Seeing Through

Su Xingshu's words rang with authority, instantly stirring up a commotion among those nearby.

This was practically a public declaration of affection! Xu Qiuying had truly stepped on a landmine this time.

Clearly aware of her own situation, Xu Qiuying heard the murmurs around her and wished she could bury her head in the ground. Suppressing her shame, she said, "I was overthinking things."

After tossing out that one line, seemingly unwilling to remain standing there and be gawked at, she skirted past them and ran off.

Out of consideration for the fact that she was Bai Yan's cousin, Su Xingshu said nothing more, merely shooting Bai Yan a pointed look. "Yesterday you were the ones insisting on pulling Fu Liangxia into your group. Don't go doing anything that earns you contempt."

Bai Yan's smile faded, his gaze turning heavy. "Of course."

Seeing the matter resolved, Fu Liangxia had no patience to linger either. She tugged at the hand gripping her wrist again. "I'm touched, but can you let go now?"

Su Xingshu released her wrist and cautioned, "Don't believe everything people tell you from now on. You've got such a sharp mind—how did you suddenly get so foolish?"

Fu Liangxia hadn't expected Su Xingshu to suddenly say something like that. She looked up at him in surprise, only to see him already reaching over to take her schoolbag off her shoulder, naturally striding ahead. "Let's go. Class is about to start."

With that, he took the lead.

Fu Liangxia blinked, not understanding how he'd so casually shouldered her bag. It was probably a well-honed habit from dating multiple girlfriends.

Not having to carry her own bag was certainly a convenience, so she happily fell in behind him and headed toward the classroom.

For some reason, though, Bai Yan lagged a step, walking alongside her. His tall frame cast a shadow that nearly enveloped her entirely.

Fu Liangxia glanced at him in confusion, only to see Bai Yan lean down slightly with an inscrutable smile, his voice low. "This is the first time I've seen someone whose eyes go red for ages but can only manage to shed a single tear."

Fu Liangxia felt as if she'd been struck by lightning.

She stared at him, her expression frozen for a moment, before pretending not to understand. "What?"

Bai Yan tilted his head. "You. You're not the type to care about people like us. All that talk about 'not being in the same world,' 'abandoned,' 'pitiful'—you don't actually care at all."

Fu Liangxia held his gaze for a few seconds, certain he wasn't probing but simply stating a conclusion in an offhand way. She decided not to deny it and arched an eyebrow with a smile. "Well, you're not entirely right, Young Master Bai. If I did get kicked out of the group, I'd be a little sad."

Her eyes were clear, the corners tinged red, and she looked more mischievous than tearful, like a pear blossom trembling with dew.

She was so lively that even knowing she was lying, one couldn't bring themselves to dislike her.

The two locked eyes in silence, standing a little close, and from a distance, they seemed rather intimate.

Bai Yan let out a soft laugh and was about to say something when a group of people suddenly brushed past him.

The lead boy wore his school shirt buttoned all the way to the top, his black hair neatly combed back, his features clean and handsome, his bearing tall and straight. He walked past them, eyes fixed ahead, but then paused abruptly, his gaze sweeping over Fu Liangxia before landing on Bai Yan. His beautiful eyes were icy. "Class is about to start. What are you two still billing and cooing about?"

With that, he averted his gaze, as if merely fulfilling a duty to remind them, and continued on his way.

Fu Liangxia was silent for a beat, puzzled by Cheng Xingzhou's bad mood this early in the morning.

She didn't take it to heart, though. That was just how Cheng Xingzhou was—maybe he simply disliked seeing them outside when class was about to begin.

Bai Yan straightened up and watched Cheng Xingzhou brush past, letting out a chuckle. "Eating dumplings this early in the morning? That's a strong whiff of vinegar."

He didn't deliberately raise his voice, but it wasn't low either, certainly loud enough for Cheng Xingzhou, who hadn't walked far, to hear.

The boy's steps faltered.

The Student Council members glanced back and forth between the two, shrinking their necks, thinking that only Bai Yan would dare say such things and not fear provoking the student council president.

Unexpectedly, Cheng Xingzhou merely stood still for a moment before walking off without looking back.

It seemed he couldn't be bothered to respond.

"Let's go." Fu Liangxia couldn't be bothered with their little exchange, tossed out the words, and headed for the classroom.

Morning classes went off without a hitch. No more incidents cropped up, and Bai Yan didn't dwell on her earlier fake crying, as if the whole thing had been water under the bridge.

Bai Xin still didn't show up for class that day, and both the teacher and the students seemed to have grown accustomed to it.

Fu Liangxia had no idea whether this morning's events had made it to the forum, or what spins they'd be twisted into.

A busy morning passed. After organizing her class notes, she left the classroom and headed to the cafeteria. As she passed a shady path lined with greenery, her steps gradually slowed.

Cheng Xingzhou was leaning against a tree, reading a book on a bench. Hearing footsteps, he caught sight of a familiar pair of little leather shoes, then lifted his eyelids to look at her. His dark, deep eyes fixed on her.

A vague sensation rose in Fu Liangxia's chest—he'd been waiting for her on purpose.

She slowed her steps and, sure enough, saw Cheng Xingzhou close his book and stand up. Sunlight filtered through the leaves and spilled into his misty eyes, yet failed to illuminate the gloom within them.

Fu Liangxia didn't want to stand there trading stares with him. Though she'd left a bit late, there was still a chance other late students might pass by and see them.

She thought it over and broke the silence, asking him, "Looking for me?"

Fu Liangxia was genuinely surprised that Cheng Xingzhou would wait for her specifically. He was always the most distant and aloof of people; she'd never seen him grow particularly close to anyone, always maintaining a measured distance.

She remembered it had been that way back at the sanatorium too. The original owner would pester him for ages and maybe get a few replies in return at best. He'd simply look at her calmly, wait for her to finish, then say he understood.

Gradually, she'd stopped wanting to talk much to him either. Maybe he wasn't responding just because she was a nuisance—she didn't want to be a bother and didn't want to keep singing to an empty audience.

On the rare occasions he did talk more, it was always about what she shouldn't do.

So this time, what had she done to displease him again?

Fu Liangxia racked her brain and recalled that their only recent interaction had been his warning that morning: "What are you two still billing and cooing about?"

She pressed her lips together, a ridiculous guess forming. "Don't tell me you're here to lecture me about not dating early?"

At the sound of that word, Cheng Xingzhou's pupils abruptly contracted. He slowly tightened his grip on the book in his hand and repeated her words in a sluggish tone. "Dating early?"

The phrase seemed to scald his mouth as he forced it out.

With each syllable uttered, his expression grew colder. "With who? Bai Yan?"

His voice was a mixture of disbelief and clenched-teeth fury.