Yan Zhen pulled his thoughts back from wandering and turned toward the five girls, a helpless note in his voice.
“You girls pull this stunt out of nowhere, making it look like we’re the ones bullying Wenqing. But no matter what, she’s still my fiancée.”
Yan Meng’er released Yan Zhen’s wrist and smoothly hooked her arm through his entire arm. Her ample 36D figure—which stood in stark contrast to her childlike face—pressed against him with clear intent.
“It’s because she swooped in the moment she arrived and stole you away, Cousin, all high and mighty like that. Meng’er and everyone else were just worried she’d bully you~”
Mi Xue’er, standing off to the side, nodded vigorously like a little chick pecking at rice, signaling that Meng’er was spot on!
“Bully my foot,” Yan Zhen said with a scoff. He gave his cousin a sidelong glance before adding, “Don’t think I can’t tell you’re putting on a show. So, where am I sleeping tonight?”
Yan Meng’er flashed a mischievous grin.
“Hee hee, of course you’re sleeping with Meng’er tonight~”
Mi Xue’er crowded in closer as well.
“That’s right! Little Brother Yan Zhen, you sleep with me and Meng’er.”
Yan Zhen blinked in surprise.
“Uh, do you two live together?”
The two girls had always gotten along well before, but because of him, they occasionally traded sharp words. He wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not—it felt strangely delicate.
“Because Xue’er and Xin Yan refused to share a room, we swapped,” Yan Ruyu explained. “Xin Yan and I are in Room Two. Those two are staying in your Room Three.”
Xiao Xinyan twirled a lock of her hair around her finger, looking coy.
“Junior Brother Yan Zhen, if you don’t want to bunk with them, you could always come sleep in mine and Ruyu’s room.”
“Ahem.” Mentor Yu Xuan cleared her throat, her voice as gentle as ever. “What on earth are you children thinking? We’re on the shuttle airship right now. If word got out that Yan Zhen was sharing a room with any of you, it wouldn’t look good at all. He should just come back to my place.”
The five girls, who had seemed so united just moments before, immediately began hatching their own little schemes.
Yan Meng’er pouted.
“Staying with the mentor would stir up gossip too~”
Mi Xue’er chimed right in.
“Yeah! The mentor’s so beautiful, and Little Brother Yan Zhen is quite the handsome one. The age gap isn’t even that big—it’d be a full-on teacher-student romance.”
“Don’t let your imaginations run wild!” Mentor Yu Xuan’s pretty face flushed red, a hint of guilt flickering in her eyes. “Now you’re even jealous of your mentor?”
Xiao Xinyan murmured softly.
“The mentor really does treat Junior Brother Yan Zhen differently. With any other male student or male mentor, she’s always so distant.”
Yan Ruyu blinked her eyes.
“I feel the same way. The mentor’s closeness to Yan Zhen is even greater than ours with him.”
“W-Well, that’s only because Yan Zhen’s so exceptionally talented,” Mentor Yu Xuan stammered, her heart pounding. “It makes me, his mentor, look good. Of course I’d dote on him. When are you girls going to be half as promising?” She feigned annoyance to cover her panic, wondering if she’d given herself away. “And don’t I dote on you all right now? If I hadn’t pulled strings with my original status, none of you would be on this airship—you’d have waited a full year! A bunch of ungrateful little brats~”
The four girls shifted awkwardly under her words. They had indeed suspected that Mentor Yu Xuan harbored special feelings for Yan Zhen, but this explanation made their doubts waver.
“I’m done talking to you lot,” Mentor Yu Xuan huffed lightly. “Bicker all you want. I don’t care.”
With that, she glided gracefully back to her room, looking for all the world like she was truly upset.
The four girls exchanged uneasy glances.
Yan Zhen let out a sigh.
“You girls and your nonsense. Great, now you’ve gone and upset Mentor Yu Xuan.”
“Something’s not right here!” Yan Meng’er propped her elbow on her hand and pinched her chin, her eyes gleaming with sudden insight. She looked just like a pint-sized school detective. “Mentor Yu Xuan wouldn’t get mad that easily. I bet she’s faking it to throw off our suspicions.”
“Exactly,” Mi Xue’er agreed. Her gaze sharpened, keen as Rabbit Beauty-chan’s. “From what I know of Mentor Yu Xuan, she never loses her temper over something small. Unless… we’re right on the money, and she’s feeling guilty!”
“So you’re saying the mentor really does like Junior Brother Yan Zhen?”
“Sigh~”
The four girls turned as one toward Yan Zhen, their eyes brimming with resentment—as if to say he was one sinful, deeply troublesome man.
“…”
Yan Zhen found himself at a loss for words. After a long moment, he finally spoke up.
“You girls are serious about this?”
“Of course we are! Hasn’t Cousin noticed at all? Mentor Yu Xuan doesn’t treat you like any ordinary student!”
“Well… the mentor’s always been so gentle. Isn’t that normal?”
“No way. She’s completely different with other male students and male mentors—always keeping them at arm’s length, never giving them the slightest opening.”
“Ah… uh…”
“Compared to that, she’s way too nice to Junior Brother Yan Zhen. She’ll even share a room with you alone, reputation be damned.”
“T-That’s because—”
“Idiot. When a girl’s willing to go that far, there’s only one explanation: she likes you.”
“…”
Cough cough, Mentor—I did my best to cover for you, but they were onto you already. I can’t talk my way out of this one.
“So, Cousin, you should stay with us,” Yan Meng’er said, circling back to her original point. “Tonight you’re with Meng’er. Tomorrow, with Cousin Ruyu. We’ll take turns.”
“Isn’t that too much hassle?” Yan Zhen grumbled, clearly unenthused. “I’d rather find a quiet corner to meditate until dawn.”
“Oh, it’s no trouble at all—the rooms are right next door! There, it’s settled. Hurry up and get inside. Standing out in the hallway like this looks suspicious.”
“Come on, Little Brother Yan Zhen~”
Under the watchful eyes of his cousin and Petty Senior Sister, Yan Zhen was dragged back into Room Three by Meng’er and Senior Sister Xue’er. The door clicked shut behind them.
“Cousin, do you want to take a bath? Meng’er can scrub your back for you~”
“Scrub your back? M-Me too! I’ll help!”
Seeing the two girls so eager to fawn over him, Yan Zhen waved them off.
“Not tonight. I’m feeling a little worn out.”
Mi Xue’er noticed the faint weariness on his face and assumed it stemmed from his troubles with Huangfu Wenqing.
“Then get some rest. The bed’s all made up.”
Yan Meng’er took it upon herself to organize things.
“Here’s the plan: Cousin sleeps on the inside, Meng’er in the middle, and Sister Xue’er on the outside.”
“Hold on, Meng’er. Why aren’t you putting me in the middle?”
“Because Meng’er likes sleeping in the middle.”
“No fair! Either I sleep in the middle, or Little Brother Yan Zhen does.”
This wretched Meng’er—spouting all that sweet talk earlier about how “Cousin belongs to all of us, we can’t let Huangfu Wenqing have her way.” Now that she’s got him back, she wants to hog him all to herself. Has she no shame?!
“You two, stop fighting,” Yan Zhen soothed. “I don’t care where I sleep. Hell, I can take the floor if it’s easier.”
“No, no, no—Cousin in the middle, Meng’er on the inside, Sister Xue’er on the outside.”
“That’s more like it!”
“Oh, right—let’s soak our feet before bed.”
“Sounds good.”
The three of them sat on the edge of the bed and gave their feet a quick soak. Then they slipped under the covers.
