Chapter 33: The Scoundrel’s Gambit

A chill shot from her feet to the crown of her head; Xie Yun had a feeling she was truly doomed.

That afternoon, when Jin Xiaoyue had summoned her for a confrontation, Xie Yun had nonchalantly issued a “military pledge,” promising to accept any consequence if Jin Xiaoyue remained unsatisfied.

The current spectacle felt like a blatant public humiliation, yet what was truly unsettling was Jin Xiaoyue’s reaction; far from erupting in anger, she bore an adversarial gaze and a contemplative expression, much like a method actor, as if genuinely weighing how to unmask herself as a scoundrel to the unsuspecting girl.

To make matters worse, the girl standing beside her was also delivering a stellar performance, her questioning gaze having solidified into a palpable accusation.

“You two are trying to ruin me!”

‘Can’t you act this out yourselves, without unilaterally dragging an outsider like me into it?’

‘Am I just a part of your game?’

‘Can’t you just go get married already?’

Still dreaming of continuing her intimate days with beautiful girls, and far from having had her fill, Xie Yun resolved to no longer wade into this murky water; instead, she chose to dismantle Qian Surou’s act.

Perhaps the overwhelming atmosphere of the unfolding farce, or perhaps Jin Xiaoyue’s sheer oppressive presence, compelled Xie Yun to ultimately begin formulating her words in a manner that aligned with the unspoken script.

Glancing around, she was relieved to see that everyone else was far away, in other areas of the venue.

She quickly released the arm draped over Qian Surou’s shoulder.

Fumbling in her pocket, she found a mint lozenge and popped it into her mouth.

Xie Yun took a deep breath, gazing at the ceiling, much like a heavy smoker, then flashed a bright smile.

‘This isn’t a dream, is it?’

Xie Yun’s expression seemed to convey this very sentiment.

Regarding her past romantic dalliances, it was certainly not her first time being confronted by a girl’s current boyfriend.

Provocation in such moments was utter folly; the optimal strategy involved framing both herself and the girl as unwitting parties, admitting her misstep, and then offering gentle persuasion to de-escalate the situation to the level of common consolation.

Adding a fairly substantial compensation, that was usually enough. As for whether the other party would mind or break up afterward, that was no longer her concern.

Since she had already displeased Jin Xiaoyue, all she could do was make timely amends.

She could discern a few of Jin Xiaoyue’s underlying motives. Using herself as material for a “hero saving the beauty” scenario was possible but unnecessary.

The clear purpose behind orchestrating such a dramatic display was to make the girl recognize the inherent dangers of this profession and deter her from continuing, which explained why Jin Xiaoyue had approached Xie Yun herself.

After all, Xie Yun typically made no secret of her intentions; her flirtations with girls invariably aimed for the ultimate intimacy. In this way, Jin Xiaoyue’s own role in the situation became quite intriguing.

Xie Yun noticed that Qian Surou seemed unfamiliar with Jin Xiaoyue, and quickly concluded that the other party was likely a newly enrolled freshman.

To have a senior student discover she was engaged in such work was tantamount to having a crucial weakness exposed; even without explicit threats of undue demands, it could at least compel the girl to cease this occupation—a fact Jin Xiaoyue regrettably overlooked, as the girl had already intended to resign.

Xie Yun propped her chin with one hand, staring intently at Qian Surou, then spoke in an unrestrained, teasing tone:

“Didn’t you just call me disgusting? Have you had a change of heart? Don’t worry, I’m very experienced. We can definitely have a wonderful night.”

Qian Surou was utterly taken aback by these words. It made one lament the erratic fluctuations in Xie Yun’s emotional intelligence, almost as if it were intentional.

Such a statement, while simultaneously stirring her aversion and embarrassment, also inadvertently validated the girl’s suspicions—Qian Surou, recalling their previous encounter, believed the girl was merely trying to help her with a timely warning.

She had anticipated Xie Yun cooperating in a lover’s quarrel act, after which they would leave. Although she wasn’t particularly close with the other girl, they were acquaintances, and the girl had even helped her before.

Qian Surou didn’t want to socialize with people in this line of work, nor did she wish to leave a negative impression on the other person. Then she realized that acting like a stranger was both impolite and selfish.

‘Was her reluctance for the girl to know about her work rooted in some unspoken expectation?’

‘She couldn’t quite tell.’

She once again reached out and slapped away the hand that was about to touch her cheek. Frankly, going this far was already bordering on provoking a client.

The correct approach would have been to pretend she hadn’t heard those words, feign ignorance, then continue her professional duties, and report back to Miss Meng afterward.

Qian Surou felt ashamed of herself, having inadvertently acted so recklessly, simply taking advantage of Xie Yun’s relatively lenient nature.

‘What was this? An eruption of accumulated psychological pressure? An attempt to reclaim herself in an unfamiliar environment?’

‘How truly carried away she was,’ Qian Surou mused inwardly.

Since being rejected by Ji Yushu and regaining her memories, her principles of conduct had indeed undergone significant changes.

Especially regarding opportunistic shortcuts; because she had constantly been convincing herself not to repeat past mistakes, she ended up taking on this kind of work.

Upon closer thought, it was merely the cost that had changed; between reputation and life, the latter still held greater value. She caught sight of her own reflection in the glass behind Xie Yun, and let out a small sigh.

