Chapter 18: The Climax—The Right to Choose a Mate Takes Precedence

Is there really any doubt? Of course he’s a scoundrel. No matter how you look at it, Zhang Ya was already wearing a verdant crown thanks to him.

Perhaps Cheng Yao had read too much poisonous self-help nonsense and was simply searching for an excuse to justify himself. He needed to be over one meter eighty-three, handsome; eyes not like Tony Leung, nose not like Daniel Wu, a pleasant and magnetic voice, able to sing and dance, top hundred in PUBG Asia server, ranked King in League of Legends, excellent grades, fluent in eight languages, high scores in IELTS and TOEFL, an allowance of at least five figures a month from home, inheritance waiting after graduation, four generations living together, a legacy of three generations' grudges—otherwise, he didn’t count as a scoundrel.

But the more Cheng Yao thought about it, the less confident he became. His eyes were like Tony Leung’s, his nose like Daniel Wu’s, and his unruly charm was reminiscent of Aaron Kwok. Now, his wealth had grown, and his skills were absurdly strong.

A scoundrel is a man who fulfills every fantasy a woman could have except for loving her; and he seemed to fit that mold perfectly. He felt he displayed this side most vividly with Lu Mengyao.

Did he want to take responsibility? Certainly not. Oh, it was just a game!

"Old Cheng, how are things with Zhang Ya? Still in the cold war?" Wang Wenbo asked, clearly interested.

Zhang Lei and Zhu Huiyang rolled over in their beds and perked up their ears.

Cheng Yao didn’t bother to open his eyes, answering, "It’s a bit better these days. I think talking about piano with her makes her much more enthusiastic."

"That’s risky for you. She loves piano more than she loves you. I heard back in high school her family was pretty well-off, and her parents were strict..."

"You’re not one of her pursuers, are you?"

"No way. I know my limits, not like you... cough, cough, I mean, you know what I mean. Anyway, good luck. I’m going to sleep."

Cheng Yao just smiled, indifferent.

If it had been before, he might have overthought it, feeling inferior because of his background and thinking he wasn’t good enough for Zhang Ya. But his life and goals had changed completely.

Even his mindset had unconsciously grown tougher than before.

...

Jinyi, girls’ dormitory.

"That Cheng Yao is really handsome. His eyes are a bit like Tony Leung’s, and he’s got a Daniel Wu vibe. Not many guys can pull off short hair and still look that good."

"Looks like a scoundrel."

"Lu Mengyao, you’re not interested in Wang Wenbo? He’s pretty generous, you know."

Lu Mengyao shook her head and said, "He’s not my type. If any of you like him, I can pass him along."

"You really don’t want him? If not, I’m going for it," Chen Qian said with a bright smile.

Lu Mengyao glanced at her in surprise and replied earnestly, "No sense letting benefits go to outsiders. I’ll hand him over to you."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course. And I think he’d be easy to handle—very straightforward..."

After years of studying the art of tea, Lu Mengyao understood a fundamental truth.

Boys are simple. You don’t need to deceive them; as long as they like you, they’ll deceive themselves.

For instance, you drop a hint;

He might already have a name picked out for your future child—it's that ridiculous!

...

September remained oppressively hot. As days passed, military training finally approached its end. Having said farewell to the initial hellish suffering, looking back, the experience proved unforgettable.

Its bittersweet memories would accompany everyone for a lifetime, something to savor forever.

The classmates had indeed grown closer, but Cheng Yao believed such bonds would fade over time, especially since there wasn’t much common ground and everyone had their own circles.

It was like the girls’ dormitory, six girls and seven chat groups—a familiar story.

On the field at dusk, military training had reached its fever pitch, and the hunting hour had arrived: tonight would determine who gained the right of first choice in campus romance.

Cheng Yao lay on the grass playing with his phone, surrounded by friends.

Liu Hanyue and Wang Churuo were closest to him; Zhou Ziqing and her group couldn’t quite integrate. After half a month together, Cheng Yao could see it clearly.

Liu Hanyue looked obedient, but deep down she was mischievous and loved stirring things up. Wang Churuo wasn’t malicious, but she wasn’t naive either.

Wang Wenbo was dubbed "Little Prince"—not exactly a compliment, since he played the field and called himself a high-level player. Zhang Lei and Zhu Huiyang lingered on the sidelines.

Cheng Yao was usually quiet, but talked most with Liu Hanyue and Wang Churuo, and his mere presence drew girls’ attention.

The true high-level players never flaunt themselves.

"Make some space, everyone, clear a path! We’ll improvise a talent show soon. Remember to blur my face in the video—I don’t want my handsomeness to overwhelm anyone," Wang Wenbo declared, earning a round of eye rolls.

Liu Hanyue asked, "Did you borrow the equipment from next door?"

"Pfft, it’s the broadcasting senior’s gear. Next door borrowed it, and I borrowed it from them."

Just then, the instructor arrived with a table. "Flatten the table out. There’s no big stage, so we’ll make a small one for you guys. Come on, come on, it’s the last few days—whoever wants to win favor with the ladies, step up and show your talent, display your ‘strength.’ Once this chance is gone, it won’t come back!"

A few students arranged the tables, forming a stage less than a meter wide. Standing on it, one was truly the center of attention.

Naturally, the shy students were too embarrassed to step up, pushing their friends to go instead.

Which was only to be expected—after just half a month since starting college, few had the confidence.

Wang Wenbo was shameless, so he climbed up without hesitation. Fresh is best, after all.

"Two tigers, two tigers, running fast, running fast..."

"Damn, are you up there to make us laugh?"

"Get down, get down, you’re not worthy!"

"Well, there goes your right of first choice in campus romance..."

The girls laughed themselves breathless, especially at Wang Wenbo’s passionate performance.

Cheng Yao commented, "In a way, he’s successful. Braver than those who don’t dare go up. And making people laugh—that’s a powerful talent."

"I agree, but he’s too over the top. Look at those moves, so cringe..."

"Well, he’s not a professional."

Liu Hanyue glanced at Cheng Yao, a sly look flashing in her big, dark eyes. "Why don’t you go up and perform, since you’re so talented?"

"I... I’m afraid you’ll get too excited and lose control..."

"Pfft, you’re even better at pretending than Wang Wenbo."

Wang Churuo clapped her hands. "Exactly, exactly. If you’re so great, go up and show us—it’s all talk!"

"Little Prince, you’ve changed," Cheng Yao teased.

At that moment, Wang Wenbo jumped down and handed the guitar to Cheng Yao. "Didn’t you always boast about playing piano and guitar? Here’s your chance, bro!"

"..."

"Cheng Yao, you can do it!"

The instructor crossed his arms and said, "Don’t drag your feet, man. Live in the moment—won’t it be romantic to look back one day?"

"Instructor, why don’t you perform first and give me some courage?"

"Me?"

The instructor blushed, glancing around. He didn’t have any talent to show.

By then, the students were already cheering.

The instructor fixed his gaze on Cheng Yao. "Alright, kid, just wait. If you don’t get up and perform, you’ll be doing military boxing for me later."

...

...