Yang Mingyue still couldn't quite describe the feeling he had when he first heard Tang Qing's voice—velvety, alluring, with a hint of honey. It was like being hit by a freight train, his heart pounding violently, wanting to grasp at it but catching nothing.
Tang Qing's voice was unlike any of the popular female streamers. Unlike their fake personas, she simply said, "Hi there," and he couldn't bear to end the call.
At first, Yang Mingyue hadn't intended to get romantically involved with Tang Qing. He just genuinely liked her voice and enjoyed the feeling of chatting with her.
The more they interacted, the more Yang Mingyue found himself unable to resist wanting to talk to Tang Qing longer and about more things.
Even the slightest hint of flirtation between them made his heart race.
So when Tang Qing said she had forgotten her bank card password and couldn't pay her rent, Yang Mingyue didn't hesitate—he immediately transferred her 5,000 yuan…
It wasn't until Yang Mingyue saw the exposé about Tang Qing on the forum and read her chat history with others that he realized he was just another fish in Tang Qing's sea. Every time she told him she was busy with schoolwork, she was actually sharing every little detail of her day with different men.
She had greeted each one of them, shared her life, and even had exclusive flirtatious nicknames for them.
It was all an elaborate romantic con orchestrated by Tang Qing.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became—especially when he saw his own profile picture on that debt repayment list. Yang Mingyue wished he could scratch that profile picture right off his phone!
Beyond humiliating!
Compared to getting his money back, Yang Mingyue would rather just disappear from Tang Qing's list altogether.
"Brother Yue?" The bleached-haired teammate waved his hand in front of Yang Mingyue's face when he got no response. "You still haven't answered—is this you?"
"Shut up!" At this moment, Yang Mingyue didn't want to hear anything related to Tang Qing. His expression was dark with fury. "Not enough drills today? Got nothing better to do?"
"If you're so full of energy, hit the track for five laps."
The previously excited blond instantly deflated. "Seriously? Brother Yue…"
"I don't even have any matches coming up. Why the sudden extra laps…"
Yang Mingyue's face remained impassive. "One more word, and I'll add a weight vest. You're also competing in next month's university track meet."
"Representing our department is your responsibility."
"But—" The blond tried to protest, but Yang Mingyue had already brushed past him, pulling out a chair with a loud screech.
He sat down heavily, radiating an aura that warned everyone to stay away. It was clear to all that Yang Mingyue was in a terrible mood.
"Stop talking!" Another guy from the Department of Physical Education yanked the blond back. "Are you stupid? Why rub salt in Brother Yue's wound?"
"He didn't deny it—that avatar is definitely him."
"Tang Qing played him, and you just had to run over and ask if he was the sucker. Did you really expect him to be happy about it?"
The blond seemed to half-understand. The group exchanged glances, and for a moment, no one spoke.
Yang Mingyue was a well-known campus heartthrob and star athlete at A University—handsome, from a well-off background. Wherever he appeared, girls would swoon.
Every day, different girls would come trying to catch the eye of Yang Mingyue, hoping to give him water. But Yang Mingyue was immune to their advances—so far, not a single girl had managed to get him to accept that bottle of water.
The one who managed to topple the campus idol was Tang Qing.
Not long ago, Yang Mingyue had announced that he had a girlfriend and even said he'd introduce the future Mrs. Yang to everyone. No one could have guessed that this woman would turn out to be a notorious catfish.
"Tang Qing, what should we do? Yang Mingyue's affection meter for you is now at -47," the system spoke up. "An affection meter of 0 means the person feels nothing for you, and a negative value means they dislike you."
"Anything below -30 means they really hate you."
"It seems Yang Mingyue is really upset about that catfishing incident. Last month, his affection meter for you was 40, and now it's gone negative."
"Love built on lies? Only an idiot would fall for that." Tang Qing continued sipping her millet porridge unhurriedly, squinting as she traced the muscles on Yang Mingyue's back with her gaze. "This Second Male Lead is quite good-looking. I really like the lines of his shoulders."
"At a time like this, you're still analyzing the shape of Yang Mingyue's muscles?" The system was exasperated. "The problem is, he hates you now. How are we supposed to raise his affection meter?"
"You promised me we'd work together to boost affection meters and help me return to my master."
