NOVPUBEven someone as opportunistic as Shen Ying fell into silence when she saw Gong Zhaoxi standing there with a playful grin, entrusted by Zhong Chen with an important task.
After hesitating for a moment, she couldn’t help but ask Zhong Chen, "Why do you think he’s reliable? Isn’t he the one with the least sense of restraint?"
Zhong Chen nodded knowingly, as if to say he understood his own friend best. "It’s mainly because Jiale’s been acting stubborn lately, always holding a grudge against you. If I asked him to take care of you, you two would just argue the whole way."
"You’re both important to me, and I’d rather you got along."
"Zhaoxi is different. Even though he’s got a loose tongue, he knows where to draw the line. That’s why I trust him to look after you."
Gong Zhaoxi, now brimming with a sense of duty, patted Zhong Chen’s shoulder and assured him, "Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of my bro’s girlfriend."
Then, under Zhong Chen’s watchful gaze, he led Shen Ying away.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yun, growing impatient with Xing Jiale’s pestering, cut straight to the point. "Did Ah Chen ask you to keep me occupied?"
Xing Jiale shrugged helplessly. "Not entirely. Honestly, I’m also curious why you’re doing this."
"You’ve been acting strange ever since you came back from France. I know what happened with Qingya must’ve been hard on you, but why are you meddling in Ah Chen’s relationship?"
"Even though I don’t want to see him with that girl either, you’ve gone too far."
Xiao Yun smirked. "Why? Why is it always us who have to step back when it comes to Ah Chen?"
"This time, I’m not backing down. Besides, the current mess is his own fault for being too optimistic. He never considered the pressure of dating an ordinary girl, leaving her to face someone as terrifying as Mrs. Zhong."
"If he couldn’t protect her, what’s wrong with me stepping in?"
Xing Jiale scoffed at his stubbornness. "Fine, keep deluding yourself. Look at the situation now."
"That girl is still tangled up with Ah Chen even while dating you. In his eyes, they never really broke up. Isn’t she just openly playing both of you?"
"Do you really think you can outmaneuver Shen Ying? Ah Chen’s too deep in it to see clearly. Instead of helping me pull him out, you’re diving right in?"
Xiao Yun replied coolly, "I don’t know what you’re talking about. But if Ah Chen sent you to distract me now, it’s just to keep me from being alone with her after school."
"With Mrs. Zhong’s spies watching, he can’t openly cling to my girlfriend anymore. So he’ll have to entrust someone else to look after her."
"Since you’re here, that means Ah Chen trusts Zhaoxi more with the job."
Xing Jiale had been shaking his head at Xiao Yun’s foolishness, but those words jolted him.
He hurried out of the classroom with Xiao Yun, only to run into Zhong Chen strolling back leisurely.
Xing Jiale immediately demanded, "Where’s Zhaoxi?"
Zhong Chen shot Xiao Yun a disdainful glance. "He’s taking Ah Ying home. From now on, he’ll be responsible for her commute."
"You won’t get a single moment alone with her. Just get lost."
Xing Jiale dragged a hand down his face, cursing, "You’re really something, entrusting Shen Ying to Zhaoxi of all people."
"Have you forgotten what kind of pervert he is?"
Zhong Chen frowned. "Don’t slander him. No matter how twisted he is, he’d never betray a brother."
Hmph! Xing Jiale used to think the same. But after repeated encounters, he’d sensed Gong Zhaoxi’s growing fascination with Shen Ying.
Everything about her seemed tailor-made for his tastes. If she weren’t Zhong Chen’s girlfriend, he would’ve made his move long ago.
And now, Xiao Yun was practically handing them private time together, as if Zhaoxi needed more temptation.
Gong Zhaoxi and Shen Ying—which of them could be trusted?
Xing Jiale pointed at Zhong Chen, rendered speechless by the sheer idiocy.
Finally, he spat out, " At this rate, you’ll lose another brother soon."
Xiao Yun, uninterested in their squabble, left the school on his own.
Meanwhile, the car ride home was unexpectedly quiet.
Only after they were halfway there did Gong Zhaoxi finally speak. "Never thought Ah Yun would give me this responsibility."
Shen Ying glanced at him. Since leaving school, he’d loosened his tie, letting it hang carelessly over his unbuttoned shirt, collarbones peeking through. The look only amplified his roguish charm.
Despite being barely eighteen, there was an alluring maturity in his relaxed demeanor—untapped but tantalizing, blending with youthful innocence in a way that stirred something restless in those who looked too long.
Shen Ying replied, "I didn’t expect it either. Even Xing Jiale would’ve been less surprising."
Gong Zhaoxi edged closer, his tone dipping into something suggestive. "That hurts. Compared to Jiale, I’ve always been much friendlier to you."
"Ah Chen probably picked me because he knew you two don’t get along. I was sure we’d have a pleasant time together."
Shen Ying smiled. "I do prefer your company. Jiale’s been nitpicking me nonstop lately."
"I’ve done nothing wrong, yet he keeps blaming me for everything."
Gong Zhaoxi’s gaze darkened, a faint flush creeping up his cheeks.
Ever since realizing Shen Ying’s unsettlingly sharp nature, he’d been irresistibly drawn to the contradiction between her unassuming appearance and cunning mind.
