“You still haven't told me what the relationship is between Liu Yunqi and the Yang family,” Zhong Yun said, wanting to move on from the current topic and return to his original question.

“Liu Yunqi is the Yang family’s little princess, the controller of the Yang family, and the biological daughter of Yang Bingchang. It’s just that she carries her mother’s surname,” Chen Wen explained.

“Then she truly is a princess in name and in fact,” Tian Hai sighed.

Silence fell over the group. Each of the three was lost in their own thoughts.

Two minutes later, Tian Hai suddenly asked, “Is the Yang family very rich?”

“Rich.” Chen Wen clicked his tongue twice. “In front of the Yang family, very few people dare to claim they are wealthy. Ever heard of the Giant Machinery Group? (Tian Hai interjected, who hadn’t heard of the third-ranked large corporation in the country?) It belongs to the Yang family.”

“Heard of the Yiermei Corporation? (Tian Hai interrupted again, this time his voice trembling slightly. It was the largest cosmetics company in the nation.) Yang family’s.”

“Heard of the Ankang Group? (Tian Hai tried to interject but stumbled over his words from sheer excitement, the bigg—biggest—) That’s right, the largest health products company in the nation. Yang family’s.”

Finally, Chen Wen shot Tian Hai a sidelong glance. “So, do you think the Yang family is rich?”

“Rich… rich… incredibly rich.” Tian Hai shot to his feet, his face flushed with excitement, resembling someone who had just won a ten-million-dollar lottery.

Zhong Yun and Chen Wen exchanged bewildered glances, unsure what fit of madness had suddenly seized him.

Tian Hai suddenly grabbed Zhong Yun’s arm and shook him violently. “A’Yun! You’ve struck gold! Struck gold…”

Zhong Yun felt dizzy from the shaking. With a powerful wrench, he broke free and asked nonsensically, “Struck what gold? The Yang family is rich, what does that have to do with you?”

“It doesn’t have to do with me,” Tian Hai continued to grin foolishly. “But it has everything to do with you. Think about it! If one day you become the son-in-law of the Yang family, wouldn’t you be rolling in it? Then, you could buy whatever model kits you wanted, whatever figures you desired—buy two of every type, open one, trash the other…”

Tian Hai grew more animated as he spoke, ending in a fit of manic laughter, drool pooling on the floor.

When Zhong Yun heard him going too far, he couldn't help but deliver a sharp kick to Tian Hai’s backside. “Damn it! Doesn't that make me a kept man?”

Tian Hai clutched his stung rear, retorting indignantly, “How can you use such vulgar language? Isn't that insulting the purity of your feelings for Liu Yunqi?”

“You’re still talking!” Zhong Yun chased after him, feigning a punch.

Just as they were wrestling in a playful melee, Tian Hai’s phone rang again. He cried out as if rescued from a near-death experience while being ‘savagely beaten,’ “Phone! The phone is ringing!”

Zhong Yun finally stopped.

Tian Hai muttered under his breath, “You don’t have to be so vicious just because you’re embarrassed.” Zhong Yun pretended not to hear.

Answering the call, a young girl’s face popped up on the screen. Zhong Yun recognized her as Xiaofen, the girl sharing a room with Xiaoruo.

“Tian Hai, hurry over! We bought tons of good food.”

Zhong Yun couldn't shake the feeling that Xiaofen was deliberately glancing in his direction, whether intentionally or not.

“Got it, be right there.” Tian Hai snapped his fingers and ended the call, turning back around.

“Don’t look at me, I’m not going,” Zhong Yun said, standing up and stretching languidly. “I’m exhausted today. Going to take a shower.”

Seeing him making an excuse to slip away, Tian Hai and Chen Wen didn't press the issue; one less person didn't matter.

For the next few days, everything proceeded along its normal course.

Tian Hai and Chen Wen rushed around from place to place daily—weapon model shops, anime figure stores, TV drama sets… they visited one after another, wishing they could split themselves in two because time was so short. How could they cover all that in just six days?

