Chapter 353: Surveillance

Early the next morning, Qiu Qianwei looked radiant.

She had stayed the night and slept soundly. But in the room next door, Feng Xuansu and Ning Aoxue had tossed and turned all night, barely closing their eyes. The reason? Strange, unmistakable sounds coming from Wang Haoran’s room. After hearing them, Feng Xuansu’s doubts about someone’s physical condition vanished entirely. Her heart brimmed with a mix of relief and rising anxiety.

When Qiu Qianwei got up and caught the looks Feng Xuansu and Ning Aoxue gave her, she instantly felt awkward. Still, she forced herself to act calm, pretending nothing was out of the ordinary.

As long as she didn’t feel embarrassed, the awkwardness belonged to them.

That morning, Feng Anna had woken early to make breakfast. The few of them sat around the table and ate together. After the meal, Wang Haoran took his time heading to class.

When he arrived at the classroom, Lu Ming came up to him and reported, “Boss, I just ran into that Ye Qiu guy.”

Wang Haoran glanced him over. “He hit you again?”

“No,” Lu Ming shook his head. “He was actually pretty polite. Said what happened before was a misunderstanding and told me not to take it to heart.”

Wang Haoran’s eyes narrowed slightly. A guy like Ye Qiu giving face to a minor villain like Lu Ming? That didn’t sit right.

“You didn’t spill anything, did you? Like how I hired a lawyer to go after him?”

“Of course not!” Lü Ming looked indignant. “You think I’m that easy to trick? I didn’t say a single word about you, Boss.”

Wang Haoran studied Lu Ming’s face carefully. He didn’t look like he was lying, but even so, Wang Haoran made a mental note to stay cautious. Ye Qiu was an assassin-type protagonist.

It wouldn’t be surprising if he used methods beyond the norm—like hypnotizing Lu Ming and pulling information from his subconscious. Whatever Lu Ming might’ve said, he probably didn’t even realize it himself.

After the day’s classes ended, Wang Haoran remembered Song Zhenyu and decided to reach out to check in on her. They chatted briefly on the phone. Grateful for his previous help, she insisted on treating him to a meal. It had been a while since they’d met, so he readily agreed.

They met at the school gates not long after and walked to a nearby barbecue spot that Song Zhenyu had picked.

“This is the only place I can afford to take you,” she said, a little self-conscious.

Wang Haoran waved it off. “This place is great.”

He’d actually been here a few times before, brought by Mu Zhaozhao. The place was clean, and the food was pretty solid. They ordered some skewers and two plates of stir-fried noodles. While they waited, Wang Haoran asked, “How’s school going?”

“It’s not just going well—it’s going better than I ever imagined,” Song Zhenyu beamed.

Ji Shuiyao gave her extra attention during their sessions, all because Wang Haoran spoke up for her. Song Zhenyu picked things up quickly and stayed focused. At this pace, she’d be ready for the exams in no time.

“That’s great. I hope you ace your grad school entrance,” Wang Haoran said sincerely.

“If it weren’t for you, I don’t know how much longer I’d be struggling. I’m really lucky to have such a good mentor,” she said, full of gratitude.

“We’re not strangers. No need to be so formal,” he chuckled.

“Alright then, I won’t hold back,” she said, easing up with a smile.

It was still early evening, so the barbecue place wasn’t too crowded. Soon, the skewers started arriving. Wang Haoran was just about to dig in when he suddenly felt it—a faint, but distinct sensation. Someone was watching him.

That instinct sharpened. His gaze swept the surroundings, and sure enough, he locked onto a suspicious figure. The man wore a sunhat, most of his face hidden. But it wasn’t enough to block Wang Haoran’s penetrating vision.

It was Ye Qiu.

In that moment, Wang Haoran confirmed his suspicion that Ye Qiu had gotten something out of Lu Ming. At the very least, he must’ve found out that the lawsuit was orchestrated by someone behind the scenes.

Even more than that, because Bu Feiyan’s whereabouts had been exposed, Ye Qiu might’ve already guessed that the issues with the old house and the new one were all caused by him.

That thought annoyed him. This little sheep wasn’t staying in the pen like it should. Instead of quietly offering up wool, it had bolted for the hills.

“Why aren’t you eating?” Song Zhenyu asked when she saw him holding a squid skewer, unmoving.

“How can I eat when you’re sitting across from me looking like that?” Wang Haoran grinned. “You’re so beautiful, just watching you fills me up.”

“Sweet talker,” she said, eyes gleaming but voice feigning disapproval. “If it were another girl sitting here, you’d say the same thing, wouldn’t you?”

“Not a chance,” he said with a shrug. “If she were ugly, I wouldn’t even bother looking, let alone sit down to eat with her.”

Just then, the barbecue owner’s daughter walked over carrying their stir-fried noodles. As she neared, she overheard Wang Haoran’s words. Her hand trembled. One of the plates slipped and dumped hot noodles all over his jacket.

The oil soaked in immediately, staining the fabric.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m really sorry!” the girl bowed her head again and again, voice tight with panic.

As she bent forward, her long bangs shifted slightly, revealing part of her face. A large black birthmark stretched over one cheek.

Wang Haoran was startled. He’d seen this girl before when he came here with Mu Zhaozhao. Back then, he thought she kept her bangs long for style. Turns out it was to cover up that mark.

He frowned slightly. It was indeed unsightly.

What he said just a moment ago about ugly girls was meant as casual banter, but clearly it struck a nerve. Sensitive to how others saw her, the girl must’ve gotten flustered, which led to the accident.

“Ugh, that’s disgusting! I almost threw up what I just ate!” someone muttered from a nearby table.

“Being ugly’s not your fault, but coming out and scaring people is,” another chimed in.

“You damn eyesore,” a third said harshly. “You ruined Young Master Wang’s jacket. What are you waiting for? Get on your knees and apologize!”

The voices came from a group of freshmen who recognized Wang Haoran. Their crude mockery was loud and venomous.

Wang Haoran’s eyes narrowed.

This scene… felt all too familiar. Like a classic plot moment where the female lead gets bullied by low-tier villains.

But this girl? She was far from a typical female lead. With that kind of face?

Then again… maybe not.

A thought sparked in Wang Haoran’s mind. He took a closer look at the girl. Her figure was undeniably curvaceous. Under the curtain of hair and beneath that unfortunate birthmark, her features were actually well-proportioned—delicate even.

Without the birthmark, she’d be stunning.

His eyes narrowed further. He caught the scent of something deeper—a setup, a hidden script playing out right before him.

Something about this was definitely a trope.