“Miss, the room is on the sixth floor. There’s no elevator, so we’ll have to climb.”
“That’s fine~”
After dinner, Ye Lan insisted on visiting Yan Huan’s rented apartnt. Though he hesitated, he ultimately agreed and led them to his building.
Despite wearing high heels, both Ye Lan and Ye Shiyu ascended the six flights of stairs effortlessly, their fitness evident.
Yan Huan thought about how soone like Vice President Ying Gong Tong would have been gasping for air before even reaching the second floor.
The environnt around the apartnt was surprisingly decent—clean and well-maintained, a stark contrast to other areas of the South District.
Looking around, Ye Lan raised an eyebrow and said,
“This place looks quite alright, Xiaohuan.”
“Well, it’s public rental housing. The rent is low, but applying for it can be a bit of a hassle.”
Public rental housing in Linn was governnt-subsidized, offering affordable options for people with specific qualifications. As an orphan, Yan Huan t the requirents.
The affordable rent eased the burden on Yan Huan, but his primary financial stress ca from school-related expenses.
Despite being the top student and Student Council President at Yuanyue Academy, the scholarships there only covered two-thirds of tuition fees.
And tuition wasn’t the only expense.
School bus fees: Several thousand yuan per year.
Custom uniforms: Paid for twice a year.
Health insurance and supplies: Recurring costs.
Textbooks: Infamously expensive, with a single math book costing hundreds. Multiply that across other core subjects and electives, and the expenses were enough to make anyone feel faint.
Though scholarships technically covered tuition, they didn’t include these extra fees, which made up nearly a third of the total cost and had to be paid upfront at the start of each school year.
But those worries were now a little lighter—Yan Huan had joined the Church of Ye Lan, and his devout faith in her generosity was well-founded.
“This is it.”
Yan Huan opened the door with a smile, revealing his modest 40-square-ter apartnt.
“Aunty, Shiyu-jie, please co in. I don’t usually have guests, so I don’t have slippers or anything prepared.”
“Not a problem~”
Turning on the lights, Yan Huan led them inside.
The apartnt was clean and simple, with a small shelf holding cat food and canned goods for ow-chan. The little black cat erged to greet them, its presence imdiately catching the won’s attention.
Cute creatures have an uncanny ability to capture hearts. After Yan Huan introduced ow-chan, Ye Lan was utterly smitten, cradling the fluffy black ball in her arms.
“So chubby!” Ye Lan exclaid, stroking its soft fur.
“ow?!” ow-chan squeaked in protest.
But as Ye Lan petted ow-chan, she suddenly asked,
“Xiaohuan, why don’t you have a litter box for the cat?”
Hearing this, Ye Shiyu looked over with curiosity as well.
“Ah, about that...” Yan Huan glanced at ow-chan, who froze guiltily in Ye Lan’s arms.
“ow-chan usually goes outside to play and, well, takes care of business there.”
“I see. Still a bit wild, huh? What a cute little thing.”
Ye Lan gave ow-chan’s chubby face one last pat before setting it down and continuing her tour of the apartnt.
There wasn’t much to see in the small space, so after a brief look around, Ye Lan and Ye Shiyu decided it was ti to leave.
“Well then, Xiaohuan, Aunty and Shiyu-jie will head out. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out. And don’t forget to co by for dinner sotis.”
“Of course, Aunty.”
Ye Lan smiled warmly, while Ye Shiyu maintained her usual stoic expression. Yet her sharp eyes lingered on every corner of the apartnt until they finally rested on Yan Huan.
“See you at school next week, Xiaohuan.”
“See you, Shiyu-jie.”
Declining Yan Huan’s offer to walk them out, the pair descended the stairs toward their car parked below.
As they walked, Ye Shiyu glanced at her mother, who was humming softly, clearly in a good mood.
“...Mom, are you really okay with this?” she asked.
“Hmm? Okay with what?” Ye Lan turned back with a curious look.
“Mom, you’ve always wanted Xiaohuan to co live with us, right?”
“That’s true,” Ye Lan admitted with a nod.
“Then why leave him here in the South District? Is it really alright?”
Ye Lan paused for a mont, then smiled gently.
“I do want Xiaohuan to live with us, but...”
“But?”
Ye Lan reached out and ruffled Ye Shiyu’s hair, her tone turning motherly.
“Think of this as a little life lesson, sothing you’ll understand better as you grow older.”
