Chapter 26

Qiu Dan’s latest Weibo post read: “＠He Xuan, I’ve always thought I treated you with kindness and loyalty, doing everything I could to help you both at work and in life. But what have you done? You secretly seduced my boyfriend and even encouraged him to break up with me. If this thing hadn’t blown up, would you have kept hiding it from me forever? And finally, I need to say, the trending topic is true. He Xuan really has eight boyfriends, and maybe even more. These eight are just the ones in the open—she still has many ‘fish’ in her hands. I know quite a few of them. I advise everyone to be careful when looking for a girlfriend online, you never know if you’re talking to a ‘sea king’ just after your money!”

【Holy crap! He Xuan’s manager is spilling the beans, so this must be true, right?!】

【How could it not be true? At this point, it’s definitely real!】

【I can’t believe it, He Xuan is actually a big-time player, dating eight boyfriends at once and even seducing her own manager’s boyfriend. ^[1]“Even a rabbit knows not to eat the grass near its burrow” is a metaphor that means one should avoid taking risks or acting in a way that could directly harm or jeopardize oneself, … Continue readingEven a rabbit knows not to eat the grass near its burrow. How could she have the nerve to do this?】

【I’m speechless. I just became a fan, and this happens. How is my judgment so bad?!】

【By the way, does anyone remember that earlier yesterday, Qiao Chuchu laughed when she said He Xuan could cook fish? Maybe she already knew something and was laughing because He Xuan is actually the ‘sea king’?】

【I remember! I thought it was weird she laughed at that, but now it seems like she knew the inside story.】

【Looking at it now, Qiao Cen’s actions of avoiding and distancing himself from He Xuan seem really smart. Did he realize early on that He Xuan wasn’t a good person? That’s why he stayed away, and it looks like he made the right choice.】

【Good thing he stayed away. It seems like He Xuan still wants to rope Qiao Cen into this mess, trying to turn him into one of her ‘fish’.】

—

The situation flipped quickly. Netizens who had previously criticized Qiao Cen for his bad personality and poor communication now supported his actions. They even began calling him the “Little Prince of Sea Kings,” and sent him words of encouragement.

Qiao Cen gained a wave of new fans because of this, and Qiao Chuchu also got more attention and affection from netizens. They found her quite cute and rushed to follow her on Weibo.

As for He Xuan, things got worse for her. After the truth came out, the other three boyfriends also saw the trending topic, and all contacted her at the same time, calling and messaging her to demand answers.

Her face turned pale as she immediately turned off her phone, cutting off all contact with the outside world.

But it was no use. Her location had been exposed by Qiu Dan, who had informed her boyfriends, and now they were all at her door, ringing the bell.

“He Xuan, I know you’re home. Open the door and explain yourself!”

“Get out of the way. Let me speak. He Xuan, if you don’t come open the door now, I’ll call a locksmith!”

“Why call a locksmith? Just smash the lock, it’ll be faster. I’ll pay for the door. Smash it if you want!”

All eight boyfriends were now blocking the door. They weren’t fighting with each other, instead, they had united against He Xuan.

Soon, the lock gave way under their combined force, and the heavy door was opened. They rushed inside.

He Xuan desperately wanted to jump out the window and escape, but her apartment was on the twenty-second floor—unless she was willing to risk her life.

She could only hide in her bedroom and use another personal phone to call Qiu Dan.

“Sister Qiu, what are you doing? Why are you treating me like this?”

It was because Qiu Dan had exposed her on Weibo that she was now ruined, with multiple boyfriends knocking at her door. They were all fiercely possessive of her, and if this situation wasn’t handled well, she couldn’t imagine what would happen next.

“I’m just ridding society of a menace,” Qiu Dan’s voice was cold. “I trusted you so much, treated you so well, and you really went behind my back to steal my boyfriend. I already gave you a chance, but you chose to avoid it. You knew how much I loved my boyfriend, and what you did is like stabbing a knife into my heart. Since you’re heartless, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

At first, Qiu Dan had doubted Qiao Chuchu’s words simply because she trusted He Xuan more. But then, her long-lost boyfriend suddenly called her, explaining the reasons behind his departure years ago. That’s when she realized just how wrong she had been and that she shouldn’t have trusted He Xuan.

He Xuan still wanted to defend herself, but the call had already been hung up, and outside, the eight boyfriends had already managed to get inside and were knocking on her bedroom door.

The “sea king,” who had been juggling among the “fish” for so long, was now visibly panicked.

—

After the scandal broke, Qiu Dan knew that there would be no place for her in the industry anymore. She chose to leave the circle and had already purchased a plane ticket to meet her boyfriend.

