The last advanced math class of the day was unusually noisy. Nearly everyone was chatting with friends around them, except for a few in the front row (including Su Yun), who still kept their heads up and listened attentively.
Because they knew—after this class, they’d have six days off in a row. Some were excited about the upcoming sports festival within the next four days, while others looked forward to tomorrow’s performances.
The sports festival was held at the end of each semester, giving students a chance to relax both physically and mentally amidst the stress of studying. (Supposedly to strengthen their bodies, too.)
“Ding-ling-ling~”
“No more talking, my takeout’s here. Gonna eat, play a few rounds of CS, then crash.”
As soon as the dismissal bell rang, Liu Fei swaggered off with wide, confident strides.
......
“Phew, thank goodness Qin Xue didn’t come.”
Su Yun sat in the very last row of the classroom, watching as the classroom quickly emptied out, and finally let out a breath of relief.
Midway through the lecture, Qin Xue had said she would come to pick her up.
Thankfully, Su Yun had checked her phone at the end of class—otherwise, if Liu Fei and the others had seen Qin Xue, there’d be no way to explain it.
Zhang Deyi, that guy... always imagining things. Saying Qin Xue was her girlfriend—seriously...
“Hmm!?”
Just as Su Yun was about to get up, her head turned and a sudden thought popped into her mind.
Didn’t Zhang Deyi say he was going to buy her some supplements? And… did Qin Xue hear that too?
“…So awkward.”
Su Yun pulled her cap down and started heading toward the track where she had agreed to meet Qin Xue.
Upon reaching the Arts Building, Su Yun first took off her cap and mask.
“Uh…”
Su Yun’s mouth fell open in shock at the scene before her on the field.
There were people waiting at the starting line for the gunshot, others doing long jumps from a running start—the entire field was packed.
So many people...
Su Yun slowly approached the grandstand, keeping her face half-covered as she slipped her way up.
The grandstand was about four meters high, and the platform on top was pretty spacious—it could easily hold two to three hundred people.
Once she reached the top, Su Yun found that there were already a lot of people up there too, divided into a few groups: fashionably dressed guys with strange hairstyles, and brightly dressed girls with striking makeup.
Must be the teams performing on stage tomorrow, right?
“Xiaoyun, over here!”
In a crowd of girls, a slender hand suddenly shot up, and then Qin Xue came running out from within.
With her shout, nearly everyone on the platform turned their attention to the newly arrived Su Yun.
One boy even adjusted his sunglasses just to get a better look at her.
“Ugh.”
“You finished class pretty late, tired?”
Qin Xue came over, bringing a faint fragrance with her that left Su Yun a little flustered.
With people watching them, Su Yun couldn't bring herself to speak.
“Pfft.”
Seeing Su Yun lower her head, Qin Xue seemed to understand exactly what she was thinking. She grabbed her hand and pulled her into the crowd of beautifully dressed girls.
Only when they were surrounded by the other girls did Su Yun finally let out a quiet breath.
Back on Saturday, she had been forced to meet these girls. Compared to being stared at by total strangers, this was slightly better.
Still, Su Yun couldn’t figure out why—she kept feeling a burning gaze on her.
She glanced up and saw a girl smiling sweetly at her, eyes gleaming like she was staring at a toy.
Zhou Yiyi. The weird girl who’d been pinned under her last time but still seemed to enjoy it.
Pretty face, sure. But didn’t expect her to be this twisted… better stay alert.
“Look at me.”
Qin Xue, displeased, reached out and pinched Su Yun’s chin, forcing her to look up.
“Ooh~ Sister Xue’s possessiveness is strong today!”
“That cold, commanding look—ah~ I wanna be treated like that too. But sadly, I’m not as cute as Xiaoyun~”
“Sister Xue, let me hug her too! Maybe I’ll perform better tomorrow if I do~”
“…”
No one knew who started it, but soon all the girls from the dance club joined in, their sugary voices filling the platform and its surroundings.
