Ling Jue had no idea that his dear girlfriend was already planning to break up.
After not seeing her for days, he wanted to be affectionate, but was blocked by a family rule. Feeling frustrated, he quickly and skillfully resorted to a decisive move.
He even managed to send away the two tag-alongs, Qian Youyou and Jiang Yuzhou.
Early in the morning, after picking her up from the Jiang Family, he wrapped Qin Shuyi in a full embrace.
He held her for a while before letting go, sighing helplessly, "How did I, as the official boyfriend, end up feeling like I'm sneaking around?"
Qin Shuyi laughed, "Because you can't see the light of day~"
Ling Jue reached out and pinched her cheek. "What, you think your boyfriend isn't presentable?"
Qin Shuyi leaned back to avoid him, but he tickled her waist, making her giggle. "Alright, alright, you're the most presentable, the handsomest, the richest, the best, the most outstanding in the whole world, okay?"
Her sweet words were lively and charming. Ling Jue smiled and pinched her fair, tender cheek again.
He wasn't really angry.
Jokes only break someone when they feel the joke hits a sore spot.
In Jue Ye's mind, it was obvious that he couldn't possibly be unpresentable or looked down upon by the Jiang Family.
As for Mr. and Mrs. Jiang, showing a bit of humility when occasionally running into them and offering some convenience in social settings was already the greatest respect from Crown Prince Ling.
Even Qin Shuyi's own parents hadn't warranted a special visit from him, let alone her aunt and uncle, who were merely relatives.
Even so, the Jiang Family should be grateful they produced a Qin Shuyi who caught his eye.
Deep down, the Crown Prince always carried the arrogance reflected by his family background.
Of course, there was another possible reason.
It was just a relationship, and both of them tacitly avoided the topic of meeting each other's parents.
Ling Jue found it troublesome.
…
Ling Jue had picked up Qin Shuyi early in the morning to take her out for fun.
Xie Muchen's family had recently developed a coastal cultural tourism project and invited everyone to experience it over the weekend.
Qin Shuyi didn't see Xu Chen today; it seemed few of the people who had been in the private room that night were present.
Ji Xiuheng had another woman by his side, while Xie Muchen was still with Xu Yan, whom Qin Shuyi had seen once before—apparently the principal dancer of a well-known dance troupe.
When Xu Yan saw Ling Jue walking over hand in hand with Qin Shuyi, she glanced at them curiously.
She had been there when Ling Jue lost his temper last time.
She had been with Xie Muchen for a few months and had seen Ling Jue a few times. The Crown Prince was quite aloof; even when others had women on both arms, his side remained quiet.
She thought he was the exception among that circle, someone who kept himself clean.
Little did she know that when she voiced her guess, it sparked a round of laughter.
Xie Muchen affectionately patted her head, as if amused by her naivety. "Your Jue Ye is playing the Reformation Game right now. Don't disturb him."
Xu Yan was confused.
It wasn't until she became more familiar with the group that she learned about Qin Shuyi.
She heard that she was the only girlfriend the Crown Prince had publicly acknowledged, that she came from an ordinary background but was exceptionally beautiful, and that she was quite skilled, having stayed by Ling Jue's side longer than the maximum period everyone had privately bet on.
After all, the women around Jue Ye were all Monthly Disposable Accessories.
Her name came up frequently, but it was only the last time that Xu Yan finally met Qin Shuyi.
Ling Jue didn't like bringing her out to hang with them much.
Not long ago, one night when Xie Muchen and Ji Xiuheng invited Ling Jue out for drinks, the person on the other end of the phone casually mentioned that he was making a late-night snack for his girlfriend.
Ji Xiuheng cursed in disbelief—this guy was really getting addicted to the role.
Is falling in love really that fun?
Xu Yan thought at the time, if it reaches this point, who knows if it’s still just a game?
Yet the phrase "just having fun" uttered in the private room shattered her illusions.
Men really are creatures who know how to deceive.
He clearly acted as if he loved her so much, yet he remained soberly aware of the chasm between them.
Seeing Ling Jue’s heartlessness, she couldn’t help but feel a chill, as if wounded by the same plight.
"What’s the point of overthinking it? At least she has the title of girlfriend and has enjoyed everything she should. Does it have to be a life-and-death love to count as having feelings?"
The speaker was Xia Zhiyue, who had come with Ji Xiuheng.
Unlike Xu Yan, who appeared pure and delicate on the outside but was sentimental and sensitive inside, Xia Zhiyue was bright, sunny, healthy, and lively. She applied sunscreen to her sexy, sun-kissed skin while casually responding to Xu Yan’s musings.
When it came to playing with these wealthy men, she had clear goals from the start: money and resources.
Ji Xiuheng was even handsome, which she considered a bonus.
As for talking about love with these playboys, in her opinion, it was just a waste of time.
These people might not even have feelings for their future, properly married wives.
Xu Yan had no response.
From her observations, Qin Shuyi truly hadn’t suffered any grievances.
She expressed her temper directly, dared to confront Jue Ye, never held back her thoughts, and made her requests openly and confidently. Even…
She glanced at the handsome man carrying a woman on his back while strolling along the beach, occasionally bending down to pick up seashells as instructed.
Most of the time, it was Jue Ye who served her.
Xu Yan pursed her lips and hesitated, "But… people aren’t made of wood or stone."
Xia Zhiyue rolled her eyes dramatically. "I think that Miss Qin is more clear-headed than you."
She didn’t dwell on whether there was love or how much love there was. Whatever affection Ling Jue showed on the surface, she accepted it.
As for whether she’d be heartbroken after a breakup, she’d deal with that when it happened.
Xia Zhiyue speculated privately: while she was after money, Miss Qin seemed more like she was in it for the fun.
The only fool here was this great dancer.
She patted Xu Yan’s shoulder. "The real deal is to make the most of it while you can."
With that, she tossed her hair and went to join Ji Xiuheng’s beach volleyball team.
Xu Yan pressed her lips together.
Reason was one thing, but how could one not be moved when faced with a man who treated you with endless kindness?
…
Qin Shuyi, whose feelings were the subject of Xu Yan’s concern, was indeed deeply moved.
After carrying her for a while, Ling Jue walked to the surfing area.
Surfing was a piece of cake for an extreme sports enthusiast like Ling Jue. His tall figure stood firmly on the surfboard as massive waves rolled in. Like a sharp blade, he cut through the surface of the water, the waves crashing and shattering into beautiful sprays that splashed against his well-defined chest muscles or flowed over his powerful abdominal lines.
Sometimes he rode the wind upward, other times he glided down with the waves. The azure sea seemed like a toy he could manipulate at will.
No wonder people loved challenging the limits of nature. At this moment, Qin Shuyi fully grasped Ling Jue’s charm.
She called out loudly for him to return.
Hearing her voice, Ling Jue quickly made his way back.
As soon as he stepped onto the sand, a "koala" wrapped herself around him.
Qin Shuyi wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, planting a loud kiss on his cheek.
"Ling Jue, you’re so handsome!"
For Qin Shuyi, who wasn’t usually very expressive with her emotions, this was the highest form of sincere praise.
Ling Jue's lips curved upward as he lowered his head to kiss her lips, gazing into her bright eyes with a mix of satisfaction and a sigh.
"Qin Shuyi, do you like me this much?"
Qin Shuyi kissed him again.
"Teach me!"
She pleaded with a fierce yet coquettish charm.
Such an amazing coach—she simply had to have him.