Chapter 2: Don’t Put the Cart Before the Horse

The two of them had met in Honor of Kings while playing in a randomly matched team for a ranked match.

Yao played mid-lane mages quite well and had a straightforward, unpretentious personality.

This gave Gao Cheng a good first impression of her.

Later on, whenever he saw her online, he would take the initiative to invite her to his lobby.

After playing games together for a month, they added each other on WeChat.

Within less than two months, they had established an in-game couple status.

By now, they had been in an online relationship for nearly a year.

In the beginning, it was purely casual chatting.

He wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about her, and she was equally casual toward him.

They would talk about topics outside of gaming, but not very often.

Neither of them seemed to have any plans to take things a step further.

Their curiosity about each other was also limited.

It wasn’t until a certain night three months ago that this stable, purely game-oriented partnership was suddenly disrupted by one of them.

That night, Yao seemed to be in a very bad mood and had quite a bit to drink.

She suddenly took the initiative to call him and even boldly teased him with provocative, flirtatious talk.

That was the first time they had ever spoken directly on a call.

Yao’s voice was lovely, soft and sweet.

Coupled with her deliberate teasing, there was no way a hot-blooded young man like him could withstand such a fatal temptation.

What was more, with the internet acting as a shield between them and keeping them unseen to each other, they could both let go of their inhibitions.

Since neither knew the other’s real identity, no matter how outrageous their actions became, they felt no psychological burden.

That night, both of them gave each other their most genuine reactions.

Perhaps that night was just a whim of self-indulgence on Yao’s part.

But unfortunately, he had tasted sweetness and became addicted.

After that night, she became different in his heart.

He began to care about her and grew curious about her.

Fortunately, the girl reciprocated his passion, and their feelings for each other heated up day by day.

The content of their chats was no longer dominated by games, nor was it plain and dry anymore.

They began using matching profile pictures and couple names, looking for all the world like a real couple deeply in love.

By now, he was no longer satisfied with keeping their relationship purely online.

He wanted to see her.

He wanted to see the real, flesh-and-blood her—very badly.

The girl’s deadly, sexy teasing from the video call just now flashed through his mind again.

Gao Cheng’s breathing grew unsteady once more.

His body began to clamor with desire again.

“f*ck!”

He tossed his phone onto the bed, stood up, and strode toward the bathroom.

Soon, the rushing sound of the shower rang out, drowning out his heavy panting.

***

At six o’clock in the morning, Shi Kezhen woke up right on time.

After washing up and getting fully dressed, she carefully examined her appearance in the full-length mirror.

Her hair was meticulously tied into a low ponytail.

The buttons of her white shirt were done up all the way to the very top, perfectly sealed.

The collar was folded neatly.

Below, she wore an ankle-length skirt with not a single wrinkle to be found on the fabric.

She presented the very picture of a textbook young lady from a prestigious family.

Very… lifeless.

The girl in the mirror kept her eyes lowered and her face expressionless, looking like a soulless puppet doll.

She was a completely different person from the girl who had bitten her lower lip while unbuttoning her pajamas in front of her phone camera last night.

She stared at herself in the mirror for two seconds, then averted her gaze.

She turned around, picked up her backpack, and walked toward the bedroom door.

As she placed her hand on the doorknob, she paused for a brief moment.

Taking a deep breath, she adjusted her expression within seconds.

Her face became as calm as water.

No, even calmer than water—like the surface of a frozen lake.

She opened the door and walked downstairs, her steps so light they didn’t make a sound, heading straight to the dining room.

Mother Shi was already sitting primly at the dining table waiting.

Her posture was erect, her makeup exquisite, and not a single strand of her hair was out of place.

In the teacup before her, the floral tea emitted faint, drifting wisps of steam.

Shi Kezhen walked to the side of the dining table and stood still.

With her head slightly lowered, she called out obediently in a moderate, respectful voice.

“Mother.”

“Mm.”

Mother Shi raised her eyes, displaying neither a smile nor displeasure.

She simply appraised her daughter in a calm, subtle manner.

Shi Kezhen remained motionless, letting the gaze sweep over her.

After a moment, finding no fault, Mother Shi finally spoke as if granting a favor.

“Sit down and eat your breakfast.”

“Yes.”

Shi Kezhen walked over to her seat and sat down.

Her back was completely straight, occupying only a third of the chair.

She picked up the porridge the maid had dished out beforehand and ate in small, silent bites, without making even the slightest sound.

Mother Shi picked up her floral tea, took a slow, leisurely sip, and turned her gaze upon Shi Kezhen.

“Kezhen.”

Her voice was not loud, neither heavy nor light, and her tone was steady, even carrying a trace of gentleness.

Yet, Shi Kezhen immediately put down her bowl and spoon, placing both hands properly on her knees.

She looked toward her mother with a submissive attitude, appearing ready to listen attentively.

“Yes, Mother, I am listening.”

“Once you are at school, spend more effort on Yanzhou.”

Mother Shi’s tone was as natural as if she were telling her daughter to remember to bring an umbrella when going out.

“Do not forget, your primary task at school is to take good care of Yanzhou, not to study.”

She paused for a moment before adding lightly.

“Do not put the cart before the horse.”

Shi Kezhen did not say anything, quietly waiting for her to continue.

Mother Shi let out a soft laugh, though it held no warmth.

“For a family like ours, even if you graduate, we will not allow you to go out and work.”

“So, do not waste too much of your energy on useless studying.”

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