NOVPUBGong Zhaoxi’s entire body tingled, his tie seemingly gaining a consciousness of its own, becoming an extension of his body—impossible to ignore after her fingers had lightly tugged at it.
At Shen Ying’s words, his mind jolted as if guilt had rung an alarm bell. He reflexively denied it: "When have I ever made any underhanded moves?"
Shen Ying picked up one of the dresses the shop assistant was holding and held it against herself. The dress was a bold red, effortlessly manipulated in her hands like a restless flame.
She smiled and said, "How much of your own agenda did you slip in while defending your friend?"
"You and Xing Jiale should be on the same side, but now even he seems dissatisfied with you."
Gong Zhaoxi’s gaze remained fixed on her nimble fingers, and suddenly, he answered irrelevantly: "Your hands must be very dexterous, right?"
Shen Ying handed the dress back to the assistant. "Why do you say that?"
Gong Zhaoxi seemed to realize how absurd he sounded and, for once, looked flustered. But the words were already out, so he could only brace himself and reply, "Just a feeling."
"Your hands look quick and agile. You reacted fast when you hit Chen, and the force wasn’t light either. When you pushed us into the pool, you found just the right angle. And during meals, you handle utensils with such ease."
"It’s like there’s nothing you can’t do."
Hearing this, Shen Ying extended one hand, examining it idly for a few seconds before slowly reaching toward Gong Zhaoxi. His heartbeat grew erratic at the sight.
But just as he thought he might unravel the magic her fingers had cast on his tie, she abruptly stopped.
Then, with a hint of teasing in her voice, she asked, "Where do you want me to place it on you?"
Gong Zhaoxi’s eyes widened sharply. Seeing how utterly unflappable Shen Ying was, he couldn’t help but feel deflated.
Almost admitting defeat, he said, "Fine, I did make underhanded moves."
Then, throwing caution to the wind, he leaned closer. "Since you’ve broken up with Chen and your thing with Yun is just an act, why not take this chance to play with me?"
Shen Ying: "Aren’t we already out playing?"
Gong Zhaoxi: "You know that’s not what I mean."
Shen Ying: "I don’t mind, but first, let’s be clear—the responsibility lies with you. Whatever consequences arise later, you’ll bear them alone."
Gong Zhaoxi wasn’t bothered. He waved a hand dismissively. "Don’t worry, if things blow up, I’ll take all the blame."
"At least Yun will go down with me."
He was refreshingly candid, aware that in the tangled web of their current relationships, maintaining restraint with Shen Ying would be impossible. So he simply refused to set any boundaries.
Their casual conversation, however, left the nearby shop assistants reeling.
Is this how rich high schoolers behave? The messy, convoluted dynamics even put angsty teen novels to shame.
Shen Ying tried on a few more dresses, with Gong Zhaoxi summoning expensive jewelry from the boutique to accessorize them.
Finally, she settled on a blue gown to replace her school uniform and said to Gong Zhaoxi, "This one."
Gong Zhaoxi: "Wrap up everything she tried. Put it on my—"
Before he could finish, another voice cut in: "Put it on my account."
Everyone turned to see one of the central figures of their earlier scandal—Young Master Xiao of the Xiao family—standing there.
Xiao Yun’s expression was unusually stern, a far cry from his usual detached demeanor. He walked up to Shen Ying and Gong Zhaoxi, gave Shen Ying an appraising look, and said, "It suits you."
Shen Ying smiled. "Thank you."
Then Xiao Yun’s gaze shifted to Gong Zhaoxi, and the warmth in his eyes vanished instantly.
Before he could speak, Gong Zhaoxi preempted him: "Yun, why the formality over something so small?"
Xiao Yun was already exhausted from dealing with Zhong Chen’s lovestruck idiocy. Now, Gong Zhaoxi had recklessly thrown himself into the fray.
Seeing him only stoked Xiao Yun’s irritation. Coldly, he demanded, "What are you trying to do?"
"Even if Chen asked you to escort her home, why go beyond that?"
"Are you protesting against Chen, or are you declaring war on me?"
Gong Zhaoxi’s smirk deepened. "Why are you interrogating me?"
"Yun, I don’t get you. Your motives are obvious to everyone. If your goal was just to keep Chen away from her, that’s already achieved—at least superficially."
"You’re not seriously defending Chen’s position now, are you?"
Xiao Yun let out a humorless laugh. "Perhaps you’ve forgotten she’s been my girlfriend since yesterday."
Gong Zhaoxi: "Oh, really? I forgot."
"You mentioned it this morning, but the two of you acted so distant all day. You didn’t even visit each other’s classes once."
He stepped to Xiao Yun’s side, slinging an arm around his shoulders. "This doesn’t look like a passionate romance at all. Chen’s intensity was way stronger."
With a sigh, he added, "No wonder she said this morning she still missed her ex."
"At this rate, you’ll never replace Chen in her heart."
Xiao Yun frowned. "Do you want to get hit?"
Gong Zhaoxi raised his hands. "Don’t follow Chen’s example. You’ve already taken two beatings—no need to solve problems the same way."
Xiao Yun shoved his arm off. "What’s your point?"
Gong Zhaoxi glanced at Shen Ying, then said to Xiao Yun, "Let me take over."
Though the words were vague, Xiao Yun understood immediately. His mind buzzed with disbelief.
Gong Zhaoxi continued earnestly, "You don’t actually like Ying. How could you make her move on from Chen?"
