"Tang Bao, Tang Bao, Tang Bao..."
Seeing that Tang Ning had been staring blankly ahead without moving after accepting the plot, 54088 worriedly called out to her a few times.
Hearing its soft, adorable little voice, Tang Ning, who had finally snapped out of her daze from the original owner's tragic and indescribable ordeal, let out a deep, deep sigh. She then turned to look at the little system beside her, gently patted its soft little head, and got up to walk toward the phone she had put down earlier.
She hadn't noticed the black phone of a certain brand before, but now, after receiving the storyline, she realized that she had entered the original storyline's timeline. It was precisely when the original owner discovered that her fiancé was replying to her messages slower and less attentively, which made her begin to suspect that he might have fallen in love with someone else.
Then the original owner made an excuse to invite him to see a movie, and took the opportunity to secretly switch the two of them who had specially bought the same phone. After that, she saw a photo of Yin Yuqing dressed as a boy, sleeping on the table, on his phone, as well as all the WeChat messages she had exchanged with Jiang Yao since the winter vacation of the first semester of her first year of high school.
In these WeChat messages, Yin Yuqing made no attempt to conceal her true gender, acting coquettishly and charmingly towards Jiang Yao with remarkable ease.
Normal people wouldn't think a boy could say such delicate and coquettish things, but the absent-minded Yin Yuqing didn't think there was anything wrong with her. Throughout the story, until her identity was exposed by Tang Ning, she was brimming with confidence, believing she had concealed it very well.
In fact—
School doctor Mu Sheng knew her true identity from the beginning and did everything he could to cover it up for her.
Xu Xingbo, the academic genius, was nearly beaten to death outside of school when he was rescued by Yin Yuqing, who happened to be passing by in women's clothing, and that's how he found out about her. At the time, Yin Yuqing tried to cover it up by saying she was Yin Yufeng's twin sister, and that she only looked very much like her brother.
Ye Jinyan, the icy older brother, noticed something was off about Yin Yuqing after spending only half a month with her. For the sake of his good friend Jiang Yao, he investigated her and found out what was going on.
Three months ago, around the time when the frequency of his messages with Tang Ning was gradually decreasing, her fiancé Jiang Yao unexpectedly returned to the dormitory early during the last PE class on a Friday. He accidentally peeked through the crack in the door and saw the small curve of Yin Yuqing's clothes protruding from her chest as she was drying her hair after taking a shower. Yes, even if it was a washboard, it was a washboard with a slight curve.
Seeing this situation, and considering his past interactions with Yin Yuqing, Jiang Yao realized he was a complete idiot and understood that the person living with him was actually her.
You should know that he used to dislike Yin Yuqing, who replaced her brother to attend school. He thought she was effeminate and that she would get red noses at the drop of a hat. Even if he just raised his voice a little, she would be so frightened that her eyes would turn red.
Jiang Yao had teased her more than once because of this, but she always just took it easy and didn't hold it against him. Not only that, she also remembered his tastes clearly and would buy him breakfast every morning when he slept in. She also kept his room spotless, and later, after they became a little more familiar with each other, she even hand-washed his clothes.
Well, Yin Yuqing isn't very good at other things, and she's not very good at studying either. She even falls down on flat ground when running, but she's very good at housework. Not only that, she's also a great baker. She has brought Jiang Yao homemade cookies more than once.
Meanwhile, ever since Jiang Yao was shocked by the fact that his roommate Yin Yuqing was a girl, he hasn't even been in the mood to text Tang Ning in the days that followed. Whenever his mind is free, the fact that Yin Yuqing is a girl suddenly pops up and occupies all his attention.
He used to take Yin Yuqing's actions, such as bringing him breakfast, making his bed, and washing his clothes, for granted, but now he felt awkward about them.
All the awkwardness reached its peak two months later during a winter thunderstorm, because—
When thunder rumbled in the middle of the night, Yin Yuqing, who was terrified of thunder, immediately burst into tears. The louder she cried, the more she cried until she couldn't bear it anymore and climbed onto his bed, trembling and shrinking into his arms, begging him to let her hide for a moment, just for a moment.
Seeing his close friend crying so pitifully and begging him, Jiang Yao's heart softened. So he held Yin Yuqing in his arms all night, feeling her small, soft body curled up in his embrace, trembling incessantly. The next morning, her little face was rosy and fair from sleep, and his heart couldn't help but flutter.
