By the time Qiao Man reached the school gate, it was already past midnight.
Using “not wanting to disturb her roommate’s rest” as an excuse, she declined the Gu family driver’s offer to escort her into the campus and instead headed to a hotel near the school.
Jiang Sui was already waiting in the hotel lobby, curled up drowsily in a corner sofa with his long legs awkwardly positioned. Qiao Man walked over and nudged the tip of his shoe.
Jiang Sui jolted awake with a soft groan, his eyes heavy with sleep as he looked at her: “You’re here.”
“When did you arrive?” Qiao Man asked.
Jiang Sui rubbed his temples: “Right after you went to the hospital with Gu Hantian. Is your hand okay?”
“It’s fine. Why didn’t you tell me you switched the knife?” Qiao Man brought up the knife matter.
Jiang Sui paused, his expression turning slightly innocent: “Are you going to get angry?”
“I was going to, but then I thought since the plot proceeded smoothly and I didn’t actually get injured, there’s no need to be angry.”
The plot that had been imprinted in her mind for many days had finally disappeared, and Qiao Man was now in a agreeable mood.
Jiang Sui curved his lips: “Let me see your hand.”
“I told you it’s fine.”
Though complaining, Qiao Man still extended her hand.
Pale and clean – truly unharmed.
Jiang Sui: “Is it acceptable even without injury?”
Qiao Man shot him a glare: “Weren’t you concerned about this when switching the knife? Don’t worry, it’s fine. The original text only mentioned injury, not how severe. Getting red marks from the blade pressure also counts as injury.”
As long as the plot wasn’t described in detail, there was plenty of room for interpretation – she had tested this many times, most recently half an hour ago.
Hearing she was fine, Jiang Sui finally stood up, casually picking up the bag on the sofa containing the clothes he wore earlier as the masked figure.
“Which room?” Qiao Man asked.
Instead of answering, Jiang Sui yawned and countered: “Really not staying at my place?”
“No. Your neighborhood is full of Jing Da students. It wouldn’t be good if we’re seen.” Qiao Man refused.
Jiang Sui stopped persuading: “Third floor, let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Qiao Man trailed slowly behind him before suddenly saying: “Next time you plan something, tell me in advance.”
“Okay.” Jiang Sui agreed.
They entered the elevator one after another, but when they emerged, Qiao Man was in front with Jiang Sui following behind.
It was already early morning. The hotel lighting was dim, the carpet overly soft, making the walk down the long corridor feel like moving through a dream.
Jiang Sui was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open, trudging slowly behind Qiao Man. When she used the key card to open the door, he walked straight in.
“Hey, you…”
Before Qiao Man could finish, Jiang Sui had already collapsed onto the bed.
Qiao Man sighed in exasperation and was about to kick him awake when she heard him mumble: “Wife, don’t want to shower tonight, so tired…”
Hearing the familiar address, Qiao Man froze for a second.
After marriage, Jiang Sui still frequently called her “wife,” but whenever he did, it was either while acting shamelessly or deliberately being cute. What was a normal term of address from other husbands always carried a hint of mischief when coming from him.
Yet she hadn’t heard this mischievous address in a long time.
Had he stopped after she brought up divorce? No, it seemed even earlier than that, he hadn’t called her that anymore.
Thinking about it, Jiang Sui had actually been the first to come to his senses in this marriage.
Unfortunately, she was too slow-witted, or perhaps too accustomed, to turn a blind eye.
Jiang Sui on the bed was already fast asleep. Qiao Man thought for a moment but didn’t wake him.
The next day was September 30th. Jing Da only had half a day of classes, and the holiday officially began in the afternoon.
In the hours leading up to the break, everyone was excited, and Qiao Man was in a good mood too, unusually showing a bit of friendliness toward Jia Xin and Yi Yuanyuan.
Ever since Qiao Man had isolated the two of them, the atmosphere in the dorm had been lukewarm at best. Seeing her attitude soften, Yi Yuanyuan immediately latched on.
“Um… it’s my turn to clean today, but I’m in a hurry to catch my flight. Could you cover for me just this once?”
