The Guide to Rising to Power: The Ultimate Schemes of a Green Tea Beauty

The days passed quietly amidst Shen Yao's meticulous planning and her efforts to get to know Xiang Yuchuan.

Shen Yao gradually figured out Xiang Yuchuan's temperament. He was more responsive to gentle persuasion than force, and his tolerance for her increased significantly, especially after their close relationship was established.

Her probing began to intensify.

On one occasion, Xiang Yuchuan suddenly decided to take her to a business dinner that required formal attire. Shen Yao happened to have a very important private ballet lesson that day, and she didn't want to miss it.

More importantly, she began to consciously "train" Xiang Yuchuan, no longer wanting to obey him in everything.

She refused directly over the phone, her tone even carrying a hint of impatience:

"No! I have class tonight, a very important class! You always give me these last-minute notices, how am I supposed to prepare?"

Xiang Yuchuan paused for a moment on the other end of the phone, then his temper flared up.

He was used to Shen Yao's docility, but he never expected her to so directly contradict him over a trivial dance class and even preemptively get angry.

"Shen Yao! You..." Before he could finish speaking, Shen Yao had already hung up the phone decisively.

Xiang Yuchuan held his phone, listening to the busy tone, and almost laughed in exasperation.

This script is wrong! Shouldn't he be the one getting angry, and she be carefully trying to appease him? How did it turn into her getting angry first, and then she became the one in the wrong?

A surge of anger welled up inside him, unable to rise or fall. He decided to give it the cold shoulder and didn't contact Shen Yao for two days.

He waited, waiting for this arrogant woman to take the initiative to admit her mistake and beg for reconciliation.

Two days have passed, and there has been no word from Shen Yao.

There were no phone calls, no WeChat messages; it was as quiet as if it had vanished into thin air.

Xiang Yuchuan sat in the empty villa, beginning to fidget with unease.

At first, he was angry, feeling that Shen Yao was ungrateful. But after the anger subsided, he felt empty inside, as if something was missing.

He couldn't help but think of Shen Yao.

He remembered the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled, the soft way she nestled in his arms, and her awkward yet alluring reactions in bed…

The more she thought about it, the more it itched in her heart, and that burning desire was gradually replaced by an indescribable longing and frustration.

Damn, what is this? When has he ever been treated like this, especially by a woman?!

He irritably ran his fingers through his hair, experiencing for the first time the true torment of being in love.

They're truly sweet when they're being affectionate, but when they start arguing, it's really painful!

Two more days passed, and there was still no word from Shen Yao. Xiang Yuchuan could no longer sit still.

His pitiful patience was completely exhausted, replaced by an anxious urge to see her immediately and bring her back.

That afternoon, he drove and, using the address Shen Yao had casually mentioned before, found the dance studio located in a high-end office building in the city center.

With a dark expression, and without making an appointment, he took the elevator upstairs. Reaching the dance studio entrance, he saw through the huge glass window the figure that had haunted his dreams for the past few days.

Shen Yao, dressed in a tight-fitting black training uniform, with her hair neatly pinned up behind her head, was holding onto the barre and performing movements that demanded extreme flexibility and balance under the guidance of her teacher.

Her expression was focused, sweat soaked the stray hairs on her forehead, and her body stretched into a graceful yet difficult arc, like a black swan about to take flight.

Xiang Yuchuan stood outside the window, watching quietly.

He had seen her in all sorts of ways, but he had never seen her so focused and dedicated to something.

The resilient radiance emanating from within captivated him, and his anger inexplicably dissipated.

Shen Yao looked up and saw him outside the window. A flash of surprise crossed her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure, even becoming somewhat indifferent, and continued to focus on completing her task.

Xiang Yuchuan was speechless again by her dismissive attitude. When Shen Yao finished class, changed her clothes, and came out, he quickly went to greet her.

"Yaoyao..." He touched his nose, looking a little awkward, and his tone was somewhat clumsy and ingratiating, "Um, are you still angry?"

Shen Yao glanced at him, said nothing, and continued walking forward on her own.

Xiang Yuchuan stood beside her, and for the first time, he swallowed his pride and begged for forgiveness over such a trivial matter.

