“By the way, Young Master Tong, there’s a freshman mixer dance tonight. Any plans?” Jing Yuansheng suddenly asked.

“The dance?” Tong Yu’s expression turned slightly bitter. “My sister enrolled with me. I have to be her dance partner.”

“You mean Miss Tong Qin?” Jing Yuansheng blinked in surprise. “She’s at Tianhai Academy too? I thought Jingcheng and Demon Capital both offered her huge scholarships—wasn’t it all over the news? How’d she end up here?”

“My grandfather insisted,” Tong Yu sighed.

“Your grandfather? The… mayor of City Four? The one Tianhai invited—is it *your* grandfather?” Jing Yuansheng’s eyes widened.

Zhou Jiuyu’s brow lifted slightly. *Mayor of City Four?*

“Ugh… I came to Tianhai to avoid my sister, but we got placed together anyway. She’s terrifying. I’m scared of her. At home, in talent—everything—I fall short,” Tong Yu said with a dejected look.

“No worries, Young Master Tong! Our dorm’ll back you up tonight!” Jing Yuansheng shot Zhou Jiuyu a cold glance. “For your sake, *you* may tag along.”

“No need. I’m busy.”

Having gotten what he needed, Zhou Jiuyu stood and left.

*The Tong family of the Shadow Syndicate… City Four’s mayor is Tong Yu’s grandfather. If this were a dream, it’d be Tong Che.*

But this was reality. Even if it *was* Tong Che—dream or not—it had nothing to do with him.

Dreams and reality? He knew the difference.

“Heh. Good. Dancing with a janitor? I’d embarrass Young Master Tong,” Jing Yuansheng sneered.

“Don’t say that… we’re dormmates,” Tong Yu murmured weakly.

“Brother Jiuyu~ Why won’t you reply to my messages?”

A cloyingly sweet, high-pitched voice cut through the room. All eyes turned to Zhou Jiuyu’s phone—still playing a voice message as he reached for the door.

“Whoa—why’s my volume so high?!” Zhou Jiuyu fumbled to mute it, but the audio kept playing. Only after it ended did he silence the phone.

“Sorry, sorry.” He closed the dorm door with an awkward nod.

Zhu Wenshan and Tong Yu looked utterly confused. Jing Yuansheng stayed seated, frowning. *That voice… familiar…*

Phone distortion, the sugary tone, the muffled ending—he couldn’t place it.

Until he mentally stripped “Jiuyu” from the phrase…

And *“Brother”* clicked.

“Damn! That’s my girlfriend’s voice!” Jing Yuansheng slapped the mattress and shot up.

Zhu Wenshan and Tong Yu’s jaws dropped into perfect “O”s as Jing Yuansheng stormed out.

No explosive clash of abilities followed—just a furious roar from below:

“Zhou Jiuyu, you bastard! Come out! Where’d you run?!”

“Huh… Lu Simo? Perfect timing! Explain—who were you messaging?!”

“N-no, Brother Yuansheng… wait, let me explain—”

“Damn! *That* ‘Brother’… it was *you*!”

…

Soon, the whole dorm building crowded windows to watch. Tong Yu and Zhu Wenshan, who’d seen it all unfold, stifled laughter from above.

Meanwhile, the unwitting culprit behind the “perfect couple’s” blowup had long vanished beyond campus gates.

“Hey! Hey! Let go! Where are you dragging Airi?!”

Akizuki Airi had been waiting downstairs—until Zhou Jiuyu grabbed her hand and bolted, stopping only outside school grounds.

“If we stayed, we’d get caught red-handed,” Zhou Jiuyu panted, then pulled out his phone.

*Ding ding ding!* Lu Simo’s messages flooded in.

Fingers flew: block, blacklist, delete. *Phew.* Silence. Bliss.

“Why delete her? Done hitting on her? And what ‘caught red-handed’?” Airi narrowed her eyes, cheeks puffed, voice sullen.

“Played her flirty voice message right in front of her boyfriend. Keep her? Get scolded?” Zhou Jiuyu shrugged.

“Eh?! You dragged me for *that*? So mean! Ruining their relationship!”

“Check your face—your smile’s sky-high. If it feels good, say it. I got back at someone who hurt you, and you scold *me*? Guess I’ll consider cutting ties.” He stroked his chin.

“No! No no no—don’t cut ties!” Airi’s words tumbled out. Biting her lip, she looked down. “Th-thank you, Jiuyu-kun… for getting back at that two-timer, Lu Simo.”

“But…” She hesitated. “You kept her contact… weren’t you hitting on her behind Jing Yuansheng’s back? Is tricking and deleting her… okay?”

Zhou Jiuyu rolled his eyes. “When did I say I’d hit on her? Maybe I kept her so *you’d* see her true colors—and stop being a doormat.”

“Oh… I see.” Airi pressed her lips together. A faint blush warmed her youthful cheeks.

*She’d thought he kept that woman to flirt with her—chatting right in front of Airi, making her seethe…*

*I deleted my only friend for you, yet you kept her? Two-timing?! What does that even mean?!*

Pah!

*Two-timing?*

*She’s not even—*

Airi froze. *Why do I care? We’re just friends. His chats… none of my business.*

“Let’s go home. If chased, we’re doomed,” Zhou Jiuyu said.

“Wait… um.” Airi tugged his sleeve, clearing her throat. “Don’t go yet. Let’s buy formal wear…”

“Why?”

“The freshman mixer… accompany me,” she whispered.

“No. Busy.” Flat refusal.

“No way! You’ll make time! You *have* to!” She clung to his hand.

He shook her off with a dry chuckle. “Mind your attitude. Mind your attitude.”

“Hmm? Wait—you’ve got no partner. No one else… so you’re stuck with *me*?” Zhou Jiuyu clicked his tongue.

Airi’s face stiffened.

“As your friend… I *might* help.”

Hope flickered in her eyes.

“But, Airi—asking a favor means showing respect. Friends don’t work for free. So… what price will you pay?”

Her expression froze. She swallowed hard, stepping back.

*It’s happening… Airi… Airi’s about to be compromised…*