Chapter 9: Own someone

In the evening, Lin Yiwei’s phone kept buzzing incessantly, filled with Su Andi’s barrage of text messages and voice messages—

“Sis, where did you go? I’m really worried about you.”

“Tell me where you are?”

“Who are you with?”

“After you see this, please reply, I’m worried about you.”

“I know I messed up, but I couldn’t help it, forgive me once, okay?”

“I won’t disturb you for now, goodnight, sis.”

“Sis, please reply to me.”

Lin Yiwei expressionlessly blocked her.

Su Andi had completely lost her credibility with her now. Lin Yiwei didn’t want to deal with her anymore, even saying one more word would be a waste.

Xie Bo’s bed was overall quite firm, but Lin Yiwei had gotten used to sleeping on hard wooden beds at her aunt’s house, so Xie Bo’s bed was like heaven-level softness and comfort for her.

Lin Yiwei rarely had moments of insomnia, especially after experiencing such a heart-stopping danger today; she thought she would surely stay awake until late at night.

But surprisingly, she fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

There was a faint scent of small orchids mixed with pine and cypress from Xie Bo’s body in the quilt, cold and refreshing, so much so that Lin Yiwei could even smell it in her dreams.

She dreamt of him again.

Dreamt of that night’s scene, of the man’s eyes filled with lingering desire but trying hard to restrain himself.

At six thirty, the alarm clock rang punctually, disturbing her enchanting yet chaotic dream.

Lin Yiwei sat up from the bed, feeling relaxed all over, and stretched out a long lazy stretch.

She slept so comfortably.

Groggily, she landed on her tiptoes, stepping into a pair of men’s slippers much larger than her feet, only then did she realize.

She was still in Xie Bo’s room.

Lin Yiwei quickly dressed herself, walked out of the master bedroom, and saw the door to the guest bedroom opposite slightly open, with soft sunlight streaming out.

Almost involuntarily, she pushed open the door and saw Xie Bo sleeping messily on the bed, a thin blanket draped over his waist, the muscles of his back clearly defined, belonging to the broad-shouldered narrow-waisted type.

A patch of sunlight fell perfectly on his face, his long eyelashes seeming to emit light, his skin even whiter than a girl’s.

Seeing him sleeping so innocently, he seemed completely different from when he was awake and domineering.

Afraid of waking him up, Lin Yiwei dared not linger any longer, quietly leaving the room, tidying up the house a bit as a repayment for him accommodating her last night.

She didn’t want to owe anyone favors, especially.

She didn’t want to owe Xie Bo any favors.

Xie Bo woke up at ten in the morning, and she had already left.

Last night, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep, the thought of her sleeping next door made his heart restless.

He had an indescribable physiological desire for Lin Yiwei.

After relieving himself in the bathroom once, he managed to suppress that urge.

Stepping out of the room, he could clearly feel that the house had been tidied up.

Xie Bo had a strong sense of territory; he absolutely forbade others from touching his things.

But this time, he didn’t mind much.

Biological instincts were a miraculous thing; after experiencing it once, Xie Bo naturally classified that girl as part of his territory. She could do anything in his territory, including using his personal belongings.

Others would never be allowed to do so.

With lazy steps, Xie Bo walked back to the master bedroom, which had also been tidied up. His shirt was neatly folded and placed in the middle of the bed by her.

As he exited the room, he soon returned, casually picking up the shirt and deeply sniffing it under his nose.

Then he felt… shameful again.

He went to the bathroom and stayed there for a long time, in the bathroom she had used.

“Damn.”

The girls’ dormitory was bustling in the early morning, with some applying lipstick while walking, and others wearing pajamas and carrying buckets to fetch water from the common area. Lin Yiwei walked to the dormitory door and overheard Shen Zitong’s sarcastic remarks—

“She stayed out overnight last night and didn’t come back all night.”

“That kind of person, who knows whose bed she slept in, some old man, probably.”

“Exactly, she’s definitely being kept, otherwise how could she afford such high tuition and living expenses, dressed so shabbily…”

Lin Yiwei stood at the door for a moment, and Chi Xiyu walked out from the opposite side, smiling and said, “Weiwei, let’s go eat together.”

“Sure, let me tidy up my bag, wait for me two minutes.”

“Okay.”

