She Gives Too Much (GL) - Chapter 3

Li Zhi sat up, half-embraced by the thin quilt, her gaze drifting to the crumpled white tissue on the floor. The faint, lingering scent of the other girl still seemed to cling to her nostrils.

What had just happened felt like a reckless indulgence, like the cathartic release of a torrential downpour after a day of oppressive heat.

The pressures of work and her grandmother’s failing health had vanished from her mind, replaced only by the memory of the warm, jade-like smoothness beneath her palm.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, closed her eyes, and tried to suppress the images. She couldn’t believe Chen Xi had left without asking for anything.

Li Zhi would have preferred Chen Xi ask for something—money or luxury goods—rather than leave empty-handed.

Li Zhi picked up a clean white shirt from the side and had just fastened the second button when she heard the door close and then open again. Her heart sank inexplicably.

Chen Xi had stepped out before realizing she’d forgotten something. She peeked her head through the crack in the door like a cat, calling softly, “Young Miss.”

Li Zhi wore an expression that said, “I knew it.” She couldn’t quite name the emotion churning inside her as she brushed her hair behind her ear with her fingers, like a comb. Her clear, cold eyes lifted to meet Chen Xi’s gaze.

Sitting on the bed with her shirt open, she reached for her phone beside her. “Speak.”

Li Zhi opened her payment app, waiting for Chen Xi to state her price.

Earlier, Chen Xi had left without asking for anything, which Li Zhi found less straightforward than a simple transaction. Now, seeing her return to call for her, Li Zhi felt a suffocating tightness in her chest, an inexplicable displeasure.

Truth be told, except for that brief moment of abandon on the bed, Li Zhi seemed to always wear this detached, businesslike expression.

Chen Xi pouted at her, thinking, We just slept together! How can she be so cold?

“I came back to remind you not to forget the pear soup in the study.”

Li Zhi, still holding her phone, looked at her in disbelief. “That’s all?”

“What else would there be?” Chen Xi was taken aback by her question. “Your throat’s been hurting, hasn’t it?”

“You barely spoke during dinner because your throat was dry and sore, which made you eat so slowly. And when Sister Chen asked if you wanted red wine, you hesitated.”

Chen Xi explained, “I asked the kitchen to make you Snow Pear Soup. Drinking some will soothe your throat, but you still need to take your medicine.”

Li Zhi hadn’t realized Chen Xi had noticed such small details. She averted her gaze, feeling guilty as she canceled the payment code on her phone.

“Young Miss,” Chen Xi said, her expression serious.

Li Zhi looked up at her.

Chen Xi gripped the doorknob, her eyes sweeping over the collar that concealed the kiss marks. The corners of her eyes tilted upward slightly, her tone teasing.

Half-accusation, half-flirtation, she mumbled, “You were much cuter in bed earlier.”

Chen Xi spoke quickly, slammed the door shut, and leaned against it, secretly catching her breath. She was terrified of meeting Li Zhi’s cold glare if she lingered even a moment longer.

Wasn’t she just telling the truth?

The Young Miss, dressed and out of bed, was as cold as ice, utterly lacking the warmth and softness she’d shown in bed.

Chen Xi closed the door too quickly to see the Young Miss’s stunned expression, followed by a blush creeping across her face.

Li Zhi’s gaze darted around, unsure where to settle, as if burned by Chen Xi’s words. She paused before slowly putting her phone down and carefully buttoning her shirt.

Chen Xi hadn’t asked for money and had even thoughtfully noticed her sore throat.

Is this a long-term play?

Li Zhi understood: to conquer a city, first conquer its heart.

As she sipped the slightly cool Snow Pear Soup, her lashes lowered, concealing the glint in her eyes.

I don’t mind playing along.

Chen Xi worked the night shift. With the Old Madam and the Young Miss asleep in the Li Family’s old mansion, there was little else to do.

After a night’s rest, Chen Xi finished her shift with breakfast the next morning.

Sister Li handed her the wages. “Take this back to Xiao Xiao for me,” she said, passing over an envelope containing her monthly salary.

“The Old Madam prefers cash,” Sister Li explained with a smile, noticing Chen Xi’s surprised and curious look.

