Chapter 48

Xie Cheng lay on his bed, still very angry, after the team-building activity had come to an end. His facial expression and mood clearly indicated his displeasure. Anyone could tell that he was in a bad mood. But Lan Xi, on the other hand, seemed completely oblivious, happily engrossed in her own world. Xie Cheng had taken care of her and even accompanied her to see a doctor, but she showed no gratitude. Instead, she bluntly said, "We don't need you here anymore, so you can leave!"

Under normal circumstances, even an ex-boyfriend would be offered a cup of tea after accompanying someone to see a doctor. Moreover, Xie Cheng and Lan Xi had never even been in a relationship, so there shouldn't have been any lingering resentment due to a breakup.

Sometimes, Xie Cheng really wondered if he should take Lan Xi to get her brain checked. How could her brain be so perplexing? She had exceptional intelligence when it came to analyzing data, but when it came to social interactions and emotional perception, she was completely clueless.

As he left, she even expressed her intention to go find Xie Yunfei and explain that she didn't want the misunderstandings on the beach to become a thorn in his heart, affecting their relationship.

Even now, thinking about the scene just now, Xie Cheng couldn't help but sneer.

Why was it not okay for thorns to take root in Xie Yunfei's heart?

But Lan Xi had no qualms about planting thorns in Xie Cheng's heart.

Even the gentle and soothing piano music that Xie Cheng had put on to calm his emotions seemed somewhat noisy. The melodies he used to love now felt grating.

Xie Cheng tried to focus on work, but his mind was elsewhere, making it impossible to concentrate.

He attempted to exercise on the treadmill at home, but as soon as he stepped on it, he couldn't help but think of Lan Xi and how she had cornered him in the gym.

He decided to watch a drama on television to divert his attention, but the seamless transition to a new romance storyline made Xie Cheng even angrier.

Lan Xi, Lan Xi, it seemed that he could think of nothing else but Lan Xi, which inevitably led to frustration and irritability.

Under normal circumstances, if one's mood was off, it would be best to stay away from the person causing it. However, Xie Cheng felt as if he had contracted Stockholm Syndrome. Being near Lan Xi made him restless and anxious, causing him to lose his usual calm and rationality. Yet, he stubbornly couldn't help but approach her.

Lan Xi made him feel bewildered and lose control of his emotions.

This emotional response was not part of Xie Cheng's predicted social patterns. He became contradictory and illogical, and his algorithms and mathematical formulas, which he had always taken pride in, crumbled.

He used to be infatuated with algorithms, relying on strict social algorithm patterns to navigate almost all social interactions. But now, facing Lan Xi, he felt helpless.

The algorithm that had given him confidence became useless, and Xie Cheng felt defeated and powerless for the first time.

He couldn't predict Lan Xi's actions, and he couldn't even fathom his own thoughts.

Xie Cheng's most relied-upon order was completely shattered, yet amidst his unease, he surprisingly didn't want to resist this emotion.

Lan Xi had influenced him too much.

To a degree that couldn't be explained merely by sympathy and pity.

Because sympathy and pity wouldn't make a person feel jealous.

Although he was reluctant to admit it, at this moment, lying in bed and tossing and turning, Xie Cheng finally realized that he was jealous.

After Lan Xi's failed confession to him and her subsequent pursuit of Xie Yunfei, he didn't feel relieved in the slightest. On the contrary, he became even more concerned, so concerned that it angered him and caused internal distress.

While Xie Yunfei was indeed a terrible choice, Xie Cheng discovered that he couldn't tolerate the mere thought of Lan Xi pursuing a man who excelled in all aspects.

He could no longer hide behind the shield of sympathy.

Xie Cheng's villa area was exceptionally quiet, with the night as serene as water, making the sound of his heart beating wildly within his chest particularly abrupt.

No matter how precise an algorithm might be, it couldn't deduce love.

Xie Cheng realized that he seemed to have genuinely and irretrievably fallen for Lan Xi.

He tried to calm himself down by pressing his hand against his heart, but contrary to his wishes, this sudden realization made him even more nervous and excited.

Tonight, there was no way he could fall asleep.

And it was at this moment that Lan Xi, in a deplorable state, intensified Xie Cheng's insomnia, and it was also then that Xie Cheng received a phone call from her.

The background noise on the other end of the phone was noisy and chaotic, making Lan Xi's voice sound even more pitiful.

"Xie Cheng, I came to the nightclub with Xie Yunfei, but I'm so hungry. I haven't had dinner, and I'm out of money..."