Qiao Man withdrew her friendliness in an instant: “No.”
Yi Yuanyuan stomped off angrily to take out the trash.
Having fended off her shameless roommate, Qiao Man opened her phone and noticed Jiang Sui had sent a message half an hour earlier.
Him: Why are my socks and shoes soaking in the bathtub?
Qiao Man sneered and replied: You put them there yourself.
Jiang Sui: …I was tired last night, not drunk.
Qiao Man: Just tired? Sleeping like that, I thought you were dead.
Jiang Sui: Scheming abandoned wife.
Qiao Man: Jingda Live-in Son-in-Law.
Both of them snorted coldly at the same time.
Jiang Sui: Bai Xingyu No. 2 plans to go to a manor in the suburbs for a few days. He invited me too.
Qiao Man: No doubt about it, that’s where Gu Hantian is celebrating his birthday.
Jiang Sui: Are we going to run into them again? Let’s congratulate the happy couple in advance.
Qiao Man scoffed. Yi Yuanyuan, who had just finished taking out the trash and was about to slip away, froze and silently picked up the broom again.
Qiao Man glanced at her, and another message from Jiang Sui came through: Any plot points I should pay special attention to?
Qiao Man paused, once again recalling this part of the original story.
It was mainly about the interactions between the male and female leads. Her and Jiang Sui’s roles were minimal, mostly revolving around lurking in the shadows and grudgingly skirting the edges.
But she had no intention of telling Jiang Sui.
After a moment’s thought, Qiao Man typed “go with the flow,” but before she could send it, Jiang Sui’s message arrived first: Don’t tell me there’s another steamy scene?
Qiao Man: “…” Pretty sharp.
Jiang Sui: I refuse.
Qiao Man: Shut up.
Jiang Sui: So fierce. I’m going to throw a tantrum now.
Qiao Man turned off her phone, refusing to engage with him any further.
Jing Da’s holiday started on the afternoon of September 30th. By noon, the campus had grown noticeably quieter.
Jia Xin and Yi Yuanyuan had left early. Qiao Man lay alone on her dorm bed and, taking advantage of having no one around, boldly ordered an expensive milk tea, lavishly loading it with extra toppings.
She wasn’t usually one for indulging in food. Back when she attended school with Jiang Sui, it was often him eating while she watched.
But since arriving in this novel world and enduring a diet of bland vegetables and tofu, she had gradually developed a taste for these sweet, salty, and fattening treats.
Gu Hantian’s birthday was on October 3rd. Xiao Chen had sent a message saying he would pick her up on the afternoon of the 2nd.
That meant she had 48 hours to fully enjoy her freedom.
Qiao Man went downstairs to get her delivery and, while sipping her porridge-like milk tea, contemplated how to spend those 48 hours.
After thinking for a long time, she pulled out her microeconomics homework, planning to crush Gu Hantian’s score and metaphorically stomp on his forehead.
It wasn’t that she had anything against Gu Hantian personally—it was just that he was ranked second.
And she, as it happened, enjoyed widening the gap between herself and the runner-up.
Qiao Man felt a surge of enthusiasm for her homework and was just about to start when her phone vibrated.
She glanced casually—it was Jiang Sui again.
Him: “Since there’s no plot these two days, how about a trip to Feiniao Island?”
Qiao Man: “Not going.”
Jiang Sui: “Why?”
Qiao Man: “I have things to do.”
Jiang Sui: “If I remember correctly, your microeconomics assignment isn’t due for another month.”
Qiao Man instinctively scanned the dorm room before realizing that jerk wouldn’t dare install cameras in the girls’ dormitory.
Jiang Sui: “Come on, it’s really close. The fishing ban just ended there yesterday—the blue crabs are plump now.”
Qiao Man felt slightly tempted.
Jiang Sui: “I heard they have a sea-view cable car too. If we ride it after dark, we can overlook the ocean.”
Qiao Man’s heart swayed even more.
Jiang Sui: “Meet at the school parking lot in ten minutes.”
