Chapter Twenty-One: The Shameless Temptress

Ever since he failed to find her at the library last time, He Mingyuan had been absent-minded. He did not take to heart the public humiliation Ning Huaizhi had inflicted upon him at the banquet, nor did he care about the angry scolding she had directed at him outside their dormitory. He knew that Ning Huaizhi was simply acting out of spite; she was angry that he had chosen Ning Lebao. But it wasn't like that at all—he just wanted a better life. What was wrong with that? Men were all like this; they couldn't resist temptation. It was Ning Lebao who had seduced him first, but his heart still belonged to Ning Huaizhi.

Over the past few days, He Mingyuan had thought of Ning Huaizhi many times. Remembering her kindness and the history between them, he became even more convinced of his feelings. He loved Ning Huaizhi, and he was certain that as long as he sincerely apologized, she would forgive him. When Ning Lebao suggested he reconcile with her, he simply went along with the flow. He wasn't still in love with Ning Lebao; he was merely using her. She had resources and money, and she could provide him with a better life. After graduation, he could take the money he had saved over these years, marry Huaizhi, and live a wonderful life. As for Ning Lebao, she was nothing more than a temporary plaything. How could she possibly destroy the decade-long bond he shared with Ning Huaizhi? Of course, if she continued to provide him with resources, he wouldn't mind keeping her around.

"He Mingyuan! Didn't you hear me calling you?"

Ning Lebao reached out and tapped his shoulder, startling him. He Mingyuan snapped out of his reverie and stared at her blankly for a long moment before regaining his composure. Ning Lebao looked at him suspiciously. "What's wrong with you today? You've been acting really strange."

"No, it's nothing," He Mingyuan quickly masked his emotions and changed the subject. "Is there something you need?"

"Yes, I've found out where Ning Huaizhi is."

He Mingyuan’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Where did she go that day?"

"She applied to be a golf caddy. She works in the suburbs every weekend. That's a newly developed area with very few people around. If you want to make a move on her, that's the best place to do it."

He Mingyuan paused, confused. "Why would she go to work in the suburbs?"

"Who knows? Maybe she's lost her mind. Anyway, go find her and force yourself on her. I shouldn't need to teach you how to do that, should I?" Ning Lebao said, sounding irritable. She really didn't want to waste any more time talking to him.

Her attitude, however, was misinterpreted by He Mingyuan. He assumed she was jealous and was simply trying to secure their relationship. He reached out to gently hold her hand. "Lebao, don't worry. Even if I end up with Ning Huaizhi, I still love you. My heart will always lean toward you."

Ning Lebao gave him a cold, insincere smile. "Right. Good." Her attitude was purely dismissive; if she didn't still need him, she would have kicked him a thousand miles away already. He Mingyuan, failing to read her true feelings, remained lost in his fantasies about the future.

***

As soon as Ning Huaizhi opened the dormitory door, she saw Zhou Jiajia, who was sitting at her desk, flinch.

"Did I startle you by opening the door so suddenly?" Ning Huaizhi asked, puzzled. This had never happened before.

Zhou Jiajia shook her head repeatedly, her posture rigid. "No."

"I'm hungry. Let's go grab something to eat," she said, walking over and urging Ning Huaizhi with a smile.

"Alright, let me just tidy up a bit."

Ning Huaizhi didn't suspect anything and quickly put the matter aside. Zhou Jiajia let out a sigh of relief, casting a guilty glance at Ning Huaizhi before quickly looking away. *Forget it,* she thought. *I've already told a classmate in the next room, and she promised not to tell anyone else. There's no need to mention it to Huaizhi.*

***

The weekend arrived quickly. The two girls packed their bags and headed to the golf course in the suburbs. The course was quite a distance from the school, making the hour-and-a-half commute too troublesome, so they decided to stay in the staff dormitory. They didn't need to bring much, just the essentials. The dormitory was a two-bedroom suite with a living area, and the environment was decent. After tidying up and taking a shower, Ning Huaizhi went to bed.

The next day, just as she started her shift, she saw An Xingcai walking toward her.

"Zhizhi, come caddy for me."

Hearing the young master call her by her nickname didn't surprise Ning Huaizhi. Given his personality, she knew he would come looking for her. She grabbed her equipment and followed him. An Xingcai stood beside her with a triumphant look on his face.

"See? Even if you don't want to be my exclusive caddy, aren't you mine for today?"

"Yes, young master. So, are you planning to play golf for the entire day?" Ning Huaizhi asked with a smile.

An Xingcai rubbed his nose. "Well, not exactly."

Playing for an entire day would be too much of a challenge; if he actually did that, he probably wouldn't be able to climb out of bed tomorrow. An Xingcai hadn't come to bother her; once they were on the course, he adopted a serious demeanor. Ning Huaizhi stood by, retrieving balls and offering guidance. The advice she gave was practical and highly effective, and every shot An Xingcai took showed significant improvement.

"Zhizhi, you're amazing. My performance today is better than ever."

Ning Huaizhi curled her lips into a smile and continued to instruct him. An Xingcai already had some basics down, so he didn't need much explanation, which made things easy for both of them.

***

At the front desk lobby, Liu Qingmei kept glancing toward the area where An Xingcai was playing, the jealousy in her eyes almost palpable.

A coworker leaned in. "Sister Qing, that Zhizhi is so shameless. I don't know how she managed to cozy up to the young master. He used to always keep you by his side, but now she's just gone and bypassed you entirely."

"Shut up!" Liu Qingmei hissed, her chest heaving.

*Why?* she wondered. *What is so good about that Zhizhi?* She had been by the young master's side for months, and he had never replaced her. But the moment Zhizhi appeared, his attention shifted. *What a shameless vixen.*

Liu Qingmei narrowed her eyes. Yesterday's events had already spread; it seemed this Zhizhi actually had some talent. But talent alone wouldn't matter—the young master would never truly be hers.

"Sister Qing."

Liu Qingmei looked over, her face expressionless and her mood clearly sour.

The person gestured toward Zhou Jiajia. "Even though we can't do anything to Zhizhi while she's with the young master, we still have the other one, don't we? She's not like Zhizhi; she doesn't know the rules of golf well. As her seniors, it's only natural for us to 'teach' her a thing or two, isn't it?"

Liu Qingmei stared at Zhou Jiajia, who was diligently studying the rules, and sneered.

"Come on. Let's go give our new recruit a proper lesson."