“No…” Qin Yuan tried to explain herself, but was cut off after just two words.
Wu Zhuoyuan pushed Li Yue against the wall, then with a fawning expression, moved to support Qin Yuan’s other arm. “Yes, yes, Sister Qin, you’re absolutely right.”
Qin Yuan: “I didn’t…”
Xing Baitao chimed in from the side: “Alright, alright, if you didn’t, then you didn’t.”
The two of them moved in sync, talking nonstop, flanking Qin Yuan as they steered her toward her seat, giving her no chance to plead her case.
The awkward moment from earlier had been defused into a joke. Qin Yuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as the two coaxed her all the way back to her seat. When she glanced back, Li Yue was still obediently standing at the back of the classroom.
Maybe it was just her imagination, but Qin Yuan felt that when she was being dragged away, Li Yue beside her had slightly curled the corner of his mouth. The movement was tiny, but much more vivid than his usual icy demeanor.
Now he still stood leaning against the wall with his hands behind his back, as if he would stay there until someone called him, looking innocent and dutiful.
Qin Yuan fell silent. She reflected deeply—compared to Li Yue, she probably really did look more like the one about to start a fight.
Just as she was about to look away, Li Yue turned his head and glanced over. His expression remained unchanged, like a calm sea.
But Qin Yuan felt a hint of curiosity hidden in his gaze.
He stared directly at her across most of the classroom, neither avoiding nor flinching, as if trying to read the answer to her strange behavior on her face.
In the end, it was Qin Yuan who looked away first, as if unable to bear the weight of that scrutiny.
Li Yue had been observing her for a long time.
During class, while chatting with classmates, when she pretended to glance back at him unintentionally.
Ever since the conflict before the semester started, this young lady seemed to have become a different person. She had never been so amiable when talking with friends before.
Around Miss Qin, there were only those who could tolerate her and those who had to tolerate her.
Li Yue didn’t know whether she had had a profound awakening and decided to turn over a new leaf, or if she was just acting, preparing to find greater amusement at his expense.
She was strange.
Like the narrow encounter at the classroom’s back door just now—the old Qin Yuan would never have stepped aside voluntarily, let alone for him.
When Xing Baitao stopped her, the widened eyes she made even seemed to hold a trace of grievance, completely different from the arrogant and malicious image he remembered.
For some reason, Li Yue always felt that beneath her impatient expression lay nervousness, as if she were putting on a false front.
What was she worried about? Him? Li Yue couldn’t find a reason.
Qin Yuan didn’t know what he was thinking. She was unsettled by that faint, almost imperceptible smile.
Why was the male lead looking at her like that, and even smiling at her? Had he noticed something? Or was he just expressing a sense of confident composure?
Qin Yuan spent the day distracted in class. She felt there might be a subtle misunderstanding between her and Li Yue, and others would likely interpret this misunderstanding in a very serious, exaggerated way.
Just like now—even though she had distanced herself from the original host’s social circle, her classmates still seemed to assume she would cause trouble for Li Yue.
She felt a bit wronged. The villain’s role seemed to be permanently fixed on her.
Qin Yuan took a deep breath and once again reviewed her plan to clear her name.
Her ultimate goal was to escape the original owner’s death plot, which meant avoiding conflict with the male lead, Li Yue, and repairing their past conflicts.
Ideally, she would return to being an insignificant background character—neither coveting Li Yue’s future wealth and success nor letting the storms and bloodshed affect her.
Since reshaping her image through social interactions wasn’t going smoothly, she decided to be more direct and try extending goodwill to Li Yue.
What if the male lead was someone who could listen to kind words? She was best at saying pretty things.
After school ended in the afternoon, the high school students, cooped up all day, all headed out to find food. Class 37 was empty. Qin Yuan returned to the classroom early, carrying a heavy paper bag.
Even though no one saw her, she still felt a bit guilty. She quickly approached Li Yue’s seat.
