Green Tea? She's Clearly a Hidden Gem!

After Zhang Juntang finished harassing him, Jiang Linyuan thought about going to bother Shen Wanyu next.

Messages from Yu Songsong kept popping up on WeChat.

"Senior, where did you go?"

"Senior, why aren't you replying to me?"

"I just saw a volunteer girl taking a photo of you, who was she?"

"The other party has canceled."

In just ten minutes, she had already sent five or six messages and made several calls.

Faced with this woman who tried to monopolize him, Jiang Linyuan immediately slapped her onto his blacklist.

No reply. If he answered, she would only get more worked up. Let the Thief Saint stew for a bit, build up her patience.

I’m going to learn romance techniques! Do not disturb me!

First, find out where the Department Head is.

"Department Head, I just finished a 3km run. Too bad I reached the finish line but I don’t know if I reached your heart."

Jiang Linyuan opened with a corny pick-up line.

"Seen."

Shen Wanyu replied after a moment.

"Department Head, where are you? I’ll come find you."

Jiang Linyuan asked again.

Shen Wanyu didn’t seem to like long text chats and called him directly.

"Aren’t you going to rest?"

A cool, distant voice came through the phone.

See? The Department Head cares about me! She must have feelings for me!

"Department Head, you care about me so much, does that mean you like me? I can be your boyfriend."

Jiang Linyuan kept on brand. Instead of guessing, better to ask directly!

Think he’s too cringe? Haha, if you praise more, I’ll take more praise!

"I’m getting tired of hearing that from you."

Shen Wanyu sighed, her tone full of helplessness.

Tired of hearing it?

Ah, so it’s a lack of novelty now?

They say couples hit a seven-year itch; me and the Department Head have been together just over a year and we’re already here?

Qin Shi Huang eating Sichuan peppercorns—completely wrecked! Win!

"Don’t overthink it."

Shen Wanyu said suddenly.

What the—she can read minds over the phone too, right?

So sneaky!

When will an A-tier card drop mind-reading for me to play with?

"Department Head, where are you? I want to see you."

Jiang Linyuan asked again.

"Later."

Huh? Phone glitching, why the echo?

Jiang Linyuan put the phone a little farther away.

"I said, later."

Holy crap!

Jiang Linyuan turned his head, and Shen Wanyu's calm face came into view.

Their eyes met. She put down her phone, walked over, and asked casually:

"Scared?"

Nearly died of fright!

Luckily it was broad daylight! If it were at night, how would she be different from a female ghost!

No, ghosts can't appear in daylight, so if she shows up in daylight then maybe...

"Don’t overthink it."

Shen Wanyu repeated.

"Department Head, tell me secretly, you can read minds, right?"

Jiang Linyuan asked.

Shen Wanyu glanced at him:

"It’s not mind reading, I just have sharper observational skills. It’s a talent."

She paused, then added:

"Like you, running 3km with no rhythm and still full of energy afterward, that’s a talent too."

I have a system! Do you? Just talent!

Jiang Linyuan didn’t bother arguing and instead asked:

"Department Head, have you eaten dinner?"

"This time you’re treating."

Shen Wanyu said as she started walking forward.

Eh? Is the Department Head about to spend my coins on me?

Ah, maybe she’s copying me, stealing bride-price shards from me. After enough times, she’ll suddenly say she’ll marry me.

Jiang Linyuan followed and asked:

"Fine, what do you want to eat, a street stall?"

"Okay."

Such a halfhearted yes! She doesn’t care about me at all!

"How about hot pot? I want hot pot."

"Okay."

"How about spicy skewers? I want those."

"Okay."

"McDonald’s? I remember there’s a new combo today."

"Street stall."

"Actually Sha County snacks…"

"Street stall."

Shen Wanyu stopped and looked at Jiang Linyuan with calm eyes.

"Oh, Department Head wanted a street stall, why didn’t you say earlier? So picky. It’s not like I won’t treat."

Jiang Linyuan pouted, clearly displeased.

This person...

Shen Wanyu unclenched her fists and steadied herself.

They walked out of campus and randomly sat down at a street stall, eating and chatting.

"How has Su Muzhi been treating you lately?"

Shen Wanyu looked at Jiang Linyuan and asked.

Every day, one question—Department Head cares about me.

"Xiao Su treats me okay, but she can’t compare to how good the Department Head treats me."

Jiang Linyuan said with a grin.

Shen Wanyu added:

"She hates me, and I hate her."

Jiang Linyuan froze for a moment. He’d known they were at odds, but hearing it directly from the Department Head felt different.

"Department Head, don’t worry. If Xiao Su messes with you, I’ll always stand by your side!"

He said solemnly.

Using Xiao Su to boost favorability.

Shen Wanyu just quietly looked at him and said:

"I think if you two get into a fight, it will probably be because you egged her on from behind."

What a slander! I, Jiang Linyuan, a man of integrity! Could I do something to drag people into chaos?

Look at Liu Tingting, she even had to thank me!

"Department Head, I..."

Jiang Linyuan tried to speak, but Shen Wanyu interrupted:

"Just keep your limits. I don’t want to pry into your issues with her."

"Department Head, are you jealous?"

Jiang Linyuan asked.

Shen Wanyu sighed; she had already lost count of how many times she had sighed at this shameless man:

"I don’t want to talk to you."

"It’s fine. I’ll always be by the Department Head’s side. When you want to talk to me, just call my name."

Jiang Linyuan said.

"Alright then."

Shen Wanyu said, her tone flat, like drinking plain water.

From then on their dialogue was mostly Jiang Linyuan talking and Shen Wanyu replying.

Halfway through, Shen Wanyu suddenly said:

"Jiang Linyuan, have you ever thought about making Su Muzhi like you?"

Huh?

Jiang Linyuan froze. What, do you two share the same brain circuit?

"No, I only like the Department Head."

Shen Wanyu gave him a meaningful look and said:

"In Su Muzhi’s world, there are generally only two kinds of people: toys she likes and toys she doesn’t like."

"Jiang Linyuan, which do you think you are?"

Jiang Linyuan thought for a moment:

"Which kind is the Department Head?"

Shen Wanyu’s tone was flat:

"The latter, and the kind that makes her grind her teeth."

"Now it’s your turn to answer."

She looked at Jiang Linyuan and paused:

"Be honest."

This question isn’t that important, right?

"The former."

Jiang Linyuan said.

Shen Wanyu withdrew her gaze and said very calmly:

"Jiang-classmate, do you know? Su Muzhi once had a wildcat when she was little."

"A wildcat? Her mother gave it to her?"

Jiang Linyuan asked bluntly.

"Of course not, but she’s Su Muzhi—she always found a way, didn’t she?"

Shen Wanyu seemed to recall something and suddenly smiled:

"Back then, her world only had herself and that cat, but after she learned the cat’s habits she got bored, left it somewhere, and only visited it occasionally."

"But she forgot that it was a wildcat. After a while, that cat abandoned her and ran away."

"That is the one thing she could not tolerate. Even though she was the one who had neglected the cat first, she could not accept it leaving on its own, and to this day she still bears a grudge against that cat."

She looked at Jiang Linyuan as she spoke:

"Jiang Linyuan, take her along when you go hiking. Although even if you don’t say anything, she’ll come anyway."

"I’m very curious about when she will find you boring, and when you will abandon her."