Chen Xi changed back into her own clothes, tucked the money into her bag, and waved goodbye to Sister Li.

Before leaving, Chen Xi glanced up at the easternmost room on the second floor, feeling a pang in her chest, a bittersweet reluctance.

The Young Miss was still asleep, leaving no chance for a proper goodbye.

Chen Xi’s phone buzzed. She checked the number—her ride-hailing car had arrived.

Clutching her bag, she took a deep breath, plastered a smile on her face, and answered the call as she walked away. “I’ll be right there. Just a minute.”

Goodbye, Young Miss.

Chen Xi took the car straight back to campus, arriving around seven in the morning. With her advisor’s meeting scheduled for ten, she had about an hour and a half for a nap.

When she entered the dorm room, Xiao Xiao and Yan Tuo were still asleep.

Chen Xi tiptoed in, first reaching out to lift Yan Tuo’s dark blue bed curtains and peek inside.

Yan Tuo, a light sleeper, woke at the slightest disturbance. As she rolled over, she met Chen Xi’s mischievous, fox-like eyes. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed her pillow and hurled it at her.

“Are you out of your mind?!”

Chen Xi caught the pillow with a grin and hugged it to her chest. “You’re just frustrated.”

If she couldn’t even make a move while I was out of the dorm, I’m starting to think Yan Tuo might be… incapable.

“Beg me, and I’ll share my wisdom,” Chen Xi said, shoving the pillow back at Yan Tuo.

“Get lost,” Yan Tuo snapped, turning her back. “Just go to sleep. I’ll wake you up when it’s time.”

Chen Xi pulled out the envelope and placed it on Xiao Xiao’s desk with a smile before climbing back into bed to catch up on sleep.

Lying there, gazing up at the deep blue, star-patterned bed canopy, Chen Xi suddenly remembered the Young Miss’s eyes. Their color seemed darker than most, and when she looked at people directly, her gaze was cold and imposing.

But when those eyes were flushed with wine and misted with tears, they became luminous and hazy, like jewels submerged in water.

Chen Xi hugged her blanket, tucked her legs between her arms, and rolled over to face the wall. She fell asleep almost immediately.

When she woke again, it was already past 9:10 AM.

Chen Xi bolted upright in bed, startling Yan Tuo and Xiao Xiao, who were playing an online game below.

Yan Tuo, noticing Chen Xi was awake, removed one earbud and asked, “You could have slept another ten minutes. Why are you up?”

“I need to get ready! I’m running out of time.”

Chen Xi climbed out of bed, grabbed a mirror, and examined her face. “Even though I look great without makeup, I’m even more stunning with it.”

Someone as beautiful as her not being in the entertainment industry is a real loss for the industry.

“Besides, I’m meeting with my advisor today. There might be younger students around, and I need to maintain my School Belle image.”

Her roommates were long immune to Chen Xi’s narcissism.

Xiao Xiao turned to Chen Xi. “Qian Qian, what do you want to eat? Let’s go out for lunch—my treat.”

“Hot pot sounds good. It’s been ages since I had it.”

Xiao Xiao agreed enthusiastically. “Perfect! Hot pot it is.”

Yan Tuo cautioned Chen Xi, “Hot pot is oily and spicy, and it’s not exactly conducive to your weight loss goals.”

Xiao Xiao glared at her. “Qian Qian’s figure is perfect as is. She doesn’t need to lose weight.”

Chen Xi shrugged. “I’m already so otherworldly beautiful. Sometimes I need to descend to earth and eat hot pot to stay grounded.”

Yan Tuo rolled her eyes. “You could be even more shameless if you tried.”

Chen Xi, brushing her teeth, poked her head out of the bathroom and shot her a sideways glance. “That’s just jealousy talking.”

Xiao Xiao watched their banter, stifling a laugh behind her hand.

Yan Tuo glanced at Xiao Xiao, who immediately straightened up, grabbed the mouse, and joined her in working on their assignment.

“Aren’t you and Qian Qian supposed to meet with your advisor? Why haven’t you brushed your teeth yet?”

