Chapter 7: The Girl with Lifeless Eyes and a Bento

Confronted by the girl who had appeared so abruptly, Bai Chen paused, a question spontaneously surfacing in his mind: ‘Was there really someone like her in our class?’

In the month since school started, Bai Chen’s frequent brilliant performances on the basketball court had led many female classmates to strike up conversations with him.

Yet, this particular girl was someone he had never encountered before.

Her neatly combed black hair cascaded down her back.

Beneath the ill-fitting uniform, her ample, full breasts strained against the fabric, their slight undulations seeming to yearn for liberation.

From beneath her skirt, a pair of slender, shapely calves, encased in black stockings, emerged.

Most striking of all were her eyes.

Bai Chen’s preference for eyes without highlights was no mere self-deception.

The girl before him possessed eyes as still and lifeless as the deepest ocean, devoid of any glimmer that could pierce their boundless darkness.

Perhaps they had once shone like pearls, but now they had long since lost all their luster, leaving behind only emptiness and an unsettling indifference.

It was exhilarating.

Snapping back to reality, Bai Chen suddenly recognized her face.

“You’re the one from last Friday…”

“Mo Qiu.”

“Ah, yes, Mo Qiu. So we’re classmates, what a coincidence.” Bai Chen scratched his head, averting his gaze, just as Old Zhu tugged at his collar.

“You sly dog, didn’t you say you were going to work? Who knew you had such hidden depths!”

“What are you thinking? I only met her once.”

Whether Old Zhu believed him or not was unclear; regardless, he gave Bai Chen a thumbs-up and nodded encouragingly.

Giving him a glare, Bai Chen turned his attention back to Mo Qiu.

“Is there something you need me for?”

If it was an attempt to flirt, he would certainly refuse.

This held true even if Mo Qiu was undeniably cute and possessed the very kind of highlight-less eyes he favored.

“It’s about what happened last Friday.”

“Oh, that. It’s ancient history now, no need to dwell on it…”

Before he could finish his sentence, the girl before him suddenly bent at the waist, dropping to her knees without a hint of concern for her black stockings or skirt getting soiled.

She held up both hands, presenting a heart-shaped bento box.

“This is a token of my gratitude; I hope you’ll accept it.”

It was still break time, and her sudden action nearly sent Bai Chen tumbling from his chair.

Two passersby, who happened to be walking down the aisle, witnessed the scene and promptly took a detour.

Old Zhu, standing nearby, also widened his eyes, blinking at the pink bento box before suddenly bursting into laughter.

“Uh, I just remembered I have something urgent to do, you two carry on!”

With that, he sprinted out of the classroom, leaving a bewildered Bai Chen behind.

Though her head was bowed, Mo Qiu could sense Bai Chen’s astonished expression.

It was proving even more effective than she had anticipated; clearly, Bai Chen hadn’t been lying when he said he liked proactive girls.

Despite causing a minor stir, everything was unfolding according to Mo Qiu’s plan.

‘Quickly, fall for it, and happily accept this bento box.’

Just as Mo Qiu was mentally rehearsing the next step of her plan, her wrist was suddenly seized by Bai Chen, and she was pulled to her feet.

Bai Chen’s face rapidly filled her vision, causing Mo Qiu to even hold her breath, barely managing to suppress the urge to defend herself.

“Let’s talk outside.”

Bai Chen’s hand was warm and firm, affording Mo Qiu no opportunity to resist.

She was simply led out of the classroom, stopping only when they reached the stairwell landing.

“This should be fine here.” Despite not having run particularly fast, Bai Chen was panting.

‘This spot was secluded, an excellent location,’ Mo Qiu mused internally, her gaze drifting down to her still-clasped wrist.

Bai Chen quickly released her, “Ah, my apologies, I didn’t scare you, did I?”

Mo Qiu shook her head, presenting the bento box to him as she stood.

Bai Chen asked in a low voice, “This isn’t some prank, is it?”

“It’s not a prank.”

“Then if someone’s threatening you, just blink your eyes.”

