Chapter 1: My Younger Sister, Ai Xiaomei

The Memory Pupil—the ability to see into the thoughts of a chosen person—had shown him a side of the goddess he’d never imagined. In an instant, her image shattered within his heart like glass; so this was the true reason he’d been rejected ninety-nine times! And to make matters even more dramatic, the wealthy boyfriend Bai Tiantian was secretly seeing turned out to be Liu Haoyu’s father. No wonder she’d been so ruthless in turning Liu Haoyu down.

Because Bai Tiantian was pregnant with Liu Haoyu’s father’s child, she was basically his stepmother now.

“So, Bai Tiantian just wants to find someone to cover up the truth, so she can keep sneaking around with Liu Haoyu’s dad!” Yang Fan almost cursed aloud. If he really married her, he’d be wearing the world’s most embarrassing crown.

“Unbelievable!”

“Now you see, that IOU for two thousand yuan wasn’t undeserved, was it? I told you before, you’d be satisfied with it.”

“Satisfied my foot!” Yang Fan swore in his mind, his fury not directed at Ai Xiaomei, but rather at Bai Tiantian.

Ai Xiaomei fell silent, most likely gleefully counting her two thousand yuan. Meanwhile, the words Yang Fan hadn’t finished still hung in the air.

“Hurry up and say ‘I do,’ Yang Fan! Bai Tiantian’s giving you a chance.”

“Yeah, Yang Fan, what are you waiting for?”

…

His roommates’ urging voices echoed around him. Most of the gathered crowd was there for the spectacle; only his friends truly hoped Yang Fan’s four years of devotion would have a perfect ending.

“I… of course, I…” Yang Fan spoke each word deliberately, resolute as stone. Faces shifted all around, none more so than Liu Haoyu’s. He, too, was a devoted pursuer of Bai Tiantian, and now the girl he’d longed for was about to become someone else’s girlfriend.

He was a rich kid—how could Yang Fan compare? Liu Haoyu was about to speak up, but his mouth lagged behind his brain, and before he could, Yang Fan finished his sentence.

“Of course, I do not agree.”

Everyone was stunned. The turn in the story was beyond anyone’s comprehension. Only Yang Fan and Bai Tiantian seemed truly clear-headed.

“What did you say?” Bai Tiantian’s face changed instantly; she gritted her teeth as she spoke.

“I said I don’t agree,” Yang Fan repeated firmly. With those words, he walked straight through the crowd.

Did they really think he’d be a willing fool? Did they take him for an idiot?

There was no denying it—Yang Fan had become the center of attention again, but this time, it was his departing figure that drew every gaze.

“A legend!”

“Ninety-nine confessions rejected, and the last time, he’s the one who turned her down.”

…

Bai Tiantian stood rooted to the spot, unable to process what had just happened. Under the weight of the crowd’s eyes, she squatted down.

“I’m willing! Even if he’s not, I am!” she cried out.

Liu Haoyu, sensing an opportunity, moved to comfort the goddess—his specialty. Yang Fan nearly burst out laughing. This was truly the stuff of ruined worldviews.

“Go for it, chase her! Boldly! You’re the hero who’s stealing your dad’s little lover,” Yang Fan muttered to himself from a short distance away as he bought a drink to calm his nerves. Liu Haoyu was hardly a good person either—in four years at university, he’d crossed swords with Yang Fan more than once.

Watching this scene unfold was deeply satisfying. His roommates, meanwhile, were still in shock, unable to comprehend why Yang Fan, who had seemed on the verge of agreeing, had suddenly reversed course.

It felt as if everyone’s eyes still clung to him, regarding him as some kind of enigma.

“I want a drink! Me too, me too…” Ai Xiaomei’s voice piped up restlessly from the necklace. Yang Fan was exasperated; couldn’t she just amuse herself quietly for once? Besides, this drink was expensive.

“Can’t you save a little money?”

“I don’t care! I want a drink!” Ai Xiaomei’s voice was full of childish indignation, venting at Yang Fan’s lack of team spirit.

“Then come out here,” Yang Fan responded calmly.

“Fine, I’ll teleport outside and come find you. See, I’m good to you. Remember, you can’t count on girlfriends—just having a sister is enough…”

“Get a move on, quit your nonsense!” Yang Fan was done listening to Ai Xiaomei’s twisted logic. Any more of this and he’d be brainwashed for sure.

Still, she did have a point—girlfriends were unreliable.

He glanced unconsciously toward Bai Tiantian. Over there, Liu Haoyu was comforting her, perhaps reveling in this rare chance for closeness.

“Four years at university, four years of effort, and in the end, I finally see things clearly. The so-called heroine has nothing to do with me anymore,” Yang Fan mused, shaking his head as if mocking his own past naivety and ignorance. Never having gained, there was nothing to lose. Over these four years, his heart had become unshakably resolute.

“Ai Xiaomei, could you hurry up? Are you going to drink or not?”

“Coming!” Ai Xiaomei called, and a streak of light shot from Yang Fan’s neck. He smiled wryly—having a little sister really was a hassle.

“Anyone want a drink? I’ll go buy some,” Yang Fan called to his close friends.

“Is this good news or bad news?” one asked.

“I’d like to know that myself.”

“Yang Fan, can I interview you? Why the sudden change of heart?”

…

Yang Fan only smiled, saying nothing. Some things were too world-shattering to shatter his friends’ innocent hearts.

“So, are you having a drink or not? This is a one-time chance,” Yang Fan reminded them.

“Tell us first, is it good news or bad?”

“Good news. I’ll introduce you to a beauty.”

“Who?” His three roommates’ eyes sparkled.

“That one.” Yang Fan pointed to the archway, where a stunning beauty appeared.

“Brother!” Ai Xiaomei called out, her voice instantly drawing every gaze to her. She was too perfect, the kind of beauty found only in paintings of fairies; in her presence, even the most vibrant flowers seemed dull.

“Come here,” Yang Fan beckoned. This wasn’t the first time she’d caused such a sensation; just two days ago at the mall, she’d drawn a crowd for two hours.

“A true femme fatale!”

“Who is she? I don’t remember Yang Fan having a sister.”

“No wonder he changed his mind—next to her, Bai Tiantian is just a country girl!”

…

From that moment, Bai Tiantian’s beauty could no longer cloak her goddess-like aura. Everyone, Bai Tiantian, Liu Haoyu, and the rest, stood frozen as if carved from wood.

Yang Fan had no interest in explaining. As Ai Xiaomei rushed toward him, only one word flashed through his mind: wild girl.

“Yang Fan, who is this?” someone asked.

“My sister, Ai Xiaomei,” Yang Fan replied without hesitation.