“Hm? Still here?”

The blond, sharp-featured man furrowed his brows.

He made no move to cover the love bite on his neck, nor bother masking the lingering scent of another woman’s perfume.

Through the wooden door, Lu Zixuan knew exactly what he’d done tonight. It was already 1:30 AM—the dead of night.

Her body trembled slightly. The door was cracked open just enough for her face to appear before Xia Tianle.

“Y-yes! I-I mean… mmph!”

She clapped a hand over her mouth, stifling the odd sounds.

One palm pressed hard against the wall, the other muffling her lips—cheeks flushed, sweat beading on her brow.

Naturally bewitching, her flushed, breathless state even made Xia Tianle swallow hard. Had he not been in post-coital clarity, he might’ve felt the urge to pin her down.

Not that he liked her. Purely base desire.

“You feeling unwell? Your face is really red.”

“Ah! I-I am? Oh! I—I must’ve caught a chill… probably!”

She rolled her eyes back, nearly fainting. Only someone’s support kept her upright.

“A chill? Well, you insist on wearing outfits barely shy of exhibitionist. No wonder. Take notes from junior sister Liu Yiyi—dress decently!”

His gaze dropped to Lu Zixuan’s sheer nightgown. The teasing glimpse of skin, her unsteady sway—undeniably tempting.

Liu Yiyi: the new special-admit freshman. Among elites of high society, the first—and only—ordinary girl to pass the assessment.

Why? Because the night before testing, she ran into the male lead causing trouble… and thoroughly thrashed him.

Since then, he’d thought: *“Liu Yiyi’s interesting. Never met anyone who dared hit me.”*

But in Chen Yaoyi’s view? This kid just met a real tigress, got spooked, brain locked in defense mode—into self-sabotage, even betrayal.

Who’d ditch a loyal, wealthy steed who’d treat you to endless KFC Crazy Thursdays… for a flaky mare jamming with others and demanding you Venmo her fifty bucks!?

…Wait. Horses and Crazy Thursday shouldn’t even be compared.

Hearing herself compared to Liu Yiyi stung—but Lu Zixuan didn’t flare up. Her mind buzzed with impending tickle-torture.

Because Chen Yaoyi! He was tickling her sole! Damn it! Why just the foot?!

She balanced on one leg, right foot clamped firmly in Chen Yaoyi’s grip, pinned under his palm.

She’d warned him: *Don’t do this in front of Xia Tianle! One slip and we’re both dead!*

So she clenched her jaw, fighting laughter—cheeks burning, tears pricking her eyes. But Chen Yaoyi, grinning, dug his fingers deeper.

*Help me!* she screamed inwardly.

“I-I know… *cough cough*… eep!”

Part choke, part desperate signal to Chen Yaoyi: *Stop!*

He misread it. Tickling intensified.

Her swaying grew violent. Even Xia Tianle sensed something off.

“Hey. You’re acting weird. Weren’t you the one who’d rage and say ‘I did it all for you’? Seriously—okay?”

He reached for her forehead. She flinched away.

The old Lu Zixuan would’ve leaned in. Why dodge now?

Unease coiled in his gut.

“N-nothing! I’m f-fine! Really! R-really fine…”

*Don’t be stubborn here! Please! Stop tickling my foot! I beg you! I was wrong! I’ll obey anything! PLEASE!*

Her silent pleas echoed uselessly. Telepathy wasn’t real.

Chen Yaoyi knew his limits. He’d pulled stunts before—teasing a wife right before her husband. But this time? Zero interest in Lu Zixuan.

Truthfully, this pretty-but-shallow girl was easy to manipulate… and boring. Which was exactly why he picked her.

Xia Tianle and Liu Yiyi? Nearly sealed. They’d already slept together. Only hurdle: Liu Yiyi had suitors—like this thick-headed, cash-flaunting Xia Tianle. Timing was key.

Someone needed to craft vicious trials, forcing Liu Yiyi to see Xia Tianle as her sole refuge. Fail that, and Chen Yaoyi’s mission collapsed.

Who best to stir chaos? None other than the villainess heroine herself—Lu Zixuan. *That* was why he sought her. Tormenting her? Just for fun.

Still, she held weight as a heroine—just not as sharp as May.

“Fine. I’m tired. Stay tonight. Leave at dawn. Got it?”

Xia Tianle, unnerved by her strangeness, brushed her off.

“Y-yes! Thank you—mmph!”

She watched him vanish, slammed the door, collapsed, and clutched her soles.

“Ahahahahaha! Hahahahaha! Ahaha~!”

Laughter spilled uncontrollably—tears streaming, cheeks crimson, whole body shaking.

“I hate you! Chen Yaoyi! Ahahaha! I hate you sooo much! Hahahaha! Ahaha~!”