“Can’t poor people have some lowly hobbies?”
“Is it wrong to spend money the way I like without stealing or robbing?”
“Don’t give me that gender-swapping nonsense. Yaozu voluntarily takes on side jobs to earn extra money. What swapping are you talking about?”
“I just made the same mistake that nine out of ten men in the world would make. Why is that surprising… Where did the nine out of ten statistic come from? Isn’t it you men who often say ‘nine out of ten men visit prostitutes’?”
Qiao Man’s series of retorts left Xiao Chen dizzy and confused.
Bai Xingyu had already walked away and didn’t hear this bold speech. The friend beside her, noticing her distracted expression, seemed to understand something.
“Is that Qiao Man?” the friend asked.
Bai Xingyu snapped back to attention and nodded gloomily.
“She’s not even that good-looking, and she’s discussing that kind of topic with men. How casual. Gu Hantian definitely wouldn’t be interested in her,” the friend said disdainfully.
Bai Xingyu was too distracted to take in anything.
She knew Xiao Chen and was aware he was Gu Hantian’s university friend.
Now that Xiao Chen was here and Qiao Man was too, then Gu Hantian… Bai Xingyu thought they might be traveling together, making her feel even more stifled.
After dealing with Xiao Chen, Qiao Man went straight back to the hotel.
Jiang Sui was indeed in her room, having already showered and changed into pajamas.
“When did you get back?”
Qiao Man grabbed her clothes and went directly into the bathroom, deliberately leaving the door slightly ajar to make conversation easier.
“Right when you called me a male prostitute,” Jiang Sui sat on the bed, slightly raising his head to vaguely see Qiao Man’s fair back through the crack in the door mirror. “It sounded like you had more to discuss, so the prostitute swam away.”
“Good thing you swam away,” Qiao Man turned on the shower, and the room immediately filled with the sound of rushing water. “Not long after we started talking, Bai Xingyu came over and overheard my conversation with Xiao Chen.”
Jiang Sui: “Everything okay?”
“Nothing to worry about. I’ve already smoothed it over.”
When Qiao Man came out after her shower, Jiang Sui was still sitting on the bed. She stuffed her wet clothes into a bag and casually handed it to him.
Jiang Sui took it and went straight to the hotel laundry.
They had originally planned to go out to sea and take cable cars on National Day, but now, afraid of running into Bai Xingyu and Xiao Chen or other troublesome people again, Qiao Man and Jiang Sui unanimously decided to go somewhere else.
Since they each had their own plotlines to follow on the afternoon of October 2nd, they returned to school early in the morning and went their separate ways.
“See you tonight,” Jiang Sui said lazily.
Qiao Man glanced at him and went straight back to the dorm.
Xiao Chen arrived at 2 PM. Taking advantage of the school’s lax holiday supervision, he drove directly to Qiao Man’s dormitory building.
This plotline required staying overnight at the Manor. After receiving Xiao Chen’s message, Qiao Man picked up the bag from her previous outing and went downstairs directly.
“…Good afternoon, Sister Qiao.”
Although he had mentally prepared for two days, Xiao Chen still felt somewhat awkward when he saw her.
Qiao Man, however, appeared completely normal. After getting into the passenger seat, she nodded: “Good afternoon.”
“Han Tian is already waiting at the Manor. Shall we head over now?” Xiao Chen asked.
Qiao Man: “Okay.”
As the car started, Xiao Chen glanced at Qiao Man again.
Qiao Man had taken out her phone and was staring at the screen.
Xiao Chen secretly exhaled and stepped on the accelerator.
The drive from school to the manor wasn’t too far, but with all the traffic lights in the city, it took at least over an hour.
Five minutes into the drive, Qiao Man was looking at her phone.
Twenty minutes into the drive, Qiao Man was still looking at her phone.
Half an hour after setting off, Xiao Chen finally couldn’t take it anymore and pulled over to the side of the road.
Noticing the car had stopped, Qiao Man turned to look at Xiao Chen: “Car trouble?”
“…No.”
“Need gas?”
“No.”
Qiao Man frowned.
Xiao Chen finally steeled himself: “Sister Qiao, I want to talk to you.”
Qiao Man looked puzzled: “About what?”
“…It’s nothing really, I just want to tell you,” Xiao Chen composed himself and declared solemnly, “Even if you like hiring male escorts, I won’t judge you. No matter what, you’ll always be my Sister Qiao, and I’ll always respect you. So you really don’t need to avoid me.”
“When have I been avoiding you?” Qiao Man looked even more confused.
Xiao Chen immediately protested: “You never used to be on your phone much, but this time you started staring at it as soon as we got in the car, not saying a word to me. Isn’t that avoiding me?”
After saying this, he sighed, “Actually, I think you really don’t need to care about this so much. I won’t go around gossiping about it, I won’t…”
Before he could finish, Qiao Man handed him her phone. The unlocked screen was filled with dense English text.
“What’s this?” he asked instinctively.
Qiao Man: “A recently published paper by a leading economist abroad.”
Xiao Chen: “?”
Xiao Chen: “…”
After a deathly silence, Xiao Chen spoke tremulously: “So… you were reading this the whole time?”
“Quite interesting. You should read it too.” Qiao Man concluded.
Xiao Chen: “…”
Who would find a full English paper interesting!
“But speaking of that day…” Qiao Man broke the quiet atmosphere, seeming ready to make an important statement.
Xiao Chen immediately sat up straight, indicating he was all ears.
“Actually, it was my first time too.”
Qiao Man finally remembered this was the male lead’s best friend, and she needed to maintain some image in front of him.
Xiao Chen didn’t expect her to be so solemn just to tell him this, his mind temporarily short-circuiting: “First… time?”
“Mm, he seemed quite pitiful, always being bullied by others in the nightclub, so I spent some money on him. Who knew he’d insist on inviting me out? I was afraid if I refused, he’d think I was looking down on him, so I had to agree.”
In just a few words, Qiao Man portrayed herself as a great benefactor saving a fallen soul.
“Actually, we didn’t do anything. We even got separate hotel rooms.” Qiao Man said with complete sincerity.
Xiao Chen stared blankly at her: “So… you just felt sorry for him?”
“Of course.” Qiao Man said.
Xiao Chen: “But you said before he was Yaozu.”
“That’s his name. He’s called Yaozu, and he has an older brother named Guangzong.” Qiao Man said seriously.
“But you seemed so…”
Qiao Man anticipated his question: “Seemed so experienced, right? Like someone who’s definitely done this more than once.”
Xiao Chen nodded frantically.
Qiao Man smiled slightly: “When am I not experienced at anything I do?”
Xiao Chen glanced at her still-lit phone screen and was convinced.
“You’re just too kind, Sis Qiao. You can barely afford your own meals, studying during the day and working at night, yet you still rescue ducks from dire straits,” Xiao Chen said, genuinely moved. “But next time, don’t do this anymore. People like that never tell the truth, and you could easily be scammed out of everything.”
“Alright, I understand. You have to keep this a secret for me. As a girl…” Qiao Man furrowed her brows.
Xiao Chen understood and raised three fingers to swear: “Don’t worry, I’ll absolutely keep it secret. I won’t even tell Han Tian.”
“What happens if you tell?” Qiao Man suddenly leaned in, curiously propping her chin on her hand.
Her eyes were beautiful yet sharp, and when she wasn’t speaking, she naturally exuded an aura that kept people at a distance of three meters, often making others feel unwelcome.
But suddenly speaking so gently, she seemed incredibly adorable, and Xiao Chen’s mind instantly turned to mush.
“If you leak the secret, all your hair will fall out,” Qiao Man helped him come up with an oath.
Xiao Chen nodded dazedly: “Fine, if I leak the secret, I’ll go bald.”
Qiao Man tugged at the corner of her lips and immediately sat back to continue reading her thesis.
Xiao Chen snapped out of it and protested: “Sis Qiao, you’re so sneaky!”
“You’ve already sworn anyway,” Qiao Man replied without looking up.
If Gu Hantian cared most about his childhood sweetheart, then Xiao Chen cared most about his head of hair.
