Shen Mengjie looked at the slightly surprised Long Aotian, a smug smile curling at the corners of her lips.
Seeing the amusement on her face, even someone as slow as Long Aotian caught on. "So it was you who texted me using Han Xiaojing's phone?"
"Obviously. If I’d reached out to you directly, would you have agreed to meet?" Shen Mengjie was self-aware enough to know the answer.
Though their interactions had been brief, under Han Xiaojing’s influence, she’d occasionally found herself observing Long Aotian.
She could tell he carried himself with a thoughtfulness beyond his years, exuding a maturity that set him apart from his peers.
There was something intangible about his presence—something that left a deep impression, independent of mere looks.
Since he’d mentioned the KTV and the claypot soup, he must have noticed something but chose not to expose her in front of Huang Fei.
People like him had strong moral principles. No doubt he’d look down on someone like her.
"Did you tell Huang Fei everything?"
"Obviously."
Watching Long Aotian’s stern expression, Shen Mengjie couldn’t help but laugh softly. "Don’t be so serious. It’s not like I’ve done anything unforgivable."
"They’re drawn to my looks and my body. I enjoy the thrill of being pursued. That hardly qualifies as a crime, does it?"
As she spoke, she blinked playfully at him.
In some ways, she wasn’t wrong.
If you weren’t tempted by someone’s allure, you wouldn’t fall into the hunter’s trap.
"Do you really find this amusing?" Long Aotian couldn’t bring himself to accept it. Not everyone would condone Shen Mengjie’s behavior.
Self-respect and recklessness were two extremes.
At the very least, some people would never understand how someone could spend the afternoon drinking and flirting with one person at a KTV, only to casually share dinner with another by evening.
And the fact that she was only eighteen or nineteen, yet so effortlessly moved between men...
"Why wouldn’t it be amusing?" Shen Mengjie shrugged. "I think it’s plenty fun. I enjoy every bit of it."
"I know you’ll scoff at this."
"First of all, I’ve never deliberately seduced anyone. Second, if they’re drawn to me for shallow reasons, that’s not my fault. Sometimes, I’m just as helpless."
"If they approach me with ulterior motives, why shouldn’t I enjoy the game?"
"Isn’t your roommate Huang Fei exactly that kind of person?"
"At the start of freshman year, when he barely knew anyone in class, did he even know my preferences? Did he understand anything about me? He pursued me without knowing a thing—did he really expect some kind of pure romance?"
Long Aotian shook his head. "Telling me all this is pointless. I don’t understand your perspective, and I don’t care what you do."
Maybe Shen Mengjie had a point, but from Long Aotian’s standpoint, it was all just clever rhetoric—twisting logic to suit her narrative.
The pursuit of beauty was human nature, and there was nothing inherently wrong with that.
Attractiveness—whether in looks or charm—triggered dopamine, creating a natural high that made people feel good.
Shen Mengjie, for all her flaws, undeniably possessed that kind of allure.
And because of it, she drew admirers.
Exceptional people could afford to be picky—that was only natural when you were exceptional yourself.
But no matter how exceptional, everyone’s ultimate destination was the same: finding the right person, settling in the right place, sharing three meals a day, four seasons a year...
But if you treated it all as a game, flitting between men just for the thrill of it, that allure became tainted.
When desire clouded judgment, everything turned hollow.
That was Shen Mengjie’s reality. To her, it was all just a game—win or lose, it didn’t matter, because none of it was real. She was only in it for the fun.
As for her so-called helplessness, maybe it was genuine.
But there were countless ways to avoid that helplessness. She simply let things unfold, turning them into excuses later.
Long Aotian couldn’t judge right or wrong, but he had his own thoughts about her claims of helplessness.
Hearing this, Shen Mengjie suddenly laughed. "Of course it’s not pointless. I told you all this because I think you’re interesting..."
"Honestly, don’t you find me even a little bit intriguing?"
"Not at all. I think you’re boring." Long Aotian turned to leave.
"I could become more interesting, you know." Shen Mengjie teased, testing his limits.
"I’m not interested—in you."
"Han Xiaojing likes you."
"I have a girlfriend."
Shen Mengjie’s eyes flickered, but she kept her playful tone. "Then she’s going to be heartbroken for a while."
For some reason, at those words, Long Aotian’s mind flashed to Hu Yuying—standing on her tiptoes, holding out a bowl of homemade porridge with a bright smile.
"She always says she’s the luckiest person in the world. But the truth is, I’m the lucky one—to have her."
Watching Long Aotian walk away, Shen Mengjie was left with only his parting words echoing in her mind.
"The luckiest person in the world?"
Maybe that was the biggest difference between them.
For reasons she couldn’t explain, her interest in him deepened.
Just then, her phone buzzed.
Shen Mengjie pulled it out, her eyes curving into a smile as she read the message. "They really are all chasing me."
It was from Huang Fei, asking for answers—for the truth.
Back in the dorm, Huang Fei stared at Shen Mengjie’s reply, bitterness twisting his lips.
He’d expected her to explain.
He’d made his feelings obvious—surely she knew he liked her.
Yet she’d admitted it all so casually.
Now, he didn’t know what to do or say.
At least she hadn’t lied to him.
But that only made it harder.
His mind was a mess. He couldn’t even bring himself to wonder—had she been with someone else before meeting him today?
Did she treat them the same way she treated him?
What did he even mean to her?
Was he backup plan number one? Two? Or...
He picked up his phone, scrolling through their chat history. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, hesitating before finally flipping the phone facedown on the bed.
He lit his last cigarette.
He needed time to think.
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
e vast world of cultivation, where he becomes the master of the Heavenly Ruins Sacred Hall, a dying old man with barely a tenth of his former cultivation remaining. He is immediately confronted with a deadly crisis: his subordinates have rebelled, and his protectors are forcing him to abdicate. At the critical moment, the system descends from the heavens: [Ding! The host has been detected facing a life-or-death crisis. The system is now officially activated!] [As a gift, you have received the Supreme Beginner’s Pack and awakened the ultimate cheat: ten thousand years of pure cultivation essence every second!] Yin Tianjue: “Wait… ten thousand years of cultivation every second? That’s six hundred thousand years a minute, and in one day… I can’t even calculate it. Either way, I’m already invincible!” You’re a peerless prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re an undying ancestor who has guarded a sacred land for countless ages? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re the strongest chosen one, blessed with heaven-defying destiny? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. From this day forth, I have only one thing to say: “I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. Now, how exactly are you supposed to deal with that?”
