Chapter 46: Arrangement

The ^[1]“King of Xiang had intentions, but the goddess had no heart” is a metaphorical expression that conveys the idea of unrequited love or one-sided affection. It suggests that one person … Continue readingKing of Xiang had intentions, but the goddess had no heart. Pei An was still savoring the sweet feeling of his first heart flutter, while Su Shiyi was observing for an opportunity to make her escape.

“Uh…”

They both spoke at the same time. Su Shiyi thought he was about to say that it was time to leave, so she sighed in relief and let him speak first.

This little unspoken understanding secretly pleased Pei An. He played the gentleman and let Su Shiyi speak first.

Su Shiyi didn’t hold back: “Well, it’s getting late, and I have plans to meet Panpan and her friends tonight. The traffic in the capital is a mystery, so to avoid being late, I’ll head off first?”

Her excuse was perfect—this was the only time she was grateful for the capital’s traffic!

Pei An looked at the time on his phone—it was four o’clock in the afternoon—and fell silent for a moment.

Damn, he should’ve said something first. He had been planning to invite her to a concert…

But since she had clearly stated she was leaving, Pei An didn’t feel comfortable saying much more. Fortunately, they successfully exchanged green letters, and he saw that Su Shiyi’s profile picture was a painting of herself.

She looked so beautiful, and the artist’s skills were obviously excellent.

“Where did you get your avatar done?” he casually asked. “I’d like to have one done for my little niece.”

“It was drawn by a friend of mine, he’s an amazing artist.”

Su Shiyi thought for a moment and responded, “Let me ask him if he’s still taking commissions, and if he is, I’ll give you his contact info.”

Ah, she was so thoughtful and meticulous.

Through the rose-colored lens of Pei An’s first crush, everything Su Shiyi did seemed to radiate light. The way she couldn’t wait to leave? It was definitely to make sure she wouldn’t be late for her plans—she really was a punctual, promise-keeping girl.

Pei An watched Su Shiyi leave, and only when the waiter cleared her side’s dishes did his smile gradually fade.

In a cheerful mood, he sent a message to Gu Chen: 【She’s really great.】

Gu Chen understood—another one had fallen.

【Good luck, then.】 Even after another round of selection, Pei An still had over thirty competitors.

Pei An thought Gu Chen meant for him to work hard in pursuing Su Shiyi, feeling a bit embarrassed but more excited and thrilled. He and Gu Chen were good friends, and he’d met both Mr. and Mrs. Gu a few times—they should have a good impression of him, right?

Great, he had already gained some initial advantage. As long as he took the right approach, he was sure there was a chance to win Su Shiyi’s heart!

—

While Pei An was feeling satisfied and determined, Su Shiyi was lying in the car, drifting between being almost asleep and just about to fall asleep.

Sigh, she could’ve taken a nap, but she was so eager to hear gossip about Zhou Yingzhe that the more she listened, the more energized she became. Now she could catch up on sleep, but her biological clock was urging her to stay awake, and she wasn’t tired enough to doze off immediately.

Well, she had already completed the four-member judging panel’s bonus points, so she didn’t have to worry about blind dates for a while. Now, her phone lit up with messages from Qi Yude, Jiang Xingyao, and Pei An. When the red dots appeared on all their chat boxes at the same time, Su Shiyi couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty.

【Xiao Yu: Are you free this Saturday? I’ll go with you to the gym so we can experience it firsthand.】

【Xiao Jiang: Back in the capital? I’m in Haidian District, let’s schedule a time to discuss your thesis direction, Saturday?】

【Xiao Pei: There’s a great musical on Saturday. If you’re interested, we can go together.】

Su Shiyi: …

This is really giving me a headache. Did you all coordinate this? Why does everyone choose Saturday? What an auspicious day, it’s driving me crazy.

Not just these three, there’s also Luo Yunqian in the new friends list. Su Shiyi thought it would be fine to add him for the sake of her dear mom, Li Shuman, but now that she’s through, she has to chat with him. But she’s feeling sleepy, so she’ll deal with it later tonight.

Yes, she’s currently sleepy. Su Shiyi confidently found herself a good excuse, and no one replied.

