Su Mi had already arrived at Xu Nanqiao’s ice cream stall.
Inside the stall, besides Xu Nanqiao, there were two other people. A short-haired girl who looked capable and straightforward—probably the senior sister Xu Nanqiao had mentioned knowing from her part-time job. Next to her was a boy helping out, gentle and handsome-looking, with a neck ring around his neck too.
He looked like an Omega.
Xu Nanqiao wore a cute floral apron and handled taking orders and collecting money. The Omega boy scooped ice cream inside the stall, while the senior sister held a fan and stood outside attracting customers.
Su Mi ran up to the stall, and the senior sister greeted her enthusiastically. “Junior sister, want some ice cream? Eight yuan per scoop. Get in line over there.”
There were three or four people lined up in front of the stall.
Su Mi obediently went to join the line.
Soon it was her turn. Xu Nanqiao glanced at her and smiled with crinkled eyes. “Su Su, what do you want? It’s on me.”
Su Mi waved her hand grandly. “Then give me ten vanilla and ten strawberry!”
Xu Nanqiao hadn’t spoken yet when Shen Han, who had just walked over, overheard.
She bent her index and middle fingers, lightly knocking the back of Su Mi’s head with her knuckle.
“You see, you really would say something like that.”
“Ow!”
Su Mi pretended to be in pain, clutching the back of her head. She shot Shen Han a pitiful, aggrieved look before turning back to Xu Nanqiao. “She’s protecting you way too much!”
It sounded like a complaint, but she was actually pretty satisfied.
Xu Nanqiao just thought she was joking. She pursed her lips in a smile. “Two scoops, okay?”
Su Mi hummed. “Sure.”
She took her double-scoop cone and walked over to Shen Han’s side. She licked the ice cream and asked in a sticky voice, “Sister, do you want one?”
If so, she’d line up again and get one for her—that was Su Mi’s plan.
The words landed in Shen Han’s ears.
She involuntarily lowered her gaze to look.
Su Mi took half a mouthful of ice cream. Some of it clung to her plump, rosy lips. She stuck out her tongue tip to lick away the lingering sweetness. The tender red flashed between her lips and teeth, leaving behind glossy, beautiful lips.
It looked like she could practically smell the sweet scent. Eating it would probably fill her mouth with sweetness—cloyingly so.
Shen Han: “…”
Maybe she wasn’t thinking about the ice cream.
She furrowed her brows slightly. Perhaps the heat was making her irritable. Composing herself, she said calmly, “I’ll pass on the sweets.”
Su Mi went, “Oh.” “Okay.”
So healthy. Su Mi had thought the antagonist might break her rules for the heroine. Maybe it was because it wasn’t handmade by the heroine.
Su Mi ate her ice cream. Once the senior sister finished attracting customers, she walked over. “Are you Nanqiao’s roommate?”
Su Mi said yes.
The senior sister’s name was Yang Ji. She was a third-year medical student with excellent grades who often did part-time work—that was how she’d met Xu Nanqiao at the milk tea shop.
The boy helping out was named Xi Qi, her childhood friend. He was in the literature department.
Once the senior sister learned they had come to find Xu Nanqiao, she thoughtfully went inside, leaned close, and said a few words to her before switching shifts.
She even had Xi Qi make Xu Nanqiao a scoop of ice cream to beat the heat.
Su Mi told Xu Nanqiao about the freshman masquerade ball.
Xu Nanqiao hesitated a bit. “Maybe not? I don’t know how to dance.”
Su Mi whipped her head around to look at Shen Han.
You’re the one pursuing her. You convince her.
Shen Han caught the bright, expectant gaze from the side.
She paused for a moment, assuming she was being asked to help persuade.
In the end, she spoke up. “Prime City University’s first back-to-school freshman masquerade ball is more of a social event than a dance. Lots of professors and teachers will be there. If you’re not comfortable, you can wear a mask—dancing won’t be an issue… There’ll also be on-site award activities, like for outfits or dance moves and such. The prizes are substantial.”
Su Mi echoed with an awed “Wow,” her tone full of amazement.
See? The antagonist was so perceptive—she’d nailed Xu Nanqiao’s weak spot perfectly.
