Chapter 66: The Canary’s Self-Cultivation (31)

The class seemed to drag on endlessly. After scrolling through her phone for a while, Ling Qiong grew bored and began rummaging through the things Shen Hanlan had brought with him.

The students around her all looked on with undisguised admiration. Shen Hanlan was notorious for hating it when others touched his belongings—he would glare even if someone brushed against them by accident. Yet she was turning his things upside down without a care in the world. With such boldness, their relationship was clearly no longer in doubt.

Ling Qiong pulled out a sheet of paper, then took the pen right from Shen Hanlan’s hand.

Shen Hanlan: “…”

Everyone nearby braced themselves, sure that Shen Hanlan was about to lose his temper. But he only glanced at her for several seconds before calmly organizing the mess she’d made. His composure was so out of character it made people question whether he was really the same Shen Hanlan they knew.

Ling Qiong scribbled something down and placed the paper and pen in front of him.

[Did Zhou Jing and Pan Xiuliang have a falling out?]

Shen Hanlan stared at her handwriting. It wasn’t exactly messy, but neither was it neat and delicate like a girl’s—it had a bold, unruly flair, much like her.

Passing notes in class was something Shen Hanlan hadn’t done since kindergarten. He casually wrote a single character in reply.

[Yes.]

[Was it because of you?]

[Yes.]

[You’re really good-looking.]

[…]

Shen Hanlan couldn’t fathom how, after asking about Zhou Jing and Pan Xiuliang, the conversation had so abruptly turned to compliments about himself.

He pushed the paper away and turned his attention back to the lesson.

Ling Qiong, undeterred, doodled on the paper for a while, drawing a heart that seemed to leap off the page.

“…"

Shen Hanlan took a deep breath and forced himself to ignore her.

When Shen Hanlan refused to play along, Ling Qiong soon lost interest and laid her head back down.

…

“Let’s go.” Shen Hanlan flicked Ling Qiong’s forehead, his tone rather fierce.

Ling Qiong groggily lifted her head, taking a while to open her eyes. By then, the classroom was empty. Shen Hanlan stood nearby, casting a cold, intimidating glance her way.

“You came to keep me company in class, and this is what you call company?”

“Then can I keep you company while you sleep?” Ling Qiong hugged the jacket she’d been using as a pillow and got to her feet slowly.

Shen Hanlan blocked the exit, his voice dangerous. “Do you even know what you’re saying?”

…So what if I do? If I don’t get lucky in the draw, you’re just a flower in a vase—nice to look at but untouchable. Am I not allowed to be a little cheeky?

Ling Qiong showed not the slightest hint of fear, repeating obediently, “Then can I keep you company while you sleep?”

Shen Hanlan: “…”

Shen Hanlan: “Don’t you have any sense of modesty as a girl?”

“I’m just the young master’s pet, what do I need modesty for?” Ling Qiong tilted her head, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. “With the young master, I don’t need to be reserved.”

Shen Hanlan: “…”

…

Ling Qiong emerged from the classroom hugging Shen Hanlan’s jacket, half her face hidden behind the fabric. Shen Hanlan followed behind, carrying a few books.

“Was I wrong?” she asked.

Though she had no idea what she’d done wrong, Ling Qiong was quick to admit fault. “I was wrong.”

After all, she had to keep her little cub happy—placating him cost her nothing. Besides, admitting fault didn’t necessarily mean she truly thought she was wrong.

Shen Hanlan: “Will you dare to talk nonsense again next time?”

Ling Qiong’s eyes darted as she seemed to recall the earlier exchange. After a moment, she nodded, a sly smile tugging at her lips. “Of course I will.”

Shen Hanlan: “…”

So it was his mistake, then. She had no concept of modesty or embarrassment at all. She looked so soft and gentle, so docile and obedient, but it was all an act. Soft? Gentle? She was a master of deception.

Shen Hanlan walked away with a cold expression.

