After expressing himself bluntly with a single word, Wen Ying decisively shut down Goose Goose.
“Gentleman, I want to see the original plot.”
Wen Ying thought for a moment, then added.
“It’s the section related to the party, roughly in the middle-to-later part.”
He hadn’t initially thought Huo Jueyue’s sudden madness had anything to do with the original book, but when he heard Huo Jueyue asking him to help cover…
Wen Ying felt this was very similar to a certain plot he remembered from the original work.
[At your command, Your Highness.]
“Gentleman” relied on keyword search and quickly located a long string of text with precision.
Sure enough, there was a similar plot in the book.
Ignoring the frantic vibration notifications from his phone, Wen Ying looked at the light screen.
It was still that pure, old-fashioned flavor.
“You shameless pervert, I’m not helping you.”
Wen Yingying’s little face flushed bright red, tears glistening in her eyes. The girl puffed out her cheeks and planted her hands on her hips: “If you want to go to the party, go find someone else!”
What followed was a lengthy description of the male and female leads’ appearances, which Wen Ying skipped over directly.
Just like him, Wen Yingying in the book didn’t agree to Huo Jueyue’s inexplicable request, and even got into a big fight with him over it.
But when the day of the party arrived, the girl who was too curious about what a masquerade party looked like couldn’t hold back and secretly snuck into Sakura Alley.
But just like Huo Jueyue, who came alone, Wen Yingying, who was also by herself, was stopped at the entrance of the Neon Bar where the party was being held.
The waiter bowed in apology, requiring her to come with a dance partner.
Coincidentally, Wen Yingying spotted a tall, dark-haired young man standing not far away.
The young man had a handsome yet gloomy face, his black pupils deep and unfathomable.
It was him.
Wen Ying stared at the name “Qu Huo” on the page, unsure whether he should marvel at how wonderful fate was, or say that Qu Huo was too much of a tool character.
When he’d first read it, he hadn’t even noticed that Qu Huo had a part in this scene.
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Wen Yingying mustered her courage, planning to use the same method as Huo Jueyue going up to beg Qu Huo to play along with her act.
“Please help me.”
Unfortunately, Qu Huo was the only male supporting character in the entire book who didn’t have a romantic arrow pointing toward Wen Yingying.
“Sorry.”
He ruthlessly refused Wen Yingying and left her with nothing but his back.
As luck would have it, Huo Jueyue, who happened to be wandering nearby, witnessed the scene of Wen Yingying pleading with Qu Huo.
The Young Master Huo, who was already in a foul mood, was consumed by jealousy. He strode forward in large steps and shoved Qu Huo hard.
Veins bulging on his arm, he roughly grabbed Qu Huo by the collar and raised his fist, poised to strike but not yet landing it.
“How dare you bully my woman?”
Qu Huo was lifted by his collar, but he only stared at him coldly, his own fist silently clenching as well.
“Stop it, you two! Don’t fight anymore!”
It was Wen Yingying, frightened out of her wits, who spoke up in time to stop the two from actually coming to blows.
Good thing she stopped them in time.
Half a minute later, and Huo Jueyue would have been beaten into a pig’s head by Qu Huo.
Wen Ying thought indifferently.
The plot that followed was unnutritious and tortured his eyes.
Qu Huo, who had been used as part of their little drama, disappeared silently at the end of the alley. Huo Jueyue and Wen Yingying had a sweet bicker, then entered the bar while playfully shoving each other.
Before the party ended, Huo Jueyue had his arm around Wen Yingying’s waist, and she gave him a not-so-light stomp on the foot.
“You stinky jerk.”
Wen Yingying scolded in a soft breath, pouting coquettishly as she looked up.
“There won’t be a next time!”
Huo Jueyue rarely said nothing.
He savored the softness beside him, once again doubting Wen Yingying’s gender.
This party also laid the groundwork for Wen Yingying’s identity being revealed in front of Huo Jueyue later on.
And Wen Yingying’s heart was fluttering like a deer, feeling that the stinky jerk wasn’t as detestable as she’d thought. Their romantic line had made great progress.
[Sigh.]
[Everyone’s happy, except Qu Huo, whose collar button got popped off.]
“Gentleman” commented sharply.
Wen Ying: “He really is an unlucky bastard.”
Qu Huo appearing near the bar was most likely because he had legitimate business like a part-time job. Of course he wouldn’t agree to Wen Yingying’s request.
But these plot points were all things that hadn’t happened yet in the book.
As long as he insisted on not going to the Neon Bar’s masquerade party, the conflict wouldn’t happen.
And Qu Huo, who was just passing by, wouldn’t get his collar grabbed either.
With that thought, Wen Ying switched back to the chat interface.
In a corner no one cared about, Huo Jueyue was still having his meltdown in full glory.
The “typing…” indicator in the top-left corner of Goose Goose jumped nonstop, more energetic than Huo Jueyue’s affection bar could ever be.
Huo·Jue: [It’s not like I’m asking you to wear a dress, just help me out?]
Huo·Jue: [Ha, don’t think that just because you say no, I’ll look at you more. Letting you come with me is doing you a favor.]
Huo·Jue: [I saw you looking at your phone. Reply.]
Huo·Jue: [Knock knock]
Huo·Jue: [Knock knock ×2]
The long string of messages gave Wen Ying a headache. Afraid Huo Jueyue wouldn’t understand, he calmly repeated himself once more.
Ying: [Sorry, I have other things to do that day. I can’t go.]
He needed to soothe Huo Jueyue’s irritable mood while also shutting the door firmly.
