Yu Zao sent Jiang Cai many photos, asking if they looked good.

Jiang Cai: [They look good.]

Jiang Cai: [They look great.]

Jiang Cai: [Are these photos meant to get cashback from the seller?]

Yu Zao: [Yes, yes.]

Yu Zao was probably being scammed. What normal seller would ask for so many photos? And why would a buyer’s review require revealing so much leg and foot? Yu Zao was surely tricked by some shady seller who, under the guise of offering cashback, was secretly saving those photos for some nefarious purpose in the dead of night.

While marveling at how innocent Yu Zao was, Jiang Cai saved all the photos and sent Yu Zao 50,000 yuan.

Jiang Cai: [I’ve sent you the cashback. Don’t leave a review or send any more pictures to the seller. You might be dealing with a bad person; don’t get scammed.]

Yu Zao quickly accepted the money: [Why are you so good to me!]

He then sent a voice message, his tone sweet like he was being playful, “Jiang Cai, you’re so kind to me. I didn’t even realize I was dealing with a bad person. Thank goodness you warned me.”

Hearing the voice message, a slight smile appeared on Jiang Cai’s lips. He hadn’t done much, yet Yu Zao was this happy.

Yu Zao was really pure. He wasn’t at all like what others said about him. If he were truly vain and materialistic as people claimed, he would be trying his best to please him—why would he have hung up on the call?

Jiang Cai was used to people who would flatter and grovel for his favor. He had a sharp eye for character and was certain he hadn’t misjudged Yu Zao.

He spoke in a soft, sweet tone and was even capable of being playful. His personality was exceptionally pleasant—kind, sincere, innocent, gentle—not at all vain or materialistic.

Staring at the screen for a long moment, Jiang Cai finally mustered up the courage to send a message: [How about we go see a movie tonight? There’s a new horror film out, it looks really good.]

Yu Zao: [Sure!]

Jiang Cai: [I’ll get tickets for the 6 PM show? I have class in the afternoon, but I’ll come find you afterward.]

Yu Zao also had class in the afternoon, so 6 PM worked perfectly.

After making plans with Jiang Cai, Yu Zao decided to get ready for school. He had a lot of unread WeChat messages, most from people he added the night before. But he couldn’t remember all of them, and they were so chatty. With so many messages coming in quickly, how could he possibly reply to everyone?

Chatting was too exhausting, so Yu Zao decided not to reply. These people had served their purpose before, but now that he was mingling with the villain, those without any value to him could be easily discarded.

Responding to them was a waste of battery life. Better to spend his time cursing Chi Xingge, which at least earned him some money.

Yuan Jin: [Do you have class today? Want me to pick you up? [Row of luxury cars.jpg]]

Yu Zao’s spirits lifted instantly: [Really? I want to ride in the most expensive one!]

Yuan Jin’s photos showed cars that were roughly the same in price, so he walked to the other side, took a picture of a different car, and sent it: [How about this limited edition sports car? Only I have it in the whole of Jingzhou. [Photo]]

Naturally, Yu Zao agreed.

As Yu Zao finished his breakfast, Yuan Jin was already downstairs. Next to the red Pagani Zonda F, Yuan Jin had meticulously groomed himself from head to toe, wearing sunglasses. From afar, he looked like a male model in a high-fashion shoot—completely striking.

As soon as Yu Zao stepped out of the elevator and saw the cool sports car, his eyes lit up. He sprinted to Yuan Jin, “This car is so cool!”

Yuan Jin naturally took Yu Zao’s backpack: “Like it? Come, I’ll let you drive it.”

Yu Zao’s face lit up with excitement but quickly fell as his lashes drooped: “But I don’t have a license.”

Yuan Jin’s heart skipped a beat.

So… so cute.

His naturally upturned eyes looked so innocent when cast downward, with a hint of helplessness in his expression. The slight frown at his brows made Yuan Jin lose his ability to speak for a moment.

Yuan Jin: “That’s okay. You’ll learn fast—you’re smart.”

Yu Zao: “But I don’t want to go to driving school. It’s exhausting.”

Yuan Jin thought for a moment: “How about this? You can come to my place. I’ve got a large empty estate, and I’ll hire a private instructor to teach you one-on-one. Once you get your license, I’ll take you to the dealership to pick up a car.”

