Chapter 26: The Cabbage Got Taken
Shen Xi glanced at Keke, who was happily enjoying her dessert. Then, she thought about Keke’s boyfriend, Jiang Bailang, and felt an overwhelming sense of disgust.
In her past life as a man, how could she not recognize what a piece of trash this Jiang guy was?
“Keke, how far have you and your boyfriend gotten?”
Hearing this, Su Kexin’s cheeks turned slightly red.
“We just… held hands… and kissed…”
At that moment, a certain yellow-haired head kept inching closer, trying to eavesdrop. Shen Xi’s face darkened, and she snapped,
“Girls are talking. Why are you eavesdropping? Go play somewhere else, five meters away.”
“Oh… okay…”
Shen Zekai reluctantly took a few steps back, grumbling under his breath,
“It’s just dating, what’s the big secret? I just got a girlfriend too.”
Once he was far enough, Shen Xi continued her questioning, a hint of concern in her eyes.
“Have you… slept with him?”
Su Kexin’s face instantly turned bright red, like a ripe apple. She frantically waved her hands.
“No, no! Xixi, I’m very conservative.”
Hearing that, Shen Xi let out a breath of relief. She was just about to persuade Keke to break up with that scumbag when Keke hesitated for a moment, then shyly added,
“I was actually planning to surprise you… He proposed to me, and I said yes.”
“…He proposed??”
Shen Xi’s eyes widened in shock. For a moment, she wondered if she had been wrong about Jiang Bailang.
Did she overthink this?
Su Kexin extended her left hand, revealing a sparkling diamond ring on her slender ring finger. It looked about a carat in size. Having been a man for so many years, Shen Xi had never paid much attention to details like this and hadn’t noticed it earlier.
“Xixi, look! Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Uh… yeah, it’s really pretty.”
Shen Xi felt a tightness in her chest, as if someone had just taken away her cabbage.
Seeing the pure happiness on Keke’s face, she swallowed back the words telling her to break up. Maybe… maybe she was just jealous that Jiang Bailang got to be Keke’s boyfriend. Maybe that’s why she thought so badly of him?
Meanwhile, across the banquet hall, Shi Jingyan was entertaining guests when a glimpse of a familiar white silhouette caught his eye. Turning his head, he was surprised to see Shen Xi.
She had told him so firmly that she wouldn’t come, yet here she was.
Shi Jingyan smirked, convinced that she was just being stubborn. Deep down, she still couldn’t let go of him.
Looking at her outfit today, with its delicate yet alluring charm, he was reminded of their high school days. So young and full of promise.
I wonder what surprise you have for me this time?
Every year, without fail, Shen Xi had given him an expensive and carefully chosen birthday gift worth tens of thousands. Even when they broke up and she was abroad, she still mailed it to him. It had become a tradition.
On the other side of the hall, Lin Yueyue was surrounded by her roommates, all showering her with compliments.
“Yueyue, your cheongsam is stunning! I think I’ve seen this style on TV before. It must be handmade by a master craftsman, right?”
“Yes! I heard the starting price for one like this is at least five hundred thousand. Shi always treats you so well.”
“Of course he does.”
Lin Yueyue’s face lit up with pride, completely satisfied by the praise. Waking up at 4 AM for four hours of professional makeup had definitely been worth it.
Her cheongsam looked similar to one Shen Xi had worn before, but this one had cost her a full month’s worth of Shi Jingyan’s allowance, thirty thousand yuan, for a custom order.
However, Lin Yueyue’s figure didn’t do justice to the elegance of the cheongsam. If Shen Xi were to wear it instead, the difference would be obvious. Lin Yueyue’s version would look like a cheap knockoff from a street stall, utterly unworthy of attention.
She was still basking in the compliments when she glanced up and noticed Shi Jingyan smiling absentmindedly in a particular direction, his expression carrying a hint of ambiguity.
Her heart tightened. Following his gaze, she immediately spotted the last person she wanted to see today.
Just seeing Shen Xi reminded her of him. Her eyes flickered between Shi Jingyan and the memory of Gu Hanling, and a wave of jealousy surged in her heart.
To Lin Yueyue, Shen Xi was nothing but a shameless woman. Someone like Gu Hanling was way out of her league. If anyone deserved to stand beside such an exceptional man, it was her.
She thought to herself, If she could take away the man Shen Xi loved once… maybe I can do it again?
On the other side, Shen Xi, who was already feeling down, suddenly noticed a large group, nearly ten people, heading straight toward them. Among them was none other than their team’s top laner, their jungler… Jiang Bailang??
Ugh… he sure is wild, she thought bitterly.
Shen Xi groaned internally. There’s no escaping this, huh? No matter where she went, she felt like a magnet, constantly pulling the male and female leads toward her.
“You’re here.”
Shi Jingyan was the first to approach. When he saw Shen Xi’s bare-faced beauty, his heart skipped a beat. Her natural, youthful look was even more captivating than any elaborate makeup.
“Xixi, since you’re here, why didn’t you come say hi? You’re just sitting here eating?”
Before Shen Xi could respond, Lin Yueyue quickly stepped forward, immediately adopting the tone of a hostess.
She had noticed Shen Xi’s gloomy expression earlier and assumed it was because she was jealous. Jealous that Shi Jingyan was hers now, that she had to watch them together and feel heartbroken.
“You seem distracted. Is something bothering you? We’re all classmates, don’t be shy, just tell us. We’re happy to help!”
Shen Xi almost laughed out of frustration. What am I supposed to say? That I’m upset because the girl I like just got proposed to by her boyfriend?
“Xixi is upset, and you know exactly why.”
Before Shen Xi could say anything, Keke stepped forward, her stance like a fierce right-hand woman straight out of a villainess drama.
Shen Xi’s mouth twitched. A black line practically formed over her head. She had the sudden urge to rush over and cover Keke’s mouth.
Keke… you’re making it worse!
Hearing this, Lin Yueyue’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. She pitifully threw herself into Shi Jingyan’s arms, pointing at Su Kexin.
“Brother Jing, she’s slandering me! Spreading rumors everywhere!”
“Slandering? It’s the truth! Xixi might not know since she was abroad, but I do. When you and Shi Jingyan got together, your ex-boyfriend was still standing outside your building, crying for three days and nights. And what did you do? You pretended you weren’t home.”
Su Kexin stood her ground, refusing to back down. At this, Lin Yueyue’s roommates immediately jumped in to defend her.
“You’re lying! Yueyue broke up with him ages ago. He was the one who wouldn’t let go.”
“Exactly! We can all vouch for that.”
Shi Jingyan shot Su Kexin a cold glance before turning to Jiang Bailang.
“She’s your girlfriend?”
Jiang Bailang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and ran to Shi Jingyan. Just like before, he had no intention of standing up for Keke, instead hiding among the main character group. This wasn't a 'top laner' on their side, it was practically a 'paid actor.'
“…Yes.”
“Then go. Slap her a few times, teach her a lesson. Let her know not to speak nonsense.”
Shi Jingyan exuded the domineering aura of a classic CEO, his voice cold and commanding.
“Yes, Mr. Shi.”
Jiang Bailang’s expression instantly turned ruthless. Without hesitation, he spun around and raised his hand, about to strike Keke!