Give Up

A few minutes later, Fu Langshu, still at the company working overtime, got two messages from Wang Hansheng.

The first was a photo of his younger brother and Fu Liangxia, taken in the VIP area of a mall he had invested in.

The photographer hadn't bothered to find a good angle—just wanted to make sure the subjects were recognizable—but they were so good-looking that even a casual snapshot looked like a magazine spread.

Right below it came another message: [Do you know this girl? What's her deal with your brother? Girlfriend?]

Fu Langshu glanced at it and typed back: [I know her. No.]

[But I'd advise you not to get any ideas.]

Wang Hansheng raised an eyebrow: [What do you mean?]

The reply came flat: [She's still in high school. An old cow eating tender grass—aren't you disgusted with yourself?]

That single line made Wang Hansheng's face darken.

Who was he calling an old cow? He had just turned twenty, and though a bit older than Fu Liangxia, he was much younger than Fu Langshu, who was twenty-three.

Wang Hansheng decided Fu Langshu was just jealous of his youth, closed the chat, and ignored him.

Meanwhile, sensing the subtle gazes landing on them from all around, Fu Haoyao shifted to block most of them, then flipped through the brochure and asked Fu Liangxia if she wanted BBQ during the camping trip.

Fu Liangxia thought about it—the beach, the sea, the bonfire, and BBQ all sounded delightful—and she was tempted.

But she had never grilled before, and Bai Yan and Bai Xin, both young masters, looked like they had never touched a kitchen. Even if they bought a grill, they probably wouldn't know how to use it.

With that thought, she shook her head slowly. "Never mind."

Fu Haoyao had clearly seen the longing in her eyes and didn't understand why she'd changed her mind. "What's wrong? Don't you like it?"

"It's not that. I'm tempted, but I don't know how to cook," Fu Liangxia said, looking a bit regretful.

After all, eating BBQ on the beach with the sea breeze sounded wonderful.

Surprised by her answer, Fu Haoyao blinked, then said matter-of-factly, "Why would you need to know how? If you want to eat, I'll grill for you."

His eyes sparkled as he puffed up with pride.

He seemed to be waiting for her to praise how amazing he was.

Fu Liangxia couldn't help but smile. "You're so nice."

Fu Haoyao grew even more smug. "Of course! I used to love wilderness survival when I was a kid. Setting up tents, grilling—that's nothing for me. Too bad we're not going into the mountains, or I could've shown off my fish-spearing skills."

He looked like a proud little puppy.

Fu Liangxia offered a casual compliment. "Impressive."

"So, you should ditch the Bai twins and team up with me," Fu Haoyao said, nose in the air. "Those two are more out of touch with the real world than anyone. They definitely can't cook."

He was still seizing every chance to badmouth them, but the team assignments were already submitted, so there was no point in changing now.

Besides, not all activities during the trip were group-based; everyone was in the same area, so they could move freely outside group activities. Even if she ate with Fu Haoyao, it would be within the rules.

Moreover, she still needed to raise Affinity Points with Bai Yan and Bai Xin, so this grouping was fine.

Fu Liangxia agreed readily. "Then I'll help you with the prep."

At that moment, a loud whistle came from nearby, as if someone was egging them on.

Fu Liangxia instinctively looked up and saw that the whistler, a young man about twenty, was also looking at her. His companion got up from the sofa and walked over.

The young man approaching was tall and lean, with broad shoulders and long legs, dressed in a well-fitted casual outfit, and had a handsome face.

Even someone used to handsome men had to admit that this man was exceptionally good-looking, both in appearance and demeanor. There was also a self-assured air about him that was hard to look away from.

Wang Hansheng, relying on his long legs, reached her in a few strides. His gaze barely flickered over Fu Haoyao beside her before fixing on Fu Liangxia.

He stopped two steps away, leaned forward slightly, and wore a faint smile. But only Wang Hansheng knew how nervous he felt inside when he met her eyes.

To be honest, this was the first time in his life he had asked a girl for her WeChat, and he tried his best to sound casual: "Hello, can I have your WeChat?"

His voice was quite nice, fitting his looks—somewhere between youth and young manhood, low but not greasy.

Fu Liangxia stared at him as the system's prompt sounded in her ear after a long time:

[Detectable guide target: Wang Hansheng

Current Affinity Points: 36

Guide description: As the brother of Wang Xixi, the classic vicious supporting female character in the original novel, Wang Hansheng has a notable presence in the plot. Increasing his affinity will help the host raise their presence on the worldline and reduce the likelihood of being rejected by the world consciousness.

Guide type: Optional

Note: The target's affinity is far higher than a normal first meeting. The system's analysis indicates a high probability of this target giving up easily.]

Fu Liangxia almost laughed at the system's evaluation. She looked at the handsome man before her and couldn't reconcile him with the "high probability of giving up easily" description.

But since he was an optional guide target, she didn't mind giving him her contact info.

