Chapter 34: The Predator’s Smile

Attempting to dispel her anxiety by playing tennis, Qian Surou found the situation developing in precisely the opposite way she had anticipated.

As she continued to play, her anxiety only intensified, prompting her to halt her swing.

She used the voice-activated device to stop the ball machine.

Her complexion, pale for reasons unrelated to the exercise, made her stand silently like a doll.

Her hands, with nowhere to rest, lay clasped over her skirt.

Cold sweat began to gather on her back.

‘She simply could not fathom the girl’s intentions.’

‘Why would she go to such lengths to make this wager with Xie Yun, knowing that Qian Surou was someone who accompanied others on dates for money?’

‘If it were her, she would certainly feel disappointed.’

‘Upon learning of her true nature, and as someone who had only met Qian Surou once on the street, the girl shouldn’t even feel disappointment; leaving immediately would be the normal reaction.’

‘What was happening now?’

‘Could the girl actually be the type who appeared calm on the outside but harbored a rich inner world, perhaps surmising Qian Surou had a hidden difficulty and deciding to rescue her from Xie Yun?’

Qian Surou, who generally shared the views of the common populace, found this incomprehensible.

While she wouldn’t be entirely indifferent, she certainly wouldn’t be this proactive.

As Qian Surou pondered the reasons, Xie Yun had already taken her position opposite the girl, delivering a perfectly executed topspin serve, thereby commencing their confrontation.

As the wager of the match, Qian Surou’s opinion had been entirely disregarded.

However, she wasn’t angered by this; instead, she felt an overwhelming sense of gravity.

Standing outside the court, she had the eerie sensation of being a juvenile delinquent under supervision, awaiting her verdict.

The scene diverged completely from the casual match Qian Surou had envisioned.

Xie Yun, who had initially worn a relaxed smile, now had her brows furrowed.

The playful atmosphere was dispelled by an palpable tension.

Something in their eyes convinced Qian Surou that their relationship was far from the harmonious one they projected through casual conversation and jokes.

The girl, in particular, was relentless, as if preventing a criminal act.

The girl excelled at slice serves.

Compared to Xie Yun, she possessed an even more slender build, marking her as a technical player, yet her style of play was exceptionally aggressive.

From Qian Surou’s discerning eye, it was clear the girl was more proficient with her backhand, but she consistently employed powerful forehand shots, placing immense strain on her wrist.

Her tendons visibly bulged with each strike.

Her desperation was such that it made one wish for her to stop.

Under this relentless assault, Xie Yun struggled, repeatedly losing points.

Her initial composed swagger had given way to breathless exhaustion, even forcing her to use the time between serves for brief rests.

That she hadn’t abandoned the match midway spoke volumes about her resilient mindset.

Given the intensity far surpassed their usual casual rallies, a small crowd had even begun to gather.

Feeling as if she were treading on hot coals, Qian Surou made her way to the self-service counter to retrieve a bottle of room-temperature mineral water and a disposable towel, then smoothed her bangs and skirt.

Squaring her shoulders and banishing the chaotic thoughts from her mind, Qian Surou first approached Xie Yun.

“Perhaps you should rest for a moment.”

“Oh, I thought you’d go to the other side first.”

“Using me as a wager without permission is surely against the rules, isn’t it?

“Besides, you’ve already lost two games, both with overwhelming scores.

“You can’t win anyway—and isn’t it only those pitiful enough to have their girlfriends stolen who need comforting?”

“…Those words are truly infuriating.

“Well, can’t you just consider this my early departure from the date?

“As for her, do as you please.

“By the way, do you like girls?”

“I refuse to answer.”

“Heh heh, not denying it means it’s true then.

“I told you, I’m very experienced.”

‘If the compensation was sufficient, even those who considered themselves straight might find themselves involved in same-s*x encounters.’

‘What Miss Qian would choose next, or whether Jin Xiaoyue could “extend her session,” was no longer her concern.’

‘Xie Yun harbored a malicious wish to see Jin Xiaoyue fail, musing to herself.’

In front of Qian Surou, Xie Yun located her bag, retrieved her phone, and dialed Meng Hanjing.

The voice emanating from the phone confirmed the correct recipient.

Qian Surou distinctly heard Xie Yun use the excuse of urgent matters to prematurely end their date, assuring that the full amount for the reserved time would still be paid.

“Alright then.

“Speaking of which, do you two really not know each other?

“It’s the first time I’ve seen her take such an interest in anyone.”

“We met once before; she helped me then.

“Beyond that, I don’t even know her name.

“This time, it’s likely the same—she’s helping me get rid of you, Xie Yun.

“You must have done something truly outrageous.”

Witnessing Xie Yun’s embarrassed expression, Qian Surou became even more certain that it must have been something profoundly infuriating to the girl, which was why Xie Yun was considered capable of harming her.

Viewed this way, the girl’s actions seemed entirely logical.

‘In other words, the girl didn’t want to give Xie Yun the chance to toy with other people’s feelings.’

‘She truly is a good person!’

Turning her head, Qian Surou saw the girl’s expressionless face.

The moment their eyes met, Qian Surou offered her usual invincible smile, as if absolutely certain of forging a new, friendly relationship.

Just as she was about to offer the water and towel, the girl was already approaching, her gaze sweeping over Qian Surou before settling on Xie Yun with an icy intensity.

“Shall we continue?”

“Of course, we’ll continue—do you think I’d say that?

“Knowing when to adapt to circumstances is my life’s creed; a loss is a loss.

“This sudden intensity is a bit too much for me.”

“Your pretense only extends this far, then.”

“I won’t deny it.

“Since you’ve won, please treat Miss Qian well.

