Volume 3: Dragons Soaring and Phoenixes Dancing, Chapter 49: Forcing a Girlfriend

Chu Tianyu was really enjoying his life now. He had plenty of time every day to do whatever he wanted, with a few “scoundrels” around to keep things lively with jokes and chatter. Plus, there was Li Rou, a fellow book lover, who provided him with an outlet for sharing thoughts and feelings.
Because of this, he had become a celebrity at Beifu Academy, being dubbed things like “a cow dung with flowers” or “a toad that’s already eaten swan meat.”
However, these past few days, as Li Rou and her classmates started their specialized courses, they often went out for sketching, reducing the chances of meeting. As a result, such comments diminished, giving Chu Tianyu a much-needed break.
Why does anyone insist that if boys and girls spend time together on campus, they must be lovers? His relationship with Li Rou was purely based on shared interests and hobbies, yet it still led to rumors. He really couldn’t understand these people—they were so boring.
But when he expressed these thoughts to Bai Lei and the others, all he got in return were six fingers pointed downward, three disdainful faces, and their unified exclamation: “Tch~~~”
…
With summer vacation less than a month away, Chu Tianyu received an invitation from Zhou Jie. He suggested that they bring Da Hu over to play basketball and discuss whether they should all go home together during the winter break.
Chu Tianyu agreed gladly. Peking University’s basketball court was full of talented players, and he and Da Hu often went there, sometimes bringing Da Ge and Bai Lei as well. With so many skilled players, the games were always exciting.
Today was the day for the arts club’s activities. Bai Lei and Bao Cai went to clean up early, while Da Ge was studying hard ahead of his exams, as he wanted to win a scholarship. So, only Chu Tianyu went alone.
He packed his clothes and headed to Peking University’s basketball court, where Zhou Jie was already waiting.
“Has Da Hu arrived yet?” Chu Tianyu asked.
“He should be here soon. I just contacted him—he’s on his way.”
“Hey, where’s Le Er? Doesn’t she even come to bring water when you play basketball, Zhou Jie? Hehe, Da Ge and I didn’t bring any drinks either…” Chu Tianyu joked.
“No, no, she’s been quite busy lately…” Zhou Jie replied awkwardly.
Chu Tianyu sensed something was off and was about to ask further when Da Hu’s voice rang out: “Haha, everyone’s here!”
“We were just waiting for you!” Zhou Jie said cheerfully.

“A Yu, haven’t your two classmates come? A Jie, where’s Le Er?” Dahu asked eagerly as soon as he arrived.
“They haven’t come; they’re both busy,” Chu Tianyu replied.
“Hmm, Le Er is busy too. By the way, Dahu, you’re really meddling—getting involved in everything. Stop talking and hurry up and change clothes so we can show them the strength of No. 9 Middle School!” Zhou Jie urged.
“Okay…”
Chu Tianyu was in high spirits; they had won seven matches in a row, and Zhou Jie and Dahu were performing exceptionally well. Just as they were ready to win an eighth match in a row, there was suddenly a commotion on the court. After the chaos, shouts of intense playing filled the air, and the three opponents against them seemed to become even more fierce.
At that moment, Zhou Jie exclaimed, “How did she end up on the court?”
“Who? So stunning—how could she cause such a fuss?” Dahu also glanced over.
“Ouyang Ziyi, one of the two most beautiful girls I’ve ever mentioned to you,” Zhou Jie said.
As soon as he heard who it was, Dahu finally saw Ouyang Ziyi standing outside the court, dressed stylishly with a bag in her hand. He was instantly frozen, unable to take his eyes off her. He didn’t even notice his ball being taken away…
Chu Tianyu also saw her and frowned, thinking that whenever he encountered her, something bad happened. Today was truly unlucky—could it be that her top-ranked bodyguard was also playing here, perhaps to cheer her on?
Soon, due to Dahu’s distraction, they failed to hold on to their victory and were overtaken by their opponents, losing their position as champions. Since they were all tired, they took the opportunity to rest.
As soon as he reached the sidelines, Chu Tianyu saw Ouyang Ziyi walking straight toward him. He quickly pretended to wipe his face and turned his head aside, thinking, “Go find your boyfriend. Don’t recognize me and cause more trouble. Amitabha…”
Clearly, Chu Tianyu’s sincerity wasn’t enough, as his last-minute attempt failed. Ouyang Ziyi’s magnetic voice rang beside him, “Classmate Chu, what a coincidence! Meeting you here again!”
Chu Tianyu’s hand, which was still wiping sweat, trembled violently. He thought to himself, “Damn it! Even with my face covered and head turned away, you still recognize me! I give up!”
At that moment, Zhou Jie and Dahu also looked at Chu Tianyu in surprise, filled with confusion.
Realizing he couldn’t avoid her, he put down the towel and forced a smile, saying, “Hehe, it’s you, Ouyang. What a coincidence! Are you here to play basketball too?”