Nightclub? Xie Yunfei?

Xie Cheng couldn't bear the possibility that Lan Xi might be with Xie Yunfei. He put on a stern face and immediately got up from the bed, starting to get dressed.

He wanted to see Lan Xi right now.

Xie Yunfei wasn't safe, let alone the fact that she hadn't eaten.

**

Lan Xi saw Xie Cheng at the entrance of the nightclub. He looked disheveled, as always, with his handsome and aloof appearance standing out conspicuously amidst the flashy ambiance of the nightclub.

There were a few scantily clad girls smoking at the entrance of the nightclub, and upon seeing Xie Cheng, their gaze couldn't help but shift towards him, brimming with interest.

"Hey handsome, are you alone?"

"No, I'm looking for someone."

Upon hearing Xie Cheng's polite and cold response, Lan Xi's gaze passed over the crowd and fell on her. He walked towards her.

The nightclub was blaring with deafening and rhythmic electronic music, drowning out almost all the normal sounds around Lan Xi. Yet, for some reason, at this moment, those annoying sounds seemed to have suddenly vanished into a vacuum and were replaced by another sound—Lan Xi's own heartbeat.

Thump, thump, thump. Each beat was so heavy and forceful that Lan Xi couldn't ignore it. And the drumbeat in the background music of the nightclub seemed to resonate with Lan Xi's heartbeat, causing him to feel somewhat irritated and restless within this dual vibration.

Princesses shouldn't be like this; they should always remain calm, composed, and forge ahead with courage.

However, the more Lan Xi admonished herself, the more nervous she became.

She suspected that there was some strange virus on Earth, corroding her thoughts. Otherwise, why would she have inexplicably called Xie Cheng half an hour ago, claiming to be hungry?

And now Xie Cheng had arrived.

Except his expression looked grim.

"Why did you drag Xie Yunfei to this dingy place for clubbing in the middle of the night?" he asked.

"It's all because of you!" Lan Xi mumbled, "You set up that shell-shaped thing. I had a hard time pacifying him, and if I didn't accompany him to the nightclub, he would be angry all the time. How could I propose to him then?"

"So, you didn't even eat dinner and came here with him?" Xie Cheng's face stiffened. "Xie Yunfei is inside dancing with other girls. Are you sure you can turn a blind eye to that?"

Turn a blind eye?

Lan Xi immediately gave it a try and found it wasn't difficult at all!

"Of course, I can!" She looked at Xie Cheng. "See, I can easily turn a blind eye. When this eye gets tired, I'll switch to the other one!" "...," Xie Cheng looked helpless. "Mentally ill patients and intellectually challenged children have a lot of fun. That statement isn't entirely false."

"Huh?"

"Okay, open your eyes." Xie Cheng pursed his lips and looked at Lan Xi. "Since Xie Yunfei is still inside dancing, why didn't you directly ask him for money to buy food? Why did you come looking for me in the middle of the night?"

Lan Xi hesitated for a moment, but then she thought of a reason. "It was your suggestion. You said I could come to you if I needed anything. And when I have no food, I can let you foot the bill..."

"As for why I came looking for you, it's because, after marrying Xie Yunfei, his money will be mine. So, spending his money now is the same as spending my own. It's better to spend yours!"

Lan Xi didn't know why she made up such a story, but under Xie Cheng's gaze, she didn't want to tell the truth. She wanted to appear strong and lie.

It must be that damn Earth virus infecting her!

However, Xie Cheng certainly didn't appreciate this answer. Lan Xi watched as he pursed his lips and turned to leave.

Lan Xi's mind went blank. She looked at Xie Cheng's figure and almost blurted out, "Xie Cheng! Don't go! I... I just lied to you!"

But almost simultaneously with Lan Xi's words, Xie Cheng's voice sounded. He turned back and said, "Aren't you hungry? Why don't you come up and have dinner?"

He paused for a moment and then asked, "You said you lied to me. What did you lie about?"

Lan Xi regretted it deeply, but the words had already slipped out. She could only try to lower her voice and hastily say, "I didn't come to you because I wanted to save money for Xie Yunfei. I simply didn't want to find Xie Yunfei. It's not that complicated."

Xie Cheng stared at her with an inscrutable expression and let out a long "Oh."

He appeared unchanged, with a calm demeanor and a slight upward curl of his lips. "What are you staring at? Let's go eat."

Lan Xi was a bit curious. "So, were you really planning to take me out for a meal?"

Xie Cheng didn't turn around, only making a sound of agreement.

