Jiang Xin returned to the dormitory for a full rest, taking the opportunity to think about how to communicate her recent situation to Qiqi and the others that evening. After much deliberation, Jiang Xin decided honesty was the best policy.

It wasn't that Jiang Xin hadn't considered telling a white lie, but she didn't believe she could fool Juliana or the others, and she worried about how they would perceive her afterward. For instance, no one at school knew Shi Man had a boyfriend, yet she knew. "Forget it, I'll just tell the truth."

Once she made up her mind, Jiang Xin's spirits immediately lifted. Since the worst was the worst, "Should I grab some food on the way over later?" Jiang Xin certainly didn't consider this bribery; rather, it was to celebrate Qiqi buying a house.

Jiang Xin arrived at the address Wang Qiqi had messaged, carrying a watermelon in one hand and grapes in the other. Seeing her arrive laden with provisions, Wang Qiqi and Shi Man exchanged a subtle glance. On account of the fresh fruit accompanying her arrival, they decided to let her off the hook for the time being.

Wang Qiqi pointed toward the unprocessed vegetables still sitting on the dining table. "Help me strip these vegetables." With more people, more dishes were needed, especially since today's meal was for breaking in the new house, which couldn't be done carelessly.

Jiang Xin had hoped that bringing fruit might lead Qiqi and the others to go easier on her or lessen any punishment, but to her surprise, they didn't mention it. This brought Jiang Xin a small wave of relief, but she remained uneasy. Didn't they notice anything unusual about her? Regardless, Jiang Xin felt a knot in her stomach.

Shi Man acted as if she hadn't noticed the other girl's strange expression. "What have you been busy with lately? We haven't seen hide nor hair of you. We were actually starting to worry you were avoiding us because you knew we were buying a place."

Jiang Xin’s heart leaped when Shi Man said the first half of her sentence, but it slowed down upon hearing the latter part. "Not at all. But I am angry." Jiang Xin then launched into a detailed account of how unreasonable Wang Qiqi and Shi Man had been to exclude her from such momentous news.

Listening to the girl's complaints, Shi Man secretly chuckled. Complain all you want now, she thought. The more fiercely you complain now, the more severe the critique will be after dinner. Then, it will be a group criticism of this girl.

While preparing vegetables, Jiang Xin spoke of her dissatisfaction with Wang Qiqi. She knew she had to make Qiqi and Shi Man feel like they were the ones who wronged her first; that way, they wouldn't press too hard about her recent strangeness.

Juliana entered and, upon seeing Jiang Xin, was about to ask where she had been hiding lately when she noticed Wang Qiqi signaling her intently. Juliana understood that Qiqi and the others had already decided how to handle Jiang Xin, so she dropped her questioning. Instead, she became very enthusiastic about touring the apartment. "Xin Xin, come check out the mansion of Wang the Rich and Shi the Wealthy! Look at this place!" Juliana couldn't help but click her tongue in awe.

Wang Qiqi was occupied in the kitchen, leaving Shi Man, as the host, to shoulder the important task of showing everyone around the new house.

Jiang Xin had initially felt somewhat composed, but she hadn't expected even Juliana to walk in without asking about her, immediately starting the tour instead. It was then that Jiang Xin realized why Qiqi and Shi Man hadn't interrogated her upon her arrival: firstly, they needed her as labor for preparing vegetables, and secondly, not everyone had arrived yet, so they worried the impact of their questioning would be diluted.

Realizing this, Jiang Xin walked toward the edge of the kitchen and raised her hands in a gesture of surrender. "I confess. I've recently started seeing a guy." It wasn't just honesty driving her; the rest of the crew, including the dopes, hadn't arrived yet. Though those guys were obsessed with computers, their verbal sparring skills weren't lacking either, so she decided to come clean while the group was small.

Wang Qiqi and the others hadn't expected Jiang Xin to report so quickly, but this was typical Jiang Xin—she couldn't fail to understand why they hadn't pressed her earlier. "When did it start?"

"Where is he from? Is he a senior?"

"What’s his major? Is he a classmate?"

"What are his height, weight, and looks?"

"What's his character like? Is he easy to talk to?"

As soon as Jiang Xin confessed, the three of them bombarded her with questions. Jiang Xin pressed her hands down. "He’s from our school, majoring in Economics and Management. He’s a third-year senior. Actually, I met him last semester…"

Wang Qiqi immediately shouted, "Wait, it started last semester?" Impossible. Didn't this girl spend most of her time with us? Could she have hooked up with a guy during those limited free moments?

"No, we met last semester, but during the break, he—he would occasionally call me, and then… and then…" Jiang Xin stammered, shyly tugging at the hem of her shirt.

"And then he confessed over the phone, and you immediately fell for it?" Shi Man was surprised this complicated connection had begun with such a simple phone call. She had imagined Jiang Xin putting this guy through rigorous tests, only for him to pass successfully. "Good character? Handsome?"