With this oath, even if someone tried to pry his mouth open with a police baton, he would never spill the secret.
With her biggest worry resolved, Qiao Man was very satisfied.
The two of them were delayed on the road for a while, and by the time they reached the Manor, it was almost four o’clock.
Gu Hantian, having received Xiao Chen’s message, was waiting in the lobby five minutes early. When he saw Qiao Man, he gave a somewhat awkward nod.
Although the misunderstanding at the hospital had been cleared up and he had received Qiao Man’s signal to be friends, everything had developed too quickly, and he hadn’t fully completed the transition in his identity and attitude.
Qiao Man understood and took the initiative to greet him: “Good afternoon.”
“Good afternoon,” Gu Hantian immediately responded.
Xiao Chen looked at Gu Hantian in surprise: “Is the sun rising from the west today? Why are you so polite?”
“…No one would mistake you for mute if you didn’t talk,” Gu Hantian’s face flashed with discomfort.
Xiao Chen slung an arm over his shoulder: “Seriously, you used to ignore Sis Qiao before. What’s up with you today?”
“When did I ignore her? Stop slandering me,” Gu Hantian pushed him.
Xiao Chen clung on stubbornly: “Not admitting it, huh? I have a witness—Sis Qiao!”
“Are we staying here tonight?” Qiao Man looked at the villa in front of her and smiled, changing the subject.
Xiao Chen immediately nodded: “Yes, we’re all staying here tonight.”
“Do I still need to check in?” Qiao Man asked again.
Xiao Chen: “Yes, just give me your ID, and I’ll help you check in.”
Gu Hantian took the opportunity to push Xiao Chen away and silently breathed a sigh of relief.
The next moment, he met Qiao Man’s gaze, paused for a moment, and gave a slight nod as a gesture of thanks.
The curve of Qiao Man’s lips deepened as she lowered her head to rummage through her bag.
Knowing she would be going out again in the afternoon, she hadn’t touched her bag after returning to the dormitory. The charger and ID she had brought when going out were still in the bag.
Oh, and the latest LV sunglasses.
Qiao Man had forgotten about the sunglasses. While pulling out her ID, she hooked the temple of the sunglasses and brought them out as well.
The sunglasses fell to the ground with a clatter, and both Gu Hantian and Xiao Chen looked over at the same time.
In the blink of an eye, Qiao Man swiftly crouched down, scooped up the sunglasses, tucked them into her bag, and then handed her ID to Xiao Chen with a smile.
“What was that just now?” Xiao Chen asked curiously.
Qiao Man replied, “A sanitary pad.”
She had picked it up too quickly for Gu Hantian to see clearly—he only caught a glimpse of something black. Hearing her answer, he froze momentarily.
Although he and Bai Xingyu were currently not on speaking terms, they had spent a long time together previously, and he had even bought sanitary pads for her a few times…
But what kind of sanitary pad was black and made a “smack” sound when dropped on the floor?
Xiao Chen was also curious, but considering it was a girl’s personal item, he felt too embarrassed to ask further.
Qiao Man quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
After checking in without any further trouble, she placed the bag containing the dangerous item in her room and rested for a while. Soon, a plot prompt appeared in her mind—a rare occurrence.
[Go downstairs and have dinner with Gu Hantian and his friends.]
As soon as the prompt appeared, her phone buzzed. Messages from both Xiao Chen and Gu Hantian came through simultaneously.
Gu Hantian: Come downstairs.
Xiao Chen: Time for dinner, Sister Qiao! Tonight, we’ve got abalone, lobster, and hairy crab—my treat. Don’t even think about being polite!
Comparing the two messages, Qiao Man decided she still preferred the purple-haired one.
But come to think of it, in the original story, were Xiao Chen and the female supporting character this close?
Qiao Man thought it over carefully and realized that although the two appeared together in many scenes, they hardly interacted. After Xiao Chen pulled the female supporting character into the study group in the original plot, he mostly faded into the background.
Maybe they had a better relationship off-screen.
Qiao Man didn’t dwell on it. After hiding the sunglasses securely, she headed downstairs.
Gu Hantian and Xiao Chen were already waiting in the lobby, accompanied by three unfamiliar young men.
As soon as she appeared, the three guys exchanged meaningful glances, then turned to scrutinize her with added interest.
“Sister Qiao!” Xiao Chen waved and proactively introduced her. “These are Han Tian’s childhood friends—Li Wenjie, Cheng Feng, and Qian Jia. This is my Sister Qiao—you can call her Qiao Man.”
Qiao Man briefly recalled the plot and confirmed that these three had little to do with her character later on, so she didn’t bother memorizing their names.
Alright, Number One, Number Two, Number Three.
Qiao Man nodded politely. “Hello.”
“Hello, Qiao Man,” Number One smiled and greeted her warmly. “When Han Tian mentioned there’d be a girl at this gathering, I was surprised. I wondered how stunning she must be for Han Tian to bring her along. Now that I see you, it all makes sense.”
At his words, Gu Hantian frowned slightly, while Numbers Two and Three chuckled.
Qiao Man asked, “What do you mean?”
“Huh?” Number One was taken aback.
Qiao Man stared directly at him. “What exactly did you mean by that?”
Not expecting her to press the issue, Number One gave an awkward laugh. “I was just complimenting your looks.”
“I don’t get it,” Qiao Man said.
Number One stammered, “W-What’s hard to understand? I was just saying you’re pretty…”
Qiao Man glanced at Numbers Two and Three behind him. “What’s so funny about giving a compliment?”
Caught off guard, Numbers Two and Three immediately stopped laughing. “Well…”
“It’s just being polite.”
“Yeah, just polite.”
Qiao Man remarked, “So being polite requires laughing?”
With that, she curled her lips into a mocking smile, looking at the three of them as if they were a trio of gorillas.
Number One, Number Two, and Number Three fell silent.
Gu Hantian waited until he had fully appreciated their flustered expressions before finally smiling to break the tension. “It’s getting late. We should go eat.”
“Yeah, yeah, let’s eat,” Xiao Chen, being straightforward, hadn’t detected the underlying tension in the earlier conversation but instinctively retorted, “Wenjie, what you said earlier was really strange. It sounded like you implied Qiao Man only became friends with us because of her looks. That’s kind of disrespectful.”
Number One quickly defended himself, “I really didn’t mean it that way. I just wanted to compliment Qiao Man.”
This time, he also called her “Qiao Man.”
“Then your wording was ambiguous,” Xiao Chen declared decisively. “You’re a grown adult, yet you can’t even express yourself clearly.”
Number One broke out in a cold sweat, hastily agreeing while turning to apologize to Qiao Man.
Qiao Man ignored him, making him even more awkward. He quickly found an excuse and headed to the front shuttle cart. Numbers Two and Three, seeing this, hurried after him.
“Did my reaction just now make things difficult for you?” Qiao Man suddenly asked.
Gu Hantian paused, then asked uncertainly, “You mean me?”
Qiao Man nodded, calmly meeting his gaze. “It feels like you and them aren’t really on the same wavelength. Are you only interacting with them because of family ties? Should I not have taken it so seriously just now?”
Gu Hantian hadn’t expected her to be so considerate. His usually sharp eyes softened slightly. “My relationship with them is unavoidable, but that doesn’t mean my friends have to tolerate disrespect.”
Qiao Man understood and shifted her gaze to the stone landscape nearby.
The landscape was beautiful, composed of smooth, rounded stones. The stones were uniform in size—perfect for smashing someone’s head in.
While Qiao Man was still lost in thought, Gu Hantian subtly blocked her view. “The shuttle cart is here.”
Qiao Man nodded and followed Xiao Chen onto the cart.
Gu Hantian breathed a sigh of relief and quickly sent a text to the manager of his family’s manor, instructing him to glue the landscape stones in place to prevent anyone from picking one up to commit assault.
The manager was utterly baffled upon receiving the message, thinking, Who in their right mind would pick up a stone to assault someone?
The manor was vast and beautifully landscaped.
It took a five-minute shuttle ride from their accommodation to the dining area. Qiao Man happily admired the lush scenery, her wavy long hair dancing in the wind, her very soul feeling lighter.