Perhaps her hesitation made him think she was unwilling. After a moment, he suddenly said, "Actually, I've seen you before, at a party. But there were too many people trying to approach you, so I didn't go over. I've regretted it since."

"But it's fine. It's not too late to reacquaint ourselves." His deep eyes fixed on her, carrying a subtle hint of aggression. "My name is Wang Hansheng. Nice to meet you again."

Just as Fu Liangxia was about to speak, she saw Fu Haoyao, who had been sitting across from her, finally seem unable to take it anymore. He stood up abruptly and blocked in front of her.

He looked at Wang Hansheng with cold eyes, his dark expression clearly indicating his bad mood.

Wang Hansheng raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise. "What? I asked your brother. You're not in a relationship with her, are you?"

His implication was that Fu Haoyao had no reason or right to stop him.

Just then, a WeChat message came in from Fu Langshu: [She's Xiao Yao's tutor. She's a good student. Don't mess around.]

But Wang Hansheng immediately latched onto the key point.

He smiled suddenly, his tone light. "So she's just a tutor, not even a friend."

Fu Haoyao's gaze was as sharp as a knife.

But Wang Hansheng ignored him. He quickly scanned the code that Fu Liangxia had brought up, clicked to add her, then waved his phone at her with a pleased expression. He glanced at Fu Haoyao with a smile and said, "Come over to my place with your brother sometime."

Then he turned and left.

Wang Hansheng might have walked away breezily, but Fu Haoyao, left behind, was in a terrible mood.

He was angry that she attracted people everywhere, even his brother's friend, and he was angry that she was so carefree—she gave her WeChat to anyone who asked, without hesitation, and didn't even consider his feelings.

But Fu Haoyao also knew, as Wang Hansheng said, they weren't in a relationship, so why should Fu Liangxia consider him?

Whether she gave it or not was her freedom, and Wang Hansheng was handsome and mature, so Fu Liangxia had no reason to refuse.

However, his mind knew that, but his heart ached.

Did she really think of him as just a friend? Or, as Wang Hansheng said, just a student she tutored?

With every thought, his heart grew colder.

Realizing that Fu Liangxia cared about him less than he thought, and that she might have given her WeChat because she liked Wang Hansheng, Fu Haoyao bit his lip, almost feeling his heart break.

He felt terrible.

Why?

A handsome guy like him, who could hold his own in any situation and could even cook, was right in front of her. They had even agreed to grill together during camping. But then she gave her WeChat to another random guy who asked.

She didn't even look at him, completely disregarding him.

Was she really so heartless, ignoring everyone, or was she just ignoring him?

It wasn't fair.

Fu Haoyao was so angry he could have ground his teeth to dust, and he looked at Fu Liangxia as if he doubted she was blind.

If she weren't blind, how could she overlook a high-quality handsome man like him?

Fu Liangxia touched her face in confusion. "What's wrong?"

She had the fleeting impression that Fu Haoyao wanted to take her to an eye doctor.

Fu Haoyao said coldly, "I think you might be studying too hard and ruining your eyes."

Otherwise, how could she ignore a sunny, handsome guy like him and like an 'old' man two or three years older?

But then he thought about it.

Among the people around her, it seemed his relationship with her was the weakest, the most fragile.

Cheng Xingzhou was ambiguously involved with her; their dynamic could fill a TV drama for hundreds of episodes. Bai Xin and Bai Yan were her deskmates at school, with the advantage of proximity, and they could invite her to model after class and meet on weekends, possibly building feelings over time. Even his brother had held her hand...

In this light, he was just the most ordinary one. Even the only time he held her hand was after he had whined about it.

And he had been so happy he didn't wash his hand all day, feeling her scent lingering on his fingers.

He was just being sentimental, self-absorbed.

The more Fu Haoyao thought, the more aggrieved he felt, and his eyes reddened.

Yet Fu Liangxia, oblivious, was seriously flipping through the ordering brochure and asking him which kind of steak was best for grilling.

Heartless woman.

Didn't she see how upset he was? She was asking about meat.

Fine, fine. She treated him like a grilling tool, right?

Well, he wasn't going to be one.

Who did she think she was? Sure, she was good-looking, smart, and interesting, but he didn't believe there wasn't another girl like her.

Why should he be a simp? Wasn't gaming fun enough, or tennis training tiring enough, that he had to suffer this?

Besides, she didn't even like him, and she even let another man add her WeChat right in front of him!

Someone like that wasn't worth it.

Fu Haoyao hardened his heart. No more BBQ. Whoever wanted to grill could grill.

He wasn't going to.

...

After about a minute, Fu Liangxia finally heard Fu Haoyao answer, puffing with anger: "Fillet and sirloin. I've marked them."

Sensing that he was upset, Fu Liangxia looked up and saw Fu Haoyao staring at her with red-rimmed eyes.

He was furious, his tone harsh: "You don't need to choose. I've picked the seasonings too."

He said the most threatening words in the most cowardly way.

Fu Liangxia was taken aback, then said, "Alright, I'll pay then."