Now that Tang Ning has arrived, the situation is that Yin Yuqing has already lived with Jiang Yao for half a year. The plot of accidentally discovering her true gender and Dong Leiye sneaking into his bed has already happened. Jiang Yao has gradually begun to fall for her.
If she hadn't come, what would have happened next was that after the original owner finished looking at the photos and text messages on Jiang Yao's phone, she cried her heart out, then pretended to have accidentally grabbed the wrong phone while watching a movie, and returned it to Jiang Yao with a smile as if she hadn't seen anything. After investigating Yin Yuqing's situation, she cut her hair short and, disguised as a boy, went to Jinsheng Boys' High School.
Thinking of this, Tang Ning reached out and touched her long, black, shiny hair that was almost down to her waist.
She couldn't help but feel relieved that she had arrived early; the original owner hadn't had time to cut off her beautiful hair, otherwise she would have been disgusted.
After all, it's just about getting into a prestigious boys' high school. Who says you have to dress up as a boy like Yin Yuqing and the original owner of this body? That's what poor people do. She's rich, or rather, her stepfather is rich.
Sometimes, having money really does allow you to do whatever you want.
Anyway, she doesn't cut her hair. Even if she did, she would still look better than a hundred Yin Yuqings. Why would she torture herself if she could be prettier?
Just as she finished thinking that, Jiang Yao's phone suddenly vibrated in her hand. She looked at the two words "Tang Ning" displayed on the screen.
She raised an eyebrow slightly. If she remembered correctly, Jiang Yao had always saved her contact as Ningning, and would even add a little heart at the end.
Now……
Haha, people's hearts really are fickle.
With this thought in her mind, Tang Ning tossed her phone aside without hesitation, letting it vibrate. She then went to the original owner's dressing mirror and began to do her skincare routine and apply makeup, having just washed her face.
The first world was too poor, and the second world didn't have any. She hadn't touched these handy "weapons" in a long time, and she really missed them.
As for Jiang Yao, he's the one who's anxious and guilty, not her, so she doesn't care if he dies.
She slowly and methodically finished all her skincare routine, then applied a makeup look that made her eyes red at the corners, her nose slightly red, and her face pale and fragile after crying. The next second, someone knocked on her door from the outside.
The timing was perfect.
Tang Ning looked at herself in the mirror and saw a less sharp and aggressive side, and a stronger yet more vulnerable side.
Perfect!
Seeing the increasingly urgent knocking on the door from the outside, Tang Ning reached out and ruffled her hair slightly, then picked up her still-vibrating phone and yanked open the door.
Just as she expected, the person knocking on her door like it was her half-brother, Ye Jinyan, was the one who knocked on her door.
As Tang Ning opened the door, the first thing she saw was the bright purple name and rating above the other person's head.
Ye Jinyan.
System score: 98.
Current favorability rating: -30.
The boy was very tall, with thick, dark eyebrows and a blue mole on the right eyebrow. He had long, narrow eyes, a high and straight nose, and thin lips that were now a bright red. The moment Tang Ning looked up, she saw a glistening bead of sweat slide down his delicate profile.
Perhaps because he had just finished working out in the gym downstairs, the boy's bangs were already soaked with sweat, his fair skin was flushed with a faint red, and his arms and thighs were well-muscled. You couldn't tell how icy and abstinent he usually was when he wore his blue-black Jinsheng Boys' High School uniform.
Tang Ning glanced at him subtly for a moment, noticing the anxiety and frustration that hadn't yet been concealed on his face.
Throughout the original storyline, the grown-up Ye Jinyan is cold and aloof to everyone, including Tang Ning's mother, Tang Qing, and his father, Ye Zhen. However, he only shows a completely different reaction to two people compared to his usual cold and icy demeanor.
One of them is Yin Yuqing, because he likes her and he smiles at her with a reserved and gentle smile.
Another one is Tang Ning. As he grows older, he gradually becomes able to ignore and be indifferent to his stepmother Tang Qing. However, every time he encounters Tang Ning, he can't suppress his negative emotions such as irritability, impatience, anxiety, and frustration.
Just like now.
"What are you doing in your room? Don't you know..."
As he spoke, the boy glanced at Tang Ning impatiently, but when he saw her red eyes and nose, he choked up the rest of his words.