Lin Yiwei walked into the dormitory, and the girls’ discussion abruptly stopped, with only meaningful glances staring at her, as if she had grown three ears.

She silently packed her bag, and when she left, she deliberately knocked over Shen Zitong’s makeup mirror, which shattered into pieces on the ground, the glass shards scattering everywhere, as if releasing the pent-up anger in her chest.

“Oh my god, Lin Yiwei, what are you doing!”

“Sorry, it was accidental.” Lin Yiwei said so, without a hint of apology on her face.

“You… clean this up for me!”

Lin Yiwei coldly glanced at Shen Zitong, “Chi Xiyu is waiting for me.”

“What’s Chi Xiyu! What’s so great about her! I…”

Before she could finish her words, Chi Xiyu gently pushed open the door, “Shen Zitong, what did you say?”

Seeing her standing at the door, Shen Zitong suddenly became like a plucked crow, no longer arrogant, just dumbfounded, stuttering, “Ah, I… didn’t say anything.”

She still didn’t dare to confront Chi Xiyu head-on, awkwardly apologized to her.

But as Lin Yiwei walked out, she whispered to the girl next to her, “I said she’s leeching off rich people. Now she’s clinging to Chi Xiyu. Someone like her can only rely on others for her whole life.”

Pretending not to hear, Lin Yiwei smiled and walked towards Chi Xiyu, holding her hand as they left the dormitory building together.

A soft, fragile vine, can only borrow momentum, can only cling, can only endure disdain, tightly embracing stronger forces.

If one day, she can become strong, and no one will dare to bully her anymore, she even has the strength to protect those she cares about.

Her brother’s dream was to study abroad at the Royal College of Art in London, and now his dream was also hers…

Lin Yiwei wanted to become a first-rate artist, she wanted to become famous, she wanted to earn a lot of money, and never again rely on others’ charity to survive.

For this, she didn’t care how many people looked down on her now, she didn’t care what others said behind her back, she didn’t even care if she was clean.

She didn’t care about anything.

Lin Yiwei successfully joined Chi Xiyu’s circle of friends.

The “sisters” that Chi Xiyu kept around had different roles. People like Xu Qianxi, whose family background was slightly inferior to hers, lacked initiative but were supportive. They were Chi Xiyu’s cheerleading squad. When trouble arose, they would stand up without hesitation to defend her.

She also had a few girls who were not particularly outstanding in appearance, liked heavy makeup, but were tacky. Compared to them, Chi Xiyu was as pure and clean as a lotus flower among the weeds. So these girls served as the background foliage to the blooming flowers.

As for Lin Yiwei, she was the one with the poorest family background in the circle of sisters, but she was obedient. Beneath her seemingly weak and docile exterior, she had a stubborn determination that refused to yield.

Such a person was suitable for doing things for her.

Sometimes, she could also satisfy Chi Xiyu’s sense of superiority. For example, after military training one day, Chi Xiyu and a few sisters were discussing the lasting effect of their respective makeup products.

Seeing Lin Yiwei blushing, not only without makeup, but even without sunscreen, Chi Xiyu smiled and said, “Weiwei, why aren’t you wearing sunscreen? Your skin is so fair, it’s a pity if it gets tanned.”

In fact, Lin Yiwei deliberately didn’t wear makeup.

After a few days of getting along, she had already figured out Chi Xiyu’s personality. She was definitely the center of attention and disliked any of her girlfriends overshadowing her.

Therefore, Lin Yiwei always went makeup-free in front of Chi Xiyu.

“I don’t have any makeup.” Lin Yiwei showed her a harmless smile, “Makeup is a bit expensive, and I can’t afford it.”

The girls clicked their tongues and discussed, “Basic foundation makeup should still be necessary.”

“Yeah, you’re with us, yet you dress so plainly and don’t wear makeup. It’s so out of place.”

“Dragging down the class.”

Chi Xiyu glanced at them, “That’s enough, you guys. Weiwei comes from a poor background, you can’t say such things about her.”

Xu Qianxi added, “Exactly, you guys are so uncultured. Xixi never considers someone’s family background when making friends. What’s dragging down the class? Who can be higher class than Xixi when you’re with her?”

The girls hurriedly echoed a few words and shut up.

Lin Yiwei was already accustomed to such scenes.

