Chapter 170: The Wicked Fox Outwits the Kitten

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27th floor of Chujiang Hotel

Zhao Yanxi walked out of the bedroom in a daze and slumped onto the soft sofa in the living room, crossing her two long, bare legs over the edge of the sofa, like a lazy kitten that had just woken up.

She wriggled over and hugged Wenjing, burying her head in the two soft, white bunnies, and murmured, "Where is the man...?"

"I'm off to class."

"Aren't you going?"

"We still have to wait for you to get up so I can take you back to school."

Since Ding Heng provided Wenjing with a car, the three of them have been traveling between the hotel and school more frequently.

Firstly, starting from the second semester of freshman year, the school no longer strictly investigates freshman accommodation issues.

Secondly, since Wenjing has a car, Ding Heng doesn't have to wait around to take them back all the time, so he naturally has more free time.

Seeing that Zhao Yanxi looked like she was about to fall asleep on her chest again, Wenjing quickly pushed her away, saying, "Hurry up and go wash up, I have class later!"

"Oh……"

Zhao Yanxi got up and yawned, when suddenly she heard a "ding-dong" sound and her phone screen lit up.

When I turned on the screen, I saw a group chat message from "Hua Qing's Surprise".

Zhao Yanxi scrolled up...

While she was still in bed, Wenjing Huayue was already chatting away with Lin Man in the group chat, with over 999 messages!

Why don't they usually chat like this? They can't even utter a single word in the group chat!

Zhao Yanxi pouted and went back to the bottom of the message.

[Lin Hu Leads the Way]: @Good Luck Xiao Jing @Lucky Xiao Zhao @Lucky Xiao Yue

[Linhu Leads the Way]: [Document] "Hua Qing's Birthday Surprise Implementation Plan V1.0"

[Lin Hu Leads the Way]: Everyone, please take a look first, and feel free to raise any opinions you may have.

Zhao Yanxi opened the file and was startled.

Good guy.

Seven whole pages!

From venue setup and timelines to personnel assignments and alternative plans, even every word Hua Qing might say was anticipated and countermeasures were prepared in advance.

"Is it really necessary?"

Zhao Yanxi muttered something and exited the file.

[Fortune Teller Zhao]: Isn't the plan too complicated? Sister Hua Qing isn't some big star, it's just her birthday.

[Lin Hu Leads the Way]: The captain may seem cold, but she's actually very thoughtful. The more thorough your preparations, the more sincere she'll feel. Also, the captain is about to leave Xingcheng for Beijing Dance Academy, so making it a special occasion is definitely the right thing to do.

Zhao Yanxi rolled her eyes, even regretting getting involved.

Upon further reflection, I realized that I wasn't that close to Hua Qing...

When Hua Yue offered her opinion, she only wanted to simply invite everyone to celebrate with Hua Qing, but Ding Heng insisted on giving Hua Qing a surprise!

What do men want?

Using Hua Qing's birthday as an opportunity, how could they force Lin Man into the circle and make themselves and Wen Jing accept her?

From now on, will the Romance of the Three Kingdoms in bed turn into the Journey to the West with its four protagonists?

No, I can't let the man get away with it so easily!

Even if the man gets his way, the vixen needs to learn the importance of order and hierarchy!

Just as Zhao Yanxi made up her mind and was about to say something more, Wen Jing's message popped up first.

[Good Luck Xiaojing]: I think Sister Man's plan is pretty good, very detailed. It's just...aren't there too many things? Can Sister Hua Qing's house hold them all?

[Linhu Leads the Way]: Don't worry, I will hire a professional interior designer to ensure aesthetics and space.

Zhao Yanxi stared at Wen Jing, her brows furrowing: "Wen Jing!"

Wenjing looked bewildered: "Huh?"

"You actually called her Sister Man?"

"Isn't she older than us?"

"You're still defending her?!"

"Forehead……"

Wenjing remained silent.

Hua Yue's message then popped up.