“My Qiao Man is truly beautiful,” Xiao Chen sighed in admiration.
Gu Hantian glanced at Qiao Man and found it difficult to objectively assess her appearance.
After all, whenever he saw her, he couldn’t help but think of the fruit knife in the Back Alley late at night and those smooth, rounded stones from earlier.
When the three of them arrived at the dining area, Numbers One, Two, and Three were speaking with the restaurant manager, and it didn’t seem to be going well.
“Han Tian,” Number Two approached immediately upon seeing Gu Hantian, “There’s a problem. The private room we reserved earlier was taken by other guests. They said only the main hall has available seats now.”
“What?” Xiao Chen was displeased. “I reserved it a month ago. How can they just change it like that?”
Numbers One, Two, and Three felt the same way, but they knew something Xiao Chen didn’t—the manor was owned by the Gu family—so they didn’t dare voice their dissatisfaction as openly as he did.
Gu Hantian, however, didn’t overthink it. Since his friend was treating them to a meal, he didn’t want Xiao Chen to be unhappy, so he took the initiative to speak with the manager.
“Forget it, forget it,” before he could go over, Xiao Chen had already talked himself out of his mood. “Actually, the main hall is fine too. No need to make things difficult for the staff. Han Tian, you don’t mind, right?”
Gu Hantian and Qiao Man both looked at him simultaneously.
“What did that guy Xiao Chen say? Don’t you think…” Number One poked Number Three nearby, hesitating to finish.
Number Three nodded: “Yeah, their eyes are very similar.”
“When they look at Xiao Chen, there’s a light in their eyes,” Number One added.
Number Three: “This feels weird.”
Number One: “I think so too…”
Though it was called the main hall, there were decorative screens between tables, offering decent privacy—just the soundproofing was a bit lacking.
Qiao Man wanted to sit next to Xiao Chen, but bound by the plot, she could only appear nonchalant while swiftly snagging the seat beside Gu Hantian.
After they were seated, the waiter brought two menus. Xiao Chen directly handed them to Gu Hantian and Qiao Man.
“Order whatever you want!” he said magnanimously.
Number One laughed: “Brother Xiao is generous.”
“Of course, the youngest son of the coastal Xiao family—loaded with money,” Number Two gave a thumbs-up.
Number Three followed up: “Brother Xiao, remember to take us along when you make it big someday.”
This was dissatisfaction with Xiao Chen ignoring them, a deliberate jab, since any one of their three families was wealthier than the Xiao family.
Unfortunately, Xiao Chen didn’t catch the sarcasm and generously promised he wouldn’t forget them if any money-making opportunities came up.
Number One scoffed and was about to speak when Qiao Man glanced over.
Numbers One, Two, and Three all shut up.
Gu Hantian, who had been ready to warn them, silently sipped his tea. Warm and thoughtful.
After ordering, while waiting for the food, everyone suddenly and默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契默契
Observing the emotional shifts between the male and female leads up close was truly fascinating. Qiao Man raised her water glass to conceal her curling lips, only to meet Bai Xingyu’s gaze the next second.
Bai Xingyu suddenly let out a cold snort.
Qiao Man blinked and proactively stood up: “Han Tian, aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Everyone was momentarily stunned by her familiar tone, and even Gu Hantian gave her a strange look.
Qiao Man maintained an innocent expression, thinking to herself that these were just scripted lines—none of this was her actual doing.
“Bai Xingyu, Wu Xiaoxiao—my childhood friends.” Gu Hantian’s gaze fell on Jiang Sui’s face, his expression turning colder. “As for that one, I don’t know him. Must have wandered into the wrong place.”
[Qiao Man caught sight of Jiang Sui, a flicker of panic flashing in her eyes, while Jiang Sui meaningfully curled his lips before ignoring her entirely.]
Hmm, this scene should be easy to perform—it’s all internal monologue.
Chapter 19: The Birthday is Here
“Can’t a poor person have some sordid hobbies?”
“I didn’t steal or rob. Is it wrong for me to spend my money in a way I like?”
“And spare me the ‘what if the genders were reversed’ argument. Yaozu willingly came out to earn extra money. What’s there to reverse?”
“I’ve only made a mistake that nine out of ten men in the world would make, what’s so surprising about that… Where did I get the ‘nine out of ten’ statistic? Isn’t that what you men always say, ‘nine out of ten men hire prostitutes’?”
Qiao Man’s flurry of verbal punches left Xiao Chen dizzy and dazed.
Bai Xingyu had already walked away and didn’t hear this magnificent speech. Her friend, seeing her distracted look, seemed to understand something.
“Is that Qiao Man?” the friend asked.
Bai Xingyu snapped back to reality and nodded glumly.
“She’s not even that good-looking. And she’s discussing that kind of topic with a man, how shameless. Gu Hantian would definitely never be interested in her,” her friend said with disdain.
Bai Xingyu was too preoccupied to hear a word.
She knew Xiao Chen and was aware that he was one of Gu Hantian’s friends from university.
Now that Xiao Chen was here, and Qiao Man was too, then Gu Hantian… The thought that they might be on a trip together made Bai Xingyu’s heart sink even further.
After dealing with Xiao Chen, Qiao Man went straight back to the hotel.
As expected, Jiang Sui was in her room. He had already showered and changed into his pajamas.
“When did you get back?”
Qiao Man grabbed her clothes and went into the bathroom, intentionally leaving the door ajar so they could talk.
“Right when you were calling me a duck,” Jiang Sui said, sitting on the bed. By tilting his head slightly, he could catch a faint glimpse of Qiao Man’s fair back in the mirror through the crack in the door. “It sounded like you two were going to be at it for a while, so this duck swam away.”
“Good thing you swam away,” Qiao Man said, turning on the shower. The room was instantly filled with the sound of rushing water. “Just a few sentences in, Bai Xingyu walked over and overheard my conversation with Xiao Chen.”
Jiang Sui asked, “Are you okay?”
“What could happen? I’ve already smoothed it over.”
When Qiao Man came out of the shower, Jiang Sui was still sitting on the bed. She stuffed her wet clothes into a bag and handed it to him.
Jiang Sui took it and headed to the hotel’s laundry room.
The original plan for October 1st was to go out to sea and ride a cable car, but now, fearing another encounter with Bai Xingyu, Xiao Chen, or other troublesome people, Qiao Man and Jiang Sui unanimously decided to find a different place to have fun.
Since they each had their own plot to follow on the afternoon of October 2nd, the two returned to the university early in the morning and went their separate ways.
“See you tonight,” Jiang Sui said lazily.
Qiao Man shot him a glance and went straight back to her dorm.
Xiao Chen arrived at two in the afternoon. Taking advantage of the lax security during the school holiday, he drove his car right up to the entrance of Qiao Man’s dormitory building.
This plot required an overnight stay at the Manor. After receiving Xiao Chen’s message, Qiao Man grabbed the bag she had used for their trip and went downstairs.
“…Good afternoon, Qiao-jie.”
Despite having two days to mentally prepare, Xiao Chen still looked a bit awkward when he saw her.
Qiao Man, however, was her usual composed self. She got into the passenger seat and nodded. “Good afternoon.”
“Han Tian is already waiting at the Manor. Shall we head over now?” Xiao Chen asked.
Qiao Man: “Sure.”
The car started, and Xiao Chen glanced at Qiao Man again.
Qiao Man had taken out her phone and was staring at the screen.
Xiao Chen secretly let out a breath and stepped on the accelerator.
The drive from the university to the Manor wasn’t too far, but due to the numerous traffic lights in the city, it would take at least an hour.
Five minutes into the drive, Qiao Man was looking at her phone.
Twenty minutes into the drive, Qiao Man was still looking at her phone.
After half an hour, Xiao Chen finally couldn’t take it anymore and pulled over to the side of the road.
Noticing the car had stopped, Qiao Man turned to look at Xiao Chen. “Is the car broken?”
“…No.”
“Need gas?”
“No.”
Qiao Man frowned.
Xiao Chen finally made up his mind. “Qiao-jie, I want to talk to you.”
Qiao Man looked baffled. “About what?”