Before she left, she sent a thank-you message to Qiao Chuchu.

When Qiao Chuchu received the message, she was clearly confused. What had she done to deserve a thank-you from He Xuan’s manager, Qiu Dan?

What surprised her the most was that Qiu Dan had personally exposed He Xuan—this was truly shocking.

The online trending topic continued to develop, causing a huge stir. The variety show that had been scheduled for the following day was temporarily halted due to the scandal. The group members returned home first.

As the topic continued to escalate, He Xuan was also condemned by her “good boyfriends,” and just like that, the rising new actress He Xuan disappeared from public view.

Strangely enough, when Qiao Chuchu checked the follow-up story about He Xuan, there was nothing—her story seemed to have suddenly ended. She was supposed to be the female lead, wasn’t she?

“Shouldn’t this be happening?”

Qiao Cen couldn’t help but ask, “Sis, what shouldn’t be happening?”

It turned out that Qiao Chuchu had accidentally spoken out loud. She looked at Qiao Cen’s curious expression and shook her head. “Nothing, did you not have work today?”

“I do,” Qiao Cen said with a bitter expression. “I have to shoot an advertisement this afternoon, and I still have to attend a monthly exam at school in the morning. I didn’t even have time to study, and I already know I’ll be mocked when the exam results come out.”

“Why didn’t you say something earlier?”

Qiao Chuchu and Qiao Cen were fraternal twins, but she had always been good at her studies and progressed steadily. She had already gone to college, while Qiao Cen had delayed his studies due to his career and was still in his senior year of high school, only three months away from the college entrance exam.

Qiao Cen didn’t seem to care. “Ah, I don’t care that much about studying. I like singing and dancing. If I do a good job in that, I’ll be happy.”

Qiao Chuchu fell silent for a moment before speaking, “You should go take the exam. We’ll talk about it when you have some free time.”

With three months left until the exam, if Qiao Cen put in a little effort, it would definitely make a difference.

Qiao Cen nodded. “Okay, okay, I’m not in a hurry. I’ll take you to school first.”

The schools weren’t far from each other, so Qiao Chuchu entered her school first while Qiao Cen left.

As soon as she entered the school, she was greeted by curious eyes from all directions. A few bold girls even approached her to say hello.

“Qiao Chuchu? Is it really the Qiao Chuchu from the variety show, Qiao Cen’s sister?”

“Hello! We really like your brother, Qiao Cen, and of course, we like you too. You’re really pretty!”

The two girls were a bit shy but had big smiles on their faces. It was clear they were genuinely happy.

“Hello, thank you for liking us,” Qiao Chuchu replied politely. “You’re both very beautiful too.”

The girls were so excited that they nearly jumped up. “Ahh! You’re so gentle! I’ve been complimented, I’m going to faint from happiness!”

Another girl patted her on the back. “Calm down, calm down! Don’t scare the older sister.”

She apologized to Qiao Chuchu. “Sorry, my friend’s a bit nervous. Please don’t mind her.”

“It’s fine.” Qiao Chuchu smiled.

【Their personalities are really nice, lively and cheerful—this is how a college girl should be.】

The two girls: “???”

What was that sound? It seemed like it was Qiao Chuchu’s voice, but she hadn’t spoken, had she? What’s going on?

—

It reminded Qiao Chuchu of when she first started university. On the day she enrolled, she attracted a lot of attention, and several senior students even came to help her carry her luggage.

Over time, many boys showed interest in her, but she always rejected them by saying that her studies were the priority and she wasn’t considering a relationship. Some of them didn’t give up, but when they realized she was genuinely focused on her studies, they gave up as well. By the end, no one dared to pursue her.

She had a peaceful and quiet time, but when she entered the classroom today, that feeling of being the center of attention returned. As soon as she walked in, she was surrounded by people.

“Qiao Chuchu, you’re finally here!”

“Qiao Chuchu, is Qiao Cen really your brother?”

“Qiao Chuchu, is it true what’s been happening online these days?”

“Qiao Chuchu, can you get me autographs from Qiao Cen, Wen Yu, and Bai Yun?”

“…”

Surrounded by everyone, Qiao Chuchu only felt a buzzing in her head.

【It’s so noisy, they’re asking so many questions, how am I supposed to answer? Ugh, this isn’t good, I’m starting to feel dizzy, and why does someone smell like garlic? Move over, I’m going to suffocate from the smell.】

Everyone: “???”

When they heard Qiao Chuchu’s voice, they were all stunned. They each breathed into their hands, checking their breath, and only relaxed when they realized the smell wasn’t coming from them.

