Wei Wei’s silent appearance startled Wen Zhu, who felt guilty; had she seen the intimate embrace she'd just shared with Zhong Yun?

Because she was hiding something, Wen Zhu dared not meet Wei Wei’s inquisitive gaze, instead turning her head away as if examining the design schematics on the screen, unaware that the faint rouge on her cheeks betrayed her.

Wei Wei leaned toward Zhong Yun and whispered accusingly, "What bad things did you do to Xiao Zhu?"

Zhong Yun blinked, responding with confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Stop playing dumb." Wei Wei shot him a look.

Zhong Yun pretended not to hear and walked over to fiddle with his things.

Wei Wei followed him like a shadow, suddenly grabbing Zhong Yun’s hand, "Come out with me."

Zhong Yun tried to pull his hand away but found her grip surprisingly tight; if he used more force, the sleeve of his shirt would rip. With no other choice, he followed her out.

Wei Wei dragged him all the way to a small grove of trees near the club. Passersby stared at the pair; everyone recognized the famous First Campus Belle, and her boyfriend was equally a notable figure in the school. They were practically the most famous couple in the entire Keton family.

Yet today, Wei Wei was escorting a man of ordinary appearance, and they seemed quite intimate—this sight truly stunned everyone who witnessed it. Recalling the rumors circulating since the semester began about Su Qi and the Black Pearl, had this legendary fairy-tale couple finally parted ways?

This was undoubtedly shocking news.

"Speak. Why did you bring me here?" Once Wei Wei stopped, Zhong Yun finally managed to pull his hand free, speaking curtly.

Wei Wei looked around nervously, apparently worried someone nearby was eavesdropping.

Seeing her behavior, Zhong Yun found it amusing. With their level of perception, how many people could approach them undetected?

After scanning the area and finding no suspicious individuals, Wei Wei looked at him, "Zhong Yun, be my boyfriend."

Her directness genuinely surprised Zhong Yun a little. Was this a confession? Girls in the Ming Si Kingdom were truly proactive. However, he could only shake his head regretfully, "I'm sorry."

Strangely, the rejected Wei Wei did not appear overly hurt; anger seemed more dominant on her face. "Don't be so ungrateful."

Zhong Yun watched her with an amused look. Did she really believe that merely possessing beauty entitled her to whatever she desired? If a man showed interest in her, he should immediately kneel down and thank her for the favor?

Should he call her naive, or perhaps ignorant?

It had to be admitted that great looks offered a significant advantage. If Wei Wei hadn't possessed a beauty comparable to Liu Yunqi’s, Zhong Yun wouldn't have paid her any mind at all—though he was unwilling to admit that to himself.

"If it were just for one night, I definitely wouldn't refuse," Zhong Yun mused with a hint of regret. A girlfriend? He still hadn't sorted out the official one at home, let alone the backup.

Wei Wei suddenly frowned, running a hand over her smooth chin, murmuring, "Hmm, it seems my method of expression was flawed."

"That is—it’s not for a real boyfriend," she said, blushing slightly, perhaps embarrassed by her previous blunder. Spots of sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves, dappling her face, which was as smooth as white porcelain, making her radiant.

"It's just for pretense."

A strange light flickered in Zhong Yun’s eyes. Nevertheless, he shook his head again, "Even pretending isn't possible."

"You..." Wei Wei glared at him, her sapphire eyes spinning, her expression instantly shifting to one of pitiable vulnerability, "It’s just pretend! It costs you nothing."

Zhong Yun looked at her with a wry smile. "Don't treat me like an idiot. If the rumor spreads that I'm your boyfriend, I'll instantly become the public enemy of every man in the academy. And what’s worse, it’s only pretend—I gain absolutely no benefit."

Wei Wei threw him a seductive glance. "For a grand master like you, why would you care about other men?"

This statement, paired with her expression, was devastatingly potent. For a split second, Zhong Yun felt a surge of high spirits, a real impulse to agree. But it was only an impulse; the feeling was immediately suppressed.

He hadn't expected this girl’s enchantment abilities to be so strong.

"I hate trouble," Zhong Yun finished, not wanting to get entangled further, and prepared to leave.

Wei Wei seemed surprised. From his eyes, she could tell he had nearly agreed, only to change his mind suddenly?

