Chapter 49

After Gao Lang sent Mao Youlan back to her room, the anger he had been feeling only grew stronger. The smile he had worn in the hall disappeared, replaced by an expression of complete disgust.

He looked at Mao Youlan, who was distancing herself from him in fear, and a wave of rage surged through him. He walked over and grabbed her hair, pulling her head back.

“Why are you hiding? Do you think I’ll eat you? If you dare show any signs of trouble in front of that old man again, I’ll kill him first, then kill you.”

“Don’t think I’m just trying to scare you. I’ve killed before, not just once. So don’t try to play tricks on me.”

“Mao Youlan, did you hear that?”

Mao Youlan, whose hair was tightly gripped by him, had no way to resist. She couldn’t even move. A deep despair wrapped around her, her face showing a mixture of fear and terror.

She knew it was true. What Gao Lang said, he could and would do it.

She had witnessed him cruelly murder someone. It was from that moment on that Gao Lang, who had once been gentle and considerate, tore off his mask, revealing his true, demonic nature. He took out all the anger from the mistreatment he endured at her father’s place and his frustrations from the outside world on her.

She didn’t dare resist, because if she did, he would kill her beloved father, the only person in this world who cared for her, the person she needed to protect.

She nodded in hopelessness, a few tears falling from the corners of her eyes.

Seeing her cry made Gao Lang even more excited. He reveled in the thrill of controlling another person’s life, his body trembling with excitement, fierce and terrifying.

Then, suddenly, his expression became even more savage as he remembered what had happened earlier.

“This damn old man really doesn’t consider me family. So many guests came today, such an important occasion, yet he didn’t even tell me. He even sent me away. Is he afraid I’ll be an eyesore?”

“Tell me, shouldn’t this damn old man die?”

“Huh?”

“Oh right, I forgot you can’t speak. Well, that’s great. You only need to answer with a simple choice—shake your head or nod.”

“Do you want to bear the punishment from your father?”

When Mao Youlan heard the word “punishment,” the fear in her eyes grew even more intense. She wanted to hide, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t hide, because she couldn’t let him harm her father.

Seeing that she hadn’t moved, Gao Lang shouted, “Do you want to? If you do, just nod!”

Mao Youlan slowly nodded. Gao Lang released her, but only so he could grab a long, thin needle to use on her.

He said the needle would hurt but wouldn’t leave any wounds, making it perfect for dealing with a mute like her.

The pain was something that ordinary people couldn’t imagine. She instinctively tried to avoid it, but in front of Gao Lang, her attempts to escape were useless, and they only seemed to fuel his madness.

“You dare to dodge? I’ll make you regret that!”

He cornered Mao Youlan against the wall and jabbed the needle into her scalp. The sharp pain hit her instantly. Mao Youlan wanted to cry, to struggle, but she couldn’t. All she could do was helplessly endure.

She closed her eyes in agony, and just as she thought Gao Lang would strike with a second needle, she heard the door to the room crash open, followed by a loud noise, “Bang—!”

She opened her eyes and saw her father, holding a wooden sculpture, smashing it violently at Gao Lang. Gao Lang, caught off guard, was hit on the arm. But in the next moment, he regained control, grabbed Master Mao’s collar, and lifted him up like a little chicken.

Master Mao shouted in anger, “You beast! What are you doing? Who gave you the right to treat my daughter this way? Has your heart been eaten by a dog? How dare you bully a little girl like this! If you have the guts, deal with me instead!”

He turned to Mao Youlan, who was frozen in fear, and softly reassured her, “Xiao Lan, don’t be afraid, Dad will protect you.”

Mao Youlan, now coming to her senses, rushed over to push Gao Lang, trying to get him to let go of her father. But her strength was too weak, she couldn’t move him even an inch and was easily pushed away by him.

Gao Lang sneered, “Since you’ve found me out, I won’t pretend anymore. I was planning to wait a little longer, but since you don’t want to live and are delivering yourself to die, then I’ll just help you out.”

Just as he was about to act, the eight guests who had been following Master Mao, along with the photographers, all rushed in.

Gao Lang pulled Master Mao back and warned, “Don’t come any closer, or I’ll choke him to death!”

Mao Youlan tried to rush over to save her father, but Qiao Chuchu stopped her, whispering, “Don’t go over there, it’s too dangerous. We’ve already called the police, they’ll be here soon, and they’ll save Master Mao.”

Mao Youlan was temporarily calmed by her words, but her worried eyes remained fixed on the scene.

