“My confession doesn’t allow the other person to hesitate.”
“I’ll only say it once.”
Shen An stared straight into Wang Yuqiong’s surprised expression and said slowly, “Besides, I believe that matters of the heart rely on fate. No amount of effort or caution can stand up to a single stroke of destiny.”
“When fate arrives, excessive caution might just cause you to miss your chance. That’s why I’m different.”
“I won’t be overly cautious at the start, but I will be cautious about ending things. I agree with half of what you just said.”
He shed his usual laziness and flippancy. Wang Yuqiong hesitated for a brief moment before becoming convinced that these were his true feelings.
True feelings as genuine as they come.
Her brows furrowed involuntarily. She wasn’t surprised by his domineering attitude toward romance.
It was just that his views differed greatly from hers in another respect.
“If you won’t even be cautious about starting something, how can you guarantee that you’re treating this relationship sincerely?”
Wang Yuqiong challenged him. “If the beginning isn’t cautious, then the end won’t be either. Fate is fate, but that doesn’t mean settling for whatever comes along.”
Clearly, Wang Yuqiong took romance far more seriously.
Even though she’d never been in a relationship, that didn’t stop her from holding firm on this point.
Seeing her ready to debate this to the end, Shen An smiled faintly. “Have you been in a lot of relationships?”
Wang Yuqiong’s pretty face flushed slightly as she shook her head. “No, I haven’t.”
“Huh?”
Shen An feigned surprise. “Not even once??”
Wang Yuqiong felt a bit embarrassed. “So what if I haven’t? It’s not like it’s a big deal!!”
In this day and age, a twenty-year-old who hadn’t dated was prime material for mockery.
“Your theory hasn’t been tested in practice yet. When you actually meet someone you like, you might change your mind.”
Shen An said softly.
Wang Yuqiong raised an eyebrow. “So that means you’ve been in tons of them, huh?”
Shen An gave a shy smile. “Me neither.”
“Hah, so you’re a virgin too! What right do you have to lecture me?”
Wang Yuqiong’s heart leaped with quiet delight as a hint of disdain curved her lips.
“Hmm, maybe it’s exactly because I haven’t dated that I’m so full of anticipation for it.”
Shen An’s expression softened as he murmured, “And because I’m anticipating it so much, there are all sorts of unpredictable thoughts mixed in.”
Wang Yuqiong rested her chin on her hands and watched him quietly.
“You’re looking forward to it too, aren’t you?”
Shen An turned his gaze to her and asked.
“No, not at all.” Wang Yuqiong pursed her lips. “I’m not the type who thinks life is meaningless without love.”
“There are plenty of things more important to me than romance.”
“Ah, no wonder then.”
Shen An chuckled lightly. “That’s why you’re so steadfast about love—cautious, even. You don’t really expect it to show up.”
“As for me, I’m a bit eager for it, so I’m more swayed. Not as resolute as you.”
“Hmph, with that attitude, any girl would tell you to pack up and leave the second she heard it.” Wang Yuqiong noticed the longing in his eyes, and a faint sourness began to spread through her heart.
“No problem. You’ll be by my side then, right?”
The corner of Shen An’s mouth quirked up as he spoke gently.
Wang Yuqiong’s heart skipped a beat. She lowered her head. “What nonsense are you spouting? I’m not your girlfriend. Why would I stick around?”
“Uh, you’re overthinking it.” Shen An waved his hand. “What I mean is, if I meet someone I want to date, I’ll ask you to be my strategist and help me figure it out.”
“As the saying goes, women understand women best. With your help, I’d get twice the result with half the effort for sure.”
Wang Yuqiong pretended to glare at him in annoyance. “Keep dreaming. I’d tell her to run for the hills and stay away from a scumbag like you who doesn’t take love seriously!”
But the sourness bubbling up inside her grew clearer.
She wasn’t sure what was fueling it. Maybe it was his indifference toward her?
No matter what, Wang Yuqiong was still a girl—a very pretty one at that, and not without her share of pride.
For Shen An to show no interest in her beyond friendship was undoubtedly a blow to her charms.
But…
Wasn’t it because she actually cared?
Wang Yuqiong silently asked herself.
Just as he’d said earlier: if it were someone she didn’t like, she’d instinctively keep her distance from whatever they suggested.
Better not to get involved, lest there be misunderstandings.
