Chapter 5 The Abandoned Cat Effect

Lin Yi sat cross-legged on the bed, a detailed explanation of the "abandoned cat effect" displayed on his tablet.

"Playing hot and cold... being aloof... creates insecurity in the other person, thereby igniting their desire to pursue and conquer..."

He muttered to himself, his peach blossom eyes sparkling with eager anticipation.

I understand the theory, but putting it into practice seems a bit difficult.

He picked up his phone and opened the "Eiland" chat window:

The conversation was still stuck on the last chat page, and Shen Beidao hadn't sent a single message yet.

A subtle sense of frustration welled up again, but it was quickly replaced by an even stronger desire to conquer.

Lin Yi, the undisputed heartthrob of the National Academy of Fine Arts, a woman who is irresistible in love, how could he possibly stumble over a "bookworm"?

He carefully considered his words and began typing.

This time, he deliberately toned down his usual nonchalant tone, and his voice became exceptionally serious and polite:

Good evening, Mr. Shen.

Regarding the phone from last time, I've prepared cash. Is it convenient for us to meet tomorrow?

After sending it, he stared at the screen, feeling a little uncertain.

Isn't it too abrupt? Does it seem too deliberate?

He pursed his lips and added another sentence, trying to make the invitation seem more natural and more "friendly":

If you don't accept it, I'll always feel indebted to you. Friends should always keep track of what they do for each other so that the relationship can last.

This statement expresses both a firm commitment to repaying the money and an intention to maintain a "long-term relationship," all while cloaking it in the safe guise of "friendship."

Yes, perfect!

He tossed his phone aside, picked up a pencil, and started sketching lines haphazardly in his sketchbook, trying to distract himself, but his eyes kept glancing at his phone.

Time passed second by second, and Lin Yi thought that the other party would ignore him again like last time.

Just as I was beginning to reflect on whether my "abandoning the cat strategy" had been applied to the wrong target, my phone screen suddenly lit up.

He practically lunged forward and grabbed the phone.

Shen Beidao's reply was as concise as ever, devoid of any expression:

I will be volunteering as a guide at the Provincial Museum tomorrow afternoon. If it's convenient for you, you can come over.

volunteer?

Lin Yi blinked, immediately recalling Li Rui's bitter and resentful face—

"Our college is insane! If you don't get enough credits for volunteering, you fail the course! Now I get a headache just looking at the word 'volunteer'."

It seems that the pressure to graduate from Jiangzhou University is indeed quite high!

Even a student like Shen Beidao, who seems to be a top student, has to run around to various activities for just a few credits.

When it comes to failing a course, Lin Yi takes it much more seriously than he does when it comes to relationships.

"When it comes to dating, you can watch the stars with this person today and the moon with that person tomorrow. If it doesn't feel right, you can switch. The main thing is the experience."

But failing a course is a problem; you have to retake it, which wastes time and could potentially affect your graduation and scholarship eligibility. As a college student, I know perfectly well which is more important!

Lin Yi quickly replied:

No problem, see you tomorrow afternoon.

The next afternoon, the sun was shining brightly.

Lin Yi arrived at the Provincial Museum following the location sent by Shen Beidao.

The museum's exhibition hall is connected to a large shopping mall. He bought two cups of milk tea along the way before finding the entrance to the underground parking garage according to the signs.

"Ding—" The elevator doors slowly closed.

Lin Yi caught a glimpse of a familiar figure flashing past in the elevator across the street. Tall and thin, wearing the uniform of Jiangzhou University, he looked a lot like Li Rui.

But before he could confirm, the elevator doors closed in front of him.

"Maybe I'm seeing things?"

Without thinking further, Lin Yi pressed the button leading to the underground parking garage.

At this moment, his mind was filled with the scene of seeing Shen Beidao.

As the elevator arrived at the underground parking garage with a slight feeling of weightlessness, the metal doors slid open to both sides again. The scene outside made Lin Yi's breath catch in his throat, and he instantly forgot all his carefully planned "strategy".

The underground parking garage is always lit by a dull yellow light, like a filter on an old photograph, and the air is filled with the cool smell of concrete and engine oil.

In this somewhat somber space, Shen Beidao stood next to a black sedan, as if he had his own spotlight, blurring everything around him into the background.

Shen Beidao wore a very stylish velvet suit today, with subtle gold stripes on the fabric that shimmered softly in the dim light.

The tailored cut perfectly accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, paired with a matching vest underneath. A delicate silver chain dangled from the vest's pocket, swaying slightly with his light breathing and reflecting a subtle halo of light.

His eyes were half-closed, and his gold-rimmed glasses perfectly concealed some of his sharpness, leaving only his deep features even clearer in the dim light—a high, straight nose, tightly pursed thin lips, and the curve of his jawline as precise as the portrait sculptures he had practiced for years...

