Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

Yan Yu found it very strange, because with Zhang Huaide's cautious and old-fashioned personality, he should know that high school romances seldom last. How could he do something so futile and bound to fail?

After careful inquiry, it turned out that his girlfriend was too impressive. To prove that she could attend the same university as him and that they wouldn't break up after graduating high school, she spent an entire semester forcibly raising her ranking from over 300th in the school to the top 10, becoming "a woman worthy of Zhang Huaide."

Doing the math, she was still underage at the time! Using the excuse of love to deceive an underage girl into focusing on her academics, Zhang Huaide surely is something else.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans. The year they were about to take the college entrance exam, the Spiritual Energy Resurgence happened... Zhang Huaide went to Pingxi Defense Academy, and his girlfriend went to XJTU. In the end, they still didn't go to the same university.

"So she just gave up?" Yan Yu asked. "That's not likely, based on your description. She seemed pretty determined to get you and wouldn't be deterred by something as minor as attending different schools."

"Of course, she wouldn't give up." Zhang Huaide paused for a moment, then, showing an uncharacteristically wistful expression, said, "The week before the start of school, she invited me to a hotel..."

"Stop, hold it right there," Yan Yu cut him off. "No need to continue, Mr. Jailbait."

"She was already of age by then," Zhang Huaide explained. "Her birthday is in February. I didn't break any laws."

"That's not the point," Yan Yu sighed. "The point is, you actually had a girl pursue you this hard, and she even did all this for you. It's enough to make anyone jealous."

"Speaking of being pursued, you don't have the right to criticize me," Zhang Huaide replied calmly. "Shall we compare numbers?"

"Quality over quantity, am I right?" Yan Yu immediately cut him off. "You became a man before you even started university."

"I can't deny that," Zhang Huaide mused. "But, in any comparison, the man with the harem is always more enviable."

"The harem master may seem glamorous on the outside, but the price and the bitter consequences... I swallow them all alone," Yan Yu sighed deeply. "In the end, you couples are the truly happy ones."

"Really?" Zhang Huaide showed a hint of skepticism. "Why don't we find someone to judge that?"

"Hold on, isn't this just like a besieged city? Those inside want to get out, and those outside want to get in," Yan Yu protested immediately. "Most people don't have a harem, so of course they'd think having one is great! What value is there in their opinions?"

"Speaking of that," Zhang Huaide noticed that Yan Yu was talking nonsense and didn't dwell too much on this topic. Instead, he asked, "I'm quite curious. Given Hongyu's personality, how did she willingly come to terms with Xiaolian?"

"That's thanks to my charm," Yan Yu answered seriously. "When you're enjoying food in a fantastic restaurant, your standards for service drop. Sharing a table becomes acceptable."

"Is that so?" Zhang Huaide showed a contemplative expression.

Zhang Huaide, despite being clever, was too tied down emotionally and had almost no chance to experience any form of polyamorous relationship, not even facing romantic rivals. His experience in this area was severely lacking.

...Yet, since he was driven to hide at my place, it seemed like so-called charm couldn't make women absolutely submissive to him.

Thinking this, Zhang Huaide more or less had an idea. Pointing to the deck of cards on the table beside them, he asked:

"To pass the time... have you played this before?"

While Yan Yu and Zhang Huaide were playing cards, in his room, Zhao Yuanzhen, Zhou Hongyu, and Tang Xiaolian were still at odds.

"Why are you in his room?" Zhao Yuanzhen asked coldly.

"And what right do you have to ask?" Zhou Hongyu retorted with a sneer.

Seeing the tension escalate between the two, Tang Xiaolian quickly tried to mediate:

"Well, we came to find Yan Yu for something..."

She was also very displeased with Zhao Yuanzhen's overbearing attitude, but at least she remembered that this was Yan Yu's room. If the two of them really let their tempers flare and started fighting, regardless of who won, Yan Yu's room would be no more.

Fighting here was out of the question! First, see if they could negotiate.

"What business?" Zhao Yuanzhen narrowed her eyes. "Why didn't he tell me?"

"He doesn't tell you everything," Tang Xiaolian signaled for Zhou Hongyu to keep quiet and then explained to Zhao Yuanzhen, "How about you call him and ask?"

"I certainly will." Zhao Yuanzhen took out her phone and was about to dial when she suddenly sniffed the air, "What's that smell in this room?"

"Uh—" Tang Xiaolian quickly said, "It should be pollen. I picked a bunch of flowers from outside and brought them for Yan Yu."

"Then why can't I see any flowers?" Zhao Yuanzhen frowned.

"He took them with him when he left," Tang Xiaolian hastily covered.

"I see." Zhao Yuanzhen nodded, seeming to believe it for a moment.

The next second, she stepped forward like a tiger, her fist aimed straight for Zhou Hongyu but was intercepted just in time.

"Do you think I'd believe your nonsense?" Zhao Yuanzhen's face contorted, and she sneered, "This smell... even if aired out for three days and nights, I'd recognize it!"

"Pathetic," Zhou Hongyu mocked, "You're like a beggar outside a restaurant, unable to taste the food inside, just crazily sniffing around.