Nangong Shiyu turned his head and instantly spotted the figure wearing a black wig and a red-and-white miko outfit. He didn’t know who she was cosplaying, but he recognized her face right away.

Yes, this was Shen Yining, the class study monitor—Nangong Shiyu couldn’t mistake her.

Showtime.

After confirming the target, Nangong Shiyu shot Xia Zixin a meaningful glance, signaling it was time to start their lovey-dovey act.

“Oh, it’s Shen Yining. Good afternoon,” Nangong Shiyu waved casually in greeting.

“Good afternoon~” Xia Zixin pressed close to Nangong Shiyu’s side and waved back.

“Are you here just to mess with me, Shiyu?” Shen Yining glared fiercely the moment they met. “Don’t think I don’t know—you just grabbed some random girl to pose as your girlfriend and show off, trying to drive me away. Hmph, I won’t run. What’re you gonna do about it?”

Hearing this right off the bat, Nangong Shiyu almost wavered. For a second, he thought their “lovey-dovey operation” had been exposed. But he quickly snapped back—Shen Yining’s words were likely just a bluff. Unless Luo Qitian had leaked it, no one else could possibly know.

He hadn’t expected Shen Yining to start like this. Their whole plan was now impossible to execute normally.

Faced with this unexpected turn, Nangong Shiyu felt a headache coming on.

Time to improvise.

“What do you mean, drive you away?” Nangong Shiyu asked, feigning confusion.

“Hmph, don’t play dumb. You just want me to give up, so you picked some girl to fake being your girlfriend and fool me. Dream on! A good-for-nothing like you—who’d like you besides me?”

When Shen Yining called him a good-for-nothing, it felt like an arrow piercing Nangong Shiyu’s chest, hurting inexplicably.

An ordinary person would’ve just called her “crazy” and walked away. But even in this act, Nangong Shiyu couldn’t bring himself to be that cruel.

“No, she really is my girlfriend,” Nangong Shiyu said calmly, pointing at Xia Zixin. “We’re even living together.”

“You think I’m stupid?” Shen Yining smirked slyly.

Nangong Shiyu had expected her to fall for it like Luo Qitian, but her next words nearly made him surrender.

“Do people just blab about living together? Your acting’s terrible, Nangong Shiyu. You think these amateur tricks can chase me off? You’re a century too early.”

“That’s why you’re an idiot, Shiyu,” Xia Zixin said, tapping his forehead. “If you can’t handle girls, just stand aside and watch.”

Nangong Shiyu admitted he wasn’t good with girls, so he nodded, letting Xia Zixin take over.

“Fine, you handle it. I’ll just watch you two fight.”

“Hmph, love’s grand ship sinks that easily? Hiding behind your ‘little girlfriend’ already? Guess your feelings for her aren’t that strong.”

“That’s not quite right, little sister Shen Yining… Did I get your name right, big sister?”

“Yeah, that’s my name.” Shen Yining glared intently at Xia Zixin, radiating overwhelming hostility.

“Oh dear, don’t be so hostile with big sister—it’s bad for negotiations,” Xia Zixin smiled sweetly, but her aura matched Shen Yining’s intensity.

“This is a shura field, not a negotiation table.”

“Since you called it a shura field, you’re admitting Nangong Shiyu and I are a couple, right?”

Realizing her wording mistake, Shen Yining frowned, looking slightly regretful.

“No, I don’t admit it.”

“But you said it’s a shura field.”

“Just a slip of the tongue.” Pressed by Xia Zixin, Shen Yining admitted her error. “But even with that slip, I still don’t believe you two are real.”

“Oh, really?” Xia Zixin chuckled with interest.

“That’s right, I don’t!”

“Then what would make you believe us? Like… kissing right in front of you?”

Whoa!

Hearing this, Nangong Shiyu felt a deep crisis in his soul.

No way—his first kiss was still intact! He couldn’t just give it away for this.

“Uh… I mean, this is…”

“Hm?”

“…”

After Shen Yining’s glare, Nangong Shiyu swallowed hard. He steeled himself—no surrender yet, even with his first kiss on the line.

“No, I mean… kissing in front of everyone is too embarrassing…”

“Nope, that’s it!” Shen Yining’s determination flared at his words. “Kiss! If you two really kiss, I’ll believe she’s your girlfriend.”

Nangong Shiyu sighed helplessly. Seeing Shen Yining’s serious gaze, he knew she meant it.

“Oh ho, aren’t you scared I’ll take Shiyu’s first kiss?” Xia Zixin calmly countered while Nangong Shiyu panicked. “Shiyu’s first kiss—if you insist on proof, big sister won’t hesitate to claim it.”

After Xia Zixin’s words, Nangong Shiyu clearly saw hesitation flicker in Shen Yining’s eyes.

It worked.

Watching her reaction, Nangong Shiyu gained new respect for Xia Zixin. She’d grasped Shen Yining’s weak point—like that first kiss. If Shen Yining truly liked him, betting his first kiss would hurt her most. Xia Zixin had played her card well.

Just as Nangong Shiyu felt reassured by Xia Zixin’s move, Shen Yining unexpectedly declared her decision.

“Kiss then! If she’s really your girlfriend, go ahead—who’s afraid of whom?”