Chapter 50: Coaxing a Woman

Miao Leling had been absent-minded for the past few days. Not only could she not focus in class, but she also lacked the energy to manage her social media account.

Five minutes ago, she had uploaded a new video, much like her usual ones.

Dressed in a brand-new style of Hanfu, she spun around in front of the camera, struck a few poses, and then introduced the craftsmanship in her endearing Sichuan dialect, all the while acting cute and dropping a product link!

There were no exaggerated dances, nor any deliberate attempts to flirt or edge closer to vulgarity. She gave off the impression of a remarkably pretty girl next door whose only desire was to sell clothes.

Lately, Miao Leling's account management had hit a bottleneck. Although her video view counts were high, very few viewers actually placed orders to buy her clothes.

The reason was simple.

Even though Miao Leling sold women's clothing, sixty percent of her followers were male. How to convert their purchasing power into actual sales was a problem she urgently needed to solve.

Become a live-streaming sales host? She didn't want to do it.

Host regular live streams? She didn't have the time.

That left only one option: expand her product categories—by selling men's clothing!

Both Miao Leling's father and grandfather had spent their entire lives as tailors making women's garments. Never did they expect that after having a daughter, their household would end up selling men's clothes instead.

To that end, Miao Leling had even posted an online job listing and recruited a male clothing model.

Suddenly, Miao Leling's phone lit up. It was a message from the model named Yang Qingqing.

Yang Qingqing: "Hello, Sister Miao, I'll be coming to Lucheng this weekend. Do you think it's convenient for us to meet?"

Although Miao Leling was a college sophomore, she was actually a little over a month younger than Yang Qingqing. Still, in this day and age, whoever pays the salary holds the power, so calling someone "older sister" didn't mean losing out.

Miao Leling: "Qingqing, please don't be so formal. Just call me Miaomiao or Xiaomiao. Contact me once you arrive in Lucheng, and I'll reimburse your travel expenses."

Yang Qingqing: "Miaomiao, may I ask why you chose me to be your men's clothing model?"

Miao Leling: "In the future, I plan to launch a few couple-matching outfits, and by then we might need to portray 'male-female' interactions. If the model were a male, there would be too many reservations on various fronts."

Yang Qingqing: "Alright... Also, there's one more thing I want to tell Miao in advance."

Miao Leling: "Go ahead."

Yang Qingqing: "I'll be bringing a friend with me when we meet. He's a bit worried about me."

Miao Leling: "Him? A guy?"

Yang Qingqing: "Is that inconvenient?"

Miao Leling: "Not at all... See you this weekend."

Putting down her phone, Miao Leling recalled her own encounter from a few days ago and suddenly felt rather foolish.

How did other people know enough to bring a companion when meeting strangers in a different city?

If Yan Xuan hadn't shown mercy and let her off, that night probably would have become an unerasable scar in her heart.

And whenever she thought of Yan Xuan, Miao Leling would subconsciously raise her hand to touch the spot where she had been squeezed and kneaded.

Days had already passed, yet she could still practically feel that strength and the lingering pain it had brought her.

She turned her phone back on, opened her chat box with Yan Xuan, and sent another "Are you there?" sticker.

Yan Xuan: "Busy playing basketball with my girlfriend. Something up?"

Seeing the message, the corners of Miao Leling's lips lifted slightly.

First, because Yan Xuan had replied instantly today.

Second, because she could basically deduce that Yan Xuan's so-called "girlfriend" was likely just an excuse.

From middle school to university, Miao Leling had used some non-existent "boyfriend" to reject countless guys, and she knew this routine inside out.

If he really had a girlfriend, how could he casually bring her up in conversation all the time?

Miao Leling: "Nothing much, just wanted to see if you were around."

Yan Xuan: "You've got issues..."

Miao Leling: (Sticker: Making a face)

Inside the Jiangnan University badminton court, the squeak of athletic shoes against the rubber flooring echoed alongside the repeated sound of rackets swinging and smashing.

At Court No. 2 in the southeast corner of the hall, Fang Lian had just finished a match against Hu Xuemei, narrowly winning 21 to 18.

She trotted all the way over to Yan Xuan at the sidelines, the beads of sweat rolling down her flushed cheeks making her smile all the more radiant.

