After the minor character transforms into a beauty, she steals the heart of a tycoon's son.

Ji Yan looked at Si Lin, who was clearly unhappy after hearing the answer.

He was clearly much more sincere than this woman.

Ji Yan's gaze turned cold. If his guess was true, then this special admission student who challenged the supreme authority of the nobility deserved to die.

Ruan Tang remained calm, first glancing at Ji Yan's darkened expression, then turning her head to look at Si Lin, who was staring at her from the side.

She tilted her head, blinked innocently, as if asking: What's wrong?

Did she say something wrong?

Si Lin felt extremely annoyed when he saw her innocent look.

You don't like him? Are you kidding me?

She was kissed by him, slept with him, nestled in his arms, and acted coquettishly without any fear.

What else could all of this be but liking?

Seeing her bewildered expression, Si Lin attributed her earlier words to the girl's shyness and embarrassment at admitting it in front of so many people.

Yes, that must be it.

Thinking about it this way, the tightness in his chest eased a bit, but his expression remained cold. He gave her a cold snort and turned his head away from her.

The little girl tugged at Si Lin's sleeve, quietly moved closer to him, leaned on his shoulder, and looked at him expectantly.

Si Lin's expression was not good, but his large hand still honestly put his arm around the little girl's shoulder.

Ji Yan watched as his childhood friend, who had grown up with him, was jolted by this woman's unintentional answer, and then, with an innocent look in her eyes, he found a way to save face.

When did Si Lin become like this?

If someone dared to treat him like this normally, they would have been blacklisted long ago.

Ji Yan suppressed his surging emotions.

What a shrew! Behind their backs, she managed to coax Si Lin to this extent.

That's quite a skill.

Fortunately, they intervened in time; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

-

The game continues.

The bottle spun around on the coffee table a few times before its neck wobbled and stopped towards Pei Heng.

He crossed his legs, tapped his fingers on his knees, and, not caring, chose truth.

Wen Yan spoke up, "When was the last time you changed female companions?"

"Last week." Pei Heng put down his cup and casually gave three names.

Wen Yan teased, "You forgot two, didn't you? There's also a pair of twins. You've mixed up their names."

Pei Heng wasn't annoyed at being exposed; instead, he laughed and raised his wine glass towards Wen Yan, saying, "You have a good memory."

The bottle spout turned again, this time pointing towards Ji Yan.

He sat upright, his expression as indifferent as ever, and he also chose to speak the truth.

Pei Heng asked a question everyone knew but dared not ask, "Any news about your white moonlight lately?"

Many people around were curious and pricked up their ears.

Rumor has it that Shen Yin is the apple of Ji Yan's eye, but Ji Yan has never publicly acknowledged or revealed this.

Everyone wants to hear what the parties involved have to say about the truth.

Ji Yan didn't mince words, "We spoke on the phone last month."

Pei Heng wisely refrained from continuing the conversation.

The bottle was turned around a few more times, but the questions were all trivial.

Which newly opened restaurant is worth visiting? How much did someone spend on modifying their sports car? Which stock is expected to rise next quarter?

The four deacons answered flawlessly, and the nobles on the periphery were occasionally called in to play a game and chime in, creating a relaxed yet orderly atmosphere.

However, this relaxation is built upon a strict hierarchy, and everyone must recognize their own position.

The bottle opening pointed towards Ruan Tang again.

Just as Wen Yan was about to speak, Si Lin reached out and picked up the penalty wine for her, tilting his head back to drink it all in one gulp.

"She's too shy to play." He put the empty glass back on the coffee table, his tone casual.

"Don't ask anymore, I'll drink it."

Pei Heng shook his head, clapped his hands, and sighed, "Si Lin, you've changed. You were never like this when you played with us before."

Si Lin leaned back on the sofa armrest, one hand casually resting on Ruan Tang's lower back. "How can they be the same?"

"Also, don't think I don't know your little tricks and that you're just taking advantage of an uninformed layman."

Si Lin's words were protective of his own, but in reality, he was afraid that Ruan Tang would be asked some more questions and say something he didn't want to hear.

Why make yourself upset over something as trivial as a glass of wine?

Si Lin looked down at Ruan Tang, who was looking up at him.

He reached out and patted her head, then handed her the juice, gesturing for her to drink it obediently.

In this kind of situation, it's fine to have the little girl act as a mascot to highlight her status.

She followed him and didn't need to please anyone.

Even members of the deacon group.

Ruan Tang went along with his wishes, eating and drinking quietly and happily.

Ji Yan sat on the far side, and Wen Yan, separated by half a sofa, exchanged a glance with him, the two of them understanding each other without saying a word.

Intermission.

The aristocratic students rose one by one and gathered in twos and threes at the edge of the dance floor. Some clinked glasses with champagne, while others leaned against the pillars and talked in hushed tones.

Wen Yan strolled slowly toward the terrace, with Ji Yan following behind him. The two stood by the Roman columns on the terrace, and the night breeze carried the fragrance of lilies of the valley from downstairs.

"How do you plan to make your move?" Wen Yan swirled the wine glass in his hand.

"Find an opportunity to serve Ruan Tang a glass of sweet wine," Ji Yan said calmly.

"It has a high alcohol content, but it tastes sweet, so she can't taste the difference."

Wen Yan raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? If she's drunk and out of her mind, and says something out of nowhere, it could cause a huge mess."

"You know Si Lin's personality; he's probably going to cause a scene tonight."

Ji Yan turned his head and glanced through the floor-to-ceiling window at the aristocratic young men chatting and laughing in the hall.

He looked away, his tone calm, "So what if we overturned it? We're surrounded by nobles who depend on us."

Wen Yan followed his gaze and glanced into the hall.

Ruan Tang was still sitting on the sofa when Si Lin gave her another chocolate. She was peeling the foil when she finished and naturally handed it to Si Lin's mouth.

Although Si Lin doesn't like sweets, she still opened her mouth.

Wen Yan withdrew his gaze and remained silent.

"What are you thinking about?" Ji Yan asked, looking at him.

"I'm thinking..."

"If Si Lin gets angry and attacks her in a fit of rage, will she die?"

Ji Yan coldly replied, "If she dies, it's just bad luck. Even if Si Lin regrets it for a moment, he'll forget about it soon enough. Isn't that a win-win situation?"

Wen Yan lowered his eyes, it was hard to tell whether his regret was genuine or feigned.

"It's a pity that such a beautiful girl hasn't even had a fleeting romance yet."

"I'm afraid I'll miss it for a long time to come."

Ji Yan stared at Wen Yan, and he could tell at a glance that Wen Yan was hesitant and reluctant to part with him.

He said, "If you want, you can change her name and keep her as a caged bird."

"As long as you don't end up like Si Lin, getting caught up in it without realizing it, you can do whatever you want with it."