Lin Yilin had barely touched him before she blushed and hurriedly pulled her hand back. She didn't even dare look Jiang Linyuan in the eye.
She touched him, then acted like nothing happened. What a heartless woman!
She'd said she was checking his heartbeat, but all she'd done was rest her hand on his chest.
Compared to Su Muzhi's Dragon Claw Hand, it was like comparing a king to a beggar.
Jiang Linyuan decided to give her some time alone and went to check out the circus.
He hadn't gone far when he heard Yu Songsong and Zhao Tongyu arguing.
"If you keep this up, I can't work with you."
Yu Songsong impatiently tossed down the script and frowned at Zhao Tongyu.
Zhao Tongyu took a deep breath and forced a smile.
"If you think I'm doing something wrong, I can fix it. We still have plenty of time to prepare, don't we?"
Yu Songsong pointed at the script without the slightest courtesy.
"You either can't keep up with your lines here, or you get them wrong. How am I supposed to work with you?"
Zhao Tongyu bit his lip and said, "Didn't you say you'd say those lines?"
"But I can't remember them. Shouldn't you, as my partner, step in and help?"
Yu Songsong replied.
Zhao Tongyu froze for a moment, then gave an awkward smile.
"Right. That's my fault. I'll memorize them now."
Student Zhao, did you wander over from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set?
If you showed Yu Songsong even half the backbone you showed me, I'd tell Batman to go easy on you the next time you returned to Gotham.
Yu Songsong could only roll her eyes.
She'd been deliberately picking on him, hoping to make Zhao Tongyu back down and let someone else partner with her.
She hadn't expected him to be this spineless.
Her impression of him had gotten even worse.
Unable to take it anymore, Yu Songsong bluntly said, "I don't want to work with you. Can't you just withdraw on your own?"
Zhao Tongyu's breath caught.
It hurt! It hurt so much!
But then he thought that if he went along with what Yu Songsong wanted, he might improve her opinion of him a little.
He looked at Yu Songsong with what he hoped was a tender expression.
"If that's what you want, I can do it. It's just..."
"Really? Then go tell the Department Head to find someone else."
Yu Songsong said, clearly delighted.
Seeing how quickly and happily she agreed, Zhao Tongyu felt both sad and glad.
He was sad because Yu Songsong really wanted him gone.
He was glad because she'd be happy once he left.
At the end of the clown's road, who could stand above them all? One glance at Tongyu, and the path to enlightenment vanished.
Zhao Tongyu gave Yu Songsong one last lingering look.
"Then I'll go tell the Department Head."
"Mm-hmm!"
Yu Songsong nodded perfunctorily.
Finally, she'd gotten rid of that guy.
Jiang Linyuan had enjoyed the free circus show and came over, grinning.
"Did things work out the way you wanted, junior?"
"Oh, Senior Jiang!"
Yu Songsong's eyes lit up when she saw him. Then she spoke with feigned concern.
"I'm just worried the next person might be even worse."
As she spoke, she gave Jiang Linyuan a pointed sidelong glance.
It was obvious she wanted to partner with him.
"Haha, that won't happen."
Jiang Linyuan laughed heartily.
He'd already confirmed that she wasn't an alchemist. What was there to worry about?
Thanks to Junior Zhao for this opportunity.
This round, you're the MVP, and I'm the lucky dog who gets carried to victory!
Student Zhao quickly gave up on hosting with a male partner, and Zhang Shuo asked again.
No one answered.
"Then you can do it, right?"
Left with no choice, Zhang Shuo turned to Jiang Linyuan.
I've said everything there is to say, so you might as well say nothing.
Jiang Linyuan nodded, quite pleased. His B-rank card reward was within reach.
Yu Songsong was pleased too, smiling so brightly that her whole figure seemed to ripple.
Student Zhao stood frozen, staring blankly at the scene before him.
His heart was torn, and yet he felt a strange new sensation.
Damn, I've been cuckolded! Cuckolded!
Jiang Linyuan cheerfully went with Yu Songsong to a corner to go over the script. Student Zhao watched, his feelings in turmoil.
It wasn't that I couldn't compete with him. I just didn't want to.
With things as they were, he could only console himself that way to feel a little better.
Jiang Linyuan and Yu Songsong started going over the script.
Then he understood: partnering with Yu Songsong wasn't easy.
