Jiang Ruoxun immediately took Xu Youzhi’s hand, applying a damp tissue to it. She asked softly, “Are you alright?”
Xu Youzhi’s face flushed. “I’m fine, Sister.”
Jiang Ruoxun’s voice had been incredibly gentle just now, and now she was wiping the spot with such care. Looking down, Xu Youzhi saw Jiang Ruoxun’s long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings. In that moment, Xu Youzhi found herself at a loss for words; only one phrase came to mind: refined and elegant.
“Oh, just a tiny splash of oil? I thought you’d been cut by a knife. You’re acting like it hurts so much,” Wei You interjected with a series of sarcastic remarks.
Jiang Ruoxun suppressed her anger. She could only glare at him slightly; under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t have hesitated to tell him to “get lost” or “shut up.”
After the meal, Jiang Ruoxun saw Xu Youzhi into the car. She then turned back to negotiate with Wei You, who had not yet left.
“Stay away from me,” Jiang Ruoxun said, leaning against the wall, her voice bone-chillingly cold.
“What’s wrong, Sister Xun?” Wei You smiled broadly. “I thought you were fearless. Are you actually worried I’ll steal your little sister away?”
“I just think you’re acting like a clown. Why is a rich heir like you acting like a pathetic sycophant?” Jiang Ruoxun turned away, throwing a cold insult over her shoulder: “How childish.”
However, Jiang Ruoxun never imagined that Wei You had already arranged for informants to discover her close relationship with Xu Youzhi.
Looking at the photos on his desk, the flames of jealousy nearly consumed him. He made a deliberate trip to Zhedong University to intercept Xu Youzhi.
As Xu Youzhi and Li Qingshuang finished their evening class and were about to part ways, they spotted a tall guy leaning against a tree. Several girls approached him with blushing faces to ask for his WeChat, but he rejected them all.
Xu Youzhi frowned. She found the commotion over there annoying. This type of guy loved drawing attention to himself—he was no different from Xiao Yang, and just as greasy.
Just as she tried to walk past quickly, the man called out to her directly.
“Classmate.”
Li Qingshuang watched with excitement from the side. “Has he taken a liking to you?”
Being noticed by men is truly the worst luck, Xu Youzhi thought, shaking her head quickly. “Don’t talk nonsense.”
Wei You walked up to her. “Classmate, can I have your WeChat?”
“It’s you.” Xu Youzhi was stunned once she recognized him.
“I thought you wouldn’t remember me,” Wei You said with a faint smile.
“I’m sorry, I don’t add strangers on WeChat,” Xu Youzhi replied coldly.
“We’ve met twice now; it would be a shame not to add me.” He smiled playfully. “Is it because of Sister Xun that you don’t dare?”
“What ‘Sister Xun’?” Xu Youzhi’s first thought was of Jiang Ruoxun, but she didn’t see what this had to do with her.
“What are you to her?” His eyes burned with an intensity that felt predatory, his previous “gentlemanly” facade completely gone. “A woman like her, who avoids intimacy, actually held hands with you? Haha, little sister, let me tell you—she is selfish. She’s just playing with you. You’re nothing but a dog she’s keeping!”
Xu Youzhi was startled. This supposedly “refined” man was saying such crude things in public. And to think he had given her a gift before.
“Hey, watch your mouth!” Li Qingshuang, realizing something was wrong, snapped back on her friend’s behalf.
Wei You simply laughed, giving Xu Youzhi several meaningful looks before sauntering away.
“Zhizhi, are you okay?” Li Qingshuang asked worriedly, noticing Xu Youzhi’s slight trembling.
“I’m fine. I’m going home now. Goodbye.” Without even looking up, Xu Youzhi walked away at a brisk pace.
As Li Qingshuang stood there wondering what had happened, she suddenly heard an argument coming from the sports field. She walked over to see the commotion and found Kuang Yuan and Xiao Yang fighting.
Xu Youzhi went straight to Room 902 instead of going home.
Jiang Ruoxun hadn’t expected her to visit today. When she came out to get a glass of water, she was wearing only a piece of black lace lingerie.
Xu Youzhi’s face turned red the moment she opened the door. She was met with a vista of snowy skin, a proud bust, and curves that any woman would envy.
Jiang Ruoxun clearly saw the girl’s bashful blush. Although she didn’t usually like being seen this way, she didn’t mind if it was Xu Youzhi.
Xu Youzhi turned her back, feeling frustrated with herself. She should have called ahead!
“Sister, that rich guy we met came to find me,” Xu Youzhi said slowly, only after Jiang Ruoxun had returned to the bedroom to put on a cinched silk robe.
“Who is he to you?”
“The rich guy we met?” Jiang Ruoxun didn’t recall eating with Wei You in front of her.
“The man from last time. He looks young and has a mole on his chin. We even ate at ‘Small Discovery’ together.”
Wei You. Jiang Ruoxun had her answer, and she felt a surge of irritation. “Don’t pay him any mind.”
“Of course I won’t,” Xu Youzhi pursed her lips. “I just… I felt uncomfortable when he called me a dog you were keeping.”