"But I didn't explain earlier that I lied to you," Lan Xi said.

Xie Cheng paused, looking somewhat unnatural. "Didn't you say it?"

"We said it at the same time, so when you agreed to take me out for a meal, you didn't actually know that I had lied to you." Lan Xi rolled her eyes and glanced at Xie Cheng. "So, Xie Cheng, you really are a good person. Is this what they call returning kindness for resentment? You're so kind!"

When flattering someone, it's essential to praise them if you want to enjoy their meal!

Unfortunately, Xie Cheng was quick to deflate the situation. "This isn't goodness or returning kindness for resentment; this is foolishness." He glanced at Lan Xi with a touch of annoyance, then quickly averted his gaze, as if speaking to himself. "I'm being foolish."

"There's no benefit in being a good person."

Despite saying this, Xie Cheng didn't seem to be in a bad mood.

Lan Xi followed him into his car, but it was already quite late, and Xie Cheng contacted several restaurants in succession, only to find that they were all closed. Only a few sparsely populated barbecue stalls remained on the street.

"These places are unsanitary," Xie Cheng said, looking at the questionable hygiene of these shops. Finally, he made a decision. "If you don't mind, I'll take you back to my place and cook something for you."

Lan Xi certainly didn't mind, but when she nodded in agreement, Xie Cheng's displeasure became evident.

"You shouldn't casually agree to go to someone's home, especially of the opposite sex." Xie Cheng's face grew long. "You agreed too easily. It's so late, aren't you afraid that I might have ulterior motives? If someone else invited you like this, would you be so easily fooled and taken advantage of?"

"No, I wouldn't." Lan Xi was very confident about this. "They wouldn't stand a chance against me."

"..."

"And besides, I agreed so readily because it was you who invited me." Lan Xi looked into Xie Cheng's eyes. "Because I think you're a good person."

Xie Cheng fell silent for a moment, his ears turning slightly red. He stared at the steering wheel, his tone icy. "Don't think flattery will get you anywhere."

...

Without traffic, Lan Xi quickly arrived at Xie Cheng's villa. He was very efficient and quickly prepared ten servings of steak and pasta for Lan Xi. Lan Xi devoured all ten servings, finally revealing a contented smile that indicated she was seven parts full.

How can one say that flattery is useless? Every single time, it clearly works!

Having eaten her fill and drunk her share, in keeping with the principle of reciprocity, Lan Xi intended to help clean up and put the dishes in the dishwasher. However, as soon as she picked up the three plates, she felt a strange, furry sensation on her ankle—something tickling her, like a brush with soft bristles, or perhaps the tail of something...

This was...

Lan Xi didn't have time to think as she heard a coquettish "meow" from beside her foot...

This was... it was actually a cat!!!

Why does Xie Cheng's home have a cat!!!

Lan Xi was shocked and turned pale. This was the greatest natural enemy of the Mu Yi Star people!

She had only come here today to earn a meal, but did she have to face her end here?!

The greatest fear often stems from the unknown. Faced with a cat, the long-extinct natural enemy of Mu Yi Star, Lan Xi felt her scalp tingling. She had no idea how to deal with this cat.

Trembling and breathing rapidly, Lan Xi was in a state of terror, while the cat took advantage of the situation and roamed freely, meowing incessantly and rubbing its tail against Lan Xi's legs.

It was an utterly horrifying experience.

Lan Xi trembled and endured for a moment, but the cat didn't leave. Finally, in the midst of immense panic, Lan Xi couldn't hold back any longer.

"Bang!" Startled, she shook and accidentally dropped the three bowls in her hands, shattering them.

Almost simultaneously, the cat darted away at lightning speed.

The crisis was averted, but the moment of terror had left Lan Xi completely weak, still carrying the fear of a close call in her heart.

"What happened?!"

Xie Cheng, who had been replying to a work email from abroad in the living room, had heard the sound of plates breaking and appeared in front of Lan Xi with a worried and hurried expression.

Lan Xi wanted to leave, but Xie Cheng sternly stopped her.

"Stay where you are and don't move."

Before Lan Xi could react, Xie Cheng stepped over the broken pieces and then bent down to scoop her up in his arms.

"Sorry, there are usually no women visiting my house, so I don't have slippers for women. Only disposable hotel-style slippers, which have thin soles. If you step on broken porcelain, it could cut your feet."

As he spoke, he skillfully carried Lan Xi away and placed her on the sofa.

"I'll clean up, you sit here."

Just as Xie Cheng turned around to leave, Lan Xi grabbed him tightly. "Xie Cheng, I don't want you to go."

