You are all bad women! Don't come over!

On the other end of the phone, Catherine's voice came through, the sound of her chewing fruit laced with a hint of teasing, "You've really mastered the art of flattery. Before I dumped you, your emotional intelligence sure wasn't this high." Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire

"Things have changed," Shen Mochen thought to himself.

"That's all thanks to your excellent training!" Shen Mochen laughed heartily.

"Looks like your girlfriend is pretty, or else you wouldn't have agreed so easily," Catherine said. "Between her and me, who is prettier?"

"That would definitely be you..."

"I want to hear the truth, you should know I don't like lies, and I can tell when you're lying to me."

Shen Mochen scratched his head helplessly, "To tell the truth, it's really hard to answer that question, beauty isn't something that can be quantified..."

"Is that so? Then, between Gu Yange and me, who do you think is prettier?"

"That would definitely be you!"

"Gu Yange is also quite pretty, yet you can judge that she's not as pretty as me. Xia Qingrou must be very beautiful, at least as much as me, or you wouldn't have had trouble deciding."

Shen Mochen frowned, surprised, "How did you know her name was Xia Qingrou?"

Catherine's tone was nonchalant, "I had dinner with Cai Yuncui last night, I know you joined her former team, and she told me about the team members. I guessed it must be her."

You had dinner with her? And chatted? Was it just about the team?

Shen Mochen suddenly became nervous, his heart rate accelerating rapidly.

He didn't want Cai Yuncui to know he had once seen Catherine's body, knew that they had studied intimately in the library, knew that he had almost... with Catherine;

Similarly, he didn't want Catherine to know he had kissed Cai Yuncui, had told his rural relatives she was his woman, knew he had seen Cai Yuncui's body…

In fact, he could find reasons to explain all these things, both women had no real cause to blame him.

But he just didn't really feel like… letting them know, it might lead to something not good.

"When did you and her become so close?" Shen Mochen asked.

"Your tone now sounds like a womanizer who just discovered his two girlfriends met and exposed him," she said.

Cold sweat instantly ran down his face, Shen Mochen felt his legs trembling, the more nonchalant Catherine sounded, the more he wondered how much the two of them actually knew.

"What are you talking about?" Shen Mochen raised his voice, feigning anger, "That's not funny. We're just good friends, and Cai Yuncui and I have a sibling relationship!"

"Just a little joke, why so upset?" Catherine's tone remained playful, with a laugh, "Oh right, when I called you before, Cai Yuncui was right beside me, she knows about you and Xia Qingrou dating."

Shen Mochen subconsciously touched his lips, thinking of that sweet kiss flavored with coconut, and felt a sudden heaviness in his heart.

"So she knows… It was bound to happen anyway. She even mentioned introducing Xia Qingrou to me before," Shen Mochen said. No wonder Cai Yuncui hadn't called him yet to check in.

"But, after she found out, she seemed to be in a bad mood," Catherine continued, "It's a double celebration, a handsome younger brother dating a beautiful best friend, yet she can't seem to smile at all. How strange, just like me, your ex-girlfriend."

Her voice remained calm, but with an underlying chill, as if under the sea before a storm, undercurrents swirling, brewing towering waves.

At this point, Shen Mochen no longer knew why Catherine was angry, was it because he'd found someone new, or because of Cai Yuncui? Perhaps it was both.

Shen Mochen fell silent for a moment, "Cai Yuncui is someone who fears loneliness, she's been orphaned since she was young, and she couldn't keep up with her studies. Maybe she's just afraid of being abandoned by her younger brother."

"So, are you going to abandon her?"

"Of course not, she's my sister, why would I abandon her?"

"Forever not abandoning her?"

"You sound like a priest at a wedding ceremony. As long as she doesn't mind, of course I'll be her brother for life."

Catherine giggled, "Cai Yuncui, did you hear that?"

Shen Mochen was stunned, then exclaimed in shock, "She's with you right now?"

