Chapter 9: Owing a Favor

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That night, Lin Yiwei’s phone buzzed incessantly with messages and voice notes from Su Andi—

“Sis, where did you go? I’m so worried about you.”

“Tell me where you are?”

“Who did you leave with?”

“Please reply when you see this, I’m worried.”

“I know I was wrong, but I had no choice. Please forgive me just this once, okay?”

“I won’t disturb you anymore then, good night.”

“Sis, please reply to me.”

...

Lin Yiwei expressionlessly blocked her.

Su Andi had completely lost credibility in her eyes now; she didn’t want to deal with her anymore—even saying one more word felt like a waste.

Xie Bo’s bed was on the firmer side, but Lin Yiwei had grown used to sleeping on hard wooden beds at her aunt’s house, so this bed felt like a heavenly softness and comfort.

Lin Yiwei rarely slept soundly, especially after such a harrowing, dangerous experience today; she thought she would definitely be tossing and turning all night.

But surprisingly, she fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

The scent of freesia mixed with pine from Xie Bo’s body lingered in the blanket—cool, crisp, so much so that she could even smell it in her dreams.

She dreamed of him again.

She dreamed of that night’s scene, of the man’s eyes lingering with desire yet struggling to restrain himself.

At 6:30 sharp, the alarm clock rang, disrupting her beautiful yet chaotic dream.

Lin Yiwei sat up in bed, relaxed all over, stretching out a long, lazy yawn.

She had slept so comfortably.

Half awake, her toes touched the floor and stepped into a pair of men’s slippers much larger than her feet, and she suddenly remembered...

She was still in Xie Bo’s room.

Lin Yiwei quickly dressed, stepped out of the master bedroom, and saw the guest room door opposite slightly ajar, soft sunlight spilling out.

She was inexplicably drawn to push the door open, seeing Xie Bo lying prone on the bed in disarray, a thin blanket draped over his waist, his back muscles clearly defined—a broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted type.

A patch of light fell exactly on his face; his thick long eyelashes seemed to shimmer, and his skin was whiter than a girl’s.

Seeing him look so dazed in sleep, nothing like his domineering and unreasonable self when awake, Lin Yiwei’s heart softened.

Fearing to wake him, she quietly slipped out, tidied the room a little as repayment for his shelter last night.

She didn’t want to owe anyone favors, especially not him—Xie Bo.

...

When Xie Bo woke up, it was already 10 a.m., and she had long gone.

He had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, restless at the thought she was next door.

He felt an inexplicable physical longing for Lin Yiwei.

He went to the bathroom to relieve himself once before managing to calm down.

Stepping out, he immediately noticed the house had been tidied.

Xie Bo was fiercely territorial about his things—no one was allowed to touch them.

Yet this time, he didn’t really mind.

Biological instincts are strange—after that one encounter, he instinctively categorized that girl as within his territory; she could do anything inside, even use his personal belongings.

No one else was ever allowed.

Xie Bo strolled lazily back to the master bedroom, which had also been tidied; his shirt was folded neatly and placed in the middle of the bed.

He left the room but soon returned, casually picking up the shirt and deeply inhaling its scent.

Shamefully...

He went to the bathroom and spent a long time in the shower she had used.

“Damn.”

...

The girls’ dormitory bustled early in the morning; some walking while applying lipstick, others in pajamas carrying basins to fetch water in the common area.

Lin Yiwei stood by the dormitory door, overhearing Shen Zitong sneering—

“She spent the night outside, didn’t come back all night.”

“That kind of girl, who knows which old man’s bed she slept in.”

“That’s true, she’s definitely being kept; otherwise, how could she afford such high tuition and living expenses, dressing so shabby...”

Lin Yiwei lingered by the door for a moment before Chi Xiyu came out from the opposite side, smiling, “Weiwei, let’s go eat together.”

“Okay, I’ll go pack my bag, just two minutes.”

“Mhm.”

Lin Yiwei entered the dorm, and the girls’ chatter instantly ceased, replaced by meaningful stares as if she had grown three ears.

She silently packed her bag, and as she left, deliberately knocked over Shen Zitong’s makeup mirror, shattering it loudly on the floor; shards of glass scattered, venting the fury bottled up in her chest.

“Oh my God, Lin Yiwei, what are you doing!”

“Sorry, accident,” Lin Yiwei said calmly, with no trace of apology on her face.

“You... you better clean this up!”

Lin Yiwei shot Shen Zitong a cold glare. “Chi Xiyu is waiting for me.”

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“Chi Xiyu, what’s so great about her! I...”

Before she could finish, Chi Xiyu gently pushed the door open.

“Shen Zitong, what did you say?”

Seeing Chi Xiyu standing there, Shen Zitong instantly deflated like a plucked crow, no longer arrogant, only stunned, stammering, “Ah, I... said nothing.”

She still dared not confront Chi Xiyu directly and awkwardly apologized.

As Lin Yiwei left, Shen Zitong whispered to the girls next to her, “I told you she’s after rich men; now she’s hooked up with Chi Xiyu. Girls like her will always rely on others.”