Damn Zhong Yun, rotten Zhong Yun! I've been this forward, what more do you want? For a moment, she felt deeply wronged—when had she, Wei Wei, ever lowered herself to actively create such an opportunity for a man?

Seeing his back about to disappear into the woods, Wei Wei stamped her foot—stubborn man—and hurried after him.

Pulled back again, Zhong Yun looked at Wei Wei with resignation. "What is it now?" Though he sometimes found her annoying, seeing her exquisite beauty and the charmingly mischievous look in her eyes made it genuinely impossible to harbor ill will.

She was a woman who was hard to dislike.

Wei Wei bit her lower lip. "I know you like Xiao Zhu. How about this: if you agree to my request, I’ll help you win her over."

Zhong Yun found the proposal laughable. Did she truly believe he was interested in Wen Zhu? He couldn't fathom where she got that impression. He opened his mouth to refuse, but suddenly, a flash of lightning crossed his mind.

The words of refusal poised on his lips instantly changed. "Are you serious?"

A flicker of joy appeared in Wei Wei's eyes. "Of course, I'm serious."

Zhong Yun frowned suddenly. "I don't believe you."

Wei Wei grew anxious. "I’m not lying to you. If you want to pursue Xiao Zhu, it’s impossible without my help."

"Oh?" Her words piqued Zhong Yun's curiosity. "You mean, without you, I can't have her?" This was the first time he had openly indicated an intent to pursue Wen Zhu.

"Naturally." Wei Wei tossed her head up, though inwardly she felt deeply frustrated. This damned Zhong Yun, he really did have designs on Xiao Zhu. Her heart seethed with anger, but she couldn't let it show on her face. "Xiao Zhu and I have been inseparable since childhood; I know everything about her."

"So, you're just best friends," Zhong Yun said dismissively. "Does she need your permission to date anyone?"

"Hmph, what do you know." Wei Wei shot him a glare, wishing she could burn a hole through him with her eyes, this dense blockhead. "Do you have any idea why Xiao Zhu has never had a boyfriend until now?"

"Never had a boyfriend?" Zhong Yun was slightly surprised. Wen Zhu looked to be around twenty-five or twenty-six; to never have had a boyfriend was incredible given her looks.

"Because she pours all her attention into mechanics; besides machinery, she’s uninterested in everything else." Wei Wei glanced at him sideways, implying that Wen Zhu wouldn't be interested in him either.

"She doesn't strike me as someone obsessively devoted to technology," Zhong Yun expressed some doubt. Based on how Wen Zhu handled social interactions, she didn't seem like a technician wholly dedicated to machinery.

Wei Wei turned her face away, adopting an expression that said, believe it or not.

"What do you need me to do?" Zhong Yun made his decision quickly. Wen Zhu, the Keton family...

"Before you agree to me, I have one more condition," Wei Wei said, no longer rushing now that he had agreed. This woman certainly knew how to play hard to get.

"Go ahead," Zhong Yun found himself unable to feel angry for some reason. Usually, he deeply disliked forward, presumptuous girls like this.

Had he, without realizing it, started to like her? He shook his head; the thought was too absurd. Impossible, how could he fall for someone so easily?

It was merely an appreciation and desire to protect something beautiful, he reasoned.

"You must promise me that you will only pursue Xiao Zhu honorably and openly, absolutely never resorting to despicable, shameless, or vile methods," Wei Wei's expression was extremely serious. "Otherwise, I will not let you off the hook."

"Fine, I promise you." Zhong Yun agreed without hesitation.

"You are a man of your word; you mustn't go back on what you said."

Dormitory 702. Zhong Yun returned right on time, as usual. Unlike other days, his roommates were all waiting in the living room, clearly anticipating his arrival.

Seeing Zhong Yun return, Liu Ming’s eyes lit up. He stepped forward and enthusiastically grabbed him. "Third Brother, you’re back! Look at Odin and Pi Geng sitting there on their chairs." He noticed that all three of them had gleaming, exceptionally bright eyes, clearly indicating something unusual had occurred.

"Come sit." Liu Ming pulled him onto a chair and solicitously handed him a glass of water. He looked at Zhong Yun the way one might look at a stunning, undressed beauty.

"What game are you playing?" Zhong Yun felt bewildered.

"Third Brother, he’s preparing to formally take you as his master," Odin snickered from the side.

