When Shen Zhengfeng hung up the phone, he felt a dull ache in his chest. To make matters worse, he could hear Li Xiaomei arguing with his sister, Shen Xiaoya, in the kitchen.
They were fighting because Shen Xiaoya’s boyfriend had used the shower gel Li Xiaomei kept in the bathroom.
Shen Zhengfeng slammed the door in frustration.
’Every single day, it’s just one damn thing after another! It was never this much trouble when I was with Du Liya!’
The moment Shen Zhengfeng thought about Du Liya and her husband traveling the world, now with a child in tow, he ground his teeth in resentment.
’Women are so fickle!’
’She used to love me to death, and what did she do? She just turned around and had a baby for some other guy!’
This was just the kind of person Shen Zhengfeng was.
He never looked inward to find the cause of his problems; he always blamed everyone else.
**
The March days grew warmer one by one. And while spring in North City was still a bit chilly, the young people who didn’t mind the cold had already started breaking out their spring wardrobes.
On the North City University campus, quite a few students were showing off new spring arrivals from Jiu Yi. The tall girl standing before Qin Jiao was wearing one such outfit.
The girl held her chin high, asking Qin Jiao, "Don’t you think I look better in this outfit than you did in the ad?"
This was none other than the belle of the Computer Science department, Xu Wei.
Although Shen Yi’s words that day had bruised her ego, they had also stoked her competitive drive.
Her reasoning was simple: if she could conquer a man that devoted, wouldn’t he then be devoted only to her?
’The more in-demand a man is, the better he must be.’
Xu Wei was also incredibly self-assured, always believing she was far superior to that girl from the law school, Qin Jiao.
Qin Jiao didn’t know who Xu Wei was, but she could tell the girl was looking for trouble. Unfazed, she said, "That outfit does look good on you. What’s this, hoping to do an ad for Jiu Yi?"
Xu Wei frowned. ’Why does she talk just like Shen Yi?’
’Who said anything about shooting an ad?!’
Xu Wei scowled. "Qin Jiao, don’t play dumb. Are you telling me you don’t know who I am?"
Qin Jiao shook her head. "I honestly don’t. North City University is a big place. I don’t have time to get to know every single person here."
Standing beside Qin Jiao, Han Juan couldn’t help but snort with laughter.
Xu Wei was used to being put on a pedestal and couldn’t stand being dismissed like this. She sneered, "It’s no use playing dumb, Qin Jiao. I’ll be straight with you: I want Shen Yi. You’re not even in my league, so what gives you the right to be his girlfriend?!"
Realization dawned on Qin Jiao. "Oh, so you’re that sophomore from the Computer Science department who gave my boyfriend a cake, got rejected by him, and still refuses to give up."
Well now. That one long sentence was packed with meaning.
First, it implied she was shameless. My boyfriend has a girlfriend. He’s already rejected you. And yet you keep pestering him.
Second, it pointed out she was an upperclassman, and therefore older. An older woman, at that, with so little self-respect.
Xu Wei had never encountered such a master of snide remarks. Her face flushed red, and after stewing for a long moment, she could only manage to choke out, "You don’t deserve Shen Yi!"
Qin Jiao sighed. "I don’t deserve him? Then I suppose you do? You know, you really shouldn’t be so shameless, *upperclassman*. It only makes it hurt more when reality slaps you in the face."
Xu Wei: "..."
Qin Jiao shook her head with a helpless sigh. ’I didn’t actually want to go out of my way to deal with this love rival. No, wait, she doesn’t even count as a rival. At best, she’s just an admirer of Shen Yi’s.’
’But now she’s come right up to me and practically offered her face up for a slap.’
’It would be rude not to oblige, wouldn’t it?’