CHAPTER 69: CHAPTER 66: THE YUNTING GROUP IS OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED!

So thrilling!

Han Lie felt a tingling sensation all over, the girls’ gazes raising goosebumps on his skin. Scientific research indicates that stares possess weight.

If ranked by heaviness, Little Cucumber would be first, Naiyun second, Tofu third, and Lady of the House fourth.

If ranked by intensity, Tofu would be first, Naiyun second, Little Cucumber third, and Lady of the House fourth.

This makes perfect sense, Han Lie thought. But as a result, he found himself under tremendous pressure.

Honestly, what kid could withstand that kind of weight? Oh, an old baby, you say? Well, then it’s no problem.

The old schemer Han Lie’s eyes darted. Activating one-third of his Level 3 Psychology skill, he instantly knew what they wanted to see.

Tofu, the drama enthusiast, just wanted to witness some excitement; any kind of trouble would do, and a fight would be the absolute best.

Yu Yun wanted to observe Han Lie’s attitude towards Xi Luting to decide her subsequent moves.

Xi Luting wanted to regain her standing in front of Pan Ge and simultaneously test Han Lie’s true feelings about her.

Pan Ge was the simplest; she was purely curious. Last time, you made Xi Luting cry right in front of me. Today, faced with a softened version of her, how will you act?

Han Lie had a crystal-clear understanding of their thoughts.

COUGH! COUGH!

Alright, perhaps I was exaggerating a bit; it’s more like I had a general idea,

he admitted to himself. But that was already more than enough.

The next question was... how to handle this?

According to Han Lie’s usual principles, he definitely shouldn’t indulge Xi Luting. Are we close enough for you to act like my legitimate wife?

However, Han Lie’s heart softened when he saw the package Xi Luting had casually placed on the table.

Little Cucumber is already teetering on the brink of social annihilation; I should probably be a bit nicer to her... A person has to have some conscience!

Thus, Han Lie offered a very gentle and magnanimous smile.

"Alright, today is your home ground. I’ll follow all your arrangements," he said, then picked up a braised egg and took a crisp bite.

Xi Luting’s gaze softened, her mood lightened, and a faint smile touched the corners of her lips. The scoundrel is actually behaving today!

She glanced at Pan Ge, proudly tilting her chin, feeling as though she had finally reclaimed some lost ground. Last time was merely an accident. This is my true capability!

Yu Yun clutched her T-shirt tightly, her eyes wide with a hint of anger. But she had always preferred a softer approach and wouldn’t confront him directly. So, she pouted and began to act coquettishly towards Han Lie.

"Han Lie~~ How could you be like this? Don’t you have any principles?" she cooed.

WHOA!

What a dazzling display! Han Lie didn’t know what the other girls were thinking, but he certainly felt dizzy.

"Are my principles not firm enough?" Han Lie asked, retracting his gaze. He replied slowly and deliberately, "I side with whoever feeds me. Fair and square, no deception involved."

COUGH! COUGH!

Tofu, who was drinking soy milk, choked and coughed violently. She was still young and had never witnessed a man freeloading off women with such shameless confidence. Today had certainly broadened her horizons.

She gave Han Lie a thumbs-up, thoroughly impressed. "Dude, you’re awesome!"

Han Lie immediately teased her, "Right? So, would you like to experience some VIP treatment?"

"No way! My meager living allowance is barely enough to maintain my current weight..." Tofu shook her head like a spinning top, then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, suddenly pulled Pan Ge into the conversation. "Hey, why don’t you ask Pan Pan? Pan Pan’s weekly allowance is enough to cover your cafeteria meals for a year~~~"

Pan Ge was exasperated, shooting Tofu a fierce glare. However, she didn’t offer a rebuttal, calmly sipping her congee and skillfully deflecting the challenge back to Han Lie.

Smart! Han Lie thought.

Xi Luting suddenly tensed, gripping her chopsticks so tightly that her knuckles turned white. In her mind, that shameless jerk Han Lie would definitely seize the opportunity, and without a shred of politeness either.

But, unexpectedly, Han Lie actually shook his head.

