Yang Haoran sat on the outermost side, with Ji Youxi and Yaoyao to his left. When this question came up…
Actually, Yang Mengyao had wanted to ask her brother earlier, but upon considering his personality, she realized he might not tell the truth, so it was better to ask the person involved directly.
“Youxi, Yang Haoran is just talking nonsense, right?” Han Lili clearly didn’t believe it.
A guy like Yang Hao, so ordinary—even if he had improved academically, there were plenty of top students in the advanced class. Any progress he made only put him at the very tail end of the class. How could someone like Ji Youxi, a girl born under a lucky star, ever take a liking to Yang Haoran?
Facing the curious gazes of everyone, Ji Youxi picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork with her chopsticks and, to their surprise, brought it to Yang Haoran’s lips. “Here, eat! You worked hard getting the food.”
Yang Haoran was momentarily stunned, instinctively opening his mouth. It wasn’t until the sweet and sour pork danced on his taste buds that he snapped back to reality, beaming with joy. Happily, he picked up a piece of braised chicken from his own plate and brought it to Ji Youxi’s rosy, delicate lips. “Youxi, the soy-braised chicken is really good. Try it.”
Ji Youxi knew what he was up to and played along, parting her cherry-like lips to accept the chicken. Her pearly white teeth bit into the piece, and she chewed slowly and delicately.
Their intimate display left Han Lili dumbfounded and Yang Mengyao astonished. Xiao Shaowan, looking at Yang Haoran’s gleeful, wide-grinning face and then at the radiant and beautiful Ji Youxi, felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck her mind. She trembled, as if she had realized something?
Then she pressed her lips together.
They always talked about the male and female thieves. Xiao Shaowan had discovered Yang Haoran’s true identity but had never had any clue about the mistress. She seemed incredibly mysterious, and when it came to disciplining her, the mistress was the most ruthless, instilling deep fear in Xiao Shaowan.
Xiao Shaowan had once wondered if the mistress was less beautiful than her and jealous of her looks. That would explain why whenever she slipped up or failed to meet expectations, she would face harsh and severe punishments—like a malicious girl who couldn’t tolerate even a speck of dust in her eye.
Her face had once been pressed into the floor by the mistress’s shoe, humiliated like a rag. Her tender pink nipples had been tied together with a thin string, and the slightest movement sent pain shooting through her, making her teeth chatter. She had her breasts stepped on, was forced to serve as a human chair, was hung up, whipped with a leather belt—and more. To this day, the memories haunted her like nightmares, lingering in Xiao Shaowan’s mind.
Compared to Yang Haoran—who made her crawl like a dog, lick plates, slapped her breasts—the mistress’s methods were even more extreme. She was like a true she-devil, never treating Xiao Shaowan as human.
But beyond resentment, what ran deeper in Xiao Shaowan’s bones was a ingrained fear.
Compared to Yang Haoran, she had already deeply submitted to the mistress’s methods.
Yang Haoran was right beside her, but where was the mistress?
Xiao Shaowan had suspected every girl in the class but never Ji Youxi, because her aura was truly as pure and elegant as an orchid, possessing a tranquil, water-like grace. Moreover, she was clearly more beautiful than Xiao Shaowan, so there was no reason for her to be jealous of Xiao Shaowan’s looks.
But now, Yang Haoran treated Ji Youxi as an equal, not like a sex slave hiding her fangs, waiting quietly for the hunt.
“Shaowan, why are your hands shaking?”
Yang Mengyao quickly noticed her best friend was off, her whole body trembling slightly.
At these words, everyone’s eyes turned to Xiao Shaowan. Meeting Ji Youxi’s calm, profound gaze, Xiao Shaowan felt her legs go weak. Forcing a smile, she said, “It’s nothing. I’m just really shocked. I never thought Yang Haoran actually managed to win Ji Youxi’s heart. Good thing I never accepted his pursuit earlier. Compared to Ji Youxi, I feel utterly inadequate!”
Xiao Shaowan spoke with a self-deprecating smile, and everyone thought she was joking. No one noticed that she used to call Ji Youxi “Youxi” but now referred to her by her full name, “Ji Youxi.” Such a subtle detail was easily overlooked.
Only Ji Youxi gave Xiao Shawan a meaningful glance without saying a word. Figured it out? Took you long enough.
She never felt she had hidden herself very deeply. After transferring schools, she openly became Yang Haoran’s desk mate. Whether Xiao Shaowan discovered her or not, she had never cared.
“Hmph, Youxi, how could you ever fall for Yang Haoran?” Han Lili felt indignant on Ji Youxi’s behalf. “There are so many outstanding guys in our class. Look, even Shaowan didn’t accept Yang Haoran, yet you did. It’s just—no, that’s not right… I mean, Yang Haoran simply isn’t good enough for you.”
Han Lili quickly corrected herself upon realizing her blunder.
Xiao Shaowan’s smile stiffened, and she shot Han Lili a resentful look. I’m already scared out of my wits, and you use me as an example? Are you trying to make my life harder?
“Lili…” Yang Mengyao frowned. “Classmate Yang Haoran isn’t that bad. He’s been studying hard lately and putting in a lot of effort. He’s not as terrible as you say. Besides, we’re all classmates. Talking like this disrupts class unity.”
Hearing Yang Mengyao’s displeased tone, spoken with the authority of the class president, Han Lili realized she had misspoken and apologized to Yang Haoran. Still, in her heart, she felt Yang Haoran wasn’t worthy of Ji Youxi.
“It’s fine. I don’t mind these things.”
Yang Haoran acted unbothered, but inwardly, he was thinking, You keep putting me down. Good thing you’re my buddy Xiaoming’s girlfriend, or I’d find a way to teach you a lesson.
Pisses me off. Looking down on people—you and Xiaoming are a perfect match.
Yang Haoran grumbled internally, placing the blame on Xiaoming. I’ll have to get Xiaoming to keep Han Lili in check later.
Afterward, the girls chatted about daily life, almost exclusively about topics only girls would discuss. Yang Haoran couldn’t get a word in, so he could only bury his head in his meal.
The only thing he found strange was that Xiao Shaowan was noticeably quieter and often showered his girlfriend Ji Youxi with compliments, almost like a maidservant from ancient times addressing a young lady of noble birth.
Turning it over in his mind, Yang Haoran understood. Now that Xiao Shaowan knew Ji Youxi’s true identity, it didn’t matter. It was just the right time for Ji Youxi to take charge of both Wan Nu and Yaoyao.
After the meal, the girls wanted to return to the dorm. Yang Haoran accompanied them to the foot of the girls’ dormitory building but stopped there. He had no intention of shamelessly entering the girls’ dorm, only to be chased out by the dorm supervisor wielding a broom.
Yang Haoran returned to the boys’ dorm. Without Wei Ming around, the dorm felt somewhat dull. He went to the next room to chat with Zhou Shiwen.