Chapter 59: Come Down When You're No Longer Angry

After being teased by Lou Zhao and Chen Shujie for quite some time, Cheng Xingye’s mood did not improve. Unable to resist, he took out his phone again, intending to call the little troublemaker.

But after the ringtone persisted for 59 seconds, it automatically disconnected—she still hadn’t answered.

Cheng Xingye was at a complete loss. He thought to himself that he couldn’t just let this brat get away with her temper like this, so he tossed his phone back in the drawer and decided not to think about it anymore.

Half an hour later.

Cheng Xingye tapped the back of Chen Shujie’s chair, a hint of awkwardness in his voice as he asked,

“...That influencer velvet cake shop you mentioned last time—where is it? Do girls really all like this stuff?”

Chen Shujie shot him a knowing smile, his tone deliberately meaningful.

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t indulge her? Why are you still trying to make it up to her? A man with backbone should stick to his guns…”

Cheng Xingye cut him off impatiently.

“Fine, you can do this week’s presentation yourself. A man with backbone should stick to his guns—don’t even think about coming to beg me on your knees…”

Chen Shujie let out a howl and instantly caved, pretending to kneel right then and there.

“Come on, Ye! Why are you so ruthless? It’s just a velvet cake! Whatever your girl likes, I’ll go buy it right now!”

Cheng Xingye snorted coldly.

“Why would I need you to buy it?”

Since it was to coax that little brat, of course he had to buy it himself to show sincerity!

Just last month, he’d practically made his way through all the hottest milk tea and pork bun shops in town for that little pest.

Then he’d heard that a certain brand of velvet cake was trending lately. He’d planned to buy it for her next week, but before he could, this unpleasantness happened.

Cheng Xingye looked it up online and found a shop nearby, less than a kilometer from the main gate of Jiangda.

He slipped his phone into his pocket, turned to Lou Zhao, and asked,

“Have you finished your presentation prep?”

Lou Zhao caught on instantly and asked with utmost respect,

“Ye, is there anything you need me to do?”

Cheng Xingye, pleased with his quick wit, nodded approvingly and instructed,

“Call Lu Yi and see if he’ll be home later.”

Lou Zhao: “???”

It took him a few seconds to realize why Cheng Xingye wanted him to call, and since it was his first time doing something like this, he hesitated.

“What if he’s at home?”

Before he’d finished, Chen Shujie burst out laughing mercilessly.

“Then figure out a way to get him out! Do you really need Ye to teach you that?!”

Lou Zhao gave a shaky “oh,” suddenly feeling as if he’d become an accomplice in the abduction of an innocent girl.

He looked at the mastermind, then at accomplice number one, and finally sighed.

Brother Lu, forgive me!

.....

As soon as Lu Qingyue got home, she put her phone on silent and locked herself in her room to study.

When she was focused, she was rarely distracted by the outside world. She was only halfway through a chemistry test paper before she’d already forgotten the earlier quarrel with Cheng Xingye, fully absorbed in calculating molecular masses on her scratch paper.

As Xi Yu passed by her room carrying a plate of fruit, she couldn’t resist glancing inside.

Some time ago, Lu Yi had mentioned to her that Qingyue might be experiencing a crush. She’d been half skeptical back then.

But seeing Qingyue so diligent now, she saw no trace of a girl in love.

Having been through it herself, Xi Yu knew well that young love didn’t look like this. If she wasn’t sneaking around texting all the time, she should at least be too lovesick to eat or study—how could she still be so focused?

With that thought, Xi Yu’s suspicions about Qingyue vanished.

After delivering the fruit downstairs, she saw Lu Yi on the balcony making a phone call, and her thoughts took a turn—

Even if Lu Yi was in love, she’d never believe Qingyue was!

Lu Yi finished his call and prepared to leave.

He’d barely reached the door when his phone rang—it was Lou Zhao. This guy almost never called unless he needed Lu Yi to grab him food after class.

But there were no classes today, so a call could only mean trouble.

Lu Yi answered warily.

Lou Zhao’s boisterous voice came through the receiver,

“Lu, where are you?”

Lu Yi picked up his car keys, pushed open the door, and replied as he walked,

“I’m just heading out. If you have something to say, spit it out.”

The other end paused, then his tone suddenly shifted,

“You’re out? Oh, nothing then... I just wanted to ask if you’ve had dinner tonight?”

Lu Yi: “???”

He glanced at his watch, squinting in disbelief.

“It’s eight in the evening. You called just to ask that?”

Lou Zhao: “Yeah! I care about you!”

Mainly, my presentation is still in someone’s hands!

So I have to keep tabs on you for his sake—makes it easier for him to show up with a sack and sneak away your precious little sister.

Lu Yi, of course, had no idea his own sister was being targeted tonight. He just laughed and replied,

“Since when were you so filial? All right, if there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up. The signal here’s not great…”

Feeling guilty, Lou Zhao lowered his voice to warn him about Cheng Xingye,

“Lu, you’d better keep an eye out…”

Lu Yi, eager to hang up and go meet his girlfriend, hardly listened, figuring Lou Zhao was just angling for a free meal.

“What snack? Who’s eating snacks at this hour? The signal’s bad, I can’t hear you…”

Before Lou Zhao could explain, he heard the busy tone.

He let out a sigh.

I warned you, he thought. If your little darling gets stolen, you can’t blame anyone else.

.....

Moonlight drenched the night, making the leaves on the branches glisten like lonely stars adrift in the Milky Way. The world was silent.

Lu Qingyue had finished all this week’s science assignments and now sat by her window, head propped on one hand, gazing out at the moon.

Her bedroom was on the second floor, and from her vantage point, she could see over the lush treetops.

The sky was strewn with stars, like fresh, innocent sprites lying up high and watching the gentle world below.

For no reason at all, Cheng Xingye’s name came to her mind.

Xingye.

A starry, resplendent sky.

His parents must have been romantics, to give him such a poetic name.

Her thoughts wandered idly, until she suddenly remembered her phone—silent, tossed in the drawer.

She hurried to retrieve it, and was shocked by what she saw. There were eight missed calls and several unread messages.

She had never been bombarded with calls or texts like this before!

Worried she’d missed something important, she quickly unlocked her screen. All eight missed calls were from Cheng Xingye.

Lu Qingyue: “???”

At first, she was simply shocked and baffled.

Based on her understanding, this young master’s temper was on par with Lu Yi’s—if a call went unanswered, he might try once more, but that was it.

Since when would he chase someone with repeated, frantic calls?

It was completely out of character for him!

With trembling fingers, Lu Qingyue opened her unread WeChat messages, expecting a storm of reprimands, even fearing their relationship was about to shatter beyond repair…

But when she tapped on the pinned avatar, there were only a few brief messages.

The last message had come over half an hour after the previous one, as if he’d been holding himself back from disturbing her.

But in the end, he’d still swallowed his pride and sent her one more.

[hOShinO]: Come downstairs when you’re no longer angry.