"I admit I was wrong, okay? Next time, next time I'll tell you in advance." It sounded incredibly awkward coming from his mouth.

Shen Yao paused, turned her head to look at him, her face still expressionless, but her eyes softened slightly: "Really?"

"Really!" Xiang Yuchuan quickly assured her, reaching out to take her hand.

Shen Yao then "reluctantly" let him pull her back, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Seeing her soften her attitude, Xiang Yuchuan felt relieved, and the anger and longing that had been suppressed for several days instantly transformed into a more direct impulse.

He pulled her quickly toward the elevator, went straight down to the underground parking garage, and shoved her into the car.

"What are you doing?" Shen Yao asked, feigning surprise.

Xiang Yuchuan didn't answer, but just gave her a deep look, his eyes dark.

The car sped back to the villa. As soon as they entered, he pinned her against the door and kissed her passionately, with a mixture of punishment, catharsis, and, above all, the longing for something lost and then regained.

If the daytime "settlement" is successful, then naturally the evening will be spent "getting it back" with interest.

That night, Xiang Yuchuan seemed to be making up for all the time he had missed in the previous days, tormenting her in all sorts of ways.

Shen Yao initially cooperated, but later she couldn't stand it anymore and could only curse this energetic and unpredictable young master a thousand times in her heart.

Shanghai University has started a new semester.

Stepping back into the familiar campus, Shen Yao felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Countless times, she thanked herself for her decision to "take the wrong path."

Look, only a few months have passed, and her life has undergone earth-shattering changes.

She transformed from a mountain girl wearing faded old clothes, filled with confusion and fear about the future, into Shen Yao, who now lives in a luxury apartment, has a large sum of money, owns a luxury car, has a boyfriend who is a "top rich second generation in Shanghai," and whose own value is rapidly increasing.

On the first day of school, discussions about Shen Yao quietly began to circulate on campus.

"My God, is that Shen Yao? I haven't seen her for a holiday, and she's gotten so much prettier!"

"Yes, I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's just different! My skin seems to be glowing!"

"She used to be pure and pretty, but now, wow, she seems to have a different kind of charm. Just looking at her makes my heart race."

"Yes, yes, yes! It's that innocent yet alluring feeling! Her walking posture is also particularly beautiful, like she's dancing!"

The students whispered amongst themselves, their eyes filled with amazement and disbelief.

If Shen Yao was a campus beauty last semester, then after a winter break of almost rigorous self-investment and self-improvement, she is now beautiful beyond measure.

Expensive skincare products, cosmetic procedures, strict diet control, and body shaping exercises brought her skin and figure to their peak; ballet and classical dance training greatly improved her posture and temperament, giving her every move a natural elegance and charm.

"Look! Young Master Xiang is here to pick up Shen Yao from get out of class again!"

"Are their relationship getting better? Look at the way Shao looks at her, tsk, they're practically smitten!"

"It's more than just good! They've been dating for almost half a year now, right? That's a record! And it seems like Young Master Xiang is even more clingy to her than before?"

"I've never seen anything like it before. I never thought Xiang Yuchuan could be this 'well-behaved'?"

Not only his classmates, but even Xiang Yuchuan's group of cronies were shocked in private.

They originally thought Shen Yao was just a "plaything" for the young master to keep his interest alive, but they didn't expect that after several months, the two not only didn't break up, but instead seemed to be getting sweeter and sweeter.

In the past, when they gathered together, they would steal a few glances at Shen Yao, but Xiang Yuchuan mostly ignored her.

Now, anyone who glances at Shen Yao more than a few times will immediately receive a cold, warning look from Young Master Xiang. His jealousy can be smelled from a great distance.

"Holy crap, is Young Master Xiang serious this time?"

"Who knows! Anyway, Shen Yao is quite capable, managing to bewitch Young Master Xiang like this."

"Tsk, what a pity... Such a gem, if it weren't for Young Master Xiang protecting her so closely..." someone said sourly.

"Come on, even if Young Master Xiang lets go, it's not our turn. With his looks and methods, he has far higher standards!"