Chapter 11: Berets

“Made a new friend again?”

This lazily toned question was obviously directed at Lin Yiwei.

Ye Anning wasn’t sure, so she replied, “Yeah, I made a new friend. Deng Xiao is really annoying. Fortunately, Weiwei showed up in time to help me, or else there would have been trouble.”

Xie Bo ignored this statement, his dark eyes crushing the light, focusing only on Lin Yiwei.

Feeling guilty, Lin Yiwei avoided his sharp gaze and turned to Ye Anning, saying, “You can drop me off at the convenience store at Dongmen, thank you, Anning.”

“Sure!” Ye Anning said to Xie Bo in the passenger seat, “The rain is too heavy, so I took the liberty of letting Weiwei get in the car. Can we take her to the convenience store at Dongmen? She’s working part-time there.”

Xie Bo didn’t respond, only giving the driver a look, and the driver started the engine, heading towards Dongmen.

Lin Yiwei felt Ye Anning was saying too much, revealing her personal information every minute.

But… forget it.

Plans can’t keep up with changes.

Her initial plan was to be friends with Ye Anning for a few days, then withdraw when Xie Bo lost interest in her.

She didn’t want to disturb Xie Bo.

But life is full of surprises, just like this man always appearing in her life at inexplicable times, causing havoc.

She could only handle it carefully.Ye Anning enthusiastically added Lin Yiwei on WeChat.

She had too few friends, especially girls in her circle, more or less reluctant to associate with Ye Anning because of Chi Xiyu.

And girls with slightly lower family backgrounds and excellent academic performance were even less willing, or rather had no opportunity to meet her. Ye Anning had few friends and was especially eager for a close confidante.

Lin Yiwei came along, the “scholarship girl” with excellent character and academics she envied.

“We can have meals together often in the future.”

“Okay.”

Lin Yiwei raised her eyes and caught a glimpse of Xie Bo’s sharp eyes in the rearview mirror, looking at her inquisitively.

She guiltily looked away, whispering to Ye Anning, bringing them closer together.

The driver turned a corner and stopped at the entrance of the convenience store at Dongmen. Lin Yiwei got out with an umbrella and said goodbye to Ye Anning.

In just a few minutes, Ye Anning had already treated her as her closest friend, lowering the window, waving to her incessantly, “I’ll see you tomorrow for more fun!”

“Yeah.”

The black car window in front remained closed. Lin Yiwei couldn’t see Xie Bo’s face, but she could vaguely feel the heat of his gaze.

As the car slowly drove into the rain, Lin Yiwei turned and walked into the convenience store.

Ye Anning was a girl without much scheming, talkative, and Xie Bo briefly asked about today’s events, already having a rough idea.

She was deliberately getting close to her, just like she deliberately approached Chi Xiyu, borrowing a dress… Xie Bo didn’t believe she was so genuinely kind-hearted.

This little fox, pretending to be innocent and harmless… who knows how many evil thoughts she’s harboring.

Ye Anning kept chattering endlessly, and Xie Bo frowned slightly, feeling a bit annoyed.

He initially noticed Ye Anning because she bore some resemblance to Lin Yiwei, but when the two actually sat together and were compared, he felt… bland.

No one was like her.

The driver drove the Rolls-Royce into the campus and stopped under Ye Anning’s dormitory building. Ye Anning looked at Xie Bo puzzledly, “Didn’t we agree to have dinner together?”

“Next time.”

“Oh.” Ye Anning was obviously reluctant. She didn’t have many chances to see Xie Bo, and finally managed to make an appointment with him today…

“Xie Bo, we clearly agreed.” She frowned, pouting, not very happy.

“I have something to deal with today, be obedient, go back first.”

Rarely did Xie Bo have the patience to coax someone. Although Ye Anning was unwilling, she didn’t dare to provoke him and could only get out of the car, looking back at him affectionately—

“Well, let’s make another appointment next time.”

The Rolls-Royce roared away from her side.

Lin Yiwei had just changed into the uniform for her convenience store job when she received a call from Chi Xiyu: “How’s it going? Did you catch up?”

“Yeah, I met her.”

“Did you talk about Xie Bo?”

More than just talking, Lin Yiwei even got a ride from Xie Bo himself.

But Lin Yiwei didn’t tell Chi Xiyu about all this. She didn’t want to reveal everything truthfully. Firstly, it was too much for Ye Anning, and secondly, Chi Xiyu knowing everything might not necessarily be grateful to her. Perhaps she would redirect her anger.

She only said what she was willing to hear.

“She’s pursuing Xie Bo, but they’re far from being in a relationship. They’re not really together.”

On the other end of the phone, Chi Xiyu sounded pleased: “I knew it… Have they been intimate, done anything?”

“I don’t know about that, but probably not.”

“Really?”

“I’m not sure, it doesn’t seem like it,” Lin Yiwei said truthfully and untruthfully, “She has an attitude of pursuing Xie Bo, but they’re not intimate.”