“…It’s nothing, I just wanted to tell you,” Xiao Chen said, composing himself and speaking with great solemnity, “even if you like hiring ducks, I won’t discriminate against you. No matter what, you’ll always be my Qiao-jie, and I’ll always respect you. So you don’t have to avoid me at all.”
“When did I ever avoid you?” Qiao Man was even more baffled.
Xiao Chen immediately protested, “You never used to play on your phone that much, but this time, you’ve been staring at it since you got in the car without saying a word to me. Isn’t that avoiding me?”
After speaking, he sighed. “Actually, I don’t think you need to worry about this. I won’t go around blabbing about it, and I won’t do anything to your…”
Before he could finish, Qiao Man handed him her phone. The unlocked screen was densely packed with English text.
“What’s this?” he asked instinctively.
Qiao Man: “A paper just published by a big shot in economics from overseas.”
Xiao Chen: “?”
Xiao Chen: “…”
After a dead silence, Xiao Chen spoke with a trembling voice, “So… you’ve been reading this the whole time?”
“It’s quite interesting. You should read it too,” Qiao Man concluded.
Xiao Chen: “…”
Who would find a paper written entirely in English interesting?!
“But speaking of what happened that day…” Qiao Man broke the silence, seemingly about to make an important announcement.
Xiao Chen immediately sat up straight, indicating he was all ears.
“Actually, it was my first time too.”
Qiao Man finally remembered that this person was the male lead’s best friend, and she needed to maintain a certain image in front of him.
Xiao Chen hadn’t expected her to be so serious just to tell him this. His brain short-circuited for a moment. “First… time?”
“Yeah. He looked so pitiful, always getting bullied by the others at the nightclub, so I spent a little money on him. Who knew he’d insist on taking me out to have fun? I was afraid that if I refused, he’d think I was discriminating against him, so I had no choice but to agree.”
In just a few sentences, Qiao Man had painted herself as a great Samaritan rescuing a man from a life of vice.
“Actually, we didn’t do anything. We even got separate hotel rooms,” Qiao Man said with utmost sincerity.
Xiao Chen stared at her blankly. “So… you just felt sorry for him?”
“Of course,” Qiao Man said.
Xiao Chen: “But you said his name was Yaozu.”
“That is his name. He’s called Yaozu, and he has an older brother named Guangzong,” Qiao Man said with a straight face.
“But at the time, you clearly…”
Qiao Man anticipated his question. “Looked very experienced, right? Like I’d done it more than once.”
Xiao Chen nodded frantically.
Qiao Man smiled faintly. “Is there anything I do that doesn’t look experienced?”
Xiao Chen glanced at her still-lit phone screen and was convinced.
“Qiao-jie, you’re too kind. You can barely afford to feed yourself, studying during the day and working at night, and you still have to save a duck from the fire,” Xiao Chen said, quite moved. “But you shouldn’t do this again. People like that don’t have a single truthful word in their mouths. You could easily get cheated out of everything.”
“Okay, I know. You have to keep this a secret for me, too. I’m a girl, after all…” Qiao Man’s brows furrowed.
Xiao Chen understood. He raised three fingers and swore, “Don’t worry, it’s an absolute secret. I won’t even tell Han Tian.”
“And what will happen if you do tell?” Qiao Man suddenly leaned closer, propping her chin on her hand curiously.
Her features were beautiful and sharp, and when she was silent, she naturally projected a three-meter-high aura that often made people feel she was unapproachable.
But when she suddenly spoke so gently, she seemed incredibly cute, and Xiao Chen’s brain turned to mush.
“If you leak the secret, all your hair will fall out,” Qiao Man helped him come up with a vow.
Xiao Chen nodded in a daze. “Fine. If I leak the secret, I’ll go bald.”
Qiao Man’s lips twitched into a smirk, and she immediately sat back to continue reading the paper.
Xiao Chen came to his senses and protested, “Qiao-jie, you’re too cunning!”
“You’ve already sworn the oath anyway,” Qiao Man said without looking up.
If Gu Hantian’s greatest concern was his Little Green Plum, then Xiao Chen’s was his head of hair.
With this oath sworn, he would never leak the secret, even if someone tried to pry it out of him with a police baton.
With this major worry resolved, Qiao Man was very satisfied.
The two were delayed on the road for a while, so it was nearly four o’tlock when they arrived at the Manor.
Gu Hantian had received Xiao Chen’s message and was waiting in the lobby five minutes beforehand. When he saw Qiao Man, he gave a rather awkward nod.
Although the misunderstanding at the hospital had been cleared up and he had received Qiao Man’s signal of friendship, everything had developed too quickly. He hadn’t yet completed the full transition in his identity and attitude.
Qiao Man understood. She took the initiative to greet him. “Good afternoon.”
“Good afternoon,” Gu Hantian replied immediately.
Xiao Chen looked at Gu Hantian in amazement. “Did the sun rise in the west today? Why are you so polite?”
“…No one will think you’re a mute if you don’t talk,” Gu Hantian said, a trace of awkwardness flashing across his face.
Xiao Chen slung an arm over his shoulder. “It’s true, though. You used to be so cold and dismissive to my Qiao-jie. What’s with you today?”
“When was I ever cold and dismissive? Stop slandering me,” Gu Hantian said, pushing him away.
Xiao Chen clung to him stubbornly. “So you won’t admit it, huh? I have a witness. Qiao-jie!”
“Are we staying here tonight?” Qiao Man asked, looking at the Villa before them and smiling to change the subject.
Xiao Chen immediately nodded. “Yes, we’re all staying here tonight.”
“Do I need to check in?” Qiao Man asked again.
Xiao Chen: “You do. Just give me your ID card, and I’ll go register for you.”
Gu Hantian took the opportunity to push Xiao Chen away and silently breathed a sigh of relief.
The next second, his eyes met Qiao Man’s. He paused, then gave a slight nod, as if to express his thanks.
The curve of Qiao Man’s lips deepened. She lowered her head and rummaged through her bag.
Knowing she had to go out again in the afternoon, she hadn’t touched her bag after returning to the dorm. The charger and ID card she had brought on her trip were still inside.
Oh, and the latest model of LV sunglasses.
Qiao Man had forgotten about the sunglasses. As she took out her ID, she snagged the arm of the glasses, pulling them out as well.
The sunglasses fell to the floor with a clatter. Gu Hantian and Xiao Chen both looked over at the same time.
In a flash, Qiao Man swooped down, snatched the sunglasses, put them back in her bag, and then smilingly handed her ID to Xiao Chen.
“What was that just now?” Xiao Chen asked curiously.
Qiao Man: “A sanitary pad.”
She had picked it up so quickly that Gu Hantian had only seen a dark object. He was slightly taken aback by her answer.
Although he and Bai Xingyu were currently on non-speaking terms, they had spent a long time together, and he had gone to buy them for Bai Xingyu a few times…
What kind of sanitary pad was black and made a ‘clatter’ when it hit the floor?
Xiao Chen was also curious, but thinking it was a girl’s private item, he was too embarrassed to ask.
Qiao Man silently breathed a sigh of relief.
After a tense but successful check-in, Qiao Man put the bag containing the dangerous item in her room and rested for a moment. Then, a plot hint appeared in her mind for the first time in a while.
【Go downstairs and have dinner with Gu Hantian and his friends.】
Just as the hint appeared, her phone rang. Xiao Chen and Gu Hantian had sent her messages at the same time.
Gu Hantian: Go downstairs.
Xiao Chen: Time for dinner, Qiao-jie! We’ve got abalone, lobster, and hairy crabs today! My treat, so please, please don’t be polite with me!
Looking at the contrast, Qiao Man decided she still preferred the purple-haired boy.
But speaking of which, were Xiao Chen and the Female Supporting Character this close in the original novel?
Qiao Man thought back carefully and realized that while the two of them appeared together in many plot points, they rarely had any real interaction. In the original novel, after Xiao Chen pulled the Female Supporting Character into the study group, he was practically just part of the background.
Perhaps they had a good relationship in the parts the plot didn’t describe.
Qiao Man didn’t think much of it. She hid her sunglasses and went downstairs.
