Chapter 15: The Ungrateful Wretch

Lu Qingyue had never imagined that the person involved would actually be at home. She froze on the spot, completely petrified.

...If only she could find a time machine...

Her mind went blank, her eyes wide with shock for several seconds. Suddenly, she spun around on the spot, ready to bolt.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Lu Yi called out to the girl, who looked guilty as a thief.

He sighed, slumping onto the sofa, and said in a casual tone, "How many times have I told you—not to talk badly about people behind their backs? See for yourself, you've been caught red-handed by the very person you were gossiping about."

Lu Qingyue glanced back, sneaking a guilty look at Cheng Xingye.

He, however, had already averted his gaze, no longer looking at her, his expression sour.

Chen Shujie, noticing his gloomy face, chuckled maliciously. "Lu, your sister's really something! This is the first time I've seen Xingye at a loss in front of a girl..."

Lu Qingyue thought, now I'm really done for.

With someone like Cheng Xingye, she doubted anyone would usually dare to offend him so casually. Now that he'd overheard her, he was bound to hold a grudge.

But why should he? He'd tattled on her several times, and she hadn't even settled that score with him yet!

The more she thought about it, the more justified she felt.

Chen Shujie was still looking on with a face eager to enjoy the drama. "So, little sister, what did Xingye do to offend you?"

Lu Yi chimed in, "Yeah, I'm really curious—what did he do to provoke you?"

Since everyone was asking, Lu Qingyue decided not to hide it. She huffed in annoyance. "He tattled! He can't take a loss!"

As soon as she said this, Cheng Xingye, who had been staring at his phone, lazily lifted his eyes to look at her.

"Tattled?" Lu Yi asked, confused. "What did he tattle about?"

Lu Qingyue, thinking he was going to cover for Cheng Xingye, immediately said, "Don't try to cover for him! Last time, when I snuck out to eat fish balls, you showed up to catch me so fast—wasn't it because he secretly told on me?"

Lu Yi clicked his tongue. "So it was that!"

He lounged back on the sofa, wearing that familiar look that just begged for a beating. "Do I need him to tattle on you? I've been dealing with your tricks for sixteen years—I always know exactly when you're up to something."

Lu Qingyue was stunned. Judging by Lu Yi's expression, he didn't seem to be lying. After a few seconds, she said, "Fine, let's say that was a misunderstanding. But how did you know I only scored ninety-six in math?"

Lu Yi replied, "You can't blame him for that, either. It's your own teammate's fault. I just asked a couple of questions, and Lu Ming spilled everything."

Lu Qingyue: "???"

So it was that idiot Lu Ming who let it slip?

She blinked in confusion, looking from Lu Yi to Cheng Xingye, and suddenly felt so awkward she curled her toes, barely resisting the urge to dig a Barbie castle out of embarrassment.

Cheng Xingye, sitting on the opposite sofa, finally understood why this girl had been so hostile toward him. It was both amusing and exasperating—he hadn't expected that, in her eyes, he was the kind of person who tattled behind people's backs.

And to think he’d even remembered she liked ice cream, going out of his way to buy a bunch from the supermarket for her.

All that kindness wasted on an ungrateful wolf.

He silently turned off his phone screen and stood up. "Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll be heading out."

Seeing that he was about to leave, Lu Qingyue was struck by a sense of unease.

Was he angry?

But she hadn't meant to target him. Who would have thought he’d coincidentally show up both times she was up to something?

She hesitated, wondering if she should apologize, but Cheng Xingye was already up, grabbing his car keys.

Lu Yi called after him, "Aren't you staying for dinner?"

Cheng Xingye glanced meaningfully at Lu Qingyue. "I've been so aggravated by your sister that I'm already full—what's the point of staying for dinner?"

Lu Qingyue: "...."

Usually so shameless, she suddenly didn't know how to properly apologize. By the time she came to her senses, Cheng Xingye and Chen Shujie had already left.

Lu Yi went to the kitchen to get some water. Passing by, he saw her still standing there, lost in thought. He couldn't help but ruffle her hair mischievously. "Be nicer to your future golden goose. If you end up begging at his door someday, he might not even spare you a few coins."

Lu Qingyue: "...."

She felt as if this scoundrel was sent by the heavens just to torment her! Without thinking, she blurted out, "Can we sever our sibling relationship? Where do I sign? Do we need to inform the parents?"

Lu Yi snorted, lazily withdrawing his hand. "Sure! But don't come asking me for pocket money anymore."

Lu Qingyue: "......"

Damn, this old fox is too cunning.

...

Because of the morning's incident, Lu Qingyue was distracted all day.

Though mischievous, she had never wronged anyone before—let alone let someone leave her house feeling so aggrieved.

Thinking of the cold indifference in Cheng Xingye’s eyes as he left, she grew more and more uneasy.

Should she go and apologize?

She remembered Lu Yi mentioning that he lived in the wealthy district by Pingxi Road. Unable to resist, she looked it up on her phone and found that there was only one upscale community there—Rui Mansion.

Lu Qingyue hated going to bed with unresolved grievances, and figured others probably felt the same.

It just so happened that Lu Yi had given her next month’s allowance, so with her entire fortune of 613 yuan, she decided to go all in—first buying a small cake at the mall, then taking a bus to Rui Mansion.

Rui Mansion was home to the wealthy, with strict security at the gates. Since she had no invitation, the guard stopped her and wouldn’t let her in.

Lu Qingyue stood outside with the cake, peering anxiously inside for a long while.

Dusk gradually descended, the sky tinged with warm gold, softening the entire city.

Luxury cars came and went at the gate, but none matched the one she'd seen before.

Sitting on the flowerbed by the entrance, cake in hand, Lu Qingyue grew increasingly restless. She wondered whether to call Lu Yi and ask if Cheng Xingye was even home, when, in the distance, a red Ferrari approached, its polished body gleaming brilliantly in the sunset.

Lu Qingyue squinted, her gaze drawn irresistibly to the car.

The Ferrari was clearly here for a visit—after the security confirmed the apartment number, they let it in.

It pulled over by the roadside, and a stylishly dressed young woman stepped out.

A moment later, a familiar figure appeared under the trees, moving toward her with an air of casual indifference.