“Young man, don’t act impulsively. Put him down and go to the police station to turn yourself in. You still have a chance to make things right. If you kill someone, your life is over.”

“Don’t do anything rash.”

Tian Ka and Qin Zhongsong tried to persuade him, while the others were too frightened to say anything.

The situation was dire. Gao Lang had Master Mao in his grip, making him a hostage. “Everyone shut up and get out of my way. Get me a car and one hundred thousand yuan, or I’ll kill him.”

“Alright, alright, don’t be impulsive, we’ll get it done right away.” Seeing the situation was escalating, Qin Zhongsong organized everyone to leave the room. As soon as they were far enough away, he asked the director, “Has the police arrived?”

“They’ve arrived and are setting up outside, planning how to rescue Master Mao.” The director, terrified, said, “Stay away for now. I saw the police with guns in hand.”

The viewers in the live stream had just witnessed the scene and the bullet comments were flooding in.

【What the heck! What’s going on? Weren’t they just learning wood carving skills? How did it turn into an escape show? This can’t be a special program, right?】

【The person threatening Master Mao is his disciple, isn’t it? They were just chatting and laughing a moment ago. What happened? Can someone explain? @Director, please explain!】

【Crap, I just saw the police. They’re real cops, so this isn’t some special program—it’s a real criminal case!】

【Guests, be careful! This guy looks too menacing. Don’t let anyone get hurt!】

【Ahhh! I want to see what happens next! Turn the camera around! Please!】

—

The camera could not be turned, as it would cause too much disruption.

The director instructed the photographers to stay inside the room and not go anywhere, only filming what was happening in the room.

Outside, the police had already surrounded the area, and the guests had left the room, preparing the car and money as Gao Lang had demanded.

Once everything was ready, someone informed Gao Lang, and soon he emerged, holding Master Mao hostage.

“Everyone, move aside!”

He saw the police in the yard but remained completely calm, truly fearless.

Master Mao already had a cut on his neck from a fruit knife, but he was still relatively composed, not overly panicked, though he was deeply concerned about his daughter, Mao Youlan.

He said to the guests, “Please, don’t let Xiao Lan see this. She won’t be able to handle it.”

“Damn it, stop talking.” Gao Lang dragged him forward. “Where’s the car and the money?”

Qin Zhongsong replied, “It’s outside. The money is in the car, you’ll see it once you go out.”

“Don’t try to pull any tricks, or I’ll kill him.” Gao Lang took Master Mao out through the main gate, walking right into the trap set by the police outside.

The guests following behind looked anxiously toward the outside, wanting to go check, but were stopped by the police.

“It’s dangerous outside. Leave the rescue to us.”

Unable to see the live scene, Qiao Chuchu turned to look at the script.

【The storyline has changed! Master Mao discovered Gao Lang’s true nature ahead of time, saved his daughter from suffering, and Gao Lang was shot by the police.】

In the next moment, they heard the sound of a gunshot, a “bang!” The robbery had begun, and Gao Lang fell to the ground, dead in a pool of blood.

The guests, hearing the gunshot, finally relaxed.

The bullet comments erupted:

【What the hell! Did I just hear a gunshot? Did the police really shoot?】

【I think I heard it too. That sound is definitely like a gunshot. They wouldn’t really shoot unless the hostage situation was extremely dangerous.】

【Quick, turn the camera to show us the live scene! I want to see!】

—

Qin Hanhan covered her ears, curious, she walked to the door and saw the fierce Gao Lang’s head pierced through, lying motionless on the ground with his eyes still open.

She was terrified and quickly recoiled, hiding beside her father.

“He’s dead, really dead.”

“Don’t be afraid, I’m here, I won’t let you face such dangerous people.” Qin Zhongsong added, “Her words were all true. Did you see it for yourself?”

Qin Hanhan didn’t respond but the anger and disdain she had felt earlier toward Qiao Chuchu and her boyfriend, Hao Yuan, were slowly fading away.

She began to doubt Hao Yuan’s character.

—

Gao Lang was shot dead by the police, and Master Mao was saved. He wasn’t seriously injured, just a small cut on his neck, which was treated. He answered the police’s questions seriously and then returned to the hall where he had been learning wood carving.

He hugged Mao Youlan, crying bitterly. “I’m sorry, Xiao Lan, for making you suffer so much. I didn’t know he was such a bad person. If I had known, I would never have let you be with him.”