Qiao Man immediately typed: “I never agreed to this.”
Message failed to send. Red exclamation mark.
She: “…”
Since Jiang Sui hadn’t given her a chance to refuse, ten minutes later she had no choice but to appear at the school parking lot.
Most students had already left, leaving the parking lot sparsely filled with cars. Qiao Man immediately spotted Jiang Sui’s Bugatti, but just as she was about to head toward it, a car horn sounded from diagonally behind her.
Following the sound, she saw Jiang Sui leaning against a BMW 7 Series, waving his car keys at her.
Qiao Man glanced around, pulled sunglasses from her canvas bag and put them on before walking over to him.
“Who was it that said we should be strangers after the divorce? Now you’re asking me out?” she said with affected haughtiness.
Jiang Sui sighed: “Miss Qiao, you really hold grudges.”
“Got a problem with that?” Qiao Man retorted.
Jiang Sui raised his hands in surrender: “Wouldn’t dare. But you were the one who insisted on divorcing me—can’t I even throw a little tantrum?”
“As if you didn’t want the divorce either,” Qiao Man pulled her sunglasses down and rolled her eyes at him.
Jiang Sui just smiled without responding.
“Where’d this car come from?” Qiao Man pushed her sunglasses back up.
Jiang Sui: “You’re always worried about being seen. That other one’s too flashy, so I had someone deliver this grocery-getter.”
Qiao Man looked at the million-yuan “grocery car” and felt class resentment stirring.
Jiang Sui’s eyes crinkled: “Been meaning to say—nice sunglasses.”
Interrupted from her class resentment, Qiao Man lifted her chin proudly: “Obviously. They’re LV.”
“Spent all your part-time earnings on sunglasses, didn’t you,” Jiang Sui circled to the passenger side to open the door for her.
Qiao Man got in and fastened her seatbelt, waiting until Jiang Sui returned to the driver’s seat before saying: “After working so hard all these days, can’t I reward myself?”
“Rewarding yourself with just sunglasses? How pitiful,” Jiang Sui patted the steering wheel with his newfound wealth, “Call me ‘big brother’ and I’ll buy you a bag.”
Qiao Man smiled sweetly: “I’m three months older than you.”
“In today’s society, the one with money is the big brother.”
Jiang Sui also pulled out sunglasses and put them on, speaking with the distinct flavor of a nouveau riche.
Qiao Man shot him a disdainful look.
Jiang Sui, thoroughly enjoying his nouveau riche act, stepped on the gas to take her bag shopping, only giving up after Qiao Man refused three times.
Once they were on the road, Jiang Sui glanced at her sunglasses again and couldn’t help asking: “When did you go shopping?”
Qiao Man: “The day before yesterday.”
“The day before yesterday?” Jiang Sui’s eyebrows lifted, “You had a full schedule that day, and your part-time job hadn’t ended yet. How did you have time to go shopping?”
“Plot requirements.”
Qiao Man had intended to adjust the seat angle but found everything already perfectly positioned, so she abandoned the idea.
Hearing it was for plot requirements, Jiang Sui stopped questioning further.
Indeed, knowing when to stop, understanding boundaries, and having good perception were all necessary survival skills under the queen’s tyranny.
Feiniao Island was a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Jingbei. Jiang Sui had just driven for an hour when he deliberately exited the highway to buy milk tea.
“Are you sure you don’t want any?” Jiang Sui asked.
Qiao Man replied calmly, “I don’t drink that kind of junk beverage.”
“Really?” Jiang Sui raised an eyebrow slightly, his amber eyes tinged with a hint of teasing.
With an air of dignified elegance, Qiao Man affirmed that of course she didn’t.
Jiang Sui chuckled, unfastened his seatbelt, and suddenly leaned over. Caught off guard, Qiao Man found herself pressed against the passenger seat, the distance between their lips reduced to a mere five millimeters.
So close that even without touching, she could sense the warmth of his lips.
Summer had already waved goodbye, and the air was cool. The scent of Jiang Sui’s aftershave was even fresher than the air, mingling with the fragrance of laundry detergent from Qiao Man’s clothes, blending into a peculiar aroma.
