August 29th, the day for registration at Fudan University.
Xia Zhi dressed up meticulously, eagerly anticipating her first date with Pei Yuexuan.
The dress was MIUMIU’s latest runway piece, just released in Europe and unavailable in domestic boutiques.
It was a classic black off-shoulder style, with the most challenging “death Barbie blue” on the bodice and skirt—a color notoriously hard to pull off. Yet on Xia Zhi, it looked nothing short of perfect, exuding both sophistication and elegance.
Her black stiletto heels were adorned with delicate four-section bows.
Her long black hair was styled into romantic, playful curls, and she wore only a single strand of pale pink seawater pearls around her neck.
The overall look was both feminine and brimming with refined innocence.
All of this, of course, was without considering her face, for any embellishment or accessory paled in comparison to Xia Zhi’s exquisitely beautiful features.
But,
Xia Zhi waited until evening without seeing any sign of Pei Yuexuan.
A proud young heiress would never take the initiative to call and ask—that would be too embarrassing.
As night fell, Pei Yuexuan finally called.
‘Sorry, Rere, I had to go abroad unexpectedly and forgot about our arrangement.’
No wonder she hadn’t heard from him these past two days—he had gone abroad.
Though unhappy, Xia Zhi responded obediently,
‘Then, Brother Yuexuan, when will you be back? When can you take me to explore the campus?’
There was a silence on the other end for several seconds.
‘Sorry,’
Pei Yuexuan’s voice was unusually low and hoarse, as if he had aged several years. He spoke coldly to Xia Zhi,
‘Rere, I only see you as a little sister.’
With that, the call ended.
Xia Zhi frowned at her phone screen, feeling somewhat bewildered.
If not for the dreams she’d had, revealing Pei Yuexuan’s suppressed, deep feelings for her, she might have almost believed his nonsense.
When she tried calling back, his phone was already turned off.
Uncertain what game he was playing, the young heiress angrily threw her phone.
The next second, her phone rang cheerfully again.
The proud young heiress hesitated for a moment… before reluctantly… picking it back up.
Huh?
It was a video call from Bai Jiyue.
10 p.m., the heart of S City’s nightlife, the nightclub district.
Tang Palace, located in the prime area, was the most upscale nightclub in all of S City—bar none.
The wealthy second-generation crowd frequented this place year-round, treating it like their own backyard.
Xia Zhi had never set foot here before; she had always despised such smoky, chaotic, and debauched places.
But Bai Jiyue was drunk, rambling incoherently over the phone, crying as she looked at her…
In the end, Xia Zhi decided to go and see what was happening. At the very least, she needed to make sure Jiyue got home safely.
As soon as Xia Zhi’s car pulled over by the roadside, someone immediately came to greet her.
With careful, fawning attention, they escorted her through the VVIP entrance directly to the third floor of Tang Palace, to a private party lounge.
The young heiress was generous, instantly tipping him five thousand yuan.
Inside the party lounge, the lighting was chaotic, dim, and yet glaring.
Xia Zhi stood at the entrance for a while, adjusting to the light, before spotting Bai Jiyue in the corner on the right.
“Jiyue…”
“Rere!! Wuwuwu!”
Bai Jiyue, clutching a wine bottle, sat alone on a large sofa, crying her heart out.
Seeing Xia Zhi, she rushed over and clung to her arm, crying even more sorrowfully,
“Rere, I’m so miserable, I feel like I’m dying…”
“Why does it have to be you? You’re so good, I can’t even bring myself to compete with you…”
“He gave up most of his life for you… his fate hangs in the balance… yet I don’t even have the right to care about him… I feel so terrible…”
…
Xia Zhi took the bottle from Bai Jiyue’s hand and placed it on the table, looking bewildered as she asked, “Whose fate is hanging in the balance?”
Bai Jiyue gazed at her with tear-filled eyes and slowly shook her head, “My brother won’t let me tell you… sob…”
“Your brother?”
Xia Zhi turned to look at the center of the grand hall. A man dressed in a gaudy, colorful shirt was kissing two beautiful women, one in each arm. The eldest son of the Bai Family, Bai Jiyue’s own brother. This young master Bai was notorious in S City as a party animal, spending nearly every day immersed in various celebrations. Due to their age difference of a few years, Xia Zhi had never formed any connection with him.