[Hua Yun Xiao Yue]: I also think there's no big problem. Let's all listen to Sister Man's arrangements.

【Lin Hu Leads the Way】：[)

Zhao Yanxi felt even more uncomfortable seeing Hua Yue start calling her "Sister Man" all the time.

She took a deep breath and continued typing.

[Fortune Teller Zhao]: Who will assign the tasks? Will you hire someone?

[Lin Hu Leads the Way]: Don't worry, I'll take care of it.

[Fortune Teller Zhao]: Why should you arrange everything?

After the message was sent, the group was silent for two seconds.

Wenjing whispered to Zhao Yanxi, "Yanxi, why are you rushing like that?"

"My Jingjing..."

Zhao Yanxi looked at her with exasperation: "They're trying to steal your man, and you're still being so friendly?"

"But……"

"But what?"

"If you two start arguing, Ding Heng will be unhappy, won't he?"

"Well……"

Now Zhao Yanxi was speechless.

The matter, though convoluted, ultimately boils down to the fact that the man is unwilling to see trouble brewing in his own backyard.

Zhao Yanxi understood this as well, and always restrained herself from having a major conflict with Lin Man.

But if Lin Man arranges and makes decisions on small matters like this today, will she also have the final say on important matters in the future?

Lin Man's message popped up again in the group chat.

[Lin Hu Leads the Way]: I didn't mean to boss everyone around; it's just that I wrote the plan, so I'm more familiar with each step of the execution. If Yan hope has any opinions, please raise them first, and we can discuss them together.

Zhao Yanxi bit her lower lip tightly, her finger hovering above the screen.

Although her emotional intelligence is already quite high compared to many of her peers, she has not yet experienced the realities of society.

I have absolutely no idea how to respond in a way that allows me to regain control without appearing petty.

After all, the men are in the group too, and they might check their messages at any time...

[Lucky Zhao]: Okay.

Those two simple words seemed to have exhausted all of Zhao Yanxi's strength.

She tossed her phone onto the sofa, leaned back, and stared at the ceiling, sulking.

Wenjing gently comforted her, "Yanxi, why don't you try getting to know Sister Man... no, Lin Man? Maybe you can become good friends."

Zhao Yanxi said sourly, "You're so magnanimous!"

"I just didn't want to put Ding Heng in a difficult position."

Since they're both women, Wenjing will naturally get jealous too.

Unlike Zhao Yanxi, she was used to yielding from a young age and was naturally able to adjust her mindset.

"I didn't want to either, but..."

The phone pinged, interrupting Zhao Yanxi. She picked up her phone again, and Lin Man sent another message in the group chat.

[Linhu Leads the Way]: @Good Luck Xiaojing @Lucky Xiaozhao @Lucky Flower Xiaoyue... I have already made a purchase list. Please take a look and see if there are any changes needed. The budget should be kept under 30,000.

Zhao Yanxi opened the list.

Balloons, white lisianthus, light green ribbons, scented candles, disposable tableware, snacks and drinks... every item is clearly labeled with its brand and specifications, and even the store where it was purchased is clearly indicated.

Honestly, if she were in charge, she definitely couldn't handle every detail as meticulously as Lin Man.

This feeling is more devastating than jealousy!

Want to be the "official wife"?

Are you qualified?

…………

Lin Man leaned against the headboard, her phone screen going dark.

The last message in the group chat, 【Hua Qing's Surprise】, was Zhao Yanxi's reluctant "Received".

She threw back the covers, got out of bed, and slipped into the bathroom in her slippers.

The electric toothbrush hummed and vibrated. Lin Man stared at herself in the mirror, toothpaste foam overflowing from the corner of her mouth and dripping down her chin.

Having grown up surrounded by her mother, she was naturally influenced by her mother's influence, so arranging such a small party was not a difficult task for her.

Moreover, she delegated most of the execution work to her assistant, a girl who had been with her for three years. The assistant was efficient and didn't even need her to check the purchasing list a second time.

