[Saint Deismo Academy Forum]
Yet another post about Su Zhiyi had appeared this morning, and another followed in the afternoon. This time, it wasn't the wealthy young masters showing off their affection for her, but rather a crusade against Su Qinghuai, who had left the classroom with the Eldest Miss to talk in private. They cursed Su Qinghuai thoroughly on the forum, every word dripping with overwhelming malice.
They, too, wanted to be the Eldest Miss's dog, to be ordered around by her, even if just to exchange a single word with her. How did that pretty boy Su Qinghuai get the jump on them? And on top of that, after school today, Su Qinghuai actually got into the Eldest Miss's luxury car and left with her!
[What gives that special admit from Class A of the third year the right to be the Eldest Miss's dog!]
[1L: So mad, so mad! How dare a piece of trash covet our Eldest Miss? Can we ambush him after school and teach him a lesson?]
[2L: The Eldest Miss actually likes this pretty-boy type? Is it too late for me to get plastic surgery?]
[3L: No matter what you look like after surgery, the Eldest Miss won't like you. Give up hope!]
[5L: I found out the identity of that special admit from Class A of the third year. Su Qinghuai, born in the slums of City A, no parents. He used to attend a public school, consistently ranked first in City A, so he was recruited by our academy as a special admit.]
[6L: Did the Eldest Miss take a liking to his face or his grades?]
[103L: You losers stop discussing whether the Eldest Miss likes his face or his grades—the pretty boy just left in her car!]
Of course, Su Zhiyi no longer had a luxury car to chauffeur her to and from school.
Because she had been kicked out of the Su family.
Ever since she started contacting Su Qinghuai, she occasionally bummed rides from him. Whenever she managed to catch a ride, she would make sure her classmates saw, reinforcing the illusion that she was still the Su family's eldest daughter. When she couldn't get a ride, she would claim she wanted to go shopping, carrying several empty shopping bags with English logos that looked expensive, and wander around the luxurious commercial street. After making sure no one she knew was watching, she would leave the commercial street, sneak to a remote bus stop, reluctantly drop two yuan into the fare box, and ride the bus back to her cheap rental in the slums.
A low-key, luxurious Maybach was parked at the school gate. Su Zhiyi and Su Qinghuai stood in front of it. After confirming that the onlookers had seen her standing by the Maybach's door, Su Zhiyi lifted her chin in satisfaction and commanded the true owner of the luxury car behind her—Su Qinghuai.
"Open the door."
Her tone was haughty, and Su Qinghuai, without a word of complaint, stepped forward, grabbed the door handle, and opened the door for her.
In truth, Su Zhiyi was quite displeased with Su Qinghuai's obvious attempts to show their close relationship in public. But she enjoyed his obedience and docility, so she didn't bother to argue. She tossed her smooth chestnut hair and sat down in the back seat of the Maybach.
Her imperious tone and composed demeanor made it seem as if she were the owner of the Maybach and Su Qinghuai her bodyguard. In reality, the car wasn't hers—it was Su Qinghuai's. She was just hitching a ride.
"Drop me off at Tianhua Commercial Street," Su Zhiyi said, rolling down the window a third of the way, breathing in the fresh air, and admiring the envious and admiring glances from those outside, as well as the jealous glares aimed at Su Qinghuai.
The driver was someone Su Zhiyi recognized—a chauffeur for the Su family, formerly hers. Now that she was no longer the Su heir, the driver had naturally become Su Qinghuai's.
Well... it didn't matter who the driver obeyed—Su Qinghuai would do as she said.
Just as expected, the driver didn't move at her words. Only when Su Qinghuai, who usually played dumb despite having a functioning voice box, spoke up did the driver react.
Su Qinghuai's voice was as cold as his aloof personality, devoid of emotion, repeating Su Zhiyi's words: "To Tianhua Commercial Street. I'm not going back to the Su family today."