While they were quiet, Qiao Chuchu had already slipped away, taking a seat at the back of the classroom by the window.

Shen Yinyin hadn’t arrived yet, but Qiao Chuchu had spoken to her on the phone last night. Shen Yinyin had said she’d rush to class this morning, so Qiao Chuchu saved her a seat.

Taking out her books, she did a few problems. It wasn’t long before Shen Yinyin arrived, rushing into the classroom. Qiao Chuchu waved at her, “Over here!”

Shen Yinyin ran over, sat down, and gasped for breath. “I’m exhausted! Fortunately, I made it on time. If I were late, ^[2]“Master Extinction” (灭绝师太) is a humorous or mocking nickname often used to describe a strict and stern female teacher or authority figure. The term originates from a character in … Continue readingMaster Extinction would definitely have deducted my credits.”

Qiao Chuchu took out a delicate box. “Did you eat breakfast? I brought you some milk and steamed dumplings.”

“No, I haven’t. Aw, thank you, Chuchu, love you!” Shen Yinyin hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. “Wow, this box is so fancy, and the dumplings smell so good, they’re so fragrant.”

“I only brought them because I thought they’d be tasty.” Qiao Chuchu wasn’t in the mood to do homework at the moment. She looked at Shen Yinyin a few times, her expression hesitant. Shen Yinyin could tell that something was on her mind. “What’s on your mind?”

“It’s nothing,” Qiao Chuchu replied. Then she asked, “How are things between you and Zhang Wenhao?”

Shen Yinyin seemed to know what she was about to ask. “Ah, it’s just like that.”

Qiao Chuchu asked, “Like what?”

Shen Yinyin popped a steamed dumpling into her mouth and said, “Just like that, not too salty, not too bland, just getting by.”

Qiao Chuchu: “……”

【Sigh, it looks like she didn’t listen to what I said last time. Zhang Wenhao is no good. Since being with Yinyin, he’s been secretly dating several other girls behind her back. He’s not sincere at all, treating them all like ATMs—calling them when he’s happy, and then disregarding them when he’s not. He’s only good-looking, so why do so many silly girls like him?】

“Ah—” Shen Yinyin was so shocked that she spat out the milk she had just drunk.

“Chuchu, what did you say? Zhang Wenhao—what about him?”

She suddenly realized that her words had been censored, and the rest was cut off. What’s going on?

Classmates sitting nearby clearly heard her just now. They turned around, surprised and curious, to look at her.

They must be thinking that their whispering was way too loud.

Is it really okay to badmouth the second-year campus heartthrob Zhang Wenhao like this in front of everyone?

Qiao Chuchu didn’t hear clearly. “What?”

“You said Zhang Wenhao—” beep (censored).

Shen Yinyin was shocked to find her voice was censored again.

“Damn, what’s going on?”

Qiao Chuchu looked at her in confusion. “What’s going on? What happened with Zhang Wenhao?”

Shen Yinyin, in a daze, said, “Just what you just said—” beep (censored).

“What did I say?” Qiao Chuchu still didn’t understand.

【What’s wrong with her? Did something happen to her?】

She reached out and touched Shen Yinyin’s forehead.

【No problem there, so what does she actually want to say? Every time Zhang Wenhao is mentioned, she gets all worked up. Does she still like him? How can I help her so she won’t be hurt by this scumbag?】

As Qiao Chuchu reached out, Shen Yinyin stared blankly at her, watching her hands move but hearing her voice without her lips moving.

What the heck! What is going on?

When did she develop this mind-reading ability?!

“It’s nothing.” Shen Yinyin, still a little confused, said, just as their first class teacher arrived—Master Mei (灭, Extinction), Zhang Lu, who was always strict and never showed mercy. If you were late, she would absolutely deduct credits. No one in class liked her.

Qiao Chuchu thought it wasn’t that bad. The teacher was just strict, but her teaching was serious and professional.

They started class with roll calls. Two students who were late, unsurprisingly, had their credits deducted by Zhang Lu, and the class sighed in unison.

Zhang Lu gave a cold glance. “Everyone, wake up! Class is starting!”

The students instantly became quiet, sitting up straight and paying attention.

After finally enduring until the end of class, Shen Yinyin was just about to share something surprising with Qiao Chuchu when Zhang Lu beat her to it.

“Qiao Chuchu, come to my office.”

Qiao Chuchu replied, “Okay, teacher.”

Shen Yinyin stood up and said, “I’ll go with you.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded.

“Why does she want to see you?” Shen Yinyin asked curiously. “You two didn’t even talk in class.”

Qiao Chuchu shook her head. “I’m not sure. You wait for me outside.”