Intense yet restrained, gentle yet invasive.
Qiao Man’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as she calmly regarded the suddenly close figure. “What madness is this now?”
Jiang Sui stared into her eyes for three seconds but found no trace of nervousness or shyness.
They were just too familiar with each other.
They had shared the same bed since they were three years old, and by twenty-three, they knew every mole on each other’s bodies. Being accustomed to each other’s presence was as natural as breathing. Even at such proximity, it was hard to feel any awkwardness.
A slight curve suddenly appeared at the corner of Jiang Sui’s lips. Just as Qiao Man was about to sound the alarm, he took a deep breath and returned to the driver’s seat.
“Brown sugar milk tea with mochi and taro paste. Seems like there’s something else in it too,” he clicked his tongue, expressing disdain for Qiao Man’s taste. “Are you drinking porridge or what?”
Qiao Man suddenly regretted not buying a bag.
She should have—preferably a hardcover one—so she could smack him in the face with it right now.
After buying the milk tea, Jiang Sui also brought a bottle of mineral water for Qiao Man before they continued their journey.
Although the map of this novel world largely overlapped with reality, some parts were completely different.
For instance, Feiniao Island, their destination, didn’t exist in reality.
Despite being near the mainland, it boasted a clear, pristine ocean, making it a top choice for many vacationers.
By the time the two arrived on the island, it was already evening.
Qiao Man had booked a hotel during the drive. They headed straight to their destination, dropped off their belongings, and went out for dinner.
They happened to catch the sunset. The beach bar’s tables and chairs were set up outdoors, and they sat at the outermost edge, with an unobstructed view of the setting sun and the sea horizon.
Ever since inexplicably arriving in this novel world, Qiao Man had either been struggling to survive or researching tasks, with almost no leisure time.
When Jiang Sui had asked her out today, she had initially been reluctant. But now, feeling the sea breeze and listening to the birdsong, she suddenly felt a long-lost sense of comfort.
She suddenly understood the meaning of being alive.
“This is wonderful,” Jiang Sui, who had been quiet all along, suddenly spoke.
Qiao Man’s heart stirred, thinking he too had gained some profound insight. Just as she was about to discuss it with him, she saw him holding a knife and fork, staring devoutly at the crab on his plate.
“It’s indeed plump,” he said earnestly.
Qiao Man: “…”
Jiang Sui was truly not on the same wavelength as her. She confirmed this for the ten-thousandth time.
Unaware that his praise for the crab had landed him in Qiao Man’s “not one of us, must be eliminated” category, Young Master Jiang took the hot towel offered by the waiter, wiped his hands, and began the series of actions: shelling, cutting crab legs, and scooping out the crab roe.
Qiao Man rested her chin in her hand, continuing to admire the sunset until the last sliver of light vanished below the horizon and strings of lights illuminated the beach. Only then did she pick up her knife and fork.
A small plate piled high with crab roe and crab meat was suddenly placed in front of her.
Qiao Man froze for a moment before looking up at Jiang Sui.
Jiang Sui was still meticulously wiping his hands. Noticing her gaze, he tilted his chin slightly. “A reward for you. No need to thank me.”
Qiao Man didn’t eat, instead continuing to stare at him.
“I wiped my hands before shelling it.” Jiang Sui spread his palms for her inspection.
Qiao Man pulled out her phone. “Hello, 110? I suspect someone is trying to poison me…”
Jiang Sui snorted coldly and stood up to take the plate away.
Qiao Man quickly stopped him, guarding the plate.
“Thank you.” She ate the food given by this possessive dog and expressed her sincere gratitude.
Jiang Sui shot her a sidelong glance. “You’re welcome. I’ll be counting on you to take care of me at the birthday banquet.”
“Don’t worry, for the sake of this crab, I’ll look after you.” Qiao Man elegantly scooped up a spoonful of crab meat and ate it with a satisfied “ah.”
Jiang Sui said, “How about telling me in detail what will happen at the birthday banquet now?”
