Appears! the landmine girl who changed the flower knife💣️

He harbored no particular aversion to the notion of being a ‘rented boyfriend.’

Making money was a grim necessity, and the prospect of such a substantial reward merely for offering emotional support meant he was in no position to be choosy.

Yet, a genuine worry gnawed at him, for secrets had a way of always coming to light.

What if Ye Zaiwei were to discover his clandestine activities one day?

In modern society, most people contended with some form of psychological issue, and Ye Zaiwei was unequivocally a prime example.

To label her a yandere (TL Note: A Japanese term for a character who is initially loving and caring but becomes deranged and violent due to their devotion) would be no exaggeration, for her affections were heavy to an indescribable degree.

If not for her relentless pursuit of perfection, and her fantastical notions of a serene life, coupled with her aversion to any dramatic scenes involving confrontation, violence, or imprisonment, Pei Xingyan knew he could never have lived as freely under the sun as he did now.

Nevertheless, he was even more resolute in his decision to be self-reliant, absolutely refusing to succumb to Ye Zaiwei’s gifts and monetary temptations.

Thus, he resolved to seize every opportunity to earn money, no matter the method.

****

Yet, the path to earning money was rarely smooth.

Although Lin Xiaoyu continued to confide in him over the past few days, her mood, which had previously shown significant improvement, was gradually deteriorating once more.

It appeared she had encountered some trouble.

Despite her persistent complaints of vexation, she remained unwilling to disclose the true nature of her difficulties.

Shedding the illusion of easy money, Pei Xingyan gradually regained his composure.

He understood that mere talk therapy could only treat the symptoms, not the root cause.

If he truly wished to heal this girl’s psychological trauma, he needed to address the problem at its origin.

Fortunately, he had been laying plans for this very purpose from the very beginning.

He still needed to gain greater trust, and for now, he had to wait.

He would bide his time until Lin Xiaoyu, in her desperate pursuit of praise and adulation, made a mistake.

She was already struggling, and continuing down this path would inevitably lead to error.

Only then could he proceed to the next step.

[I’ve played a few pieces for my classmates again these past couple of days, and everyone says they sound much better now~]

[You’re really amazing (✧◡✧)]

[It feels like learning from you for a few days has been more effective than years of studying before.]

[Will you teach me a few more tricks? Please~]

After sending a few messages, Pei Xingyan tucked his phone back into his pocket, waiting patiently.

He was currently standing below the teaching building of the School of Arts, awaiting the arrival of his second God of Wealth.

This wealthy senior student, who had requested emotional services, had exchanged only a few brief messages with him on the app, bluntly stating she wanted to meet in person, eschewing text or voice calls.

Pei Xingyan had no choice but to comply; after all, who could refuse someone willing to spend a fortune?

He leaned against the glass door, waiting quietly, his gaze sweeping over the girls as they passed by.

Legs.

His eyes were filled with nothing but legs.

Thighs and calves, brimming with youthful vitality, were either exposed to the air or clad in long or short socks, creating a colorful and dazzling spectacle.

Yet, Pei Xingyan dared not look too closely, unwilling to invite any unnecessary trouble.

It wasn’t that he discriminated against art students, but rather that this particular group, owing to the inherently emotional nature of their studies, was indeed prone to emotional impulsiveness.

He swiftly retracted his gaze, looking up at the sky.

Today, the clouds stretched in continuous sheets, a sight that refreshed the mind and gladdened the heart, and he found himself momentarily lost in thought.

Consequently, he overlooked the girl who had quietly crept up beside him.

“Are you Pei Xingyan?” Her voice was soft, drifting into his ears like clouds in the sky.

He startled slightly, realizing this was the person he was waiting for, and nodded subtly in response.

Even before seeing this wealthy senior student, he had already formed an initial judgment of the client: a voice so sweet usually wouldn’t be too—

He turned his head, mentally slapping himself ten times.

He had misjudged; this was a character absolutely not to be trifled with.

The first thing that caught his eye was her striking twin pigtails, followed by bangs as thick as a city wall.

These were the most unmistakable hallmarks of her style.

