Yu Suisui asked, “What are you doing?”
Pei Xuchuan replied, “Checking whether you’re hurt.”
With that, Pei Xuchuan bent down and, without giving her a chance to object, pulled her wrist toward him.
The web between her right thumb and index finger looked a little red, probably because she had used too much force when hitting someone.
Pei Xuchuan studied it for a moment, then sighed softly. “You’re really something.”
He had a waiter bring over a first-aid kit, then took out an alcohol wipe and disinfected the spot for her.
The two of them had long since grown accustomed to this kind of natural intimacy.
The surrounding lights were soft and suggestive.
Anyone watching could tell that Pei Xuchuan indulged Yu Suisui without limits.
…
In a corner not far away, Yu Xiaxing accepted a check for one hundred thousand yuan from the manager.
She cooperatively deleted the video she had taken earlier, clearing it from both her phone and every cloud drive she had uploaded it to.
A hundred thousand yuan for one trip—definitely worth it.
Her escape fund had grown once again!
Her future little courtyard had just gained a few more square meters!
After taking care of everything, Yu Xiaxing looked up at Yu Suisui and Pei Xuchuan.
Pei Xuchuan was Yu Suisui’s childhood sweetheart.
Strictly speaking, he was the childhood sweetheart of both sisters.
When they were children, she and Yu Suisui had gotten into trouble together all the time. Every time they caused a mess, Pei Xuchuan would follow behind them and clean it up.
Back then, Yu Xiaxing had thought he was amazing too. It seemed as though he could handle anything for them.
And he was different from her brothers.
When her brothers helped her clean up her messes, they would lecture her—especially Yu Zhining. He had been incredibly talkative when he was young, constantly telling her what she could and couldn’t do. It was only after being bullied in secret that he gradually became taciturn.
But Pei Xuchuan never lectured her. He simply cleaned up the aftermath in silence.
Of course she had thought he was wonderful when she was little.
But looking at him now that she was grown up…
Fortunately, her mother had coaxed and tricked her into going abroad to study, allowing her to live independently for several years.
Otherwise, with Pei Xuchuan’s unconditional indulgence, she would probably have turned out just like Yu Suisui.
And perhaps, just like Yu Suisui in her previous life, she would eventually have become a murderer.
Over there, Pei Xuchuan said something that Yu Suisui clearly didn’t like. She angrily lifted her leg and kicked him.
He raised a hand and pressed down on the hem of her dress to keep it from riding up and exposing her.
The movement was natural and affectionate.
Yu Xiaxing watched them for a while, then suddenly laughed.
He really was indulgent.
But in her previous life, after she had stolen Pei Xuchuan away from Yu Suisui for the sake of the inheritance competition, he had doted on her in exactly the same way.
And after the true heiress returned, he had treated her just as indulgently.
Yu Xiaxing propped one hand on the table, growing more and more baffled.
Why was Pei Xuchuan doing this?
He was a young heir from a wealthy family himself. Although his parents had died early and he had been raised by his uncle, he was still a member of the Pei family by blood and could have inherited the family business with dignity.
So why had he chosen to abandon his own family fortune and devote all his energy to playing with the women of the Yu family…?
What exactly was he after?
For now, Yu Xiaxing was still completely unable to figure out his motives.
She stared at him for a long while before muttering under her breath, “Three-surnamed slave.”
Pei Xuchuan’s body suddenly went rigid. He seemed to have heard her. Turning his head, he looked past the dim lights and layers of greenery, his gaze landing precisely on Yu Xiaxing in the corner.
Their eyes met.
Yu Xiaxing: “…”
What the hell? He could hear that?
A flicker of surprise crossed Pei Xuchuan’s eyes, which then curved into a smile.
After saying something to Yu Suisui, he headed in her direction.
“Little Sister Xingxing, long time no see.”
Pei Xuchuan stopped in front of her booth, his tone familiar and casual.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you out, but I heard you’ve been pretty busy lately, so I didn’t want to bother you.”
Yu Xiaxing remained silent.