Whether belittling her or defending her… there was a tacit script beforehand, jointly performing a drama of deep sisterhood.

Chi Xiyu took out the remaining half bottle of Bobbi Brown foundation she had and handed it to Lin Yiwei, “It’s for you.”

“No, no, this is too valuable!”

“What’s so valuable about it? I have so many bottles that I can’t finish, just take it.”

Lin Yiwei’s face showed a pleasant surprise as she carefully took the bottle of foundation, “Xixi, you’re so kind, I’ve never used such a good brand before. Are you really giving it to me?”

Her expression management was impeccable, which greatly pleased Chi Xiyu, and her moral satisfaction was at its peak, “Of course, we’re sisters.”

“Then I won’t be polite.” Lin Yiwei unscrewed the cap and eagerly poured it out, patting it on her face.

The group of girls laughed, “Oh my god!””Please, Lin Yiwei, that’s not how you use foundation!”

“You’re killing me with laughter.”

Chi Xiyu gently patted away the foundation on her face, saying, “You should get a makeup sponge or puff, and dab it on bit by bit, otherwise, it’ll look cakey and bad.”

“Oh, I didn’t know, I’ve never used it before.”

“It’s okay, I’ll teach you slowly.”

Chi Xiyu particularly enjoyed this kind of condescending giving, as well as the moral satisfaction gained from unequal friendships, and even more so cultivating.

Lin Yiwei was so beautiful. At first, she was a bit wary and had a sense of crisis, but seeing how clumsy she was and how little she knew, Chi Xiyu’s guard gradually dissipated.

A bumpkin like her could never reach her level.

With no hostility, Chi Xiyu began to confide in her.

Lin Yiwei understood this well.

But for now, this was far from enough. She needed Chi Xiyu to trust her more, even… only trust her alone and share all the secrets with her.

That way, she could uncover the truth of everything.

On the third day of military training, Xie Bo finally arrived.

During military training, even though they were separated by a whole plastic playground, Lin Yiwei could feel the heightened excitement of the girls around her.

“So handsome!”

“Oh my god, what should I do if I didn’t put on makeup today?”

“Don’t worry, he won’t see you.”

“Hahaha.”

Lin Yiwei glanced at the distant plastic playground.

Across the large expanse of the playground, Xie Bo was engulfed in a sea of green camouflage. Lin Yiwei couldn’t understand how those girls shouting “so handsome” could see him from such a distance.

However, from the girls’ discussions, Lin Yiwei roughly understood Xie Bo’s excellence.He entered Feige University with the highest score in Qinggang City’s science department. With such a score, he could have chosen any top university in the country, but he insisted on staying in Qinggang City.

So, just like Lin Yiwei, he also received a full scholarship.

In high school, he started managing a racing club, without any assistance from his father, earning a lot of money. He had many successful investment projects under his belt and managed several small companies, showcasing outstanding business acumen.

But Lin Yiwei was not interested in any of these things.

It wasn’t until the end of military training, when Chi Xiyu and her friends went to buy bubble tea at the cold drink shop and went straight to the basketball court, that Lin Yiwei finally saw him.

He was playing basketball with a few boys on the outermost basketball court. When Lin Yiwei looked over, one of the boys happened to shoot a jump shot.

The sunlight shone through the skylight onto his pale skin, his outstretched arm muscles bulging. After the ball went in, he smiled brightly, as if kissed by the sun.

Lin Yiwei no longer mocked those girls who shouted “so handsome.”

He was really handsome to the point where… it made people extremely… sleepy.

Lin Yiwei walked at the back of the group of girls.

At first, she was quite worried, but fortunately, there were too many people watching Xie Bo play basketball in the gym, so he wouldn’t notice her.

Each girl held a cup of bubble tea, including Lin Yiwei. Chi Xiyu held two cups in her hand, and the same flavor of Spring Peach Tea was also for Xie Bo.

As she walked over, most of the girls voluntarily made way for her.

Unsurprisingly, among the girls delivering drinks, Xie Bo only accepted the Spring Peach Tea from Chi Xiyu.

“Thanks.”

He smiled at her, with a hint of melting tenderness in his eyes.

Chi Xiyu had once said that Xie Bo had only shown such a gentle and affectionate smile to her.

But Lin Yiwei felt that Xie Bo had smiled like that to many girls, and she had seen it more than once.

