Chapter 24: Chance Encounter

Chen Ye wasn't worried that Su Siyun would tell her parents about this.

In his past life, Su Hongshan and Liu Tinglan had been completely in the dark about major events like their marriage and subsequent divorce. It wasn't until Su Siyun went home to stay for a few days and Su Hongshan noticed something was wrong that the truth had finally come to light. He knew his ex-wife's personality far too well.

However, compared to the twenty-seven or twenty-eight-year-old Su Siyun from his previous life, this eighteen-year-old girl's waist was noticeably slimmer and her skin was far more tender. The only difference was that her "conscience" seemed half a cup size smaller. He assumed she must have kept developing later on.

Chen Ye was absolutely certain of Su Siyun's self-respect and dignity; she was definitely not like those female playboys he remembered who constantly bounced from one man to another. He just couldn't stand her personality. Then again, she probably couldn't stand his, either.

Shaking off his messy thoughts, Chen Ye bought a bottle of mineral water at a convenience store outside the residential complex and took the bus back to campus.

He found a random court, cut in to play some basketball with the underclassmen, and grabbed dinner at the cafeteria before returning to his dorm. His two roommates, who usually slept straight through the day after pulling all-nighters, had already packed up and left while he was at Jiang Xin's place. He was the only one left in the entire room.

He showered, washed and hung up his laundry, and packed the last of his luggage so he could head home first thing in the morning. By the time he finished everything, it was nearly seven o'clock in the evening. Right on cue, his good friend Weng Jilin called him.

"Chen Ye, you haven't gone home yet, right?"

"I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning. Why?"

"You have to help me!" Weng Jilin's tone was frantic.

"Help you with what? Just tell me," Chen Ye said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Help me pursue Yu Mengmeng! I asked her out to hang out tonight, and she said she's bringing an accomplice. I figured I'd better bring a strategist of my own!" Weng Jilin quickly explained.

"What's with this 'accomplice' and 'strategist' nonsense? You mean you want me to distract the person she brings so you can confess your feelings?" Chen Ye instantly caught onto his buddy's plan.

"Yes, yes, yes! That's exactly it!"

"Do you really need me involved in this? Can't you just make up a random excuse to pull her aside?"

"Man, I also wanted to pick your brain for advice! Seeing you suddenly figure things out and sweet-talk Jiang Xin into taking you home, I just knew you could help my confession succeed!" Weng Jilin rattled off at lightning speed. "Besides, I booked a Ferris wheel. If I pull Yu Mengmeng into a cabin alone, what happens to the person she brought? I can't just make her ride by herself, can I? That would be so awkward!"

"A Ferris wheel?" Chen Ye was somewhat surprised.

"Yeah, the newly opened one! The kind where you can eat a candlelit dinner right inside the cabin. I booked two cabins. Hurry up and get over here! Just treat it as me buying you dinner!"

"But I already ate..."

"Ugh, cut the crap! Do your bro a solid and get over here! I'll reimburse your cab fare!"

Weng Jilin hung up before Chen Ye could even finish his sentence. Shortly after, Chen Ye's cell phone buzzed with a text message containing the address of their rendezvous.

Shaking his head in resignation, Chen Ye put on a light jacket, quickly fixed his hair in the mirror, slipped on his shoes, and headed out the campus gates. He hailed a taxi at the entrance and gave the destination. Immediately, the driver went into action, aggressively cranking the steering wheel and shifting gears like a martial arts master performing Tai Chi push hands.

The Ferris wheel wasn't too far away, located right in the downtown area. He had heard it just opened in the first half of the year. Back then, however, he had never cared about things like that; all his attention had been focused on his studies and on Su Siyun. He had never even heard of a Ferris wheel with candlelit dinners, not even in his previous life. It sounded like a place where rich young heirs went to confess their love.

In his mind, a Ferris wheel cabin was just a tiny box that could fit four people at most. You went up, took a look at the city scenery, and that was it. A candlelit dinner? That was completely beyond his comprehension.