There was nothing for it. Given that she had already uttered such words, pretending not to have heard them now would simply make her seem somewhat repulsive.

Since she had made an irreversible mistake, it felt easier to fully commit to it rather than try to conceal it. The worst-case scenario would merely be a girl whose name she didn’t even know discovering her strange line of work and becoming the subject of lunch-time gossip.

Qian Surou swept her bangs, which had an air of feigned innocence, back from her forehead, adopting the fierce expression she used to tease her classmates.

“Yes, it’s quite disgusting. You’re caterwauling like a cat in heat at our first meeting. Nobody’s interested in your ‘experience,’ but if you intend to date someone, you should have some basic respect. As for explaining ‘again,’ I’m not the one who needs to hear it, am I?”

Qian Surou echoed Xie Yun’s words with a disgusted tone, utterly demolishing any semblance of a girlfriend’s image, then sighed with an exasperated air—

“To suddenly blurt out those things, you’re not trying to provoke me into lecturing you, are you? Are you one of those people who enjoys being scolded? You’re truly beyond help.”

“You wouldn’t agree anyway, would you?”

Xie Yun displayed a knowing expression, then shrugged at Jin Xiaoyue, as if offering some form of explanation.

Of course, she wasn’t so peculiar as to enjoy being reprimanded; had it not been for the demands of the person before her, she would have preferred not to have her true colors so blatantly exposed.

“Of course!”

Qian Surou practically fled towards the serving machine directly in front of them, stretching her body slightly and preparing her swing, awaiting the countdown.

She secretly hoped that while she was away, the two of them would clarify matters.

‘How pathetic.’

‘She lacked the courage to lay everything bare herself.’

***

At the same time.

Jin Xiaoyue gazed at Qian Surou’s back as she played, and thus, despite her emotional agitation, she was unwilling to interrupt this moment.

“Why? If you like her, why not just pursue her directly? And by the way, I should have already told you, she’s my rented one-day girlfriend. Because, well, that’s just the kind of person I am, and she didn’t ask me to keep it a secret from you.”

Xie Yun tilted her head, looking at Jin Xiaoyue’s profile with a puzzled expression, her fingers toying with the miniature camera.

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m the one who gets to ask questions. … I told you from the start, didn’t I, not to do anything unnecessary? Never mind, if I made you disappear now, it would look rather strange, wouldn’t it?”

“Why are you angry? I’m thoroughly disliked, you know.”

Xie Yun couldn’t grasp the reason for Jin Xiaoyue’s anger, assuming it was at most a minor physical touch, especially since, being disliked, she had long been eliminated from any romantic competition.

“I know.”

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have let it go like this. The scoundrel’s very demeanor throughout their interaction had made her uneasy, let alone Qian Surou’s accommodating nature towards her.

Even comprehending that this compliance arose from the demands of her job, Jin Xiaoyue found it impossible to dismiss.

Recalling the physical contact and subtle flirtation, Jin Xiaoyue found it difficult to suppress the urge to physically eliminate Xie Yun, and thus resorted to playing tennis to vent her frustration.

In middle school, Jin Xiaoyue had been quite terrible at ball sports. Thanks to good teachers, she now possessed the skill to participate in amateur competitions and secure rankings. She had also anticipated Qian Surou coming to the court, but currently, she hadn’t yet occupied a corner of Qian Surou’s heart.

‘Patience.’

A little more time wouldn’t hurt. However, she also couldn’t bear to simply keep watching.

‘Patience could go to hell.’

Jin Xiaoyue turned her head, her face devoid of expression—

“I’m interested too, Senior. How about you let her go and give her to me?”

This was no longer a private exchange; she deliberately spoke loud enough for Qian Surou to hear.

“That’s excessive. You reject me, and then you want to steal my girlfriend?” Xie Yun said, though her tone wasn’t one of blame, but rather amusement.

“Exactly.”

“At least come up with a proper reason.”

“Are you sure you want me to say it?”

Jin Xiaoyue smiled. Xie Yun had no doubt that the next words would be “scumbag” or “potential criminal.”

“Even if I were to agree, she might not be willing to be with you.”

“Compared to you, Senior, I’m quite confident.”

“You’re merciless, aren’t you?”

“When you were doing those things, Senior, you must have considered the consequences, right?”

“Since you insist… why don’t we have a match, then? You know, ‘beauty only belongs to the strong.'”

After pondering how to reasonably agree to this request, Xie Yun’s final conclusion was a singles tennis match. She had already witnessed some of Jin Xiaoyue’s skills, and as an opponent, she was certainly qualified.

Although she was majoring in music, sports were also an excellent way to attract girls, and she had put considerable effort into it.

Underestimating her would come at a cost. However, it would probably be better to deliberately lose to her in the end.

“Alright.”

“Let me warn you, my skill level is quite good.”

“I don’t mind, as long as you don’t renege if you lose, Senior. But perhaps I should also place a small wager here.”

“In that case, if you lose, you and Miss Qian will go on a date with me.”

“You really haven’t changed a bit, Senior.”

Jin Xiaoyue tacitly agreed, went to the rack to grab a set of balls, and began warming up on an empty court. Xie Yun found a staff member, and soon a pair of matching sports shoes was delivered.

After changing, she walked around a few times. Jin Xiaoyue tied back her loose hair, then glanced over at Qian Surou, who had stopped her struggle with the serving machine.