In the evening, in a small private room at a restaurant, Gu Pan and Lin Xi were cracking sunflower seeds, listening to her dilemma. They didn’t offer advice, but instead burst into loud, mocking laughter.

Su Shiyi: I’ve seen too much with these eyes.jpg

They should tone it down a bit, laughing so hard their hair’s in disarray. Be careful, or she might film a video and ruin your goddess image!

After the laughter died down, Lin Xi, holding her stomach, said, “What’s there to hesitate about? You have plenty of time. Musicals are usually at night. You meet the professor in the morning for your thesis, then go to the gym with your male Bodhisattva in the afternoon. Doesn’t that avoid a clash? These three guys seem to be in perfect sync.”

Although Lin Xi’s words weren’t wrong… but from the current situation, the other two were still unclear. It was obvious that Xiao Yu liked her.

The invitations from Jiang Xingyao and Pei An could be seen as opportunities to get to know potential blind date partners better, but with Xiao Yu, going out with him would imply an unspoken agreement for further romantic development.

“Why not Qi Yude?” Lin Xi sighed. “If I were you, I wouldn’t care whether it’s love or not, I’d sleep with him first. Come on, a guy like him is definitely worth it.”

Su Shiyi was shocked. No wonder Lin Xi was the one who tore Zhao Nian apart on the sports field. It was said that after venting, she posted several essays in her circle of friends, angrily cursing him. Now Zhao Nian would tremble whenever he heard Lin Xi’s name.

Lin Xi’s family was very well-known throughout the entire Guangdong province. Zhao Nian had offended her so badly that his future development could only be considered outside the province, and even that was risky—nearby provinces were not guaranteed.

Gu Pan beside them also laughed, covering her mouth. “Yeah, what’s wrong with our Su Shiyi wanting to sleep with a guy? It’s consensual, both parties are single, and she’s not forcing him.”

Su Shiyi: ?

Good grief, this sounds like something from an old-school Mary Sue heroine. Looks like the impact of the original story falling apart has really affected her.

She scratched her head. “You two, stop joking. I really don’t know what to do.”

“Don’t you have someone you’re interested in?” Lin Xi asked. “Forget Luo Yunqian, who’s still off the list. Qi Yude, Jiang Xingyao, and Pei An are all famous, quality men in the circle. Any one of them would be a dream for thousands of girls.”

If we’re talking about heart-throbbing… liking them wasn’t quite there yet, but Su Shiyi remembered when she was at the amusement park in Shanghai, transitioning from the image on the screen to reality. Qi Yude had walked toward her amidst a sky of fireworks, leaving a deep impression on her.

But she wasn’t sure. “Maybe it’s the atmosphere the situation created.”

“I think that’s definitely heart-throbbing,” Gu Pan said confidently. “Look, you’d invite Qi Yude to stay at Sinan Residence with you and let him hitch a ride back to the capital on your plane, but with Professor Jiang, you have no topics to talk about. With Doctor Pei, it’s all just formalities. When the time’s up, you want to escape.”

Lin Xi put her arm around Su Shiyi’s shoulder. “Sister, think about Qi Yude’s body—be honest, what’s wrong with him? Look, you’ve already reached the peak of wealth. The world is yours for the taking, and there’s nothing money can’t solve. What you’re missing is a gentle and wise soulmate. It looks so comfortable, right?”

“When men succeed, they like to find young and beautiful women who can understand them. What’s wrong with you finding a handsome guy with a great chest? All your worries are solved by your dad and your secretary. As long as he performs well, that’s all that matters.”

Gu Pan sincerely suggested, “Doctor Pei wouldn’t fall short either, he does have the advantage in expertise. Although I’m not too familiar with Professor Jiang, you could give him a chance.”

Su Shiyi: …

Panpan, you’ve changed.jpg

And it seems that what happened before had more than just an effect on Zhao Nian. Lin Xi herself had become a bit disillusioned with life, especially when she leaned into Su Shiyi’s ear and said, “Try it first, if you’re not satisfied, return it. Now Taobao even has a seven-day no-reason return policy!”

