Qian Ran was baffled.
Using my old clothes for… personal enjoyment? This is getting ridiculous.
He knew there were plenty of obsessive types who might engage in such behavior, clinging to a shred of their object of affection. Even if they couldn't get the person, they'd be content just inhaling their scent. But to discover he inspired this level of devotion? It left Qian Ran scratching his head.
Thank goodness he was strong. Without his strength, he might have ended up as some male succubus, driving countless women mad before eventually being captured by a wealthy woman and locked away in a dark room. Just the thought sent shivers down his spine.
But how did Nanmen Yun'er even get her hands on his belongings?
"It's Ning Tian and Wu Feng. The three of them are pretty close. They've known each other since the start of the semester," Mu Jin explained with a laugh, noticing Qian Ran's confusion.
Actually, she wasn't so different herself.
Qian Ran rarely reused his clothes. Once something was dirty, he wouldn't wash it himself but would instead leave it to others, knowing they'd clean it for him. That meant plenty of his so-called "discarded" items were still out there.
Sometimes, when Mu Jin missed him, she'd hold his clothes close, inhaling his lingering scent. It was as if Qian Ran were right beside her.
To be fair, Qian Ran's clothes always smelled faintly of something clean and soothing, a light fragrance devoid of any unpleasant odors. Even others couldn't resist this subtle allure, though they'd never admit it openly.
Qian Ran's body was utterly immaculate; his so-called "dirty" clothes were spotless, carrying only a faint masculine aroma heightened by his potent pheromones. But to him, changing clothes frequently was simply a habit.
"So it was those two troublemakers." Qian Ran rolled his eyes.
He wasn't into fetishism, but he could understand the mindset behind it—it was just a way to feel connected.
Since Qian Ran could have the real thing by his side anytime, he felt no attachment to anyone's belongings.
"You wouldn't do something like this, would you?" Qian Ran asked, giving Mu Jin a pointed look.
"I… of course not!"
But under Qian Ran's steady gaze, Mu Jin eventually broke down.
"Well, it's because you don't spend enough time with me… What else can we do?" Mu Jin blushed furiously. If they could have Qian Ran all to themselves, they wouldn't have to resort to such things. But when he wasn't around, what choice did they have?
"My bad," Qian Ran relented, dropping the subject.
"I'll go fetch Yun'er," Mu Jin offered. She had seen the spark of interest in Qian Ran's eyes. She ushered him to wait in her office while she went to find Nanmen Yun'er.
When Mu Jin called Nanmen Yun'er out of class, the girl seemed puzzled. Something about her teacher's demeanor felt off, though she couldn't quite place it.
"Yun'er, you like Qian Ran, don't you?" Mu Jin asked directly.
"No! Teacher, what are you talking about?" Nanmen Yun'er waved her hands frantically, her expression panicked.
"Then what's this?"
Mu Jin held up a notebook containing Yun'er's secret diary and one of Qian Ran's shirts. Seeing her most closely guarded secrets exposed, Nanmen Yun'er wished she could disappear into the ground.
Her diary detailed her deepest feelings for Qian Ran. The shirt was something she had borrowed—well, stolen—from Wu Feng's dorm.
For as long as she could remember, Nanmen Yun'er had secretly admired Qian Ran. Like many other girls in the outer courtyard, she had been captivated by him.
After discovering his connection to her friends Wu Feng and Ning Tian, she frequently visited their dorm in the hopes of catching a glimpse of him. Though she rarely succeeded, just hearing about him from her friends and seeing the items he left behind was enough to fuel her fantasies.
The first time she caught the faint masculine scent lingering on his clothes, she was hooked. From that moment on, she began collecting anything related to him—pens he used in class, discarded doodles, anything she could get her hands on.
For an inexperienced girl like her, this kind of infatuation was intoxicating.
"Teacher, I'm sorry!" Nanmen Yun'er's voice trembled as tears welled in her eyes. Her heart broke as her carefully concealed secret was laid bare.
If the rest of the outer courtyard found out that the goddess-like Nanmen Yun'er harbored such an unseemly obsession, her world would surely collapse.
"Silly girl, what are you crying for? You haven't done anything wrong." Mu Jin wiped away Yun'er's tears with a gentle hand.
Mu Jin understood all too well. Yun'er's feelings were just too strong, and she lacked the courage to confess directly. Left with no other outlet, she sought solace in small tokens of her affection.
Who could blame her? Qian Ran was so perfect, so irresistible. How could any girl keep her composure around him?
"Do you want to be Qian Ran's woman?" Mu Jin cupped Yun'er's tear-streaked face in her hands. The younger girl's innocent, delicate features stirred a trace of envy in her. Ah, youth.
"Teacher, what do you mean?" Yun'er asked, wide-eyed, as though she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"If you're willing, it's possible. But how much of a place you can carve out in Qian Ran's heart depends entirely on you. Don't let me down, Yun'er."
"If I can… I'd do anything," Yun'er replied, her face flushing bright red. To be with her dream man, even for a single day, she was willing to pay any price.
"From now on, call me Sister Mu Jin." Mu Jin's lips curved into a smile, confident in Yun'er's obedience.
"Ah? Teacher, you…" Yun'er trailed off, finally piecing things together. If she didn't understand now, she wouldn't deserve her reputation as one of the outer courtyard's brightest.
Mu Jin and Qian Ran were…
Yun'er's emotions swung wildly between shock and excitement.
"If I introduce you to Qian Ran and even give you the chance to become his woman, how will you repay me, Yun'er?" Mu Jin's elegant fingers traced circles on Yun'er's cheek as she spoke.
She couldn't help but admire Yun'er's beauty. The girl was no less stunning than Ning Tian or Wu Feng. Had she been placed in Zhou Yi's class, she would have long since fallen prey to Qian Ran's charms.
"All I ask is that you listen to me from now on. Can you do that?" Mu Jin's sultry voice was soft yet commanding.
"Yes. I'll listen to you, Sister Mu Jin," Yun'er nodded obediently. To her, Mu Jin's willingness to offer her such an opportunity was already a blessing. She didn't care if Mu Jin had ulterior motives.
If it meant being Qian Ran's woman, even as a maid, she would gladly accept.
(End of Chapter)
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