Chapter 14

Fu Xiling turned off the speaker, held the phone to his ear, chatted with the other side a bit more, hung up, then turned back: "Hear that? That girl is smart. Think you can handle it?"
Shi Zhi wasn't afraid of smart people.
She could test into B University and get scholarships every year, could fully represent aunt in managing the bar. She considered herself not lacking in intelligence.
As for Shen Jia's side...
Shi Zhi wasn't a particularly virtuous person. She didn't want to be a magnanimous ex, didn't need a peaceful, dignified breakup.
Whoever made her unhappy, she had to return that unhappiness.
After breaking up, Shen Jia might feel guilty for a while, but that wasn't enough.
How long could guilt last?
For someone with Shen Jia's personality, "unwillingness" would torment him more painfully.
Fu Xiling called out "Hey, Shi Zhi" beside her. Shi Zhi turned and saw faint amusement in his eyes.
He asked: "So, want to try cooperating?"
"Okay."
Shi Zhi stated her conditions: "But you have to tell your other female companions that I'm just your shield. No matter how jealous they get, they can't cause trouble at my school, including that Yaoyao."
Fu Xiling agreed very readily.
Shi Zhi asked suspiciously: "What about you? Don't you have any conditions?"
"No conditions. But I'm only responsible for helping you annoy Shen Jia. I can't touch his family's business, or my family's elders won't be able to show their faces in the future."
Shi Zhi nodded and pointed at the bag by Fu Xiling's feet: "Beer."
Fu Xiling smiled and asked her: "I notice you're quite comfortable ordering people around."
Although he said this, he still reached out, pulled out a can of beer, opened it with one finger, and handed it to her.
"It's a mutually exploitative relationship. Why should I be uncomfortable?"
Fu Xiling raised his beer: "Happy cooperation?"
Shi Zhi perfunctorily clinked her beer can with his: "Hmm."
This deal was reached too smoothly. Shi Zhi always felt something was off.
This strangeness made her uncomfortable, and she didn't want to chat with Fu Xiling anymore. After drinking the beer, she prepared to leave, letting Fu Xiling tease behind her: "Burning bridges after crossing the river, Boss Shi. Do you do business with others like this too?"
Fu Xiling picked up the bag of empty beer cans, threw it in the trash, ran a few steps, caught up beside Shi Zhi, and walked a short distance with her.
He didn't make excuses like seeing her off or chat about when and how their deal would start. When they reached the school gate, he simply and cleanly went his separate way.
"Go back and sleep well." Fu Xiling said this.
Shi Zhi's dormitory was in another direction.
She walked away two steps with her back to him, heard the sound of a lighter lighting a cigarette behind her.
One thing to thank Fu Xiling for—those two cans of beer really let her sleep well.
The annoying "best/Jia combination" didn't appear in her dreams anymore.
The next morning when she woke up, her roommates had already left.
Shi Zhi got herself ready and opened the wardrobe.
Shen Jia liked light colors, so when she was with him, the frequently worn clothes on top were almost all white or light-colored.
Shi Zhi pulled out a black short-sleeved shirt from the bottom layer and put it on, then changed into jeans.
She didn't plan to eat at the cafeteria, thinking she'd just buy a bread at a small shop on the way to fill her stomach.
Just as she reached the school gate, she was first attracted by a matte black sports car.
The sports car had a huge bunch of colorful helium balloons tied to it, flashy, like "Up." Passersby were already taking out phones to secretly take photos.
Fu Xiling stood by the car with crossed arms, actually looking completely unrelated, leisurely drinking iced coffee.
If Shi Zhi hadn't realized this was the result of the deal they'd made last night, she'd have thought Fu Xiling's family had fallen on hard times and he'd switched to selling helium balloons.
She walked over, grabbed Fu Xiling's arm, and squeezed out through gritted teeth: "You... are you sick?"
Fu Xiling laughed heartily: "You won't take me out of the blacklist, couldn't contact you. How was I supposed to know what level to reach to satisfy my partner?"
He spread his hands and pointed at the sports car behind him: "So, satisfied with this level?"
Shi Zhi couldn't be bothered with him: "...You bought those balloons yourself. I'm not paying for them."
"Got it."
Fu Xiling reached into the sports car and pulled out a breakfast: "After showing off, I'll take them to the kindergarten gate and give them to the kids for free. Charity activity. Want to come?"
Shi Zhi was straightforward: "No."
"How about coming together? I'd look silly going alone."
Before Shi Zhi could speak, the brown paper bag with breakfast was already stuffed into her arms.
She frowned: "You..."
Fu Xiling leaned down, came closer: "Don't overthink it. Didn't buy it for you. Shen Jia is watching behind you."