"He’s actually really good to me; he comforts me when I’m unhappy." Jiang Xin spoke of Cao Rui’s kindness, hoping Wang Qiqi and the others would form a good impression of him. It had to be said, her strategy was succeeding.

Before they met Cao Rui, they gave some credence to Jiang Xin's words, though the degree of belief varied. After all, the look on the girl's face when she mentioned her man indicated she was completely smitten. Another factor was that since this was the man Jiang Xin liked, their approval wasn't the deciding factor. "When are you free to bring him over so we can see him?" Wang Qiqi asked Jiang Xin. "We can't be walking around school and not recognize our brother-in-law."

Jiang Xin nodded; she had the same intention. "I plan to treat my roommates first, and then I’ll treat you all." She knew Wang Qiqi and the others wouldn't particularly enjoy socializing with her roommates. Qiqi might have once sought to cultivate good relationships with classmates, but since moving out last semester, she had lost that desire. Although she maintained good relationships with classmates in class and with her dorm mates back at the old place, comparing that to the attitudes of Qiqi, Shi Man, and even Dai Lijun made it clear she wore a mask at school.

Two separate meals? Wang Qiqi and the others exchanged looks. They knew that two such invitations would amount to a considerable sum, not to mention treating the man's roommates as well. How much money did they have? "Just bring him along when you come over for our gathering on Monday."

"Yes, pick a weekend. If he gets too drunk, he can just stay over at Han Tao's place."

Shi Man wasn't suggesting they ply the man with alcohol just to make fun of Jiang Xin. She felt that drunk men were more likely to reveal their true feelings. However, that wasn't the main point; some men did things when drunk that no man should, like hitting women. A man with such poor behavior when inebriated was not worth keeping.

Wang Qiqi glared at Shi Man when she made that suggestion. She was genuinely acting as if she were vetting a boyfriend. After all, he was Jiang Xin’s boyfriend; if the "official girlfriend" got hurt, wouldn't they have acted as the villain for nothing?

Jiang Xin found Shi Man's suggestion quite reasonable. When Feng Xuanxiang had dinner with them the first time, Wang Qiqi and the others had coordinated with Han Tao to get him drunk, and the resulting assessment hadn't been entirely unsatisfactory—at least an 80 out of 100. She was eager to see Cao Rui’s score; she didn't ask for much, just passing with a 60 would satisfy her. "I have no objections; I'll need all of you to help me judge him." Jiang Xin actually asked them to vet Cao Rui. Although she knew he was good to her and very attentive, Jiang Xin always sensed something odd in his gaze when he looked at her, but upon closer inspection, everything appeared normal. After several such instances, Jiang Xin naturally felt a nagging sense of strangeness.

When Dai Lijun heard Jiang Xin had a boyfriend, he felt a moment of sharp unease, a fluttering panic, but he quickly masked it. Everyone else was too engrossed in excitedly congratulating Wang Qiqi and Shi Man on becoming homeowners to notice Dai Lijun's subtle shift.

Han Tao, however, did notice. He watched Dai Lijun for a moment, and only after receiving a subtle signal that everything was fine did he turn to look at Jiang Xin. He knew about Dai Lijun’s feelings for Jiang Xin, but what could he do? He had tried persuading Dai Lijun to confess earlier, reminding him that good girls were snatched up quickly. But the guy insisted he didn't need to bother since Jiang Xin was with him constantly, thinking no one else would make a move. Now look—he’d been intercepted! And judging by Jiang Xin's tone, she seemed quite pleased with this Cao Rui.

It would be a lie to say Dai Lijun wasn't bitter, but what could he do? Han Tao had advised him before: what’s missed is missed. Dai Lijun rallied his spirits. "When are you bringing your boyfriend out? We can help you check him out."

Jiang Xin hummed in response. "You guys will be my support squad then; I’m not expecting much in the way of objective feedback from my roommates." Jiang Xin knew her roommates would likely be rife with jealousy, but getting any truly objective opinions was out of the question.

Wang Qiqi noticed Han Tao and Dai Lijun exchanging glances across the dinner table, and they seemed unusually concerned about Dai Lijun. This struck Wang Qiqi as strange. She initially thought Dai Lijun might be feeling unwell, but he was participating animatedly in drinking and chatting, showing no significant change from normal. A small shadow lingered in her mind. Since this was a celebration for her new home, Wang Qiqi wouldn't cause a scene, but she resolved to ask Dai Lijun about it on the way back.

When Wang Qiqi learned from Han Tao that Dai Lijun was actually fond of Jiang Xin, she was completely stunned. Honestly, at first, Wang Qiqi had considered introducing Shi Man or Jiang Xin to Dai Lijun. But Shi Man was with Feng Xuanxiang, and while Dai Lijun and Jiang Xin interacted frequently, no obvious sparks of flirtation had ever flown between them. She had assumed they held no romantic interest in each other, never imagining this quiet man had hidden his feelings so deeply. The problem now was, what should be done?

(To be continued)