It was simply because he knew his stepsister's personality all too well. Unlike her gentle and compliant mother, she practically wore the words "strong-willed" and "proud" on her face. From childhood to adulthood, he had never even seen her cry. No matter how much he bullied her, at most she would just have a pair of red, rabbit-like eyes, bite her lip tightly, and look at him stubbornly.
For those things that you can't learn because your foundation is too weak, try them twice if you can't learn them the first time, and three times if you can't learn them the second time. Keep trying and keep learning, and never cry.
But now...
Ye Jinyan subconsciously frowned slightly, but even he himself didn't realize his own reaction.
Just then, Tang Ning's black phone vibrated again. Ye Jinyan, who was standing in front of Tang Ning, noticed the noise and his expression immediately relaxed, returning to his usual expressionless face.
Feeling her phone vibrate, Tang Ning's body trembled slightly. Without even glancing at Ye Jinyan standing in front of her, she casually closed the door, held the phone, and walked to the top of the stairs before slowly swiping to answer. Her voice was hoarse as she spoke, "Hello, yes, it's here. I accidentally took the wrong one when I was watching the movie. Okay, I'll be right out..."
Upon hearing this sound, Ye Jinyan raised an eyebrow. Really, she was crying?
Why?
Jiang Yao's cell phone...
Could it be...?
Tang Ning, not caring what Ye Jinyan had guessed after she went downstairs, gripped her phone tightly and ran towards the Ye family villa. As soon as she pushed open the ornate iron gate, she saw a tall, slender young man leaning against a cool motorcycle by the roadside. His hair was a slightly flamboyant natural curl, but even in early spring, he wasn't wearing many clothes, only a khaki trench coat that fluttered in the wind. His legs were straight and long, and he wore a pair of black high-top military boots with the laces tied haphazardly.
The name and score above his head were in a striking purple, just like Ye Jinyan's.
Jiang Yao.
System score: 98.
Current favorability rating: 60.
Tang Ning's eyes lit up with interest at the fact that she only got a passing grade.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yao, who was leaning against his motorcycle with his helmet in his arms, immediately turned around and looked at Tang Ning when he heard the sound behind him.
As he reached into his pocket, he began to speak, "Your phone is here with me, I don't have anything..." Before he could finish his sentence, the boy noticed Tang Ning's slightly swollen eyes and her conspicuously red nose. His heart skipped a beat, and he froze in place, still in the act of reaching into his pocket.
She saw it, she saw it, she saw it...
In an instant, those four words flooded Jiang Yao's mind.
He had photos of Yuqing saved on his phone, but he could still use her boyish appearance as an excuse. What about her WeChat messages? Those messages he couldn't bear to delete—how was he going to explain them to Tang Ning? He…
Because of his guilt, nervousness, and timidity, Jiang Yao even broke out in a sweat. Tang Ning's phone in his hand felt like it weighed a ton.
Tang Ning, who was paying attention to his micro-expressions, raised an eyebrow in her mind. So this scumbag wasn't unaware that he had done something wrong, nor was he without feeling guilty or ashamed.
So, she said, why did the original owner have to cover up her tears with powder and pretend nothing happened? She thought that by cutting her hair short and dressing up as a man to go to his side, she could win back his heart through her own efforts. That's too sweet and too naive!
Once a man's heart has changed, you can't win it back with any tenderness or gentle affection. His heart has already changed, and he's given it to someone else. If he's still in the sweet, first stage of falling in love, what's the use of those methods?
Not to mention, the nature of human beings is to bully the weak and fear the strong.
He might have initially felt a little guilty, but the more gentle and persistent you are, the more he might feel at ease, since you weren't that angry, right? Expecting a man who no longer loves you to feel guilty and regretful because of your generosity and gentleness is too difficult.
To deal with this kind of person, you need to take drastic measures. As the saying goes, you can't build something new without destroying it.
With so many thoughts flashing through her mind in an instant, Tang Ning lowered her head slightly and handed Jiang Yao's phone to the other person, saying, "Yes, this is your phone..."
Seeing that Tang Ning seemed fine, Jiang Yao clenched his fist, handed Tang Ning's phone with one hand, and placed the other hand on the corner of his own phone that Tang Ning had given him.
I applied a little force, but it didn't budge. I applied more force, but it still didn't budge.
Upon seeing this, Jiang Yao looked down and immediately saw Tang Ning's fingers gripping his phone; her knuckles had turned white from the force she was using.
