Chapter Fifteen: The Scheming Man

“Since this has been kept so tightly under wraps, how do you know that this account is his, and why are you so put off by his character?” Ning Shuyi asked, a little puzzled.

“Well, isn’t it obvious? This jerk tried to get back together with her! At first, he acted all aloof, but when he wanted her back, he pestered her relentlessly. My cousin must have been so annoyed by his persistence that she vented to me and told me everything about their past.”

“Would you mind telling us what you know?” Ning Shuyi inquired.

“I don’t mind,” Yu Mengpeng replied, “but, cousin, after you hear this, I can’t guarantee you won’t feel uncomfortable!”

Yu Mengpeng’s face was twisted with disgust as she stirred her fruit tea with the straw. “Li Qiao was a year ahead of my cousin at school. They met during orientation when she started university. She really liked him and pursued him actively. He played hard to get and only agreed after a while.

From what my cousin said, Li Qiao is the kind of person who’s both arrogant and insecure. Because he was the one being chased, he felt superior to her, but at the same time, he was painfully aware that he couldn’t measure up to her in many ways—his self-esteem was as fragile as glass.

Anyway, when they were together, he controlled every aspect of her life. Everything had to meet his standards—even the height of her collar or the length of her skirt needed his approval, or he’d throw a tantrum. My cousin was head over heels for him at the time, so she put up with it for ages, only breaking things off after she graduated because she just couldn’t take it anymore.”

At this, Yu Mengpeng made a face as if she’d just tasted something foul and shook her head. “You’d never guess what he said when she wanted to break up with him.

He told my cousin that he didn’t agree to break up, so they couldn’t. Since she was the one who had pursued him in the first place, he said only he had the right to end things, and she had no right to do it first!

But you know my cousin’s temper—once she’d had enough, that was it. She deleted all his contact info and dumped him for good.

After that, she had peace for about a year. Maybe Li Qiao went out and realized that, given his abilities, he’d never land another girl as good as my cousin, so he came crawling back.”

She waved her phone. “Did you see his username? ‘Writing Poems for You’! It’s sickeningly sweet! And now, look at him, liking and praising every one of my cousin’s cosplay photos. You’d never guess how he used to feel about it!

Back then, he fought with her all the time over her love for cosplay. My cousin told me herself: Li Qiao said only improper women did things like that, that it was disgraceful and embarrassing!”

Ning Shuyi frowned. “Cosplay is just a hobby; how does that have anything to do with someone’s character?”

If Li Qiao was really as Yu Mengpeng described, then her earlier description of him as an ‘ultimate turn-off’ was spot on. From high school onward, and especially in college and at work, Ning Shuyi had always been in environments where men outnumbered women. They all had different personalities—some outgoing, some reserved—but one thing they all shared was that none of them forced their own will on others.

She’d never met anyone like Li Qiao, who imposed his own strict standards on those around him.

“Right? I’ve never even met the guy, but what my cousin told me about him really freaked me out!

I told her he was dangerous—he’d do anything to win her back, even pretend to like her hobbies, the very ones he couldn’t stand before, and shower her with praise. But if she ever went back to him, I bet he’d hold it all against her later, and worse!”

“So, how does your cousin feel about him? Has she been in contact with Li Qiao recently?” Ning Shuyi asked.

“That, I really don’t know,” Yu Mengpeng shook her head. “I’m telling you everything I know, but I won’t make things up. I’ve advised her to stay away from that guy, but she’s been pretty vague about it. Whether they’re still in touch or if she’s really moved on—I honestly can’t say.”

Ning Shuyi nodded. “Fair enough. So, as far as you know, what has Wang Yuluo been up to lately? Who has she been spending time with?”

Yu Mengpeng grinned at the question. “Cousin, you were so smart just now. I was worried you’d ask me this in front of my uncle and aunt. If you had, they’d have nagged me to death!

All those wigs and costumes in my cousin’s room—my mom saw them once and asked what they were for, and my cousin told her they were props from her university drama club days.

None of the adults at home know what cosplay is, and they would never accept it if they did. That’s why I haven’t told them anything—I’d never hear the end of it.

I think I mentioned that my cousin joined a cosplay group online, right?

This club has organized a lot of offline events, and my cousin is always super enthusiastic, always the first to sign up and completely immersed in it. She even took me to one of their meet-ups once.

Not to brag, but compared to the other cosplayers in the group, my cousin really stands out!

I’m not saying she’s prettier than everyone else—it’s that she’s willing to invest in this. She spends on costumes, makeup, and always hires professional photographers. The quality and effect are on another level.”

“So you’re saying that Wang Yuluo never used to spend so much on this, and only started investing recently?” Ning Shuyi asked.

Yu Mengpeng realized she’d caused a misunderstanding and hurried to clarify, “No, no, that’s just her usual style—it’s not out of the ordinary! That was just my impression from the one time I went with her to a club event.

If anything, there have only been minor hiccups. I think she’s had some disagreements with someone in the group—some tension, you know?”

“What kind of tension?”

Yu Mengpeng kept stirring her fruit tea, breaking up the fruit pieces even more. “Oh, you know how it is with girls—rivalries! The cosplay club is mostly women, with very few men. At events, it’s a competition to outshine each other!

And my cousin—she has money and free time, and when she finds something she likes, she’s willing to spend on it. None of the other girls can match her in terms of costumes or props.

She started cosplaying later than the others, but ended up surpassing them. Plus, she’s generous—she often treats everyone to meals, buys drinks, and whenever they go out for karaoke or other activities, she usually foots the bill.

If you were them, wouldn’t you like having a friend like that?”