Mao Youlan couldn’t speak, but her eyes were filled with tears. Master Mao reached out to wipe them away, comforting her. “Xiao Lan, don’t cry. Don’t be afraid. Gao Lang was shot by the police. No one will bully you anymore. From now on, I’ll take care of you.”

This scene was truly touching, and the guests were on the verge of tears. They were grateful to have heard Qiao Chuchu’s thoughts and relieved that she could see other people’s gossip, which allowed her to save Master Mao and his daughter in time.

It wasn’t until after the filming for the wood carving segment was finished that Master Mao finally understood. He found Qiao Chuchu alone to thank her.

However, he couldn’t bring himself to talk about the topic he had just heard, he could only express his gratitude.

Qiao Chuchu thought he was thanking her for comforting Mao Youlan earlier, so she responded politely.

“There’s no need to thank me, Master Mao. I didn’t do much. You’re too polite.”

Master Mao insisted, “How could you say you didn’t do anything? If it weren’t for you saying—【bleep】…”

He felt powerless. Why couldn’t he bring himself to say what he had just heard?

“Anyway, you saved us, father and daughter. We owe you two favors. If you ever need anything, just let me know. I, Mao Dingrui, will make it happen!”

Qiao Chuchu was speechless.

【Master Mao is really polite, it was just a small gesture, yet he values it so much.】

Unable to refuse, Qiao Chuchu said, “Actually, there is one thing I’d like to ask Master Mao for help with. I’d like to learn how to carve human figures. Would you be able to teach me?”

“Of course.” Master Mao replied, “If you don’t mind, I’ll take you as my closed-door disciple and teach you this skill.”

And so, Qiao Chuchu became the closed-door disciple of wood carving master Mao Dingrui, able to learn all the wood carving techniques from him.

—

This incident had a significant impact. When the police executed Gao Lang, it was witnessed by the surrounding crowd, and some even filmed the video and posted it online with the title “Dear, Our Title,” quickly attracting the attention of netizens.

#Dear Us Title · Learning Channel Becomes Crime Scene Channel

【What’s going on? How did the recording turn into such a dangerous situation? Are the guests okay?】

【I was there, and I know the guests are fine. The person who was taken hostage was the master who taught them wood carving. He got a minor neck injury, but nothing else serious.】

【That’s good, it really was too close.】

—

Hao Yuan, who was always keeping an eye on online developments, naturally didn’t miss such a good opportunity to show concern for Qin Hanhan.

He immediately dialed her familiar number.

But instead of the usual quick pick-up, the call was instantly hung up.

“???”

“What’s going on? She hung up on me? Was she too scared?”

He could only comfort himself like this. After all, Qin Hanhan liked him so much by now that she would never hang up on him. She would always call him for comfort.

Sitting in the car, Qin Hanhan saw his call notification. The first thing that flashed in her mind was the image of Gao Lang holding a needle, aiming it at Mao Youlan, and all the words Qiao Chuchu had said. Instinctively, she hung up the phone.

When Qin Zhongsong saw her actions, a look of relief appeared on his face. He asked, “Did you enjoy yourself on the variety show?”

They had just finished recording the final day’s live mission and were getting ready to leave in the afternoon.

“It was alright,” Qin Hanhan replied after thinking for a moment. “By the way, were all of Qiao Chuchu’s comments true? How were we able to hear her thoughts?”

The first time she heard the voice, she was shocked and even thought she had gained some special ability.

It wasn’t until she realized that her dad and the others could also hear Qiao Chuchu’s thoughts that she stopped looking so clueless.

“I don’t know why,” Qin Zhongsong said. “But I think everything she said was true. Didn’t you see it with your own eyes?”

Qin Hanhan made an excuse. “Maybe she just happened to guess it right?”

“Then she’s very impressive, her guesses were spot on,” Qin Zhongsong said earnestly. “I’m not asking you to believe everything Qiao Chuchu says, but you should at least listen. If you believe Hao Yuan is a good person, then show me his good side with your own actions.”

“Now that you’re a grown girl with your own opinions, I don’t want to interfere with your feelings. If the other person is truly good, I won’t oppose you being in a relationship, but if they’re just trying to use you or deceive you, I won’t let you be with them, no matter what.”

He patted her on the shoulder. “Think about it carefully, and if you need my help, just ask.”

—

Shen Zilin also saw the post online. After Qiao Chuchu and her brother finished the variety show, he immediately called them to check on them.

“I saw online that you ran into robbers during the recording. Are you all okay?”

