Ye Chu looked at Shangguan Minda and laughed. “Do you really think Miaotong only attracts men?”
He pointed at Ye Jingyun. “Today while Miaotong and I were touring Cold Lake, she told me that Ye Jingyun likes women. These past few days, she’s been insisting on sleeping together with her, which has made Miaotong very troubled!”
As soon as those words left his mouth, not only was Ye Jingyun left dumbfounded, but even Tan Miaotong stood there blushing furiously, wanting to laugh yet covering her mouth to hold it in. Only Qing Wenting looked at Ye Jingyun with sympathy: you schemed against Ye Chu — of course he’s going to slander you today!
“What nonsense are you spouting!” Ye Jingyun’s face flushed crimson. She glared furiously at Ye Chu, wishing she could bite off a chunk of his flesh. She thought to herself: what rubbish is this guy making up? Since when do I like women?
“You like women — everyone already knows! If it weren’t for Miaotong being so troubled by this, do you think she would have spent time with me, someone she just met, touring Cold Lake?” Ye Chu shrugged. “I know I’m irresistibly charming, but not to the point where Miaotong would treat me like this after one meeting. She only did it because she thought I was your cousin and could talk some sense into you. But Miaotong didn’t know that you and I actually don’t get along. Asking me wouldn’t have helped anyway!”
“You…” Ye Jingyun was furious. The way Ye Chu spoke made it sound so convincing, as though she really did like women.
Seeing Shangguan Minda looking at her suspiciously, Ye Jingyun waved her hands frantically. “Don’t listen to his nonsense! He’s completely making it up!”
Ye Chu shrugged again. “Whether it’s nonsense or not, you know the truth in your heart. We’re cousins — why do you hate me so much? Isn’t it because I once stole a woman you liked, and ever since then you’ve been targeting me at every turn?”
“Ye Chu! Keep spouting rubbish and I swear I’ll tear your mouth apart!” Ye Jingyun was going mad. What nonsense was this guy talking about?
“You dare stir up trouble but can’t handle it when I talk about it?” Ye Chu snorted. “You just wanted me and Shangguan Minda to clash so you could reap the benefits.”
Ye Jingyun’s breathing grew rapid from anger. Her ample chest rose and fell dramatically, drawing the eye. Amid her fury, she gradually regained some composure. She realised the angrier she got, the more she fell into his trap. Taking several deep breaths to calm herself, she stared at Ye Chu. “Do you think anyone will believe you?”
Ye Chu shrugged. “I don’t need anyone to believe me. I’m just stating a fact.”
“You’re just slandering me so Shangguan Minda won’t hold it against you.” Ye Jingyun, now calm again, naturally refused to be led by the nose any longer. She sneered. “Do you think everyone else is an idiot?”
“How amusing! Just from my earlier words telling him to ‘give up on Miaotong,’ he probably already wants to kill me. I never expected him to let me off the hook, because I’ve never been afraid of him.” Ye Chu laughed. “Since I’m not afraid of him, your claim that I’m slandering you to make him spare me doesn’t hold up.”
Ye Jingyun finally understood. Ye Chu had deliberately provoked Shangguan Minda earlier just to set the stage for this moment. Seeing Shangguan Minda looking at her with even greater suspicion, she grew anxious. “Miaotong, tell him! When have I ever liked women?”
“I…” Tan Miaotong’s face burned red, utterly charming. She glanced at Ye Chu, then turned her head away, refusing to answer Ye Jingyun. Since Ye Jingyun and Ye Chu were clashing, she had no intention of taking sides.
Seeing Ye Jingyun’s flushed and frantic expression, Tan Miaotong secretly laughed inside. Serves you right! Who told you to let Shangguan Minda come aboard and stir up trouble for no reason!
But in Shangguan Minda’s eyes, Tan Miaotong’s reaction looked completely different. He thought: if she weren’t too shy to speak, why would her face be so red? And why wouldn’t she defend Ye Jingyun?
“The fact that you like women isn’t something only we know. There’s no point hiding it! Of course, we don’t look down on that kind of unconventional love. But you should at least respect Miaotong a little. She doesn’t want it, yet you keep forcing her to share your tastes.” Ye Chu sighed. “The thing I hate most is men with no real skill who still chase women. All they know is the lowest, most pathetic tactic: threatening rivals. Utterly shameful.”
Those words made both Ye Jingyun’s and Shangguan Minda’s faces turn ugly. Ye Jingyun because of Ye Chu’s slander, Shangguan Minda because Ye Chu’s final remark clearly included him.
“You’re the one with unconventional tastes!” Ye Jingyun exploded, glaring at Ye Chu. “Everyone here isn’t stupid. Do you really think your wild nonsense will work?”
Ye Chu glanced at Shangguan Minda, who still looked half-convinced, half-doubting. Then he said, “Let me ask you a few questions. Just answer yes or no. After that, everyone will know the truth!”
“I’d like to see what questions you can ask to slander me.” Ye Jingyun sneered, itching to tear Ye Chu apart.
“Have you ever asked to sleep together with Tan Miaotong? Do you occasionally kiss Tan Miaotong for no reason? Do you frequently hug and hold Tan Miaotong? Have you ever seen Tan Miaotong’s naked body, or let her see yours?” Ye Chu stared at Ye Jingyun. “That’s all. Please answer honestly.”
“I…” Ye Jingyun wanted to explain.
But Ye Chu gave her no chance. “I knew you’d try to explain. You won’t even dare answer yes or no, so I won’t ask you anymore. I’ll just ask Miaotong. Miaotong, tell us — has she done these things?”
Tan Miaotong looked at Ye Chu, her face still flushed red and beautiful. Her eyes met his. She wondered how he knew so many details about her and Ye Jingyun’s interactions. But these things didn’t prove anything, did they?
“See? You saw it yourself. Now you should understand whether I’m lying or not.” Ye Chu shrugged at Shangguan Minda. Inside, he was secretly laughing. He knew full well that among close female friends, kissing, hugging, and cuddling were perfectly normal. In his previous life, he had seen far more intimate behaviour between women — it didn’t mean they were lesbians!
But Ye Chu knew these things; Shangguan Minda did not. Shangguan Minda’s world was nowhere near as open as Ye Chu’s previous one. These private matters between women were known only to women — men had no idea! Hearing it suddenly, Shangguan Minda found it utterly shocking.
Right now, Shangguan Minda stared blankly at Ye Jingyun, his emotions in turmoil. He had never imagined that the beautiful, alluring Ye Jingyun liked women! If Miaotong spent so much time with her, wasn’t that dangerous?
The thought made Shangguan Minda shiver. Men weren’t scary — women were. How could Miaotong possibly defend herself against another woman?
“Shangguan Minda, you’re not really believing him, are you?” Ye Jingyun wanted to cry but had no tears. She could hardly explain that this was just the playful intimacy between close girlfriends. Among women, such things were normal and believable. But how could a man believe it? That bastard Ye Chu — how did he know so much? Was he secretly a woman too?
Qing Wenting watched from the side with a smile, looking at the flushed and frantic Ye Jingyun. She thought: I warned you long ago, but you insisted on going after Ye Chu. Now you’ve brought trouble on yourself.
“Miaotong, from now on, keep your distance from certain people.” Shangguan Minda glanced at Ye Jingyun. “At the same time, I’ll let some friends know so they can be a little more cautious.”
“Pfft…” Ye Jingyun nearly spat blood. If Shangguan Minda spread this around, wouldn’t the rumour that she liked women spread everywhere? Wouldn’t her reputation be ruined?