Chapter 031: Demanding a Reward from Feng Aotian—How Daring!
The daily dismissal time was what Ye Zhen looked forward to most.
Now that she'd mastered two subjects, the pressure of studying had eased considerably. Classes had even started to feel boring.
I just want to go home!
Only at home could she make money.
With graduation exams drawing near, she had to hurry up and earn money—there was no time to waste.
"Hey, dog system! Ye Fuli sent me a lunchbox—doesn't that count as a gift from her?"
"Receive any gift from the female lead, Ye Fuli" was the task requirement.
Now, Ye Zhen felt she must have met the condition!
[This cute little thing needs to emphasize: this gift must at least hold sentimental value, like that gold ring you got before. You know what I mean, right?]
Ye Zhen twisted her lips. "Hmph, you're nitpicking over this meaningless detail, aren't you? I think you're deliberately picking on me. Watch out, I might just hang myself in front of you."
[This quest requirement wasn't set by me! I have a boss who audits my work—I wouldn't dare cheat!]
The system sounded genuinely aggrieved.
It had hoped to follow an ambitious host and make a name for itself here, but who knew it would end up bound to a slacker like Ye Zhen, dragging its standards down to rock bottom.
Ye Zhen felt equally aggrieved.
She'd hoped to team up with an ambitious system to make waves here, only to find herself bound to a lazy, cutesy system that dragged her down to rock bottom.
Where could she go to complain about this?
Ye Zhen had no choice but to shelve the matter for now.
They couldn't stand each other, yet they had no choice but to make do.
……
……
The Ye residence.
Before Ye Zhen arrived home, Huang Li had already been brought over by his mother, who was eager to sell her son.
Huang Li sat on the sofa, quiet as a mouse.
His mother was chatting away with Mrs. Ye, bragging so wildly it made him blush.
But he dared not contradict her, or even shift his butt off the couch.
Ugh, this is so annoying. I just want to go home.
He was still so young, just a sophomore at the same university. Was it really necessary to rush into marriage?
Sure, he did fancy this type of younger-looking senior, but he didn't have the guts to make a move. He was even afraid to look twice, worried he'd get beaten up!
Huang Li grew more and more miserable the more he thought about it, and couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
What a mess I've gotten myself into.
"Huang Li, what's wrong? Feeling stuffy sitting in here? Why not step outside for some fresh air? Our courtyard is quite spacious."
Mrs. Ye detected anxiety in his expression.
So she kindly put an end to her one-sided flattery.
"Ah, I'll step outside then." Huang Li jumped up as if granted a reprieve, only to freeze when his mother shot him a stern glare. He slumped back into his seat: "Actually, now that I think about it, I don't feel stuffy at all."
Mrs. Huang chuckled. "You're such a kid! You're just dying to see your senior Zhenzhen, aren't you? Can't sit still! Be a little more reserved, will you? Who knows what'll happen between the two of you."
Huang Li: "…"
Ah, yes, yes, yes. Whatever you say is right.
Mrs. Ye chuckled too. "Don't say that! Young people are like that—they fall for each other easily. Spending more time together will only make things better."
Huang Li: "…"
Ah, right, right, you're both absolutely right.
He was indeed fidgeting restlessly, even silently praying for Ye Zhen to hurry home so he could have an excuse to leave the living room.
His prayers were answered quickly.
Ye Zhen stepped out of the car and immediately spotted the new vehicle parked at the entrance.
There was no doubt it belonged to the Huang family—the same one she'd seen that morning.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she instantly felt uneasy.
Tonight, was she supposed to be alone with Huang Li?
Even if it was just studying in the same room, she wasn't keen on the idea.
"Mom, I'm home. Oh, is Dad not here?"
Ye Zhen walked in, feigning nonchalance.
Mrs. Ye pulled her down to sit, smiling warmly as she introduced the Huang family across from them: "This is your junior classmate, Huang Li. I'm sure you've already met."
At that moment, Ye Zhen and Huang Li exchanged a glance.
Their gazes held a hint of undisguised resignation.
Alright then!
Since you're not exactly volunteering, this makes things much easier.
Ye Zhen smiled faintly and said, "We know each other. I also know that Junior Huang Li has excellent grades. Even though he's only a sophomore, he can tackle junior-level problems. That's quite impressive."
Hearing this exaggeration, both sets of parents chuckled.
Only Huang Li himself couldn't muster a smile.