Zhong Yun and Liu Yunqi visited one scenic spot per day, not just rushing through. They meticulously enjoyed every location. They also didn't take excessive photos; over the six days, the two of them only posed for pictures at ten different sites, with only one photo featuring them together.

Most students were in pairs, savoring the rare break.

Of course, a few were less fortunate. Take Niu Ben, for instance. He was thrown by Zhong Yun’s shoulder throw, sustained serious injuries, and was hospitalized, completely ruining his holiday.

Then there was Xiaoruo. Ever since that night, she hadn’t left her room, using poor health as an excuse to turn down all dates for six days.

Her good friend Xiaofen was worried sick about her. For the last two days, she hadn't gone out either, staying in the room to keep Xiaoruo company.

Xiaoruo barely ate, often staring blankly, her mind wandering far afield, sometimes zoning out mid-conversation. Watching her grow paler day by day, Xiaofen could no longer sit still.

As the saying goes, the one who tied the bell must untie it. On the final night, the evening of the farewell party, Xiaofen sought out Zhong Yun’s room.

She kicked the door open in a fury, under the stunned gaze of a dozen boys gathered in the hallway outside. Xiaofen burst in like an enraged lioness, her presence aggressive and imposing.

She nearly collided with Tian Hai, who had just stepped out of the bathroom wearing only his shorts. They locked eyes for two seconds before Tian Hai backed down with a curse, shamefacedly retreating into the bathroom.

“You, surnamed Zhong!”

Xiaofen planted her hands on her hips, her almond eyes wide, and barked, “How long do you plan to hide? Are you even a man?”

Startled by her sudden entry and still reeling, Zhong Yun was immediately barraged with insults, making him lose face. “What did you say?”

“What did I say?” Seeing the man pretending ignorance, Xiaofen felt her anger surge. She pointed a finger, nearly poking Zhong Yun’s nose, “You know perfectly well what you did. Are you planning to deny responsibility?”

By the end, Xiaofen’s eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

By this point, a crowd of male students had gathered at the doorway, eager to watch the spectacle. Chen Wen, sensing the situation escalating, quickly ushered everyone out before slamming the door shut.

However, everyone present had clearly heard Xiaofen’s last sentence, and combined with her tearful expression, the entire group smelled something intimate and illicit.

Gossip is human nature, and the male contingent was no exception. Based on the events unfolding, the onlookers immediately inferred an ambiguous, suggestive history between Zhong Yun and Xiaofen.

They were even more surprised that the usually quiet and unremarkable Zhong Yun possessed such skill with women. Xiaofen was quite attractive, and they couldn't believe he had managed to hook her.

If they had known that Zhong Yun had ‘hooked up’ with Xiaoruo instead, they likely wouldn’t have been in the mood to speculate about the preceding events.

The most beautiful girl in the class was undoubtedly Liu Yunqi. Her peerless grace made every other girl in the school seem dull, but to the average male student, she was far too unattainable. They held her in awe more than anything.

Besides Liu Yunqi, the next most beautiful was indisputably Xiaoruo. Coupled with her gentle disposition, she was a beacon of light in the sea of ‘wild girlfriends’ that characterized the era—a true delight. Many boys in the class harbored secret crushes on her.

Otherwise, there wouldn't have been so many boys joining the ‘Amu Home’ the moment Xiaoruo established it.

The pity was that Xiaoruo already had someone she cared about.

And the infuriating part was that her beloved was recognized as the campus heartthrob.

This fact was heartbreaking and frustrating. Most of the boys figured they couldn't measure up to his looks and gave up.

But if a rumor surfaced linking the plain-looking, academically abysmal Zhong Yun with Xiaoruo, there would be no shortage of boys looking to pick a fight with him.

Damn it! It would be one thing if it were a guy better than me, but for a slacker who’s worse than I am to even dare entertain such a thought?