Xu Yueyao stood at the entrance of Imperial Capital University, hesitating for a moment before finally walking in. As soon as she stepped through the gate, she could feel an aura of prestige. At the center of the campus stood a fountain built from rare shell stone, with water droplets splashing around, making the surroundings appear exceptionally elegant. The teaching buildings looked like silver-gray castles, gleaming magnificently from a distance.
Just as Xu Yueyao was marveling at the school’s luxury, a limited-edition sports car, its body shimmering in blue, suddenly pulled up in front of her. The owner of the car was a highly distinctive young man. His hairstyle was unique, his attire fashionable, and he wore a confident smile as he looked at her. A scar about three centimeters long on his brow bone didn’t detract from his handsome face; instead, it added a touch of unruly roguishness.
“Xu Yueyao, you finally showed up?”
A name flashed in Xu Yueyao’s mind as she looked at him: “Fu Xiao Si?”
Fu Xiao Si’s lips curved slightly. Just as he was about to say something, a slightly plump, bespectacled middle-aged man in a white suit shouted from a distance, “Fu Xiao Si, no parking here!”
Fu Xiao Si said to Xu Yueyao, “Wait for me in the classroom.” With that, he drove away.
“Yao Yao!”
Xu Yueyao turned around to see Zhang Beilu running toward her. Glancing at the departing sports car, she asked, “Was that Fu Xiao Si?”
“Yes, he just spoke to me. Are we close?” Xu Yueyao probed, genuinely unable to recall how far their relationship had progressed.
“He confessed to you at the nightclub? Don’t you remember?”
So, he had confessed. That meant their relationship hadn’t deteriorated yet. In the book, Xu Yueyao’s repeated rejections had humiliated Fu Xiao Si, leading him to bully her. But now, she was publicly known as Zhan Shao’s woman. He should lose interest in her and certainly wouldn’t lead the charge in bullying her anymore.
Thinking this, Xu Yueyao relaxed. She linked arms with Zhang Beilu, smiling like a pair of sisters as they headed to the classroom.
In the classroom, Xu Yueyao’s arrival sparked murmurs among the students. An Zhiyi merely glanced up at her before lowering her head back to her book, as if the surrounding noise had nothing to do with her. Xia Nuannuan, on the other hand, watched her with a mocking gaze, as if enjoying the spectacle.
A strikingly beautiful girl with exquisite makeup walked toward her, followed by three girls dressed in flashy, tacky outfits.
“Well, if it isn’t Xu Yueyao! I heard you’re being kept by someone. Why are you still coming to school? Shouldn’t you be at home serving your sugar daddy?”
Gao Yuyan looked at Xu Yueyao, who was wearing a British-style blazer paired with a pleated skirt, a smoke-gray shirt, and a delicate collarbone chain that accentuated her long, slender neck, fair and delicate. The skirt’s length perfectly showcased her long, straight, manga-like legs.
Gao Yuyan frowned. She could probably guess why Fu Xiao Si had suddenly taken an interest in her. Over the past two years at school, Xu Yueyao had always worn long sleeves and pants, blending into the crowd without standing out. But that night at the nightclub, Gao Yuyan had been there too. She hadn’t expected Xu Yueyao, in a crop top and miniskirt, to reveal a figure where every part of her body was perfectly proportioned.She would never forget the look Fu Xiao Si had given Xu Yueyao at that time. During the two days Xu Yueyao was absent, she had breathed a sigh of relief. Little did she expect that Xu Yueyao would reappear today, no longer hiding her beauty but flaunting it openly. What did she mean by this? Was she trying to seduce Fu Xiao Si?
Xu Yueyao watched Gao Yuyan’s expression grow increasingly unpleasant, unaware that the latter had already concocted an entire scenario in her mind about seducing her male idol.
As Xu Yueyao looked at Gao Yuyan before her, she recalled the plot from the book. When Fu Xiao Si bullied her, Gao Yuyan, as his devoted admirer, led a clique of four to join in the harassment and abuse. The book described it like this: “They cut the original host’s hair, forced her to eat chalk, locked her in the bathroom, splashed water on her from time to time, slapped her across the face, and even went so far as to attempt taking nude photos of her. They even wanted to find someone to ruin her innocence, only giving up because she became Zhan Shao’s woman.”
Xu Yueyao had no intention of enduring any of this. She decided to directly bring up Zhan Rong Xuan. After all, they had a deal—she would help ward off his unwanted admirers, and he would protect her. Xu Yueyao never forced herself to suffer in silence.
She looked at Gao Yuyan and said, “I am not being kept by anyone. My boyfriend is Zhan Rong Xuan.”
Her words caused an uproar. After three seconds of stunned silence, the classroom erupted into chaos. Even An Zhiyi, who had been engrossed in her book, looked up in shock.
Gao Yuyan was utterly incredulous. While rumors had been circulating in high society that Zhan Shao had a woman, it was absolutely impossible for it to be her—this poor girl was far too audacious in her delusions.
Gao Yuyan pointed her index finger and jabbed it repeatedly into Xu Yueyao’s shoulder. “Xu Yueyao, have you lost your mind? Do you even know what you’re saying?”
Xu Yueyao raised her hand and gripped Gao Yuyan’s wrist, meeting her gaze directly. “What will it take for you to believe me?”
Gao Yuyan curled her lips into a disdainful smirk. “If you’re really Zhan Shao’s girlfriend, then make him show up here.”
“Rong Xuan has been very busy these past two days. I’ll have Zhan Feng pick me up this afternoon,” Xu Yueyao replied after a moment’s thought. She didn’t dare hope for Zhan Rong Xuan himself, but Zhan Feng should come, right? After all, they had said the Zhan family would protect her.
“Fine. If you’re lying, you’ll have to run naked across the sports field. How about that?” Gao Yuyan said with a laugh, and the girls behind her doubled over in hysterics, as if they could already picture Xu Yueyao streaking across the field.
Hearing the term “naked run,” Zhang Beilu grew worried and grabbed Xu Yueyao’s arm. Xu Yueyao stared at Gao Yuyan, thinking to herself, How can someone be so malicious?
Xu Yueyao accepted the challenge. “I agree. But if what I say is true, the four of you must promise never to bully any student in this school again. If you break that promise, you’ll have to shave your heads bald. Do you dare accept?”
The four girls exchanged uneasy glances, but Gao Yuyan remained utterly convinced that Xu Yueyao could not possibly be Zhan Shao’s woman. As the eldest daughter of the Gao family, she had once caught a distant glimpse of Zhan Rong Xuan at a gala. He was elegant, dashing, and carried himself with the aura of a king—far beyond the reach of someone from Xu Yueyao’s lowly background. So, she refused to believe it.
“I accept. Xu Yueyao, don’t you dare regret this,” Gao Yuyan declared, chin held high. She thought to herself, Xu Yueyao, you’re done for. Zhan Rong Xuan is the idol of every woman in the capital. Even I wouldn’t dare dream of him, yet you have the nerve to spout such nonsense here.
“Good. The whole class will bear witness,” Xu Yueyao said, looking straight at her. But inwardly, her heart trembled. I need to call Zhan Feng later and figure out what to say. If he doesn’t show up, I’m finished.At that moment, the entire class erupted in excitement. The young masters and misses from prominent families were cheering and egging on, but there were also students who had once been bullied by Gao Yuyan’s clique, who now looked deeply at Xu Yueyao. Everyone began to reassess Xu Yueyao—once an invisible presence in the class, some even learned her name for the first time today. Now, standing there, she was like a radiant pearl, shining brightly.
“What’s going on here?” Fu Xiao Si walked in from outside.