Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After sending Xia Ruya back to the grand hall, Chu Jingnan went to look for Wen Xinya!
Wen Xinya was standing in a corner of the grand hall with a glass of red wine in her hand. As she casually watched the performances on the stage, she had on a dreamy, lonely expression, as if worn out by the vicissitudes of life.
At this moment he realized that he didn’t recognize the Wen Xinya before him again. In his eyes, Wen Xinya was always peerlessly beautiful, bedazzling in anger, and elegant in hostility—since when was she lonely like this.
Chu Jingnan went to the food area nearby, took a glass of fruit juice, walked up to her, and reached out to take her wine glass. “Although the alcoholic content of red wine is very low, it’ll also cause one to be drunk. It’s better for girls to drink less.”
Wen Xinya moved the wine glass in her hand away and looked at Chu Jingnan with a slight frown. “My matters have nothing to do with you. You better stay out of them.”
Her coldness humiliated Chu Jingnan. When he thought about her exploitation and Xia Ruya’s gentleness and thoughtfulness, he couldn’t help but feel enraged. “What is this, calling it quits after exploiting me? What kind of person does Miss Wen treat me as? I, Chu Jingnan, am not someone that you can manipulate—you better get this clear.”
Wen Xinya’s emotionless eyes slowly landed on Chu Jingnan—that gentlemanly face was slightly twisted with anger, and the veins on his forehead were throbbing obscurely. “That’s right—I exploited you. So what?”
Her unapologetic words stunned Chu Jingnan. “So what? Okay… Wen Xinya, you win! You actually can still talk like this after exploiting others.”
Chu Jingnan couldn’t help but feel defeated. He was not ignorant about Wen Xinya’s hostility and coldness towards him—it was precisely because of it that she had piqued his interest. However, Wen Xinya seemed totally different from the girls he knew. It seemed like she did not take to both the hard and soft approaches and was without any weakness, making him unable to conquer her even after so long.
Wen Xinya’s eyes flashed with mockery and disdain as she sneered. “If you dare to, you can always expose me on the discussion forums. Stop acting as if I’m indebted to you in front of me. It’s disgusting to watch.”
In her previous lifetime, she had paid the price of her death to see through Chu Jingnan. After her rebirth this time, she had observed indifferently and studied him at an even deeper level. Chu Jingnan was a perfectionist who never tolerated mistakes. For such an opportunity to show his abilities like the school’s anniversary celebrations, if he were to make a mistake because of her, causing a hit to his reputation in the Institute, the impact on him would be huge. Now that Xia Ruya was willing to bear the sole responsibility for everything, he naturally wouldn’t go the lengths to expose the truth.
Her intense gaze was filled with a piercing glow, and the mockery and disdain within it made Chu Jingnan almost suddenly clench his fists tight as veins emerged on the back of his hands one by one. He gritted his teeth and said, “Wen—Xin—Ya!”
He was probably really enraged by her. The name spat out by his thin lips were filled with a frightening, harsh, and overbearing aura. Wen Xinya laughed out loud at him. “What is it, you dare not? Since you don’t dare, why do you bother to make a scene before me.”
She was sure that Chu Jingnan didn’t dare to do it. A position like the president of the student union in a high-end institute was a highly recognized title in all arenas. It was an affirmation of his talents and capabilities. It couldn’t be ruled out that this had formed part of the reason that the Xiao Family was willing to admit him as their illegitimate son previously.
Needless to say, a position like this could give him access to many connections and opportunities to showcase his capabilities. It could also very well have played a part in him gaining the identity as the head of the Xiao Family previously when he had just returned to the Xiao Family as their illegitimate son.
Chu Jingnan was utterly angered by her and his refined face was filled with hostility. “Wen Xinya, don’t take it too far! You’re only acting so arrogantly based on the fact that I like you!”
As if she had heard the biggest joke, Wen Xinya couldn’t help but titter in laughter. “Haha! What has it got to do with me whether you like me or not?” She looked at Chu Jingnan with a look of despise. “Please don’t talk about ‘like’—he’s an innocent, child-like emotion. Please let him off!”
Chu Jingnan suppressed the fury which had built up in his heart. “Wen Xinya, I didn’t expect you to actually be this despicable.”
As though Chu Jingnan’s words triggered Wen Xinya’s fighting spirit, her lips gently curled up with a tinge of sarcasm. “I’m indeed despicable, but aren’t you?” She asked, seemingly casually. “Where did you go just now?” Her face beamed with excitement, like a pure and innocent child guessing a riddle. “Let me guess!” Then, the smile on her lips gradually widened, becoming bedazzling and captivating. “You went to look for Xia Ruya, right?”
Her smile was naive and gorgeous, as if it was really so innocent that it was void of the least bit of impurities. Yet, under such a smile, he felt that everything of himself, including his soul, was exposed before her with nowhere to hide. She had seen through his handsome, suave skin and saw his unbearable thoughts. He suddenly felt slightly embarrassed.
Wen Xinya got closer to him, her huge eyes filled with boundless smiles, and the smile on her face became even more straightforward. “Consoling Xia Ruya with your good looks so that she’ll willingly shoulder all the responsibilities for you, then you’ll enjoy the fruits of success, receive everyone’s praises, as well as Lan Feng Institute’s affirmation, as though you deserve it! Am I right?”
Chu Jingnan’s face suddenly turned pale. He looked at Wen Xinya with a dark and uncertain expression for a long while before suddenly saying, “I didn’t expect you to actually know me so well. You still insist that you don’t like me—if you don’t like me, how could you understand my every word and action, as well as character, so thoroughly?”
Wen Xinya puckered her lips and looked at him in disdain. “The honorable President Chu, I wonder if this move of yours is considered despicable?”
Chu Jingnan shook his head and said, “Xia Ruya willingly shouldered all the responsibilities. I didn’t force her and definitely didn’t manipulate her. I’m thankful to her and went to look for her to express my gratitude. This also counts as being despicable?”
Nobody would openly admit that they were despicable. Even if he were really despicable, a man of great ambitions did not bother about trifles—such a small thing meant nothing in his eyes.
Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa!
Wen Xinya couldn’t help but applaud Chu Jingnan’s words of self-awareness. The crisp applause reverberated dully between them, yet ultimately isolated from the ruckus of the grand hall. She curled up her lips into a smile gently and said, “Well said. That’s why previously I couldn’t think of the performance item no matter what, fearing that I’d be an embarrassment before the crowd, ruin the school’s anniversary celebrations planned perfectly by your student union, and damage the reputation of you, the honorable President Chu. Thus, I had no choice but to make use of you to perform a duet with Xia Ruya. Hope the wise and honorable President Chu won’t mind.”
Chu Jingnan’s face became twisted for a moment before breaking into a smile. “Indeed, you’re fit to be the woman I like, matching me in all ways.”
Wen Xinya said in a serious tone, “You should go to the brothel if you’re looking for women. I’m still underage and can only count as a girl at the most…”
Saying which, she turned her back and left.
Chu Jingnan looked at her back view, a dark and uncertain expression appearing on his face.