The moment the message was sent, Huo Jueyue, who had been firing off messages like firecrackers, instantly went silent.
Huo·Jue: [Oh.]
Huo·Jue: [Fine, don’t come then, Who cares anyway.]
The “typing.” indicator finally stopped blinking.
But Huo Shao had been thoroughly shattered, going several days without speaking a single word to Wen Ying.
This brought Wen Ying great relief.
Well done. He hoped Huo Shao would keep it up.
Friday.
“Congratulations.”
Gu Xiche handed Wen Ying the pop quiz from their business class, offering quiet congratulations.
Out of a perfect score of one hundred, Wen Ying had scored ninety-six second in the class, trailing only Gu Xiche, who consistently held first place by a wide margin.
Just the week before, Wen Ying’s practice exams had barely scraped by with eighty-five.
“Thanks to the class monitor’s notes.” A faint smile touched Wen Ying’s face as he tucked the paper into his desk.
He noticed Huo Jueyue sneaking glances at his score.
He wasn’t going to let Huo Jueyue find out.
Wen Ying thought maliciously.
After being praised, Gu Xiche lowered his head with an embarrassed smile.
“I only helped a little.”
Since it happened to rain that day, the last period PE was switched to watching a movie indoors.
A slow, old film held little appeal for teenage boys. Wen Ying rested his head on the desk, drowsy, while excited whispers drifted over from nearby.
“Are you guys going to the masquerade party? I already agreed to go with my baby,” one guy said, tugging at his tie, his face brimming with infatuation, oblivious to how loud his voice was getting.
“She also said she’d give me a surprise.”
“Tsk.”
The guy next to him snapped irritably: “Get lost, get lost. Don’t you know I don’t have a girlfriend?”
“Exactly.”
The guy in front chimed in: “So what if you have a baby? Couples who show off die fast!”
Cherry Lane regularly hosted events, and this masquerade party was no small affair.
The marketing tactic of only allowing entry with a date set a threshold for the party, leaving students who couldn’t meet the requirement restless with frustration.
The commotion up front was too loud, so Wen Ying simply lay down on the desk and continued sleeping.
Romance was far from his mind; he had no interest in such topics.
When the bell rang, Wen Ying still didn’t get up.
His neatly tied hair had loosened slightly, soft pink strands lying docilely across the desk.
Rainy days always made people lazy, especially when summer bled into autumn.
Once most of the students had filed out, he finally picked up his umbrella and prepared to leave the classroom.
Leaving at this time was just right no need to deal with the crowded rush, nor face an empty campus.
His phone buzzed.
Wen Ying popped open his umbrella with one hand and glanced down at the caller ID.
The note read “Uncle Huo.”
“…”
His previously relaxed expression turned serious. Wen Ying immediately pressed answer and walked quickly to the stairwell corner.
This was Huo Jueyue’s father, Huo Ting.
The most successful businessman in China, the richest man in S City, and one of the investors in Mingying Academy.
He was also the one who had appeared after the Wen family’s bankruptcy and arranged for Wen Yingying to enroll at Mingying.
Though Wen Ying had never touched the money Huo’s father gave him, given this connection, he couldn’t afford to treat the man with hostility.
“Uncle Huo.”
After the call connected, Wen Ying greeted him proactively.
He was skilled at dealing with powerful elders, maintaining a composed and unassuming demeanor.
“Yingying.”
The man’s voice carried authority without needing to raise it, and didn’t sound particularly aged.
As if recalling something, his tone softened slightly: “How have you been lately? Life treating you well?”
“Everything’s fine, thank you for your concern, Uncle Huo.”
Wen Ying knew he was just being polite, so he played along, waiting for the real purpose to surface.
The call from Huo’s father was unexpected.
Since arriving at Mingying, Wen Ying had only occasionally reported on Huo Jueyue’s situation to the Huo family’s steward. And Huo’s father, as the man who held China’s economic lifeline in his hands, had never personally reached out.
From the book, he knew that the rebellious Huo Jueyue refused to be disciplined and had a strained relationship with Huo Ting.
While others said “Daddy” or “Father” left and right, Huo Jueyue would call him “old man” or “the geezer,” rolling his eyes to the heavens.
Having witnessed Huo Jueyue’s truly filial behavior firsthand, Wen Ying wholeheartedly supported Huo’s father cutting off his bank card.
But Huo Ting hadn’t given up on his wayward son. Wen Ying guessed that the special call was probably about Huo Jueyue.
“As long as you’re doing well, that’s what matters.” A genial laugh passed through Wen Ying’s ears, grating on him.
Veteran businessmen spoke in circles, and Huo Ting showed no sign of ending the pleasantries.
“Your Aunt Bai is always talking about you. She ordered a few haute couture pieces for you. Since that brat Jueyue is never home, come by the Huo residence sometime to try them on.”
“It’s a shame you can’t wear dresses at school, but you should dress beautifully when you’re out.”
Wen Ying: .
Right. Huo Ting knew his “true identity.”
In the Huo couple’s understanding, he was actually an eighteen-year-old girl who had lost both parents.
And Huo Jueyue’s mother, whose surname was Bai, had liked Wen Yingying from the very beginning of the book, deeply sympathizing with her circumstances. Such gifts weren’t surprising.
But Wen Ying was not going to wear a dress.
“Thank you for your kindness, Uncle Huo.”
Feeling a chill at his back, Wen Ying rubbed his arm.
“I wouldn’t want to trouble Aunt Bai.”