Chapter 2

Yu Xuan had never pursued anyone in her life, but her experience of being the object of secret crushes was incredibly extensive. Over time, she had summarized a small methodology for herself: If you want someone to notice you, you must “notice” them first.

Back when her adolescent feelings were first stirring, she had conducted a successful, covert “practice” run.

It was during her junior year of high school. A transfer student had joined her class—rumored to be the son of a high-ranking official who had moved to their small county town for a temporary stint due to his father’s job relocation.

He was strikingly handsome and looked entirely out of place in his surroundings. Many girls in class would steal glances at him, yet no one dared to strike up a conversation.

Yu Xuan was different. She would watch him, but she did so quite openly.

When they passed each other in the hallway, her gaze would linger on his profile—just long enough for him to notice, but not so long that it felt forced.

Even if she were caught…

No, the point was to be caught.

At first, the boy had no reaction and remained cold. But in just three or four days, a change occurred. Whenever she looked over, he would subconsciously look back.

Later on, he began to actively search for her in a crowd. They often locked eyes in a state of silent ambiguity (t/n: “Ambiguity” (aimei) refers to the suggestive, “more-than-friends” tension before a relationship is official).

He had begun to pay attention to her.

In the end, however, Yu Xuan rejected his advances, and the boy moved away shortly after.

That theory was now perfect for “Z.Y.”

Yu Xuan carefully reviewed Zhao Zhao’s Little Green Book notes again. The comment section was filled with people flattering her, and in one particular reply, Zhao Zhao wrote:

“I read all your lovely compliments to my boyfriend, and he nodded too. Hehe.”

…

So she shares them with her boyfriend…

That’s perfect.

Yu Xuan had an idea and walked over to the full-length mirror.

The girl in the mirror had a graceful figure, fair skin, and a face that was pure yet hinted at a certain allure.

She selected a cream-colored lace camisole and loosely draped a knit cardigan over it. She left it unbuttoned, perfectly revealing her delicate collarbones and those slender straps.

For the bottom, she wore a pair of light blue, high-waisted denim shorts that accentuated her long legs.

Pure yet provocative, it was a look that invited imagination.

Humans are realistic creatures. If you want to attract someone, you must possess superior qualities. Fortunately, she had them all.

Yu Xuan opened her camera, meticulously found the right angles, and took several “atmosphere photos” (t/n: “Atmosphere photos” (fenweigan) refers to a popular photography style in China that focuses on mood, lighting, and aesthetic vibes rather than a clear, direct portrait).

One was a high-angle shot; she sat on light-colored sheets with her legs crossed, showing her slender ankles. She didn’t show her face in the shot, appearing fragile yet possessing a silent temptation.

Then, she uploaded the photos to Little Green Book and set her location tag to A-University.

…

Yu Xuan reopened the trending post where the boyfriend had been flaunted.

Under Zhao Zhao’s comment, a massive wave of blessings had already emerged.

Ordinary comments would simply sink into oblivion. Yu Xuan didn’t want to blend in; she wanted to be “seen.” Specifically, she wanted to be seen by Zhao Zhao herself—perhaps even to give her a subtle sting.

Her slender fingers tapped across the screen, leaving a comment:

“Xuan: I ship this couple so much! Sis, you’re so beautiful! But… I have to say, your boyfriend is seriously handsome. Just from the photos, you can tell he has such a great aura. I’ve had no resistance to handsome top students since I was little. I love this… To be able to land a high-quality man like this, you must be very impressive yourself, sis. I’m so jealous!”

She re-read the comment twice.

On the surface, she was praising both of them, but if one looked closely, the weight of the praise was clearly skewed.

The compliment to Zhao Zhao was superficial, while the description of the man was much more specific. Although she praised Zhao Zhao again at the end, it felt more like an afterthought to cover her tracks.

To another girl, the subtext would be visible almost instantly: “The drunkard’s intent is not on the wine.” The praise for the girl was fake; the coveting of the boyfriend was real.

This was exactly the effect Yu Xuan wanted.

She didn’t need Zhao Zhao to like her; she only needed Zhao Zhao to “notice” her and perhaps feel a twinge of displeasure because of it.

Furthermore, given Zhao Zhao’s boastful personality, would she—out of a sense of spite or a need to mark her territory—read this tactless comment to Z.Y.?

“Look, another little girl is obsessed with you.”

Yu Xuan took a deep breath and clicked “Send.”

The comment successfully appeared in the list, looking slightly out of place with its “Green Tea” (t/n: “Green Tea” (lvcha) is slang for a woman who acts innocent and pure to manipulate others) scent amidst the sea of sincere blessings.

…

At the same moment, in Shanghai.

A black sedan traveled smoothly along the overpass.

Jin Zhaolu—the “Zhao Zhao” from Little Green Book—was leaning comfortably against the leather seat, lazily scrolling through her phone.

Seeing the new wave of envious comments on her post, a satisfied smile played on her lips.

This feeling of being looked up to by the masses was like a fine dessert—utterly delightful.

However, her good mood came to a halt when a certain comment caught her eye.

It seemed like an enthusiastic compliment, but having grown up surrounded by flattery, her intuition was incredibly sharp. She saw through the naked desire for Zhou Zhenyao hidden in those words almost instantly.

The “Green Tea” vibe was practically overflowing from the screen.

“Heh…”

Jin Zhaolu let out a low laugh, actually finding it quite amusing.

In her eyes, a “Green Tea” of this level was so low-tier it was almost cute; the girl didn’t even have the qualifications to be her rival.

This was a perfect piece of gossip, so she tilted her phone screen toward the boyfriend sitting next to her.

“Look, look…”

“Girls these days are so bold; they’re dancing right into the girlfriend’s comment section. This girl is praising you even more enthusiastically than I am, and I’m your actual girlfriend.”

Zhou Zhenyao sat on the other side of the back seat, with an empty space between them acting as a clear boundary.

He was currently looking at a tablet in his hand, which displayed complex charts.

Upon hearing her, he didn’t even lift his eyelids. His thin lips parted slightly. “They’re just irrelevant people.”

Jin Zhaolu wasn’t surprised by his reaction. She curled her lip and pulled her phone back.

“I knew you’d say that. But it’s still fun. It just proves I have great taste, right?”

Talking to herself, she curiously clicked into the stranger’s profile.

There wasn’t much content on the page; the most recent posts were those atmosphere photos.

Just from the outfit alone, she could tell they were polar opposites. Zhaolu herself went for an exquisite, cute style with bold and playful colors.

But this girl… she possessed a sort of delicate, sensual beauty.

Jin Zhaolu arched an eyebrow, and the slight trace of suspicion in her heart vanished instantly.

She had absolute faith in Zhou Zhenyao’s taste. How could a man as cold and detached as him be interested in a woman who used her beauty to fish for attention?

The fact that she had cared for even a second felt hilarious now.

“Here, look. This is the person who posted it. She’s actually quite pretty, though she doesn’t dare show her face.”

This time, she held the phone directly in front of Zhou Zhenyao’s eyes.

Zhou Zhenyao’s brow furrowed slightly, clearly displeased at being interrupted.

He had intended to dismiss it with a single word—”boring”—but his eyes subconsciously swept across the screen, wanting to end this meaningless conversation as quickly as possible.

However, with that casual glance, his gaze froze.