"Done."

"Your ex."

"Go win her back now."

Pang Cheng jerked his chin toward the window.

His eyes sparkled with undisguised glee, utterly delighted by Qin Ling’s predicament.

Grinning wide, he crowed, "You’ve got guts, kid! Go fix this mess yourself."

Qin Ling just pursed his lips. He glanced out the YuYu Express window, then shot Pang Cheng a deadpan look. "Watch and learn, bro."

He strode toward the door, bellowing as he went: "Which old hag’s screaming in the yard?! Don’t you know there’s a forty-year-old elder resting inside?!"

Pang Cheng’s face darkened like storm clouds as he followed.

*This brat!*

"Manager... who’s that?" Song Xiaoxi stifled a laugh, nodding toward Zhang Xiaolu—whose face had also turned thunderous in the courtyard.

"My rotten apprentice’s ex. They split after just a few months. No clue why."

"Brother Qin’s ex?" Song Xiaoxi’s eyes widened.

She studied the heavily made-up woman in the yard—fuming, one hand on her hip, the other jabbing a finger at Qin Ling.

After a pause, she murmured, "Brother Qin’s so handsome... how come this girl..."

"Ugly?" Pang Cheng raised an eyebrow.

He compared them: Song Xiaoxi’s crisp, no-nonsense style radiated vibrant energy. Even barefaced, she was a solid seven out of ten.

Zhang Xiaolu? Heavy makeup barely pushed her to six. No contest.

But Song Xiaoxi shook her head. "No. She just feels... off."

"Off? How?" Pang Cheng leaned in.

"It’s a vibe," she insisted. "If she truly liked Brother Qin, she wouldn’t act like this."

"You spotted it in one glance?!" Pang Cheng was stunned.

*It took me weeks to see through her.*

*This kid’s got potential.*

"Yeah. Just a feeling," Song Xiaoxi nodded firmly. Some truths only women sensed.

Pang Cheng shrugged. Not his problem.

"Come on," he said, already heading out. "Let’s watch. Nothing shady—we’re just spectators. Besides, he’s single now. And you’re single too, right? Curious?"

"...!" Song Xiaoxi flushed crimson.

She hesitated, then stayed put.

---

In YuYu Express’s courtyard, Zhang Xiaolu glared at Qin Ling.

Seeing him in a sharp suit—instead of his usual sloppy tees and shorts—made her blood boil. The upgrade from "kinda cute" to "drop-dead gorgeous" felt like a personal insult.

"Qin Ling! You’ve been slacking off with me!" she shrieked, ignoring his earlier shout.

"Slacking? What do you mean?" Qin Ling frowned.

*Why’s she back? Playing games with my heart again?*

"You’re dressed like a model now! But on our dates, you wore ratty tees and shorts!"

"Huh?" Qin Ling blinked. "That’s what’s bothering you?"

"Hmph! You lied to me!" She jabbed her finger at his chest.

"That’s why I dumped you—you never cared enough to try!"

"I *did* care," Qin Ling countered calmly.

He kept things simple: if someone couldn’t accept his ordinary self, why bother? Truth was, he’d never liked Zhang Xiaolu much. Flashy, high-maintenance, spoiled rotten—he’d only dated her to spare their matchmaker’s feelings.

"Then why’d you lie?!" she pressed.

"Lie about *what*?" Qin Ling scowled. *Did she find out?*

Panic flashed in his eyes. *Should I knock her out? Silence her?*

*...Okay, silencing’s impossible. But hush money? That’d work.*

"Y-You know...?" he stammered, studying her face.

Zhang Xiaolu smirked triumphantly. "Think you can fool me? I’ll expose you right now—"

"*You?!*" Qin Ling lunged, clamping a hand over her mouth.

"Shut. Up."

"Mmmph?!"

"One more word and I knock you out."

She froze.