Yan Tuo glanced at the time. “Another half hour.”

During that half hour, Chen Xi did her makeup while Yan Tuo played games.

After the half hour, Chen Xi, now fully made up, began choosing which bag to take out for the day. Only then did Yan Tuo go wash her face and brush her teeth.

Two minutes before leaving, Chen Xi sprayed perfume and tossed her hair, while Yan Tuo splashed some moisturizer on her face after washing up.

Finally, they left together.

On the way, Yan Tuo kept her head down, focused on completing tasks on her phone, while Chen Xi held up a parasol to shield them both from the sun.

It was late September, but the sun was still scorching.

From the moment they stepped out of the dormitory, Chen Xi was under constant scrutiny.

Chen Xi was C University’s School Belle, a title she had held for six consecutive years. From her freshman year to her current second year of graduate studies, she left no room for newcomers to even compete.

Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but her academic record was impeccable. She effortlessly secured scholarships every year, earning the deep admiration of her professors and mentors.

Standing beside such a person, Yan Tuo thought, You just get used to it.

Chen Xi could be extraordinary, and Yan Tuo could be her own lazy self.

After meeting with her mentor and showcasing her flawless appearance, Chen Xi smiled at Yan Tuo and suggested they grab hotpot near campus.

The university was hosting a donation event for alumni returning to campus. The mentor wanted Chen Xi, as an outstanding student representative, to host the returning alumni. After all, her face was the face of C University.

Chen Xi’s schedule was packed, completely erasing the lingering reluctance the Young Miss had felt that morning.

Li Zhi woke up and hesitated briefly in front of her wardrobe before finally choosing a white, fitted midi skirt. The belted design perfectly accentuated her waistline while softening her sharp edges, giving her a more relaxed look.

After washing up, she went downstairs to find the old lady had already finished breakfast and left.

Sister Li, rarely seeing Li Zhi in such casual attire, couldn’t help but smile and compliment her, “You look lovely!”

Li Zhi nodded slightly in acknowledgment, her peripheral vision sweeping the living room. Chen Xi was nowhere to be seen.

Instead of returning to her study upstairs after breakfast, Li Zhi sat on the sofa and sipped a bowl of snow pear soup. Using the soup as an excuse, she casually asked, “Where’s the girl who brought me snow pear soup yesterday?”

“Chen Xi?” Sister Li replied with a smile. “She’s gone.”

Gone? Had she finished her night shift and gone to rest?

The Young Miss never usually asked about such gossip, but she couldn’t help noticing that the snow pear soup tasted noticeably less sweet than the previous night’s.

Li Zhi, for the first time in ages, stayed home for two consecutive days, but Chen Xi never returned for another night shift.

Li Zhi, who had initially believed Chen Xi was playing hard to get, began to doubt her intentions for the first time.

Two days should be enough, she thought. If she doesn’t reveal her purpose by now, it’s pointless.

Yet on the third morning, Chen Xi still hadn’t appeared.

……

The fish was waiting by the shore, flicking its tail, but the angler had vanished without a trace.

Li Zhi couldn’t stay at the old mansion forever, especially since she had errands to run today.

Before leaving, she wrote her phone number on a white sticky note and handed it to Sister Li. “Give this to Chen Xi.”

Sister Li took the note, looking troubled. “Young Miss, I don’t know how to contact Chen Xi.”

“Chen Xi was covering for her classmate for just one night shift. Now neither of them is working here anymore.”

Li Zhi stood frozen, realizing for the first time that she had been played.

What she had assumed was a calculated scheme might have been nothing more than a casual hookup to Chen Xi.

She had imagined herself as the hunter, but now she realized she was just prey—used and discarded after the hunt.

Noticing Li Zhi’s darkening expression, Sister Li said softly, “I did hear Chen Xi is a student at some university.”

“Never mind.”

Li Zhi reached out and took the contact information from Sister Li, clutching it in her palm as she lowered her gaze and bent to get back into the car.

The assistant in the passenger seat turned and whispered, “Should we cancel the trip to C University today?”

“No need,” Li Zhi said expressionlessly, crumpling the paper.

“Let’s go to C University.”

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