Qiao Man paused her spoon briefly before continuing to eat. “You don’t have much of a role anyway, so there’s nothing to tell.”
Jiang Sui nodded.
Seeing that he didn’t press further, Qiao Man secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Qiao Man.” Jiang Sui suddenly called her name.
Qiao Man looked up. “Hmm?”
Jiang Sui said, “Avoiding it won’t help.”
Qiao Man: “…”
“Although I don’t know exactly what will happen on the day of the birthday banquet,” Jiang Sui picked up his white wine glass. The light fell on the elegant stem, making even his knuckles gleam, “in at most two days, I’ll know everything.”
“Then just wait and see.” Qiao Man clinked her glass with his.
On the first day of their vacation, the island wasn’t too crowded. They had originally planned to take the cable car right after dinner, but Qiao Man saw someone singing and changed her mind.
The singer was a man in his twenties, choosing cheerful songs and jumping around happily when he got into it, making the audience sway along.
“Hey, give him some money.”
After listening to two songs, Qiao Man nudged Jiang Sui’s arm.
Jiang Sui glanced at her. “Who’s ‘Hey’? I don’t know them.”
“Cut it out.” Qiao Man directly reached into his pants pocket to get his wallet.
Although it was already autumn, the weather hadn’t completely cooled down. Jiang Sui was still wearing thin summer trousers. Her hand went straight in, and as she fished for the wallet, her knuckles brushed against the slight protrusion of his hip bone.
Jiang Sui watched her quietly, his eyes as deep as the distant sea.
Qiao Man paused for a moment, then feigned nonchalance as she pulled out a few bills and placed them in the hat the singer had set out earlier.
The young man rarely encountered such a generous listener and immediately tried to pull her over to dance.
Realizing his intention, Qiao Man quickly grabbed Jiang Sui and made their escape.
“You spent so much money and didn’t even dance. What a waste.” Dragged along by her, Jiang Sui still walked at a leisurely pace.
Qiao Man pulled him out of the crowd and immediately let go of him. “If you want to dance, you can go back.”
“I’m not dancing. It wasn’t my money he got.” Jiang Sui refused.
Qiao Man said, “It was your money.”
“Oh, now it’s my money? You were so eager to give it away, I thought it was yours.”
“What’s the big deal about spending a little of your money? Don’t be so stingy. Keep a tab, and I’ll pay you back tenfold when we return to the real world.”
“Oho, Miss Qiao is so rich, huh?”
“…”
Qiao Man considered herself quite mature, but whenever she was around Jiang Sui, she instantly regressed to a bickering elementary school kid, their arguments rivaling the content of children’s shows.
The seaside at night was truly beautiful, with a gentle sea breeze and perfect temperature.
Qiao Man found a rock to sit on, gazing at the distant sea in the night.
Jiang Sui leaned against the rock beside her, his long legs casually crossed as if deep in thought.
With just a glance, Qiao Man could tell he was spacing out.
“Want to go out on the boat tomorrow morning?” she asked.
Jiang Sui snapped back to attention and replied casually, “Sure, just don’t make it too early.”
“Seven?”
“Ten.”
“Eight-thirty.”
“Deal,” Jiang Sui glanced at her. “Want to go fishing?”
Qiao Man said euphemistically, “Since we’re already here…”
Jiang Sui understood. “Then let’s head back to the hotel. I’ll contact the boat, and we should rest early since we’re leaving first thing tomorrow.”
“Alright.” Qiao Man jumped down from the rock, though she felt reluctant to leave the beautiful scenery.
Jiang Sui chuckled lazily and stretched. “We’ll have time tomorrow night to enjoy the view as much as you want.”
“But tomorrow night we’re taking the cable car,” Qiao Man frowned.
“The cable car only takes an hour. We can come back afterward and continue enjoying the night view until you’re satisfied.”
“Really?” Qiao Man perked up with interest.
Jiang Sui kept one hand in his pocket, looking down at her with the advantage of his height. “When have I ever lied to you?”