Yu Zao blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected Yuan Jin to be so generous. A glimmer of joy appeared on his face, but he asked cautiously, “Really? Don’t lie to me.”

“I take things seriously,” he added.

Yuan Jin opened the car door for him: “Afraid I’ll lie to you? We can go pick out a car right now if you want.”

That confirmed to Yu Zao that Yuan Jin wasn’t joking. Of course, with Yuan Jin’s background, his monthly allowance probably exceeded most people’s lifetime expenses. Buying a car was nothing to him.

After they got in the car, Yu Zao nervously fiddled with his seatbelt, wondering if Yuan Jin still remembered what he’d promised. Yesterday, Yuan Jin had said he’d give him money if he brought the camera into the private room, but now Yuan Jin hadn’t mentioned it. Had he forgotten? Or changed his mind?

Yu Zao quietly turned his head and softly asked, “Yuan Jin, about what you said yesterday… does it still count?”

It was a beautiful, sunny day, and Yuan Jin was in a great mood. But at that moment, a sudden surge of anger flared in his chest.

While waiting at the red light, his hand rested on the steering wheel, the silver ring on his finger reflecting a blinding light in the sun. He turned slightly to stare at Yu Zao, gritting his teeth as he squeezed out a question: “Do you like Jiang Cai that much?”

All this, just for Jiang Cai.

He couldn’t figure it out. What was so great about Jiang Cai, who acted arrogant all the time? What did Yu Zao even like about him?

Yu Zao had completely forgotten that Yuan Jin had given him two options: the first was helping him pursue Jiang Cai, and the second was giving him money. Yu Zao was solely focused on the money, only remembering the latter.

Feeling scolded, Yu Zao, pitiful and teary-eyed, responded, “You were the one who said, however much I ask, you’d give it to me. If you don’t want to, it’s fine. I was just asking.”

Yu Zao’s pale skin and slender, delicate frame made him appear fragile. Sitting there with his knees together, clutching his seatbelt, he looked so pitiful.

Yuan Jin froze for a moment, as if suddenly enlightened, and his whole demeanor brightened.

Thank God, Yu Zao wanted the money, not Jiang Cai.

Jiang Cai, that pompous guy who always acted so superior—if Yu Zao had thrown himself at him, Yuan Jin would’ve seriously thought something was wrong with his brain.

Thank goodness, it was only about the money.

“You name the amount yourself.” Yuan Jin parked the car and handed Yu Zao his phone. “I don’t lie.”

Faced with the task of naming a figure, Yu Zao hesitated, afraid that if he asked for too much, Yuan Jin might refuse. He needed to pay rent soon, and rents in Beijing were expensive. Tentatively, he asked, “Is five thousand okay?”

Yuan Jin looked at him, surprised. Yu Zao nervously fluttered his lashes. Was it too much?

Yuan Jin gave him a strange look. “Is that all you usually ask for?”

Five thousand? That’s pocket change!

Wasn’t Yu Zao rumored to be a gold digger? How could five thousand be considered gold-digging? The world must be crazy.

Yuan Jin typically despised people who approached him for money, but with Yu Zao, it was different. He actually enjoyed spending money on him.

Even if Yu Zao loved money, why didn’t he go after someone else’s money? Why his? That must mean, indirectly, Yu Zao liked him. Yuan Jin had plenty of money, and he was more than happy to spend it on someone he liked.

“I don’t usually ask for money,” Yu Zao shook his head.

With a pitiful look, he added, “You’re the only one who offers to give me money. No one else does.”

Despite his striking looks, Yu Zao’s bright, glassy eyes made him appear unusually innocent.

There was a hint of sadness in his voice, stirring Yuan Jin’s protective instincts. Without waiting for Yu Zao to say more, he transferred the money and reached out to gently touch his chin.

“No worries, I’ve got you,” Yuan Jin said, “Those worthless men don’t matter. From now on, I’ll take care of you. If you want anything, just buy it… Oh, by the way, do you want to catch a movie tonight?”

Yu Zao, lost in the joy of receiving the money, smiled shyly and nodded. Only after agreeing did he remember he’d already promised to see a movie with Jiang Cai!

Luckily, Yuan Jin’s movie tickets were for after eight, so they wouldn’t overlap with Jiang Cai’s time.

