Chapter 1610

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, yet Ye Heng'an's clingy affection showed no signs of waning—if anything, it had only intensified. On Friday afternoon, under the pretense of cooking a special meal for Mu Nuan, he lured her back to his apartment. The meal was eaten, and Mu Nuan even complimented his improved culinary skills. She had planned to return to her dorm right after lunch to finish a group assignment with Qingqing. But Ye Heng'an, relentless as ever, pulled her into the bedroom, kissing her until she was dizzy and weak, ultimately wearing down her resistance. By the time they woke from their exhausted nap, it was already past two in the afternoon. Mu Nuan bolted upright at the sight of the time, scrambling into her clothes with a groan. "You promised you wouldn’t sleep and would wake me up on time! Look at this—we’re late!" "It’s fine. So what if we’re late?" "'Fine'?!" She shot him a glare, exasperated. "You and I are in completely different leagues when it comes to grades. I’m already the teacher’s pet troublemaker, and in the past two weeks with you, I’ve been late more than ten times. At this point, the entire faculty knows my name!" "With looks like yours, the whole school already knew you anyway." Mu Nuan finished buttoning her shirt and dashed for the door. "Bullshit. They only recognize me because I’m dating you—they think I’m just some airheaded trophy girlfriend who doesn’t deserve you!" "You think just anyone gets to be a trophy? A girl as stunning as you, with a perfect figure, a flawless personality, diverse interests, and an obedient boyfriend like me—there’s only one in the entire world." Mu Nuan couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. This guy… when did his silver tongue get so sharp? Ye Heng'an jogged alongside her as they hurried out of the apartment complex. Just as they were about to exit the gate, Mu Nuan suddenly yanked him back, pulling him behind the security booth to hide. Frowning, Ye Heng'an whispered, "What’s wrong?" Mu Nuan pressed a finger to her lips in a hushing gesture, tilting her head to peer toward the roadside beyond the residential area. Across the street at the school entrance, Ding You stepped out of a red Mercedes, glancing around cautiously. Just as he was about to enter the school gate, a woman's voice called out, "Hey, A-You, wait up." The woman who emerged from the car made Mu Nuan's blood boil with just one glance—it was Yang Yun. Yang Yun circled in front of Ding You, straightening his collar and brushing her fingers against his cheek. Ding You nervously scanned his surroundings before muttering something and quickly disappearing into the campus. Yang Yun followed right after. Mu Nuan stepped away from the wall, fists clenched in fury, only to hear Ye Heng'an's voice beside her: "Isn't that Xiao Qingqing's boyfriend? What's he doing with Yang Yun?" Hearing him mention Yang the Harvey family name, Mu Nuan turned to him with a frown. "Since when do you pay attention to gossip? How do you even know Yang Yun? Is she some campus celebrity, or have you been keeping tabs on her?" "Like I'd waste my time on her," Ye Heng'an scoffed. "She's just the daughter of one of my uncle's business partners. I’ve seen her and her father at the company a few times." So that's how it was... Mu Nuan gritted her teeth, glaring at the retreating figures with smoldering anger. "Yang Yun is nothing but a scheming hypocrite. She used to have a thing for Ding You, but he wasn’t interested—he only had eyes for Qingqing. When Yang Yun realized she couldn’t win him over, she moved on. But the moment Ding You finally won Qingqing’s heart after two years of persistence, Yang Yun dumped her third college boyfriend and announced to the world that Ding You was her one true love. She even had the nerve to say she wanted a 'fair competition' with Qingqing." She let out an exasperated sigh. "Fair competition? Please. Those two were already together. She’s just trying to sabotage their relationship." Watching her seethe with righteous indignation, Ye Heng'an reached out and ruffled her hair. "You’re really worked up. Want me to teach her a lesson?" Mu Nuan frowned. "I thought about stepping in, but Qingqing said relationships are between two people. Yang Yun is just a test for her and Ding You—whether they can stand firm is their own battle. She doesn’t want outsiders interfering." Ye Heng'an raised an approving eyebrow. "Xiao Qingqing is quite level-headed. Even if we step in and Yang Yun backs off now, there might be a second or third Yang Yun in the future. Ultimately, it's her relationship with Ding You that needs to withstand the test. Otherwise... any intervention would be pointless." "But I'm so furious! Did you see how Yang Yun was acting? I could slap her right now." Noticing her flushed cheeks and puffed-up expression, Ye Heng'an spoke gently, "Have you considered why they chose to appear together at the school gate at this exact moment?" Mu Wen froze. "You're right... Ding You always avoided Yang Yun before. Why did they get out of the same car today? And that look in Yang the Harvey family eyes when she touched Ding You just now—didn't it seem... off to you?" "That was the look of someone claiming her trophy." Mu Wen's brows knitted together. "Are you saying... Ding You betrayed Qingqing?" Ye Heng'an shrugged. "No evidence means no accusations, but Ding You's eyes were practically screaming guilt." Mu Wen gaped in disbelief. "What should we do? Should I... tell Qingqing about this?" "Right now, your priority isn't whether to tell Xiao Qingqing. First, confirm whether Ding You actually betrayed her. If it's true, gather evidence before deciding whether—or how—to break the news." A heavy weight settled in Mu Wen's chest. Qingqing deserved so much better than this kind of betrayal. That bastard Ding You. Noticing her troubled expression, Ye Heng'an offered a faint smile. "Need help getting proof?" "You mean track where they just came from?" "What's done is done. Even if we find surveillance footage of them entering some shady place together, they could just claim nothing happened. Judging by that predatory gleam in Yang the Harvey family eyes, this isn't over yet." Mu Wen fell silent. She wouldn't dictate Qingqing's choices, but her best friend didn't deserve to be kept in the dark. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and said, "First, we need solid evidence of their shady dealings." "Got it. I'll handle the preparations. Until then, don't let Ding You catch on to anything," he replied. "I understand," she responded, studying Ye Heng'an intently, waiting for his next move. But instead of diving into details, Ye Heng'an flashed her a knowing smile. "First period's about to end, you know." Mu Nuan's eyes widened in realization. "Keep me posted on the arrangements!" she called over her shoulder as she sprinted toward the school building. Watching her adorable figure dart away, a genuine, affectionate smile tugged at the corners of Ye Heng'an's lips. Only when Mu Nuan had completely disappeared from view did he pull out his phone and dial a number. "Uncle San, it's me. I need a favor."