Qiao Man paused, and meeting his gaze, she suddenly felt touched.
“Jiang Sui, we’ve known each other for almost 24 years…”
Just as she started to get sentimental, Jiang Sui suddenly pressed her head down, pushing her behind the rock.
Qiao Man: “?”
“Shh, be quiet,” Jiang Sui whispered.
Forced to sit on the gravel, Qiao Man’s dress was instantly soaked by the waves. Hearing his words, she grew furious.
Just as she was about to scold him, she heard Bai Xingyu’s voice: “Jiang Sui? What are you doing here?”
Leaning against the rock, Jiang Sui responded calmly, “It’s a rare holiday, so I came out for a couple of days. What brings you to Feiniao Island?”
“I’m meeting a friend here for dinner,” Bai Xingyu said, then hesitated and glanced behind him. “I thought I just saw…”
“Yeah,” Jiang Sui interrupted her.
Bai Xingyu was taken aback. “There’s really a girl with you?”
“Yes.”
As soon as Jiang Sui admitted it, Qiao Man’s heart leaped into her throat. She desperately wanted to jump out and warn him not to do anything reckless.
But with the female lead present, she had no choice but to keep hiding behind the rock.
“She’s my cousin,” Jiang Sui added.
“Oh, your cousin. I thought you had a girlfriend,” Bai Xingyu said, understanding dawning on her.
Jiang Sui looked completely serious. “How could that be? I’m pursuing you.”
Bai Xingyu looked embarrassed. “Oh, come on, I told you let’s just be friends… Hey, why is your cousin hiding?”
Qiao Man licked her dry lips and stayed put.
“She’s shy around strangers,” Jiang Sui answered calmly.
Bai Xingyu clicked her tongue. “Surely not so shy that she has to hide. She could at least say hello.”
As she spoke, she started to move around the rock, making Qiao Man even more nervous.
In the original story, the male and female supporting characters had been secretly colluding for a long time, hiding their connection from the world. So at this point, it was absolutely crucial that the female lead didn’t see her with Jiang Sui.
Hearing Bai Xingyu approaching, Qiao Man agonized over whether to cover her face and stay put or make a risky escape. Before she could decide, Jiang Sui stopped Bai Xingyu.
“She can’t see you right now,” he said.
Bai Xingyu: “Why?”
“Because she was relieving herself in public,” Jiang Sui explained seriously.
Bai Xingyu: “?”
Qiao Man: “?”
Jiang Sui sighed and tapped his temple: “My cousin has some issues here. Can’t hold it in.”
A deathly silence fell.
Miss Bai had clearly never encountered such a situation. After stammering for a long time, she finally managed to say, “Isn’t that… a bit uncivilized?”
“Not really. The ocean is the best flushing toilet,” Jiang Sui replied with a slight smile. “The waves will wash away all uncivilized traces.”
Bai Xingyu: “…”
Thanks, she had originally planned to go snorkeling around here tomorrow, but now she decided to cancel the plan.
A minute later, Bai Xingyu went off to find her friends, while Qiao Man, still wearing her soaking wet dress, walked stiffly toward the hotel with a stern face.
“In that situation, if I hadn’t come up with some excuse, she would have seen you,” Jiang Sui said, following leisurely behind Qiao Man.
Qiao Man fumed, “Out of all the excuses you could have made, why did you have to say I was incontinent?!”
“It wasn’t incontinence, just relieving myself in public,” Jiang Sui emphasized. “The former is a physical issue, the latter is an intelligence issue.”
Qiao Man grabbed a handful of wet sand and threw it at him. “You clearly said ‘couldn’t hold it in’ earlier—don’t think I didn’t hear you!”
Jiang Sui dodged with a laugh and quickly closed the distance between them. “Alright, I was talking about a fictional cousin, not you.”
“You were absolutely talking about me!”
Jiang Sui feigned innocence. “How would I dare talk about you like that?”
Qiao Man snorted coldly.
“Don’t be angry. It’s not a big deal,” Jiang Sui said, smoothing down her wind-tousled hair. “Next time, you can say whatever you want about me, and I won’t argue back.”
