90: If love is a play

Chang Heng's phone was quickly answered.

"Hey, Boss, I just asked you guys to pass on a message. Where have the three of you gone?"

"Big Brother~, why are you so quick to answer someone else's call, but you just won't answer mine?"

"Xia Mengling, why do you have Chang Heng's phone?"

"I'm out having a meal with Big Brother, Second Brother, and Fourth Brother."

"Big Brother, you made me so angry last night, I even smashed my phone."

"What exactly do you want?"

"I want you to come save us, Big Brother. We're eating at Xinrong Ji, my phone is broken, and the other three brothers don't have enough money. I'm worried sick."

"Hah, you think using this kind of tactic can force me to come over?"

"At most, I'll treat them. I'll transfer the money to them."

"But Big Brother, I also have the other two's phones. Transferring money won't help."

"Ling Ling, stop messing around. Give them back their phones."

"I'm not messing around. I just want to see you. I cried all night last night. You clearly promised to come see me today, but you didn't. Now I've come to find you, and you still won't see me. What gives you the right to treat me like this?"

As the girl spoke, her eyes welled up again, but remembering outsiders were present, she composed herself.

"Shen Qian, I want you to come see me, otherwise I'll bother you every single day!"

"Alright, I'll come see you. Let them go back."

The call ended. Xia Mengling repeatedly apologized to the guys.

"Actually, even if he didn't come, I would have paid. You brothers would forgive me, right?"

Faced with such a beautiful girl acting coquettishly, the few men instantly blushed. Blushing aside, they inwardly cursed Shen Qian for not knowing how to cherish her, actually making such a pretty girl cry all night.

Shen Qian arrived very quickly, and Xia Mengling indeed paid the bill as she had said.

"Third Brother, talk things out properly. Don't make the girl cry again."

Shen Qian had seen the three of them leave with Xia Mengling. He originally thought she would at most try to extract some information. Who would have thought she'd directly pull a 'hold the emperor hostage to command the nobles'? These three were tricked and were even helping count the money for their deceiver—it was truly something else.

"I know, don't worry."

After seeing the three off, Shen Qian sat down again in front of Xia Mengling.

"If it's still about making me break up with Xinxin, save your breath. I could never agree to that."

"What breakup? I was just joking yesterday. I never thought of making you break up with her."

"Then what's with the chat records? And what's all that about 'eating'?"

"Do you have any idea how heartbroken Xinxin was yesterday?"

"Xinxin, Xinxin, Xinxin! That woman is all you talk about! Then do you have any idea how heartbroken *I* am?!"

"Shen Qian, I've fallen for you, do you know that?!"

Faced with the girl's confession, Shen Qian remained unmoved, calmly watching her eyes.

"You really cried? Because of me?"

"Who else could it be because of, you jerk! I wanted so badly to see you, but all you think about is her!"

Shen Qian let out a long sigh.

"Xia Mengling, from the first moment I saw you, I liked you. The way you smiled was just too beautiful. I think, like many other boys, I fell for you almost at first sight."

Wasn't it just acting affectionate? For a natural talent like Shen Qian, he could get into character instantly.

"But later, when you were so cold to me, I understood. I wasn't good enough for you. I was just one of those wishful-thinking boys."

"Do you know how sad I was back then? Clearly liking someone, but it ended before it even began. I didn't want to bother you, so I chose to distance myself."

"And then I met Xinxin. She warmed me, she chose me. She wasn't my second choice, my consolation prize."

"She was a light in my darkness. So, Mengling, because I liked you, I could do many things for you. But except for giving her up."

"I'm sorry, I was wrong. I didn't know I hurt you so deeply. I was truly wrong."

"Can't you give me a chance? Tan Xinxin doesn't like you. She just wants to control you. The warmth and things you mentioned, I can give you that too, and I can give it better. If you stay with her, it will only harm you."

"Harm me? How has she harmed me? From the time we got together until now, she has never asked me for anything, never acted spoiled or willful with me, and has always respected me."

"Is this what you call harm? Let me tell you, I don't care about spending money, I don't care about other things. As long as we love each other, that's enough."

Xia Mengling calmed down slightly, turning her head away. There had been a boy obsessed with her before. His friends tried to advise him, but that boy wouldn't listen. She never thought she'd one day end up in the role of that friend.

"Let me take you back. Send me the address of where you're staying."

Shen Qian stood up, and the girl followed suit.

The apartment Xia Mengling's father had rented for her was just right for one person. The room wasn't particularly dirty, but upon entering, one could immediately see a smashed phone near the sofa.

"You're home. I should be going then." As Shen Qian spoke, he turned to leave. At that moment, the girl's hand grabbed his wrist.

"Kiss me."

Suddenly, the girl spoke.

"What?" Shen Qian feigned surprise. In truth, he had followed her into the room precisely to give Xia Mengling more room to maneuver.

"I said, kiss me. Didn't you say you'd do anything for me as long as I didn't make you break up? Then kiss me."

"No."

"Why not?"

As she spoke, the girl gave a strong pull, dragging Shen Qian into the room. She then quickly closed the door. Once the door was shut, she immediately threw herself onto Shen Qian, her arms tightly encircling him, as if afraid the boy before her would run away the next moment.

"I have a Girlfriend. I can't do anything to betray her."

"But you still like me. As long as you still like me, you're betraying her every single moment."

"I can hide it."

"But I can't hide it. I can't hide it, and I don't want to. Shen Qian, either you kiss me today, or I'll come find you whenever I have time from now on."

"I don't believe your barely-over-a-month-old relationship can withstand my meddling."

"Not only will I meddle with you, I'll also bribe her roommates to isolate her. You know, that's not a lot of money for me."

"Xia Mengling, you're forcing me to dislike you!"

"Dislike me? Hah, you don't even dare kiss me. Do you dare to dislike me?"

"Let me go first, let me think."

"If I let you go, you'll definitely run. I won't let go. Kissing doesn't require you to do anything anyway. You just need to lower your head."

"Xia Mengling, you!"

"I'll only give you 10 seconds to decide. If you don't kiss me, then I'll pester you constantly from now on."

"I..."

Suddenly, the girl's hand pressed down on his head, and she stood on her tiptoes.