In the following days, Ruan Chaoxi quickly made a distinct mark on the academic map of Jing University.
The courses at the School of International Relations were demanding, but they weren’t particularly challenging for her. With her agile mind and the unique perspective she had cultivated since childhood while immersed in the power centers of Southeast Asia, her occasional questions or assignments—whether on Southeast Asian geopolitics, Mekong River cooperation, or internal ASEAN dynamics—often struck at the core of the issues, frequently catching the attention of even the most seasoned professors.
Of course, her excellence wasn’t limited to the classroom.
Her fluency in multiple languages, poised and appropriate demeanor, and that unique air of mystery quickly spread through the international student circles and among the senior students in her school, making her something of a minor “celebrity” within the department.
After class, she mostly spent her time with Lu Yao. Whether in the cafeteria, the library, or strolling around campus, chatting about interesting class moments and gossip, this kind of pure, relaxed, ordinary university social life was a completely new experience for Ruan Chaoxi.
Every night at nine o’clock was the unshakable video call time with Samia. She would share the day’s interesting moments and academic insights, while he would listen quietly, occasionally asking a few questions or reminding her of small matters.
Her excellence and independence were like a mirror, reflecting the gradual “marginalization” of his role as her protector. The silence after each video call only deepened and darkened his anxiety and obsession.
In her video calls with her parents, Ruan Xingchen would always remind her about daily necessities like food, clothing, and accommodation, while Mo Xiaohan would ask for her opinions on certain international current affairs, as if remotely assessing her progress.
Mo Jinchen occasionally chimed in with jokes, often sharing strange tales from the border or boasting about newly confiscated weapons, trying to stir his sister’s nostalgia for their “hometown.” However, he usually only received Ruan Chaoxi’s resigned laughter and reminders to “stay safe.”
As for Jiang Yaoci, he seemed to have “quieted down” for a few days, no longer deliberately engineering chance encounters or sending expensive “gestures.” Ruan Chaoxi was happy for the peace and focused on her courses and experiencing the finer details of campus life, almost forgetting about this “peacock.”
Until the weekend.
In the afternoon, the autumn sun was bright. Just as Ruan Chaoxi was walking out of the library and onto the ginkgo-lined path connecting the academic and residential areas, Jiang Yaoci appeared again.
He seemed to have dressed up deliberately, toning down the flamboyance from before and adding a touch of carefully crafted “propriety.”
“Junior Ruan, what a coincidence,” he began, his tone slightly less sharp than before. “I heard from friends in the School of International Relations that you’ve been performing exceptionally well. Especially on Southeast Asian matters, even the professors have praised your unique insights.”
Ruan Chaoxi stopped and looked at him quietly, waiting for him to continue.
Seeing that she didn’t respond, Jiang Yaoci wasn’t embarrassed. He went on, “Coincidentally, next Thursday evening, our Guanghua School is hosting a rather high-profile lecture. The speaker is a former diplomat who recently returned from a Southeast Asian country and is now a well-known international consultant. The lecture’s theme is ‘Investment Opportunities and Risk Management in Southeast Asia Under the New Geopolitical Landscape,’ covering a lot of frontline political and business practices.”
He handed her an invitation. “The lecture isn’t open to ordinary students, and there are very few spots. I thought you might be interested.”
Ruan Chaoxi took the invitation and glanced at it.The lecture topic genuinely interested her, even touching upon the gray areas covered by the Mo Family’s “business” to some extent. The names of the speaker and guests also carried considerable weight. It seemed Jiang Yaoci wasn’t entirely bluffing when it came to securing an invitation of this caliber.
“Thank you,” she said, not rejecting it outright but also not showing any delight. She simply took the invitation calmly. “I’ll consider it.”
Jiang Yaoci observed her reaction. Seeing she hadn’t dismissed him coldly as before, he felt slightly reassured and added, “After the lecture, there’s a small-scale networking reception where you can meet some industry insiders. If you’d like to go, we could attend together.”
This time, he used “could attend together” instead of “I’ll take you,” adopting a slightly humbler tone.
Ruan Chaoxi tilted her head slightly, studying Jiang Yaoci.
The determination in his eyes was better concealed than before, but the carefully calculated “appeal to her interests” and the deliberately adjusted demeanor remained clearly discernible to her.
She suddenly felt that this “peacock” might be slightly… smarter than she had initially judged?
At least he had evolved from simply flaunting his feathers to attempting to showcase the allure of his “nest.” This was far more interesting than his previous straightforward peacock behavior!
In Southeast Asia, many children of the elite circled around the Mo Family. Those who truly caught the eye of her father and brother or could engage with her as equals were exceptional individuals like Miya, whose abilities and influence matched or even surpassed their family backgrounds.
As for pure playboys, the Mo Family disdained any deep involvement with them. They were usually filtered out invisibly by her father, brother, or Miya long before they could reach her.
Someone like Jiang Yaoci, with his clever tactics and ability to shift strategies—whose family background might be respectable in the capital but whose sense of superiority and predatory mindset remained obvious—was a fresh “specimen” for her to observe.
She could study how a so-called “crown prince” in an environment like China thought, acted, and reacted when faced with “unattainable desires.”
This was far more vivid than classroom case studies and could better help her understand certain operating rules of this unfamiliar country.
“I understand,” Ruan Chaoxi finally said without giving a definite answer, merely nodding. “Thank you for the invitation. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”
Watching her graceful departure, Jiang Yaoci felt no irritation. Instead, the interest and determination in his eyes grew stronger.
No refusal meant progress.
He believed that as long as he demonstrated enough “value” and patience, this seemingly aloof and proud Southeast Asian beauty would eventually fall into the carefully woven net he had prepared.
Carrying her books, Ruan Chaoxi walked back to her dormitory, her fingers unconsciously tapping the high-quality invitation.
The lecture might be worth attending.
She was also curious about how the outside world interpreted and analyzed the land she knew so intimately.
As for Jiang Yaoci, that peacock striving to “evolve”…
She shook her head lightly, a playful smile curling at the corner of her lips.
Consider him… an additional research topic in her campus life in China!
The new week seemed even more interesting.