Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

"What are you always looking over here for?" Xia Xiaoxiao pushed Xu Qingfan's head back in place with disgust.

Ever since Wu Lingyu and Zhang Yiyi had gone upstairs, the unfaithful man had been glancing upstairs every thirty seconds, because he was full of guilt and scared that the two might start fighting up there.

"Two-two-three-four, can't I do some neck exercises?" Xu Qingfan retorted as he rotated his head in all directions.

Xia Xiaoxiao pursed her lips and rolled her eyes before continuing to watch the drama on TV.

The Legend of Zhen Huan had just started not long ago, currently showing the selection of new concubines, with Zhen Huan and Lingrong entering the palace.

Xia Xiaoxiao thought it was just another romance drama about a prince and a common girl and soon lost interest.

Lin Wanning, who was also concerned about the negotiations upstairs, shared the same lack of enthusiasm.

Only Xiao Ruawen, with a watermelon in hand, watched with great interest, her spoonful of fruit hanging mid-air, forgetting to eat it.

"Brother Qing Fan, where do you think you're going, huh?" The moment the unfaithful man showed signs of getting up, Lin Wanning had already placed her hand on his arm.

"Ha... I'm just going to use the bathroom." Xu Qingfan patted her hand and after she let go, he scurried off to the restroom awkwardly.

Once he had locked the door, he leaned against the wall, checking his WeChat and QQ again and again.

Wu Lingyu and Zhang Yiyi still hadn't sent him a single message, even though it had been nearly half an hour since they'd gone upstairs.

As it was nearly two in the afternoon, Xu Qingfan's anxiety worsened.

[Lingyu is still mad at me. If she spills all my secrets in a fit of anger, how will I ever continue on in the dark?]

"Brother belongs to me!"

"Don't think just because you've gotten under the covers with Qingfan that he's yours, Yiyi I'm telling you, I've done that too!"

"You you you!" (incoherent)

"Hmph!" (with hands on hips)

Just the thought alone sent chills down Xu Qingfan's spine.

What worried him more wasn't just the quarrel between Lingyu and Yiyi, but the thought of Lin Wanning, Xia Xiaoxiao, and Xiao Ruawen coming upstairs due to the noise, especially Xia Xiaoxiao!

When that happened, it would truly be like Mars colliding with Earth, a swords and blades duel to the death.

"Lingyu, please don't ruin me," he muttered to himself.

His words were irrational, for if Wu Lingyu did spill the beans, at most it would be helping him come to his senses.

All along, the person who was truly harming him was himself!

Of course, of course, they were also to blame for indulging him.

"Lingyu definitely won't betray me, absolutely not!"

Xu Qingfan's trust in Wu Lingyu overcame his suspicions.

After all, if he didn't truly trust Lingyu, the unfaithful man wouldn't have shared all his secrets with her in the first place.

"I'm just afraid that Yiyi will trick her into talking. Yiyi is too smart. If Lingyu accidentally slips up..."

Wu Lingyu had always given him the impression of being simple and honest; despite her good grades, she seemed somewhat naïve.

Her straightforwardness differed from Lin Wanning's natural ditziness, but Xu Qingfan couldn't quite pinpoint the exact difference.

As for Zhang Yiyi, the young girl had always been seen as a woman of few words but many schemes, especially since her mother was Zhang Chunxue.

In Xu Qingfan's opinion, it would be a piece of cake for Yiyi to manipulate Lingyu.

However, in reality...

...

"Yiyi, we have to pretend to be angry with each other when we go down later; we can't let Brother Fan catch on!" Before leaving the room, Wu Lingyu suddenly grabbed Zhang Yiyi's hand.

Zhang Yiyi paused for a moment but quickly grasped Lingyu's intention.

[Having Lingyu join us was definitely the right choice!] she thought to herself.

"Yes, absolutely!"

"We can't let Brother Fan find out we've teamed up!" Zhang Yiyi agreed enthusiastically.

"We'll say this when the time comes..." Despite knowing the room was soundproof, Wu Lingyu still worried about eavesdroppers and whispered into her ear.

"Mhmm!"

"Lingyu, you're right!"

Zhang Yiyi's eyes sparkled as she listened because Lingyu's suggestions all made perfect sense.

For instance, finding the right moment for Lingyu to generously overlook the situation, but not to readily give in—men like Qingfan, who got what they wanted too easily, did not treasure it!

"Yiyi, when you talk to Brother Fan later, just tell him I've agreed to keep your secret. But on the condition that you two can no longer continue like this. At least not for a while. The specific timeframe we can discuss later," Wu Lingyu said, looking a bit sheepish.

"Absolutely!"

"He needs to be properly punished, this inattentive Brother Fan!"

Zhang Yiyi heartily agreed since she was merely temporarily barred from snuggling up with Brother Fan, while Lingyu was postponing her share indefinitely.

Its greatness goes without saying!

"Right, it's the same with Wanning. None of us should...should...reward him anymore, at least for now," Wu Lingyu spoke, her face flushing as she struggled to find a suitable word.

"Pfft—"

Zhang Yiyi chuckled and pinched her cheek: "It's settled then!"

"Yes!" Lingyu also showed a naive smile.

After settling all the details, they left the room beaming.

Once they reached the stairway corner, Wu Lingyu and Zhang Yiyi instinctively put a three-foot distance between them and dropped the smiles from their faces.

"Yiyi, you go down first," Wu Lingyu took a deep breath and said.

"Okay!" Zhang Yiyi's face pretended a shiver as she looked at her, but within half a second she broke character.

"Good luck, don't give it away in front of Brother Fan!" She squeezed Lingyu's hand, let go, and then turned to descend the stairs.

Watching Zhang Yiyi's back vanish around the corner, Lingyu could finally laugh without restraint, dancing and chuckling freely with joy.