She entered the office, and Zhang Lu handed her a stack of materials and assignments. “You’ve missed quite a few lessons recently. These are the materials and some homework I’ve prepared for you.”

Qiao Chuchu was puzzled. She had already caught up on the missed lessons and assignments. Why was there another stack? It seemed like this was Zhang Lu’s special attention toward her.

“Thank you, teacher. Sorry for troubling you.”

“It’s nothing. Technically, I shouldn’t be involved in your variety show stuff, but missing so many days of class is affecting your studies. In two months, there’s a piano competition organized by nine schools. I sincerely hope you’ll sign up.”

Zhang Lu spoke to Qiao Chuchu patiently and gently. After all, she was the top student in the class and had been a college entrance exam top scorer.

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “Thank you for your concern, teacher. I’ll make sure to study well after class. As for the piano competition, I’ll definitely sign up.”

She had participated in many piano competitions since she was young and had won numerous awards and gold medals.

At first, she learned the piano to fulfill her adoptive mother’s wish and to earn money to the best of her ability. Later, after she learned to play, she gradually began to enjoy it.

A smile appeared on Zhang Lu’s face. “Good. The teacher didn’t pick the wrong person. Just remember to rest while working hard. You can go now.”

Qiao Chuchu said, “Goodbye, teacher.”

Outside, Shen Yinyin was waiting. As soon as she saw Qiao Chuchu come out, she asked, “What did the teacher want with you?”

Qiao Chuchu told her about their conversation.

“Since she’s been so good to you, I won’t scold her,” Shen Yinyin said. “Call me when you sign up. I’ll participate too.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “Okay.”

Shen Yinyin forgot about the earlier conversation where she had been unable to speak, and started gossiping with her about the variety show instead…

—

In the afternoon after school, as soon as the teacher left, Zhang Wenhao arrived. He was wearing a light brown casual outfit, his hair styled with a nice texture, and his fair face always carried a smile. The girls couldn’t help but feel attracted to him, but they had no chance because Zhang Wenhao already had a girlfriend—Shen Yinyin, who was in their class.

It wasn’t just the girls in the class who were jealous, all the girls in the music department envied Shen Yinyin for having Zhang Wenhao as her boyfriend. He was such a perfect guy. If only their own boyfriends were like that, they would laugh themselves awake from dreams.

Qiao Chuchu was the first to notice Zhang Wenhao. “Yinyin, look outside.”

“What is it?” Shen Yinyin looked over, and saw Zhang Wenhao waving at her from outside the window. She stared at him for a few seconds before quickly withdrawing her gaze.

Qiao Chuchu noticed that this was not the same behavior as Shen Yinyin’s usual reaction. “Is he looking for you?”

“I saw,” Shen Yinyin replied, “But I don’t want to deal with him.” She then told Qiao Chuchu about how Zhang Wenhao had spent all of her savings, and said, heartbroken, “That was all my family’s hard-earned money, and he just wasted it. I’m so angry.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “Ah? That’s really frustrating.”

【It seems my previous warning didn’t have any effect on her. All the money she worked so hard to earn was wasted by Zhang Wenhao. It’s understandable that she’s furious.】

【Before, I thought Zhang Wenhao was handsome and generous, but I must’ve been mistaken. Who would’ve thought he’s such a scumbag?】

Just then, Zhang Wenhao, who had walked in, overheard and asked, “???”

Who’s calling him a scumbag?

“Yinyin, look at what I brought you.” Zhang Wenhao pulled out a bouquet of fresh flowers from behind him and presented it to Shen Yinyin. “It’s your favorite roses. I know I was wrong last time. Don’t be angry. Please forgive me.”

When Shen Yinyin saw the roses, her expression softened slightly. Especially with the other girls nearby watching, envious and jealous, she felt quite pleased.

She was about to reach out to take them when she heard Qiao Chuchu’s voice: 【Don’t take them, my silly sister.】

【These roses weren’t bought by Zhang Wenhao, he picked them up from a trash can on the side of the road. A couple had an argument and discarded them. There’s even an apology letter tucked inside.】

Zhang Wenhao gripped the flowers tighter, glaring at Qiao Chuchu. What nonsense was she spouting?

He still handed the flowers to Shen Yinyin. “These flowers were just bought from a flower shop.”

Although Shen Yinyin was surprised at how clearly Qiao Chuchu knew all the details, she chose to trust her friend. Acting quickly before thinking, she grabbed the flowers and started searching through them. Sure enough, she found an apology letter inside.

It had a name written on it—Zirui.

Shen Yinyin’s anger flared instantly. “What is this? Why does the flower you gave me have someone else’s name on it?”