Lin Yiwei pretended not to hear, smiling as she linked arms with Chi Xiyu and walked out of the dorm.

A tender, fragile vine can only lean on, rely on, endure disdain, clinging tightly to stronger power.

If one day she could become strong, so no one would dare bully her, and she could protect those she cared about.

Her brother dreamed of studying abroad at the Royal College of Art in London; now his dream was also hers—

Lin Yiwei would become a top artist, a celebrity, earn lots of money, and never again survive on others’ charity.

For this, she didn’t care about the disdain she faced now, nor what was said behind her back, nor even whether she was clean.

She cared about nothing.

...

Lin Yiwei successfully joined Chi Xiyu’s sisterhood.

The “sisters” around Chi Xiyu each played different roles: girls like Xu Qianxi, from slightly lesser backgrounds, with little backbone, but loyal cheerleaders, standing up for Chi Xiyu without hesitation when trouble arose;

Then there were some plain-looking girls who liked heavy, tacky makeup; compared to them, Chi Xiyu was as pure and fresh as a lotus flower, so they were just her supporting cast...

As for Lin Yiwei, she was the poorest in the group, but obedient; beneath her fragile, meek appearance was a stubborn grit not to let go.

Such a person was perfect for doing her bidding.

Sometimes, she even boosted Chi Xiyu’s sense of superiority—for example, after military training, when Chi Xiyu and her sisters discussed their makeup’s staying power.

Seeing Lin Yiwei’s rosy cheeks with no makeup, not even sunscreen, Chi Xiyu smiled, “Weiwei, why don’t you use sunscreen? Your skin’s so white, it’d be a shame to get tanned.”

Actually, Lin Yiwei deliberately didn’t wear makeup.

After a few days, she had already sized up Chi Xiyu’s character—she was absolutely the center of attention, never liking any of her girlfriends to outshine her.

So Lin Yiwei always faced Chi Xiyu bare-faced.

“I don’t have any makeup,” Lin Yiwei said with an innocent smile, “Makeup is kind of expensive; I can’t afford it.”

The girls clicked their tongues, commenting, “At least some foundation is necessary.”

“Yeah, you hang out with us, dress so plain and don’t wear makeup—it’s too out of place.”

“Brings down the grade.”

Chi Xiyu shot them a look. “Enough, Weiwei doesn’t have it easy; you can’t say that.”

Xu Qianxi chimed in, “Exactly, you guys are so rude. Xixi doesn’t care about background when making friends; who among us is higher class than her?”

The girls quickly agreed and fell silent.

Lin Yiwei had grown used to this scene.

Those who belittled her and those who defended her all followed a tacit script, performing a sisterly drama.

Chi Xiyu took out a half-full bottle of Bobbi Brown foundation and handed it to Lin Yiwei.

“Here, it’s for you.”

“No, no, no, it’s too expensive!”

“What’s expensive? I have so many bottles I can’t finish. Just take it.”

Lin Yiwei’s face lit up in surprise, carefully accepting the bottle.

“Xixi, you’re so kind. I’ve never used such a good brand before. Are you sure?”

Her expression management was perfect, which pleased Chi Xiyu, filling her with moral satisfaction.

“Of course, we’re sisters.”

“Then I won’t be polite.” Lin Yiwei eagerly opened the cap and poured some onto her face.

The girls giggled.

“Oh my God!”

“Lin Yiwei, that’s not how you use foundation!”

“You’re killing me with laughter.”

Chi Xiyu gently patted the foundation on Lin Yiwei’s face.

“You need to buy a sponge or puff to dab it bit by bit, or it’ll cake and look bad.”

“Oh, I didn’t know. I’ve never used it before.”

“No worries, I’ll teach you.”

Chi Xiyu especially enjoyed this condescending generosity and the moral satisfaction from such unequal friendships, even more so the feeling of nurturing...

At first, she had some defense and caution toward Lin Yiwei because of her beauty, but seeing how clumsy and naive she was, Chi Xiyu’s guard gradually lowered.

A country bumpkin like this would never match her own class.

With no hostility left, Chi Xiyu began opening up to her.

Lin Yiwei was well aware of this.

But it was still far from enough; she needed Chi Xiyu to trust her more, even to trust only her, sharing all her secrets.

Only then could she uncover the whole truth.

...

On the third day of military training, Xie Bo finally appeared.

Even across the entire synthetic track field, Lin Yiwei could feel the girls’ heightened excitement.

“So handsome!”

“Oh my God, what if I didn’t put on makeup today?”

“Don’t worry, he can’t see you.”

Lin Yiwei glanced at the distant field.

Amid the sea of green camouflage, Xie Bo was barely visible; she wondered what kind of clairvoyance those girls shouting “So handsome!” had.

From their chatter, she learned that Xie Bo was impressive.

He had entered Fig University as the top science student in Qinggang City; with such scores, he could have chosen any prestigious university nationwide but insisted on staying in Qinggang.

So not only Lin Yiwei but Xie Bo also had full scholarships.