Lin Man spat out the foam in her mouth and splashed cold water on her face.

But she couldn't understand why she cared so much.

To complete the task assigned by Ding Heng?

Lin Man raised her head, reached out and grabbed a towel to slowly dry herself.

She didn't want to deceive herself.

She was indeed overly concerned about Hua Qing's birthday surprise.

Ever since the group chat was created yesterday, this matter has been constantly on her mind.

Even last night before going to bed, she was still browsing Hua Qing's WeChat Moments to confirm Hua Qing's preferences.

Lin Man hung the towel back up, gave herself a wry smile in the mirror, and a ridiculous thought popped into her head.

Could it be that subconsciously... I'm hoping for a reconciliation with Haru?

Lin Man was startled by the sudden thought and quickly shook her head.

She went to the dressing room, took out a cream-colored thin sweatshirt, and paired it with light blue casual pants, a simple and refreshing look.

Lin Man had to meet with Wenjing and the others in the afternoon, so she didn't plan to compete for attention.

Just like Ding Heng said, we'll be seeing each other all the time in the future, so let's build a good relationship first.

That little white rabbit is simple-minded and straightforward.

The only thing the kitten likes to bare its teeth at me is the kitten; I guess it'll take some effort.

……

in the afternoon

Wenjing drove to the gate of Zhongnan University and took out her phone to send a message to Zhao Yanxi.

Less than half a minute later, the passenger door was opened from the outside.

Zhao Yanxi bent down and leaned half her body in, about to sit in the passenger seat, when she suddenly froze.

Lin Man was sitting in the passenger seat, holding a cup of coffee, looking relaxed.

She smiled slightly at Zhao Yanxi: "Yanxi, good afternoon."

"Hello there."

Zhao Yanxi's lips twitched, and she felt extremely disgusted.

You little rascal, Jingjing! You promised to pick me up, but there was another woman sitting in the passenger seat!

"Yan hope, you can sit in the back."

Wenjing made the arrangements in a natural tone, without feeling that there was anything wrong with it.

Zhao Yanxi gritted her teeth, said "Oh," and turned around to open the back door of the car.

Hua Yue lay leisurely in the back seat, holding a bag of potato chips in her hand, crunching away.

She gestured with her chin towards Zhao Yanxi and said, "Hi."

Zhao Yanxi bent down and squeezed in, her tone resentful: "So I was the last one to get on the bus."

Wenjing explained, "Since your school is the farthest away, I went to pick up Sister Man and Huayue first."

Zhao Yanxi suddenly remembered something: "Um... Lin Man, don't you have your own car?"

Before Lin Man could speak, Hua Yue interjected, "We're going shopping. It's so inconvenient to drive two cars. What are you thinking?"

Zhao Yanxi's eyes deepened with resentment...

Goodness, these two chatted with Lin Man in the group chat until they got 999+ messages during the day, and then they even spoke up for the vixen offline.

What happened to our sisterhood?!

"Too."

Zhao Yanxi responded awkwardly, her gaze shifting to the window.

The four arrived at a large wholesale market in the south of the city.

According to Lin Man, the decoration materials here have the most complete range and are cheaper than those in shopping malls, making it convenient to buy everything at once.

The group got off the bus, with Lin Man walking in front, holding a densely packed shopping list in her hand.

Wenjing followed beside her, asking questions every now and then, and Lin Man would patiently explain.

"You should buy extra-thick balloons so they won't break easily. The ribbons should be matte; they look better in photos."

"Oh, Sister Man, you know so much..."

Wenjing nodded, took the style Lin Man had specified from the shelf, and put it into the shopping cart.

Hua Yue walked behind, continuing to munch on her potato chips.

Zhao Yanxi followed beside Hua Yue, her gaze fixed on Lin Man and Wen Jing's backs, her expression subtle.

Hua Yue nudged her with her elbow: "What are you looking at?"

"It's nothing."

Zhao Yanxi withdrew her gaze and quickened her pace to catch up.