Forgetting and changing lines were basic. The most outrageous thing was stealing each other's lines.
Fortunately, Jiang Linyuan had plenty of experience, so it wasn't hard for him to handle.
Anyone else, faced with Yu Songsong's domineering personality, would've been completely steamrolled.
"Senior, we have such great chemistry!"
After they finished going through the script once, Yu Songsong exclaimed in surprise, then smiled sweetly.
"Maybe we're just in sync!"
In sync, my ass. Did you even try to go over the script properly? And you're calling this being in sync?
Even Bi Gan would've put more heart into it than you!
Jiang Linyuan smiled and nodded. He was about to speak when his phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at it. Oh, his little sister was calling.
"I'm taking this."
Jiang Linyuan told Yu Songsong, then walked out of the classroom with his phone.
As soon as he tapped the answer button, Jiang Zhiyao's voice came through, gritted with anger.
"You really can't sit still for even a second, can you? What's with this new sister-in-law candidate? Explain yourself!"
"Men and women falling in love. I mean exactly what I said."
Jiang Zhiyao heard him and asked, "Are you seriously interested in her?"
"What kind of question is that? When have I ever not been serious?"
Jiang Linyuan shot back.
This damn Zhiyao, was she trying to recreate the Xuanwu Gate Incident with him?
"Oh?"
Jiang Zhiyao's voice turned scornful.
"Is she another Little Green Tea? Want me to sound her out?"
"She's a hidden gem. Don't slander her."
After all, she was worth a B-rank card.
Jiang Zhiyao didn't believe a word of it and got straight to the point.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Check her professional skills and test how well she learns."
"..."
What kind of learning ability did he mean? Learning how to be a girlfriend or how to be a green tea?
The abrupt turn in the conversation left Jiang Zhiyao confused. It took her a moment to catch on.
"You mean you want me to help her with her major?"
Sis, you've got it all wrong!
Why would the Saint of Thieves need you to help her? To teach her how to have a flat chest?
"Not help her. Test her. Basically, see what kind of attitude she has toward studying."
Jiang Linyuan explained earnestly.
"Huh?"
Jiang Zhiyao was completely baffled, but she still agreed.
"Fine, but you have to explain who this person is."
"It's too late tonight. I'll tell you tomorrow."
Jiang Linyuan quickly hung up and started back toward the classroom.
But when he turned around, he found a sneaky girl with her ears perked up, eavesdropping.
"Xiao Yilin, what are you doing?"
Jiang Linyuan patted Lin Yilin on the head.
"I came out to use the restroom. I saw you standing here alone, so I came over."
Lin Yilin's eyes darted about as she stammered.
It was obviously a lie.
But Jiang Linyuan didn't care. He looked at her and said, "Xiao Yilin, stop spying on your senior all day. If you've got nothing better to do, go eat some plums."
"I'm not spying on you all day!"
Lin Yilin protested, but she sounded unconvincing. She was clearly guilty.
Wait, did you spend all your free time sneaking a look at my QQ updates and Moments?
After she spoke, Lin Yilin asked a little awkwardly, "Senior, who was that on the phone?"
She hadn't heard their whole conversation, but at the start, she'd faintly heard a girl yelling.
Late at night, a man and a woman, meeting in secret to talk... Something fishy was going on!
"Oh? Xiao Yilin, you're keeping tabs on me now?"
Jiang Linyuan teased.
For some reason, Lin Yilin felt terribly wronged when she heard that.
But then she thought about it. What right did she have to feel wronged?
It was Jiang Linyuan's choice whether to tell her or not. She had no right to ask.
Thinking that way only made her feel worse, and a sour ache welled up inside her.
"Never mind. We're all family, so I'll tell you, Xiao Yilin. I was talking to your sister-in-law."
"My sister-in-law? I don't have a sister-in-law."
Lin Yilin was still lost in her own gloomy thoughts and didn't understand what Jiang Linyuan meant at first.
A moment later, a flush spread from her ears down her neck, and she stood rooted to the spot.
"If it's your little sister, just say so! What do you mean, 'family'? And 'sister-in-law'? Don't talk nonsense!"
"If I hadn't put it that way, someone might've gone off to secretly cry."
"I...I wouldn't do that!"
Lin Yilin still stubbornly denied it, her little face flushed as she lifted her chin.
The starlight and moonlight were cold, yet somehow they made people's hearts burn.
Before you continue