Gu Hantian and Xiao Chen were already waiting in the lobby, along with three unfamiliar young men.
The moment she appeared, the three men exchanged meaningful glances, and their gazes toward her became more scrutinizing.
“Qiao-jie!” Xiao Chen waved and took the initiative to introduce them. “These are Han Tian’s childhood friends: Li Wenjie, Cheng Feng, and Qian Jia. This is my Qiao-jie. You can just call her Qiao Man.”
Qiao Man recalled the plot and confirmed that these three had no significant interactions with her character later on, so she didn’t bother to remember their names.
Right, First, Second, and Third.
Qiao Man nodded in acknowledgment. “Hello.”
“Hello, Qiao Man,” First said with a smile, taking the initiative to greet her. “I was quite surprised when Han Tian said a girl was coming to the gathering. I wondered how beautiful she must be for Han Tian to bring her along. Now that I see you, it’s no surprise at all.”
At these words, Gu Hantian frowned, but Second and Third both laughed.
Qiao Man: “What do you mean?”
“Huh?” First didn’t react in time.
Qiao Man stared at him intently. “What did you mean by what you just said?”
Not expecting her to ask this, First gave a sheepish smile. “I was complimenting you on your beauty.”
“I don’t understand,” Qiao Man said.
First: “Wh-what’s not to understand? I was just praising you…”
Qiao Man glanced at Second and Third behind him. “What’s so funny about complimenting someone?”
Second and Third, not expecting to be involved, immediately stopped laughing. “Um…”
“It was just politeness.”
“Right, politeness.”
Qiao Man: “Oh, so being polite means you have to laugh.”
After saying this, she curled her lips into a mocking smile, looking at the three of them as if they were three large gorillas.
First, Second, and Third: “…”
Only after appreciating their awkward expressions did Gu Hantian step in with a faint smile to smooth things over. “It’s getting late. We should go eat.”
“Right, right, let’s go eat,” Xiao Chen, being simple-minded, didn’t catch the underlying tension in the conversation but still instinctively retorted, “Wenjie, what you said just now was really weird. It’s like you’re saying Qiao-jie is only friends with us because of her looks. That’s a bit condescending.”
First quickly proclaimed his innocence. “I really didn’t mean that. I just wanted to compliment Qiao-jie.”
This time, he also called her “-jie.”
“Then your words were ambiguous,” Xiao Chen declared decisively. “You’re a grown man, yet you can’t even speak clearly.”
Sweat was about to break out on First’s forehead. He repeatedly agreed and didn’t forget to turn back and apologize to Qiao Man.
Qiao Man ignored him. First became even more embarrassed, made an excuse, and hurried to the front-most shuttle cart. Seeing this, Second and Third quickly followed.
“My reaction just now, did it make things difficult for you?” Qiao Man suddenly asked.
Gu Hantian paused for a moment before asking uncertainly, “Are you talking about me?”
Qiao Man nodded, meeting his gaze calmly. “It feels like you’re not the same kind of person as them. Do you only associate with them because of family connections? Should I not have been so serious just now?”
Gu Hantian hadn’t expected her to be so considerate. A hint of ease appeared in his usually sharp eyes. “It’s true that I can’t cut ties with them, but it’s not to the point where my friends have to swallow their anger.”
Qiao Man understood. Her gaze fell on a stone landscape feature not far away.
The landscape was beautiful, made of stacked, rounded stones. The stones were uniform in size, perfect for smashing on someone’s head.
While Qiao Man was still lost in thought, Gu Hantian had already subtly blocked her line of sight. “The shuttle is here.”
Qiao Man nodded and followed Xiao Chen onto the cart.
Gu Hantian breathed a sigh of relief and quickly sent a text to his Manor’s manager, telling him to glue the landscape stones together to prevent anyone from picking one up to commit assault.
The manager was speechless upon receiving the message, thinking, who would randomly pick up a stone to commit assault?
The Manor was vast, and the scenery was beautiful.
It was a five-minute shuttle ride from where they were staying to the dining area. Qiao Man happily admired the lush green scenery, her long, slightly curled hair dancing in the wind, making even her soul feel lighter.
“My Qiao-jie is truly beautiful,” Xiao Chen remarked with emotion.
Gu Hantian glanced at Qiao Man and found it difficult to objectively comment on her looks.
After all, the moment he saw her, he would think of the fruit knife in the Back Alley late at night, and those smooth, rounded stones from just now.
When the three of them arrived at the dining area, First, Second, and Third were communicating with the restaurant manager, and they didn’t look very happy.
“Han Tian,” Second said, immediately approaching when he saw Gu Hantian. “There’s a problem. The private room we booked has been taken by other guests. They said only the main dining hall has space now.”
“What?” Xiao Chen was displeased. “I booked it a month ago. On what grounds can they just change it!”
First, Second, and Third thought the same, but they knew something Xiao Chen didn’t—that the Manor was a Gu Family property—so they didn’t dare express their dissatisfaction as he did.
Gu Hantian didn’t think too much about it. It was a rare occasion for a friend to treat him to a meal, and he didn’t want to upset Xiao Chen, so he offered to go negotiate with the manager.
“Forget it, forget it,” Xiao Chen said, having already talked himself down before Gu Hantian could go over. “Actually, the main hall is fine too. There’s no need to make things difficult for the staff. You don’t mind, do you, Han Tian?”
Gu Hantian and Qiao Man looked at him at the same time.
“What did that guy, Xiao Chen, say? Did you feel…” In the distance, First nudged Third, hesitating.
Third nodded. “Yeah, the look in their eyes is very similar.”
“When he looks at Xiao Chen, his eyes light up,” First added.
Third: “This feeling is so weird.”
First: “I think so too…”
Although it was called the main dining hall, the tables were separated by landscape features, providing decent privacy, though the soundproofing was a bit poor.
Qiao Man wanted to sit with Xiao Chen, but due to the plot, she could only maintain a calm facade while swiftly snatching the seat next to Gu Hantian.
After they were seated, a waiter brought two menus. Xiao Chen handed them directly to Gu Hantian and Qiao Man.
“Order whatever you want!” he said magnanimously.
First laughed. “Brother Xiao is generous.”
“Of course, the youngest son of the coastal Xiao family is loaded,” Second gave a thumbs-up.
Third immediately followed up, “Brother Xiao, lead us to riches in the future.”
This was their way of passive-aggressively taunting Xiao Chen for ignoring them, as any one of their three families was wealthier than the Xiao family.
Unfortunately, Xiao Chen didn’t get the subtext and generously promised not to forget them if any money-making opportunities arose.
First scoffed and was about to say something, but the next second, Qiao Man looked over.
First, Second, and Third all shut their mouths.
Gu Hantian, who had been about to warn them, silently sipped his tea. It was warm and very considerate.
After ordering, while waiting for the food, everyone tacitly started playing on their phones.
According to the timeline, Bai Xingyu and her group should have already taken a seat at the next table. Qiao Man was holding her phone, wondering whether to message Jiang Sui, when a lively girl’s voice came from the next table.
“Xing Yu, your dress today is so beautiful! Ahhh, I want one too!”
The speaker was Bai Xingyu’s fair-weather friend in the novel, Wu Xiaoxiao, who was also the one who went to Feiniao Island with her that day.
Gu Hantian’s expression instantly tensed. Qiao Man’s lips curled into a playful smile.
“That sounds like Xiaoxiao’s voice. Is she here for dinner too?” First immediately spoke up.
Second: “Just stand up and take a look, and you’ll know.”
They had finally made time to celebrate Gu Hantian’s birthday, but the two people Gu Hantian brought had both given them a hard time. They had had enough. Now that they knew Bai Xingyu, who was on bad terms with Gu Hantian, was here, they were definitely going to strike back.
Second immediately went over to the next table, and sure enough, a cry of surprise was heard.
“Cheng Feng! What are you doing here?” Wu Xiaoxiao exclaimed in surprise.
Second smiled. “It’s not just me. Han Tian and the others are here too. Since you’re here, let’s eat together.”
“Okay, okay, let’s eat together!” Wu Xiaoxiao immediately agreed.