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
Qin Xue shot them a chilly glare with her cold, beautiful eyes, instantly quieting the group.
Su Yun hung her head, wishing she could crawl into a hole.
“Alright, pat pat. I called you here because I have something to discuss.”
(Dodge)
“Heh.”
Seeing Su Yun try to dodge, Qin Xue reached out for a sneak attack but missed. She let out a cold chuckle.
Then she told Su Yun about tomorrow’s assignment.
“What? You want me to sing? No, no way.”
Su Yun immediately waved her hands and shook her head, rejecting the idea with both actions and words.
“If you do well, I’ll give you a reward. Anything you want. How about it?”
“Eh…”
Qin Xue’s seductive voice drifted into Su Yun’s ears, making her pause for a moment.
She glanced up.
“Sister Xue, we want rewards too!”
“...”
The surrounding girls started making a ruckus again, while Su Yun fell into deep thought.
Zhang Deyi had ended up in the hospital to protect her secret. If she stepped forward and drew attention, maybe no one else would get hurt.
She couldn’t just hide in her comfort zone like a coward. Su Yun didn’t want to rely on others’ sacrifices to preserve her peace. She’d said so herself before.
Besides, she was usually afraid of being seen because she wore boys’ clothes—worried someone would figure out her real identity. But tomorrow she’d be in a dress. No one would even guess she was the invisible Su Yun.
And finally... she could get a free wish from Qin Xue...
Su Yun’s eyes instinctively flicked toward Qin Xue’s slender, elegant legs and her graceful figure.
What she really wanted... was to never have to act clingy around Qin Xue again.
Yeah, that was it.
“Alright, I’ll do it.”
Su Yun nodded.
“Mhm~”
When rehearsal time came, everyone settled down.
The dance club members moved to the center, ready to perform. Even those who had been playing on their phones shifted their attention to them.
Su Yun wasn’t entirely sure if she could sing well. But at least she’d memorized all the lyrics and wouldn’t go off-key. She’d just do her best.
As the sweet instrumental began, Su Yun nervously gripped the microphone.
“...”
“Be your kitty, meow~ snuggle in your arms and act all cutesy.”
Su Yun sang with a soft, sweet voice.
At the same time, the girls behind her began to move with the music, their lithe and graceful bodies creating a beautiful and striking performance.
The lyrics of the song were very sugary. If sung by someone with an annoying voice or an overly dramatic personality, it’d be pure cringe for the audience.
Qin Xue stood off to the side, arms crossed. A rare, faint smile appeared on her cold face.
Su Yun’s voice was pure. When she sang, a blush bloomed on her cheeks—like a budding red flower, not yet fully in bloom, but already exuding a gentle fragrance.
To Qin Xue, Su Yun’s cuteness and innocence made her the perfect fit for this song.
......
Throughout the performance, Su Yun stared straight ahead. She didn’t dare look around, afraid that eye contact would throw her off.
Even though it was super embarrassing, she didn’t mess up.
“Clap clap!”
As they bowed at the end, applause erupted across the entire field. Even the people who’d looked bored earlier were now standing, some holding up their phones to record.
“You all did great. I’ll treat you to lunch after it ends tomorrow morning.”
Qin Xue walked up to them with a smile, clapping.
“Yay!”
The dance club girls cheered with joy.
Su Yun kept her head down, too shy to speak.
“Xiaoyun, even your shy side is adorable~”
“Not adorable at all... scram!”
Su Yun snapped playfully at Qin Xue with a pout.
“Heh.”
There weren’t any professional idol groups on stage today—they had more advanced rehearsal spaces, not some stone grandstand.
After one final rehearsal, once everything was confirmed, they disbanded.
......
......
Night fell.
As midnight approached, the curfew for the dorms took effect. The once lively grandstand was now pitch black, not a single figure in sight.
And yet—at this hour, a few people appeared atop the grandstand, carrying hammers and power drills.
The sound of drilling began to echo.
With how far the area was from the dorms, it’d be hard for anyone to notice what was happening here.
(End of Chapter)