Mo Qiu didn’t blink, her doll-like face betraying not a flicker of emotion, causing Bai Chen to feel a surge of what he called ‘awkwardness cancer’ (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘gangga ai,’ referring to extreme embarrassment or cringeworthiness).

“It’s not a prank, and no one is threatening me.”

“Really?” Bai Chen raised an eyebrow.

“Really.” Mo Qiu nodded.

‘Such a thing was actually happening…’ Bai Chen sighed, scratching his head, realizing that imagination could indeed become reality.

He resolved to have a good chat with his colleagues about this when he returned.

For now, his answer was: “No, I can’t accept this.”

“…Why?”

Did he glimpse a fleeting hint of surprise on her face? Bai Chen wondered, meeting her gaze.

“Listen, Mo Qiu. I did help you, but you already thanked me, and what happened between us concluded last Friday.

There’s no need for you to do something like this, let alone debase yourself.”

He gestured downwards; due to her kneeling earlier, Mo Qiu’s black stockings were visibly smudged with dust at the knees.

Bai Chen pulled a partially used pack of tissues from his pocket and offered it to her.

“Wipe it off.”

Having said his piece, he turned to leave, but this time, it was his wrist that Mo Qiu seized.

“Wait, could you help me wipe it?”

“Huh?” Bai Chen stared, dumbfounded, his gaze flicking between her black stockings and Mo Qiu’s face. “Are you serious?”

“Serious.”

Bai Chen gave up trying to deduce her inner thoughts from her expression; she had maintained the same single expression throughout, revealing absolutely nothing.

If he didn’t agree, she would likely persist, so Bai Chen could only comply.

Squatting down for a closer look, he could discern the faint outline of skin beneath the black stockings, the stark contrast of black and white proving remarkably alluring.

Bai Chen swallowed, his movements gentle, his heart pounding rapidly.

Mo Qiu, at this moment, was lost in her own thoughts:

‘Why did he refuse?’

‘It shouldn’t have happened this way; I was so sincere, so proactive… This isn’t how the plan was supposed to go.’

‘Did something go wrong, or perhaps, was what I did insufficient?’

Recalling Bai Chen’s expression when he refused, that serious look, it was as if he was deliberately keeping his distance.

‘I understand now: my sincerity wasn’t enough, was it? Playing hard to get (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘yuqin guzhong,’ meaning to let loose in order to catch, or to play hard to get), I wouldn’t have thought you’d be so adept at it.’

Knowing the problem, Mo Qiu quickly devised a solution.

While Bai Chen was busy wiping her knees, she placed the bento box on the nearby railing, then raised her hands to unfasten the buttons of her uniform, one after another…

‘This should do the trick.’

Observing the black stockings, now gleaming once more, Bai Chen nodded in satisfaction, feeling that they were truly even now.

“Mo Qiu, you…”

As Bai Chen stood up, the sight before him nearly stopped his heart.

‘So big, so white!’

With her uniform half-unbuttoned, half of her ample, white breasts, long constrained, had sprung forth.

She even deliberately pulled open her bra, offering Bai Chen an even clearer view.

Mo Qiu once again held up the bento box and bowed to him. “Please accept my bento.”

Under the pressure of her arms, the two large, white spheres pressed together, forming a deep cleavage that seemed capable of drawing out one’s soul.

“Mo Qiu, what are you doing?”

“I’m demonstrating my sincerity; I hope you’ll like it.”

The bento box propped up her full breasts, and Bai Chen could almost hear their desperate cries for freedom, fearing they might fully escape her clothing at any moment.

“You don’t like it?” Her cherry-red lips parted slightly, and the girl’s voice was soft and lingering.

“…”

Bai Chen didn’t know how to respond, merely swallowing hard.

He was a perfectly healthy man, after all; even if his rational mind tried to deny it, his instincts were in full agreement.

The girl with deep-sea-like, lifeless eyes (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘siyu yan,’ referring to dull, unresponsive eyes), displayed her lively, full breasts to him with an utterly blank expression.

‘Was this the universe rewarding him for all the good deeds he’d done?’

Bai Chen was on the verge of succumbing; if she was showing such sincerity, perhaps accepting wouldn’t be so bad.

