Shen ngjie looked at the slightly surprised Long Aotian, a smug smile curling at the corners of her lips.
Seeing the amusent on her face, even soone as slow as Long Aotian caught on. "So it was you who texted using Han Xiaojing's phone?"
"Obviously. If I’d reached out to you directly, would you have agreed to et?" Shen ngjie was self-aware enough to know the answer.
Though their interactions had been brief, under Han Xiaojing’s influence, she’d occasionally found herself observing Long Aotian.
She could tell he carried himself with a thoughtfulness beyond his years, exuding a maturity that set him apart from his peers.
There was sothing intangible about his presence—sothing that left a deep impression, independent of re looks.
Since he’d ntioned the KTV and the claypot soup, he must have noticed sothing but chose not to expose her in front of Huang Fei.
People like him had strong moral principles. No doubt he’d look down on soone like her.
"Did you tell Huang Fei everything?"
"Obviously."
Watching Long Aotian’s stern expression, Shen ngjie couldn’t help but laugh softly. "Don’t be so serious. It’s not like I’ve done anything unforgivable."
"They’re drawn to my looks and my body. I enjoy the thrill of being pursued. That hardly qualifies as a cri, does it?"
As she spoke, she blinked playfully at him.
In so ways, she wasn’t wrong.
If you weren’t tempted by soone’s allure, you wouldn’t fall into the hunter’s trap.
"Do you really find this amusing?" Long Aotian couldn’t bring himself to accept it. Not everyone would condone Shen ngjie’s behavior.
Self-respect and recklessness were two extres.
At the very least, so people would never understand how soone could spend the afternoon drinking and flirting with one person at a KTV, only to casually share dinner with another by evening.
And the fact that she was only eighteen or nineteen, yet so effortlessly moved between n...
"Why wouldn’t it be amusing?" Shen ngjie shrugged. "I think it’s plenty fun. I enjoy every bit of it."
"I know you’ll scoff at this."
"First of all, I’ve never deliberately seduced anyone. Second, if they’re drawn to for shallow reasons, that’s not my fault. Sotis, I’m just as helpless."
"If they approach with ulterior motives, why shouldn’t I enjoy the ga?"
"Isn’t your roommate Huang Fei exactly that kind of person?"
"At the start of freshman year, when he barely knew anyone in class, did he even know my preferences? Did he understand anything about ? He pursued without knowing a thing—did he really expect so kind of pure romance?"
Long Aotian shook his head. "Telling all this is pointless. I don’t understand your perspective, and I don’t care what you do."
Maybe Shen ngjie had a point, but from Long Aotian’s standpoint, it was all just clever rhetoric—twisting logic to suit her narrative.
The pursuit of beauty was human nature, and there was nothing inherently wrong with that.
Attractiveness—whether in looks or charm—triggered dopamine, creating a natural high that made people feel good.
Shen ngjie, for all her flaws, undeniably possessed that kind of allure.
And because of it, she drew admirers.
Exceptional people could afford to be picky—that was only natural when you were exceptional yourself.
But no matter how exceptional, everyone’s ultimate destination was the sa: finding the right person, settling in the right place, sharing three als a day, four seasons a year...
But if you treated it all as a ga, flitting between n just for the thrill of it, that allure beca tainted.
When desire clouded judgnt, everything turned hollow.
That was Shen ngjie’s reality. To her, it was all just a ga—win or lose, it didn’t matter, because none of it was real. She was only in it for the fun.
As for her so-called helplessness, maybe it was genuine. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on N0veI.Fiɾe
But there were countless ways to avoid that helplessness. She simply let things unfold, turning them into excuses later.
Long Aotian couldn’t judge right or wrong, but he had his own thoughts about her claims of helplessness.
Hearing this, Shen ngjie suddenly laughed. "Of course it’s not pointless. I told you all this because I think you’re interesting..."
"Honestly, don’t you find even a little bit intriguing?"
"Not at all. I think you’re boring." Long Aotian turned to leave.
"I could beco more interesting, you know." Shen ngjie teased, testing his limits.
"I’m not interested—in you."
"Han Xiaojing likes you."
"I have a girlfriend."
Shen ngjie’s eyes flickered, but she kept her playful tone. "Then she’s going to be heartbroken for a while."
For so reason, at those words, Long Aotian’s mind flashed to Hu Yuying—standing on her tiptoes, holding out a bowl of homade porridge with a bright smile.
"She always says she’s the luckiest person in the world. But the truth is, I’m the lucky one—to have her."
Watching Long Aotian walk away, Shen ngjie was left with only his parting words echoing in her mind.
"The luckiest person in the world?"
Maybe that was the biggest difference between them.
For reasons she couldn’t explain, her interest in him deepened.
Just then, her phone buzzed.
Shen ngjie pulled it out, her eyes curving into a smile as she read the ssage. "They really are all chasing ."
It was from Huang Fei, asking for answers—for the truth.
Back in the dorm, Huang Fei stared at Shen ngjie’s reply, bitterness twisting his lips.
He’d expected her to explain.
He’d made his feelings obvious—surely she knew he liked her.
Yet she’d admitted it all so casually.
Now, he didn’t know what to do or say.
At least she hadn’t lied to him.
But that only made it harder.
His mind was a ss. He couldn’t even bring himself to wonder—had she been with soone else before eting him today?
Did she treat them the sa way she treated him?
What did he even an to her?
Was he backup plan number one? Two? Or...
He picked up his phone, scrolling through their chat history. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, hesitating before finally flipping the phone facedown on the bed.
He lit his last cigarette.
He needed ti to think.
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