Yu Zao quickly devised a plan: he could watch part of the movie with Jiang Cai, then make up an excuse to leave early and join Yuan Jin. They wouldn’t notice.

…

That afternoon, after class, Yu Zao waited in the classroom for Jiang Cai to pick him up.

He didn’t like waiting alone, so he made Chu Xi keep him company. And that wasn’t enough—he sent Chu Xi to buy him some fruit.

Chu Xi returned with a box of grapes. As Yu Zao ate, he casually turned his head and spit the seeds into Chu Xi’s hand, scolding him, “Why did you buy grapes with seeds?”

Chu Xi remained silent, staring at his hand. He must’ve gone mad. The moment Yu Zao turned his head, he instinctively reached out to catch the seeds.

The classroom was empty, and suddenly, someone entered and placed a box of chocolates in front of Yu Zao. “Zao Zao, this is for you!”

Then, they bolted out of the room.

Yu Zao didn’t even have time to say thank you. He examined the box— it was from a well-known brand.

He unwrapped a piece and leisurely ate it, completely ignoring the grapes Chu Xi had brought.

Chu Xi frowned slightly. Was Yu Zao’s sense of caution really this poor? He ate anything given to him by anyone, without fear of it being tampered with.

Yu Zao ate with refined manners, though after a few bites, the sweetness became overwhelming. Some of the chocolate had melted due to the heat, smudging his slender fingers.

He looked down at the half-melted chocolate, a bit troubled, and turned to Chu Xi. “Do you want to try it?”

There was a bit of white chocolate on his lips and fingers. Chu Xi stared for a moment before asking, “Is it good?”

“It’s alright,” Yu Zao replied. “The first bite was nice, but now it’s too much. Try it, and you’ll see.”

Chu Xi didn’t taste it. Instead, he stared at Yu Zao with a strange look. Yu Zao, feeling uneasy under the gaze, instinctively licked his lips.

Forget it. If he doesn’t want to eat it, fine. Chu Xi probably doesn’t like sweet things anyway. Yu Zao’s fingers were sticky from the chocolate, so he held them out to Chu Xi, clearly asking him to clean them.

Chu Xi hesitated, then slowly opened his mouth and gently took Yu Zao’s fingers between his lips.

Yu Zao’s eyes widened in surprise.

The warm, wet sensation enveloped his fingers. Chu Xi, always so cold and fastidious, was now licking the chocolate off his fingers, slowly and meticulously, from the tips to the base.

The squishy sound of Chu Xi’s tongue licking the sticky chocolate echoed through the empty classroom.

Yu Zao shot him a look of disgust and tried to pull his hand away, but Chu Xi’s firm grip held him in place.

What was Chu Xi doing? Was this some kind of reverse humiliation? Had a little kindness given him the audacity to act out like this? If he let this slide, who knew what would happen next?

Yu Zao pushed against Chu Xi’s face. “What are you doing? Let go of me!”

“Are you a puppy or something?”

Chu Xi inhaled the faint fragrance emanating from Yu Zao. At first, he thought it was the scent of perfume, but while helping clean Yu Zao’s apartment, he didn’t find any perfume with that smell.

It wasn’t an overpowering scent, yet it made Yu Zao irresistibly captivating, to the point where Chu Xi lost his senses, doing things he couldn’t even comprehend himself.

With his cheek slightly distorted from being pushed, Yu Zao frantically tried to push Chu Xi’s head away, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t. Chu Xi lifted his gaze, and Yu Zao’s small face was flushed red, his eyes and lashes showing irritation, with a slight glimmer in his eyes, his thick lashes fluttering.

Chu Xi was suddenly enchanted by this expression.

Yu Zao glared at him in disgust, speaking with hostility, “So disgusting.”

He had thought this would trigger some sense of shame in Chu Xi, but to his surprise, the usually cold and aloof Chu Xi—who was like an untouchable flower on a high peak—became even more eager, chasing after Yu Zao’s fingers. Finally, Chu Xi bent over, nearly lying on Yu Zao’s lap, like a dog guarding its food, continually sucking on Yu Zao’s fingers.

Chu Xi’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and although the bits of chocolate had long since disappeared, he didn’t stop, instead increasing his intensity.

