Chapter 164: Lolis Aren't Just About Looks
"What's the big deal? Whether we pursue you or not is our business. Whether you accept or not is yours."
Qiao Xin said this, then gave a proud little snort.
"Don't worry too much! We're both decent people. We'd never… you know… sneak around just because we're roommates!"
That's what she said.
But why did her tone sound so hollow?
Wang Xiaoya smiled meaningfully and said, "Xinxin, are you really that proper? Never thought about taking a nice bath together with Zhenzhen, warming the bed together, sharing the same apple, or anything like that? Hehehe~"
Qiao Xin froze for a moment, then flushed bright red. "Nonsense!"
Of course she hadn't thought about such things…
Precisely because they were roommates, she couldn't casually entertain such thoughts!
What if she scared Zhenzhen away?
"Alright then, we'll just be fair competitors from now on." Wang Xiaoya dropped her smile and put on a serious face. "The choice is entirely up to Zhenzhen. Let's confirm that one last time, okay?"
Qiao Xin nodded. "Deal."
As the person involved, Ye Zhen let out a sharp "Hiss."
Settled?
That's settled?
Not settled at all!
To be fair, with two roommates as stunningly beautiful as these, no man could look at them and not feel a flutter.
But Ye Zhen had genuinely never considered taking their roommate relationship to that level.
The fundamental reason was that she was far too familiar with all three people in this dorm!
They treated her like a daughter or little sister in daily life. Occasionally showering together, or even helping them fasten their bra hooks—Ye Zhen had long since grown numb to such moments.
How could such a relationship possibly evolve into something romantic?
As a morally upright little loli, Ye Zhen immediately made her stance clear: she had no intention of playing the field.
"I have absolutely no interest in dating either of you. Your advances will likely come to nothing. So, I'd appreciate it if you could shift your focus away from me—preferably toward your studies. That way, when finals roll around, you'll definitely see some results."
Saying this, Ye Zhen pulled out her report card and waved it in front of them.
She hoped her advice would sink in.
However, her roommates clearly fell into an even deeper misunderstanding.
"So you mean if I study hard, Zhenzhen will actually consider me more?" Wang Xiaoya's face lit up with a smile, her eyes sparkling.
"Hey, Zhenzhen's top of the class. How much chance do you have, you academic underachiever?" Qiao Xin's lips curled upward in a smug grin.
"You're twelfth from the bottom in the class, and you have the nerve to talk to me?"
"Ha! At least I'm in the top ten for one subject!"
Seeing the two about to erupt into an argument, Ye Zhen cleared her throat loudly. "If you want to fight, take your time. I'm heading to the library to borrow some books."
…
Stepping out of Room 404, Ye Zhen exhaled a long breath.
She carried a small bag containing her unfinished artwork and several study guides.
It was almost closing time for the campus gates, and the library would be shutting down soon too.
So Ye Zhen turned a corner and headed for the 24-hour study room.
No sooner had she sat down than the dog system delivered a message.
[Host, a new mission is available. Interested in checking it out?]
"Hm?"
Ye Zhen was somewhat interested, but not overly so.
Still, she was bored now, so she might as well listen.
[Of course, same as always—these are optional missions. You can choose to complete them or not!]
[The first task is to establish your own company with at least one hundred employees. The reward is one hundred million yuan in capital or an equivalent property.]
[The second task is to rescue a zoo on the brink of bankruptcy. Keep it operational for one year without closing, and you'll receive a reward of one hundred million yuan or property of equivalent value.]
Listening to these two tasks, Ye Zhen fell deep in thought.
She couldn't help but ask, "Does my chicken farm count as a company?"
[No, it doesn't!]
Alright.
If the chicken farm didn't count, what kind of company should she have?
Ye Zhen truly had no business acumen. Well aware of her own limitations, she had never entertained ambitions of starting anything grand.
Just then, several more young people trickled into the study room.
They were likely seniors from the fourth year, each carrying large and small bags, looking rather disheveled.
After setting down their belongings, one of them began sighing heavily.
"We've hit up five companies today, and not a single one is willing to work with us."
"They just don't know a good thing when they see it!"
"Why don't we just sell it to Jinlin Studio at their offer… We could each get fifty grand. I could fix up my house back home and marry a wife."
"What nonsense are you spouting? Four years of our blood, sweat, and tears—we've practically gone bald over this—and you think it's only worth that much?!"
"Then what do you suggest? I don't want it to be like this either."
"We have one last chance tomorrow. We need to infiltrate that cocktail party and see if we can connect with some wealthy young masters and ladies…"
Listening to their back-and-forth, Ye Zhen frowned.
Their words reminded her of a plotline.
It was about a young game development team from South City who rose to prominence in just three short years. They bought an office building next to the Ye Group headquarters and hung a gleaming golden sign reading "Glory Games."
The most crucial investment came from Bai Ruoting, the heir to the Bai Group.
Yet after their success, they chose to buy back Bai Ruoting's shares at a premium rather than maintain any connection to the Bai family.
Overnight, everyone labeled them a team of ingrate wolves. Major news outlets painted the Bai family as victims, causing Bai Group's stock to surge multiple times…
This storyline didn't take up much space in the comic.
From the reader's perspective, its sole purpose was to create an opportunity for the female lead, Ye Fuli, to connect with the male lead, Bai Ruoting.
Out of courtesy, Ye Fuli did offer him some verbal comfort and accepted his dinner invitation.
But that was all.
Ye Fuli was aloof and unapproachable, both in her past life and present one.
"Now I know Bai Ruoting isn't a good person," Ye Zhen narrowed her eyes, calculating silently, "But that doesn't prove these people in front of me are any better."
Regardless, the opportunity was right before her.
For the mission, Ye Zhen would observe these people and attempt to engage with them.
They argued loudly, completely oblivious to Ye Zhen lurking in the corner.
Ye Zhen cleared her throat softly, interrupting their argument.
"Ah! Sorry, little sister, we disturbed you." The leader of the group, an older female student, immediately bowed in apology.
Her outfit was rather dowdy, but she had a figure to die for. As she bowed, Ye Zhen's gaze involuntarily flickered twice.
Ye Zhen shifted her gaze awkwardly. "Just carry on with your conversation. Don't mind me."
That said, Ye Zhen nonchalantly produced a set of car keys and placed them on the table.
Not driving didn't mean she didn't own a car.
Spending over five million on a sports car, occasionally letting Zhao Mengde take her out for a spin to enjoy the scenery—that was quite the luxury.
The emblem on those keys caught their eyes.
"Holy crap, a rich girl!"
A guy trailing behind the senior blurted out.
Realizing his slip, he quickly tapped his lips and apologized to Ye Zhen.
"Sorry, I… spoke out of turn."
Ye Zhen smiled and shook her head.
The senior girl in charge immediately walked over and sat down beside Ye Zhen.
Her breath quickened as she stared at the car keys, unable to contain her question: "This… this is a lighter… right?"
"No, it's the car I bought for over five million."
Ye Zhen toyed with the keys, maintaining her smile as she casually added:
"By the way, senior, what were you all discussing earlier? It seemed like you were looking for a business partner or something?"