It was the class monitor, Cao Jun. Lin Xi offered a polite smile and a nod. “Hi, Monitor. I was excused from military training because of my foot injury. Where should I sit?”

Cao Jun scanned the rows, realizing he hadn’t actually accounted for her. Everyone else would be in the back eventually. He hesitated, then offered, “Why don’t you take my seat? I’ll head to the back.”

Lin Xi immediately caught his drift and shook her head. “No, don’t. You have to carry the class banner. I’ll just find a spot in the back; it’s fine.”

She felt conspicuous enough as it was. While the rest of the students were a sea of uniform camouflage, she was the lone outlier in a breezy blue dress. As she made her way to the back of the bleachers, she felt the weight of dozens of eyes on her—not just from her own class, but from the entire Law Department.

Lin Xi remained unfazed. Let them look, she thought. They’ll get bored eventually.

“Xi-xi!” a cheery voice chirped.

Lin Xi brightened as she waved at the approaching Bai Tiantian. It was a relief to have a real friend in the department.

Tiantian had spotted her from a mile away. Ignoring her own class’s designated area, she dashed straight to the back and slid into the seat next to Lin Xi.

“Xi-xi, you look gorgeous today! I saw you the moment I walked in.” Tiantian looped her arm through Lin Xi’s, her fingers brushing the fabric of the dress. “Is this new?”

Tiantian’s brow furrowed slightly. The dress didn’t look cheap—certainly not the usual high-street brands Lin Xi wore. It was several tiers above her usual wardrobe. Since when did Lin Xi strike it rich? she wondered.

Not wanting to lie to her friend, Lin Xi leaned in and whispered, “I picked up a new part-time gig recently. This is basically my… uniform.”

“What kind of job gives out uniforms like this?” Tiantian asked, eyes wide. “Can you get me a referral?”

Lin Xi rubbed her nose sheepishly. “It’s hard to explain. You kind of just have to fall into it.”

Tiantian’s sharp eyes caught a glint of light. She grabbed Lin Xi’s right hand, lifting it for a closer look. “Xi-xi… don’t tell me this diamond ring is a ‘work tool’ too?”

Lin Xi nodded. “Tiantian, you’re way too smart.”

Tiantian’s jaw dropped. She had been joking, but she’d hit the nail on the head. Her expression shifted to one of genuine concern. “Xi-xi, what kind of job is this? You aren’t being scammed, are you? Look, if you’re short on cash, I can help you out.”

“I’m not being scammed,” Lin Xi reassured her, touched by the concern. “Don’t worry, I have lines I won’t cross. I’ll tell you the whole story later when we’re alone.”

With so many ears around, she didn’t want a single word leaking out. If rumors started flying, she might lose the job—or worse, face a massive breach-of-contract penalty.

Tiantian glanced at the students in the rows ahead, realizing several were blatantly eavesdropping. “Fine. We’ll talk later.”

“Tiantian, aren’t you supposed to be sitting with your class?” Lin Xi asked.

“I’m staying right here with you,” Tiantian replied, tightening her grip on Lin Xi’s arm. “I don’t really know anyone in my class anyway.”

Tiantian was an outlier in her own right. She did as she pleased, lived off-campus, and her striking looks often drew cold shoulders from the other girls. Lin Xi didn’t press the issue; she was just happy for the company.

Tiantian craned her neck toward the VIP rostrum. “Huh. That guy up there looks familiar…”

The stage was a fair distance away, making it hard to discern faces, but the colors were clear. One man was wearing a blue top that looked remarkably similar to Song Xu’s, complete with the same style of hat.

No way, Lin Xi thought. What would Song Xu be doing on the rostrum?

Tiantian pulled out her phone, opened the camera, and cranked the digital zoom to the max. “Xi-xi, look! Your Prince Charming CEO is right there on the stage!”

Lin Xi glanced at the screen. Not only was Song Xu there, but he was holding his own phone up, seemingly filming or photographing them. He caught her eye through the lens and offered a faint, knowing smirk.

Lin Xi quickly pushed Tiantian’s phone down and lowered her head, shielding her face with her hand. The heat rushed to her cheeks. She felt like a stalker who had just been caught red-handed.

“Xi-xi, why is your face so red?” Tiantian teased.

Lin Xi kept her face hidden. “He saw us.”

“So what?” Tiantian shouted. She stood up and waved frantically toward the rostrum. “WE’RE OVER HERE! XI-XI AND I ARE OVER HERE!”

Lin Xi scrambled to pull Tiantian back down while simultaneously trying to cover her friend’s mouth. She didn’t have enough hands to manage her “social butterfly” friend. Having a total extrovert for a best friend was a one-way ticket to social suicide.

Tiantian’s shouting drew a wave of stares. Even with Lin Xi’s usual thick skin, she felt her resolve crumbling.

“What are you all looking at?” Tiantian barked, chin tilted defiantly. “Never seen a couple of beauties before?”

Lin Xi simply buried her face in her hands.

Fortunately, the assembly began shortly after. Tiantian had to rejoin her class for the procession, leaving Lin Xi alone on the bleachers.

A moment later, a few guys from another section wandered over. They didn’t sit directly next to her, leaving a few buffer seats between them.

Lin Xi spared them a glance, her brows knitting. They weren’t in camouflage, which meant they weren’t freshmen. She didn’t know what they wanted, so she chose to ignore them, treating them like they were part of the scenery.

Up on the rostrum, Song Xu’s eyes narrowed as he watched the group of guys close in on Lin Xi. His expression darkened instantly. However, he didn’t move. He wanted to see how she would handle it.

Lin Xi’s strategy was simple: absolute stillness. As long as they didn’t speak, they didn’t exist.

The guys traded looks and whispered among themselves until, finally, one was shoved forward. He took the seat right next to her.

“Hey there,” the guy said, pulling out his phone. “Can I get your WeChat?”

Lin Xi gave him a flat look. He was decent-looking, but she wasn’t interested. “Sorry, I don’t add strangers.”

“Oh, don’t get the wrong idea,” he said quickly, looking a bit nervous. “We’re from the Drama Club. We’re casting for a new play and we’re missing a female lead. I saw you and thought you had the perfect look and aura. Interested in joining?”

It was just a recruitment pitch. Lin Xi didn’t have the time or energy for it. “Sorry. Not interested.”

“Don’t be so quick to say no,” the guy persisted. “Just add me for now. You can come by the club sometime and just watch a rehearsal. We do public performances, and there’s actually money in it.”

The word “money” made Lin Xi’s ears perk up. Her interest flickered. “How much money?”

“It’s not a fortune,” he said, scratching his head. “A show might pull in a thousand or two. The club keeps a bit for expenses, and the rest is split among the cast. You’d probably walk away with a hundred or so per show.”

Lin Xi did the math in her head. Compared to what Song Xu was paying her to be his “exclusive actress,” this was pocket change.

She opened her mouth to decline again when her phone suddenly buzzed. It was a video call from Song Xu.

She glanced toward the rostrum, hesitated for a second, and then hit ‘accept.’ “Xu-ge? What’s up?”

Song Xu’s voice came through cold and sharp. “Tell the guy sitting next to you to get lost!”