Su Hua's eyes were filled with undisguised possessiveness and an overwhelming love.
She found herself liking Lin Xuan more and more.
It made her want to hide him away, to keep him all to herself, where only she could see him.
But if she did that, she wouldn’t be able to see the vibrant, gentle side of him anymore. He would revert to how he used to be—arguing with her, picking fights, and every word he spoke, along with the look of disgust and resistance in his eyes, would pierce her heart painfully.
Lin Xuan sensed a dangerous aura and looked up, only to see Su Hua’s smiling eyes gazing at him, appearing harmless and gentle.
It must be his imagination.
"Su Hua, this is also something you love to eat," Lin Xuan said, picking up an abalone and feeding it to Su Hua.
Su Hua took a bite, looking every bit like a gentle and lovely wife.
Qin Ruoyao’s dormitory.
Qin Ruoyao was frantically writing a self-criticism essay. She had to finish three thousand words in three hours, so she had to work quickly.
Although Shangqing University was a private institution, it was also one of the top-ranked universities in the country. It could add prestige to her resume, and Shangqing University was filled with wealthy students.
She had worked so hard to get into Shangqing University, and she didn’t want to be expelled.
Li Siyu returned to the dormitory and asked curiously, "Qin Ruoyao, what are you writing?" She leaned over to take a look.
"A self-criticism essay?" Li Siyu exclaimed in surprise. "What for? What happened, Ruoyao?"
Qin Ruoyao’s voice was filled with grievance. "I ran into him in the restroom, and he was bragging about his novel. He said when he had money, he’d buy me things. So I asked him to buy me a bracelet, but the dean overheard us."
"The dean made me write a three-thousand-word self-criticism essay and read it out loud at the opening ceremony."
Qin Ruoyao bit her lip.
Lin Xuan, I didn’t want to push this onto you, but a girl’s reputation is too important. For boys, it doesn’t matter as much. Besides, this whole mess started because of you, so don’t blame me.
"Just for that, you have to write a self-criticism essay and read it in front of everyone?" Li Siyu’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"Yeah, there was a woman with the dean, and she probably took a disliking to me," Qin Ruoyao said, pursing her lips.
"Ruoyao, she must be jealous of your beauty and is deliberately making things difficult for you," Li Siyu said indignantly. "She’s just using her connection with the dean to suppress you. If this gets out, I wonder how the school will handle it!"
Beauty?
Qin Ruoyao tightened her grip on the pen. Even she had to admit that the woman was beautiful—far more beautiful than her. The woman had a commanding presence, and her looks and aura were beyond Qin Ruoyao’s reach. She was also wealthy.
The woman was probably targeting her because Lin Xuan liked her.
Lin Xuan’s affection for her was the only thing Qin Ruoyao had over that woman.
But…
Qin Ruoyao’s eyes dimmed. Did Lin Xuan still like her now?
It hurt so much. Lin Xuan had pursued her for so many years. Why couldn’t he just keep doing it? If he had, she wouldn’t have had to lower herself to reconcile with him, nor would she have to write this humiliating self-criticism essay.
Li Siyu couldn’t wait to compose a post and publish it on the forum.
[Princess Yuyu: This is so disgusting. Today, a woman who was with the dean took a disliking to Ruoyao’s beauty and had the dean find an excuse to punish her. She has to write a self-criticism essay and read it at the opening ceremony. Ruoyao is really being treated unfairly.]
Qin Ruoyao was the campus belle of Shangqing University, and many boys had a crush on her.
What? Someone dared to slander their goddess and make her write a self-criticism essay? How could they tolerate this?
Her followers rolled up their sleeves and furiously typed on their phones, ready to unleash their anger.
[What the hell? The school is being so authoritarian! Just because of a woman’s word, they’re punishing an innocent student? Making her read a self-criticism essay in front of the whole school is just humiliating her! This is a form of bullying!]
[Damn it! Shangqing University is supposed to be a prestigious institution, but they’re pulling this kind of shady move? Disgusting and shameful!]
[That woman must be the dean’s mistress!]
Li Siyu loved attention and drama. Seeing dozens of replies within seconds, she smiled with satisfaction and put her phone away.
"Ruoyao, don’t write that self-criticism essay. This afternoon, just take Lin Xuan with you to explain things to the dean. If the dean still insists on punishing you because of that woman, then we’ll expose this and damage the school’s reputation!" Li Siyu said passionately.
"But, Siyu, Lin Xuan won’t go and explain for me," Qin Ruoyao said, biting her lip in distress. "He doesn’t like me anymore. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have belittled and mocked me like he did today."
"Ruoyao, he’s just playing hard to get," Li Siyu said confidently.
"No, today I tried so hard to show him I cared, but he still ignored me. He really doesn’t like me anymore."
*Plop.* Qin Ruoyao’s tears fell again, filled with bitterness.
Why was fate so cruel to her? Just when she started to like Lin Xuan, he stopped liking her?
"Ruoyao, this is his clever strategy. If he’s playing hard to get, he won’t stop so quickly. Especially now that he’s tasted the benefits, he’ll keep going until you’re completely devoted to him, loving him to the point of obsession," Li Siyu explained with conviction.
"Really?" Qin Ruoyao’s red eyes were filled with hope.
"Of course it’s true," Li Siyu said firmly. "Ruoyao, Lin Xuan is that kind of simp. He wouldn’t just stop simping so easily. If he’s changed so quickly, the only explanation is that he’s pretending! I have to admit, he’s doing a good job of acting this time!"
Qin Ruoyao pursed her lips. "But if what you’re saying is true, and Lin Xuan is going to keep pretending, then why would he help me talk to the dean this afternoon?"
"Wait, let me think."
Li Siyu tapped her chin, deep in thought.
"Got it!" Li Siyu’s eyes lit up.
"What’s the plan?" Qin Ruoyao asked eagerly.
"Ruoyao, I’ll tell him you’re sick. Lin Xuan won’t be able to stay indifferent! He’ll definitely rush over to see you!"
"Then let’s do what you said," Qin Ruoyao said, picking up her phone to call Lin Xuan.
"It’ll be more convincing if I call him from your phone," Li Siyu said, taking Qin Ruoyao’s phone and dialing Lin Xuan’s number.
Meanwhile, Su Hua had just finished being fed by Lin Xuan when a call came in. Seeing the caller ID, Su Hua frowned.
"I’ll step out for a moment," Su Hua said, taking the phone and walking out.
Su Hua walked out of the villa into a small garden. She held the phone to her ear. "What is it? Speak!"
As she listened to the report on the other end, her expression grew colder and colder.
Finally, the person on the other end asked, "Master, how should we deal with these people?"
Su Hua’s red lips parted slightly. "Kill them all. Feed them to Black Tiger and the other beasts."
The person on the other end paused for a moment before responding respectfully, "Understood."