Hopeless
The lights at the dormitory entrance remained on all night, clearly illuminating two figures.
The taller one stood straight and proud, with excellent bone structure—anyone who saw him would praise him as a handsome guy.
The shorter one had an ordinary build and average looks.
Standing together, it looked like a flower stuck in a pile of cow dung no matter how you looked at it.
As Zuo Xingyan approached, Su Yuning glanced at the lines of his forearm and mustered her courage to say, “I went to work! He just happened to pass by and gave me a ride back. What, does the president of the martial arts club have a say in this too…?” Her voice grew softer, her confidence waning.
The pent-up frustration from the entire night slowly dissipated. Zuo Xingyan smiled, revealing two dimples, his eyes brightening as he once again resembled a cheerful, athletic young man.
“The president of the martial arts club doesn’t have a say in this, but as your pursuer, I have the right to know your whereabouts.”
He couldn’t control the urge to get closer to her. Seeing her wide-eyed expression as she spoke made his fingers itch. In the end, he couldn’t resist and roughly ruffled her short hair, as if to soothe the itch in his heart.
Su Yuning’s reaction was slower than his, and she only dodged belatedly.
Zuo Xingyan withdrew his hand. “Have you eaten? Didn’t you say your stomach hurt today? Don’t use that excuse next time. If you want to take a leave, just take it. Come on, I’ll take you to eat.”
Su Yuning: “I’m not hungry, I won’t eat. I’m going back to sleep.”
Zuo Xingyan sighed regretfully. “Alright, then I’ll walk you back to your dorm.”
Su Yuning: Thanks, but no need. The dormitory entrance is right in front of me. If you weren’t blocking the way, I could be inside in two steps.
Though he said he’d walk her back, his body remained motionless, blocking her path like a roadblock.
Zuo Xingyan clearly didn’t want to let her go back easily. He kept asking questions—why she went to work, echoing Lu Ji’s confusion about eighty percent.
However, he had obviously done some research beforehand and was well aware of Su Yuning’s background and the reason she came to this school. Frowning disapprovingly, he said, “The Quan family has meddled too much in your affairs. You won’t need them in the future. I’ll take care of you.”
Su Yuning: Hmph.
“Are you secretly rolling your eyes at me?” Zuo Xingyan pinched her cheek, not holding back at all. Su Yuning cried out in pain, slapped his hand away, and stepped back, covering her face.
Zuo Xingyan was taken aback—he hadn’t even used much force. He wanted to pull her hand away to check, but Su Yuning refused. He furrowed his thick, dark brows. “Be good, let me see.”
Whenever he frowned, a hint of irritable ferocity surfaced. Su Yuning timidly lowered her hand.
Go ahead, look! Look at her pores and red capillaries—they’re saying hello to you!
But Zuo Xingyan’s eyes seemed to be covered with ten layers of filters, finding even her flaws utterly adorable. Seeing the red mark left on her cheek from the pinch, he felt both remorseful and tender. Cupping her face, he leaned in and kissed the spot. “I—”
Su Yuning jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “What are you doing!”
Up close, the president of the martial arts club made her heart race even more. Summoning all her strength, she pushed him away and wiped her face with the back of her hand, trying to hide her embarrassment. “You’re a pervert!”
Zuo Xingyan took a step back with the push, looking innocent. “I’m not.”
“Pah! Yes, you are! A big pervert lurking outside the girls’ dormitory, preying on innocent girls!”
Afraid of getting hit, Su Yuning quickly slipped past him and ran off.
Left with such a grand label, Zuo Xingyan was amused, touching his lips as he savored the memory.
On his way back to the boys’ dormitory, he kept sending messages to Su Yuning, bombarding her with useless nonsense.
When Su Yuning didn’t reply, he deliberately tried to scare her, and sure enough, he’d get a perfunctory response.
Even so, it made him feel incredibly happy.
He was truly hopeless.
