Chapter 39: A Smile Harder to Suppress Than an AK 47’s Recoil

Unlike in ancient times when communication was difficult and seeing a handsome man was rare, modern media is so advanced that through television and the internet, one can see all kinds of attractive men from around the world.

Su Jinshi had seen her fair share of top-tier handsome men globally, yet she still believed Shen Shilang was the most attractive, perfectly aligning with her aesthetic sense.

That’s why Su Jinshi could confidently tell Shen Shilang that no one was more handsome than him.

Hearing this, Shen Shilang’s expression improved slightly, but he still thought Su Jinshi was just trying to make him happy. “How many people have you seen to say no one is more handsome than me?”

“I’ve seen plenty,” Su Jinshi blurted out without thinking.

Shen Shilang raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Su Jinshi: “……”

“That’s why I dare say no one is more handsome than you,” Su Jinshi quickly added. “Besides, even if I meet someone more handsome in the future, I wouldn’t be interested. I’ll always like you the most, so don’t worry.”

Shen Shilang’s cheeks flushed, and he struggled to suppress a smile that was harder to control than an AK 47’s recoil. Still, he refused to admit it, saying, “What do I have to worry about?”

[System: Shen Shilang’s favorability +10]

Su Jinshi: “!!!”

Shen Shilang was truly a smoldering fire beneath the surface^[1]In Chinese, “闷烧” (mèn shāo) is an idiom that describes someone who appears calm on the outside but has strong emotions or passions hidden inside. It’s often used to describe … Continue reading!

His current favorability points were quite generous!

“Can I go over and listen now?” Su Jinshi asked, rubbing her hands together.

Shen Shilang finally nodded. “Go ahead, but be careful. Don’t play any tricks. If they discover you, it could be harmful.”

“Okay.” Su Jinshi nodded and shifted her focus to Wei Jianming and the others.

“Shen Shilang is really rising in popularity,” Su Jinshi heard Liang Shigang whisper. “Even my family was praising him yesterday.”

“Isn’t that right?” Ke Hongbin scoffed. “My parents compared him to me, saying my educational conditions were much better than his since childhood, yet he ranked first while I lagged behind. It’s infuriating.”

Cheng Jianfeng shook his head with a bitter smile. “So your family is like that too? I got scolded by my father yesterday. Sigh!”

“Did General Wei not say anything to you?” Liang Shigang asked.

“My father was actually fine.” Wei Jianming’s expression relaxed slightly at this. “He probably didn’t expect me to pass, so he was quite pleased when I succeeded. He just told me to stay humble and keep working hard.”

“You’re smart. I should’ve learned from you, performing poorly usually so they think it’s a pleasant surprise when you do well,” Liang Shigang said regretfully.

Wei Jianming’s face darkened again. “But when my father returned to the mansion yesterday, he went to see Shen Shilang first. If it weren’t for my mother, he might have stayed there to celebrate with him.”

Liang Shigang and the others exchanged glances. They had long known that Wei Zhaoxian treated Shen Shilang exceptionally well.

They suspected Shen Shilang might be Wei Zhaoxian’s illegitimate son.

However, they found it strange that if that were the case, why not acknowledge him and bring him into the Wei family instead of treating him as a distant relative?

Su Jinshi initially found it amusing to hear them being disliked by their families, but as she listened more, she found it less interesting. Admiring Shen Shilang’s face was more enjoyable; even in silence, he was captivating.

Just as Su Jinshi was about to leave, she suddenly heard Ke Hongbin lower his voice and ask, “Have you found those people?”

Ke Hongbin’s words didn’t sound like he had good intentions. It seemed like they were planning to harm someone.

So Su Jinshi stayed to listen.

“Found them,” Su Jinshi saw Wei Jianming’s expression turn vicious. “After today’s banquet, we’ll take care of him.”

Wei Jianming, concealed by Liang Shigang and the others, cast a cold gaze at Shen Shilang through the gap between their arms.

“Let him enjoy his moment at the banquet,” Wei Jianming gritted his teeth, his thin lips looking even sharper.

His originally handsome face now appeared harsh, diminishing his attractiveness by several degrees.

At that moment, Wei Jianming’s servant, Chang Jie, quietly approached, hesitating to speak since Liang Shigang and the others were present.

“Speak,” Wei Jianming urged.

Chang Jie said, “Shen Shilang’s coachman has been knocked out and taken away. We’ve replaced him with our man.”

Su Jinshi was so furious she wished she could kill Wei Jianming right then.

Fortunately, she had overheard; otherwise, she wouldn’t have known he planned to harm Shen Shilang.

After Chang Jie left, Wei Jianming sneered, saying to Liang Shigang and the others, “I’ll make sure he can never write again!”

“I’m not going to kill him,” Wei Jianming coldly grinned. “I’ll let him live, watching his useless hands and suffering for life.”

Su Jinshi listened for a while longer, hearing only Wei Jianming fantasizing about Shen Shilang being injured and unable to take the exam, ruining his future and becoming a cripple, without any new information.

Only then did Su Jinshi return to Shen Shilang’s side and relay what she had overheard.

“Wei Jianming is truly despicable!” Su Jinshi exclaimed, “How about I cut off his hand when no one is around so he can’t take the imperial exams?”

Shen Shilang: “……”

“Don’t act impulsively,” Shen Shilang cautioned, genuinely afraid Su Jinshi would go after Wei Jianming. “But now that we know his scheme, I can prepare in advance.”

[System: Discovered Wei Jianming’s plot, XP +]

[System: Congratulations on leveling up to LV11, reward: 1000 gold coins]

“Will there be drinking at today’s banquet?” Su Jinshi asked. “Especially since you’re the top scholar, many will want to toast you. I wonder how strong the alcohol will be.”

This made Shen Shilang recall the scene from last night when he got drunk.

Although Shen Shilang was drunk last night, he hadn’t blacked out. His cheeks flushed as he said, “It’s my first time attending such a banquet, so I’m not sure about the alcohol. But it should be good, probably… a bit strong.”

“Then you can’t get drunk,” Su Jinshi warned. “Otherwise, how will you deal with Wei Jianming’s people?”

While saying this, Su Jinshi opened the pharmacy section of the game store.

She wondered if there would be any hangover remedies for sale; she hadn’t paid much attention before.

After searching the game store, she indeed found something.

Basic hangover Pills, originally priced at 800 coins, now 640 coins after the shop’s level 2 discount.

Description: Basic hangover Pills, when taken after drinking, can neutralize 70% of the alcohol’s effects.

“Seventy percent… if it’s based on how drunk Shen Shilang was last night, that should be enough,” Su Jinshi murmured.

However, Su Jinshi realized that the coins rewarded for leveling up never seemed to last.

Every time she received coins upon leveling up, there was always something she needed to spend them on.

It seemed like the system had calculated this perfectly.