Campus Ace Girl

Song Jia stomped her foot: "When did you learn these shameless tactics?"

"I’m just stating the facts. Last night I told myself, if you dare, I’d make you take responsibility," Chen Ming said openly.

Song Jia was about to stomp again, glaring fiercely at him.

After a while, she spoke in a hushed voice: "I can’t possibly take responsibility."

Chen Ming didn’t say anything further, just started the car and headed towards the event location Song Jia had mentioned. She was attending a product launch today, a skincare event, and she still needed to do her makeup and change her outfit. The event would last until at least noon.

Arriving at the venue, Song Jia got out of the car. Her assistant approached, looking surprised to see Chen Ming, then glanced at Song Jia’s clothes and understood—they were clearly a man’s clothes.

Last night, Miss Song and Chen Ming had been together. As Song Jia’s assistant, it wasn’t like she’d know nothing about what was going on between them.

The assistant, Yang Tiantian, was tactful and acted as if she hadn’t seen anything. She whispered to Song Jia, "It’s getting late. Let’s head inside first."

Song Jia followed her away but after a few steps, turned back.

Chen Ming was still there, leaning against the car and smoking.

Song Jia pursed her lips before turning around and heading inside.

Once in the dressing room, Yang Tiantian coughed lightly, "You and him back together again?"

Song Jia sat down in front of the makeup mirror: "What do you mean back together? I was never with him."

As she spoke, she took out oil-absorbing sheets to wipe her face and said to the makeup artist, "Let’s start."

The assistant didn’t dare say anything else but couldn’t help herself after a while, "Even if you indulge occasionally, it’s best to be cautious. It’s not good for rumors to spread."

The makeup artist started coughing, clearly affected by the assistant’s words.

What does she mean by indulge occasionally?

Song Jia glared at the assistant, who stood awkwardly by, "You have to consider the fans’ feelings."

"They can come if they like, leave if they don’t." Song Jia said a bit defiantly.

Alright then, that’s feisty... the assistant sighed.

Half an hour later, Song Jia came out of the dressing room wearing a black velvet strapless dress. At the door, seven or eight bodyguards immediately followed her. Once at the venue, she took off her coat, which the assistant held.

The host, brand representatives, and fans were already there. Song Jia gracefully took the stage, about to speak when her gaze froze.

In the crowd below, Chen Ming was sitting among a group of young girls.

Song Jia gritted her teeth: Did he not know this brand meeting was for the launch of... women’s sanitary pads? What’s he, a grown man, doing here?

While she was in a daze, the host had prompted her several times. By the time she came to, the fans were all staring at her, then their eyes fell on Chen Ming.

Song Jia was professional. She quickly sensed those odd and suspicious looks, so she smiled with the microphone and said, "I unexpectedly discovered a gentleman here today. May I ask if he’s here to check on behalf of his wife?"

Saying this, an assistant host passed the microphone to Chen Ming.

Chen Ming didn’t speak immediately, just stared at Song Jia.

The year had just turned, it was still minus four or five degrees outside, and even indoors it couldn’t be more than fifteen degrees. Yet there she was, standing and working in such a thin dress. For a moment, he felt both admiration for her resilience and... a bit of heartache.

He himself had endured hardships, but in his heart, he felt that such a delicate woman shouldn’t suffer even the slightest bit.

After a while, he finally spoke, "Yes, I’m here on behalf of my wife."

The host expertly lightened the mood, "Then we must invite this gentleman up later for our guide to teach him how to use our new product."

Chen Ming’s face turned red instantly, and the host teased him further, making him feel like he’d fallen into a den of wolves.

Song Jia glanced at him, then turned her head and said to her assistant, "Let him leave first."

She didn’t want to end up in the social news, being photographed interacting on stage would be a mess if it got exposed later on.

As she instructed this, the assistant hadn’t even managed to act before Chen Ming excused himself and left. The host, upon noticing, laughed and said, "That gentleman must be embarrassed. Now, let’s invite Miss Song to briefly introduce the new products..."

