Chapter 16: Changes in Classmates’ Attitude

Zhan Rongxuan sat in the car, looking at the scenery outside the window while listening to Zhan Feng report on last night’s events.

“The ones following our car yesterday were Fu Xiaosi and Shen Yi. They stayed downstairs at Miss Xu’s building for five hours.”

“Arrange for someone to keep an eye on her at school,” Zhan Rongxuan instructed.

“Understood,” Zhan Feng replied. Thinking that the matter between Young Master Zhan and Miss Xu was now out in the open, he asked, “Should I arrange an etiquette teacher for Miss Xu? After all, she might accompany you to important events in the future.”

Zhan Rongxuan thought for a moment before nodding. “Handle it as you see fit.”

“Understood, Young Master Zhan,” Zhan Feng responded, feeling pleased. Finally, there was a woman by Young Master Zhan’s side. This was the first time he had ever accepted a female companion.

Meanwhile, in the presidential suite of the Shen family’s Xinglan Hotel, Shen Yi slowly woke up. He saw his bare upper body and then noticed Fu Xiaosi lying beside him. As last night’s memories resurfaced, he unconsciously touched his lips, feeling conflicted yet tinged with sweetness.

He carefully got out of bed and, noticing the scattered clothes on the floor, remembered that Fu Xiaosi had a cleanliness obsession. He immediately called the front desk.

“Send up two sets of clothes in my size.”

“Yes, Young Master Yi!”

After hanging up, Shen Yi walked into the bathroom. By the time he came out, two sets of clothes were already at the door. He took them back to the bedroom, removed his bathrobe, and started dressing. His fair skin and slender yet lean figure exuded elegance. With long and well-defined fingers, he slowly buttoned up his white dress shirt, radiating an air of refined nobility, like a prince.

Once dressed, Shen Yi turned to look at the still-sleeping Fu Xiaosi. His body remained in a comfortable posture under the blanket, appearing as innocent as a child. The scar on his brow was particularly heartbreaking to see.

Shen Yi, with his pale and sharp features, had eyes as bright as the stars, revealing a deep and complex emotion. He cast one last long look at Fu Xiaosi before quietly leaving.

Not long after Shen Yi left, Fu Xiaosi slowly woke up. Recognizing the familiar environment, he realized he was in a Shen family hotel. Rubbing his temples, he recalled how he had seen Zhan Rongxuan and Xu Yueyao enter her apartment building together last night and never come back down. After that, he had gone drinking with Shen Yi at a bar, and everything else was a blur.

Thinking about Xu Yueyao, Fu Xiaosi felt unwilling to accept reality. He smirked wickedly, “Xu Yueyao, do you think I won’t dare to touch you just because you have Zhan Rongxuan? If I, Fu Xiaosi, set my sights on someone, even if I can’t have her, I’ll make sure she’s ruined.”

Little did Xu Yueyao know that her troubles were far from over.

When she stepped into school that day, her classmates greeted her warmly, making her feel surprisingly comfortable rather than overwhelmed. The friendly atmosphere put her in a good mood as she entered the classroom. The way her classmates looked at her carried a deeper meaning—they could hardly believe that the once unnoticed girl in their class had suddenly become someone they all needed to befriend.

Yesterday, Zhan Rongxuan’s appearance at the school had caused a sensation—not just within the school, but throughout the entire Imperial Capital. The city’s elite families were all curious about this female student.

After all, Zhan Rongxuan had been under scrutiny from birth. The noble families of the Imperial Capital had spent years grooming their daughters in hopes of catching his eye and securing a place in the Zhan family. However, when he was eight years old, after a tragic incident, his grandfather had sent him abroad, cutting off all news of him. When he returned at eighteen, just as the wealthy families were eager to make a move, he was sent to the military by his grandfather.

Now, after five years, Zhan Rongxuan had finally returned. With chiseled features and an overwhelming aura of dominance, he immediately became the dream man of every woman in the Imperial Capital. Despite their desperate attempts to win his favor, he remained indifferent. Just as people began to speculate whether he was uninterested in women—or perhaps even liked men—he suddenly had a woman by his side. And not just any woman, but a young and inexperienced university student.

The curiosity surrounding her grew, but Xu Yueyao remained engrossed in the storyline of her book, unaware that her deviation from the original plot had already placed her at the center of attention.

As Xu Yueyao sat at her desk, she noticed Gao Yuyan not far away. The hostility in Gao Yuyan’s gaze had vanished; instead, she merely glanced at Xu Yueyao before pretending to focus on her makeup. Xu Yueyao then looked around for Fu Xiaosi but didn’t see him. However, his three close friends were present—Shen Yi was dozing on his desk, Wu Haolin quickly looked away after making brief eye contact with her, and Xiao Beichen, adjusting his glasses, studied Xu Yueyao’s side profile.

Earlier that morning, before school, his father had specifically waited for him during breakfast to remind him to build a good relationship with Xu Yueyao, now that she was associated with Zhan Rongxuan.

Scanning the room, Xiao Beichen realized that many of their classmates might have had similar experiences with their families that morning—everyone’s attitude toward Xu Yueyao had changed.

Xu Yueyao, unable to find Fu Xiaosi, rested her chin on her hand and absentmindedly doodled in her notebook. She wondered what his attitude toward her was now. There’s a saying—it’s easy to avoid the King of Hell, but hard to deal with a persistent ghost. Fu Xiaosi was precisely that troublesome ghost.

As the male lead’s younger brother, he appeared frequently in the story, always interfering at the worst times. Whenever Xu Yueyao was locked in a difficult battle, he would deliver the final blow, ensuring her complete defeat.

Thus, even if Fu Xiaosi couldn’t be her friend, he absolutely couldn’t be her enemy.

Xu Yueyao wrote “Fu Xiaosi” in her notebook and couldn’t help but recall everything about him from the book.

“Yueyao, can you come with me to the café near the school after class?” Zhang Beilu asked softly.

“Sure. Are you getting a part-time job?” Xu Yueyao asked curiously.

Zhang Beilu nodded hurriedly. She was too embarrassed to admit that she was actually going there to see someone. After asking around, she had found out that Fu Zheng had recently taken a liking to the café near the school. Encouraged by yesterday’s events with Yueyao and Zhan Rongxuan, she had mustered up the courage to pursue her own love. She believed her fate with Fu Zheng was predestined and was determined to go after him.

When Xu Yueyao and Zhang Beilu arrived at the café, Xu Yueyao looked up at the sign, which read “Xiting Café SidiCafé” in elegant calligraphy.

“Isn’t this the café where the female lead works?” she thought.

“Yueyao, let’s go in,” Zhang Beilu said, linking arms with her.

They each ordered a coffee. While Zhang Beilu anxiously searched for someone, Xu Yueyao’s gaze landed on An Zhiyi, who was standing behind the register.

Under the warm lights, An Zhiyi seemed to be glowing with a golden aura. Her delicate features exuded an icy elegance—her almond-shaped face, bright eyes, and full lips formed a striking image. Her long black hair was tied into a low ponytail, accentuating her fair skin. Even in a simple café uniform, her beauty was undeniable.

As Xu Yueyao stirred her coffee, she thought, “No wonder she’s the author’s cold and aloof heroine. She really does have the kind of presence that captivates people.”

However, it was precisely because of her distant personality that Xu Yueyao had given up on befriending her. Unless they shared a life-or-death experience, it would be difficult to get close to her.

“Forget it,” Xu Yueyao thought. “I’ll just keep my expectations low. If we can’t be friends, at least we shouldn’t be enemies.”