"Yes, young master," the driver finally acted, stepping on the gas. The Maybach hummed as it headed toward Tianhua Commercial Street.
The wind from the crack in the window tousled Su Zhiyi's soft bangs. Hearing Su Qinghuai's exchange with the driver, a hint of sarcasm flickered in her eyes, and her displeasure was unconcealed. She kicked the back of the front seat lightly but firmly.
"You're not going back to the Su family today?"
"No," Su Qinghuai replied, his voice steady despite the jolt from the seat.
"If you're not going back to the Su family, where do you plan to go?" Su Zhiyi knew the driver was tight-lipped and wouldn't repeat their conversation to the two masters of the Su family—her former nominal parents, now Su Qinghuai's biological parents. She showed no courtesy to the current Su heir. "Don't tell me you want to stay at my place? I don't want a dirty stray dog in my home."
"I'm not dirty, nor a stray dog."
"You didn't answer the question. So you're admitting you want to stay at my place?"
"Yes," Su Qinghuai admitted openly. "Do you not want me to?"
Su Zhiyi was silent: ...It wasn't a question of wanting or not wanting.
She had less than a hundred yuan on her. Even spending four yuan on instant noodles pained her. She certainly didn't want an extra mouth to feed at home. Besides, her rental was tiny, with a bed barely big enough for her alone. She didn't want to bring Su Qinghuai home.
"I'll take you out to eat," Su Qinghuai said, as if sensing her hesitation. It was rare for him to initiate a topic.
"Oh." Su Zhiyi softened at his considerate words. She reached up with her slender fingers to smooth her windblown bangs. "Whatever. But I don't eat anything too cheap. Don't try to force that poor taste you picked up in the slums on me."
Her words were harsh and spoiled, but a faint glimmer lit up her eyes, and her lips curled into a subtle smile, like a smug little fox.
Great, saved four yuan. No instant noodles for dinner tonight!
But then she thought deeper and silently cursed Su Qinghuai. Damn rich guy. Damn Su Qinghuai. Now that he was rich and riding in a Maybach, he still pretended to be aloof. At the academy cafeteria, he ate even more frugally than she did under the guise of dieting. If he couldn't even enjoy life as the Su heir, she might as well take over.
System 030 spoke in Su Zhiyi's mind: "Host, I sense your emotional fluctuations. You seem very happy."
Su Zhiyi didn't want to acknowledge Su Qinghuai, so she pretended to nap with her eyes closed, but inside she responded to the system: "How could I not be happy? Dinner tonight is taken care of, and I can eat something decent. I'm so sick of instant noodles. I wonder if I can pack some leftovers to take home... I'll trick Su Qinghuai into ordering more dishes."
What had been displeasure turned to joy when she learned Su Qinghuai was treating her to dinner. She even felt a rare fondness for him.
"Wait, I almost forgot—he's coming home with me tonight..." Her tone was as light as a feather, but it sent a shiver through the system. "You know what to do, right?"
The system nodded vigorously: "Mm. Got it. Host, you don't need my help right now, do you? If not, I'll disconnect. I'll be back online at six tomorrow morning."
Of course, the system knew about her intimate relationship with Su Qinghuai. It had traveled through countless worlds with her, and though she had never completed a single one, it understood her temperament well. As for what was coming next... that was definitely not something that could be broadcast!
"It doesn't matter if you disappear for half a month. What help can you give me? Ask me if I want an extra sausage with my instant noodles, then tell me to buy it myself?" Su Zhiyi said lazily.
"Haha... mainly because I can't provide the things you want!" System 030 laughed awkwardly, afraid Su Zhiyi would press further, and quickly severed their connection.
There was still some distance to Tianhua Commercial Street. Su Zhiyi yawned and, after the link was cut, leaned back into the Maybach's leather seat and drifted off to sleep.
Author's note:
----------------------
The useless system and its highly ambitious, capable host!
And, Young Master Su is the most diligent male participant in this world when it comes to being a dog.