Arles sat rigidly on the ground, utterly speechless.

Though the woman was positioned above him, she was not foolish; she saw the sudden gloom that clouded his features with perfect clarity.

A man like that, pushed to the absolute limit, would surely bite back.

If he were completely cornered, exposing her affairs would present a massive risk to her as well.

It was far better to hold onto him with a shred of hope.

The woman gracefully settled back into her seat, crossing her legs encased in black silk stockings, and drawled, "Actually, the contract isn't a huge issue. However, things like collaboration can't be rushed. This year, I'll give you a competitive slot; you go compete for it. How does that sound?"

Arles's eyes brightened. "Really? But what if I don't win the competition?"

Did he really have the audacity to ask such a humiliating question?

The woman barely managed to suppress a flash of impatience, stating flatly, "With me here, what do you have to worry about?"

Arles finally turned his worry into joy. "I am immensely grateful to you!"

The woman let out a soft "Hmph" and said, "Continue making a scene for this period."

—Regardless of her true intent, his continued uproar benefited her. Everyone would dismiss him as a clown making noise after his failure, someone who wouldn't press the matter further.

By then, it would be much easier for her to manipulate others into taking action.

The championship of the Mecha Grand Prix must be hers!

Arles didn't care about her underlying schemes; as long as he achieved his own goal, everything else was negotiable. He placated her, "As long as you agree, everything else is easy to discuss."

The woman offered a faint, dry smile.

When Ziye returned to the apartment, the absence of Little Sprout made her feel profoundly unaccustomed to the surroundings.

After a few days apart, her longing for Little Sprout rushed out like an unstoppable river—ahem, she would never admit that discovering Little Sprout's crucial importance during the Revival Round was the real catalyst!

Of course, in the Revival Round, she also grasped another fundamental truth: believe in yourself, and you shall attain eternal life.

Nevertheless, Little Sprout, as both companion and pet, had always been by her side. Being suddenly separated for a time truly felt unnatural.

Upon entering the apartment, Douzai, who had been famished for ages, immediately pounced, nearly gnawing on her fingers. She quickly pulled out two metal teething sticks of different flavors and stuffed them into its mouth, then lifted it up to weigh it—"Douzai, you actually lost weight! Not bad, not bad, you’re putting in the effort!"

Ziye nodded in satisfaction. Douzai grabbed the metal stick, looked up, opened its mouth to show its teeth, and took a quick snap at her finger. Startled, Ziye immediately redirected its head. "Good boy, let's go find your daddy, Mr. Sprout."

And so, cradling Douzai, she approached Tang Wen's villa in Kaga, knocking pitifully on the grand door.

The moment the door swung open, Little Sprout shot out like a bullet, striking Ziye squarely on the head. It then wrapped its wings around her head like an octopus, tumbling a couple of times. "You silly girl, I missed you so much..."

Ziye, holding Douzai in one arm, used the other free hand to pull Little Sprout from her head, holding it up to weigh. "Did you lose weight too?"

Little Sprout grimaced, its face crumpling. "I missed you too much. Tang the Bastard is a super, super huge devil!"

"Who's the devil?"

A voice laced with amusement suddenly cut in.

Little Sprout froze instantly, then looked up. Tang the Bastard was, without its notice, standing right in front of—no, right in front of Ziye. It deeply disdained people like Tang the Devil; he was a designer, yet he dressed like a top-tier male model. Moreover, he changed his outfit daily, never repeating one!

Look at this outfit today—style aside, it was a seamless blend of clean elegance and sharp capability, paired with his face and imposing aura—in short, six words applied perfectly: utterly captivating.

Little Sprout immediately dove into Ziye's embrace and wailed loudly, "Waaah, Tang the Devil is a super devil! He always hangs me up and whips me!"

Ziye gently stroked its fluffy down while comforting it. She didn't need to ask anything; Little Sprout's evolution in address—from "Tang the Bastard" to "Tang the Devil"—clearly conveyed all its displeasure and resentment.

She glared at Tang Wen. "What exactly did you do to it?"

Tang Wen curled his lips upward. The moment his smile bloomed, it was as if every rose in a garden of monstrous blossoms had opened simultaneously. Ziye nearly jabbed her own eyes out. "Teacher, don't smile so much."

Tang Wen arched an eyebrow slightly. "Hmm?"

Ziye lifted Douzai to a height above her head, blocking her view, and wailed, "Your smile causes homicides, believe me, absolutely true."

Douzai was an understanding child; it opened its mouth, baring its tiny white teeth at Tang Wen.

Tang Wen wasn't annoyed. He extended his long fingers, grasped Little Sprout, and promptly stuffed it into Douzai’s mouth. Then, bypassing Douzai, he gently pinched Ziye’s cheek.

Ziye puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. Tang Wen became even more entertained, pinching it once, then again.

Ziye’s face grayed a shade. Annoyed, she batted away his hand. "Why are you pinching me?"

Tang Wen said with a smile, "The first pinch is because you were too clumsy in the Revival Round."

Ziye's face paled further.

She had indeed been clumsy in the Revival Round; she had no defense for that. But how did he even know about it? It was utterly humiliating, broadcasted everywhere.

Tang Wen continued, "The second pinch is because you exposed me."

Ziye disagreed immediately, retorting, "I clearly wasn't talking about you; I said Blain!"

Tang Wen tapped her forehead. "Silly girl. How many people in the Pilot Training Base don't know the mecha owner of the Platinum Magnate? That’s the Platinum Magnate's signature move. Although what Blain revealed wasn't as shocking as you revealing me, everyone knows Blain and I are one entity, don't they?"

Fortunately, he had been quick-witted enough to make Blain erase the information immediately; otherwise, countless further troubles would have ensued.

Ziye instantly understood what he meant and pouted. "Fine, I was wrong."

Tang Wen pinched her cheek, finding the texture quite agreeable—supple yet firm, exquisitely delicate. He promptly pinched it one more time. "Admitting your mistake is the mark of a good child. Teacher will still like you very much."

Before Ziye could reply, Little Sprout slapped Tang Wen's face with its wing. "Tang the Devil, let go of my silly girl!"

Ziye: ...

Tang Wen curled his five fingers into a fist, catching Little Sprout to stop it from flailing wildly. With his other hand, he took hold of Ziye's wrist and started leading her toward the main hall. Ziye, holding Douzai in one hand, was nearly pulled over and dropped the creature when he tugged her.

Blain walked over and kindly took Douzai. "I'll hold him."

Once inside the hall, Tang Wen gestured for Ziye to sit on the sofa, then sat down right next to her, fixing her with an expression of utmost seriousness.

Ziye felt his demeanor was strange and tried to pull her hand back, but Tang Wen held it tightly; she couldn't break free.

She couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

Tang Wen remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking, "Ziye, I might not be at Kaga next semester."