But because it was someone she did care about, she was extra sensitive to everything he said.
To the point where her emotions swayed, and she lost her composure.
Her feelings right now were conflicted, a bit tangled.
From their interactions over the past few days, Wang Yuqiong definitely had a favorable impression of Shen An.
If she didn’t, why would she care what he said? Why would she mind his attitude toward her?
From childhood onward, she’d dealt with no shortage of fawning flatterers and persistent suitors, all of them obsequious, devoted, utterly compliant.
The complete opposite of this guy who always got under her skin.
Yet she’d never spared them a second glance.
She was happy that Shen An saw her as a friend, a confidante—someone who could be a true bro.
But she also hated how he ignored her as a girl, how he always opposed her, sniped at her to the hilt, never bothering to speak nicely or sweet-talk her a little.
These two emotions clashed within her, leaving her mind a little weary.
She was the one who’d approached him first, the one who’d tried to become friends.
That had been her goal from the start.
So why did it feel a little bitter now?
And what did he mean by those words just now?
A confession said only once, no hesitation allowed?
If the other person hesitated even a little during the trial balloon, would it get covered up with a joke to play it off?
Was that what he was doing?
Had her brief hesitation made him back off right away?
Was he just describing the phenomenon in general, or hinting at something to her?
But why did he keep brushing off her charms? Every time she tested the waters, he shut it down immediately.
Damn it…
Wang Yuqiong murmured to herself, utterly perplexed.
“To get labeled a scumbag just for never having dated—now that’s unfair.”
Shen An smiled, completely oblivious to how he’d stirred her heart into chaos.
“Not unfair at all.”
Wang Yuqiong gathered her jumbled thoughts and said softly, “I have a feeling you’re definitely a scumbag.”
“Even if you aren’t now, you will be someday.”
Shen An looked thoughtful. “You sound so sure.”
“Absolutely!”
Wang Yuqiong jabbed. “No doubt about it! So you shouldn’t date at all!”
“Ha~” Shen An’s face lit up with anticipation. “Now I really want to give it a try.”
Wang Yuqiong rolled her eyes. “Calling you shameless and you get all proud about it.”
“Alright, enough about me.”
Shen An reached out and gently brushed a strand of her dark hair aside. “I want to know about you too.”
Wang Yuqiong had never minded him touching her hair before.
But this time, she did.
Her overtures hadn’t even started before he’d cut them off.
Her charms hadn’t had a chance to shine before he’d denied them.
She couldn’t stand it, and a stubborn pique welled up inside her. “Didn’t you say you weren’t interested? Then don’t touch me!”
She swatted his hand away and said coolly, “No comment.”
“Don’t be so stingy.”
Shen An coaxed gently. “Sharing wouldn’t hurt, right? I’m actually pretty curious. You must’ve had tons of admirers growing up.”
Wang Yuqiong pouted. “Of course. Unlike you, they’re not blind!”
Her words revealed her fluster a bit too obviously.
But Shen An pivoted smoothly. “That’s exactly why I’m curious about your experiences. Haven’t you ever felt a spark with one? Or are your standards just too high?”
“Stop right there. This conversation ends here. You’re the one who brought it up, not me.” Wang Yuqiong huffed lightly. “So you don’t get to demand answers from me.”
“I won’t tell!”
“Hmm, if you tell me, I’ll tell you what Senior Sister Zhao tasked me with.”
“Pfft, as if I care!”
Wang Yuqiong sneered. “Besides, I don’t even need you to tell me. I could guess nine out of ten.”
“It’s nothing more than her giving you some tedious, troublesome tasks again.”
Shen An slumped in defeat. “You nailed it.”
Wang Yuqiong couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Really?”
“Yeah…” Shen An sighed.
“She put me in charge of the rest of the interviews—or not exactly in charge, but participating as like an interviewer and taking notes, organizing everything.”
“Heavens, I already have so many classes. Where am I supposed to find time to help her with interviews?”
He flopped face-first onto the table, utterly defeated and listless.
Wang Yuqiong loved seeing him like this and couldn’t resist kicking him while he was down. “No big deal. Doesn’t this just prove Senior Sister Zhao thinks highly of you?”
“It’s a chance to toughen up. Others would kill for an opportunity like this.”
“And she even made you her private secretary…”
Wang Yuqiong suddenly trailed off.
