Chapter 40: Foot

A nod for yes, a shake for no.

Ye Zhou shook his head like a rattle. His determination was as fierce as a child who refused to be lured home by a strange auntie with a single piece of candy.

“That won’t be necessary, Club Leader Jiang… My body has already been tempered into a ‘Copper Wall and Iron Bastion’ and is ‘Invulnerable.’ I no longer know the meaning of the word sensitive. Besides, my parents and my sister are calling me home for dinner.”

“Don’t be in such a rush, Zhouzhou~”

The corners of Jiang Yingxue’s lips curled into a half-smile. Her eyes narrowed slightly, hiding a mix of playfulness and mockery beneath a layer of nonchalant teasing.

Her black pencil skirt outlined the tight, perky curve of her hips as she leaned against the edge of the desk. Pushing herself up with both hands, she sat on the edge and crossed her long, slender, snow-white legs, the soft flesh pressing together. The toes of her black matte Doc Martin boots swayed back and forth, exuding an indescribable charm and temptation.

“Mm-hmm~ You know I’m not an unreasonable person. Didn’t you say you’re no longer sensitive? But if I use my method, just for 1 minute—if you prove to be sensitive, you must continue the desensitization training. Conversely, you’ll never have to do it again. Deal?”

Ye Zhou hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement.

Did he really need to panic? In broad daylight, under the watchful eyes of the world, and especially within a school club, could Club Leader Jiang really do anything scandalous? Ha! What a joke. She should be the one who was worried!

“Pfft~ I feel like your relationship with Chen Yuhe has been getting better and better lately.” Jiang Yingxue’s eyes curved into crescents as she leaned over to take off her shoes.

‘Why is Club Leader Jiang taking off her shoes?’ — This was the question swirling in Ye Zhou’s mind, refusing to dissipate.

He scratched his head and asked, “Is that so? Aren’t Senior Chen and I just normal club members?”

“But I saw the two of you in the rehearsal room earlier, hugging and kissing like a couple in the heat of passion.”

“I told you, that was just for the play.”

“I suppose that’s true. However, you can fool others, but don’t go fooling yourself. I hope you can maintain that mindset in the time to come.”

As she spoke, Jiang Yingxue quickly pulled off her black matte Doc Martin boots.

A pair of beautiful feet in black stockings were revealed. The short stockings clung tightly to her ankles. Her feet were perfectly proportioned, and as she extended them, her lustrous white toes were adorned with silver nail polish. The silver glinting against the black was both dazzling and alluring.

Ye Zhou’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. It was as if he were being pulled in by a black hole, unable to look away for even a second.

Realizing his reaction a moment too late, he hurriedly turned his head and cleared his throat, trying to act calm. His Adam’s apple, however, bobbed uncontrollably.

“Hmm? Weren’t you looking at my feet just fine? Why stop all of a sudden? Is there a smell? There shouldn’t be. I took a shower before leaving, and I haven’t done any high-intensity exercise on the way here.” Jiang Yingxue covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes shimmering with laughter.

“No, there isn’t. At least, I don’t smell anything,” Ye Zhou muttered, scratching his head with an awkward smile.

“Then they must be fragrant~”

“Anyway, they don’t stink…”

“Then they must be fragrant~” Jiang Yingxue squinted and smiled, refusing to let him off the hook.

“Fragrant, fragrant! Your feet are more fragrant than perfume, okay?!” Ye Zhou shouted, his neck turning bright red.

“That’s more like it~ So, when you were staring at my feet without blinking just now, did you think about your childhood dream of growing up to be a scientist?” Jiang Yingxue blinked her beautiful eyes, asking a question she already knew the answer to.

“But scientists have to study biology, too.” Ye Zhou nodded seriously, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Jiang Yingxue paused, slightly surprised. “That’s a bit unexpected. I didn’t think you’d be so honest this time.”

She continued with a beaming smile, “Since you’re a scientist studying biology, have you researched whether my feet or Chen Yuhe’s look better?”

Ye Zhou scratched his cheek. “Why are you comparing yourself to Senior Chen, Club Leader?”

“Hurry up and tell me. I don’t believe you haven’t figured it out.”

“Fine, fine…”

Ye Zhou subconsciously glanced again at her feet, which were curling and stretching inside the black stockings. He immediately retracted his gaze, his mind going blank.

He stammered, “I—I don’t know. After all, I haven’t looked at Senior Chen’s feet that closely.”