“Then it’s up to you to work hard and stay with her for a while! You must figure this out, it’s important to me!”

“I’ll do my best.”

Chi Xiyu got the answers she wanted to hear, feeling satisfied, and said many comforting words to Lin Yiwei, even asking her what her favorite brand was, as she wanted to send her a gift.

Lin Yiwei politely declined, saying it was no big deal.

As she heard the mechanical voice say “Welcome” at the door, she hurriedly said goodbye to Chi Xiyu, put down her phone, and started working.

On a rainy day, with fewer customers in the store, a man approached and picked up a box of cigarettes by the checkout counter, saying, “Can you tell me about these?”

Lin Yiwei saw the black tattoo of a snake twisting in an S shape on his wrist, vividly spitting out its tongue.

“What do you want to know? Just see for yourself,” she wasn’t particularly friendly to Xie Bo.

“I don’t understand, that’s why I’m asking you,” Xie Bo pretended innocently, “Is this your attitude towards work?”

Lin Yiwei took the one Xie Bo handed her, looked at it, and said, “This one is ultra-thin and sensitive, suitable for those who seek high sensitivity.”

“What about this one?” he handed her another one.

Lin Yiwei looked at it impatiently, “It’s spiral patterned, suitable for those seeking endurance and not minding low sensitivity. Is there anything else you want to know?”

She was already quite impatient.Knowing he was teasing and provoking her, she couldn’t get angry.

Men just liked to see her being driven crazy by him, like a sulking little kitten.

“I want to know, which one do you like?”

Lin Yiwei gave him a disdainful look, picked up the box of ultra-thin ones, and threw it at him.

Xie Bo stubbornly bought the spiral patterned ones, put them in his bag, and smiled, “But you have a preference for duration, and I don’t mind using low sensitivity.”

“Xie Bo, what happened that night won’t happen again!”

“I don’t think so.”

Xie Bo paid and didn’t rush to leave. He leaned over the counter, facing her, and sat down: “Yiyi be honest, do you have a certain preference?”

“What preference?”

“You always like to play with the girls around me.”

Lin Yiwei turned her head away, not answering.

He flipped over the counter and went inside, lifting the girl up and placing her on the counter, forcibly spreading her legs.

“Xie Bo!”

His rough fingertips kneaded the girl’s delicate and smooth neck skin: “I ask questions, you have to answer, understand?”

She tightly pressed her lips together, saying nothing.

“Yiyi, if you’re afraid of Chi Xicheng, you should be afraid of me the same way, or maybe I’ve been too gentle with you, causing some misunderstanding, making you think you can push me around?”

The man’s lips curved into a smile, but there was no hint of amusement in his dark, deep eyes, carrying a hint of unruly fierceness.

Yes… She almost forgot, this person was Xie Bo.

Chi Xicheng would probably defer to him by three points, let alone her.

“It’s Chi Xiyu who asked me to get close to Ye Anning. She wants to know about the situation between you and her, so she asked me to keep an eye on both of you,” Lin Yiwei confessed truthfully.

These words were spoken candidly to Xie Bo, indifferent, anyway Xie Bo wouldn’t go to question Chi Xiyu.

Xie Bo sneered, “She asks you to do something, you do it. When I want something, you won’t allow it?”

He leaned close to her ear, his warm breath brushing against her, tickling, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

Extremely sensitive.”I need female friends,” Lin Yiwei reluctantly said, “Chi Xiyu can protect me in many situations.”

Xie Bo shrugged, accepting this explanation.”What does she want to know?”

“She wants to know if you two slept together.”

A teasing smile appeared at the corner of Xie Bo’s mouth, “I’ve only slept with one woman, and I only want to sleep with her.”

“Do you want me to tell Chi Xiyu about this?” There was a hint of sharpness in the girl’s eyes.

“Threatening me?” Xie Bo chuckled instead of getting angry, his hand wandering between her neck, suddenly gripping her throat.

Gently exerting pressure, the girl couldn’t help but cough lightly, her cheeks flushing.

“Xie…” She softly called him, seemingly yielding, “Xie Bo, it hurts…”

Xie Bo immediately let go, soothingly caressing her, “Yiyi, I don’t think you would do that.”

“Why?”

“You approached Chi Xiyu with another purpose, so you are more worried about being discovered by her than I am.”

Lin Yiwei’s heart trembled with fear.

She knew Xie Bo was naturally suspicious, he could see through her approach to Chi Xiyu… with ulterior motives. If one day he found out the truth about her approaching Chi Xiyu, he would definitely obstruct or even sabotage her plans.

No, she couldn’t let him know.

Not until she found out the truth about Lin Xie’s disappearance, she couldn’t.

“I have no purpose, I just want to find a powerful female friend,” Lin Yiwei insisted on this explanation, displaying her skill of pretending to be obedient and pitiful, “For someone like me, every step is like walking on thin ice. I have to rely on someone who can protect me.”