“...?”
“People often see those they care about as their possessions, attaching expectations to them without realizing it.
“Parents see children as their possessions, hoping they’ll follow their plans for life. Children see parents as theirs, expecting them to provide unconditionally.
“The sa applies to lovers, friends, and many close relationships.
“This is normal. It’s human nature to want to protect and guide the people we care about.”
Ye Lan slowed her pace, turning to face Ye Shiyu fully.
“But, Shiyu, it’s crucial to rember: the person you care for belongs to themselves first and foremost, and only to you second.
“If you don’t respect this, you’ll end up hurting both yourself and them.”
Ye Shiyu’s lips parted slightly, but no words ca out.
“Xiaohuan is his own person first. He’s only my late friend’s son second, and my hope for connection third.
“The sa applies to you, Shiyu. You belong to yourself first, and only to
second.”
Standing in the shadows of the stairwell, Ye Shiyu struggled to process her mother’s words.
She thought back to her feelings over the past week—the jealousy and frustration she felt whenever soone else showed interest in Xiaohuan.
Was this the disappointnt her mother spoke of?
Because Xiaohuan wasn’t hers alone, and others might take him away?
But... how was that wrong?
To want everything to go her way, for Xiaohuan to belong to her completely, never leaving or betraying her—what was wrong with that?
She didn’t fear disappointnt because she had the Hypnosis APP.
At this thought, her mont of hesitation crumbled, replaced by a cold, blank expression.
The neon lights of the South District painted the shadows around her, reflecting on the swirling purple vortex that flickered on her phone screen.
But tonight, even the Hypnosis APP seed subdued, its light flickering weakly before fading entirely.
“Let’s go, Shiyu. I’m exhausted today, and we should head ho to rest.”
“...Alright.”
Ye Shiyu finally moved, following her mother down the stairs. Before leaving, she cast one last glance toward Yan Huan’s apartnt, morizing the number.
In a different part of Jinghe District, a dimly lit Western-style mansion stood quietly.
Inside, Ying Gong Tong sat in her nightgown, staring wide-eyed at her computer screen. After a long pause, she pressed the call button on a nearby desk.
“Ding-ding~”
“Click.”
The door opened, and a black-haired woman in a tailored black suit stepped in, her alluring features calm yet expectant.
Seeing Ying Gong Tong’s motionless figure at the desk, the woman’s expression shifted slightly, a mix of knowing concern and curiosity
Ying Gong Tong pressed a button on her phone, silently dismissing the "Ergency Situation" warning displayed on the screen.
“My dear Miss Ying Gong, have you never heard the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf?”
The sultry woman behind her smirked, shutting the door as she entered the room.
“As your personal bodyguard, I must remind you—for the umpteenth ti—that you shouldn’t hit that panic button unless it’s truly urgent.”
“This IS urgent, Nara!!”
Ying Gong Tong turned, her cheeks flushed with frustration as she glared at the woman.
Nara raised an eyebrow and responded with feigned disinterest,
“Alright, alright. Tell
what’s so urgent.”
“Look at this!”
Ying Gong Tong spun back to her desk, enlarged a surveillance feed, and rewound the footage. The video displayed Yan Huan leading Ye Lan and Ye Shiyu into his apartnt.
Nara glanced at the screen, then at the pouting Ying Gong Tong, who had crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks like an angry child.
After a brief silence, Nara sighed and asked,
“So... what’s the ergency here?”
“Don’t you see it?! And you call yourself the ‘Virgin Slayer’?!”
Ying Gong Tong’s fists clenched as she shot Nara a look of disdain.
“How is this my problem?” Nara asked, confused.
“Can’t you tell? The President NEVER invites anyone to his apartnt! And now... now that Ye Shiyu actually got in?! His first ti... his precious first ti...”
“Please don’t phrase it like that.”
Nara’s stoic expression cracked slightly, but Ying Gong Tong pressed on, oblivious.
“Not only that, but she’s a woman! A WOMAN! I knew him first, I’ve spent more ti with him, and he even made
pudding once! There’s no way she’s had that! So why does she get to go into his ho when I haven’t?!”
“Why don’t you just ask him if you can visit?” Nara suggested plainly.
“That’s absurd! Are you an idiot?!” Ying Gong Tong shot her a sharp glance, attempting to justify her dramatic reaction.