This rumor had been spread by people filming outside, who didn’t understand the situation and assumed the robbers had taken Mao Dingrui hostage.

“We’re fine, all good.” Qiao Cen was surprised. “Wow, I didn’t expect you’d pay attention to things online. I thought you didn’t care about anything except e-sports.”

Shen Zilin chuckled. “Not only do I pay attention to things online, I also care about what happens with you. By the way, your monthly exam is in a week. How’s your review going?”

“Ahhh! Shen Zilin, are you out of your mind?” Qiao Cen yelled. “I just escaped a life-threatening situation, and you bring this up. Hmph, if you keep talking about it, I’ll cut ties with you!”

“Even if you cut ties, I’m still bringing it up. Don’t slack off on the study plan I gave you,” Shen Zilin said. “Try to get a good score this time to make the people who care about you happy.”

“Alright, alright, you sound like an old woman. You don’t need to say it, I already know.” Qiao Cen said, “Other than this, feel free to talk to me about anything else.”

True to form, Shen Zilin didn’t bring it up again but instead asked, “Where’s your sister?”

“She was just here, but now she’s been called away by Master Mao.” Qiao Cen briefly explained the online rumors. “My sister is amazing, she saved another father and daughter.”

Ever since he started following his sister’s gossip, he’d noticed that many people had been saved by her, and a lot of people had been awakened by her as well. Everyone treated her like treasure, and some even tried to compete with him for her attention.

“So that’s how it is,” Shen Zilin nodded. “They’re pretty pitiful too.”

“Yeah,” Qiao Cen said. “Fortunately, they met my sister, or there would be two more people dead for no reason.”

Shen Zilin softly agreed, then invited, “Our team will have a monthly e-sports match against Huang Yang’s team in a week. You’ll be done with your exams by then. If you have time, you and Chuchu should come watch the match.”

Qiao Cen agreed, “Sure, I’ll ask my sister later. If she goes, I’ll go too.”

Shen Zilin smiled. “Qiao Cen, I’ve realized you’ve turned into a total ‘sister’s boy’ now.”

Qiao Cen teased, “Hey, I’m fine with it.”

After Shen Zilin hung up the phone, his teammate Yan Shizhe happened to pass by and raised his eyebrows, asking, “Captain, who were you chatting with just now? You were smiling so brightly.”

Shen Zilin was famous in the team for his cold and serious demeanor, so it was rare to see him smiling so happily.

Yan Shizhe suddenly looked surprised. “Wait, could it be that you’re in a relationship? When are you going to introduce us?”

“What are you thinking? It’s my childhood friend,” Shen Zilin replied. “We’re playing Huang Yang’s team in a week. You should focus more on training and less on gossiping about relationships.”

“Got it, Captain!” Yan Shizhe gave a military salute and then immediately added, “But Captain, I have good news to tell you. I’m about to start my 54th relationship. If I successfully hold hands with this goddess, I’m treating everyone to a meal!”

He said this loudly, and his teammates who were training overheard.

“Whoa, Yan Shizhe, you’re amazing! You’re starting your 54th relationship?”

“Who is she? Where is she from? Is she pretty? What’s her name? Do you have a photo? Let us see!”

“Of course she’s beautiful! She’s a goddess, how could she not be pretty? Her name’s Ruan Man, and even her name sounds nice.” Yan Shizhe found a photo that the goddess had sent him. “Look at this. Isn’t she beautiful? Isn’t she stunning?”

The teammates looked at the photo and were all amazed. “Whoa, she’s gorgeous! She’s so eye-catching. How did she end up with you?!”

“Shut up, shut up, what kind of talk is that?” Yan Shizhe was unhappy and then showed the photo to Shen Zilin, asking, “Captain, do you think me and the goddess are a good match?”

Shen Zilin took a glance and nodded. “It’s fine.”

But she’s not as pretty as Chuchu.

“You’re still the best, Captain. Ah, the goddess just messaged me!” Yan Shizhe jumped up excitedly like a fool. “She said she has a dance competition tomorrow and invited me to watch. Captain, can I take a leave? Just four hours in the afternoon tomorrow. I’ll come back right after!”

By chance, Shen Zilin saw the name of the school. “A City University of the Arts?”

Isn’t that the school where Qiao Chuchu studies?

—

When Qiao Chuchu heard from Qiao Cen that Shen Zilin would have an e-sports competition next week, she sent him a message cheering him on and said she would try to watch if she had time.

