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

Since wearing the couple's rings, Shen Yao has maintained a sweet relationship with Xiang Yuchuan on the surface, but she has quietly adjusted her strategy deep down.

She began to consciously devote more time and energy to self-improvement.

Consequently, the time spent with Xiang Yuchuan naturally decreased.

This wasn't some kind of manipulative tactic she was trying to pull, nor was it an attempt to provoke other men.

On the contrary, she was more "well-behaved" than ever before.

Her purpose was very clear.

By diluting the intensity of their relationship, she subtly nipped any potential "serious" thoughts that Xiang Yuchuan might develop in the bud.

"Yuchuan, I'm sorry, a date? It's not possible tonight. My English speaking teacher just praised me for my improvement, and I want to strike while the iron is hot and practice for another two hours."

"You'll teach me? No need."

"Yuchuan, want to see a movie? My dance class had extra practice today. The teacher said I'm not getting one move right, so I need to go practice it."

"When I've practiced enough, I'll dance for you, okay?"

The reasons she gave were all plausible, positive, and perfectly aligned with the persona of an "ideal girlfriend."

Do not indulge in pleasure, but strive to improve yourself.

At first, Xiang Yuchuan didn't think anything of it.

A date can happen anytime; Yao Yao is doing a great job trying.

But after a while, he found himself frustrated because Shen Yao would cancel his plans with various excuses like "studying," "practicing dance," or "working out."

He couldn't help but complain at a gathering of his cronies:

"It's hard to even ask her out for a meal now. She's always either studying or practicing dance; she's busier than me."

His cronies, instead of showing sympathy, burst into laughter.

"Oh my! Young Master Xiang, why are you complaining like a timid little wife?"

"Exactly! Aren't women usually the ones complaining that their boyfriends don't spend enough time with them? How come it's the other way around for you two?"

"It's a good thing Shen Yao is so ambitious! You've struck gold and you're still not satisfied? Do you want a parasitic vine that clings to you every day?"

His friends' words, half-joking and half-serious, were like a bucket of cold water poured over Xiang Yuchuan's head.

He opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found himself speechless.

Yeah, what right does he have to get angry? Does he have to say, "I don't like you working so hard, I just want you to play with me every day"?

That's incredibly unreasonable and unlike what a man does.

When he saw Shen Yao that evening, seeing her tired face but bright eyes sharing with him what new words she had learned that day and what breakthroughs she had made in dance moves, he couldn't bring himself to complain anymore.

He even couldn't resist taking out money, worried that she wouldn't have enough to spend.

Sometimes, when I'm really feeling pent up, I can only "punish" her in different ways in bed.

Shen Yao saw right through his little schemes, and outwardly cooperated. Occasionally, after his "punishment," she would lean softly against him, murmuring in a sleepy voice:

"Yuchuan, once I become better, I'll be able to stand by your side forever..."

In the evening, a private classical dance lesson ended.

Inside the dance classroom, Shen Yao was slightly out of breath, with fine beads of sweat on her forehead.

She was wearing a form-fitting black training outfit that perfectly accentuated her shapely figure.

Her long hair was tied into a neat bun at the back of her head, revealing her smooth and full forehead and graceful swan neck.

Every spin and every stretch of hers carries a sense of grace and power honed through rigorous training, her eyes focused intently.

"Excellent, Shen Yao, you've improved tremendously! Especially that 'Cloud Hands Catching a Lying Fish' move just now, it was full of charm, your posture and expression were spot on!"

The dance teacher praised her generously, her eyes full of admiration.

Shen Yao was one of her most talented and hardworking students.

Shen Yao smiled faintly and wiped her sweat: "Thank you, teacher. You're a great teacher."

Her humble attitude made her even more likable to the teacher.

After washing away her fatigue, Shen Yao changed back into the clothes she had worn.

A simple white sleeveless cotton dress, knee-length, with a well-fitting cut and no unnecessary embellishments, only accentuated her snow-white skin and clean, elegant demeanor.

