Where is the most basic trust between people

Lin Wanwan's big eyes, which usually looked so innocent and harmless, were now scanning his face, trying to find a trace of guilt.

"Tell me," Lin Wanwan took a step closer, "This perfume smells pretty good. Where did you buy it?"

Chen Zhi's brain worked in overdrive, his CPU practically burning out.

In the nick of time, a flash of inspiration hit Chen Zhi, and the perfect scapegoat appeared in his mind.

"It's all Cheng Jun's fucking fault!"

Chen Zhi didn't even bat an eye, instantly switching to a frustrated and exasperated look as he started spouting nonsense: "That bastard recently got an online girlfriend and insisted on buying some so-called 'girl-killer' perfume online. This afternoon, he dragged me to test it out and sprayed it all over me. It nearly choked me to death."

Lin Wanwan blinked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Cheng Jun?"

"Would he really use a perfume that girls like?"

"You know how he is, his brain doesn't work like a normal person's." Chen Zhi waved his hand in disgust, as if trying to fan the smell away. "He said it's called 'contrast charm' and that it would catch his online girlfriend's attention. What a psycho."

To make it more believable, Chen Zhi deliberately pulled at his collar, took a sniff, and made a gagging expression.

"Ugh, no. When I get home, I have to throw this shirt in the washing machine and run it three times. It's so gross."

Lin Wanwan stared at him for a few seconds.

"Oh..."

Seeing this, Chen Zhi breathed a long sigh of relief inwardly.

But he didn't dare drop his guard and tried to change the subject.

"I'm starving, absolutely starving. What should we eat tonight? How about spicy hot pot?" Chen Zhi clutched his stomach, pretending to be famished.

However, Lin Wanwan remained standing there, her eyes still fixed on Chen Zhi, her gaze turning somewhat complex.

Did I overact just now?

Chen Zhi gritted his teeth and decided to reveal a little bit of the truth, using a mix of truth and lies to completely dispel her doubts.

"Actually..." Chen Zhi scratched his head, his tone becoming somewhat helpless. "It wasn't entirely Cheng Jun. It was mostly my desk-mate. You know, that rich girl. She brought a bottle of perfume to school today to show off, and her hand slipped, spraying it on me. I was afraid you'd misunderstand, so I said it was Cheng Jun's."

Lin Wanwan listened and nodded thoughtfully.

"So that's what happened."

"Let's head back early then."

She actually wasn't mad?

And didn't press the issue?

Chen Zhi was a bit surprised.

"Let's go, let's go home."

All the way back, Chen Zhi was on edge, terrified that Lin Wanwan would suddenly circle back to the topic.

But Lin Wanwan was unusually well-behaved, talking even less than usual, just quietly walking beside him.

Until they reached their front doors.

"Goodnight." Lin Wanwan stood in front of the security door, waving at him with a sweet smile.

"Goodnight."

Watching Lin Wanwan close the door, Chen Zhi finally let his heart settle back into his chest.

Fuck.

That scared the hell out of me.

Today's whole ordeal was purely because I got screwed over by that wicked woman, Pei Ningxue!

Chen Zhi got home, tossed his backpack onto the sofa, and collapsed onto his bed.

I can't live like this.

He had just been set up by that wicked woman in the evening, and after school, he had to endure Lin Wanwan's soul-searching interrogation.

Damn it, why is my life so hard!

After taking a shower, Chen Zhi wrapped himself in his blanket and picked up his phone, ready to scroll through some videos to calm his nerves.

Just as he unlocked the screen, a WeChat message popped up.

Sender: [Pei].

Chen Zhi's eyelid twitched.

It's so late, what does this woman want now?

He opened the chat window.

There was only a picture.

His eyes instantly widened, and his somewhat drowsy brain immediately woke up.

The background of the photo was Pei Ningxue's bedroom, in front of that giant full-length mirror.

The girl in the mirror was wearing that familiar blue and white school uniform. Her upper body was dressed properly, with the zipper pulled all the way up to the top.

But her lower half...

She was turned slightly sideways, one hand lifting the leg of her uniform pants all the way up above her knee.

That long, straight, perfectly proportioned leg was displayed to the camera without reservation.

The most deadly part was...

That sheer layer of black pantyhose tightly wrapped around her skin, gleaming with a delicate luster under the light.

A perfect fusion of modesty and temptation.

Chen Zhi felt a rush of heat go straight to his head.

This woman...

Sending this kind of photo in the middle of the night, is she trying to test an official's willpower?!

I'm sorry, but you've got the wrong guy!

Immediately after, another message popped up.

[Bring me breakfast tomorrow. This is your reward.]

What is the meaning of this?

Humiliating me with this kind of photo?

Am I the kind of simp who sees a leg pic and happily runs errands to buy breakfast for someone?

Who do you think you're looking down on?

I, Chen Zhi, have an iron backbone; I cannot be subdued by force!

Chen Zhi sneered, his fingers flying across the screen.

Long press the image.

Save to phone.

He even casually hit the "favorite" button.

He had no choice. This was to prevent her from unsending the message. He had to preserve the evidence so he could criticize her terrible behavior later!

After doing all this, Chen Zhi immediately switched back to the chat box and typed his reply:

[Okay, what do you want to eat? Do you want milk or soy milk? Do you want it spicy?]

The moment the message was sent, Chen Zhi froze for a second.

Wait a minute.

Wasn't I just cursing her in my head a second ago?