When Shen Beidao looked up at him, Lin Yi felt as if the oppressive air around him froze because of that one glance.

Throughout his life, he had many suitors and seen countless handsome men and beautiful women, but none of them could combine the restraint of a mature man, the nobility of the elite class, and an indescribable sensuality so seamlessly as Shen Beidao...

He almost dropped the milk tea bag from his hand because of the tingling sensation in his fingertips.

"Lin Yi."

Shen Beidao called out to him, his voice not loud, but it echoed clearly in the empty garage.

Almost reflexively, Lin Yi, like a jubilant little rabbit summoned by its owner, trotted over there.

The "abandoned cat effect" and the "ambivalent attitude" were all forgotten at this moment.

With such beauty before my eyes, all sense of strategy is temporarily forgotten!

Today, he specially wore a gray oversized sweatshirt with a funny cartoon print, paired with a pair of ordinary blue slim-fit jeans and a pair of limited edition sneakers.

This outfit was the result of him carefully putting together a look in front of the mirror for half an hour, creating an impression of casualness and confidence that "I look good in anything, and I didn't dress up just to see you."

However, standing in front of Shen Beidao, who was dressed so formally, his little thoughts were instantly exposed, and a strange sense of guilt welled up in his heart.

Lin Yi got into the car and sat in the passenger seat.

Shen Beidao's gaze fell on his face, seemingly lingering for a moment on the fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

He didn't say anything, but simply reached out and turned down the car's climate control system by two degrees.

This subtle and thoughtful gesture made Lin Yi's heart race again.

He could clearly feel his heart going wild and chaotic in his chest.

He was certain that at this very moment...

His feelings for Shen Beidao were not merely lustful attraction or a desire to conquer; it was a genuine and incurable love at first sight!

He tried to suppress the tightness in his throat and make his voice sound as relaxed and natural as usual, but when he opened his mouth, the last syllable still uncontrollably carried a slight tremor: "I...I bought you milk tea."

As he spoke, he somewhat clumsily pulled a cup out of the paper bag and handed it over.

As Shen Beidao reached out to take it, Lin Yi's gaze fell upon the logo in the center of the steering wheel the moment his icy fingertips brushed against the back of Shen Beidao's hand:

The two capital M's are silently proclaiming the value of this Maybach.

He was so engrossed in Shen Beidao's beauty that he didn't notice that this car was different from the previous one.

Shen Beidao took the milk tea and frowned slightly: "Iced?"

"Hmm...you don't like iced food?"

“Well, I don’t drink much,” Shen Beidao said, his voice devoid of emotion, “but you can give it a try.”

Lin Yi inwardly groaned: Oh no, I forgot to ask about his taste when I bought it. Judging from his good skin, he probably takes good care of his health and doesn't like sweet drinks.

He quickly changed the subject: "I had class this morning, and I was in a hurry so I didn't change my clothes."

Shen Beidao's gaze swept briefly over Lin Yi's face and youthful, energetic body before he said indifferently, "You don't need to be so formal when you see me. Wear whatever you like."

His tone was very calm, without any hint of politeness, as if he really didn't care.

You look beautiful today!

Lin Yi blurted it out, then realized he might have gotten a little excited, and hurriedly explained, "No, that's not what I meant. I meant... this outfit... has a great design... and suits your style very well."

He became increasingly incoherent, feeling like a charlatan connoisseur rambling incoherently about a work of art.

Seeing the reddened look on his ears, Shen Beidao's lips curved upwards, and a faint smile flickered in his usually calm eyes.

He explained, following up on his words, "The outfit was provided by the organizers. I was leading a German delegation to visit the history and culture museum, and they felt that I represented the image of Jiangzhou, so they specially commissioned this outfit."

"I see..."

Lin Yi felt a little disappointed; it turned out that this stunning outfit wasn't specially made for him.

He quickly handed over the brown paper bag: "Oh, right, this is the money for the phone."

This time, Shen Beidao did not refuse as he had last time.

He took the envelope, didn't even look at it, casually placed it on the center console, and said, "It might take me an hour. You can sleep in the car for a while."

He paused, looked at Lin Yi, and added, "Don't run around."

"I'm not a child, why would I run around like that..."

Lin Yi paused mid-sentence, realizing the subtext of his words—

Shen Beidao was reminding him of the last time he went to see a friend on short notice.

The real meaning of "don't run around" is: you are only allowed to see him today.

Lin Yi quickly explained, "Last time something came up unexpectedly, but today I'm only spending time with you."

After saying that, he felt his face getting even hotter.

This sounds...so much like a coquettish plea and a declaration of loyalty!

What happened to the promise of "abandoning the cat"?

Where did the "aloof" persona go?

"Were you friends last time?" Shen Beidao asked.