This made Su Shiyi blush. How could she respond? They were drinking fruit juice soda, not a drop of alcohol, but it felt like Lin Xi was already drunk.

She quickly shifted the topic, brushing over it as Gu Pan and Lin Xi exchanged suggestive glances.

She shouldn’t have asked them, these two were clearly enjoying the drama!

Although it was technically the first time Lin Xi and Su Shiyi met, they had interacted before, and neither of them was socially awkward. Lin Xi even had a bit of a social butterfly vibe.

Sure enough, hanging out with a girlfriend was much more fun and relaxed than going on a blind date with a man. Compared to Su Shiyi, the newly rich woman, it was clear that the more seasoned rich girls knew how to handle things.

“It’s time, let’s switch locations,” Lin Xi winked at them. “In a bit, we’ll all ride in my car, and we’ll sneak to the airport. Don’t worry, I’ve arranged everything.”

Gu Pan looked very excited. “Is it really okay? Won’t anyone find out?”

“Nope, just tell them you’ve been at my house all night playing flight chess, and you couldn’t get up in the morning.”

Su Shiyi: ???

Wait, what exactly are we doing? Don’t make it sound so weird!

—

Su Shiyi was “kidnapped” onto a private jet heading to London.

She held the boarding pass in her hand, trying to translate it with her level 4 English (426 points) but failed. So, she searched the keywords online. After seeing the results, she fell silent.

Looking up at the moon and stars, she swore to herself—she did not volunteer for this male stripper show!

In the face of Su Shiyi’s righteous protest, Lin Xi laughed playfully. “Then get off the plane, it hasn’t even started taxiing yet.”

Su Shiyi: … There’s no need to go that far.

She cleared her throat a few times. “This is a group activity, how can I just abandon it? Ugh, you guys really don’t understand, as the only sober one, I must supervise the boundaries of this trip.”

Gu Pan sighed dramatically. “We’re in Lujiang, don’t overthink it. We’re just here to appreciate art.”

Performance art—of course, that counts as art, right?

“It’s legit,” Lin Xi calmly told her. “This kind of performance is legal and very popular on social media. So, my dear, just relax. We’re not doing anything bad.”

“Really not doing anything bad. Panpan is here too. I can’t let Gu Chen chase me for the rest of my life.”

Su Shiyi: There’s no need to emphasize that twice. It sounds really suspicious!

But anyway, the show was a bit too stimulating, and it had some popularity online. Su Shiyi found some related info, looked at some pictures from the event, and felt reassured. It seemed like this was just a regular show.

It definitely didn’t compare to the lingerie shows men loved to watch.

Thinking about that, Su Shiyi felt much better. She lay on the bed and began to consider how to respond to these three men.

Hmm… Looks like I haven’t added Luo Yunqian yet. Never mind, I’ll do it tomorrow.

First, reply to Pei An: 【Sorry, I’m not very interested in the musical QAQ】

Then, reply to Jiang Xingyao: 【Professor, let me think it over a bit more. I’ll discuss it with you in the next few days when I have a clearer idea.】

Ah, now it’s Qi Yude’s turn.

When she thought of him, Su Shiyi actually felt a bit guilty. But since Gu Pan was here, and thinking about her big brother Gu Chen, Su Shiyi became confident.

She opened the chat with Xiao Yu and typed “Not sure if I’ll have time” but deleted it, then typed “Let’s talk later” and deleted that too.

After deleting several versions, Su Shiyi didn’t know what to say to him anymore.

Then she saw that the note for Xiao Yu had changed to 【The other person is typing…】.

Ahhh, this?

【Xiao Yu: Shiyi, were you looking for me?】

Su Shiyi: Embarrassed to the point of suffocation.jpg

Why is it so coincidental? Why did he happen to see it!

It wasn’t a coincidence—Qi Yude had been staring at his phone screen, eagerly waiting for her to reply for a long time. This was probably what they meant by “opportunity favors the prepared.”

He had been staring at the chat box for a while. While Su Shiyi was hesitating, he was anxious. He actually wanted to make a voice call, but he was afraid it would be too hasty, and she wouldn’t like it.