"Tang..."
He was somewhat surprised and was about to speak.
Tang Ning's voice trembled as she spoke, "Can you tell me who that person in your WeChat contact list is, the one named 'After the Rain, Sunshine' with a sun icon? Is it because of her that you've stopped replying to my WeChat messages lately? We texted each other at the same time, and you'd reply with long, detailed messages to her, but to me you only said 'I know'... I'm your fiancée, aren't I? I'm the one who's with you..."
A tear fell onto Tang Ning's shoe with a soft thud. She suddenly looked up and stared intently into Jiang Yao's eyes, but she couldn't utter a word.
Then I successfully saw the other person's face suddenly turn pale, and their eyes darting around with a guilty look.
See that? This kind of person knows embarrassment and shame, doesn't they? Otherwise, why would they make that kind of expression?
What's the point of pretending nothing happened, covering for him, exposing him, or even deceiving yourself for him? He's completely unaffected. We need to tear off his thick skin like this, to make him clearly see how despicable he is and how disgusting his actions are.
What's the point of suffering alone? Why should others suffer with you?
Tang Ning thought to herself with a smile.
Now that she's taken drastic measures, it remains to be seen whether the other party will agree to break off the relationship as she wishes.
Tang Ning, who had looked up, turned pale upon seeing Jiang Yao's expression. She then awkwardly avoided his gaze, snatched her phone from his hand, shoved it back into his, and turned to leave.
"The weather looks a bit bad today. It might rain in a bit. You came by motorcycle, so don't get caught in the rain and catch a cold. I'll go back now. We can talk on WeChat if anything comes up."
After Tang Ning finished speaking, trying to downplay the situation, she lifted her foot to walk forward.
The next second, she heard Jiang Yao's voice behind her, "Wait a minute, Tang Ning... wait a minute... I... I have something to tell you..."
"The weather is really bad, it's definitely going to rain soon. We can talk about it when we get home, it's cold outside, I really need to go home..."
After rambling on, Tang Ning was about to run forward with her head down when Jiang Yao suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Ningning, let's break off the engagement!"
Finally, Tang Ning forced Jiang Yao to reveal the truth he had been waiting to tell, which he had originally planned to do three and a half months later, after seeing Tang Ning's true colors.
Of course, the guilt and unease Jiang Yao felt back then were completely different from those he feels now.
On the other end, after blurting out those words in a moment of impulse, Jiang Yao seemed to have untied a knot that had been tied in his heart, and his subsequent words flowed smoothly.
"Honestly, lately I've thought more than once about whether our engagement was too frivolous from the start. I've thought about it, and I know my own heart very well. Over the years, my feelings for you have never been about love, but rather... I've only ever cared for you like a younger sister. You're still young, you've never experienced love before, and it would be so unfair for me to keep you by my side as my fiancée. So, after careful consideration, I think we should break off the engagement first, and then examine and confirm our feelings for each other from another perspective. This would be better for you, Ningning, what do you think..."
"Smack!"
Before Jiang Yao could finish speaking, Tang Ning turned around and slapped him across the face without any mercy.
With a crisp sound, Tang Ning had no other thoughts at that moment, only one word in her mind—awesome!
She'd been wanting to slap him for a while now. Luckily, she'd laid the groundwork for so long, and he finally fell into her trap. Otherwise, she wouldn't have had a good excuse to give him that slap.
You should know that the original owner's body had been dancing, exercising, and even practicing Taekwondo all along, so the strength in her hands was extraordinary.
She suspected that Jiang Yao could already taste the blood in his mouth at that moment.
After slapping him, Tang Ning, who didn't know what restraint was, kicked him hard in the knee with bloodshot eyes.
"You're shameless!"
After saying that, she covered her face and ran away without hesitation.
Jiang Yao, who was left standing there with his face pale from being kicked, watched her run away. He was in so much pain that he could barely speak.
Just as Tang Ning returned to her room in tears and closed the door, Ye Jinyan, who had been standing behind his door and clearly seen her face covered in tears, slowly closed the crack in his own door.
That evening, at the Ye family's dinner table.
Ye Zhen, Tang Qing, Ye Jinyan, and Tang Ning were having dinner quietly.
Ye Jinyan even glanced casually at Tang Ning's face, who was sitting directly opposite him. There was no trace of it. When he saw her that afternoon, she was crying with tears all over her face, but now, there was nothing there.
