Chapter 24: A Toad Coveting a Swan

"I think that Lin Elegant is quite wealthy. She probably doesn’t care how much money her boyfriend has," Ling Tian remarked indifferently. Ling Tian could be flamboyant, but he preferred to keep his brilliance reserved; the real surprise came when modesty gave way to a sudden flourish. If one flaunted everything from the beginning, wouldn’t that lay all one’s cards on the table? Where would be the fun in the game then?

"Who ever complains about having too much money? The richer they are, the more they despise the poor and adore the wealthy," Dai Jin countered, convinced that a rich heiress like Lin Elegant would never fall for a pauper.

"Let’s check it out first," Ling Tian said, taking his friends along, all dressed in ordinary casual clothes.

...

In the tiered lecture hall, the teacher was yet to arrive. Song Little Beauty sat beside Lin Elegant, brimming with anticipation. Soon, she’d see Shi Little Fortune, who would accompany Ling Tian in his pursuit of her cousin. She was determined to help, giggling to herself.

Song Little Beauty, the little traitor, was unafraid of Lin Elegant’s anger, all for her own happiness. She’d been spoiled by her family since childhood, Lin Elegant included.

Ling Tian and his group of four entered, immediately attracting the attention of many students. Though Ling Tian and Shi Little Fortune were the most handsome among them, the first to catch everyone’s eye were Dai Jin and Shi Little Fortune. Ling Tian’s presence was overshadowed by the dazzling glow of gold.

Dai Jin was clad in gold, but Shi Little Fortune wore even more, blinding the crowd. They say monks aren’t greedy for wealth, but who would believe that?

"Husband!"

Just as everyone gaped at Shi Little Fortune’s attire, Song Little Beauty ran up to him, called out "husband," hugged him tightly, and planted a fierce kiss on his cheek.

Oh my!

The crowd was stunned again. They say monks aren’t lustful, but who would believe that? He even had a wife—a cute, wealthy, and beautiful one!

Instantly, countless students fantasized about becoming monks. Many female students, seeing the charming and distinctive Shi Little Fortune, found themselves envying Song Little Beauty’s luck. A monk? And a martial monk at that—he must be impressive in bed! There were always fangirls, but this year seemed especially abundant.

While everyone’s attention was on Shi Little Fortune and Song Little Beauty, two people remained unmoved: Lin Elegant and Ling Tian.

From the moment they entered, Lin Elegant noticed Ling Tian, and Ling Tian’s gaze never left her. He wore a mischievous smile and deliberately let his gaze linger on Lin Elegant’s full, alluring chest.

Having admired Li Serene’s exquisite figure last night, Ling Tian found that her classical beauty couldn’t quite match Lin Elegant’s curves. Now, he was curious about what lay beneath Lin Elegant’s pink dress.

Lin Elegant noticed exactly where Ling Tian’s eyes were fixed and angrily turned her body away. This dreadful man had taken liberties with her before; she wished someone would give him a good beating or humiliate him soundly. She’d never seen anyone so shameless!

"Wife! I’m here!"

Ignoring Lin Elegant’s anger, Ling Tian grinned and boldly called out, then took the seat beside her—second from the edge. Song Little Beauty had just vacated the first seat, so it was conveniently empty. Ling Tian shamelessly sat down.

Ling Tian’s greeting had even greater impact than Song Little Beauty’s "husband." Instantly, all eyes were drawn to them. To dare call Lin Elegant "wife"—that was fearless!

Just days ago, rumors had spread about some reckless guy calling Lin Elegant "wife" and provoking the teachers. Could it be this young man?

"Ling Tian! How many times must I tell you? I am not your wife—stop calling me that!" Lin Elegant recalled him being with Li Serene yesterday, which made her furious. Song Little Beauty had mentioned that Ling Tian hadn’t returned to the dorm all night. Had he spent it with Li Serene?

The thought of such a philanderer calling her "wife" made Lin Elegant want to kick him.

Elegant! Maintain elegance!

Lin Elegant kept silently reminding herself—she was Lin Elegant, the epitome of grace and nobility. She must not ruin her image.

"What would it take for you to admit you’re my wife?" Ling Tian asked, revealing his true purpose: to have Lin Elegant acknowledge him as her boyfriend. No matter how difficult, he had to try.

Song Little Beauty let go of Shi Little Fortune, and everyone’s gaze settled on Lin Elegant and Ling Tian. Many pursued Lin Elegant, but none had Ling Tian’s persistence or thick skin. Despite repeated rejections, he refused to give up.

Lin Elegant was so amused by Ling Tian’s antics that she burst out laughing. She’d never encountered someone so oblivious. Since he sought humiliation, she wouldn’t hold back.

"Wife, what are you laughing at?" Ling Tian was genuinely puzzled by Lin Elegant’s laughter.