Su Mi played along with starry eyes. “There are even awards and prizes? Talk about loaded. Nanqiao, let’s go together. That dress you wore for your birthday last time—wear it to the masquerade ball and you’ll steal the show. We’ll snag first place in best outfit together, look gorgeous, and pocket the prize money. How about it?”
With one of them saying this and the other saying that, Xu Nanqiao agreed.
She was still fretting over not knowing how to dance.
It seemed like she wanted Su Mi to teach her.
Su Mi thought to herself, As if I know how. The original host might have, but I’m just a little noob from an utterly ordinary background—dancing is definitely not my thing.
Besides, how could she not leave an opportunity like close-contact lessons to the antagonist?
Smiling, she recommended, “Just learn it. I remember Southern Garden has a yoga room or a dance studio? It’s a perfect excuse to borrow some books—head to President Shen’s place to learn. It’s not like you’re competing in a dance contest.”
After some back-and-forth convincing, they finally settled it.
She didn’t need to master fancy moves—just basic steps. It wouldn’t take much time and would be a useful life skill.
Shen Han and Xu Nanqiao both seemed to assume Su Mi would join in practicing too.
Su Mi obediently went along. After the lesson from the amusement park last time, how could she dare slack off on Shen Han?
But… she could pretend to feel unwell.
Once they arrived at Southern Garden, Su Mi watched Shen Han teach Xu Nanqiao for a little while before starting to act dizzy and complain of leg pain. She explained that she’d gone home the day before to play with Su Yi and was probably just worn out and under the weather.
She refused Shen Han’s offer to drive her back and very conscientiously ran off to the guest room where she’d slept last time. To avoid soiling the bed, she lay down on the sofa for a nap.
She didn’t sleep long—Su Mi had set a two-hour alarm. Two hours should be enough time for those two to bond, right?
But when she opened her eyes, Shen Han was sitting on the single sofa opposite her. Her demeanor was calm and relaxed as she looked at her light brain.
She wasn’t in the formal attire from teaching dance steps anymore. Now she wore a nightgown—more conservative style than the ones Su Mi had seen before, but still form-fitting. Sitting there, the folds of the skirt outlined the beautiful, powerful lines of her figure beneath.
Wh-why was she here?
Su Mi stared blankly with wide eyes for a moment. Just before she could close them, Shen Han caught her red-handed.
“Awake? How was your rest?”
The floating screen on the light brain folded away. Shen Han walked over to Su Mi, squatted down, and tilted her head to look at her.
“You slept like a little pig. You were about to drool.” She said flatly.
Su Mi: “…”
She subconsciously reached up to wipe the corner of her mouth.
It was dry and clean—no drool like Shen Han had claimed.
With the motion of lifting her arm, though, the blanket draped over her body slid down to her chest. Glancing down, Su Mi saw it was a thin blanket she hadn’t noticed before falling asleep.
Had Shen Han put it on her?
Su Mi sighed inwardly. The antagonist might have a sharp tongue and always tease her, with the blackening value going up and down, but her actions were still great—thoughtful, kind, and humane.
If Secretary Zhuang heard that assessment, it would shock him for three days and nights.
She sat up and pointed at the blanket. “Thanks, sister.”
Then, curiously, she asked why Shen Han was here. “Sister, did Xu Nanqiao finish learning the dance steps?”
“Probably,” Shen Han said, tilting her head to glance out the window. “She already left.”
Su Mi: “…She left?”
Her alarm hadn’t even gone off—how’d she leave so fast?
Shen Han rubbed her brow and explained calmly, “Doctor Li Zhao happened to come by to drop something off. Xu Nanqiao has a part-time shift later, so she gave her a ride on the way.”
Su Mi: “…”
Sister, do you even know how to pursue someone?!
How could she just hand off a perfectly good opportunity like that?
Such prime timing—after teaching the dance, chatting about life in the car during their afternoon alone time. Perfect for building affection!
Su Mi gritted her teeth, still a bit dazed, and muttered under her breath in exasperated admiration.
The next second, Shen Han pinched her cheek.
Her pinch was always light, but the cool touch of her fingertip made it very noticeable.
Su Mi snapped back to attention and shrank back warily, eyeing Shen Han.
