Chapter 87.1 – Extra: Sweet Youth (Part 4)

— STATUS: Unedited —

　　Sheng Wanwan found herself in a prolonged state of shock, trying to make sense of a dream so vivid that she doubted whether it was a mere figment of her imagination.

　　However… If one were to ask her to immediately believe in the fact that the world she had lived in for over twenty years was indeed a comic, it would be difficult for her to accept it in such a short time.

　　Wiping the cold sweat on Sheng Wanwan’s forehead, a sense of helplessness welled up in her heart.

　　She picked up her phone and instinctively wanted to tell her boyfriend about this. Yet, she could not help but hesitate when she started the conversation.

　　Although Ji Tingzhou was good to her, and they got along harmoniously as they transitioned from the puppy love stage to something deeper, would he believe her if she were to bring up such a bizarre situation? Would he suspect that there was something wrong with her mind?

　　After much deliberation, Sheng Wanwan left her chat with Ji Tingzhou and entered the one with Jiang Dai instead.

Are you free tomorrow, Sister Dai? I have something to tell you, and it’s pretty important. So, we need to meet up and talk about it.

　　Since it was still at the crack of dawn, chances were high that Jiang Dai was probably still asleep. That was why there was no response yet.

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　　Moreover, Sister Dai and President Huo were a perfect match. Despite their divorce, Sheng Wanwan had always felt that…… among all of Sister Dai’s suitors, President Huo was the most suitable one for her.

　　She could not quite pinpoint precisely what made them compatible, but it was just one of those mysterious things that women seemed to be able to understand instinctively.

　　As long as Sister Dai and President Huo were together, they would appear inexplicably sweet even if Sister Dai were to argue with him.

　　This was something Sheng Wanwan perceived as a bystander.

　　Yet, she was…… the female lead who had this sort of relationship with President Huo in the storyline she had just gotten to know of?!?!?

　　For a brief moment, Sheng Wanwan let her subconscious run wild with this intriguing scenario, but just as quickly as the thought arose, she halted it after a mere two seconds.

　　It was far too awkward…… She simply could not bring herself to envision any romantic scenes of herself with President Huo. No matter how she looked at it, it just did not seem appropriate. If it were truly depicted in a comic, the sales would likely be abysmal.

　　To distract herself, she sent a couple of random messages to her boyfriend.

　　In any case, she genuinely liked Ji Tingzhou.

　　While he might not match President Huo’s overall appeal, if both of them were to stand before her at the same time, Little Ji would still capture all her attention. Although he might not be the most exceptional, he was a radiant and handsome figure in her eyes.

　　As for President Huo, he was out of her league, and she could never have feelings for someone like him. After all, he was only meant for equally exceptional women like Sister Dai.

*****

　　On the night Sheng Wanwan gained knowledge of the storyline, Huo Rongshen and Jiang Dai found themselves in a dream escapade of their own.

　　It was a continuation of their previous dream, bringing them back to the moment when Jiang Dai openly flirted with Huo Rongshen in front of everyone on the basketball court.

　　In a split second, the entire school went into an uproar.

　　Jaws dropped at the revelation that Jiang Dai harbored feelings for Huo Rongshen! And the boldness with which she expressed her feelings, offering him a soda and a towel, defied every expectation of Jiang Dai’s established character.

　　The girls in the school buzzed with a myriad of opinions — whispers of curiosity and gossip wafted through the air, while subtle undercurrents of jealousy coursed through those eagerly anticipating Huo Rongshen’s rejection.

　　Despite Jiang Dai’s undeniable beauty and the admiration of many boys, the transfer student exuded an aloof and unapproachable demeanor, carrying a restrained nobility that set him apart in the bustling halls of Yanjing First High School.

　　No one dared to approach him recklessly, not to mention a delinquent dunce like Jiang Dai.

　　The whole school was buzzing with the unanimous opinion that Jiang Dai was not the right match for Huo Rongshen.

　　As for the boys, most of them regarded Jiang Dai’s bad reputation as something minor. After all, what was wrong with a beautiful girl enjoying a little mischief? She had the charisma to get away with it.

　　On the other hand, many came to envy Huo Rongshen, as they claimed he was incredibly lucky when it came to matters of the heart.

　　Despite her notorious reputation, Jiang Dai was still the campus belle. No girl in the entire school dared to challenge her in the beauty department.

　　Sure, Jiang Dai was in good relations with several boys, but she had never actively pursued anyone. She was like a Sea Empress who only raised fish and rarely took the bait.

　　However, things took a different turn this time. The one who usually raised fish became a fish herself and allowed herself to be enticed by Huo Rongshen.

　　He held the power to swallow her whole with just a slight opening of his mouth, so how could anyone not be upset about this unexpected twist?

……

　　Despite his recent transfer to the school and cold demeanor, he joined the basketball team. Although he was taciturn, he was still very popular within the team.

　　Since basketball was all about skills, Huo Rongshen played it well and earned himself a fan club. Soon, loads of girls were seen forming lines to deliver everything from drinks to snacks, all to bask in the basketball team’s glow. The team, in turn, embraced Huo Rongshen like a long-lost brother.

　　Now, these sporty guys were mostly a playful bunch. Being the bunch of energetic youths they were, their guy talk was as candid as it got. With a twinkle in their eyes, they could not resist asking Huo Rongshen their burning questions.

　　“Spill it, Brother Huo! How far have you gotten with our campus belle, Jiang Dai?”
　　“You’re really something else, aren’t you? I didn’t think you’d be so experienced! You must have had loads of girlfriends before, haven’t you? So, how do they compare to Jiang Dai?”

　　“I’m curious too. Is Jiang Dai really…… a love neophyte?”
　　“I’m dying to know too! Some folks claim she’s had more boyfriends than you can count, while others swear she just toys with naive guys and doesn’t get involved easily.”

　　“Well, isn’t that normal? She’s so attractive, and her family is wealthy too. I heard that her father is a nouveau riche, so she can afford to be selective when choosing her partners. Like Liang Jingche, for example…… He might have a chance with her, but it’s hard to say for others.”

　　Initially, Huo Rongshen maintained his poker face, unfazed by the chitchat. But as the questions persisted, Huo Rongshen’s brows furrowed, and his aura turned exceptionally cold. It felt as though he could freeze people in their tracks, even from a distance……

　　The boys, with a bit more emotional intelligence, sensed that something was amiss and quickly nudged the person next to them with their elbows a couple of times. “Shh, don’t talk nonsense. Jiang Dai is currently pursuing Brother Huo. Who knows, she might just become his girlfriend in the future, so it’s not right to gossip about someone’s girlfriend in front of them. Plus, these are just baseless rumors. No one has actually seen the campus belle being in a relationship with someone.”

　　The boys exchanged glances and lapsed into silence.

　　After a while, they forced a smile and explained, “Yeah, that’s right! They’re all rumors, so don’t be mad, Brother Huo. We didn’t mean any harm.”

　　“Alright, let’s stop talking about it and head back. We have the monthly exams next week, so it’s better to get back early.”

……

　　Jiang Dai had always been the subject of all gossip, so she had long since grown accustomed to them and never let them ruffle her feathers.

　　From her perspective, she was convinced that the seemingly unshakable Huo Rongshen would not last a week amidst the swirling storm of hearsay. Before long, he would surely approach the teacher and request a change of seat.

　　At the bustling school cafeteria, Jiang Dai savored every crispy bite of her fried chicken with her two best friends.

　　Puzzled, Bai Zhi questioned, “You know, this Student Huo’s self-discipline is on another level. Even with Sea Empress Dai’s full arsenal, he won’t even budge…… Why don’t you admit defeat, Daidai? I think you can outlast him.”

　　Jiang Dai refuted, “…… Oh please, don’t jump to conclusions. Just watch. I bet he won’t last a week, mark my words!”

　　Zhao Chuyi sat in silence, her head bowed as she absentmindedly nibbled on a piece of fried chicken. After a moment, she spoke with a soft voice tinged with hesitation, “Something just doesn’t sit right with me, Daidai.”

　　Jiang Dai raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

　　Zhao Chuyi mustered her courage and stated, “Student Huo is actually a nice person, and the seating arrangement is assigned by the teacher, so it’s inappropriate to…… bully a new student like this.”

　　Jiang Dai responded noncommittally, “He’s the one who provoked me first!”