Absurd
“Meng Zhizhuo is indeed as rumored—a very generous patron. I’ve made quite a bit of money leveraging his influence and even started a small company. My income is substantial now.
I’m telling you all this just to remind you that if it’s only about money, Meng Zhizhuo is indeed a great choice. But someone as innocent as you shouldn’t get too deeply involved with him.
And also…”
Lin Shuiqing stopped walking, mustering her courage to say, “And what I want to say is: I have money, enough for both of us to live here for a lifetime! Could you consider me?”
Su Yuning: “…Huh?”
“If you think the current amount isn’t enough, I can go earn more! If you think it’s too little, I’ll find a way to reconnect with Meng Zhizhuo… I’ll use the money he gives me to support you!”
Oh dear, does Meng Zhizhuo know you think this way?
Suddenly, I feel a bit sorry for him.
Seeing Lin Shuiqing getting more and more excited and forgetting to lower her voice, with passersby already casting glances their way, Su Yuning hurriedly said, “Calm down, sis, calm down.”
Lin Shuiqing did gradually calm down but still said, “I don’t want to be your sis.”
Su Yuning felt her head spinning. There must be something wrong with the feng shui in City A! Why are all these handsome guys and beautiful girls acting crazier than the last?
She placed her hands on Lin Shuiqing’s shoulders, steadying her seriously, and said, “I don’t have any plans to date for now—don’t get excited, let me finish. If I ever do, I’ll consider you.”
Lin Shuiqing was overjoyed. “Really?!”
Su Yuning: “But only consider, okay!”
“Mm! That’s enough for me!”
Lin Shuiqing smiled happily. She was a bit taller than Su Yuning and awkwardly leaned her head against Su Yuning’s shoulder. “You know, the moment I first saw you, I felt like my dopamine exploded like the grandest fireworks in City A.”
Su Yuning: What kind of description is that?
“I’ve never felt this way before. It’s not like I’ve never been moved when I was with others. But compared to my feelings for you, those were too trivial, too insignificant. It wasn’t until that day that I understood what true love really is.”
Su Yuning: I don’t understand.
She really couldn’t figure it out.
In the evening, finally free from Lin Shuiqing, Su Yuning went to work serving tables, feeling physically and mentally exhausted. She hadn’t forgotten about Shen Xiuhuai’s situation and mustered her energy to say, “You can clock out early today. I’ll handle your share of the work.”
Shen Xiuhuai looked down at her with a lofty gaze, his lips parting to utter two words: “No need.”
Su Yuning felt annoyed. “Suit yourself.”
This top student and suspected novel male lead had such a sour expression. While reading novels, she thought it was cool, but encountering someone like this in real life—and as a coworker no less—Su Yuning just wanted to keep her distance. She had no intention of doing something like warming up to someone who clearly wasn’t interested.
Melting and warming an icy male lead was something for a sunshine female lead to do. She couldn’t even warm herself up—how could she spare the energy to care about others?
Su Yuning pouted and turned to head into the kitchen.
Shen Xiuhuai realized his attitude might have come across as unpleasant. He opened his mouth to explain but didn’t know what to say. In the end, he could only silently get to work, even finishing Su Yuning’s tasks for her.
Su Yuning didn’t know what to say. In the end, she bought him dinner as a way to return the favor.
Unexpectedly, Shen Xiuhuai did not refuse the dinner. He tightened his grip on the plastic bag and said, “Thank you. I’ll finish it.”
Hearing this, Su Yuning’s attitude toward him softened as well. “It’s fine, no need to be polite. You’ve helped me a lot too.”
In the evening, after work.
Su Yuning rode off on her electric scooter, while Shen Xiuhuai quietly made his way home.
Behind the bustling city lay impoverished rental housing.
Shen Xiuhuai’s mother was hospitalized, and he lived here alone, in a space so cramped it could only accommodate one person.
The school provided dormitories, but Shen Xiuhuai didn’t stay there. He didn’t get along well with others and found the school too quiet and boring, so he rented a place nearby.
He actually had enough money—enough to keep his mother in the hospital for treatment, enough that he didn’t need to take on extra part-time work, and enough that he didn’t have to live in a cheap rental.
He was clever. Since high school, he had started investing in stocks and making small investments, using his scholarship money as capital. At first, he lost a few times, but once he figured out the patterns and mastered the rhythm, he began to earn money in multiples.
He took on part-time jobs because he disliked being idle. When idle, his mind would automatically start working at high speed, and over time, it became unbearable. Working was a way to relax his mind, and he also wanted to observe people through his job.
He lived here because he had no requirements for living conditions. Those who knew him would say Shen Xiuhuai was an odd person, and he thought so too.
After placing the dinner on the table, he first washed up and changed his clothes before sitting down.
Since there was only one table in the room, it served as both a desk and a dining table.
Shen Xiuhuai didn’t eat right away. Instead, he opened his diary and began writing swiftly:
“Month X, Day X, sunny.
Today, I spoke two sentences with her. But it seems I made her unhappy.
I don’t know why, but whenever I talk to her, my mind goes blank. It’s hard to control my expressions, so I keep making mistakes.
She bought me dinner.
Very happy.
Will finish it all.”
Su Yuning, lying in bed with a face mask on while scrolling through videos, suddenly received a [picture].
She clicked to see it—it was actually sent by Shen Xiuhuai. It was a photo of empty tableware, and through the merchant’s logo reflected in the picture, she recognized it as the dinner she had bought him earlier.
He really did finish it all… and did he really have to take a photo and send it over?
What did he mean by this?
She thought for a moment and sent a “thumbs-up” emoji.
Just as she was about to switch back to watching videos, the other side replied instantly.
Shen Xiuhuai: Thank you for the praise.
…
For some reason, whenever she spoke with this colleague, Su Yuning always felt a sense of helplessness, as if they were speaking different languages.
Perhaps this was the thought process of an academic genius—of course, it was different from us ordinary mortals.
Su Yuning sighed to herself and continued watching her videos.
Shen Xiuhuai, who had been sitting upright and waiting for a long time but received no further reply, added to his diary:
“Exchanged another sentence in text chat.
She sent an emoji.
I replied normally.
She stopped talking.
Why?”
Su Yuning was happily watching videos, but as she continued, her smile faded.
Title: Three Men Fighting Over One Woman!
Cover: Meng Zhizhuo, Lu Ji, Shen Xiuhuai, and the inconspicuous Su Yuning in the corner…
The scene of three tall, handsome guys confronting each other was both thrilling and eye-catching, causing the view count to skyrocket.
Upon clicking, it turned out to be the incident that happened at the restaurant that day.
Aside from asking for the contact information of the three young men, some comments in the bullet chat were also inquiring:
Who is that girl they’re fighting over? Being pursued by three handsome guys, she must be a beauty too! Come out and let me admire that divine face!
Others said: Why is that waiter just standing there like a fool? It’s like he’s not even in the same dimension as the handsome guys.
Su Yuning: Thanks, but if I’m not mistaken, the “object of contention” for those three seems to be that clueless waiter.
Did I just scroll into a video about myself??
How absurd!