The group spent nearly an hour browsing in the market, their shopping carts overflowing.

Every time Lin Man took something, she would explain its purpose and precautions to Wen Jing. Wen Jing listened attentively and would occasionally ask a few more questions.

The two worked together seamlessly and naturally, more like longtime friends.

Zhao Yanxi saw this and her awkwardness grew stronger.

She leaned close to Hua Yue's ear and asked, "Hua Yue, how come she gets along so well with Xiao Jingjing?"

Hua Yue glanced at her: "He's taking the initiative to be friendly. You know Wenjing's personality; do you think she can refuse?"

"But……"

"But what 'but'? She didn't offend you, why are you always targeting her? If you think she stole your man, why don't you go and take it out on Ding Heng..."

Zhao Yanxi was speechless and walked forward sullenly.

After finishing shopping on the list, Lin Man suggested going to the nearby shopping mall: "Since we're out and about, let's buy some spring clothes while we're at it."

Wenjing was the first to nod: "Okay, I was just thinking of buying a light jacket."

Hua Yue chimed in, "Let's go, let's go, I need some clothes too."

Zhao Yanxi wanted to refuse, but with the votes going in three to one, she had no choice but to go with the flow...

There weren't many people in the mall, and the girls seemed quite comfortable shopping there.

Lin Man walked to the entrance of a women's clothing store, suddenly stopped, and looked at a light blue dress in the window.

"This one looks good."

She turned her head, glanced at Zhao Yanxi, then at the dress: "Yanxi, we're about the same size, why don't we try it on together?"

"I……"

Zhao Yanxi instinctively wanted to refuse.

"Let's go, let's try it on first, and then we'll wear it together for Ding Heng to see next time."

"Huh?"

What does that mean?

I don't want to wear the same clothes as you when meeting other men!

Lin Man took Zhao Yanxi's arm and half-pulled, half-dragged her into the fitting room.

Zhao Yanxi was a little stunned by Lin Man's enthusiasm. By the time she came to her senses, she was already standing in the fitting room.

Lin Man handed over two dresses of the same style but different colors, one light blue and one moon white, and gave the moon white one to Zhao Yanxi.

"Try this color, it suits your skin tone."

Zhao Yanxi took it and looked at it, then did not refuse again.

The curtain was drawn, and the two of them changed their clothes.

Just as Zhao Yanxi had taken off all her clothes, she heard Lin Man exclaim in surprise.

"Yan hope, you have abs!"

Zhao Yanxi glanced down at her waist and abdomen, then looked at Lin Man again, showing a hint of embarrassment.

Compared to herself, Lin Man's abs were much smoother, clearly the result of years of consistent fitness training.

Lin Man asked sincerely, "Yan hope, do you work out regularly?"

Zhao Yanxi answered honestly, "I practice yoga occasionally, and I also go for a run on the playground when I'm at school."

"No wonder she has such a great figure."

Lin Man's tone was natural, not like flattery.

"You have a great figure too."

Zhao Yanxi responded politely, but then realized she had actually praised Lin Man, and felt a little awkward.

Lin Man immediately followed up, "Then we can work out together from now on. I've been looking for a workout buddy lately! It's too boring to work out alone, and I can never stick to it."

Is this appropriate?

"What's inappropriate about it? It's just working out. Who knows, we might do more things together in the future."

Lin Man's smile was alluring, and her words were almost a direct hint.

Zhao Yanxi responded with an "Oh," neither agreeing nor refusing.

The two women changed into their dresses and stood in front of the mirror.

Lin Man is indeed very nice; the dress perfectly suits their styles.

Lin Man turned to look at Zhao Yanxi, then suddenly spoke up: "Yanxi, can I tell you something from the bottom of my heart?"

Zhao Yanxi was taken aback and subconsciously looked up at the mirror.

Lin Man's gaze met Zhao Yanxi's in the mirror, and her face became more serious.

"Don't tell Ding Heng."

"What did you say?"

Zhao Yanxi blinked, her heartstrings tightening.