Bai Xingyu, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up. “I don’t want to go.”
Qiao Man saw Gu Hantian’s expression instantly turn cold.
“Come on, come on, it’s such a coincidence we ran into each other…”
Wu Xiaoxiao pestered her for a minute. By the time Second returned, he had brought the people from the next table with him.
Qiao Man could see clearly that Gu Hantian was in a good mood when Bai Xingyu walked in, but when he saw Jiang Sui behind her, his mood plummeted.
Watching the male and female leads’ emotions change up close was truly interesting. Qiao Man raised her water glass to hide her upturned lips, and in the next second, her eyes met Bai Xingyu’s.
Bai Xingyu suddenly snorted coldly.
Qiao Man blinked and proactively stood up. “Han Tian, aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Everyone was taken aback by her familiar tone, and Gu Hantian also gave her a strange look.
Qiao Man looked innocent, thinking to herself, These are my lines, it has nothing to do with me.
“Bai Xingyu, Wu Xiaoxiao, my childhood friends.” Gu Hantian’s gaze landed on Jiang Sui’s face, his expression chilling. “I don’t know that one. He must be in the wrong place.”
【When Qiao Man saw Jiang Sui, a flash of panic crossed her eyes, but Jiang Sui simply raised his lips in a meaningful smile and then ignored her.】
Right, this part was easy to act. It was all internal monologue.
Qiao Man flustered for a moment, while Jiang Sui also curved his lips slightly.
Xiao Chen was shocked that Bai Xingyu and Gu Hantian were childhood friends, but since everyone at the table remained overly composed, he had no choice but to pretend to be calm as well.
Sister Qiao definitely didn’t know either, yet she carried herself with seasoned ease.
Hmm, Sister Qiao really is unflappable no matter the situation. Xiao Chen silently gave her a thumbs-up in his heart.
While he was quietly praising Qiao Man, Bai Xingyu had already taken offense at Gu Hantian’s choice of words and snapped at him, “Hey, show some respect to my friend.”
Gu Hantian’s expression grew even colder.
Jiang Sui forced a smile and said, “Xingyu, don’t be like that. Young Master Gu was probably just joking.”
Bai Xingyu gave him a puzzled look.
If she remembered correctly, just half an hour ago, when a drunkard had mocked him with a couple of remarks, he had shoved the man straight into the pond. Why was he being so agreeable now?
“The food is about to be served. Everyone, please take your seats,” Xiao Chen interjected, trying to smooth things over.
Holding back because outsiders were present, Bai Xingyu merely glared at Gu Hantian before sitting down near the door.
Jiang Sui naturally took the seat beside her, while Wu Xiaoxiao sat on her other side.
Seeing that the group had grown larger, Xiao Chen added a few more dishes to the order. Gu Hantian leaned past Qiao Man and said in a lowered voice, “I’ll cover this meal.”
“Cut it out. Are you looking down on me or what?” Xiao Chen shot him a sidelong glance. “I’m not like Sister Qiao, so broke I can’t even afford to—ow!”
He let out a pained groan and looked pitifully at Qiao Man.
Qiao Man reluctantly lifted her foot, leaving a clear shoe print on the top of Xiao Chen’s shoe.
“It’s all dirty now,” he grumbled under his breath.
Qiao Man glanced sideways at him. “You’ve got money. Buy a new pair.”
Xiao Chen huffed in response, and Gu Hantian, who had been keeping a stern face all along, finally allowed a slight smile to curl his lips.
The trio’s interaction did not escape Bai Xingyu’s notice across the table. She lowered her head to drink water, her eyes reddening at the edges, while Jiang Sui beside her remained detached, seeming entirely out of place.
Numbers One, Two, and Three had specifically invited Bai Xingyu and the others to annoy Qiao Man and Gu Hantian. Seeing them getting along so well now, they immediately brought up old stories of the two playing together as children.
Wu Xiaoxiao caught on right away and chimed in as well.
“Xingyu, do you remember? When we were kids, you said you wanted to marry Han Tian, but he refused. You even cried and tattled to Uncle Gu about it,” Number One asked with a laugh.
Wu Xiaoxiao nodded too. “Han Tian got a serious scolding from Uncle Gu back then. Afterward, he was really upset and said he hadn’t even reached the legal age yet.”
“Sounds like Han Tian was quite regretful about it at the time,” Number Two remarked, raising an eyebrow.
Bai Xingyu forced a smile. “We were all just immature back then.”
“Mm, immature,” Gu Hantian echoed coldly.
The atmosphere froze for a second.
Qiao Man, as if completely oblivious to the tension, simply followed the plot’s cue and served Gu Hantian some food.
Her action drew everyone’s attention, and even Xiao Chen beside her eagerly nudged his plate in her direction.
She was only pretending to be clueless about the mood, but this one genuinely was. Qiao Man smiled faintly and served him a Fresh Milk Lobster Ball.
“I’ve been meaning to say—isn’t this a kids’ meal?” Xiao Chen said, exasperated.
Qiao Man replied, “Mm, I ordered it especially for you.”
Xiao Chen: “…”
“Classmate Qiao, we meet again,” Wu Xiaoxiao suddenly said.
Qiao Man looked at her, confirmed that this exchange wasn’t in the original text, and stayed silent.
“You don’t remember me? On the 30th, at the beach on Feiniao Island—Xingyu and I were both there,” Wu Xiaoxiao said, her gaze suddenly shifting to Xiao Chen’s face. “Is this your boyfriend?”
Xiao Chen hurriedly swallowed the shrimp ball. “No, I’m not.”
“Ah, really?” Wu Xiaoxiao gave an apologetic smile. “When I heard you discussing topics like male escorts and prostitution, I thought you were in an open relationship.”
At these words, everyone looked over.
Xiao Chen was dumbfounded, completely stunned.
Wu Xiaoxiao tilted her head and looked curiously at Qiao Man. “Qiao Man’s family situation isn’t great, right? She even has to work part-time to save up money before hiring male escorts. That must be really tough.”
The aggressiveness in this statement was quite strong.
Jiang Sui frowned slightly, confirming this wasn’t part of the script.
Amid the silence, Han Tian laughed. “Xiaoxiao, don’t talk nonsense. How could Sister Qiao possibly be involved with prostitution?”
“It’s true, I heard it with my own ears,” Wu Xiaoxiao said innocently, pointing at Xiao Chen. “He said it, and Xingyu heard it too.”
Bai Xingyu frowned, somewhat displeased.
Although she didn’t like Qiao Man, this was someone else’s privacy. Wu Xiaoxiao had no sense of boundaries, yet Bai Xingyu couldn’t bring herself to contradict her friend in front of so many people.
In the quiet atmosphere, Xiao Chen slapped the table and was about to stand up when Qiao Man pressed down on his arm.
She looked up at Wu Xiaoxiao and was about to speak when Jiang Sui interrupted. “What Qiao Man was referring to was probably Professor Li’s research topic from the journalism department.”
No one expected him to be the first to speak, and everyone immediately turned to look at him.
“What assignment?” Bai Xingyu asked.
Jiang Sui replied, “‘The Necessary Connection Between the Development of Sex Worker Communities and Economic Fluctuations in the Broader Environment.’ It’s economic journalism about niche groups. Because the subject matter is sensitive and special, Professor Li didn’t assign it to his own students. Instead, he posted a paid anonymous questionnaire online. Did you see it too, Qiao Man?”
“Yes, the reward was generous, so I did some research,” Qiao Man responded.
Jiang Sui said, “You’re really diligent, Qiao Man. Many people just fill it out randomly, but you actually went and investigated.”
“Academic work requires rigor,” Qiao Man said with such straightforward sincerity that it immediately defined the nature of the matter.
Against her upright demeanor, Wu Xiaoxiao’s earlier comments appeared vulgar and even suspicious of spreading rumors. Her face flushed red with anger, and she shot Jiang Sui an indignant look.
Across the table, Xiao Chen whispered, “Is there really such a questionnaire?”
“Otherwise?” Qiao Man whispered back. “Would Jiang Sui actually help me?”
“That’s true… Why didn’t you mention it earlier?” Xiao Chen asked curiously.
