Tang Xin eagerly continued her quest to attract investment, her outlook on the future both optimistic and bright, as if the day she’d become a billionaire was just around the corner.
But Pei Xingyan still couldn’t shake a creeping unease in his heart.
It wasn’t that he had any particular aversion to being a “rented boyfriend.” Earning money was hard, eating shit was harder—if he could get such a big return just by providing some emotional value, he wasn’t in any position to be picky.
But he was really worried—there’s no wall in the world that doesn’t let the wind through. What if one day Ye Ziwei found out about what he was doing?
These days, most people have some kind of psychological issue, and Ye Ziwei was definitely among the best of them. Calling her a yandere wouldn’t be an exaggeration; her feelings were so intense they defied description.
If she weren’t so obsessed with perfection, still fantasizing about a harmonious relationship and not wanting to play out a face-tearing, violent imprisonment drama, Pei Xingyan knew he’d never be able to live so freely under the sun as he did now.
But he’d resolved to be self-reliant—he absolutely couldn’t accept Ye Ziwei’s gifts or the temptation of her money.
So, no matter the method of making money, he had to seize every opportunity.
*****
But making money never went as smoothly as hoped. These past few days, Lin Xiaoyu still confided in him, but her mood, which had been improving, gradually worsened again. It seemed like something had happened.
Yet all she did was complain about being upset, never revealing what the problem actually was.
Shedding the illusion of easy money, Pei Xingyan gradually calmed down. He knew that just talking therapy could only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. If he wanted to heal this girl’s psychological wounds, he’d have to solve the problem at its source.
Fortunately… he’d been laying the groundwork for this from the start.
He still needed to gain more trust. For now, he had to wait—wait for Lin Xiaoyu to make a mistake in her desperation for praise and admiration. She was already struggling; if this continued, she was bound to slip up.
When that happened, he could take the next step.
[These past two days, I played a few more songs for my classmates. Everyone said I’ve improved a lot~]
[You’re really amazing (✧◡✧)]
[I feel like learning from you for just a few days helped me more than years before.]
[Can you teach me a few more tricks? Please~]
After sending a few messages, Pei Xingyan put his phone away and waited patiently.
He was now standing beneath the Teaching Building of the Art Academy, waiting for the arrival of his second “God of Wealth.”
This wealthy upperclasswoman who wanted emotional service had only exchanged a few messages with him on the app, and had bluntly told him she didn’t want to type or use voice—she wanted to meet in person.
Pei Xingyan could only oblige; after all, who could refuse someone so willing to spend big?
He leaned against the glass door, quietly waiting, watching the girls coming and going.
Legs—his field of vision was filled with legs.
Youthful thighs and calves, either exposed to the air or wrapped in socks of varying lengths, all in dazzling colors.
But Pei Xingyan didn’t dare look too much. He didn’t want to invite unnecessary trouble.
It wasn’t that he looked down on art students, but because their field was more emotionally driven, this group was indeed prone to acting on feelings.
He quickly averted his gaze and looked up at the sky.
Today, the clouds stretched in sheets, making him feel refreshed and at ease. For a moment, he even spaced out.
So he completely missed the girl who quietly crept up beside him.
“Are you Pei Xingyan?” Her voice was soft, drifting into his ears like clouds in the sky.
He froze, realizing this was the person he’d been waiting for, and nodded slightly.
Before seeing this wealthy upperclasswoman, he’d already formed a basic judgment of his client. With such a sweet voice, she probably wouldn’t be too—
He turned his head and mentally slapped himself ten times.
He’d judged wrong. This was a character he absolutely couldn’t mess with.
The first thing that caught his eye was her eye-catching twin ponytails and bangs thick as city walls.
These were unmistakable, distinctive features.
Looking further down, he saw a perfectly pink shirt, with a black ribbon tied in a bow at her neck.
A black skirt covered her thighs, and beneath that were mismatched black stockings—one tight around her upper thigh, leaving a clear mark, the other loose around her slender calf, almost slipping off.
And in this sweltering summer, not only did she wear stockings, but also white cotton socks with lace trim underneath. Her shoes had comically high soles. Never mind how they smelled—just looking at them was odd enough.
This style of dress…
She was a landmine girl!
The kind whose emotions could explode like a landmine at the slightest thing!
Pei Xingyan had never dealt with this type in person, but he’d heard plenty about them.
He nervously glanced at the girl’s arm, and sure enough, found many bright red scratches.
No mistake—this was a landmine girl who’d even changed her scars…
He never would have guessed that the “good girl” Tang Xin mentioned was a landmine girl!!!
Pei Xingyan instinctively wanted to turn and run, but his desire for money ultimately overcame his fear.
He took a deep breath and nodded lightly. “I’m Pei Xingyan. And you’re… Su Shanshan, right?”
Only the name Tang Xin had given him gave him any sense of security at this moment—at least this girl hadn’t changed her name to something like Hoshino-someone or XX-chan, those infamous names.
“I’ve been watching you for a while.” Su Shanshan spoke off-topic. “There are so many pretty girls in our academy. Aren’t you interested?”
“See no evil…” Pei Xingyan channeled his inner Qilu Disciple, quoting Confucius.
Su Shanshan let out a giggle, seeming quite satisfied with his answer, nodding in agreement.
After that, she leaned in curiously, coming very close, studying Pei Xingyan’s face carefully before making her judgment:
“Hmm, not bad. That big sister didn’t lie to me. You’re pretty handsome, but you don’t seem very muscular, kind of skinny…”
Pei Xingyan didn’t respond, still staring at her arm.
Su Shanshan noticed his gaze. She looked down at where he was staring, then suddenly held her arm up to his eyes. “Don’t worry, it’s just red medicine. I haven’t actually cut myself.”
Up close, Pei Xingyan realized these weren’t real wounds and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness she wasn’t an extreme case.
Otherwise, not only would he not make any money, but he’d be in a heap of trouble.
“I’m not a landmine girl. It’s just that the photos I need to take this time require this style~” Su Shanshan was surprisingly outgoing, not at all like a girl with psychological problems.
She leaned even closer to Pei Xingyan and continued, “But honestly, this style of clothing is pretty nice, right?”
Pei Xingyan nodded and asked, “Photoshoot? Are you a coser? Or a model?”
Su Shanshan shook her head, then, with no sense of distance, grabbed his arm and started leading him toward the Teaching Building.
She didn’t say anything else or explain, but she would sneak glances back at Pei Xingyan to see his reaction.
Pei Xingyan was puzzled, but with his experience, he knew now wasn’t the time to bombard her with questions.
From his perspective, this girl was assessing his value. If he didn’t perform well, the rest of the payment—including the deposit already paid—could go up in smoke.
He understood very well: if things went sideways, such informal, under-the-table money would never stick.
He had to put on his best performance.
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