When Shen Yinyin found out, she said, “What are you still considering? Even if you don’t have time, you should go and cheer for the handsome Shen.”

“Yeah.” Qiao Chuchu nodded. “We’ll go together.”

“Of course.” Shen Yinyin hooked her arm and said, “By the way, Chuchu, this afternoon the second-year dance department is having a dance competition. I heard it’s to select the campus ambassador for the dance department for the second half of the year. It’s a pretty big event, and all the students can attend. Anyway, we have no class in the afternoon, so let’s go watch.”

“I heard that the campus ambassador for the piano department will be chosen from the first-year students. We can go check it out and learn something.”

“Come on, come with me.”

Qiao Chuchu couldn’t resist the girls acting cute, so she nodded in agreement.

The dance department’s campus ambassador selection competition was held at the open-air sports field, and the scale was indeed large. Almost everyone from the school came to join in the fun.

The dance department students were all beautiful girls and handsome boys. Many people came just to enjoy the sight of good-looking people.

Qiao Chuchu and Shen Yinyin arrived late, and all the good seats in front were taken. There were even people buying seats with money at the scene.

They didn’t want to be taken advantage of, so they chose a seat directly facing the stage, though farther away. As long as they had good eyesight, they could still see the stage clearly.

As soon as they sat down, Qiao Chuchu received a call from Shen Zilin, telling her that he had arrived at their school.

“You stay here, I’ll go pick up Shen Zilin.”

Shen Yinyin was surprised. “What? Shen Zilin is here? Then go get him! I’ll save our spot.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded and went to pick him up according to Shen Zilin’s description. She was surprised to find that he was accompanied by a teammate, Yan Shizhe.

“Hello, little beauty, I’m Yan Shizhe, Captain Shen’s friend. What’s your relation with our Captain?” Yan Shizhe said, acting very familiar as if they had known each other for a long time.

Shen Zilin pulled him aside. “Mind your manners, don’t scare her.”

He then said, “Chuchu, this is my friend Yan Shizhe. He came to watch his friend’s dance competition. I was dragged along by him.”

“That’s not quite true…” Yan Shizhe was about to explain, but when he saw the look in Shen Zilin’s eyes, he quickly shut up. “Right, right, Captain Shen is here to accompany me.”

“Oh, hello,” Qiao Chuchu nodded. “The stadium is this way, let me take you there.”

As they walked, Yan Shizhe glanced at her over and over again. “Why do I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before?”

“We were on the variety show ‘Dear Us…’” Qiao Chuchu hinted.

Yan Shizhe suddenly realized, “Right! Captain Shen watches the live stream of every episode, no wonder you look so familiar. Turns out you’re a celebrity.”

Qiao Chuchu shook her head. “I’m not a celebrity, my brother is.”

“That’s impressive too, being able to appear on TV…”

Throughout the walk, Yan Shizhe kept talking non-stop, blabbering on and on.

Finally, they arrived at the stadium, and Qiao Chuchu let out a sigh of relief. This guy really never stopped talking.

Yan Shizhe hurriedly said, “I’m nearsighted, I can’t sit in the back. I’ll sit in the front. Even if there’s no seat, I’ll squeeze in. Captain Shen, remember to call me when you leave.”

He squeezed into the crowd, and immediately, the area around Qiao Chuchu and Shen Zilin became much quieter.

Shen Zilin said, “He talks too much, don’t mind him.”

“It’s fine,” Qiao Chuchu smiled. “He’s quite interesting.”

【If only he talked less.】

Qiao Chuchu led him back to their original seats. When Shen Yinyin saw them approaching, she immediately moved aside. “Handsome Shen is here, come sit! A lot of people tried to steal our spot, but I chased them away.”

Shen Zilin nodded at her. “Impressive.”

Qiao Chuchu also gave her a thumbs up. “Very impressive.”

“Hehe, it’s nothing,” Shen Yinyin smiled and asked, “Why does Handsome Shen have time to visit our school today?”

Shen Zilin repeated the reason he had just mentioned.

Shen Yinyin understood. “I see. After watching the dance, we’ll take you around the school.”

“Okay.”

Soon, this year’s Dance Department campus ambassador selection officially began.

Almost all the second-year students participated, and after the first round of elimination, fifty people remained to compete in the selection.

Watching the elegant dances really helped to lift the mood. The second-year seniors’ performances were indeed beautiful.

When the tenth female contestant appeared, the audience suddenly erupted in cheers, cheering her on.