“Oh? It seems your relationship isn’t that great then. She won’t even let you see her feet.” Jiang Yingxue shook her head.

Ye Zhou gave a speechless laugh. “So, why on earth would she show them to me anyway?”

“Well then, even if you can’t tell whose feet are better, we’ve known each other for a while now. You must have researched who is more beautiful between the two of us, right?” A flash of mischief flickered in Jiang Yingxue’s eyes.

Ye Zhou gave an awkward smile. Another death trap of a question.

“That’s different. Senior Chen has a youthful beauty, while you have a… more alluring elegance.”

“And if I said you could only choose one?” Jiang Yingxue narrowed her eyes.

“You… her… I…” Ye Zhou began to stutter, unable to give a straight answer.

Seeing this, Jiang Yingxue burst into laughter.

“Alright, alright, I’m done teasing you. Look at how embarrassed you are.”

“Since the foreplay is over, let’s get into the main event.”

Ye Zhou froze. “Main event? You mean we haven’t even started yet?”

“Of course. Is there a problem? I was worried you’d finish the main event too quickly, so I gave you plenty of time for foreplay.” Jiang Yingxue nodded as if it were common sense.

“Don’t look down on me.” Ye Zhou’s lip curled.

“Mhm, not bad. I admire your ‘newborn calf’ attitude. Your courage is commendable. I just hope it doesn’t end too soon.”

“Now, come over here. Get closer.”

Jiang Yingxue beckoned with one hand while using the other to tap on her phone. A 1-minute countdown appeared on the screen, ready to start at any moment.

After hesitating for a moment, Ye Zhou stood up and walked toward her.

The scent of roses constantly wafted from her body, truly bewitching the senses.

“Just a reminder: survive for 1 minute and you succeed. If you don’t, you fail.”

The moment Jiang Yingxue finished speaking, before Ye Zhou could even step forward, a sudden tremor ran through his lower body. It was an indescribable sensation.

He subconsciously hunched over and retreated, turning his back to her to hide in the corner. His face was flushed crimson, and he couldn’t squeeze out a single word.

“A Failed Man~”

Jiang Yingxue smiled brilliantly as she waved her phone. “Exactly 3 seconds. That was even faster than I imagined.”

“Someone was talking about ‘Copper Walls and Iron Bastions’ and being ‘Invulnerable,’ claiming he didn’t know what sensitivity felt like. Heh… and yet, I only used a foot and he surrendered his ‘arms.’ You’re quite the braggart~”

Ye Zhou retorted stiffly, “That’s because you cheated!”

“What are you, a caveman? Love scenes in movies are as common as eating and drinking nowadays. Compared to those, this is nothing, right?” Jiang Yingxue pressed a finger to her red lips, chuckling softly.

“If that’s how you’re going to put it, I can’t argue. I admit it… I’m a Failed Man,” Ye Zhou said dejectedly.

“That’s the spirit. Failure isn’t scary; what’s scary is not having the courage to admit it.”

“Do you think I’ll mock you? I won’t. On the contrary, as your President, I have to help my members improve on their shortcomings.”

As Jiang Yingxue preached her grand theories, she slid her feet back into her black matte Doc Martin boots. ‘Are they sweaty? They’re a bit damp and uncomfortable~’

She hopped down from the desk and stretched her body, highlighting her tall, graceful figure. Then, she walked toward the door with her long, white legs.

“But we’ll have to save it for next time. I told my family I’d be home for dinner tonight.”

“I keep things separate. As long as we’re in the club, I believe in rewards and punishments. I’ll order some seafood delivery for you right now. The address is here, so remember to pick it up. If it’s not enough, call me and I’ll order more.”

Hearing this, Ye Zhou’s eyes lit up, and he instantly regained his energy, seemingly forgetting the unpleasantness from a moment ago.

To him, seafood was incredibly expensive.

He remembered clearly that the last time he ate seafood was… well, a long time ago.

“Re—Really?”

Jiang Yingxue toyed with a strand of hair near her ear, her voice trailing off playfully.

“With me around, are you really afraid you won’t get enough seafood? I’m just worried the day will come where you’ll get sick of eating it~”

“Ah! My Lady President, from this day forward, I will follow you to the death! So, this seafood is the reward, right?”

“But for you, shouldn’t the reward have been what happened just now, and this be the punishment?”

“Huh?”

…