Lin Man lowered her eyes, her fingers gently stroking the hem of her skirt, and said softly, "Actually... I'm quite envious of you and Wenjing."

Zhao Yanxi asked, puzzled, "What are you envious of us for?"

"I'm being pampered."

Lin Man's smile was bitter: "Ding Heng truly cares about you, unlike me..."

"What's wrong with you?"

"I always felt that Ding Heng was just playing around with me... I'm really afraid that one day he'll get tired of me and leave me."

"Is it really that bad?"

Zhao Yan wanted to look at Lin Man's alluring yet forlorn face in the mirror, and almost subconsciously spoke up.

"Impossible! Ding Heng isn't that kind of person!"

After saying that, Zhao Yanxi froze completely... Was she trying to comfort Lin Man?

Lin Man sighed and laughed: "Look, you have the confidence to say such things, while I wouldn't dare to at all..."

Zhao Yanxi was speechless for a moment. After thinking for a few seconds, she finally couldn't help but ask, "How did you manage to stay by Ding Heng's side?"

"How should I put it..."

Lin Man slowly recounted, "At first, I didn't think too much about it. I just thought he was a very interesting person, different from other guys. He wouldn't fawn over me right away, nor would he deliberately put on airs or act aloof. Being with him was quite comfortable."

Later, I gradually found myself caring more and more about him. If he was slow to reply to my messages, I would overthink things. If he didn't contact me, I would feel empty... Before I knew it, I couldn't live without him.

I know he has other women around him, and I feel ridiculous, even pathetic, for throwing myself at him, but thinking about it... that's all I can do. I can't live without him.

The fitting room fell completely silent.

Zhao Yanxi's heart was filled with turbulent emotions.

The process Lin Man described was all too familiar to her; it could even be said that she had personally experienced it.

Zhao Yanxi softened her tone and asked again, "How does Ding Heng usually treat you?"

"It's alright..."

Lin Man looked away and gave a vague response, as if she was deliberately avoiding the topic.

Zhao Yanxi wanted to ask more, but Hua Yue's shout came from outside the curtain.

"Have you two changed yet? What are you dawdling about!"

"Here it comes!"

Lin Man immediately responded, her tone returning to its cheerful tone.

She smiled at Zhao Yanxi, lifted the curtain, and went out.

Zhao Yanxi stood there, stunned, her heart still pounding.

A few seconds later, she followed them out and saw Wenjing and Huayue standing in front of the mirror, each holding a piece of clothing and trying it on.

Lin Man walked over and naturally took the clothes from Wen Jing's hands, helping her straighten the neckline while saying, "This color suits you" and "This style makes you look slimmer."

Wenjing was flattered by her praise and called her "Sister Man" affectionately.

Zhao Yanxi's awkwardness surged up again.

She went back to the fitting room and changed out of the dress.

Then he sat alone on a small stool in the fitting room and let out a long sigh.

She almost believed what Lin Man said just now.

What about "fear of being abandoned," what about "it's just for fun," what about "I can't live without him"...?

He spoke so sincerely, his eyes so earnest, that it softened her heart.

Looking back now, it's highly likely that the vixen was just feigning helplessness to gain sympathy!

If Ding Heng really was just playing around with her, how could he possibly feel comfortable letting her come and help him and Wenjing prepare for Hua Qing's birthday?

Isn't this blatantly labeling her as "one of our own"?

Zhao Yanxi bit her lip and cursed herself in her heart.

"Zhao Yanxi, Zhao Yanxi, how could you be so careless? You almost got tricked by that vixen!"

She clenched her fists angrily, but the next second, she hesitated.

Lin Man's demeanor and the emotions conveyed in her words... didn't seem like she was acting.

Lin Man's description of her experience staying by Ding Heng's side was indeed similar to her own feelings.

Zhao Yan stared blankly at the mirror in front of her, finally letting out a long sigh.

That fox spirit is incredibly skilled!

We can't beat them, we simply can't beat them!