Jiang You was still in the car. The colorful neon lights of the night occasionally flashed through the window, streaking across her beautiful pink eyes like shattered, brilliant light.
The terminal on her wrist buzzed.
Her eyelids drooped. She then raised her wrist to look at the message from Yun Yue.
Yun Yue: [Jiang You, what is the meaning of this!]
Yun Yue: [I sent someone to teach Zhou Yu a lesson, and you brought people to beat my guy up?]
Jiang You lifted her finger and replied on her terminal.
Jiang You: [I was the one looking for trouble with Zhou Yu. Your guy didn’t have the sense to stay out of my way and provoked me, so what if I had him beaten up?]
On the other end, Yun Yue was sitting in a luxury car, one leg still in a cast. When she saw the message, the veins on her forehead throbbed with anger. She typed furiously: [I saw you there. You said you were just going there to eat, but you were actually looking for trouble?]
Jiang You: [Of course. I brought a huge group with me to eat them out of house and home and work their entire family to death.]
Yun Yue: [You idiot!]
Jiang You: [You’re the idiot! I’m the smartest person in the world!]
Jiang You: [Also, Zhou Yu is my dog. Only I get to mess with him. If you dare touch a single hair on his head, I’ll make you regret it!]
When Yun Yue saw this message, she smashed her terminal without the slightest desire to reply to Jiang You.
The terminal shattered against a surface in the car with a loud CRACK, startling the driver in the front seat.
Yun Yue’s eyes were dark as she stared daggers at her cast-bound leg.
’That idiot Jiang You!’
’So conceited and arrogant! And that princess syndrome of hers!’
Yun Yue was furious, but she knew this was exactly the kind of stupid thing Jiang You was capable of doing.
Seeing that Yun Yue had stopped replying, Jiang You nonchalantly lowered her wrist.
’I totally ruined that woman’s plan,’ she thought. ’She must be furious right now!’
Jiang You was in a great mood.
This good mood lasted all the way until she arrived back at the school gates.
「At the gates of Rose Liss School.」
The student council members were all being especially cautious. Everyone looked serious, working diligently to check on students returning late.
Their president had shown up again tonight.
The president had come by for two nights in a row.
And once again, he had brought them here early.
’Is he trying to tell us with his actions that we have to show up early for late-return checks from now on?’
The student council members didn’t know. All they knew was that their president had been standing at the gate for a very long time tonight.
Usually, the president would watch for a bit, play on his terminal on the side, and then leave.
But it was already so late, and their president still hadn’t left.
Gu Qing leaned against the wall, casually lifting his wrist. His ash-colored eyes flickered as his gaze fell on his watch. He saw the time: 11:30 PM.
’She isn’t back yet.’
Just as he was thinking this, he seemed to notice something. He looked up and saw Jiang You just getting out of a car.
She seemed to be on a call with someone.
Jiang You was on a video call with Shen Lan, aiming her terminal’s camera at the school gates. "See? Look, I’m really back at school. I’m at the gates now."
"Mm, you came back before midnight. You’re being good." Shen Lan’s voice was warm and doting, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Mhm, mhm, mhm," Jiang You agreed casually, finally placating him before hanging up.
She subconsciously started walking into the school, feeling like she had forgotten something.
Until a member of the student council blocked her way.
"Student, your class, name, and student ID," said the student council member on duty, glancing at Jiang You.
Jiang You remembered. ’Right, I was supposed to be late on purpose today to hit on Gu Qing.’
Over on the side, Gu Qing saw this and couldn’t help but let out an exasperated chuckle.
He watched as the girl returned from outside, walking straight ahead without even giving him a glance.
’The one who’s supposed to be doing the mission doesn’t even remember it. And here I am, the idiot, keeping track of it for her.’
Gu Qing walked straight toward Jiang You.
As if sensing him, Jiang You turned her head and looked at Gu Qing.
She was totally flustered. ’I forgot, I forgot.’
’I was supposed to be late on purpose today to hit on Gu Qing.’
A thought flashed through her mind. ’Well, this still counts as being late. I can just get right to the seduction!’
"Returning late again?" Gu Qing came to her side, naturally taking the pen and notebook from the student who had stopped Jiang You, taking his place.
The student froze for a moment before taking a few steps to the side.
"That’s right, I’m late again." Jiang You’s lips curled into a faint, arrogant smirk as she looked at Gu Qing. "Go on, write it down. You definitely remember my name."
Gu Qing stared at her for a moment, thinking, ’She’s not going to hit on me?’
’Just telling me to write down her name? How does that count as hitting on me?’
The system also hadn’t announced the mission’s completion.
Jiang You realized it too. ’This probably doesn’t count as seduction yet. The system hasn’t said the mission is complete.’
She quickly brainstormed. ’How should I seduce him?’
Before Jiang You could come up with anything, her wrist was gently grabbed, and a pen was placed in her palm.
Gu Qing looked down at her and slowly rolled up his sleeve, revealing a lean, well-defined arm. His voice was soft. "I don’t remember. I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you to write it again."
Jiang You’s gaze subconsciously followed his movement, landing on his lean arm.
An image inevitably surfaced in her mind: that same arm, flushed red, veins popping, with sweat trickling down it.
He had posted a close-up of his arm on his Moments when he was working out.
Jiang You’s pink eyes twinkled. She pulled his arm toward her and began to write on it, saying haughtily, "Oh, another trick to get my attention. You pretended you didn’t remember just so I would write on your arm, didn’t you?"
After she finished writing, she deliberately squeezed his bicep. "Hmph. Trying to seduce me on purpose."
[Mission Complete]
With the mission complete, Jiang You was about to put the pen in his pocket and make a cool exit.
But Gu Qing suddenly grabbed her wrist. Jiang You’s heart skipped a beat as she looked up at him.
"If you’re going to hit on me tomorrow, you can try writing it somewhere else," Gu Qing said before letting go of her hand.
Jiang You’s pink eyes flickered. "Tomorrow... I might not come tomorrow!"
"I’ll be here," Gu Qing simply said, looking at her as he took the pen back from her hand.
Jiang You paused, then quickly recovered.
"Heh, haha! So you do have a secret crush on me." Jiang You turned to leave quickly, as if her butt were on fire.
"I think it’s an open crush now, not a secret one." Gu Qing grabbed her hand, looking at her as if to correct her. He stared at her intently. "I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"
Jiang You’s pink eyes flickered. ’Oh, hell.’
"I have something to do, I’m leaving!" Not wanting to respond, Jiang You tried to leave again.
But she couldn’t help but think.
’Even though I’m only doing this for the mission... isn’t this just leading him on without taking any responsibility?’