“His apartnt is only 40 square ters. If I use so official excuse to visit, the rest of the Student Council will insist on coming along. There’s no way five people could fit comfortably. It’d make the President uncomfortable, and it wouldn’t work!”
While Ying Gong Tong ranted, Nara had flopped onto the bed, pulled out her phone, and started watching cute pet videos.
“Why not just ask to visit alone, then?” she asked, not looking up.
“Wha—” Ying Gong Tong’s face turned scarlet. She waved her hands frantically.
“That would be way too obvious!”
“And what’s wrong with being obvious? Being direct isn’t a bad thing. You like him, don’t you?”
“Well, yes, but...”
Her gaze drifted toward the surveillance feeds, the stack of photographs of Yan Huan, and the countless notebooks cataloging his every action.
“That would completely shatter the image I’ve been building. Being so abrupt would make him suspicious!”
She glanced back at the screen, her expression growing pale.
“If he realized sothing was off about , he might beco disappointed and eventually leave. If that happened, I wouldn’t want to live anymore!”
Nara sighed deeply, stretching her arms.
“Then don’t sabotage yourself. You’ve already complicated things enough by having
install over a hundred surveillance caras. Now you’re in a ss of your own making.”
“Don’t be stupid! Without those caras, how else could I track the President’s every move?” Ying Gong Tong argued, her tone matter-of-fact.
“...You’re hopeless.”
Nara flopped back onto the bed in a starfish position, gazing up at the ceiling.
“You win, Miss Ying Gong. You’ve officially lost it.”
“No, I haven’t!” Ying Gong Tong stood by the bed, hands on her hips.
“The point is that you need to help !”
“Help you how, exactly?”
Ying Gong Tong retrieved a stack of brochures from her desk and handed them to Nara.
“Here! Pick one of these as an excuse—air conditioning installation, Wi-Fi setup, water heater replacent, anything! Just get into the President’s apartnt and plant more caras!”
Nara froze, flipping through the brochures.
“Wait a second. You want
to sneak in again and plant caras? How many this ti?”
“At least three: one in the living room, one in the bedroom, and one in the bathroom—”
“Are you insane?”
Nara swatted the brochures out of Ying Gong Tong’s hands and flicked her forehead with a light but precise thunk.
“Ugh! Nara!” Ying Gong Tong whimpered, holding her forehead, tears welling in her eyes.
“Miss Ying Gong, at this rate, you’re going to ruin everything. Forget about being with Yan Huan—you’re going to end up disgraced for life if you keep this up.”
Red-faced and teary-eyed, Ying Gong Tong stamred,
“Then... what should I do?! That wretched Ye Shiyu...”
“You were calm earlier today. What happened? This afternoon, you dismissed her as insignificant, yet now you’re acting like she’s invaded your kingdom.”
Nara had helped Ying Gong Tong install every cara and maintain her network of surveillance, essentially becoming an unwilling accomplice. But her patience was wearing thin.
“Miss Ying Gong, instead of obsessing over surveillance, why not focus on the ga expo this weekend?”
“The ga expo?”
Ying Gong Tong blinked, then realization dawned.
“Oh, right! The Student Council will be there together! The President and I... we’ll be together!”
“Exactly. Think about what you want to achieve there. Maybe this is your chance,” Nara said, pushing Ying Gong Tong’s fists away.
As Ying Gong Tong cald down, Nara sat up and stretched.
“By the way, you should reflect on how you’re handling your feelings for the President. You’re building a persona to attract him, but will he love the persona or the real you?”
Ying Gong Tong frowned at the question, then scoffed.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I built the persona, so it’s still . As long as I can keep this up, both the President and I will be happy. That’s what matters.”
Nara raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Instead, she stood and prepared to leave.
Before she could step out, Ying Gong Tong tugged on her sleeve and gestured sheepishly toward the brochures on the bed.
“...”
The aning was clear—Ying Gong Tong still wanted caras installed in Yan Huan’s apartnt.
“...Nope. Not happening,” Nara said with a mischievous smile.
“Why not?!”
“For your own good. Trust .”
“But I really want to see how he looks when he eats, sleeps, studies, or even bathes—”
“Goodnight, Miss Ying Gong!”
Clapping her hands over her ears, Nara bolted from the room, leaving a flustered and indignant Ying Gong Tong shouting after her.
“Nara! You’re the worst!”
Reviews
All reviews (0)