After confirming that no one was inside or outside the classroom, Qin Yuan bent down and placed the paper bag containing a full set of “High School Physics Competition Guides” under Li Yue’s desk, then tiptoed away swiftly.
Qin Yuan didn’t know why she felt so guilty. She was here to deliver something, yet it felt like she was committing a crime.
Thanks to getting along well with her classmates recently, she had been able to glance at Li Yue’s desk under the pretext of chatting with Shi Qinghua. This allowed her to find a reason to carry out her next plan.
Last time, when she had Uncle Wu take Li Yue to the hospital, she compensated him with a sum for medical expenses and mentioned he could use the money to replace the soiled reference books. However, the frugal male lead was still using the old set. Qin Yuan immediately came up with an idea.
I’ll replace them for you! I’m never short of money!
She was somewhat looking forward to the male lead’s reaction when he discovered the books. If Li Yue accepted them, she would feel much more at ease—it would mean there was still a chance to mend their relationship.
Throughout the evening self-study session, she restrained herself from glancing in Li Yue’s direction even once.
However, before class the next day, the paper bag was returned untouched to under Qin Yuan’s desk, placed in the exact same position and orientation as when she had given it.
The only difference was a small note tucked between the pages, bearing three bold, forceful characters: “Unnecessary.”
Qin Yuan’s first reaction upon seeing the returned reference books was a sense of helplessness.
The lines on the paper seemed to twist into a mocking mask, as if ridiculing her petty tactics and reminding her that she couldn’t escape her predetermined fate.
He clearly knew she was the one who sent it and understood it was her way of extending goodwill, yet he showed no mercy.
Qin Yuan tightly clutched the note, feeling a heaviness in her chest. What was unnecessary? Her attempt at goodwill, or her belated remorse?
After mustering the courage to take that step, only to be outright rejected, Qin Yuan felt both conflicted and a little angry.
What a difficult male lead to please!
The weather at the end of September was still sweltering, especially with dozens of people crammed into one classroom. The air conditioner and fans hummed together, their rhythmic white noise almost hypnotic.
During the first-period chemistry class in the afternoon, Qin Yuan was so drowsy she saw stars.
Lately, she had tried every possible way to get closer to Li Yue, only to be rejected every time.
When she bought drinks for the whole class, he was the only one who didn’t drink. When she invited classmates to watch a movie, he didn’t go. She even took the initiative to chat with Wu Zhuoyuan, but Li Yue, just two steps away, acted as if he were deaf, not even lifting his head.
Qin Yuan had grown numb to it all.
Adopting a “go ahead and kill me today if you dare” attitude of reckless abandon, Qin Yuan seemed determined to reclaim all the goodwill she had shown over the past period.
Whenever Li Yue appeared within five meters of her, she would immediately put on a cold face, roll her eyes, examine her nails, or curl her lips—a full set of mean-girl moves that even made Wu Zhuoyuan, who came daily to ask for chocolates, tread carefully.
Next period was gym class. During free activity time, Qin Yuan picked up a badminton racket, spotted Li Yue in the distance, and turned to leave.
Wu Zhuoyuan, who had been watching, sidled up to Li Yue like a crab, shaking his head while making “tsk tsk tsk” sounds.
He nudged Li Yue’s shoulder. “Bro, why haven’t you said a single word to my Qin-jie? She’s such a nice person.”
Li Yue shot a sidelong glance at his roommate, who had been so easily bought over with chocolates, and said nothing.
But he had to admit, Qin Yuan’s recent demeanor—smiling at everyone with a hint of warmth—had struck him as particularly strange.
Her current attitude of being annoyed with everyone, especially him, felt far more familiar and comfortable.
“Hey, where are you going?” Wu Zhuoyuan, who had been leaning against Li Yue, nearly stumbled when the latter stepped back. He quickly caught up and continued his persuasion. “I mean, bro, is it just because she threw a book at the start of term? She didn’t even hit you, right? She even protected you. What’s that called? Beauty saves the hero, cough cough!”