Shen Han’s expression didn’t ripple at all, as if pinching her cheek was just a casual, habitual thing.
But Su Mi clearly remembered that day when she was drunk—Shen Han had insisted on pinching her face from a distance.
Did the antagonist… have some kind of weird fetish?
Right in front of Shen Han, with her groggy post-nap brain, Su Mi tentatively pinched her own cheek.
It did feel pretty nice—soft and bouncy, good texture.
…But that wasn’t a reason to pinch just anyone!
Su Mi puffed out her cheeks, angry but not daring to speak up.
Shen Han let out an extremely light chuckle, stood up, and said, “Time to get up. It takes an hour to get back to school. How are you planning to go?”
After a slight pause at the end, Shen Han added casually, “Or stay at Southern Garden tonight?”
As she spoke, her ice-blue eyes lowered slightly. Her clear, pleasant voice wasn’t too light or heavy, and her gaze landed on Su Mi’s face.
Su Mi suddenly recalled that day on the stairs—Shen Han had looked at her just like this… deeply, bending down to ask if she wanted to… go together…
Her throat tightened all of a sudden.
She felt nervous and didn’t quite dare meet Shen Han’s eyes. She struggled to say, “…I didn’t ask the dorm auntie for leave. They do bed checks. I-I’ll just drive back in the car I came in.”
Shen Han said, “Alright.”
Her tone carried a hint of regret that left Su Mi puzzled.
Regret what?
Su Mi didn’t dare think too deeply about it. She touched her face, slipped on her slippers, and stood up. As she yawned, the top of her head was patted by Shen Han.
Puzzled, she looked up and heard Shen Han ask, “Why not sleep on the bed? The sofa isn’t that big—it’s not comfortable.”
Su Mi thought it was fine. Her standards for sleeping arrangements were ridiculously low.
She said, “I was still in my outside clothes. I didn’t want to dirty the sheets. The sofa was good enough.”
As they walked out, Shen Han pointed casually to the wardrobe nearby. “The nightgown you wore last time is still in there. I had the housekeeper prepare some more clothes for you. You can have this room.”
Su Mi: “…” N-no need, right?
Shen Han pretended to mull it over. “Or should I have a new room renovated just for you? How about that?”
Su Mi’s brain barely got moving. She stammered as she tugged at Shen Han’s sleeve, saying softly, “Don’t joke around, sister…”
Living full-time at Southern Garden sounded terrifying no matter how she thought about it!
Just remembering how Shen Han had made her blush and her heart race last time she stayed over… all those inexplicable actions… made her feel it wasn’t right.
Shen Han’s gaze flicked to her. She paused, then sneered. “What a scaredy-cat.”
She didn’t say anything more about it, so Su Mi figured she was just teasing.
Downstairs, Butler Li was waiting for her in the living room. On the side table sat a fairly large insulated food bag.
Butler Li opened it and showed Su Mi.
Inside were several packed portions of home-cooked dishes—all flavors Su Mi liked.
Shen Han said from the side, “Mama Zhang specially whipped up a little extra just for you. It’ll be dinnertime when you get back—you can eat it right away.”
Su Mi sniffed. Her appetite was instantly hooked.
She said thanks. The car she’d arrived in had already been parked at the entrance of the Southern Garden estate by the servants. Butler Li put the insulated box in the trunk for her, then brought out two big bags of snacks from inside. “Miss Su, take these snacks back to the dorm to share with your friends. You can munch on them on the road too.”
They looked like trendy snacks popular with young people. Butler Li insisted on putting them in the passenger seat.
Su Mi couldn’t help but recall: Had Butler Li ever been this enthusiastic toward her—or the original host—in her memories before?
She didn’t think so.
Whatever. They were from Shen Han anyway. She’d just share more with Xu Nanqiao when she got back.
Su Mi thanked him politely again, got into the car, rolled down the window, and waved to Shen Han, who stood by the car with her arms crossed.
“Sister, I’m heading back!”
Shen Han leaned down slightly, reached in through the window with her long fingers, and touched Su Mi’s earlobe.
She wore the star earrings she’d had on for several months.
Shen Han’s voice was faint and lazy as she straightened up. “Mm. See you at the masquerade ball.”
