Deliberate Seduction

The storage room appeared to have been cleaned by dedicated staff, so the air was far from unpleasant. A faint scent of sandalwood lingered, the signature fragrance of a well-known home furnishing brand.

Saintland truly lived up to its reputation—even in such trivial details, everything was impeccable.

Fu Liangxia was trapped in front of the boy, breathing in his scent from behind, and felt inexplicably annoyed.

"What's wrong with you all of a sudden?" She furrowed her brows slightly.

Since her back was to Cheng Xingzhou, she couldn't see his expression, only heard his voice ask, "You should be in class at this hour. What are you doing here?"

The gap between the two rows of shelves was narrow—only enough for one person to pass through. Standing here with Cheng Xingzhou, even though both of them were slim, it was inevitably a bit cramped.

She felt his fingertips against her elbow, slightly calloused, their warmth searing. The scent of juniper brushed past her ear, sending a tingling sensation through her.

Trapped against his chest, Fu Liangxia's entire back pressed against Cheng Xingzhou.

"What else would I be doing at the swimming pool? Swimming class, of course," Fu Liangxia said, recovering from the shock of being yanked in. Her long lashes fluttered, and a hint of irritation stirred in her heart.

She really didn't know what kind of madness Cheng Xingzhou was up to these days.

As the student council president, if he wasn't in class, he should have been busy with council work. How could he keep running into her out of nowhere? Didn't he have anything better to do?

Or was it that he cared about her that much?

Just thinking about that possibility made a faint, contemptuous smile tug at the corner of Fu Liangxia's lips.

Was he regretting it now that she, who had once been completely devoted to him and followed him around day and night, suddenly showed no extra feelings for him after their reunion?

Fu Liangxia lowered her eyes, listening to the slightly hurried breathing by her ear. She could sense that even standing this close, Cheng Xingzhou was not entirely unmoved.

But to cherish something only after losing it—could it really be that easy?

Still, the fact that his affinity was higher than the other targets was something she could use.

She was only one step away from the 60-point mark. She needed to figure out how to score that final goal.

Fu Liangxia simply let her body go slack and leaned softly against the boy's chest. Almost the moment her delicate shoulder blades met Cheng Xingzhou's chest, as the two different temperatures—one high, one low—merged, a low grunt suddenly sounded behind her.

The grip on her elbow tightened sharply. She took the opportunity to turn around and lift her face, seeing the expression on his fair, jade-like features shift slightly.

A somewhat noticeable trace of tobacco smoke drifted to her nose. Locking eyes with him from a distance far closer than social norms allowed, Fu Liangxia curled her lips into a light smile and spoke slowly, "You're the one..."

The girl's slender, cool fingers slowly traced along the boy's school uniform collar, finally stopping just above his lips. Just as she was about to touch down, her hand was caught in a firm grip, unable to move an inch.

She didn't mind. She just stared into his eyes, her fingers brushing against his warm hand, sending a subtle, almost imperceptible shiver through her.

Her voice was soft and indistinct, like something from an unspoken dream, her breath gentle as orchid.

"So the lofty President Cheng indulges in both smoke and drink in private after all."

Fu Liangxia's sudden series of actions caught Cheng Xingzhou completely off guard. He looked at her delicate, small face, her slightly upturned eyes, her full red lips trembling slightly as they opened and closed, emitting a faint, subtle fragrance.

It was alluring, like its owner—radiating a dangerous attraction.

His heartbeat gradually lost its rhythm.

Cheng Xingzhou's tone was cold, tinged with barely concealed irritation. "Stop messing around."

But Fu Liangxia, as if oblivious to his anger, leaned in even closer, so close that Cheng Xingzhou could almost lower his head and capture those lips that had been disturbing his thoughts.

Her voice was gentle and soft. "Dragging me in all of a sudden—was it to warn me not to tell anyone that the president sneaks a smoke?"

When Fu Liangxia deliberately acted sweet, she could truly be a lethal blade. Her enunciation was lingering, the word "sneaks" pronounced with a hook-like allure.

It didn't sound like she was talking about sneaking a smoke—it sounded more like... sneaking around.

Cheng Xingzhou's eyes darkened, his brow furrowing. "No."

He actually didn't know why he had reached out so abruptly. Before he could react, the girl was already trapped against his chest.

He instinctively thought to push her away; their current distance was dangerously close.

But Fu Liangxia suddenly pressed even closer, almost about to kiss him, then her gaze slowly dropped to his lips. "If not that, then what do you want to do to me, President Cheng?"

It was a textbook pose for a kiss.

Yet done by her, it was excessively beautiful.

Her hair was slightly tousled, her clothes casually draped over his arm. Because she was on tiptoe, both her hands pressed against his arms, and the skin where they touched sparked a fervent heat.

The corners of her eyes were slightly red, and her slender neck presented a curve that seemed ready for plucking.

A position perfect for kissing.

A strange urge rose, unbidden—to make that always proud face reveal a look of lust, to draw out faint whimpers, to watch her helplessly grab his arm and beg for more...

Once tempted, the thought spiraled out of control.

Cheng Xingzhou's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. His right hand traced slowly up her elbow, finally settling on her cheek to caress it gently, his head following his instincts and lowering—

But he was pushed away.

Fu Liangxia's hand was between them, revealing only her sly, sparkling eyes. "I didn't say I agreed."