"Laughing? I’m laughing at your lack of self-awareness! What gives you the right to pursue me? What qualifications do you have?" Lin Elegant rarely mocked others; it wasn’t in keeping with her refined image. But Ling Tian’s lack of self-awareness was infuriating.

Dai Jin and the others felt anxious for Ling Tian; he really didn’t have any obvious advantages. Yes, he could fight, but did that count as a qualification?

The rest watched with amusement. Lin Elegant was the campus belle of Jianghai University; most wouldn’t dare pursue her, and none had succeeded.

Ordinary men would have lost face and left long ago, but Ling Tian wasn’t ordinary. Having decided to become a charming, wealthy heir, he’d studied all sorts of guides on wooing women.

One lesson: be thick-skinned, sweet-tongued, and treat money as nothing!

Ling Tian flashed what he considered a very handsome smile and said confidently to Lin Elegant, "Because I’m handsome! Because I have great skills! If I’m not qualified, then no other man is."

"Ha! You call that handsome? There are plenty more handsome than you. As for your skills, any of my family’s bodyguards could beat you!"

Lin Elegant had never seen such arrogance and couldn’t help but mock him further.

"Uh, wife, I meant bedroom skills," Ling Tian corrected, apparently in all seriousness, sparking an uproar.

Everyone burst out laughing—even Shi Little Fortune couldn’t help himself, and Dai Jin laughed until his stomach hurt. No one had ever wooed a girl with such a reason; it was outrageous.

Ling Tian’s comment might have been ordinary on its own, but paired with Lin Elegant’s remark about her bodyguards, it was far too ambiguous. Miss Li lost her composure on the spot.

"Ling Tian, go to hell!"

Without another word, Lin Elegant slapped Ling Tian across his supposedly handsome face.

If it had been anywhere else, Ling Tian wouldn’t have minded, but a man should never let a woman slap his face. He gently grasped Lin Elegant’s wrist, meeting her angry glare as she stomped hard on his foot.

Ling Tian didn’t dodge this time, not because he couldn’t, but because he wanted Lin Elegant to vent her anger. His previous comment had truly provoked her; he didn’t want her to suffer in silence.

"Wife, I apologize. I was wrong just now. I only wanted you to know that only I am qualified to be your husband."

Seeing Lin Elegant still angry, Ling Tian continued to apologize. A slap meant affection, a curse meant love; if she didn’t even bother to kick him, he’d be out of luck. Whether it was destiny or misfortune, as long as there was fate, it was enough. Many wished the beauty would glance their way, but Lin Elegant wouldn’t even spare them a look, let alone scold or hit them.

Ling Tian truly was incorrigible—she was a tough nut to crack, but he insisted on trying.

"I’ve never seen anyone as thick-skinned as you! To be blunt, you’re not a match for me! I used to worry about hurting your self-esteem, but now I see you have no shame, so I won’t hold back!

Do you know where I live? The school villa! Only two students at this university qualify to live there; you’ll never have the chance in your lifetime! Do you know what car I drive? A Porsche! You’ll probably never afford one!

Look at your shabby clothes—altogether, they’re not worth a few hundred yuan. Do you know what I’m wearing? The latest Chanel, tens of thousands each!

Let’s be clear, you’re nothing but a toad! Don’t dream of eating swan meat!"

Lin Elegant rattled off her tirade, every word sharp and biting. For an ordinary student, it might lead to despair or a complete loss of courage to ever pursue her again.

In truth, Lin Elegant wasn’t really this harsh or materialistic. She’d rejected hundreds of suitors over the years without ever saying anything so hurtful. But Ling Tian had truly infuriated her today!

Dai Jin regretted not dragging Ling Tian to buy new clothes—then he wouldn’t have been humiliated in front of so many people. In these materialistic times, people respect clothes more than people.

"Amitabha," Shi Little Fortune muttered, slightly angry that his friend was despised so openly. It was just about money—he had plenty!

"Cousin, how can you say such things? That’s too hurtful!" Song Little Beauty couldn’t bear it anymore, especially seeing Shi Little Fortune’s sour expression. Her cousin had gone too far; she’d never been so materialistic before.

"His skin is so thick, he won’t be hurt! If he had any self-awareness, he wouldn’t keep pestering me. I’m only trying to make him give up for good!"

Lin Elegant finished and looked at Ling Tian with pride, expecting him to at least be embarrassed or unable to meet her eyes. But to her surprise, Ling Tian showed no sign of shame, his mischievous smile still lingering, and he said something that nearly made her spit blood:

"Wife, if you want me to live with you in the villa, drive your car, and buy me new clothes, just say so. Why beat around the bush? You called me a toad, but aren’t you really saying I’m your frog prince? What’s there to be embarrassed about?"

She’d seen thick-skinned people before, but never like this. Now, not only did Lin Elegant want to spit blood, Dai Jin and Shi Little Fortune did too, and everyone else felt nauseated. Brother, could you be a little less narcissistic?