The four words “walking on thin ice” seemed to touch Xie Bo’s heart.

He had tasted the meaning of these four words.

“Instead of finding her, why don’t you find me?”

Xie Bo knelt in front of her, pulling up her collar, leaning in to kiss her.

At that moment, the electronic female voice saying “Welcome” came over, and a few girls walked into the convenience store, chatting and laughing. Lin Yiwei hurriedly pushed Xie Bo away, hiding him so that he wouldn’t be seen by others.

Even though they were unfamiliar strangers, this was the entrance of Feige University. Others might not know her, but they definitely knew Xie Bo.

Xie Bo’s lips curved slightly, without moving, he whispered softly in her ear, “Remember, in the future, when you ask me to do something, use a gentle tone.

Lin Yiwei saw the girls walking past the shelves and approaching, she quickly softened her tone, “Xie Bo, you can’t be seen by others, please…”

The next moment, the girls carrying baskets of snacks came over to check out, seeing Lin Yiwei’s flushed face, they couldn’t help but give her a few more glances.

What a pretty saleslady.

Lin Yiwei skillfully used the handheld scanner, entering each item one by one.

Xie Bo sat on the small chair next to her, the counter height conveniently blocking him, but his gaze was fixed on the skirt of Lin Yiwei.

The skirt partially covered her fair, straight, long legs, just up to the root of her thighs. From this angle, the view was picturesque.

However, Xie Bo’s attention was on the small tail on the back of her short skirt.

To cater to university students, this convenience store featured a cute style, so the uniform skirt even had a furry little tail, which was exceptionally cute.

Xie Bo pulled her little tail.

“Miss, why is your face so red, are you feverish?”

“No, I’m fine, just feeling a bit hot.”

Lin Yiwei reached out to pull the tail, brushing away the man’s unfaithful hand

.

“Oh, by the way, I still need to buy tissue paper. Where can I find tissue paper?”

“It’s on the last shelf, I’ll take you there!”

Lin Yiwei was eager to leave, but the girls said, “No need, we’ll find it ourselves.”

Helpless, she could only stand behind the counter and wait for them to come back for a second checkout after getting the tissue paper.

Under the counter, the man’s interest in the small tail seemed particularly intense as he brushed the tail against her thighs.

Lin Yiwei felt waves of tingling sensation, shooting straight up her spine.

“Miss, are these the only types of tissues? Do you have any in rolls?”

“Yes, let me help you find them.””Oh, never mind, I see them.”

The girl grabbed a bag of tissues, Lin Yiwei checked them out, finally sending them away —”Welcome next time.”

Lin Yiwei glared fiercely at the man under the counter, “Your interests are really perverse.”

He still smirked mischievously, “Your tail is just too cute.”

Lin Yiwei didn’t want to wear such a shameful sales uniform at all, but this convenience store paid higher hourly wages than surrounding stores, and the boss only hired young college students, preferably attractive ones. If the sales were good, she could even get a bonus.

So, even if it meant wearing this somewhat improper uniform with a little tail, Lin Yiwei chose this store without hesitation.

She kicked him in the leg, Xie Bo agilely stepped back two steps, tilting his head to look at her, “Be careful, Yiyi, I tolerate you, but that doesn’t mean you can lay a hand on me.

“Lin Yiwei couldn’t bear it anymore, she reached out and hit him a few times, “I did lay a hand on you! I did! And you hit me back, like Chi Xicheng, just kill me!”

Xie Bo bound her wrists with one hand and pulled her closer to him.

Facing this little fox who could act cute and bite people, he really couldn’t get angr.

He couldn’t help but kiss her forehead, “Alright, getting angry just because I pulled a few tail hairs of yours, your temper is worse than mine.”

Lin Yiwei pushed him away, her cheeks still burning, inexplicably… and feeling a bit unsatisfied.

She shamefully clenched her teeth.He wasn’t just pulling her tail hairs, he was playing with her.

“Xie Bo, you should go now.”

Xie Bo glanced at the time, he had a match later tonight, “What time do you finish work? I’ll come pick you up.”

“No need.”

“Do you want to ride in my car? I’ll take you for a drive.”

“No.”

He didn’t force it either, grabbed a wet tissue, wiped his slender, bony fingertips, twisted open the large thermos cup on her desk, and drank from it.

Shaking the cup, he asked, “Do you usually drink this much water?”

Lin Yiwei lazily ignored him, he smiled and left, “No wonder… it’s so fast.”

“…”

After he left, Lin Yiwei took advantage of no customers and went to the bathroom to freshen up. When she came out, she saw a beautifully packaged box on the counter.

Lin Yiwei didn’t recognize the English letters on the packaging before. But after joining Chi Xiyu’s sisterhood, she probably had some understanding of these international and domestic top brands, knowing this was an international luxury brand.

Lin Yiwei opened the box and saw it was a milky apricot-colored beret.

Next to it was a gold-card with a simple drawing by Xie Bo —

A little fox wearing a beret.