Chapter 5

The first round of mock exam results came out.

Shen Zhuo used to score in the four hundreds. Under my supervision, he’d reached five hundred and was now seventh from the bottom.

I was more than two hundred points ahead of him, in first place.

First in each of the individual subjects too.

“You’ve improved. Remember to do your practice paper tonight. I’ve marked the important sections. Don’t make the same mistake twice.”

I picked up his physics paper and frowned at the third question from the end. “You got this one wrong last time. Again?”

Young Master Shen ignored me, his expression icy. He conspicuously held his stomach, constantly sneaking glances at me.

I put down the paper. Just as I was about to clear the desk, he roughly caught my hand.

His eyes were wet. “Can’t you see my stomach hurts? All you care about is my grades!”

His docility and weakness had been an act. Now there was an ugly, dissatisfied edge in his eyes.

I’d seen that expression on Li Changqing’s face too.

Rich boys starved of affection.

They thought themselves irresistible, masters at playing with people’s hearts. In reality, give them a little sweetness and they exposed everything.

I stroked his hair, looking distressed. “But Shen Zhuo, with families like ours, studying hard is our only way out.”

“I know you don’t want to study. So I have to work harder. I don’t want us to have no future. I can support you someday.”

“I bought you breakfast. Your stomach medicine’s beside the lunch box. Don’t do this again.”

The anger left his eyes. As he took the food container from me, he went completely still.

He’d forgotten that in front of me he was playing a poor, innocent boy, not a rich heir who could live comfortably without studying.

For once, he was quiet. He sat beside me and finished his food, without pestering me to do anything else.

When I got home, something stirred in the wardrobe.

I frowned. “He’s not here. Come out.”

“I’m dirty, but Shen Zhuo’s clean? His heart’s even dirtier!”

A strong hand tightened around my waist. A man’s voice, bitter and jealous, spoke beside my ear.

Last night, Li Changqing and Shen Zhuo had knocked at my door one after the other.

To keep Shen Zhuo from seeing Li Changqing, I’d stuffed him into the wardrobe.

I hadn’t expected him to stay in there all day.

Damp lips brushed my neck.

His hands and body were unnaturally hot.

Li Changqing usually wore loud, deliberately distinctive clothes.

Now he was in a plain white T-shirt. He did look much fresher and cleaner.

It was a shirt I’d bought for Shen Zhuo. Somehow, he’d ended up wearing it.

There was a red mole at the corner of Li Changqing’s eye. His fever had flushed the skin around it pink.

He knew his advantages. Those soft, alluring eyes gazed at me, glistening.

Unfortunately, this flower was steeped in poison.

Fine to look at. Nothing to put to my lips.

Shen Zhuo was cleaner, prettier, and richer.

Why choose the inferior option?

Ignoring the hurt in Li Changqing’s eyes, I pushed him away. “My boyfriend doesn’t like you. You should leave.”

“He doesn’t like me?” His voice turned strange and shrill. “What’s so good about him?”

Then he caught my hand, his eyes dark and unreadable. “Mianmian, you know what he’s really like. Why do you indulge him? Why is he the only one allowed near you? Is it his face you like? I—”

“What he’s really like?” I looked at him as though I didn’t understand.

I’d never answered any of the messages Li Changqing sent anonymously. He had no way of knowing whether I understood how false Shen Zhuo was.

Realizing he’d said too much, he clenched his fists in frustration.

He was a liar too. Naturally, he didn’t dare expose another liar.

A knock came at the door.

The charged atmosphere broke. I gave Li Changqing a troubled look.

His accusations caught in his throat.

He knew he had no right to question me.

He withdrew his hand listlessly. “Where are you hiding me this time?”

Calmly, I handed him a glass of water. “If you have a fever, take care of yourself.”

His eyes lit up at once, like a withering flower touched by rain, granted a brief new life.

A grim voice came from the doorway. “What are you doing at Mianmian’s place?”