Just as Bai Chen began to raise his hand, certain fragmented images flashed through his mind.

A honeytrap (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘xianren tiao,’ referring to a scam where someone is lured into a compromising situation, often involving seduction, for blackmail or robbery), a monster, the hoodlums who suffered.

The girl’s dark, unlit eyes suddenly grew chilling.

At the same moment, the class bell rang, and Bai Chen, jolted back to his senses, felt sweat trickle down his back.

The hurried footsteps of students echoed, and he quickly urged Mo Qiu to button up her uniform, speaking with gravity:

“I’m sorry, I still can’t accept this.”

Having said this, he fled in a panic, leaving a stunned Mo Qiu behind.

Students rushing back to class streamed past her, the currents of air causing her uniform skirt to sway slightly.

‘It actually failed.’

Mo Qiu couldn’t believe it; for a moment, her mind was in disarray.

A beautiful girl, kneeling to offer a bento and even exposing her ample breasts, yet he still wouldn’t accept?!

It was utterly incomprehensible; what on earth was going through his mind?

Surely, a normal person wouldn’t refuse, would they? What was he trying to prove, playing the saint?

Soon, however, she regained her composure.

The very first step of her plan had delivered a blunt blow to Mo Qiu (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘mentou yigun,’ meaning to give someone a sudden, heavy blow, often figurative, to shock them into reality), making her see reality clearly.

Glancing down at the bento in her hands, the girl’s lips pressed into a faint line.

‘Just you wait, Bai Chen, you won’t escape.’

‘Today, whether you want this bento or not, you will accept it!’

****

After this unexpected interlude, Bai Chen’s campus life returned to normal.

However, from that moment on, he truly noticed that there was such an eccentric classmate tucked away in the corner of their classroom.

During classes, he would occasionally glance in Mo Qiu’s direction.

Sometimes she would have her head bowed, other times she would be looking at the blackboard, but unless it was a situation that absolutely required speaking, like a class recitation, Bai Chen rarely saw her make any attempt to talk.

Taciturn, expressionless, and with eyes devoid of highlights, even with her striking looks, sitting in such a corner naturally rendered her an unnoticed presence (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘xiao touming,’ referring to someone so unremarkable they are almost invisible).

Bai Chen remained somewhat tense during the subsequent classes, worried that she might try to bother him again.

It wasn’t until lunchtime that he finally relaxed.

As soon as class ended, he dragged Old Zhu along to the office to ask some questions.

“She’s not coming after you anymore? Did you two break up?” Old Zhu asked.

“Break up? I’m not even close with her.”

“She even gave you a bento, man! My own girlfriend doesn’t give me such good benefits.”

At the mention of “benefits,” Bai Chen’s mind involuntarily returned to those ample breasts, and his expression inevitably grew awkward.

“Old Bai, I just don’t get you.

Why do you turn down girls who practically throw themselves at you?”

“Because I’m not interested, I suppose.”

This was a lie; Bai Chen’s mind was constantly plagued by unsettling suspicions.

He desperately hoped it was merely his own delusion.

“I don’t believe it.

People who claim they’re not interested in girls are usually perverts (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘LSP’ or ‘laosiji,’ literally ‘old driver,’ used to refer to someone experienced, often in a lewd or perverted sense).”

“Is that just your opinion?”

After chatting with Old Zhu and finishing their questions in the office, Bai Chen parted ways with him, returning to the classroom alone.

Having finally solved a math problem that had stumped him for days, his mood significantly brightened, and his appetite soared.

Recalling the ingredients he had meticulously prepared that morning, he began to ponder: should he eat the sausage first, or the meatballs?

As he entered the classroom, he accidentally bumped into some other students.

“Watch where you’re going.”

Bai Chen didn’t bother to argue with them, simply apologizing and walking away.

He couldn’t be bothered to get entangled with the class’s notoriously delinquent students.

Returning to his seat, Bai Chen suddenly froze.

His familiar bento box lay on the floor, its contents—dishes that should have awaited his triumphant return—now scattered across the ground, transformed into veritable trash.

Several careless footprints marred the spilled food, stinging his eyes.