Jiang You glanced at it, but she had no interest in joining the chat.
The original owner’s friends, a group of heiresses, always loved to play with powerless toy boys.
As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together.
The original owner was, naturally, the same kind of person.
Jiang You was just about to lower her wrist.
But when she saw the picture Yun Yue had sent, her gaze paused. ’Why does he look so familiar?’
Jiang You’s pale fingers stopped on the terminal.
In the photo, a young man wore a black baseball cap and a black shirt, with a black backpack slung over one shoulder. He glanced to the side, his eyes obscured by the shadow of the cap’s brim. A faint glimmer of light was reflected in his dark pupils; though indistinct, his gaze felt palpable.
His profile was sharp and cold. The visible skin was exceedingly pale, the kind of white that comes from never seeing the sun.
It was a candid shot.
Yun Yue: This one looks intense. Playing with his feelings would be so satisfying.
Bai Sisi: That’s Zhou Yu from Class One of the Combat Department. His beast form is a black snake. Sister Yue, since when did your tastes change? Aren’t you into the cold, poor guys anymore?
Yun Yue: My tastes have changed. Just you watch. I’ll get him within a month.
Lin Li: Place your bets, place your bets! I’ll bet five million you can’t get him in a month.
...
Jiang You read the messages in the group chat and silently said a little prayer for the male lead, Zhou Yu.
Bai Sisi: @Jiang You, Sister You, want to pick one to play with too?
Xu Mei: Our Sister You just confessed in front of everyone and got rejected. She’s probably feeling embarrassed and sad right now, in no mood to find a new plaything.
Yun Yue: Oh? Do tell.
Jiang You saw these messages and her brow furrowed slightly.
She raised her hand and typed: You want to know? Fine, I’ll tell you all about it in person.
[Task Three Issued.]
Jiang You’s eyelid twitched. She had no choice but to type out a sentence according to the task.
Jiang You: Who says I’m not in the mood for a new plaything? The one Yun Yue has her eye on, I think he’s not bad either. @Yun Yue, interested in a little competition? To see who can get this special admission student first?
Yun Yue: Sure. That just makes it more fun.
Lin Li: Interesting. In that case, I bet ten million that Yun Yue gets him first.
Bai Sisi: I’ll also bet ten million on Yun Yue getting him first.
Xu Mei: Five million just to watch the show. My money’s on Yun Yue.
Shen Qi: Ten million. I bet on Yun Yue.
...
In the ten-person group, excluding the two competitors, the other eight all bet on Yun Yue to win.
Jiang You’s lip twitched. ’There seemed to be a bet like this in the novel, but the story was told from the male and female leads’ perspectives, so the details of the villainess’s side of the bet weren’t fleshed out.’
’But Zhou Yu was a tough nut to crack. In the original plot, neither of the two villainesses managed to win him over.’
Jiang You: Heh. I’ll bet twenty million on myself to win.
Jiang You already knew the outcome. Neither of them would manage to get Zhou Yu. She only sent that message to stay in character.
[Task Three Complete.]
Jiang You fell silent. Task Three from the system was to make a bet with Yun Yue over who could get Zhou Yu first.
’As for how to actually get Zhou Yu, she figured the system’s future tasks would guide her. She didn’t need to worry about it herself.’
From his corner, Zhou Yu also became aware of Jiang You’s task.
’She made a bet with someone over who could get him first?’
Zhou Yu’s deep, cold, ink-black eyes shifted with extreme slowness. ’So, she’s going to pursue me.’
After reaching this conclusion, his throat seemed to turn a little dry, and his pale, cold fingertips trembled slightly.
’He had thought she would never notice him again.’
’He never expected...’
[Task Four Issued.]
Jiang You’s pink eyes flickered. She shot up from her seat, crossing her arms over her chest, her expression blank. "I’m leaving. Don’t follow me."
Her little lackeys assumed Jiang You was in a bad mood and left because of it. They didn’t dare say anything, just watching as Jiang You departed.
[Task Countdown: Fifty-nine, fifty-eight...]
After leaving the grand auditorium, Jiang You started searching for the flower garden mentioned in the system task. Hearing the countdown, she felt a sense of urgency. Her pace quickened, the hem of her skirt flying through the air.
’She was supposed to "accidentally" stumble upon the female lead and Xi Cheng having an "intimate" conversation, and then grow to resent the female lead for it.’
’But damn it, in the novel, the villainess ran into them so easily! Why have I been wandering around for ages without seeing the male or female lead?!’
Tiny beads of sweat broke out on Jiang You’s forehead.
By the flower garden.
Xi Cheng looked at the commoner girl blocking his path, his gaze briefly sweeping over the gray rose brooch on her chest.
"Do you need something?" His tone was flat and emotionless.
"Mr. Xi, thank you for what you said to me earlier. This is a pastry my mom made. It’s not anything expensive, but it’s delicious and can lift your spirits. I hope you’ll be happy all day after eating it." Zhou Yan’s heart stirred as she looked up at him with a smile. Her words were sincere, like a pure and resilient little white flower thriving in the sun.
Xi Cheng’s light silver eyes showed little emotion. His gaze fell dispassionately on the pastry in its cheap-looking food container. He didn’t take it, merely saying, "My apologies. I don’t accept trash."
Zhou Yan froze, not understanding at first. The smile on her face stiffened, her lips trembling. "Wh-what did you say?"
’Was he calling the pastry she gave him trash?’
’But her mother made this by hand.’
Zhou Yan looked at the young man before her. The coldness and nobility in those silver eyes, an arrogance born from a long-held high station—it was as if he wasn’t the same person who had just been on stage, telling her that she should be the one to define her own labels.
The contrast left her at a complete loss.
"The food container in your hand is made of non-food-grade plastic. It does not comply with the Empire’s mandatory safety standard 4806.7 for food-contact materials." Xi Cheng’s tone was dismissive. "This is the first time anyone has handed me such obvious trash."
Jiang You arrived just in time to hear this.
’So pretentious. I don’t even get it.’
’But, hahaha, I made it! The main characters are still talking.’
’This villainess has finally "accidentally" stumbled upon the main characters’ intimate conversation.’
Jiang You hid in a corner, watching, and wiped the fine sweat from her forehead with her pale fingers.
’Damn it, I almost didn’t make it.’
[Task Four Complete.]
Zhou Yan’s fingertips, clutching the container, tightened. Her voice felt strangely choked up. "This container was washed. It’s clean..."
Xi Cheng’s gaze seemed to unintentionally sweep over the pink-haired figure in the distance before returning to the black-haired girl in front of him.
’So, according to the task’s description, the girl in front of me is the female lead?’
’I’m one of the male leads? And I’m supposed to fall for this person?’
’How ridiculous.’
Xi Cheng slowly extended a long, well-defined hand and took the pastry from Zhou Yan.
Zhou Yan, confused, froze for a moment, thinking he was going to accept it.
Who would have known that Xi Cheng would take the box of pastries and, right in front of her, turn it upside down and dump them out.
The pastries fell from the box, landing on the ground and getting covered in dirt. They rolled away, scattered, like the shattered pieces of Zhou Yan’s heart.
Xi Cheng’s voice was faint:
"Trash should be thrown out, after all."