"There was never anything between her and me. You might have misunderstood things before."
Chen Yansen took a sip of his drink and said nonchalantly.
Just then, he recalled the "Big Sis's" name—Meng Jie!
A name might not fit, but a nickname always does.
Her looks and personality were a complete mismatch for her name. She had a neat, short haircut, the tips just brushing her ears, which made her look crisp and capable. Her personality was even more 'manly' than most guys.
Meng Jie froze when she heard him, then gave a disdainful smirk. She clearly didn't believe him.
'You chased her for three whole years, and now you're saying there was never anything between you?'
'What a load of bullshit!'
Chen Yansen's voice wasn't loud, but it was just audible enough to reach Zhou Keyuan's ears.
'Asshole! If you don't apologize, I'll never forgive you.'
Zhou Keyuan's face paled. She wrung her hands, her fingertips trembling slightly as she silently made a vow.
She didn't understand!
The simp who was doting on her just yesterday had become a completely different person today, giving her the cold shoulder.
"You're really not going to go smooth things over?"
Meng Jie craned her neck to assess the situation and couldn't resist asking again.
"Actually, I'm more interested in you."
Chen Yansen swirled the drink in his glass. He leaned back on the sofa with a casual air, tilting his head and lowering his voice.
'After all, in his past life, the most successful person from their class, other than himself, was Meng Jie.'
'She became the president of a county-level bank before she even turned thirty.'
'That wouldn't have been possible without both ability and family connections.'
"Tsk, tsk. I never would've guessed. You've actually got scumbag potential."
Meng Jie flashed a grin, roasting him to his face without holding back.
She hadn't earned the nickname "Big Sis" just for being top of the class. Her exceptional personality meant she wasn't the type to blush shyly like other girls.
"I also have potential as a fortune-teller. Want me to read your palm?"
Chen Yansen set down his glass, a playful mood suddenly striking him.
'After all, there was a certain perverse thrill in teasing a future bank president.'
"Alright, give it a shot. But if you're wrong, you have to chug this entire bottle of beer."
Meng Jie smiled faintly, picking up a large bottle of Snow beer and setting it on the table before him.
"Hold out your right hand."
Chen Yansen chuckled, pinching his fingers together in the classic pose of a master fortune-teller.
Meng Jie's hand was smooth, fair, and small, just like the rest of her.
The alternating red and green lights fell across her chin and neck, making her skin look exceptionally fine and delicate.
Chen Yansen realized then that, given his vast experience in judging people, Meng Jie's looks were severely underrated.
'If she took off those black-rimmed glasses, swapped into a simple, solid-colored dress, and grew her hair out, she'd easily be considered a campus belle at any university.'
Seeing him stay silent while staring intently at her, Meng Jie's heart skipped a beat. She put on a stern expression and prompted, "Well? Can you do it or not?"
"Patience, I'm analyzing it."
Chen Yansen took Meng Jie's small hand and placed it gently in his own. He caressed it playfully, rubbing it over and over until the base of her ears turned so red it looked as if they might start bleeding. Only then did he slowly begin to speak:
"Your lifeline is long and distinct, which means you have strong vitality.
Your heart line is deep with few branches, which means you're a devoted partner. Your future husband will most likely be your first love.
Your fate line shoots straight up from your palm. While there are a few bumps along the way, the overall trend is upward. You're destined for great wealth and fortune. There's a ninety percent chance you'll end up in the finance industry. However..."
Seeing her expression grow more and more serious, a sign that his words were hitting home, Chen Yansen deliberately trailed off.
"However what? Spit it out!"
Meng Jie pressed him.
"How about a bet? If I get everything right, you have to promise me one thing. If I'm wrong, the same applies to you."
A brilliant smile spread across Chen Yansen's face.
"Tell me what it is first."
Looking at the mischievous glint in his eyes, Meng Jie knew he was up to something. She wasn't about to fall for his trick.
"See this line here? The education line. It has a tiny fork, which means your academic path has a hiccup coming up. If I'm not mistaken, you're going to miss out on your first-choice university and have to settle for your second."
Chen Yansen said, feigning seriousness.
"Bullshit!"
Meng Jie yanked her hand back and cursed at him.
"We'll see who's right in a month. But if you lose, I want to see you in stockings."
Chen Yansen lowered his voice, leaning close to Meng Jie's ear and exhaling slowly as he spoke.
"You're such a pervert!"
Meng Jie's earlobes turned crimson. Startled, she scrambled a step away from him, her face a mask of disgust.
'Damn you, Chen Yansen! You won't even spare one of the bros!'
'In all her eighteen years, she'd never been hit on so brazenly.'
Meng Jie felt her breath catch, her heart pounded erratically—THUMP-THUMP—and a tingly weakness spread through her fingers.
Zhou Keyuan saw it all.
The image of their intimate interaction was seared into her mind, and she couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.
'I've only rejected him ten times, and he's already giving up?'
'He's even hitting on Meng Jie just to piss me off. He's desperate!'
Zhou Keyuan smirked to herself, convinced she had figured out Chen Yansen's petty little game.
"Everyone, I'm so sorry! My mom wants me home early, so I have to get going."
Zhou Keyuan abruptly stood up, feigning a glance at her watch as she spoke.
'Heh, she's getting desperate.'
Chen Yansen sneered inwardly. He couldn't care less and didn't even think about getting up to see her off.
When Zhou Keyuan saw his reaction, her face fell. With a dejected look, she pushed open the door and left.
"Yuanyuan, wait up! I'll walk out with you!"
The two girls closest to Zhou Keyuan saw that Chen Yansen had no intention of following. They shot him an angry glare before storming out and slamming the door behind them.
The few people left in the room exchanged awkward glances.
"Well, I guess we should all head out. Let's get together again sometime."
Meng Jie, having composed herself, took the initiative to break the awkward silence.
With Chen Yansen's antics driving away all the decent-looking girls, the remaining guys lost their motivation to stay. They all mumbled their agreement and began trickling out of the private room.
"Don't forget our bet."
Chen Yansen stood up and planted a hand on the wall, blocking Meng Jie's path. He leaned in and whispered, radiating confidence.
"Fine. But what happens if *you* lose?"
Meng Jie lifted her head to meet his gaze, refusing to back down.
"I'm all yours. Do with me what you will."
Chen Yansen said with a wicked grin.
"If you lose, you have to wear stockings, too!"
Meng Jie snorted and ran to catch up with her classmates. When she reached the stairwell, she couldn't resist glancing back, only to see Chen Yansen's roguish smile still fixed on her.
'He's gotten more handsome, but it seems he's also turned into a player!'
His gaze made her heart race, and she quickly turned away, forcibly suppressing the curiosity welling up inside her.
"Chen Yansen, so you're not going after Zhou Keyuan anymore? You're trying for Meng Jie now?"
Wang Zihao, who had been standing off to the side, was utterly baffled.
"Don't you think Meng Jie is actually prettier?"
Chen Yansen said with a small smile, patting his shoulder.
"When did you go blind?"
Wang Zihao looked at him strangely, half-tempted to slap some sense into him. He completely failed to see what was so pretty about Meng Jie, with her androgynous style and hair even shorter than his own.
"For fuck's sake..."
Chen Yansen just shook his head, not bothering to argue with him.