CEO's Stand In Lover

When my world lost the fragrance of flowers and their elegance, How was I supposed to face this dull and colorless life? Lucy walked along the stone-paved path, the wind drifting over the artificial lake, softly brushing against her face like a gentle tickle, bringing a refreshing scent of nature. She stopped at the lake’s edge, her lips curving into a bright smile. Another beautiful day! Just as she closed her eyes, enjoying the moment, a sharp voice cut through the peace. "Lucy, what are you doing here? Class is about to start!" Lucy turned to see a delicate-looking girl in casual clothes standing behind her, holding two pieces of bread and a carton of milk. "Shanshan? It’s you? I thought it was the dean." Yan Yishan handed her the food with a teasing smile. "Would she even dare to scold you? You’re practically the future of our school." Lucy took the milk and bread, smiling lightly. "Miss Yan, are you praising or making fun of me?" Yan Yishan quickly put on a pitiful face, playfully bowing. "Oh, Mistress, I was wrong! How could I ever make fun of you? Unless... I don’t want my diploma anymore!" Lucy couldn’t help but laugh at her dramatic performance. "Oh right, you still need me to help you highlight key points for the exams." "Exactly! Even if you gave me a hundred times more courage, I still wouldn’t dare to offend my tutor!" Lucy chuckled. Yan Yishan was such a fun, carefree person. Being around her always lightened the mood. "So that means I should start charging tutoring fees now, huh? That way, I wouldn’t have to work two jobs to survive!" A sweet floral scent drifted in with the breeze. "Lucy, you’re such a terrible friend!" "Alright, alright, I was wrong, okay?" Lucy wrapped an arm around Yan Yishan’s as a peace offering. "How about I tutor you for free from now on?" "You said it! No backing out!" Yan Yishan grinned, dimples blooming on her face like little flowers. "Let’s hurry! The professor is announcing our internship assignments today. This affects our graduation!" "Really? Then let’s go!" The two girls’ silhouettes faded into the morning mist. By the lake, a crabapple tree stood in full bloom, white petals fluttering down like soft snowfall as the wind passed through. When warmth is out of reach, all you can do is use indifference as a disguise. The sky was a flawless blue, completely cloudless. Sitting in class, Lucy rested her chin in her hand, lost in thought. "Lucy, what’s on your mind? You’re completely zoning out." Yan Yishan nudged her gently. "Nothing much. There’s an exam today. How’s your prep going?" Lucy quickly changed the subject. "No matter how much I prepare, it’s all the same." Yan Yishan pouted. "How do you manage to ace everything? Seriously, what’s your secret?" "Just focus. There’s nothing you can’t learn if you put your mind to it." "Yeah, yeah. But Lucy, why do you always sit in the back row?" "It’s quiet back here. I don’t want to sit with others." "That’s not good. Don’t you think—" Lucy gave a faint smile, her eyes reflecting a quiet loneliness. "It’s fine." "Oh, by the way, did you hear? We have a super handsome exchange student in our class! He’s—" Before she could finish, the piercing sound of the bell rang. The students slowly dragged themselves back to their seats. A woman in a neat uniform and glasses walked in, followed by a strikingly handsome young man—the very one who had caused a commotion earlier that morning. The teacher was so taken aback by his presence that she forgot to introduce him. The classroom was instantly filled with murmurs. "He’s transferring to our class? We’re so lucky!" "Yeah! Now we get to see him every day. I’m in heaven!" "Did you know? He’s not just handsome—his family is powerful on a global scale!" Lucy let out a small, unimpressed scoff, her expression completely indifferent. Du Zixiu, ignoring the chattering girls, turned his gaze toward the last row. His eyes landed on Lucy—she was like a pure lily, quietly blooming in the most hidden corner, yet still carrying a refreshing presence. She hadn’t spoken a word. He found it strange—why did she seem so serene, yet her eyes held no warmth? It took the teacher a while to snap out of it before finally raising her voice. "Alright, quiet down! Let’s begin." She turned back to Du Zixiu with a respectful smile. "You can take a seat in the front row." "No. I want to sit there." He pointed directly at the empty seat beside Lucy, his cool, sharp gaze unwavering. The class fell silent. Even the teacher was stunned. Lucy frowned slightly. Du Zixiu walked over and sat beside her, flashing a relaxed smile—the kind that could put people at ease. "Hi, I’m Du Zixiu, from the Du family." Before he could finish, Lucy turned to him, her bright eyes filled with an icy detachment. "I don’t care who you are. Your name, your background—it’s all irrelevant to me." Then, she looked toward the teacher and said, "Professor, weren’t you going to announce our internship assignments?" A single cold sentence was enough to make Du Zixiu freeze in place. The air in the classroom tensed. Just a moment ago, it had finally settled down, but now it erupted again, even more chaotic than before. "Lucy is so cool! She deserves her title as our school’s ‘Ice Queen’!" A male student admired her openly. "Yeah, she’s cool, but isn’t it weird? She treats everyone so coldly." Some of the boys were impressed, but the girls… were furious, practically fuming with jealousy. "Who does she think she is? Just because she’s ranked number one in academics doesn’t mean she gets to act all high and mighty!" "Sure, she’s beautiful, but that doesn’t mean she can look down on everyone!" Another girl huffed angrily. "Exactly! She acts like talking to people is beneath her like we’d be dirtying her just by speaking to her! What a freak." Lucy, as always, ignored them completely, turning her gaze toward the window, as if none of it had anything to do with her. Outside, cherry blossom petals danced through the air, falling like delicate snowflakes. The sunlight reflected off them, making them glimmer like shattered glass. "Enough! Quiet down!" The professor snapped, finally silencing the room. Du Zixiu sat in the front row, but his mind was still on Lucy. She’s such a vibrant girl… so why is she so cold to everyone?