“Hehe, I’m not. I’m just here to watch…” Ouyang Ziyi said with a smile.
“Oh, that doesn’t stop you from watching the game. I’ll be going then!” Chu Tianyu quickly said, hurrying to pack up his things.
Ouyang Ziyi, seeing Chu Tianyu’s expression as if he wanted to eat him, felt even more pleased and became even more determined in her plans. She laughed happily and said, “Hehe, no rush, no rush. The person I came to see has already left. Look, I even brought some hot milk tea. You just finished playing, and it’s cold outside—it’s better to drink something hot. Hehe, are you Chu Tianyu’s friends? Here, take it; you should drink it too…”
After saying that, she handed one cup to Zhou Jie and another to Da Hu, then handed the remaining cup to Chu Tianyu with a smiling face.
Chu Tianyu finally realized that this troublemaking girl was targeting him. What could her intentions be? Could she have put drugs in it? Right, Qin Nianran had warned him before that she wouldn’t give up easily. He had forgotten about it due to the many things going on at the time.
Seeing that Zhou Jie and the others had already taken the cups, Chu Tianyu reluctantly took the milk tea, looking wary, and forced himself to say, “Thank you!”
“You’re welcome!” Ouyang Ziyi said sweetly, with a deadly smile on her face.
“By the way, Classmate Chu, do you have time? Could we talk alone?” Ouyang Ziyi pressed further.
“Um, I just finished playing. I’m covered in sweat, and I still have to go to the bathhouse with them later…” Chu Tianyu quickly tried to decline.
After hearing this, Ouyang Ziyi immediately turned to Zhou Jie and Da Hu and said with a smile, “Guys, could I borrow Chu Tianyu from you for a while? I’m sure you won’t lose interest in bathing without him, right?”
“Sure, no problem. Go ahead and use him. We have no objections!” Da Hu said quickly.
Zhou Jie seemed to realize something as well and said calmly, “Then you two go ahead and chat. Chu Tianyu, we’re leaving first.”
Since it was awkward to say more with them around, Chu Tianyu simply said goodbye to them. After they walked away, he resumed packing up his things without even looking up.
Ouyang Ziyi wasn’t bothered and asked again, “Are you free now?”
Only then did Chu Tianyu lift his head and look straight at Ouyang Ziyi, saying, “Classmate Ouyang, actually, we’re not very familiar. I don’t know why you keep targeting me. Even if you get those two away, it doesn’t mean I have time to talk to you!”

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Ziyi’s expression changed. She raised her eyebrows, but then, as if remembering something, she turned to Chu Tianyu, who had already finished packing and was ready to leave. Suddenly, she turned away from him and said leisurely, “Indeed, it’s not easy being the third young master of your Chu Ye Group. My car is right next to the building ahead. Come or not, it’s up to you!”
Chu Tianyu finally sat in the car with a frustrated look on his face!
Just as Ouyang Ziyi was about to start the car, looking pleased with herself, Chu Tianyu suddenly remembered something. He quickly bent down, pulled out the seatbelt, fastened it, and grabbed the inner handle of the steering wheel, preparing as if facing a great threat.
Ouyang Ziyi chuckled and said, “You don’t need to be nervous. It’s not the highway today; I won’t drive too fast…”
The car stopped at a luxurious leisure bathhouse. After getting out of the car, Chu Tianyu, now on solid ground, began to wonder what exactly Ouyang Ziyi meant by “not too fast.” How could she drive at 80 kilometers per hour even in heavy traffic? With her sudden brakes, sharp turns, and erratic driving, wasn’t it necessary to be nervous? Basically, Chu Tianyu was on edge every moment, his Purple Dragon Vital Energy flowing throughout his body, ready to deal with any unexpected situation!
“Why did you bring me here? Can’t you just tell me what you want?” Chu Tianyu asked, still trying to calm himself down.
“Didn’t you just finish playing ball? Of course we’re coming here to take a bath. You’re covered in sweat—how can I sit down and talk to you like this?” With that, she walked inside.
“Guess I have no choice but to go along with it. Chu Tianyu, just pray for luck!” Chu Tianyu muttered to himself as he watched Ouyang Ziyi’s back.
This bathhouse not only gave off a luxurious appearance from the outside but was even more extravagant inside. The main hall was magnificent, and the side room featured a skylight that created a serene and picturesque atmosphere.
Ouyang Ziyi took out a gold card and handed it to the receptionist. After a few moments of handling by the staff, she completed the procedures for Chu Tianyu. She then sat down in a tea area in the side room and ordered a cup of hot coffee to savor slowly.