He’d watched her handle people and problems with effortless ease, even dismantling their privileged arrogance without breaking a sweat.
She played them all like puppets on strings.
While Xing Jiale fumed over her manipulations and Zhong Chen’s blind devotion, Gong Zhaoxi was fixated on one thing: how she’d wrangled money from Mrs. Zhong.
Mrs. Zhong wasn’t one to yield to her son’s whims. If she paid Shen Ying 500 million, it meant she believed the high schooler was worth that price.
The sheer dominance Shen Ying must’ve wielded in that negotiation—Gong Zhaoxi ached to have witnessed it.
He shifted even closer, until the space between them was anything but platonic.
He said softly, "A-Chen and A-Yun are bound to be at each other's throats for a while. You must feel stuck in the middle, right?"
Shen Ying's expression turned slightly awkward. "Now? But I don’t like places where ordinary students hang out."
Gong Zhaoxi replied, "No problem. Let’s go change outfits first."
With that, he instructed the driver to reroute to a department store.
It was the same place Shen Ying had visited before with Zhong Chen. Gong Zhaoxi thoughtfully took her to pick out women’s clothing first.
As Zhong Chen’s childhood friend, Gong Zhaoxi’s family background was naturally on par with his.
This meant their spending habits and lifestyle preferences were quite similar.
When it came to wardrobe updates, all four of them—Zhong Chen, Gong Zhaoxi, Xiao Yun, and Xing Jiale—relied on brand representatives delivering seasonal collections to their homes.
So, of course, the staff here knew Zhong Chen—and they definitely knew Gong Zhaoxi.
That day, the regional manager of the C-brand happened to be in-store. The moment she spotted Shen Ying entering, her face lit up with a practiced smile.
This was a VIP client. She had personally attended to Shen Ying twice before, both times with Young Master Zhong in tow.
The spending power of this girl alone could cover half a month’s sales quota—and that was just for one brand.
Given her open relationship with Young Master Zhong, the entire mall had flagged her as a top-priority customer.
The moment she walked in, sharp-eyed sales associates swarmed over.
The regional manager greeted her warmly. "Miss Shen, here with Zhong—"
Her words cut off mid-sentence as Gong Zhaoxi stepped in behind Shen Ying. "Young Master Gong?"
Gong Zhaoxi glanced up at her—a polished, professional woman who looked vaguely familiar, likely from one of his family’s private showings.
He waved dismissively. "Don’t mind me. Just show her whatever she likes."
His tone was just as casual as Young Master Zhong’s, with the same unspoken promise of no spending limit.
As for Miss Shen? She was already browsing with the ease of someone who belonged here.
The staff exchanged glances, curiosity burning but professionalism winning out. They didn’t dare ask why Zhong Chen’s girlfriend was shopping alone with Gong Zhaoxi.
But their intrigue didn’t interfere with their efficiency. At Shen Ying’s slightest gesture, the team moved around her like a well-oiled machine.
Previously, Shen Ying had chosen clothes that matched her actual age—practical, youthful styles. But today, she felt like experimenting with something more mature.
She slipped into a sleek black dress, its sharp, minimalist cut accentuating a woman’s commanding elegance.
The fabric, color, and tailoring were all understated yet sophisticated—usually too much for most teenage girls to pull off.
Even if a high schooler had the height, she’d risk looking like she’d raided her mother’s closet. The sales team had gently tried to steer her away, given Shen Ying’s past preferences.
But Shen Ying wasn’t concerned. 𝘯𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
The moment she stepped out of the fitting room, the entire boutique fell silent.
No one could quite place her age anymore.
All they saw was a statuesque woman with a healthy glow, radiating the poise of someone far beyond her years.
The regional manager gasped. "I’ve attended brand showcases at headquarters. Even professional models rarely carry off such an extreme transformation."
"If I didn’t know Miss Shen’s real age, I’d never believe she’s still in high school."
Gong Zhaoxi observed the change with fascination.
When she’d entered the fitting room, she’d been a seventeen-year-old girl. Now? She emerged as a refined, worldly woman.
The visual impact was far stronger than what he’d glimpsed at Zhong Chen’s place.
Gong Zhaoxi couldn’t resist asking, "Did you body-snatch this girl? Is your soul actually decades older?"
Shen Ying gave him a surprised look, once again struck by his uncanny intuition.
She shook her head. "Decades? Try nearly two centuries."
Gong Zhaoxi chuckled, assuming she was joking. Then he said abruptly, "You know I prefer mature women, right?"
Shen Ying: "I know. All three of them mentioned it."
A sly smile tugged at Gong Zhaoxi’s lips. "Yet you don’t care at all about flaunting this side of yourself in front of me."
"You’re not worried I’ll fall harder for you, are you?"
His words made the surrounding staff freeze mid-motion.
Holy—was this really a rich young master trying to steal his best friend’s girl?
They held their breaths, doing their best to fade into the background.
But Shen Ying just smirked. "Don’t drag me into your internal conflict."
She stepped closer, hooking a finger into Gong Zhaoxi’s already loose tie and tugging it looser.
"You’ve been itching to cross the line—only holding back because I’m your buddy’s girlfriend. But the moment I act like I don’t take this relationship seriously, the moment you’re sure it won’t last, you start justifying those thoughts."
"How many little moves have you already made before saying this out loud?"