“I won’t say anything.”
Her Majesty Queen Qiao Man would never stoop to discussing such vulgar topics.
Jiang Sui nodded. “Then tell me, what can I do to earn your forgiveness?”
Qiao Man wasn’t entirely unreasonable. She knew he had been backed into a corner earlier, and after venting her anger, she wasn’t really mad anymore. But without a proper way to save face, she had to keep up the cold front.
Seeing her prolonged silence, Jiang Sui understood. He held one palm upward and used his other hand to mimic a kneeling gesture on it.
“Your Majesty! I beg for your forgiveness!”
Qiao Man let out a short laugh before quickly schooling her expression back to sternness.
Jiang Sui put on a serious face. “Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty. This humble servant will henceforth speak and act with utmost caution, never again uttering reckless words. Should I break this vow, I willingly accept any punish—”
Before he could finish the word “punishment,” Qiao Man suddenly kicked him.
Caught off guard, Jiang Sui lost his balance and tumbled straight into the sea.
The water near the shore wasn’t too deep, reaching only about his waist. After his unceremonious plunge, his feet quickly found the seabed. Just as he was about to push himself up, he heard Xiao Chen’s voice.
Jiang Sui: “…”
Did Jing Da organize a group trip to Feiniao Island? How could he run into so many acquaintances in such a short time!
“Qiao-jie… what are you doing?” Xiao Chen asked, rushing over with a stunned expression.
Qiao Man replied calmly, “Just taking a walk.”
“Taking a walk… then why did you kick someone into the sea?”
Xiao Chen craned his neck to look behind her, but it was too dark to see anything clearly.
Qiao Man shifted from side to side, trying to block his view. “You must be seeing things. There’s no one there.”
“No way, I definitely saw someone,” Xiao Chen insisted, gesturing exaggeratedly to indicate height. “A guy, about this tall.”
Hearing him use “tall” to describe Jiang Sui’s height, Qiao Man suddenly wondered how he had managed to get into Jing Da.
Did his family buy his way in? And what about his usual grades—were those bought too?
While Qiao Man was lost in thought, Xiao Chen began to panic on her behalf. “Qiao-jie! Murder is illegal!”
Qiao Man looked at his bobbing purple hair and asked, “Did you get it touched up? It looks really good.”
“Really?” Xiao Chen’s eyes lit up.
Just as Qiao Man nodded and was about to change the subject, Xiao Chen suddenly pointed at the sea and let out gorilla-like “ooh ooh” sounds.
Qiao Man immediately sensed trouble. Turning around, she saw a head floating on the water.
Bad news: she couldn’t divert the topic anymore.
Good news: although Jiang Sui’s head had surfaced, he was facing away from them, so Xiao Chen couldn’t see his face.
“That’s him!” Xiao Chen continued ooh-ing, “The one you kicked!”
Qiao Man: “…”
“Hey man, you alive?” Xiao Chen called out to the back of Jiang Sui’s head. “Need me to pull you up?”
Afraid of being recognized by his voice, Jiang Sui didn’t dare speak.
“Oh no, oh no, is he dead?” Xiao Chen kicked off his slippers, ready to jump in.
Qiao Man stopped him: “Use some common sense, will you? If he were really dead, he wouldn’t float up this quickly.”
“But…”
“No buts. He’s fine,” Qiao Man cut him off, then said to the back of the head, “Raise your hand to prove it.”
Jiang Sui silently raised his hand and made an ‘OK’ gesture.
Only then did Xiao Chen relax: “Good that he’s okay…”
Qiao Man smiled: “There was never any problem to begin with.”
Xiao Chen nodded, then abruptly changed the subject: “Sis Qiao, is he your boyfriend?”
Qiao Man denied it instantly: “No.”
According to the original storyline, she was currently maintaining a single persona.
“Then who is he?” Xiao Chen asked curiously, glancing again at the person in the water.
Qiao Man: “A passerby.”
