Chapter 45 :Who do you have lunch with

During a rare break, Su Cheng, like everyone else, sought refuge under the shade of a tree.

Lin Shiyue seized this opportunity to inquire about Su Cheng’s condition.

“Chengcheng, are you feeling better now?”

“I’m perfectly fine, really. I feel great.”

Lin Shiyue remained half-skeptical, pulling out a tissue to dab the sweat from Su Cheng’s forehead as she spoke softly, “You, you never say anything when you feel unwell during morning exercises. You always push yourself too hard, and that’s not good.”

Su Cheng offered an awkward laugh. “I didn’t mean to, but I fainted before I could even react. It happened so suddenly!”

Lin Shiyue’s hand drifted to Su Cheng’s cheek, and after wiping away the sweat, she playfully pinched her face. “You silly little萝莉 (TL Note: A common term for a young, cute girl, often used endearingly or mockingly), why are you so clumsy?”

“Ow, ow, ow, Shiyue, please let go…”

“No, you need a little punishment.”

Su Cheng’s brows furrowed, and she continued to plead with Lin Shiyue.

Yet, Lin Shiyue hadn’t pinched her with much force; her touch was as gentle as a faint breeze.

****

Under the distant tree’s shade, a pair of crimson eyes silently observed their intimate exchange.

The green leaf clutched in her palm was mercilessly crushed, and the chilling glint deep within her eyes seemed capable of piercing through anyone.

“Xiya, here’s your water.”

Her roommate’s voice suddenly sounded from behind, and the harsh glint in Gu Xiya’s eyes vanished, the crushed leaf fragments scattering across the ground.

“Thank you.”

Gu Xiya accepted the water bottle offered to her, returning her usual smile.

As she drank, she never stopped staring at her treasure.

‘Just wait… my little treasure…’

Her pink tongue swept across her lips to clean away the water droplets, and a fleeting flicker of desire ignited in her burning gaze.

The myriad images and thoughts that instantly surfaced in Gu Xiya’s mind caused a subtle blush to creep onto her cheeks, and her breathing quickened imperceptibly.

‘You are mine…’

****

Su Cheng suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, as if an ice pick had pricked her.

She turned to look, but there was nothing there.

“What’s wrong?”

Noticing Su Cheng’s sudden turn to look around, Lin Shiyue found it odd.

Su Cheng retracted her wandering gaze, shaking her head at Lin Shiyue’s puzzled face. “Nothing, nothing at all.”

****

“Beep, beep! Break’s over, gather up!”

As the whistle blew, everyone under the shade quickly formed neat lines.

In another two hours, it would be time for lunch.

The golden sun ascended to its zenith, casting pitifully small shadows beneath the trees.

The whistle signaling dismissal pierced the sky, allowing the new students under the sun to escape to shadier spots.

Before the training concluded, a young woman, holding a parasol, had already been waiting around the sports field.

Upon hearing the whistle, the young woman immediately dialed a number.

– *ring… ring…* –

– “Hello, Sister Lian…” –

– “Little Chengzi, has training ended yet?” –

– “It has, why?” –

Yin Xuelian chuckled softly.

– “I’m waiting for you. I can already see you.” –

– “Huh? Sister Lian, you came back again?” –

Before Yin Xuelian could respond, the call was disconnected.

Su Cheng’s puzzled eyes swept forward, and a striking flash of pink appeared in her line of sight.

“Wow…”

****

Su Cheng gazed at Yin Xuelian as she slowly approached her; today, Yin Xuelian’s attire was truly eye-catching.

Her pink ponytail was adorned with a blue bow hairpin, a pure white shirt paired with a black mini-skirt, and below that, over-the-knee black stockings encased her perfectly straight legs, the slight tightness adding a touch of alluring fantasy.

The skirt swayed with the young woman’s light steps, and the emergence of her absolute territory (TL Note: A Japanese term referring to the area of bare skin in the gap between a skirt and over-the-knee socks, considered alluring) stirred the hearts of both young men and women.

Su Cheng swallowed hard, perhaps because it had been a long time since she had seen Yin Xuelian dressed like this, especially those over-the-knee black stockings, which were precisely her type.

****

Yin Xuelian arrived before Su Cheng, her eyes full of smiles, and felt a sweet warmth in her heart as she sensed Su Cheng’s ardent gaze lingering on her.