“Ahhhh! Goddess! Ruan Man! You’re my goddess!”

“So beautiful! Ruan Man, I really like you!”

“Ruan Man…”

Everyone was cheering and shouting for the girl on stage. At this moment, she resembled a dazzling superstar on stage, shining brightly.

“This girl…”

Qiao Chuchu heard Shen Zilin’s words and then asked, “What’s up with her? Do you know her?”

“I don’t know her. I’ve just seen her on Yan Shizhe’s phone,” Shen Zilin replied. “He came here this time just to see her.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “She’s pretty, and I think she’s the Dance Department’s campus beauty.”

She usually didn’t pay attention to these people, so she didn’t know much about Ruan Man.

Shen Yinyin exclaimed, “Wow, your friend is impressive, even friends with Ruan Man, the campus beauty. She’s really popular with the guys in school, tons of people chasing after her, but she doesn’t give them the time of day.”

Shen Zilin smiled. “Yeah, he really likes her.”

He didn’t understand much about Yan Shizhe’s love life and didn’t want to say too much.

Since it was about Shen Zilin’s friend’s relationship, Qiao Chuchu casually checked it out. She didn’t expect to be shocked when she did.

【Oh my god! Yan Shizhe is in a relationship and got tricked into some shady scheme, then forced to become a fraudster. He couldn’t complete his performance tasks and was tortured with electric shocks every day. When he tried to escape, he was caught and thrown into a dark water prison.】

【The dark water prison is a horrible place. Everything—eating, drinking, and even… goes on in the water. There are also piranhas in the water, and if you’re unlucky, one of them might eat you.】

【Wow, Yan Shizhe’s really unlucky. He’s had fifty-three relationships, but none of them worked out. This time, he finally gets some attention from a pretty girl, but turns out she’s a fraudster who not only wants his money but his life too.】

【Ruan Man is really ruthless. At under twenty, she’s already a small boss in some shady scheme, tricking 137 people into being captured and brought to some place, making millions of dollars.】

【And the next person to be scammed is Hao Yuan. Oh, and Qin Hanhan? How is she involved with them?】

【Oh, so Hao Yuan’s goddess is Ruan Man? This is interesting…】

Shen Zilin’s face showed surprise, and he exchanged a glance with Shen Yinyin, both of them processing the huge information they had just learned.

In other words, Yan Shizhe’s favorite goddess, Ruan Man, was a fraudster!

The students around Qiao Chuchu also heard her words, but they didn’t know who said them. They just thought someone was spreading rumors about Ruan Man, and no one paid any attention.

However, those who knew the truth weren’t present. Shen Zilin was thinking about how to rescue Yan Shizhe from his predicament.

The dance competition was still ongoing, but the audience had lost much of their excitement. Qiao Chuchu suggested taking Shen Zilin around the school for a walk.

Shen Yinyin didn’t join them. “You two go ahead, I still want to watch the dance competition.”

So, the two of them went.

A City Art University covers an area of about 2,000 acres, with many specialized departments. The school is most famous for its programs in music, fine arts, dance, and film and television.

The school was so large that they couldn’t explore all of it in one day. Qiao Chuchu showed Shen Zilin some of the fun spots around the campus before they finally sat down on a lawn.

Suddenly, Qiao Chuchu remembered she hadn’t asked him about his school.

Shen Zilin smiled. “I studied at a university abroad. I took a six-month break and am preparing for the regional competition in June.”

“I see.” Qiao Chuchu understood. “Well, good luck. Keep pursuing your dreams, and one day, they’ll come true.”

“Yeah.” Shen Zilin nodded, his face bright with a happy smile. It had been a long time since he’d been this relaxed, and it felt great.

After thinking for a moment, Qiao Chuchu said, “Your friend’s crush isn’t his true match. You need to keep an eye on him this next month.”

【Ruan Man’s actions will unfold next month. After dealing with the others—Hao Yuan and Qin Hanhan—it will be his turn.】

【No one who’s been targeted by them has managed to escape.】

Shen Zilin nodded seriously. “Got it.”

“Don’t you want to ask why?” Qiao Chuchu laughed. “You trust me just like that?”

Shen Zilin nodded. “You don’t need to lie to me. I trust you.”

Qiao Chuchu thought Shen Zilin was quite an interesting person.

【It’s a shame he doesn’t have any dark history, otherwise, it would be fun to see.】

Shen Zilin, “…”

No, just no.

After the dance department competition, the students had three days to vote for their favorite dancer.

