On the way to Taiyi Villa, Lin Chu casually sized up the girl in the back seat.

Slender and delicate, she had a youthful charm, like that girl in the third year of high school that so many boys had confessed to.

She wore her hair in a ponytail, with a light blue top and shorts detailed with white stripes—the standard uniform for students in Peng City. It was a classic style that many people still wore casually even after graduation.

The sky hadn’t darkened yet. The dusk light streamed through the car window, casting an almost invisible silvery sheen on her face. With her long eyelashes, this girlishness almost made Lin Chu feel like he had traveled back in time.

’Who am I?’

’Where am I?’

’Why is she in my car?’

’Oh, right. Zhao Rong arranged this.’

Noticing that this "Young Master Lin" was staring at her with a fixed, unmoving gaze, like a laser beam, Fang Yichun’s face instinctively flushed crimson. Her whole body tensed up, her toes curling so hard they felt like they were digging into the floor.

She understood the meaning of this meeting. Sister Rong had arranged it.

As Sister Rong’s favorite "little sister," she lived at her place and ate her food. The company was training her in dancing and singing, and not just to become a streamer. They had even hired someone to write original songs for her, were about to sign her up for a variety show, and were even preparing for her to break into the film industry. It was an incredibly bright future.

’And this... this must be the price, right?’

Being stared at like this made her so shy she was mortified, even a little annoyed. She couldn’t help but glare back for a moment before quickly looking away again.

He was a rather handsome guy, but he was dressed a bit too much like he was from the streets—a floral shirt and baggy shorts, like some young landlord.

The corner of her mouth couldn’t help but curve up at the comparison. She almost wanted to laugh but forced herself to hold it in.

’A landlord!’

’So impressive!’

"Little one, how old are you?"

Just then, she heard Lin Chu’s gentle voice. It even had that deliberate, cutesy tone adults use when talking to children. The sound left her completely stunned, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Who..."

’Who are you calling a little one?’ she almost blurted out. But she instinctively felt that tone might be a bit too aggressive, so she pouted and mumbled with a hint of grievance, "I’m not a little one anymore. I’ve graduated from high school. I’m eighteen!"

Lin Chu: "Uh."

’Beast!’

’What a beast!’

’Zhao Rong is an absolute beast. How could she bear to send such a young girl to this kind of event?’

’Damn that old woman. She really has my tastes pegged.’

"So you’re not going to school? What are you doing out here in the real world? And going to drinking parties!"

Lin Chu adopted the posture of an uncle, deliberately scolding her with a stern tone.

He silently cursed himself as a beast again.

’Fuck, I might be a beast, but at least I’m a college student. Anyone younger than that... it feels like a natural social taboo. She’s still just a kid!’

"I’m not quitting school! I’m going to Xinghai Art Academy. I’ve already gotten my acceptance letter, school just hasn’t started yet."

She defended herself in a small voice.

’Xinghai Art Academy?’

Lin Chu understood immediately. The school was quite famous in Yang City for producing many people in the entertainment industry, like singers and actors.

"What’s your relationship with Zhao Rong?"

Lin Chu continued to ask, his tone still serious.

The formality of it all made Fang Yichun’s heart pound. ’He’s so fierce.’ But they were in a moving car, and she obviously couldn’t run. She nervously wrung her hands, her head bowed. "Sister Rong is my older sister, a distant relative. She... she’s very good to me."

"Mm, tell me how she’s been good to you."

Lin Chu interrogated her as if he were running a background check, digging for every last detail.

This line of questioning made the young girl’s face flush red, like a newly ripened, still-unripe peach. The question was far too intrusive, but... she racked her brain for an answer.

"She’s just... just good to me! She brought me to Yang City to study and treats me like her own little sister. She buys me clothes and a phone, and she teaches me about school and how to be a good person. And, and she’s training me in music and dance."

’She also lent my dad three hundred thousand back home to buy a house’—but she kept that part to herself.

’There’s no need to mention that.’

’What I’ve said is already proof enough.’

Lin Chu mentally reviewed the timeline. Zhao Rong was over ten years older than her. When Zhao Rong started making money, Fang Yichun was probably only in middle school. A relationship like that was indeed very close.

