Chapter 18 The Noble Academy's Substitute (18) If you don't come home all night...

Chapter Eighteen

Before Xie Yi finished cooking the steak, Xia Zhi heard the doorbell ring.

She quickly got up to open the door and saw Xu Yu and Meng Ziyue, who seemed to have rushed over and were slightly out of breath.

Xia Zhi gestured for them to come in: "Come in, please."

The two men walked in, both with somewhat strange expressions.

Xu Yu seemed to be observing Xia Zhi discreetly, and after a long silence, he said in a low voice, "I thought..."

Xia Zhi looked somewhat embarrassed: "What did you think?"

Because she was afraid the two of them wouldn't be able to make it in time, Xia Zhi deliberately made things sound harsh.

Xie Yi's voice sounded somewhat cheerful: "You've arrived?"

Meng Ziyue adjusted his glasses with a hint of helplessness: "Xie Yi, what are you up to?"

Xie Yi brought out the steak from the kitchen and placed it on the table. He raised his eyes slightly and said, "Sit down and eat, and talk as you go."

Xu Yu was clearly not in the mood to eat. He stared at Xie Yi and asked, "Xie Yi, what are you doing? You brought Zhizhi here?"

Xie Yi laughed and said, "Not only that, Zhizhi is about to become my personal assistant."

Xia Zhi was a little speechless upon hearing this. So that was Xie Yi's plan?

Xu Yu sat down gently on the sofa, staring at Xie Yi: "That's pretty despicable."

Xie Yi blinked innocently: "Is it as despicable as you?"

Seeing the atmosphere between the three of them getting increasingly tense, Xia Zhi couldn't help but ask, "Can I make my own choice?"

Xie Yi looked at Xia Zhi: "Baby, what's your choice? Do you have money? Besides, your job involves frequent contact with me."

Xia Zhi subconsciously looked at Meng Ziyue, who then stared intently at Xia Zhi: "Zhizhi, you can come to me anytime if you need me."

Xia Zhi suddenly sighed. Talking to these three was like talking to a brick wall; she didn't want to talk to any of them. Perhaps because she was too embarrassed and angry, Xia Zhi suddenly picked up her bag and walked out without saying a word: "I'm not talking to you anymore."

Xia Zhi walked out the door smoothly, and because it was so easy, she looked back in surprise.

She found that all three of them were looking at her calmly, as if they were certain that she would come back.

Xia Zhi gritted her teeth and was about to walk out when Xie Yi suddenly spoke slowly: "Zhi Zhi, it's getting late. Don't make us look too disheveled."

Xia Zhi didn't speak, but simply walked out of the villa. As soon as she stepped outside, she felt a sense of loss. Could she possibly fight them now? In this world, everything revolved around power and status. Aside from her pride and joy, she suddenly realized she had nothing.

It seems they spoiled her rotten; all these years, she's been protected by them. Even at the academy, it's because of their favoritism that she's never been bullied.

If it weren't for these three people, would her fate have been even worse than Lin Yue's?

Xia Zhi realized this, and she suddenly felt powerless.

【Zhizhi! What are you going to do now?!】

Xia Zhi said quietly, "Let's think of a way."

What do you think?

Xia Zhi knew that even if she found a part-time job, they would still mess things up. She was truly desperate now, and suddenly, she thought of a man.

Xie Ningyu.

Xie Ningyu is Xie Yi's elder. If he sees Xie Yi forcibly keeping her by his side, he might do something about it.

So she hailed a taxi and headed to the bar where Xie Ningyu had been last time. Along the way, she didn't see any text messages from Xie Yi and the others, which she found a little strange.

She was a little nervous, but she still arrived at the bar at nine o'clock in the evening.

Because it was in an urban village, the people were a bit mixed. Xia Zhi stood there, and every now and then a man would come up to tease and taunt her.

Xia Zhi's heart was pounding, but she still gritted her teeth and went inside.

As soon as she stepped inside, she was stunned by this bizarre little society. Inside, the lights were bright and the atmosphere was lively. Men and women were releasing their hormones on the dance floor, and the occasional laughter and joking could be heard. The loud music made her ears go numb.

She searched around but couldn't find Xie Ningyu. Instead of giving up, she decided to ask a waiter.

Just as she was about to ask, she suddenly felt a hand gently touch her from behind.

Xia Zhi was startled, instinctively flinched, and took a step back.

It was a drunk man who was leering at Xia Zhi and muttering something under his breath.

Xia Zhi instinctively took a step back, just as the man's hand was about to touch her arm...

Suddenly, a hand grabbed the drunk man's hand tightly.

Xia Zhi subconsciously looked at the owner of the hand, Xie Ningyu, whose expression was cold and indifferent, his peach blossom eyes filled with violence and faint contempt: "You're causing trouble in my place? Don't you want to live?"

The drunk man woke up in fright when he saw that it was Xie Ningyu, and then said with a fawning smile, "I'm leaving, I'm leaving now."

Xia Zhi was surprised that this drunk man was so afraid of Xie Ningyu, so she looked at Xie Ningyu curiously.

Xie Ningyu watched the drunk man leave with a calm expression. Seemingly sensing Xia Zhi's gaze, he looked at her and sighed, "Miss, what brings you here?"

Xia Zhi said, "Shall we talk somewhere else?"

Xie Ningyu's gaze was a little strange, but he still hummed in agreement.

Xia Zhi followed Xie Ningyu outside the bar. After they came out, Xia Zhi finally spoke: "Xie Yi forced me to wear the bracelet and also forced me to stay in his villa."

