’We’re about to kiss!’
’Oh my god, we’re about to kiss!’
’Why isn’t he pushing me away?!’
As Jiang You drew close enough to kiss Shen Lan, her movements slowed. Her dewy pink eyes fluttered and her heart began to race. Her fingers, pressed against the tabletop, tensed and curled up in nervousness.
Their breaths mingled as an ambiguous heat gradually rose between them.
The sweetness was almost cloying enough to make one’s head spin.
Shen Lan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He actually showed a slight inclination to lean toward Jiang You’s lips.
"BANG!" The back door was slammed open with a tremendous noise.
Looking startled, Jiang You quickly straightened up and glanced outside the door, but she didn’t see anyone.
’I wonder who that was.’
’Still, thank goodness for whoever that was. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known what to do. Were we really going to kiss?’
’That scared me to death! We almost kissed.’
Shen Lan didn’t look behind him. His long lashes were half-lowered, a flash of frustrated desire crossing his eyes as he lightly tapped the desk with his slender fingertips.
His tail had appeared.
Beastmen only exhibit their beast-like traits when they’re agitated.
’I’m losing a little control.’
He slowly stood up and looked down at her. His gaze was dark for a moment, but the look was quickly gone, replaced by his usual clear, limpid, and affectionate blue eyes. He seemed to smile, his own eyes curving. "Girlfriend, let’s go. I’ll take you home."
Jiang You composed herself and said calmly, "Okay."
Neither of them mentioned what had just happened as they left the classroom.
After they left, a figure appeared silently in the shadows of the hallway.
Zhou Yu’s thin, lonely figure stood there, his eyes downcast. His somewhat long black hair drooped over his beautiful yet cold, melancholic eyes.
Bitterness spread across his tongue, and a few streaks of crimson tinged his dark, melancholic eyes.
’Weren’t you supposed to be toying with my feelings?’
’How could you go and find someone else halfway through?’
...
Jiang You sent her own driver home and got into Shen Lan’s private car.
When Shen Lan’s driver saw that his young master had yet another new girlfriend, his expression didn’t change at all. He was already used to it.
"Where do you live?" Shen Lan asked, turning his head to look at her.
Jiang You gave an address, looking perfectly at ease in the luxury car without a hint of timidity.
The driver dutifully began driving toward the address Jiang You had given.
On the way, Jiang You took out a mirror and lipstick and began studying the effect of applying several thick layers, as if this was the only way to get through the awkward silence.
"Girlfriend? Why are you sitting so far away?" Shen Lan glanced at her. "Come sit over here."
That last part was spoken softly, like a faint command.
He had been in a position of power for so long that his words always sounded like orders.
But Jiang You was playing the part of a vicious young lady.
"If you want to be closer to me, can’t you move over yourself?" Jiang You scoffed, full of confidence.
Shen Lan raised an eyebrow. "Fine."
He quickly moved to sit beside Jiang You. Leaning back against the seat with his eyes half-closed as if to take a short nap, his leg pressed against hers.
Jiang You’s lips parted, but in the end, she said nothing.
’I have no idea what this male lead is thinking anymore.’
Fortunately, nothing else happened for the rest of the ride.
After Jiang You got home, the thought of that zero-point test paper was unbearable.
So, she started to cram.
The system wouldn’t let her study at school, so Jiang You could only cram for dear life at home.
But as she crammed and crammed, she felt like the knowledge was just being chaotically stuffed into her head.
’This isn’t working. I need to find someone to teach me systematically.’
So, Jiang You found a tutor online.
She found a one-on-one tutor from a tutoring agency for two hundred Star Coins an hour, with no camera required.
Her request was to quickly learn everything from elementary school to high school!
After all, she had absolutely no foundation in the subjects taught here, like Beast Souls and their forms.
The teacher was very accommodating.
Teacher Zhou: I can do that.
Jiang You: Then we’ll schedule the lessons according to my availability. My hours might be a bit crazy, usually very late.
Teacher Zhou: That’s fine.
Jiang You: Great!!
Seeing the surname "Zhou," she didn’t think much of it.
’There’s no way the tutor I found could also be a male lead, right? Impossible.’
But in fact, it really was Zhou Yu.
Zhou Yu needed money. He was very short on cash.
Working as an online tutor for the agency, teaching high school and elementary students, was a regular thing for him.
When Zhou Yu replied to Jiang You’s message, he was mixing drinks at a bar.
At first, he didn’t have much of a reaction to his new tutoring gig.
But then he saw the other person’s nickname: Youzi.
Driven by some unknown impulse, Zhou Yu used hacking methods to get this client’s information.
Zhou Yu was just testing a suspicion, but when he discovered it really was Jiang You, the terminal in his grip felt scorching hot, and a ghostly fire seemed to ignite in his dark eyes.
Jiang You, unaware of all this, crammed information about this world until her head felt swollen. The knowledge was a jumbled mess that wouldn’t stick.
Giving up, she hugged her blanket and went to sleep.
「The next day.」
As expected, Jiang You had dark circles under her eyes. She tried to cover them with powder, and while it helped, her pink eyes still looked listless.
The morning was filled with rotating classes. Since Jiang You had no foundation whatsoever, listening to the lectures was like trying to decipher a celestial script.
Fortunately, her three little followers just led her to skip class, so she didn’t have to attend.
"Sister You, what’s the deal with you and Mr. Lan?" Yu Lin’s eyes sparkled. "We all heard you became Mr. Lan’s girlfriend!"
"Speaking of which, Mr. Lan didn’t come to class this morning either," Lin Xue added.
"He’s Mr. Lan. It doesn’t matter whether he attends class or not," Chen Yu chimed in.
Only then did Jiang You remember she’d gotten a boyfriend yesterday.
"Mhm, that’s right. And I’m going to be his last girlfriend," Jiang You said confidently, suppressing her listlessness.
Her three followers immediately started showering her with praise again.
She could definitely do it! She would absolutely be the last one!
"Oh my god, someone challenged Young Master Long to a basketball game! It’s today, at the central stadium! Let’s go watch! It’s going to be so crowded and exciting!" A few girls, chattering like lovestruck teenagers, hurried past Jiang You and her group.
Beside her, Yu Lin seemed to remember something and excitedly grabbed Jiang You’s arm. "That’s right, Sister You! Do you know Long Yu? He’s the Imperial Crown Prince! I’ve never seen what he looks like. Let’s go watch too!"
Jiang You wanted to go back and sleep, not watch some basketball game.
She was just about to refuse.
[Task Eight Issued.]
The words that came out of Jiang You’s mouth were: "Let’s go."
The group headed excitedly toward the stadium.
Jiang You sat in the stands with her three followers.
Every seat in the stands was taken.
There hadn’t been any special promotion. Just the name "Long Yu" and his status as the Imperial Crown Prince were enough to pack the entire stadium.
"S-Sister You, that person is the Imperial Crown Prince, Long Yu?!" Yu Lin’s shriek rang in Jiang You’s ear. "Last time we called him a waiter! Oh my god, what do we do? Do you think Young Master Long will hold a grudge?"