Some students who hadn’t left the class yet heard the commotion and immediately began to gather around, ready to watch.

The crowd: “Wow, this is getting interesting!”

Some boys even secretly pulled out their phones and started live streaming, with the viewership slowly increasing.

Zhang Wenhao was completely stunned. When he picked up the flowers, he made sure no one was around. How did Qiao Chuchu know all of this? He absolutely couldn’t let her ruin his plan!

He quickly tried to explain, “Maybe the shop made a mistake when I bought them. It’s just a letter, nothing to worry about.”

He grabbed the letter and tore it up in two seconds, without changing his expression, and stuffed the pieces into his pocket.

“Is that so? The shop made a mistake? In that case, why don’t you go to the shop and ask them why they made the mistake?” Shen Yinyin’s tone shifted. “Or, you could go find this ‘Zirui’ and ask her about the letter.”

Qiao Chuchu really wanted to give her sister a round of applause.

【That’s my sister! She knows how to put him in his place. Let’s see how he tries to talk his way out of this.】

【Zhang Wenhao really showed me what thick skin looks like. He’s so disgusting. Even when the letter was found, he still lied to Shen Yinyin without a change in his expression. What a terrible person!】

Zhang Wenhao looked around, following the voice, and saw it was again Qiao Chuchu speaking. He just wanted her to shut up!

But now, he had to first coax Shen Yinyin. His pale face was full of sadness. “Yinyin, if you don’t want to forgive me, you don’t need to insult me like this, to insult my sincerity toward you.”

Shen Yinyin paused for a moment, a hesitant look appearing on her face.

Qiao Chuchu grabbed her arm and whispered, “He’s clearly trying to shift the focus of the conversation. Don’t let him mislead you.”

【Aaaah! Watching this makes me so angry! I really want to slap him. No wonder he’s such a player. He knows exactly how to manipulate a girl’s heart. He and He Xuan should definitely be a couple.】

Shen Yinyin, after hearing this, I don’t know where her courage came from, but she slapped Zhang Wenhao.

“Slap—”

The sound was crisp, leaving Zhang Wenhao stunned.

The crowd around them watching the drama: “Wow! This is so exciting!”

Zhang Wenhao had never been so embarrassed in front of others. “Shen Yinyin, why are you hitting me?”

Qiao Chuchu, watching him grimace in pain, felt secretly pleased: 【He deserves it. Yinyin, well done. Zhang Wenhao should be slapped. Let him face the consequences of fooling around with girls’ emotions and money.】

When Shen Yinyin heard the slap, her previously shaky posture straightened. She shoved the flowers back into Zhang Wenhao’s hands. “Still trying to deceive me? You can keep them for yourself! Chuchu, let’s go!”

At this moment, she was sure she could hear Chuchu’s inner thoughts. She was both shocked and delighted. It seemed like fate had blessed her with a special ability to see Zhang Wenhao’s true colors.

“Wait!” Zhang Wenhao reached out to grab her. “You’re not really angry over this little thing, are you? I’ve already apologized. What more do you want from me?”

He had never been so humble before. If it weren’t for Shen Yinyin still being useful to him, he wouldn’t have bothered.

“Is this a little thing?” Shen Yinyin laughed, “I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t have money to buy roses, but you absolutely shouldn’t have picked up someone else’s discarded flowers and tried to give them to me. I’m Shen Yinyin, not a trash can!”

Her words were utterly without mercy, and Zhang Wenhao’s face turned even uglier. “I told you, I didn’t pick them up. I bought them just now—”

So what if he bought them? No one had seen him pick them from the trash. What did Qiao Chuchu’s few words mean?

It seemed like fate wouldn’t let him get away with it. As the boys in the class streamed the incident, coincidentally, the real owner of the discarded flowers, Zirui, entered the stream and saw the whole farce.

“Sorry to interrupt, I’m Zirui.”

Earlier, she had been too angry because her boyfriend had forgotten their anniversary, so she had been upset for several days. Her boyfriend had been trying to make it up to her, and the roses he bought were his gesture of apology. But because he was ten minutes late and forgot to buy her milk tea, she was mad again.

In her anger, she had thrown the roses into the trash. Her boyfriend quickly chased after her, but didn’t manage to pick them up in time. When she calmed down and the two of them went back to retrieve the flowers, they found that they were gone.

Her boyfriend suggested buying new roses, but she refused, opting for a fancy dinner instead. While looking for a restaurant on the street, she accidentally saw the live stream.

They turned around and went back because they wanted the letter.

“This flower seems to be mine. Could you please return it to me?”