Green Tea? She's Clearly a Hidden Gem!

After tidying up, I went into Xiao Su's room.

The moment I stepped through the door, Su Muzhi, sitting on the bed, broke into a grin:

"So? How'd it go with that little green tea?"

"I'd rather not waste my time on her."

Jiang Linyuan sat down beside her.

Su Muzhi's lips curled up:

"Heh. But she doesn't seem to think that way."

Since when did Xiao Su get this sharp? She barely spoke to Zhao Qiulu.

"How could you tell?"

Jiang Linyuan asked.

Miss Zhao was definitely a bit off.

Volunteering her relationship status, subtly hinting at a rocky relationship, and then leaving her phone number behind.

On the surface, everything seemed perfectly natural, but that was exactly what made it unnatural.

It felt like she was setting a trap.

"She's way too composed."

Su Muzhi plopped herself down onto Jiang Linyuan's lap, a sly grin curling at her lips.

What kind of logic was that? "Too composed"?

"Don't be a riddle-monger."

Jiang Linyuan gave Xiao Su a nudge.

"Don't push me!"

Su Muzhi's face flushed slightly, and she smacked his hand.

"About sixty percent of my high school classmates hate me because of my personality, and another thirty percent suck up to me because of my family background..."

Xiao Su, so you do have some self-awareness.

"And the last ten percent?"

"Shen Wanyu and her lackeys."

You even put the Department Head in her own separate category. Classic you.

"So this Miss Zhao is one of the Department Head's lackeys?"

Jiang Linyuan asked.

"Heh, do you think she looks like one?"

"No."

If she were a lackey, she wouldn't have been handed over to me as a punishment.

The Department Head definitely wanted to see this woman torment me to the point of tears, then watch me come crawling to her for protection!

"Anyway, I think it's pretty interesting."

Su Muzhi leaned back and flopped onto the bed.

"Wow, you think it's interesting, and she's interested in me."

Jiang Linyuan held up his phone, deliberately teasing:

"She even gave me her phone number, you know."

"Then that proves I've got good taste."

Su Muzhi lifted her legs, resting her calves on his thighs. Soft and bouncy.

"You're not jealous?"

Jiang Linyuan asked.

"Would you fall for her?"

"No."

"I figured as much."

Su Muzhi's calves swayed up and down, lightly tapping against Jiang Linyuan's thighs:

"I have a strong sense of possessiveness, but I'm not going to cut off every single connection you have with others."

At least, not right now.

"Then I'm heading to the Department Head's room now."

"Swish!"

Su Muzhi shot upright, grabbed Jiang Linyuan's chin, tilted her head up, and smiled at him:

"What did you just say?"

"Didn't you just say you wouldn't cut off all my other connections?"

"That's true, but I think those connections are insignificant to you and me."

"And I can't cut off the important ones either."

"Then I'll help you cut them off."

Su Muzhi looked Jiang Linyuan straight in the eyes, completely serious:

"I can't do anything about Shen Wanyu, but Yu Songsong, Lin Yilin, and that Zhang Juntang? If you nod your head right now, you'll never see them again."

"Don't be so ruthless, Xiao Su. I won't like that."

Jiang Linyuan patted Xiao Su's head.

Too vicious. It felt like after one good night's sleep, Xiao Su's aggression had been cranked up to eleven.

Su Muzhi swatted his hand away:

"Heh. I'm a person with a strong need for control and possessiveness."

"Are you going to cling to me until we're old?"

"What else? Anything you want, just say the word, and I'll give it to you. Anything I know, anything I can do, I'll give it to you."

Su Muzhi wrapped her arms around Jiang Linyuan's neck, lowered her head, and leaned sideways against his chest.

"If that's the case, do I still have any freedom left?"

"I'll stay by your side. I'll bind you, and you can bind me too."

There were many things she hated about Shen Wanyu: her arrogance, her disdain for others, her coldness...

But she'd learned one thing from her: equal exchange.

She couldn't give him pure love, and he couldn't give her undivided devotion.

I can accept that, but...

"I'll try my best to fall in love with you, Jiang Linyuan. So, you try too."

Su Muzhi gently patted Jiang Linyuan's chest, lightly lifting her hand, then slowly letting it fall.

Her movements seemed to sync with his heartbeat.

Jiang Linyuan was silent for a moment, then said:

"Xiao Su, that's just cheating."

"So you're holding me tonight when we sleep. At Shen Wanyu's place."

"...After all that talk, this is what you were after?"

"What else?"

"Xiao Su, if you keep this up, I'll have to show off with you around."

No, wait. Xiao Su doesn't need to show off. She's the real deal.

The main issue was that I showed off way too much when I was getting ahead.

Every guy shows off when he's in his element. Born masters of disguise.

"...I feel like that sentence had some seriously shady intentions."

...

The next day.

Jiang Linyuan received a call from Zhao Qiulu.

"I heard you, Wanyu, and Miss Su are planning to go to the Lantern Festival today? Do you want me to recommend some nice boutiques for you? I know several places with great clothes."

Her voice was light and soft, as if she were genuinely thinking it over.

Jiang Linyuan didn't mention that Shen Guoguo had already made arrangements. Instead, he countered:

"Why didn't you call the Department Head?"

"Ah, because she would definitely refuse."

"Then calling me, you're not afraid of being rejected?"

"Well, I'm just asking."

Zhao Qiulu chuckled on the other end:

"Did Wanyu tell you? My father works under hers. So, she hopes I can get closer to Wanyu."

"So, are you coming to the Lantern Festival today? To deepen your connection with the Department Head?"

Jiang Linyuan shot back.

Zhao Qiulu let out an "Ah," then sounded a bit embarrassed:

"No, no. I'm going to the Lantern Festival with my boyfriend today."

"Besides, there's no way Wanyu would ever agree to that."

"You seem to know the Department Head pretty well?"

Jiang Linyuan went along with the conversation.

"After dealing with her for so long, you kind of pick up on her temperament."

Zhao Qiulu seemed to recall something and let out a helpless sigh.

She was about to say more when a male voice came through on the other end:

"Qiulu? Are you on the phone?"

"Mm, my boyfriend's calling me. I'll hang up now."

With that, she ended the call.

Jiang Linyuan stared at the hung-up phone, frowning.

What did that mean? Her boyfriend was right there, and she just hung up like that?

On purpose?