Seeing this, Chu Tianyu realized she must have come prepared today, determined to stick around and talk to him. He really didn’t know what she wanted to discuss after going to such lengths. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t figure it out. Given her background, it couldn’t be just because she knew his identity that she was trying to ingratiate herself with him. Last time, Qianfeng had also investigated and found that she was the daughter of the chairman of Oulijiabao Group, a company with strong overseas connections. It had little to do with Chuye Group, even in terms of business. It was only in the past two years that it had started to expand into the Beijing area. Could it be that there was some conflict or competition between their company and his own Chuye Group?

As he was thinking this, he was suddenly interrupted by the staff who were there to serve him: “Sir, please take your VIP card and follow me.”

Chu Tianyu was too lazy to think any further. He decided to take things as they came and go take a bath first. Maybe he would find the answer to his questions soon.

It took a full forty minutes before Chu Tianyu sat down in front of Ouyang Ziyi, feeling refreshed. She still seemed calm and composed, showing no signs of impatience. At first, he didn’t know what to say, so he just smiled awkwardly and asked, “How much does it cost to take a bath here? They even give me clothes, and they fit perfectly! I don’t have much money on me right now.”

Chu Tianyu wasn’t lying. He only had 10 yuan with him, planning to use 5 yuan for the bath and 5 yuan for water.

Ouyang Ziyi didn’t answer right away. Instead, she put down her coffee cup and asked, “I know your monthly living expenses are 500 yuan. You need to keep a low profile and pretend to be poor!”

Chu Tianyu was stunned. She even knew that clearly. But he said, “Not exactly. I just think it’s better for the boy to pay when boys and girls go out together.”

“Really? Is the third young master of the Chu family really concerned about money?”

Chu Tianyu didn’t want to circle around the issue anymore or give a direct answer. Instead, he said, “Classmate Ouyang, what exactly do you want from me? If it’s about business, I think you’ve come to the wrong person. You should contact Chuye Group through proper channels, not me. I know nothing about business matters.”

Ouyang Ziyi laughed and said, “Let’s not talk about what I want from you for now. Why don’t you ask how I know your identity?”

“Is that important? Whether I knew it or not, it’s already known now. Why bother investigating further? If you came to me just to ask such a trivial question, I think I should go back!” Chu Tianyu said bluntly.

Ouyang Ziyi showed no sign of dissatisfaction upon hearing this. On the contrary, she appeared excited, her eyes shining as she studied Chu Tianyu with great interest. Chu Tianyu felt uneasy under her gaze—was she sick or something? He hurriedly said, “Uh, well, Classmate Ouyang, if there’s nothing else, I’ll go now. You don’t need to see me off; I can go back by myself…” Before Chu Tianyu could finish, Ouyang Ziyi finally withdrew her intense gaze and said leisurely, “It seems you’re not stupid at all! You can leave anytime—no one’s forcing you to stay, just like no one forced you to get in my car!” “Ugh, that’s not even coercion!” Chu Tianyu cursed inwardly, then recalling her earlier words. A smart person doesn’t need to guess—her leverage was clearly his identity. At most, she wanted to expose him as the young master of the Chu family. What was the big deal? Ouyang Ziyi, observing Chu Tianyu’s thoughtful expression, seemed to know what he was thinking and casually added, “It’s because some people live such a carefree life—playing sports, reading books, practicing swordsmanship, falling in love… Sigh, I really envy them. It seems being ordinary brings so much happiness. If I had known, I would have kept a low profile too. Now, I live alone, with bodyguards following me everywhere—no freedom at all. Even your fiancée, the aloof fairy Qin Nianran, seems to be like that. It seems the smartest one here is you! Seeing you like this, I suddenly feel so upset…” “Your upsetness is none of my business!!!” Chu Tianyu, who usually remained calm, couldn’t help but curse inwardly at Ouyang Ziyi’s pretentious attitude. What bad luck! How could it be so coincidental? He had finally managed to improve his “life” and go on a date with his “wife,” but she happened to catch him eating steak rice. He even got dragged into her investigation of Qin Nianran, revealing his secrets. If only he hadn’t made such a big deal out of that engagement party. Getting in her car earlier wasn’t so much coercion as curiosity. After all these twists and turns, she still hadn’t gotten to the point. Especially with her relaxed and confident demeanor, Chu Tianyu suddenly felt like a fish on a hook, at her mercy. So there was no point in continuing to entangle with her. A “noble,” “beautiful,” and “confident” lady like her probably thought everyone should revolve around her wishes. From her tone, it seemed the worst that could happen was her exposing his secrets.

