If you want to survive after transmigrating, become the male protagonist's new mother.

"Pei Yuening, what do you mean? Are you looking down on me?"

Noah's face turned bright red, and his voice suddenly rose in pitch.

Pei Yuening feigned ignorance: "Huh? No."

He smiled ingratiatingly, "You're absolutely right. I'm just humbly accepting criticism, aren't I?"

(Once we leave this school gate, I'll turn around and ask my brother to brush you.)

Noah: "..."

For a moment, I didn't know what to say.

Someone tugged at his sleeve from behind: "He can't argue with you, so he's pretending to be clueless. Don't you know him?"

Noah's expression changed several times, as if he had punched a cotton ball.

He wanted to back down, but was afraid of losing face; he wanted to keep cursing, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He was stuck in an awkward, in-between situation.

Pei Yuening smiled and prepared to squeeze out: "Um, if there's nothing else, I'll go first..."

(He went to complain.)

Noah immediately jumped up and shouted, "Stop right there!"

Pei Yuening stopped helplessly: "What is it now...?"

"you--"

"Alright."

A voice came from the side.

Everyone, including Pei Yuening, turned their heads at the same time.

Lin Huaijin stood up: "Aren't you done yet?"

Noah froze: "Lin Huaijin, what do you mean?!"

"What do you mean by that?"

Pei Yuening took a moment to process what was happening, her mind racing.

Lin Huaijin is a man who hates evil and despises empty talk.

Although it's Ollie's small group, it seems he has his own principles, and his main goal is to indiscriminately target anyone he doesn't like.

So Pei Yuening chose the right thigh in just 0 seconds.

And shamelessly, he took advantage of the situation and hid behind Lin Huaijin.

OK, now we don't need to tell the teacher. It's obviously more satisfying to vent our anger on the spot. Only a fool wouldn't take advantage of a good deal.

This is called adaptability!

Goodness, Noah! Go talk to your backer if you have anything to say!

"To be frank, Pei Yuening is indeed a terrible person," Lin Huaijin interrupted him. "And what about you? How are you any different from before?"

"Exactly!"

Pei Yuening was taken aback for a moment: "? I won't trade."

Noah: "I—"

"A duke's younger brother, and you've been standing here pointing your finger at him and making sarcastic remarks for so long. Do you think the Duke of Winster won't get angry, or do you think you're of higher status than him?"

Pei Yuening: "Exactly!"

Noah's face turned from red to white, his lips trembled twice, but he couldn't utter a single word.

"Oh, I forgot. The new regulations say you can't use your family background to pressure people, so let me reason with you."

Lin Huaijin said, "He didn't do anything today, nor did he provoke you. You came up and immediately started mocking him. Do you think this is the kind of refinement a nobleman should have?"

"Exactly!" Pei Yuening said, hands on her hips, "Didn't you hear me! My brother Huaijin is talking to you!"

"..."

Noah's Red Temperature has risen.

Lin Huaijin turned to Pei Yuening: "That's bullshit. He didn't mention you, did he?"

Pei Yuening shrank his neck.

"A duke's younger brother was treated so humiliatingly, and you didn't utter a single harsh word from beginning to end. I've never seen a nobleman as spineless as you."

Pei Yuening was stunned by what he said, wanting to explain but not knowing what to say.

"I--"

"What do you mean, 'you'?" Lin Huaijin frowned. "Which of his words do you agree with? Are you shameless or what?"

Pei Yuening blinked: "No, I just don't want to cause trouble..."

"You think you can avoid trouble just because you don't want to cause it? He's standing right here, isn't he?"

Noah: "..."

As Lin Huaijin spoke, he tilted his head towards Noah: "Shut up."

Pei Yuening was stunned: "Huh?"

"Say it back, hurry up," Lin Huaijin said, arms crossed, "or your family will lose all face."

"…………" Pei Yuening's eyes darted between Noah and Lin Huaijin.

Should I insult them back?

What are you cursing?

"You idiot?" No, that's not right. Noah doesn't understand.

"You look like my mom's burnt apple pie"? No, that's not right either, he doesn't have a mother in this other world.

"Uh...you...you..."

He usually only dares to chat with Gao Gao and Cricket behind closed doors, but now he's doing it in front of so many people!

What if it triggers a plot event? Ollie will be here soon, drawn by the smell!!

Pei Yuening was desperate.

Lin Huaijin was still staring at him.

...Never mind.

So he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and shouted loudly—

"You're so bad!"

Noah: ?

Passerby: ?

Lin Huaijin laughed in exasperation: "Are you trying to be cute?"

Noah recovered from his earlier shock, and his expression became somewhat strange.

