Chapter 4: Darling, Don't Keep the Dog — Keep Me?

After sending it, he tossed his phone into the locker and changed his shoes with a cold face.

Pei Heyun watched from the side the entire time, barely holding back a laugh.

Still claiming he wasn't interested?

Peacock on display. Case closed.

---

S University. A girls' dorm room.

Four beds, four desks underneath — the classic setup. Lights had been out for half an hour, but not a single girl was asleep.

The faint glow of phone screens lit up their faces. Every now and then, a muffled laugh broke the silence.

Jiang Wan had her Bluetooth earbuds in, listening to music to unwind before bed.

A new message popped onto her screen —

Lie: [Want to see my abs?]

Her earbuds were playing "Body Shots."

The thumping beat paired with that line on screen — heat rushed to Jiang Wan's face.

What was wrong with this man?

Suddenly so forward?

Could it be... her flirting mission had achieved a breakthrough?

Jiang Wan seized the opening without hesitation.

Nice2MeetYou: [Yes!]

Across the ocean, Shang Shixu — walking to a restaurant — saw that single word. The corner of his mouth curved into a victorious smirk.

Lie: [Go to sleep. You can have anything in your dreams.]

Nice2MeetYou: [* & % ¥ # @......]

Lie: [Oh, swearing quite colorfully.]

Nice2MeetYou: [Smile.jpg]

Jiang Wan ground her teeth and shoved her phone under her pillow.

A bait-and-switch?

This guy was despicable to the bone!

She rolled over and closed her eyes.

The song was still playing in her earbuds, but she couldn't absorb a single note.

-

The next day.

7:30 AM. Her roommate's alarm detonated on schedule.

Jiang Wan was jolted awake. She blinked slowly, yawning.

She stared at the blackout curtain above her bed for a good minute before her brain came online.

She fished her phone out from under the pillow and launched her daily mission — flirt with the target.

Nice2MeetYou: [Some people fall in love. Some people watch the sea at night. Some people wake up at dawn, eyes still closed, already thinking about saying good morning to a handsome guy]

[Good morning! A new day begins~]

Sent. She set her phone on the pillow and got ready to get up.

But the screen lit up almost instantly.

Lie: [Your morning, my evening]

Attached was a photo of a sunset.

Jiang Wan opened the image and zoomed in.

The setting looked like a shooting range — she could make out targets and sandbags in the distance.

Nice2MeetYou: [Practicing shooting?]

Lie: [Yeah.]

Nice2MeetYou: [Are you any good?]

Lie: [Good enough. Come see for yourself.]

The moment the words went out, Shang Shixu's thumb hesitated on the screen.

...What was he saying?

That sounded like he wanted to meet.

But it was sent. Recalling it would just look guilty.

On the other end, Jiang Wan stared at the message for a beat.

See for herself?

That was out of the question.

She was a "dead-on-exposure" kind of existence — the moment he saw her real face, the whole thing would collapse.

What she thought and what she typed were two different things.

Nice2MeetYou: [Sure! If we get the chance, I'd love to see it]

Nice2MeetYou: [I won't keep you from your fun. Stay safe, okay~]

Sent. She pushed aside the blackout curtain and climbed down.

From the opposite bunk, Zhou Feiyan heard the movement and poked her head out, eyes still puffy with sleep.

"Wanwan, why are you up?"

"We don't have class this morning."

Out of the four of them, Jiang Wan and Zhou Feiyan were both in the Chinese Literature department, same class.

"No class. I'm heading to the library. Go back to sleep."

Zhou Feiyan mumbled "Oh," pulled her head back in, and was out like a light.

Jiang Wan climbed down the ladder and walked into the bathroom, door propped open.

Her roommate Wang Yurong was already inside.

Short bob, no-nonsense. She spat out a mouthful of foam with a vigorous "ptooey pttoey."

Casual as could be — splashed water on her face twice, called it a wash.

Wang Yurong finished up, turned, and saw Jiang Wan standing there in her camisole and tiny shorts, waiting patiently like a good kid.

The mischievous streak in her instantly activated.

She slipped behind Jiang Wan, reached out, and gave her waist a light pinch.

"Ah!"

Jiang Wan flinched and jumped forward.

"Rongrong, no touching my waist!"

Three years of rooming together. Jiang Wan knew their tendencies all too well.

Loud, brash, always down for chaos.

Wang Yurong leaned in with a grin.

"Wanwan, with a body like yours, who knows which lucky bastard will get to enjoy it."

"As your beloved roommate, can't I cop a little feel?"

Jiang Wan shot her a sidelong glance. "You're one month older than me and you still dare call yourself 'sis.'"

"Anyway, hurry up — your boyfriend's downstairs waiting for breakfast."

Wang Yurong had been with her boyfriend since high school.

Same hometown, got into S University together, relationship so solid the whole dorm envied them.

Wang Yurong huffed. "One month older is still older. Leaving, leaving."

Jiang Wan shook her head with a helpless smile, finished getting ready, and walked out — bumping straight into Li Zhile.

Li Zhile came from the wealthiest family of the four.

Her mother was a senior editor at a magazine. Her father ran a large furniture mall.

An only daughter, thoroughly spoiled.

Her temper ran hot, but she wasn't a bad person.

"Wanwan." Li Zhile stopped her.

Jiang Wan paused. "What's up?"

Li Zhile: "My mom's company is running a writing contest. Want to give it a shot?"

"If your piece gets selected, it's five thousand per article."

Jiang Wan's almond eyes lit up. "Sure! Send me the link."

Li Zhile: "Okay."

As a Chinese Literature student, Jiang Wan genuinely enjoyed writing in her free time.

Her skill level wasn't exactly stellar, but trying wouldn't hurt.

And if she got picked? Five thousand yuan.

Her family was still two million in debt — and that wasn't even counting the monthly interest.

Every extra yuan she earned was one less burden on her parents.

Jiang Wan grabbed her laptop and set off for the library.

Passing the cafeteria, she ducked in and bought a tea egg, a bowl of eight-treasure porridge, and three shrimp soup dumplings.

Arranged them neatly. Snapped a photo. Sent it to Shang Shixu.

Nice2MeetYou: [Breakfast~]

A few minutes later, a reply came.

Lie: [My dog eats more than that.]

Jiang Wan: "..."

Was this guy's mouth cursed or something?

Her portion wasn't even small!

Jiang Wan typed, deadpan —

Nice2MeetYou: [Darling, then don't keep the dog. Keep me?]

She sent it and bit viciously into a soup dumpling.

-

Across the ocean. Boston.

Shang Shixu returned to his apartment from the shooting range.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, thousands of lights glittered along the Charles River.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He didn't rush to check it.

Instead, he walked to the liquor cabinet, pulled out a bottle of whiskey.

Poured a glass. Took a slow, unhurried sip. Then, with his free hand, reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

When he saw the latest message, his narrow phoenix eyes narrowed slightly.

His thumb tapped the screen —

Lie: [Okay.]

Lie: [Call me Master, and I'll keep you.]

---