Just as she struggled to smear Jiang Yi online, information about her own past surfaced.

A week before the exams, Chen Yuxin's history of bullying in middle school was exposed, not only on the school forum but across the internet.

The accusations, criticism, and condemnation she’d intended for Jiang Yi now backfired with amplified force.

It wasn't so much a backfire as it was reaping what she’d sown.

Chen Yuxin barely left her house in the final days leading up to the exams. Her father, who had previously helped cover up her bullying, was also affected and treated her coldly.

She managed to take the exams, but her mental state was a wreck. The moment she finished, she knew she’d performed disastrously.

As the exams ended, Chen Yuxin spotted Jiang Yi, happily chatting with Zhong Cheng. That smug look on her face!

Venom filled Chen Yuxin’s eyes as she glared at Jiang Yi with pure hatred.

Suddenly, Zhong Cheng turned.

The eyes that were so gentle with Jiang Yi were now cold and sharp when directed at her, as if conveying a warning. The sneer Chen Yuxin had been forming vanished, replaced by a stabbing pain in her chest. The hatred for Jiang Yi intensified.

Jiang Yi, noticing his distraction, followed his gaze. “What are you looking at?” she asked, puzzled.

Zhong Cheng placed his hand on her head, turning her back. “Nothing.”

“Oh.” Jiang Yi didn’t dwell on it. “We’re having dinner at Qin Chung Ge tonight. What about you?”

“Long Yue,” Zhong Cheng replied.

“Oh.” The name sounded familiar. Jiang Yi remembered going there with Qin Zezhou.

“Isn’t that… expensive?” she asked hesitantly.

While Long Yue was indeed pricey, Qin Chung Ge wasn't cheap either.

“It’s alright.” He looked at Jiang Yi. “Have you been there?”

Jiang Yi’s eyes flickered. “N-no.”

A lie. Zhong Cheng saw through it instantly. So, she had been there.

He and his brother hadn't taken her. If she'd gone with relatives, friends, or even by herself, she wouldn't have lied. That left only one possibility: Qin Zezhou.

His expression darkened, and he looked away, choosing not to confront her.

They got into the car, heading first to Jiang Yi’s class gathering.

Before she got out, Zhong Cheng said, “I’ll pick you up afterwards.”

His gaze held her captive, a swirling intensity in his eyes.

Jiang Yi felt a familiar sense of danger.

“Okay,” she replied.

Zhong Cheng’s gaze lingered, trapping her in the confines of the backseat. The possessive urge he’d been suppressing surged within him.

His voice was low and commanding, leaving no room for refusal. “Jiang Yi, open your mouth.”

Her heart pounded as she obeyed. He immediately invaded her mouth with his tongue, claiming hers in a deep kiss. Their lips parted and rejoined, tongues entwined, each tasting the other.

After the lingering kiss, Zhong Cheng held her close, tenderly wiping a stray drop of saliva from her lips. “Make sure I’m the first person you call tonight,” he murmured.

Three men had been waiting for this day for a very long time.

“Okay,” Jiang Yi responded softly.

Zhong Cheng’s eyes darkened, and he kissed her again, fiercely, as if wanting to devour her.

Pressed against him, Jiang Yi felt his arousal and pushed him away.

“N-no more.”

He caressed her lips, his voice low. “Jiang Yi, remember your promise.”

Jiang Yi saw her saliva on his fingertip, her face flushing, her heart racing.

“Mm.”