He couldn't shake the feeling that Ye Zhen's smile and praise carried a hint of cunning and deceit, lacking even a shred of sincerity.
What was she up to?
Surely she wasn't after his kidneys?
"Well then, you two should get back to studying. With graduation exams approaching, catching up on your coursework is crucial." Mrs. Huang immediately seized the opportunity to change the subject, frantically signaling to her son.
Seeing Huang Li still staring blankly, she kicked him hard under the table.
Huang Li: "…"
He really would thank her.
So he stood up, maintaining a gentlemanly smile, and reached out to take Ye Zhen's backpack.
"Well then, I look forward to your guidance tonight."
"Sure thing, Huang Li."
In front of their parents, the two were nothing but polite, smiling warmly, and appearing harmonious and friendly.
But the moment they turned away, Ye Zhen's expression instantly hardened.
As they walked into the dimly lit corridor, Huang Li felt a twinge of fear seeing her expression.
He lowered his voice to a whisper audible only to them: "Don't worry, I only see you as a good buddy. I won't do anything! If you're still uneasy, we can record the whole thing… no, live stream it instead. What do you say?"
Ye Zhen: "Oh."
She knew it—this kid had the nerve but not the guts.
That was fine by her—it meant she could be a bit nicer to him.
Once inside the room, Huang Li actually pulled out his phone, set up a tripod, and began adjusting the angle to record the entire process.
"Honestly, it's not you I'm scared of—it's her! That crazy woman Ye Fuli hits people without warning, always going all out. She shows zero mercy or respect for the law. I wouldn't dare cross her."
Huang Li muttered a few complaints before pressing the record button.
Then, he sat within the camera's monitoring range throughout the session, maintaining a considerable distance from Ye Zhen as he tutored her in her studies.
Ye Zhen propped her chin on her hand, idly twirling a pen.
As time ticked by, Ye Zhen's eyelids grew heavier and heavier. It wasn't that Huang Li's teaching was poor; she simply hadn't slept enough the night before and hadn't rested well during her afternoon break, leaving her utterly exhausted.
"Senior Ye Zhen? Don't fall asleep now."
Ye Zhen lifted her head slightly and glanced at him. "I'm not asleep yet, but I'm close."
"Heh, well then, shall we take a break and continue later?"
Ye Zhen yawned.
She set down her pen, stood up, and headed toward the balcony.
Huang Li, afraid to make a move, sat obediently in place, pulling out his phone to play a few rounds of a battle game.
The night breeze felt a bit chilly, and rain had begun to fall outside.
Ye Zhen sat beside the fragrant gardenia pot, pulling out her phone.
The screen lit up, and she immediately saw a message from Ye Fuli.
Ye Fuli: Someone's giving you free lessons—don't you think you should pay attention?
Upon seeing the message, Ye Zhen jumped in surprise, even glancing around to see if Ye Fuli had snuck in, hiding in some corner.
After all, the Ye family villa was quite large.
After searching for a while, she didn't spot any suspicious figures.
The "beep-beep-beep" sound rang out once more.
Ye Zhen nervously tapped open the new message.
Sure enough, it was Ye Fuli again. But this time, the message left Ye Zhen feeling rather down.
Ye Fuli: Stop looking for me everywhere. I'm not that idle—I won't go to your house just to keep tabs on you.
"So long as you're not watching me, right? Hmph, Feng Aotian can read minds, huh?"
If she didn't reply, the other person would definitely get angry.
After pondering for a moment, Ye Zhen sent a reply: "If I study hard, will you give me a reward?"
Rewards matter, after all!
After all, it determined whether she, Ye Zhen, could quickly master her third subject.
Beep beep beep.
Ye Fuli replied again: "Are you studying for my sake? Asking me for a reward? You've got some nerve."
Her tone seemed perfectly neutral, but Ye Zhen insisted on detecting a hint of tsundere attitude.
Hmm, this could work!
So, plucking up her courage and thickening her skin, she sent another message: "I'm your student too, right? Shouldn't you be happy that your student is doing well in her studies?"
This message sat unanswered for a long time.
Just as Ye Zhen was convinced the whole thing had fallen through, Ye Fuli replied.
Ye Fuli: "Since you're so eager for my reward, whatever I give you, you'd better accept it gracefully."
Ye Zhen: "…"
Oh no.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She had a sinking feeling that whatever reward she'd receive next wouldn't be anything proper.
Was it too late to regret this now?