"Let’s not. I can barely manage the three patrons I currently have; I really don’t have the energy to scout for new meal tickets. Besides, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are already perfectly scheduled. Where would I even fit another one? And most importantly... wouldn’t it be a waste to have Pan Pan pay for cafeteria food? If I ran into her outside someday, mooching a meal at Wangjiang Pavilion off her would be so much more satisfying!"

Pan Ge was particularly pleased with Han Lie’s response. Firstly, he had tactfully excluded her from his list of "patrons." Secondly, his praise for her felt natural. Thirdly, he was neither fawning nor distant.

So, she looked Han Lie directly in the eye, smiled brightly, and made a promise. "Alright, if we happen to meet outside, I’ll treat you to Wangjiang Pavilion. Just don’t pull out a ring and scare me, okay?"

Yu Yun, Xi Luting, and Tofu were utterly bewildered. What on earth are they talking about?

Only Han Lie understood.

Wangjiang Pavilion was an exclusive restaurant boasting the best views of the Bund, reputed to be Magic Capital’s prime spot for marriage proposals. It had a private room for two upstairs. The food itself was merely passable, but the butler would coordinate with clients in advance to create various themed ambiances, making it the ideal destination for couples seeking a touch of ceremony.

Pan Ge, by speaking so plainly, was making her meaning clear: she could treat him to Wangjiang Pavilion, but it would strictly be for a meal—nothing more should be read into it.

A truly classy girl, Han Lie mused. The nickname ’Lady of the House’ certainly fits her.

But Han Lie was no less astute, easily returning the banter. "I was just mentioning it casually. Actually, it doesn’t have to be Wangjiang Pavilion. Any top-tier restaurant will do, as long as it’s expensive~~~"

They exchanged a smile, a silent understanding passing between them.

Yu Yun, Xi Luting, and Tofu continued to glance back and forth, still completely clueless about the unspoken code between the two.

Consequently, Little Cucumber once again seethed with frustration.

Fine, you shameless man! Eating my food, drinking my drinks, and now you’re already arranging your next sponsored meal? I... I don’t seem to have any way to stop you, do I?!

Realizing this, she grew even more furious, clutching her chopsticks and viciously stabbing at the congee in her bowl, grinding her teeth audibly.

Yu Yun wasn’t angry, but she was deeply anxious.

Good heavens, how is anyone supposed to cope with this? I don’t even know how to handle Xi Luting, and now there’s Pan Ge, another rival on the same level... That feeling of despair and helplessness... anyone who hasn’t experienced it wouldn’t understand.

But the most remarkable thing about Yu Yun was her resilience. Anyone else would have given up, but not her.

Instead, she felt even more certain: My judgment was spot on; Han Lie is a genuine 24-karat golden bachelor. Only the best goods are fought over, right? Which other guy in this school could simultaneously attract both Xi Luting and Pan Ge? He’s worth fighting for!

The supposedly masterful queen of hearts, so adept at subtle games, was ironically driving herself to distraction with her own convoluted thoughts.

But in reality, did Han Lie have any actual romantic entanglements with either of them? Not at all.

It was clearly just normal interaction, devoid of any emotional involvement. It was just that, through a series of coincidences, the conflicts between the girls had been magnified. Then, a pike had slipped into the churning waters, stirring up trouble, playing all sides, exploiting every opening, and deftly turning situations to his advantage.

What ’shrine of carnage’? In Brother Lie’s eyes, what others perceived as a battleground was merely a stage for him to seize advantages and reap benefits!

Xi Luting, fuming but lacking any grounds to pick a fight with Han Lie, slammed her chopsticks down and sat there, her face cold.

Yu Yun blinked rapidly, deciding it was time to reconcile with Xi Luting. The pressure from Pan Ge was immense; while her physique might not be as "explosive" as Yu Yun’s, Pan Ge’s aura was too refined, and she was far too wealthy.

Better the prize stays contested within their circle, where there’s still a chance, Yu Yun reasoned, than be snatched entirely by an outsider. If an outsider took the whole pot, what would be left for us? Uniting with Xi Luting to resist Pan Ge is imperative! I hereby declare the Yun-Ting alliance officially formed!

Yu Yun’s eyes darted around, and spotting the delivery box on the table, she quickly found a new topic of conversation.

"Ting Ting, what did you buy?"