Chapter 17: Has He Already Seen…?

“By the way, Ling Yuan, you came for tutoring but didn’t bring a single book?”

Yixin Xue stared at him, dumbfounded. All he had was a bag of cat food.

No backpack, no textbooks, no papers—nothing.

If he hadn’t brought the kitten last night, was he planning to show up empty-handed?

“Oh, right! I’m here for tutoring!”

Ling Yuan smacked his forehead. He’d definitely thought about it this morning, but he got distracted by the cat food and forgot.

His untouched backpack was probably still sprawled on the sofa at home.

“Hm? That careless, huh?”

“So… no tutoring today, right? I brought the cat food. Can I go now?”

Ling Yuan grinned cheekily, heading for the door, but Yixin Xue blocked his path.

“Oh, no you don’t. You didn’t bring homework, but I’ve got some.”

She waved a hand like it was no big deal.

“Go sit in the study. I’ll grab some papers.”

“Come on, Class President… I don’t know anything…”

Ling Yuan’s lips twitched. He wasn’t lying—since his mother’s death, he hadn’t studied at all.

Even the simplest questions felt like gibberish to him now.

“It’s fine.”

Yixin Xue’s voice softened.

“I’ll teach you gently.”

“Really gently…?”

Her words weren’t convincing. This was the same girl who’d slapped him and yanked his ear.

“Super gentle, promise. What kind of person do you think I am?”

She nudged him toward the study, pulling a Chinese exam paper from the bookshelf.

“Here, a first-year Chinese paper. Warm up with it. Read the comprehension passages, and I’ll teach you how to solve them later.”

“Uh… okay…”

Ling Yuan felt oddly flattered. Sitting there while Yixin Xue leaned over, her gentle tone made him squirm.

A normal guy would probably be thrilled right now…

But the gentler she was, the more uneasy he felt.

“Be good~”

With that, she left to feed the kitten in the living room.

The hungry little thing sprang to life at the smell of food, darting from under the sofa like a white bolt of lightning, burying its face in the bowl before she even finished pouring.

“Pfft…”

Yixin Xue chuckled.

“Guess we don’t need the goat milk.”

Meanwhile, Ling Yuan felt like he was in prison. The reading comprehension was all essays and expository texts—nothing like novels, nothing he cared about.

Bored out of his mind, he toyed with his pen, scanning her study.

It was minimalist, filled with books. The only eye-catching thing was a row of photos on the windowsill.

Leaning forward to see better, he studied them.

The middle one was probably Yixin Xue’s family portrait.

On the left, an adult woman with milk-white hair like Yixin Xue’s, but with a calm, dignified aura unlike her icy vibe.

Yixin Xue stood in the center with a black-haired girl who looked so similar they could be twins if their hair colors matched. Ling Yuan guessed she was either her sister or cousin.

Her father, on the right, wore a sharp gray suit, exuding luxury and success.

The background was Big Ben, suggesting the family had lived in Europe. Other photos featured famous European landmarks, confirming it.

“Class President?”

Ling Yuan called out, but no response came. He glanced at the living room—only the kitten was there, eating intently.

[Where’d she go?]

He set down his pen and left the study.

He hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since waking up. Maybe he could ask her for something…

No one in the kitchen or living room. Her apartment had four rooms and a living area. All but one room’s door were open, and she wasn’t in any of them.

So…

***

[Phone’s almost dead. Gotta charge it in the bedroom.]

Yixin Xue set her phone down and was about to leave when she paused.

[Is today’s outfit… too plain?]

She studied herself in the mirror.

Just showing her collarbone—nothing guys would want to see. Was this why Ling Yuan wasn’t motivated to study?

[That’s it, isn’t it!?]

It clicked.

[Time to change into something more eye-catching. Maybe that’ll hook him!]

A sly smile curved her lips, her expression almost devilish in the mirror.

Her slender hands slowly undid the buttons of her dress.

The white dress slid down her pale legs, pooling on the floor, leaving her bare.

[So thrilling. He’s still in the study, and I’m doing this.]

Her cheeks flushed, her heart pounding with nerves.

In the mirror, everything was on display—her curves, the deep valley between them, all unhidden.

What a figure.

She shook her white hair, letting it cascade over her body, teasingly covering certain parts.

“Class President?”

[Hm? He’s calling me? Gotta change quick.]

But as she opened her wardrobe, she hesitated. Which outfit would catch his eye?

Some were too risqué—her ladylike image would crumble. It had to be revealing but elegant.

A JK uniform?

Too cliché?

For a 2D-obsessed guy like Ling Yuan, JK-clad anime girls were probably old news.

Would that work on him?

As she pondered, the door creaked open.

“Class President, you in—? Holy crap, sorry, my bad, pretend I wasn’t here!”

The door slammed shut. Yixin Xue stood there, stunned, completely bare.

It took a moment to sink in.

“Ah… huh…? Has he already seen everything…?”