"Yes, I did promise you." Wiping her mouth, Tang Qing finished the last of her porridge, the hollow feeling in her stomach vanished completely. A faint flush of vitality returned to her pale face.
"Let's go talk to the Second Male Lead and pledge my loyalty."
In her past life, Tang Qing had hardly ever been single. She had encountered men like Yang Mingyue before and knew exactly how to play him.
She asked the shop owner for a mask and put it on before walking straight to the table where the student athletes were sitting.
"Excuse me, are you Yang Mingyue?" A sweet voice suddenly rang out. The jocks looked up in surprise, seeing Tang Qing standing before them.
Black-framed glasses paired with a mask, dressed in a simple T-shirt—for a moment, no one realized that the person in front of them was the very Tang Qing they'd been gossiping about.
None of them had heard her voice before, so they couldn't place her.
But Yang Mingyue recognized her the moment she spoke her first word—this was the same Tang Qing who had been lovey-dovey with him online just last month.
Squinting slightly, Yang Mingyue studied the girl standing before him. From head to toe, she was dressed in the most ordinary way, nothing to write home about looks-wise—just an average passerby you might see on the way to class.
The only thing that stood out was her voice, naturally sweet and refreshing, like honey to the ears.
If her appearance was utterly unremarkable, then Tang Qing's voice alone could add at least 30 attractiveness points.
And he himself had been drawn in by that very voice.
"Yang, could I speak with you alone for a moment?" Tang Qing spoke again, her voice even sweeter this time. Now, even the other jocks could tell—this girl has a killer voice though. They began whispering among themselves:
"Holy shit, this girl doesn't look like much, but has a killer voice though."
"I agree. Is she here to confess to Brother Yue?"
Girls approaching Yang Mingyue was nothing new, so they all exchanged knowing glances, ready to enjoy the show. "Hahaha, Brother Yue's still as popular as ever."
"Bet he won't agree, though. He's in a foul mood right now." Having just suffered heartbreak, they figured this girl was barking up the wrong tree.
To their shock, Yang Mingyue actually stood up!
"Let's talk outside."
Tang Qing followed behind Yang Mingyue. Their footsteps fell in sync—one tall, one short—and oddly harmonious.
The group was stunned. What? Normally, he wouldn't even acknowledge water deliveries, and now, without even seeing this girl's face, Brother Yue was actually going to talk to her alone?
"What's going on? Does Brother Yue know her?"
The blond guy pondered for a while. "Couldn't tell if Brother Yue was pleased or not, but this is the first time he's ever been alone with a girl, right?"
"I'm sorry, I want to apologize to you." Tang Qing removed her mask, revealing her entire face to Yang Mingyue.
Yang Mingyue had seen videos of her and had some idea of what she looked like. But when her face appeared before him in person, he felt as if something had lightly tugged at his heart.
It was the same face as in the videos, yet in person, there was an undeniable vibrancy to her, especially in her gaze...
Though she still wore black-framed glasses, the moment Tang Qing lifted her eyes, it was like a fox coyly flicking its tail—playful, delicate, and full of charm.
"It's my fault. I heard what your classmates said about me. Being linked to me must humiliate you now." Tang Qing's voice was filled with remorse, yet the sweetness in it remained, captivating and pleasant.
"I will definitely return the five thousand yuan to you, but right now..." She paused before continuing, "I'm really strapped for cash right now. But since we're at the same school—I'm in Class 01 of the Chinese Department—I won't run away. You know where to find me."
"Why would I come looking for you? So you can con me again?" Yang Mingyue scoffed, looking down at the deceitful girl before him with the advantage of his height. "How do you plan to pay me back? Still using fake pics and playing damsel in distress?"
"I... didn't..." As if stung by his words, Tang Qing's voice grew even softer, forcing Yang Mingyue to lean in to hear her. "Sorr—... I truly regret it, and I want to make up for my mistake..."
"I'll find a way to return the money to you."
Yang Mingyue sneered. "I don't need your money. Just delete me from your list right now!"
"Consider that 5,000 yuan money down the drain—like a stray dog took it." His words were dripping with scorn. "You make my skin crawl, and I don't want anything to do with you."
"Please don't be angry..."
