Chapter 5

“Weren’t you the one who told me to stop acting like a good girl and be more provocative?” I asked.

Xia Yu forced a smile. “I was joking. Don’t take it seriously. You were chatting for me, and being a little explicit is useful. Now I can ask him to meet me tonight.”

“I’ll message him now. You get back to work.”

Phone in hand, she returned to her desk.

An unexpected ache settled in my chest.

It felt as though I had spent six months patiently watering a flower only to hand the entire pot to someone else. Only after giving it away did I realize I had grown attached.

I reminded myself that the flower had never belonged to me. Xia Yu had merely paid me to tend it.

Besides, we had agreed from the beginning that once I won the man over, I would return the account and let her read our messages. Those were the rules, and I had to honor them.

The online romance now belonged completely to Xia Yu.

It was time for me to quit it like an addiction.

After work, I returned to the hotel, ordered takeout, ate, and took a quick shower. Then I opened my laptop at the desk.

Six months ago, I had passed the entrance examination for the Global Financial Management Program, organized by one of the world’s premier business schools. Its alumni included renowned figures from across the international financial industry.

Each class had only thirty seats. Twenty were reserved for established finance professionals who could pay the two-million-yuan tuition. The remaining ten were awarded through an online examination that drew more than ten thousand applicants worldwide.

I had placed third and earned one of those seats. My tuition was reduced to 168,000 yuan.

After two years of scrimping and saving, I had only one hundred thousand yuan to my name. I was still short sixty-eight thousand.

I had studied finance at university and never stopped learning after graduation. My family background might have been ordinary, but I refused to remain a bank clerk forever. I wanted to improve myself and see a wider world.

That was why I had agreed to conduct Xia Yu’s online romance.

Xia Yu was also enrolled in the program. Through her father, Xia Changfu, she had secured an inside seat for the full two-million-yuan fee.

For the last six months, classes had met online twice a week. I never missed one. I always logged in on time and studied with complete attention.

Tonight was no exception.

With three minutes left before class, I rose and opened the curtains to let in some air. Outside, a familiar Maybach pulled up before the five-star hotel across the street.

It was Jiang Tingche’s car. I recognized the license plate, ending in four sevens.

The comment feed floated into view.

[Heh heh. Jiang Tingche and Xia Yu are meeting in the hotel’s presidential suite tonight.]

[Xia Yu just finished a rose-petal bath and is waiting for him in a silk nightgown worth tens of thousands.]

[Those two are definitely going to set the sheets on fire tonight.]

[They’re perfect for each other—one is a mysterious, low-profile heir, and the other is a bank president’s daughter.]

[Even their personalities complement each other.]

[Jiang Tingche is possessive, while Xia Yu loves going to clubs.]

[I can already imagine how jealous he’ll get once they’re together.]

[He’ll probably storm into the club himself, throw Xia Yu over his shoulder, carry her home, and never let her out of his sight.]

[I ship it. I ship it so hard.]

So Xia Yu really had chosen tonight to meet Jiang Tingche.

Anyone who missed three classes would be dismissed from the program. As far as I knew, she had already missed two. If she skipped tonight as well, the opportunity her father had spent so much money and effort securing would go to waste.

People rarely treasured what came too easily.

Still, everyone had different ambitions.

The final three minutes passed. I closed the curtains, logged into my account, and entered the online classroom on time.

Xia Yu was absent, just as I expected.

Whatever. I only needed to look after myself.