Su Shiyi casually made up an excuse: 【I was going to ask you which gym you’re trying out, and if the specific time and location have been arranged yet? But I’ve been a bit busy lately, so I might need to coordinate and see if I have time.】

When under pressure, a person’s potential is endless. Earlier, she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. But now that she knew Xiao Yu was looking at the chat box, she urgently came up with a reason that sounded decent enough.

On the other end, Jiang Xingyao and Pei An were both in worse moods.

Professor Jiang snorted coldly. He had dealt with students who procrastinated like this before, and he would continue to push her tomorrow. Pei An was deeply hurt. His first date invitation had ended in failure, and Su Shiyi had rejected him so decisively.

Did she not have an interest in musicals, or was she simply not interested in him?

Pei An decided to seek advice from Gu Chen, but how could the plastic big brother, Gu Chen, know about Su Shiyi’s preferences? After a few casual words, Gu Chen brushed him off.

Pei An was confused. This script was wrong.

What happened to the initial advantage?

Forget it, depending on others wasn’t as good as depending on himself. Since the shortcut didn’t work, Pei An didn’t give up. He applied the diligent research spirit of a medical student, seriously studying online guides like “101 Ways to Win a Goddess,” “Understanding Women’s Preferences,” “Thirty Changes That Will Make Women Fall for You”…

Where there’s a will, there’s a way! Keep going!

—

After several hours of flight, Su Shiyi had a nice nap on the plane. When they landed at the London airport, the night was still sparkling with stars.

Rest and adjustment had already been taken care of on the plane, and the trio of art appreciators sneaked… I mean, art-appreciating trio quietly went to the theater.

Lin Xi had invited the Gu sisters out to play, of course, they had VIP tickets. Right in front of all the audience, just below the stage, there was a comfortable long sofa with a dessert table and fresh flowers next to it.

In addition to that, she had withdrawn a large sum of pounds and gave a portion to Su Shiyi and Gu Pan. Su Shiyi understood—tips, she was an expert at spending money.

They seemed to have arrived a bit late, the theater was mostly full. Su Shiyi looked back and saw that, sure enough, there were men who came with their girlfriends. This was normal, “muscle show” was just a popular term for it, and there were also beautiful women performing hot dances in between.

What surprised Su Shiyi the most was that a granddaughter had brought her grandmother—The elderly woman’s gray hair stood out in the crowd, but her mindset was excellent, and she even swayed her body to the warm-up music.

“I want to be like this when I’m old,” Su Shiyi said to Gu Pan beside her, admiring the elderly woman. She was so healthy, and it made others envious.

Gu Pan nodded. “Okay, when you’re in your sixties or seventies, I’ll still come with you to watch the show.”

Su Shiyi: …

Actually, what she meant was this positive and optimistic mindset—it’s all about mindset!

Alright, although the show is also quite enjoyable (whispering quietly).

With such an audience base, Su Shiyi’s last bit of nervousness and guilt faded away. But in reality, she had relaxed too early.

The show officially began, and the lighting and background music in the theater changed. On stage, many sunny, energetic, handsome guys appeared. Their gazes were so intense, and every dance move was filled with heavy strength.

Su Shiyi sat in the middle. On her left, Lin Xi had already started cheering, while on her right, Gu Pan shyly covered her face, her index and middle fingers spread apart just enough to show her eyes.

Wow, they’re really something. Have they never seen handsome guys before? They’re so easily startled!

She fanned her hot, flushed face with her hand, thinking to herself.

Since they were sitting in the VIP section, of course, there were additional services. The handsome guy who had been standing at the center of the stage jumped down. His dance moves didn’t change, but the distance was infinitely shortened, and he danced right in front of them.

Oh my god, Su Shiyi felt like she could touch his abs if she reached out, but this was really happening. She swore she definitely didn’t reach out—

It was the handsome guy who took her hand and placed it there, ahhhhh!

Su Shiyi felt like a hopeless fool, sitting there completely petrified, her expression definitely dazed. When this handsome guy went to pull Gu Pan’s hand, Gu Pan even managed to bounce a bit.

As for Lin Xi, she was even more uninhibited, her hand drifting around, speaking English phrases that Su Shiyi couldn’t understand, making the handsome guy blush.

