The Arrival of the School Belle

Only Holding Hands Three Times Today

Jiang You's coquettish distractions soothed Quan Jing's anger, making it impossible for him to maintain the cold demeanor he had at first. With his irritation dissipated, he found himself unable to take any action against her.

He rubbed his temples and frowned as he looked up at her, "Let's go, time to eat."

Despite the headache she had caused him, Quan Jing wouldn't break their dinner appointment now that he had agreed to it.

Jiang You's eyes lit up, and she smiled sweetly, ready to hold his hand.

The moment she reached for his hand, it was brushed off without mercy.

He gave her a cold stare, filled with silent warning not to try anything.

Jiang You responded with an innocent smile, her pale and charming face appeasing him, "Alright, alright, I won't hold your hand."

Quan Jing pursed his lips uncomfortably and continued walking with colder expressions. His long legs took him forward quickly, causing Jiang You to jog a few steps to catch up, successfully grabbing his fingers from behind.

His hand felt cool, just like his aloof personality.

Quan Jing paused, withdrew his hand, and stared at her with a cool gaze. Jiang You, with her affectionate dewy eyes, glared back coquettishly and said softly, "You walk too fast; I can't keep up."

Quan Jing kept his gaze fixed on her, frosty as before.

Then, with feigned obedience, she assured, "Alright, alright, I really won't hold it this time."

"Then you better walk slower," Quan Jing replied, temple throbbing. His voice carried a coldness, "You better mean it this time."

Jiang You pledged sincerely, "Truly, it's true."

"I won't hold it anymore."

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Her eyes were bright, giving a sincere look when she gazed earnestly, like flowing springs that could daze and drown one in them.

Quan Jing thought she knew too well how beautiful she was, hence her willfulness under such a lovely face!

His expression softened slightly, and he slowed his pace. Jiang You initially walked obediently beside him but soon reverted to her sticky habits, leaning against him. Both wore the summer uniform of Mingde University—a short-sleeved shirt exposing their arms.

Her snowy, soft arms stuck close to his, without any cloth in between. Her long curls, gentle and charmingly waved, teased his shirt buttons with their gloss.

Quan Jing just watched coldly, anticipating her next trick. As expected, her delicate hand found his and interlocked their fingers without hesitation.

This time, Quan Jing did not waste words; he simply stated icily, "Let go."

A hint of delicate anger dusted Jiang You’s pale cheeks as she flung his hand away, scolding, "Yes, I get it! I won’t hold it, okay?"

"You walk in front, far ahead of me."

Quan Jing turned and strode forward, accustomed to her antics. He knew she would try to hold his hand again.

Previously, she would only stop trying after he had shaken her off five times. This was just the third.

Trailing behind leisurely, Jiang You watched his impassive back, feeling the month had been a waste. His cold and proud demeanor often left her with the cold shoulder, offering a poor romantic experience.

She did not pursue him but sauntered leisurely, unfazed. Quan Jing moved quickly ahead, quickly creating a significant distance between them. While he descended a floor, Jiang You had just reached the stairwell.

Quan Jing's face grew colder with waiting for her to catch up. As she grew slower, he could no longer even hear her footsteps.

He deliberately slowed down as he descended, and after a while, he finally heard her light steps approaching.

Jiang You, who loved to showcase herself, refused to wear sneakers even in summer, preferring low-heeled sandals that revealed her dainty, fair toes—each one painted with translucent powder polish, gleaming with a dewy sheen. Her walk lacked modesty, with suggestive twists, making her footsteps unique.

Quan Jing waited for her at the staircase landing, looking up to prompt her to move faster. Yet, he saw her chatting with a handsome young man, her laughter trembling like flowers in the wind.

The boy blushed as Jiang You conversed with him; then Quan Jing called her name sharply from below, "Jiang You, are you still coming to eat or not!"

The boy guiltily excused himself from the enthralling sight of Jiang You, who stood above, gazing down imperiously at Quan Jing. Her dark-lashed eyes sparkled with charm and demanded, "I want to go to the convenience store first for ice cream, then to the cafeteria."

Quan Jing watched her for a long moment and finally gave a low assent, "Fine, let's go."

Turning back, he continued navigating the stairs at a deliberate pace.

Jiang You followed, now maintaining a calculated distance with no intention of catching up nor attempting to hold his hand once more.

Quan Jing believed it was the heat agitating him, causing restlessness and irritation—not because Jiang You did not seek to hold his hand or because he was curious about what she had been discussing with that young man.

He convinced himself that he was averse to physical contact with Jiang You. If he had wished to hold her hand, he could have firmly grasped it the first time she attempted, instead of repeatedly letting go.

His discomfort now was solely because she had broken their unspoken routine—an expectation for her to persist unwaveringly. Yet today, she ceased after only three attempts.