"Do you want to speak to her...? Oh, she's blushing so much right now, refusing to take the call... uh, she just ran off."

"You're messing with me again!" Shen Mochen couldn't help but exclaim.

Catherine's tone was mocking, "I thought you would thank me."

Shen Mochen fell silent for a moment, "…Well, thanks then."

It was a good thing for Shen Mochen that Yuncui got to hear this conversation in such a manner. He knew that Catherine was helping him. In this way, his relationship with Yuncui wouldn't become awkward again after he returned.

At least, it wouldn't seem awkward on the surface.

Catherine hummed in a peculiar tone, "I really want to see what they look like. Send me their pictures when you have time."

"Why 'they'? And you could ask Sister Cai for their pictures."

"She wouldn't give them to me easily. If I show too much curiosity about your team members, she would definitely worry that I might take revenge on them."

Shen Mochen was speechless, thinking that these people were, after all, her close girlfriends. He even felt that in Yuncui's heart, he probably wasn't as important as them.

"Is Sister Cai still there?" asked Shen Mochen.

"She's not here right now. Shall I call her back?"

"Actually, I'm not that kind of random guy, and I don't like Qingrou. In my eyes, she can't compare to you…"

"Wanting to say sweet nothings to the ex-girlfriend, no wonder you had to check if Teacher Cai was away first."

Shen Mochen sighed softly, "It's not really sweet nothings. You can tell if I'm lying. I didn't even plan to do anything to Qingrou."

It seemed that Catherine could tell Shen Mochen wasn't lying, so she said casually, "That's true. After all, you didn't even make a move on me. Even if Qingrou is as pretty as me, she definitely doesn't have my charm."

Do I not want to? I just don't dare! After all, you are the heir of the Alexandrov Family. If I had really slept with you, heaven knows what I would have had to face afterward!

Shen Mochen couldn't help but recall the scene that had occurred at Catherine's house. If it weren't for the Earl's timely return, it's likely the two of them would have taken that step, which is rather regrettable… Wait, why do I feel regrettable?

"Right, there's something I'm quite curious about. Even if Qingrou was very pretty, you're not the kind to be swayed just by looks... What exactly did she do to make you agree to date her the very first day?"

Shen Mochen hesitated for a moment, then gave a rough account of Qingrou's situation.

On the other side of the phone, Catherine was silent for a long time.

"Why are you not speaking?" Shen Mochen asked.

"Although it's not really appropriate for me to say this, but…"

When Catherine didn't continue, Shen Mochen's curiosity got the better of him and he pressed, "But what?"

"It's nothing," Catherine replied.

She had intended to remind Shen Mochen that Qingrou was a bit strange. Even if Shen Mochen was astonishingly attractive, her behavior was too aggressive.

But coming from her, an ex-girlfriend, that statement might be taken the wrong way. She didn't want Shen Mochen to think she was jealous when she truly didn't care.

"Are you trying to say that Qingrou is a bit strange?" said Shen Mochen.

"She is a bit strange, like a weirdo." Since Shen Mochen put it that way, Catherine did not deny it.

Shen Mochen thought for a moment, "I also find it a bit unnatural, but the world is so large, there are all sorts of strange people. And since the other members of the team haven't said anything, I guess she's always like that."

Catherine yawned, "I'm going to sleep too. When you get a break, you can bring your girlfriend to meet me. As your best friend, you should introduce her to me."

"Cough cough, I think Liu Bo is my best friend..."

"Who was it that helped you with the school anniversary work when you were all alone, who stood up for you when you were being bullied at school, who cleared your name when you were framed, who negotiated for you when the police were about to arrest you..." Catherine sighed deeply, "Ah, so that's how it is, I was just being presumptuous…"

"What are you talking about, Kaja student? Although Liu Bo is my best friend, you are my bestest friend! Much higher than a friend by N levels!"

"Who is Kaja... Oh, it's me. I'm still not used to you calling me that."

"Then I'll just call you Catherine..."

"Don't shout it out, are we that close?"

Catherine hung up the phone.