Leaning on his arm, Yan Zhen asked, "Who are you calling at this hour?"

"The mall manager. Go wait for me in the VIP lounge. I'll get you a new pair."

"Oh." Yan Zhen nudged him playfully. "Quite thoughtful of you, I must say."

His expression remained calm. "Isn't it natural for classmates to help each other out?"

Yan Zhen was speechless. He was still holding a grudge.

Chen Huaixu led her to the VIP lounge and then turned to head into the mall. Yan Zhen leaned back against the plush sofa, idly scrolling through her phone.

Thankfully, Chen Huaixu returned quickly, a shopping bag in hand. He closed and locked the door behind him, then walked over to the sofa and opened the bag.

"It's your favorite brand. I wasn't sure what style you'd like, so I just chose one I thought you'd like." He pulled out the shoes. "If you don't like them, I'll get you another pair."

Yan Zhen leaned closer for a better look. "They're lovely. You have good taste."

She extended her foot, wiggling it in front of him.

Chen Huaixu glanced up at her.

"Help me put them on," she pouted, her voice laced with playful demand. "I'm so tired, I don't want to do it myself."

She feigned exhaustion, her eyes sparkling with a seductive glint.

He watched her for a moment, then knelt down.

Yan Zhen, pleased with his compliance, felt a surge of triumph. This felt like a landmark victory in her ongoing battle with Chen Huaixu.

She leaned back, watching as he knelt before her, attending to her shoes. He held her ankle, slipping off her damaged shoe, then gently cradled her bare foot in his hand.

Looking down at him, impeccably dressed and kneeling at her feet, a wave of satisfaction washed over her. "You should always be this obedient. I wouldn't hate you if you didn't always oppose me."

Spoiled from a young age, she was used to getting her way. Everyone around her pampered and indulged her, except for Chen Huaixu. He constantly challenged her, infuriating her with his defiance.

She couldn't understand why all of Yan Zhao's other friends treated her with such kindness, like a younger sister, while Chen Huaixu remained so different.

That's why she disliked him. He always managed to shatter her carefully constructed facade of composure, revealing her true temper.

She hated that feeling of losing control.

Chen Huaixu looked up, his dark hair gleaming under the bright lights of the lounge. A mischievous impulse sparked within her. She pulled her foot from his grasp and, as he met her gaze, placed it lightly on his shoulder.

Perhaps it was the day spent rehearsing, absorbing the dramatic atmosphere, but a playful streak took hold. Imitating the haughty tone of a princess from the play, she asked, "Seeing as your behavior has been somewhat satisfactory today, I shall grant you an opportunity."

She pressed her foot down slightly. "Would you like to be this princess's footman? It is a position of utmost honor."

Chen Huaixu simply looked at her, silent.

Yan Zhen, losing interest, pulled her foot back. "I was just teasing. You're so boring. You won't even play along."

As she started to withdraw her foot, he caught her ankle, placing it back on his shoulder. His long fingers trailed up her leg, slipping beneath the hem of her dress. Yan Zhen gasped as he murmured, "A footman?"

He deliberately misinterpreted her words, his fingers caressing the soft skin of her inner thigh, his hand lifting the edge of her skirt. "Under this skirt?" he asked softly.