Sigh, the gap between people really is so big.

Su Shiyi was pained by her own awkwardness, but when the handsome guys invited the audience to come up and interact, she still hesitated.

Gu Pan, shaking her head with a smile, said in English that she already had a boyfriend. Seeing this, Su Shiyi also said that she had one, and the handsome guy showed a regretful expression before turning and pulling Lin Xi onto the stage.

Gu Pan teased her, “You were still single before flying to London. Did something happen on the flight that I don’t know about?”

Su Shiyi quickly shook her head, “No, no, I’m still single.”

She was just a little nervous, unsure of what would happen next, QAQ.

People’s intuition is often very useful, and this interaction was truly something only Lin Xi could handle. She sat in her chair, the handsome guy performing a human wave dance about half a meter in front of her. Even Su Shiyi, watching from below, could feel her ears burning with heat.

Fortunately, she didn’t go up… Oh my god, if it were her, she might have even drooled onto her pants!

And this was just the beginning, it wasn’t even close to over. After the chair interaction ended, the handsome guy lifted Lin Xi up, her legs wrapped around his waist, and this time, it was a closer, more intimate human wave. From their VIP sofa, they were so close, it looked like they were about to kiss.

Wait, if it were Lin Xi, maybe they would have kissed for real (x).

Next came more intimate interactions, like spinning her around and getting even closer to the handsome guy, and Su Shiyi now understood why Gu Pan had said she had a boyfriend. These were the perks only singles could enjoy.

Wait a minute, she could’ve gone up too! Although she had been on five blind dates and had three friends listed, she was still single!

Su Shiyi: heartbroken.jpg

The atmosphere at the scene was really lively. When the handsome guy came out again to dance and took turns performing solos for them in front of the stage, the three of them on the sofa happily stuffed cash into their pockets.

These handsome guys were so good with words, they made Lin Xi and Gu Pan blush, while Su Shiyi sat there, clueless, in the middle.

She had never longed so much to master a language. If she had worked a bit harder in college and passed the Level 6 exam, she wouldn’t have been so indifferent when the handsome guy spoke to her, only able to politely stuff money into his hand.

Damn it, the two guys beside her had no sense of sisterhood at all—no one helped her translate!

Luckily, there was a smart person in the group. Seeing her Asian appearance, he guessed that she might not be able to understand complex English. This time, the young, energetic guy who jumped down from the stage didn’t say anything complicated. He simply repeated “you are pretty,” “You are so perfect,” and “You are my goddess” several times.

Su Shiyi liked this simple and direct approach that she could actually understand. When it was time to give money, she casually handed a few bills to the other performers, but when it was the young guy’s turn, she took out a big wad, almost struggling to hold it all.

He got a little closer and said, “I’m glad to meet you today.”

Su Shiyi replied, “Me too,” and was willing to give him more money, but the young guy gently pressed her hand down, shook his head with a smile, and before going back on stage, he didn’t forget to blow her a kiss.

Alright then, she would seriously contribute her cheers. After his performance, when he came off the stage, she even waved him goodbye.

She began to imagine when she would come again next time. Once she had a boyfriend, she’d bring him along. This place was so much fun! These performers were really dedicated to their dancing, and the stage presence was far better than domestic idols.

The performers on stage were now beautiful young women, and with the audience being mostly women, the cheers grew louder and more excited. Su Shiyi was completely in the mood, swaying along with the rhythm and cheering. With her assistant not around, she took the opportunity to hold up her phone and record a video.

Her grip was steady, and the footage was smooth without shaking. When she returned home, she could share it with her roommates in the group chat. Then she’d invite them all to watch it again in the dorm. Hehehe.

Just then, her phone recording was cut off, and before she had time to feel annoyed, the caller ID instantly made her feel both awake and chilled to the bone.

What was going on? Why was Father Gu Lang calling her at this moment?

And it was a video call! He had always only called her with voice before!

Can you imagine? The daughter is out watching a hunk show, and suddenly her dad calls to check up on her…

Su Shiyi held up her phone, caught between the desire to answer or not, on the verge of tears.