Why are my hands so honest?

Oh no! There's something evil possessing my room!

To salvage his crumbling dignity, Chen Zhi quickly sent another follow-up message.

[Don't misunderstand, I only agreed because you are my good bro. It has absolutely nothing to do with the photo.]

[I'm a man of loyalty. I'd take a knife to the ribs for a bro without hesitation, let alone bring them breakfast.]

After sending these two messages, Chen Zhi felt that he had somewhat stabilized his persona.

The other side quickly replied with two words.

[Heh heh.]

Chen Zhi looked at these two words and felt immensely insulted.

What does "heh heh" mean?

You don't believe me?

Where is the basic trust between people?

And to think I always treated you as my best bro.

...

The next morning.

Chen Zhi was lining up at the breakfast stall at the entrance of his residential complex.

"Boss, two baskets of soup dumplings, two cups of soy milk, one with sugar and one without."

Just as he was paying, a familiar voice came from behind him.

"Why are you buying two portions of breakfast?"

Chen Zhi turned around and saw Lin Wanwan walking over with her backpack, looking confusedly at the two bags in his hands.

"Don't you usually just eat one basket?"

Chen Zhi kept a straight face as he took the bags from the boss.

"I've been under a lot of study pressure lately, overusing my brain. I feel like my body has been hollowed out."

He patted his stomach. "Plus, I'm still growing. How can I not eat more? If I end up short, are you going to take responsibility for me?"

Lin Wanwan looked at him suspiciously, her gaze lingering on the two bags for a few seconds.

"Oh... then make sure you eat up, don't starve yourself silly."

Although something felt off, Chen Zhi's usual behavior was always hard to figure out anyway.

The two of them walked to school together.

When they walked into the Grade 10 Class 1 classroom, it was still mostly empty, with only a scattered few people inside.

But Pei Ningxue had arrived exceptionally early today.

She was holding an English classic novel, reading it. Hearing the footsteps, she turned her head slightly, and those cold, clear eyes swept a glance over Chen Zhi.

Her gaze finally landed on the breakfast bag in his hand.

Chen Zhi walked over and placed one of the breakfast portions on her desk.

"Here, yours."

His tone was stiff, leaking a strong sense of reluctant, forced obligation.

Pei Ningxue put down her book, the corners of her lips curling up slightly.

"Good boy."

She opened the bag, took out a soup dumpling, and took an elegant little bite.

Chen Zhi sat down next to her, just about to take out his own portion to eat.

Suddenly.

He felt a heavy weight on his thigh.

Chen Zhi froze and looked down.

Underneath the desk.

A pair of long, slender legs was resting right on his thighs.

Even through the fabric of her school uniform pants, he could still feel the soft and delicate touch.

Because Pei Ningxue had stretched her legs out, a pair of white knee-high socks was exposed. Her toes pointed slightly as she gently rubbed against his leg.

What did this mean? A reward?

No, wait.

Chen Zhi whipped his head around to look at Pei Ningxue.

Was this woman crazy?

This was the classroom!

Even though there weren't many people here yet, someone could walk in at any moment!

Pei Ningxue, however, acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary. She took a delicate sip of her soy milk, her eyes still fixed on her book, looking as if absolutely nothing had happened.

Chen Zhi shot her a questioning glare: What is the meaning of this?

Pei Ningxue seemed to sense his gaze and finally deigned to tear her eyes away from the book.

She looked at Chen Zhi, blinked, and put on a look of pure innocence.

"My legs are sore."

"I posed for photos for too long yesterday, and now they're a bit cramped."

Pei Ningxue pointed at her own legs. "Massage them for me."

Chen Zhi almost coughed up blood.

Massage them?

What do you take me for?

"Pei Ningxue, don't push your luck," Chen Zhi lowered his voice, speaking through gritted teeth. "Do I look like that kind of guy? I'm your desk mate, not your servant! I have my dignity!"

Pei Ningxue didn't get angry.

She set down her soy milk and leisurely pulled her phone out from her desk cubby.

Unlocked it.

Opened the photo gallery.

Displayed glaringly on the screen was the incriminating photo from yesterday—Chen Zhi massaging her legs with a look of absolute intoxication on his face.

She waved the phone screen in front of Chen Zhi's face.

She didn't say a word.

But the message was crystal clear.

Chen Zhi looked at the photo, then looked at Pei Ningxue's expression that clearly said she had him wrapped around her finger.

He fell silent for three seconds.

Then.

He took a deep breath, and his face instantly morphed into a professional, enthusiastic, customer-first smile.

"Alrighty, no problem."

"Dear customer, would you prefer a traditional Chinese massage or a Thai massage?"

Chen Zhi's hands landed completely naturally on Pei Ningxue's calves, and he even cracked his knuckles in a mock-professional manner.

"If the pressure isn't right, just let me know at any time."

Watching his impressive ability to swallow his pride, a hint of amusement flashed in Pei Ningxue's eyes.

She picked up her English book again, adjusted herself into a more comfortable posture, and even pushed her luck by lifting her legs a little higher.

"Mhm."

She hummed softly, her voice as lazy as a cat basking in the sun.

"Acceptable."

As Chen Zhi bore the burden of acting as her massage therapist without complaint, he wept tears of humiliation in his heart.

Through the fabric of her school uniform pants, Chen Zhi's fingers felt the firm and smooth muscle contours underneath.

Even though his mouth had said no.

The feel of it... was actually quite nice?