Ch. 21 - Chen Yu

After breakfast, Tang Xin paid the bill.

Under the disdainful gazes of both the other customers and the stall owner, I followed behind Tang Xin as we left the breakfast shop.

Hey, being able to live off someone else's money is a skill too, okay?

"So tell me—what kind of terrifying person is it this time? At least let me prepare myself mentally."

Walking beside Tang Xin, I yawned, stretched my arms, and loosened up my muscles.

Not good.

The way I was moving right now felt exactly like an old man.

Outside the breakfast stall was the main road of the old district.

Ancient trees, decades old, lined both sides of the street. The morning sun was already high in the sky, and light filtered through the tall branches, scattering patches of shadow and sunlight across the road like a natural Impressionist painting.

"He's the child of a family that returned from overseas. His family owns a Fortune 500 company. Our families have done business together for years."

Tang Xin walked slowly, holding her hat in one hand.

Her snow-white hair cascaded down like a waterfall, reflecting dazzling glimmers of light through the gaps in the trees.

Every movement she made was graceful and composed, constantly reminding people that she was a wealthy young lady from an elite family.

She looked troubled.

Apparently, this was someone genuinely difficult to deal with.

"A while ago, both families had dinner together. The elders drank a little too much and decided that since we're around the same age, we should get to know each other. I've already turned them down several times. This time I really couldn't refuse."

Honestly, if she told me he was the son of some country's president, I wouldn't even be surprised.

"Why don't you just give him a chance?"

I shrugged.

If this woman got a boyfriend, she'd probably stop spending all her time tormenting me.

"Nope."

Tang Xin smiled.

"My Vice President is too entertaining. I haven't gotten tired of playing with you yet."

Entertaining?

What am I, some kind of customizable robot toy?!

"...About what time is this happening? I have plans this afternoon and evening."

Ignoring her comment, I remembered Bai Lu's performance and my meeting with Senior Ning Yi later.

Hearing that, Tang Xin slowly turned her head toward me.

Her expression didn't change much, but the slight smile on her lips sent a chill down my spine.

Then she casually looped her arm through mine.

Like one of those idiotic couples walking down the street, she leaned against me as we walked.

"I-I'm not lying! Look!"

My entire body stiffened.

Terrified by her sudden action, I hurriedly pulled the ticket Bai Lu had given me from my pocket and held it in front of her as evidence.

Tang Xin glanced at the ticket.

The smile on her lips didn't soften.

Instead, it became the expression of someone whose prank had succeeded.

Her arm remained firmly wrapped around mine.

"It's okay."

She smiled.

"There'll definitely be enough time."

I checked my phone.

It was already after ten in the morning.

I needed to be at the venue by two o'clock.

There wasn't much time left.

Did that mean my suffering would be over soon?!

The thought instantly cheered me up.

"Then, President, how much farther do we have to walk?"

Although we were walking side by side, the reality was that Tang Xin was dragging me along by the arm.

We had already turned two corners.

Ahead was the intersection where the old district met the newer part of the city.

Tang Xin didn't answer.

Still smiling mysteriously, she pulled me across the intersection and continued toward the new district.

"Tang Xin! Over here!"

Just as we were about to cross, a voice called out from nearby.

The moment she heard it, Tang Xin instantly let go of my arm as though she had a guilty conscience.

She turned toward the voice.

The mischievous expression disappeared immediately, replaced by her usual elegant smile.

"Brother Chen Yu."

The person she called Chen Yu stood beneath a roadside tree with one hand in his pocket.

He was about half a head taller than me.

A simple accessory hung from his wrist.

He wore a spotless white T-shirt and fitted casual pants.

With his straight nose, charming eyes, and bright smile, he looked every bit the handsome leading man from a romance novel.

"Brother Chen Yu, have you been waiting long?"

Tang Xin smiled and walked toward him.

I had no choice but to follow behind.

"It's fine. I just got here too."

The handsome man smiled gently at Tang Xin.

A textbook-perfect attractive-guy line.

Wait.

Tang Xin had asked whether he'd been waiting long.

That meant they'd agreed beforehand to meet at this exact location.

Which also meant—

The hand-holding.

The guilty-looking release of my arm.

Every bit of it had been staged for this handsome guy to see.

What a woman.

Always plotting, every second of every day.

"Let me introduce you."

Tang Xin looked at Chen Yu.

"This is Bai Qiao. He's... he's the Vice President of our Student Council. The council's work would be much harder without his help."

A faint smile lingered at the corner of her lips.

That pause in the middle was obviously intentional.

Just enough to let his imagination run wild.

Another one of Tang Xin's favorite tricks.

Then she turned toward me.

"Ah Qiao, this is Chen Yu, a friend of mine."

I would never get used to her calling me Ah Qiao.

"Nice to meet you."

Chen Yu extended his hand with a smile.

But no matter how I looked at it, the smile seemed a little stiff.

Tang Xin's little performance had clearly gotten to him.

"Nice to meet you too."

I forced a smile and shook his hand.

Looking at Chen Yu's expression shift from bright and cheerful to noticeably heavier, I found myself desperately wishing for the afternoon to arrive sooner.

"Brother Chen Yu hasn't been back here in a long time, right?"

Tang Xin put her hat back on and looked at him.

"Yeah."

Chen Yu glanced around.

Since moving overseas as a child, I haven't really come back."

A nostalgic look appeared in his eyes.

"This place has changed so much over the years."

"It has."

Tang Xin nodded.

From their conversation, it sounded like Chen Yu had lived here before.

And he wasn't wrong.

Over the past decade or so, the old district had changed dramatically.

Road renovations.

Demolition of dangerous buildings.

Urban redevelopment projects.

The area was changing almost every day.

"I'm not very familiar with this area anymore, so I invited Ah Qiao to come along and show us around."

Tang Xin looked at Chen Yu with her habitual smile.

"You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not."

Chen Yu glanced at me.

His expression was noticeably unnatural, and his tone sounded somewhat stiff.

Clearly, he minded a lot more than he was willing to admit.

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