"Take me as master?" Zhong Yun froze for a second, then understood. "Are you talking about the Wei Wei situation?" He hadn't expected the news to travel so fast; perhaps he had underestimated the students' passion for gossip.

"Third Brother, no—Big Brother, you are incredible. Word spread this afternoon that the First Campus Belle was intimately touring with a mysterious man. In less than an hour, someone saw them swaggering into the Second Canteen. And even more unexpectedly, that mysterious man turned out to be you!"

Liu Ming was visibly agitated. He hadn't believed Zhong Yun could actually win over Wei Wei...

In fact, the departments at Keton Academy were stratified. The Aeronautics Department looked down on Management, Management looked down on Mechanics, and Mechanics looked down on less popular fields. A field like Archaeology, the niche within the niche, was essentially looked down upon by everyone.

It was hard to define exactly how this hierarchy formed, but it definitely existed. University life here was quite pragmatic. If you tried to approach a beautiful girl and introduced yourself as being from Aeronautics, you naturally received a higher glance.

If you said you were from Archaeology, your chances plummeted significantly.

Liu Ming had been dumped by his girlfriend simply because a student from Aeronautics pursued her. In terms of looks and overall condition, he might not have been inferior to that Aeronautics student. It was solely because he was an unpopular Archaeology student. These things were often unavoidable, just as in junior or senior high, girls tended to favor boys with high grades—it was a standard for female mate selection at a certain age.

Although Odin often joked that Zhong Yun could win over Wei Wei, it was merely mockery born out of hostility toward Su Qi. Who would take it seriously?

When it actually happened, the first reaction of the three roommates was disbelief. If the student who reported the sighting—an Archaeology student—hadn't sworn that it was definitely Zhong Yun, that he had seen it with his own eyes, they would have assumed it was a prank.

Shock was followed by confusion. Zhong Yun usually disliked going out and rarely spoke much. In the half-year he’d been at the school, apart from the three of them, no one had ever seen him interact with other classmates. Saying he was socially awkward was an understatement.

How could such a person manage to snatch Wei Wei—the most beautiful flower in the entire academy—from Su Qi, who was known as the heartbreaker?

"I heard Wei Wei even fed you," Liu Ming smacked his lips. "They say the entire dining hall fell silent at that moment." To have the First Campus Belle feed you—what incredible status that implied.

Zhong Yun forced a bitter smile. This Wei Wei, even if it was an act, did she have to take it so far? Thinking about it gave him goosebumps; the woman was truly unbearable when she got sappy.

"Big Brother, Great Big Brother, you absolutely must take me as your apprentice." Liu Ming adopted a pleading posture.

"Do you have a girl you like?" Zhong Yun, who had been planning to refuse, suddenly asked, his eyes gleaming.

"I do!" Liu Ming grinned sheepishly.

"We'll see about that later," Zhong Yun replied vaguely.

"Third Brother, you must be careful," Pi Geng suddenly said seriously. "No matter what, a scandal brewing between you and Wei Wei—the narrow-minded Su Qi will certainly not let you off the hook."

Zhong Yun lifted his chin, an inexplicable light flashing in his eyes. "I know..."

Pi Geng started to say something else, but seeing the look on his face, he swallowed his words. Although they called him 'Boss' and 'Third Brother,' their bond wasn't profoundly deep. Some words, if spoken, might not be appreciated.

"What about Su Qi? What about the Keton family? Can they actually eat someone?" Liu Ming was unconcerned. "The Ming Si Kingdom is a place governed by law; I refuse to believe these families still have absolute power now."

Just as Zhong Yun was about to speak, his pocket vibrated. His expression shifted slightly, and he stood up. "I'm going back to my room to read."

With that, he retreated into his room, closed the door, took a metal box from the cabinet, opened it, removed a dark green sphere, and placed it on his desk.

This was a jammer, capable of interfering with the operation of all nearby communication devices, except for preset channels.

Having done that, he took out the communicator he shared with Xiao Ling. "Xiao Ling, what's the emergency?"

"An unidentified team has appeared outside the base."

The base was the codename for the facility the Keton family had built at the entrance to the treasury.

P: Last two days, asking for monthly votes. Another chapter tonight. (To be continued. For future developments, please log onto .**.m for more chapters.)