His rambling was cut short by a slap from Li Yue. “Why’d you hit me!”
Qin Yuan and Xing Baitao sat side by side on a bench in the shade, each holding a cup of iced lemon water, as they began listing Li Yue’s crimes.
Xing Baitao was indignant on her friend’s behalf. “Li Yue really doesn’t know what’s good for him.”
Qin Yuan nodded fiercely.
Xing Baitao: “So what if his grades are a bit better?”
Qin Yuan: “Exactly!”
Xing Baitao: “So what if he’s a bit handsome?”
Qin Yuan: “Exactly!”
Xing Baitao: “So what if all the teachers like him?”
Qin Yuan: “Why are you praising him so much!”
The two went from complaining about homework to exams, then began looking forward to the upcoming National Day holiday, laughing together as they leaned back on the bench.
Perhaps fate couldn’t stand to see her relaxed, as a sweet female voice called from the side, “Qin Yuan?”
The moment Qin Yuan turned her head, her eyes nearly rolled to the back of her skull.
Guan Youyi, however, acted as if she hadn’t noticed and walked over with a smile, warmly taking Qin Yuan’s hand. “It really is you! I thought I was mistaken. Why didn’t you tell me our gym classes are at the same time…”
Qin Yuan pulled her hand back, cutting off the sisterly affection. “Just say what you want.”
“But…” Guan Youyi smiled and glanced at Xing Baitao, her hint unmistakably clear.
Qin Yuan was utterly speechless. A perfectly ordinary school setting was being turned into a palace drama by her. She simply stood up, pulling Xing Baitao with her, ready to leave—making it clear she didn’t care whether Guan Youyi spoke or not.
Miss Qin’s patience had been completely exhausted by her recent entanglement with Li Yue, leaving no room for further back-and-forth with someone like Guan Youyi.
Guan Youyi quickly stopped her, asking with her usual gentle smile, “I heard you had a fight with Yunle? Are you okay?”
All this for such a trivial matter? Qin Yuan suppressed the urge to walk away and replied coldly, “I’m fine.”
“Really? He can be a bit impulsive sometimes. Don’t be angry. I heard from Yunle…” Guan Youyi looked genuinely concerned.
Qin Yuan ignored the green tea fragrance wafting toward her and cut her off directly, “You don’t need to tell me about his affairs in the future.”
She pulled Xing Baitao back a step, appearing unwilling to waste any more words on Guan Youyi.
As she turned away, Qin Yuan deliberately glanced back and added, her tone as cold as the depths of winter, “That goes for you too.”
Guan Youyi’s perfect smile froze on her face.
They hadn’t even walked three meters before Xing Baitao, who had been suppressing the corners of her mouth, couldn’t hold back any longer. Clinging to Qin Yuan’s arm, she lowered her voice and squealed, “Yes, yes, yes! That’s exactly the attitude!”
She even hopped excitedly on the spot, “Queen, you must take me along to watch whenever you scold someone from now on!”
Qin Yuan quickly steadied her, too preoccupied to entertain her deskmate’s joke. Her left eye twitched, and an instinct drove her to look back toward the area behind the bench where they had just been sitting.
Behind the bench stood a row of tall sycamore trees, and beyond that was the school’s artificial lake.
Li Yue stood by the lakeside, in a spot where even sunlight couldn’t fully penetrate. Yet, the shimmering ripples from the water’s surface reflected onto him, as if it were all an illusion.
His gaze was exactly the same as on the day they first met—cold and filled with disgust.
Qin Yuan’s heart sank completely.
She didn’t know how long he had been watching, but from that position, he could only see Guan Youyi’s smiling face standing opposite her.
In Li Yue’s eyes, she, Guan Youyi, and Zhu Yunle were likely still an inseparable, intimate little group.
Perhaps everything she had done during this time had been in vain.
Author’s Note: