The Chen Family's Second Lady?

A heavy hum came from the podium. Rin hurriedly straightened up and tried to focus on the blackboard, but the tips of her ears were still red enough to bleed. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't suppress the chaotic images and thoughts filling her mind. She pressed her lips together and forced herself to stare at the mathematical formulas, sitting obediently.

"Phew~ What did Marin mean, anyway?"

Tokyo Musashi University, Department of Economics.

Shinomiya Kaguya sat in the last row of the tiered lecture hall, gripping her fountain pen so tightly it seemed about to snap. Her eyes were fixed on the messy writing in her notebook, yet she couldn't take in a single word.

"Damn it... damn it..."

The scene from that morning kept replaying in her mind—Tohsaka Rin, that shameless woman, had actually thrown herself into Chen Tian's arms without a care in front of everyone!

That posture had practically looked like she was declaring her ownership!

"Kitagawa Marin hasn't been dealt with yet... and there are still other girls watching hungrily... Why? Why is there another rival!"

Kaguya's fingertips trembled slightly, and her fountain pen carved a deep mark across the paper.

It was as if a shadow had enveloped her. If this had been an anime, everyone around her would surely have seen the black aura writhing constantly, like resentment given physical form.

At the podium, the professor was explaining macroeconomic models in a steady, monotonous voice.

But Kaguya couldn't hear a word. Her mind contained nothing but Chen Tian's face—the way he smiled at Tohsaka Rin, the way he gently stroked her head, and the way he had shone brilliantly onstage...

"I was clearly first..."

Her lips moved soundlessly, and her fingernails dug deeply into her palm.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated.

The glow of the screen roused Kaguya, and the nearly tangible black aura slowly dissipated.

She blinked, her long lashes trembling lightly.

In the space of a single breath, the dangerous figure shrouded in darkness vanished, replaced by the elegant and dignified Young Miss of the Shinomiya Family.

Kaguya calmly returned the fountain pen to its case, moving so smoothly that it was hard to believe the person who had nearly snapped it moments ago had been her.

She turned slightly, using her textbook to block the professor's view, and slid her slender finger across the phone's lock screen.

[Yukinoshita Yukino: Has the date for the picnic Chen Tianjun mentioned last time been decided?]

At the sight of that name, Kaguya's pupils contracted slightly.

A trace of cold light veiled the complicated emotions swirling in her eyes.

"Yukinoshita..." she mouthed silently, the corners of her lips curving into a thoughtful smile.

The faint glow of the phone illuminated her exquisite face. Kaguya's gaze lingered on the three characters "Chen Tian Jun" for a moment. Her thumb gently rubbed the edge of the phone as countless possibilities flashed through her mind.

"Tohsaka Rin is Kitagawa's cousin? Heh, a helper?" A sly glint flashed through Kaguya's eyes. "Then I can't afford to fall behind her."

She suddenly let out a soft laugh, so quiet that only she could hear it. "Yukinoshita... perhaps she could be a very good helper."

Her slender fingers danced lightly across the screen. Kaguya's expression returned to its usual composure, even taking on the sweet smile unique to a Young Miss. But anyone observing carefully would have noticed the calculating gleam in her eyes.

[Shinomiya Kaguya: I've been busy with school matters lately, and Tianjun has been busy with the concert, so I haven't contacted him yet. So, classmate Yukinoshita, why don't you ask Tianjun directly?]

After sending it, Kaguya looked at her carefully crafted reply with satisfaction. Her tone was friendly yet not overly familiar. It showed her close relationship with Chen Tian while cleverly pushing Yukino into taking the initiative to contact him.

"This way..." She gently closed her phone, picked up her fountain pen again, and drew a perfect heart in her notebook. "I can try to bring Yukinoshita over to my side."

The professor's voice remained as monotonous as ever.

But Kaguya had completely returned to her usual elegant demeanor. She was even in such a good mood that she began drawing decorative patterns along the edges of her notes.

Only the slightly raised corners of her lips betrayed her smugness.

"The game has only just begun..." she murmured inwardly, her eyes shining with dangerous charm.

Yukino Yukinoshita looked at Kaguya's reply, then swept her cool gaze toward the elegant figure in the row ahead.

"Didn't contact him?" Her fingertip tapped unconsciously against the edge of her phone. "Chen Tian's leave slip this morning was personally delivered to the teacher by you."

The corners of Yukino's lips lifted into the faintest curve.

Her fingers moved rapidly across the screen as she replied directly to Kaguya:

[Yukinoshita Yukino: Oh, then forget it.]

After sending the message, she turned her phone face down on the desk and didn't look at it again.

Her gaze returned to Kaguya in the row ahead. At the exact moment Yukino's message was delivered, Kaguya's hand holding the pen paused for an incredibly brief fraction of a second, leaving a tiny ink dot on the page.

Then she continued writing smoothly, her posture flawless. She remained the perfect Young Miss of the Shinomiya Family.

Watching Kaguya's utterly normal reaction, Yukino lightly tapped her temple with the fingers of the hand supporting her cheek. The curve at the corner of her cool little face deepened slightly.

She took out her phone again, unlocked the screen, and opened that familiar number, skipping all pleasantries:

[Yukinoshita Yukino: Chen Tian, feed the cat. You've already stood me up once, so today at three in the afternoon, same place.]

After tapping send, she slipped her phone neatly back into her bag. She resumed resting her cheek on one hand, her cool gaze fixed on Kaguya's back as she silently thought:

Trying to use me as a weapon? Young Miss Shinomiya, your calculations aren't loud enough yet. I won't become a tool for you to deal with others.

Sunlight streamed through the car window onto the passenger seat. Kitagawa Marin curled up in the seat like a lazy cat. Her flushed cheek rested against the leather, and her hair still held a trace of dampness from sweat.

"Do... do we still have to go buy a car?" she asked weakly, her fingers unconsciously clutching the corner of Chen Tian's clothes.

Chen Tian bent over and fastened her seat belt for her. At her words, he let out a soft laugh.

His lips lightly brushed the girl's feverish forehead, while the scent of shampoo lingered beneath his nose.

"No," he said, brushing aside the hair clinging to her neck. "I'll take you home to rest first."

The vibration of the engine starting made Marin frown slightly.

"But..." she protested feebly. "We agreed to choose a new car..."

"Compared with a car..." Chen Tian turned the steering wheel and drove out of the parking lot. His smiling eyes were reflected in the rearview mirror. "Some stubborn little thing needs maintenance more."

Kitagawa immediately buried her face in her coat. The bold "product performance tests" from that morning flashed through her mind, turning the tips of her ears nearly transparent with redness.

As the car rocked gently, she felt Chen Tian's fingers run through her hair and massage her scalp tenderly.

"Get some sleep." His voice was like a honey-soaked feather. "I'll wake you when we get to your place."

Kitagawa nodded drowsily, but just as she was about to fall asleep, she suddenly grabbed his wrist. "Wait... didn't you have an appointment?"

Chen Tian's fingers paused.

"I'm going to feed the cat at the Yukinoshita family's place." His tone remained casual. "I promised last time."

"Oh..." Kitagawa's voice gradually faded, her eyelashes trembling lightly like the wings of a resting butterfly.

At the final moment before falling asleep, she mumbled indistinctly, "Then... we'll test-drive a car together next time..."

Chen Tian gazed at her sleeping profile, the smile at the corners of his lips growing gentler.

He lightly pressed down on the accelerator and drove toward the little house.

Second Madam of the Chen Family?

Chen Tian gently carried the sleeping Kitagawa into the room, settled her on the bed, and tucked the covers around her.

After placing a gentle kiss on her smooth forehead, he quietly left the room and started the car again.

His destination wasn't Yukino's home, but a secluded corner of a landscaped area near her house.

Yukino's family situation was special. Her mother was extremely domineering and demanded strict obedience from her two daughters. Keeping cats or dogs was absolutely forbidden. That was why Yukino had been forced to rent a small house outside on her own.

For various reasons, Big Orange had remained free-roaming in the area.

As soon as the car stopped, Chen Tian saw his target. The usually cool Yukino Yukinoshita was currently crouching on the ground.

Sunlight cast a warm glow over her. Holding cat food in her hand, she wore a rare, pure, gentle smile as she concentrated on feeding the plump orange cat in front of her. The cat was eating heartily, its tail swaying contentedly.

Chen Tian lightened his footsteps as he approached. Yukino was completely immersed in the joy of petting a cat, her fingers gently combing through Big Orange's thick fur.

"Tsk, tsk." Chen Tian suddenly reached out, grabbed Big Orange by the scruff, and effortlessly lifted it off the ground. "As the saying goes, Big Orange comes first, classmate Yukino."

"Meow!" Big Orange shrieked in fright at suddenly being lifted into the air, its four chubby legs kicking helplessly.

Yukino was startled. She abruptly looked up and instinctively spread her arms, trying to snatch the cat back. "Put him down!"

Chen Tian didn't release him. Instead, he lifted the heavy orange cat a little higher and shook him teasingly. "It's just a stray cat, yet you've fed him until he's this round. That's not a good thing."

Looking at Yukino's cheeks, faintly reddened with anxiety, Chen Tian thought she looked much better than when she wore her usual icy expression.

Yukino missed when she lunged for the cat. She glared at Chen Tian, that earlier gentleness disappearing without a trace as her cool tone returned. "What's it to you? Put him down!"

Big Orange recognized the man holding him by the scruff. His little eyes narrowed, revealing an expression that seemed to say, You again, two-legged creature? He simply stopped struggling, looking as though he were arrogantly demanding, Put His Majesty down already.

Chen Tian laughed and set Big Orange on the ground, then crouched down like Yukino.

The moment Big Orange landed, he turned around, presenting his fat rear to Chen Tian, and continued burying his head in the cat food. His tail even flicked smugly.

"Pfft." Yukino couldn't help laughing.

Chen Tian lightly bumped her shoulder. "The way you feed him, you might as well take him home."

The bump made Yukino sway. She rolled her eyes at him. "Unlike a big star, I don't have a house of my own. My landlord expressly forbids pets in my little apartment."

Chen Tian reached out and touched Big Orange's raised tail. "Then aren't you afraid your mother will find out you're feeding him here? It's so close to your house."

Yukino's expression instantly turned cold. She gently stroked Big Orange's head and said indifferently, "She won't come to a place like this."

Big Orange seemed to sense the change in the atmosphere. He rubbed against Yukino's palm and began purring.

Chen Tian noticed Yukino's dejected mood and suddenly extended his hand before her, palm up and fingers spread.

Yukino looked up at him in confusion. When she met his smiling eyes, her little face reddened. "Scumbag." Even so, she gently placed her hand in his.

Chen Tian smiled and clasped her slightly cool little hand. "A secret relationship can't last forever."

"Who can blame me for being one step too slow..." Yukino sighed, her tone turning resentful. "Kitagawa confessed first! And the key is that you, you scumbag, even agreed!"

Chen Tian naturally put an arm around her shoulders. "Yes, yes, I'm a scumbag. I only wanted to become your support."

"Excuse." Yukino pouted. "A scumbag is a scumbag."

The two fell into a brief silence. Sunlight streamed through the gaps between the leaves and scattered across the ground. Big Orange had eaten his fill and was contentedly licking his paws.

Chen Tian suddenly spoke. "Yukino, you and Kitagawa will both be mine."

Yukino whipped her head around, her brows tightly furrowed. "Do you know what you're saying?" Her voice carried suppressed anger.

Chen Tian nodded calmly. "I know."

"And you still say something like that?!" Yukino flung Chen Tian's hand away and stood up. Big Orange was startled and raised his ears warily.

Chen Tian rose with her, both hands in his pockets. "Because I won't give up on either of you."

Yukino's chest rose and fell violently, leaving her too angry for words. Chen Tian suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms.

"Let go!" Yukino struggled fiercely, pounding her fists against his chest. Chen Tian didn't move an inch. Instead, he tightened his arms.

"You... scumbag..." Yukino's voice was muffled against his chest, her struggles gradually weakening.

Chen Tian lowered his head and rested his chin against the crown of her head. "I know I'm greedy." His voice was soft. "But whenever I see either of you upset, it hurts me."

Yukino's fists slowly loosened, clutching his clothes and wrinkling them. Big Orange tilted his head at them and meowed.

"My family won't agree." Yukino's voice was muffled against his chest. "The judgment of society will drown us."

Chen Tian lowered his head, his voice very soft. "No. Your family will agree, and society won't see us."

He paused. "You've seen my abilities. You know I'm not an ordinary person to begin with. Even if I have both of you, there will be people who can help us argue our case."

Yukino was silent for several seconds before suddenly speaking. "No. I won't agree."

Chen Tian chuckled and rubbed his chin against the top of her head. "You've already agreed."

Yukino abruptly raised her head and glared at him aggrievedly. "When did I agree?"

"Right after Marin confessed." Chen Tian lowered his head and quickly kissed her smooth forehead. "When you insisted on keeping our relationship secret."

Yukino was instantly rendered speechless, her cheeks blazing red. She really had thought that way, but being exposed to her face was an entirely different matter.

"Scumbag!" she snarled in embarrassment, burying her burning face back into Chen Tian's chest and punching him once in frustration.

Her muffled voice came from his arms. "It's all your fault..."

Chen Tian laughed and tightened his arms around her. At their feet, Big Orange let out a huge yawn, his tail lazily sweeping across Yukino's calf.

Chen Tian gently wound a strand of her hair around his finger. "Do you want to move in and live with us?"