She asked Bai Jiyue in confusion, “I’m not close to your brother…”
Bai Jiyue cried even louder. She seemed burdened with unspoken worries, unable to voice them, and could only pick up the bottle again, drowning her sorrows in alcohol. “Rere, come, drink with me… keep me company…”
…
On a diagonal set of sofas sat several distinguished young masters. The man in the center looked particularly formidable; even the other young masters accompanying him seemed nervous and uneasy.
He was tall, lounging casually against the backrest, his long legs unable to stretch fully in the limited space, so he propped them on the tabletop cluttered with imported liquor. No one dared to make a sound.
He wore a loose black tank top and baggy black military-style trousers, topped with a flashy, exaggerated silver motorcycle jacket. His short black hair was styled into a messy, spiky look, with the sides shaved down to a bluish-black scalp. His eyebrows were thick and dark, his nose bridge high and straight, and his peach blossom eyes, seemingly smiling yet not, were perpetually filled with fierceness and disdain.
On the corner of his lower lip, two silver lip rings pierced the flesh, while a black eyebrow stud adorned the arch above. From head to toe, he exuded an aura of “I’m the baddest in the world.”
The man raised a glass of liquor and took a large gulp, his prominent Adam’s apple moving with a rough, sensual rhythm. On his left hand, which held the glass, a tattoo peeked out from under his sleeve, suggesting his entire arm was likely covered in ink. The tattoo extended to his ring finger, wrapping around the knuckle several times.
Jiang Yifei, the heir to the underworld—no one was unaware of him. His maternal family monopolized all underground black-market industries in S City, while his father was the head of the largest triad in Hong Kong. He had never lived a low-key life, existing as a force of sheer audacity.
“Master Jiang, that’s Xia Zhi over there…”
Tang Yun sat on the very edge of the sofa group, daring to occupy only half the seat, as he pointed in Xia Zhi’s direction. “That’s Pei Yuhuan’s precious darling.”
Jiang Yifei lifted his gaze, sweeping a glance in that direction without uttering a word.
A wealthy heir nearby chuckled, “Xia Zhi? Who doesn’t know her? She’s famously known as the little fairy in our circle—just too well-behaved, never comes out to play, not one of us.”
Another heir immediately chimed in, “I heard she dumped Pei Yuhuan. Young Master Pei has been drinking himself to death… Tsk, she looks innocent, but her game is anything but ordinary.”
Tang Yun, unwilling to let it go, cautiously looked at Jiang Yifei and spoke again, “Master Jiang, you’ve always disliked Pei Yuhuan, right? Why not win Xia Zhi over and give him a good slap in the face…”
Jiang Yifei impatiently sat up and hurled the glass in his hand at Tang Yun’s forehead.
“Fuck, who the hell are you to come stir shit up with me?”
Tang Yun didn’t even dare to dodge, taking the hit head-on.
A large gash immediately opened, blood gushing out.
His last scheme had been ruined by Xia Zhi, and he’d been holding a grudge ever since.
Finally seizing an opportunity in this setting, he went all out, determined to get revenge.
Tang Yun returned the glass with a cheeky grin, continuing to flatter Jiang Yifei,
“Only you have that kind of charm…”
Jiang Yifei’s gaze was always listless.
Born with the world at his feet, he found nothing of interest.
He looked toward Xia Zhi’s direction again.
The delicate woman had a demeanor more akin to a young girl.
Though her face and figure were exceptionally stunning, her eyes were surprisingly pure.
At that moment, a friend beside her handed her a drink, and she reluctantly took a small sip.
Finding it quite tasty, her eyes instantly brightened a little.
Like a kitten, she cradled the cocktail and drank it all in one go.
Sure enough, the next second she was tipsy.
Her already beautiful, radiant face took on a layer of adorable pink, and her affectionate eyes turned slightly red, making them appear even more dewy.
She glanced vaguely in this direction, alluring without even realizing it.
Jiang Yifei suddenly grew interested, straightening up and crossing his legs,
“Alright then, I’ll play along.”
“Master Jiang, you’re the man! Once you make a move, you’ll definitely win her over!”
Tang Yun was thrilled, immediately launching into flattery.
Jiang Yifei scoffed,
“Tang Yun, later… you’ll have to make a little sacrifice.”