Her sarcastic tone was instantly drowned out by resentment!
Private Secretary…
What kind of lousy position was that?
Shen An snorted. “Considering I got you dragged into this, I won’t hold it against you.”
As he spoke, he clutched his forehead. “I’m serious. I got you into trouble. Sorry.”
Wang Yuqiong looked concerned, though a touch guilty as well. “No way. It’s clearly her problem.”
“No…”
Shen An flashed a self-mocking smile. “It’s my fault you got targeted. If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t be going after you.”
“Tsk, you’re quite the narcissist,” Wang Yuqiong said softly.
“Huh?” Shen An sounded aggrieved. “I’m pouring my heart out here, and you’re mocking me?”
“Then what?”
Wang Yuqiong pouted. “Isn’t that what you mean? That she likes you, so she’s targeting the girls around you?”
“Don’t flatter yourself. She has no interest in men.”
This perked Shen An right up!
His gaze sharpened as he looked at Wang Yuqiong with deep meaning. “No interest in men?”
Wang Yuqiong realized she’d let something slip, but she couldn’t dodge it now. She knew his perceptiveness was on par with hers.
He just kept it under tight control.
So she scrambled for an excuse. “That’s what I heard.”
To sell it, she leaned in close to Shen An’s ear and whispered, “Senior Sister Zhao’s always been biased against boys. You know why the Art Troupe has so few guys?”
“Uh… there aren’t many boys at our school to begin with.”
“True!” Wang Yuqiong stressed. “But not so few that the entire Art Troupe only has a handful, right?”
“You have to realize, the Art Troupe is the hottest club on campus.”
“Uh…” Shen An pondered for a moment. “You mean, there weren’t always so few boys? But because of Senior Sister Zhao, they all left?”
“Exactly.”
Wang Yuqiong nodded slightly. “She loves picking on boys. They can’t stand the bullying and quit the troupe.”
“She favors girls during recruitment anyway. Any boys who manage to get in end up driven out by her. Over time, hardly any are left.”
Shen An tilted his head. “But that doesn’t prove she has no interest in boys.”
Wang Yuqiong faltered, then shot back irritably, “It at least proves she has a bias against them, doesn’t it?”
“That’s true.”
Shen An nodded.
“So don’t get ahead of yourself. She’s no different with you than any other boy—just treating you like a toy to mess with.”
“Don’t go deluding yourself, got it?”
Wang Yuqiong warned him.
Shen An scratched his head. “But she personally invited me to join the Art Troupe back then.”
“Huh?”
“Yeah, I was about to leave when I ran into her. She said I looked great and insisted I join. Senior Sister Nannan was right there too—she can vouch for it.”
Doubt bubbled up inside Wang Yuqiong, but she didn’t give Shen An the satisfaction of gloating on the surface.
She sneered. “She’d driven out all the other boys by then. When she stumbles on a new one, of course she’d put on a show to lure you in.”
“But why me specifically? Why not someone else?”
Shen An pressed.
Wang Yuqiong thought for a second, then reached up and pinched his cheek.
Shen An quickly swatted her hand away. “Hey, no touching! I’m warning you.”
“See?” Wang Yuqiong chuckled lightly. “This reaction. This fun reaction.”
“If I were the Deputy Troupe Leader, I’d want to invite you in too.”
A strange smile crept across Wang Yuqiong’s face.
“Yeah right. It’s gotta be because I’m so handsome,” Shen An said, stroking his chin in full narcissistic mode.
Wang Yuqiong smiled faintly. “Maybe so.”
Click.
The door swung open as the server brought their meal to the table.
Shen An’s attention snapped to the food. He picked up his knife and fork. “Let’s eat first. Food’s the priority.”
Wang Yuqiong nodded woodenly but made no move to eat. She simply sat there quietly.
Her eyes narrowed as she sank into thought.
Had Zhao Qingyu recruited him because of her?
Or did he have something special about him?
She recalled what Zhao Qingyu had said back in the office.
“Do you know what he’s really up to behind your back?”
What was he really up to?
Was there something she still didn’t know?
Wait…
In a flash of insight, Wang Yuqiong latched onto an idea.
North District…
North District…
Right—he lived in the North District!
The North District was part of the Apartment District. Why was he living there?
Wang Yuqiong’s distant gaze sharpened in an instant. She turned to look at him silently, watching as he dug into his meal with gusto.