Campus beauty Ruan Man’s votes surged ahead, leading the second place by more than a hundred votes, firmly holding the first position.

She glanced at the backstage vote count, a victorious and confident smile appearing on her face.

“This year’s dance department campus ambassador is mine.”

As soon as she walked out, many of her admirers were waiting outside with flowers. She picked the most beautiful bouquet of roses and casually said, “Thank you.”

What she didn’t expect was that the bouquet she chose was from Hao Yuan, the most persistent of her suitors.

“Our relationship is such that you don’t need to thank me. I’m willing to do anything for you.”

Hao Yuan had dressed up today, looking like a vibrant, youthful student. He wore almost all of his best clothes and bought a bouquet of flowers for the goddess.

Anyway, since he had no money left, Qin Hanhan would tip him during his live streams, so he wasn’t short on cash.

“Goddess, do you have time tonight? Let me take you out to dinner to celebrate,” Hao Yuan said, praising her with adoration. “You looked so beautiful on stage just now, like a fairy.”

Such a beautiful woman was beyond comparison to the unattractive Qin Hanhan.

Ruan Man lightly chuckled. “Sorry, I already have plans.”

“What about tomorrow?” Hao Yuan asked quickly. “If not, then the day after tomorrow.”

“Let me get back to you.” Ruan Man took the 1,000 yuan hidden in the roses and returned the flowers to him. “The flowers are beautiful, and I appreciate your gesture.”

She was referring to the 1,000 yuan.

“If you like it, that’s good enough.” Hao Yuan wasn’t upset by the rejection and continued to look at her with infatuation. “I’ll wait for your news!”

Ruan Man didn’t stop walking. As she was about to leave, someone intercepted her.

“Ruan Man, it’s me, Yan Shizhe. Do you remember me? We video-called a few days ago. I came over today just to see you. You looked really beautiful on stage just now.”

Yan Shizhe had nothing with him, not even a flower or a cup of milk tea.

Ruan Man furrowed her brows, her impression of him diminishing significantly. “Is this how you came to see me?”

“Yeah,” Yan Shizhe replied. “I took half a day off just to see your dance competition. It was really hard to get the time off.” He continued, “We also have an esports competition next week. Would you like to come watch?”

“Let’s talk about it later,” Ruan Man said, losing patience. “I have an appointment. I have to go now.”

Yan Shizhe, huh? She remembered him. Once she dealt with the other few foolish men, he would be next, the stingy fool.

After showing Shen Zilin around half of the school, Yan Shizhe called and then showed up, wearing a joyful smile.

“Captain Shen, what have you two been up to? Did you see my goddess dance just now? Beautiful, right? Like a fairy.”

Shen Zilin casually responded, “Focus on your training and stop thinking about your goddess. Prepare for next week’s competition.”

“Got it! Captain Shen!” Yan Shizhe answered loudly, then turned to ask Qiao Chuchu, “Qiao, how did you think my goddess danced?”

Qiao Chuchu replied, “Pretty good.”

Yan Shizhe continued talking, “You really have good taste, Qiao. Let me tell you, my goddess…”

When they reached the school gate, Qiao Chuchu noticed a familiar face by the side of the road.

【Doesn’t that person look like Hao Yuan?】

She had seen him once at a hotpot restaurant and remembered him.

Hao Yuan seemed to hear someone calling him. When he turned around, he didn’t see anyone and thought he had just imagined it. He didn’t pay it any mind and got into a taxi.

“Driver, take me to Jiujiu Hotpot restaurant.”

This was the first time they met after Qin Hanhan finished filming her variety show, and they met during her free time after school.

He arrived at the familiar private room, but Qin Hanhan hadn’t shown up. He frowned and took out his phone to message her. After waiting for about an hour, Qin Hanhan finally arrived.

“Why are you so late?”

As soon as she walked in, Qin Hanhan heard Hao Yuan’s complaint. It immediately reminded her of what Qiao Chuchu had said—Hao Yuan didn’t like her, he only liked her money, and he had someone he truly liked.

Right, she had read online that when someone truly loves another person, no matter how long they wait, they never feel it’s too long. They would rather worry about whether the other person was in danger.

But Hao Yuan only asked about her on his phone, not even bothering to pick her up.

Her once complete affection for Hao Yuan was now halved. Qin Hanhan didn’t give him a good look either. “You’re not worried about me being in an accident on the way here, yet you’re complaining that I’m late?”