Quan Jing could not fathom the change—was it possible she was still upset with his accusations of lying, or maybe the heat deterring her mood, which ice cream would remedy?

Her mood swift and unpredictable, Quan Jing found her hard to understand, leading to a headache from overthinking.

As they left the teaching building, she had not caught up, maintaining distance.

Without her clingy entanglement, Quan Jing should have been content. Yet, he felt an inexplicable irritability.

He stalked ahead with a frigid face, while she remained silently behind.

Despite his resistance, he glanced back, intending to usher her to keep up—only to find her basking in sunlight, her eyes squinting with pleasure, lips curled in contentment.

The day was warm with fierce sunshine and strong ultraviolet rays. Most girls shielded themselves with umbrellas to prevent tanning, but Jiang You never did. It seemed no amount of sunlight could darken her inherently pale complexion, now bathed in light, her skin translucent as jade, her hair gleaming as if dusted in gold.

She rejoiced in the company of her little assistant: "Little Mei, it's wonderful to have you. No need for umbrellas or sunscreen—I never have to worry about tanning, and the sunlight feels so warm and cozy."

Little Mei: "I'm just fulfilling my duty, Host."

Quan Jing’s restlessness subsided as he beckoned her over, still with an icy voice, "Hurry, it's too hot."

Jiang You was reluctant to rush, relishing the sunshine, but Quan Jing stood resolute, waiting. She quickened her pace to join him.

Once Jiang You approached, Quan Jing resumed walking. She stayed silent beside him, her arms crossing protectively over her chest, signaling a clear intention to refrain from holding hands.

Seeing countless couples hand-in-hand despite the heat, Quan Jing frowned, considering whether it was his oversight. If Jiang You initiated, should he let her hold his hand for a minute?

Noticing Quan Jing's gaze fixed on her hands, Jiang You, flustered with pride, folded her arms and scolded, "I've already said I won't hold it. What are you still worried about?"

"This way, with my arms folded, surely that's acceptable!"

With that, her eyes expressed slight indignation, enhancing her beauty.

Quan Jing's expression stiffened—just as he felt inclined to let her hold his hand if she wished, she showed no further interest.

His vexation intensified; he continued walking without a word.

Jiang You muttered under her breath, cursing him for his eccentric behavior.

Their temporary harmony lasted less than half a minute before they separated again, each going their way.

Approaching the convenience store, someone bumped into Jiang You from behind. As she stumbled and regained her balance, she caught a glimpse of the perpetrator already grasping Quan Jing's shoulder, walking ahead and turning to throw a contemptuous smirk back at her.

It was Yuan Taehyun, who had come in fifth place during the first level test and was Quan Jing’s cousin—his mother was Quan Jing's maternal aunt, and his father, a bureau chief of Asia New Daily and a genuine fourth-generation tycoon. Unlike Quan Jing, Yuan Taehyun was not an only child but the youngest in his family, spoiled rotten from infancy, which led to his malice and capriciousness.

He despised Jiang You as her mother had once attempted to seduce his father. Wise as he was, his father, though not immune to other affairs, would never entertain someone like her, whose ambitions were as transparent as daylight. Upon realizing her intentions, he had decisively squelched them and dismissed her with dignity.

At the time, Jiang You’s mother's notorious reputation was not widely known, and Yuan Taehyun, ignorant of the facts, often shared secret kisses with Jiang You, even entrusting her with his credit card.

Once she faced dismissal, taking Jiang You with her, Yuan Taehyun demanded explanations from his father and persistently grumbled about it for a long time.

He came to realize his foolishness only once her reputation thoroughly deteriorated across the high society. By then, Jiang You and her mother were already living in Lee Myungjin's house—who, post-divorce, had not remarried and had only one son with his ex-wife named Lee Shiwoo.

Friends with Lee Shiwoo, Yuan Taehyun utilized visits as a pretext to seek out Jiang You's room, where he pressed her down and kissed her forcefully. His tears fell onto her strikingly pale face and eyelashes, as he fiercely bit her lips like a desperate animal.

The door was left open, and viewers outside saw everything. Lee Shiwoo’s expression solidified with every passing moment as he stood by the door, watching.

Yuan Taehyun laughed bitterly, rising from her and addressing Lee Shiwoo with sarcasm in each word, "Shiwoo, you'll live with her soon. Don’t believe a word she says, understand?"

Lee Shiwoo glanced over Yuan Taehyun, focusing on Jiang You, who sat up amidst tangled black curls, flushed cheeks, and conspicuously reddened lips. The dark lashes dripped what he thought were her tears, but they were not.

Already prickly as a hedgehog, Lee Shiwoo's disposition towards her and her mother was aggressive. Now, he narrowed his eyes with pronounced arrogance and coldly acknowledged.