"I'm not angry—I'm disgusted." Yang Mingyue's tone grew even harsher. "Tang Qing, I was blind to have fallen for your trap. That's on me. From now on, if you see me on the street, stay away. You turn my stomach."
"I don't need your apology either. You've probably apologized to too many people already."
Seemingly crushed by his cruel words, Tang Qing's eyes reddened. "Sorr—"
"Shut up. Just delete me from your list already. You're vile!"
Yang Mingyue turned to leave, but at that moment, Tang Qing took a step forward. Their shoulders collided abruptly, and Tang Qing lost her balance, toppling into him.
The moment their bodies touched, before Yang Mingyue could even react, his arms instinctively wrapped around her waist.
So soft!
So slender!
Were all girls' waists this fine?
Yang Mingyue froze. His only romantic experience had been his online relationship with Tang Qing—in essence, he was still a hopeless romantic. This was his first time actually touching a woman's body.
In that instant, he felt how soft a girl could feel. He never would have guessed that beneath Tang Qing's loose T-shirt hid such a graceful waistline.
Like she'd scalded him, Yang Mingyue shoved her away abruptly. "You did that on purpose!"
Of course! She totally staged that fall!
She was a fraud, used to playing men like this. How many times had she pulled this trick before? Frowning in frustration, Yang Mingyue snapped, "Did you think I'd be another chump in your little black book, fooled into forgiving you just because you brushed against me?"
"No, I just—"
"Stay away from me. Next time you fall, watch where you're going. Don't touch me!" The young man stalked away like she carried the plague, his face twisted in disgust.
Tang Qing stood where she was, lingering until Yang vanished, then adjusted her clothes with deliberate calm. She bit her lip, dusting off her jeans with a sigh.
"Tsk, that mutt's got quite the mouth on him."
The timid and ashamed expression on Tang Qing's face vanished instantly. It was hard to imagine that just a minute ago, the owner of this face had looked like an innocent little white rabbit.
"Did you really trip by accident just now?" The system couldn't help but ask curiously. From its perspective, Tang Qing's fall had seemed rather inexplicable.
"What do you think?"
"If I hadn't tripped like that, how would he have realized how slim my waist is?" Yang Mingyue was indeed the *hopeless romantic* she had expected. Despite his harsh words and tough act, Tang Qing could still sense his rapidly accelerating heartbeat...
"Dangle just enough bait, and he'll start wondering just how good the whole meal tastes."
The system updated Yang Mingyue's affection value—sure enough, it had risen from -47 to -40, a jump of 7 points.
"Hmph, you women are truly scheming little foxes."
Tang Qing burst into laughter. "Aren't you the one accompanying Gu Xiaoman as she works her way through men? What makes her so much nobler than me?"
"My master is nothing like you!"
Tang Qing continued, "We're both playing the dating game, so why does Gu Xiaoman get to be the paragon of virtue while I'm labeled as scheming and deceitful?"
The system fumed, knowing it couldn't win the argument, and beat a hasty retreat. "Are you going to approach Yang Mingyue again? Given the change in his affection value, his attitude toward you has softened. Striking while the iron's hot might yield good results."
"He told me to back off, so I'll back off!"
"Then how are you going to raise his affection? Don't forget, you promised to work hard!"
Tang Qing's eyes twinkled mischievously, her mind already made up. "I have my ways."
Under the system's stunned gaze, Tang Qing swiftly modified her Weibo account—"Scammer Girl Gone Straight."
Bio: A college girl who used to scam people online, this is Tang Qing's one and only official account. Starting today, she's starting clean and striving to be a better person.
The change in her username and bio immediately caught the attention of many netizens, drawing in a crowd of spectators.
"Scammers should drop dead!"
"This girl is such an act. You better pay back all the money you took from those guys!"
"Grabbing my popcorn for this. Honestly, this is the first time I've seen a scammer make a repayment account."
Online scams weren't exactly breaking news, but Tang Qing's open updates about her repayment progress were a first.
Netizens found it bizarre—why were they suddenly following a debt-repayment blogger?
"So, where do you plan to start with the ¥270,000 [in Chinese currency]?"
"Nine-to-fivers are seething. Some people work for three years with zero savings, while others flirt for three months and scam ¥270k [in Chinese currency]."
"What's the angle here? Just clout-chasing, right? I don't believe a scammer would actually pay anyone back."
