Engagement Annulled? Now The Husbands Kneel and Beg for Her Favor

Chapter 224: Chapter 224: Yes, We’re Going Public

The final dress rehearsal was a great success.

Afterward, the actors bowed for the curtain call and streamed off the stage.

The senior executives of the Student Council and the Melt Star Association each said a few words before getting up and leaving the theater.

The chances of the two groups collaborating again after this festival were slim, so Xie Guanqi didn’t bother feigning friendliness. He held his head high and exited from the left, while the members of the Melt Star Association, having no intention of being amicable either, left from the opposite direction.

The Student Council originally had more members and should have overshadowed the Melt Star Association.

But after just a few steps, someone noticed that the elegant and distinguished White Fox Actor was ignoring them, walking shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Qingli instead.

Amid the interplay of light and shadow, they stood close, whispering and smiling at each other. The two figures, one in black and one in white, were surprisingly eye-catching and harmonious together.

Yuan Shiyao, walking at the very back of the crowd, overheard some people whispering:

"Wasn’t Baili Jing invited by Ke An? Why is he walking with Jiang Qingli?"

"You’re kidding me. Jiang Qingli is already S+-grade, and she’s still trying to collect men? Is she trying to play with a married man this time?"

"It’s hard to say who made the first move. Baili Jing kept glancing at Jiang Qingli every few moments, and Ke An was standing right there, looking like his eyes were about to pop out. His smile was so strained, I wonder if he’s gone mad with rage."

"Speaking of which, who is Baili Jing secretly married to? We’ve been trying to find out for so long without any luck. It couldn’t be Jiang Qingli, could it?"

"No way! The way she used to be... she was practically—"

"Ahem... ahem, ahem..."

A sudden, harsh cough from behind interrupted their gossip.

The group turned around, all of them stunned.

The black-haired young man had his eyes lowered, his brow slightly furrowed. The gauze on his forehead cast a look of dazed vulnerability over his usually cold and proud face, making him seem as if a single push could knock him over.

But his thin, tightly pressed lips betrayed a strong sense of unwillingness.

The next second, feeling their stares, Yuan Shiyao suddenly looked up.

His turquoise eyes were filled with indifference, and his voice was as stiff as ever. "Did you finish the report on the male Superpower-out-of-control incident at the College of Arts last week? Was the emergency at the College of Political Science and Law yesterday, where two females forced themselves on a male, resolved? Did you fix the glaring typos in the meeting minutes I sent back this morning? You’re certainly eager when it comes to baseless gossip. No wonder your reports are even more watered-down than a tabloid."

He had looked so dejected when he arrived, but the atmosphere around him now was even heavier than when he reviewed an idiotic report.

No one knew who had provoked him.

Fearing his workaholic tendencies would flare up, the few executives exchanged glances, quickly shut their mouths, and beat a hasty retreat.

Pushing open the theater doors, they were met with a blast of midsummer heat. The outdoor sunlight was so bright it made them squint.

Yuan Shiyao lagged behind, his gaze following the girl in the uniform not far away.

After saying goodbye to the other members of the Melt Star Association, she whispered a few words to Baili Jing and went back into the theater.

’Is she going to find that special admission student?’

Yuan Shiyao pressed his lips together and subconsciously quickened his pace, chasing after the slender figure.

As he entered the long corridor, a cold and noble voice sounded from his side. "Since when did the Student Council develop the nasty habit of stalking females?"

Yuan Shiyao glanced sideways and saw the figure standing not far away.

The black-haired young man stopped, his voice calm. "I don’t believe this path has Mr. Baili’s name on it. Nor are there any rules expressly forbidding me from meeting and chatting with my own friend."

Friend?

The sharply dressed man leaned against the wall, one hand in his pocket. His slanted, fox-like eyes swept over Yuan Shiyao, a faint, mocking smile on his lips. "Playing the victim to get her sympathy... far too many people have used that trick on her. It’s a bit outdated, little one."

The light was dim, and though Baili Jing’s words sounded like a suggestion, he couldn’t hide the obvious mockery in his tone.

Yuan Shiyao raised an eyebrow. "Judging by how wary you are, Mr. Baili, it seems the trick is still effective, isn’t it?"

The fox-like eyes narrowed, but Baili Jing’s expression didn’t change. "As for its specific effects, you can ask your older brother. He’s always been skilled in that area. Perhaps he can pass on some of his experience to you."

At his words, Yuan Shiyao’s fingers, hanging at his side, curled into a fist.

’Even though I know Baili Jing is just using my brother to get under my skin...’ Yuan Shiyao couldn’t help but wonder if Yuan Shimo truly did show her that vulnerable side he so rarely revealed to anyone. ’Would he lean on her shoulder, tell her of all the hardships he faced in the dark, and beg for her pity, her kisses...?’

Closing his eyes, Yuan Shiyao pushed the thoughts away and said stiffly, "Thank you for the suggestion. I will."

Hearing this, Baili Jing raised an eyebrow in surprise.

’In the past, Yuan Shiyao would always get extremely tense whenever Yuan Shimo was mentioned. But now... Has Yuan Shimo already tacitly approved of something?’

’Did he give in that quickly?’

Baili Jing frowned slightly, a flash of confusion in his eyes.

But the next second, a refined smile appeared on the man’s face. "She has to accompany someone else for lunch, so I’m afraid she won’t have time for you. You should head back for now."

As he spoke, his gaze drifted downward, peering through the glass wall to a certain spot.

Yuan Shiyao looked down and saw Jiang Qingli, hand in hand with a handsome young man who had changed into casual clothes, quietly slipping out the back door.

Just before pushing the door open, Gu Nian took advantage of the dim light to gently touch the corner of the girl’s lips with his fingertip. She swatted the back of his hand, and he obediently pulled it away.

A few seconds later, his restless fingers hooked hers again, silently intertwining their hands. He then leaned in and whispered something to her.

Jiang Qingli smiled; it must have been something pleasant.

From the back, the two of them looked exactly like a young couple sneaking away to skip class.

It was then that Yuan Shiyao realized Baili Jing hadn’t shown up to compete with him, but to deliberately stall him and prevent him from disturbing Jiang Qingli and Gu Nian.

’Should I call him generous?’

Yuan Shiyao’s lips twitched into a sneer. "How tolerant and generous of you, Mr. Baili. It’s a shame that in public, whenever your names are mentioned together, it’s almost always in a negative light."

He wasn’t wrong.

Before their marriage, Jiang Qingli’s attitude toward Baili Jing had been terrible. She would either curse him in public or fight him for awards and roles on behalf of Ling Qing.

Many gossip sites speculated that the generations-long friendship between the Baili family and the Jiang Family would be ruined by their generation.

Baili Jing never answered questions about this. Last week, when someone from the Student Council had gossiped and asked, he had clearly frozen for a moment before giving a very official, non-committal answer.

Combined with the fact that their marriage was still a secret, perhaps it meant that their relationship was just Baili Jing’s one-sided wishful thinking...

Yuan Shiyao speculated with despicable malice.

However, he saw no trace of hurt on Baili Jing’s face.

Baili Jing just looked at him, the smile on his lips deepening.

It was the kind of smile that spelled danger.

The man slowly straightened up, narrowing his pale-gold, fox-like eyes. From his slightly elevated position, he looked down on Yuan Shiyao.

His thin lips parted. His tone held no trace of showing off, yet every word he slowly uttered was laced with a chilling hostility—

"You probably don’t know this yet, but Xiao Li and I are planning to go public."

"The date is set for my birthday. She’s the one who chose it."

"When the time comes, I hope you, her ’friend,’ will do us the honor of attending and offering us your blessing."