She was upset, “Hao Yuan, do you like me or not?”

The young lady was angry, and of course, she had to be coaxed. Though Hao Yuan was impatient inside and cursed under his breath, it didn’t affect the bright smile on his face.

“Of course, I like you. You’re the one I like the most. I’m willing to do anything for you. Don’t you believe me?”

“I’m not worried about you,” Hao Yuan continued, “I went to buy flowers for you. I ran to a lot of places to get this bouquet of roses. Do you know why I chose this one?”

Hao Yuan handed her the roses that Ruan Man had rejected. She asked, “Why?”

“Because you’re as beautiful as this bouquet of roses. When I saw the flowers, I thought of you.” Hao Yuan handed her the flowers and complained, “I even fell down while buying these. It wasn’t easy to get them.”

Qin Hanhan hesitated. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, just a little scratch on my palm,” Hao Yuan replied. His hand wasn’t hurt from the fall but from a scuffle at the sports field while competing for a spot.

Qin Hanhan instinctively looked at his hand. The blood had already dried up, and just as she was about to feel sorry for him, she noticed a tattoo on his arm, two English letters—RM.

It looked like an abbreviation for someone’s name, and since her name was three characters, it clearly wasn’t hers.

“What’s this?”

“It’s nothing. I was young and didn’t know better. Just a random tattoo,” Hao Yuan quickly deflected the question, eager to change the subject. “I’ve ordered a lot of delicious food for you. Let’s eat first. I’m starving.”

Qin Hanhan noticed how quickly he changed the topic. He was definitely hiding something. She wouldn’t let it go. “Is it your ex-girlfriend’s name?”

“I don’t have any ex-girlfriends. You’re my first girlfriend,” Hao Yuan raised his hand. “I swear, if I’m lying, let lightning strike me.”

Qin Hanhan furrowed her brow but still didn’t fully believe him.

“Alright, my princess,” Hao Yuan said, “What are you suspicious about? You’re the one I like the most.” He put a meatball on her plate. “Let’s eat, eat.”

Qin Hanhan felt uncomfortable. Thinking about what Qiao Chuchu had said made her even more uneasy. “I want to go drink bubble tea. Go buy it for me.”

Hao Yuan showed a moment of impatience, but when he thought about the money, he held it back.

“Fine, fine, I’ll go get it for you. After all, you’re the one I like the most. Be a good girl and wait for me to come back.”

Qin Hanhan finally felt at ease, thinking that everything was fine with Hao Yuan and her dad. But just then, she received a call from Hao Yuan.

“Hanhan, one of the members of my team suddenly had an accident, and it’s serious. I need to rush over and check on them. You finish eating and then take a cab home. We can reschedule our meeting for another day.”

Before Qin Hanhan could ask her a question, the call ended.

“What kind of person is this?”

The next moment, she received a call from her dad.

“Hanhan, Hao Yuan left after receiving a phone call.”

“I know, he told me,” Qin Hanhan replied.

“Do you want to go see where he went?”

Qin Hanhan sensed that something was wrong. “Dad, what do you mean by that?”

“Once you see where Hao Yuan went, you’ll understand.”

Qin Hanhan clenched her phone and finally left the hotpot restaurant.

Meanwhile…

After receiving a call from Ruan Man, Hao Yuan hurried over.

They were at a bar, and Ruan Man was in a private room, drinking alone, with the whole place filled with the smell of alcohol.

“Goddess, I’m here. Is there something important you need to talk to me about?”

Hao Yuan was out of breath as he arrived and sat beside her.

Ruan Man had already drunk quite a bit, her fair face slightly flushed. She picked up a bottle of alcohol and handed it to Hao Yuan. “Drink with me.”

“Sure,” Hao Yuan didn’t hesitate at all. He happily drank with Ruan Man, and after a few bottles, he became a little drunk and began to express his longing. “Goddess, I really like you. Every time I see you, I’m so happy. When will you agree to be my girlfriend?”

“Hehe,” Ruan Man chuckled, “What about your little girlfriend?”

Hao Yuan quickly replied, “She can’t compare to you. I can get rid of her easily.”

Ruan Man shook her head. “That’s not acceptable.”

“If it’s not, then I’ll sell her off and send her deep into the mountains so she can never bother us again,” Hao Yuan said with a smile. “What do you think about that?”

Just then, the door of the private room was suddenly slammed open.

“Bang—”

Hao Yuan looked over, displeased, and the alcohol instantly sobered him up a little.