Qiao Man replied, “I saved a duck and incidentally worked on the research topic. What’s there to say?”
Xiao Chen felt a surge of admiration—even while rescuing a duck, she didn’t forget her academic work.
After dealing with Xiao Chen, Qiao Man glanced at Jiang Sui, her eyes asking how they would continue to cover this up.
Jiang Sui curled his lips into a smile and made a money-counting gesture.
…Understood. Money makes the world go round. It seemed Professor Li would have to take on this research topic whether he wanted to or not.
The meal continued with everyone lost in their own thoughts. As it was nearing the end, Qiao Man followed the plot’s cue and went to the restroom. When she came out, she happened to run into Wu Xiaoxiao.
“Hey.” Wu Xiaoxiao leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, clearly waiting for her on purpose.
Qiao Man stopped. “What is it?”
“Do you like Gu Hantian?” Wu Xiaoxiao began reciting her lines as expected.
Qiao Man played along. “Is that not allowed?”
“Of course not,” Wu Xiaoxiao sneered. “What are you, anyway? How dare you like the young master of the Gu family? Do you even know what ‘social mismatch’ means?”
Qiao Man looked up. “So? What’s it to you?”
“He’s my childhood sweetheart! And the person my best friend likes, what does it have to do with me?” Wu Xiaoxiao said angrily.
Qiao Man sneered, taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, she shed her innocent facade… though, it seemed she never really had one to begin with.
“Just someone your best friend likes? With such a big reaction, I thought he was the one you liked.”
“You…”
Wu Xiaoxiao raised her hand to hit her, but suddenly caught sight of Bai Xingyu approaching in the mirror’s reflection. She quickly covered her own face.
Oh, the drama queen is starting her performance.
【Wu Xiaoxiao, with red-rimmed eyes and covering her face, immediately drew Bai Xingyu’s attention.
“Are you okay?” Bai Xingyu hurriedly asked, and upon seeing Qiao Man opposite her, instantly became wary. “What did you do to my friend?”
Qiao Man put on a fragile expression: “I didn’t do anything.”】
Qiao Man couldn’t quite pull off the fragility, but that didn’t stop her from delivering her lines.
【”Bull…” Wu Xiaoxiao swallowed the curse and glared at her resentfully, “You clearly hit me! Just because I said Han Tian would never like you.”
“How dare you hit her?!” Bai Xingyu exploded.
Qiao Man bit her lip and happened to see Gu Hantian approaching. She called out to him with a sob: “Han Tian.”】
“Han Tian.” Qiao Man attempted to sob, but after two attempts, she let out a hiccup instead.
Wu Xiaoxiao: “?”
Bai Xingyu: “?”
“…Sorry, I ate too much,” Qiao Man said calmly.
Her sudden improvisation left the veteran actors momentarily stumped. Gu Hantian had already walked over, followed by Jiang Sui.
Gu Hantian frowned and asked, “What happened?”
Wu Xiaoxiao immediately started fabricating lies.
Bai Xingyu supported her indignantly: “Gu Hantian, you have to give me an explanation today!”
Wu Xiaoxiao also looked at him pitifully.
Under normal plot development, Gu Hantian should firmly believe the female supporting character, causing Bai Xingyu to storm off in anger with her friend.
But Qiao Man glanced from one person to another, then thought about her own behavior in front of Gu Hantian recently, and suddenly felt uncertain whether he would side with her.
If he didn’t follow the script, would that count as success or failure?
While Qiao Man was pondering this serious question, Gu Hantian’s eyes swept across the ashtray on the sink, the large vase beside Qiao Man’s hand, the cactus on the balcony, and the oversized hanging painting behind her.
After surveying the scene, he coldly stated: “Impossible. Qiao Man wouldn’t hit her.”
Everyone present was stunned, even Qiao Man’s eyes flickered with surprise.
Bai Xingyu trembled with rage: “Are you saying… I’m framing her?”
“She wouldn’t do that. It’s Xiaoxiao who’s framing her,” Gu Hantian said with a frown.
“You… Gu Hantian, fine!” Bai Xingyu shoved past him and dragged Wu Xiaoxiao away.
“Xingyu, don’t be angry.” Jiang Sui didn’t even glance at Qiao Man and directly followed them. Watching the three of them leave together, Gu Hantian’s aura turned so cold it could freeze ice chips. Qiao Man felt somewhat uncomfortable seeing Jiang Sui leave without looking back.
But she still needed to wrap up the scene properly.
“Han Tian, thank you.”
“No need. I believe in your character,” Gu Hantian said with a frown.
OK, scene over. Gu Hantian should leave now.
But Qiao Man asked one more question: “Why?”
Gu Hantian looked at her, then at the various potential weapons around, speaking seriously and firmly: “You wouldn’t resort to physical violence with her.”
Qiao Man: “?”
Qiao Man panicked for a moment, and Jiang Sui’s lips curved up slightly.
Xiao Chen was shocked that Bai Xingyu and Gu Hantian were actually childhood friends, but everyone else at the table was far too calm, so he had no choice but to pretend to be calm as well.
Qiao-jie definitely didn’t know either, but Qiao-jie is acting very experienced.
Yep, Qiao-jie is indeed always so experienced. Xiao Chen silently gave her a thumbs-up in his heart.
While he was secretly praising Qiao Man, Bai Xingyu had already become displeased with Gu Hantian’s choice of words and snapped at him, “Hey, be more polite to my friend.”
Gu Hantian’s expression grew even colder.
Jiang Sui forced a smile. “Xing Yu, don’t be like that. Young Master Gu was probably just joking.”
Bai Xingyu gave him a strange look.
If she remembered correctly, half an hour ago, some drunk had mocked him with a couple of lines, and he had shoved the person straight into a pond. Why was he being so agreeable now?
“The food is coming. Let’s all sit down,” Xiao Chen said, trying to smooth things over.
Since outsiders were present, Bai Xingyu merely glared at Gu Hantian before taking a seat near the door.
Jiang Sui naturally sat next to her, and on her other side was Wu Xiaoxiao.
Seeing that there were more people, Xiao Chen added a few more dishes. Gu Hantian leaned over past Qiao Man and said in a low voice, “This meal is on me.”
“Don’t even start. Are you looking down on your bro?” Xiao Chen shot him a sideways glance. “I’m not Qiao-jie, so poor that I can’t even afford to—Oof…”
He grunted in pain and looked pitifully at Qiao Man.
Qiao Man reluctantly lifted her foot, successfully leaving a shoe print on Xiao Chen’s shoe.
“It’s all dirty now,” he complained in a small voice.
Qiao Man glanced at him. “You’re rich. Buy a new pair.”
Xiao Chen whimpered. Gu Hantian, who had been stone-faced the whole time, finally let the corners of his lips curl up.
The interaction among the three was clearly seen by Bai Xingyu across the table. Bai Xingyu lowered her head to drink her water, her eyes nearly turning red. Beside her, Jiang Sui’s expression was indifferent, completely out of place.
First and Second had specifically invited Bai Xingyu and the others over to disgust Qiao Man and Gu Hantian. Now, seeing their pleasant atmosphere, they immediately brought up stories of them playing together as children.
Wu Xiaoxiao caught on instantly and chimed in.
“Xing Yu, do you remember? When you were little, you said you wanted to marry Han Tian, but Han Tian wasn’t willing, so you cried and complained to Uncle Gu,” First asked with a laugh.
Wu Xiaoxiao also nodded. “Back then, Han Tian got a huge scolding from Uncle Gu. He felt so weiqu afterward, saying he hadn’t even reached the legal age yet.”
“Sounds like Han Tian was quite regretful at the time,” Second said with a raised eyebrow.
Bai Xingyu forced a smile. “We were just kids who didn’t know any better.”
“Yes, didn’t know any better,” Gu Hantian added coolly.
The atmosphere froze for a second.
As if unable to read the room, Qiao Man simply followed the plot hint and placed some food on Gu Hantian’s plate.
The moment she moved, everyone else looked over. Xiao Chen, who was beside her, also eagerly nudged his plate in her direction.