Lan Xi was genuinely afraid. Although the cat had run away just now, it was still in Xie Cheng's house and she didn't know when it might show up again. She didn't want to be alone and risk an unfortunate encounter.

She couldn't let Xie Cheng leave no matter what.

Lan Xi's mind quickly searched for the knowledge she had learned from the "Guidebook." In situations like this... she should act cute!

So Lan Xi stubbornly clung to Xie Cheng, hugging him from behind. "Xie Cheng, I'm scared."

She was truly scared, and even now her body was trembling slightly. "Xie Cheng, can you please not leave? I don't want to be alone."

Xie Cheng's body seemed to pause for a moment, and he tensed up slightly, but he didn't push Lan Xi away. Instead, he turned around, and Lan Xi took the opportunity to nestle into his embrace, burying her head and stubbornly tightening her grip around his waist, assuming the posture of a koala clinging tightly. "It's just a few broken plates, I won't ask you for compensation, so don't be afraid."

"It's not that," Lan Xi increased the strength of her embrace. "I feel at ease only when I'm with you."

After a moment of silence, Xie Cheng spoke again.

"Do you want me to stay with you right now?"

Naturally! There's a cat here!

Lan Xi nodded eagerly, "Yes!"

Xie Cheng looked at Lan Xi, her fragile and helpless appearance filled with dependence on him. She relied on Xie Cheng with her whole being, as if she couldn't bear to be separated from him even for a minute.

Xie Cheng's displeased mood was gradually replaced by another feeling. He felt a long-lost sense of relief, a kind of physical and mental pleasure that surpassed the satisfaction of completing a major collaboration. It brought a slightly intoxicating sense of lightness.

Lan Xi didn't want to leave him.

Although she said she wanted to be with Xie Yunfei, she decisively left Xie Yunfei at the nightclub and followed Xie Cheng home. At this moment, her true inner thoughts were revealed without any defense—she was indeed dependent on him.

A plan suddenly formed in Xie Cheng's mind.

When communicating with people, it was important to identify their weaknesses and strike at them for the best results.

Since Lan Xi couldn't be separated from him now, naturally he should take this opportunity to make her realize her feelings, to face her own emotions head-on. That way, she wouldn't continue deluding herself and being with someone like Xie Yunfei who was of lower quality.

Xie Cheng had a plan in mind.

He regained his composure and rationality, saying, "Originally, I could accompany you. However, since you're going to propose to Xie Yunfei, it means your relationship is stable. It's no longer appropriate for me to bring you home for dinner. If I continue to stay with you like this, a man being with you so late at night, it would make me the third party. You know that society has very little tolerance for third parties now. Lightly, it would damage my reputation, and heavily, it would leave a lasting bad impression."

Xie Cheng looked at Lan Xi and slowly pushed her away. "So, if you're afraid and need someone to accompany you, I can help you call Xie Yunfei."

Lan Xi fell silent as expected.

Xie Cheng was already ninety percent certain. Sometimes, people needed to be pushed to realize the importance of certain people and things.

He calmly waited for Lan Xi's answer.

Sure enough, after a brief silence, Lan Xi quickly made up her mind.

She looked at Xie Cheng with determined eyes, resolute in her tone, and said, "Okay!"

Xie Cheng's prepared smile froze.

Okay?

He couldn't believe it and asked, "I said I would ask Xie Yunfei to come and accompany you, so if he's here, I won't be. Do you understand? In this situation, are you sure you can handle it?"

Lan Xi nodded, "Hmm, it's fine. Anyone can accompany me. Xie Yunfei is also good. Since I left him behind and came to your house for dinner, it's indeed not appropriate. Now, it's just the right time to call him over. He hasn't had dinner yet, too busy drinking and partying at the nightclub. You can cook for him as well, and then you can leave. He can accompany me and take me back to the dormitory."

If Xie Cheng had some unrealistic fantasies just now, he was completely sober now.

Lan Xi's attitude was a heavy blow to him.

Xie Cheng could no longer maintain his previous composure and couldn't help raising his voice, "So, both Xie Yunfei and I are fine? As long as someone is willing to accompany you, it's all good?!"

Lan Xi fearlessly responded with a "Hmm"!

She had no idea why Xie Cheng was so angry.

The man's eyes seemed to turn red with anger as he stared at Lan Xi with an interrogative tone.