Zuo Xingyan gazed at the lit-up room in the girls’ dormitory and muttered to himself.
“You’re back.”
Su Yuning changed her shoes and entered the room, seeing Quan Ling sitting on the sofa, lost in thought—a scene somewhat reminiscent of their first meeting.
Quan Ling was wearing a nightgown, her long hair loose, her beautiful face turning toward Su Yuning with a complicated look in her eyes.
She stood up to greet Su Yuning, asking considerately, “Are you tired?”
Since she hadn’t seen Su Yuning when she returned to the dorm for a midday nap, Quan Ling had already called to ask. Unlike her dismissive attitude toward annoying men, Su Yuning honestly shared her whereabouts with her friend.
Quan Ling didn’t approve of Su Yuning going out to look for a job. Several times, she seemed on the verge of saying something but ultimately held back from voicing any objections.
Because if she spoke up, the answer she’d inevitably receive would be:
“I have to make a living too, Lingling. Your family has already helped me so much. I can’t keep letting you spend money on me.”
Just as Su Yuning had said countless times before.
She had worked quite a bit that night and was already exhausted. After returning, she washed up and fell into a deep sleep. Meanwhile, Quan Ling in the other bed didn’t sleep at all.
She went to the balcony to call Madam Quan.
“Mom, Ningning found a part-time job on her own. She doesn’t want to wear the clothes we bought for her, and she won’t use the phone I gave her either. She insists on drawing clear lines with everything… Mom, what should I do?”
Madam Quan on the other end of the line fell silent for a moment before replying calmly, “That’s perfectly normal. Aside from those who cling to power and influence, no one would take a stranger’s gifts for granted.”
“But we’re not strangers!”
“Lingling, to her, perhaps we are. I’ve had an idea for a while but never brought it up with you.
Your father… he’s been secretly trying to find ways to see Ningning lately. I can’t let him go through with it.
What if… I were to adopt Ningning as my goddaughter…”
“No!”
Quan Ling’s first reaction was to reject the idea outright.
Madam Quan wasn’t surprised. “Think it over carefully, Lingling. You’ll come to agree.”
Su Yuning noticed that Quan Ling had become increasingly quiet lately, often watching her with an expression she couldn’t decipher.
Puzzled, Su Yuning asked Chu Shuangshuang, “What’s going on with Quan Ling? She’s been acting a bit strange these past few days.”
Chu Shuangshuang warily pulled her arm back, keeping a distance of five steps. “No way! Don’t come near me. I don’t want to be forcibly dumbed down and turned into a lovesick fool!”
Su Yuning muttered discontentedly, “What are you talking about…”
Chu Shuangshuang exclaimed, “Fox spirit, show your true form at once!”
Su Yuning couldn’t help but laugh. “What kind of joke is this? Out of everyone at this school, I’m the least likely to be a fox spirit, right?”
“That’s hard to say! Maybe you’re just a different breed from the traditional fox spirits. You…” Chu Shuangshuang sized Su Yuning up and down before hesitantly adding, “Maybe… you’re a Tibetan fox?”
Su Yuning rolled her eyes dramatically.
Chu Shuangshuang was also amused by her own guess. Elbowing Su Yuning playfully, she asked, “Hey, how does it feel to be liked and pursued by the campus heartthrob? Must be amazing, right?”
Which one do you like, Zuo Xingyan or Lu Ji?
“From what I can see, I think these two suitors are the most outstanding~”
“What are you talking about? What does Lu Ji have to do with this!” Su Yuning was speechless.
“Hmph, don’t deny it. Someone even took a photo of you getting out of his car.
Lu Ji, you know—he’s only been here once since the semester started, stayed for ten minutes and left. I heard he’s never been close to anyone of the opposite sex. Even though he has a good temper and is incredibly handsome, no girl has ever been seen coming and going with him~
If you don’t believe me, look—there are photos and evidence on our school forum!”