A pinkish-white athletic T-shirt paired with mid-length sports trousers, slender and beautiful legs encased in a section of athletic compression tube socks, and a playful pink-and-white ponytail swaying gently at the back of her head—her entire being radiated an overflowing aura of youthful energy.

"Foster... Brother, my badminton skills aren't bad, right?"

Fang Lian lifted her chin slightly, like a proud little swan, demanding praise from Yan Xuan.

"Just so-so."

Yan Xuan picked up a towel to wipe away her sweat, handing her a sports drink at the same time.

Fang Lian put her hands on her hips and challenged him playfully, "Are you saying you're amazing, big bro? Want to play a match against me?"

Yan Xuan shook his head. "I don't play badminton."

Fang Lian expressed doubt. "Really or fake?"

Nearby, Hu Xuemei walked over slowly. Eager to stir up some drama, she chimed in with a provocation.

"Yan Xuan used to accompany Xiao Qi to play every weekend. He probably thinks you're too weak."

"Hu Xuemei, you're not playing nice here."

Yan Xuan let out a bitter laugh and sighed.

Hu Xuemei had grown increasingly close to Fang Lian lately, and the jokes they shared were getting bolder; Yan Xuan's ex-girlfriend was no longer a taboo subject.

Seeing Fang Lian's expression grow increasingly resentful, Yan Xuan had no choice but to pick up a racket and warm up his joints.

"Let's get this straight beforehand: I'm not going to hold back."

"Hmph! Who wants you to hold back!"

Fang Lian puffed out her cheeks, looking like a provoked, adorable pufferfish.

The two of them walked to opposite sides of the court, and Yan Xuan served first.

"Ready?"

"Bring it on!"

Yan Xuan served, Fang Lian returned the shot, and Yan Xuan smashed it down!

A simple 1:0.

"Huh?"

Fang Lian stood frozen in place, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly.

She hadn't expected to win against Yan Xuan, and her absolute bottom line was simply not to perform worse than that "Xiao Qi"!

Yet she never imagined the very first point would completely shatter her expectations.

Yan Xuan asked again, "Still want to play?"

His badminton skills were at the average level for a university student, but in terms of sheer physical strength, it was a completely overwhelming mismatch for a girl like Fang Lian.

"Play!"

Fang Lian picked up the shuttlecock, her gaze resolute.

What followed was Yan Xuan's relentless, merciless smashes, occasionally interspersed with delicate drop shots designed to deliberately tease her into running all over the court.

On the final point, Fang Lian attempted a desperate save, only to trip and fall onto the ground in an utter mess due to running too frantically.

With Yan Xuan's final jumping, powerful smash, the score was frozen at 21:0.

Hu Xuemei, who had watched the entire spectacle, covered her head with one hand, wearing a laugh-or-cry expression. She genuinely hadn't expected Yan Xuan to not hold back even a single bit.

"I'm not playing anymore..."

Unhappy, Fang Lian walked back to the sidelines, packed up her racket and gear, and headed toward the exit with her head down.

Yan Xuan hurriedly chased after her. He tried to put his arm around her as he usually did, but she smoothly and undetectably dodged away. Right up until they got back into the car, the two of them didn't exchange a single word.

Fang Lian refused to sit in the front passenger seat, leaving Yan Xuan with no choice but to follow her and sit in the back.

"I'll apologize to you, okay?"

Normally, Fang Lian was considerate and sensible. If she was putting on a sulky face with him, it meant she was genuinely quite angry.

Yan Xuan reached out his hand, and Fang Lian sidestepped to avoid it, but didn't evade completely, allowing Yan Xuan's hand to land right on top of her head.

Feeling Yan Xuan's large hand gently kneading her hair, Fang Lian muttered with her cheeks puffed out.

"I'm so sorry for failing to make your sugar-daddy self use your full strength."

"Why are you angry?"

Based on Yan Xuan's understanding of Fang Lian, a score of 21:0 wasn't enough reason for her to be truly mad; it was likely because of something else entirely.

With a sarcastic tone, Fang Lian said, "Did your sugar-daddy self play with that Xiao Qi like this in the past too?"

If Yan Xuan had played badminton with his ex-girlfriend that way, unless that woman was a masochist, there was no way she would have asked him to accompany her every single weekend.