Yu Suisui came over as well and stopped beside Pei Xuchuan. She looked down at Yu Xiaxing with a cool, indifferent expression.
“Oh, it’s you.”
Her tone was neither warm nor cold, as if she were speaking to an ordinary acquaintance she hadn’t contacted in a long time.
Yu Xiaxing skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point. “Sixth Sister, did you arrange for those two reporters to smear Shengde at the Qizhi Open Day?”
A flash of panic crossed Yu Suisui’s eyes.
If she had actually done it, she wouldn’t have panicked.
She hadn’t done it—but lately, she had indeed been thinking about smearing Shengde in order to win the competition.
She had planned that if Yu Xiaxing still came in first after tonight’s results were announced, she would immediately contact the media and start attacking the school.
But she truly hadn’t done anything yet!
She had only thought about it. How had Yu Xiaxing found out?
The competition had begun, and Yu Xiaxing had been winning all the way. Could it be that she had awakened some kind of mind-reading ability and could predict what her opponents were thinking?
Several thoughts flashed through Yu Suisui’s mind.
Just as she was trying to figure out how to answer, Pei Xuchuan spoke first.
“It wasn’t her.”
Yu Xiaxing glanced at him.
Pei Xuchuan looked completely at ease. “If Suisui really wanted to target you, she wouldn’t have arranged for only two reporters. And there wouldn’t be no follow-up by now.”
Yu Suisui gave a light snort. “Exactly!”
Pei Xuchuan continued, turning to Yu Xiaxing. “Which media outlet were they from? You can send me the video. I have good connections with several media outlets in Pu City. It shouldn’t be difficult to find out whom they’ve been in contact with recently.”
“No need.” Yu Xiaxing withdrew her gaze. “If it wasn’t her, then forget it. I just came to ask.”
Yu Suisui frowned. “You came all the way here this late at night just to ask me one question?”
Yu Xiaxing replied, “Yep. I had nothing else to do at home.”
And she had even walked away with a hundred thousand yuan. She was thrilled.
“But whether you did it or not doesn’t matter. No matter how many dirty tricks you pull behind the scenes, I’ll still come in first!”
Once again, perhaps because she had no better option and was willing to leave things to fate, she set herself another flag.
With that, she turned and walked away.
Pei Xuchuan remained where he was, his gaze crossing the noisy crowd and following Yu Xiaxing’s retreating figure.
Why did it feel as though she had changed completely from the person he remembered?
He kept watching until Yu Xiaxing disappeared from sight. Then his lower leg was suddenly kicked.
He turned around.
Yu Suisui was glaring at him unhappily. “She’s already gone. Why are you still looking?”
Pei Xuchuan wasn’t angry. His handsome features were filled with lazy charm. “We haven’t seen each other in so long. She’s changed so much. Isn’t it normal for me to be curious?”
Yu Suisui gave a mocking laugh. “Of course it is. Otherwise, why don’t you go after her? Once the two of you get together, you’ll be able to see her every time you open or close your eyes. Then you won’t have to stand here pining after her.”
Pei Xuchuan laughed. “I definitely won’t get involved with any of the Yu family’s daughters. Becoming a son-in-law of the Yu family means marrying into the family—and getting sterilized. Do you really think someone of my status would become a live-in son-in-law to the Yu family?”
Yu Suisui stared deeply at him, speechless for a moment.
Pei Xuchuan rested his elbow on her shoulder, the two of them close enough to seem inseparable.
Yet his words drew the boundary between them with absolute clarity.
“Suisui, let’s just be friends for the rest of our lives.”
The light in Yu Suisui’s eyes went out completely. She quickly lowered her lashes, hiding the flash of humiliation in her eyes.
—
Yu Xiaxing drove all the way back to the Yu residence.
She dashed upstairs, rushed into her room, and quickly pulled out her phone.
The time on the screen had already changed to 11:59 p.m.
Only a few dozen seconds remained before the results of the third-round task were announced.
Yu Xiaxing waited nervously.
Tonight, she’d even tried a new superstitious tactic—repeatedly tempting fate—to see if it worked!