It wasn't long before the car pulled up to the park entrance. Through the window, Chen Ye spotted Weng Jilin pacing anxiously as he waited for him. After stepping out, he called out to his friend.

"Damn, you're finally here!" Weng Jilin immediately ran over and punched him lightly in the chest.

"You're asking way too much of me. Do I really look like the kind of guy who can teach you how to chase girls?" Chen Ye asked helplessly, spreading his hands.

Weng Jilin nodded with a completely serious expression. "You do!"

Chen Ye couldn't help but chuckle.

"Chen Ye, didn't you tell me last night that if I wanted to confess, I should do it as soon as possible? The more I thought about it after I went back, the more I felt you were right. That's why I had someone book this Ferris wheel so I could confess tonight!" Weng Jilin pointed at the massive Ferris wheel towering into the clouds not too far away, then looked back at Chen Ye. "Just teach me a few practical techniques right now, and then help me deal with Yu Mengmeng's accomplice. If everything works out, I'll give you a red envelope with cash!"

"Forget the red envelope. Treating me to a meal is much more practical," Chen Ye said, waving his hand dismissively. He then glanced at Weng Jilin's empty hands. "You came empty-handed?"

"Of course not. I checked the gifts at the bottom of the Ferris wheel. Why would I want to carry all that around?" Weng Jilin looked at him weirdly.

"How much did it cost to book a cabin with a candlelit dinner?" Chen Ye suddenly asked.

"I think it was nine hundred and ninety-nine. I paid two thousand minus two bucks for the two cabins."

"Fuck!"

Chen Ye couldn't hold back a curse. So this was the life of a real estate tycoon's young heir? One meal cost as much as four months of his living expenses!

"If you ask me, since you spent so much money booking a Ferris wheel like this and you've already bought the gifts, plus you look decent enough—even if you're not as handsome as me—you should just speak your mind directly. You don't need any techniques!"

"Really?" Weng Jilin looked a bit skeptical.

"Why would I lie to you?" Chen Ye found it both funny and exasperating. "Techniques are for poor people. With your kind of resources, you can just brute-force it with money!"

These flattering words sent Weng Jilin straight to cloud nine. His confidence absolutely exploded, and he felt as though the petite and adorable Yu Mengmeng was already in his arms, letting him breathe in the scent of her hair.

"I know my bro wouldn't lie to me!" he said, clapping Chen Ye hard on the arm, his face beaming with a radiant smile.

But in the very next second, the smile vanished from Weng Jilin's face, and his entire body tensed up.

"They're here! The two of them are here!" He leaned in close to Chen Ye, lowering his head and whispering urgently.

Hearing this, Chen Ye turned around to look. However, after taking just one glance, he spun right back around and started walking away.

He cursed internally, wondering why Weng Jilin hadn't told him earlier that Yu Mengmeng's accomplice was the fucking Su Siyun!

"Hey, why are you running? Don't leave!"

No one else was panicking yet, but Weng Jilin was instantly freaking out. If Chen Ye left, how was he supposed to distract Yu Mengmeng's accomplice? Besides, he had no idea Yu Mengmeng would bring Su Siyun along. As the class academic representative, Yu Mengmeng was incredibly popular and had a lot of friends.

Grabbed by Weng Jilin, Chen Ye knew he wasn't going to get away. He could only turn his head slightly and demand in a hushed, furious voice, "Aren't you just screwing me over here!"

"How am I screwing you over? Haven't you always liked Su Siyun? It just so happens that she came along tonight. I already spent so much money booking this Ferris wheel with a candlelit dinner, so you might as well take this opportunity to confess to her, too. We can make it a double success!" Weng Jilin whispered back, also keeping his back turned to the two girls.

Chen Ye was left completely speechless. But before he even had the chance to refuse, Su Siyun, standing beside Yu Mengmeng, beat him to the punch and spoke up first once again.

"..."