"Yes..." Lin Yi was taken aback by the question and answered subconsciously, but he immediately realized and corrected himself, "No, it's my dad."

"Your dad?" Shen Beidao raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised.

The image of the man he had seen at the Kashima coffee shop that day flashed through his mind; he possessed a refined and mature demeanor and looked very young, unlike his father.

“My dad had me when he was 22. He’s only in his early forties now, and he’s well-maintained, so he looks like he’s in his thirties.”

Lin Yi explained, his tone carrying a hint of pride in his father's appearance that he himself was unaware of, even though he still disliked Xie Chun.

"Yes, it does look somewhat like him," Shen Beidao replied casually, without pressing further about his father.

"I'll head over now, the organizers are urging me." Shen Beidao raised his wrist to check the time.

"Okay, go ahead." Lin Yi nodded quickly.

Shen Beidao opened the car door, then seemed to remember something and turned back to say, "There's red wine in the refrigerator in the back seat. You can try some, but don't drink too much."

"This is fine with me," Lin Yi said, holding up the milk tea in his hand and smiling. "Go on ahead, I'll wait for you."

Shen Beidao nodded, closed the car door, and strode confidently toward the elevator.

Lin Yi's gaze involuntarily followed the tall, slender figure through the dark car window until he disappeared behind the elevator doors.

The carriage fell silent instantly, with only the faint sound of the air conditioning system running and the still-beating of his own heart.

A cool, faint scent of books filled the air, a unique aroma emanating from Shen Beidao.

Lin Yi took a deep breath; he had no appetite for milk tea at all.

He quickly pulled out his phone, opened that familiar social media platform, and his fingers were even trembling slightly.

He pulled out the blurry photo of Shen Beidao's back as he walked towards the elevator, which he had secretly taken earlier, and clicked send without hesitation.

Original Poster: [Photo]

OP: This is what Crush looks like today. Do I still have a chance?

The post immediately drew out a bunch of lurking netizens.

[Post #48] Here it comes! The missing poster has finally returned!

[Post #49] Holy crap! Those legs are unbelievably long! I completely believe the original poster now, she's definitely over 190cm! Hehehe~

[Post #50] Wait, everyone! This outfit looks like an AleBla runway piece! I'm a fashion designer, and I just saw it in a magazine last week!

[Post #51] [Image] Is this the one? Sister upstairs! I found a picture of a runway model.

[Post #52] [Image] Here it is! Price screenshot!

Lin Yi's fingers trembled as he clicked on the image, seeing the number clearly marked at the bottom: $173,000

Lin Yi: ...Are these clothes really that expensive?

[53rd Floor] My God! Is this some kind of rich kid?! Is he wearing a house on his body???

[Post #54] OP! This is a peacock spreading its tail feathers! What are you waiting for? Hurry up and grab it! Are you waiting for the New Year if you don't take advantage of such a top-quality item?

[55th floor] This figure, this temperament, this wealth, this looks... OP, are you sure you're not having some kind of Mary Sue daydream?

[Post #56] The person upstairs is so sour! So? How far along are you, OP?

OP: I'm waiting for him in his car right now.

[57th floor] Did he say anything before he left?

OP: He told me not to wander around and to rest in the car.

[58th Floor] ? ? ? That's it?

[59th Floor] He already let you get on the bus! That's practically an invitation to bed! (Just kidding)

[60th Floor] Listen to me! Now! Immediately! Right now! Take off your clothes! Just say it's too hot in the car!

[61st floor] Don't be so unrestrained, don't scare your crush. I suggest you just take off your pants, you're welcome.

[62nd floor] Then, "accidentally" spill your milk tea on his seat, and when he comes back, you pitifully say, "Brother, I'm sorry, I dirtied your car..."

[63rd Floor] Then strike a seductive pose in the passenger seat and say, "Brother, if you're really angry, just hit me, okay?" Then stick your butt out...

[64th Floor] Why don't you take a few selfies in his car, post them on WeChat Moments so only he can see them, and caption it "Waiting for him in my friend's car, so bored, so itchy~"

[Post #65] Hey! This is the comments section, not a no-man's land!

[Post #66] I'm just a bystander, and I agree with posts #60, #61, #62, #63, and #64. I suggest kicking post #65 out.

OP: I'm in the garage, this isn't really appropriate...

[Post #67] OP, you're the most cowardly class I've ever taught! You didn't even seize such a good opportunity!

[68th floor] LOL, are you kidding me, OP?

[Post #69] I bet five cents that the original poster is currently pretending to be looking at the scenery.

[Post #70] I'm so anxious! OP, please give a live update on the situation!

[71st floor] Where are you, OP? Could it be that Crush is back?

A note from the author:

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This article will start in a forum style; I suddenly realized that this makes readers feel more involved, so I'll write it like this for now, haha.