She wore a pair of comfortable flat sandals, revealing her slender ankles.

She carried a canvas backpack filled with books and dance costumes, looking as refreshing as a gardenia after the rain, a stark contrast to the glitz and glamour outside.

It was precisely this extreme "purity" and "innocence" that created a fatal attraction when she stepped into that dazzling, desire-filled night.

At night, Shanghai is a river flowing with desire and money.

Beneath the Bund-style architecture, neon lights flash, luxury cars shuttle back and forth, and well-dressed men and women move about in an endless stream.

Shen Yao walked alone on the bustling sidewalk, her home was very close by.

She seemed indifferent to the surrounding noise, her pace unhurried, her gaze calmly fixed ahead.

The dazzling neon lights flowed over her, giving her an unreal halo.

The white dress fluttered gently in the night breeze, outlining the girl's slender figure.

Whether it's a wealthy young man with his female companion or a white-collar worker passing by in a hurry, their eyes are involuntarily drawn to her.

Her beauty was untouched by any vulgarity, making it all the more precious and alluring in this setting.

Not far away, at the entrance of an elegant teahouse, the atmosphere was tense.

Three brightly colored convertible sports cars were parked arrogantly on the side of the road.

Several stylish young men, who looked like they were not to be trifled with, were gathered together.

One of the dashing young men, with his flirtatious eyes, had just finished flirting with a sexy girl in the passenger seat and got out of the car with his arm around her slender waist.

"Xiao Er, where's your brother? He dumped you here instead of keeping you company?"

The charming young man, named Qin Fang, playfully pinched his female companion's waist while asking a question to a figure beside him.

The man being questioned was tall and thin, with medium-length hair that was casually tied into a small braid at the back of his head.

Although he was handsome, there was an unyielding sinister and violent aura between his brows and eyes.

It was none other than Xiao Weilin, the second young master of the Xiao family.

Upon hearing this, he glanced at Qin Fang:

"Qin Fang, do you have a death wish? Why do you have to bring up something you shouldn't say?"

Qin Fang was clearly used to his dog-like temper, always ready to "throw a tantrum," and chuckled nonchalantly, pointing to the teahouse in front of him:

"Alright, never mind. Look, that 'gentleman' upstairs, just like your brother, is waiting! Tell me, are you going to just crash the party, or try a polite approach first?"

A young man with dyed blond hair, whose looks were slightly less striking but still handsome, was standing next to him. He was the son of a local building materials merchant, named Wang Cong. He quickly tried to smooth things over:

"Brother Fang, Brother Lin, we're here to apologize, so don't cause trouble!"

Xiao Weilin clicked his tongue impatiently and raised his foot to kick Qin Fang: "Stop talking nonsense and go inside!"

Qin Fang, however, seemed to slip away nimbly.

His nonchalant smile vanished abruptly, his gaze fixed on the street corner, and he let out a loud whistle.

"Damn it! You better really have something going on!" Xiao Weilin's patience ran out.

Qin Fang remained unmoved, gesturing with his chin for them to turn their heads, lowering his voice, and speaking with the excitement of discovering prey:

"Look over there, at nine o'clock, amazing! Tonight was definitely worth it."

Xiao Weilin and Wang Cong looked in the direction he was pointing with impatience.

There was no need for Qin Fang to specify which one it was.

In the bustling crowd, the girl in the white dress who walked alone was like a glass lamp that suddenly lit up in the dark night, instantly attracting all the light.

The neon lights swept across her exquisite profile, and her long eyelashes cast a faint shadow on her lower eyelids.

She walked slowly, yet with a strange sense of rhythm, as if the surrounding noise had nothing to do with her.

A few stray hairs fluttered in the night breeze, which she casually tucked behind her ear with a natural and elegant gesture.

She did nothing, just walked quietly, yet she possessed a magical power that made everything around her pale in comparison.

Pure, yet carrying an unconscious fragility that invites destruction.