Can’t Handle It

Luo Shiyi had just cleared a level in her game, a small smile tugging at her lips. When she heard Gu Ci's words, she responded with a nonchalant tone, "Curiosity killed the cat."

"My advice? Be less curious when you've got nothing better to do."

"New classmate, what are you talking about? I don't quite get it. I really do like you," Gu Ci said with a wounded expression.

Luo Shiyi was thoroughly unimpressed. "If you're sick, go get treated. Dragging it out won't help."

Gu Ci clicked his tongue, pretending to be hurt. "Why won't you believe my feelings for you?"

After just one meeting, he was already confessing? Luo Shiyi would be a fool to believe it.

Ignoring her new desk mate's antics, she focused on her own tasks. After a few rounds of the game, she lay her head on the desk and fell asleep.

Since there wasn't much else she could do at school, she might as well treat it like a vacation.

With that thought, Luo Shiyi drifted off peacefully. As the Shen family's daughter, no one dared to scold her for sleeping in class. She slept all the way until noon, waking up just in time for lunch.

"Deskmate, you're finally awake."

The familiar voice of her troublesome desk mate reached her ears. Luo Shiyi glanced in the direction of the sound, meeting a pair of affectionate eyes. "Let me treat you to lunch."

"No thanks, I'll eat in the cafeteria."

Luo Shiyi yawned and headed out.

She pulled out the meal card Xu Feng had prepared for her from her desk, wondering what to have for lunch. But the balance on the card nearly made her drop it—*100,000 yuan*. 

Shen Xiuyi was ridiculously rich! 

To casually throw around 100,000 yuan like this—how long would it take her to spend it all? It would've been better to give her the cash. And this kind of thing only happened in those over-the-top CEO novels—how surreal to experience it in real life.

Fiction really does imitate life.

Even as Luo Shiyi used the card to secure a seat in the cafeteria, she still felt like she was in a dream. She clutched the card tightly—100,000 yuan was no joke. If she lost it, she'd be devastated.

Just as she was lost in thought, the bustling cafeteria suddenly quieted down. Luo Shiyi noticed that many people were staring in her direction. Confused, she turned to look behind her.

There, her troublesome desk mate was swaggering toward her with his entourage in tow.

Luo Shiyi sighed internally. Why was he so persistent?

Before she could say anything, Gu Ci and his crew had already sat down around her. With exaggerated politeness, he asked, "Mind if I sit here?"

Luo Shiyi gave him a pointed glare.

*He's already sitting down. What's the point of asking now?*

Gu Ci conveniently ignored her glare and nodded at her. "Thanks."

"Hey, boss, we meet again," Zhou Miao said, trying to strike up a conversation. Luo Shiyi responded with a few indifferent words before focusing on her lunch.

Throughout the meal, Gu Ci's intense gaze was impossible to ignore. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and looked up. "How long are you going to keep staring at me?"

She glanced at his untouched meal. "You've got food in front of you, but you're staring at me instead. Are you out of your mind?"

Gu Ci didn't seem the least bit bothered by her sharp tone. Instead, he smiled even more charmingly. "You're just so good-looking. Watching you is enough to fill me up."

Luo Shiyi rolled her eyes and went back to eating, determined to ignore him.

Unbeknownst to her, rumors about Gu Ci's feelings for her had already spread throughout the school. Gu Ci was already a popular figure, and wherever he went, people paid attention. The fact that he'd been following Luo Shiyi around all day only added fuel to the fire.

Photos of Luo Shiyi and Gu Ci together had been posted on the school forum.

Somehow, someone had also revealed her identity, emphasizing that she wasn't favored in the Shen family.

Luo Shiyi spent the afternoon classes sleeping through as usual. As soon as the dismissal bell rang, she grabbed her bag and headed out.

"New desk mate, why won't you wait for me?"

Gu Ci's lazy voice called out from behind her. Hearing him, Luo Shiyi quickened her pace, hoping to shake him off.

But Gu Ci wasn't someone to be underestimated. He caught up to her quickly, even reaching out to grab her bag.

Sensing the movement, Luo Shiyi's body reacted instinctively.

A punch flew toward Gu Ci, but he dodged it smoothly, leaning back just in time.

"Didn't expect you to have some moves," Gu Ci said, a glint of interest in his eyes as he smirked at her.

Luo Shiyi shot him a cold glare. "Stay away from me, or next time you won't be so lucky."

Her icy expression suddenly melted into a soft, harmless smile as she waved toward someone in the distance. "Uncle!"

Shen Xiuyi stood not far away, his dark suit making his features appear even more severe. A cigarette was between his fingers, smoke curling up into the air. As the ember glowed, his eyes seemed to grow darker.

Luo Shiyi felt a pang of unease. How long had Shen Xiuyi been watching? Had he seen how she'd just thrown that punch?

She didn't have time to deal with Gu Ci anymore, quickly running over to Shen Xiuyi.

Gu Ci watched her leave, his gaze flickering toward Shen Xiuyi. Their eyes met briefly.

He chuckled softly before leisurely making his way toward Luo Shiyi and Shen Xiuyi.

Luo Shiyi had already reached Shen Xiuyi. Her cheeks were flushed from running as she looked up at him with excitement. "Uncle, what brings you here? Are you picking me up?"

Shen Xiuyi had already stubbed out his cigarette by the time she approached. He waved away the lingering smoke before his gaze settled on her flushed face. "I was on my way home from work and thought I'd give you a ride."

"Thank you, Uncle!"

A free ride? Only a fool would refuse!

With that, Luo Shiyi was about to hop into the car when Gu Ci's lazy voice drifted over. "New desk mate, who's this? Care to introduce us?"

"Why are you still here?" Luo Shiyi shot Gu Ci a warning look, signaling him not to cause trouble.

Gu Ci ignored her entirely, stepping past her to face Shen Xiuyi. "I heard you call him 'Uncle.' If he's your uncle, then he's mine too. Hello, Uncle."

Luo Shiyi was stunned by his audacity. How could he say something like that with a straight face?

She couldn't help but glance at Shen Xiuyi's expression. Sure enough, his face had turned icy. "No need. I can't handle it. Jiayi, let's go."

"Alright!"

Luo Shiyi couldn't wait to leave. She was afraid she'd lose her temper if Gu Ci said anything else outrageous—and might actually punch him in the face.