Looking further down, he saw an utterly standard pink blouse, tied with a black ribbon in a bow at her neck.

A black miniskirt rested on her thighs, and beneath it, a pair of black stockings, one longer than the other.

One was cinched tightly around her thigh, leaving a distinct indentation in her flesh, while the other hung loosely around her slender calf, appearing as if it might slip off at any moment.

Moreover, in such scorching summer weather, she had not only worn stockings but also donned a pair of white, lace-trimmed cotton socks underneath.

The soles of her shoes were disproportionately high, making her appearance utterly peculiar, quite apart from any potential odor.

This style of dress…

She was a complete Landmine Girl (TL Note: A Japanese slang term, ‘jirai onna,’ referring to a woman who appears sweet or harmless but is emotionally unstable and prone to explosive outbursts)!

She was precisely the type of Landmine Girl whose emotions would explode like a landmine at the slightest disagreement!

Pei Xingyan had never dealt with such a character before, but he had certainly heard of their notoriety.

Trembling slightly, he looked towards the girl’s arm and, sure enough, found numerous vivid red scratches.

There was no mistake; this was a Landmine Girl who had cut herself…

How could he have possibly imagined that the ‘good girl’ Tang Xin had spoken of would turn out to be a Landmine Girl!

Pei Xingyan instinctively wanted to turn and flee, but his desire for money ultimately overcame his cowardice.

He took a deep breath, then nodded gently.

“I am Pei Xingyan.

You’re… Su Sansan, right?”

Only the name Tang Xin had given him could offer a sliver of security at this moment; at least this girl hadn’t transformed her name into some clichéd ‘Hoshino So-and-so’ or ‘XX-chan’ (TL Note: Common names or suffixes used by online personalities or those in certain subcultures, often associated with a ‘Landmine Girl’ aesthetic), thereby cementing her status.

“I’ve been watching you for a while now,” Su Sansan said, her words seemingly unrelated.

“With so many pretty girls in our academy, aren’t you interested?”

“Look not at what is contrary to propriety…” Pei Xingyan responded, transforming into a disciple of Qi-Lu (TL Note: A reference to the region where Confucius lived and taught), reciting the words of the Sage Confucius.

Su Sansan giggled, yet she seemed quite pleased with his answer, unconsciously nodding in agreement.

After that, she curiously leaned closer, getting very near to scrutinize Pei Xingyan’s face, before beginning to comment.

“Hmm, not bad.

That young lady didn’t lie to me; you are indeed quite handsome, though you don’t seem to have much muscle, a bit thin…”

Pei Xingyan offered no response, his gaze fixed on her arm.

Su Sansan noticed his gaze.

She looked down at the spot Pei Xingyan was staring at, then immediately extended her arm towards him.

“Don’t be scared,” she said.

“These are drawn with mercurochrome (TL Note: A red antiseptic, often used to simulate injuries).

I haven’t cut myself yet.”

Upon closer inspection, Pei Xingyan realized they were indeed not real wounds, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as she wasn’t an extremist, it was fine.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t earn any money and would only get into a heap of trouble.

“I’m not a Landmine Girl, really,” Su Sansan chirped, “it’s just that the pictures I need to take this time are in this style~”

She was remarkably familiar and outgoing, not at all resembling a girl with psychological issues.

She edged a few more steps closer to Pei Xingyan and continued, “But honestly, this style of clothing is quite good, right?”

Pei Xingyan nodded and asked, “Taking pictures?

Are you a cosplayer? Or a model?”

Su Sansan shook her head and, without the slightest hint of unfamiliarity, pulled at his arm, leading him towards the teaching building.

She said nothing, offered no explanation, but would occasionally glance back covertly to observe Pei Xingyan’s reaction.

Pei Xingyan was bewildered, but from his experience, incessantly questioning her at this moment would not be a wise choice.

In his estimation, this girl was currently assessing his value, and if he performed poorly in any way, both the subsequent payment and the already paid deposit would be lost.

He understood clearly that if things truly escalated, money handled so casually, without proper procedures, could not be retained.

He had to perform well.