In high school, he started a racing club, earned a fortune without his father’s help, managed several successful investments and small companies, showing exceptional business acumen.

Lin Yiwei wasn’t interested in any of this.

Only after military training ended, when Chi Xiyu and her friends went to buy milk tea at the cold drinks shop and headed straight to the basketball court, did Lin Yiwei finally see him.

He was playing basketball on the far edge of the court with a few young men; Lin Yiwei watched as he jumped to shoot.

Sunlight streamed through the skylight, illuminating his pale skin and muscular, extended arm.

After the ball swished through the hoop, a radiant smile, as if kissed by the sun, curved his lips.

Lin Yiwei no longer laughed at the girls shouting “So handsome!”

He truly was stunning enough to make one... want to sleep with him.

Lin Yiwei walked at the back of the girls.

She had been worried at first, but as so many watched Xie Bo play basketball, he wouldn’t notice her.

Each girl held a cup of milk tea, including Lin Yiwei; Chi Xiyu carried two cups, one matching hers, the other “Spring Peach,” was for Xie Bo.

As she approached, most girls politely made way for her.

As expected, among all the girls offering drinks, Xie Bo only accepted Chi Xiyu’s “Spring Peach.”

“Thanks.”

He smiled at her, eyes warm like melting spring water.

Chi Xiyu had said before that Xie Bo only ever showed such tender, deep smiles to her.

But Lin Yiwei thought he had smiled like that to many girls, having seen it more than once.

Flirtatious and reckless.

Terribly bad.

Xie Bo accepted the milk tea, reached out to stroke Chi Xiyu’s head, whispering something.

Chi Xiyu was dizzy, cheeks flushed pink, surrounded by a bubble of sweetness.

Half the girls swooned over this affectionate “head pat,” the other half rolled their eyes.

Lin Yiwei noticed that as Chi Xiyu turned away, Xie Bo handed that “Spring Peach” milk tea to a nearby buddy.

Lin Yiwei whispered to Xu Qianxi, “Xie Bo gave her milk tea to someone else.”

“That’s nothing,” Xu Qianxi shrugged, “See all those other girls? Xie Bo only took Xixi’s milk tea. Whether he drinks it or not doesn’t matter. Besides, he probably doesn’t like those sweet drinks anyway.”

“Then why not just give him water?”

Xu Qianxi gave her a tired look. “You’re dumb. Who says he likes what? Xixi must give him what she wants. If he accepts what he doesn’t like, that just shows Xixi’s uniqueness. Look at all the water the other girls gave him; he didn’t even glance at them.”

Lin Yiwei roughly understood—this was a kind of power play.

“Will they get married?” she asked Xu Qianxi, wanting to know more about Chi Xiyu.

“Of course. The marriage between the Xie and Chi families is an unspoken agreement between the elders. They’re still young, so it’s all behind closed doors, but everyone knows. Look how good he is to Xixi.”

“But he’s got many flings outside.”

“Doesn’t matter. He’ll only have one wife in the end—Xixi. Xie Bo is smart; he knows what benefits him most. Qinggang only has one Xie family, and one Chi family. What the Chi family can give him, no one else can.”

Lin Yiwei absorbed this. “So Xie Bo has to have Xixi.”

“Exactly. He treats her so well, and it’s not just pragmatism—they grew up together.”

Xu Qianxi got more excited and shared all the high-society gossip she knew—

“Did you know why his brothers are named Xie Jialin and Xie Jiahui, but he’s just Bo?”

“Why?”

Xu Qianxi leaned close, whispering, “His mother was a bar hostess who got his father drunk, that’s how he was born. It’s no secret in the circle. He had a tough childhood—bullied by brothers, ignored by father. Once, his brother’s dog nearly bit off his finger. Over the years, he’s walked very carefully to earn his father’s recognition.”

Lin Yiwei’s eyes widened in shock.

She had initially thought his coldness suited his name—Xie Bo means ‘thin’ or ‘cold.’

But now she saw it meant more—

Like walking on thin ice.

Chi Xiyu had arranged dinner with Xie Bo and was now back in the dorm showering, putting on makeup, and dressing up.

Lin Yiwei had some free time and planned to go to the library.

Passing the bathroom, she still had half her milk tea left and didn’t want to throw it away.

The milk tea was pricey, with a fancy name—“White Mist Spring Wine,” a subtle osmanthus scent mingled with the faint intoxication of rice wine.

Chi Xiyu and her friends spent lavishly, and Lin Yiwei often paid for herself when socializing with them.

These girls usually drank less than a third of their milk tea before tossing it to control sugar intake and diet while enjoying happiness.

Lin Yiwei could not afford such extravagance; she drank every drop of her twenty-plus-yuan milk tea.

She placed the milk tea on a corridor chair outside the bathroom, afraid the cleaning lady might take it, so she also put her backpack beside it.

Coming out, drying her hands, she turned and saw Xie Bo sitting on the corridor’s platform, her backpack slung over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at her.

He had her milk tea straw in his mouth—

“You’re something else. Slept with me, and now you’re friends with my fiancée.”