged me once, on the first day: [Where are my snacks?]
I didn’t reply. He didn’t ask again.
Every time I passed his classroom, I’d instinctively look for him. Through the windows and the crowds, our eyes would meet.
His gaze was always cold and indifferent.
Sometimes I got the strangest feeling, like we’d done this countless times before.
The classroom, the textbooks, the blackboard, the uniform, the blue window frames… it all felt so vivid.
But the hallway outside felt impossibly far from him, like we’d never really connect.
The thought brought me a sadness I couldn’t explain.
[Girl, snap out of it! Joseph’s coming!]
[Follow the plan, get him jealous. He’ll take the bait.]
I snapped back to reality, grabbed a practice test at random, and asked the guy in front of me to explain a
question.
A moment later, Joseph walked by my classroom. He saw me leaning close to the boy in front of me.
I pretended to listen attentively, but my eyes were glued to Joseph in my peripheral vision.
After the question was done, I pulled out some snacks as a thank you.
Casually, I glanced out the window, smiling. Sure enough, Joseph’s face had gone dark.
It had been eight days since I last went near Joseph.
I’d posted a few photos on my Instagram stories.
The captions read:
[Thanks to Ethan for helping me with this question.]
[Ethan is so nice. Good-looking and kind.]
[So sad. Looks like getting into the same college as him might be impossible.]
[Yay! Ethan agreed to study with me after school. I can ask him anything I don’t get!]
Like the chat said, Joseph couldn’t stand it.