Song Jia smiled lightly and said a few words, then proceeded with a series of activities and games, signed autographs for fans, and finally concluded the launch. The brand executives originally wanted to invite her for a meal, but she declined. She was quite tired and just wanted a good sleep.

Returning to the dressing room, she changed out of her dress and into her coat.

Only then did she feel a hint of warmth. Her assistant accompanied her out, speaking softly, "You’re really not having dinner with the executives? I’ve heard they’re planning to increase your benefits, including raising your endorsement fee and expanding your ad placement."

"No benefits will make me go. Today is still just a few days into the New Year. I want to rest," Song Jia said firmly.

The assistant acknowledged with an "Oh" and obediently followed her.

Working for Miss Song is both tiring and not tiring. Mainly because Miss Song makes most of her decisions, so there’s no need to fuss, and besides, with Miss Song’s current status, no one dares bully her, so many things can be decided at her whim. If she wants to earn, she will; if not, she declines.

Song Jia walked out of the building, about to get into her SUV, when she saw Chen Ming leaning against the car.

She stopped. He hadn’t left?

Song Jia tossed her bag to the assistant and walked over herself, looking at Chen Ming, "Don’t you have to work?"

Chen Ming replied honestly, "I was supposed to be on duty at the office. I switched with someone."

Song Jia stepped back, "Do you really want me to take responsibility?"

Chen Ming didn’t answer. She tilted her head, then smiled slightly, "How about this: talk to my brother. If he agrees, so do I."

Chen Ming looked deeply at her, "He already knows."

Song Jia frowned.

Chen Ming laughed again, "Last night, someone from the office saw me carrying you back. He probably wanted to please your brother by calling him, so by now, everyone in my office probably knows you spent the night at my place."

Song Jia glared at him, almost wanting to kill him.

Chen Ming smiled innocently. After a moment, he suddenly asked, "Cold? I booked a hotpot, want to go together?"

She wanted to refuse, but then she thought of hotpot and hesitated... After a while, she reluctantly agreed, "I’m only going for the hotpot, not because I want to dine with you, Chen Ming—don’t get any ideas."

"I won’t, I won’t get any ideas." He smiled lightly and then opened the car door for her.

Song Jia called him: "Wait a minute, I’ll talk to Tiantian."

She went to her car and told her assistant, "You can go back by yourself. Let me know two days in advance if there’s a schedule. I’m hoping there won’t be one, I want to take a break recently."

The assistant poked her head out of the car, glanced at Chen Ming, and stammeringly asked, "You’re having dinner with him?"

Song Jia didn’t respond, and she dared not ask further, quickly instructing the driver to drive away.

Once the car left, Song Jia returned to Chen Ming’s car, and he opened the door for her to get in.

She sat in the car, and he got in as well, casually asking while driving: "Did you feel cold just now? On stage, can’t you wear more clothes? Why dress so little? You’re not selling shower gels."

Song Jia sat in the car, wrapped in a coat, only feeling a bit warmer now.

She stretched her legs, took a deep breath, and said: "What do you think? Would brand sponsors be happy if I dressed conservatively?"

She paused: "Even selling milk, you have to look like a celebrity."

Chen Ming responded with a hum, his long fingers gripping the steering wheel. He remained silent for a while until they reached a red light, when he softly asked: "Do you want to always be a celebrity?"

"Otherwise, who would support me?" Song Jia retorted.

Chen Ming found himself unable to answer, thinking it inappropriate to mention Zhou Yunchen, her money being enough, or him supporting her—he earned a little over a million a year, probably not enough for her maintenance.

He knew that his current behavior was clingy, an unfit match from all angles, but since she got drunk and leaned on him at home, he didn’t want to let go of her.

Even if it meant setting aside his pride, softening her sharpness, he didn’t want to let go.