...
As the online debate grew more heated, Tang Qing updated her Weibo again: "I've decided to participate in the Campus Original Singer Competition. The top prize is ¥10k [in Chinese currency]. If you'd like to see me repay my debts sooner, root for me!"
Attached was the competition poster for the Campus Original Singer event. The first round was an anonymous round, where qualified contestants would only submit their recorded audio and lyrics for netizens to vote on.
The top 88 would advance to the second round—a national finals streamed live. As Tang Qing mentioned, the competition offered eight first-place prizes, each worth ¥10k [in Chinese currency].
"I'm a college student, how come I've never heard of this competition?"
"By the way, Tang Qing mentioned the 10,000 yuan is for first prize—pfft, con women are always this confident, thinking they'll definitely win first place?"
"Definitely a scheme! Probably signed with a company. The repayment thing's a front—she's just chasing clout."
...
In all the messy chatter, the outcome was pretty much what Tang Qing had expected. Within just half an hour, her newly verified Weibo account gained 120,000 followers—all just rubberneckers here for the tea.
Without buying followers, 120,000 was enough to bump Tang Qing into minor influencer territory.
The news of Tang Qing participating in the competition quickly spread across A University's campus, which shocked many—especially her three former roommates.
All three roommates had entered A University through the national college entrance exam, while Tang Qing was a transfer student from community college. Because of this, they had long looked down on her and naturally formed their own clique.
"Does Tang Qing even know how to sing?" Shen Yue, a local who had been the first to exclude Tang Qing, spoke up. "We lived together for two months, and during our first group outing to KTV, she said she couldn't sing and didn't go."
Wu Feifei chimed in, "She's been playing the field—of course she must have some skills. Whether she sings well or not doesn't matter; smooth talk does the trick."
"Ugh, ever since she got outed, people keep asking me about her."
"Living with someone like this is disgusting," the third roommate, Zhao Mengru, grumbled angrily. "My boyfriend even interrogated me yesterday, saying 'you're judged by the company you keep' and worrying I might be playing the same games too."
"Oh, Mengru, your boyfriend was definitely joking. You're nothing like Tang Qing," Shen Yue interjected. "But it really is such a drag. Feels like our dorm's reputation has been ruined because of her."
*
It was at this moment that Tang Qing entered the dorm. As she pushed open the door, she could still hear Shen Yue's mocking words: "I bet the organizers of that campus singer competition feel the same—it's such a drag to be associated with someone like her."
"Probably just a publicity stunt. What songs could she even sing? It's all just for show."
"First, she played guys, now she's playing people online! And she claims she's going to pay them back?"
Suddenly, a loud *bang* interrupted Shen Yue.
"Who's there? So rude!" Shen Yue jumped out of her skin as Tang Qing appeared before them.
Seeing it was Tang Qing, Shen Yue went pale. "You?"
"What are you doing here?"
It had been two months since they last saw Tang Qing, and Shen Yue never expected her to return.
Tang Qing hadn't come to answer Shen Yue's question. Instead, she frowned at her own desk, now piled with takeout containers—evidently, in her absence, it had become the others' dining table.
Her bed was also occupied by three large suitcases. The rude girls had carelessly rolled up Tang Qing's bedding and shoved it into a crumpled mess in the corner.
Tang Qing had come back to grab her student ID. With her current debt, eating at the university cafeteria would be much cheaper than outside. She hadn't expected to run into these three gossipy little birds, chirping away and judging her.
"First, talking behind someone's back is quite rude."
"Second, I don't have the habit of being someone else's trash bin. Clean up that mess as soon as possible—especially that yellow-stickered suitcase. It's ugly and makes me sick." Pointing at the three suitcases on her bed, Tang Qing continued, "Third, Shen Yue, you asked me to buy breakfast for you those six times this semester. You never paid me back. Pay up."
Being called out by name, Shen Yue's expression darkened. She stepped right up to Tang Qing. "Are you serious? I bought you fruit and snacks in return. How does that make me owe you money?"
Tang Qing hadn't originally planned to demand repayment, but Shen Yue's attitude was too much to ignore.
"My idea of 'in return' is you asking me to buy breakfast, paying me back, and saying thank you."