His cheeks slightly hollowed, and he looked as if he was savoring not the fine chocolate but Yu Zao himself.

Yu Zao was completely dumbfounded.

Before Yu Zao could react, Chu Xi’s hair was grabbed and yanked to the side, forcing his mouth to release Yu Zao’s fingers with a crisp “pop” sound, trailing a string of transparent saliva.

Yu Zao’s fair, jade-like fingers were now coated in a shiny sheen, flushed red from Chu Xi’s sucking, their tips a bright, rosy hue.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Jiang Cai gritted his teeth, throwing a punch at Chu Xi. As soon as he arrived, he saw Chu Xi clinging to Yu Zao like a mad dog, while Yu Zao looked bewildered and helpless, his slender figure and teary eyes clearly showing he was being forced and bullied.

Chu Xi’s mouth bled from the blow, and he casually wiped the blood with the back of his hand. His expression no longer held the usual indifference; instead, there was a sense of dissatisfaction and menace from being interrupted.

Without hesitation, Chu Xi retaliated with a punch even harder and faster than Jiang Cai’s. Jiang Cai had no time to react, stumbling backward a few steps, his head reeling from the force of the hit.

But the most shocked person was Yu Zao.

His wet, sticky fingers steamed in the cool air as he nervously shook them, staring at the two men now wrestling on the ground.

Chu Xi could actually fight?!

Yu Zao’s first thought was relief. Thank goodness he hadn’t really hit Chu Xi earlier—otherwise, it wouldn’t be Jiang Cai getting hit right now, but him!

But Yu Zao was puzzled and asked, “Didn’t you say Chu Xi was cold, indifferent, and well-mannered? You said even in extreme situations, he wouldn’t use violence?”

0926 didn’t know why either.

According to his character setting, Chu Xi was supposed to be a somewhat saintly, passive character. Raised by kind-hearted foster parents who taught him that it’s a blessing to suffer losses and that good fortune will come in the future, Chu Xi mostly chose to stay silent when bullied during middle school.

Eventually, Chu Xi became the most successful person in his class. At a class reunion, without doing anything, people scrambled to praise and curry favor with him. He neither accepted nor refused, silently finishing his meal.

As the two continued fighting fiercely, Yu Zao hurriedly wiped the saliva off his fingers with Chu Xi’s jacket, anxiously watching from the side.

He didn’t dare intervene, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire. Standing far, far away by the door, Yu Zao carefully peeked out from behind it, his pale fingers gripping the edge cautiously. “Stop fighting already!”

Don’t draw attention from the teachers and classmates!

Yu Zao anxiously scanned the room. Was there a surveillance camera in the classroom? If someone saw the footage of Chu Xi licking like a dog, that would be so humiliating.

As Chu Xi and Jiang Cai continued to brawl, Yu Zao glanced at his phone, noticing a new message on WeChat.

Assistant: [Hello, Mr. Quan and I have just arrived at the airport. Mr. Quan is currently resting in the VIP lounge. If you have any urgent matters, feel free to tell me, and I’ll pass them along.]

Earlier, Yu Zao had indirectly asked the assistant what Quan Lushen was up to.

Since Quan Lushen was in the VIP lounge, he’d likely check his phone—unless he was asleep.

Yu Zao’s business instinct kicked in at an inappropriate time. He closed the door, leaving Jiang Cai and Chu Xi to fight it out.

Instead of replying to the assistant, he messaged Quan Lushen directly.

Yu Zao: [Mr. Quan, I wanted to update you on my recent progress. I’ve been working hard to seduce Chu Xi, but I have no experience and don’t know his type, so I’ve taken some pictures.]

Yu Zao sent over a dozen carefully selected photos—some with socks, some without, and others where he knelt with his knees apart.

Still, there was no response from Quan Lushen.

Annoyed by being ignored so often, Yu Zao gave in to frustration, deciding to let loose.

Yu Zao: [I even have pictures of me in a skirt, but I’m too scared to send them to Chu Xi. Not sure if he’d like it.]

Yu Zao: [Can I send them to you first? You can check them out for me?]

He didn’t expect a reply, but just as he hit send and hadn’t even exited the chat, a response came.

Quan Lushen: [Send.]

Yu Zao was stunned. Quan Lushen actually replied!

But now there was a problem—where on earth was he supposed to find a skirt?!