Chapter 87: Can I Like You?

This time, Su Yichen could no longer maintain the expression on his face.

He looked in surprise at the playful curl on Mo Qingqiu’s lips. The judgment for his exposed lie seemed about to descend.

But just then, Su Yichen, who had been gradually lowering his head, suddenly raised it. He curved his brilliant blue eyes—seductive and sparkling like stars—and met Mo Qingqiu’s peach-blossom-shaped eyes.

In that instant, a strong palpitation suddenly surged in the girl’s chest, as if something had throbbed violently there without warning.

Mo Qingqiu didn’t know how long it had been since she last felt this.

Ever since she was locked inside The Cage, she had never experienced such a feeling again.

And now, she felt it once more.

‘Not boring, not dull—everything is so novel.’

“Heh~”

A short, ethereal laugh from Su Yichen’s supremely beautiful voice pulled Mo Qingqiu’s thoughts back in an instant.

She was eager to hear what he would say next. Even though… she had already vaguely guessed it from the young man’s tone.

“I’m curious… Senior, how did you find out? I never actually had any contact with you before, right?”

“Junior, do you believe…”

Mo Qingqiu didn’t continue to maintain the ambiguous posture with Su Yichen. She stood up.

“…in a girl’s intuition?”

She certainly wouldn’t tell Su Yichen that she had eavesdropped. This was one of her capital assets for confronting Su Yichen.

“Intuition from mature big sisters or little girls is naturally just a joke, but someone like you, Senior.”

Su Yichen smiled.

“Of course I believe it.”

Hearing Su Yichen say this, Mo Qingqiu involuntarily thought of Tong Ya and Luo Yueli.

‘Is he hinting at those two?’

‘But those two women… can they be called “little girls”?’

Mo Qingqiu didn’t know exactly what Luo Yueli was like, but Tong Ya was definitely not an “ordinary and cute” little girl.

However, Mo Qingqiu certainly wouldn’t tell Su Yichen this.

She was still waiting to see his good show.

“So you’re saying, Senior, you discovered me based on intuition?”

“Yes, but not entirely.”

Mo Qingqiu smiled.

“Luo Yueli is a girl who can be considered outstanding even in a top-tier school like Qingyue University. Luck also played a big part.”

“Her childhood friend was also admitted with the highest score in the College of Liberal Arts.”

“I thought he must be an extraordinary guy.”

Throughout this, she never mentioned Tong Ya’s name.

“So I called you over on a trial basis.”

“I didn’t expect such a pleasant surprise.”

“So that’s how it is.”

“I thought I had hidden it pretty well.”

Su Yichen curled his lips, his expression somewhat complicated.

“But you still caught me.”

“A Senior is always a Senior, way better than those little girls, and better than me too.”

“I lose, Sister Qingqiu.”

The words that came from the young man’s thin lips seemed like an admission of defeat. But within that indulgent tone, there was a partiality almost like doting.

“Mm-hmm~”

Mo Qingqiu drew out the last syllable of her speech, feeling more delighted than she ever had before.

Not only because she was praised by such an excellent man, but also because…

In Su Yichen’s words, there was something she had never felt before.

It was a kind of partiality that allowed one to do whatever they wanted.

Since childhood, the girl inside The Cage had never experienced such a feeling from anyone else.

Mo Qingqiu had been raised under strict education since she was young. Even bearing the reputation of a “genius,” she had never felt this in nineteen years.

She was the only child in her family, yet at this moment, the feeling Su Yichen gave her was like that of an older brother who had doted on her since childhood.

In just an instant, Mo Qingqiu completely relaxed.

She understood why Shen Ran had fallen so quickly into Su Yichen’s embrace.

Even if this man’s appearance was ordinary and unremarkable.

Being with him was so pleasant; every word’s emotion seemed to scratch a girl’s itch.

Another moment.

Mo Qingqiu suddenly froze. She recalled the conversation between Su Yichen and Shen Ran she had heard in the recording earlier.

Then she immediately snapped back to her senses.

‘Phew…’

‘That was close…’

‘Feeling pleasure when interacting with someone… is a sign that one foot is stepping into the abyss.’

‘That foot is already suspended in the air, below is the abyss called favor and doting.’

‘Good thing I stopped myself.’

Just by thinking that Su Yichen’s words might all be lies, an act, Mo Qingqiu drove all those beautiful fantasies out of her mind.

‘Feelings?’

‘Ridiculous and hypocritical.’

‘A man like him should be locked in a cage.’

‘A counterpart who is my equal, or even higher in skill?’

Mo Qingqiu no longer particularly wanted to keep Su Yichen by her side.

‘I should throw him onto the stage and watch him from afar.’

“Junior Su Yichen, since you don’t have that intention… and you’re so excellent.”

“Forcing you to stay as my secretary is really asking too much.”

Mo Qingqiu changed her previous words.

“I won’t force you.”

“Senior Mo Qingqiu, calling me here at your whim and then dismissing me, isn’t that a bit…”

Su Yichen’s words changed, almost blurting out.

“…too irresponsible?”

The offense and defense between them seemed to have swapped in that instant.

Mo Qingqiu’s breath caught.

If she forcibly kept Su Yichen, this man might be hard to control.

In such a duel, even being a fraction weaker would be magnified infinitely.

Often, the gap between the spectator and the spectacle itself is only a hair’s breadth.

But if he proposed staying himself…

That fraction could be the difference between being outside the play and inside it.

And that achieves the goal.

‘Junior, this is you choosing to stay.’

‘Senior didn’t force you.’

“Junior, earlier you said you weren’t staying.”

Mo Qingqiu’s peach-blossom eyes curved like autumn ripples, smiling brightly.

“A forced melon isn’t sweet.”

“So naturally there was no need for me to keep you.”

“Then, Senior, if I change my mind now…”

Su Yichen smiled as well, but his tone had shifted to that of a weaker party.

“Is it too late?”

“Oh? Then Junior Su Yichen, can you tell me the reason for staying?”

“Well…”

Su Yichen seemed hesitant.

“It’s okay if it’s inconvenient to say.”

Mo Qingqiu was even more curious, but she naturally wouldn’t show it.

“Actually, it’s not that I can’t say it, it’s just that face to face with Senior, it’s a bit…”

The young man’s voice sounded somewhat shy.

“There’s only the two of us here. If you tell me, isn’t this environment more suitable?”

Mo Qingqiu was even more curious.

What reason could make a man like Su Yichen, whom even she couldn’t see through, act so coy?

“Mm.”

“Then I’ll say it.”

As if trying to steel himself, Su Yichen shook his head vigorously, raised his hand, and slowly removed the thick black-rimmed glasses on his face.

Radiant and brilliant.

The young man’s eyes slightly tilted up at the corners, the faint smile on his devastatingly beautiful face was wanton and dazzling.

Mo Qingqiu was stunned, until that full visual shock imprinted as an eternal, indelible mark in her amber-colored eyes.

Suddenly, the young man’s gentle voice sounded in her ear.

“Sister Qingqiu, I… can I like you?”