Yan Xuan answered candidly, "No. Every time I played with her, I always held back."

Hearing this, Fang Lian felt even more aggrieved in her heart: "Then why didn't you hold back with me?"

It is not scarcity that worries people, but inequality.

Treating people differently implied that she wasn't as important in Yan Xuan's heart as his ex-girlfriend. That was the primary reason she was sulking.

If it were a little over two months ago, Fang Lian could have gritted her teeth and digested this sullen feeling; back then, after all, they had just met, and it was completely normal that her status in Yan Xuan's heart couldn't compare to his ex.

But now, more than two months had passed. She had poured her heart and soul out to Yan Xuan, perfectly playing the dual roles of a good girlfriend and a "god-daughter."

She never expected that in his heart, she still couldn't measure up to his predecessor!

Yan Xuan didn't rush to answer Fang Lian. He lowered his head in deep thought for a good while before finally giving his reply.

"Because her temper was bad, and she loved to cry. When she cried, she was really hard to coax."

"Then I'll cry too!"

Yan Xuan didn't speak. He just stared blankly at Fang Lian, as if waiting for her to burst into tears.

Yet several minutes passed, and Fang Lian couldn't squeeze out a single drop of tears. Instead, the sulky, angry little expression on her face ended up amusing Yan Xuan.

"Look, you wouldn't possibly cry and make a fuss over a trivial matter like this with me; you couldn't even fake it if you tried."

Yan Xuan sighed. "Fang Lian, have you ever noticed that you actually don't know how to act spoiled at all?"

Although Fang Lian frequently acted spoiled in front of Yan Xuan, the skills she used for it were learned from Fang Qiuolan, and Fang Qiuolan's own skills had been honed in nightclubs and KTVs.

That kind of spoiled behavior belonged to the pleasing-type, purely serving to provide emotional value to men.

On the other hand, Yan Xuan's ex-girlfriend had grown up steeped in honey. Her act of acting spoiled lacked any ulterior motive; it was purely an expression of her own emotions, almost an instinct.

Because from the time she was a child, whenever she acted spoiled, someone would invariably step up to satisfy her demands.

They say women who know how to act spoiled have good lives, and that really refers to this type of person.

Born with the confidence and capital to act willful and spoiled without restraint—how could her life not be good?

"Xiaoliao, actually, you don't need to worry too much about my so-called ex-girlfriend. I still understand the simple principle of cherishing the person right in front of you.

To use an internet meme, if you and she both fell into the water, I would definitely save you first without even thinking about it."

Yan Xuan paused to catch his breath and continued, "Being in a relationship with her in the past was too tiring—tiring to the point where I completely lost patience for certain things, like playing badminton.

Regardless of all that, it was my fault today. If you still want to play badminton in the future, I'll carve out time to properly accompany you."

Fang Lian took the initiative to lean forward into the man's embrace, shaking her head.

She wouldn't bear to let her sugar-daddy get too tired...

Seeing that she was mostly coaxed, Yan Xuan seized the opportunity to say, "I have to head out of town again this weekend, so I won't be able to accompany you."

"Mm-hmm."

Fang Lian nodded gently, not even bothering to ask where Yan Xuan was going.

Yan Xuan let go of Fang Lian and moved back to the driver's seat. Fang Lian wanted to follow him over, but her phone suddenly lit up with a message from Yang Qingqing.

Yang Qingqing: "Fang Lian, I won't be home this weekend."

Fang Lian: "Where are you going?"

Yang Qingqing: "Didn't I tell you? I found a part-time job as a men's clothing model, and I need to go meet the boss first."

Fang Lian: "Oh... Take care of yourself."

Unlike Yan Xuan, Fang Lian wasn't worried about her best friend at all.

Standing 1.86 meters tall and knowing a thing or two about martial arts, ordinary men were truly no match for Yang Qingqing.

Still...

Both Yang Qingqing and her sugar-daddy were heading out this weekend?

Fang Lian wanted to ask Yan Xuan about it, but he had just poured his heart out to her with such a long speech. If she immediately showed suspicion, would she seem unappreciative?

In the end, Fang Lian pressed the question down in her heart, figuring it was probably, most likely, maybe...

Just a coincidence?