"Sister Jiaojiao, I’m not upset. Did you finish eating? I want to leave now." Yun Shifei tugged at Xu Yuejiao’s hand.
"Who’s in the private room? So mysterious." After confirming Yun Shifei was really fine, Xu Yuejiao voiced the question she’d been dying to ask.
Could it be Feifei actually has friends in Beijing? But she’d never heard Yun Shifei mention them.
After pulling Xu Yuejiao outside, Yun Shifei still cast a glance at the private room window. From inside, you could see the outside clearly, but from the outside, all you’d see was a layer of dark, reflective glass—nothing was visible.
Was he watching her at this moment?
Recalling the words Cheng Lie had just spoken, Yun Shifei’s heart raced again, her cheeks gradually warming.
She leaned closer to Xu Yuejiao’s ear and whispered, "It’s Cheng Lie."
"Cheng Lie?!" Xu Yuejiao’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Yun Shifei. "Why is he here? Didn’t you say you might never see him again?"
"I had no idea I’d run into him here." Yun Shifei was equally puzzled. Seeing Cheng Lie earlier, she had been so nervous she couldn’t even string words together—the entire interaction had been controlled by Cheng Lie.
Moreover, she realized he’d become even more enigmatic now. She couldn’t begin to guess what he was thinking.
Ye Yi listened quietly as Yun Shifei and Xu Yuejiao talked about someone he didn’t know at all.
The feeling of being an outsider made Ye Yi feel slightly uneasy.
"Who are you talking about?" He wanted to figure it out and join their conversation.
Upon hearing Ye Yi’s question, Xu Yuejiao replied, "It’s just Feifei’s old classmate. They used to be really close friends—deskmates, even. I didn’t expect him to come to Beijing too."
Really close male classmate.
Considering how Yun Shifei had been in the private room for so long and that person hadn’t come out...
Ye Yi instantly felt a sense of crisis.
"I’m full and a little tired. I think I’ll head back to the dorm and get some sleep." Yun Shifei spoke up, directly changing the subject.
Looking at Ye Yi, she couldn’t help but remember the words Cheng Lie had just said.
Ultimately, when she tried to leave earlier, Cheng Lie suddenly placed his hands on her shoulders, preventing her from walking away.
He looked down at her, reaching out to grasp her chin. His long, narrow eyes carried leisure but also hints of cold indifference.
"Shi Fei, don’t get too close to that man. He’s no good."
She asked him, "How can you tell?"
"Men understand men best."
Such a cryptic response made Yun Shifei think about how she hadn’t arranged to meet Ye Yi, yet he still showed up at the agreed spot to hang out.
When she returned to campus, she was definitely going to ask her cousin about this.
Yun Shifei grabbed Xu Yuejiao and left. Ye Yi followed behind them, but he glanced back at the dessert shop—specifically, at the private room Yun Shifei had entered earlier. His expression showed some complexity.
Cheng Lie remained seated in his original spot, his gaze also fixed on Ye Yi.
However, the person outside couldn’t see him.
The two men’s gazes intercepted. Cheng Lie curled his lips into a cold smile. Despite the chill in his tone, there was a sharp edge: this man had guts, but Cheng Lie wouldn’t mind letting him face the consequences of such boldness.
Ye Yi only lingered briefly before leaving with Yun Shifei and Xu Yuejiao.
Seeing the three leave together, Cheng Lie’s smile faded.
When Zhao Pan entered, Cheng Lie said, "I want to go to college."
His thoughts drifted back to the past.
Back then, the person standing beside her was him.
They had been deskmates, walked home together every day, and spent weekends at her house studying. She’d even cooked delicious meals for him.
Those peaceful, tranquil days were gone, never to return.
When Zhao Pan heard Cheng Lie’s words, he almost dropped to his knees in shock.
"Mr. Cheng... You... You don’t need to go to school! Whatever diploma you want, Mr. Qin can have it arranged for you."
This man had only just arrived in Beijing and could finally dedicate himself wholeheartedly to work. If he went back to school, wouldn’t that waste more precious time?
How amusing. Cheng Lie’s eyes glinted with mockery.
He took a sip of the coffee in front of him. No sugar added—terribly bitter.
If Yun Shifei had taken a sip, she’d probably cry bitter tears, but Cheng Lie didn’t even furrow his brow.
Seeing Zhao Pan’s terrified expression, Cheng Lie set down the coffee and stood up. "Relax, I was joking. Look at you, scared stiff."
Zhao Pan was genuinely close to tears.
His mood these days swung like a roller coaster—low one moment, soaring the next—the ups and downs almost too much to bear. He wondered how much longer he could endure this.
But the salary from this job was far above his peers’ earnings, and he couldn’t bear to let that go. So he figured he’d stick it out for the money.
When Yun Shifei returned to her dorm, she made an excuse about wanting to go upstairs to check out the new clothes she’d bought and followed Xu Yuejiao to her room.
Of course, it was the girls’ dormitory, so boys naturally weren’t allowed inside.
Ye Yi waved goodbye to the two of them.
"Trying on clothes? Feifei, do you want to try on my clothes? But we don’t have the same style." Xu Yuejiao looked at her curiously.
Her wardrobe was full of T-shirts, cargo pants, and denim—a very tomboyish aesthetic, which she loved.
It didn’t suit Yun Shifei at all.
"Who said I wanted to try on your clothes." Yun Shifei stared at her seriously. "I made plans to go shopping with you. Why did Ye Yi show up?"
"Ah, well... The weather today was really nice! I’m feeling a bit tired. Since you’re not here to try clothes, I’ll head back now." Sensing the danger, Xu Yuejiao decided it was time to make her escape.
Yun Shifei grabbed the strap of Xu Yuejiao’s overalls, stopping her from leaving.
"You can’t leave unless you tell me."
Such a commanding tone—it was hard to believe it came from her sweet, soft cousin.
Xu Yuejiao knew that although Yun Shifei appeared cute and kind-hearted, once she set her mind to something, she wouldn’t let it go unless given an explanation.
But she’d promised Ye Yi she wouldn’t betray him!
Xu Yuejiao was torn, looking at the angry Yun Shifei. She knew her cousin was upset.
If she didn’t tell her, Yun Shifei would probably get even angrier—or worse, hurt.
After all, Ye Yi was just someone she’d recently met. Her little cousin was the one that truly mattered.
Why was she dithering for so long? Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn novel⦿fire.net
"Alright, I’ll tell you. Ye Yi likes you."
Yun Shifei let go of Xu Yuejiao’s strap. "You knew and still..."
"Well, I was thinking—you’re in college now. Wouldn’t it be such a waste not to experience a romance? He’s good-looking, comes from a good family, has a nice personality, and really knows how to take care of people. You two seem like a good match."
Yun Shifei: "...Wow, you sell out your cousin pretty effortlessly."
Xu Yuejiao, guilty but defiant, replied, "So from what you’re saying, you don’t like him?"
Yun Shifei finally understood Xu Yuejiao. This girl thought every guy was great.
First, she thought Cheng Lie suited her. Now, she was saying Ye Yi did. She had absolutely no stance on the matter.