"But I’m different. I’m genuinely infatuated with her. My passion for her won’t be any less than Chen’s."
"Let’s divide the work. You patch things up with Chen and cut off any chance of him seeing Ying—physically separate them."
"And I’ll focus on healing her post-breakup heartache, helping her forget her ex faster."
"Your goal gets accomplished, and you don’t have to fall out with Chen. Win-win, right?"
Xiao Yun took a deep breath. "And what about you? When all the backlash comes, how will you handle it?"
Gong Zhaoxi waved it off. "I’ll be fine. As long as you two are good, what’s a little suffering on my part?"
The moment he finished, Xiao Yun’s fist collided with his face.
Then, without a backward glance, Xiao Yun grabbed Shen Ying’s hand and stormed out of the mall.
Gong Zhaoxi wiped his nearly bleeding nose, watching Xiao Yun’s retreating figure with a knowing glint in his eyes.
He muttered, "I’m not the only one with ulterior motives."
Noticing the tense atmosphere around him, he quickly slipped back into his usual carefree demeanor.
He clapped his hands and said, "Don’t worry about it. Have everything packaged and delivered to Miss Shen’s place—put it on my tab."
Then, noticing a sales assistant carrying Shen Ying’s discarded school uniform, Gong Zhaoxi’s eyes lit up.
He quickly called out, "Give me the uniform. I’ll return it to her."
The assistant had no objections.
Meanwhile, Shen Ying sat in Xiao Yun’s car, her expression one of disinterest.
Seeing this, Xiao Yun felt an inexplicable surge of irritation.
He vividly remembered the smile on Shen Ying’s face when he had first found the two of them together earlier.
They had seemed ready to go somewhere fun, her face alight with anticipation.
But now, in his presence, she looked utterly bored.
Suppressing what he deemed an unreasonable frustration, Xiao Yun spoke up.
"You don’t seem to enjoy being with me."
Shen Ying turned to him, surprised. "Why would you think that?"
"You’re my boyfriend now. Do you really think I’d force myself into something I don’t want?"
Her words inexplicably soothed most of his anger.
Then Xiao Yun said, "You heard what that guy said earlier. Don’t meet him privately from now on."
Shen Ying laughed. "My dear boyfriend, have you forgotten how you got this position in the first place?"
"If I had the self-awareness to distance myself from admirers once I’m in a relationship, you wouldn’t have replaced my ex."
Her blunt audacity left Xiao Yun momentarily speechless. But given their unspoken understanding, he found himself at a loss for a rebuttal.
Why had he pursued Shen Ying? Even Gong Zhaoxi knew the answer, and Shen Ying was well aware too.
She simply didn’t care. It made no difference to her which sheep she sheared.
Strictly speaking, his plan hadn’t failed. Given her lazy nature, as long as he held this position, Zhong Chen would never return to her side.
Yet, he didn’t feel as triumphant as he’d expected.
Just then, Shen Ying remarked casually, "That scene just now felt so familiar."
"This morning, my ex punched you the same way."
She was referring to Xiao Yun’s earlier punch at Gong Zhaoxi.
Xiao Yun’s expression darkened further. For a moment, he had deeply understood Zhong Chen’s feelings—an experience that made his own actions seem utterly absurd.
Shen Ying continued, "Why didn’t you take Gong Zhaoxi’s suggestion?"
"Objectively speaking, his idea was solid. You’re hardly the type to seduce someone into shifting affections—why not leave a professional task to a professional?"
"You’re different from him. You don’t actually intend to betray your friend, so you shouldn’t face the same isolation. Gong Zhaoxi, on the other hand, genuinely has ill intentions—he deserves the consequences. Why not let him handle it?"
Xiao Yun stared at her, his gaze momentarily lost and conflicted.
Finally, he looked away and said flatly, "Are you misunderstanding something?"
"I’d never underestimate you. Zhong Chen was completely under your thumb, and Gong Zhaoxi won’t fare any better, even if he thinks he’s more clear-headed than Chen."
"As much as that guy is a scoundrel, he’s still my friend. If I don’t want Zhong Chen falling for your tricks, how could I stand by and watch him walk into the same trap?"
"So, me holding this position—someone you’re not interested in—is necessary."
Shen Ying studied him and suddenly asked, "What happens after you achieve your goal?"
Xiao Yun was momentarily confused.
Shen Ying clarified, "If everything goes as you wish—if my ex and the would-be homewrecker both wake up and lose interest in me—what then?"
She locked eyes with him. "You’d have no reason to stay with me anymore, would you?"
"Would you break up with—"
Before she could finish, Xiao Yun clamped a hand over her mouth.
From Shen Ying’s perspective, she could clearly see the turmoil on his face.
For the first time, he looked genuinely panicked. The thought of having no reason to stay with her didn’t bring him the satisfaction of a mission accomplished.
Instead, it filled him with anxiety and emptiness.
That anxiety drove him to act before reason could intervene, silencing her next words.
Xiao Yun couldn’t maintain his usual composure. Even when fighting Zhong Chen, he had never been like this—chest heaving, pupils sharp with tension, his entire demeanor defensive against an unspoken truth.
In this moment, he radiated raw emotion. No one who saw him now would ever mistake him for a detached, indifferent man.
Realizing Shen Ying was still watching him, Xiao Yun quickly withdrew his hand.
He took a deep breath, steadying the chaos inside.
Then he replied, "That won’t happen. With your skills, how could those two ever wake up so easily?"