With that, she turned and left decisively, as cleanly as a heartbreaker who teases and runs.

Outside, Bai Kewei was anxiously looking for her. Seeing her emerge unharmed, she let out a quiet sigh of relief and asked where she had gone.

Just then, Fu Liangxia pulled the door shut, and a faint "click" sounded from inside, followed by the sound of a cigarette being lit.

Recalling Cheng Xingzhou's unsatisfied expression, she smiled wantonly and joyfully, making no attempt to conceal it. "Nothing much. I ran into a dog in heat."

[Cheng Xingzhou Affinity +5, current affinity 58.]

The instant the system notification sounded, the smile at the corner of Fu Liangxia's lips widened.

She hadn't spoken quietly just now; through that half-closed door, Cheng Xingzhou must have heard her.

Being called a dog in heat—and still this happy?

*

When Fu Liangxia and Bai Kewei changed into their swimsuits and returned to the venue, the atmosphere was far more electric than when they'd left. A crowd surrounded the pool, jostling and noisy, clearly in the middle of some spectacle.

Fu Liangxia approached, puzzled. As she drew near, the crowd silently parted to make a path for her. After she passed, they exchanged glances, all wearing looks of excitement.

—This was going to be good.

"Sis, you're just in time!" Fu Liedong, that airhead, was standing in the middle of the crowd, waving at her enthusiastically when he saw her.

Fu Liangxia gave him a sidelong glance. "What's going on?"

"Young Master Fu and Young Master Su are having a swimming race," Fu Liedong said, clearly enjoying the drama.

"Oh." Fu Liangxia didn't see what was so exciting about it, nor why his eyes were gleaming with... admiration?

Did Fu Liedong actually think those two were racing for her?

Fu Liangxia genuinely wanted to dunk his head into the pool and knock some sense into him.

Clearly, Fu Liedong wasn't the only one who needed a reality check—there was also...

"Ahh, so handsome! I can't take it!"

"Damn! Too hot!"

As the two center of attention took their places by the pool, ear-splitting cheers erupted on both sides. Fu Liangxia spotted one figure among them who was cheering the loudest—none other than Tao Zhi.

Tao Zhi clearly noticed her too, but for some reason, she lacked her earlier enthusiasm, merely offering a polite smile.

Fu Liangxia roughly understood her mindset—it was like recommending a celebrity to a classmate, only to discover later that the classmate had become the celebrity's rumored girlfriend. That must be complicated.

Perhaps the only silver lining was that this celebrity had dated many girls and wouldn't miss having one more rumored girlfriend.

So Tao Zhi's expression toward her was still courteous, as if she was already used to such things.

And what was the celebrity that Tao Zhi held so dear doing at this moment?

He was standing by the pool, stretching his wrists and ankles. His gaze drifted over to Fu Liangxia as she approached, his deep, enchanting eyes narrowing slightly. His gaze paused on her messy hair for a moment before a smile curved his lips.

"Do you think I can win?"

Beside him, Fu Haoyao walked over, lifting his chin slightly with an air of arrogance, and looked down at her matter-of-factly. "You think I'll win, right?"

Su Xingshu turned his head and gave him a once-over. "What are you butting in for?"

"It's not like only you know her, Xiao Shu. I just want to ask who she thinks is stronger. What's the problem?" Fu Haoyao lifted his eyelids; his sharp, defined face, expressionless, made him look even more like an exquisite sculpture.

"It's just an opinion, not like it'll actually affect our race. Why do you care so much? Or is it that you don't want to hear her say she thinks I'll win?"

The atmosphere grew tense for a moment.

Even the cheers and shouts on both sides quieted down. Under this kind of pressure, Fu Liangxia felt an inexplicable suffocation.

She struggled to speak. "What does this have to do with me?"

"Just asking," Fu Haoyao said, staring at Su Xingshu with a thoughtful expression. "But I'm just asking casually. Xiao Shu, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be."

Su Xingshu rubbed his brow, looking somewhat weary. "Don't make a fuss."

He knew very well that with Fu Haoyao's level of emotional intelligence, he probably hadn't noticed his feelings for Fu Liangxia. But where was this inexplicable competitive spirit coming from?

For him, asking Fu Liangxia who she thought would win was more like flirtation. As for Fu Haoyao, was it just his sportsmanship that always wanted to be first?

Su Xingshu felt like he was on the verge of a breakdown, regretting getting into this contest with the madman, Fu Haoyao.

"How boring."

Su Xingshu was the first to look away, turning his gaze to Fu Liangxia and repeating his question. "Will you cheer for me?"

Did he hold a subtly different place in her heart compared to others?

Fu Haoyao gave a cold snort and reiterated his own demand. "You can't root for him."

"Fu Haoyao, are you ever going to shut up?" Su Xingshu finally frowned deeply.

Unable to bear this childish squabbling and the curious stares clinging to her, Fu Liangxia crossed her arms and said flatly, "What I say won't affect the outcome either way, so it's pointless."

Of course, she couldn't take sides between two F4 members in an argument—offending either would be unwise. So she simply turned and left the crowd, pulling out her phone to browse competition problems with great interest.

Seeing Fu Liangxia walk away, Fu Haoyao turned to Su Xingshu and raised an eyebrow. "Is she your next target?"