Tang Ning, who was drinking her soup, was aware that Ye Jinyan had glanced at her, but she didn't react. Instead, she politely finished her soup, put down her bowl, turned to Ye Zhen, who was sitting in the main seat, and said with a thunderous voice, "Dad, Jiang Yao wants to break off our engagement."
Upon hearing this, the three people present, including Ye Jinyan, looked at Tang Ning's face in disbelief.
Tang Qing's face showed obvious worry and sorrow.
Under the table, she quickly reached out and grasped Tang Ning's hand. Tang Ning returned the gesture with a squeeze, a tacit exchange between mother and daughter to indicate that she was alright and had a solution.
Tang Qing breathed a sigh of relief after feeling the pressure on his hand.
Ye Zhen, sitting in the main seat, turned his head and looked at Tang Ning's calm and composed face with lightning speed. He narrowed his eyes slightly. He had lived with his stepdaughter for so many years, so he could understand some of her little expressions. At this moment, she had a stubborn and determined look on her face, and it was clear that she had already made up her mind.
So after a slight pause, he slowly asked, "If you have any thoughts on your mind, tell me."
“I absolutely cannot break off the engagement. I’ve thought about it. Jiang Yao and I went to the same school from kindergarten to elementary school and even junior high. We’ve never been apart. But now we’re at Sheng Ying Girls’ High School and Jin Sheng Boys’ High School, respectively. We can’t even see each other normally, which is a big problem. Dad, if possible, I hope I can go to Jin Sheng as an exchange student for a semester. I want to spend more time together, and I’m sure I can dissuade Jiang Yao from this idea.”
Tang Ning slightly raised her chin and said this with great confidence.
There's no way to stop her; she's determined to cause trouble in a beautiful and sophisticated way.
After all, she had to appear in Kim Seung-il no matter what, but she didn't want to cut her hair, and she didn't want to wear those ugly school uniforms worn by boys, so she could only rely on connections.
It's just an exchange student spot; Ye Zhen can easily solve that.
Upon hearing Tang Ning's words, Ye Zhen nodded almost imperceptibly. "Okay, there are still about two weeks until the start of the new semester. I will get everything sorted out for you before the semester begins. You can go directly to Jin Sheng's school for the new semester."
Upon hearing Ye Zhen's words, Ye Jinyan, who was on the other side of the table, was about to speak up to stop him.
Tang Ning preemptively spoke up again, making an unreasonable request, "I've looked into Jiang Yao's course progress, and it's completely different from Sheng Ying's. So, Dad, for the next two weeks, could you have my brother tutor me a little? I know my brother's grades have always been excellent..."
In front of Ye Zhen, in order not to make Tang Qing feel awkward, Tang Ning always called Ye Jinyan "brother," but she had never called him "brother" with a reduplicated word like this.
But Ye Jinyan, enraged at this moment, was completely oblivious to these small details. He suddenly stood up and looked at Tang Ning with icy eyes, "Impossible, I would never tutor her."
After saying that, he lost his appetite and turned to go upstairs.
"stop!"
Ye Zhen slowly stood up and turned to look at the boy. "Your sister just asked you to help her with her homework. How can someone so grown up not even have the magnanimity of an older brother? Did Ningning ask you to do anything else for her? We're family..."
Upon hearing this, Ye Jinyan immediately turned around. Just as Ye Zhen was about to deny his claim of being a family, his eyes suddenly caught sight of Tang Ning, who had also stood up behind the man. One corner of her mouth curled up slightly as she looked at him provocatively.
His face clearly said: Are you scared?
Ye Jinyan, who was always easily angered by Tang Ning, could no longer tolerate her expression. He had already said his refusal, but he changed it to a gritted-teeth "okay".
“Okay, I’ll tutor her, I’ll help her tutor.”
He stared intently into Tang Ning's eyes with a deep, cold gaze. "Tonight, have her come to my room for tutoring."
He emphasized the last two words very heavily.
After saying that, the boy turned around and walked upstairs without looking back.
Around 7:30 PM, Tang Ning finished organizing her study materials and knocked on Ye Jinyan's door. As soon as he opened the door, he immediately pulled her into his dark room, then slammed her against the hard door with one hand, and with the other, he pinched her soft cheek, leaning closer, his icy voice slowly rising—
"What exactly do you want?"
Ye Jinyan's current favorability rating: -35.
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