Xiao Chen stared blankly for a long moment before hesitantly saying, “You mean… you were chatting and walking with a passerby, then kicked this passerby into the water?”
Qiao Man: “…”
Just how much had he seen!
The one saving grace was that the night was dark and windy – he hadn’t seen Jiang Sui’s face.
Otherwise his reaction would have been much worse.
“Sis Qiao, I may not be as smart as you and Han Tian, but I’m still a top student. You can’t fool me like I’m an idiot,” Xiao Chen complained. “You’re clearly familiar with him. You only kicked him after you saw me.”
Qiao Man twitched the corner of her mouth, then suddenly noticed Bai Xingyu approaching from her peripheral vision.
While Xiao Chen might not recognize the back of Jiang Sui’s head, Bai Xingyu definitely would.
And Bai Xingyu knew her too.
Seeing the risk of exposure looming, Qiao Man immediately pulled Xiao Chen away: “It’s complicated. Let’s go somewhere else and I’ll explain.”
“But what about the one in the…”
“Don’t worry about whether he lives or dies.” Qiao Man was utterly heartless.
Looking confused, Xiao Chen was pushed a couple steps before wriggling like an eel and returning to squat in his original spot.
“Something’s off, Sis Qiao, something’s really off,” Xiao Chen stroked his chin, “Do I know the guy in the water too? Or is his identity… delicate? Otherwise why are you so afraid of me seeing him?”
Qiao Man finally had to admit he was indeed a top student – his mind worked fast.
With Bai Xingyu’s group still approaching and likely to pass them within three minutes, Qiao Man took a deep breath.
“Fine, I lied to you earlier. Actually, this is my boyfriend.”
At worst, she could tell him tomorrow they’d broken up.
“Nice try, but you just denied it,” Xiao Chen narrowed his eyes, his purple hair seeming even more smug.
Qiao Man gave a fake smile: “Because I was planning to keep the relationship secret.”
“Oh,” Xiao Chen nodded, then smiled triumphantly, “I don’t believe you.”
Qiao Man: “…”
“Sis Qiao, you’re not being honest. I’m not asking you anymore.” Xiao Chen said, rolling up his pant legs as he prepared to jump into the sea to prove his point.
As Bai Xingyu drew closer and Xiao Chen readied himself for the plunge, Qiao Man took a deep breath and suddenly calmed down.
“No need to jump. I’ll tell you the truth,” she said calmly.
Xiao Chen immediately stood up: “Really?”
“Mhm.” Qiao Man frowned.
Xiao Chen: “Who is he?”
“A male prostitute.”
Xiao Chen: “What?”
Jiang Sui, who had been soaking in the water the whole time: “…”
Qiao Man and Xiao Chen locked eyes for three seconds before she smiled.
Xiao Chen’s eyes gradually widened as he let out two dry laughs: “D-don’t joke around, Sis Qiao. Not everyone floating in water is a male prostitute.”
Qiao Man continued smiling.
Xiao Chen: “?”
Xiao Chen: “…”
Xiao Chen: “!!!”
“Now you know why I didn’t want to say anything?” Qiao Man glanced at him.
“But… how… this is…”
The honor student was speechless, suddenly gasping: “Aren’t you broke?!”
“Can poor people not hire male prostitutes? Are they exclusively for you rich folks?” Qiao Man gave him a strange look. “Xiao Chen, I didn’t know you were classist.”
“What damn classism… You can’t even afford food! Where’d you get money for a male prostitute!” Xiao Chen seemed to have found a loophole, speaking faster now.
Qiao Man remained unperturbed: “I earned it from my part-time job recently. Didn’t you know?”
Once when it was raining, they’d happened to meet at the school gate, and he’d even accompanied her to the bar.
Xiao Chen remembered too, growing even more shocked: “So you worked so hard just to… pay for sex?!”
His voice was too loud – Bai Xingyu and her friends all turned to look.
After all that effort, she still couldn’t stop the situation from unfolding.
Qiao Man decided she might as well end the world, so she proudly met everyone’s gaze and declared: “Yeah, so what? Go ahead, call the police. Arrest me.”