The Mystic Tibetan Fox
What was most infuriating wasn’t anything else, but the many comments attacking her appearance.
Su Yuning read the highly upvoted comments, which were quite sarcastic. They made her feel both heartbroken and a bit wronged.
Her appearance was natural—she hadn’t provoked or offended anyone. These people had come over on their own later, so how could they blame her?
But soon, that comment was discovered and replied to by more netizens, who reminded the commenter not to be so mean, as their jealous tone was practically leaping off the screen.
After a few more minutes, that comment was completely buried.
Su Yuning felt a bit better, and then Chu Shuangshuang’s message came through.
Chu Shuangshuang: [Forwarded video] Look, it’s you!
Su Yuning: I already saw it…
Chu Shuangshuang: You’re famous now! By the way, you’re really popular! Which one do you actually like?
Chu Shuangshuang: Look, our forum is blowing up. Who are the other two handsome guys? They don’t seem to be from our school.
Su Yuning: One is a customer, and the other is just my colleague! He came over to help me out of a tight spot!
Chu Shuangshuang didn’t reply for a while, but after two minutes, she responded.
Chu Shuangshuang: You little liar! The forum has already identified the handsome guys. The one sitting is Meng Zhizhuo from the Meng family, a famously tall, rich, and handsome guy, but they say he’s super flirtatious~
The one carrying the tray is Shen Xiuhuai, the academic genius from the neighboring school. He got a perfect score in science and was exceptionally admitted. He’s held the top spot for several years in a row and won many awards. In his senior year of high school, he even co-developed a software… Hmph, don’t try to fool me!
Chu Shuangshuang: You’re really amazing! Truly worthy of being called the Mystic Tibetan Fox!
Su Yuning: (Eye roll)
Chu Shuangshuang: Hahahaha.
Su Yuning: But if he got a perfect score in science, why did he need to be exceptionally admitted?
Chu Shuangshuang: Because his liberal arts scores were terrible! So bad it’s unbelievable—I heard he didn’t even pass one subject. Reading comprehension and essays are his weak points. His academic imbalance is super severe. Anyway, with so many handsome guys, which one do you actually like?
Chu Shuangshuang: Hurry up and pick one! Don’t let other innocent boys and girls fall under your spell anymore!
Seeing this sentence suddenly reminded Su Yuning of Lin Shuiqing. She thought, maybe this could work. If she got a girlfriend, wouldn’t those inexplicably clingy people back off?
Su Yuning: You’re right! What do you think about me finding a girlfriend?
Chu Shuangshuang: Wow—Quan Ling?!
Su Yuning: Haha, don’t joke around, we’re good friends! I mean someone else, someone outside of school.
Chu Shuangshuang: If you want to make Quan Ling sad, go ahead. I’d also like to see her go crazy with anger.
…What does that mean? She and Lingling are purely good friends, okay? And why are you so gleeful about it?
Su Yuning grumbled inwardly.
Her phone suddenly vibrated, and she almost dropped it on her face.
Zuo Xingyan sent a message: Answer the phone.
Su Yuning: What do you want? Do you need something? I’m socially anxious and don’t like answering calls.
Zuo Xingyan: Fine.
The call ended, and Zuo Xingyan didn’t say anything else. Su Yuning felt uneasy. She took off her face mask, washed her face, and while applying skincare products, she worried that he might cause trouble. Sure enough, not long after,
Zuo Xingyan: Come down. I’m downstairs at your building.
Su Yuning really disliked his commanding tone and dawdled, unwilling to move.
Downstairs, Zuo Xingyan looked at his phone, frowning when he got no reply. He scrolled through the chat history, wondering if his tone had been too harsh—maybe girls didn’t like that? So he softened his approach.
Zuo Xingyan: Ningning, come down. I brought you something tasty. [Image]
It was a bag of what looked like high-end treats.
Su Yuning: Thanks, but no need. Can’t you just say what you want directly?
Zuo Xingyan: OK, I’ll come up to you.
Su Yuning: No, no, don’t come up! I’ll be right down.
She had no doubt Zuo Xingyan would barge straight into the girls’ dormitory—he seemed exactly the type to do something like that.
“Lingling, I’m going down for a bit.”
Quan Ling glanced downstairs. “Is that Zuo Xingyan? Ning, you… never mind, go ahead.”