“Wait for me…” Ling Qiong hurried after him and slipped her arm through his. Shen Hanlan shot her an icy glare, but she only smiled sweetly and refused to let go.

“Ye Qingtang, do I owe you something?”

Ling Qiong muttered under her breath, “Of course not…” Is all the money I spent for nothing?

[ … ] Darling, does your conscience not ache when you say that? Wasn’t the money you spent tricked out of him in the first place?

Shen Hanlan: “What did you say?”

Ling Qiong: “The young master is so handsome.”

Shen Hanlan let out a cold laugh but didn’t shake her off.

…

With Shen Hanlan stirring the pot between Zhou Jing and Pan Xiuliang, their misunderstanding only deepened. Pan Xiuliang was no saint—when pushed, he spilled everything. Over the years, he hadn’t just had secret meetings with Zhou Jing; he’d helped her with plenty of unsavory deeds. While not necessarily illegal, they were enough to tarnish her reputation or call her morals into question.

With Zhou Jing’s reputation taking a hit, her company naturally suffered as well. Shen Hanlan seized the opportunity to win over the company’s people, strengthening his position and gaining more loyal followers. By the time Zhou Jing realized what was happening, Shen Hanlan had already familiarized himself with the company’s inner workings.

Watching everything she’d built slip away piece by piece, Zhou Jing’s temper grew ever shorter, and she made several critical mistakes. The more errors she made, the more opportunities Shen Hanlan found. The chaos with Pan Xiuliang only escalated, and Shen Hanlan pressed his advantage relentlessly. In a short span, Zhou Jing’s hair at her temples turned white.

As she reflected on recent events, Zhou Jing realized that the biggest beneficiary was Shen Hanlan.

And as for Shen Hanlan…

…

Zhou Jing wanted to meet with Pan Xiuliang, certain they’d both been outmaneuvered by Shen Hanlan. But Pan Xiuliang wouldn’t answer her calls or reply to messages. Only one cold, mocking text sat on her screen:

[If you don’t prepare what I want, I’ll expose that incident. Zhou Jing, don’t blame me for disregarding our years together—you forced me into this.]

“Ah!” Zhou Jing flung a pile of things to the floor in fury, cursing, “That idiot Pan Xiuliang…”

After a while, her expression twisted, and she spat out a few venomous words through gritted teeth, “You brought this on yourself.”

…

Pan Xiuliang had no idea where he was. Last night, someone had suddenly struck him on the head, and when he woke up, he found himself here. The room was dim and reeked of mildew and hunger.

“Is anyone there?!”

“Help! Somebody help!”

His throat grew raw from shouting, but no one appeared.

“Help… Help! Anyone?!”

Before long, his voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper. Hungry and thirsty, he lacked the strength to cry out any longer.

He had no idea how much time had passed when he finally heard the door open. He jolted awake, staring toward the entrance. A figure stood in the doorway—judging by the outline, it was a girl.

Pan Xiuliang’s voice was wary, “Who are you? Why did you kidnap me?”

The figure stepped into the light, and Pan Xiuliang could see her more clearly.

“Ye Qingtang?” He’d seen her photo before—Zhou Jing had shown him.

The girl arched an eyebrow. “You know me?”

Pan Xiuliang’s anger flared. “Why did you bring me here?!”

Ling Qiong wore an innocent, “this has nothing to do with me” expression. “I actually saved you.”

Pan Xiuliang: “What?”

Saved him? Locked up in here—this was saving him? Was she joking?

Ling Qiong sighed, sounding quite melancholic. “It took a lot of effort to find you, you know.”

Pan Xiuliang: “…”

She looked so innocent it almost made him want to believe her.

“You weren’t the one who knocked me out?”

“Of course not. Why would I do that?”

“Then who was?”

“That I don’t know,” Ling Qiong replied sincerely. “But I did tie up the culprit outside for you. Once I’m done questioning you, you can go ask him yourself.”

—Mini Theater—

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