Of course, had he known the thoughts the young woman harbored about him, he would not have known what to make of it at all.
When a beautiful woman is met with utter indifference, she cannot help but grow curious about the man who ignores her. Hence the saying: "A mature man holds the greatest allure." Unlike those fumbling virgin boys who drool shamelessly at the sight of a pretty woman, a mature man pays little mind to outward beauty alone. For him, it is a person's inner substance that holds true weight. Yet it is precisely this quiet indifference that has sparked an endless number of father complex infatuations in young women.
"Hello, Fang Yu. I'm Ye Xinyi." At the sound of his introduction, Ye Xinyi's smile grew even brighter, sending the ravenous hordes of young men around her into a frenzy of frantic swallowing. One fool even let his saliva gush forth like a breached dam, unstoppable in its torrent.
Faced with such a warm, eager young woman, Fang Yu felt a sudden, sharp urge to pin her down and have his way with her right then and there. It was nothing more than a passing fantasy, of course. For one thing, the setting was wildly inappropriate. For another, he was determined to maintain at least a veneer of gentlemanly decorum in front of a beautiful woman. Besides, he was still a pure-hearted, untested virgin at the end of the day.
The mark of a truly successful rogue is that no one ever suspects you are one.
Fang Yu was confident he was perilously close to mastering that very art.
"I'm a freshman at the University of Economics this year. What about you?" Ye Xinyi asked with a smile, her curiosity about the man before her growing with every passing second.
"What a coincidence, fellow student. I'm also studying at the University of Economics." Just then, a voice cut through the air abruptly from right behind Fang Yu.
Fang Yu did not turn around. The sudden voice stirred no flicker of emotion in him, neither joy nor anger. He remained seated in silence, not even lifting his head.
Moments later, a bespectacled young man appeared beside Fang Yu, putting on a refined, scholarly air. Yet the moment his eyes fell on Fang Yu's outfit, a look of undisguised contempt crossed his face. It was gone in an instant, however, as he tore his gaze away from Fang Yu and turned it to Ye Xinyi, who sat quietly opposite.
"Hello there, Student Ye Xinyi. My name is Wang Ruobing, and I'm also an incoming freshman at the University of Economics." The bespectacled young man gave a refined, polite smile, even as his eyes darted repeatedly to the expanse of milky-white skin at Ye Xinyi's chest, a sharp swallow passing down his throat unbidden.
Caught off guard by his wandering gaze, Ye Xinyi's cheeks flushed bright red. She crossed her hands over her chest, covering up the glimpse of skin entirely, before lifting her head to look at him. "Hello," she replied, purely out of politeness.
Wang Ruobing gave an awkward laugh, his face shifting with discomfort. It seemed his carefully crafted refined image had taken a small but noticeable hit.
"Sir, would you mind making a bit of room for me?" Hoping to salvage the situation, Wang Ruobing turned to address Fang Yu, who had kept his head bowed the entire time.
"Oh." Fang Yu lifted his head slowly, his gaze locking with Wang Ruobing's. He saw the undisguised contempt in the man's eyes, yet his own expression did not shift in the slightest. He slid over slowly, making just enough space for the other man to sit down.
"Thank you." He murmured his thanks, then pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and meticulously wiped down the spot where Fang Yu had just been sitting, before finally lowering himself into the seat.
Idiot. A cold sneer echoed in Fang Yu's chest, yet his face remained perfectly impassive. He might not have reacted to the man's deliberate insult now, but he would most certainly make him pay for it later.
Whoever dares to slap me in the face will have their features ruined for good.
This was one of Fang Yu's unshakable rules for survival.