Chapter 11

Cheng Yedu was about to explode.

She was the one who had been crazy about him, who had gone to great lengths to trap him. How had things twisted to make him look like the desperate one?

Lin Zhixia was so manipulative. Not long after she got him, she had infiltrated his circle of friends.

Now, every single one of them talked about how great she was, as if she were an essential part of his life.

On the night of his birthday, he had wanted to spend more time with Ji Tangli. He called a designated driver, and he and Tangli sat in the back.

Tangli was a little drunk, her cheeks flushed. What was that phrase? Innocent yet seductive.

She leaned against him drowsily, and he instinctively put his arm around her. The scent of roses from her neck filled the air.

He told the driver to go to a hotel.

Suddenly, the front passenger door opened, and his friend Fang Xiaotian slid in.

“Whoa, you two are so close. Planning on sharing a seatbelt?”

“Scoot over, man. Yedu, you have a girlfriend. Behave yourself!”

Cheng Yedu wanted to kick him out of the car.

Fang Xiaotian opened a map app.

“I’ve planned the route. We’ll drop Tangli off first, then me. It’s the most efficient way. Sir, just follow my navigation.”

Ji Tangli sobered up instantly and shot Cheng Yedu a helpless look.

He understood. “Fang Xiaotian, get out and call your own cab!”

Fang Xiaotian acted as if he were deaf.

“Tangli, why don’t I call a cab for you? I need to talk to Yedu about something.”

Girls, after all, had their pride. When the car reached her apartment, she got out obediently.

But then Fang Xiaotian changed the destination, saying he was going to crash at Cheng Yedu’s place for the night.

Cheng Yedu snapped, “Are you insane? Who invited you…”

Fang Xiaotian gave him a look that said, What are you going to do about it?

“You’re not going to cheat on her, not on my watch.”

“My little sister is preparing for the physics olympiad, and Lin Zhixia has been helping her with everything. Don’t you dare cheat on her. If my sister doesn’t get into Peking University, it’s all your fault.”

…

Fang Xiaotian followed Cheng Yedu home, only to find that all of Lin Zhixia’s belongings were gone.

Cheng Yedu was stunned. Did she really have to overreact like this?

Fang Xiaotian fanned the flames.

“Whoa, she really left you? I guess I was worried for nothing. I’m going home.”

Cheng Yedu scoffed. “She left me? She’ll be back in two days, begging me to forgive her.”

Fang Xiaotian asked seriously, “Are you sure? Has she ever brought up breaking up before?”

“Lin Zhixia doesn’t seem like the kind of girl who uses breaking up as a bargaining chip.”

A seed of doubt was planted in Yedu’s mind.

But so what if they broke up? He didn’t like her that much anyway, he told himself.

…

He didn’t like Lin Zhixia that much.

She was average-looking, her job wasn’t glamorous, and she didn’t have any exciting hobbies.

Not like Ji Tangli, who was watching animal migrations in Africa one day, diving in the Maldives the next, and holding a solo concert at her university the day after. Her social media was always filled with beautiful photos, and she had tens of thousands of followers.

In high school, Ji Tangli was the most eye-catching girl in school. Being with her made Cheng Yedu feel like he was somebody.

He was the only one allowed to post her pictures. All the other guys were jealous of him.

Lin Zhixia wasn’t that kind of glamorous girl.

But she knew exactly how to get under a man’s skin.

When she needed him, she would rub her face against his abs and purr, “Babe, you’re so perfect. I’m so lucky!”

She was so brazen, completely ignoring the fact that he was new to this. A simple touch from her was enough to make his nose bleed.

He never told her that; he didn’t want her to get too cocky.

He couldn’t understand why this ordinary-looking, lustful woman had such a strong effect on him.

He thought he was only capable of falling for girls like Ji Tangli.

What was worse was how quickly she turned cold.

She was supposed to be the one in the weaker position in the relationship, but her casual “I’m a bit busy right now, can we talk in two weeks?” had nearly given him a heart attack.

It was as if he were the one who’d been dumped, the one begging her to come back.

Cheng Yedu had a plan. When she came back crawling for forgiveness, he would be nice to her for a few days, and then he would dump her, hard.

That was how their power dynamic was supposed to work.

But what happened instead? Lin Zhixia had enjoyed herself several times over and then had the audacity to say they were just bed buddies!

Cheng Yedu was furious. He’d been used for free!