"What has Xie Yunfei done for you? He has a bunch of ex-girlfriends. He can just leave you behind and go to nightclubs to have fun, completely forgetting about you. He wouldn't even accompany you to pick up trash on the beach. Is he no different from me in your eyes?"

"But it was you who suggested that Xie Yunfei should accompany me. Why are you so angry now?"

Xie Cheng was proud and always in control. He liked everything to operate according to logical algorithms. Therefore, even when he realized that he had feelings for Lan Xi, he quickly devised a meticulous and logical plan in his mind. He was confident that this approach would make Lan Xi see the reality and recognize who she should truly like.

However, at this moment, he felt that all his plans and strategies were in vain.

Because Lan Xi was the biggest variable in his life.

Xie Cheng felt frustrated and angry.

"Do you understand what kind of emotions drive people to get married?"

This wasn't the scenario he had envisioned. It lacked elegance and rationality. He was only filled with frustration and indignation. But Xie Cheng couldn't control himself.

"Marriage should be based on liking someone, wanting to spend the rest of your life with them, seeing them every day, and sharing every moment of joy and pain together. It's about going through life's highlights and climbing together through the lows, rather than marrying someone solely for money."

Xie Cheng didn't know what was happening to him. He felt terrible. This wasn't his usual self, but he couldn't restrain his emotions.

He stared at Lan Xi and asked, "So, do you understand what it means to like someone?"

Lan Xi had the answer! Of course, she understood!

She had read about it in "The Earthling's Guide to Conquest"!

"Liking someone means feeling at ease when you're with them, it's a certain feeling of thinking that the other person is great! I feel at ease when I'm with Xie Yunfei, I'm not angry, and I don't have any negative emotions. Does that mean we're not suitable together?"

Interestingly, when she was with Xie Cheng, Lan Xi would get angry, unhappy, disappointed, and irritated. These were negative emotions she had never experienced before, and she only experienced them because of Xie Cheng. When she was with Xie Yunfei, on the other hand, Lan Xi felt very calm and emotionally stable. She wouldn't get upset no matter what Xie Yunfei did; she thought everything was great and had no issues.

But if the same things were done by Xie Cheng, if he had a bunch of ex-girlfriends and could casually leave her behind, regardless of her well-being, if he was busy partying and completely forgot about her, or if he only focused on chatting and didn't accompany her in picking up trash, just thinking about it made Lan Xi feel extremely angry, like she was about to explode.

She clearly showed more tolerance towards Xie Yunfei's behavior, but when it came to Xie Cheng, she used an entirely different set of higher standards to judge him.

Considering all this, it seemed that she truly preferred Xie Yunfei and was more suitable to marry him!

"To like someone naturally brings joy and happiness. It's a comfortable feeling to be with that person. But if these emotions are the only things present, it's not genuine liking. True liking involves jealousy, possessiveness, misunderstandings, staying up all night over an unintentional remark, feeling restless and unhappy."

"Besides the positive emotions, you will experience roller coaster-like fluctuations and encounter negative emotions. If you never get angry at someone, no matter what they do, and your state of mind remains calm, that's not liking. It simply means you don't really care about that person."

Lan Xi widened her eyes. This was the first time she had heard such an explanation.

But...

"But what's written in my guidebook is exactly what I just described as 'liking'!" she protested.

As soon as she said it, Xie Cheng's expression turned unpleasant.

His questioning of Lan Xi was instinctive. Deep down, he had some confidence that Lan Xi liked him but hadn't honestly faced her true feelings. However, Lan Xi's reaction now made Xie Cheng somewhat uncertain.

"So, you genuinely don't understand what liking means?! You can't even sense what it feels like to like someone?" He felt his blood pressure rising rapidly. "Then, what about when you chased after me, held up banners saying you wanted to sleep with me so blatantly, confessed without any regard for your dignity, lied about being scared and then acted all cute and clingy towards me, instinctively turned to me when faced with difficulties, and even proposed to me? Are these not signs of liking?"

Xie Cheng seemed to have realized something and angrily said, "Or is it that you would do all these things to Xie Yunfei as well? You don't care about the object of your actions at all, do you? So, you propose to me one moment and then propose to him the next?!"

After all the confusion, was he just overthinking?

So, Lan Xi's pathetic attempts at pursuing him weren't due to a lack of heartfelt emotions and genuine effort but simply because she didn't want to use her brain and put in any real effort?

In that case, it seemed obvious that seeking out Xie Yunfei wasn't some rebound response or settling for a lesser option...

Xie Cheng felt like he was about to explode with anger. It turned out that every move Lan Xi made was part of an emotional deception aimed at him?