Fu Haoyao reacted strongly, staring at her intently. "What do you mean? Why are you paying? Are you trying to cut ties with me?"

At the thought, his tears almost welled up, and he nearly lost the mental resolve he had just built.

He had really thought about giving up on her and not grilling for her.

But then he imagined her eating happily with Bai Yan and the others, and he couldn't stand it.

Fine, he'd be a tool. He didn't mind!

But now Fu Liangxia wanted to distance herself from him. Only then did Fu Haoyao truly understand what it meant for the sky to fall.

He blurted out, "Why? Because I stopped that Wang guy from asking for your WeChat? Or did you fall for him and want to avoid any misunderstanding, so you're going to abandon me? Why? He's older than me, not as handsome, not as fit. What do you see in him?"

A barrage of questions nearly stunned Fu Liangxia.

What nonsense? When did she ever fall for Wang Hansheng? And cut ties with him?

Fu Liangxia couldn't piece together the logic of his words, so she said helplessly, "It's not like that. I just thought I should contribute too. I can't just freeload..."

"I don't mind!" Fu Haoyao interrupted loudly. "Even if you like older men, I'll accept it. Everyone gets older. In three years, I'll definitely be more mature and steady than him! If you treat me like a grilling tool, that's fine too, at least it proves I'm more useful than Bai Xin and Bai Yan. As long as I can make you happy."

"I know I haven't known you as long as Cheng Xingzhou, and we don't have the same history. I know I'm not as powerful as my brother, without that mature man's charm. I can't paint or sing. I'm just a regular handsome guy with slightly better stamina. To you, I'm probably no different from anyone else, or maybe just a slightly dense student..."

Fu Haoyao seemed to have reached his limit, unable to hold back, the words tumbling out like beans. His eyes were red and alarming.

But because he was good-looking, it gave him a certain broken beauty he didn't usually have.

Fu Liangxia's heart softened. She began to reflect on whether she had really been a bit too much. Although she didn't understand many of the things he said—like liking older men, and how he still managed to call himself handsome even while so upset.

She hesitated and spoke up, "Fu Haoyao..."

"But I fucking like you!" He said it with force, not like a confession, but like a declaration of war.

Fu Liangxia was completely stunned. She could feel the complex gazes gathering on her, and even saw Bai Xin, who had just entered with a tall, slender, beautiful girl beside him, turn to look at them.

Bai Xin was a bit surprised to run into Fu Liangxia here. She was dressed differently than this morning; the dress suited her very well, elegant with a touch of alluring mystery. Just sitting there, she created a strong visual impact.

Bai Xin's gaze lingered on her a little longer, and he felt his fingers itch again.

He wanted to paint.

Wang Xixi beside him was looking around for her brother when she noticed Bai Xin's distraction. "What are you so absorbed in?" she asked.

Then she followed his gaze and saw the girl in the wine-red dress in the distance. Her expression changed instantly, her smile freezing on her lips.

Wang Xixi recognized her immediately as the one in the photo Xu Qiuying had sent her.

She had heard of Fu Liangxia.

She'd heard that this transfer student had only been at the school a few days before turning the place upside down. Even the tightly knit F4 had fallen out over her, arguing multiple times and straining their relationships.

But F4 was F4. Wang Xixi had assumed those incidents were caused by the others, and Bai Xin had nothing to do with it. Until yesterday, when Xu Qiuying told her that Bai Xin had openly fought with someone to team up with Fu Liangxia for the camping trip.

Wang Xixi almost dropped her jaw in disbelief.

Fought with someone over a spot? Who, Bai Xin?

Everyone knew Bai Xin was indifferent to everything except painting. Even when his family arranged a marriage, he agreed without a care.

She had once thought he had some feelings for her.

Only later did she realize he simply didn't care about anyone.

Marriage, who he married—Bai Xin didn't care.

His eyes only held his paintings.

Wang Xixi had let it be, since she loved that carefree nature of his.

But now he was fighting over a girl? And it wasn't her?

Wang Xixi's face darkened.

She said coldly, "Did you do this on purpose? Invite her here to humiliate me?"

Bai Xin withdrew his gaze and glanced at her without emotion, as if wondering why she would think that. "No," he said flatly.

Wang Xixi snorted. "Oh? So she came on her own? Heard I was back and not happy about it, so she's trying to win you back?"

This time, Bai Xin's look at her turned into one of pity for a fool. "If your eyes work, you should see she didn't come alone. Haoyao's sitting right next to her."

It was then that Wang Xixi realized she had been so angry earlier that she hadn't noticed Fu Haoyao, whose hair and clothes blended with the sofa's color.

She paused, then a deeper sneer curled on her lips. "So she's not just after you guys—she's after Fu Haoyao too."

Bai Xin found her tone unpleasant and instinctively defended Fu Liangxia. "It's not what you think."

But the next second, they heard Fu Haoyao's furious declaration: "But I fucking like you!"

Wang Xixi slowly repeated his words and raised an eyebrow. "Not what I think?"

Bai Xin: "..."