Xie Ningyu's expression hardened upon hearing this, and he looked down at the bracelet on Xia Zhi's hand.

He could naturally recognize that the bracelet was a family heirloom passed down from Xie Yi's parents, and it was also part of Xie Yi's mother's dowry. If he remembered correctly, Xie Yi's mother had told Xie Yi that this bracelet could only be given to her future daughter-in-law.

He never expected it to end up in Xia Zhi's hands, and he could tell that Xie Yi was holding the bracelet tightly; he was truly determined to marry no one but Xia Zhi.

Xie Ningyu looked at Xia Zhi: "Where did you come from?"

Xia Zhi said, "It's Xie Yi's villa. Xu Yu and Meng Ziyue were there just now too."

Xie Ningyu sighed: "You could have gotten away with provoking one person, but how did you manage to provoke three lunatics at once?"

Xia Zhi subconsciously looked at him: "You are Xie Yi's elder, you must have a way, right!"

Xie Ningyu hummed in agreement: "If you were forced, I can tell Xie Yi's parents."

Xia Zhi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, but then heard Xie Ningyu laugh and say, "But what good would it do me to help you?"

Xia Zhi looked at him warily: "What do you mean?"

Xie Ningyu said, word by word, "You probably don't know my identity. I'm just a lowly illegitimate child. Even if I tell Xie Yi's parents about this, what do you think they'll think of me?"

Xia Zhi choked, and looked at him: "Then what would it take for you to be willing to help?"

Looking at Xia Zhi's beautiful face, Xie Ningyu felt a strange itch in his heart. So he slowly said, "How about being my date for one day?"

Xia Zhi hadn't expected him to have such intentions, so she subconsciously prepared to leave.

Xie Ningyu's voice was calm and unhurried: "Have you thought this through? If Xie Yi's parents knew, they might help you."

Xia Zhi hesitated for a second, then looked at him coldly and said, "Change to another one."

Xie Ningyu enjoyed her awkwardness and then said, "Tonight is fine too."

Xia Zhi's face turned deathly pale; she had clearly misunderstood: "You!"

Xie Ningyu smiled and said, "You misunderstood me. I just wanted you to chat with me."

Xia Zhi finally relented: "...Okay."

Xie Ningyu said slowly, "Xie Yi should have guessed that you would come looking for me. Let's not stay in the bar, let's go somewhere further away."

Natsumi: ...

Xie Ningyu said, "How about going to the beach?"

Xia Zhi: "You're going to the beach so late at night?"

Xie Ningyu said calmly, "You can choose to refuse."

If Xia Zhi hadn't lacked Xie Yi's parents' contact information, she wouldn't have agreed to Xie Ningyu's unreasonable request.

But right now, all she wanted was to get rid of the gratitude as soon as possible.

Without thinking about anything else, Xia Zhi nodded: "Okay, but it's just chatting."

Xie Ningyu chuckled and said, "What are you thinking?"

Xia Zhi could feel her face getting hot.

She feigned impatience and asked, "Shall we go now?"

Xie Ningyu took out his car keys: "Of course."

In fact, Xie Ningyu didn't know why he wanted the other person to chat with him. Actually, he just wanted to get closer to Xia Zhi.

For the first time since his last encounter with Xia Zhi, the character in his erotic dream was a real person.

Xie Ningyu curled the corners of her lips. What would Xie Yi do at this moment? What would her reaction be?

But that's none of his business anymore, since he's not a good person anyway.

Xia Zhi followed Xie Ningyu into the parking lot, where Xie Ningyu's car was parked on the far side.

Just as Xia Zhi was about to sit in the back seat, Xie Ningyu suddenly spoke up: "It's just chatting, there's no need to be so scared, is there?"

Natsumi: ...

She still chose to sit in the back row, saying irritably, "It's just chatting, there's no need to specifically sit in the front row."

Xie Ningyu slowly sat in the driver's seat, a hint of excitement in his expression: "This is the first time I've ever gone to see the sea at night."

Xia Zhi couldn't help but mutter, "She really is crazy."

She discovered that everyone with the surname Xie was crazy, and Xie Yi's parents might also be a pair of lunatics.

Xie Ningyu started the car and, seeing Xia Zhi's somewhat tired expression, suddenly felt the urge to share: "Do you know? My mother drugged my father in order to climb the social ladder, which is how I came to be."

Xia Zhi was slightly taken aback, not expecting Xie Ningyu to suddenly bring this up.

Xie Ningyu smiled wryly: "I don't know why, but when I see you I just want to tell you."

Xia Zhi felt a pang of pity, so she subconsciously comforted her, "It's okay. You can't choose your birth, but you can choose your life."

Xie Ningyu's heart raced a little upon hearing this; it was the first time someone had spoken to him like that.

He glanced at Xia Zhi through the rearview mirror, then sighed, "Now I know why they like you."

Xia Zhi let out a confused "Ah".

Xie Ningyu then asked, "What are you planning to do next? If you don't come home all night, they'll be worried sick."

Xia Zhi recalled how indifferent the three of them had been when she left...

She couldn't help but say, "Never mind them."

As the car slowly drove along the road, Xie Ningyu couldn't help but remind her, "Trust me, I don't think they'll give up."

Xia Zhi said impatiently, "Is this all you wanted to talk about today?"

Xie Ningyu paused for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Of course not. Would you like to hear my thoughts? They might be helpful for your next plan."

Xia Zhi paused upon hearing this, holding her breath as she looked at him.

A note from the author:

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Here comes the [droopy-eared rabbit head], see you tomorrow!