His silence made Song Jia glance sideways at him, and she muttered softly: "See~"

"See what?" Chen Ming smiled, not looking at her but at the road ahead. "Or do you want me to say I’ll support you?"

"No." Song Jia said somewhat grumpily, and then she mostly ignored him.

She was clearly a bit angry, though she herself wasn’t sure why, why she was angry at him, clearly... he hadn’t done anything wrong, last night she had stubbornly stayed at his place; she was drunk but not obliviously so.

He merely went along with it.

Now, simply inviting for dinner, she dreaded entanglement... She knew in her heart she was being unreasonable, aware she was capricious, capriciously wanting him to demonstrate something.

Her anger was actually aimed at herself.

When the car reached the famous hot pot restaurant entrance, she wanted to get out, but when she slightly opened the car door, it wouldn’t move. She pursed her lips and turned to Chen Ming: "What do you mean?"

Chen Ming sat leisurely, unhurriedly unbuckling his seatbelt, then reaching for a pack of cigarettes from the central console, lit one...

Song Jia’s face tightened: "I don’t want to breathe second-hand smoke."

He glanced at her, somewhat surprised, but then extinguished the cigarette.

It was possibly difficult to speak up.

A moment later, he said hoarsely: "I could support you, but it might only be an ordinary life, not worrying about food or clothing, with no stress over children."

Saying this, he let go of all his pride, considering she had hurt him before.

After speaking, Chen Ming’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, then he chuckled, reaching to open the car door for her: "Alright, let’s eat."

Song Jia sat still, gently asking: "You don’t want to know my answer?"

"Do you want to say it now?" He gazed at her.

Song Jia’s breathing was somewhat irregular, she pressed her lips tightly, remaining silent.

Chen Ming smiled again and said warmly: "Let’s eat first."

He got out of the car and walked around to her side, waiting for her to get out.

His car was quite high off the ground, as she held his hand to hop down, a subtle sense of discomfort lingered in her mind... Chen Ming seemed different than before, but she couldn’t pinpoint why.

The two walked into the shop, and the waiter led them to a reserved spot, the business was so good that Chen Ming had booked it in advance.

Song Jia took off her coat, sat down, glanced around, and quietly remarked: "So busy, aren’t these people eating at home?"

Chen Ming held the menu, lowered his head ordering food, speaking as he went: "Nowadays many people eat at work, or have delivery, not many cook elaborate meals, how many can cook a banquet?"

Song Jia propped her chin: "My brother can."

Chen Ming looked up at her.

She drank water: "Why are you staring at me? My brother can, no matter how busy he is he always cooks for my sister-in-law."

"I know." Chen Ming said softly.

Song Jia looked more puzzled: "Know what? What do you know?"

Chen Ming continued ordering, casually saying: "I’ll learn too in the future."

Song Jia paused, honestly, who wanted him to learn? Giving the impression she was about to be his wife.

She mentally complained, but her face felt warm, quickly reaching to touch her face.

After ordering, Chen Ming handed the order to the waiter, looking at her, he asked curiously: "Very hot?"

He looked at the sweater she wore, "The sweater isn’t very thick."

Song Jia discreetly rolled her eyes, just about to say something, her phone rang. She took a look, it was Zhou Yunchen calling.

Zhou Yunchen had drunk too much, didn’t go to the office today, at that moment sitting on the sofa in the villa making the call: "Beauty, where are you?"

Song Jia naturally felt guilty, coughed lightly: "Just attended a brand event."

Zhou Yunchen knew her too well, sighing lightly: "Brother asks where you are now."

Song Jia wanted to lie, but in the end resigned herself: "I’m having dinner, a vegetarian hot pot, do you want to come?"

Zhou Yunchen laughed deeply: "Would you really want me there? I fear you might not be happy if I actually come."

Song Jia leaned back against the chair, just about to speak when suddenly boiling water scalded the back of her hand, making her shriek...