Jiang Ruoxun realized things were taking a bad turn. She quickly took Xu Youzhi’s hand.
“So I really want to know who he is. He seemed nice before, but just now he said a lot of very rude things.”
“What did he say to you?” Jiang Ruoxun asked tensely, pulling the girl’s arm into a half-hug. “Just the ‘dog’ comment?”
Xu Youzhi shook her head. “I don’t care what he says. I just want to know what your relationship with him is.”
“Do you really want to know?” Jiang Ruoxun sighed.
“Yes.”
“Actually…” Jiang Ruoxun began her story. “He’s my friend’s younger brother. He had a high fever as a child that left his mind a bit unstable. Even though he’s decent-looking, his brain isn’t quite right. He can’t even get a girlfriend.”
“Oh?” Xu Youzhi was stunned, but thinking back, Wei You’s logic really had been a bit erratic.
Jiang Ruoxun suddenly burst out laughing, tapping Xu Youzhi on the nose. “Silly kid, you actually believed that?”
Xu Youzhi felt a tickle where her nose had been tapped. “Huh?”
“He’s just a pursuer of mine. If you want to call him a ‘psycho,’ then he’s a psycho. Don’t waste your energy arguing with someone like that.”
Xu Youzhi gave a quiet “Oh.”
“Are you sleeping here tonight?” Jiang Ruoxun leaned her head on her hand, her eyes carrying a fox-like charm.
“I should go home. My mom just got back and finished cooking; she’s waiting for me.” Xu Youzhi picked up her bag, took one last look at Jiang Ruoxun, and left.
Jiang Ruoxun’s expression turned unreadable. She let out a long sigh, but then a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
This little one is indeed hard to win over.
When Xu Youzhi returned home, Wang Qiuhua and Xu Hui were already seated for dinner.
Xu Youzhi greeted them: “Dad, Mom.”
Since their last argument, Xu Youzhi had avoided contact with Wang Qiuhua due to school. Wang Qiuhua, ultimately caring for her child, hadn’t interfered further. However, she was still uneasy.
She intentionally brought it up in front of Xu Hui: “Did you go see that actress again?”
Xu Youzhi hummed in affirmation, changing her shoes and washing her hands before joining them. “Just for a little chat.”
Xu Hui, having just returned from a business trip, didn’t know what they were talking about. “What actress?”
“A Triple Crown Best Actress lives next door—Jiang Ruoxun!” Wang Qiuhua said while serving rice, her tone quite harsh.
Xu Youzhi felt uncomfortable hearing this. “Mom, she’s very nice.”
“Just eat your food.” Wang Qiuhua didn’t want to hear her daughter’s explanations. She believed her own views were correct; after all, that was how she had raised such a sensible daughter.
“The entertainment industry is a big dye vat. I know exactly what kind of people are in there,” Xu Hui joined his wife’s side, advising kindly. “Be casual friends, but don’t get too close. Otherwise, if you’re caught by paparazzi and posted online, you’re the one who will suffer, child.”
Wang Qiuhua added fuel to the fire: “Your father worked with entertainment companies before. Even industry insiders say several actresses sleep around just to get resources. Their values are warped. Sooner or later, she’ll lead you astray.”
Rarely, Xu Youzhi didn’t argue. She simply gave an “Oh.”
When it was time for bed, Xu Youzhi did not go to find Jiang Ruoxun. She replayed Wei You’s words in her head, sensing that Jiang Ruoxun was hiding something.
For three days, she didn’t seek out Jiang Ruoxun.
And Jiang Ruoxun didn’t reach out to her either.
Jiang Ruoxun believed that Xu Youzhi couldn’t possibly stop looking for her; something must have happened. Even if nothing had happened, she viewed this as a game of “playing hard to get.”
However, the weekend arrived.
Xu Youzhi still hadn’t sent a single message.
Jiang Ruoxun grew impatient. Her agent, Xu Ling, was pressuring her to make a comeback and accept a new script. But she was in no mood to act!
— Tell me, do you think that kid was just a flash in the pan? Now that we’ve gotten closer, she’s vanished!
Xu Ling couldn’t stop laughing. She had predicted this.
— Forget it. Why get worked up over a kid? Just take the role.
But Jiang Ruoxun had a stubborn streak; the more something eluded her, the more she wanted it. Especially since her “task” wasn’t complete.
— Look at what I’m drinking.
Jiang Ruoxun sent a photo of a table covered in liquor. The next photo showed the flush on her pale cheeks, like the glow of a sunset.
The third photo showed her hand casually pulling open her obsidian-black silk robe, revealing her elegant collarbones.
Even as a still image, the woman’s mature allure radiated from within. She was like a garden of blooming roses—a sight of layered crimson and stunning beauty, with a fragrance that was impossible to forget.
It was enough to make one’s heart skip a beat, even though the photo showed very little skin.
At that moment, Xu Youzhi was still in class. When she saw the three photos, her hands began to tremble.
Her first thought was: Sister said she’s drinking… she must be unhappy.