This outfit was specifically prepared by Yin Xuelian for Su Cheng; the over-the-knee black stockings were just one of Su Cheng’s favorites, and Yin Xuelian’s ultimate trump card had yet to be revealed.

‘That’s a preference Su Cheng herself hasn’t even realized.’

‘This is perfect. Your eyes only need to see me, and that’s enough.’

Yin Xuelian’s lips curved into a sweet smile as she moved through the crowd, stopping in front of the dazed Su Cheng.

The shade from her parasol enveloped the petite Su Cheng, and her cherry lips, glistening in the sunlight, moved slightly.

“Do I look good?”

Su Cheng instinctively nodded, forcefully swallowing the saliva that threatened to spill, and met Yin Xuelian’s gaze. “Sister, you look really beautiful today! By the way, why did you come back?”

“Hehe, of course, I was worried about you, Little Chengzi. Shall we go get some lunch?”

Yin Xuelian casually took Su Cheng’s small hand, immediately drawing numerous envious glances from onlookers, but only two gazes held no envy whatsoever.

One was filled with hostility, and the other, a disgruntled and slightly pathological stare.

****

“Chengcheng!”

Lin Shiyue’s sharp voice simultaneously reached both their ears.

Su Cheng’s body stiffened; she dared not turn around and remained silent.

Yin Xuelian looked strangely at Lin Shiyue, a hint of displeasure and provocation in her eyes.

“Aren’t you going to lunch, Junior Sister Lin? Is there something you need with Little Chengzi?”

Lin Shiyue quickly walked to Su Cheng’s side, noting Su Cheng’s somewhat embarrassed, lowered head, and stared directly at Yin Xuelian with a defiant air.

“Of course there is! Chengcheng and I agreed to have lunch together.”

Yin Xuelian’s brows furrowed, her gaze shifting from Lin Shiyue to Su Cheng’s wide-eyed, surprised face, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Little Chengzi, is that true?”

Su Cheng’s head shook rapidly, her eyes earnestly denying it. “I… I didn’t…”

Lin Shiyue feigned urgency, her tone laced with displeasure, and suddenly grabbed Su Cheng’s other hand. “Chengcheng, why are you suddenly denying it? Didn’t we clearly agree this morning to have lunch together? How could you change your mind when Senior Sister Yin is here?”

‘Lin Shiyue, you’re setting me up!’

Su Cheng cursed inwardly, and while she knew Lin Shiyue’s words were false, the way she was acting suggested she intended to make it a reality.

Moreover, seeing the fierce glint in Yin Xuelian’s eyes, it seemed she already believed it.

“I don’t recall any such agreement, Shiyue. Are you mistaken?”

“Oh, so you’ve changed your mind, Chengcheng? Tell me, do you dislike me? Do you not want to eat with me?”

Su Cheng sighed helplessly, a few pea-sized beads of sweat, born from her nervousness, appearing on her forehead.

‘Can’t these people just calm down for a bit?’

“What about me?”

Before she could explain, Gu Xiya joined the fray.

“Student Gu? Why are you also…”

Upon seeing Gu Xiya, whose beauty was no less than her own, complex emotions flickered in Yin Xuelian’s eyes.

She immediately recognized her as Gu Xiya, the singer who would later become famous across the internet, but in her previous life, Su Cheng had only met her in her sophomore year.

‘How could they know each other now?’

Without time to ponder further, Yin Xuelian’s gaze darted between Lin Shiyue and Gu Xiya, finally settling on Su Cheng.

“Little Chengzi, what exactly is going on now?”

“Chengcheng, who exactly are you eating with?”

“Student Su, didn’t we agree to eat together?”

****

Su Cheng was on the verge of being driven mad; she abruptly shook off Yin Xuelian’s and Lin Shiyue’s hands, clutching her head, her face contorted.

“Ahhhhhhh! Everyone, be quiet!”

“I’m going to eat by myself! You all can play by yourselves!”

“No!”

This was echoed three times over.

But Su Cheng paid them no mind, sprinting towards the cafeteria.

“You three can eat by yourselves! I’m not staying with you guys anymore!”

“Hmph, trying to run away?”

“Chengcheng, wait for me.”

“You’re not being a good girl~ my dear.”