“I’m off to prepare for my next date; after all, I’m a night owl.”

Xie Yun tugged at her suit jacket, its collar damp, and with one hand carried her high heels, while her other free hand waved goodbye in the air.

Her carefree demeanor suggested genuine indifference.

As Qian Surou watched her depart, the mineral water and towel she held were suddenly taken by the girl.

“Um… I haven’t properly thanked you for what happened last time; I’m truly sorry.

“Did you propose such a wager to Xie Yun because you wanted to help me?

“She must have told you, I take payment to accompany people on dates—it’s a job.

“Honestly, you didn’t need to do this; it’s just a role-play, with no intimate contact.

“Besides, Miss Xie doesn’t seem like the type to force anyone.”

“…You two are meeting for the first time, aren’t you?

“Why are you so certain?”

“Yes, it’s our first meeting.

“I’ve always considered myself quite accurate at reading people.

“Moreover, I’ve been vigilant; even if Miss Xie had ill intentions, she wouldn’t have succeeded.

“Besides, she’s quite timid, haha… I’m not speaking ill of her; I just think she’s the type who knows her limits.

“Just like your match earlier, didn’t she concede quite readily?”

As Qian Surou spoke, she instinctively observed the girl’s expression, which seemed to remain in the same confrontational state as when she faced Xie Yun, her eyes conveying a message of ‘you are too naive’.

Her fingers, resting nervously over her abdomen, fidgeted, making Qian Surou uncertain of the girl’s true feelings towards her.

“—Every time we meet, you’re entangled with strange people; that’s hardly convincing.”

A small, embarrassed sound escaped Qian Surou.

The previously eloquent Qian Surou let out an awkward sound, finding herself unable to retort.

“Speaking of which, I still don’t know your name.

“You left so abruptly last time, and I never got to properly thank you.

“How about I treat you to a meal sometime—though not here, of course; my wallet would perish.”

A forced smile, abruptly changing the subject, graced her face.

“Indeed, what kind of lovers don’t know each other’s names?

“My surname is Jin, the Jin of ‘vulgar money’.

“My full name is Jin Xiaoyue.”

Qian Surou silently observed Jin Xiaoyue.

Describing one’s surname as ‘vulgar’ was certainly unique, yet it made it easy to distinguish, so it was acceptable.

However, why did Jin Xiaoyue turn her head away during her self-introduction?

‘Could she be intimidated by Qian Surou’s appearance?’

She had been perfectly normal and even joked around during their first meeting.

Maintaining her smile as best she could, Qian Surou spoke.

“How could it be vulgar?

“Such judgments are inherently subjective.

“Moreover, your name is quite poetic.

“If I recall correctly, in poetry, it often appears alongside themes of farewell and sorrowful parting.

“While a little melancholic, to me, separation is merely preparation for reunion, for the moon, whether waxing, waning, full, or new, never changes its fundamental essence.”

“Do you say similar things to all your ‘lovers’?”

“No.”

“But you were quite warm with Xie Yun.”

“That was work.

“Now, the work is over.

“So, I am not your ‘lover’.

“However, I would be very happy to be friends.

“Oh, and my name is Qian Surou.

“Qian, as in the numeral ‘thousand’; Su, as in ‘vegetarian’; Rou, as in ‘gentle as a silken thread’.”

‘Of course, she knew.’

For the first time, Jin Xiaoyue found it incredibly difficult to compose herself.

Last time, she had managed to maintain a facade of nonchalance as a stranger, straightening her back and acting as usual, as effortlessly as if she were reviewing a financial statement.

But now, her heart felt as if it would leap from her chest.

Without even needing a mirror, she knew her complexion was far from normal, and even the strenuous exercise couldn’t entirely mask the turmoil within her.

Her meticulously planned strategy was shredded like garbage.

An uncontrollable jealousy had compelled her to snatch the water and towel, as if by not doing so, she would lose to a mere scoundrel.

Jin Xiaoyue dared not meet Qian Surou’s gaze, behaving in their conversation like a petulant child, until her mind registered the ‘friend invitation’.

A pang of anguish struck Jin Xiaoyue: ‘Even a scoundrel could briefly claim the title of “lover”.’

‘Indeed, acting meekly only led to being discarded, to gradually losing everything.’

As these thoughts settled, she calmed down.

Her shy emotions were subsumed by an intense malice, lending an aggressive quality to her expression.

“In that case, as friends, would you be willing to play ‘lovers’ game with me for half a day?”

Slightly rising onto her tiptoes, Jin Xiaoyue, with the gaze and smile of a predator, exhaled a warm breath into Qian Surou’s ear.

“Eh?”

‘She just blew air, didn’t she?’

Qian Surou was completely stunned.

That seemingly provocative gesture appeared to ignite some dramatic shift.

It might just be a trick of perception, Qian Surou told herself, as Jin Xiaoyue had made similar innocuous jokes last time.

Such humor, coming from a ‘good girl,’ certainly created a striking contrast—the kind that made one’s heart flutter unexpectedly.

This time, it was likely just a sudden playful impulse.

Based purely on appearance, Qian Surou didn’t believe Jin Xiaoyue was older than her.

Furthermore, she didn’t think the other party shared her minority sexual orientation.

The reason she encountered so many people with similar preferences was due to the nature of her work; otherwise, the frequency would never be so high.

Within the academy, Qian Surou also had a close friend whose most frequent complaint was consistently falling for straight women, only to end up feigning attentiveness while listening to these straight women gush about the men they admired.

Therefore, Qian Surou would not allow herself to harbor expectations.

Moreover, until Ji Yushu found true love, Qian Surou had no intention of dating anyone.