The antique girlfriend of a chaebol heir

Shen Ci was stunned for a moment, then quickly lowered his head.

"Youyou?" Shen Xiaoming seemed to sense something and followed her gaze in that direction. He saw the young man looking this way and frowned slightly. "Do you know him?"

Shen Ci shook her head almost reflexively, her voice calm and even: "I don't know her."

Although that person is the original owner's boyfriend, he's also the male protagonist in a storybook, and they're bound to break up sooner or later.

She didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble.

If Shen Xiaoming, who was just giving a moral lecture, knew that his daughter already had a boyfriend, he would probably have a heart attack on the spot.

My phone vibrated again.

Jiang Duo: "Is that your uncle across from you? Should I go over and say hello?"

Shen Ci's fingertips trembled, and she quickly replied, "No, no, no."

The three "no" characters lined up in a row clearly indicate a refusal.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end, and then another message was sent.

"What, am I someone who can't stand the light of day?"

The simple words carried an ambiguous chill.

Shen Ci sensed that something was off about his tone.

She frowned and pondered for a moment, carefully choosing her words, then tapped lightly on the screen: "If it's exposed too early, it will be nipped in the bud by the elders."

At the other end of the restaurant, Jiang Duo looked at the line of text on the screen and suddenly chuckled softly.

The laughter was soft, yet it sent a chill down the spines of Xie Shuheng and Su Cheng standing beside him.

"Duo... Brother Duo?" Su Cheng asked cautiously, "Are you... alright?"

Jiang Duo didn't answer. He simply placed his phone on the table and turned his gaze back to the window. His eyes were filled with turbulent emotions, but a faint smile played on his lips.

Jiang Duo, how could he ever be so shameful...?

The next meal was utterly tasteless for Shen Ci.

Jiang Duo was still sitting there.

He leaned back lazily in his chair, rarely talking to the people around him, his gaze sometimes drifting across the tables to her.

His gaze was neither cold nor warm, yet it carried an invisible sense of oppression, like a fine net that tightly enveloped her.

The few words in the WeChat message made her panic for a moment, but that panic only lasted for a few seconds.

Shen Ci quickly took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and her gaze returned to its calm state.

In her memory, although the original owner and this aloof male protagonist had been dating for two months in name, they had actually spent very little time together.

This relationship was twisted from the beginning—Jiang Duo was coerced into becoming the original owner's boyfriend by a false debt of gratitude for saving his life.

He definitely had no romantic feelings for her whatsoever.

Those few unexpected WeChat messages were probably just his casual probing.

Given Jiang Duo's perceptive and insightful nature, he probably already noticed the subtle differences between her and the original owner when they were at the hot springs last time.

But Shen Ci had no intention of going to great lengths to imitate the original owner's personality and behavior; living like that would be too tiring and too fake.

Her only thought now is to quietly remain invisible, without disturbing or bothering anyone.

As long as Jiang Duo gradually forgets about me, and he meets someone he truly likes and is the one to break up with me first, everything will be resolved.

finally--

Jiang Duo stood up.

He calmly picked up his coat from the back of the chair, said something to the two people beside him, and then turned and walked towards the door.

As he passed her table, he didn't stop walking, nor did he even glance at her, as if she were a complete stranger.

His actions further confirmed Shen Ci's conjecture.

Those few words in the WeChat message just now were indeed his test.

Su Cheng followed behind, glancing at Shen Ci again as they passed by, his eyes filled with complex emotions, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, before Xie Shuheng grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

Only after the three figures disappeared at the restaurant entrance did Shen Ci's back completely relax, and she let out a soft breath.

The afternoon sun was a bit dazzling.

After leaving the restaurant, Shen Xiaoming glanced at his watch, loosened his tie, and said apologetically, "Youyou, something urgent came up at Dad's company, so I won't be able to see you into the school."

Shen Ci nodded obediently, indicating that she would be perfectly fine going back alone.

Shen Xiaoming hesitated for a moment before opening the car door. He turned around, still worried, and carefully instructed, "I asked when I registered. Your school has four cafeterias. Just pick the best one and don't deprive yourself. If you don't have enough money, just tell Dad."

Shen Ci felt a warmth in her heart and replied softly, "I know, Dad. You go ahead and do your work. Be careful on the road."

Watching her father's car merge into the traffic on the main road and gradually become a blurry little dot, she stood there in a daze for a while.

The father in the original owner's memory, who was always busy with business but never forgot to care about his daughter's life, now made her feel a long-lost sense of peace.

Shen Ci withdrew her gaze and turned to walk towards the campus.

The dormitory is on the third floor.

Shen Ci used the smart card she had obtained that morning to swipe open the dormitory door. After pushing it open, she heard movement inside.

A tall, slender girl was sitting on the lower bunk by the window, tidying up the bookshelf. When she heard the noise, she looked up and saw a pair of black-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. Her eyes widened slightly the moment she saw Shen Ci.

The girl standing at the door turned around. She wasn't tall, and her round face had a pair of dimples that made her smile sweetly. She was holding a potted plant, but forgot to move it at that moment.

The two stared at Shen Ci, a hint of amazement flashing in their eyes.

"Y-hello!" The shorter girl was the first to react, her dimples deepening. "I'm Chu Xuanxuan, I'm from here!"

"My name is Yu Nuo." The tall, slender girl pushed up her glasses, her voice clear and bright. "It's a pleasure to be your roommate."

Shen Ci smiled and introduced herself just like them: "My name is Shen Ci, nice to meet you all."

In the afternoon, the last member of the dormitory moved in. Her name was Li Yueran, a lively and outgoing girl from Hunan.

As night deepened, the noise in the dormitory building did not subside.

The hallway was filled with the sounds of running water, laughter, and the slapping of slippers, like countless birds chirping on branches.

After finally washing up and climbing into bed, apart from Shen Ci, the other girls weren't sleepy at all.

Chu Xuanxuan's voice sounded particularly excited; she clearly had a lot to say.

Before she arrived to register, her older cousin—a third-year student at the same university—gave her a detailed "admission guide." Now, she finally found her chance to shine and started talking.

Freshmen girls are at the age when they are most energetic and full of romantic fantasies.

Chu Xuanxuan vividly recounted various gossips and prominent figures at school, and the first one she mentioned was naturally the "legend" in the hearts of all the girls in the school—Jiang Duo.

"Let me tell you, he's the kind of person who... gets 100% attention just by walking around campus!"

Chu Xuanxuan's voice was full of longing. Just his family background, his grades, and his impeccable face were enough for her to talk about for a long time.