Chapter Seventy-Three: Refusing to Pay

Ye Qian shook her head. “I didn’t hear anything, nothing at all. All I heard was some shameless guy singing obscene songs!”

Long Fei’s skin was thick indeed. Though his cheeks flushed a little, he still chuckled. “You must have misheard. Come on, you were the one who insisted on taking the herbal medicine—it’s terribly bitter, you know. How about we skip this and just go with the massage method instead? Why put yourself through this?”

“It really is bitter. I could smell it already,” Ye Qian said as she took the bowl, blew on it a few times, and frowned.

Seeing her hesitation, Long Fei quickly exaggerated, “Exactly, and the medicine only works a tiny bit better than the massage anyway. Honestly, the difference is negligible.”

“Oh, is that so?” Ye Qian nodded, then turned and gave Long Fei a sweet smile. “Still, I’d rather drink the herbal medicine!”

I’m doomed, teased by this girl again!

Ye Qian wrinkled her brow and, gritting her teeth, drank down the medicine. Yet she found it wasn’t as bitter as she had imagined. Setting down the bowl, she fixed Long Fei with a strange look. “This medicine… doesn’t taste that bitter.”

Long Fei rubbed his head and gave a dry laugh. “Really? Maybe you were so focused on it that your sense of taste dulled. Normally, it’s very bitter.”

Damn, if I’d known, I would’ve thrown in a chunk of coptis root—then she’d have given up after one sip, and I could’ve… He felt a pang of regret, but also a surge of anticipation.

It was getting late. Ye Qian asked, “Why isn’t there any effect yet?”

Long Fei smiled wryly. “How could it work that fast? The medicine needs time to be absorbed.”

Come on, it’s not like blowing up a balloon—just a few puffs and it’s done!

Ye Qian murmured her understanding, perhaps realizing her expectations were a bit unreasonable, and bade Long Fei goodnight before heading back to the guest room.

Long Fei hurried after her, and as he reached her door, Ye Qian turned and asked, “Aren’t you going to bed?”

“Didn’t you just say you’d make it up to me if I got the medicine for you?” Long Fei leered, suggestively kneading his own chest as he fixed her with an aggrieved look.

Ye Qian’s eyes widened. “Seriously? Did I really say that? You’re shameless! I’m your girlfriend, you know. How could you suggest something so indecent? I’m not talking to you anymore, you pervert!”

With a bang, she slammed the door in his face.

Long Fei felt a bit dizzy. Something wasn’t right. He realized he’d been outmaneuvered by this girl the whole evening—why did he keep falling for her tricks?

He stood there pondering for a long while before understanding: it was because he was too soft-hearted. Ye Qian had found his weakness, and he’d have to be more careful in the future.

With a self-deprecating smile, Long Fei admitted he was being foolish.

Just as he turned to leave, Ye Qian’s door opened again. She poked her head out, her body mostly hidden behind the door, but just enough exposed for Long Fei to see her bare thighs and the small pair of panties she wore. He remembered seeing that very pair not long ago—small, cute, embroidered with Donald Duck. The sight had nearly made him laugh out loud at the time.

Panties, definitely—she was doing this on purpose, and who knew what scheme she had in mind.

Long Fei knew all this, but the sight still made his heart race. Though he knew the chance of her letting him inside was slim, he couldn’t help but hope.

He grinned. “Changed your mind? I knew you’d be sweet about it. Let me in and I’ll give you a proper massage for the best results!”

Ye Qian smirked at his serious tone but immediately fixed him with a stern look. “I’m only your girlfriend, not your wife. Stop calling me that. You wish!”

“So what should I call you?” Long Fei was taken aback. He couldn’t call her by her full name, nor Miss Ye—was he supposed to use her nickname?

“Call me whatever you want, just not ‘wife.’ It’s too mushy!” She seemed wide awake now.

Long Fei yawned. “Then I’ll call you Qian Qian. Come on, let me in!”

As he tried to squeeze through the door, Ye Qian stopped him. “Hold it. Who said you could come in? Go back to your own room and sleep!”

“Then why did you come out?” Long Fei was even more frustrated. Why bother coming out just to tease him? Was she trying to provoke him into something reckless? Even if he was a rogue, he’d rather be a gentlemanly one—no need to be so crude!

Ye Qian laughed. “I just wanted to warn you. Don’t forget your promise, or don’t blame me for breaking mine!”

Long Fei was puzzled but a bit uneasy. “What promise? And what did you say you’d do?”

“Let me make it clear,” she said. “You promised not to favor one over another. I am your girlfriend now, right?”

Long Fei nodded.

“Good. Since I’m your girlfriend, if you sneak off to spend the night in another woman’s bed, wouldn’t that mean you’ve let me down and failed in your duty?” she teased.

Long Fei immediately retorted, “I made it clear—those others knew me before you, and you agreed you wouldn’t force me to give them up. Now you’re changing your tune—aren’t you being unreasonable? If that’s how it is, I take back everything I promised!”

This was a matter of principle—Long Fei would not back down.

But Ye Qian seemed to have anticipated his response. She wasn’t anxious at all and replied, “Fine, I won’t force you. But you can’t play favorites. Even if you’re tempted, you can’t sneak around behind my back, right?”

Sneak around? That’s not exactly the right word, he thought. No one else has a boyfriend, and I’m not married—how is it sneaking around?

“In short, if you’re not sleeping in my room, you’d better not be sleeping in anyone else’s either!” Ye Qian’s expression turned serious.

Long Fei grinned shamelessly. “I’d love to sleep in your room, but you won’t let me!”

“As if! I know how men are—the easier something is to get, the less you cherish it. I’m not letting you off that easily!” She shot him a flirtatious glance, clearly relishing her self-proclaimed expertise on men.

Long Fei was frustrated. At least give me a deadline—I can’t go hungry forever! Or are you planning to keep me waiting till old age?

“Wait!” Seeing that Ye Qian was about to close the door, Long Fei called out.

She stuck her head out again and finally yawned. “What now?”

Long Fei smiled suggestively. “You said if I misbehaved, you’d do something about it. What did you mean?”

Ye Qian grinned. “Oh, I almost forgot. If you really dare do something behind my back, honestly, there’s not much I can do. I can’t follow you around all day. But I tend to say things without thinking, and if I get angry or anxious, I might not be able to keep my mouth shut!”

Long Fei’s back began to sweat. He tried to act casual, but his voice came out strained. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“Then never mind. By the way, have you heard about the gossip section on our university’s online forum? It’s very lively—stories about who’s sleeping with whom, which celebrity had a scandal. Oh, and last time, someone exposed a city arts troupe actress who was taken advantage of by her director. The worst part was, they posted photos of them in bed online! Guess what happened? The actress was so distraught, she drowned herself. Such a shame—she was said to be the flower of the troupe.”

As Ye Qian spoke, she watched Long Fei’s face go from red to pale to ashen, until he finally turned and headed toward his own empty guest room, cursing inwardly: Wicked woman, vile woman, demon, scoundrel—she’s even more shameless than I am! What terrible luck, to have met my nemesis in this little brat. Is my great reputation really going to be ruined by her? Oh, heavens, oh, earth, this is so unfair!

Behind him, Ye Qian giggled under her breath: Long Fei, I’ve got you right where I want you! Think you can play around behind my back? Not a chance!