Beside him, Su Qingqing’s slender frame seemed even more fragile, while Mu Bai’s cool, noble aura drew every eye.
Passersby stopped in their tracks at the sight of him, their faces filled with admiration. By the time Su Qingqing noticed, a crowd had already formed, trailing after them as they walked.
Su Qingqing: “…”
She had completely forgotten how much of a celebrity the male lead was. Mu Bai was a figure of immense respect and admiration, and because he rarely appeared at the academy, his presence alone caused a traffic jam.
She regretted not just running away earlier, awkwardness be damned. Now, she had no choice but to brace herself and follow him into the classroom.
The crowd grew thicker.
Though they were all there for Mu Bai, Su Qingqing found herself caught in the glare of their attention. The onlookers weren’t just watching; they were buzzing with excitement.
“Mu Bai is so handsome!”
“It’s been forever! I heard he’s been busy with the company.”
“So charming. A man focused on his career is truly the most attractive!”
“The academy’s top heartthrob! He’s absolutely stunning!”
“Ahhh! I’m recording this!”
“Me too, I’m sneaking a photo.”
The voices were so loud Su Qingqing could hear every word. This was the first time she’d ever been caught in a crowd like this, and for a villainous cannon fodder character, too much attention was never a good thing.
The thought had barely crossed her mind before the whispers turned on her.
“Compared to Mu Bai, Su Qingqing looks… way too fragile.”
“Mu Bai is a whole head taller than her! Tsk tsk… Her arms look like they’d snap. I’m stronger than she is.”
“Right? We all look more like men than she does.”
“She’s still captivating, though. So beautiful…”
“If she were a girl, her looks would be unbeatable. Too bad she’s a guy…”
“I heard the school beauty confessed to her, and Su Qingqing rejected her!”
“Really?”
“Totally true. Nangong Li cornered her with a whole group! It was brutal.”
“That can’t be right. I don’t see any bruises on her. She doesn’t look like she’s been beaten up.”
“They didn’t get to. Nangong Li probably figured the classroom wasn’t the best place to start a fight.”
“Possible. They told Su Qingqing to wait for her.”
“Why would the school beauty even like Su Qingqing? She’s pretty, sure, but does she even look like a man?”
“Maybe she’s just after her face.”
Su Qingqing stared blankly. This rumor was absolutely absurd.
In the original novel, the misunderstanding was that the original owner of her body was thought to like the female lead. That’s why she burned the love letter. But now, it had twisted into the female lead liking her? That she’d been sent a love letter and heartlessly rejected it? How could it get any more ridiculous?
Su Qingqing’s head throbbed. Being mistaken for liking the female lead wasn’t as dangerous as the current situation. Now, everyone thought the same person was crazy about her.
As the old saying goes: being liked by a yandere isn’t scary. What’s truly terrifying is when a yandere likes someone who likes you.
This was a nightmare, especially since it was all a giant misunderstanding.
She couldn’t even keep track of how many men were pursuing the female lead.
One was standing right beside her. Then there was Nangong Li, the third male lead. The fourth hadn’t even appeared yet. Only Chu Yunhan knew the truth, which meant there was at least one less person likely to come after her.
No wonder Nangong Li had been so eager to make trouble for her. The rumor had twisted the truth beyond recognition.
Su Qingqing felt her situation was dire. Peaceful days were out of the question; avoiding a complete disaster would be an achievement in itself.
Fortunately, the crowd hadn’t blocked her path too badly. She managed to reach a seat by the classroom window, but before she could even catch her breath, a scent of ebony wafted over her, and a tall shadow loomed over her frail figure.
Su Qingqing glanced sideways in confusion. Mu Bai was settling elegantly into the seat beside her, his perfect profile exuding a cold detachment that made her feel invisible.
Su Qingqing buried her face in her hands. Of all the empty seats, why did he have to choose the one next to me?
The sparsely populated classroom instantly filled to capacity. Even Professor Wu was startled by the packed room when he walked in, only realizing why it had happened when he spotted Mu Bai.
Su Qingqing tried her best to focus on the lecture. Beside her, the male lead sat with a meditative, abstinent grace.
The thought of his hidden, ruthless nature sent a shiver down her spine.
Professor Wu began his lecture, but most of the students were completely focused on Mu Bai. It was hard to tell if they were there to learn or just to stare at him. Perhaps they were trying to do both.
Su Qingqing, on the other hand, was determined to pay attention. She kept her gaze fixed forward, yet the male lead’s scent continued to drift toward her.
Maybe I’m sitting too close, she thought. She glanced at the cold wall beside her arm. There was no more room to squeeze away from him.
When she stole another glance at Mu Bai, their eyes met.
His deep, dark gaze felt like a bottomless abyss, and his eyes were as cold as ancient ice. Su Qingqing felt frozen solid, a chill creeping from her feet to the top of her head. Despite the sweltering heat, she suddenly felt no warmth at all.
She quickly looked away, pretending the encounter had never happened.
Fine, I’ll just deal with the crowding, she decided. At least he’s rarely in the dormitory. Otherwise, that gaze… it’s colder than a snow-covered mountain.
When the lecture finally ended, Su Qingqing was desperate to avoid being swept up in the crowd again. Before she could even stand, Mu Bai had already walked out of the classroom, followed closely by a swarm of people.
Finally, she was free from the male lead. Su Qingqing didn’t run into Mu Bai again for the rest of the day.
But Chu Yunhan was relentless. He hovered beside her, refusing to leave. “Come with me to the party tomorrow!” he insisted, leaning in close as he sat next to her.
Su Qingqing couldn’t fathom why the second male lead was acting like this. In the original novel, he had despised the original host, constantly causing her trouble.
“Didn’t you tell me to stay away from you?” she asked. When she had first transmigrated and accidentally bumped into him, his disgust had been plain to see.
Chu Yunhan choked on his words. “Well, the more I look at you, the more I like what I see. Your little face is so fair and delicate, quite a beauty, really.”
Before Su Qingqing could glare at him, Chu Yunhan reached out and poked her hand.
“Are you made of tofu? You blush the moment I touch you.”
A small, vivid red mark bloomed against her porcelain skin, a stark contrast that drew the eye and tempted him to leave more.
Su Qingqing stared. “If you’re so bored, go gather firewood on the mountain.”
She ignored him, unable to guess what he was up to. As a cannon fodder female supporting character, she knew the male lead and second male lead were the most dangerous people to be around.
The library was silent. It wasn’t empty, but the space was so vast that no one else was sitting near her and Chu Yunhan.
She had deliberately chosen a secluded corner, yet she still ran into the second male lead.
As a villainous cannon fodder, she thought, I seem to “accidentally” encounter the main characters and supporting cast at every turn. I can’t escape them.