Shen Jinyao ran all the way back to the dorm. The weather was already hot, and after that run, she was drenched in sweat.
Meng Qingqing and Xie Zhiyu leaned on each other, panting heavily.
“How does He Zongye walk so quietly? Scared me half to death.”
Xie Zhiyu wiped her sweat with her clothes: “Exactly, he’s like a ghost.”
Shen Jinyao pushed open the dorm door. The other two roommates were there too, and with the air conditioning on, the three of them finally felt alive again.
Lu Xianing was eating and looked at the three of them. “Where did you guys go? You’re exhausted.”
Meng Qingqing stood up and said vividly, “We were just talking bad about He Zongye and got caught by him in person. But luckily he didn’t hear everything, so he doesn’t know we were talking about him.”
“But why did he suddenly chime in?”
Xie Zhiyu and Shen Jinyao exchanged a glance.
Shen Jinyao took small sips of water, her lashes lowered, concealing her guilt: “Maybe… he was showing off again.”
Meng Qingqing’s pupils shook. “Damn, he’s not into one of us, is he? Trying to hit on us?”
Shen Jinyao choked on her water and coughed violently.
Her fair swan-like neck strained so hard that veins appeared, her entire small face flushed red. She coughed with her head down, tears welling up at the corners of her eyes.
Xie Zhiyu slapped her thigh and burst out laughing.
With that IQ of hers, that’s as far as she could get.
Meng Qingqing was confused and scratched her head. “Is that wrong?”
Xie Zhiyu laughed while slapping her thigh, “Right, right, right. You’re absolutely right.”
Meng Qingqing regained her confidence.
Her tail perked up. See, I was right. I’m really a genius pretty girl.
Shen Jinyao recovered and gave her a thumbs up too. “Great job.”
Being praised by Shen Jinyao, Meng Qingqing was extremely pleased and went up to rub her soft cheeks. “Aww, our Yao Yao’s blushing face is so cute.”
Shen Jinyao smiled helplessly.
During the afternoon nap, Shen Jinyao put her phone on silent and only replied to He Zongye’s messages after waking up.
[Sorry, I just fell asleep.]
She brushed it off so casually, and of course He Zongye knew.
HZY: [You’re more suited to being a bastard than I am.]
Then he threatened her with the photo.
Shen Jinyao couldn’t stay tough anymore.
She sent a fawning emoji sticker. [How could that be? Of course I can’t compare to you~]
[You’re the biggest bastard of all. I’m truly not worthy.]
The sarcasm was pretty sharp. He Zongye’s brows carried a faint smile.
[When someone threatens you, you should have the awareness of being threatened. Ignoring me and running off on your own—careful, or I’ll leak the photo.]
Shen Jinyao closed her eyes and slapped her forehead. This bastard probably had some kind of fetish.
The most eye-catching subject in that photo was him. She hadn’t even threatened him, yet he was threatening her first.
Shen Jinyao took a bite of her bread and angrily typed, [You’d better be careful, or I’ll spread your nude photos around.]
HZY: [My figure isn’t bad. Letting people appreciate it counts as a service to humanity.]
HZY: [As for you, the fact that you peeked at me showering won’t be a secret anymore.]
Shen Jinyao puffed up with anger: [Baring teeth jpg]
…She couldn’t outmatch him.
HZY: [Friday night, my celebration banquet. Remember to bring a gift.]
Shen Jinyao: [Mm-hmm jpg]
She rummaged through her bag and found a string of shell bracelets.
She had bought them at a handmade jewelry store in Italy over the summer, and she had picked out several strings back then.
Anyway, he only said to bring a gift, not what kind of gift. Besides, this bracelet was finely crafted—giving it to him was already doing him a favor.
Shen Jinyao didn’t feel bad about it at all. She had plenty more at home.
Xie Zhiyu had been busy flirting with underclassmen these past two days, so Shen Jinyao had to find someone else.
On Friday, with no afternoon classes, Shen Jinyao went home. Her father had been on business trips in Europe recently, and her mother was in politics—a leader with too many affairs to be home either.
As soon as she walked in, Sister Zhang came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. “Yao Yao’s back.”
Shen Jinyao changed her shoes and straightened up. “Sister Zhang, where’s Xiao Mu?”
“Xiao Mu is upstairs.”
A crisp childish voice came from the second floor. “Sis~”
Shen Zimu ran barefoot down from the second floor and hugged Shen Jinyao around the waist, looking up with bright sparkling eyes: “Sis, you’re back.”
Shen Jinyao almost lost her balance and pushed his head away. “You’re ten years old now. Why are you still so clingy with your sister?”
Shen Zimu grinned. “Even when I’m eighty, I’ll still cling to you.”
Shen Jinyao smiled and pinched his cheek. “You’re really my good little brother. How about sister takes you somewhere fun today?”
Shen Zimu agreed instantly and obediently went upstairs to change clothes.
In his eyes, whatever his sister did, wherever she took him, he would never have the slightest doubt. Just do it.
Shen Zimu thought she was taking him out to eat, so he specially put on his little suit, tied a bow tie, and styled his hair, looking like a little adult.
Until the Shen family driver parked the car outside the gates of a villa.
Shen Zimu grabbed the car door, horrified: “Isn’t this that He guy’s villa?”
Shen Jinyao’s voice was soft and sweet: “That’s right. We’ll leave as soon as we drop off the stuff.”
“Drop off what? Sis, since when are you on such good terms with him?”
Shen Jinyao couldn’t exactly say she was being blackmailed by him.
Shen Zimu was famously a devoted sister’s boy. If he found out that his sweet, soft sister was being threatened by this wicked man, he’d probably fight him to the death.
Shen Jinyao came up with a clumsy excuse. “It’s just… he gave me a gift for my birthday too, and Dad always says gifts should be reciprocated—we can’t owe people favors, you know.”
Shen Zimu let out an “oh,” half understanding.
Shen Jinyao wore no makeup, dressed in a simple pink dress. She had a willowy waist, long and perfectly straight legs, upright and slender shoulders, beautiful collarbones, and her long hair was braided into a plait. She looked fresh and radiant.
The moment she walked in, everyone’s gaze turned toward her.
Her appearance surprised the crowd.
Xie Zhiyi, who had just taken a sip of liquor, choked violently, his face flushing red. He hurriedly set down his glass and walked over to her.
“Jinyao, why are you here?”
Shen Jinyao’s big, beautiful eyes glanced at Shen Zimu, who immediately caught on and announced loudly, “I heard Zongye-ge is throwing a party here, so I wanted to join in the fun. My sister came to keep an eye on me. Are we not allowed to come?”
Shen Zimu had a rather feminine face, and with his childish voice, he was quite adorable.
Xie Zhiyi couldn’t resist pinching his soft cheeks. “Of course you can. Come, come, you two can sit at the kids’ table.”
The villa was huge, fully equipped with multiple entertainment areas, including a playground for children—like a professional club.
Shen Zimu, at his age, was full of playful energy. The moment he reached the play area, he started letting loose. Shen Jinyao told him to play there while she went to find He Zongye.
She sent him a message but got no reply for a long time. Her brows furrowed as a few people approached from the opposite direction.
Catching sight of that familiar shade of pink, Shen Jinyao turned to leave.
“Jinyao, what are you doing here?”
Su Qian called out to stop her, her smile gentle, her gaze landing on the dress she was wearing. “We really do have the same taste—matching outfits again.”