Chapter 31: The Heaven-Sent Gigolo Physique

[You have shielded Zhang Li from a rotten peach blossom luck once; positive peach blossom luck +1.]

A voice echoed in Yang Mi's mind as well, leaving her somewhat surprised. She hadn't expected such a small, instinctive gesture to earn her a "reward," and a mystical one like "peach blossom luck" at that. As someone in the entertainment industry, she was somewhat superstitious about fortune, especially since she was a "cheater" with a system of her own.

"But this positive peach blossom luck is useless to me, isn't it? How could a woman like me ever have rotten peach blossom luck?" Yang Mi smiled faintly to herself, dismissing the thought.

However, she felt it was only natural that the system identified Yuan Shanshan as "rotten." Her classmate had a decent personality and appearance, and she was popular among the boys, often leveraging her charms to get favors—ranging from free meals and drinks to concert tickets and help with class notes. Yuan Shanshan never crossed any lines, yet she kept every man who pursued her feeling like he had a chance, all while keeping her eyes set on the wealthiest, most handsome targets. In short, she was an expert at keeping backup options and "riding a donkey to find a horse."

"I can't let Zhang Li get to know Yuan Shanshan, or he’ll get reeled in like a fish..." Yang Mi thought. "But with his looks, he might just get pestered by her. After all, a woman chasing a man is like looking through a thin veil..."

"Hmm, I need to protect A-Li for the sake of Liu Shishi and Liu Yifei," she concluded.

"Thank you, Sister Mi," Zhang Li said sincerely, looking at her. He knew himself well; he didn't have much willpower when it came to women. To be honest, he wanted both Liu Yifei and Liu Shishi. If a beautiful woman were to pursue him, he wasn't sure he could resist, even if Yuan Shanshan wasn't exactly his type. But with the system's warning, he would know to keep his distance, and for that, he was grateful to Yang Mi.

"So formal?" Yang Mi beamed. "My classmate isn't bad-looking, you know. She has plenty of suitors at school. You're exactly her type; she might just go after you. I might have just cut off a peach blossom for you."

"I don't know your classmate, but don't I know you, Sister Mi?" Zhang Li teased with a smile. "Even if you cut it off, it was just a rotten one anyway."

These words warmed Yang Mi's heart, and the satisfaction and affection in her eyes were nearly overflowing. He was so much better than those blind backup suitors at school; he truly was like a younger brother to her.

"Besides," Zhang Li said, taking the thermos from her, "I'm surrounded by beauties like Liu Yifei, you, Sister Tangtang, and Shishi every day. My standards are sky-high."

Yang Mi laughed. "High standards are good. That way, you won't be easily fooled."

Zhang Li nodded in agreement. He sat on a nearby bench and began to open the thermos.

They sat opposite each other, and as their eyes met, they both froze before bursting into laughter. Was there anything wrong with their earlier conversation? Absolutely not! But usually, those were lines men said to women.

"You sisters are so afraid of me meeting a 'scumbag' woman," Zhang Li remarked amusedly. "You should be more worried about me turning into a 'scumbag' man."

"You dare?" Yang Mi raised her fist playfully. "If you become a scumbag, I'll bash your head in."

"Yes, yes, Sister Mi, please keep a close eye on me," Zhang Li said, choosing not to argue. Inside the thermos, he found a hearty mutton and winter melon soup.

"What's wrong?" Yang Mi asked, looking expectant. "I'll have you know I didn't buy this. I went home and stewed it myself. I’m not much of a cook, but I’ve been making soup since I was a child. It’s my specialty."

Zhang Li sniffed. It smelled quite good. The only issue was that he’d already had mutton hotpot for dinner; he really was having a mutton-heavy day.

"It’s the middle of summer, and you're bringing me mutton soup at night? You're quite the talent, Sister Mi," Zhang Li joked.

Yang Mi felt a flush of embarrassment, realizing she’d only been thinking about impressing him with her cooking. But seeing Zhang Li put on the disposable gloves she’d prepared and start eating, she relaxed.

"This soup isn't greasy at all. It's delicious," he said. "If you ever can't make it in the entertainment industry, you could open a soup shop. I’ve even thought of a name for you: 'Soup Beauty.' What do you think?"

Yang Mi’s dark eyes brightened. She rested her chin in her hands, watching him eat with a smile. "You can't even stop your mouth while you're eating? Cursing me to fail in the industry? What an ingrate."

"I wouldn't dare," Zhang Li replied with a grin. "If you don't make it, I’ll just have to get big and promote you myself."

"Yeah, right," Yang Mi said, clearly disbelieving. "You'd promote Liu Yifei first, then Shishi. Where would I even fit in?"

"Pinky swear," Zhang Li said, extending his finger.

"How childish," she said, feigning disgust, though she extended her finger to meet his. A midnight snack in exchange for a promise—she felt she’d come out on top!

[You have delivered soup to Zhang Li and received a compliment; soup-making skill +1.] (Zhang Li received the same.)

Yang Mi thought to herself, maybe she really would become a "Soup Beauty" one day.

Humming with a light heart, Yang Mi returned to her dorm. Just as she was about to wash the dishes, Yuan Shanshan suddenly appeared. "Mi-mi!"

Startled, Yang Mi turned around. "Shanshan, what is it?"

"Who was that handsome guy earlier?" Yuan Shanshan’s eyes lit up. "I don't think I've seen him before. Is he your boyfriend?"

"No, I’m focused on my career right now, not dating," Yang Mi said, her expression unchanging. "He’s the younger brother of a good friend of mine, and a junior in our acting department. They asked me to look after him."

"A junior?" Yuan Shanshan smiled broadly. "Mi-mi, your friend's brother is my friend's brother, too. You're heading back to set in a few days, so if you can't look after him at school, let me help."

*Smooth talker,* Yang Mi thought. She shook the water off her hands. "I can't make that decision. I'll give him your contact information later, and he can reach out if he needs anything."

"That works," Yuan Shanshan nodded, satisfied.

Yang Mi smiled, though the warmth didn't reach her eyes. *Heh, my silly little brother won't add you.*

Meanwhile, Zhang Li was on the phone with Liu Shishi. They exchanged a barrage of sickeningly sweet nothings, but that was just how a woman in the early stages of love wanted it. He only hung up when the dorm lights went out. "Can't disturb my roommates. We have military training for a while, so I'm going to sleep. Goodnight."

The next morning, Zhang Li and Dou Xiao rose early to attend the class meeting, where they listened to the teacher's lecture and introduced themselves to their peers. In the afternoon, the 08 acting class headed to a military base in Beijing to begin their ten-day training.

These ten days were incredibly productive for Zhang Li; he practiced constantly, day and night. He spent his limited phone time chatting with his "Great Tang Poetess." In the blink of an eye, it was September 15th—the final day of training.

"I don't get it, I just don't get it," Cai Wenjing, Pan Zhilin, and several other girls circled Zhang Li. "You're a naturally born pretty boy."

Zhang Li sighed. "If you sisters don't know how to use your mouths, you can donate them."