Other than the extra trouble, it’s not a big deal at all, nor is it some shameful secret to hide. Why should I let her control me and watch her act so pretentiously? With these thoughts, Chu Tianyu no longer hesitated and said in a calm tone, “Classmate Ouyang, or should I call you Miss Ouyang? Thank you for taking me here today to enjoy such a luxurious bath, as well as these clothes as a gift. After all, these mean nothing to you as a young lady, so I’ll just accept them! If you feel upset, I suggest you see a psychologist before something worse happens—by then it will be too late! If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave!”
After saying that, Chu Tianyu picked up his bag and got ready to leave, but suddenly heard Ouyang Ziyi calmly say from across, “Oh, how impatient our Third Young Master Chu is! Don’t you even have the courage to listen to me for a few words? That’s not like your usual style at all. Could it be you still have some prejudice against me, or simply don’t want to talk to me?”
“You’re right; I really don’t want to talk to you!” Chu Tianyu thought to himself, but kept a calm expression on his face, knowing she would surely have more to say.
“Actually, you don’t need to worry that I’ll reveal your identity. You haven’t even changed your name or taken any precautions to keep it secret. I believe you really didn’t intend to hide it on purpose. Maybe some of our past incidents have created distance between us. That’s why I invited you here today—to formally thank you. Thank you for giving up your seat, thank you for your words. The most memorable one was, ‘One’s superiority shouldn’t be built on others’ backs!’ It really struck me deeply. And during my investigation of you—oh, I’m sorry, this was an accidental discovery while investigating Qin Nianran. Please forgive our rudeness. But precisely because of this, I became particularly curious about you. There are some things I really want to know the reason for. You know, a girl’s curiosity can sometimes be uncontrollable…” Ouyang Ziyi went on at length.
Chu Tianyu was now half-believing, half-doubting, thinking to himself, “Given her usual impression, how could she be so kind as to admit fault and maintain such a humble attitude?”
But after further reflection, Chu Tianyu suddenly understood and had to admire the skill of this Ouyang classmate! Her cunning and scheming were no less than Qin Nianran’s—truly a pair of “peerless beauties”!

“I don’t know what her ultimate goal is, but with her words, she’s trapped herself—admitting both her mistakes and recklessness. If I kept holding grudges, that wouldn’t be manly at all. Plus, with such a beautiful woman ‘crying and pleading’ that she’s curious about you, this trick is even more deadly than crying, making a scene, or threatening suicide.”

After thinking it through, Chu Tianyu spoke cautiously, as if facing a great enemy: “Let’s just understand each other about the past. As for me, I’m just an ordinary person who thinks in a straightforward way. Aside from what you already know about my background, I’m really good for nothing. If that still makes you curious, I’m truly helpless!”

Ouyang Ziyi found Chu Tianyu’s reluctant expression even funnier, feeling that her curiosity really left him helpless and aggrieved. Holding back her laughter, she decided that to deal with this guy who was so good at pretending to be foolish, she needed to drop some serious hints. So she said, “Actually, I’m not really ‘curious’ about your background. Although Chu Ye Group is powerful, it’s not the only one, and after all, it’s just a private company—it can only hold a certain position in China. What I’m curious about is you personally. You seem really ordinary, perfectly matching the rumor that you were struck by lightning as a child. Yet your actions are hard to figure out—ordinary yet full of wisdom. What’s more remarkable is that one of my elders holds you in such high regard!”

Pausing for a moment, Ouyang Ziyi continued, “Tell me, how can I not be curious? You exercise every day, help Old Lady with her stall twice a week, and aside from spending time in the library and playing basketball, you have no bad habits. Most importantly, given your background, you could easily be a playboy who flirts with many women. Based on your personality and appearance, if you were more insecure, reserved, or awkward, that would be completely normal. But instead, you remain composed, polite, and in control—like a modern-day sage! Why do you have such confusing and contradictory traits? Hehe, the answer is already obvious. Do I really need to say it? The wise who appear foolish, the one who hides his true abilities—Young Master Chu!!!”

It didn’t matter that Ouyang Ziyi was being bold here; Chu Tianyu grew more and more alarmed the more he listened. What kind of curiosity was this? She had investigated him thoroughly, even knowing about his stall and Li Rou. He really admired these young ladies—with such resources, they could have done something meaningful like Project Hope, but instead they wasted everything on him. Thankfully, he hadn’t done anything illegal; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
“What exactly do you want?” Chu Tianyu asked, annoyed.
“It’s simple. Just one thing: I want to be your girlfriend!” Ouyang Ziyi said slowly, each word striking like a blow.
“Uh…” Chu Tianyu almost fell off his chair.