"You..." He looked at Pei Yuening, his lips twitching, "Are you out of your mind?"

Pei Yuening: "You're the one with a problem in your head."

Noah: "What did you just say?"

Pei Yuening: "That's because I let you have your way."

Noah: "?"

The audience was silent.

The two or three people behind him had unconsciously taken a half step back.

"What's all the noise about?"

A woman's voice came from the entrance of the auditorium.

It wasn't meant to be a rebuke, but it made everyone stop.

Pei Yuening turned her head and immediately saw He Shuming standing by the door, holding a stack of documents in his hand.

"You guys," she said, "come back to class with me."

His tone was flat, revealing no emotion, yet it sent chills down one's spine.

Noah wanted to say something more, but He Shuming silenced him with a look.

She glanced down at her pocket watch: "Ten minutes."

"Anyone who doesn't pass will have to skip Potions class this semester."

After saying that, she turned and walked towards the teaching building.

Noah glared at Pei Yuening and quickly followed after him with his men.

Pei Yuening stood frozen in place.

Lin Huaijin took a few steps out, but seeing no movement, he frowned and turned back: "Are you coming or not?"

Pei Yuening nodded quickly: "Let's go, let's go."

He picked up his backpack, squeezed out of his seat, and followed Lin Huaijin out.

As the two stepped out of the auditorium, the morning light bathed their faces.

Lin Huaijin walked quickly, after all, He Shuming's expression just now didn't seem like he was joking with them.

Pei Yuening jogged a few steps to catch up with Lin Huaijin.

He hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Um... thank you."

Lin Huaijin didn't even turn his head: "What are you thanking me for?"

"You spoke up for me just now."

"I didn't speak up for you," Lin Huaijin sneered. "I just can't stand your pathetic behavior; you're a disgrace to the aristocracy."

Pei Yuening: "..."

"I just think it's pointless..." he said softly. "What's the point of winning an argument? The other person will still hold a grudge."

"It's better to say 'Ah, yes, yes, yes' so that they feel like they've punched cotton, and then they lose their energy."

Lin Huaijin turned to look at Pei Yuening, his gaze carrying an indescribable scrutiny.

You weren't like this before.

Pei Yuening's heart skipped a beat: "Is...is that so?"

"Hmm," Lin Huaijin said, "You used to be so sensitive that you couldn't stand a harsh word. Even if it was Ollie who said something to you, you would yell back."

Pei Yuening: "..."

"People always change," he chuckled dryly, "They grow up and become more sensible."

Lin Huaijin stared at him for two seconds.

He seemed unconvinced, his scrutiny deepening: "How come I've never heard of you being so shameless before?"

Pei Yuening guiltily looked away: "Maybe it's because I haven't had a chance to show it."

Moreover, Lin Huaijin had clearly been hanging out with Aoli all along...

The shadows of the trees slid past them one by one, and occasionally a few birdsongs pierced through the air overhead.

Lin Huaijin pondered for a moment, then spoke again: "Has something happened to you?"

Pei Yuening's heart tightened: "No."

"Then why have you changed so much?"

"Didn't I say, grow up—"

"Don't try to fool me with that," Lin Huaijin interrupted him. "No matter how much a person pretends, their ingrained habits can't be controlled overnight."

"Now you not only don't swoon over Ollie, but you can even remain calm when someone bullies you."

After speaking, Lin Huaijin concluded, "It's particularly strange."

Pei Yuening: "That's because... I feel guilty and don't want my brother to worry about me anymore."

Lin Huaijin stopped and turned around to look at him seriously: "Do you think you're doing a good job of pretending?"

Pei Yuening also stopped: "I wasn't pretending..."

"When did you start doing this?" Lin Huaijin asked unhurriedly, "At the last dinner party, right?"

"..."

Lin Huaijin's lips curled slightly, then he suddenly changed the subject: "What are you hiding from?"

"I didn't dodge."

"Then why are you afraid to get into conflicts with people?" Lin Huaijin asked pointedly, "You're actually so afraid of offending people now?"

Pei Yuening remained silent.

He couldn't answer that question.

Well, he has his own understanding of interpersonal relationships.

Moreover, for safety reasons, he wanted to use the safest method to achieve the most satisfying outcome.

For example, he might keep quiet for now, then tell the teacher later, and then tell his brother when he gets home. He doesn't believe that brat Noah won't be in big trouble.

But he couldn't tell Lin Huaijin these things.

Helpless, he could only continue to play dumb: "I already said, I feel sorry for my brother."

"Fine." Lin Huaijin snorted coldly, turned around, and said, "Hurry up and leave, time is running out."

Pei Yuening quickly followed.

"Okay, okay."