Chapter 14

Hotel.

Yu Ci rubbed his slightly tired eyes.

He turned his head and said to Jiang Liangjin and Gu Xingnan beside him: "A Jin, A Nan, it's almost six; my father is returning home today, so I need to head back early."

Jiang Liangjin lifted his eyelids, gathered his clothes and phone, stood up, his tone flat: "Alright, let's go."

Gu Xingnan also neatly packed his personal belongings and walked out of the hotel doors with the two.

On the way, Jiang Liangjin fished a lollipop from his pocket, tore open the wrapper, popped it into his mouth, his jawline moving slightly, his posture relaxed.

Yu Ci leaned in, smiling: "How about we skip class tomorrow? Otherwise, if my dad finds out, he'll get on my case again."

He is the legitimate heir of the Yu Family of West City; his father has always been strict yet affectionate, demanding rigorously in rules while doting on him deeply.

Occasionally skipping class to play is no big deal.

But it just so happens that at the time of his father's return, if he indulges too freely, his father will inevitably feel a hint of dissatisfaction.

Yu Ci had a clever plan: first return to school honestly for a day to steady his father's mood, then later find a chance to relax—it wouldn't be too late.

Jiang Liangjin didn't care at all, mumbling a response while biting his lollipop, completely unbothered.

Gu Xingnan turned his head, his gaze landing on Yu Ci's smiling eyes, his voice gentle: "I have no objections; I'll follow your lead."

The three didn't think of taking a vehicle; they just walked slowly along the street.

As they passed the gate of a private middle school, a sudden sound of pushing and playful noise came from behind.

The next second, a girl in a pink Lolita dress was shoved by her companions to stand before Jiang Liangjin, her cute twin-tails swaying as she chirped, "What are you doing~"

The other girls covered their mouths, giggling, making an encouraging gesture with a teasing tone: "Go for it!"

Encouraged, the twin-tailed girl took a deep breath, gathered her courage, lifted her head, and glanced shyly at Jiang Liangjin.

"Hello… may I add you on WeChat?"

Yu Ci stopped in his tracks, casually slinging an arm over Gu Xingnan's shoulder, leaning forward with interest as he stared at the scene before him.

He leaned close to Gu Xingnan, lowering his voice: "Tsk tsk, see that? A Jin's charming face—if I were a girl, I'd probably come over to ask for contact info too."

Gu Xingnan: "……"

Jiang Liangjin gave a light "tsk," bit into his lollipop, and that posture made one unable to help but be captivated.

His lazy, carefree stance made the girl's heart beat faster.

His eyes were naturally aloof; now he gave the girl a casual glance, his gaze lingering not a moment, and said, "No interest."

However, the twin-tailed girl seemed unwilling to give up, pleading: "Just add me, okay?"

The persistent tone exhausted Jiang Liangjin's already limited patience.

He took out the lollipop, now reduced to just a stick, flicked his wrist, traced a clean arc, and precisely tossed it into the nearby trash bin.

In an instant, Jiang Liangjin's aura turned cold; his eyes swept over the girls before him, carrying a hint of detached pressure.

The girls shivered at the stare of this handsome young man and involuntarily stepped back two paces.

Jiang Liangjin lingered no longer, strode past them, and continued forward.

Watching his retreating back, the twin-tailed girl's eyes showed a hint of disappointment.

"Why so fierce…"

"If not, then not."

In a flash, her gaze fell on Yu Ci and Gu Xingnan, still standing where they were.

The two boys before her were both striking, their temperaments utterly different yet equally eye-catching.

The shyness she felt toward Jiang Liangjin resurfaced, and she said, "Um… would those two handsome guys be willing to add me on WeChat so we can get to know each other?"

This behavior left the other girls stunned: "Sis, you're awesome."

Upon hearing that, Yu Ci and Gu Xingnan exchanged a glance.

Yu Ci, Gu Xingnan: "……"

They politely declined and followed Jiang Liangjin together.

The twin-tailed girl watched the trio's backs, stomped her little leather shoes, and turned to rejoin her companions.

"Hey, don't you think that just now, behind us, one of those two guys looked especially like the Yu Family's young master, Yu Ci?" she asked, frowning slightly, uncertain.

"No way, Sha-jie..." a companion whispered in rebuttal.

Luo Sha snorted, "You've never seen him, so of course you wouldn't know what the young master looks like."

Actually, she herself wasn't sure either.

She has an older sister studying at Lan Lin who mentioned the Yu Family's young master a few times.

Luo Sha first saw Yu Ci at his tenth birthday banquet.

After that, she got into trouble outside, and her father forbade her from attending any high-society family gatherings; that was also the last time Luo Sha saw Yu Ci.

The more Luo Sha thought about it, the more melancholy she became; her companions hurried to comfort her: "Sha-jie, don't be sad……"

Luo Sha crossed her arms and huffed, "I'm not sad at all."

"Yes, yes, Sha-jie, you're the best!"

Seeing them coax her like a child, Luo Sha, speechless, walked ahead.

"Sha-jie……" several companions hurried to follow her.

Luo Sha shouted without turning back, "Hurry up, miss still has to pick up my sister."

As Yu Ci neared home, he said, "See you at school tomorrow," and walked through the door.

Gu Xingnan and Jiang Liangjin each went home as well.

Lanlin Gaozhong gate.

Mu Youyu and Song Lujing ran out of the school gate, just happening to see Mu Xi waiting outside.

The youth had blue-and-white hair, wore a gray shirt, and barely revealed a section of fair arm.

His features were exquisitely handsome to an unreasonable degree, his eyes icy cold, and he wore a conspicuous diamond necklace that glinted slightly in the daylight.

He stood with his body very straight, exuding an atmosphere of "don't come close."

Mu Xi saw his sister come out, his Expression completely changed, and the corners of his mouth lifted.

Just that smile drew the surrounding students from the two schools who hadn't left yet and were observing him to scream.

"Ahhhh! Young Master Xi is so handsome! This Smile kills me!"

"Young Master Jing is here too—wasn't he not supposed to come to school today? How did he come out of Lan Lin?"

"What is Young Master Xi doing at the Lan Lin gate? Did he transfer to our class?"

"You're overthinking it."

"No……Who is the girl beside Young Master Jing? Why is Young Master Xi walking over there?"

"Hss, you guys shouldn't say that—Young Master Xi came to school really early today and still isn't late, which is quite rare."