Zuo Xingyan naturally drew attention, and now that he was standing at the entrance of the girls’ dorm, passing girls couldn’t help but look twice.
When Su Yuning came downstairs, he was standing with one hand in his pocket, half-heartedly responding to a few girls. Seeing Su Yuning, his bored expression instantly lit up. “Sorry, my girlfriend’s here.”
The two girls turned and saw Su Yuning, their expressions shifting unpredictably. After exchanging a glance, they cheerfully bid Zuo Xingyan goodbye and walked past Su Yuning arm in arm.
Su Yuning shuffled over slowly. “Hello, Zuo. What can I do for you?”
“Why so formal?” Zuo Xingyan felt his mood lift the moment he saw her and couldn’t resist getting closer, which made him seem a bit handsy.
Su Yuning dodged his attempt to pat her head, then swatted away the hand reaching for hers. Wide-eyed but not quite daring to sound angry, she demanded, “What are you doing?”
“Why do you keep avoiding me?” Zuo Xingyan wasn’t pleased either.
Under his frowning gaze, Su Yuning shrank back nervously but mustered the courage to meet his eyes.
Unexpectedly, before Su Yuning could show fear, Zuo Xingyan turned his head away, cleared his throat softly, and handed her the bag.
“Here, this is for you. I was going to take you out for something good today, but you wouldn’t come. So I went and bought this myself. Heard you girls like this stuff.”
“I—”
Su Yuning had just opened her mouth.
“No refusing.”
Seeing her fall silent, Zuo Xingyan smiled again, leaning in closer. “Want to go out together tomorrow?”
“No, I have things to do tomorrow.”
“What things? I’ll go with you.”
Su Yuning pursed her lips and glanced at him meaningfully. “Going to a nearby temple to draw a fortune slip.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Before Su Yuning could refuse, Zuo Xingyan’s phone rang. He pulled it out impatiently, glanced at it, and reluctantly answered. “Mom—”
Su Yuning tried to return his things and seize the chance to slip away.
But as soon as she moved, Zuo Xingyan lifted his arm and tucked her under it. Su Yuning couldn’t make a sound, holding her breath as she struggled.
Zuo Xingyan patted her soothingly with his free hand and mouthed: Be good.
He got two big eye-rolls in return.
He couldn’t help but chuckle softly. The person on the phone seemed to ask about it, and Zuo Xingyan said, “Nothing, just laughing. Alright, nothing’s wrong, I’ll hang up… Tomorrow?”
Su Yuning couldn’t break free, stuck in an awkward and uncomfortable position under his arm.
Zuo Xingyan glanced at her, pleased to see her staying quietly in his embrace. He leaned over and kissed her head, silently saying: So good.
Su Yuning was overcome by a surge of malice and clamped her teeth down on the index finger of his right hand.
Zuo Xingyan didn’t feel any pain from the bite. Instead, he curled his middle and ring fingers and gently scratched her chin.
“Tomorrow… alright, I understand. I’ll be there.”
Zuo Xingyan hung up the phone, and Su Yuning seized the chance to break free and run away. He looked at the teeth marks on his right index finger and smiled. “Why are you biting people? I can’t accompany you tomorrow—I have to go home for a gathering that I can’t get out of. Should I arrange for someone to take you? Or wait until I come back the day after tomorrow to go with you?”
“No need, I’ll go by myself tomorrow.”
“Alright then. But let’s be clear: going to the temple is one thing, but you’re not allowed to provoke anyone else again.”
Su Yuning retorted, “Who did I provoke?!”
“Don’t try to deny it. I saw the video.” Zuo Xingyan pinched her cheek, this time with a much lighter touch, but Su Yuning still cried out, “Ow!”
Zuo Xingyan asked, “What, does that hurt too?”
“I just applied my skincare! You’ve smudged it all off.”
This spot can’t be touched, that spot can’t be pinched. Zuo Xingyan suddenly leaned in and gave her lips a firm, smacking kiss.
“It’s just a bit of skincare—I’ll buy you new ones. Alright, Ningning, I’m heading back now.”
He touched his lips, satisfied, and left with a carefree air. Su Yuning began to seriously consider whether she really should go to the temple tomorrow to draw a fortune stick or pray to the Buddha.