’Still, what a beast.’

"What’s your name?"

"Fang Yichun."

After saying her name, she thought for a moment and couldn’t help but add, "Sister Rong really is a great big sister. I originally wanted to drop out after my first year of high school to work in a factory. When she found out, she came back and brought me here, insisting that I finish high school and get into college. Otherwise... I’d probably be a factory girl right now."

She vaguely sensed Lin Chu’s animosity toward Sister Rong, so she took the initiative to defend her.

Besides, he was clearly the kind of person even Sister Rong had to suck up to.

"Mm, has Zhao Rong taken you out drinking before?"

Lin Chu continued his interrogation.

"I’ve... I’ve gone twice. Oh no, three times. The first time was for my birthday. The second was on a trip, at a small tavern by the Li River. The third time was the day after my college entrance exams ended."

She rattled them off as if they were precious memories.

However, what she was answering was clearly not the same question Lin Chu was asking.

But Lin Chu had gotten the answer he was looking for anyway.

He sighed softly and lit a cigarette.

’That old woman really gave me a difficult problem.’

’Is she using this to test me?’

The thought surfaced in his mind, but Lin Chu quickly had a second one: in this kind of situation, the man never really loses out.

...

Lin Chu didn’t say another word for the rest of the ride.

Fang Yichun, of course, wouldn’t initiate a conversation. Like a frightened little white rabbit, she would glance at Lin Chu from time to time while secretly messaging Zhao Rong on her phone. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Sister Rong, this Young Master Lin is so fierce. He asked me so many questions."

She quickly received a reply from Zhao Rong: "You poor thing (hugs). Isn’t this just to train your social skills early? You’ll have a lot of these drinking parties in the future. President Lin is investing in a micro-drama series—he’s already invested. I want to recommend you for the lead role. Would you like that?"

’Ooh.’

Seeing this message, Fang Yichun couldn’t help but glance at Lin Chu again and quickly typed, "Then... then how should I act around him? Sis, I’m so nervous."

Zhao Rong: "Don’t be nervous. Just go with him to look at the house first, then we’ll have dinner. I’ll be there for dinner, so what’s there to be nervous about? Don’t worry, big sis is here for you."

"Oh, okay."

"You should chat with him more. Young Master Lin is quite charming, a domineering CEO type. Don’t you love reading those doting romance novels? This is a living, breathing one. (giggle)"

"Okay."

After a few messages, Fang Yichun felt a bit of her strength return. She secretly peeked at Lin Chu again. ’Domineering... he is pretty domineering. A CEO... he’s probably a CEO, too.’

’And... and he’s pretty handsome.’

’His arms are so thick.’

’And he has pecs.’

"Um, Lin, you... how old are you?"

Thinking about Zhao Rong’s words, she took the initiative and asked.

Lin Chu: ?

This naive way of asking made Lin Chu want to laugh, but it also sent ripples through his heart.

’What was that saying again?’

’If she’s naive to the ways of the world, show her its splendor.’

’If her heart is weary and jaded, take her to ride a carousel.’

’Now it’s the other way around.’

’This is the "carousel" that’s been arranged for me!’

"I’m eighteen, too."

Lin Chu said, jutting his lips out slightly.

’...No way. I don’t believe him!’

"Oh, so we’re the same age. When’s your birthday? What’s your sign?"

She was gradually becoming less nervous, and a bit of her girlish playfulness started to show. She decided to just treat him like a classmate and chat for now.

"December 12th. Sagittarius."

’A player.’

’Sagittariuses are players!’

’Total players!’

"Then I’m older than you! I’m September 17th, a Virgo. So what’s your MBTI personality type?"

She felt like she was completing a mission, going by the book and trying her best to talk about topics she understood.

Lin Chu glanced at her, and this time he actually laughed out loud. It was as if he had returned to the days of his first love. He smiled and said, "I forgot. Why don’t you test me?"

At this moment, a desire to save her stirred in Lin Chu’s heart. ’I can’t let this girl keep hanging around Zhao Rong, or she’ll be led astray sooner or later. Who knows what she’ll become in a few years.’

’But, with me?’

’Wouldn’t that make me a beast?’

’Heh, I already am one!’

...

...