Flirtatious and libertine.

Xie Bo took the bubble tea, reached out to touch Chi Xiyu’s head, and whispered something to her.

Chi Xiyu felt dizzy, her cheeks flushed, and her whole body was emitting pink bubbles.

Half of the girls were sweetened by this head pat, while the other half rolled their eyes.

However, Lin Yiwei noticed that when Chi Xiyu turned around, Xie Bo handed the cup of Spring Peach Tea to the guy next to him.

Lin Yiwei whispered to Xu Qianxi, “Xie Bo gave her tea to someone else.”

“So what.” Xu Qianxi seemed unbothered and shrugged, explaining, “Look at all those girls over there. Xie Bo only accepted Xixi’s tea. Whether he drinks it or not doesn’t matter. Besides, he doesn’t like sweet drinks like bubble tea anyway.”

“Why didn’t he just give him mineral water then?”

Xu Qianxi glanced at her impatiently, “You’re so silly. Who said he likes what? If Xixi wants to give something, she’ll give it. Giving him something he doesn’t like and him accepting it only shows Xixi’s uniqueness. Look at all those girls over there giving mineral water. He didn’t even spare them a glance.”

Lin Yiwei understood vaguely. This was also a kind of… power game.

“Will they get married?” She asked Xu Qianxi again, wanting to know more about Chi Xiyu.

“Of course, the marriage between the Xie and Chi families is a tacit agreement between the two families’ elders. Because they’re still young, this layer of window paper hasn’t been pierced yet, but everyone tacitly understands. Look at how good he is to Xixi.”

“But he has a lot of flings outside.”

“It doesn’t matter. In the end, he will only have one wife, and that’s Xixi. Xie Bo is a smart person. He knows how to choose what’s best for him. There’s only one Xie family in Qinggang City, and likewise, there’s only one Chi family. What the Chi family can offer him, no one else can.”

Lin Yiwei absorbed this information, “So Xie Bo can’t do without Xixi.”

“Of course, he treats Xixi exceptionally well, not just for the sake of weighing the pros and cons. They’ve known each other since childhood.”

As Xu Qianxi became more enthusiastic, she shared all the gossip she had learned with Lin Yiwei—

“Do you know why his brother is called Xie Jialin, Xie Jiahuai… and he’s the only one with just a single character ‘Bo’ in his name?”

“Why?”

Xu Qianxi leaned closer to her ear and whispered, “His mother was a hostess in the red-light district, and she seduced his father after getting him drunk. That’s how he was born. This isn’t a secret in their circle. He was very pitiful when he was a child. His brothers bullied him, and his father treated him coldly. I heard that he almost had his fingers bitten off by his brother’s dog once. He has been very cautious in every step he has taken over the years, which is why he is so valued by his father today.”

Lin Yiwei widened her eyes in surprise.

Initially, she thought that such a ruthless person, having the name Xie Bo, was quite fitting.

But it turned out that he was not only heartless but also.

Walking on thin ice.

Chi Xiyu made an appointment with Xie Bo for dinner, so she went back to the dormitory to shower and do her makeup.

Lin Yiwei found herself with some free time and decided to go to the library to read for a while. As she passed by the restroom, she still had half of her bubble tea left and didn’t want to throw it away.

This bubble tea was not cheap, and it had a unique and exquisite name, “White Mist Spring Wine,” with a subtle osmanthus fragrance mixed with a hint of intoxicating rice wine flavor.

The expenses of Chi Xiyu and her friends were not cheap, and most of the time, Lin Yiwei had to pay for her own socializing with them.

These girls often only drank less than a third of their bubble tea and then threw it away, aiming for sugar control and weight loss while still enjoying happiness.

Lin Yiwei couldn’t afford such luxury. She would drink a cup of bubble tea that cost more than twenty yuan clean.

When she went to the restroom, she placed the bubble tea on a chair in the corridor outside and was afraid that the cleaning auntie would take it away, so she decided to put her backpack next to the bubble tea.

As she came out of the restroom, dried her hands, and turned around, she saw Xie Bo sitting on the platform of the corridor, her backpack hanging from his shoulder, raising his eyebrows as he looked at her.

And in his mouth was her bubble tea straw—

“You’re quite something, sleeping with me and then becoming friends with my fiancée.”