Chapter Eight

"Really? I never knew Yu Li was like that." Chen Siyu was genuinely oblivious. She felt a deep sense of shame realizing that after being friends with Yu Li for so many years, she was only now discovering this side of her.

Just then, Zhang Yi returned. Lin Zimo immediately stepped forward and asked, "Did you find any leads, Zhang Yi? What about Wang Tianqi?"

Zhang Yi took a deep breath and cursed indignantly, "Damn it, it turns out Wang Tianqi wasn't avoiding us on purpose. She went abroad to study. No wonder we couldn't find her these past few days."

"Wang Tianqi went abroad to study?" Lin Zimo felt a wave of unease. Yu Xingyue had gone abroad, and now Wang Tianqi had done the same. Could it be…

Lin Zimo continued, "Do you know where she went?"

"They didn't tell me exactly where," Zhang Yi said, hands on his hips. "But they gave me a hint, mentioning that the cherry blossoms were beautiful. If we're talking about cherry blossoms, that means Tokyo, Japan."

"Tokyo, Japan?!" Lin Zimo was stunned. Yu Xingyue was also in Tokyo. If Wang Tianqi was really there, then…

The others soon learned from Zhang Yi that Wang Tianqi, like Yu Xingyue, had gone to study in Tokyo. It was hard to say if they were surprised or angry; she hadn't even said goodbye. But then again, a young lady of her status didn't owe them any explanation—that was her freedom.

...

"Achoo!" Wang Tianqi sneezed. "Who's badmouthing me? Could it be that scumbag Yu Xingyue?"

After school, Wang Tianqi didn't go straight home. Instead, she headed toward Yu Xingyue's villa in Akihabara. The route required her to pass through the secluded path where Honda Haoyun often appeared.

Fortunately, she didn't encounter Honda Haoyun today. Wang Tianqi was unaware of his existence; no one had ever mentioned him to her. Even if they had, she would have dismissed it as a joke.

"Why is this path so eerie? I’d better hurry," she muttered. Feeling a chill down her spine, she quickened her pace and cleared the path in under five minutes.

"It feels like this place is crawling with monsters or ghosts. At least I'm safe now," she reassured herself, finding the road unusually unsettling.

Upon reaching Akihabara, the crowds were even denser than she had anticipated. She marveled at how people would spend a fortune on an old game. She didn't understand gaming, but she could see the joy it brought them; though she couldn't grasp what games meant to these otaku, it was clearly a treasure to them.

Leaving Akihabara, she soon spotted the villa. She checked the address Liu Hailizi had sent her, then looked at the building. This was definitely the place.

"Who would have thought, Yu Xingyue? You're quite wealthy. I suppose I’ll have to change my opinion of you," she mused. Yu Xingyue was the only one capable of making her feel this way. Of course, the villa wasn't his—it belonged to Sun Ying.

She arrived at the gate and pressed the doorbell. The sound echoed deep within the structure, a testament to its vast design. Soon, a man dressed in a black butler's uniform appeared.

"I am Yu Xingyue's butler, my name is Luo E. You must be the one delivering the notes, correct?"

Wang Tianqi nodded. "Yes. May I go in and see him?"

Luo E frowned. "Please wait outside while I go ask." He closed the door, leaving her to wait.

Luo E entered Yu Xingyue’s room. Yu Xingyue was lying in bed, feeling calm. When he had first woken up at home, he’d asked why Luo E hadn't sent him to school. The butler had explained that his health couldn't sustain it and that he would only get into trouble at school. It was for his own good, and Liu Hailizi had agreed he should take time off to recover.

"Mr. Yu, there is a lady at the door asking to see you. She seems to be an acquaintance, but I couldn't be sure, so I came to check with you," Luo E reported.

"Let her in. I know who she is," Yu Xingyue said calmly.

With his permission, Luo E returned to the door and opened it. "Mr. Yu is in the first room on the right on the second floor. Would you like me to show you the way?"

"No, thank you. I can find it myself," Wang Tianqi said. She entered the villa and looked around, feeling a pang of jealousy. The living conditions were far superior to those back home. Once inside, she realized she couldn't find the stairs—it was no wonder the butler had offered to guide her; the interior layout was incredibly complex.

If she had seen Sun Ying’s home, she would have been even more shocked, as that was even larger. Lost in the vastness of the villa, she finally found the staircase. Climbing it left her breathless, as each step was unusually high. She couldn't understand why Yu Xingyue lived in such a place—could he even handle it?

"First room on the right, is this it?" She reached the corridor and opened the door to find Yu Xingyue browsing his phone in bed.

"Yo, Miss Wang. You're here. Why did it take you so long? Theoretically, you should have found it in three minutes," he said lightly. He knew she had been searching for a while and was teasing her.

"Damn you! This place is huge, and the stairs are camouflaged to blend into the walls. How was I supposed to find them?" she retorted.

She had indeed struggled, never noticing that the stairs were painted the same black as the walls. If she hadn't tripped during her search—resulting in a small bruise on her forehead—she might never have found them.

"Don't be angry, don't be angry. You're here to deliver my notes, aren't you? Thank you so much for today," Yu Xingyue laughed.

Wang Tianqi threw the notebook at him. "Here. How are you going to repay me? I didn't copy these notes for free, you know."

Yu Xingyue smiled. "What do you suggest?"

"Considering you're sick, I'll let you off the hook. I'm leaving."

"Wait!" Yu Xingyue called out.

Wang Tianqi turned back. "What else? Make it quick."

Yu Xingyue climbed out of bed and took something from a drawer. "Close your eyes. Don't open them."

"Why should I listen to you? Just because you tell me to close my eyes, I have to?" she huffed.

"You'd better hurry, or I don't know what might happen in the next second," he said, his tone carrying a trace of danger. Though reluctant, she complied; she didn't want to get into trouble or stress him out further.

Seeing her eyes closed, Yu Xingyue sighed. He wasn't sure why he was doing this. Seeing her stubborn expression reminded him of Lin Zimo, and a wave of melancholy washed over him. Wang Tianqi was not Lin Zimo. Lin Zimo was still in China, and he wondered if their relationship would become distant in two years.

He leaned in close. Wang Tianqi couldn't feel his presence, but she felt a light tickle on her forehead. Then, he said, "You can open them now."

She opened her eyes and asked, "What did you just do to me?"

Yu Xingyue smiled and pointed to the mirror. Half-doubting, she walked over and saw a bandage on her forehead, adorned with a cupid pattern in the center.

"I was shocked when I saw the bruise on your forehead. Didn't you feel it?" he asked.

"Well... thank you." Yu Xingyue had never seen her look so bashful. He found it amusing, but he suppressed his smile so as not to ruin his image.

"It's nothing," he said, looking out the window. "It's getting late. It's dangerous for a girl to walk back alone. I'll have Butler Luo take you home."