"Sure, you bought some fruit and snacks, *Miss Shen*. But you should've noticed—you only bought what *you* liked. I never touched the stuff."
"Those six breakfasts, not a single 'thank you,' not a single payment. Shen Yue, you seem to feel entitled."
Tang Qing stood opposite Shen Yue. Though her appearance hadn't changed, she seemed to stand taller now. For the first time, Shen Yue realized Tang Qing was actually taller than her.
"Whatever."
Shen Yue pulled out her phone. "How much was it?"
"32 yuan."
Shen Yue quickly transferred 100 yuan over, her tone haughty, "Don't say I owe you money. I'm even giving you the service charge. It's just 32 yuan—why so stingy?"
"Now who doesn't know about you? You owe so many people money. How dare you even show your face at school?"
"Take the money and leave already. Just seeing you disgusts me."
Shen Yue had always been the type to look down on those below her while flattering those above her, and she had always despised Tang Qing, who wore and used the cheapest things. Ordering Tang Qing around like a servant had become a habit. Now that Tang Qing was involved in an online fraud incident, Shen Yue had even more reason to mock her. "You don't even live here anymore. What's the big deal if we use your space? It's just sitting empty anyway."
"We're not moving the boxes! If you're so strong, move them yourself!"
Having long expected this fat sparrow's annoying attitude, Tang Qing didn't waste words. She simply took photos of her desk and bed.
Waving the photos in her hand, Tang Qing said, "Since you all know about my participation in the competition, you must also know I now have 120,000 followers. It doesn't matter if you don't move the stuff—I'll just post these two photos later."
"My desk, my bed—just because I'm not using them temporarily doesn't mean you can use them however you like."
Shen Yue's face fell instantly. "You're threatening us."
Zhao Mengru and Wu Feifei spoke up nervously, "Tang Qing, there's no need to escalate things. They're just a few boxes."
"Yeah, if you don't like it, we'll just move them somewhere else." Gu Xiaoman, always quick to compromise, kept shooting Shen Yue meaningful glances. "Our bad. We all thought you had already moved out."
"Oh? If I'd moved out, the landlady would've notified you. Did you get any notice?"
"The matter's clear now. I hope you handle it quickly. After all, we're classmates—posting your photos on Weibo wouldn't be appropriate." Picking up her campus card, Tang Qing turned to leave. "As Shen Yue said, my reputation isn't great. If we all end up with bad reputations, then this dorm will truly be cursed."
The catty roommates didn't ruin Tang Qing's mood. Walking through the university campus, she truly felt the pulse of campus life. The youthful energy and innocence of the students around her were something the world-weary, scheming old-timers in the industry could never fake.
"Is that Tang Qing?"
"It's really her? I thought she wasn't coming back to school!"
"The school actually let her compete? Didn't expel her? Having someone like her really damages the school's reputation. How are we supposed to recruit students next year?"
Along the way, those who recognized Tang Qing whispered among themselves. But unlike Shen Yue's blatant rudeness, they only muttered quietly. Tang Qing remained unfazed, walking at her usual steady pace.
"By the way, how are you joining this original song competition?"
The system asked Tang Qing, "I have no energy left to help you. Singing—can you really do it?"
In the past, Gu Xiaoman's skills had all been exchanged from the miraculous system's shop. But now, the energy was barely enough to sustain basic functions, with nothing extra to exchange for skills.
"What's so hard about singing?" Tang Qing had already thought it through when she signed up. In her past life, to maintain her role as a celebrity, she had trained rigorously in every necessary skill. Without Gu Xiaoman's miraculous system, relying purely on her own efforts, Tang Qing's singing had reached professional standards in the entertainment circle. Winning a college-level original song competition wouldn't be a problem.
"But you're joining an original competition. Do you have original songs?"
Tang Qing had already planned it out. "A father who didn't care, a mother who didn't love, and a parasitic younger brother. Struggling relentlessly to get into college, only to ruin my reputation for money—a life like that, the songs I write should be heart-wrenchingly bitter."
"Once they realize the songs are based on real experiences, they'll start pitying me."
If she just bluntly shared her tragic past, internet users would doubt its authenticity. But letting them piece together her past bit by bit—that's what would make them genuinely sympathize. And Tang Qing wanted exactly that—their pity.