She was only pretending not to read the room, but this guy genuinely couldn’t. Qiao Man smiled slightly and put a Fresh Milk Lobster Ball on his plate.
“I was just about to say, isn’t this from the kids’ menu?” Xiao Chen was speechless.
Qiao Man: “Yes, I ordered it especially for you.”
Xiao Chen: “…”
“Classmate Qiao, we meet again,” Wu Xiaoxiao said suddenly.
Qiao Man looked at her, certain that this part was not in the original novel, so she said nothing.
“You don’t remember me? On the thirtieth, on the beach at Feiniao Island, Xing Yu and I were both there,” Wu Xiaoxiao said, her gaze suddenly landing on Xiao Chen’s face. “Is this your boyfriend?”
Xiao Chen quickly swallowed his lobster ball. “No, I’m not.”
“Oh, you’re not?” Wu Xiaoxiao smiled apologetically. “At the time, I heard you two talking about things like ducks and O, so I thought you were in an open relationship.”
At these words, everyone looked over.
Xiao Chen was dumbfounded, completely stunned.
Wu Xiaoxiao tilted her head and looked at Qiao Man curiously. “Classmate Qiao’s family circumstances aren’t too good, are they? You have to work part-time in advance to save up money to hire a duck. That must be very hard.”
This statement was rather aggressive.
Jiang Sui frowned, certain that this part was not in the plot.
In the dead silence, First laughed. “Xiaoxiao, don’t talk nonsense. How could Qiao-jie possibly O?”
“It’s true, I heard it with my own ears,” Wu Xiaoxiao said, pointing at Xiao Chen with an innocent look. “He’s the one who said it. Xing Yu heard it too.”
Bai Xingyu frowned, a little displeased.
Although she disliked Qiao Man, this was someone’s private business, and Wu Xiaoxiao was being too tactless. But she couldn’t bring herself to refute her friend in front of so many people.
Amid the silence, just as Xiao Chen was about to slam the table and stand up, Qiao Man pressed down on his arm.
She looked up at Wu Xiaoxiao. Just as she was about to speak, Jiang Sui interrupted, “Classmate Qiao must be talking about Professor Li’s research project for the Journalism Department.”
No one expected him to be the first to speak, and all eyes turned to him at once.
“What project?” Bai Xingyu asked.
Jiang Sui: “It’s called The Development of the Sex Worker Community and Its Necessary Connection to Economic Fluctuations in the Broader Environment. It’s an economics-related news piece about a niche group. Because the topic is sensitive and special, he didn’t ask his own students to do it. Instead, he posted a paid, anonymous questionnaire online. Did Classmate Qiao see it too?”
“Yes, the reward was generous, so I went to do some research,” Qiao Man replied.
Jiang Sui: “Classmate Qiao is so diligent. Many people just fill it out randomly, but you actually went to investigate.”
“One must be rigorous in academic pursuits,” Qiao Man said in an overly righteous tone, which immediately defined the nature of the matter.
In contrast to her uprightness, Wu Xiaoxiao’s earlier words now seemed vulgar, with a hint of slander. Her face flushed red, and she shot Jiang Sui a resentful look.
Across the table, Xiao Chen lowered his voice. “Is there really such a questionnaire?”
“What else?” Qiao Man also whispered. “You think Jiang Sui would help me?”
“That’s true… Why didn’t you say so before?” Xiao Chen asked curiously.
Qiao Man: “I saved a duck and worked on a project on the side. What’s there to talk about?”
She didn’t even forget to work on her project while saving a duck. Xiao Chen was instantly filled with admiration.
After dealing with Xiao Chen, Qiao Man looked at Jiang Sui, her eyes asking how he planned to smooth over the rest.
Jiang Sui’s lips curled up, and he made a money-counting gesture.
…Understood. Money makes the world go round. It seemed that even if Professor Li didn’t want to do this project, he would have to now.
The meal was eaten with everyone lost in their own thoughts. As it was about to end, Qiao Man followed the plot hint and went to the restroom. When she came out, she happened to run into Wu Xiaoxiao.
“Hey.” Wu Xiaoxiao leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, clearly having come specifically to block her.
Qiao Man stopped. “What is it?”
“You like Gu Hantian?” Wu Xiaoxiao predictably began reciting her lines.
Qiao Man played along with her. “Can’t I?”
“Of course not,” Wu Xiaoxiao sneered. “What do you think you are, to be worthy of liking the young master of the Gu Family? Do you know what it means to be from completely different worlds?”
Qiao Man looked up. “So? What’s it to you?”
“He’s my childhood sweetheart! And he’s the person my best friend likes. You tell me what it has to do with me!” Wu Xiaoxiao said angrily.
Qiao Man let out a cold laugh. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, she tore off her innocent little flower facade… though, of course, it seemed she never had one to begin with.
“Is he just the person your best friend likes? You’re reacting so strongly, I thought he was the one you liked.”
“You…”
Wu Xiaoxiao raised her hand to hit her, but then she caught sight of Bai Xingyu approaching in the mirror’s reflection and suddenly covered her own face.
Oh, the drama queen was starting her performance.
[Wu Xiaoxiao covered her face, her eyes red. Bai Xingyu immediately rushed forward.
“Are you okay?” Bai Xingyu asked hurriedly. Seeing that the person opposite was Qiao Man, she instantly became wary. “What did you do to my friend?”
Qiao Man looked frail and weak. “I didn’t do anything.”]
Qiao Man couldn’t pull off frail and weak, but that didn’t stop her from saying the lines.
[“F…” Wu Xiaoxiao swallowed the curse word and looked at her resentfully. “You clearly hit me! Just because I said Han Tian wouldn’t like you.”
“What right do you have to hit her?!” Bai Xingyu exploded.
Qiao Man bit her lip. Just then, she saw Gu Hantian coming this way, so she called out to him with a sob, “Han Tian.”]
“Han Tian.” Qiao Man tried to sob, but after two attempts, she let out a hiccup.
Wu Xiaoxiao: “?”
Bai Xingyu: “?”
“…Sorry, I ate too much,” Qiao Man said calmly.
Her sudden ad-libbing made even the veteran actors stumble. Gu Hantian had already walked over, followed by Jiang Sui.
Gu Hantian frowned. “What happened?”
Wu Xiaoxiao immediately started slandering her.
Bai Xingyu supported her resentfully. “Gu Hantian, you have to give me an explanation today!”
Wu Xiaoxiao also looked at him pitifully.
If this plot developed normally, Gu Hantian should firmly believe the Female Supporting Character, and Bai Xingyu would storm off in a rage with her friend.
But Qiao Man looked from one to the other, then thought about her own performance in front of Gu Hantian recently, and she suddenly wasn’t sure if he would help her.
If he didn’t follow the plot, would she be considered successful or a failure?
As Qiao Man was pondering this serious question, Gu Hantian noticed the ashtray on the sink, the large vase by Qiao Man’s hand, the cactus on the balcony, and the huge painting behind her.
After looking around, he spoke coolly, “Impossible. Qiao Man wouldn’t hit her.”
Everyone present was stunned. Even Qiao Man’s eyes flashed with a trace of surprise.
Bai Xingyu trembled with anger. “Are you saying… I’m framing her?”
“She wouldn’t do that. It’s Xiaoxiao who’s framing her,” Gu Hantian said with a frown.
“You… Gu Hantian, you’ve got some nerve!” Bai Xingyu shoved past him and left, pulling Wu Xiaoxiao with her.
“Xing Yu, don’t be angry.” Without looking at Qiao Man, Jiang Sui immediately followed them. Gu Hantian watched the three of them leave together, his aura so cold it could almost form ice shards. Seeing Jiang Sui walk away without a backward glance, Qiao Man also felt a little uncomfortable.
But she still had to wrap up the plot.
“Han Tian, thank you.”
“No need to thank me. I believe in your character,” Gu Hantian said, frowning.
OK, plot over. Gu Hantian should be leaving now.
But Qiao Man asked one more question, “Why?”
Gu Hantian glanced at her, then at all the potential weapons, and said seriously and firmly, “You wouldn’t use your hands on her.”
Qiao Man: “?”